Duel Sign Of The Time

[Oreki]

"Why don't you and your friend here just come with me and I'll pay you handsomely for your silence. I'm sure you two can understand the talk of money."

"Ah well," as Nero decided to start fighting with this Rabbit mink, he heard someone coming towards them. As the footsteps were quite soft, he knew it was a woman. He didn't guess who the footsteps belonged to but even if he had, he never would have expected her out of all people.

What he saw were blue eyes staring at him and her emotionless eyes looked him, Nero was a loss for words. Why Miyagi is here? It was like she's Miyagi but not her at the same time. While pondering over it, Nero was in a dilemma and could not think of anything to do other than the said to the unfathomable entity, "It's your doing… Isn't it?"

"You guessed it correctly. That's the power Omoi Omoi no Mi...a devil fruit that allows you to control others' minds."

Nero's eyes were wide open and his lips were sealed shut. His wide-open eyes slowly narrowed, like curtains drawn to mark the end of a play. His cheeks - frozen in shock - began to melt, stretching themselves out.

Nero suddenly felt like he wanted to hit that rabbit mink with everything he had. He felt like he wanted to smash it to injure his own hand and draw blood. He gazed at the Miyagi standing before him with complicated feelings.

"Under such conditions, I can only ask you two to cooperate."

At this point, Nero smiled savagely, threatening the enemy. "If it’s about us, you can get angry as much as it will satisfy you. Do whatever the hell you want; I won’t mind whatever you feel like doing. However… You made a mistake by trying to involve her in this all."

"I gave you a choice." A smirk escaped on the face of a white rabbit as he draws his sword a variation of lightning formed on his sword he then swings the blade creating countless sharp senbon that he fired towards Nero and Drago.

Spoiler: Attack Power

Lightning Senbon
A: 71 Mastery, 71 Strength and 61 Electro

At that same moment, Miyagi flips into the air as she swings her blade and delivers an upend flaming sword air slash towards, Nero.

Spoiler: Attack Power

B: 41 Mastery, 41 Strength and 41 Movement Speed

"Heeey, Drago let her stay out of the fight" Nero yelled. And instantly unleashes two Horizontal air slashes with his blade to defend himself from the two coming attacks.

Spoiler: Attack Power

A: 71 Mastery, 71 Strength
+1 Haki

--------------------------------------
Bogard Stats

Spoiler

Level 74
74 × 5 = 370
Human Bonus: 14+14+14+21 in Str, Spd, Vit, M.A.
MA Bonus in Speed
Strength: 67 + 14 = 81
Speed: 72 + 14 + 5 = 91 × 2 = 182
-Reaction: 100
-Movement: 81
Vitality: 47 + 14 = 61 × 2 = 122
-Stamina: 61
-Durability: 61
Haki: 50 x 2 = 100
-Armament Haki: 61
-Observation Haki(Awareness): 39
Martial Arts: 50 + 21= 71× 2 = 142
-Sword: 81
-Electro 61
Devil Fruit(Omoi Omoi no Mi): 84

The Omoi Omoi no Mi is a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that grants the user a wide range of telepathic abilities. It grants powers including but not limited to broadcasting and receiving thoughts, mind-control, and altering perceptions. "Omoi" (思い) is the Japanese word for mind.

Psionic Attack: User can launch blasts of psionic energy which do not cause any physical harm but can affect a victim's mind so as to cause the victim pain or cause them to lose consciousness. A strong enough blast would even be capable of turning someone brain-dead.
(Requires 71 Mastery) A rank

Mind Control: Users can control others' minds making them do what they want from them. The strength of this technique is based on user mastery. Users will be able to control anyone's mind who 40 levels below their mastery. If the user got distracted or loose focus their ability will be disabled
[Note: It's probably doesn't make much sense but it's purely for story purpose.]

Miyagi Stats:

Spoiler

Level 44
44 × 5 = 220
Human Bonus: 8+8+8+12 in Str, Spd, Vit, M.A.
Strength: 53 + 8 = 61
Speed: 53 + 8 = 61 × 2 = 122
-Reaction: 61
-Movement: 61
Vitality: 53 + 8 = 61 × 2 = 122
-Stamina: 61
-Durability: 61
Haki: 42 × 2 = 84
-Armament Haki: 61
-Observation Haki (Awareness): 23
Martial Arts: 19 + 12 = 31 × 2 = 62
-ittoryu: 62

 

[Dragomir]

A wave filled from top to bottom in confusing, perplexion, and straight bedazzlement rushed itself throughout Drago's body.

He wanted to ask: why is she here? How did she get here? Did she follow us? Can she even defend herself?

But before he could utter a single word, Bogard had answered most of his questions.

"You guessed it correctly. That's the power Omoi Omoi no Mi...a devil fruit that allows you to control others' minds."

What the fuck. Mind control? MIND CONTROL?!? Why does something like this exist?!?!

Drago glanced at his partner. Nero looked completely like a savage. Eyes big as if they were swollen. Muscles flexed and incredibly tensed up. His smile, oh no his smile. It was like someone had took a long, jagged dagger and scratched a big, long, curved line on a wall, meant to represent a smile. This was no natural smile, even Drago was breaking up a sweat.

"Holy shit Nero, I think it might be your turn to calm the fuck down. Don't act brashly, you'll only get defeated eas-"

A flash of blade caught Drago's eye and interrupted his address. Lightning now formed around that blade and before a breath could be sucked, Bogard unleashed his attack on the duo.

"Oh, you motherfucking bitch rabbit!" Drago had already forgotten what he said to Nero about acting brashly as for his next few moves were based solely on impulse with no strategy.

The cyborg sidestepped and narrowly missed the bolt sent at him. With blinding speed, he took off into the air, heading straight for the dungeon wall. In cat-like fashion, he twisted his quickly to bring his feet to touch the wall. Before the bones on the wall, if they were real or not, could even register the touch of Drago's boots, the cyborg was gone again.

With leg high in the air, Drago was just around the bend to Bogard's right. The keg was now coming down in roundhouse kick with deafening speed.

*CLINK*

The next events to transpired are some that not even I could predict. Drago was now on the ground. Unconscious. A rusty, metal collar around his neck. Green gas floating in the air.

"All 3 subjects are completely knocked out Master Bogard."

"Good. Put them into separate cells, but have them next to each other. They should not bother my goals for a long time, nfufufufu."

 

[Oreki]

The cyborg sidestepped and narrowly missed the bolt sent at him. With blinding speed, he took off into the air, heading straight for the dungeon wall. In cat-like fashion, he twisted his quickly to bring his feet to touch the wall. Before the bones on the wall, if they were real or not, could even register the touch of Drago's boots, the cyborg was gone again.

With leg high in the air, Drago was just around the bend to Bogard's right. The keg was now coming down in roundhouse kick with deafening speed.

Nero sight dimmed, and his footsteps faltered. He realized that he was losing his consciousness because of that sneak attack, Nero muttered quietly.

"Screw it...screw this mission..." Having said that with a faint smile on his face, he fought to remain conscious. There wasn't any fight to it. Once his brain decided he needed to lose consciousness, it did so without any regard whatsoever to his will. He wasn't even aware that he was going to lose consciousness until it already happened. Not only did he not know he was going to faint until he had already come to, but half of his senses shut down during the experience, and his arms and legs felt lifeless.

He collapsed to the ground.

Sometime later​

"Nero? Nero?"

His consciousness was wrested from the darkness. Someone was speaking, trying to wake him. He tried to open his eyes, but his temples ached piercingly.

"Are you okay, Nero?" He heard the voice again. Somehow he opened his eyes to see who was speaking. It was a narrow room illuminated by a dim light, he was smelling an extremely terrible odor. Then, Nero finally understood the truth. Only he was in that narrow room. Still, in a hazy state, Nero raised his head and shook it. He tried again to focus on who was talking to him. Finally realizing it was Miyagi's voice from the room next to his.

"Hey, wait … What happened?" Nero asked, not grasping the situation.

"I don't exactly know either."

"Huh?"

Miyagi who seemed very worried continued: "The next thing I knew, we were here."

Not knowing where "here" was, Nero let his eyes wander. He saw that he was sitting on a concrete floor.

"We're Caged?"

"Yeah." Nero sighed dispassionately because they were stuck in the depths of despair, there was not a ray of light in the everlasting darkness. He pressed on his forehead, trying to bring back any memories. But he just couldn't. He thought it over a little more with a sullen face after that and wound up complying, losing to his own persistence. However, with his half-awake mind, he remembered that the last thing he was doing was a fight against Bogard. As he stroked the face that lay on his knees. "Drago?" As if remembering what happened at that time, Nero's eyes drifted away.

Of course! Drago's probably here. He was fighting along with him, so it would be natural for him to be here. Nero forced a weak smile and said in a little loud voice, "Drago, are you there?"

 

[Dragomir]

*plip plip plip* a hard dripping sound echoed its way about through a dungeon cell. Dirty cobblestones paved the ground floor and ceiling. Rusted bars caged in the cell vertically and horizontally. Two sets of chains were strapped to the back wall, and both contained frail, thin arms. Bones--or in this case, metal--were translucent, transparent even.

It was immensely cold. The only source of heat and light was a torch, several meters outside the bars. Out of reach. Luckily for this particular man, the cold wouldn't bother his body. The cyborg stared down at the ground. Defeated. Lost. Unsure. The last he remembered was attacking a rabbit, and then smoke appeared; and then he was out.

Drago, are you there?

Drago jerked up. Head up, back arched to sit up straight. A rush of something phased through him. Relief? Excitement? Hope? Whatever it was gave Drago the impetus to think, to act.

"Nero? That you? We gotta get the hell out. I'm out of energy. I'm super weak. I need the sun. Now. And Miyagi, how did you find us?"

 

[Oreki]

"Nero? That you? We gotta get the hell out. I'm out of energy. I'm super weak. I need the sun. Now. And Miyagi, how did you find us?"

Speaking of which, what's the time now? Are there any windows? I can't even see the sun coming. Thought Nero

On the other hand, probably thinking that it would stimulate her memory, Miyagi pressed her fingers on her forehead and desperately recalled.

"I'm just not sure how I get there... it was after you two left I met this hooded guy then my consciousness began to blur and next thing I knew I was here." She bit her lips and started thinking more deeply. There should be. There must be some contradictions between her memories because if this wasn't the case, that meant that her mind was entirely taken over by that devil fruit ability.

"it was a rabbit mink." Nero deeply sighed while saying so.

In the cage where the sound of the wind could be heard. Nero slowly lifted his head, supporting his cheek using his hand. Using eyes that reflected the image of darkness in front of him, Nero slowly said. "To think of all peoples, we have to go against someone who can control others' consciousness. That's some ability he got there... "

"I'll honestly recognize that it's the first time I saw ability like that. I'm already regretting that I bought the antipathy of a troublesome opponent, alright."

While Nero was saying that, Miyagi kept listening to him the entire time, with a smile mixed with hostile intent towards that mink… And then Nero continued, "Okay. Drago, do you feel like exercising your brain for a while? Try using your techs to unlock the doors."

 

[Dragomir]

Damn rabbit. That mind control talk really was no bluff.

"Okay. Drago, do you feel like exercising your brain for a while? Try using your techs to unlock the doors."

Drago scowled and grew irritated. "Did you just hear what I said? I am very weak. I need the sun. We must have been here for days."

Drago's response came out in short breaths. It was already enough to sit up straight up without collapsing, but to speak as well was taking a toll on him.

 

[Oreki]

"Did you just hear what I said? I am very weak. I need the sun. We must have been here for days."

"...Ha, I get it." Nero had a grim expression in response to Drago's answer. He sighed, having to face the truth that he was losing from just a move, as Nero continued thinking of the next trick to escape from this. No matter how many times he thinks, no matter how many times the best tactics he thought of, he had the feeling it's useless as long as these cages are here.

Suddenly there was a rhythmic sound of approaching footsteps. Nero raised his ears to pick up the sound, then the footsteps instantly increased in speed. The door clattered. And then, a loud voice sounded. "Nero, are you there?"

Miyagi stared at nothingness with widened eyes, as if not being able to believe it. Nero shrugged and replied, "Thanks for helping, we were about to die with the lack of sunlight."

"Right, I'm opening the locks."

Clatter, clatter, clunk. The cage door slowly opened. There was Royal family adviser, the golden hair Louis. On the other hand, Miyagi couldn’t hide her surprise on how Nero was acting like he already expected that.

"Nero?!"

"Don't worry I didn't saw how it would all play out. Just before going to the dungeons I gave Louis a call in case if something bad were to happen. In any case, let's go Drago time to leave."

 

[Dragomir]

"Wait, what? Who's this?" Drago turned on their rescuer apprehensively "Are you working for Bogard? Are you here to take us for our execution? Don't just look at me, answer me fool!"

The golden haired man, named Louis, almost punched Drago before holding himself back. "Maybe, if you could shut up between your questions, I'd have time answer them. Fool," Louis replied through gritted teeth.

"Now, I'm your "friend"," he continued with heavy sarcasm. "No, you're not going to an execution. I'm rescuing you. Now if you would kindly be quiet before the guards are alerted, that would be-"

Too late

"Hey! Who are you prisoners talking to?"
Louis cursed under his breath. Drago replied quiet unapologetically. "Well, fuck. Sorry, I guess."

 

[Oreki]

Louis cursed to himself anxiously. They had only a few more minutes in the passageway before the exit. In a few minutes, they had to think of a way that could allow them to avoid the oncoming guards.

"You three, leave it to me." If he was capable of devising tactics of that degree to free them from locks, of course, Louis would have backup plans.

"......Really, If I'd known this, I would've exercised...." Nero smiled bitterly while standing up. Facing off against the oncoming onslaught, Nero stared at them boldly, shedding a cold sweat.

"Crime is thought. Crime is respiration. Now I free you from all of it."

Free? What is he talking about? The distance between Louis and the guards was not far, but guards felt something was wrong when Louis walking slowly in their direction. He reached out and touched one of the guards, "With this, May you be freed from the shackles of your crimes, and your soul salvaged."

Nero felt a presence swooping by him at a terrifying speed, and in an instant, it was almost as if time had stopped as the guard was dead, and it was not even direct skin contact.

Nero and Miyagi widened their eyes in shock, but what Nero surprised at wasn’t the guard died when Louis touched him. It was why Louis needed Nero's help, to begin with?

 

[Dragomir]

"Crime is thought. Crime is respiration. Now I free you from all of it."

Is this guy a pastor?

Drago stares at Louis in wonderment. He was a like a child hearing about Santa for the first time.

"With this, May you be freed from the shackles of your crimes, and your soul salvaged."

He's a fucking pastor. The scene to proceed was quite a bone chilling one. Louis stood erect and empowering in front of the bars of Drago's cell. The torch parallel to him casted a frightening shadowed silhouette of his body. The guard, on the other hand, was outside Drago's viewpoint. The cyborg could only imagine what Louis's parables were doing to him.

An eerie silence took place of Louis's talk. And then a sudden thud of a body falling down. What the hell is going on? What is up with this guy?!

Drago, once again, was scared in the very same dungeons. Not because of the dead, but this time, a man. A living thing. This fear was exponentially greater than the last, for he was shackled, caged, and held into place. This "rescuer" if anything appeared to be an executioner.

Breathe in and out. Breathe in and out. I don't like this man. I don't like this man!

The silence prolonged for several more seconds that felt like minutes. Louis just stared straight ahead. Motionless. Inhumanely. Was he even breathing?

"Hey, Nero what the fuck just happened?" Drago asked in a whisper. "Your friend has some serious problems."

 

[Oreki]

"Hey, Nero what the fuck just happened?" Drago asked in a whisper. "Your friend has some serious problems."

Normally, he would act surprised at first, then burst into excitement. Instead, he merely stared down at Louis in silence, his face neutral, if not downright serious. He looked deadly serious, which was not his normal way. But he knows no amount of imagination would provide an answer. Nero just stopped his thoughts and heaved a sigh.

"I'm more surprised than you, Drago!"

The scene was so unreal that it somehow made Miyagi forget about why they were even here. Why? Why is this happening? She was surprised to find that that man can just kill with the one-touch, watching the scene impassively. Not because she was helpless to do anything, but because she didn't know what to do.

The man in front of them sighed. "…Okay, I know you guys have a whole lot of questions about that, but save them. More importantly, we need to focus on escaping."

At this Nero and Miyagi just gave a nod

 

[Dragomir]

Louis's perspective

I hate him. I absolutely hate him. That cyborg creature pirate thing, whatever the hell he is, he's too reckless. Uncontrollable. Slippery. Too many bad things! A threat to the King I call him. Bogard regarded Drago out the corner of his eye as they walked through the silent forest to go back into the castle. He smiled to himself as he realized the underlying truth. Just like Bogard. If I could just get him under my thumb, following my orders, he could be of good use for the Royal Army. He might prove difficult but if he's anything like Nero, then he shouldn't be a problem.

Louis took a quick glance at Nero and Miyagi, both who were on his right. As for those two, I don't know the girl but she seems to follow him and I've already got Nero's trust I believe. They should be no threat to this kingdom.

"Follow me up these steps and we'll go through the front door, up another flight of steps to get into the break room. In there we can discuss about Bogard," Louis ordered the trio behind him with a certain authority as if demanding their respect and already a loyalty akin to that of his own soldiers. Dogs were they to be. He saved them, so they owned him.

 

[Oreki]

"Follow me up these steps and we'll go through the front door, up another flight of steps to get into the break room. In there we can discuss about Bogard,"

Nero felt that there was something wrong about that because Louis wasn't surprised about Bogard being traitor from the very start as if he knew, all he said - is to discuss about Bogard. If not, facing an enemy that could control one's mind to and have possession sort of science stuff that shows to be important in fights - essentially an opponent that has the advantage in more than one thing, they wouldn't be able to survive for an hour. Thus they need to think of something, focusing more on baiting. However this plan didn't seem quite right, and he shook his head.

"Nero, what do you think?" Nero turned to and found Miyagi was walking beside him. Ah yes, It wouldn't be that hard for her to catch the whole situation.

Nero crossed his arms and asked Louis, who had been watching them, "Do you know why Bogard will betray the king?"

Louis thought for a while before replying, "... It's because of his late brother, he was executed for his attempt to assassinate the king. However, I have no right to think that this is sad or that he is pitiable."

"It's true. If there's anything to be criticized, it's the fact that his brother was killed by the very kingdom he serves. But the one to blame for all of this is his own brother."

Nero did not possess a sense of good and bad from the start. He did not know what could be considered righteous or erroneous. He merely chased after what he thinks is right. Nero just inhaled a deep breath, he couldn't help but let out a yelp. This Louis was a honest but there also happened to be a not-so-honest man in the vicinity. Clearly suspicious, Nero couldn't suppress his doubts.

While thinking that they reached the room and to their surprise, It was impressive with the full-wall library with multiple colors of books displayed across the shelves, it was not only functional but also quite eye-catching. The black and white artwork wired from the ceiling created an exceptional contrast to the shelves of bold colors and elegant marble floors. It was airy and open thanks to its color scheme and abundance of windows and overall contributes to this room's eclectic aesthetic.

"Wow, this is beautiful." Miyagi had muttered this almost as if without thinking. After hearing that, Louis let out a smile.

 

[Dragomir]

The break room was a very large circular room, with a done for a ceiling, that sat on the edge of the castle. Filled inside was a grand array of bookshelves that were stocked by books in many different colors. Going from dull and plain colors such as brown and gray to bright and shining ones like hot pink. The mix of different colors spread out in such a way that it confused Drago. There was no order to them. One back was gray, then the very next would be gold. It was a like a mix between the 4 seasons on one tree, all scrambled randomly upon the tree. Confusing to the eye.

But the grandest spectacle wasn't these books, no. What made Drago's mouth hang agape was the drawings. Upon the walls and the ceiling were exceptionally intricate black and white drawings. The bookshelves didn't line up against the walls so the drawings were free to see. Each drawing told a different story. One drawing on the wall of the far right told a story of a commander giving a wondrous speech that raised the morale of an army higher than the sky. The commander was standing on a large boulder, sword in hand that was thrusted in the air. His mouth hanged open as if shouting. The army before did the same thing. The drawing felt empowering.

Drago looked at Louis and then back at the commander, then back to Louis. His eyes opened wide and a smile plastered across his face with a sudden realization at who he was looking at. "This commander is you isn't it?"

Louis smiled at Drago, clearly proud at the wonderment that shine on the cyborg's face. "Yes, it was me 15 years ago when I was 26. I was leading the King's army to battle against one of our rivals. It was a good noon that day. Not too hot, but just at a solid warm temperature. The birds were flying in the air. Squirrels scurried up trees with their nuts. Deer ran by here a there. Fish flowed wonderfully in a nearby stream. It was good day out in nature back then. I still remember the ear-splitting screeching of the army after I gave them that speech. They were in a very high-spirits after that. So high that we decimated the opposing army even though they outnumbered us. They were the very best men I've worked with."

Louis stared off in space. The nostalgia was simply rushing over him like a good breeze. "Oh! My apologies, I got sidetracked there. So about Bogard. What was going on between you four in those dungeons?"

 

[Oreki]

The painting Nero saw was like scenery gave the illusion that even if the world had ended, he would, without a doubt, still move on towards the hope. Nero then lifted his head from painting and immediately his gaze met Louis who looked apparently nostalgic, comfortable, and pleasant. Or he could merely be just lamenting over the things that changed and how they had changed.

"Oh! My apologies, I got sidetracked there. So about Bogard. What was going on between you four in those dungeons?"

He before replying looked towards Miyagi who got herself seated on the nearby black sectional sofa. "It's not that simple. First, Bogard has the ability to control one's mind. Why would someone with great ability as that make highly careful plans? To be precise, the path of vengeance he has taken can be achieved by simply controlling everyone in the castle."

Louis showed some interest, though his expression remained unmoved. If the hypothesis Nero come to is correct, then a more worrisome question would surface, an indisputable fact. "There wouldn't be much difference whether he does this stealthily or openly with an ability like that. Yet along the way, he's being careful and making bioweapons in order to take his revenge. And that was a major hint, he cannot control everyone's minds but why is that?"

Louis concealing his unease, he placed his hand under his chin and began thinking. As though pondering this he slowly began speaking, "That's kind of stretching it. Even then, if this is true Bogard can't control everyone's mind, then the question stands to what magnitude, right?"

Nero Nodded. While Nero was quite sure there were no mistakes so far, his eyes would occasionally glance down bookshelves where not the slightest gaps could be spotted in-between the books stuffed in them. As he did so he spoke. "Next 'Why'. If he just wanted to kill the King and Louis then why would the Bogard do something so big? It's a wild guess but it could be coup d'état."

Nero took a small breath and he then added one more thing. "Louis about your ability. I'm really curious about it."

Louis smiled a little before he replied very seriously.

"Ah, that is the question! As yet, I cannot fully explain it. My ability is Crime and Punishment. It allows me to able to kill someone with one touch which is not restricted to skin-to-skin contact but it requires the premise that the individual must be or feel "guilty" of their crime." He explained. "It does not work on Bogard which means he's not feeling guilty of his crimes."

"Is that really true?" It was a strange scene, Miyagi who seated on the sofa, upon listening to the whole thing, the girl stared at her Louis with a face that seemed to not pose any emotions. "It is the only condition? That your ability only takes effect if the person repents and experiences remorse from their own crime?"

Her grave eyes met his inquiringly.

"Yes. It's all I have to say."

Upon hearing that Nero sighed within his heart as he lifted his gaze from Louis to Drago and asked, "Is there something you want to ask or add?"