Chapter 423: Puppet

Chapter 423: Puppet

"Play it again."

The Baby Crew was now inside one of the many surveillance rooms of Mega Academy. Their eyes, reflecting the two large screens that were plastered on the wall in front of them.

One of the screens was showing Gary, emerging from the floor as he leaped out from the training hall underground. As for the other screen, it was showing the inside of the shelter.

The Baby Crew was just helping and running around inside, assisting the people in any way they could.

The Princess of the evaniels was also there doing the same thing, not using her speed as she seemed to be genuinely talking to the refugees.

As for Tomoe, who arrived there minutes after Vera, she was talking and assisting Katrina with whatever it was she was doing.

Riley was also there, talking to the people that surprisingly approached him with smiles on their faces as soon as he arrived with Tomoe— even fully knowing he was Darkday.

Everything was normal. But then, all of a sudden, and out of nowhere, a circular void appeared on the screen; Chihiro, emerging from the portal looking clearly distressed.

Her cheek and ear, slightly burnt.

"..."

Bella and Katrina were the first to approach her, asking her what was wrong. Chihiro told them that she was going to try and find Gary— and so they also asked her if he did something.

Chihiro, however, only shook her head and started crying, pushing Bella and Katrina away.

As for Hannah and Silvie, the two could be seen just looking at each other. Silvie was about to join the three, but as she took her 3rd step, she stopped; her head, turning towards the door of the shelter.

Her eyes started to squint, and not even a second later, Gary burst forth from the door.

"..." Silvie could really only breathe in as she watched herself just standing there; her face, completely stupefied.

No, it wasn't just her. All of them were confused.

And then, with a roar, Gary rushed towards Riley. The others were unable to react— what should they even do in that situation?

There was, however, one of them that did something. It was Chihiro.

Chihiro, who rushed and leaped in front of Gary as he was only a meter away from hitting Riley.

And what happened next, was a tragedy.

The members of the Baby Crew that were watching the screen could really only look away, except Hannah, who gritted her teeth as she watched Gary's hand go through Chihiro's torso.

"...Is there any way we can get a visual of what happened in the training hall? Before Gary burst through the floor?"

Hannah then said as she placed her hand on the shoulder of the surveillance operator.

"No," the operator quickly shook his head, "The training halls have their own surveillance system. But it's only really active whenever there's a class in session."

"...Fuck," Hannah could not help but click her tongue, before just continuing to watch the screen; with Silvie now being blown away by Gary.

"...What happened there?" Hannah asked as she looked at Silvie.

"He… was able to escape my grip," Silvie let out a short but deep sigh as she looked at the screen.

"Gary?"

"Hm," Silvie nodded, "As if… he was stronger than me."

"...That's impossible," Hannah raised an eyebrow.

"That's what I thought too, but look," Silvie then pressed something on the panel, causing the operator to raise an eyebrow as someone else touched his buttons; but of course, he couldn't really do anything.

"Look how fast he is running," Silvie then said as she pointed at the screen; showing Gary running across the grounds of the Academy like a blur— reaching the gates in no time.

"And he was still accelerating as he destroyed a part of the gate."

"...You think it's possible his themarian genes are finally waking up?" Hannah murmured.

"Themarians are not that slow."

"...Why are you still here?" Hannah then rolled her eyes as she looked behind him, only to see Vera standing there and also watching the screens.

Vera only shrugged, however, before pointing her thumb towards Riley, who was also standing there with Tomoe.

"..." Hannah could really only squint her eyes as she looked at Riley. But after a few seconds, she turned her focus back on the screens.

"If his themarian genes are finally—"

"Impossible."

And before Hannah could finish her words, Vera once again joined in on the conversation; letting out a sigh as she stepped closer to the screen,

"Any children that the themarians bare with another race, will always result in the offspring only having the abilities and traits of its non-themarian parent— half-breed themarians are not themarians at all…

…There are no exceptions."

"None that you know of," Hannah scoffed, "I think you've researched about us long enough to know we're quite a different breed."

"...I can't argue with that," Vera shrugged, before looking at the screen with a smile on her face, "Your people are… truly different."

"This ain't a show, silver hair," Bella joined in; her voice slightly deep, "If you find this amusing, then maybe you should leave, a friend of ours just died."

"Oh, I meant no disrespect, I…" Vera wanted to say something else but decided to just move away, glancing at Katrina, who had her head down, as she did so.

"..." Vera could really only let out a sigh. Due to the number of lesser planets she had been in, she has slowly instinctively treated herself to be superior to any of them.

But humans are different— she shouldn't treat them like they were lesser.

And so, she just decided to keep her mouth shut and watch in the sides.

"..."

"..."

"Did you do something?"

And then, a few seconds later, Katrina broke her silence as she turned to face Riley,

"Did you do something to Gary!?"

"Yes."

And without any hesitation, Riley answered; causing everyone in the room to widen their eyes in shock.

"...Weren't all of you there?" Riley blinked a couple of times as he tilted his head, "When he decided to fight me in front of the Korean Shaved Ice store? But then I beat him in front of all the—"

"I am not talking about that!" Katrina waved her hand, causing a sharp gale to breeze through the room,

"You… you must have done something to him!"

"...I believe Gary was the one that did something," Riley then said as he pointed to the monitors.

"That's enough!" Silvie suddenly appeared between the two, "What we need to do right is to focus our efforts on what to do with Gary! He's our friend, he is hurting…

…but he is also out there and he could hurt more people! We need to stop him before he does!"

"Then we need to discuss that on the way," Hannah also stepped away from the screens as she raised her hand,

"...We got a ping of his location."

***

Gary just passed through the fake city surrounding the Academy; his breaths, heavier than ever before as he felt the violent wind crashing through his face.

It is true what the others were saying, he is faster.

Gary could feel it. He was faster, way faster than before. Double—- no, triple of the speed he was previously capable of and he was still going faster.

At this point, he could probably rival Silvie.

Is… the power that was supposed to be his finally awakening from inside him? Did he finally unlock the dormant powers that were just sleeping somewhere within him?

If so… then Gary knew why.

"..." A small smile started to grow on Gary's face. There was only one reason why his powers were growing stronger— he found his purpose.

And that purpose was to kill Riley Ross.

The smile on Gary's face grew even wider; the tears that were trailing from his eyes, barely existing as the wind shatters them completely.

And very soon, a breath escaped from his lips. And very soon, that breath turned into a burst of laughter.

He then leaped through the air, destroying the ground beneath him as he shot straight to the skies.

"Ha… haha!" His laugh was almost a cackle; he still couldn't fly, but it should only be a matter of time before he could finally do so.

He then soon landed on the ground, destroying everything within his path. He didn't care, however, as he just started running again.

He just wanted to feel it— feel the strength growing inside him.

"I… I am going to avenge you, Chihiro. Just wait… you just wait."

He was going faster and faster, to the point that everything else was a blur to him.

Soon, however, he reached a road; an expressway filled with cars due to the heavy traffic.

"F… fuck," the excitement and thrill on Gary's face quickly faded away as he tried to slow down. But alas, with the speed he was going, it was already too late.

And so, his only choice was to once again leap to the skies in a single bound. But then, before he could do so...

…he tripped.

Tripping at the very wrong time straight towards the line of cars at Mach 6.

"!!!"

Gary could really only close his eyes and brace for the impact as he flung straight towards a bus filled with people… a bus that then split in half and veered to the sides hitting several other more cars.

"Kh," Gary rolled several times before finally being able to stop as he dug his arm through the ground. As he did so, however, he realized that he was actually covered in blood and guts.

"N… No," his breaths started to stutter as he looked at his hands. And very soon, he started to hear people screaming.

Chaos, starting to ensue on the crowded road as some of the cars suddenly exploded one by one— like a domino effect of death and carnage.

Gary, however, was no longer hearing any of these explosions; his mind, just clouded by the violent breaths that were escaping his throat.

His lips, trembling uncontrollably as they no longer knew whether to cry out or roar.

Should he help them? But they were already dying.

But they were dying because of him.

…Would they even want his help? Wouldn't they just be scared of him?

He… he was supposed to be a hero. He didn't mean for any of this to happen. Would they understand that? He was sure of it, Riley had something to do with all of this.

But… would they care? They love him.

Everyone loves Riley Ross despite everything he did. But him… he was always just on the sidelines.

But not anymore. He is stronger now and growing even stronger by the second.

And very soon, Gary forced a laugh.

"It doesn't matter," he then whispered as he slowly stood up from the ground,

"It doesn't matter… as long as I kill Riley Ross."

And then, with those words, Gary once again ran.