Chương 56: R&R Ch. 56 — Not Ready for Everything

The duo stood before LongShot as they waited for any final instructions before they would be allowed to go into Lupine's cell and begin dealing with him. The meeting with the minder hadn't been particularly painful, but it had left Nicholas on edge.

"You two are going to talk to him about what happened first so we can get a minder to confirm what actually happened." LongShot said, making sure there was no room for argument from either of them.

"And then what are we supposed to do?" Nicholas asked, wanting to get the show on the road.

"Once it's confirmed what has happened, you two will be as the leaders expected to prove your innocence and deal with the problem." LongShot confirmed.

"Even if he ends up being a dual ranker?" Jasmine asked. LongShot paused at that.

"We don't think he is, but if he is, it depends on who wins the fight. He wins, we'll save you and lie. You guys win? Well, he probably wasn't that important for us to keep anyway. With how much miasma was there he should be thoroughly able to smoke both of you." Nicholas and Jasmine exchanged a look as both swallowed that information. With it now being in their hands and their skill, that was a problem. Especially if he was a dual-ranker.

If he was that would make him stronger than him at least partially, and it was harder to subdue strong opponents. They were much more prone to killing them at that level. But that was only if he was more than two ranks above them.

"We'll be able to deal with it. Anything else?" Nicholas asked after the two of them had finished communicating through their bond. The plan didn't change, but with a confirmation that they would have to fight, then they had no choice but to do their best. Book and Quicksilver flowed out of both of their souls as they waited for LongShot to respond, neither of them wanting to be caught by a surprise attack.

"Make sure to get enough quotes from him that we can use for a video; otherwise, a tech head is going to denounce it as fake." LongShot said. Jasmine stared at the hero incredulously. Of all the things they needed to do, it was to make sure they got dialogue lines? Really, that was what mattered the most.

"Okay," Nicholas said.

"Give us five and then we'll go in." LongShot nodded his assent before vanishing." Muffle""Anything we need to talk about before going in?" Nicholas asked once the command set them up in a dome of silence.

"I don't like this; I really hate it." Jasmine said, squeezing her hammer tightly to help vent some of her frustration.

"Same."

"When we're at the top, we're changing this, right?"

"Yeah, I just wonder why the people at the top encourage this," Nicholas said absentmindedly.

"They can't be everywhere, can they?" Jasmine asked, sounding almost robotic.

"There's tons of problems the pinnacles are needed for. There's a reason why Equilibrium and Balance Point are more hands-on with their nations because they're teams and often they don't need the full roster for those threats."

"Maybe. But we'll change the system in every way we can at every level we can." Nicholas promised.

"Let's go see Lupine. I'll go first in case he attacks." Jasmine said, hefting her hammer as Quicksilver attached to her armor, and if Nicholas hazarded a guess, it would be amping her defenses." Reinforce." Nicholas didn't have any preparations to go through. Jasmine stepped through circles of green runes spinning around her in a defensive barrier. They had time to think about all the things they would change as heroes later; right now, they needed to focus.

Nicholas stepped into the cell, Book nearly trembling with power and a command already on his tongue, but it wasn't needed. Lupine, while in the cell, waited across from them, curled up in the corner.

"This place stinks," Jasmine whispered to him. Nicholas nodded. It was clear Lupine had been in captivity for the past few days and for some reason had not elected to take the chance to shower. Lupine looked up as the door slammed shut behind them automatically, a look of confusion flashing across his features before a smile crossed his face.

"Hey bosses came to finally apologize for trying to murder me." They had decided this long before coming here, and despite Nicholas having the word power, Jasmine would be the one to speak. If there was a peaceful resolution to this, then that's the option they would take. Even if he didn't like it.

"You know that's not what happened. Retort saved your life multiple times per day during the wave. And we kept everyone we could safe. Even when you called every Beyonder in the nation to us," Jasmine said, voice curt.

"I was trying to save my life! You two were insane; they wouldn't have done that if you two weren't special. If you two had been like the rest of us, they would have found some higher ranks to babysit! It's all your fault!" Lupine snarled, standing up and spitting with rage. The words had a level of truth to them, and it hit them hard, but they couldn't be bothered. That truth and what it meant for them was a problem they would have to deal with later. They couldn't focus on that right now.

"And yet everyone lived. So what do you have to complain about?" Nicholas asked, unable to stop himself.

"That I almost died! You risked my life for no reason than being the nail that sticks out! You two could have cowered!" Lupine babbled. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"I'm not going to hide when I can save lives. That's why I saved your life, Lupine. It's not over for you; you can atone. Even releasing that level of miamsa can be forgiven for a super. You don't even need to be a pardoned villain; we can help you become a hero again." Jasmine said, trying to appeal to their peer. Nicholas thought it was a pointless argument. But he was going to let her go through with it. He did pointless things, too. They were a team, and he would always back her plays.

Just like she did the same for him. Lupine looked at them, a strange look crossing his features as he appeared to actually mull over Jasmine's words. A smile appeared on Lupine's face.

"You're right." He said, a mad giggle escaping his lips, one that Nicholas knew was wrong. Lupine's laugh didn't sound like that.

"There is a way forward for me." Faster than either could react, Lupine flashed forward, spear aimed directly at Nicholas's chest. He didn't need to react; this was what he had been waiting for this whole time." Barrier" A silver shield blocked the spear thrust long enough for Nicholas to dodge out of the way.

"At least equivalent to an E-rank, probably higher." Nicholas called Book, responding to his will and moving towards his signature word." Playroom" At the same time, Jasmine opened up her soul space, and Nicholas reached in to grab as much of the material they had stored in there for this explicit purpose. The prison cell was built so that it couldn't be manipulated like this, so they had started tossing junk in her garden until he could get a storage item made.

But a boosted playroom was only one part of what Book could offer him, so it was time for his favorite aspect to be triggered." Maximize" The book's command shook the room, the power passing over them as energy suffused their team, pushing them to new heights. Jasmine was an emerald and gold blur, her black hair streaming behind her like a banner in the wind as she slammed her hammer into Lupine. Quicksilver still surrounded her like armor, but Nicholas was sure she had boosted her physicality now.

Her armor hadn't been running long enough for her to move like that.

"I'll keep him in melee, try and figure out what he's doing with his new powers." Jasmine said as dark mist spooled out of Lupine. They knew now for certain that he was a dual ranker, but that didn't mean he was strong. It could be a three to one situation, and his own assimilation power got him to get into rank three from the hero system. Nicholas didn't think they were that lucky.

And even as Lupine and Jasmine clashed, the two of them a blur of motion with Nicholas aiding in every way he could, he couldn't shake the feeling of a predator watching him. Lupine would not be scared off his target just because he was currently occupied with Jasmine. Nicholas was the target of his rage, and Nicholas would be the one he focused on until Nicholas wasn't around anymore.

Nicholas was ready when the bolt of purple flame flew from an outstretched hand, a barrier of stone superimposing itself from the attack. He wasn't ready when the attack passed through the stone like it wasn't there and slammed into his chest. And just like it had previously through the stone, it passed through his suit and skin, sinking deep into his body without any pain.

And then his soul lit up with flames as wisps of blue energy streamed out of Nicholas's body, flowing to Lupine, and they watched as their opponent seemed to visibly heal.

"Stop that!" Jasmine bellowed, her hammer slamming into Lupine's arm, causing the limb to shatter even with it regenerating instantly. Nicholas needed a way for this to stop consuming his soul, since it didn't seem like it was going to." Lullaby" The world twisted as golden flame passed through Nicholas, cutting off the infection as a haunting tune played from nowhere, assaulting Lupine's mind.

"What was that?" Jasmine asked, still trying to batter Lupine away. Nicholas wanted to answer, but he now knew how big of a problem this was going to be, especially with Lupine able to heal. He was at least E-rank, so they couldn't restrain him forever, and it was clear his body let him convert power into healing. Power he could get by using the spear to siphon energy or apparently soul-burning flame, but there had to be a reason he had focused every attack he could on Nicholas.

"Soul siphon attack, I think. Went through all of my defenses, he probably can't use the spear or the flames on you. Your armor protects you from both." Nicholas said as the tumblers clicked into place.

"Would the active defenses on your rings work?" Jasmine asked hopefully.

"Probably so I'll have to time it properly." Nicholas said with a mental shrug as he put some of his concentration towards that. The rings were compatible with his own energy, so he could pour focus towards that as well as his two workings. The lullaby was a set it and forget it one, though, so he could probably start another one.

"If he can't hurt me, I'll make sure he can't attack you." Jasmine said her voice a dark promise. Quicksilver flowed into the form of nine flying blades above her head as he could feel through their bond her existence quickening." Barrage" She was throwing herself fully into the offense. Nicholas could understand why it was what he would do if their situations were reversed, but just because he thought she wouldn't be hurt by the soul attacks or be siphoned didn't mean he didn't think she could be hurt."

Playroom" He commanded the world again, throwing himself into the defense of both of them. The shift in them to be more offensive showed a bigger problem. Lupine was certainly more than just an E-rank equivalent.

Nicholas would guess closer to D-rank. That made it doable, but they couldn't get lazy. Lupine leaped away from the blades and hammer before throwing the spear at Jasmine. Nicholas couldn't directly control the spear, but he could certainly block it. Stone, wind, and everything he could grab went into forming a barrier. A barrier that did nothing when the spear burst into purple flames." Transpose" Nicholas shouted a word he had never used before as he poured all the power he could into the rings.

The silver and green barrier sprang up between the attack and Jasmine, but it slowed it down. The spear still punched through and impaling his friend in the stomach. Purple flames sprung up around her as the attack tried to burn away the soul of her armor and self, as pain rippled through their bond. Even as the spear and flames winked out in an instant. Stupid. Idiotic. Moronic. Brash. All of those words described what Nicholas felt towards himself in that moment. But one emotion towered over them all. Rage.

Nicholas's will responded to his feelings. Even if he knew Jasmine was fine, he could feel the pain in her soul as she pulled herself to her feet. He didn't care anymore about trying to solve the problem in a good way. He was going to neutralize the threat, and if Lupine could heal endlessly by siphoning their power and soul, then Nicholas would just put him down like a dog. And really, it was Lupine's fault he had named himself so why shouldn't Nicholas follow through.