Twelve closed his eyes, clasped his hands tightly, and looked toward the heavens with deep reverence.
"My majestic Lord... please help your chosen one by giving him what he wants the most."
SWOOSH!
Out of nowhere, a sharp rock came hurtling through the air at bullet speed. Nine dodged it with ease, leaving the rock to smash directly into the back of Michi's head.
CRACK!
"Ow!" Michi rubbed his bruised skull, glaring at Twelve. "Hey! What do you mean, 'giving him what he wants the most'?!"
Twelve didn't answer. He ignored Michi completely, resetting his stance and pressing his palms together once more. Eleven and Nine stepped in closer to him.
"My majestic Lord... please help your chosen one by giving him what he wants the most."
BOOM!
A blinding bolt of divine lightning crashed down from the clear blue sky, striking them. In a flash of white light, all four of them vanished without a trace.
Not a single ordinary citizen on the street even noticed the thunderclap. Twelve's unique ability, Heavenly Blessings, allowed him to request direct intervention from God—teleportation, attacks, or assistance—with the only catch being that he had to look and feel as though he were actively praying. As long as he maintained that pious state, he could literally spam divine favors.
Meanwhile, a few blocks away, Leo had finished explaining his secret to Null and Lana.
Lana tapped her chin, looking a bit confused. "I didn't understand most of that technical stuff... but it sounds so cool that you have the power to change whole worlds!"
Null crossed his arms, staring at Leo with a newfound clarity. "Hmm. That explains a lot. It answers why you fell from the sky in the first place... and it means there are likely more Replicants scattered across this world. Are you staying with us so you can eventually group up with the others?"
"No," Leo answered firmly.
Lana tilted her head. "I've read stories like this in fantasy books! Usually, people like you just want to find a way to go back to their original world."
Leo cut her off, his expression hardening. "No. I don't ever want to go back to my original world."
"Then... why are you traveling with us?" Lana asked softly.
Leo looked down at his boots. "I... I don't know."
Null eyed his friend carefully. "Do you have any idea about this 'Replicant Hunter' you mentioned?"
"Are you asking because—"
Before Leo could finish his sentence, a deafening bolt of lightning struck the cobblestone road directly in front of them!
KABOOM!
The blinding light faded, revealing four figures standing in the smoking crater.
Eleven stepped forward, a cold, arrogant smirk on his face. "Hello, my dear targets."
Null immediately shifted into a defensive stance, his eyes narrowing. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean you are all going to die today," Eleven replied casually. "But first things first—let us introduce ourselves. I am Eleven, Member of the High Council, Rank 6."
Twelve adjusted his glasses, stepping beside him. "I am Twelve, Rank 4. And the lady here is Nine, Rank 5."
Michi sighed, waving a dismissive hand. "I don't think we need to introduce ourselves any further. They already know who we are."
Leo squinted at him. "No, we don't."
"I wasn't talking to you!" Michi snapped.
Nine paid no attention to the men. Her gaze was locked entirely on Lana. She pointed a pale, slender finger at her. "I want that girl."
Twelve pushed up his glasses. "And what is it this time? What did you find in her?"
Nine's eyes sparkled with a terrifying, twisted adoration. "Her eyes... her eyes would look so beautiful once I scoop them out and show them to James! Just thinking about it makes me—"
"Fine, fine! We get it!" Eleven cut her off, rolling his eyes. "You don't have to describe every single detail."
Eleven shot a sharp glance at Michi. Michi understood the signal instantly. He let out a heavy sigh, stepped forward, and clapped his hands together.
CLAP!
Fearing an incoming spell, Lana and Leo instinctively lunged closer to Null's side. But Michi's attack wasn't aimed at them directly. Instead, a massive, shimmering barrier snapped into existence around the entire street. Every ordinary civilian caught inside the boundary was instantly flung outward, clearing the entire district into a wide, deserted battlefield.
Null primed Axiom, preparing to charge forward.
FLASH!
In the blink of an eye, Michi vanished from sight and reappeared directly behind Null!
Without turning toward Null, Michi delivered a brutal, wind-splitting sidekick straight into Leo's chest. The impact was terrifyingly heavy—Leo was launched backward like a cannonball, blasting through the air and disappearing down the street.
"Leo!" Null roared, throwing a devastating counter-punch toward Michi's head.
Michi casually ducked under the blow, sprinting at full speed in the direction Leo had flown. Null turned to chase after him, but Eleven leapt into the air, crashing down between them to block his path.
At the exact same time, the surrounding area distorted. Lana suddenly stumbled, gasping as her body began falling sideways—as if the fundamental direction of gravity had just been rotated ninety degrees!
The final battle had officially begun.
CRASH!
Miles away from the battle, Leo violently slammed into the stone wall of a deserted house.
The brick crumbled around him. Blood trickled rapidly down the side of his head, and his right shoulder hung awkwardly—completely dislocated from the sheer force of the blow.
"Gah... huff..."
Leo forced himself up, wiping the warm blood from his forehead. Just a single hit from Michi had nearly shattered his physical shell.
Footsteps echoed softly down the alley. Michi strolled out from the dust, looking down at Leo with a bored expression.
"Can I assume you already know who I am?" Michi asked flatly.
Leo gritted his teeth, holding his dislocated arm. "Yeah... you're that Replicant Hunter. But I can't afford to die here."
Michi gave a dramatic, theatrical sigh. "I know, I know. You want to stay with your friends, see them smile, protect their happiness, blah blah blah. But look on the bright side—if you die here, your soul gets sent straight back to your original world where you belong."
Leo's eyes darkened, a cold determination taking over. "Now I really can't afford to die."
Michi suddenly paused, staring deeply into Leo's face. "Hey... what was your mother's name?"
Leo blinked, caught off guard. "What? Why the hell are you asking for my mother's name out of nowhere?!"
"Yeah, my bad," Michi muttered, scratching his neck. "It's just... you look eerily similar to someone close to me."
Before Leo could process his words or make a move, Michi raised his palm.
BZZZT!
A wave of strange, microscopic electrical shocks hit Leo's brain. Strangely, it didn't hurt at all. In fact, it felt strangely warm... almost pleasurable.
Leo's vision instantly began to blur. His muscles relaxed, his eyes rolled back into his head, and he collapsed onto the dirt, completely unconscious.
When Leo's eyes finally fluttered open, the agonizing pain in his shoulder and head was completely gone.
In fact, his body felt lighter than air—so weightless that it felt as if he could float into the sky if he wanted to.
"You sure took your sweet time, Sleeping Princess," a voice mocked from beside him.
Leo turned his head to see Michi sitting on a nearby wooden crate, swinging his legs.
"What... what did you do to me?" Leo stammered, looking down at his hands.
Michi let out a dramatic sigh. "How rude! After everything I did, that's your reaction? See for yourself. Look behind you."
Leo turned around.
There, lying motionless on the cold cobblestones beneath him, was his own cold, bloody body—devoid of a single pulse.
He was dead.