Breakthrough

Bachiko summoned her pocket watch then gave a wicked smirk. "Infinitum! Fuse!"

The pocket watch shined brightly then turned into magic particles and entered Bachiko's body. She closed her eyes and her Monster Aura surged powerfully around her body. Red eye shadow appeared around her eyes then she opened her eyes and clock eyes formed in her eyes.

"Locus, Epoch, Mementos, Saeclum, Aevus, Eras, Millenis, Hora, Secos, Eternos, Aeos, Infinis!" Bachiko called out and each roman numeral on her clock eye shined.

Nana bellowed and aimed her two cannons toward Bachiko. Bachiko smirked and her clock eyes shined. She vanished at invisible speeds. Nana looked around for Bachiko then groaned when Bachiko kicked her to the ground and vanished once again at invisible speeds.

The other MHF Units targeted me and noticed I haven't even moved. They began to fire Anti-Energy bullets at me. I placed my hands in my pockets then my Chrono Energy surrounded my body and the bullets froze in time. I summoned a void and it released a powerful blast of wind at the MHF Units and struck them, causing explosions in the air.

One unit flew toward me at high speeds and I watched him then my eyes widened.

"Father..?" I said then dodged his slash. "No...Seiko. You've come back after all this time."

"It's time you return to your mother, son." Seiko said.

"You have no right to call me son." I said and channelled my Chi around my body. I took a deep breath then exhaled and cleared my mind, imagining the waterfall.

Bachiko laughed as she slammed her naginata against Nana's energy barrier. "You want to kill me right?! You want to fight right?! Stop cowering behind your pathetic barrier and fight!"

Bachiko jumped backwards then tapped the bottom of her naginata against the ground. "Infinitum! Mementos!"

Her clock eye shined and the hands went to the hour three and she began to rewind Nana's time and made the energy barrier disappear. She ran toward Nana then slashed at her, but Nana blocked it with her Anti-Energy Blade. The two rapidly clashed then Bachiko used Epoch to slow down time for Nana.

Nana began to move in slow motion then groaned as Bachiko struck her with a powerful knee to her gut. Nana coughed blood then was launched into the side of the outlook wall. Nana fell to the ground and had her eyes closed.

Seiko and I dodged and blocked each other's attacks then I countered his next attack and hit him with a palm to his stomach. He grunted then groaned when I kicked him upwards. I summoned a void and he flew into it. I opened another and the void sent him crashing toward the ground. I snapped my fingers and time began to slow down for him.

I ran toward him and kicked him away then used the wind to propel myself toward him. I punched his stomach and sent him toward the ground where Bachiko was. Bachiko rewinded Seiko's time, making him fly back up toward me then I hit him with a powerful double axe handle, sending him to the ground at high speeds.

Seiko spread his mechanical wings then flew backwards, firing a barrage of Anti-Energy bullets at Bachiko. She dashed toward him and dodged each one then used Eras to perceive the Future, using five minutes of her Personal Time to see five minutes into the future.

Seiko flew toward Bachiko and slashed at her, but she flawlessly dodged it then countered his next attack then smirked when I flew toward Seiko and kicked him away. I let out a ballistic scream and launched him away.

"Their teamwork...they are damn there in perfect sync." Himeko said.

"That's his Instincts. He's letting his instincts guide him~" Melody smiled.

Seiko landed on the ground and pressed a button on his power suit. "Juggernaut!"

Seiko's power suit began to transform into a Mecha Suit. The armor of the suit was a dark yellow with black streaks along the battlesuit. Electricity crackled around the mecha suit then the eyes of the Mecha Suit shined brightly. He summoned his spear that also had an Anti-Energy Blade on it.

I landed beside Bachiko and glared at Seiko. "You abandon us for YEARS and now you've come back to kill me so you can bring me back to Apeiron?! That's not happening! Orimi and I are staying on Earth!"

"You WILL come back! You will listen to your father!" Seiko bellowed and propelled himself toward me.

I bellowed and my Monster Aura surged powerfully around my body then my eyes shined brightly. I propelled myself toward him as well. Bachiko used Locus to accelerate my time, making me faster.

I bellowed and went for a tornado kick, hitting Seiko and summoning a tornado behind it. The tornado flung Seiko upwards. I used my void to teleport above Seiko then roared as I palmed Seiko's stomach, launching him through the tornado. I let out a loud roar and gripped my wrist then Gale Energy began to spiral around in the palm of my hand, forming a sphere of wind in my hand.

Seiko thrusted his spear at me and launched a beam of Anti-Energy at me. I threw the sphere of wind at the beam then grunted at the Anti-Energy beam completely destroyed the sphere of wind.

"Infinitum! Eternos!" Bachiko bellowed and time completely stopped then restarted the event between me and Seiko.

I changed up my strategy and flew toward toward Seiko and formed a sphere of wind in my hand then bellowed. I summoned a void and threw the sphere of wind inside then the void turned red and fired a powerful beam of energy at Saiko.

Seiko appeared above me and slashed at me. My Monster Aura disappeared and my Chi surrounded my body then I used the wind to dodge Seiko. He looked surprised then groaned when a clone of Bachiko struck his back, blowing him to the ground. He crashed onto then ground and his Mecha Suit disappeared.

I landed on the ground and glared at Seiko. I prepared to deal the finishing blow, but Seiko and Nana warped away via Emergency Retreat.

"Everyone look!" Mina said as she looked at her monitor.

Everyone looked at her monitor and looked at the stats. They were my stats.

"Yoshida has grown a lot. He's really made a breakthrough with his stats." Yan Mei said.

"Yeah, especially with how he used his entire current arsenal with the assistance of Bachiko." Himeko smiled.

Bachiko walked toward me and turned normal then smiled at me. She was about to say something, but ended up passing out due to exhaustion. I looked surprised and caught her. I held her in my arms and noticed she was panting. I used my Time Manipulation to see her Lifespan.

"What..?! She used over half her lifespan already?!" I said then grunted as I knew I had to think of something.

"Yoshida! What's the matter out there?!" Himeko asked.

"Bachiko. She used over half her lifespan! I'm going to help her!" I said then laid her on the ground.

I created a blade made from Gale Energy and placed it in Bachiko's hand. Everyone watched me on the monitor and wondered what I was doing. I made Bachiko stab me in my heart and I groaned and allowed her to take my remaining time from this life.

"Yoshida?!" Yan Mei said in shock.

"Self Sacrifice." Melody said.

Bachiko slowly opened her eyes and felt her Personal Time replenish and sat up. She looked at me and her eyes widened. She looked at her hand then panicked and took the blade out of me. "Y-Yoshida!"

"The drawback of Recovery Mode is the more you die, the longer the recovery takes...he's only died four times now so his recovery should be rather quick still. Sacrificing himself to save Bachiko...that's how much he cares." Melody said and held her arms.

I gasped for air then coughed and the orange flame healed my wound. I grunted softly and looked at Bachiko. "You're okay...~"

Bachiko stared at me. "Why..? Why did you let me stab you..?!"

"Actually...I sacrificed my own life to save you because you used so much Personal Time." I said and smiled.

Bachiko smiled and hugged me. I hugged her back and chuckled softly. Bachiko told me about the drawbacks of fusing with Infinitum. Not only does it require a lot of Personal Time to perform, but her Infinitum Form itself constantly drains her Personal Time and using one of her Infinitum Abilities also drained Personal Time and the more Personal Time that was used the more enhanced the ability became.

I honestly was just happy that I could save her. It didn't matter how I saved her, I just wanted to do so and I did...

------

"If you want, you can come over and live with us. You'll be a lot safer there and-" I started but Bachiko placed her finger on my lips.

Bachiko shook her head and smiled. "I can't...not as I am now anyway. I can still lose control at any time and I don't want to put you through that. You don't deserve it..~ One day I'll have full control over myself, but for now...we must keep walking different paths to the same destination.."

I looked at Bachiko and held her hand. "I understand...but just remember there's always a place with me if all else fails. I'll protect you and keep you safe... no matter what."

Bachiko giggled softly then got closer to kiss my lips. She felt that I kissed her back and deepened the kiss then pulled away. "One day...my darling..~ One day..~ Until we meet again at school..~"

I nodded then watched her walk off. Yoshi followed her and I smiled at him as well. "Well...that was certainly an interesting date."

"Yeah, but although you've tamed her...we still didn't save her. We still don't know why she needs you other than for your love, but I suspect Apeiron is what is keeping her from wanting to stay with us. She can still lash out at any moment...Anyway come on back home, you've earned a good rest." Himeko smiled.

-----

I walked into the mansion and was met with the faces of the MPT. I smiled and walked toward them. "Well I did the best I could do."

"No, that was literally perfect~" Melody smiled. "I believe you've earned yourself the ability to go to the next step of your Mystic Journey~ After that performance we have no reason to doubt your combat and mental abilities..~"

"I agree. I was definitely cheering for you the entire time." Yan Mei smiled at me.

"Mina thought you were so cool! Mina wants to team up with you one day!~" Mina giggled.

"It was an excellent performance. I am pleased with this outcome." Keishi smiled.

Himeko giggled and crossed her arms. "I officially deem you a first responder to Monster Situations~ You are more than ready..~"

I nodded and chuckled. "I appreciate all of you. I wouldn't have gotten too far without you. Thank you."

Himeko nodded and smiled then let me pass her so I could go to my room. I shared a goodnight with them then walked into my room. I saw Orimi sitting on the bed and walked toward her.

"Big Brother?" Orimi started and tugged on her shirt shyly.

I sat on the bed and looked at Orimi. "What's wrong?"

"W-Well I just noticed how we haven't been able to spend much time together like we used to and uhm...I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me tomorrow..." Orimi said with a blush.

I smiled at her and leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I'll be glad to..~"

"R-Really?" Orimi asked with hope in her eyes.

"Yes, I will go on a date with you..~" I smiled.

"Yes!~ I can't wait to go on the date tomorrow!~" Orimi said happily.

I chuckled softly and got prepared for bed. "I am excited as well..~"

With Bachiko tamed and the MHF taking a huge loss, things were looking up once again. I did wish I was able to truly save Bachiko but I didn't know how other than keeping her happiness high. All I could do was hope that a miracle would help me save her. She needs it more than anything...she needs the miracle more than I needed it. I was willing to be her miracle if no other miracles showed up. No matter what, I wanted to save Bachiko.