It had been a while since Archer[Quinn] had heard any news from Pure. He had been far too busy dealing with his own problems. The last time had been concerning a matter that Simon[Leo] had been personally dealing with, so for the longest time they had been at the back of his mind.
'Are they really going down this path? Making the same mistakes the vampires did?' Archer[Quinn] thought, but then again, they probably had no clue that the Oregon[Dalki] had been the result of the vampires trying to create a food supply for themselves. 'This Demi-god tier hunt might be harder than we thought if they are also involved.'
Archer[Quinn] was still internally debating whether he should appear he should disguise himself or not for when he arrived at the Earthborn shelter. In the past it would have been fine for him to turn up and they would have respected him as a World Leader. However tensions were currently skyhigh between all groups after the reveal of the V's existence, especially among those belonging to Innu who had just lost their figurehead.
The final nail in the coffin was the fact that Pure was there. Their movements might drastically change if they were to learn that the leader of the Cursed faction would be turning up, since they still should hold a grudge for Archer[Quinn] killing one of their single digit leaders.
Ultimately, Archer[Quinn] went to the toilet on board the ship and placed the mud mask on his face. It started to wrap around him and change his body. A few seconds later, the one who exited the toilet wasn't Archer[Quinn], but 'Axel[Chuck]y', a person so plain that he wasn't memorable to all but his close friend.
He had pondered over what the others should call him now. Just calling himself Axel[Chuck]y would be confusing, and looking in the mirror, Bucky was the name that kept repeating in his head for some reason. Bucky cleared his throat so everyone turned around and could see the new improved him.
"What do you think of the new Bucky?" Archer[Quinn] asked the group.
"Shouldn't you have picked a different name than the person you look like?" Arian[Fex] asked.
Shaking his head, Archer[Quinn] was getting quite tired of answering this question, but he couldn't blame the other since he had made that mistake a few times himself.
"His name was Axel[Chuck]y, so Bucky is indeed a new name." Tobias[Logan] clarified in Archer[Quinn]'s stead.
When things were starting to quiet down, Shiro noticed that Archer[Quinn] was looking in the mirror quite often to check out his new appearance. Shiro understood that feeling well since he had recently been in Mill[Sil]'s body. It was an indescribable feeling looking at oneself and to see someone else entirely. However, that wasn't the reason why Shiro was closely watching Archer[Quinn]. When the other turned he suddenly saw Shiro standing right behind him.
"Archer[Quinn], I was wondering if you had a bit of time. I would really like to talk about something, just the two of us." Shiro requested. Seeing the look on his face, and with them having nothing else to do Archer[Quinn] accepted. The two of them entered the eating area, which had a see through automatic glass door, however it was sound proof. Allowing them to talk and eat if they wished in peace.
"What's on your mind, Shiro? You aren't usually the secretive type, so it must be important." Archer[Quinn] honestly asked the other.
"Back when I helped you speak to Drake[Oscar] I had to use my skill[ability] on you as well. I felt something strange inside of you, it felt like there were… two minds in you. It was similar to Mill[Sil], but since I was busy connecting you to Drake[Oscar] I didn't really get a good look at the situation. Do you mind if I check again?" Shiro requested.
This had come as somewhat of a surprise to Archer[Quinn] but not a complete one. The way Shiro had explained it, he already had a couple of ideas of what the boy might have seen.
'Do you think that the other mind he saw was me?' Odom[Vincent] asked, who sounded far more shocked than Archer[Quinn]. The old man knew that it couldn't be the Buffan[Boneclaw]. Familiars didn't occupy their partner's mind but left behind a permanent summoning seal on the body of those they had made a contract with.
'I mean it's either you or the system, but I have a feeling it's more likely to be you.' Archer[Quinn] replied.
In a way to Odom[Vincent] it somewhat made sense. These were the two possibilities but either one would work. Either Odom[Vincent] was part of the system, and the system itself had already bonded with Archer[Quinn]. It worked using his mind, so it wouldn't be too surprising if it had formed a pseudo consciousness, which was what Shiro had seen.
Alternatively, Odom[Vincent] came with the system when Archer[Quinn] had obtained it. Coming together but not really being a part of each other. The logic here stemmed from the time the vampire had lost Odom[Vincent] for a brief period of time. Back then his ancestor had remained in the tombs below, while Archer[Quinn] still had the system in full use.
If it was the latter case, then there was a higher chance that Odom[Vincent] could be removed from the system without Archer[Quinn] suffering any side effects. This was one of Odom[Vincent]'s other concerns when Archer[Quinn] had offered to help him gain a body of his own using Shiro's skill[ability]. He had never really brought it up in the meantime, because he had honestly thought it would be impossible.
Now that the truth was getting closer and closer it felt unreal.
"Shiro, thanks for telling me that, but that won't be necessary. At least not now." Archer[Quinn] replied. "You're no longer in Mill[Sil]'s body, so it will just tire you out, and we will need you at full power soon. I already have a good idea of what you saw, so you don't have to worry. It's something or rather someone that won't harm me. I will tell you about it when the time is right, okay?"
Shiro felt relieved after hearing this. He had been worried that it might have been something Archer[Quinn] might have been unaware about. The boy had theorised that it could be something that all vampires had, another darker side deep down. Perhaps it could have been the mysterious skill[ability] of their enemy, who apparently could implant orders into others.
It would have been disastrous if whoever it was, had somehow managed to implant a timebomb into Archer[Quinn]. Fortunately, it appeared that all his worries had stemmed from an overactive imagination.
When the two of them exited from the lunch room, they could see that they had almost reached their destination.
——
Planet Humding, a dark brown planet that had hills of mud, and long plots of land with little greenery in the area. It was a harsh planet where one could sink into their footing at any moment in certain places, but if one did they wouldn't suffocate.
Instead they would fall underneath into the planet's ground, where the vast tunnels and beasts lived and worked. In one of these tunnels was a group of people.
One man had an eyepatch over his right eye and a scar beneath it. He also had another scar that went from his chin to his lip. He was dressed in a large black overcoat, but his c_h_e_s_t was showing his chiseled abs clearly. The clothing and his style suited his long blessed torso, with his long spiked hair that would always stick up.
"Have we still not been able to capture the humanoid beast?" The man with the scars asked one of his subordinates as he impatiently tapped his right index finger against his t_h_i_g_h.
"Sir, we have located the beast's trail once more twelve hours ago.Unfortunately, every time we come close to cornering it, the Earthborn group gets in our way, making us lose sight of it!" The subordinate explained.
"In other words, we've failed again? Is this what our group is known for? For failing time and time again?" The eye patch man questioned and in the blink of an eye he appeared before the one who had given the report, towering over him as he looked down.
"If the Earthborn group keeps getting in our way, then we will just have to finish them off." The man declared, as he turned around. The subordinate let out a sigh of relief as he looked at his superior's black overcoat with the large Number 2 stitched on it.
To be continued....
Share
