Now of All Times
Yang Chen frowned. “You’re not cops. Who are you?”
The black policeman chuckled, revealing his pearly white teeth. “All in good time.”
The car stopped by the roadside of a harbor before the white man spoke, “Get down. We wouldn’t want to keep our guest waiting, now would we Pluto?”
They left the car, leaving Yang Chen in silence.
Staring at them with a blank expression, Yang Chen shook his head before opening the door.
The ocean breeze from the harbor swept through Yang Chen’s thin s.h.i.+rt causing the lining to be misaligned.
The faint light from the street lamps lit up the harbor making the surroundings barely visible.
The two ‘policemen’ took off their uniforms, revealing a blue tight t-s.h.i.+rt with their chest pumped with much energy.
“Blue Storm,” Yang Chen said as he squinted his eyes.
“It is an honor to be remembered by Pluto himself.” A proud smirk was plastered on the white man’s face. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Seidel and this is my partner, Stark.”
Yang Chen snickered. “And the two of you brought me here without backup?”
Stark shook his head. “Of course not, we had called in the SEALs just in case, but I don’t think it is necessary now. It would seem like the Pluto we had once feared is now docile.”
Stark ended with a loud whistle!
Footsteps filled the air as countless thuds arose behind Yang Chen.
The SEALs elites soon appeared from the cargo containers and formed two rows, surrounding Yang Chen before aiming their guns at him!
Yang Chen sighed. “Are you planning to kill me?”
Before the men could answer, a man with an English accent voiced out, “It would be me who would possess that honor.”
A shadow appeared from the dark, revealing a man with long flowing hair. He was walking slowly in his floral robe with a samurai sword in his hand.
A few figures appeared on the ocean after the man—a lady in a beautiful kimono topped with a black cloak that covered her face and a handsome oriental man with a dagger.
“Takamagahara?” Yang Chen smiled helplessly. “So it would seem like the lot of you are privy to the knowledge of my lost power. Is there a Blue Storm representative to kill me too?”
Yang Chen recognized him. The long-haired samurai was someone he had met in France. Takamagahara’s general, Nurarihyon.
Namera sneered at him. “It seems you really did lose your powers. I didn’t believe it at first, I heard that you lost to Poseidon?”
Yang Chen shrugged before Namera continued, “It’s a pity that I did not see the battle myself. But, it has nothing to do with me. My only goal is to kill you and today. I shall avenge my lover Snow Girl.”
“Hmm, I thought you would leave me alone given my circ.u.mstances. Could it be that you take pleasure in bullying the weak?” Yang Chen asked curiously.
Nurarihyon exclaimed, “I wasn’t the one who made you weak. It wasn’t my fault you lost in battle and have been rendered like this. I did not set you up so taking you down now does not go by my principle.”
Seidel from Blue Storm stepped in as a warning. “Nurarihyon, we did not agree for you to kill this man. You should know that he is very useful for us. If you kill him now, be prepared to face the consequences!”
Nurarihyon scoffed. “Rest a.s.sured, a powerless Pluto does not interest me. I can’t leave empty-handed, however. I don’t ask for much. All I want to do is break every bone in his body.”
Yang Chen clapped his hands and exclaimed, “What a smart move, my friend. But don’t you want to kill me? Why not let them have a go at it?”
“Stop stating the obvious!” Stark revealed a cold and disdainful smile.
Seidel walked up, hands tucked in his pocket, and said, “You are no longer strong. It will be easy to take you down. It is a secret only we know.”
“If you cooperate with us and hand over your mercenary resources, your reserved energy, weapons, and a.s.sets, maybe… we could be friends. You won’t have to die young. I know you have many lovers back home. You want to see them again, don’t you?”
“So this is how it’s going to be. If I may, could I ask you another question?” Yang Chen ruffled his hair.
“Please do,” said Seidel.
“Who told you I lost my cultivation?”
Seidel laughed out loud. “Oh dear Pluto, drop the act. Still making an empty show of strength? If we had not been sure of our information, we would have brought reinforcements. We got this information from a reliable source. If you still possess even one tenth of your previous power level, we wouldn’t have brought a team this small to come for you.”
Yang Chen paused before saying, “Oh now I see. After I was severely injured, except Prandelli and Christen, the only person I’ve met is the chief of Blue Storm.”
Stark cut him off and groaned, “So what? You are out of options now. I suggest you cooperate with us before our j.a.panese friend here decides to make a move. We could probably strike up a deal to allow you to keep a hand or a leg. Though I really want to kill you as you did to my beloved Judy. I want to eat your flesh and drink your blood!!
Judy was a Blue Storm member killed by Yang Chen in j.a.pan back then. She was also one of Christen’s last descendents on earth. However, she was given birth by an ordinary human body, so Christen wouldn’t mind his act.
Yang Chen was surprised that Nurarihyon, as a demon, was avenging his human fiancée. At the same time, the black man Stark was avenging his white lover.
Yang Chen took his time, looking around before sighing. “Is there really no one else with you?”
“Anyone of us can take you down without breaking a sweat,” said Nurarihyon emotionlessly. “Are you ready? I’ll strike anytime now.”
Dissatisfied, Yang Chen walked in a circle, hands crossed behind his back. He then pointed at the members of Takamagahara and the others frustratedly. “You guys really have too much time. Why would you get yourselves involved in this? I was hoping that the person who had impersonated me would come at me like you did. That won’t happen anymore since you guys have come over at this moment! Even if you want to end your own lives, do you really have to come now of all times?!”
The Takamagahara members, Seidel, and Stark glanced at each other, confused. They evidently didn’t understand Yang Chen.
Nurarihyon was the first to come to his senses. Snorting coldly, he said, “I don’t sense your usual combat aura now. Let’s see how long you plan to talk your way out. Beware of my blade—Nenekirimaru!”
As soon as Nurarihyon finished his sentence, he vanished from where he had previously stood. When he reappeared, he was right before Yang Chen’s eyes. His blade flashed violently as it slashed diagonally, aiming at Yang Chen’s wrist!