Gomorra City, at The Hikari Dragon’s Mansion

“Okay, I think I understand.” I said as I was about to attempt to go into light mode again.

“Okay. First, focus my spirit energy evenly throughout my entire body. Then, summon and absorb light energy into my body and become one with it.”

As I focused on going into light mode, I felt a massive amount of heat, and it happened. BOOM! It was like my body exploded.

As the steam cleared, I notice that the inside of my body was illuminating light as if my bones were glowing. “I did it! I’m a natural! I must be some kind of Shōkan prodigy!” I roared.

“No! You didn’t do it!” The Dragon insisted. “I admit, you are on the right path. And the mode that you’re in now may give you similar advantages to Light Mode, but it’s definitely not perfected.”

I was still excited, “Who cares if it’s perfected if I can get the same results!”

“That’s just it, you won’t get the same results. As a matter of fact, if you stay that way for too long, you may damage your entire nervous system.”

I immediately released my unperfected light mode, “My nervous system?”

“That’s right. A perfected mode allows you to become one with your element. What you’re doing is almost the opposite. You’re producing light energy inside your body which will probably enhance your speed and strength, but because you are not yet one with the light, you could be fried from the inside out. Keep practicing.”

I looked at the dragon and asked, “So all shōkans have a mode whether it be light, fire, water, or whatever?”

“It’s possible for all shōkans to have a mode, but it’s rare for normal shōkans to learn such techniques. Modes are usually reserved for elite shōkans or chiefs.”

I looked up to the sky and wiped the sweat from my face and said, “Alright then! Let’s do this.”

Back in the Umi Tribe, at The Princess’ office.

Doctor Kyro signaled the hybrids, “Crimsons! Fall back for now. I wish to tell the princess a story before I lay her and this tribe to rest.”

The hybrids began to back up and some even sat down. The princess glared at the doctor with a deadly stare. Dan and Billy observed their surroundings as if they were trying to formulate some sort of plan.

Dr. Kyro began to pace the floor, “It all began about forty years ago. There was a little hybrid boy. For a hybrid, he had very strong human features. The only thing that made him look like a hybrid was the top of his head. See, instead of hair on his head he had scales. The hybrid boy had no home and no parents so he traveled from town to town, from city to city. He found that not only did the animals fear him, but the humans did too and he had no idea why. The little boy only wanted a friend or better yet, a family. You know, people that he could relate to.”

The doctor stopped pacing as he continued, “Then, the boy stumbled into this very land. He found other hybrids, humanoids in fact. At first he was happy. But, that happiness soon turned into sorrow when he realized that they didn’t accept him either because he looked too much like a human. But one day, the boy made a friend, it was a fellow hybrid. They played together everyday since the very first day they met.”

Kyro smirked, “That’s how the boy found out that he had elemental abilities. His friend was the one that made him realize who he was, a Crimson Blood. Their bond was like no other. To show their appreciation for one another, the two hybrids agreed to exchange gifts. Neither of them had money, so they used whatever resources they had to obtain their gifts. The little hybrid boy stole a hat for his friend. To impress his friend, he wore the hat, but when he arrived to meet his friend, he saw that Umi Tribe protectors had gotten there first and slaughtered him.”

Kyro’s face was filled with malice as he continued, “One of the protectors came towards the little hybrid boy. The little hybrid was so frightened that he couldn’t move.”

The protector said to the little boy, “You’re lucky kid. We just defeated some hybrids in the same direction you’re heading. Who knows what they would have done to you if we didn’t get here before you.”

“The little hybrid was mistaken for a human, all because of the hat he had stolen for his friend. Although his life was spared, the little boy’s heart was forever broken…again.”

“As the boy got older he saw more and more of these kinds of killings. He was always able to escape as long as he was wearing what he then called his lucky hat.”

The princess interrupted, “So let me guess, you’re that little boy hybrid? And the hair on your head is a wig?”

Kyro snarled, “Spoiler Alert! For goodness sake Tuyette! Where’s your class? Am I not the one telling the story?”

Then, there was a pause.

“Can I continue now? Or do you have any more questions?” Kyro asked. The princess just glared at Kyro. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted: As I got older I found that there were many advantages to pretending to be human. I didn’t have to sneak around all of the time. I wasn’t chased away by locals or even seen as a monster.”

Kyro began to smile a little as he continued, “So, the first thing that I did was find a wig, something that I could wear at all times. Then, I went to school, right here in the Umi Tribe; I was always quite crafty. Before enrolling myself into school I found the records of someone who had died. I removed their certificate of death from the records and borrowed their name. Well, to be more accurate, I stole their name. And, to be honest, I don’t even remember what my real name is anymore, that is, if I ever had one.”

There was a pause as Kyro stared off into space, as if he were trying to remember.

Then he snapped back into reality and continued, “Anyway, I did all of this because I wanted the opportunity to find the shōkan that killed my friend so that I could kill him. My original plan was to become a protector, but I could see that hiding my abilities as a Crimson Blood would have been nearly impossible. So, I decided to do something that did not require showing my physical attributes. That’s why I became a scientist.”

“Surprisingly, I was exceptionally good in science. Because of that Dr. Cyrus gave me an internship which eventually became a job. When Dr. Cyrus became the lead scientist, I remained his top assistant. He showed me many things related to human biology and even human morale.”

“He showed me just how cruel the shōkans of the Umi Tribe were. The more I worked with him the deeper my hate grew for him and this wretched Tribe! Then, I realized that Dr. Cyrus hated the Umi Tribe just as much as I did. So, my hate toward him became more bearable. I found that Dr. Cyrus and I had many things in common but our ambitions were very different.”

“He felt that he deserved to be the Tribe Chief because of his knowledge and all of his great accomplishments. He hated that a barbaric tribe such as this one would not even consider electing a scientist as chief, not even in a thousand years. His simple annoyance slowly grew into an obsession.”

The doctor smiled as if he was proud of himself, “I can’t say that I didn’t play a part in him going mad. See, every time that he would vent to me about your father, I instigated, just feeding his anger. Before long, he had a bright idea to overthrow the entire Umi Tribe, including your father’s underwater fortress. I have to admit, if I hadn’t revealed it to the Chief myself, his plan may have worked. But, instead of letting him go through with it, I had my own objective. I wanted to be the one to take down this tribe. I wanted to be the one to take down this tribe of murderers.”

“But that’s not the only reason I snitched: I understood that if Dr. Cyrus’ plan failed he would be executed along with me. I also knew that if I snitched, I would probably get his job as lead scientist, which would put me in a better position to take out the Umi Tribe myself.”

“This should show you how twisted and corrupt your society is! But, anyway, Dr. Cyrus created a formula that was capable of transforming harmless animoid hybrids into gargantuan hybrids unlike anything that the world has seen before, turning small puppy-sized animoids into monsters the size of a skyscrapers.”

“His flaw was that his animoids had the intelligence of mold and that gargantuan hybrids are nothing more than big targets. But, his final flaw was that he trusted me.”

“Speaking of trust…I gained so much trust from your father when I told him about Dr. Cyrus. That’s why I was promoted. Anyway, Your father…your father was smart, he wasn’t as nearly as foolish as you Tuyette.”

The princess just glared at Kyro.

Kyro continued, “Your father almost immediately called the other Tribes for backup, unlike you, Princess. But anyway, the Hikari Tribe Chief even showed up to help. With the three Shōkan tribes working together Dr. Cyrus’ plan quickly died, and so did he. In all of the confusion of the war, I was able to find that shōkan that killed my friend and I killed him. I made it look like he was just another victim of the war.”

The doctor paused. “What happened after the war ended fueled my hate even more toward your Tribe, especially your father. At the time, I didn’t realize that the Hikari Tribe didn’t have the same policy as the Umi Tribe. They don’t kill all hybrids; they just killed hybrids that posed a threat.

“This caused your father to blame them for Dr. Cyrus’ collection of animoids but the Hikari Tribe had nothing to do with it. It was me: I had to capture them myself. I was forced to capture my own kind and run experiments on them! Most of them died.”

Kyro paused and looked away. He took a deep breath and continued.

“So, your father, the extremist that he is, decided to wipe out every hybrid in the world, especially Crimson Bloods because of their strength. He traveled from place to place, killing hybrids on sight. Then, when an organized group of Crimson Bloods came together to stop him, he went and got help from the Shido Tribe. With their combined strength, your father is responsible for the extinction of the Crimson Bloods--my family.”

The princess looked around her, “As far as I can see, there are plenty of Crimson Bloods here!”

“Don’t be naïve, Princess. These Crimsons aren’t natural. That would be impossible! They are all my creations. You see, I used my own blood to make them the way they are now.” Kyro said proudly.

“After Dr. Cyrus died, I began running studies on myself and after witnessing all of the great abilities of the Shōkans during the war, I decided to exercise my capabilities. Studies in my DNA showed that I have multiple dragons in my bloodline. When I learned this, I was able to unlock four elements. That day was the day I realized that I am the only one born to destroy the Umi Tribe.”

“You don’t say…why is that?” The princess sarcastically interrupted.

“Because, all of my abilities trump all of the Umi Tribe abilities!” Kyro shouted viciously.

“What might they be?” The princess asked calmly.

“You’ll find out soon enough. Now, as I was saying… Once I knew my elemental abilities, I knew that I was destined to overthrow this place. But, I knew that no matter how strong I became I couldn’t do it alone.”

“Then, one day, I was just walking through town and noticed a young man. His eyes reminded me of my own--not physically of course, it was deeper than that. He had eyes of loneliness, just like mine.”

“So, I approached him and offered him companionship and power. After that, I found others just like him and convinced them to join me. Then, using my own blood I was able to create the formula that produces what you see before you. I even gave them each a specific element of choice.”

Kyro smiled and looked at the princess, “Impressive, right?”

There was a pause of silence.

Kyro smirked and said, “I’m surprised! Don’t you have anything to say, Princess?”

The princess held her head down and paused. Then she looked directly in the eyes of Kyro and said, “Yes, I do have something that I’d like to say.”

Kyro looked surprised and said, “Okay, spit it out!”

The princess looked to her left and then to her right. Then she looked at Kyro and said, “SHŌKAN!”

At that moment, the princess stretched out her arms and released ten thin yet extremely powerful streams of water from the tips of her fingers. Dan and Billy both ducked in order to make sure the princess hit her targets. She aimed for all of the hybrids on the balcony and one that was behind Dan. The princess’ one attack took out six of the nine hybrids there (excluding Kyro).

Each stream of water punctured through each of the princess’ targets leaving a hole in their bodies.

As the Crimsons began to fall, the princess continued her assault. She aimed her jetstream at the remaining Crimson Bloods, but they all dodged her attacks. The princess, then, felt a massive wave of heat quickly growing closer. She instinctively jumped out of the way just in time to be out of reach from the fire exhorted from Kyro’s mouth.

The princess thought to herself, “Fire, huh? That’s one of his elements. Three more to go.”

Billy immediately shouted, “SHŌKAN!” He attempted to become a giant using cell manipulation, but in the midst of his attack, Bang snuck up from behind and electrocuted Billy, leaving him unconscious, face down in the water that he summoned.

Then Bang, along with two other Crimsons, began to surround Dan Siratchi. Dan calmly reached for his two swords.

Kyro slowly walked toward the princess. “I must admit, that was quite impressive, Princess. I’ve always heard that your jetstream was powerful, but I never thought that it would pierce so easily through the body of a Crimson. On top of that, you took down six of them at one time. However, it doesn’t really matter now.”

“And why is that?” Tuyette snarled. 

Kyro stood in confidence, “Because now you have to face me! But, because of our history, I’ll give you one last chance to call your father for help.” Kyro said while slowly removing his jacket and his wig revealing his head to be bald and covered with scales.

Next Chapter: THE UMI TRIBE STRONG