Adopted Soldier

Alex was sleeping soundly as Rachel placed his head on her lap. It has been a year since they last met, but it seems like a lot of things have changed. This face of his remained the same yet the expressions it showed was more than before. The look Alex gave her was the look of despair and hopelessness, it was a look Rachel could never associate with Alex before this incident. That just proved how much Alex had to go through while being trapped in here for the past year. 

Rachel looked around the room, it had a lot of bloodstains, a lot of cracks from the walls to the ceiling, it even had scratches here and there. This showed Rachel all the struggles Alex had to endure while staying in this small room. 

She then saw Alex's body through his torn up shirt and saw his numerous wounds, there were a lot of different types from gun wounds, stab wounds, burns, and many more. 

'After not meeting you for a year, I always yearned to see you... But, not like this... How much suffering must you have gone through... If I could, I would've gladly accompanied you through your suffering... NO, if I could I would've never allowed this to happen. I'm sorry that I was so weak, I'm sorry that you always get hurt and I can do nothing about it.'

Rachel caressed Alex's face as tears fell down her beautiful face, falling onto Alex's cheeks. She couldn't help it, right here in front of her was the boy she so longed to meet. Yet the way they reunited wasn't how she dreamt it to be, it was a bittersweet feeling as she felt both happy and sad at the same time. 

While Rachel was wallowing in her feelings, she felt a warm hand touching her face wiping away the tears. 

"Why are you crying, Rachel? Did that b*stard make you cry? Don't worry no matter what I'll protect you." 

Rachel who saw Alex finally wake up, couldn't help but cry even harder as she hugged him tightly, feeling his warmth envelope her body. 

"Stupid, idiot, then who would protect you." Alex was surprised to see Rachel cry this much, so he didn't know what to do in this situation. The only thing he could think of doing was continue hugging her while patting her back, saying, "it's alright." 

...

After crying for a while Rachel finally stopped and told Alex the message his grandfather said. 

"What choice does that monster need you to make?" Alex couldn't respond to that question as he hesitated on what to say. Rachel was quick to notice his hesitation and spoke first. 

"Alex, no matter what it is, you can tell me. Please trust me, and tell me the situation so that I can help you." 

Rachel looked at Alex who was in pain and felt that she too was in pain. Alex who saw the pained look of Rachel couldn't decide on what to do. If he told her what will happen, it might break her, and Alex didn't want that to happen. But if he doesn't tell her what the choice he needs to make was, that too might break her. 

Alex thought for a moment before speaking. "I'm sorry Rachel, I know this is selfish of me, but I want you to trust me. I will do whatever it takes to protect you." 

Rachel still couldn't gather enough strength but she still raised her arm and tried to slap Alex's face. The slap was so weak that it felt like a feather touched him, but the action surprised Alex for a bit. 

"YOU IDIOT! I'm not some princess to be protected, if you haven't noticed you're the one who's like a princess here, getting captured waiting for someone to rescue you. Alex, please, I don't need you to cuddle me, tell me what that mad man wants from you." 

Alex could see from Rachel's eyes a burning determination like no other. It would seem that they shared the same sentiments of wanting to protect each other. If he were in the same position as Rachel, wouldn't he want the same thing as well? 

Alex sighed and started explaining his lunatic grandfather's plans. 

...

While Alex was explaining to Rachel the choice he needs to make, Richter was now face to face with Oliver talking to him. 

"It's been some time James, or should I call you Oliver now," Richter spoke while he was cleaning his firearms in front of Oliver. 

"Oliver is just fine... So what is it you want from me?" 

"Nothing much, I just wanted to talk to a former subordinate. I heard you lost Marge and Phil a year ago. That must've been devasting, losing your real parents, and even your foster parents. Still, I guess you can keep on going because you have that great lass as a girlfriend, what was her name again... Oh right, Sayaka, she's a pretty wonderful woman, you have chosen well Oliver." 

Oliver simply continued to listen, even though he got angry when he heard Richter speak of his parents, but he kept it in. He knew what kind of person this person in front of him was. Even if he did go and attack out of anger, he wouldn't last long against this old man, especially now that he was weaponless. 

Yet the moment he heard Richter talk about Sayaka, Oliver's whole demeanor changed as he suddenly radiated with killing intent. 

"What have you done to Sayaka! Tell me!" Oliver stood up as he shouted in rage. 

"Calm down Oliver, I'm here to give you a choice. So you better sit down and listen, if you accidentally piss me off, I might just kill you right now." 

Oliver bit his lower lip and sat down with reluctance. 

"Good boy, okay then now that we can talk like civilized people, I'm going tell you the choice you need to make. I want you to try and kill my grandson Alex, and if you are able to do that I will release you and all your friends. If you aren't able to do that then, I'll kill Sayaka right in front of you, then I'll kill all your other friends."

Oliver trembled at the sudden choice he needed to make. It was either all of them or Alex...

...

After talking to Oliver, Richter told a similar speech to Kei and Niel. Once he was done doing that Richter couldn't help but get excited at what will happen the following day. 

...

It was night time and outside the base of the Shadow Mercenaries, number two the only surviving member of Alex's subordinates was watching the movement of the base as he reported it to Carlo and the others. 

Once Carlo received number two's report he and the others got ready. 

...

Dan who was standing by finally received the report to start the operation. He went into his Full RELEASE state, his body changed into a form of his younger self, not only that the strain to his body was less than before. This was the result of his training, he rewatched the video of Lyner's fight multiple times until he somehow understood how Lyner improved the RELEASE technique. 

Now his full power was twice what it was before. Dan then at full RELEASE jumped towards the moving underground base of the Shadow Mercenaries and with his full power punched the ground forcing the base to surface. 

"Oh yeah! This is what I'm talking about! You b*stards better give back my daughter before I annihilate you all." 

...

Alex and the others felt the sudden shaking of the base, but they simply thought it was an earthquake. Richter on the other hand knew what was going on and ordered his subordinates to kill the intruders. 

...

Kyle was the first to enter the base, he knew that inside a small confined space his effectivity will greatly lessen but he had no choice. They were only a few of them and everyone needed to enter and search the base. 

After looking around for a while Kyle finally understood just how big this base was. Not only that it was crawling with Shadow Mercenaries agents. It was a good thing that Dan and the others were loud and aggressive drawing in most of the agents. Kyle only needed to deal with some attacks from the enemy. It was pretty hard seeing that the basic level of these people was pretty high. 

"Oh, you came to see me again, I knew that you love me." Kyle then suddenly ducked when he heard that voice. A needle flew by, as Kyle tried to get some distance. He then looked behind him and saw that enticing deadly beauty that was Amica. 

Kyle glared at her, but that only made Amica even more excited. "My, Oh my, your eyes are truly beautiful. Just you looking at me is already making me wet." 

After she said that she suddenly dashed forward, Kyle got his rifle out and started shooting. Due to this being a small confined space Amica couldn't move as erratically as before. Kyle was sure that he was able to hit her, but then he saw that she actually jumped upward and was now falling down onto his position. 

'So you dodged the first bullet, but there's no way you'll be able to dodge mid-air.' Kyle pointed his gun upward and shot at Amica. When Amica saw Kyle pointing the rifle at her she smiled, using her left leg she used the wall as a medium to push her body into a different direction. She then threw three daggers at Kyle who took out his pistol and shot down the incoming daggers. This gave Amica enough time to get close to Kyle. 

Her intentions were obvious as her hands went straight for Kyle's eyes. It was at that moment Kyle knew that he had no chance of dodging and made a decision to counter instead. The two of them were fast, Amica who was expecting Kyle to dodge was unable to evade the bullet that pierced her chest. Yet she got the better of the deal as she was able to pluck out Kyle's eyes. 

The once-feared sniper that could shoot you from all angles no longer had his eyes. Amica who finally got what she wanted had a looked of disappointment. 

"That was easier than I expected." She looked at Kyle and was surprised to see him smiling while holding something that looked like a button. 

Amica then looked at the bullet that had pierced her and saw that it wasn't a bullet but something else. 

"Yeah, that was easier than expected." Once he said that line, Kyle pressed the button and Amica exploded making her insides splatter all over the place. Kyle who was victorious sat down tired, as blood continued to flow out of his eye sockets. That wasn't the only wound he received it was sneaky but Amica was able to stab him as she plucked out his eyes. 

'Sorry Sarah, it doesn't seem like I'll be able to appreciate your beautiful paintings any longer, nor will I be able to see your beautiful face... Emi... Kei... I really wanted to s-' Kyle's thoughts stopped as his consciousness turned into nothingness. 

...

Dan was able to get a bit farther and already defeated Samuel and Daryl. The battle was intense but in the end, Dan was able to crush them with his fists. Still battling two of the top of the Shadow Mercenaries was harder than he expected. Dan was now filled with wounds, as he was about to move on to the next place he stopped in his tracks. 

A person wearing a mask suddenly appeared and he was carrying the severed heads of Viktor, Luke, and Sora. When Dan saw this he immediately attacked the Executioner. Even though he didn't really like most of them, they were still his comrades his family. 

Dan was about to deliver one-hit KO move but he suddenly felt something wasn't right and retreated. A sudden gush of blood came out of his chest, he was actually sliced. 

"Hmm, I was going to kill you in one strike like I did the others, but it doesn't seem like you'll be as easy as this three." It was then Dan was finally able to see how the enemy cut him, the Executioner was using a huge death scythe. Dan licked his lips and smiled at his enemy. 

"Fine then you damn b*stard bring it!"

...

While Dan was fighting the executioner, Carlo accidentally, no it felt more like he was forced to head into this room. Now right in front of him was the person he hated the most in the world Richter Greyhound. 

"Richter Greyhound," Carlo was practically growling as he said Richter's name. 

"You must be Carlo Samarita, it's a pleasure to meet you. I really do want to thank you for taking such good care of my grandson." Richter spoke with a pleasant smile on his face. 

"You killed Clara, and not only that you killed your own son! Now you're here and torturing your grandson!" Carlo got his gun out and pointed it at Richter who even in this situation remained unperturbed. 

"How rude of you, even though I'm grateful to you raising my grandson, but telling me I killed my son and daughter-in-law, as well as torturing my grandson are all false accusations. I didn't mean to kill my son and daughter-in-law that got in my way and I accidentally pierced their bodies. As for torturing my grandson, I didn't do that I was training him."

"Say whatever you want, but what you did was unforgivable!" The moment Carlo shouted this he felt something stab him. He saw that a knife had pierced his chest. This distracted him for a second and that was all the time Richter needed to get close to him without Carlo knowing. 

Carlo wanted to distance himself from Richter but was unable to, as it was so easy for Richter to pierce through Carlo's body using his bare hands. 

"Oh now look at what you made me do. You made me kill you accidentally the same way I killed my son and daughter-in-law." Carlo took hold of Richter's hand as his consciousness was slowly fading. 

'I'm sorry Lilitth, tou-chan couldn't fulfill his promise. Michel... I'm sorry as well, I hope you and the kids have a wonderful life.' 

Richter tried to pull his arm out, but when he noticed that he wasn't able to. He quickly shielded his head. Carlo then exploded trying to bring Richter down with him. Despite that strong explosion, Richter was somehow able to survive. 

Every part of his body was scorched, making him unrecognizable. Yet after a few minutes, his skin regenerated and it went back into his normal looking self. Carlo had failed in his last mission, the messenger of death was no more. 

Richter who was the final victor looked irritated, to say the least. He wasn't expecting Carlo to do something like that. It was a good thing his uniform was able to withstand such an impact if the explosion was just a little bit stronger his uniform wouldn't have been able to handle it making him become disabled. He would still be alive but he would no longer have his arms and an ear. 

'Damn it! I was actually caught by surprise! From someone of that level!'

...

Kira who was separated from the group had accidentally discovered Hektor's real body and saw what he had planned to do. It was a crazy plan that would plunge the world into chaos. Kira wanted to escape and warn the others, but before he could do so he saw a hand pierced through his chest and held his heart it then squashed it. 

That was the end of Kira, it was an anticlimactic end that someone of his fame and power should never have. 

...

Unaware of the fate that befell his father and his former comrades, Alex was trying to calm down Rachel who was trying to kill herself. After explaining to her the circumstances of the choice he needed to make, Rachel was the same as him and came to the conclusion that she needed to kill herself. 

If she wasn't there Alex would never follow Richter's command. She became the one thing he didn't want to be a burden to Alex. 

"Alex please this is the only way we can save our friends!" Alex hearing what Rachel tried to reason with her. 

"Rachel even if you die, our friends might be in a similar situation where Richter uses something they love as a bargaining tool to kill me. Even if you kill yourself that would only make me sad, but it won't stop what will happen tomorrow. If somebody has to die it should be me. Yet I already failed to do that, and now no matter what I do it's too late. If I had died before you guys were captured, then none of this would've happened. Yet now that you're all here there is no other choice. It's either we die or our friends die, or all of us dies." 

When Rachel heard what Alex said she could no longer take it and knelt down on the floor as despair filled her soul. Alex tightly hugged her and knocked her out, before she lost consciousness she heard Alex whisper in her ear. 

"Leave everything to me." 

...

The following day Alex woke up and Rachel was no longer there, and he was no longer in his room. Not only that he was now fully equipped. He then noticed that he was in one of the training rooms, and right in front of him where three people that he hasn't seen in a while. 

It was Oliver, Niel, and Kei, the three of them was looking at Alex with conflicted feelings. It was at that moment Alex knew that his sh*tty grandfather said something to them. When he saw that none of the girls were present he knew that Richter gave them the same conditions as him. 

"So what did you guys decide to do?" When Niel heard Alex's question he could not show the same sparkly smile he used to show as he answered in a solemn voice. 

"The same answer you have." 

"I see... How about you Oliver, Kei, did you reach the same conclusion?" Alex saw Oliver clenched his fist, as the veins in his muscles look like they were going to pop. 

"I'm sorry Alex... I need to do this... I just can't let her die." Oliver started to cry as he looked at his best friend. 

"I understand Oliver... Kei?" 

"..." Kei didn't say anything but he started crying as well. 

Once they were done talking a screen came down from the ceiling. On the screen was the face of the group's most hated enemy, Richter.

"It seems like everyone is ready, so how about we get this party started! Also just so you guys don't forget what's on the line, here's a reminder." The image shifted and showed Rachel, Emily, Sayaka, and Evangeline who were bound and gagged. 

"If you guys don't start killing each other, I might accidentally kill one of them." Richter got close to Sayaka and pointed a gun to her head. When he did this Oliver could no longer hold it in and shouted as he suddenly attacked Alex. At that moment Niel joined in the fray as he attacked Alex as well. Kei who had a rifle at hand went into the corner of the room waiting for a chance to fire the gun. 

... 

While the four friends were killing each other the executioner came into Richter's room. Richter who saw the Executioner was surprised to see that he had lost an arm and his pinky finger in his remaining arm. 

"What happened to you?" 

"Sorry sir, this one was harder to deal with than I thought." The executioner showed Richter the head of Dan Regius. Rachel who was bound at the corner of the room saw the head of her father. The moment she saw that she went into her full RELEASE state. Richter was surprised to see her able to do that, she was drugged so much that she wasn't even supposed to be conscious. 

Even though her father was a loser, and she didn't really get along with him that well. He was still her father, the father that doted on her despite her openly showing how she hated him. The father that obviously came here to rescue her. That father that deep down she loved, was now dead. 

"YOU B*STARDS!" The first attack Rachel did was aimed at the Executioner who didn't have time to dodge or block or do anything. The speed of Rachel's coupled with the executioner not expecting that attack, Rachel was able to smash his head with her fist. 

That one attack instantly killed the Executioner, Rachel was then about to attack Richter but then her whole body stopped moving. She then felt extreme pain coming from her chest, her heart felt like it would explode. As she was about to die, she heard Richter's voice. 

"So that was your limit. How unfortunate that you would die by self-destructing." 

... 

Alex who was fighting with Niel, Oliver, and Kei saw what happened to Rachel through the screen when she saw Rachel wriggling in pain, and then finally she stopped breathing. The moment Alex saw that something inside of him snapped, his rage filling his whole body. The only thought he had then was one thing, "KILL EVERYONE!"

Alex no longer held back and as if he was beast used his teeth and fingernails to attack Oliver and the others. Without being able to do anything, Oliver and the others could not even last for a few minutes under Alex's rage as he killed them by tearing apart their bodies. Among the three Kei's final moments was the worst, as he was filled with fear and regret, he died while begging Alex to stop. 

...

Richter who was watching Alex's fight was getting excited. Alex had finally acquired the rage he needed, now if only he could control it. He was already thinking of what to do next until he saw what Alex did. Alex was actually able to destroy the walls of the room and escape, he then saw through the monitors that Alex was proceeding to kill all in his way while heading to his room. It didn't even take a few minutes before Alex was right in front of him full of rage. 

Richter knew that he wouldn't be able to match the current Alex, so he offered himself up willingly, instead of showing a disgraceful fight. As Alex tore his head off, Richter had only one thought as he died. 

'I was so close...' 

After killing Richter Alex proceeded to kill all the other girls, Emily, Sayaka, and Evangeline. The three girls were already ready to die when they saw Alex kill everyone else. At least this way they could join their loved ones in the afterlife. Evangeline was the only one who had a different reason for her acceptance of death. To her dying by her beloved hands was a better fate than most. 

...

Hektor who knew what was happening decided to use his biological weapon before Alex killed him. At least then he would've died knowing he accomplished his goal, of making humanity suffer even more. Yet before he could use the weapon Alex got to him and killed him. 

After he was done killing everyone in the base, Alex proceeded to go outside and started killing everything in sight. He continued to kill and kill may the be soldiers, mercenaries, civilians, criminals, children, everything that came into his path was killed without mercy, until finally his body could no longer move and he died of fatigue, dehydration, and starvation. 

He was later on branded as the worst criminal of the great war.. His family was harassed because of this, which later on led to the deaths of the remaining Samaritas, both physically and socially.