V.I.R.A.L

The back end of the cult's base was falling apart as the sheer force was destroying the area. The Demon Mask crashed to the ground unresponsive as Bargaining walked from the carnage his whole body glowing a bright purple. He glanced down at his hands, smirking. "When were you going to tell me, Rodger, that you were holding out on me? This feels great." Curling his fist together, he threw another gut-wrenching punch which blew the villain away. Flying in the air, she stopped herself breathing heavily through the mask. "You're still standing, huh? I once again must apologise, compare to my actual powers this is but a smidge of my true strength. I do wish to end this in one blow so please try not to resist."

"You can cut it out with the snarky douche bag persona buddy. I don't want to hear shit." She snapped, sending a shockwave down with her telekinesis. Bargaining dodged the attack with immense speed as he appeared behind the Demon Mask. Going to strike his body froze in the air as the Demon Mask turned to him with a crimson red cracking through the mask. Moving her finger without much effort, Bargaining was launched to the ground pushed further and further into the ground as each passing moment made the area crack and break. The Demon Mask landed on the ground, tightening her grip as Bargaining was trapped. "Our family has been preparing for your inevitable return Garden swine. It's taken us 400 years. Serval generations but we are finally back to where we once were. Soon we will make ourselves known and take back this world from you. We will crush your numbers and burn the Garden to the ground."

Bargaining, still trapped, turned his head struggling. "Is that so? How amusing. Truly it really is all just a game to me. The bigger the challenge, the more fun it will be once I inevitably win, of course." He looked down, moving his neck around. "To tell you the truth, you're going to need another 400 years even to hold a candle to our might." Bargaining smashed the ground with his fist as the ground shook, throwing the Demon Mask off. She stumbled back as Bargaining rose to her demands up in her face with a smug look. Pulling his fist back, he took one jab into her stomach. The Demon Mask gagged winded as an unbelieve force struck her as she flew back. Bargaining's top speed surpassed as he appeared behind her landing a kick knocking her back all before grabbing her by the face and throwing her to the ground. The whole ground broke apart as rubble flew all around the stage of grief who watched in awe. "Although I don't have much longer with my old pal Rodger, I'll be sure to finish off a member of the Syndicate family before my return to the Garden. I'm sure the other stages would love to hear my little story. A real crowd-pleaser I am at telling stories."

Bargaining stood still for a while before feeling a jolt of pain ripple through his arm. He glanced down as a colossal wound gashed through out of nowhere. He gave a confused look, wondering how he was even damaged. Patting himself down, he glanced up, seeing the Demon Mask pulling herself out of the crater. Her mask shattered, showing her right off the face with a crimson red eye staring on with the hate. A strain of black hair fell from the mask as she slumped over coughing. "Is it my turn now? I'll show you the might of my family." Bargaining was torn forward with a powerful force before stopping suddenly. The Demon Mask stared daggers at him as she turned around snarling. "Raging detonation."

Bargaining exploded collapsing to the ground. He lay back laughing, holding his arms out either side. "Bravo, bravo. I can see your family haven't faltered in their abilities since we last met. I admit defeat for today. The game isn't over yet, though. This is hardly even a setback. I've already got serval more pawns at the ready to do my every task with one more to come." The Demon Mask began choking him with her powers as he was lifted in the air, gagging speaking out his last words. "Do you think your little plan will work? Will they side with you after they learn the truth? Tell me, S-."

The Demon Mask snapped his neck as Rodger's body fell to the ground dead. She held her stomach panting somehow still standing after the damage taken. She fell to one knee wincing as she spat the blood swirled up. "That was for my family, you bastard."

****

Alton was knocked to the ground again as Paradox stood on him, staring down with a look someone would give to nothing more than an insect. Holding both hands out, a chunk of ice was formed above them. Letting it, fall Paradox stepped back as Alton rolled over distancing himself. Freezing his arms over he slammed the ground sending a flurry of ice forward. Paradox took the attack on taking no sizeable damage. "Pathetic."

Serval vines appeared behind him as Alton jolted around freezing them all. This did nothing like Alice's attack as the vines picked him up and threw him aside. Paradox met with this attack thrusting her leg down, crashing him down to the ground before bolting him with rays of electricity. Alton ripped from the ground meeting to Paradox's location. His eyes a cold white as he spun around kicking Paradox back into the wall. He landed on the ground as small flickers of ice began growing everywhere. Alton held his head, stopping the transformation. "No, not again. But if am to defeat her I might have to."

"Don't you dare Alton!" Goro yelled. "You'll kill us all you monster!"

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Zinnia looked confused, feeling a completely different side to Alton starting to show. "Alton?"

Paradox rippled out, attacking Alton. She froze on the spot as Alton wasn't even looking. He looked in the corner of his eye tutting. "Out of my sight."

Serval icicles pierced through Paradox as this was met with dozens more until she collapsed. Alton jerked back screaming, holding his head holding back his demons. A blizzard began to form as he was losing control of the garden. As Alton was about to break into his old form, every monitor turned on showing Paradox hissing. Wires ripped from the monitors pinning Alton down as he was electrocuted with an unbelievable number of volts. As Alton was on the breaking point of activating his wild card, he was shocked with another burst as his limits were broken. Alton slumped over smoke trickling from his body as Paradox appeared smirking. Alice appeared behind Paradox throwing a punch which connected and blew the entire area apart as the smoke subsided. Paradox was seen to have caught her attack like it was nothing. "Enough!"

Alice was backhanded defeated as she turned her gaze back to Alton. Zinnia held her hand out sobbing. "No, stop. Don't do it!"

Zinnia froze as the voice began speaking to her again. "He's going to die. All your friends are going to die once again and you are powerless to stop it."

"No, I can't allow that. I have to help them!"

"Of course, anybody else would agree. If given a chance to save your friends, wouldn't anyone take it? Allow me to aid you, Zinnia Trost. Only through me can you save the ones you love. Let us make a contract one which will see the safety of your party forevermore with you by their side. What say thee?"

Zinnia held her hand out, looking on in horror as she squinted her eyes together, screaming. "I accept! Just give me the power. The power to save them all!"

A chuckle was heard throughout the room as Bargaining took a deep breath. "Truly wonderful, our contract has been sealed and can never be broken. The power is yours."

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Zinnia accepted the deal but was left lost in how to save him. Her eyes widen as another vine pierced through Alton and launched him outside. Zinnia began sobbing too late to save her best friend. Paradox walked outside mocking, laughing at her victory as Alton lay back bleeding out. She began clapping howling with laughter. "Only I am worthy. Clearly, this is what is the truth! Look at your sins wash into the earth feeding the plants beneath our feet. I Aoi Fujisaki."

"I Gemini Fujisaki. Will wipe away all sin and be the only streamer known to humanity. One who never needs sleep. One who never needs food or rest. One who can protect the world forever. Why fight it? What could you possibly do to stop me?!"

Zinnia had managed to pull herself up as she began limping over to Alton's aid. Her voice whispered, and that whispered turned into screams of desperation. "Leave Alton alone!" A droplet of water splattered onto Zinnia's face. Another and another soon met this as a downpour of rain hammered down.

Paradox stared blankly as she turned to Zinnia laughing. "This was your secret power? A little bit of rain? What's some harmless water going to do to me?" She froze on the spot feeling a power level rising matching her own and going even beyond her own. "Impossible!"

She turned seeing Alton standing up all his wounds gone as his eyes opened and all the rain stopped surrounding him. "I'll show you who truly is worthy Paradox."