Seven Heroes Redux

The other day, Tatsuya was in his room. He woke up and turned on the TV to watch the news while eating something.

— This morning, a massive fight between two Level 7s took place, destroying a major portion of the city. Wisedroid is found dead. The suspect of his murder is Slade. The reasons are still unknown.

Tatsuya froze. He stared at the TV, thinking about the conversation he had the day before. Obviously, it had something to do with Yuto. He still didn't know about his connection with Slade.

— Yesterday, a long-time enemy of the association was found dead. It is likely that both incidents are related.

The present.

— So I went back in time just to save you? This can't be right! How can you be that important?

— I honestly don't know. But now that you remember what happened, it's probably the truth.

— What if my memories are deceiving me?

— Then we can fight again. I won't let you kill me, anyway.

— Alright, that's fair. Let's return to Tokyo, we can reorganize our thoughts there.

— Haha, I think this whole trip was a little more destructive than we predicted...

— Ah, don't worry about the house. My uncle can repair it whenever he comes back.

— What about the hole in the mountain?

— Well, I guess that'll become a touristic spot. Like, turn left after you see the giant hole in the mountain.

— Haha, you're right. What's important is that no one died today, so this will be engraved in our memories. Actually, I enjoyed our fight.

— Really? You're kind of a masochist if you ask me, I dominated the fight from the beginning! Go ahead of me, I'll look at the stars one last time.

Tatsuya threw his car keys to Yuto. He caught them in midair.

— Are you kidding me? If I knew your power before, I could win the fight! I'm not even hurt, look!

Yuto lifted his shirt and showed his slowly healing injuries.

— So your 7-Up is already working? Good, now I can punch you a few more times for being so stubborn.

— Not if I do it first!

Yuto smiled brightly at his friend and went to meet Haji and Unizard. Tatsuya looked at the stars. The wind blew through his hair. He was finally at peace, knowing the truth he had been searching for so long.

I could never see a clean sky like this in the city, because of the light pollution. People always say that the stars can calm your mind. It's cliché, but it's true.

Tatsuya looked at the moon once again, not afraid this time.

And the moon is as beautiful as ever. It's strange to remember what happened to it in the other timelines.

Tatsuya looked at his friends. They were walking towards the car, smiling to each other.

It's weird seeing Haji smile, but she's just a kid after all. Even if she's worried about Yuto's well-being, she may consider this all just a fight between friends. I'm glad she forgave me so quickly.

Tatsuya felt a shiver run down his spine. It wasn't the wind this time.

Wait, something is off. I don't know if it's my 7-Up's danger perception or my instinct, but I feel like something big is coming.

Just as he predicted, a red slash flew towards him from behind. It was aiming for his head. He quickly crouched down, dodging it. 

Suddenly, an explosion could be heard. Tatsuya immediately looked at the car, it was gone. Yuto and Haji were alright, because they didn't enter it yet.

As he turned his head, another slash came. But Tatsuya was too focused in his friends, so he didn't see it coming.

Huh? How did I not notice it? Was it so fast that my brain couldn't register it? Why can't I move my body?

Tatsuya moved his eyes to see his body. It was no longer connected to his head. He was instantly decapitaded by the slash.

Those red slashes, it can only be Slade! How she knew we were here? Maybe the fight caught her attention? But we're so far from Tokyo!

With pure instinct, Tatsuya traveled back in time. He couldn't fight with just his head.

— ...Actually, I enjoyed our fight.

Tatsuya froze, noticing something strange. He had a déjà vu, but not only that. His memories from a few minutes later were missing. Knowing something would happen soon, he rushed towards the car.

— Yuto, let's go! We have no time!

— Huh? Why so suddenly?

— It doesn't matter! Just get in the car!

— A-Alright!

The four quickly got into the car. Haji, however, hit her hand in the car's door, dropping her cell phone inside of the vehicle. She closed the door and Yuto offered to take it, since it was closer to him.

Maybe the problem is Yuto, but since we're inside a closed space, I can kill him if he tries anything.

Immediately after he crouched down, another red slash sliced through the car, decapitating Tatsuya again. As Haji and Unizard were shorter, their heads were cut in two.

Huh? But it was supposed to happen in a few minutes...

Tatsuya went back in time again.

— Did I kick some sense into your ass now?

Tatsuya was lying in the rubble. Suddenly, he got startled and looked everywhere.

— Not even a word-

— Wait a minute! This is urgent!

— Huh? You're not trying to lower my guard, right?

— Let's go back to the car! We can discuss everything when we're back!

— What car? It's broken, remember?

— What? It's right there!

Tatsuya pointed to the car. Smoke was coming out of it.

Huh?! How did that happen? Wait, I remember! As soon as we got here, it stopped working! Why did I forget it?

Tatsuya touched his watch, releasing the energy sword.

— Yuto, get out of here, please.

— What is that?! Did you have a sword this whole time?

— Take Haji and Unizard and go back to Tokyo. I want to test something.

— I don't understand, but alright.

— Thank you.

Yuto flew with the two girls to the sky. Tatsuya felt an attack coming from behind.

So Yuto was not the attacker...

Tatsuya tried to defend it with the sword.

A red slash?! This must be Slade!

After a few seconds, the slash won the match and cut trough the sword. Since it was made of energy, it did not break, but Tatsuya was hit. Beheaded, again.

He could also go forward in time, but the collateral effect was the same: memory loss between the two points. This condition would heal after some time, but the enemy wouldn't wait. Some traces remained in déjà vu, the rest came back slowly. However, a few things could change between timelines. It was out of Tatsuya's control.

— It's time to end this, Yuto. I'm really sorry, but- wait, something happened a few minutes ago.

— What? Of course, you were kicking my ass a few minutes ago!

— No, I mean...

If I am still alive, it means that Yuto didn't kill me. I'm in the future because something happened before it should have.

— ...my power is Time. I'm the 3rd level 7.

— I knew it! You shouldn't have said it, dammit!

— I probably died a few minutes ago, but not by you. Do you know who else could be watching us from afar?

— N-No, I don't have a clue.

— If they haven't attacked yet, it's probably because you're with me. Try crouching for a second.

— Like this?

As soon as Yuto crouched down, a red slash came towards Tatsuya's nape. He quickly touched the watch and defended the attack with his energy sword. Seeing that it would collapse, he arched his back to dodge it.

I knew it!

— Slade is the only one I know of who attacks using red slashes. 

— Whoa! Slade? Wait, from behind!

Another slash was thrown towards Tatsuya's back.

How?! She really got around me from afar in a few seconds? I can dodge this!

Just as Tatsuya crouched down, Yuto rushed towards his front with no second thought. He was sliced in two, but Tatsuya survived.

What was he thinking?! I'll have to go back again just because of this!

— Whoa! Slade? Wait, from behind!

— Don't worry, I got this.

Tatsuya didn't turn around, knowing about the attack. After reassuring he would dodge it, Yuto didn't move. But Tatsuya was sliced in two. Vertically, this time.

He couldn't even think about what just happened, because his brain was damaged. As a natural reaction from his body, he went back again.

— If they haven't attacked yet, it's probably because you're with me- wait, don't move. They probably have a large-scale attack. We're safe because we are close enough-

Beheaded again. The slash was small enough to hit only Tatsuya.

— I don't care about what you say- Haji, can you come here, please?

— Huh? Why the sudden emotion shift?

— It doesn't matter. Yuto, Unizard, get in the car, please. It's urgent.