New Game+

The classrooms were empty. There were no teachers teaching, and no student's listening.

But outside the unused rooms, was a vast military drill and all students were there to fight.

Loud shouts, screams of terror, painful weeping, and horrifying pleas to be saved could be heard.

A young student stood and glanced around the numerous bodies on the ground. Many of his schoolmates had fainted. Others were vomiting. Many more were trembling in fear. Those under him were not just students. Many were adults and were the parents of the students.

"Let's take a break. None of you guys seem to have any potential for unlocking. I don't think I can recruit any of you for the vanguard. Lucky you, I guess. But man. I'm so unlucky. I'll probably die within two months and I can't even have a team with me..." The youth sighed.

BOOM!

"Oh. I guess I'm not so unlucky as I thought I would be." He chuckled. He glanced over another area. It was then that he noticed that the 'instructor' in the other area had been defeated!

The entire ground had caved in and a young girl, around ten years old stood up.

"...A Ranked Hero, huh. That should be the daughter of the Ranked Hero, Vender. As expected... A freak." The youth sighed.

"Um... Hi." A young boy approached. He was even younger than the girl.

The youth swallowed a mouthful as he saw the young boy. The young boy seemed innocent but the Unlocked student knew better.

"You... You are?" The youth asked.

"I'm Ricardo." The youth smiled.

"Ah... Aren't you that kid that... Commander Charles was...?"

"Yes. Doctor Charles saved me and healed me. But he told me he had no choice but to increase my age. I'll be twelve by the end of this month!" The boy was introduced.

The student had a headache.

"I suppose... to train you? Why don't go over that man over there." The youth pointed towards a floating platform where many youths and adults would fight and be thrown down.

"Erm... I'm scared of heights." The boy looked down afraid to glance at the platform.

The youth's mouth was open in shock.

"Right... Because you are still a kid. But with your strength you should be able to jump up all the way to the top, right?" The youth asked.

"Private... Train the kid." A voice was heard as Charles appeared.

"Commander Charles!"

"Ricardo, despite having an even more cancerous body than Meng or Seeker, is still a kid. We are not training them to fight. We are training them to be strong for our research. Just get along and fight him. Oh, and try to survive. If he hits you, you'll probably die." Charles answered as he walked towards the main building.

The young youth could only swallow another mouthful of saliva before turning to the kid and pleaded not to kill him.

Charles could hear the conversation between the two.

"Ricardo."

"Yes, papa?" The young boy asked.

Charles chuckled as he heard it.

"Don't listen to him. Try to hurt him."

"Ok, Papa. You guys can start fighting."

"WAIT!"

BOOM!

The sounds of explosions could be heard as the first of the young boy pounded on them.

A woman watched from the windows of the building and kept her eyes on the blurring form of the child who was leaping from side to side as he tried to pound the fleeing youth.

BOOM! BOOM!

"Charles...! You're here!" The woman turned to Charles and rushed to greet him. It was the love of Charles's life. The woman that got away, who was now married to Charles.

"Erm... Ferna, don't hold on to me yet. I'm testing a new virus in my body. It's quite dangerous." Charles stopped Ferna before she could hug him.

"Another virus?" Ferna sighed.

"It's not an STD!" Charles laughed.

"I'm sorry. I know we haven't been together for nearly four days. I thought I could resolve it ever since my mission in space. I should have it under control later tonight. We can have dinner then. Ricardo looks good. Was there any relapse while I was gone?" Charles asked.

"No. He's good. I'm just a little... bothered with his fast aging."

"I understand. But I had no choice. Even with the data from Garenjazz, the easiest way to combat the firstborn plague was to quicken his growth. With Nogard's Ageless techs perfected, you don't have to worry about him growing up too fast. The adult's body is stronger."

"But is it necessary to have him fight like this?"

"For now, it's training. But... Ferna. He will be forced to fight one way or the other. We all will be. Look around you! Pangea is now a country that trains students. We have to teach them our doctrine so they won't betray us. But even then, we are expecting half to betray. Those who are half-hearted will only be used in the first wars so they could die. But with a Principal coming, who is to say that our nation will endure?"

"I understand. I know that it is necessary. But... Ricardo is just a boy. And boys his age should be..."

"Boys his age shouldn't be in the middle of a great war that could exterminate our race. Ferna. I'm sorry. I already did my best. That's why everyone agreed to make him the experiment so that he won't fight in the front lines. But do you understand what we're sacrificing? How many lives he can save?"

"I know. His power as a Rank Hero can use an army. I too will fight. I... just..."

"Ferna. I love you. I really do. And I love Ricardo. That's why I fought so hard so that he won't ever be deployed unless necessary. But honestly... that's bound to happen. The Presiders we are fighting are stronger. And we will face Principals. We have long passed the limit of Seeker's memory. Our advantage is gone. All it is left is to fight."

Ferna took a deep breath and nodded.

"As long as it's needed. I want my boy to also have fun as a kid."

"That we will give. He will be trained to fight and will be the baseline for many of our experiments since he has the potential of a Ranked Hero. So unless the other Heroes die, he won't stay on the sidelines. The same goes for Vender's daughter."

"He isn't that old and his responsibilities are even more than what adults can bare."

"I know... It hurts me too. I had a hard time arguing with Seeker and Arthur. I lost. Right now, the goal is to get him to master the Unlocking and reach the level of Inhuman at the very least. That way he can control the speed of his growth with his Unlocking. Although, you know how kids are. Always hoping to age fast. So you'll have to convince him to stay ."

"...I know."

"So how's your training? Is Alean treating you, right?" Charles changed the subject.

"I thought I would not have to experience life reviews after reaching Unbecoming. I was wrong. I'm not alright, but there is progress..."

"Honestly, I hoped you won't show potential to be Inhuman. That way I could have convinced everyone to be on the sidelines. But I know you want to be strong to at least live up to the legacy of Lynda and Peters."

"I just want to protect my kid and you, So I take it that Seeker's back?" Ferna asked.

"Yes."

"What was the mission, anyway?"

"Taking control of the moon from the Pioneers and creating a lunar wolf virus."

"A lunar wolf and bat virus?" Charles smirked.

"One of Arthur's plans. When that Orbital comes, it doesn't matter who is in control of the moon. They will give way to new management. If those Presiders will create bases on the moon when they return, a werewolf and vampire plague will attack them given the right time. This will help our forces secure victory in a crucial time."

"Sounds terrifying."

"It is. There are also several deadly diseases there. The Locust Plague poison that the Aragarians developed way back with Feltrick Ung-glaive in Malay-Pangea has been perfected and will kill a lot of them up there. Air-borne cancer, the First Born... All of it. And we have carefully placed them so that they would start killing only when the Presiders will be there." Charles had an evil smile.

"Commander!" A soldier arrived.

"Yes?"

"General Seeker is looking for you."

"Ah. Duty calls. See you." Charles nodded and moved deeper within the building.

Charles moved into the depths of the school and finally arrived at the elevator that brought them several kilometers deep underground.

At the depths of the earth, was a prison.

A man was seated with chains bound all over him and he could not move. He was just a human and had no form of power, but the Unlocked dared not underestimate him.

"Garenjazz. How goes the day?" Charles smiled as he saw him.

Garenjazz did not answer as he was unconscious.

"Hm? Seeker? Lynd? Where are you?'

WARP!

Suddenly, a gigantic gorilla appeared out of nowhere.

The entire room changed and Charles saw himself in the middle of a large forest. The giant gorilla roared and ran towards Charles, with each step causing a thunderous thump.

It lifted its paw and slammed it down toward Charles.

Charles frowned and harnessed his cells to instantly develop cancer.

"Surmounting Might!" Charles shouted as he punched at the incoming fist.

BOOM!