Jasper stormed inside the Capital, his tendrils thrashing about and leaving trails of black Soul-Energy on the marble floors. Guards in pristine white armour rushed him, their plasma rifles firing beams of blue light. Jasper simply laughed, his tendrils flicking all over the place, snatching the rifles from their hands and crushing them into metal scraps.

  "Get out of my way, ants! I have a politician to assassinate!" Jasper roared, his tendrils piercing through the guards' armour and lifting them into the air. He sucked the Soul-Energy out of everyone he impales to later use to heal his allies when the time comes.

  "Sir! We have an intruder! He's heading towards the auction house!" A guard yelled into his comms, before one of Jasper's tendrils impaled him through the chest.

  "I am looking for a politician named Merviogogan Zentorrio! If you hand him over, then I might let all of you live!" Jasper yelled, his voice echoing through the grand hall.

  The citizens of Armada, the wealthy and powerful, screamed and ran in terror.

  They were not used to this kind of violence in their perfect utopia.

  They were used to auctions, fine dining, and lavish parties.

  They were not used to a monster from the U.O.K rampaging through their city.

  Jasper, with a flick of his tendrils, sent the bodies flying into walls, shattering crystal windows and destroying the holographic ads. Imagine how scary this would be in the eyes of those who were getting killed.

  A person with gigantic tarantula like tendrils sticking out from his back and wreaking havoc. Not just that, but he was also absorbing the life force of everyone he killed.

  He looked like a demon.

  And for a moment, the citizens of Armada thought that he was one.

  A demon sent from the depths of hell to punish them for their sins.

  Their greed... Greed, greed, greed. All they wanted was fortune.

  Fortune of their friends, their loved ones, theirs, yours.

  They wanted everything what others had, and they would never get enough of it.

  ‘I only want what’s mine, and theirs, and his, and yours.’

  That's the sin they relish in the most. They take and take and never give back. And now, they were paying the price. With their lives. They were getting taken from. And it didn't feel good, did it?

  They thought they would die being surrounded in worthless gold after taking all that's to offer. No, the only way they will die is a gigantic tendril through their chests and stomachs, painting the gold red with their pointless blood.

  Their organs painting those not painted red in pink and crimson.

  Turning gold into something that smells like iron.

  Something that makes someone throw up by the intestines that wrapped the gold around like chains.

  Is it just some funny coincidence? Might as well be. After all, who would expect to die to some humanoid tarantula?

  "This is your last warning! Hand over Merviogogan, or EVERYONE in this capital will die! Would you rather die or work under the greatest empire in the galaxy!?"

  .:. I actually forgot to say something else, silly me... .:.

  "Yeah! Also, from this day forward, Armada Capital is now a territory of Dark Intrinium! Lord Veyron's reign of terror is now upon you!"

  The auction hall fell silent. The rich, the powerful, they all froze in terror. The bald businessman from earlier, the one who'd spent two million Quants on a "puny ship," wet himself. Merviogogan, the target, stood pale and frozen. It's all he could do, really.

  "... It's him, this is the guy you're looking for!" A civilian pushed Mervio forward. After that, everyone followed the same thing. They pushed and shoved Merviogogan forward. They were like a herd of sheep, and Merviogogan was the sacrifice.

  .:. Oh, this is just... too easy. .:. Jasper thought. .:. They would rather sacrifice one of their own than face me? Pathetic. .:.

  "You cowards! You traitors!"

  Merviogogan yelled, his voice trembling with fear and anger.

  "I was the one who stood up for this capital! I was the one who protected your wealth! And this is how you repay me!? I GAVE YOU ALL I HAD! YOU CAN'T SHUN ME LIKE THIS! I OWN ALL OF YOU, YOU WORTHLESS FUCKING PIECES OF SHI-"

  "Might I inquire about one small thing, Mr. Politician?" Jasper interrupted.

  Merviogogan stopped mid-sentence, confused.

  "Why did you cut the eastern route of the Milky Way? It seems like a very, very, VERY bad business decision. Like you had a death wish or something."

  "I... E..."

  It's over. Try anything else and you'll die on the spot. Not like you can do anything after all. You'll die sooner or later.

  That's what Merviogogan was muttering to himself. He can try and reason with Jasper, or he can try and escape. This Merviogogan Zentorrio has nowhere to go, nothing to say and no way to think.

  "It is so funny to see you talk to high and mighty yet cower and stay quiet in the face of death."

  "No... NO! I REFUSE TO DIE TO YOU! TO A MONSTER! SOUL-CORE! SOUL-CORE WILL SAVE ME! I BEG OF YOU! SOUL-CORE!"

  Merviogogan fell to his knees, pleading for his life. But Jasper's mind was already made up. He raised his tendrils, ready to strike. He was going to enjoy this.

  "Please..."

  People around him started to chant and move frantically. If Mervio somehow survived this, it would mean the death of everyone in this hall. So they started to chant for Mervio's death. It is a sickening sight to see.

  "KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIM!"

  The crowd turned on their former champion in an instant. The very essence of their decadent society, self-preservation at any cost, curtains pulled down for them to view in a dying light.

  "Actually..." Jasper's tendrils started to shrink back into his body. "I've stained my hands far enough... I'll reward the one who kills Mervio with his fortune!" Jasper laughed, looking around to see the fear in the eyes of the people.

  The crowd continued looking at each other until one person lunged himself at Mervio and used a ceremonial knife from the auction's display to stab him. Then another. And another.

  The capital that they once knew became a slaughterhouse. The rich and powerful, who were once civilized and sophisticated, were now nothing more than wild animals, tearing each other apart for a few extra Quants. They clawed and bit, their expensive suits torn and stained with blood and sweat.

  Jasper's frantic laughter grew louder. So this is how it feels like to be Lord Veyron. Lord Kytron Veyron. The Soul-Wielder who ruled the galaxy with an iron fist. This must be the feeling that he got every single day.

  But then, for some unknown reason, Jasper's laughter stopped and he started sulking. He looked at his blood-stained hands and his blood-stained suit. How it felt good to play God.

  He truly felt like he had the entire world in the palm of his hand at that moment. It was pleasurable, almost arousing. A mad scientist with the sole desire to control people came true. Look at those pathetic maggots tearing and stabbing away at the man who was called Mervio. He made that happen.

  .:. Dissecting corpses with the sole purpose of being able to control them with my Artificial Souls... is all I ever wanted in my life. I wanted a group of dolls mindlessly following every word I say. This is... power. This is absolute power. .:.

  Yet, it felt corrupting, as if something was eating away at him from the inside. Like a parasite that fed on his sanity.

  He felt a surge of... guilt?

  No, it couldn't be guilt. He was a Follower. A Follower of the Uprising of Kytron. He has no time for such a petty emotion.

  No, Veyron knew it better than anyone.

  Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

  He was just starting to learn that. And the thought of it... terrified him.

  But even so, a little power didn't hurt. The fact that he didn't have any was terrifying him. That's right. The minute he decides to abandon the UoK, he'll live his life in the dark like Vincent did. Like Kyuga did.

  He'll be all alone. He doesn't want that. Even if the UoK was the only family he had. He didn't want to be alone. He'd rather be a monster with a family than be a human with no one.

  .:. "That's new, Jasper. Since when were you adamantly worried about others?" .:.

  .:. ...Since I learned what it's like to be all alone. .:.

  He didn't feel guilt. He felt alone.

  Power means being alone.

  "... My job is done here." He said with a sulking, almost robotic voice. But as soon as he turned around, he was impaled in the stomach.

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  "GU-"

  He dropped to the ground with a spear through his gut. He felt blood seeping out of his body, which set him into a full-blown panic. He yelled, watching the blood create a new puddle for the rich to slip on. It almost felt like he was taking a shower from inside out. His insides felt like they were going to spill all over the place.

  .:. That... spear guy... THAT GUY! .:. That's all he could get through his mind. He was in shambles. His mind was all over the place. He looked at the man who just impaled him. It was Mikael Asger. He came back from his battle with Heios.

  While he looked at Mikael walking towards him with another spear, he put all his power and thought into regenerating his body. It would mean that he needed to take the spear out.

  If he doesn't fall unconscious, that is.

  If he does, it's all over. He'll be another doll in his collection. But this time, he'll be the doll himself. It is only a matter of time before Mikael ends his life.

  .:. It won't hurt... it won't hurt- .:.

  "AGHGH!" He slowly but surely took out the spear from his stomach and started regenerating the hole. It was slow and painful. Very, very painful. He felt his intestines and his stomach trying to close the wound, and his skin slowly crawling over each other to cover it up.

  .:. Jasper... The Support-Type. I should've known. .:.

  While Jasper was focusing on regenerating, Mikael broke up the fight between the civilians and Mervio.

  "... What the-"

  Mervio was alive.

  But how?

  It was a miracle.

  The people were so hell-bent on killing Mervio to take his fortune, they started killing each other instead and forgetting all about Mervio. A few even stabbed each other in the back for the killing blow. What a sight to see.

  "GET AWAY FROM ME YOU ANIMALS!" Mervio yelled, pushing away the bodies of the dead and the dying. He looked at Mikael; his eyes filled with relief and terror. "Y-YOU CAME! MR. ASGER!" He went in for a hug.

  The remaining people from the crowd all dispersed in fear and exited the building.

  "Mr. Zentorrio, we'll have to move you someplace safe right now." Mikael kept his spear pointed at the ground, ready to strike at any moment. He was in no mood for pleasantries. "Dark Intrinium has put a hit on you. We need to get you to safety."

  "R-Right. To safety." Mervio said, still shaking from the ordeal. "They... they almost got me. They almost killed me. They-"

  "We have to go, now." Mikael said, his voice firm and commanding. "The U.O.K are not done with this planet. They want to conquer Armada."

  Mervio's eyes widened in horror. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Conquer Armada? The jewel of the eastern Milky Way? His home? The place where he built his fortune and his reputation? It was unthinkable. "C-Conquer? But... why? What do they want with us?"

  "They want control over the eastern supply route," Mikael explained, his patience fading. "Your political actions have made you a target. Now, let's move."

  "YOU WILL NOT GO ANYWHERE!" Jasper's voice boomed across the hall. He had fully regenerated, but he was weak. Very, very weak. The regeneration took a lot out of him. All he could do is pant and limp.

  Mikael took out his comms. "Captain! I've secured Mervio! But I've run into Jasper. I will call for reinforcements and a rescue team to pick us and Mervio up."

  [C]: “Great job, soldier! Get him and yourself to safety!”

  "Roger that." Mikael put his comms away and looked at Jasper. He heard Claude speak to him in between heavy breaths. Sounds like he's still fighting. "Mr. Zentorrio, make way to the back of the building. From there, you can wait on the rescue team-"

  "No, he's not going anywhere, you hear me? HE IS GOING TO DIE!" Jasper ordered as he shot one tendril from his back. All that he could do at the moment. The tendril made way toward Mikael in hopes of it's tip stabbing Mikael and sucking the Soul-Energy out of him.

  Mikael sighed, side-stepping to avoid the spear before spinning it it ludicrous speeds to cut the tendril from the rest of its body. The tendril dropped onto the floor and squirmed like a decapitated snake.

  "AGH!" Jasper howled in pain. He fell to his knees, clutching the stump where his tendril used to be. "You... you cut off my tendril... YOU CUT OFF MY TENDR-"

  "Quit it, Tarantula Man. You've lost. Your mission is a failure. Your friend is probably still in the forest burning right now, I would hate it to happen to you too. Surrender."

  "Surrender? To you? To the likes of SOUL-CORE? NEVER! I RATHER DIE THAN LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE LIKE YOU EXIST! A WORLD WHERE YOU GET TO DECIDE WHAT'S RIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG! A WORLD WHERE YOU GET TO PLAY GOD!"

  It was awful to see just how lost Jasper really was. Mikael knew not to take him seriously. The Uprising of Kytron aren't just a team of villains. They have different ideals, and those ideals are unfortunate enough to only benefit themselves.

  "I fight to preserve human life over what you call 'power'. You fight for a man who wants to conquer the galaxy. Think about it."

  "Don't you dare speak about Lord Veyron like that! You know nothing about him! NOTHING-"

  "It's not too late to realize what you are. A puppet. You hold no power, and you never will. Unless you break out of this shell Lord Veyron has trapped you in, you will never be free." Mikael's voice echoed through the hall.

  Jasper tried standing up but fell on his knees again. He was too weak to even stand. He lost. He really lost.

  .:. My plan failed. .:.

  "We will meet each other again. And when we do, I hope to see a doctor who tries his hardest to save lives, not take lives.” Mikael said, before leaving the building, running to where Mervio was waiting."

  Jasper's knees gave out, and he dropped to the ground. He is as good as dead right now. He couldn't regenerate. He was too weak.

  "Doctor... Heh, what bullshit... .:.

  ...

  ...

  ...

  "It's now or never, Tadao."

  -

  A large green fog appeared in the senate building. The fog was slightly thick yet was enough to see through. A bit opaque. The remaining people that fled started to feel some sort of discomfort. Disorienting as if they inhaled something toxic. They started coughing, some collapsed, some felt a weird burning sensation inside them.

  Senators that were present in another room oblivious to everything that happened started freaking out, calling for other senators to sound the alarm and evacuate the entire city.

  "SOUND THE ALARM... We ... are... under...-" The remaining senators fell completely silent, dying in their seats and slouching over their desks. Some were foaming at the mount, and some were bloating from the inside.

  It was some sort of biological attack. It seems like Jasper wasn't the only one with a plan. Tadao, the secret Sixth Follower was here.

  A deep chuckle echoed the senate room before all the fog gathered to one stop, materializing into Tadao.

  "Sometimes, the easy stuff can be fun."

  At the same time, a squad of soldiers entered the building to seize the culprit. How laughable, a team of lackeys against a Soul-Wielder of considerable power?

  This is a suicide mission.

  All will be over in an instant.

  "WE FOUND THE CULPRIT! SEIZING HIM NOW-" All soldiers were disarmed as Tadao extended his arm, yawning in the process. He then used both of his extended arms to smash 2 soldier's heads together.

  He took the firearm of a soldier and aimed directly at his head, a lone bullet drilling a hole into the soldier's brain, killing him instantly.

  Only one soldier remained. "WAIT! WAIT! Please... please don't kill me... I have a wife... and 3 kids... I'll quit my job, I swear! PLEASE SPARE ME!" The soldier started crying, praying and begging for his life.

  "Wife... and three kids? That's a lot of mouths to feed."

  "P-please..." The soldier shook uncontrollably in fear. Tears dripping down his face onto his pristine white armour. He backed completely into a wall. The soldier then knew that he was going to die. Tadao's expression never changed.

  "I guess you never found out that ghosts exist." Tadao materialized into fog once again, suffocating the soldier.

  "A- A- HE- HELP-" The soldier tried vigorously to break free, clawing at his throat, leaving scratch marks on his neck. His face turned pale, the veins on his neck popped out. He was turning blue. The marks on his neck started opening up, before bursting open with blood and pus. He dropped dead, his eyes still open, his mouth agape in a silent scream.

  The soldier was bloating from the inside, just like the senators, before exploding into a cloud of blood and guts. His intestines and organs developed mold in seconds as it painted the pristine white walls a disgusting shade of red and green. His armor served no purpose.

  A father of 3 kids, dying tragically in the most painful way possible.

  Tadao exited out of the senate building, taking a deep breath in. Once he exhaled, 6 wisps escaped his breath. The wisps would grow larger and larger.

  [C]: "Did you do it, Tadao?" Avu spoke over the comms.

  "Was just about to finish it."

  He sent the wisps to all government buildings, exploding them on impact.

  [C]: "Good job. Return to our ship and retrieve who needs to be retrieved. This planet will officially be conquered by Dark Intrinium."

  "Jasper and Heios failed to kill Mervio. May I do the honours? I have one last wisp prepared just for him."

  [C]: "Right, go ahead."

  -

  "The rescue shuttle has arrived!" Mikael pointed towards a ship, slowly descending down from the sky in a safe location. The ship's ramp lowered.

  "Come on, Mr. Zentorrio. Let's go." Mikael said, his spear still in hand.

  Merviogogan was still shaking, looking around, as if he was expecting another attack. "Y-yes... Let's go." He stumbled forward with weak legs. He was still in shock from the ordeal. The two ran towards the shuttle, the ramp getting closer and closer.

  "Almost there..." Mikael said, his heart pounding in his chest.

  Then, a small, green orb flew past Mikael's head. It landed in front of Mervio, and a small, ghostly figure emerged from it. It was Tadao.

  "Going somewhere?" The orb spoke before exploding. It set the ship on fire and off-balance, endangering the rescue team.

  The explosion sent Mikael and Mervio flying backward. Mervio hit his head on the marble floor, not enough to render him unconscious but enough to give him persistent brain trauma.

  Mikael was buried in a wall, his own spear impaled in his leg. He screamed in agony, trying to pull the spear out. "Fuck... Fuck!" He tried to pull it out with his good hand, but the pain was too much.

  The ship above Mervio still swayed in the air. "MIKAEL! WE ARE LOSING BALANCE! WE HAVE TO ABORT!" A soldier from the ship yelled.

  "N-NO! NO! DON'T LEAVE ME!" Mervio screamed, his voice cracking.

  "Gh..." Mikael dematerialized his spear at the cost of having a time limit to materialize another one. "GET TO SAFETY, RESCUE TEAM 3! I WILL STAY BEHIND AND HOLD HIM OFF!"

  "ROGER THAT, MIKAEL! BE CAREFUL!" The pilot yelled, before the ship flew away, leaving Mervio and Mikael behind.

  Tadao stood in front of them, his hands in his pockets. He looked at Mervio, then at Mikael. "I have nothing but respect for you. Mikael, was it? You fought well."

  Mikael stood up, materializing an incomplete version of his Thelisi. It was a halved version of his spear, looking more like a trident now. "Who are you!? I don't recall seeing you in any of the U.O.K files!"

  Tadao simply smiled, "I'm a ghost, Mikael. A ghost of the U.O.K. The Sixth Follower. Tadao Obuchi."

  "..."

  "I... LET ME GO! I'LL FORFEIT ALL MY WEALTH! I'LL EVEN GIVE THEM TO YOU! I'LL RESIGN! I'LL DO ANYTHING! JUST LET ME GO!" Mervio screamed, backing away on his hands and feet like a crab. He was terrified. He would do anything to survive.

  Before Tadao was able to flick a wisp toward Mervio, Mikael vanish-stepped behind Tadao, thrusting his spear forwards in hopes of getting a lethal stab in.

  Tadao chuckled, turning into fog and reappearing behind Mikael. He grabbed Mikael's head, punching his gut twice before uppercutting his jaw. He grabbed Mikael before he was about to hit the ground and stomped on his knee, breaking it.

  "ARRGGGH!" Mikael yelled, dropping his spear.

  Tadao blew a wisp at Mikael's face, exploding it in a small puff of green gas.

  Mikael inhaled the gas, and suddenly, he started to feel sick.

  He still tried to manifest a small beam of Soul-Energy but was quickly dismissed by Tadao with a headbutt.

  He beat Mikael into a pulp before throwing him into the same wall he was buried in before.

  Mikael's vision started to blur. The world started to spin. His punches hit like a freight train but even he realized that Tadao was holding back. He had no interest in killing Mikael. This gas that he inhaled was only meant to disorientate him and weaken him.

  He was helpless. His broken leg made it impossible to stand. He was bleeding from his forehead. He was nauseous. He could barely move.

  He could only watch. Watch as Tadao walked towards Mervio. Watch as Mervio screamed for his life.

  "AAGAHH! MIKAEL! HEEELP! HELP ME! PLEASE, HELP ME! I CAN'T DIE LIKE THIS! NOT LIKE THIS! I HAVE TOO MUCH TO LIVE FOR! I HAVE TO LIVE! I MUST LIVE! SOMEONE SAVE ME! MIKAEL, PLEASE! DON'T LET ME DIE! I'LL DO ANYTHING! JUST DON'T LET ME DIE! I HAVE TO LIVE! I HAVE TO LIVE!"

  The screams fell onto deaf ears. Mikael was registering those screams as birds chirping in the distance. They were just noises. Noise that he had to get rid of.

  "... Na...nasu... stop... playing... that... game..." He muttered to himself. It was like he was living a different reality. Was that him holding on to dear life or him slipping into the void of death?

  "...You'll... miss... training..." He said, his voice fading.

  Mervio screamed louder and stronger, almost sounding like a siren. He screamed so much that blood came out of his mouth. He was withering his own vocal cords away for the sake of his pathetic life. Then, his screams turned into raspy wheezes.

  "Dark Intrinium sends her regards." Tadao said, forcing his hand into his mouth before turning it into green mist. He too would suffer the same fate as the father of three kids.

  The inside of Mervio's body began to bloat, just like the others. His eyes rolled back into his head. His veins popped. His skin turned pale, then a disgusting shade of green and blue. He foamed at the mouth, and then, he exploded. It wasn't a big explosion, but a small one. A puff of green gas and blood.

  Merviogogan Zentorrio, the man who stood up for his capital, the man who protected the wealth of the rich, the man who cut the eastern route of the Milky Way, was now nothing more than a pile of guts and bones on the marble floor.

  He was no more.