272 Dagger [Nick/Tony]
272 Dagger [Nick/Tony]
[POV: Nick]
I managed to gather volunteers from Lockworld.
Calling them volunteers was generous. It involved a fair amount of coercion, a bit of pressure, and reminding them exactly how much they owed me. Lockworld wasn’t exactly a place where favors were forgotten, especially when I was the one collecting.
Gameboy stood off to the side, arms crossed, his glitching face flickering with annoyance.
“This is such a pain,” he complained. “Do you even know how bothersome this is going to be? But fine, I’ll go with you. On one condition. You wipe out every single debt my city owes you. All of it. Clean slate.”
I glanced at him briefly.
As strange as it sounded, I had taken a tyrannical approach when I seized control over parts of Lockworld. Even then, I left enough autonomy for them to function on their own. I was still an outsider there, an invader who imposed order where there was none.
Still, it wouldn’t hurt to show a little gratitude.
Gameboy was useful.
A seemingly young man with blond hair and a constantly glitching face, his existence flickering like corrupted data. His power tied directly to his city, allowing him to manipulate systems and structures within it.
Outside of it, though, he was far more limited.
That made his decision to come with me… risky.
Before I could respond, Tony spoke.
“Stop whining,” Tony said flatly.
Gameboy flinched.
It was subtle, but obvious.
“Y-Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Gameboy muttered, looking visibly uncomfortable. “No need to get all serious about it.”
Both of them were reality warpers.
That alone said everything.
But Tony was on a completely different level. Even with Gameboy’s city backing him, the gap between them was undeniable. Worse, that borrowed power wouldn’t follow Gameboy outside his domain.
He knew it.
And he still chose to come.
That said enough.
Cordelia stepped forward next. Her Victorian dress flowed gently despite the still air, and behind her stood Knightess, her towering golem construct radiating quiet strength. “I will follow you into battle,” she said calmly. “However, you must promise me something. The other worlds… and the SRC… they will not touch our world.”
I looked at her.
Her power still felt strange to me, even now. It wasn’t just the construct or the control. There was something deeper, something I couldn’t quite place.
“I give you my word,” I said.
It wasn’t a light promise, but it was one I could make.
I was going to deal with the SRC permanently anyway.
Gameboy suddenly raised a hand.
“Hey, give me five minutes,” he said. “I need to grab someone.”
A moment later, System Administrator appeared. A woman in a suit, glasses resting neatly on her face, her presence sharp and composed. She gave a brief glance around before following Gameboy as the two of them stepped into a private room.
We were currently in Foresthome. A place that had become something of a temporary staging ground. Moments later, Dr. Hera arrived, accompanied by Perry and Qilin.
“Doctor,” I said, “I’ll leave Ron to you.”
Dr. Hera nodded.
“He’ll be safe here,” she replied. “Both the Kingdom and Urbanite have already sent capes to reinforce security. On top of that, I’ve completed an isolation-type technology in collaboration with George.”
She paused.
“How is George doing?” she asked. “He suddenly disappeared when we were close to finishing the project.”
I grimaced slightly. There wasn’t a good way to answer that.
“He’s… busy with something else right now,” I said.
It was the easiest answer.
Qilin stepped forward next.
“I want to come with you,” he said.
I looked at him closely.
He had changed.
In just a few months, he had grown significantly, his body maturing at an unnatural pace. His presence felt heavier, more stable. It was clearly the result of his power evolving.
“How are your memories?” I asked.
He smiled.
“Still got nothing,” he admitted. “But I want to fight.”
His growth wasn’t just physical. His power rating had skyrocketed. With the removal of the power cap in this world, capes here were evolving at an accelerated rate. Qilin was one of the biggest beneficiaries of that change.
Rated-17 at least.
Possibly higher.
By sheer output alone, the capes of this world were becoming far more potent than those from mine. Their only limitation was their smaller population.
Perry spoke up next.
“The portal tech to the SRC is ready,” he said.
“Right on time.”
The door to the private room opened. Gameboy stepped out, adjusting his clothes slightly, with System Administrator following behind him. Both looked mildly disheveled.
“Sorry about that,” Gameboy said casually. “I needed the quickie.”
I rolled my eyes.
We entered the portal and stepped into a place that didn’t feel real.
The SRC’s highest base existed somewhere outside of time, or at least that was what they claimed. The moment I crossed the threshold, I could feel the disconnect. There was no sense of progression, no movement of time, just a stillness that pressed against my senses in an uncomfortable way.
Waiting for us was one of the Five Continuities, Ms. Life.
Otherwise known as Lifeblood.
She stood calmly at the center of the chamber, her presence steady and overwhelming in a way that felt… fundamental. Like she was something that simply existed, unquestioned.
I didn’t waste time.
“Call the rest of the Five Continuities,” I said. “Tell them to join this fight.”
Lifeblood shook her head gently.
“They won’t be able to make it,” she replied. “Their responsibilities bind them elsewhere. Interference at that level could destabilize far more than it would resolve.”
She paused briefly.
“But I am willing to join you.”
I let out a short breath.
“At least you’ve got the balls,” I said.
Behind me, the group shifted.
It was obvious this was their first time inside an SRC facility, especially one like this. Their eyes moved around the space, taking in the unnatural structure, the sterile design, and the sheer weight of what this place represented.
Then he appeared.
Dr. Time.
Tony froze.
I could feel it immediately. The boy’s body stiffened, and a faint tremble ran through him. He had insisted on coming with me, even after I tried to leave him behind in Lockworld. I had even gone as far as arranging for someone to feed him whatever he wanted, thinking that would be enough to keep him there.
Apparently not.
Now he stood here, face to face with the man responsible for whatever had shaped him into what he was.
Physically, he looked like a child.
Mentally, he wasn’t much different.
It was… unfortunate.
And the one responsible was standing right in front of us.
I stepped slightly forward.
“What do you want?” I asked.
Dr. Time’s gaze briefly shifted to Tony. There was no emotion in it. Then he looked back at me. “To provide you with a weapon,” he said calmly. “One that the labs have been developing for quite some time.”
He extended his hand.
A dagger rested in his palm.
“This will extract the Source from the Entity,” he continued. “It will store it within the blade and provide you with a viable method of combat. Use it as you see fit.”
I took the dagger.
It felt… strange.
Not heavy, not light, just present.
Dr. Time turned and left just as quickly as he arrived, as if none of us mattered enough to warrant another second of his attention.
I looked at Tony.
“Don’t you want revenge?” I asked.
He sighed.
“No,” he said simply. “Why?”
I frowned slightly.
“That man made you suffer,” I said. “Doesn’t that matter to you?”
From the side, Gameboy snorted.
“Wow, what a great role model you are,” he said sarcastically. “Really teaching the kid all the right lessons.”
Cordelia shot him a sharp look.
“Enough,” she said firmly. “This is neither the time nor the place for your commentary.”
“We should focus on the task at hand,” said Lifeblood suddenly, turning her eyes on me. “Time is a luxury you do not possess. What is your next move?”
I shifted my attention back to Lifeblood.
“Do you have the Fuhrer’s current whereabouts?” I asked. “I want to extend an invitation to him.”
Lifeblood nodded without hesitation. “I do. He is within reach. I can take you to him.”
That was good enough. I turned slightly toward the rest of the group.
“Stay here,” I said. “I’ll handle this alone. I don’t want to spook him by showing up with a crowd of highly rated capes.”
…
..
.
[POV: Tony]
I watched as Nick left with the strange red-haired woman, the two of them stepping into a portal that swallowed them whole. For a moment, I just stared at where he used to be. Then someone tapped my shoulder and we were guided somewhere else.
The place we ended up in was… nice.
I think they called it a lobby.
It had clean floors, smooth walls, and a really cool wallpaper that kind of shimmered if you looked at it long enough. I tilted my head, trying to see if it would change shape again.
Behind me, Gameboy groaned loudly.
“Do these people have zero sense or what?” he complained. “They don’t even offer drinks or snacks or anything. Just dump us in this boring, unstylish lobby like we’re some kind of afterthought.”
I blinked.
Really?
I thought it looked pretty stylish.
I reached behind me and pulled out a pizza box.
“Here! Have some!” I said, holding it out proudly.
Gameboy’s face lit up instantly.
“Whoa~! Now that’s what I’m talking about,” he said as he snatched the box from me.
He opened it.
Then he frowned.
“It’s cold,” he complained.
I tilted my head.
Huh?
Pizza… wasn’t supposed to be cold?
That was confusing. I looked at the slice I had created earlier in my hand, then back at the box. Maybe I got something wrong. I was still waiting for Nick to get me a real one anyway. I could wait.
To be honest, I felt excited.
We were going to fight a bad guy soon.
That thought made something inside me buzz in a good way. I wasn’t sure why, but it felt important. Like this was something I was supposed to do.
Maybe it was destiny. I glanced at where Nick had disappeared earlier. I didn’t really understand it, but I felt attached to him somehow.
He was… cool.
Cordelia approached me quietly.
“Young master, is it fine for you to be here?” she asked.
I looked at her.
She was one of the few people here I recognized, but there were still things about her that confused me. Like the way she spoke to me.
“Why do you call me that?” I asked.
She hesitated slightly.
“I mean… if your father finds you—” she began.
I blinked.
“I have a father?” I asked.
Cordelia went quiet, and then she lowered her head slightly.
“I apologize,” she said. “I might be mistaken.”
…
..
.
[POV: Nick]
It seemed I had pissed the Fuhrer off.
The entire building around us had already crumbled, and several others nearby followed shortly after. Dust and debris filled the air as the structure gave way under the sheer force of his presence.
He stood before me, easily twice my height.
I phased instinctively, my body slipping into intangibility as I prepared to end this quickly. Normally, this would’ve been over in a second. A glance, a thought, and he’d be buried beneath layers of warped space.
Except it didn’t happen.
My power was weaker in this world for some reason.
The Fuhrer smirked down at me.
“Surprised?” he said. “We’ve made significant progress in recent research. The old understanding was that power ratings capped at twenty. That was wrong. It turns out the cap can be pushed higher if you monopolize the power class itself. This entire planet has been conditioned to possess variations of the intangibility class.”
He leaned closer.
“And it affects you. Normally, you would’ve already buried me with a glance. A Rated-30 like you should have no trouble. Yet here you are.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Where did you hear that?” I asked.
He grinned.
“My spies are very capable.”
Before I could respond, the sky above shifted. Lifeblood descended slowly, standing atop a flowing cloud of blood that carried her downward with unnatural grace. “There are more important matters at hand,” she said, her tone calm but firm. “This conflict is unnecessary.”
The Fuhrer scoffed.
“I won’t be conscripted into your cause like some obedient soldier,” he said. “I’m not one of your disposable pieces. I don’t care if the Entity is a threat to your world. That’s your problem, not mine. Deal with it yourselves.”
I straightened slightly despite the pressure he exerted.
“And when he’s done with us,” I said, “what makes you think you won’t be next?”
He didn’t hesitate.
“To clarify,” he replied, “once he’s done with you.”
I exhaled slowly.
“Just be honest,” I said.
He smiled.
A wide, greedy grin.
“Very well,” he said. “I will assist you under one condition. I want ownership of the moon of your planet.”
I stared at him for a second.
No shit.
Under normal circumstances, I would’ve told him exactly where to shove that demand. But this wasn’t normal.
We needed him.
“Deal,” I said. “Do you want it written in blood?”
He shook his head.
“Paper,” he said. “And I want the SRC, along with two additional worlds, to act as mediators for this agreement.”
Of course he did.
It didn’t take long to finalize the contract.
MAX and Eden stood as the two additional worlds acting as mediators and witnesses, their representatives observing every clause, every word, every intent written into the agreement. The SRC handled the formalities with their usual efficiency, ensuring that everything was binding across multiple planes.
I didn’t actually own the moon.
No one did.
But it fell under the jurisdiction of my world, and by extension, under my influence. With the Company’s resources, acquiring control over it wasn’t exactly impossible. It was a ridiculous demand, but not one I couldn’t technically fulfill.
Still, I already knew.
This contract wouldn’t last.
The people of my world weren’t stupid. The GDF still existed. Sooner or later, this agreement would be challenged, bent, or outright broken.
For now, though, it served its purpose.
The Fuhrer picked up the pen.
“There is no such thing as excess when one understands how to wield it,” he said as he signed his name. “Limits are constructs imposed by the weak to justify their inadequacy.”
I watched him finish his signature.
Then I took the pen.
“Too much of anything poisons the well,” I said calmly as I wrote my name beneath his, warning him. “Even power, even ambition. Know your limits before they decide to know you.”
The ink settled.
The contract was done.
I turned toward the representatives of MAX.
“I have a question,” I said. “Do you possess any technology capable of instant relocation across vast distances?”
They exchanged glances.
Silent communication passed between them before one of them stepped forward. He gestured toward a nearby door.
“Let’s talk more,” he said.
I nodded.
Before following, I glanced back at Lifeblood and the Fuhrer.
“Wait here,” I said. “I’ll be back.”