[Day 16, 8 days left]
Diego woke up on a bench. He looked around and saw Aiden beside him. It was a bright Sunday noon, and they were near a street. He didn't see any of their friends, so he concluded they were alone. He quickly woke Aiden up and informed him of their situation. The people around them were busy, buzzing as if every second mattered.
Aiden: This is not possible. This city got nuked and is full of radiation. All of this should be ruined. No one has lived in this city for years.
A lady walked past them.
Diego: Excuse me, ma'am. Can you tell me how long you've lived here?
Lady: As long as I can remember—30 years.
Diego: Thank you for your time.
Aiden: No, something's definitely wrong. We have to find the others.
Diego: We don't even know where we are… or them.
Aiden: What is that? (pointing at a piece of paper near Diego)
Diego unfolded the piece of paper, and it read:
"Come to St. Sybil's Catholic Church for trial and earn your freedom. Don't keep me waiting."
—Interworld.
Diego: What do you think? Some kind of trap?
Aiden: He said trial… so it's very likely to be a trap or maybe not. But stay on your guard—anything can happen. Got your weapons?
Diego: Yeah, got my bow and arrows. I'm surprised they didn't take them from me. What about you?
Aiden: I'm a fighter. I operate in close range.
Diego: Then let's check where this church is.
Diego tried to access the map from his watch, but it suddenly became glitchy, and there was no service—no phone calls, no GPS.
Aiden: Guess the hard way it is, then.
Diego: Let's look around. We might find a map.
They wandered through the city, and to their surprise, it was well-developed—filled with tall buildings and skyscrapers, institutions, factories, and manufacturing hubs, nearly as vast as I City.
They eventually found a digital city map near Silverstone Bank, which served as a central hub.
On the map, they located St. Sybil's Church—it was 50 blocks east and would take about an hour to reach.
So, without wasting time, they began their walk. Along the way, they bought food from a street vendor to replenish their hunger, thirst, and energy for the upcoming fight.
After 50 minutes of walking, they finally reached St. Sybil's Church. The church stood tall and majestic, its limestone walls and towering spires glowing under the sun. Stained-glass windows cast vibrant colors inside, while the interior featured stunning paintings depicting the life of Jesus Christ and intricate sculptures of saints and angels.
Outside, the front of the church boasted a grand stone staircase leading to massive wooden doors, framed by ornate carvings of biblical scenes. Tall columns and religious statues stood on either side, while a large crucifix adorned the entrance. Behind the church, a serene garden flourished, centered around a grand stone fountain with cascading water.
Unfortunately, the gate was closed, and there was no way around. Climbing over was an option, but they felt it would be disgraceful and disrespectful.
Diego: How are we gonna get through?
Aiden:(Sigh) Follow me.
Aiden touched the wall with the tip of his hand and made a slicing motion. A long, white line of light appeared.
Diego: That's so cool! What is that?
Aiden: This is a rift—and it's our ticket to the other side.
Aiden grabbed Diego's arm and stepped into the rift. They were pulled in and expelled inside the church's compound. The rift disappeared shortly after being used.
Aiden: When I create a rift, anything close enough gets pulled in and expelled to the other side. This… is my ability.
Diego: I see… so the front acts like a vacuum, and the back as a propeller.
Aiden: You could say that.
They heard a group of men singing "A Little Talk with Jesus" in a cappella from inside the church. Upon inspection, they saw five priests—and among them was a familiar face: Gilbert. They stepped inside, and the singing stopped shortly after. Gilbert stood up.
Gilbert: I suppose you accepted the challenge. I welcome you to St. Sybil's Church. You know me by my codename, but to formally introduce myself—I am St. Gilbert.
Aiden: Why is a priest serving an entity that is a doom for humanity instead of your Lord and Saviour?
Gilbert: Oh, no, no—please don't misunderstand me. Through Old Dominion, we are spreading Christianity. Only he can help us save humanity from its doom.
Aiden: Are you aware that all you're doing is just bullshit? Once he gets what he wants, all of us are doomed.
Gilbert: And what makes you think you can say that? Hmm? You were never here when this city was destroyed. Normal humans are a disease—an illness, a parasite that destroys itself and others. There's no saving it. And special people like you, like me—we're lucky enough to have front-row seats to witness his beautiful work of saving humanity. Now, tell me this—who is the villain, and who is not?
Aiden: ….
Gilbert: Thought so. I'll wait for you at the back of the church when you're ready.
Gilbert left with the other priests, while Diego and Aiden stayed behind.
Diego: I know I'm not in any position to say this, but—
Aiden: No, it's okay. He is right—humanity is selfish, cruel, and always greedy. Sometimes... there is no way of saving it, so we just abandon that idea. But... we are more than that. We can move on and fight… because we have—
Diego: —hope, when all else is lost. Words of a wise man.
Aiden nodded in agreement.
Aiden: Now let's go prove that son of a bitch wrong.
They walked outside and saw Gilbert and the other four priests standing, waiting for them.
Gilbert: So, you choose the fool's way, just like Old Dominion said. You're building your false belief on sand that falls when the rain comes, and the floods rise, and the wind beats against it.
Aiden: And you're the false prophet—dressed in sheep's clothing, but inwardly a ravenous wolf. The deaf and blind will follow you. But those who see and hear… will follow us as they are not blind nor deaf.
Gilbert:(Sigh) You hypocrites. I do not want to resort to violence, but if you insist on getting in our way, then we will have to pass judgment over you.
The four priests suddenly pulled out submachine guns, catching Diego and Aiden completely off guard. They opened fire, and under the barrage of bullets, Aiden quickly created multiple rifts in front of them, acting as a shield and redirecting the bullets.
Diego: Shit just got too real, gotta say it.
Aiden: Can you take them out?
Diego analyzed the priests' positions, figuring out how to deal with them.
Aiden: You can use my rifts to increase your arrows' speed.
Diego: Okay, I got it.
Diego switched from his regular arrows to scattering arrows, as he didn't want to kill anyone. He fired two arrows through the rifts on both sides. Once passing through, the arrows traveled at nearly three times their normal speed and struck the wall behind the priests. On impact, they scattered, grazing and injuring them slightly—but not enough to take them down.
They were unyielding but wasting ammunition without landing a hit seemed to frustrate them, and they charged in for close-quarters combat with axes and knives. Aiden asked Diego for two of his regular arrows, and Diego let him borrow them. Since the arrows were made of titanium, Aiden could wield them as dual rapiers—a thin, lightweight weapon effective for slashing and precise thrusting.
Once they closed the distance, Aiden took on two while Diego engaged the other two.
Aiden effectively used the arrows to parry incoming attacks while striking back—stabbing at the thigh or slashing at vulnerable points like the underarm. On the other side, Diego utilized his time-stop ability to land clean blows or used his bow to block incoming strikes.
Even when Aiden lost grip of the arrows, he quickly created small rifts and delivered punches through them, greatly amplifying their speed beyond his opponents'. Without any time-based ability, he instead relied on his rifts to shift his position in an instant—like a flicker—or to disorient the priests by striking from unexpected angles.
Together, they overwhelmed their opponents. Each of them took down one, and finished the remaining two with decisive blows. Diego stopped time and delivered two powerful hooks followed by an uppercut, while Aiden perform a barrage of strikes. Aiden created a rift in front of him, passed through it to gain height, and finished with a Superman Punch.
Gilbert applauded their effort.
Aiden: What's the matter? Asking us to go easy on you?
Gilbert: No, you won't need to go easy on me. In fact, I might have to hold back instead. I know all your moves and abilities, so I know how to win.
Aiden: Say the prayer for yourself.
Aiden charged toward Gilbert, but Gilbert neither moved nor flinched—he remained completely calm.
Something felt off.
Aiden:(Thought) This priest… why isn't he moving? Is he planning something?
Then, a thin ray of light shot out from behind Gilbert, blitzing toward Aiden. Reacting instantly, Aiden created a rift to his right and slipped through, narrowly avoiding it.
The ray of light was yellow—and disturbingly intense, like a heated laser. It sliced cleanly through the fountain before curving back toward Gilbert.
Aiden: That thing… was that his ability?
Gilbert's lips curved into a faint, almost reverent smile.
Gilbert: Holy Light Rays. A gift bestowed upon me by God Himself. I do not wish to wield it for violence… yet if it must be used, it shall cleanse sinners and purge their souls.
A sudden shimmer split the air behind him.
One beam.
Then another.
And another—
Until six additional rays surged forth, rising high into the sky, each stretching nearly thirty meters. Together, the seven radiant beams circled Gilbert, forming a luminous halo—no, a barrier of judgment, impenetrable and absolute.
Diego wasted no time.
He drew his bow, loosed an arrow, and aimed straight for Gilbert's chest.
The arrow never reached him.
With a sharp, metallic clang, it ricocheted violently off the radiant barrier, spiraling off into the distance.
Diego's eyes narrowed.
Diego:(thought) Is this guy… untouchable? How the hell are we supposed to beat something like that…?
Gilbert: There is no salvation for you. Now… perish in the name of God.
Five of Gilbert's light rays broke away from formation, while the remaining two stayed close to him, spinning slowly as if guarding their master.
The five rays surged forward at high speed, slicing through the air with terrifying precision, cutting through anything in their path as they locked onto Aiden and Diego.
Both of them moved instantly—dodging, weaving, forcing themselves forward despite the relentless assault.
Each step felt earned.
Each second stretched under pressure.
Aiden:(Thought) Damn it! Reaching the bastard is quite a challenge, not to mention we are running out of breath to dodge his ability. And it seems like those lights are protecting him from physical harm. Then that means I will have to use 'that'.
The rays accelerated.
Faster.
Sharper.
More aggressive.
One grazed Aiden's arm, tearing through his sleeve and burning into his skin. Another clipped Diego's shoulder, forcing him to stagger for a split second.
Still—
They kept going.
Through sheer will alone, they pushed forward, refusing to slow down.
Gilbert: Why resist when you also know the futility of trying?
Aiden didn't even look at him.
Aiden: Shut up! Diego, ready your bow!
Diego: But the barrier…
Aiden: Just do it.
Aiden moved.
Not just forward—
But through space itself.
A rift opened in front of him.
He stepped in.
And formed another rift instantly.
Then another.
And another.
He chained them together in rapid succession, slipping through each one without pause, closing the distance faster than the eye could properly follow.
The battlefield warped around him.
Distance became meaningless.
And with every step—
He got closer to Gilbert.
Aiden begins to create rifts consecutively in front of him, passing through again and again till he finally get close to Gilbert.
The light rays reacted instantly.
They surged inward to defend Gilbert, their radiant forms colliding against Aiden and forcing him back—one of them slicing across him, cutting deep into his arm as he was thrown away.
Gilbert: As I told you, what you are doing is futile. Riftwalker, you shall be crucified!
But then—
Gilbert's eyes caught something.
A distortion.
An X-shaped rift, faint yet precise, embedded within his Holy Light Barrier.
Gilbert: What is this?
Aiden:(Chuckles) You just walked right at my trap. Diego, aim for the center and SHOOT!
Diego didn't hesitate.
Switching to scattering arrows, he drew and released—his shot flying straight toward the exact center of the X-marked rift.
Aiden:Dual Rift, the final and upgraded version of my ability. Once something passes through that rift, it will be expelled five times greater than my normal rift. The speed isn't comparable to the fastest bullet nor fastest known human-made object. You have no way of escaping this, Interworld!
The arrow struck.
The very instant its tip crossed into the rift, everything changed.
Inside the barrier—
It didn't just hit.
It multiplied.
The scattered fragments ricocheted violently within the enclosed space, accelerating beyond control—not three times…
But FIFTEEN.
They bounced, collided, redirected—each impact amplifying the next.
A storm trapped within a cage.
And Gilbert—
Was at the center of it.
The arrows tore through him again and again, piercing his body countless times, shredding through flesh and driving deep into his internal organs.
Light clashed with steel.
Faith met force.
And for the first time—
Gilbert's invincible defense… failed.
Gilbert's body was torn apart from the inside as the fragments finally ceased, leaving him drenched in blood. He was forced to deactivate his barrier to let the pieces escape, but it was clear he was in no condition to fight. The wounds he sustained were too severe, and as the blood kept pouring out, his body gave in and he collapsed to the ground.
Diego: We-we did it! He's down. That was a great move Aiden.
Aiden also smiles, but their relief lasted only for a moment as they suddenly heard a low, broken laughter. Their expressions froze as Gilbert slowly began to rise again.
Aiden: That bastard—
Diego: Impossible! Anyone wouldn't get up after losing that much blood.
Gilbert stood there, his body trembling, blood dripping from countless wounds, yet his eyes remained steady and unshaken.
Gilbert: For a second there, I thought I was a goner. But I slowed my breathing rhythm and reduced my blood flow. My resolve was stronger than yours. As I promised, I am going to crucify you!
Without wasting another second, Gilbert unleashed his Holy Light Rays once again, but this time they were far more aggressive, moving faster and striking with greater precision. In their current state, it was nearly impossible to dodge them. Aiden created rifts repeatedly just to maintain distance while Diego struggled to keep up, both of them clearly exhausted and wounded, with no room left for error. They were now in desperate need of help.
In the midst of the chaos, Aiden made a single misstep—and that was all it took.
A ray of light cut clean through his leg.
Aiden got unlucky and lost his left leg while trying to escape. Diego tried to help but he got overwhelmed by the light rays, unable to reach Aiden even with his time stop ability. Aiden could do nothing but stay still, his body refusing to respond under the pressure.
Gilbert: Your charade is over. Time to let your soul go.
But just as he prepared to unleash the final light ray, the sky shifted. Dark clouds suddenly gathered above, and within seconds, heavy rain began to pour as a thick fog spread across the area, swallowing everything in sight.
Gilbert: What in the world is this? This isn't some normal weather routine.
Through the fog, a silhouette appeared.
Someone stood there—holding Aiden in his arms.
As Gilbert focused his vision and took a closer look, his expression changed instantly.
Gilbert: Y-you're… Jaiden, S Class Rank 9, Purple Rain.
Aiden:(Weakly) B-big… brother…
Jaiden: You bastard. You dare harm my little brother?
Gilbert:(Thought) He's no big deal. I can end this fight quickly.
Jaiden: Now, pay for it… with your life.
A single drop of rain fell onto Gilbert's shoulder.
It sizzled.
Burned straight into his skin.
Another drop hit the ground beside him—melting into it with a faint hiss.
The rain wasn't normal.
It was something else entirely.
When Gilbert smelled it—
He realized what it was.
Gilbert: T-this is…
Aiden:(Thought) Sulphuric acid rain. I see… he used Venus' weather to create acid rain. Sulphuric acid are strong corrosive acid that can inflict third degree burn upon contact. In other way, Interworld have no chance of winning against him.
The rain intensified.
Each drop burned.
Not just skin—
But everything it touched.
Gilbert's flesh began to peel under the relentless corrosion, the ground beneath him hissing and melting as the acid ate through it.
Gilbert: W-wait a moment, you're a hero, aren't you? You wouldn't kill me, would you?
Jaiden didn't hesitate.
Jaiden: Moments ago you tried to kill my brother without hesitation. What makes you think I wouldn't do the same?
The rain grew heavier.
Denser.
Deadlier.
Jaiden shifted it into a full acid downpour, accelerating the destruction as Gilbert's body began to break down faster than before.
Gilbert: Ahh! Ahh! AAHHHHHHHH!!!
Jaiden: No one will notice if you're alive or dead…
But then—
Aiden moved.
Barely.
Weak.
Shaking.
But he reached out and clutched Jaiden's shirt, pulling him closer.
Aiden: Don't do this… Don't kill him, please.
Jaiden looked down at him, eyes burning—not with hesitation, but disbelief.
Jaiden: Why do you care? That piece of shit was trying to kill you and now… you wanna spare him?
Aiden: He's beaten, not… worth… killing.
Jaiden sighed but complied with his little brother's request, the acid rain fading as he lifted his hand. The storm dissolved, leaving behind only silence and the faint hiss of what remained on the ground. Gilbert lay there, barely alive, his body ruined and clinging to what little life he had left.
Jaiden activated his watch.
A signal.
A call.
And almost instantly, Ember Nathan descended beside them, flames flickering faintly around him as he landed. He had already been on his way to Z City and caught the SOS mid-route. Without wasting a second, he assessed the situation, moved swiftly, and healed the three of them before securing Gilbert and sending him to Ice Box.
Aiden: Good, now we can go and—
Jaiden: No.
Aiden: What?
Jaiden: You are not going. I will take you back—
Aiden: But what about Diego? He can't—
Jaiden: Nate will accompany him. Do as I say or I'm gonna tell mom.
Aiden:(frustrated) Okay, fine. Sorry Diego, I—
Diego: It's okay, I understand. Listen to your brother, he knows the best.
Aiden: See you soon, then.
They separated.
Jaiden and Aiden left together, the storm-bringer and the one who held him back, disappearing into the distance. Behind them, Diego remained with Nathan, the path ahead now altered, the journey continuing—but no longer the same as before.