CHAPTER 196 TSUKUYOMI
<span style="font-weight:400">The 3 of us flew side by side to where the Blizzard member had found the Tsukuyomi testing center. He had been fairly certain it was to the West of A-City.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What do you know about these guys?” I asked. Turning to Fubuki’s sister.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“It’s Tatsukmaki,” she said. “My name.” Less angry with me as we flew. “Not much. They took me in when I was young. Promising to help with my psychic outbursts. But they took me to a small cell. Treated me like a test subject. Me and dozens of others. I pretended to lose my powers and they lost interest. But I was stuck there until…”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Bang saved you, right?” I asked, trying to focus on something to keep the fury I felt at bay.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“How did you know that?” She asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Guess I’m a little psychic now too,” I lied. “What should we expect?” <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Expect?”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“You said you’ve taken down other branches of theirs, right? What did you fight?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“That was…an exaggeration. I’ve been on the trail of them for years. I know they are still taking people with psychic powers. But every time I get close they abandon their testingb. Which is why I felt like we needed to attack this ce now! If they found out your stupid Blizzard member was exposed, they might move again!” She yelled at Fubuki.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” Fubuki said, ashamed as she looked to the ground. “He has been loyal for years.”<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“I told you not to form that stupid group!” Tatsumaki yelled. “You shouldn’t even be a hero. I am more than enough to take care of everything.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Leave her alone,” I growled. “That’s all you’ve done is put her down. Fubuki is doing her best.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“What’s it to you!?” Tatsumaki cried out. “This is a family issue. Don’t butt your head into it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“I don’t want to hear it. I’ll destroy Tsukuyomi then kick your ass after we are done.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Kick my ass? I’m the Tornado of Terror. ss S-Rank 2. Who the hell are you? Some nobody?!” <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Whatever number 2. I’ll still kick your ass. I don’t mind hitting a woman. Especially when it’s a kid that needs a spanking,” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“A spanking?!” Her hair raised up as the wind increased around her. “You are a nobody. You stupid buzzcut! Jello brain! Squidman!”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Those don’t even make sense, number 2. Stop while you’re ahead.” <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Stop calling me that?!” <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Number 2. Number 2. Number 2,” I said quickly. Her face bing more red with each repeat.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Guys stop!” Fubuki said. “This isn’t the time to be fighting.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“You’re right,” I said, breathing out. Feeling a little better, my anger had calmed down as I teased her. “It should be ahead. Spread out. Look for an old concrete building. Only about 20 feet by 20 feet. 1 story tall.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s not very big,” Fubuki said.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“The guy was taken underground. He thought it was a lot bigger down below,” I said as I moved to scan the area. We were over arge forest. I lifted up high trying to find anything of note, but it was all the same. Dropping down to below the canopy of the forest I looked around as the sisters spread out.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">My thoughts were dark as I scanned the area. If anything bad happened to any of the girls, I would kill everyone. Aiko and Setsuko could probably take care of themselves, but Jun would have an issue. Her fear would kick in. Making her stronger, but also inconsble as she became more and more scared.
<span style="font-weight:400">I should have known someone was after them as well. In all honesty I thought the guy that attacked me was after me because I was a hero. Maybe someone that was pissed I took someone down. When I found out about Tsukuyomi I hadn’t put thought the girls could be targeted. I had gotten sucked into the drama and quest I was given. I made a mistake. Letting the girls fend for themselves for a time.
<span style="font-weight:400">I considered using my Weakness Eliminator skill on my Berserker Mode. It might remove me from the equation from the girls. Them no longer needing me would help them survive more easily. And maybe I could stop these bouts of anger that kept coursing through me. But I really wanted to save it for a better power. Devil fruits were too tempting. Maybe I could get lucky and find an awesome one. I was supposed to be getting stronger for these challenges. I needed all the help I could get. The Challenge should be happening soon. I held off on making any moves for now.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Here!” I heard Fubuki yell. I flew over in a mad rush and found her staring at a building in the thick of the trees. “What should we do?” She asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Rush it?” I asked. The building appeared abandoned. More of a shell of a building it might have been some bunker back in the day. As we waited for Tatsukmaki our decision was made as she flew over top of the building. With a wave of her hand the building lifted off the ground and was thrown away. She flew inside as soon as the deed was done.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Goddammit,” I growled as Fubuki and I flew after her. At the center of where the building was there was a wide elevator shaft. Perfectly square I dropped the water and fell in. The vast darkness swallowed us as we moved below. No doors leading out we fell for a long time.
<span style="font-weight:400">Light appearing at the bottom we slowed down. Landing in the floor of the tiled hallway we heard yelling and gunfire. “Guess it’s the right ce,” I said as I ran in. Like some hospital ward there were ceiling tiles with LED lights above. The walls and floor were white. Everything was pristine as we walked. We came across the first person knocked out and sped up.
<span style="font-weight:400">We came to arge room to find Tatsumaki stopping bullets with her hands raised. I ignored the bullets. Running past her I dodged the trajectories just in time with each bullet that got close. Waving my hand in front of me water shot out, slicing through the arms of 3 men with guns. They dropped the weapons clutching stumps.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t kill them. We need information!” Tatsumaki yelled.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“They’ll live,” I growled as I moved to the first. My Chikyugi Ne was out and missing arms was the least of their worries as I got every bit of information I could out of them.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“This way,” I told the sisters as I raced down the hall. Doctors and assistants jumped as we moved past. The girl’s heels cking as they ran across the tiles. I took 2 turns but stopped in my tracks as a huge metal door was blown off of it’s hinges. The door was almost worthy to guarding a safe. It nged loudly as it hit the ground. Smoke billowing out of the room it came from I walked to it slowly but was stopped by a familiar voice.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good job, Jun,” Aiko said. “Now let’s get the hell out of here.” The busty woman walked out of the door as Setsuko and Jun followed her. They turned to look the other way then turned to see me.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Weston!” The girls yelled as they ran to me. Tears in my eyes I closed the distance taking them in a big hug.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Thank god,” I said holding them. “I was worried.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“How the hell did you find us?” Setsuko asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Long story. Are you okay? You’re not hurt are you?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“No, they tranqued us, but it was nothingpared to the dead doc’s crap. Barely got a high from it,” Aiko said. “We woke up and started breaking out about 10 minutes ago.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Goddamn it’s good to see you 3,” I said. Relief washing over me as I wiped my eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What’s the matter? Miss us?” Aiko asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course. Our ce would be lonely without you 3,” I said without shame. “Come on. We can catch upter. Still need to take care of the bad guys.”
<span style="font-weight:400">I turned to see Fubuki and Tatsumaki awkwardly staring at us. “Introductionster,” I added. “Come on. Almost to the boss room, I think.” I turned around and headed down another hall. The trio sticking close they whispered to one another as Fubuki and Tatsumaki walked beside me. At least they had the sense to stay focused and not ask dumb questions. Most had the sense anyway.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Who the hell are you 2?” Aiko asked without hesitation. “This is our man.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“W-what?!” Tatsumaki yelled as she turned around.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“You heard me, get your own!” Aiko yelled. Moving up to the smaller woman she looked down at her from the valley of her breasts.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Guys, this is not the time,” I growled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This is the perfect time. They seem way too familiar with you,” Aiko said. “We already have dibs on him.” <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“All 3 of you?!” Fubuki yelled. Jun blushed deeply, Setsuko looked ashamed, Aiko crossed her arms over her chest, daring her to say more.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Behind!” I yelled, throwing a streak of ice at a guard aiming for us. The ice threw the gun away and he was soon on the ground as another ice shard pierced into his side. “Not the timedies,” I hissed.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fine, fine, keep your secrets,” Aiko said, not perturbed by the situation at all.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This way,” I said, turning back around and starting to jog down the hall. I followed the directions I had gotten from the 3 guards. Hoping I didn’t miss a turn we came to arge door. Bigger than the one Jun had pushed through it was locked down tight.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Step aside,” Tatsumaki ordered as she pushed through. Her hands raising I could almost feel her work. Not so much Spiritual Energy, but something poured out of her mind into therge door. She struggled with it, pulling harder until the metal began to creak with the strain of her psychic powers breaking it apart. Then with a crash it was yanked away. Tatsumaki let it fall to the ground and we jumped onto it. Walking over the door as we made our way into the bosses room.
<span style="font-weight:400">Therge office was dark. All except for a screen at the other end that was glowing a white light. We spread out in the room. Some office chairs scattered around, whoever had left were in a hurry. I was about to turn around to head somewhere else when a deep voice sounded from a speaker near the TV.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Tatsumaki, so good to see you again,” the voice said. Tatsumaki stopped as if struck. Sweat breaking out on her face. “Oh good, you recognize my voice. I had worried that you forgot me.” The voice reminded me of All-For-One. Perhaps because of his faceless voice.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fubuki, it is good to finally see you a part of this,” the voice said. She looked around confused to me then her sister. All I could do was shrug as we gathered around the screen. I noticed a small camera above it.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Weston, Aiko, Setsuko, and Jun, it is sad that our meeting was cut short,” the voice said. “But I am looking forward to seeing what will happen with you 4 in the future.” <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Who are you?” I asked. “Why did you take them? You touch them again, I will find you and kill you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I have no doubt,” the voice said. It was quiet for a time, I was worried he was done talking. After a minute he started up again. Luckily viins liked to talk in this world as well. “Let me tell you a story,” he said slowly. “It is about a world gone to hell. Death and destruction everywhere. Anarchy in the streets. Monstersing out of nowhere to destroy what little of the world that had been able to be built back up.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“In this story there is a man. A man that could lift objects with his mind. Nothing big mind you. A pencil that shook from the strain was all he could manage. He was a very weak man, but smart. He studied himself. Trying to figure out what was different about him. But the answer eluded him. Eventually he came to the conclusion that if he wanted to learn more he had to leave it to the next generation. He altered himself and found a woman to love. They had 3 wonderful children,” he hissed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Those children were just as special as the father. More special in fact. Unlike him they weren’t weak. One could read minds, learning all there was to know about someone with a simple gaze. Another could light fires with their mind. And thest could sense emotions.” The voice let out a sigh. “Telepathy, Pyrokinesis, and Empathy. These children were praised by their father as he coddled them. Unfortunately the world was still in shambles. A monster ended his life far too soon, but his children wanted to carry on his work. Over the years the siblings drifted apart. All believing that their psychic power was the strongest. Determined to figure out what made that little something special tick.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Time passed and they formed their own groups. Tsukuyomi, Kowarenai, and Chikara.” Moon god, Unbreakable, and Power. I had seen the name Chikara many times. It had been written on the letterhead of my medical documents. Mine and the girls. Also it was listed on my 1st quest for the One Punch Man World.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ah, you see the answer,” the voice said. “My brother and I had our fights. But you killed him, Weston. Tore him to shreds and threw him in a dumpster like trash. You surprised me this time. I had not thought his research bore any fruit. Next time we meet I will be sure to prepare properly.” The speaker cut out and the light from the screen flickered off.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fuck,” I mumbled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What does that mean?” Jun whispered in the dark of the room.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“We need to watch our backs,” I said, my hand moving to pat her head.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“This is bullshit,” Aiko said. “Why are we caught in the middle of some family drama?”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Just our lot in life,” I said. “Well, I’m out of steam.” I sighed loudly. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“What?!” Tatsumaki yelled. “But there is a lot of information to get here. More people. We have to contact the Hero Association as well. I doubt this ce is legal.”
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“You’re number 2. You do it,” I said. “I’m out of here.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What if there are more test subjects?” She asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then save them. This wasn’t even the group that messed with our brains. I’m exhausted, what should we do for food tonight?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m feeling Chinese,” Aiko said. <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“We had thatst night. One of us needs to learn to cook,” Setsuko groaned.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Not it,” I said followed by Aiko and Setsuko.
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“What? Me?” Jun asked. <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Looks like it, Jun. Come on. I’m sure you’ll do great…tomorrow though. I’m starved. And those asshats tore up our ce.” <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh that was me,” Aiko said. “I got in the zone there for a little bit and was throwing the guys around. But they got us.” <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Bastards, we need more training I guess,” I noted as we continued down the hall. Tatsumaki and Fubuki did not follow. It wasn’t too long until I was holding the girls and raising us up and out of the elevator shaft. Worried about secret societies now after us I decided to ignore it for now. Maybe something woulde of the ce, but I doubted it. I had other things to worry about like finding a ce to eat.