Harem Reborn

Chapter 107: The Chest

The monstrosity tried to pull its head back and body, but I wouldn't allow it, as the blade started to get heavy. I did a corkscrew flip while reversing the grip on my naginata. Now I pulled the sword into the thing's face, cutting in deep but stopping halfway through the head, leaving me hanging from its back.

//GRAVITY DYNAM, MAXIMUM ENGAGE 

Suddenly the blade started ripping through the flesh, and I suddenly went from hanging to being pulled like some cartoon character. I tried to stop myself, but then I remembered that wouldn't work.

//GRAVITY DYNAM, EGAGE 

Just before the ground, I started to slow, and I could see Tama's glowing blue form. Sparks crackled from her, and I could hear her panting in the mic. As I reached the ground, my blade still was buried in the monster half-giant, but Tama reached over and touched me.

Like I had been struck by lightning, my muscled seize, making my body twist, and only my grip on the naginata kept me up. I could feel a massive transfer into my body of energy so intense my eyes lit up and reflected on the inside of my HUD faceplate. The surge made my body's muscles rip, tear, and grow, somehow absorbing the energy, but it wasn't enough.

I could feel pure energy trying to burn and consume me, but then another message flashed.

//GRAVITY DYNAM, MAXIMUM REVERSE 

Suddenly the giant corpse was ripped in two and thrown away from my blade. I sheathed my sword lightning-quick and caught Tama before she collapsed halfway to the ground. I was different, now.

I dashed between the split monster's corpse as it was disappearing. I could see the roof starting to move as I bolted to the girls covering the distance in mere seconds. Whatever that was that tama did, it changed me inside. I could feel energy running through my body, pushing for me to command.

The girls all had their glass faceplates up and had wide-eyed, shocked looks on their faces. I hadn't taken my faceplate up, and Tama was stirring in my arms, so I willed my faceplate to open, and Mikota screamed while the other girls gasped. What was going on with them? What was wrong with my face?

"Dave... What happened to your eyes?" Tilly asked with concern.

"His eyes? What about the rest of his face? Where did all those glowing blue lines come from?"

Eyes? Where they still blue? But what are these lines? I was about to try to speak, but a pain tore into my head. It felt like someone was trying to rip my brain out of my skull. I dropped Tama and put my hands to my head, screaming.

I dropped to my knee as my vision went white with pain, then Images started to flash across my head. Memories I didn't have or couldn't remember, they felt like a different lifetime. 

The pain tore at my soul until everything I ever knew was gone, and only the pain remained. My vision went black, and I fell through the darkness of eternity. Then I was back laying in my bed in the Galanitia, but that was impossible.

The pain was gone, but I wasn't in Diamond Edge anymore; I just had my UW issue jumpsuit. I looked around my room, but everything seemed the same. I sat up, got out of my bed, walked over to the door, and tried to open it.

Nothing. There was no response from the controls, and when I called out to Alta, there also was no response. I was perplexed about what I was doing back here and locked in my room until I noticed the chest at the end of my bed was glowing blue softly. I turned to it and walked over, kneeling in front of it.

The glow was coming from the seam where the lid opened, so I reached forward and tried to open it. I was surprised as it opened so easily, since when I had tried it before, and it didn't budge. Inside suddenly got bright, and I had to put my hands up to my eyes to block the light, but it kept getting more brilliant, and I stumbled back and fell trying to stand.

Suddenly, I was back, looking up at four tear-filled faces and the blinding white sky outside of the canyon. I let out a breath I hadn't known that I had been holding with a long sigh. I tried to get up, but four sets of hands pushed me down.

"Rest for a bit, your back now; that's all that matters."

Tilly's hot tears splashed down on my face from above me, and I realized my head was in her lap. The other girls, but one, crowded around me. I looked at Tama, and her eyes were puffed up, and she looked like she was about to run.

I pushed the girls off me and went to Tama, who was starting to turn as I got up. I only then realized none of us had our MAS units on, but my supercharged body was still incredibly fast. I was instantly at her side, and I took her in my arms as she tried to run away.

"NO, LEAVE ME! LET ME GO! I ALMOST KILLED YOU AFTER YOU SAVED MY LIFE!"

Tama fought violently against me, but she had no chance to break free. I held her until she stopped struggling, and then I turned her to me and gripped her by the shoulders. She was crying hysterically, so I pulled her into my chest and held her close as sobs racked her body.

The other girls became busy doing something I couldn't see as I held Tama. Soon, the tears stopped, and I kissed the top of her head. Me blacking out and getting glowing eyes and tattoos wasn't her fault. Whatever the suit's power was, it wasn't supposed to affect me, but it did, and it was because there was something different about me.