The enemy Chasers looked at the dome of woven branches. They could peer into the small gaps provided to see them recover. Even though they were young new Chasers, their creativity, and talent with their Programs were frightening. Many of them felt anxious.

  “Are we just going to let them recover?”

  “Do you know how to get past those weird branches?” The Chasers argued.

  “Let them. We aren’t here for them anyway. We’re here for Suzuki Kenji. Now is the time to spread out and search for him.” An Adder Chaser, who went by Cinder, spoke with authority.

  “Dust, sweep the area, see if you can sense anything extra,” Cinder spoke again.

  “That won’t be necessary.” Trigger spoke.

  Trigger appeared on top of the large dome that Sage had created. He looked down at the Chasers that had all gathered there to kill him. His heart raced, and his body was shivering. However, beyond his expectations, he was not afraid. He was excited, thrilled! For some reason, every fiber of his being was screaming for him to exert his supremacy over these Chasers. Visions of Zac looking down on his recruitment class from those mounds of dirt, flashed his mind. His cool calm, and arrogant demeanor fresh in his mind.

  “You’re here for me, right? Well, here I am. Suzuki Kenji alias Trigger. Zero Chaser.” He proudly announced. Chuckling with a sarcastic shrug.

  Cinder's eyes sharpened at the mention of Zero Chaser. The boy was far more of a threat than previously believed. A Taboo’s Child-enhanced body further enhanced by Nanos, and he was a Zero Chaser? Cinder looked at Trigger with trepidation as he saw the boy’s pupils turn into slits.

  “Kill him!” Cinder’s aggression bubbled.

  “Cycle: Full Arsenal, Pulse,” Trigger whispered in response.

  His body instantly became covered in nano-armor. The enemy Chasers all acted when the mask appeared over Trigger's face. They sprinted up the side of the dome and leaped at Trigger from all sides. The demeanor of the Chasers had taken a stark contrast from before. They were filled with aggression, and their intent to kill was palatable. It became self-evident that they were all holding backup till this point. This realization made Amaterasu incredibly nervous. Sage saw her anxiety and commented,

  “You all have been so engrossed in your training that you haven’t paid attention to each other outside of our joint sessions. I have been keeping tabs on everyone. Let me assure you, Trigger is exactly what they feared he would be, an absolute monster. ”

  “Slow,” Trigger spoke softly, entering into a fighting stance as his nano-armor manifested pistols into his hands.

  The Chasers moving at speeds beyond human comprehension, suddenly began to move in slow motion. Their bodies and even their minds failed to comprehend what was happening. Pulse can perceive and manipulate all waves. Including brainwaves. Allowing Trigger to slow the momentum of both their body and minds. Trigger then acted.

  On his own, his body was several times more powerful and faster than the average Chaser, adding the nano- armor's ability to enhance that further, along with his ability to manipulate his momentum. This first wave of Chasers never stood a chance. He chuckled at the slow-moving targets as his pistols and body gracefully danced atop the branch dome. Once his dance had ended, the momentum of these Chasers resumed. Unfortunately, they fell over dead, sliding at Trigger's feet.

  “Holy shit, mate.” Shango blurted out.

  “If he was this strong, why didn’t you inform me in the first place?” The Conductor looked over at Sage.

  “I didn’t think it would matter. Regardless of his strength, the smartest play was not to have him participate in the initial confrontation.”

  “But you thought it was best now?” The Conductor asked.

  “Reinforcements are taking longer than anticipated. Mawu and Hachiman seem to be struggling with the one's leading this assault. Now was the right time.” Sage reported.

  “Fine, but we will discuss what is and isn’t necessary for a team leader to know when we return.” The Conductor frowned.

  “Understood.” Sage nodded in understanding.

  Trigger looked at these dead Chasers and felt nothing. He felt more disgusted with himself for killing those skinwalkers. At least they tried to kill him to protect something they believed in. These Chasers wanted his life just to preserve their self proclaimed superiority,

  “Disgusting things.” Trigger muttered to himself.

  “What the hell is his ability?” Cinder asked no one in particular.

  “We don’t know. Up to this point, Trigger's use of his abilities have been very subtle.” Dust responded as she crossed her arms.

  “H-he, just slowed down time. There’s no way, man. There’s no way we can stop that.” A random Chaser panicked.

  “Shut up, idiot; there’s no way someone can control time, not even Zeros.” Another responded.

  “You say that, but The Renegade controls ~.”

  “Shut up! He doesn’t control time.” Dust shouted.

  “Guess it’s my turn.” Trigger spoke as he jumped down from the dome.

  “Light him up,” Cinder commanded.

  At his command, all the ranged Chasers fired off deadly fireballs, ice shards, chunks of earth, and beams of light at the falling Trigger.

  “Cycle: Stockpile,” Trigger whispered.

  The barrage of attacks pelted Trigger to no avail. Still, none of them were any the wiser until Trigger sprinted out of the smoke glowing with stored kinetic energy.

  “Everyone, brace yourselves!” Someone shouted.

  Many of them had seen that image earlier when Hoarder had gone on a rampage. Triggers rush through the Chasers, his guns firing off at his sides. Instead of the small energy streams they usually fired, they were empowered by the stored Kinetic energy. They were now firing off massive energy blasts. At the same time, he maintained his swift crisp moments. The Chasers did everything in their power to keep themselves alive and succeeded. However, Trigger's target was never them in the first place. His glowing body zipped through the crowd of Chasers as he headed towards Cinder and Dust.

  With his movements further enhanced by the Kinetic energy, he was a blur of glowing light. He appeared in front of Dust and Cinder, in a blink of an eye, his pistols pointing at their persons. He let loose all the remaining stored energy, and massive twin blasts of energy engulfed them. Dust and Cinder were no longer visible when the blast of energy faded. In their place stood a sturdy steel wall.

  “He may be a monster, but he’s still just a kid.” Dust commented. As that Metal wall contorted and trapped Trigger in an orb of steel.

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  Cinder snorted as he placed his hand on the steel orb, and it began to fill with superheated smoke.

  Cinder, Program: Ember, allows the Chaser to produce, manipulate and turn into superheated smoke. Cinder wanted to suffocate Trigger to death, to burn his body from the inside out.

  “He used Hoarder's Program.” Dust said.

  “I’m aware,” Cinder responded.

  “He also displayed several other Programs.” Dust added.

  “I’m aware,” Cinder responded again.

  “How?” Dust questioned.

  “Zeros make no sense. Do you expect a Taboo Child version of a Zero Chaser to make any? Besides, it doesn't matter. He will die now.” Cinder responded with confidence.

  “Cycle: Flare.” Trigger muffled voice was heard through the steel orb.

  The orb began to glow red hot, burning Cider's hand, who quickly pulled away.

  “Cycle: Flare? Oh, shit. Everyone down!!!” Dust shouted as she erected an earth wall around the glowing steel orb and then dived into the earth herself.

  The orb exploded with molten hot steel pieces that flew out in every direction. Thanks to Dust’s warning, and quick action, many were saved from injury, and only a few received nickel size holes in their bodies. Luckily it wasn’t anything fatal. Cinder, who had dived to the ground, looked over at the earthen walls that managed to help protect him and heard the faint whisper.

  “Cycle: Mound.”

  “Everyone move!!!” Cinder called out as he turned into a cloud of smoke and fluttered into the air.

  The scene of the earth being flipped over and the world being filled with his allies' screams never came. Cinder looked around, confused, unable to find any trace of Trigger. He saw the ground tremble, and two figures emerged from the earth. Trigger had one hand around Dust’s neck, and another attempted to point the barrel of his gun at her head. Dust struggled to grapple with Trigger; he was far more physically powerful than any Chaser she had ever met.

  She was caught off guard when Trigger suddenly appeared within the earth and had no time to respond by the time he grabbed her by the throat and pulled her out. It was taking everything she had to hold off his gun. Cinder saw the scene and immediately took action. If Dust went down, things would become problematic for this mission and future relations with The Oleanders.

  His smoke body raced over towards the two of them. In an instant, he was on them, and he manifested a solid body and went to tackle Trigger. At the expected moment of impact, he dived right through Trigger’s body, hitting only air. At that moment, he understood what he had just attacked was an illusion. Trigger had used Reverb and Refract to make a perfect copy of what he and Dust were experiencing.

  “Cinder move!” Dust’s muffled voice shouted from behind Cinder.

  Cinder looked over his shoulder to see Trigger’s hand still around Dust's throat, but his gun was pointed at him. Cinder dove forward as the shot was fired. While he avoided a fatal wound, he was still pierced through the shoulder. Cinder rolled onto his feet, holding his wound,

  “Dammit! He can cycle between any Program he wants. What are the limitations, and what are the parameters of copying abilities. What’s the arrgghhh!!” Cider screamed in pain as he noticed his wound wasn’t healing.

  That last blast of energy was accompanied by what Trigger called a nano-bullet. It came in the shape of the electro beads but was composed of the nano-armor. Like Zac had done to them before, that foreign nano-tech piece will cause opposing Chasers’ nano-machine to go haywire, trying to defend the host. Trigger, still holding Dust by the throat, re-aimed at Cinder and said,

  “That’s one down.”

  Before he could pull the trigger, he was swept away by a rush of water. As Trigger was carried away, Whiskey and Pike, now missing his left arm, landed next to Dust. Whiskey frowned as she saw the condition of everyone,

  “Why the hell haven’t you finished this boy yet?!” Whiskey shouted.

  “That’s why….” Dust pointed in the direction where Whiskey water swept Trigger away.

  Heading back towards them was the same wave of water. Only now, on top of it, was Trigger riding a surfboard made of psionic energy. Whiskey frowned as she extended her hand to take control of the wave of water, but Trigger let off another round from his gun aimed at her before she could. She moved out of the way only to see that Surfboard of Psionic energy rocketing at her. She dodged out of the way again, only for the board to explode. Whiskey tumbled onto her butt. A tree trunk of a large tree stopped her momentum. As she gathered herself, a shadow loomed over her. Whiskey looked up to see the large wave of water was now upon them.

  “Dammit!” Whiskey cursed as she put her hands up last second to stop the wave of water in its tracks and force it back at Trigger. After the wave crashed, there was no sign of Trigger at all.

  “Above you!” Pike shouted.

  Whiskey saw half of Trigger's body protruding from the tree behind her. Whiskey cursed as she rolled out of the way in time to avoid getting shot. A wave of water appeared under Whiskey as she carried herself away from that tree and regrouped with the others.

  “What the hell is he? And what’s wrong with Cinder?” Whiskey asked.

  “I’m Trigger, and he’s just a lucky bastard.” Trigger grumbled to himself as he made a hand motion.

  The piece of nano-armor wreaking havoc on Cinder’s insides was removed and quickly zipped across the air toward Trigger before the others could get a good look at it. Trigger couldn’t risk them getting their hands on it and making something like this armor for themselves. Indeed, Cinder had been lucky, even if he didn’t feel that way. Trigger had hoped to kill Cinder some time ago. But now that moment has passed.

  “Where are Mawu and Hachiman?” Trigger asked as he looked at Pike's missing arm.

  “We were barely able to separate ourselves from them. Now Pocket is holding them off for us. Pocket won’t be able to hold them for long, so we have to make this quick.” Whiskey said.

  However, she wasn’t answering Trigger's question so much as informing the others of what was happening.

  “Report,” Pike said.

  At his word, the exhausted Cinder began,

  “We don’t know exactly what his Program is capable of, but we do know his speed and strength far exceed most Chasers I’ve seen. He can also use the abilities of other Programs, but we don’t know how or what his limitations are. So far, I’ve recognized the use of at least six.”

  “Those guns of his are the most dangerous. A single shot to the shoulder put Cinder out of commission, and he can use multiple Program abilities at once.” Dust added.

  As the two gave their report, the other enemy Chasers gathered around. Even after all this time, there were still dozens of them remaining. Some of which Trigger believed he had killed. He grumbled under his breath as he started to understand how hard it was to kill a Chaser who was determined to live.

  “Trigger, we’re almost done.” The Conductor’s voice entered Trigger’s ear.

  “Good, because I'm almost out of gas.” Trigger chuckled.

  He had put on a tremendous display, but this was the first time he had used the full extent of his abilities; it was mentally and physically taxing. Ten minutes had passed, but they weren’t ready; it could only mean Hoarder underestimated the difficulty of simultaneously reinvigorating eight people. Trigger looked at Whiskey’s group and then chuckled,

  “Back to basics. Cycle: Full Arsenal, Ion.” He whispered as a singular gun appeared in his hand, and he entered a tactical shooting stance.

  Electricity arched off his armor as he prepared for his enemy to attack. Whisky and Pike looked at Trigger and smiled. They may not be able to see his face, but they saw the sluggish movement as he entered his stance; he was on the verge of exhaustion.

  “We have about 5 minutes before they break free from Pocket’s space. Hold nothing back. Kill him.” Whiskey commanded.

  That instant, a multitude of ranged attacks bombarded Trigger. He let out a deep breath as he extended his free left hand.

  Program: Zero, each one is completely unique, but each was head and shoulders above all others. These Chasers had seen what he could do with other Programs. They had yet to fully experience the dominance of his unique ability.

  “Stop,” Trigger commanded in a gentle whisper.

  At his word, the momentum of everything within a 100-meter radius stopped. The wind became stagnant, the falling leaves halted in place, and soundwaves ceased to move, creating an unnatural and unnerving silence. At that moment, it was as if time had frozen from everyone but Trigger. He made a finger gun at the stalled attacks.

  “Bang,” Trigger exclaimed softly.

  In that instant, time sped forward again. All the attacks rebounded back at their casters, moving faster than before.

  “Shit!” Dust shouted as she quickly raised a wall of defense.

  The combined attacks shredded the wall of earth, and Whiskey immediately added a wall of water to defend against whatever was left over. When the dust cleared, they looked at Trigger to see him down on one knee. That stunt exhausted him. There was apparent terror in the eyes of every Chaser there. Even Trigger’s teammates looked on in shock.

  “Kill him now!!” Pike shouted.

  Trigger was at his most vulnerable, and they could not waste this opportunity. They all understood that if that boy lived past today, forget killing him, they’d be lucky if he didn’t retaliate. They still didn’t completely understand what his Program did, but it was not something any of them could contend with.

  “I think that’s enough.” A voice echoed through the forest that made everyone stop in their tracks. Then from behind Trigger, a hole was ripped in space, and three figures walked out.