Chapter 13
Rictor sat there, still stunned, staring at Jayden as if he were a mythical beast in human skin. His breath was unsteady, his mind racing.
This isn't normal... this isn't possible...
A Pink Plane warrior had just annihilated four Blue Plane warriors as if he were swatting flies.
And that wasn't even the scariest part.
Jayden had used three different ability types.
Elementalist. Visionary. Superhuman.
Even a prodigy with two ability types was considered a priceless gem, destined for greatness. But three? That was an impossibility—something only the most powerful figures in history could achieve.
Rictor swallowed hard.
Then, Jayden just... stared at him. Deadpan. Unblinking.
Like he was waiting for something.
Rictor's rational mind shattered under the pressure. What does he want? Is he going to kill me too?
The silence was unbearable. Rictor couldn't help but blurt out—
"Who the hell are you!?"
Jayden's face remained unreadable. He blinked once.
Then—
"Jayden. That's who I am."
Rictor felt a vein pop in his forehead.
THAT'S IT!?
This demon-faced freak just wiped the floor with four powerful warriors, used abilities that defied all logic, and that was his response!?
Was he trying to drive him insane?
Before Rictor could scream in frustration, a small, cheerful voice rang out—
"He's my big brother!"
Rictor turned his head in disbelief.
Lolly sat on Jayden's shoulders, smiling brightly, her little hands clutching his hair as if she were riding a mighty steed.
He glanced between the two.
Back and forth.
Jayden. Deadpan as ever.
Lolly. Beaming like the sun.
There was no way.
Are they really siblings…?
Something about this felt deeply wrong.
Rictor took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He had seen too much insanity for one day. Now wasn't the time to lose it.
Swallowing his pride, he spoke.
"…Thank you."
His voice was strained, the words unnatural, as if his own soul was rejecting them.
Jayden merely shrugged, already turning away.
Rictor hesitated, then clenched his fists.
This is my chance!
"I'm Rictor."
Jayden gave a slight nod but didn't stop walking.
"Please, I need your h—"
"No."
The rejection was so instant and emotionless that it physically hurt.
Rictor's eye twitched.
But he wasn't giving up.
Before Jayden could take another step, he lunged forward—grabbing onto his leg.
**"Please, only you can help me!"**Rictor begged.
Jayden looked down.
A grown teenager clung desperately to his leg, eyes wide with pleading.
For a moment, Jayden considered it.
Then—
WHAM!
With a perfectly deadpan expression, he kicked Rictor away like a discarded sock.
Rictor crashed into a tree with a wheeze.
Before he could recover, Jayden was already walking away.
"P-Please! Only you can help me!"
Rictor lunged again, grabbing onto Jayden's leg.
Jayden stopped, looking down once more.
He let out a sigh.
For a split second, he considered using Rasengan to knock him out.
But then he shook his head.
No. That would be a waste of chakra.
So, instead—
He simply started walking.
Dragging Rictor across the ground like a sack of potatoes.
"H-Hey! Let me go!"
"No."
"I-I'm serious! This is important!"
"Not my problem."
As Jayden dragged him through the streets, dirt and dust flying everywhere, onlookers started to stare.
A merchant, chewing on a roasted skewer, pointed at the bizarre sight.
"…What kind of weirdos are those?"
A woman leaned in.
"…Is that guy being kidnapped?"
Meanwhile, Lolly giggled, swinging her legs happily on Jayden's shoulders.
Rictor's face twisted in despair.
Does she think this is funny!?
She really was a little weirdo too.
And so, Jayden dragged Rictor all the way to the outskirts of the city—completely ignoring his protests.
At the edge of the city, a woman stood watching.
Her gaze was sharp, her presence commanding.
Lolly's mother.
As Jayden finally stopped, Rictor scrambled to his feet, brushing dirt from his clothes, panting like a dog.
Then—
A shadow loomed over him.
He looked up.
Lolly's mother glared at Jayden.
"…Jayden."
Jayden blinked.
"…What?"
She sighed, rubbing her temples.
"…You dragged him all over the ground?"
Jayden shrugged.
"…He wouldn't let go."
Rictor sat there, bruised, covered in dirt, and exhausted.
And Jayden had the audacity to act like he was the victim in all this.
Lolly's mother sighed again.
"…Come inside. Now."
Rictor smirked victoriously.
Jayden stared at him.
His face still deadpan.
After resting and eating. Rictor is ready to say his story.
Rictor took a deep breath, looking around at his small but invested audience. The firelight flickered, casting shadows across the room. Lolly's eyes shimmered with curiosity, while her mother looked at him with sympathy. The grandfather listened intently, nodding at times.
Jayden, on the other hand, remained utterly unimpressed. He continued eating, showing no change in expression.
Rictor clenched his fist dramatically. "I was looking for a faction to join," he began. "Then, I heard the Orbius Faction was recruiting."
"They treated me well at first… but something wasn't right. They were staging fake bandit raids, stealing money, and then demanding 'protection fees.'"
Jayden, between bites of his meal, raised an eyebrow. "That has nothing to do with you."
Rictor coughed awkwardly. "I was getting to that!"
He pressed on.
"As one of their trusted members, I was sent on missions. But during one, I caught them red-handed."
His voice grew heavy, his usual flamboyance momentarily fading.
"The leader, Aurum, told me… I either joined them completely or died."
Jayden, still deadpan, took another bite. "So you chose death."
"NO! I chose justice!" Rictor puffed out his chest, striking a heroic pose.
Jayden stared at him blankly. "…But you failed."
Rictor's pose wavered. "…Let me finish!"
Flashback:
The night was thick with smoke. The once-pristine village was now a ruin of burning homes and crumbling walls. The Orbius Faction had raided it under the pretense of wiping out bandits, but in truth, they were the real threat.
Rictor stood in the town square, facing thirty armed enemies, each one eager to kill him.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears. "I had no choice!" Rictor declared. "So, he drew his pistols!"
Two sleek, obsidian-black guns gleamed under the firelight. They weren't ordinary firearms—they pulsed with green energy, humming with spiritual force.
Boom!
A single shot clashed against a fireball, the explosion sending shockwaves through the battlefield. His bullet overpowered the attack, sending the opponent flying.
Rictor smirked, the smoke swirling around him. "A testament to my strength."
Back in the present, Jayden remained unimpressed.
Rictor sighed. "Anyway, that's when HE arrived."
A chilling memory surfaced in his mind.
Aurum.
The moment he stepped onto the battlefield, the air itself seemed to change—heavier, suffocating. The other Orbius members immediately stepped aside, creating a path for their leader.
Aurum was at the Purple Plane. A level of strength far beyond the usual mercenaries.
His body began to shift.
Muscles thickened. Veins bulged. His skin darkened, rough like steel.
Then—
CRACK.
Two massive, obsidian-black horns erupted from his skull. His eyes gleamed with an eerie light, primal and terrifying.
Rictor took an involuntary step back.
"Oh no. Not a Transformer."
Aurum grinned, his voice deep and guttural. "Rictor… you should've chosen wisely."
Without warning—
BOOM!
Aurum charged.
The ground cracked beneath his feet as he surged forward, his massive frame moving with inhuman speed.
Rictor barely had time to react. He rolled, his body narrowly avoiding a blow that would have turned him into paste.
Bang! Bang!
Two rapid shots. His beams found their mark… but only scratched Aurum's hardened skin.
It wasn't enough.
Aurum didn't slow down.
"Damn it!" Rictor muttered, weaving through attacks, his agility keeping him alive. But with each movement, he felt it—his spiritual energy was dwindling.
Meanwhile, Aurum wasn't slowing down.
He kept coming, relentless, unstoppable.
Rictor gritted his teeth. "Just go down already!"
Another round of green beams. Another series of scratches.
His breathing grew heavy. His body ached. His spirit energy…
Gone.
And then—
A single punch landed.
Aurum's fist connected.
CRACK!
Rictor's world turned black.
The room was silent, save for the crackling fire and the occasional clink of Jayden's chopsticks against his plate. Everyone listened with rapt attention as Rictor leaned forward, his face a picture of agony and dramatic suffering.
"Every morning, I was beaten."
Lolly gasped, clutching the hem of her mother's dress.
"Every afternoon, I was chained to a pole under the scorching sun."
The grandfather's grip tightened around his wooden cane, his knuckles white.
"Every night, I was beaten again!"
Lolly's mother covered her mouth in horror.
"And they only gave me half a piece of bread to eat!"
She couldn't take it anymore.
"You poor child!" she cried.
Even the grandfather, a man who had lived through war and seen the worst of humanity, wiped his eyes. "Truly barbaric… these Orbius monsters must be stopped."
Meanwhile, Jayden was… still eating. Completely unbothered.
Between bites, he finally spoke.
"How did you escape?"
Rictor's despair vanished, replaced by newfound pride. He straightened his posture, holding his head high.
"The gods had mercy!" he declared, lifting his arms as if basking in divine light. "I managed to break free!"
Jayden, still unimpressed. "…And then?"
Rictor coughed. "They've been chasing me ever since!"
A long silence stretched between them.
Rictor expected Jayden to say:
"I am deeply moved by your tragic story. Let's go defeat Orbius Faction!"
Instead—
Crunch.
Jayden took another bite of his food.
Rictor's soul shattered.
The grandfather turned to Jayden, his expression serious. "You should help him."
Jayden shook his head. "No."
Rictor's heart dropped. "Coward."
Before Jayden could respond, Lolly's tiny voice rang out, her face full of righteous fury.
"Big Brother isn't a coward! Don't be rude!"
Jayden remained unmoved.
Just as he swallowed the last bite of his meal, Lolly clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling.
"Big Brother! Prove him wrong and take down the Orbius Faction!"
Suddenly, Jayden's system flared up.
---
[New Quest: Take Down the Orbius Faction]
Reward: Instant Level-Up, 600 SP
---
Jayden blinked, staring at the glowing screen in front of him.
"…Are you serious?"
Rictor, watching him closely, saw a strange change in Jayden's expression. A tiny twitch of his brow—his only sign of consideration.
A second later—Jayden nodded.
"Okay then."
Lolly let out an excited squeal. "Big Brother is the best!"
Jayden stood up, his eyes turning a deep, ominous red—three black tomoe spinning in them.
"We leave now."
Rictor froze.
"W-Wait! I haven't recovered yet! My weapons are still at their base!"
Jayden ignored him, walking towards the door.
Rictor scrambled to his feet. "Oi! At least let me grab a cloak or something!"
Jayden didn't stop.
Rictor groaned, running a hand down his face. "Fine! But if I die, I swear I'll haunt you!"
––––
The air around the Orbius Faction's base was thick with menace. The fortress of corruption stood like a sleeping predator, its stone walls jagged and menacing, its torches flickering like the eyes of a beast in the dark. Inside, the echoes of crude laughter and the sounds of fists pounding against flesh created a twisted rhythm—a melody of violence and oppression.
From the cover of a massive tree, Jayden and Rictor crouched in the shadows, their eyes locked on the entrance.
Rictor, still nursing the wounds from his last encounter with Orbius members, wiped the sweat from his forehead. His breath was shaky, but his voice was steady.
"How are we getting past the guards?" he whispered.
Jayden's gaze remained fixed on the fortress. His expression, as always, was unreadable.
"Any hidden passage."
Rictor blinked. " There is … but the entrance is inside. How do we—"
"Give me the coordinates."
There was no hesitation in Jayden's voice. It wasn't a question. It was an order.
Rictor hesitated, but eventually, he pulled a small device from his pocket, tapping a few buttons before handing it over. Jayden barely glanced at the flashing numbers before slipping it into his sleeve.
Then, without a word, he formed a hand seal.
"Transformation Jutsu."
A poof of smoke erupted, swirling like an ominous mist.
When it cleared—Jayden was gone.
In his place stood a different man.
The figure was tall and muscular, his short, spiky hair standing sharp like the embers of a dying fire. His hands faintly glowed, a residual heat pulsing from his knuckles—an unmistakable trait of the Flame Fist guy Rictor had seen before.
Rictor staggered back, his pulse spiking.
"W-What kind of superhuman ability is this?!"
His mind raced. He had seen elemental abilities, transformations, even bizarre mutations… but this? It wasn't just an illusion—it was perfect. The posture, the stance, even the way the 'Flame Fist guy' cracked his knuckles—it was flawless.
Jayden ignored him. He had already blended into the crowds.
The Orbius base was alive with chaotic energy.
Thugs laughed crudely, tossing coins back and forth as they gambled. Groups sparred, the sound of flesh meeting flesh mixing with insults. Others stood in circles, boasting about their latest extortions, voices dripping with arrogance.
Jayden moved through them effortlessly.
He walked with purpose, mirroring the mannerisms of the Flame Fist guy—his shoulders squared, his pace casual yet confident, the slight smirk playing on his lips just cocky enough to fit in.
No one questioned him.
Not yet.
But as he neared the heavily guarded entrance, one presence stood out among the others.
A massive figure loomed before the gate.
His arms were thicker than tree trunks, his veins bulging like ropes of steel. His mere presence suffocated the air around him. His gaze swept the crowd like a predator looking for the smallest sign of weakness.
His name was Fin—one of Orbius' most feared enforcers.
Jayden kept walking, seamlessly moving past the other members toward the entrance.
But then—
A heavy hand clamped down on his arm.
A grip like iron shackles.
Fin's voice was low, heavy, and dangerous.
"Something about you feels different."
Jayden's posture remained relaxed. His breathing steady. His expression calm.
But inside, his mind sharpened.
This was bad. He shouldn't draw any attention yet.
Fin was at the late stages of the Blue Plane—far stronger than the four 'elite' members Jayden had already beaten before. And judging by the way his spiritual energy flared, the man was more than just muscle.
Jayden's head was slightly tilted downward, avoiding direct eye contact.
Then—he made his decision.
As his head turned slightly—his black pupils began to shift.
A deep, rich red bled into his irises.
Three black tomoe slowly swirled within them, like a hypnotic dance of fate itself.
"It seems I have no choice." Jayden thought.
To be continued…