…
..
.
The world… it was gone.
All that was left in its place were colors, ones I couldn't even begin to explain.
My body, I could feel it.
But something was wrong.
I felt no pain, none at all, even with all the wounds riddling my body.
I wasn't going anywhere; it was as if I was purely suspended in… wherever the hell this place is.
Something passed through my hair.
It was wind, I'm sure of it…
'But how? How could there be wind in a place like thi—'
Before I could finish my thought, the colors they intensified to the point where I couldn't stand it anymore…
So I closed my eyes…
And then it stopped.
The harsh wind blowing at me disappeared, and the colors…
They soon followed.
I slowly opened my eyes and saw the ground; it was nothing but a boring, pure gray.
In front of me was a beam… one that was ready to enter my chest.
And my feet, somehow, I was… floating?
I turned to look towards where Gasper was before all of this… and I saw him.
He was right where he had been when he screamed at me to move.
But he wasn't moving.
And just like everything else in this place, he too was gray.
But I didn't see just him; there was a guy directly in front of me. He, unlike everything else, had color.
He had blond hair, and just like me, he too was suspended in mid-air.
'Wait…
Is that me?'
He looked just like me, hairstyle and all, except he had a scar on his left arm.
I tried to put my feet on the ground, but I couldn't.
So I turned to look behind me…
Only to see another person with the same face as myself looking right at me!
"AHHH!" I screamed out, startled.
This other me— his hair was multicolored, blond and brown; a line in the middle separated the two colors.
The other me also turned.
"AHHH!" he screamed at… another me right behind him!
He did it… the same way I did.
Then the Saji behind him did the same,
and then the one behind that one followed.
And then another behind that one.
I widened my eyes as I watched multiple versions of myself scream at each other. 'Just…where the hell am I?'
My heart hammered in my chest.
I reached out my hand to touch the face of the Saji behind me…
Only to feel something place what seemed to be a hand on my shoulder.
I turned to look at what touched me, only to catch a glimpse of what seemed to be blue glasses.
Before I could fully register the silver figure in front of me… a silver hand covered my eyes.
And sound reverberated through my mind.
"[SNAP!]"
The wind came back.
And through the openings of the being's silver fingers, I saw… Something that shouldn't be possible.
'Japan, America… wait, was that Germany?' Multiple countries passed by my vision so fast I was barely even able to register them.
And in each country we passed, there was always one constant inside.
Or should I say two.
Gasper and I… an uncountable number of both of us.
All different in small ways.
They were all different… and yet I knew deep down…
Every Saji…
was me.
We passed them at speeds I didn't even think possible, to the point where they all became nothing but a blur.
And before I knew it, pixels covered my vision; the pain of my wounds once again tugging on my mind.
*****
<3rd person pov>
Saji felt a strong breeze pull on his body.
He opened his eyes.
And as his vision came back, what met him was a pixelated version of himself floating where he used to be.
But for some reason… it was getting smaller.
A beam pierced through his pixelated self, making it pop like a balloon filled with pixels.
BOOM!!!!
Saji crashed right into rubble.
Saji coughed as he got up from the rubble and took a look around.
'The color of the world—it's back!'
He could feel the heaviness of his body again.
And the pain of his wounds.
Saji looked at his hands. 'I'm—I'm back.'
"Holy shit, that worked?!" Gasper said, completely bewildered as he stared at Saji.
Saji turned his gaze toward Gasper as he heard his voice.
His eyes filled with awe.
'Is that… is that how you see the world all the time—'
Gasper took a step toward Saji.
A worried expression was written on his face.
But Saji paid it no mind. '...Gasper?'
The steel ball spinning in Saji's side immediately left him and flew right back into Gasper's palm.
Right as Gasper was about to reach Saji… he stopped as he heard something.
The hand that shot Saji gripped the rubble it was on and crushed it, then another hand exploded out of the rubble…
One that was only bone.
Both hands pushed off the rubble, and something came out of the dust.
A skeleton missing a skull. The only thing resembling a head was a floating brain connected to that skeleton by nerves alone.
The skeleton had nothing but a rag covering its waist.
Somehow the skeleton moved its foot, attempting to take a step forward. Nerves and muscles formed around it as the foot completed the step.
And soon enough, the rest of the body followed; a skull enveloped the brain, and skin enveloped that skull.
Sickly green eyes settled into its sockets…
The wind caught his newly formed gray hair as he looked at the ground.
Freak let out a breath, one coming out as pure steam as the rays of the setting sun behind Gasper and Saji illuminated his scar-filled body.
He slowly raised his head, his face fully visible to both Gasper and Saji.
His glowing green eyes… glared down on both of them.
And they both glared back at him.
Freak raised a hand and stared at it, his eyes indifferent. 'How long has it been… since I've last seen my skin?'
It was pale white… and for some reason it just felt wrong.
Gasper stared at Freak's other arm; it was charcoal black just like before. 'Whatever Saji did to his arm, it's there to stay.'
'Could that mean?' Gasper touched the gun in his holster.
Freak turned his head left and looked into the sky, sensing a dense power approaching… one that was unmistakable to anyone who had stood in her presence before.
'...The Strongest Queen.'
He stared for a long second and shook his head.
Freak averted his gaze from the sky and turned his attention back to Gasper and Saji.
If it was him facing her alone in a one-on-one, he truly believed he could escape with his life, easily so.
But being faced by another Stand user and this strangely skilled Vritra user on top of that…
The odds were not in his favor.
Freak closed his eyes for a mere second as he took in a breath. 'A blonde with the name of Gasper…' His mind found itself replaying his own spell being stopped in place before the explosion. '...A Gasper with the ability to make things freeze where they are, almost as if…'
Freak reopened his eyes, the sun's rays reflecting off them as someone stood dead center in his vision…
Gasper.
The bellowing wind played with his shoulder-length blonde hair as the setting sun illuminated his face.
But unlike before… he was not smiling.
On his face was nothing but a cold, serious expression.
And yet, even beneath the brilliance of the setting sun, one thing stood out…
The glow in his crimson eyes.
The eyes that even time dares not move in front of.
'... he's stopping them in time.'
Saji and Gasper took multiple steps forward.
Freak let out a tired sigh.
The wind cooling down his bare flesh.
He reached deep down into his subconscious.
'You're hearing this, aren't you…
Boss?'
Freak let out a soft chuckle… and took a step forward.
All three began walking towards each other.
Each step came faster than the last.
And soon enough, all three combatants were sprinting toward one another!
Saji and Gasper launched themselves at Freak!
'... I've found it… the key you were searching for…'
Freak launched himself at them, his wings snapping open as his speed multiplied several times over!
Freak threw a punch at Gasper.
Gasper moved his head to the side, letting it pass him. As he completed the movement, a blue line attached itself to Freak's fist.
The line glowed as energy flowed into it.
'Isn't it ironic, boss? The key…'
Gasper clenched his fist and moved it upward, aiming an uppercut at Freak's jaw.
The golden light of Hamon burned bright as it enveloped his fist.
'... it's the very person you thought we lost…
all that time ago.'
BAM!
The punch tilted Freak's head to the sky.
Gasper retraced his fist and leaned in, readying another punch.
Before his fist could leave his side, Freak was enveloped by a sickly green aura; [FACELIFT] materialized right in front of Freak as it shot itself right at Gasper!
[FACELIFT] brought one of its fists back and swung right at Gasper!
Gasper watched the fist approach him…
And was enveloped in an ethereal blue aura.
BOOOM!
As the punch landed, a small shockwave rolled through the area.
But Gasper…
He didn't even move an inch.
In front of him was a ghostly silver arm, its forearm completely blocking [FACELIFT]'s Punch.
"MUDA!"
The silver arm completely pushed away [FACELIFT]'s fist as the figure of [LAGTRAIN] floated out of Gasper.
[LAGTRAIN] brought a fist forward…
And [FACELIFT] did the same.
"MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA!"
Their fists blurred, each punch traded sounding like a gunshot!
Saji tried to get close, only to cover his face, the wind being generated by the clash sending dirt right into his eyes!
[FACELIFT] and [LAGTRAIN] fists clashed once more, their knuckles rubbed right on each other, making both fists slip!
BAM! BAM!
Both hit each other in the face!
Gasper instantly spat blood as he bit the inside of his cheek, his body beginning to lift off the ground as he felt the kinetic energy from the punch transfer to his body!
[LAGTRAIN], feeling itself being pulled away with its user, dug its fist deeper into [FACELIFT]'s face.
And dug its thumb into [FACELIFT]'s eye!
"AHHHH!"
Freak screamed out as blood gushed out of his eye like a geyser!
But [FACELIFT] did not stop and brought back a fist, driving it into [LAGTRAIN]'s stomach.
Gasper's body was sent flying through the air!
Freak didn't let Gasper even attempt to land; he immediately chased after him!
Gasper dug his feet into the ground, trying to regain his footing.
Freak brought a fist forward; a shockwave sounded through the battlefield as his fist met Gasper's face.
Blood dripped from Gasper's nose as he tried to put his arms up in defense…
Only to feel Freak's fist dig into his side.
Gasper stumbled back a step as Freak began to retract his fist and raised his other hand, ready to launch it forward right at Gasper's abdomen!
As Freak was going to throw the punch, two blue lines stuck to his back, pulling him away a couple of inches.
In a fraction of a second, the wind screamed as something approached at incredible speed!
BAM!
Saji's foot slammed into Freak's back, launching him forward!
As Gasper regained his bearings, he saw Freak rapidly approaching him at incredible speed; he cocked his fist back and swung without hesitation.
Freak, feeling the very air in front of him begin to part, twisted his body mid-air, his left foot landing directly on Gasper's fist as he anchored himself.
He raised his right foot and brought it down in an axe kick on Gasper's head!
The kick passed right through Gasper as he turned into nothing but pixels!
And threw those dispersing pixels…
Freak… saw a fist.
BAM!
Saji dug his fist into Freak's face.
Blood spewed from Freak's gums right onto Saji's fist.
Saji retracted his fist, but he did not leave Freak without a gift.
An absorption line was stuck directly on his face!
The blood on Saji's hand started bubbling.
Saji, feeling the abnormality on his fist, immediately spun on his heel, outstretching the same hand covered in blood as he went for a backhand on Freak.
Freak took a step back, dodging the blow…
The blood on Saji's knuckles exploded outward, forming an arm that covered the distance for Saji!
Freak widened his eyes as he tried to command the arm on Saji's hand to bend inward—
BAM!
Freak's arm hit him in the face and exploded into blood from the force of the blow.
Freak, reeling from the blow, glared at Saji, 'he… HE DARES USE MY OWN HAND AGAINST ME?!'
Saji raised a leg and kicked Freak's side, sending Freak flying through the air right towards an expecting Gasper!
Freak pointed a hand towards Saji, and his arm stretched to an impossible degree as it crossed the distance in nothing but a moment, his fingers wrapped around Saji's collar.
"WHAT THE?!" Saji screamed.
With a mighty pull, Freak yanked Saji right off the ground!
Gasper watched them approach, stood there frozen as his hands were pressed together, water droplets rushing into the space between his fingers.
Gasper aimed his pressed hands in between both of them.
A highly condensed stream of water rushed forward in between Saji and Freak. Gasper tossed his hands upward, the stream following his movements.
The stream sliced cleanly through Freak's unnaturally stretched arm like butter!
Saji, beginning to fall, reached for his holster and pulled out his gun…
Freak's severed arm began to morph, its fingers turning into a jaw with rows of sharp teeth.
Saji pointed the barrel of his gun right towards Freak.
BANG!
As the bullet left the chamber, it pierced straight through Freak's morphing arm, tearing through the jaw before continuing toward Freak.
Freak's eyes widened as he watched the bullet of light approaching his head.
SPLAT!
Freak's feet landed on the ground, and he immediately took a step back.
Freak's head was tilted to the sky as blood spewed out uncontrollably from his skull.
Saji landed back first onto the ground… but he did not get up, his focus completely on Freak.
He pointed his gun at him.
And pressed the trigger.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Freak's body jerked violently as all three bullets nestled deep within his chest.
Saji gritted his teeth and got up to his feet, his eyes deadly serious. 'Even with four bullets in him, something that should be like poison to him… he's still standing?!'
A sweat drop rolled down Saji's brow.
The blood spewing out of Freak only intensified… and four bullets flew out.
Saji's eyes widened.
The bullets…
They were completely normal; not even a shred of light magic was left in them!
Freak lowered his head and locked eyes with Saji.
As blood flowed from the hole between his eyes, he gave Saji a crazed grin.
"You're all out, aren't you?" Freak said, looking at the magazine of Saji's gun.
Freak's wounds closed, but he sucked his teeth as he felt his power slowly being drained.
'These lines are a nuisance,' he thought as he tugged at the air in front of his face with two fingers and pulled down.
A blue absorption line appeared underneath his fingers as if light finally remembered it was a thing that was there.
Freak let go of the line as light once again bent around it, turning it invisible.
Tap!
Hearing footsteps behind him, Freak turned, his gaze landing on Gasper.
Gasper slowly walked up as he stared at… at Saji?
No… he was staring past him.
Saji ejected the magazine from his gun and slapped it in midair; the bullets inside flying out…
All of them were completely depowered…
Saji swiped one out of the air, closing his hand tightly around it… a white glow seeping out between his fingers.
Without wasting a second, he unloaded the bullet in the gun's chamber and replaced it.
Saji… put a foot forward, beginning to approach Freak.
Freak gave him a side-eye.
Seeing them both approaching from different directions, he couldn't help but smile.
.
..
…
As Grayfia's feet touched the ground, multiple gunshots echoed in the area.
She took a second to scan her surroundings, only to find her gaze landing on a man with nothing but a thin piece of cloth hanging from his waist.
His gray hair was waving in the wind as he was approached from both sides by two blondes.
Her eyes narrowed at the man.
"Of course it's him," she said, unable to keep the spit out of her tone.
'It just had to be you, didn't it, #473.'
Freak, otherwise known as #473, was nothing but a weapon, one made to be expendable during the Devil Civil War.
He was an amalgam of DNA formed into a person, given thought to do the bidding of Old Satan worshipers.
An amalgam of DNA that she has had the displeasure of dealing with for the past year, as he tried to take her child over and over again.
A magic circle bloomed to life in Grayfia's hand as she pointed it forward. 'This time I'll make sure you stay dead…'
As she prepared her spell… she felt something; someone was looking at her.
Out of curiosity, she looked back at the feeling.
Her gaze passed Saji… and then it passed Freak.
And soon enough, her ruby-like eyes met Crimson.
Gasper was looking directly at her as he slowly approached Freak.
His eyes were calm as they pierced her own.
Grayfia stalled her spell… as she stared into those crimson red eyes.
Flames made of pure darkness ignited within them.
Grayfia lowered her hand...
She sighed, her ponytail swaying in the wind.
"How?... How is it that you possess those eyes… Gasper Vladi?" she whispered.
Eyes that only dead men have borne witness to… eyes that only few could carry…
As Grayfia stared on, Gasper's figure seemed to shift…
Deep red replaced blonde…
And greenish-blue eyes replaced crimson.
And standing before her was a man with flowing red hair, a man she knew all too well.
It was as if she could reach out and touch him, as if… the embodiment of destruction was standing right there, staring at her.
Just like he did all those centuries ago, in that burning choir room.
Ashes fell from his fingers… and in his eyes…
Were those same dark flames.
TAP!
Hearing someone land behind her, she blinked, and in that split second, the image was gone, replaced by Freak being rushed once more by Gasper and flanked by Saji.
Grayfia looked over her shoulder, staring at Rias.
"Grayfia, did you find them—"
KRAKA BOOOOM!
A shockwave ripped through the battlefield, and Rias instinctively turned her gaze toward the source.
Gasper and Freak's fists pushed against each other.
Saji on the side shot a line out of his gauntlet, hitting dead center on Freak's bicep.
Feeling the line attaching to him, Freak pulled back his fist.
Gasper's eyes widened, his body tilting forward as his fist dragged him.
Freak ducked under Gasper's extended arm and brought both arms up as they twisted and elongated, turning into spikes aimed right for Gasper's midsection!
Both of Freak's spiked arms pierced through as Gasper exploded into pixels.
Freak's eyes narrowed; a familiar magical signature came to life behind him.
Freak reverted his hand to normal and gripped the line connected to his bicep as he spun around!
Freak tugged at the line.
"WHA?!" Saji was swept off his feet.
As Gasper reappeared in front of Freak, Saji's body slammed right into him!
Rias's eyes moved rapidly as she tried to keep up with the high-speed movement.
Before they could be fully swept away, Gasper grabbed onto Saji's shirt and tossed him overhead.
Saji, completely upside down above Gasper, grabbed his line and pulled it towards him!
Freak was pulled up into the sky against his will!
Saji twisted his body in midair, raising a leg as Freak approached him!
He brought his leg down on Freak's head with all the might he had, sending him barreling to the ground!
As Freak was about to crash-land onto the ground headfirst, one thing filled his vision…
A hand.
Gasper grabbed onto Freak's neck with his left, and with his right he grabbed onto one of his legs.
CRACK!
Freak let out an agonized gasp as he tried to scream; his windpipe shattered!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!" Gasper screamed as his muscles bulged.
And without any mercy… he pulled.
SPLAT!
Guts hit the floor as blood sprayed over Gasper, covering him.
Freak… he was ripped in half by the waist!
Freak, unable to breathe… Smiled.
Both separated ends bubbled.
His bottom half bulged as a spine exploded outwards; a torso covered the spine as it gained a head, and the newly formed Freak brought a fist down on Gasper's head.
BAM!
As the punch landed, Gasper's grip weakened as he let go of the upper half of Freak.
It began to fall to the floor, only for it to regain its lower half.
'He can make full-body clones?!' Saji, looking at the now-two Freaks, pointed at both of them and shot eight lines around them.
The freak clone retracted its fist and launched a punch, digging it into Gasper's stomach.
Gasper folded into it, spitting out blood.
Saji took a step towards them, breaking into a sprint.
The real Freak took a breath with his now-repaired windpipe and kicked the back of Gasper's left knee, making him kneel.
The Freak clone raised a fist, his arm morphing into a spiraling drill… he brought it down, aiming right for the kneeling Gasper's head!
Rias, finally regaining her bearings, opened her wings and lunged forward, "GAS—"
A wave of energy surged through the area…
And everything began to slow.
The origin of said energy?
It was from the same person forced to kneel.
BOOOOM!!!
TICK! TOCK!
Grayfia's eyes narrowed… Rias…
She was stopped, frozen in a perpetual lunge that never seemed to end.
No, it wasn't just Rias…
Grayfia turned her gaze back to the battle; both Freak's stood there completely still.
The same went for Saji, as he was in the process of completing a step.
"HEY! Grayfia!"
Grayfia lowered her gaze to the kneeling blond.
Gasper stood up, his hair shadowing his eyes.
He put his hands on his hips and looked towards the sky.
"Aghh~" he let out in an exasperated sigh.
He ran a hand through his hair, slicking it back. "I need…" he turned his head, looking right at her. "A favor."
"Then speak, Gasper Vladi; your time is running out," Grayfia said, sensing his demonic power draining.
One second has passed.
"Hey, don't forget to add the Joestar; it's the most important part," Gasper said as if stating a fact, a smile on his face.
"But you're right; I don't have much time." Gasper sidestepped around the clone of Freak, stopping right behind it.
"Don't let Rias join this fight, and if you can…" Gasper's smile faded. "Please stay out of this."
Grayfia's stare turned ice cold. "Do you not believe in the abilities of your King?"
Two seconds have passed.
"That's not it, Lady Grayfia. I know exactly what she is capable of." Gasper placed his hand upon the top of the clone's head.
Grayfia lowered the intensity of her stare. "Then...why? Why ask for this, Vladi?"
Gasper looked away from her, looking at the gray hair between his fingers as he pondered, "...is it not a bishop's duty to protect its king from any danger that dares harm them when it is within their power to do so?"
Gasper side-eyed Grayfia, "...and does that duty not double when said king has no knowledge of the enemy standing before her?"
"I mean… is that not why you didn't jump in immediately earlier?"
Grayfia stayed silent…
Three seconds have passed.
Grayfia moved her hand and grabbed onto the back of Rias's shirt.
"Gasper Vladi… Joestar, I'll comply with your request for this once—"
Gasper smiled as she said the last name.
"—but in return, you must do something for me."
Grayfia's tone turned ice cold. "Don't leave even a speck of dust of him left."
As those final words left her mouth, Gasper looked away from her… staring at something far off into the distance…
His stare passed Freak, the rubble, and even the buildings that followed.
What his eyes locked onto… was a man, perched on the side of a building.
His trench coat flowed in the wind.
"Gotcha."
Grayfia nodded at his response.
Four seconds have passed.
The man took a long drag of his cigarette… and exhaled.
The smoke stopped in midair as it left his mouth.
Gasper… smiled.
"Are you enjoying the show… old man?" Gasper mouthed out as his eyes looked onto the man's.
Crowley… smiled back in pure amusement.
"It's acceptable… for one being put on by two amateurs, that is."
Gasper chuckled, making Grayfia raise a brow.
Gasper's grip tightened on the skull of Freak's clone…
'That guy…' Gasper pulled on the head, the skin on the neck slowly tearing.
The veins in his hand were visible as he tugged.
'he just can't ever say yes, can he.'
Gasper took a deep breath…
"Time… begins to move once more."
"—SPER!!!" Rias was pulled back as her eyes widened.
With one swift motion, Gasper raised his arm to the sky as his hand held on to something.
Sputter!
A river of blood gushed out from the neck of Freak's clone as it dropped to its knees… Headless.
Its headless body popped like a balloon filled with blood; the same with the head in Gasper's hand.
"He… he stopped time, but when?" Rias said as she took a step forward…
Only to be pulled back by her shirt once again.
Rias flung her head around, only to gain a look of confusion. "Grayfia… why?"
"I'm sorry, Rias, but I cannot let you intervene," Grayfia said, not taking her eyes off the fight even for a second.
As the words left Grayfia's mouth, a cold feeling washed over Rias… followed by a searing hot emotion in her chest.
An emotion Rias thought she could never feel for the person holding her back…
"Grayfia…" Rias said, her voice low. "You are one of, if not the person I respect the most… you're like a big sister to me… so I will ask you this once… Let me go."
Grayfia gave her a side glance; a red aura slowly began to cover Rias.
Grayfia tightened her grip as she felt a slight tingle in her fingers.
Freak turned his head towards the blood-soaked Gasper.
Gasper lifted a foot and began the process of taking a step forward… as blue energy surrounded him.
Freak clenched a fist; the blood on the floor shot upwards as it hardened into spikes.
Each end pierced through Gasper as he exploded into pixels.
TAP!
Freak swung his body around, fist raised as a footstep rang out behind him.
His vision was covered by a fist.
BAM!
"Rias, calm yourself," Grayfia said, her tone hard as stone.
"I am perfectly calm!"
"Are you?"
Rias glared at her. "Yes."
Grayfia's eyes softened ever so slightly as she stared into Rias's eyes… they were filled with worry.
"You said that you respected me, that I was like a sister to you… If that is true, I shall let you go; all you have to do is complete one simple task."
Rias blinked. "Okay."
"Swear on your family's pride, swear to me that what you are about to do is driven by logic and not by the fear of what might happen."
Rias looked away from her, turning her attention back to the fight.
"I…" Rias opened her mouth, only to close it back up.
Freak took a step back as Gasper readied another punch.
As he was about to swing, Gasper felt someone touch his bicep.
His eyes, alarmed, looked to his side, only to see Saji, mid-run, placing a hand on his arm.
"I…"
Grayfia closed her eyes as Rias repeated the word once more… there was nothing but hesitation in her voice.
"You can't do it, can you?"
Saji's eyes pierced Gasper's for a split second, and Saji took his hand off as he passed him.
Saji planted his feet as he arrived in front of Freak and threw a punch, his gauntlet landing right on Freak's nose.
'What the?' Gasper stood there, confused as he watched Saji deliver another punch to Freak's side.
And then he felt it… His energy, it was slowly coming back.
Gasper looked at his arm.
And for the briefest of moments saw a faint glow of blue before it disappeared entirely, almost as if…
It was never there.
Gasper looked around the area, following the source of this energy pouring into his system… and widened his eyes at what he saw.
"Rias, out of all aspects a king needs, what do you think is the most important?" Grayfia asked.
Rias, now somewhat calmed, clenched her fist as she stared at the wide-eyed Gasper.
"It's strength, isn't it? That's what you want me to say?" Rias turned to her.
"It's a good answer, a good one indeed, but the truth is there is no one single answer."
Saji moved his head to the right, Freak's fist missing by mere inches.
Saji grabbed Freak's extended arm with his left hand and brought up an uppercut with his right hand, right at Freak's elbow!
CRACK!
As the blow landed, Freak's arm fell as it lost its strength.
Gasper looked on, "Saji Genshiro!!!—"
Saji's left hand let go of Freak's arm as he drove his elbow downwards into Freak's right eye!
Gasper's eyes lit up in excitement as he launched himself towards them, fist raised! "YOU'RE A COMPLETE AND UTTER MORON!!!"
Saji retracted his elbow as he took a step back, and Gasper's fist implanted itself into Freak's guts.
Saji, seeing the expression Gasper was making… grinned.
Saji threw a kick at the side of Freak's leg.
BAM!
Gasper planted his fist onto Freak's face!
Saji dug his fist into Freak's stomach!
"AaaahhHHA!" Freak gasped as the air in his lungs left him.
"Rias, I owe you an apology." Grayfia said, her voice softer than normal, "Before we were interrupted in the club room, my words, it seems, have confused you… Strength is the primary component of a king; that much is true."
"But strength alone is never enough."
"What?" Rias let out a pure instinct as she heard the words leave Grayfia's mouth.
"Strength is utterly useless without the will to wield it; as a king, you will have to make choices that will weigh heavily on your very soul."
"Ones that may even include putting the very life of the people you care for on the line, so I ask of you, trust them as they trust you."
Freak attempted to clench his hand as the blood on Gasper's clothes began to bubble… only for a fist to smack right into his elbow, his mental focus breaking.
A fist raced towards his jaw, smashing into it as he was launched upwards into the air!
Gasper leapt towards him, his body being enveloped in blue energy!
He stopped in midair.
Freak widened his eyes as he felt the wind above him part.
He turned his head as the image of a blond filled his vision.
Gasper leaned in headfirst as gravity began to take him; in front of him was a silver figure with blue glasses, its left hand was on its hip, and its right hand was outstretched towards Freak as it leaned in.
Gasper took a deep breath…
"[LAGTRAIN]!"
As its name was invoked, [LAGTRAIN] brought back its left fist.
A green aura enveloped Freak as [FACELIFT] manifested in front of him.
[LAGTRAIN]'s fist split the air in front of it as it moved.
[FACELIFT] brought its hands up to block… only for the fist to stop right as it was about to make contact.
"MUDA!"
BAM!!!
"GAH!!!!" Freak gasped in pain as his gut screamed at him!
[LAGTRAIN]'s right fist was dug into [FACELIFT]'s gut!
Freak's eyes widened. 'That attack… it was a diversion for his real one!'
Freak, seeing [LAGTRAIN] cock his left fist back, tried to get [FACELIFT] into a defensive stance…
only for it to be too late.
"MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA!—"
Each hit caved in Freak's skin.
"MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA!MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA!"
Freak clenched his right hand, the blood on Gasper gaining an intense red glow as it exploded into a fiery mushroom cloud!
Freak sighed as he began to fall to the earth… only to widen his eyes at what he saw.
Grip!
A silver hand broke through the cloud of fire and grabbed his shirt!
The hand pulled him back, the cloud of flames parting with the movement.
With a swift motion, [LAGTRAIN] tossed him, sending him soaring through the air!
Freak, as he soared, looked at burnt Gasper exiting the cloud.
Gasper opened his mouth… and took a deep breath.
"DO IT NOW SAAAAAAAJJJJJJIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!"
Saji on the ground clenched both his hands… and brought them down towards the ground in one swift motion.
The whole battlefield erupted with blue light as an uncountable number of absorption lines rushed towards Freak, wrapping themselves around him in every direction!
"There—THERE TAKING EVERYTHING!!" Freak screamed out, feeling his energy drop to a critical low.
His body was covered in green energy as [FACELIFT]'s arms manifested inside the hold, shaking as it slowly pushed away the lines.
Saji spun around on his heel, completing a full three-sixty-degree turn as he pulled out his gun… and aimed it right at Freak's head.
Ten different magic circles bloomed to life in front of the gun's barrel as light magic from the bullet inside began to intensify.
"Oh, there is also one more thing," Grayfia said.
Rias barely paid her any mind as she watched a burnt Gasper land on the ground feet first, her heart beating like a drum.
Gasper reached for his holster and drew his steel ball.
He gritted his teeth as he tossed his hand behind his head.
The steel ball began to spin, golden energy flowing with each rotation!
Gasper threw it forward with a cry, "ORA!"
The steel ball soared through the air and found its way right onto Freak's neck.
[FACELIFT]'s arms stopped, and the absorption lines snapped back violently onto Freak.
Freak gasped as he felt every muscle in his body lock up…
Grayfia side-eyed Rias. "I asked you a question earlier; I asked if you could keep up, but I am afraid that question doesn't quite fit, so let me reiterate."
Freak looked into Saji's eyes… and saw no hesitation.
Saji… pulled the trigger.
Grayfia let go of Rias's shirt.
"Rias Gremory, can you catch up?"
BANG!
Freak's head jerked back violently as blood sprayed from his head… only for that blood to turn to dust right as it escaped.
And slowly, his whole body began to wither as it smoked.
As his body turned into what seemed to be an old man, his eyes became nothing more than dust in the wind.
And soon his body followed.
Saji pulled his gun back and blew on the smoke coming out of it.
He holstered it as he let out a sigh.
On February 8th, 2007…
Freak…
Has died.
←—TO BE CONTINUED—