IN VERSION

YEAR: 2161

LOCATION: Adele Street, Lagos

TIME: 7:00 AM

Darey woke up from bed, sat up and smacked his lips, still partly asleep. He was totally refreshed, yet he also felt a slight pain in his head. His vision blurred as he tried opening his eyes, but eventually they became sharper.

"What's going on...?" Darey mumbled to himself.

The last thing he remembered was him discussing with Kyron and Tenny about the training plan he had for them. After that he had hibernated for a few days to regain his strength and had minimal relations with anyone. He had finally woken up, and just in time too. Today was to be the first day of training in the Valerian Ruined World.

"I'm going to work them hard, that's for sure..." Darey smiled to himself, then suddenly he felt a huge pulse in his head and a dull pain within him.

Information of the next three weeks, the moments he had trained Tenny and Kyron, his encounter and showdown with The Reaper... He remembered everything. The pain subsided, and his mind became clear, then he smiled.

"Looks like it worked." Darey said to himself.

He recounted his experiences, and all his memories of his fight and the words exchanged during their clash came to him. He analyzed everything.

"That was a close one. But... Looks like I win this one." He smiled, falling back to his bed with a thud.

It was a risky move he made, using "Time Will Tell" at that instance, unsure of so many unknown variables, but it seemed to have paid off.

"There's a lot about this Ability that I still don't know of, and it's too risky to experiment on it." Darey said to himself. "At least, that's what I thought... But now, I must learn and master it as well." He concluded.

Thanks to this Ability he was able to return to the past, and now thanks to it he was able to undo an unredeemable error. He sighed in relief. Never had he been so careless and cornered, even when he was in the Ruined World. There were so many factors which placed him at a disadvantage, but now those were all nonexistent.

He was able to learn quite a great deal about The Reaper as well, including his Special Ability, and Darey was definitely confident that this time, he wouldn't lose.

Thanks to his hibernation caused by one of his abilities 'Sentry Performance', he was now at peak mental and physical condition. He also had Kyron and Tenny with him, but he wouldn't even need them.

The Reaper had caught him off guard the last time, but now he had the element of surprise. Darey was also sure that even though The Reaper could see the future events of his targets, he would most definitely not see this coming. Why? Because Darey had figured out the nature of 'A Perfect Crime', as well as it's loophole.

"Let's have another go at this... Mr Reaper, however, our roles will be reversed this time. I'll be the game master, and you'll be the player." Darey said with a smile.

Darey predicted it would take a few more hours before Tenny and Kyron would come to his room to check on him, and since he was from 3 weeks in the future, he could verify the actual time they arrived to check on him.

"I have a bit over 5 hours to carry out everything I need to do, and set up the stage." Darey said.

"This should be fun." Darey mused to himself.

[Three Weeks Later]

LOCATION: The Den

TIME: 9:54 PM

The Reaper smiled at Darey, obviously pleased at the ploy he had carried out. Everything had gone according to he had foreseen. Darey was cornered, his mom had been captured, he was exhausted... And ultimately, he would lose.

"Let's play a game." The Reaper said.

Darey smiled. It seems the events were working out the way they did the last time... Just as he thought.

"I guess I'll just play along with this... For now..." Darey said to himself.

The events continued the way they had gone down during the previous timeline, just as The Reaper wanted, and just as Darey wanted.

"I win, boy" The Reaper said with confidence.

"Sure, whatever..." Darey rolled his eyes.

He fought with The Reaper, and every hit that was exchanged was just as he had experienced previously. Things were getting close to the finale.

"Okay, that's enough." Darey said aloud.

"Wha...?" The Reaper looked surprised.

"What? Surprised...? I'm guessing you didn't see this coming, at least not yet." Darey said.

"What is the meaning of this...?" The Reaper appeared flustered.

"I'm gonna go on a limb here and assume you never saw this event unfold. According to the script, I'm to sink into despair, you'll kill my mother, then lure my father here... Right?" Darey answered with a smile.

"Wha... How?" The Reaper was already confused.

"It's simple. Your Special Ability, while it is called 'A Perfect Crime', has a major flaw. That is irregularity of behavior, or inconsistency of an event." Darey answered.

"What the hell are you talking about?" The Reaper responded furiously.

"Let me fill you in on something... You see, the future has infinite possibilities and it is ever changing. There is no guaranteed ending or result. Due to events and interaction working hand in hand, a certain 'Future' is acquired." Darey said.

"Now, your Ability allows you to see what happens if certain events unfold in a particular manner. In simple terms, it's like addition." Darey continued.

"2 plus 2 is equal to 4. If 2 and 2 are events, then 4 is the future event that occurs due to their interaction." Darey said.

"What does that have to do with this!" The Reaper shouted impatiently.

"Whenever you see a future event that is unfavorable to you, you change the numbers to add, let's say it becomes 3 plus 2, that would equal 5. By doing this, you've changed the future event entirely. One can call this an invincible Ability that allows you to get away with anything so long as you play your cards right." Darey explained.

"But, like all Abilities, it has it's flaws and limitations." Darey said.

"Shut up! My Ability is perfect." The Reaper roared.

"Really now? Why don't you use your Ability again...? See if the future is how you planned it." Darey smiled.

The Reaper was hesitant, but he was also getting worried and anxious, and so he had to know for himself.

"My Ability has never failed, it's Perfect!" He told himself.

But why couldn't he have foreseen this conversation they were having?

What was this growing feeling of unease within him?

Was he going to lose? Him?

Never!

He activated his Special Ability, causing his eyes to glow green, then he saw it... And then he coughed, shouting and groaning in pain. He held his head, it was pounding heavily... It was too much for his brain to handle... The possibilities of all the events and the future that would result in them.

BUT... They all ended the same... Darey's victory!

"No, no... No way." The Reaper muttered, his face showing unbelief.

"Your Ability allows you to see future events, making you able to alter events to work to your advantage, but there's something you should know as well... You're not the only one who can do that!" Darey said.

"Wha...?" The Reaper faced Darey with shock."

"By also knowing future events, I can also change events, as well as certain conditions to suit my favor." Darey said.

"But you didn't do anything... I saw you!" The Reaper protested.

"Yes, Indeed. If I had done something earlier on, you would have noticed a change, and would have worked to counter any changes made, making everything return to your favor. Then the future would be uncertain to me, since it would have changed. That's why I chose to act like I did the last time, at least for the most part." Darey said.

"Yes. We've fought already. I have to tell you, you really had me back then. I was in a very impossible situation. To think your Ability is only in it's Base Stage is truly amazing. I wonder how powerful you would be in the Advanced or Pinnacle stage." Darey replied.

"Then why aren't you dead! I'm supposed to WIN! You're supposed to die!" The Reaper said in frustration, scratching his head.

"Indeed, and I did die... Everything went as you predicted. But then I used an Ability to return back to the past." Darey answered.

"Y-You..." The Reaper was dumbfounded.

"It makes me wonder though... Why weren't you able to see thigs turn out this way ultimately, or why weren't you able to see that I would travel back?" Darey asked rhetorically.

The Reaper remained silent, making an uncomfortable face.

"The answer Is simple... You can not accurately see future events, your Ability just makes accurate and exact analysis of possible future events. During our previous exchange, I noticed some things I said caught you by surprise, and it got me thinking..."

'If he can see the future, you should've seen me say, or do those things...'

"...Then why were you surprised? I arrived at a theory, but to prove it beyond any doubt, I decided to test it out. I told my dad to shut up, and even you were surprised, but that wasn't enough for me. And so I made the most unreasonable and unpredictable statement... I said;"

'Do you know that potatoes and rats, with socks mixed in stew taste really good. The sky is black, the earth is purple. I'm white.'

The Reaper tried to deduce what Darey said, but was confused even more. What did he mean? Was it a code... Or...?

"What I said was gibberish, and back then it really surprised you. That was when I finally concluded and validated my theory. You CAN'T see events that defy logic, or are irrational or irregular. Your Ability works in a systemic fashion. Any disruptive element that can't be considered as a possibility will ruin the entire equation." Darey said.

"What...?" The Reaper said in surprise.

"In essence, you can only predict logically, the events of the Future. When you see it that way, your Ability doesn't seem all too impressive anymore... It's a bit disappointing." Darey said with a sigh.

"You... You bastard! You think you've won? Your mother is still in danger you know, I can kill her at any time! Since you're also from the future you should know... Your father will soon arrive here. What would happen when he sees you here with me... I wonder what...."

The Reaper rushed as he spoke, desperately trying to find alternatives for himself, anything that would give him an edge.

"None of those things will occur. You don't even have the remote anymore." Darey said with a smile.

"Wha...?" That Reaper said in surprise, rummaging his pockets, but finding nothing.

"Looking for this?" A voice said from behind him.

The Reaper looked back, only to see another Darey behind him, holding the remote. He looked to his front and yet saw Darey, the one he had been talking with.

"What is the meaning of this? What's happening?" The Reaper asked in utter confusion.

"I created a clone of myself using an Ability of mine called MITOTIC SYNTHESIS." Darey answered.

"Y-You..." The Reaper was lost for words.

"Question for you... Who do you think is the real Darey between the two of us?" Darey asked The Reaper.

"You are... Obviously." The Reaper said, referring to the Darey he had been with the whole time.

"Wrong! The correct answer is both of us! MITOTIC SYNTHESIS perfectly duplicates my entire self. The both of us are Darey. The one whose future you predicted with was me, but that left my other self to move freely. While it's true that I'm exhausted, he's fully powered up!" Darey said with a smile.

"NO...No way..." The Reaper said, taking to his knees.

"Everything you see must be within the bounds of reason. I'm sure you never saw this coming... Sorry, but YOU LOSE." The second Darey said.

"Your father... He's on his way here. In fact, he should be here this very moment. Just you wait, I'll wipe that grin off your faces!" The Reaper said, trying to reason his other alternative.

"No, he won't be coming. I made sure of that. He's currently taking a long needed nap, along with his men, and so they won't be bothering us right now." The Second Darey said.

"As for my mom, while you and Darey were talking, I used a stealth ability to take her away from here, and even took your remote as a safety measure." The Second Darey pointed out.

"You... You really did think of everything didn't you..." The Reaper said, his eyes were down, and his motivation seemed gone.

"I could have just exterminated you earlier, but I needed more information, and now that you've had a conversation with me, using COMPLETE INVESTIGATION, I already know all I need to know." Second Darey said.

"Now you're no longer of any use, not to mention the fact that you killed my mom... You're going to die now." Darey said.

"Y-You can't be serious. What of law? What of justice? I demand a trial." The Reaper said with desperation.

He didn't want to die. His eyes showed fear and despair, and also a form of apologetic look, begging for mercy.

"I... I.... I was supposed to win...." The Reaper said his last words, before Second Darey incinerated him with a high powered laser beam, turning his body to unrecognizable ash.

"Will you do the honors... Or should I?" Second Dare asked Darey.

"I'm too tired, it's all you." Darey said.

Second Darey touched Darey, and immediately, Darey fused into his counterpart, merging the both of them into one being, leaving his clothing on the ground.

"Ah, that weird feeling never gets old." Second Darey, now Darey mumbled to himself.

He looked at the pile of ash on the floor and smiled.

"Let's clean things up shall we..." He said to himself, moving close to the once Reaper, now ash.

"DEADMAN MONOPOLY." He said slowly, and a dark purple shadow engulfed the ash, and himself.

After a short while, the dark shadow dispersed, leaving Darey all alone in the abandoned building.

"At least you were useful for something weren't you... Ronald Rufus." He muttered, addressing the dead Reaper.

He walked away from the ash, which the wind was beginning to blow away. He opened the door to the entrance/exit, and the wind which entered the building totally dispersed the ashes.

"One down... One to go!" Darey smiled, shutting the door of The Den, and heading for his prey.

TO BE CONTINUED...