"Have you all finished strategizing on how to thwart me? It would be better to stop and surrender so that this doesn't have to go any further than this," Yoshi said with a sigh as he observed the team rise and spread out, keeping a steady distance between themselves. He chuckled and shook his head, recognizing that any plan they devised would ultimately be in vain.
Yoshi picked up his sword, surveying his surroundings, and finally fixing his eyes on Hei. Determined to confront them, he would eliminate them without remorse, and they would bear the responsibility for his actions. Lowering himself, he propelled himself forward, advancing toward Hei, who raised his hands and abruptly struck the ground, channeling dark energy into it.
This abrupt and unforeseen action caught Yoshi off guard, prompting him to halt and contemplate Hei's intentions. The answer quickly revealed itself in the shape of a fireball that hurtled toward him from Racheal.
'Pfft, pathetic,' Yoshi scoffed, twirling effortlessly to dodge the attack. He turned around, ready to strike, when he noticed Bai infusing light energy into the ground. His expression shifted to one of suspicion; he realized this wasn't a ruse—they were genuinely scheming something.
'Hmm, it seems irrelevant; I'll simply eliminate them all before they have the chance to execute their plan.' He thought, steeling his resolve, as he brandished his sword and shot toward Bai like a lightning bolt. Whatever plan they were executing, he would end it before they could complete it. He arrived suddenly like a gust of wind, raising the sword upwards before swinging it downwards with the intent to behead Bai, who glanced up with a smile.
BANG
"What? You..." Yoshi muttered, his eyes fixed on Henry, who stood before him, blocking the sword with both hands crossed above. Behind him, Bai, who was crouched, suddenly turned to Racheal.
"Now!" He yelled, and Racheal responded by slamming her hands onto the ground. Flames erupted, spreading across the ground towards Yoshi's feet, visibly melting it and altering its state.
"What in the world...." Yoshi's eyes widened in astonishment; he was clearly not expecting this development. With a single glance, he could see how precarious the situation had become for him. He looked at the melted ground, which was slowly solidifying around his feet, holding him firmly to the ground. Understanding that he needed to escape swiftly, Yoshi attempted to break free, but in an instant, two strong and robust arms enveloped him in a tight embrace, securing him firmly in position.
"You are not going anywhere," Henry growled in his ear, squeezing tightly and causing Yoshi to wince in pain.
"Did you believe this would deter me? Weak" Yoshi countered, embracing Henry with his arms.
"BZZZZ" Lightning flickered across his arms, searing Henry's body and plunging him into a realm of agony, yet instead of relinquishing his grip, he clung tightly, determined not to squander this opportunity.
"You insignificant insect...." Yoshi cursed in anger, struggling to free himself, but it was futile. Just then, he felt two different pairs of hands grasp his left and right hands.
"Time for some payback," Hei smirked, pulling Yoshi's right arm with all his strength while infusing dark energy into it. On the other side, his brother did the same for Yoshi's left arm.
"Dammit, these guys….." Yoshi cursed inwardly,
feeling pain reverberate throughout his entire body. He was losing control, as Henry's grip alone sent a torrent of pain signals that numbed his senses. Meanwhile, the brothers were dangerously close to wrenching his arms from their sockets. Before Yoshi could contemplate his next move, he felt two hands seize the joints in his shoulders that linked to his arms. Almost instantly, a powerful surge of heat coursed through the joints, swiftly melting the wires that constituted them.
"Just....a little more...." Hei said through clenched teeth, his hands straining with all his might, sensing he was on the verge of tearing it away.
"SHRR" In an instant, two arms detached, one on either side.
"ARRRGG!" Yoshi screamed in agony, sensing his arms being ripped away. He looked to his sides, where his arms had once been, a wave of dread washing over his expression.
"Now you know how it feels to be weak," Henry whispered before delivering a headbutt that sent Yoshi sprawling to the ground in a weakened state. The solidified ground cracking in the process.
"Hold him down, I'll be right back," Henry said to the brothers weakly. He had endured significant damage, yet he pushed through the pain and picked up Yoshi's sword. He then approached Micheal's cannister and glanced at Dr. Grey, who lay unconscious inside.
With a swift movement, he sliced the tubes connecting them, letting out a sigh of relief. Henry then walked over to Dr. Grey's canister, pausing right in front of it with a calm expression. His mind flashed with memories of the people who had died because of Dr. Grey, the deaths that had occurred across the world.
"At last, you have all been avenged," Henry sighed, raising the sword high. With a single downward thrust, the blade pierced the heart of Dr. Grey, sealing his fate. Once the deed was completed, Henry sensed the energy leaving his body and soon began to collapse to the ground, but he hadn't fallen far when someone caught him.
"It's okay, I've got you," Racheal said to Henry with a smile, offering her support as she placed his hand across her shoulder.
"Thanks," Henry smiled as Racheal assisted him in walking back to where the others stood, keeping an eye on a defeated Yoshi.
"It's finally over. Micheal will awaken soon, and we'll leave this hell. This is the end for you," Henry said to Yoshi upon his arrival, fixing him with a condescending gaze. He felt no pity for someone who had betrayed them and attempted to kill them; Yoshi simply did not deserve their compassion.
"Do you believe this is finished? Hahaha, you think you can defeat me? Go ahead, try!" Yoshi managed a chuckle even in his current sorry state; he scoffed at Henry's words, demonstrating that he felt no remorse for his actions.
"Even in the end, you refuse to acknowledge your
defeat; no amount of apologies could ever atone for the crimes you committed." Bai approached him, crouching with a disdainful expression, his eyes surveying the pitiful figure of Yoshi with a sense of mockery.
"To think that I once considered you my partner, you're a disgrace. Hold him up, guys," Henry turned to the brothers and said, staggering over to Yoshi, who was soon helped to his feet by Hei and Bai.
"Do you pledge guilty for the deaths of all those who perished as a result of your actions?" Henry inquired with a serene demeanor.
"Haha, what is this? The people's court? Just kill me if you will and stop wasting time. Everyone who died has only themselves to blame for being weak. This world holds no place for the weak," Yoshi replied with a chuckle, his expression showing not a single hint of remorse.
"The sole reason I'm not tearing you apart right now is due to my respect for your brother; otherwise, I would have dismantled you from the very beginning." Henry stepped forward and grabbed Yoshi by the neck, pulling him closer so that he could hear every word.
"We are not monsters like you; this world is already filled with enough evil. However, that does not imply that good is absent. As long as evil exists, good will also persist. In light of this, I present to you a just trial. You, Yoshi or Liam, regardless of your identity, have been found guilty of conspiracy to achieve world domination, the murder of half the global population, and additional charges. Therefore, I hereby sentence you to death." Henry exhaled slowly and addressed the room with a detached and unfeeling tone.
"Do you have any last words?" Racheal inquired from the side.
"What will Michael say when he wakes up and discovers that you've killed his older brother? Hahaha" Yoshi, appearing consumed by madness, erupted in laughter while the team exchanged wary glances, questioning whether he had truly lost his grip on reality.
"You ignorant fool, allow me to send you on your way; I'm certain all those you have harmed are eagerly awaiting your arrival." Henry said, gripping Yoshi's head with one hand while seizing his shoulder with the other; he intended to tear his head from the rest of his body. Summoning the last of his strength, he wrenched the body parts apart slowly, determined to bring everything to a close. Yet, before he could hold on for even two seconds, a sword pierced through his chest, blood erupting from the wound. Before he could comprehend the situation, he felt a surge of lightning travel through the blade into him, sending a violent jolt coursing through his entire being. Instantly, a wave of weakness overwhelmed him, and he collapsed to the ground.
Immediately, the team finally responded. Racheal, positioned nearest to Henry, tried to fend off their assailant with an attack, but a blade pierced through her right arm, rendering it useless. The agony caused her to collapse onto the ground. Within moments, a dazed Hei and Bai found themselves caught in a powerful grip, their heads seized and forcefully slammed against the ground, nearly rendering them unconscious.
"Who..." Henry growled, regaining his focus as his vision cleared. Once he could see clearly, he was taken aback, rendered unconscious by the sight before him. Dr. Grey, whom he believed had been slain by the attack to his heart, stood triumphantly before him, wearing a grin.
"Hahaha, you might be curious about how I'm still here. Boy, I'm a Valerian, and I've been alive for almost a thousand years. You really think I didn't see this coming? A sword through my heart? Like that'll be effective against someone like me," Dr. Grey said, a smirk playing on his lips, plunging the team into despair. Naturally, they should have anticipated something like this; after all, this was the individual who had orchestrated an apocalypse on two occasions. How could he possibly lack plans for his own demise?
"Sigh, Liam, you've truly let me down; you weren't even able to manage these ants." Dr. Grey turned to a frail Yoshi, who looked down after hearing him.
"Rest assured, I'll take care of you myself; it's the least I can do for your predecessors." Dr. Grey raised his hand toward the sword impaled in Racheal's arm, and with a gesture, lightning crackled around the hilt, drawing it back to him.
"I'll begin with you. The lightning I sent coursing through your body was just sufficient to paralyze you, but not enough to end your life. Allow me to correct that. Since you are so eager to pass judgment and stab others in the heart, I think it's only fair that you experience a dose of your own medicine." With a smile, Dr Grey lifted the sword high, lightning shimmering along its edges. An eye for an eye; since Henry had plunged the blade into his heart, he was entitled to experience the pain of that act.
'Is this how it ends? Well, forgive me, Michael. I couldn't protect the team as you did. I'm sorry.' Henry closed his eyes, feeling all strength fade from his body; he couldn't muster the energy to even move. It was over; he had failed. He recalled the moment when Micheal had spoken to him after they left the car underground. Micheal had mentioned that there might come a time when he wouldn't be around, and at that point, it would be Henry's responsibility to take control of the team. Reflecting on that period, he found himself considering how he had not met Micheal's expectations.
As Henry opened his eyes and inhaled deeply, he focused on conjuring happy thoughts while observing the sword's descent. He shut his eyes once more and pondered, 'What would Michael do in this situation?'
"SWIISSHH, WHOOSH" Just as the sword was an inch away from Henry's heart, it came to an abrupt halt. This caused Henry, who had closed his eyes, to open them in confusion. It was then that he felt something drip onto his body. He glanced up to see Michael crouched above him, his right hand holding the sword in place. Blood dripped down his hand, yet he wore a smile on his face.
"I apologize for my tardiness, Henry. You did a great job; I'll take it from here." With that, Micheal turned his head to Dr. Grey, who was gazing at him in astonishment.
"You woke up quicker than I anticipated," Dr. Grey mused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face as he observed the shift in Michael's demeanor to one of fury.
In a quick motion, he lifted two fingers from his left hand toward the sword, where the lightning had momentarily halted beside his hand. Twirling his fingers, he whispered while gesturing toward Dr. Grey. "Inverse"
"BOOOM!" The lightning from the sword surged back toward Dr. Grey, hitting him and propelling him backwards against the walls, which then crumbled down upon him.