Shadow Bug

The observation room buzzed with tension as students, staff, and officials watched the screens. What was supposed to be a routine exam had turned into chaos. The screens showed students being attacked, not just by the expected shadow monsters, but by one of their own. Panic grew as it was revealed that Karla, a student, was a member of the Kaimi Daja terrorist group. Moments later, the academy trembled as a full-scale attack commenced, with shadow monsters closing in fast.

Gabriel's eyes narrowed, his mind racing. So this was their plan all along. But why now? What do they stand to gain?

Haruto: Well, this just got interesting.

Jason: (wide-eyed) What the...

Lisa: (stunned) Karla was a member of the Kaimi Daja?

Gabriel: (standing, voice commanding) ATTENTION EVERYONE! We are under attack. The Kaimi Daja has launched a full-scale assault. Remain calm and stay in your seats. We'll handle this.

Gabriel quickly assessed the situation, issuing orders to his team.

Gabriel: Jason, Haruto and Marlo. I want you three to go and rescue all the students participating in the exams. Also if possible try and capture any invader you come across. Even one of them is good enough.

Haruto: Roger that.

Jason: (nodding) Yes, sir.

Marlo: (sharp, curt nod) Let's move.

The trio dashed out of the room, urgency in their strides. Jason couldn't shake a nagging feeling. This all feels too planned. And the only Level 1+ Hunter isn't here... it's too convenient

Gabriel: Lisa and Koichi, I want you to stand outside and defend this building from the shadow monsters that are heading this way.

Lisa: Got it.

The two rushed out, taking up defensive positions.

Gabriel: (to himself) Good. That should handle the situation. But why would they attack now? What do they stand to gain by doing this? And a student was a member of the Kaimi Daja?? So many questions to ask but I'll deal with them when this is resolved.

Haruto, Marlo, and Jason sprinted toward the exam battlegrounds, their senses heightened as they approached the sounds of chaos. Shadow monsters were already closing in, snarling as they caught sight of new prey.

Haruto: (grimacing) Yikes, they look hungry.

Marlo: (drawing out his two daggers) We're not going to let them have their way.

Before they could engage, a loud crack rang out. A single bullet shot past them, piercing through several shadow monsters, dropping them instantly. They glanced back, spotting Koichi perched atop a nearby building, sniper rifle in hand.

Koichi: (yelling) Keep moving! We've got this area covered!

Haruto: (grinning) I think I'm in love.

Jason: (cartoonish exasperation) Move, you idiot!

Relieved, Haruto, Marlo, and Jason pressed forward. Behind them, Lisa and Koichi maintained a deadly rhythm; Lisa smashing into the ground with earth-shattering force, and Koichi sniping any monster that got past.

Lisa: Let's do right Koichi!!

Koichi: Right behind you!"

Lisa Arimoto's Lighter Technique, "Gravikinesis," allowed her to alter the weight of herself and anything she touched. With a simple adjustment, her punches became devastatingly heavy, capable of crushing even the toughest foes.

Koichi Mura's "Clairvoyance" granted her unparalleled sight over great distances. Combined with her sniper skills, she made deadly accurate shots without needing a scope.

Elsewhere, John, Takimo, and Rin noticed the sudden increase in shadow monsters. They fought back but grew wary of the overwhelming numbers.

Takimo: (panting) Something's wrong... where did all these monsters come from?

Rin: This was supposed to be a controlled exam. There's no way the academy released this many.

John: (urgently) We need to regroup with the others. It's not safe here anymore.

Takimo: Right.

But as they began to retreat, a cracked glass orb rolled into view. Kazemaru stumbled out, bleeding from his left shoulder and barely conscious, and Terry lay beside him, a sword embedded in his chest.

Rin: (horrified) KAZEMARU!

John: (rushing forward) TERRY!

Takimo: Kazemaru, what happened?!

Rin: (grabbing Kazemaru, voice trembling) Who did this to you?

Kazemaru: (weakly) It... it was Karla.

Rin & Takimo: (stunned) What?!

Rin: If this is a joke Kazemaru, stop it.

Kazemaru: Why would I joke at a time like this? The Kaimi Daja launched a full scale attack on the school. Karla is a member of the Kaimi Daja too and she's the one who stabbed Terry in the chest.

The group's shock quickly turned to dread.

Takimo: Karla is a member of the Kaimi Daja?

John: (gritting his teeth, pulling Terry up) We need to get out, now.

Rin: Right! We can't afford to stay here anymore.

Kazemaru: (coughs blood) Let's hurry. I was being chased by one of them before I found you guys. We have to move before he catches up to us.

John: We're already too late for that. (points in front of them)

The air grew heavy as Giles appeared, slowly emerging from the shadows.

Giles: (sighing, bemused) Didn't think you'd get this far. Seems you ran to your friends for back up huh? They can't save you.

Rin: (tense) This energy... he's a Shadow!

John: (stepping forward) Go. I'll hold him off.

Kazemaru: (weakly) No, you don't understand... his technique...

Giles: (pulling out a dark, tattered book and quickly draws on it) [BLACK: ARTISTIC ANIMATION]

From the book, a swirling dark blast erupted, tearing towards them. John braced, but even his gravity technique couldn't stop it.

On instinct, Kazemaru created a barrier of glass around himself and the others to try and stop the blast from reaching them but it was to no avail because even the barrier began to crack. Kazemaru used all his might and energy to re-enforce the barrier with more glass but the energy blast kept on breaking it everytime. It was only a matter of time before the energy blast would hit.

Kazemaru: (strained, to himself) I can't hold it...

Takimo: (to himself) Am I going to die here? (Kato flashes in his mind) I never got to reach him.

As the blast bore down, Rin acted on instinct.

Rin: [WHITE: BEAST SYNTHESIS – APE!]

Takimo: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING RIN????!!!!!!

Rin began to run towards Kazemaru and the glass barrier and at that moment, the last barrier broke and the energy blast forced its way through and....

There was a massive explosion that was seen by everyone in the academy. Haruto, Jason, and Marlo saw it from a distance and sprinted towards the site, their hearts pounding.

Jason: (desperate, to himself) Please... please be alive...

Meanwhile back at the explosion, Giles was still there and was satisfied that the energy blast was able to break through the glass barrier.

Giles: (smirks and closes his book) At least they tried to avoid death even though it was inevitable for them. If only he didn't run into his friends. They would've survived too. Oh well.

Giles waited for the smoke to clear, expecting to see nothing but ashes (assuming the explosion left any) but was surprised by what he saw. Rin had run in front of Kazemaru the moment he saw that the glass barrier couldn't hold out anymore.

With the help of his beast synthesis technique, he was able to use his ape strength to divert the energy blast and so no one had died from the energy blast or it's explosion because at that moment as well, Kazemaru made a last ditch effort and made another glass barrier to protect them from the effects of the explosion.

But this did not come without a cost because Rin had lost his right arm which was the hand he used to deflect the energy blast.

Giles:(wide-eyed, fascinated) He... deflected it? Even lost an arm in the process... Magnificent!

Rin glanced down at his missing limb, breathing heavily.

Rin: (hoarse) Lucky that's all it took...

Takimo: (catching him as he stumbled) You idiot! You were reckless.

Rin: (smiling weakly) Shut up...

Giles: I'm impressed. Didn't expect you to survive, let alone deflect my attack. Your technique is fascinating.

Rin: (smiles and breathes heavily) Compliments from a terrorist? Guess I should feel honored.

Takimo: (holds Rin) Hey don't encourage him.

Rin: (steadying himself, grin widening) Compliments from a terrorist? I'll pass... but I'm not done blowing your mind yet. [WHITE: BEAST SYNTHESIS – STARFISH!]

Steam poured out of Rin's injured arm and then everyone noticed that Rin was doing something imaginable…..

Giles: (genuine shock) He's... HEALING?!

Ervin Hashido had always said that some techniques allowed faster mastery of Harmonic Restoration. Rin Aikawa was living proof. His Beast Synthesis allowed him to mimic the traits of the animals tattooed on his left hand: Eagle, Ape, Wolf, and Starfish. By channeling the regenerative abilities of a starfish, Rin had learned to heal his own injuries, even regenerating lost limbs.

Rin: (as his hand slowly reformed) Like I said... I'm not done blowing your mind yet.