CHAPTER 357 MAKING MORE FRIENDS
“I’m telling you, I’m not a Viltrumite,” I said for the 10th time. 2 of the blue residents were pointing some futuristic weapon at me. I guessed the weapons were lasers or something. Either way I didn’t want to get hit with them. I had dismissed Tabi so we could make a quick escape if needed, but for now I was really hoping I could convince them I came in peace.
“Sounds like something a Viltrumite would say,” the male said.
“Exactly,” the female said. I eyed her up and down, giving her a 7 out of 10 on the hot scale. So long away from a woman though, the guy was a 4 out of 10. The true torture was being so close yet so far from my goal.
“Listen, if I was a Viltrumite, would I have let myself be arrested? I would simply fly away, and blow up whoever got in my way,” I pointed out. They squinted their eyes.
“We’ve heard that Viltrumite’s like to infiltrate unsuspecting planets,” the female said.
“Yes, to impregnate their women and weaken them from the inside,” the male said.
“Weaken the women?” I asked.
“No, the planet.”
“How do you weaken a planet by sleeping with the women? Are your women like...connected to the planet?” I joked. Not exactly scared, I thought it best to have some fun.
“No, they sleep with the women. Then infiltrate-” The man said, flustered but the woman cut him off.
“Enough! What is your name Viltrumite?”
“For the last time, I’m not a Viltrumite. I’m a man from Earth, thus an Earthling. We have our own Viltrumite infestation we are dealing with. I was sent to try to find help,” I said.
“With that green wife of yours?”
“Who? What? Cath? No, that's a dude,” I said. Rubbing my face I was ready to start punching my way out of there. “Listen, I am no friend to the Viltrumites. I’ve been to 2 worlds that have been marked for their conquering, and honestly I’m lucky I made it off the last one.” I studied them but their Haki was clear, they weren’t buying it.
“I know,” I said, practically reading their minds. “I look just like a Viltrumite. But have you ever seen a male Viltrumite without a mustache?” I asked.
“You have a beard,” the female said.
“Yes, I’ve been on the run for a while. But Viltrumites only sport mustaches...maybe some handlebars if they’re feeling kinky,” I said. An idea hit me. “I’m young! That’s it. You’ve never seen a young Viltrumite, have you?”
“They exist,” the male said as if I was an idiot.
“No they...” I said but stopped myself. I forgot that wouldn’t be found out until later. There weren’t a whole lot of Viltrumites left, at least there weren’t in canon. They kept a stranglehold on what they currently ruled, but barely. Most didn’t know that the mighty Viltrumite forces were controlled by a few dozen pure-bloods.
“I want to meet your leaders,” I said. “The Coalition of Planets. You’re right...I am a Viltrumite. And I have come with a peace offering.”
“See, I told you,” the female said. The male frowned but nodded, pulling out a pair of futuristic handcuffs. The metal semicircles touched my wrists and an energy beam connected the 2 parts, sealing my wrists. “We will escort you to Talescria.” The man pushed me forward and through an automatically opening door.
As we stepped out of the interrogation room there were more than a few blue people watching me. Apparently I was quite the news. A real life Viltrumite on the planet, not only that but a captured one, they could sell tickets for people to see me.
These and dozens of other worlds were populated by people pushed away from their own homes by the Viltrumites. A long time ago, when Viltrumites were in their heyday, they had pushed most every civilized planet to the brink of extinction. I didn’t blame the anger they directed my way. Viltrumites had killed billions, if not trillions of people.
Escorted out of the building I wasn’t exactly sure where Cath was, but he could figure it out. Since he didn’t look anything like me they would probably give him a grand tour. With luck maybe they would help him, but I wasn’t going to hold my breath. These people were far too scared of one Viltrumite to risk upsetting the fake-empire the Viltrumite’s pretended to have.
“Where are we going?” I asked as we stepped out of the building. Around us were giant buildings, but ahead was a wide platform. I thought maybe I saw a spaceship up where the top of the elevator platform stopped, but wasn’t sure.
“Talescria, if they want you. We will-” The woman said, but was cut off.
“Don’t talk to it,” the male said. “He is a Viltrumite. He’s lucky we aren’t cutting him up to make sure he doesn’t escape.”
“Or you’re lucky I’m not shooting lasers out of my eyes and tearing you limb from limb,” I said.
“You can’t do that,” the man said. After a long pause he added, “Can you?”
“Maybe,” I said with a shrug. I had some Viltrumite, or at least a form for them. I wasn’t exactly sure what I could do. The villains of the universe could fly, survive in space, had super strength, immunity to most heat and cold, and grew thick mustaches. I was sure there were other powers but I didn’t know them all. I was getting excited to find out what I could do.
We walked onto the large platform. My 2 escorts more than a little nervous so close to me. I wasn’t sure why there wasn’t more security around me, but as I noticed more people watching, I guessed they expected me to kill these 2 at any moment. They probably drew the short straw for interrogating me, or someone wanted them dead. These 2 didn’t appear to know that though.
“Doing what I should have done a long time ago,” I said as Justice began to freeze Truthsuitor. He had snapped out of the riddle after realizing it was nonsense.
Charging my hands with Sparks they shot into Lady Day, causing her to be thrown back. Nightwalker got up, but Brimstone began to whip him to keep him at bay. Everytime he tried to jump to a new shadow the tip of the whip met him, making him cry out in pain and anger. Feral threw Giga back but Last Heroine continued with the covering fire until she got back up.
As Lady Day recovered from the electricity, I pushed forward. Empowering myself with Nen I punched her across the face. It was like hitting a brick wall, but she was pushed back. Again and again I punched and kicked her, drawing more Nen out, layering it on my body as I used Haki. A real challenge I gauged how much was needed to damage her and was getting more powerful with each blow.
She was thrown back into the lobby of the hotel with one hit, causing people to yell and run away, but I met her. This time though she yelled and grabbed onto me. Flying with her full speed she crashed us through a window out front. Raising us up I pushed Sparks into her causing her to yell out in pain, but I didn’t care. My anger was rising and I was becoming stronger as I used her like a punching bag.
It was night out, so she couldn’t power herself up too much, but Lady Day was still a force to be reckoned with. Always slow to start really fighting her I gave her my all at the beginning. Elbowing, kicking, and hitting her with all I had as she flew us higher. When we came to the clouds she surprised me by releasing me.
I was thrown through the air and began to have gravity take me. This was one of her main moves when fighting someone she didn’t want to kill. Take them up and drop them, offering to help as they descended. Unluckily for her I knew the trick, and I had a few of my own.
I forced myself to relax, trusting in my new Form. Viltrumites could fly, I had to be able to. But like all the skills in my repertoire, they didn’t come with a manual. I had to figure it out on my own. On the run for the last few weeks in Invincible World hadn’t made it easier. I had tried now and then, but whenever I made some headway we were jumping worlds. It was time to sink or swim. The only step I felt like I needed was life or death.
So many movies and shows had a life or death aspect before learning to fly. I figured these worlds were the same since they were all built off of them. As I passed through the clouds and the city appeared I felt around my mind trying to activate the flight. Accepting my fate as I fell headfirst.
“Give up, Weston,” Lady Day said. Flying to match my speed. As I fell I ignored her. “You and I have worked together for years. I trust you. This isn’t you. Whatever is happening, we can fight it together. I will help you through this.”
“Like I helped you?” I asked, annoyed that I was brought out of my focus. “I was beside your bed day in and out when you had sun poisoning. I was the one that brought you out of Mindmatter’s hold. I was there with you, every step of the way.” That appeared to be news to her. Her Haki leaked confusion as we fell.
“I never told you, of course. Old me was too much of a pussy,” I said, looking down as the tears old me shed were blown away by the wind. “Every fucking day I watched you. Hoping you would see how I felt, but no. You’re as bad as the rest of them. You’re even worse.”
She wasn’t worse, but old me loved and hated the hero of the city. The only reason the me of this world had stayed on so long with the Sentries was for her. The most eligible bachelor in the city and he wanted a nerdy horticulturist that absorbed the pollen from a rare flower, making her into the mightiest hero in the city.
“Goodbye, Amanda,” I said and felt the power well in my chest. Pushing away from me I felt the alien power slow me down. My heart beat faster than I thought possible. I ignored Lady Day as she continued down. I slowed my descent and to my amazement I stopped. Floating about 50 feet above the top of a building I really had activated the Viltrumite flight.
“Boo yeah, baby!” I yelled, flying in the air. Tears in my eyes the power waned and I dropped. Exhausted from the simple exertion I fell and halted, fell and slowed my fall until I was on the roof of the building. I hit hard but absorbed it. I guessed half-percent of a Viltrumite wasn’t enough to fly for long, but I had flown.
I could feel the flight power in the back of my mind, isolating where it was so I could continue to train and use it. Like I had been looking for something for hours, and it had been right in front of me the whole time, the power was there, ready to be used. I let out a sigh, finally content with my recent gains. But before I could celebrate, Lady Day landed in front of me.
A myriad of emotions I stepped up to her. I wasn’t interested in the drama going through her. I had a quest to finish. I hesitated though. A step away I could feel the fragile woman behind the mask. She had been a simple botanist a few years ago. Now the strongest woman in the city, it was obvious that she had no idea what she was doing.
All of these heroes had been normal people once. Whether through peer pressure or some other aspect to help, we once had good intentions when we started as heroes. None of us were made for it though. We made mistakes. Lady Day, less than most, none intentional, at least I hoped not. But she obviously wasn’t a leader. Despite her strength, she was controlled by the will of the other Sentries.
Thick tears filling her eyes. I wasn’t interested in listening. I had a quest. Charging my hand with electricity I pushed it into her stomach. I had almost made the power cause pain, but a simple twist of how my Power talked to her body caused an explosive reaction. She crumbled to the ground as she came.
Unsure what was happening I bent down and smacked her ass hard. More nerves fired causing her to cry out in pleasure. “Weston!” She yelled, trying to crawl away. I smacked her other ass cheek, more nerves fired off.
“You attack me and my new group again, and I will turn this into pain,” I said. Smacking her cheek harder I made the nerves feel intense pain. Crying out in fear this time she looked up at me. My hand sparking with electricity I grabbed her chin. She flinched but I became more forceful, holding her still. “Don’t fuck with me, Lady Day. Next time I won’t go easy on you.” I pulled my hand away and smacked her ass cheek. Pleasure and pain shot into her causing her to shiver.
As I stepped away I received the notification I had been waiting for.
Hero World Quest Complete
Start your path of villainy.
Defeat the Sentries.
Reward:
Viltrumite Form +1%
A long way to go, I pushed off the ground. My flight power still unruly. I went slow as I passed over the building and began to descend to the hotel. I found the girls inside. A little banged up, but still there I was happy they had trusted me enough to fight the heroes of the city. They hadn’t been the main target, so their foes had escaped soon after Lady Day got me. The Sentries feared what I knew. This wouldn’t be the last time they would try to take me down. Unfortunately they had a lot more members. I was going to need more help to ensure I could take them.