The group ran towards the front of the building, they meet up with Chirashi, Minnow and a group of library workers. Kidd takes out one of his guns.

“What happened? We felt a rumbling!” Kidd said.

“We’re not sure…” Chirashi said, rubbing his chin.

“Could it be an earthquake?” Clef asked.

“Can’t be! The float that this city is on isn’t even chained to the ground under the sea.” Minnow said.

Suddenly, as the group was trying to figure out the source of the rumbling sound, the entrance wall was blown away. The bits and pieces of wall and glass began to fall to the floor at a familiar face began to walk through. Hitoshi, who had a necklace with a red Cosmic Gem implanted into it, was waltzing in.

“SUP ASSHOLES!” Hitoshi shouted as he fired a small explosion from his hand at a pair of bookshelves. “Guess who’s back!”

“NO!” Doc shouted.

“How dare you come back!” Chirashi shouted.

“I figured it was long enough! Now I have a way to break into your vault and grab the Codex for myself!” Hitoshi shouted as he held up his Cosmic Gem. “My “Blast” Gem lets me create explosions of all sorts!”

“Well I ain’t gonna let you take that book!” Ryuu shouted as he transformed one of his arms into a Dragon’s arm.

“Huh? Who the hell are you? I don’t recognize you.” Hitoshi said.

“The name’s Ryuu Aka! I’m the guy who’s gonna kick your ass!” Ryuu shouted.

“Aka? I haven’t heard that name in a long time!” Hitoshi shouted. “No matter… you’re probably some kind of small fish!”

“If anyone is small fish, it’s you!” Ryuu said. “I saw your bounty poster, you don’t seem that strong!”

“What…” Hitoshi said.

“Ryuu, don’t!” Kidd shouted.

“Don’t what?” Ryuu said as he was blown up by Hitoshi.

“NO ONE CALLS ME SMALL FISH!” Hitoshi shouted as smoke started to pour from his ears and nostrils.

“We’re gonna die…” Doc said.

“Hey you! You’re that little dweeb from when I came here, right?” Hitoshi said.

“RYUICHI RUN!” Chirashi shouted out as Doc began to run for the vault.

“GET HIM!” Hitoshi began to run for Doc as Kidd fired a shot at him, temporarily stopping him and his group.

“Wait!” Ryuu followed Doc, who had began to quickly open up the vault. As it opened, both Ryuu and Doc tripped inside and closed the vault.

“Hey! What the heck!” Doc shouted.

“What?” Ryuu said.

“You just knocked me over!” Doc shouted.

“Sorry, I was trying to help you.” Ryuu said.

“We’re gonna die… he’s gonna blow up the vault and it’s gonna collapse!” Doc started panicking.

“Hey… calm down!” Ryuu shouted. “Panicking isn’t gonna do much!”

“What else is there to do!?” Doc continued panicking.

“I’ll kick his ass whenever he gets in here!” Ryuu shouted. “For now, just breathe in and out, that’s what my Gramps always said to do.”

“Fine…” Doc began to breathe just as Ryuu said. 

“Say… this is the vault with the Codex, ain’t it?” Ryuu asked.

“Yeah… what of it?” Doc said.

“Where is it?” Ryuu asked.

“Over on that pedestal over there.” Doc said as Ryuu walked over and picked it up. The Codex wasn’t a regular book, it was a small mechanical object with a little glass bubble on the front.

“He wants this?” Ryuu said. “Doesn’t look too impressive… besides, he doesn’t seem like a reader to me.”

“It doesn’t matter why he wants it… I just can’t let him have it.” Doc said. “But at the same time, he’s gonna kill all of us if he doesn’t get it.”

“Well… if he wants it so bad.” Ryuu said before tapping on the glass bubble, bringing up a holo screen. “Give it to him.”

“What!? Are you insane!?” Doc asked. “We can’t just give it to him! It has the sum information on the 88 Systems in it.”

“Yeah… I know… give it to him.” Ryuu was insinuating something.

“What? What are you doing?” Doc looked at Ryuu, realizing what he was doing. “Wait, I think I get what you’re going at.”

“Then what are we gonna do?” Ryuu asked.

“I’ll tell you… let’s just get to work!” Doc said as he took the Codex, running over to a table with tools on it, Ryuu following him.

Back in the main part of the library, Hitoshi was battering the vault door with explosion after explosion. He was getting more and more angry with every hit.

“DAMMIT! WHY WON’T THIS DAMN DOOR OPEN!?” Hitoshi shouted as he continued hitting it.

“That door is made of solid Infinitanium. It’s gonna take more than an explosion to break through it!” Chirashi shouted.

“Then…” Hitoshi ran over to and grabbed Chirashi by the neck. “You’re gonna tell me how to get in there!”

“I’D RATHER DIE!” Chirashi shouted.

“I think that can be arranged…” Hitoshi said as he began to charge up an explosion.

As Hitoshi was about to explode, the door to the vault got thrown open as Hitoshi was blown away by the vault. Ryuu and Doc emerged from the vault holding the Codex.

“Hey, asshole!” Ryuu shouted at Hitoshi. “Give it to him, Ryuichi.”

“Give me what?” Hitoshi saw the Codex. “Oh… you finally ready to give me what I want?”

“Yeah… here, catch!” Doc said as he tossed the Codex up into the air.

“YES! MINE!” Hitoshi began to ran towards where the Codex was flying towards.

“NOW!” Ryuu shouted, confusing Hitoshi.

“Right!” Doc aimed a rifle-like weapon towards the Codex, firing onto it and destroying it. The crumbling Codex landed on the ground as Hitoshi skid to a halt in front of it.

“RYUICHI!” Chirashi shouted. “WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!?”

“HUH!?” Minnow shouted.

“That kid is nuts!” Kidd shouted.

“No… You destroyed the Codex!” Hitoshi began to shout, only for Doc to aim the rifle at him.

“Technically… the Codex may be destroyed… but I still have it.” Doc said.

“What? How does that work?” Clef asked.

“I agree with the bird… what are you on about?” Hitoshi asked.

“See this handy dandy gun that I’m holding?” Doc asked.

“What about it?” Hitoshi asked.

“I transferred all the information in the Codex into this new body. That way, I can put the contents to use.” Doc said.

“Oh yeah? And how does turning it into a gun help you?” Hitoshi said, turning around and priming an explosion.

“Because now… I can do this.” Doc said as he began to input a code into the Codex Rifle. “Elemental Bullet… SEASTAR!” 

As Doc fired the Rifle, a small blast of water shot out towards Hitoshi. Hitting Hitoshi, the explosion he was readying up fizzled out. Hitoshi was getting even more angry.

“DAMMIT! HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT?!” Hitoshi screamed at Doc.

“Everything that was collected in the Codex can be used to create unique ammunition, this gun can do almost anything!” Doc shouted as he aimed at Hitoshi again.

“HAH! You just made it a whole lot more useful to me!” Hitoshi began to run towards Doc.

“Can’t let him get too close!” Doc shouted.

“HEARD IT!” Clef said as she blocked Hitoshi using her microphone.

“OFF! YOU STUPID ASSHOLE!” Hitoshi shouted right as his neck slammed into the microphone.

“GOOD!” Doc fired another water shot at Hitoshi, who got drenched.

“WHERE ARE MY IDIOTS!” Hitoshi shouted as a group of Flame Bandits ran towards the group.

“Leave them to me!” Flora shouted as she flicked Soul Seeders at a few of the bandits, putting them to sleep.

“I’ll get the stragglers!” Kidd shouted as he fired at the remaining bandits.

“DAMMIT!” Hitoshi got up, rubbing his throat. “How the hell are you nobodies so powerful?”

“You wanna know why?” Ryuu said as he turned Hitoshi around to face him. “Because we’re fighting for something that’s worth it!”

“Huh?” Hitoshi was confused.

“Big Bang…” Ryuu said as he transformed his leg into a Dragon’s Leg. “DRAKICK!”

Ryuu kicked Hitoshi up into the air before punching him off, through the ceiling, towards the ocean surrounding the city. Ryuu landed on the ground, looking at the other Bandits who began to run away.

“Now that’s how it’s done!” Ryuu shouted as a piece of the roof fell down. “Sorry about that…”

“That’s nothing… you should’ve seen this place when he last came here.” Chirashi said. “But, I must thank you for minimizing the damage as much as possible.”

“You guys are amazing!” Minnow said. “I’ve never seen anything like it!”

“It’s just what we do… this guy wouldn’t ever let us hear the end of it if we just let you guys get blown up.” Kidd pointed to Ryuu.

“And you… Ryuichi… my bright shining star!” Chirashi said. “I’m most proud of you!”

“Really?” Doc asked.

“Of course I am… I honestly thought you’d never come out of your shell.” Chirashi said.

“Thanks Dad…” Doc said as Minnow ran over to, and picked him up in a big hug.

“That’s my Ichi!” Minnow said as he smooched Doc on the cheek.

“Hey easy!” Doc said as he laughed.

“How can we ever pay you?” Chirashi asked.

“Can we get the books for free maybe?” Ryuu said. “We don’t really have a lot of Constells to our name.”

“What? We have plenty of Constells!” Flora said. “Where’d it all go!”

“Don’t ask…” Ryuu said.

“Well… I suppose that’s fine…” Chirashi said.

“I’ll get the ship down here!” Clef ran off.

“Say, what’s next for you, Ryuichi?” Kidd asked.

“Well… he’s probably gonna want the Codex even more now…” Doc said. “I’m not safe here…”

“We don’t want you being unsafe, now do we?” Ryuu asked.

“What are you on about now?” Kidd asked.

“I want you in my crew!” Ryuu said.

“What!?” Doc shouted. “You want me to join you guys!? But Hitoshi will be after you guys now too!”

“Hell yeah! You’re pretty smart!” Ryuu said. “We need someone that can do the technical stuff on our ship.”

“Wait, what do you mean? Don’t you guys have a mechanic?” Doc asked.

“Not a trained one!” Ryuu said, proudly.

“What!?” Doc said, realizing that there’s more important things, turning to Chirashi and Minnow “Well… are you okay with that?”

“Well… it would be safer if the Codex didn’t stay in one place anymore.” Chirashi said. “Is it what you want?”

“Well… I grew up not knowing what I wanted to do with my life… maybe this is it.” Doc said. “But is it what Mom would want?”

“I know that your mother would want you to do what makes you happy… so if traveling the 88 Systems is it, then so be it.” Chirashi said. “And I’ll be proud of you no matter what you do. If you want to go, then I won’t stop you.”

“You’re coming out of your shell, Ichi.” Minnow said. “I was wondering if I’d see the day! I love you, man!”

“Thanks guys…” Doc ran to Chirashi and Minnow and jumped into a hug.

“Ay! Now there’s the matter of one small issue.” Ryuu said.

“Oh yeah?” Doc asked.

“Our names are too similar… why don’t we call you something else?” Ryuu said.

“Depends on what you have in mind?” Doc asked.

“Well… how about we call you Doc.” Ryuu asked.

“You know what… I like it.” Doc said.

Chapter End!