July 22, 2175
4:30 P.M.
Jack laid back into his seat, his head lopsided to make it look like he was dead. The officer peeked in, saw Jack's silhouette lying motionless inside. He tried to truly confirm it by opening the door, but it was locked. He tried shooting it open, yet the door didn't budge.
"It seems he is dead. The door is locked, so I can't confirm the pulse," he shouted, his head visible over the car roof, waiting for further instructions.
Jack heaved a sigh. It was time to act. He gathered up Kana energy and distributed it around his body evenly, colorless fumes wafting around him. He proceeded to send more energy to his right hand. Once he thought he was ready, he turned to Diana, smiled, and nodded at her. She nodded back, smiling weakly.
There was a loud crash as Jack punched through the window. The glass shattered, sending bits of it flying in every direction on the outside of the car. He grabbed the throat of "Hellvasga" and lifted him up.
The Ortho Sapiens aimed at Jack's car, but their leader stopped them, saying that there was no need. It was just a Human; the officer would deal with him in an instant.
Meanwhile, the officer gagged and struggled, trying to break free, but it was to no avail against Jack's Ikanami.
He must've realized this too, for he also began to reach for his gun.
"It's futile," Jack said softly to him.
Jack started to crush the throat of the man. The fragile Human body couldn't survive such monstrous force. His eyes came out of his eye sockets, his ears and nose started bleeding, and soon enough, his throat exploded, splattering blood and flesh everywhere. Nothing was left in Jack's tightly clenched bloodstained fists, and the head and body of the officer fell to the ground.
Jack opened the door. He erected a vertical Kana slab over the roof of the car so that he wouldn't be exposed when he stood up. He came out and calmly shut the door behind him. Then he turned.
The commanding officer gestured for his troops to open fire. The bullets were completely blocked by the car and his Kana slabs.
"Wow, you have such great fireworks. Be careful—they are lethal, yet not effective here. This is a bad match… for you, that is," he shouted over to the terrorists.
These words seemed to have no effect on the Orthos. They reloaded and opened fire again. The second round ended soon, again futile like the former.
"You don't learn, do you? Well, I guess I'll just have to show you," he said, shaking his head.
He bent down and picked up the bloodied head of "Hellvasga." He separated it from the helmet. He squatted and jumped with all his might.
He shot upwards like a bullet, and in the blink of an eye, he was several meters in the sky. He grabbed the head, pulled his arm back, and threw it with all his might. The head flew like a cannonball and bashed into one of the officers, breaking the helmet apart. Both of the heads burst open on contact.
He was still not done. He threw the helmet as well, into one of the car engines. It broke through the machine walls and entered its engine. The concentrated Kana energy in the engine burst out and resulted in a big explosion, killing half the Ortho Sapiens present.
Jack's ascent had stopped. He deployed a slab foothold and stood high in the air.
The Ortho Sapiens broke formation. They were shouting and running around, trying to hide.
Some were shouting, "CONTACT THE BUREAU! THE INTEL WAS WRONG! THE TARGET WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A HUMAN, NOT A KRATIAN!"
Upon hearing this, all of them started operating their wristbands.
"Not so fast," he shouted.
He deployed a lot of Kana hands and grabbed the arms of the Ortho Sapiens on which they were wearing the wristbands and pulled. There was a large number of nasty crunches as the arms came off their bodies, leaving them groaning in pain. Jack threw the ripped-off arms aside and jumped below. He landed with a soft thump beside an Ortho Sapien car.
"Tsk tsk tsk... Only if you had acted all brave and bold like you did when killing my kin, we could've been having quite the battle right now, with all of us enjoying. Too bad, y'all just had to become pussies," he sighed.
He dashed to an officer who was trying to reach for his gun.
"Ooh, look at you, brimming with courage in the face of death. I like it. I had a friend like that. Know what his name was? Franklin. He died fighting you guys while I, an Ikanami-less Kratian, was hiding in his home. Know what he was to me? A BROTHER! My BEST FRIEND! And you killed him. And countless others. Tell me, my man, how many Kratians have you killed by now?" he said, lifting the man to his feet by grabbing him by the hair.
"Don't remember," the officer mumbled.
"Huh? What was that? I didn't hear you. Did you not have food today? Here, have this," Jack said as he fetched an arm with his Kana hands and stuffed it into the Ortho Sapien's mouth.
The officer choked. His eyes started watering as he desperately tried to get the arm out of his mouth. Jack let go of the arm. The officer pulled it out swiftly and vomited.
"Ahh, so you still have some humanity left in you after all, huh? Cannibalism, at least you don't practice that. Anyone else here does?" Jack announced.
He looked around; all the perpetrators were staring blankly at him with fear and disbelief.
"Ah, I see, your lot still hasn't fallen to that extent. Well, good job. Anyways, back to the number of Kratians our protagonist here has killed. Tell me, man. I think you are refreshed now. Speak clearly." Jack said, heading back to the officer.
"I... I don't remember," he said, almost close to shouting.
"Ahh, tch... such a shame. Don't worry, it happens. I think your parents didn't teach you how to count. Well, just hope you get better parents in your next life or whatever the thing you guys believe in," said Jack, petting the officer's head with a pitiful look.
Jack spread out his arms and bashed his palms together with all his might against the officer's head, as if he was trying to clap, but the head was getting in the way. The head exploded instantly, splashing everything around with blood, flesh, and bones.
Jack ran his hands through his hair. His palms were bloodstained. His face was colored crimson with blood. Yet he didn't care—he had seen far more gruesome things in the simulation at the training center.
The other terrorists were frozen in fear because of Jack's brutality. Three terrorists and a commander remained.
"As much as I would like to kill each one of you slowly and cruelly, I am tired from being on the lookout last night. So, let's get this over with," he said, turning towards the others.
Two personnel regained their senses and decided to run. Jack lifted each one of them up with his big Kana hands and bashed them together with a big crunch that suppressed the cries of the victims, leaving nothing behind except a mound of blood and flesh.
Jack turned towards the third person. Surprisingly, the man was kneeling, his legs folded under him neatly, his hands on his lap. His helmet was on the ground beside him. Two blades were resting on his lap, yet he didn't show any sign of aggressiveness. He was giving a look of regret and remorse. Jack halted his advance. He looked at the person and smiled.
"You've got something to say, right?"
"Yes," he said, bowing to him.
"Alright, let me deal with your captain so that we can talk without interruptions," Jack said.
"Thank you," the man said softly.
Jack walked towards the commander. He was clenching his right shoulder with his left arm and groaning in pain. Jack grabbed his hair and lifted him up.
"Well, you see? This is the power that made your enemies crumble before you a hundred and fifty years ago. The heck with enemies—the Xenos were your hunters. We helped you, with this power, that could very easily wipe out both the Xenos and the Humans in no time, yet we offered coexistence and peace. Now reap what you have sown when you decided to challenge that power." Jack said as he punched the man in the face.
His helmet shattered open with a punch, and he smashed into the burning car chassis behind him.
"Kuagh... You... you monster..." he groaned and choked as he vomited blood.
"Aww, look at the poor guy projecting. Yes, what I am doing right now is brutal, but the real monsters are you guys. Your greed, insecurity, and fear led you to partake in genocide. Now suffer the consequences."
Jack turned off his reinforcing Ikanami. He punched the man in the face. The man staggered and retreated backward, his nose starting to bleed. Jack grabbed his head and threw his face toward his knee, simultaneously springing up his knee as well. The man was almost unconscious now.
Jack lifted the man by grabbing his head using his Kana arm. He lifted him off the ground. He used another two Kana arms to break his limbs.
"I will throw you so far that I will never even see your corpse again. May you not die from the fall, but die from hunger and thirst and pain from your infected wound as ants bite off the flesh from it," Jack said to the man.
Jack did say that he hoped the man didn't die from the fall, but the way he threw him signified the opposite. He was still grabbing the man by his head. He let go of the head and grabbed him by the waist. He whirled him around overhead like a whip and threw him. The man shot away like a bullet, gradually disappearing into the sky.
Jack turned towards the last man. He was still sitting in the same pose as before, his head bowed down, as if he was engaged in self-evaluation before death.
"Now then, let's talk. Just so you know, buttering me up won't work. You are still dying today," Jack said, sitting in front of him in the same posture.
"I know that very well, sir. I won't ask you to spare me. I won't ask you to pity me. I just have one humble request from you, sir," the man said, bowing again.
"I see. Well then, let me hear it."
"My name is Susanoo Kosuke. Kosuke is my given name. I hail from an old dojo family in Japan. My family is the best when it comes to swordsmanship throughout Japan. I never wanted to join the Ortho Sapiens. I was forced by my father to do so."
"What? Why?" Jack interrupted. Who could such a father be, who was forcing their own son into such a dirty sin?
"My father was an active Ortho Sapien. When his brother married a Kratian, he was furious. He was even more furious when their child was better than me at the sword. In the end, he credited all of it to my cousin's unique constitution. And when he became famous as a swordsman, my father's hatred knew no bounds. He went and killed his brother's wife and killed his brother too. Then he forced me into joining the Ortho Sapiens, making me vow to follow orders and kill each one of the 'cheaters,' as he called them. Before I knew it, I had gotten roped up in this. I am really sorry. I have shamed the way of the sword by hunting innocent people."
"I told you buttering me up won't work."
"Don't worry, I am determined to die today. I cannot possibly win against you with just one arm. And the zeal and power you displayed are more than enough to show me that I could never win against you. It would be an honor instead to meet my end at the hands of such a powerful warrior."
"I see. Please continue then," Jack said politely.
"I know my brother is alive. He is probably moving as we talk, taking survivors under his wing and protecting them. His name is Susanoo Kazetora—yes, the world-famous swordsman. He is the brother I used to duel with at the dojo. He always won. It was not his Ikanami; he never used it because of his high sense of sportsmanship. I was able to defeat everyone else, even Kratians, but not him, who didn't even use his Ikanami."
Jack stayed silent. He didn't know what the request was going to be. This man, he thought, got interloped into this vortex without knowing. Still, he had killed Kratians, so there was still no reason for Jack to spare him.
"My brother came to America last week to participate in a swordsmanship competition that was supposed to be hosted in Hamilton, Ontario, tomorrow. I know he is alive for a fact because we received a distress message on the broadcast that said whole squads were killed around the area he was residing in, their cars missing, and the residents as well."
"I see. He must be very powerful, huh?"
"Yeah. Anyways, I think I have been holding you for far too long. The young lady in your van is getting quite restless," he said, looking at Jack's car.
Jack turned. Diana lowered the window and was looking at him, trying to figure out what they were talking about.
"Yeah, I guess you are right. So this request of yours, it has something to do with Susanoo Kazetora, I take it?"
"Yeah. Please take this," he said, handing him a letter that was written in Japanese.
Jack turned the letter and put it in his item pouch.
"Please give this to my brother when you see him. Considering both of your prowess, you will meet pretty soon. Now, these swords on my lap, you know what they are?"
Jack looked curiously at the two swords. One was short and almost like a dagger form of a katana. The other one, Jack instantly recognized as a katana—the curved shape and the thin build were definitely that of the sword he had seen Kosuke carry with him all the time.
"The long one is a katana. I don't know about the other," Jack answered.
"Just as I expected. The short blade is called a Tanto. It is used in a ritual called seppuku. It was the way for Japanese swordsmen of the old era, called samurai, who had disgraced the sword to die. So, please, will you assist me with the ritual?" the man asked, smiling weakly at Jack.
"Yes, I will."
"The name of this katana is Kazekiri. It's an ancient katana passed down from the era of the gods, along with its counterpart, Namikiri. They are passed down in our family, and only those are allowed to wield it who defeat their dojo master. They are twin swords, and since my brother and I both defeated the dojo master, we each get one part," he said, raising the katana in his palms, offering it to Jack.
Jack picked it up and unsheathed the blade a little. The man said that this sword was ancient, yet it shone brightly and strongly as if it were new.
"These swords are made of a special metal that is not found anymore on Earth. When the Kratians arrived, we discovered this metal has a high affinity with Kana energy, but there was no more of that metal anywhere. Go on, try circulating Kana energy through it."
Jack sent some Kana energy into the weapon—just a small amount, the amount at which he could only sense Kana energy wrapping him when he manifested it, Stage 1. The weapon, however, concentrated and redistributed the energy. It also started absorbing energy from the atmosphere. The weapon was now seen enveloped in colorless, temperatureless flames, with small sparks casually occurring in the energy field around it.
"See? Fascinating, isn't it? It not only redistributes the energy, but it also concentrates it as well, absorbs the energy in the atmosphere. It gets reinforced, and it even molds the energy field around it into a blade, which increases its lethality," the man said.
"Yes, it's great," Jack said.
"I gift you this sword as a trophy today. I have just one request—if you find my brother, please learn swordsmanship from him and keep dueling. My spirit will always be with the weapon, enjoying it like the old days. It's a precious item, so I can't just ask you to give it to him, though if you will, it will be a great favor to a dead man," the man sighed.
"Ok, I will see about that. I will try to look for another sword and hand this one to your brother if I find him."
"Thank you. Now, let's get started. The young lady must be quite worried about you."
"One more thing, do you have someone who uses Kana energy in the association?" Jack asked.
"I have heard rumors. They say there are some people in the higher circle who can. Sorry, I can't provide you with much info—I was just a pawn in the outer circle. Now, it's time for the ritual. When I cut open my stomach and bow down, please behead me."
"Yes, I will. Thank you for the gift."
"It's not a gift, it's a trophy. A reward that you made a great swordsman like me kneel before you. I hope you have a bright future ahead of you," the man smiled.
"Watakushi, Susa Yashiko Kōsuke wa, tsumi naki tamashī o tachikiri, kono katana o kitana shita. Sono tsumi o tsugunau tame, ima, isagiyoku hara o kiru. Chijoku o sho~tsu ta kenshi to shite, kono yo o saru. Watakushi no gukō o fukaku kui, raise de futatabi umarekaware ru nara ba, kanarazuya tsugunai tai," he said in Japanese.
Jack's holo watch buzzed as it alerted him about the foreign language. Jack tapped the translate popup.
[I, Susanoo Kosuke, have disgraced the sword by killing innocent people. And thus, to atone for my crimes, I hereby commit seppuku and die, like a disgraced swordsman should. I apologize for my ways. I hope I can atone in my next life if I get the chance.]
Kosuke picked up the Tanto from his lap. He lifted it in his palms to his shoulder level and bent forward, touching it with his forehead. Then, he unsheathed the weapon.
The man plunged the Tanto into the right side of his belly. He slashed his abdomen, left to right, opening it up. Blood gushed out of the wound, his intestines ogled out along with his other abdominal organs. A few tears flowed down his cheeks as he bent forward, closing his eyes. His neck stretched out, inviting Jack to cut it off.
"The way of the sword until the end, huh?" Jack said, lifting the katana.
Slash... thud...
Kosuke's head rolled off. His body relaxed, bending completely forward, still in the same kneeling position it was in before. Jack bent down, picked up his head, and placed it upright in front of his body.
Jack wiped the katana off with the clothes of the commander. The blade shone bright and reflected Jack's face like a mirror. Jack's face was stained with blood, a small piece of bone clearly visible in his hair. Jack picked it off.
"Thank you. You fulfilled your duty until the end. I will as well," he said, looking at the dead swordsman.
Amidst the mountain of corpses he had just made, the only pity Jack had was for Kosuke, who could've been a shining star but had to die a terrorist because of his father's pestering.
Jack headed to his car, where Diana handed him a water bottle to wash the blood off. Her hands were shivering a little. Jack wanted to console her but didn't. This is the world they live in now—she must get used to it.
He took off his Ortho Sapien suit, got into the car, started it, and drove toward his home.