Chapter 2: FOUND YOU
The crowd's deafening roar filled the air in a raucous pro wrestling arena as two bloodied wrestlers grappled for dominance. One wrestler boldly hoisted his adversary onto a glass table before climbing the ropes.
"Oh God," the commentator exclaimed, "what is he thinking?"
Miles away in the Britannus Kingdom, inside London's The Bow and Arrow convenience store, 17-year-old Udo in his work uniform, was transfixed by the store's TV.
"Come on man!" he shouted at the screen. "That's your championship!"
Back in the arena, the ascending wrestler paused atop the rope, glared at the ravenous crowd, and somersaulted into his opponent. The cataclysmic impact sent the arena into a frenzy. "Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!" the crowd chanted.
Inside The Bow and Arrow, Udo's excitement mirrored the arena's. "Holy fucking shit! What the fuck!"
The scene returned to the victorious wrestler going for the pin. The referee's hand descended twice, and as it fell for the third count, the London broadcast abruptly cut off.
"What the hell just happened?" Udo stammered.
A firm, female voice behind him commanded, "Clean up at aisle 6."
Turning, Udo's face revealed confusion and recognition. "Lilly?!?"
Lilly, a 23-year-old blonde with sharp glasses and demeanour, stood holding a remote control, her gaze unwavering.
"Clean up... at aisle 6," she repeated, unyielding.
Udo shot back defiantly, "You got me fucked up if you think I'm cleaning up anything after what you just did." leaning on the counter. But her piercing gaze sent shivers down his spine.
Moments later, he begrudgingly swept spilt cereal, muttering, "Who the hell's spilling cereal for God's sake?" Lilly had won this round.
While cleaning, his gaze landed on a newspaper. Its headline read, "Beasts 13-0 Beauty?"
Curious, Udo scanned the article. "Emperor Aldrich prepares to release a statement this weekend on the 13th confrontation between the Beasts of Nether and the Europa Army following a six-month period of silence from the soldiers."
"What a joke," Udo murmured.
Overhearing a nearby conversation, he caught snippets.
"Heard we lost again?" a man said.
A woman sarcastically responded, "What a surprise..."
"No one even expects anything anymore, can't blame them. It's been 52 years..." Udo mumbled.
Suddenly, something caught his eye: an origami butterfly gliding through the store. Confusion painted his face as he watched it exit the premises.
"What the...?" he wondered aloud.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and upon checking the caller ID, Udo sighed, "What's up?"
A young boy's voice chimed in, "Game Suite's reopening in 10 minutes..."
Udo hesitated, "I can't, man. I'm stuck in the middle of my shift."
The boy sounded crestfallen, "Seriously?"
"Yeah, sucks I know."
But then the boy's tone turned lively, "Don't worry, I've got a plan. I'll create a distraction."
Udo's voice grew alarmed, "Wait, what? I swear if you—"
His protest was abruptly silenced as two arrows shattered the store's window, plunging it into chaos as customers screamed in terror.
Udo face-palmed, while Lilly stood there, jaw agape.
Through the broken glass, Bowen Wilson, 17, strode confidently, a smirk on his face.
"Bowen!?" Lilly gasped.
With a friendly grin, Bowen greeted her, "Hey, Lilly! You doing alright?"
Lilly narrowed her eyes and accused, "This was your idea, wasn't it, Udo?"
But when she turned to confront Udo, he had mysteriously vanished.
"What the—" Lilly muttered, bewildered.
She glanced back at Bowen, but he had disappeared as well.
Meanwhile, outside The Bow and Arrow, Udo and Bowen sprinted down the streets, wearing ear-to-ear grins.
"Mr. Wilson is going to kill us!" Udo exclaimed, a hint of worry in his voice.
"Worth it!" Bowen responded, displaying no remorse whatsoever.
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In the light of day, Udo and Bowen journeyed through the bustling city aboard a tram.
Meanwhile, Udo had swapped his typical attire for something more casual and occupied a seat opposite Bowen.
"So what if we lost again?" Bowen challenged, breaking the silence. "You win some, and you lose some. It's the name of the game."
"All we've done is lose though!" Udo shot back, frustration punctuating his words. "I just don't get why you would want to join the Dove Corporation when all it's been is an easy route to death."
"Because I believe I can change things," Bowen replied, his voice steady and unwavering.
"But what makes you different from the other soldiers who probably thought the same?"
"Are you implying that I'm not good enough?" Bowen retorted, a spark of irritation flashing in his eyes.
"Of course, that's not what I mean. I'm just looking out for you, man..."
"Look, I know you don't believe in me yet," Bowen conceded, "but trust me, after my performance in my Dove Exam Final this weekend, you'll be apologising."
"Whatever man...who you up against?" Udo asked, his tone nonchalant.
"Who else?" Bowen responded, an edge to his voice.
Their journey was abruptly interrupted when the tram doors opened and three boisterous boys clambered on board. At the helm was Yohan Sanders, a sixteen-year-old with a yoyo in hand, followed closely by his two companions. Upon spotting Udo and Bowen, they sauntered over.
"What the- did we summon him or something?" Udo whispered, incredulous.
"What?" Bowen questioned, oblivious to the approaching boys.
"Ayo look who it is..." Yohan called, a smug grin on his face.
"Oh boy..." Bowen muttered, rolling his eyes.
"My good friend Bowen! And his...miserable adopted brother," Yohan continued, mockery dripping from his words.
Upon hearing the insult, Bowen shot up from his seat, fury etched across his features. "Hey, shut the fuck up, you prick-"
But Udo was quicker. He rose, placing an arm across Bowen, restraining him. "Hey...it's cool."
Yohan and his friends sauntered away to find their seats. "See you in the finals, kid."
"That prick..." Bowen seethed as he settled back into his seat.
"You have to learn how to get a hold of your emotions, man," Udo admonished, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Yeah...just can't stand him," Bowen conceded.
"Keep it for the weekend. You two have been neck and neck for a while now, wouldn't that be the best time to show him who's actually better?"
Bowen smirked, "Damn right".
Bowen and Udo returned to their seats, and suddenly another origami bird fluttering in the distance caught Udo's eyes.
"Again?" He murmured to himself.
But his attention was quickly diverted by distant screams of terror.
"What the hell?" he exclaimed, panic creeping into his voice. He looked out of the window to see pedestrians fleeing. "W-what are they running from?"
A man dashed past, shouting, "Ira attack! Run!"
"Ira!? Shit!" Bowen exclaimed. He swiftly packed away his weapon. "Udo, you stay here!"
"Wait, what are you doing!?" Udo protested, but it was too late.
Bowen had already launched himself out of the tram's window. "My job!" were his last words before he vanished into the chaos.
"Bowen wait! Shit!" Udo yelled, giving chase.
In the streets of London, a horde of hellhound-like creatures, known as Ira, ravaged the city.
Their salivating jaws snapped at every living thing, creating chaos in every direction.
A little girl, terror evident in her eyes, was backed into a corner by one of the menacing Ira. "H-help! Somebody!" she cried out desperately.
Meanwhile, a sprinting Bowen clasped his hands from a distance and murmured, "Kalo: Pure Bow. With that, a crossbow materialized on his arm.
Just as the beast lunged towards her, an arrow blazed through the air, striking the Ira and reducing it to mere fragments.
The girl, astonished turned her head and noticed Bowen pointing his crossbow at her direction.
He walked to her with a warm, reassuring smile.
"You good?" he asked.
She nodded hesitantly, her voice shaky. "Um...yeah..."
But their moment was short-lived. The other Ira, having witnessed the fate of their comrade, now fixed their gaze on Bowen, who quickly instructed the girl. "Quick! Get into that store and hide behind the counter!"
As she scampered away, Bowen readied himself for the incoming assault, smirking confidently.
"Shit's about to get wild."
Like predators closing in on their prey, three Ira lunged at Bowen from different angles. With a burst of acrobatics, he soared above them, causing the creatures to collide. In mid-air, he fired three arrows, each hitting its mark in the beasts' skulls.
Gracefully landing, four more Ira charged at him. Bowen, composed and agile, dodged their attacks and swiftly impaled all four with arrows.
Every Ira that approached met the same fate – a precise arrow to the head. Bowen decimated the horde until the streets were littered with their remains. Amidst the fallen beasts, he stood as a lone warrior against the tide. Onlookers, taking refuge in nearby shops, stared in awe.
"Is that a Dove Officer?" a man murmured.
"He looks too young. I think he's a Junior Academy student," another replied.
"Surely not... he's insane!" came a disbelieving response.
From a nearby shop, the little girl Bowen had saved raised her voice. "Good job, Mister!" she shouted, sparking a chorus of praise and applause from the onlookers.
"Nice one, kid! Keep it up!" yelled a bystander.
Bowen smiled but quickly focused on his mission. "Now, where's the mother...?" he muttered.
Suddenly, a familiar voice shattered his concentration. "Bowen!" Udo came sprinting from behind.
"Udo!?" Bowen questioned, momentarily startled.
Panting, Udo managed, "Bowen... thank God you're safe... c'mon let's get the fuck out!"
He tugged at Bowen's arm, but Bowen was adamant. "Udo, it's not over. You need to get outta here..."
Udo stared, baffled. "Huh...?" But before he could question Bowen further, he froze. In the chilling silence, Bowen spotted a colossal figure emerging behind Udo. He shoved Udo out of the way, the massive form crashing into him. Bowen slammed into a nearby wall, going limp upon impact.
Udo spun around. "Bowen...?" he stuttered before seeing Bowen's motionless body against the shattered bricks. "Bowen!" he screamed, rushing to his side.
Panicked, he shook Bowen and patted his cheeks. "Bowen! Bowen! Shit, he isn't moving!"
Udo's words echoed ominously in the silent street. Suddenly, he heard a low growl.
Udo turned to see a colossal creature, its eyes filled with bloodlust. "Ah shit... a mother Ira," he muttered, his blood running cold.
The beast prowled closer, and Udo grabbed bricks, throwing them in desperation. "Stay away!" he screamed, his voice filled with fear.
As the Ira lunged towards them, his skin was suddenly enveloped by a dark purple aura. He stared at the oncoming beast, time seeming to slow around him.
"Wh-what am I doing? I shouldn't be using this in public. I'll get caught!" he panicked, stealing a glance at the spectators. "Thank fuck, ordinary people can't see my aura, but I need to finish this before the Dove officers arrive... Come at me, you bitch!"
In an adrenaline-fueled moment, Udo reached out, grabbed the beast's head, spun, and ripped it off. Pedestrians watched in horror as he stood holding the creature's severed head, blood pooling beneath him.
"Is... is he a Dove host too...?" one of the men whispered, awe creeping into his voice.
Udo, finally realizing the severity of his actions, looked down at the severed head in his hand, panic seizing him. "What the..." he stammered, dropping the head and retching. "Shit! Been a while since I've decapitated something like that..."
Suddenly, multiple SUVs pulled up, and uniformed men rushed out. One of them approached Udo, flashing a badge. "D.C! Are you okay, sir?"
"I'm... I'm fine... Bowen!" Udo bolted to Bowen's side. "Hey! I need help here! His head's cracked open!"
"Calm down, sir. We've called an ambulance," the officer assured him, but the crowd jeered, their disappointment loud and clear.
"You suck!" "Where the fuck have you guys been!?" "Leaving it to a kid? How embarrassing!"
In the meantime, a paper bird glided into a nearby café, landing on a table where a man in a black tuxedo was enjoying his coffee. The mysterious man picked up the origami, a smirk spreading on his face. "Found you..." he murmured, his tone laced with anticipation.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone