The Last Conjura

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

KENJI

The Skin-Deep technique. Of all existing powers, it was the oldest. With origins in Alchemy, the technique allowed its possessor accelerate the healing factor of its user, and whoever it was used on. It possessed so much prowess, the protectors made us believe it could even ‘resurrect’ the dead or dying if harnessed by its ‘Derecho’ user. 

Unlike, ‘Ethereal’ or ‘RT’, Skin-Deep was among the techniques that were not only unlearnable, but also extremely hard to control. I’d only ever seen one person harness it…

Sophia Hermione, My Ex.

So how exactly did this complete stranger just use S-D to heal me? 

“What? This your first time?” he asked.

“How did… how did you just do that?”

“Do what?”

 I got up from the ground in astonishment, scanning wounds that had suddenly… disappeared. 

“Who are you?”

“I believe the correct expression, is thank you.”

“Don’t bullshit me, you know exactly what I’m aiming at” I turned my attention to him. “How did you get Skin-Deep?”

A part of me already knew the answer to that question.

That face, that ominous hooded clothing, and that subtle dark demeanor about him, made it even harder to avoid the answer. The only thing he was missing, was the Katana.

“I think you already know the answer to that question” he said, after allowing silence overwhelm us a little. “What? You want to back away now?”

He turned halfway and glanced at my expressionless face. 

“No.”

“You sure? Your heart’s throbbing a little faster than usual” he said with a heinous smile.

“You’re Luvius, aren’t you.”

“Live and in the flesh. But that’s not the question you want to ask” he slipped his hands into his coat. “Go on, ask.”

“Did you kill her?”

“Hehe. No.”

Thank God.

“Not yet, at least. But you of all people know that if I want to get full mastery of the skin-deep technique, she’s dying next.”

He said it with so much nonchalance, but it was the painful truth. I'd heard Luvius possessed the power of absorption. He could collect our powers at will, replicating them with full tenacity only when he'd killed all current users and absorbed their core. 

But did he think I was just going to stand there and look at him?

“I will eventually kill her. And you will do nothing about it” he completed. “You will try, but you will fail.”

“Hei! Don’t think because you—”

“Saved your life? I don’t think you understand your predicament Kenji. You belong…” he dropped the hood of his coat, “…to me.”

I assumed a fighting stance.

“You’re as arrogant as they say you are, child” he turned his back to me once more, and began walking away.

“Base technique… Homage.”

*BLITZZZZZZZZZ*

Homage, my least powerful attack, was actually my ultimate trump card. Although a paranormality, it was more of a defensive move than an attacking one.

 After all, there’s nothing attack-minded about completely shutting off your opponent’s powers for thirty minutes.

The second I activated my technique, he stopped walking away. Just stood in a spot, but refused to turn back.

“What? Are you scared of facing me without your little stolen powers?”

“You ungrateful pig” I heard him mutter. “I just saved your life. You owe me—”

“Nothing. I owe you nothing.”

“Hmphhh” he sighed, turning to face me. “Now I gotta kill you.”

“I’d like to see you—”

“Derecho…”

Hehh?

“…Nullify.”

His core… It began glowing. What?

No way those were his powers. 

I'd just activated Homage. 

How the hell was he—

*BOOOOMMMMMMM*

The black and red streaks fizzling off an energy blast belted from his core, travelling in my direction. Made no sense, but I had no time to find sense in the sudden attack. 

Focus Kenji.

Focus. 

Focus!

“Counter… Stifle.”

*THUMPPPPPPPP*

I managed to counter it just in time. On instinct, I braced for a second attack before even looking up. The brawl with Ryuu had unconsciously taught me a lot. 

But it never came. A punch, slap, zap, blast… nothing. 

I lifted my head and noticed the trails of smoke his disappearance had left behind. 

“Jump? He had the Jump technique too?” I looked around and saw no sign of him. “Tsk. He came prepared.”

“And you obviously didn’t.”

That voice… wasn’t unfamiliar.

“You been here the whole time?” 

“Kinda.”

His unhurried footsteps trailed in my direction, until I felt him just beside me.

“Long time no see, Kenji.”

I turned to look at him, but he wasn’t looking at me. Just kept staring at the evening horizon. “I’ve seen you die almost twice today; did you know that?”

“So you have been here the whole time.”

“You’ve never been the smartest Kenji, but, what made you wanna strike a deal with Luvius?” he finally turned to face me.

“I owe no one an explanation for the way I choose to do things. Not even you, Jordan”

"You know he's not gonna stop until he finds you now. You belong to him. Resisting will just be a valid reason he gets to murder you."

"Your empathy is useless."

“Hmpphhh. Those are some pretty brazen words for the person that was sent to kill you?”

I tensed up when he said that. 

This is no exaggeration, but apart from the stunt Luvius pulled a couple moments ago, Jordan’s the only one ‘Homage’ couldn't work on. That’s because Jordan… isn’t a paranormal. If I said he was a regular human, it wouldn’t even be believable; cause he’s #2.

“You scared?” he looked back to the horizon, but I gave him no response. “I’ve had a gun to your head the entire time.”

Hehh?

I tried looking, but he struck me with its butt before I could fully turn.

*CLICK*

“I don’t plan on using the shit anyways, but I had to bring it just in case it went sideways.”

*CLAT*

He threw the gun to the floor. Damn! He wasn’t lying. He could’ve killed me this whole time.

“I was kinda surprised when I heard that you’d double-crossed the protectors.”

“Yeah, well we can’t all be goody-two-shoes… like some other people” I massaged the throbbing bump on my head. 

“Don’t make me kill you Kenji” the 5’9 said with a smile. 

Uncomfortable silence enveloped us both for a while. He just kept staring at the setting sun, and I kept staring at him. 

“You know this is me letting you off the hook, right?”

“You’ve already made that eerily clear.”

“Yeah but, maybe I should tell you ahead of time.”

Now, he fully turned to face me, and I saw the smile on his face as the words trickled down his mouth. “The next time we meet, I’ll kill you.”

He meant every word!

“See you around, Kenji” he walked off, hands in pocket, like he didn’t just threaten to finish the job in case Luvius didn't. Great! . 

Time was ticking. Luvius was still out there, and now with Jordan on my ass, I really had no time left. I had to get to work as soon as possible. Since the little reunion with my former colleagues didn’t work out, I had one last option left… 

Sendai…

Japan.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

GABBY

“He’s gonna be fine.”

“That’s what you said the last time.”

“And he turned out fine, did he not?” Sophia answered with a relaxed look. “I ran some tests on him after the Phantasm Duel incident. He has a healing factor just two times slower than the “Armored’s”. So trust me Gabby, he’ll be fine” she reassured me. 

“Can’t we go see him or some—”

“Gabby, chill. He’s not dead, alright. Ryuu has to stay a whle in the Cryo-chamber. We can’t bring him out just—”

“He’s a weird kid” Ittetsu pulled out of nowhere.

“What?”

Still seated on a chair in Sophia’s office, he rested his head on his knuckle and emotionlessly repeated, “He’s a weird kid.”

“I… I don’t even have the strength to start with you right now.”

“Don’t you think it’s a little strange that the same scrawny kid that Jared apparently watched for six months suddenly beats Kenji and I in a 1v1? That’s not strange to any of you?” he looked at Sophia, then back at me.

“I don’t see the problem there.”

“I do.”

A different, calmer, more mature voice trickled into the room with his tapping feet echoing in the background.

“Jared.”

“I knew it was a bad idea to lift your suspension. Less than twenty-four hours in and you’re already worsening the situation.”

“What situation?” I barked back. “Helping Ryuu’s life before you and your rotten crew could put an end to it?”

“Jeez Gabby, you speak of me like I’m the villain.”

“Who told him?” I turned my attention back to Sophie and Ittetsu. “It was you, wasn’t it?.”

“We can’t keep hiding stuff from management, Gabby” Ittetsu defended himself.

“You prick!” 

“You’re siding with the kid like you don’t see what we’re seeing.”

“And what are you seeing?” I said, a lot calmer than my previous statements.

“I’m talking about his screening.”

“Ryuu passed his screening. You all saw it. You all—”

“Beating Phantasm Duel doesn’t count as completing screening, Gabby” Ittetsu piped up once more, and the whole room went silent.

My head managed to piece the puzzle together way before anyone had even uttered a word.

“No. He’s not doing that.”

“I didn’t exactly come for your permission.”

“You want to kill him.”

“Ryuu is responsible for a thousand plus casualties in less than six months! Your naivety is blinding you from seeing the kind of threat this kid could grow to be.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I’m the only one who knows that. At least, I’m the only one with the will to act on it. For a time, you had the same w—”

“Shut up! Earthen… ripple."

*CRACK*

A small crack beneath all of us proved that I was ready to do just about anything if I was tried. All I had to was amplify the friction between seismic plates beneath us. The force would be enough to cause an earthquake. 

 “You’re not taking Ryuu.”

“Hmmm” he smiled. “I already have.”

What? 

I looked back to Sophia, and she couldn’t look me in the eyes anymore. “You told me he was recovering in cryo-chamber.”

*CRACK*

“We’re not gonna kill him Gabby.”

“You shut up!” I hurled at Ittetsu.

“Aren’t you gonna ask where he is?” Jared piped up once more. 

“You’re gonna kill him if he fails the simulation, aren’t you.”

“Everyone that fails the simulation is killed. Ryuu’s case is no diff—”

“And if he passes?”

“He’s not gonna pass.”

“If Ryuu passes, he becomes my student" I pulled out of my ass. I didn't know what to anymore. They were going to ruin everything. I had to act fast. "He follows my rules, and you, your little crew…” I gestured to Sophia and Ittetsu, “…and the upper ranks, cease your little power tussle over him.”

“An immense amount of faith for someone you just met.”

“Deal?”

“Only if we add a clause” he said. “If Ryuu fails the simulation, he’s executed… and you, are extradited. Along with the powers of quantum control. Deal?”

…

…

…

“Deal!”