Chapitre 22: Nigerundayo!
A/N: I'm back! Now I demand your Stones! jk, hehe
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( 3rd POV )
Boom!
The explosion of light was so intense it illuminated the entire upper bay of New York, casting an eerie red glow over the city. Those watching the battle unfold from a distance or on live streams were momentarily blinded by the brilliant display.
The crimson beam of destruction lasted for a full minute, resembling a towering column of light piercing through the heavens. The helicopters filming the scene were thrown back by the violent winds swirling around.
Mordred's Noble Phantasm finally ceased, and the crimson beam in the sky receded. The entire area fell into silence, broken only by the wail of police sirens and the crashing waves of the ocean. Moonlight shone through a large hole in the dark clouds above, illuminating the battlefield and casting a sacred glow on Mordred in her silver armor.
But despite all of the victory she managed to achieve, Mordred didn't show any smile on her face at all. Instead, she is frowning before she lowered her sword and ease her posture. "Tch, he got away." She murmurs in an annoyance tone.
She turns back toward where her master is before walking toward him with a little smug smile now on her face. "Hehe, how about it, Master? You can always count on me if you want to blow things up." She said while giggling feeling refreshed after venting up all of her previous anger.
She walks pass the X men around her who are still in shock to what has just happen without a care, for Mordred doing something like this is just like a walk on the park in a Sunday morning. It's not even challenging at all.
Meanwhile Mash sensing the battle is already over and there is no hidden danger around also release her Noble Phantasm activation. the towering white wall of Camelot that had protected New York City slowly dispersed, becoming illusory before vanishing.
"As expected from a master of demolition like you Mo-chan!" Ken said, nodding at Mordred with his characteristic teasing tone, but more importantly he also sighs in relieved inside his heart after seeing that they finally managed to complete the mission.
"Oi! What do you mean by that? Are you complimenting me or not?" Mordred asked, her puzzled face and irritated tone revealing her confusion as she neared her master.
Before Ken could tease her further, the lilac knight standing beside him spoke up. "Senpai means that your Noble Phantasm is as powerful as ever, and we are glad to have you back, Mordred-san," she said, her usual warm smile lighting up her face.
Mordred who finally arrived beside them shown her toothy grin after hearing Mash word. "Ahaha, of course. It's always you who are good with word Mash." She said with a proud and happy tone while patting Mash shoulder with her hands.
"But I feel the prana that Ken supply to me is really humongous, and I felt invincible with it. So, I guess you got stronger? But how?" Mordred turn her attention back to Ken, feeling curious about how he got stronger because it is basically almost impossible to increase the magus mana that much without sacrificing something, and the last she remembers, Ken is not that strong.
But before Ken could have a time to respond, another red blur of a figure suddenly arrives beside them. Mordred already senses this figure approaching from miles away with her Instinct, recognizing the newcomer had no malicious intent, so she relaxed her guard and let the figure pass.
"I'm back, Ken-sama." The figure who just arrive clad in an ancient red samurai armor turned out to be Ushiwakamaru who are fighting with the red metahuman Azazel.
"Ushiwaka-san."
"Oho, a fellow heroic spirit?"
"Welcome back, Ushiwakamaru."
The three of them greeted Ushiwakamaru warmly, though Mordred's eyes narrowed as she began to size her up, attempting to gauge her strength. Ken, ever the observant one, noticed something in Ushiwakamaru's hand and couldn't help but ask, "Hm? What's in your hand, Ushiwaka?" His curiosity was evident in his tone.
Upon hearing her master's question, Ushiwakamaru's expression darkened for a moment, showing a flash of annoyance before returning to normal. She decided to recount her encounter. "It's that red demon's tail, Master. When that hellspawn fought me, he constantly kept his distance, using his troublesome ability to move around. But when he saw a giant crimson beam shooting from the ground towards that metal man's stadium, he abandoned our fight without hesitation.
I guess he left to save him. However, I managed to cut off his tail just before he teleported away. I'm sorry I couldn't finish him off, Ken-sama," she explained, remorse evident in her tone. She felt she had been toying with her opponent too much, making her complacent. If only she had unleashed one of her Noble Phantasms from the start...
"So that's why..." Mordred murmured in realization after hearing the report. She finally understood why she feel that her attack didn't hit the metal man.
Seeing that his servant is feeling down, Ken approach her before patting her shoulder. "It's fine, you did a great job keeping him away from the main battlefield, Ushiwaka. And you even brought back a gift for the magus back at the base. I think they'll be happy with such a prize," he said with a reassuring smile.
Just as their conversation was about to continue, they heard approaching footsteps and an anxious shout. "Chaldea's people!"
Ken and the ladies turned to see Captain Stacy from the NYPD, accompanied by a few of his subordinates and vigilantes like Daredevil, making their way toward them. Captain Stacy's face showed a blend of urgency and gratitude, while his subordinates looked visibly shaken.
Ken took in the scene around him, realizing that everyone had finally snapped out of their initial shock from Mordred's Noble Phantasm. The crowd was now watching them with mixed expressions, mostly gratitude. He glanced at the sky and noticed several news helicopters circling above, capturing the entire event.
Noticing the subtle shift in the air that signaled the end of their mission. His heart raced as he realized the urgency of their departure. "Oops, it's time to bail out," he said hurriedly, his voice barely masking the excitement. Without missing a beat, he murmured the incantation for his displacement magecraft one more time. "Flash air."
Suddenly, the ground beneath Ken's group rippled as if stirred by an unseen force, and a shimmering space rift began to form. The onlookers were caught off guard, their voices merging into a chaotic chorus.
"No, wait!"
"Huh!?"
"Please, we need to talk!"
Captain Stacy of the NYPD, Hank McCoy leading the X-Men, news reporters, and even civilians shouted in desperation, hoping to halt the departure of Ken's group. Their voices, laden with urgency, carried over the tumultuous scene. But the pleas fell on deaf ears; Ken and Chaldea had already completed their mission.
"Ah, Senpa-"
"Aaaaa, Ke-!!!"
"Hahaha, so long, bi-"
Ken's laughter and his companions' cries could be heard as the space rift beneath them swallowed all four of them toward the unknown. After they fell and disappeared from the spot, the previous rift also closed itself in a second without even letting anyone come close.
The battlefield, moments ago alive with the anticipation of greetings, congratulations, or pressing questions, fell into a stunned silence. Those who had been rushing forward halted in their tracks, staring at the now-empty spot where Ken and his group had stood. Bafflement etched their faces; none had expected their saviors to vanish without a word of thanks or a demand for recompense.
The awkward silence that hung over the shores of New York was abruptly broken by the appearance of blue smoke that suddenly appeared in the place where the Chaldea people disappeared. It marked the return of the three individuals Hank had sent to deal with Banshee. Scott Summers, brimming with pride after his triumph over a member of the Brotherhood, was the first to speak.
"Hey, we're back! I defeated that clown who can only scream with ease. Ahaha...hah...ah..."
His voice, filled with smug satisfaction, trailed off as Thunderbird and Nightcrawler slapped his shoulder, signaling him to survey the scene. Still chuckling, Scott looked around, his laughter dying as he noticed the odd looks directed his way.
"Did I say something wrong...?"
.....
The battle had subsided, but the city still trembled. Smoke hung thickly over the shore near Liberty Island, and the Statue of Liberty stood as a silent witness to the chaos that had unfolded. The long night for New Yorkers was finally over, their survival ensured by the help of a mysterious group of people.
Despite the victory, the NYPD, with assistance from the X-Men and a group of vigilantes, remained busy. They rallied together with unyielding resolve to calm the city and reassure the civilians. With the help of the metas, evacuation and cleanup efforts became more manageable. News reporters were also hard at work, documenting and filming the aftermath of the battle.
The fire in the city buildings near the Hudson River, caused by Pyro's attack, was extinguished with the help of Storm and Iceman using their powers to quell the chaos. Beast, in an effort to clear the name of Metahumans, coordinated his team with Captain Stacy's NYPD evacuation efforts. Shadowcat passed through the debris with her power, locating civilians who were still trapped, while Nightcrawler helped them get out with his teleportation abilities.
Even the rescued civilians who still had energy left gathered around to help, picking up debris and offering water to the injured. Whether they were doing this because of the Chaldea young man's words or for other reasons remained unknown. But one thing was certain, it was clear that the global perception of metas was on the verge of transformation.
Hank McCoy was busy directing the efforts of his team. "Shadowcat, over there! There's someone trapped under that rubble!" he called out, his voice authoritative yet calm. Kitty Pryde nodded, phasing through the debris with practiced ease.
Nightcrawler appeared in a puff of smoke next to Hank. "I've got another group safely evacuated," he reported, his tone relieved but tired.
Hank clapped him on the shoulder. "Good work, Kurt. Keep it up."
Across the scene, civilians and metas worked side by side. A young girl handed a bottle of water to a firefighter, who accepted it with a grateful nod.
The remains of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants were scattered, their resolve shattered as most of the executives, such as the Blob, Pyro, and Banshee, were either dead or caught by the authorities. Their leader's current situation was also unknown. Their numbers suddenly plummeted as those who faced the red samurai woman were killed, and the Morlock metas escaped and returned to their home.
Back at the shore, which had once been the main battlefield, Logan, the Wolverine, leaned against a scorched and broken lamppost, his healing factor knitting his wounds. He looked at the battered man in a trench coat who was standing near him with annoyance. The man, sensing Logan's stare, sighed in defeat.
"I know you're pissed about last week, Logan, and for that, I'm sorry," he said with a sincere tone.
Logan's gaze remained intense, his claws retracting slowly as he considered the man's words. "Sorry doesn't cut it, bub," he growled, his voice rough from the battle.
Logan stared at him intensely for a few more seconds before he replied. "If not for your crucial information, you'd be fucked, as I'd have cut your balls off when you came back to the mansion. But good job, bub," he said gruffly, then ended with a note of praise. Logan had already heard everything about what happened on the main battlefield from Storm.
"Thanks...? But aren't you too cruel to your best friend?" the man in the trench coat said jokingly, relieved to hear that he had been forgiven by Logan.
"Don't push your shitty luck, Remy... And who said we're best friends!? We definitely are not!" Logan continued to grumble to the man beside him, who was apparently Gambit.
As they were about to continue their argument, a blue-furred figure approached them. "I see you guys are getting along again, Logan, Remy," he said with an amused tone, watching his friends quarrel despite the weary look on his blue face.
"Shut up, Hank!" both men shouted in unison, momentarily uniting against the newcomer.
"Okay, okay, I'm here to call you guys to get on the ship. It's time to go back," Hank said, explaining his purpose.
"Are you and the kids already done with the cleanup work?" Remy asked, aware that Hank and the others had been assisting the NYPD.
"Yes, they're already back on the ship with John, Alex, and Ororo. They're exhausted, and it's almost dawn," Hank replied as the three of them walked back together toward the Blackbird.
"Yeah, we also need to tell Charles about the news from Raven," Logan mused, still pondering the meaning behind the blue-skinned woman's message.
"I don't know, her words are always as cryptic as ever, damn it," Remy said in frustration, having spent all night wondering about her cryptic message. He hated it when women spoke in mysterious ways; couldn't they be more straightforward like men?
"Raven, huh..." Beast murmured quietly, his thoughts unknown.
As they boarded the Blackbird, the interior was filled with a sense of camaraderie and exhaustion. Young mutants sat slumped in their seats, eyes drooping but spirits high. Ororo Munroe, also known as Storm, gave Logan a tired smile. "You did well out there," she said softly.
"Thanks, 'Ro. You too," Logan replied, patting her shoulder gently. "We couldn't have done it without you."
John, also known as Thunderbird, stood up and stretched. "Everyone did their part. Now, fasten your seatbelts and let's go back home." He said before activating the jet.
As the Blackbird lifted off, leaving the battle-scarred shore behind, Logan leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes as the sun rose over a scarred but resilient New York City. Hope bloomed anew. The Brotherhood was defeated—for now. But the city's defenders knew they'd face more battles. The shore near Liberty Island bore scars, but it also held stories—of bravery, power, equality, and unexpected myth and legend slowly revealing themselves to the world.
.....
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A/N: Sorry for not updating as I was preoccupied by something in my mind. I saw a lot of people leave a good comment and suggestion about the story, I wanna say thank you and I will try to update at least 3 times in a week.
But I also want to ask, did you guys want to see an interlude where people on the internet react to this arc, similar to the novel called A Nascent Kaleidoscope? If so, please let me know. (Btw, please check the story, it so good. I'm a big fan of it.)
Please donate your power stones and leave more reviews for my story, I appreciate it and thank you for your support!
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