Evolving Infinitely From An E-Class Hero-Chapter 71: Crystals And Calamities

I knelt down on the scared metal surface of the deck, cradling Lady Phoenix gently in my arms.

Rain still fell relentlessly causing steam to rise from both our bodies like mist rising from dying embers.

She blinked once then twice, trying to prevent the rain water from entering her eyes.

"You alright?" I asked, easing her as she slowly worked her way back to her feet.

"Nrggghhhh!!!" She let steady grunts as she rose, her movements were shaky but she still powered through with determination.

"I’m fine... Hell, I’ve been through worse," she muttered, brushing a strand of her wet brunette hair from her face.

"Took a Calamity Creature solo in the dark... But damn, I wasn’t expecting two... Abd the second one, was definitely at least A-Class worthy "

"You did your best... You already weakened both of them, I just had to finish them off." I said wrly.

Her head rise slowly to face. She began scanning me with her sharp and scrutinizing eyes.

"Who... Who are you by the way?" She asked.

"Wait, take off your head piece. Let me see your face..."

I tilted my head, then the helmet retracted by itself swiftly till it came to rest just above my chin, revealing my face to her for the first time.

A cloud of silence passed as she stared at me. Then, she squited. "... And?"

I tilted my head further and furrowed my brows in confusion.

"I did what you asked, I showed you my face... What else?" I shrugged my shoulder.

She scoffed and placed both hands on her waist. "Are you serious? Do I really have to ask again?"

"Ask what?"

"Really?"

"I don’t understand, ask what again?"

"Who are you?!"

My eyes grew wider, "Oh, I thought I made that clear when I showed you my face... Sorry... Hehe". I said, rubbing my gauntlets against my the back of my neck.

"Reno Renly,"

"Also known as Skateboard Man. E-Class, Rank 50 Hero." I said calmly.

She stared at me with a blank expression for a second or two and then her expression changed.

She raised an eyebrow so high I feared it would shoot up into the sky above.

"Seriously...", she readjusted her hands against her waist.

"What...?"

"Soldier look around you, I don’t think now’s the time to crack jokes... You ARE joking... Right?"

I didn’t smile or laugh or say anything, I just looked at her with a blank expression on my face.

"Woah!"

"You’re actually being serious?"

I didn’t say anything, I just stared at her.

Then, she narrowed her eyes to a slit as if trying to pierce my eyes with her gaze. Then, something shifted inside her eyes, her brows rose up and her eyes widened. A spark of recognition.

"You are..."

"That thing!... What was it again? The ISA warned us about..."

Kpa

Kpa

Kpa

She snapped her fingers several times trying to recall.

Warned?

"The golden armor... Hell, you look like a futuristic, alien soldier than a Skateboard Man to me!"

"The ISA warned you..." I asked.

"Us..." she corrected.

"Who’s Us?"

"The Guardian Corps and every other S-Class hero...trry warned us about a potential rogue, highly lethal meta human tearing through the Sectors. Unranked, unclassified. They called you..."

"Bionic?" I interrupted. "Yeah. That’s what they’re calling me. Though I haven’t signed off on that name yet."

She kept her gaze on me , her eyes filled with awe and disbelief.

"So the Apostle wasn’t kidding," she said under her breath. "You are real... You actually had a second enlightenment event..."

I shrugged, brushing it off like it was nothing more than a weather report.

It had become a normality for me now, every person that identifies me was always intrigued by my second enlightenment event.

I would too, because what enlightenment event would give someone this much power.

"Let’s focus on the real issue..."

"Are there any more of this nasty Calamity Creatures?"

I asked and almost instantly, the mood of the atmosphere around us changed.

Lady Phoenix’s face fell to the floor, "Jayden..." She muttered under her breath.

Her gaze darted across the wreckage until they landed on a warped section on the ship.

Her body moved before her mind caught up, she rushed forward, jumping and stumbling over debris and dead task force soldiers.

I simply followed her silently.

There he was or rather what the Calamity Creature failed to finish off— what was left of him.

Crushed beyond recognition, beneath collapsed steel and wooden chairs and tables.

Surrounding him were pieces of shattered red crystalline substance, they glowed brightly with every ounce of light that hit them making them stand out of the carnage.

She bent over—

And picked it up with trembling fingers like she was afraid or something.

"This is all that’s left," she whispered. "He always made these when he needed to fight..."

"Huh?..."

"He was a Meta?..." I asked cautiously.

"Yes, Upper B-Class. Liquid Crystal, he had the ability to turn any liquid on earth into solid crystal on command".

"He said he’d make me a crystal from a rarest of liquids one day... He was a good kid, he didn’t deserve to die like this..."

I simply stood there, saying nothing. Her voice carried enough weight for the both of us.

"He was a brave and loyal one..." She finished as she slipped the red crystal into a small compartment that was strapped to her thigh.

She was grieving, although she wasn’t crying tears. Her sorrow was quiet and real.

"No time to mourn," she said with a renewed doggedness in her voice.

"The Whistling Derrick is in shambles... Honestly I have no idea how the ship is still moving, but there might be survivors down below."

I nodded with agreement. "Yosh! Then we go in!"

We began walking walking through the huge hole in the wall and inside the spaces of the cruiser, aiming to for the lower decks.

I felt Lady Phoenix gaze pressing at the side of if my neck and I turned to look at her.

She smirked at me. "Skateboard Man, huh?"

"Hehe..."

"That name is so pathetic..." She scoffed. "You should have probably gone with something like; Hot Wheels or something of that sought..."

I smirked back at her, "It’s the hero that makes the name not the name that makes the hero..."

"Shut up..."