PHASE 21 - HOW I MET YOUR MOTHERS

“The Black Cross Legion will have a large-scale raid against the Dark Legion’s headquarters two days from now. And that will be Aeternos... ahem!” The Fake Outsider coughed and cleared his voice on purpose. “...your debut. You will take part in one of the largest battles of Gate Guardian history.”

“If the Phoenix Incident will happen, then I should avoid taking part in it,” I said. “I’ll just sneak in the Underground Laboratory after the raid.”

“No, the raid is the only chance you’ll ever get to see the God Core of Chronos. You can’t do it before the raid, because it is swarmed by Cursed Guardians. After the raid, the Black Cross will completely lock the place down. You don’t possess the God Core of Freyr nor the anymore. You’re just a normal Gate Guardian. I reckon you can’t take a horde of guards in that state.”

I gritted my teeth. Yohan is right and makes all the logical reasoning here. Well, it seems like I really have to present myself on the silver platter. Coming to the raid will either give me a chance to get back to my timeline, or convert me to the terrible Cursed Guardian Aeternos.

“Don’t be so sad, Rikkun.” Yohan mocked. “No matter what happens, Alaric Eisenhower will meet Tiara Hikari in the end.”

Yes. 

But…

I will never be Aeternos. Or maybe I’m just too stubborn that I always keep convincing my poor self.

<>

I’ve been sleeping on the Realm of the Frozen Soul for the past nights since I don’t have anywhere to go. I don’t want to sleep in the Kozukata Shrine because I’m afraid that I’ll create a time paradox. 

I was in the Outsider’s care for days. Thankfully, he doesn’t have any intention of killing me. But I have. I wanted to kill him, strangle him with my own hands. I wanted to avenge Heushac, Emily, Eliseo, and Diadem. But I can’t, for the simple reason that I have no chance in defeating him nor the Corrupted Frozen Soul. And also, time paradox. There’s nothing I could do. 

For now, I have to work with him. I need to focus on getting back, kick Aeternos’ ass, and cuddle Tiara for that happy ending.

The day of the Leng City Raid has come swiftly. Time inside the Realm of the Frozen Soul seems twisted, and I don't have any idea how it works.

<>

SWAT Teams and even the National Army surrounded the place with soldiers, APC’s, snipers, and tanks. It covers several kilometers of area, so they really need the help of normal government armies for this one.

In the Yami counterpart of the Nuclear Test Site, the Gate Guardians assembled. It’s the same setup during the Christmas Raid where the platoons of Gate Guardians are divided into assault, range, backup, and support. And from those four major roles, they are subdivided to others such as frontlines, infiltrations, and others.

I blended myself into the front liner assault teams who are meeting at the wide plains, half a kilometer away from the facility to be raided.

Never did I know that I’ll be knowing a lot of people there.

Apparently, the one who is leading my platoon is a person named Martha Fontaine von Noctis. Sounds familiar, right? She’s Amy’s mother. She must be around twenty years old as of this time, but her sexy tall body is already giving her the MILF vibes. 

And also, her sub-commander is a person who looks like one of my deceased gay friends. She’s Selena Fontaine, a woman with strawberry blonde hair and seductive breasts and thighs. She looks a lot like Lord Venus, and I can clearly tell on her face that she’s the mother of Eliseo Fontaine.

“Gate Guardians, let’s do our best!” Martha shouted to pump her subordinates up. The hordes of Gate Guardians cheered as they divided themselves into their respective roles.

I don’t know where to go, so I was left out in the open. I freaked out when the angered Martha went to me with a doubtful look.

“Hey, you.” She looks a lot scarier than I thought.

“Y-Yes!”

Martha pressed her face towards me and examined every inch of my visible body. She struck the definition of fear to my bones. She acts like she has seen a person that looks a lot like me.

“Who are you?”

Thankfully, I had the spell activated the whole time. I used it just before I blended with the raid teams. It’s a continuous spell that couldn’t be dispelled even if I die, so my identity is safe.

“I… I…” I tried desperately to search inside my brain to think of a made-up name. I have to think thoroughly because I might create a paradox. But only one name comes to my mind. “I am Aeternos...”

“Okay, Aeternos.” Martha pressed her face forward, and now I can clearly see her chunky cleavage. She made a smile at me that comforts my soul. “I know you’re shy because you’re concealing your appearance and even made a dumb nickname, but you shouldn’t shy out in grouping with other Gate Guardians. What is your role in the assault again?”

“Infiltration.” I immediately blurted. The infiltration on the front lines has the duty of going inside the facility as soon as possible. That will be the best role for me to get inside the Underground Facility fast.

“You’ll group with them.” Martha pointed at the far right platoon. Then she waved at the person who is in charge of that said group of persons. “Hey Khal, come over here!”

The person named Khal is a buffed guy with a formal 1980s haircut. His biceps and man-breast are so huge that you will mistake him for a superhero who skipped leg day. Come to think of it, I know his face...

“Yes, ma’am!” Khal saluted.

“Please include this boy on the infiltration group,” Martha said.

“Right away, ma’am!” Khal said. Then he turned to me. “Follow me.”

I stared at the man’s square face and bouncer-like upper body as we walk towards our designated group. I’ve seen this man before. His voice earlier seemed familiar to me too. Hey, is this guy…

“Macho Steel?” I muttered.

“Huh?” Khal gave a confused look at me. “So even the other Gate Guardians are calling me that now?”

“N-No.” I waved my hand. “I just blurted out a nickname of a man I know.”

“I’m Khal Kent.” The macho man lent out his hand to me, offering a handshake. “Everybody calls me Macho Steel, but please refrain from using that nickname. It’s embarrassing.”

…

So this man is Macho Steel! Impossible! He’s a Gate Guardian too?!

Well, it makes sense. During the time two years ago, when I unleashed my Gate Guardian powers while fighting Cursed Diadem, he didn’t have the “Oh, you’re a superhero with magical powers!” expression. He didn’t even freak out. That explains why he was able to accept the supernatural happenings around him.

I took the man’s hand and shook it.

“Hope our luck in this raid.” Macho Steel… errr, Khal said. “This will be my last battle as a Gate Guardian, so I hope we’ll stay alive.”

“Wait, why?” I asked. “Are you retiring? You’re still too young to retire!”

“Yes.” Khal made a bitter smile. “Being a Gate Guardian is not for me. I need to sacrifice this work so that I can fulfill my dream.”

Speaking of dream, I think I know what that is. I know his future after all. 

“You want to become a high school teacher,” I muttered.

“Whoa, you already know even though we just met!” Macho Steel cried. “Well, I know it’s not a secret anymore because I’ve already told a lot of people about my retirement plans.”

It’s been hiding in my heart, but I really had the urge to befriend this version of Macho Steel. He’s a good teacher to me and my friends, and I wanted to know him more as a friend. So maybe dragging this conversation a bit more personal wouldn’t hurt.

“Why do you want to become a high school teacher?” I asked. “Is it legacy? You wanted to nurture students for the future?”

“No.” Macho Steel replied with a genuine smile. “I wanted to become a teacher because I love watching pure and innocent high school girls.”

Now I don’t want to be his friend anymore.