Chapter 443: The First Clone

John, previously known as Diley— the clone that was allowed to stay.

His very first memory was pulling a knife from Riley's heart, something that he still remembers very clearly. He initially had no emotions, not even the little ones that Riley had.

Riley didn't really know what to do with him as he didn't disappear even after days— the only way to make him go away was to kill him. And so, he was just kept somewhere inside in the Antarctic... alone for weeks.

He just stood there abandoned, not knowing what to do and not knowing his purpose. He was just there, existing in his own little cavern of ice.

But then, suddenly, Riley brought him... a prisoner to guard.

A human named Replica Ricky— and the only thing he knew about him was that he came into existence because Riley was killed by him. Because of this information, he tried to kill him at first but was stopped by Riley.

Instead, Riley ordered him to learn everything he could from Ricky...

...and so, he did.

It was difficult, however, as Ricky struggled hard. It wasn't until Diley trapped him inside a cage that was made with compressed ice that he started to learn from him.

At first, he tried his best to escape— but when that proved useless, he just sat there...

...crying.

Diley stared at him for hours... before a tear also started to trail down his cheeks.

They started talking after that, with Diley almost imitating Ricky's every movement and mannerism. And finally, he was able to do as his creator ordered — he learned everything from Ricky.

He finally fulfilled his duty.

And right when he thought his existence was complete, Riley brought another... guest.

And right there and then, Diley finally discovered what his purpose was.

***

"I am actually the Boss's weakest clone."

Although the smile on John's face did not disappear, it was obvious he was trying to hide his disappointment at himself; covering the slight twitch in his lips as he wiped the blood trailing down his cheek,

"Being the first clone has its advantages... and disadvantages. The advantage being I am the Boss' right-hand man. He upgraded me with his new powers once, I really didn't appreciate the feeling."

"Hm," Elder Zora then very slowly descended, only stopping as he seemingly stood on the surface of the water— his fur, slightly standing up as his paw feet started to get drenched with water,

"Is that why you learned to delay by having a conversation with your enemy?" Zora slightly chuckled as he licked his hand paw before brushing the fur on his cheek and adjusting the large turban he was wearing.

"Oh, no. Not at all, cat person. I just like talking," John also chuckled as he snapped his fingers. And as he did so, the Guardian Force stones that were circling around him started to drop to the ocean floor— causing the water to explode due to the sheer weight of each stone. And with the water now raining down, John's chuckles abruptly stopped, "Besides, I only said I was the weakest of the clones...

...I never said you were stronger than me."

And with those words, John suddenly dropped and disappeared into the ocean.

"..." Elder Zora's nose started to almost wriggle as he tried to find John's scent— but with the salty ocean beneath his feet, he could barely make out any other scent. He did not need to search for long, however, as a pair of hands suddenly emerged between his feet, quickly grabbing his ankles and almost instantly dragging him deep into the Atlantic.

Even with the resistance of the water, however, Zora was able to swing his arms— his claws, boiling the water around it as they went straight for John's head. And this time...

...it connected.

He was expecting red to flow around him, but the only thing that happened with John's head was it crumbled into pieces along with the rest of his body.

"..."

And then, very slowly, the embrace of the ocean that gave him a soothing feeling turned violent— almost threatening to crush him as a ball of water started to separate from the rest of the ocean.

"..." Zora calmly turned his head above him, only to see John looking down at him; his hand, slightly trembling as he seemed to be making it into a fist. Even with his body being squished, Zora just let out a very deep breath. The bubbles that were violently escaping his nose, finally causing the turban he was wearing to turn loose.

And with it gone, a crimson light started to pulsate; causing a slight blur. And if one were to squint their eyes and look closer, one would notice the pair of crimson horns that were almost twirled sitting on top of his head.

Zora blinked a couple of times as his horns were finally exposed— and with this 7th blink, his eyes also lit up in a crimson color; the bubbles escaping from his nose... now turning into some sort of mist.

And then, almost instantly... John found himself now above the ocean, his body almost completely folded as a pair of horns planted themselves on his stomach.

"Kh!" Blood quickly started to spurt out from John's mouth as he shot straight toward the sky— the clouds, rippling away as he passed through it.

"!!!" Even with the seething pain he had not felt before clouding his mind, however, John was still able to open his hands to catch the pair of horns that was about to slam towards his chest.

But alas, his telekinetic armor seemed to not be enough to absorb all of the impact.

John could really only grit his teeth as he felt his bones slightly shattering due to the sheer force of Zora's attack. Even then, however, a smile appeared on his bleeding mouth,

"I... thought you were a cat," he then forced a chuckle, "Turns out you're inbred. Either way...

...you're not disturbing mother and Boss's reunion!"

And once again, John rotated his body in the air to try and throw Zora away— but alas, Zora was able to grab his wrist, violently pulling him closer; his horns, hitting John's face head-on.

The whites on John's eyes revealed themselves as a fountain of blood burst from his nose. But a split second later, however, he quickly woke up and kicked himself away.

"Not enough!" John then let out a roar as he slammed his palm in the air. And as he did so, Zora's silhouette instantly disappeared and shot straight toward the ocean floor which was oddly similar to the shape of a palm.

"Ellie..." John then whispered as his breaths caused the blood escaping his mouth to shower,

"...I had fun."

And with those words, John smiled; his lips that were of normal width... slitting open and returning to their original design— a smile that reached from ear to ear.

"Just... fucking die!" He then screamed as he stretched both his hands towards Zora who had just emerged back from the deepest parts of the ocean.

But then, before he could even do anything— he found one of his arms missing.

"..." John blinked a couple of times as he looked to his side... only to see the evaniel Guardian, Viole, holding his missing arm. He then turned his eyes back to Zora, only to see his horns just meters away from threatening to obliterate his entire existence.

"...Oh."

John let out a tiny breath as the very first emotion he learned suddenly flowed through his entire body. Tears, now trailing down his cheeks as the image of Ellie's face surfaced from his mind.

And with another breath, his vision started to turn dark. And then...

...everything just went silent.

John, the first clone has done his duty above and beyond. And now...

...he rests as a human.

"..."

"..."

"..."

But then, a pulse.

A pulse suddenly pierced his ears, echoing repeatedly like a stone skipping on a frozen lake.

And very slowly, John's vision started to return— finding himself now standing on a beach.

"..." He then turned his head to the side, only to see Tempo standing there; wearing his complete uniform.

"Well, what do you know...

...the hero finally arrives on time for once."