Cross' Second Pupil

Chapter 58: Echoes in the Long Morning

Black Order Headquarters

"The evacuation is off... Komui." Cross says.

"General Cross...?! Is it really you..." Komui asks.

"Do I look someone else?" Cross questions.

"...Sor... Su... per... vi... sor..." A familiar voice calls.

"Reever...? Is that you? Section Chief Reever?!" Komui asks.

"I'm sorry... I only regain consciousness... We're only somewhere under the fifth lab... Surrounded by rubble and flame... I can't give an exact position, but... we're inside Miranda's... 'Time Out'... I can confirm Maker of Eden is still out there, too... Everyone's alive... Please... do something about the fire..."

"Understood. We'll get on it immediately. Just hold out a little longer! You ought to make sure Miranda's under as little strain as possible. Huddle everyone together close... That way, she can decrease the size of her Time Out." Komui orders. "General Cross."

"What?" Cross replies.

"I'm heading back up. If I leave you, Allen, Alice, and Lenalee here... can you finish it off?"

"You don't have to ask me. You go on ahead, Supervisor."

Komui smiles at Cross and looks at the side.

"Kanda-kun! Is Lavi all right?" He asks.

"I can't mo–ve..." Lavi replies.

"I'm sorry... making the two of you fight without your weapons..."

"I don't remember asking for any apologies. Fighting the Akuma is my job." Kanda replies.

"Yu... You're so manly..." Lavi says.

"Nii-san?!" Lenalee calls out.

"There were survivors in the lab...?!" Alice asks.

"Is that true, Komui-san?!" Allen asks.

"Allen-kun, Alice, Lenalee... That's right!" Komui replies.

Allen looks at Komui for a moment and looks down as Alice takes a tear from her eyes and Lenalee smiles in relief. Komui smiles at the three before he goes up.

"NG—H! INNOCENCE!" The Akuma says.

"Huh...?" Allen says.

"I hate it! Hate it! Hate it! I HATE THIS STUPID INNOCENCE!" It shouts and grabs Allen's sword.

"He can still move about?!"

The Akuma then attacks Allen away from it and the Akuma grabs his sword before throwing it to Allen as his sword stabs the wall behind him.

"You fools! You really thought... that this would be enough to destroy me?!" The Akuma questions.

Then Cross lands on the flat side of Allen's sword. "Nah... It's time for you to be destroyed." He then goes up to the Akuma quickly and points Judgement at it. "You want me to tell you why?" Cross then shoots at the Akuma, but it blocks the bullet.

"NG—H! Hah! Looks like... you are underestimated me... NOT A CHANCE!" The Akuma deflects the bullet and looks at Cross. "Heheh..."

Cross lifts Judgement, getting the revolver out so the empty cartridges come out. "Did you only see the one shot?"

Just then blood comes down on his face as its body has holes.

"...No way." Judgement symbols appear above the holes.