Shattering Humanity-Chapter 53: Touché

The 5 human and single canine clones are calmly walking through the quiet city, in the direction away from the real ’Squad’.

Far behind them Nephilim and his henchman are seen popping in and out of buildings behind the group that hasn’t said a single word to each other for an hour.

Nephilim(narrows eyes): "Something doesn’t seem right..."

Silpheed:Ah- wa- guna- dey- du- din- ba- di- ind- ahna- obe- ouu."

Nephilim scratches the back of his head with his eyes closed.

Nephilim(sighs): "Don’t be afraid to offend me Silph, I trust your input since I consider you a comrade. If I didn’t I wouldn’t have brought you."

Silpheed(bows); "Ah- ia- bree- fee- aii- orr- gind- wrdz- Nef-elm- zrr."

Nephilim: "Well I guess if they aren’t gunna take my generosity seriously, I’ll just have to jumpstart their inspiration."

Back with the group, the Saku clone breaks their hour long silence.

Saku Clone: "Aye. If we have our own free-will to live our own lives as clones, why don’t we just go and fight these guys? Screw those ’originals’ orders."

Daisuki Clone: "Saku.....please....not now."

With Silpheed’s power, Nephilim appears in front of the group and everyone grabs their swords. Silpheed appears behind the man shortly after.

Nephilim: "Well well well. Looks like it took only one day in ’Hell’ for one of you to aquire a reasonable upgrade."

Nephilim tries to EyeEngage with the Daisuki clone but it’s ineffective. The bounty hunter gets an upset look on his face. Nephilim moves down the line trying to EyeEngage with the "Terrorist Organiztion", all the way down to the newest eye user, Katsu, ineffective.

Nephilim’s angry expression then begins laughing hysterically once again and holds his sides. Sipheed is silent and, like before, staring down the group. But in an eerie way, the twisted man suddenly stops aand turns back into the angry expression.

Nephilim: "You all aren’t the real group I’ve been tracking down huh? I’ll give it to ya Dice. Touché. You assumed I was following you with an eye ability you were unaware of and you countered with a secret eye ability of your own. Which you’re over cautious actions means we’re in the vicinity of your hidden sanctuary. So whose power is it?"

Daisuki gives the enemy a cocky smile and chuckles. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Daisuki(mockingly): "I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about Neph. Without the safety of the Sister Mountains, we’re all sittin’ ducks out here in ’Hell’."

Nephilim: "Don’t act like you’re the one in control here Mina, at the end of the day you’re still wanted terrorists. As of today, the 200 plus HFF students see you all as a free graduation pass and the other 68 mentors see you as a bonus check. Most squads are strong enough to survive outside of the mountains for a couple days. Now that we know your ’fake copies’ are here, the intel will have squads storming here."

Katsu Clone "My friends would never believe I betrayed them! Once they see me, I’ll explain to them the misunderstanding and the trickery you all are trying to pull on them!"

Silpheed can be heard chuckling once softly and Nephilim explains why.

Nephilim: "Boy, you sure are stupid huh, lowest bounty?"

Shelly gets clearly aggravated and tightens her grip on her sheathed katana strapped to her back.

Neph: "I’ll let the accidental link-up with the runaway slave slide, but then you got pathetically saved by your girlfriend from becoming an ice sculpture and somehow still ended up with the eye she saved you from. Now you’re willing to try and convince your friends to become terrorists too?How about this, since you’re obviously not the real versions of the goons I’m after, make it easy and let the real bafoons know, there has been a few changes to the mountains and I am now the new commanding General of Humanity’s Final Flame, so if you just link-up with whoever is willing to betray the Sister Mountains, I’ll make posters for them too. I’ve already explained how that one(points to Saku’s clone) has upgraded their eye and its now an ’EMP’ eye that disrupted all your watches."

Saku and Katsu are staring down the man mocking them and spreading more lies for his unnecessary plans but then Saku calms down and chuckles.

Saku Clone: "Hehe, so what happens when I finally do get my 2nd stage ability and that false claim ends up backfiring?"

Nephilim looks at the clone of the delinquent and Saku has a crazed smile.

Saku Clone: "You better hope I don’t get a power that will make you regret making up all these little fibs of yours, especially the one that put a bounty on my dogs head. Cuz I may just be a clone, but these are my real feelings that I’m about to tell you."

Daisuki Clone: "Gahddamnit Saku!"

Saku Clone(ignores him): "If I get stronger out here in ’Hell’ and I end up strong enough to destroy those mountains myself, I will."

Silpheed’s exposed eye focuses on Saku and they grip their SunSword. Nephilim calls his bluff.

Nephilim: "So you WOULD kill all those innocent people inside just to get revenge on me? Using threats of committing acts of terror on innocent people for revenge on a few, sounds like you’re training them exactly how you want eh Dice."

Before Silpheed can react Shelly’s clone jumps in and connects dual wielding SunSwords with Nephilim, she also has the cold steel katana in her teeth, biting down in anger. While in regular eye contact Neph is smiling and Shelly’s eyes are scowling him.

Katsu Clone: "Shelly!"

Itsuka Clone: "Katsu, relax, if anything this is a smart move by Shelly’s clone. Other than Daisuki we don’t know how this guy fights. If anybody in The Clone Squad can make this guy sweat, it’s the clone of our best fighter."

Silpheed moves in but Nephilim stops his partner.

Nephilim: "Silf, hault! Even if it’s just a clone, I wanna test out THE Beast of HFF myself. You really are something different cutie. Two SunSwords and a cold steel sword in your teeth? Only the greatest swordsman ever has been able to successfully fight like that. Hehe, I hope you’re ready."