• "Victory only signifies that this chapter is complete. I have yet to finish the book of life..." - Unknown
    ~
    PROLOGUE: An Old Legend, A New Story
    ~

    A lone being drifts about space, looking upon each of the stars before him. His mind races with thoughts of the past, the present, and the perceived future. He lets out a sigh as he begins to move more purposefully, but without any destination.
    This armor...this blade...this blessing and curse...I don't want it anymore. I've upheld the charge of my ancestors, and now I'm charged with maintaining balance. The balance is fine, so I've nothing to do now except train. The being thinks to himself as he mindlessly wanders towards a random star millions of light years away. I need something different...something fresh...something that would suppress my powers in some manner, but perhaps enhance my physical properties.
    He suddenly sensed something in the area as he approached a random solar system. Something like...despair? But...something so powerful emitting a distress signal? Or... Glancing around the system told him where it was coming from. A small ship outside of a medium-sized planet? Let's see what's wrong.
    As he flew towards the ship, he could see that it was a wreck, but its pilot was still inside in one piece. Approaching the ship, he drifted in front of it as he tried to get the attention of the pilot.
    "Hey! Are you alright there?" He watched curiously as the pilot stirred and took a moment to respond.
    "I-I'm fine...luckily. Who are you?" The pilot got up out of his seat and stood atop the ship.
    "I'm a guardian of the universe. It seems a bit odd that I'm talking with a robot, but it would explain a lot." Both of them laughed, but the robots smile quickly faded as he recalled something. The guardian drifted closer. "Is...something the matter?"
    "N-no...it's nothing. I've just...got to get home." A single tear was shed by the mechanical one as he looked towards the planet behind him.
    "I see. Let's get you home safely, then. It doesn't seem like that ship'll be going anywhere soon." He sets foot atop the ship in front of the robot, who was about the same height as him.
    "Yeah. This ship is destroyed, but perhaps Dr. Raijin can do something with it. If you could help bring it back to the lab, I'm sure he'd be grateful." The robot smiled at the hero, who then kneeled and put his hands on the ship, which was immediately surrounded by a glowing gold aura.
    "But of course. Be sure to hold on, since the ride might get rather rough." He smiled at the robot who nodded in return and kneeled next to him. With an abrupt jolt, the ship moved towards the planet at blinding speeds. The hero thought for a bit while they looked for the doctor's lab. A robotics master? How interesting. Technology. A robot with emotions and thoughts and actions all its own. Far more advanced than anything on Earth. Perhaps...
    "There! There's the doctor's lab!" The robot pointed at a small house on an island outside of a large, sprawling metropolis. The ship moved them towards that point, landing just beside the house. It seemed rather homely to the guardian, reminding him a bit of his home planet. "Dr. Raijin! I'm back!" With that, the door flew open and a short, stocky old man with a large, puffy, white beard and puffy, well-kept, white hair rushed out to greet his creation.
    "I'm glad to see you back safely, Gigan Kid! When communication with the ship was lost, I was rather worried about you and...who's your friend over there?" The man looked behind Gigan and at the guardian.
    "Oh! He helped me get back home. He even brought the ship back with us so you could fix it up." The robot smiled back at the guardian, who stepped forward and bowed towards the man.
    "Hello. I'm a guardian of the universe. I sensed a distress signal coming from the ship Hero was in and had to see what was going on. It seems he pulled through whatever conflict just fine."
    "Thank you so much, Mr. Guardian," said the doctor. "I am Dr. Ryu Raijin, one of the world's top robotics researchers. I can't stress enough how grateful I am to you for bringing Hero back safely. After I lost communications with the ship, I was so worried that something grave had happened." He looked over at the ship, then back at Gigan. "Gigan...where's the other half of the ship? Is..."
    "It was destroyed before I won the battle. I'm...sorry, doc..." Gigan's head fell and another tear was shed.
    "I see. How...unfortunate." The doctor even shed a tear at the news. The guardian walked up to them.
    "I'm sorry if I seem invasive, but...is there something I can help you with?"
    "No...you've done plenty for us. I'm sure you've got a lot to do yourself, being a guardian of such a large place. I wouldn't want to burden you anymore."
    "On the contrary, Dr. Raijin, the only issue I sense needing my attention is right here. Something seems...off-balance. Please...let me know what's going on so I may help solve the issue." The guardian rested a hand on the doctor's shoulder.
    "Well...if you say so. I can't exactly explained what happened, but I'm sure you heard that there was another half to the ship that was destroyed. There was a fellow robot in the ship, a close and dear robot that aided us many times, but always went missing when Hero wasn't on missions. Hero, can you explain what happened?"
    "Yes, doctor..." Gigan explained the details of his mission for several hours, noting that almost right from the beginning this other robot had assisted him in various ways. He explained the massive battle that took place at the end of everything...and of the destruction of this other robot. The guardian was moved by the story.
    "Gigan...Dr. Raijin...I believe I know what may be throwing off the balance. Ironically enough, the solution solves two problems."
    "And what might those problems be?" The doctor asked curiously.
    "I believe that the other robot, while not directly assisting Gigan in his missions, was critical for his survival nonetheless. Would that be an accurate assumption?"
    "Well, I do recall a couple of times when he brought Gigan Kid back unconscious, but alive."
    "Then the first problem would be finding a replacement for the other robot. The second problem...would be my lack of anything to do. For once, balance seems to be in order, or at least manageable with minimal interference."
    "Hmm...are you suggesting that I accept you as a replacement?"
    "Not as a permanent replacement, mind you. However, I can for a short time. Maybe in that short time, I can find the scattered pieces of the other robot."
    "He was disintegrated! How could you find all the pieces, especially when they're scattered in space?" Giga replied in disbelief.
    "Us guardians have the ability to see things far smaller than others. Our sight depends on our focus, so if I'm looking for disintegrated molecules, I'll have to focus extremely hard. He might be scattered about space, but he can't be too far spread apart across the solar system. It'll take time, sure, but I could find and reassemble him from those molecules."
    "You're really capable of that?" The doctor, too, was in disbelief.
    "Yes. And perhaps with your technology, I can do it more efficiently." The guardian stood up and took off his armor and threw down his sword. "In exchange for the gift of transformation and technology, I present to you exotic metals from beyond even the heavens. You can study the metal contained in these relics and use it to craft the suit of robotic armor."
    "You are sure you want to do this? It's not like you can go back once it's done." The doctor warned the guardian.
    "Yes. I am sure. I can place enchant the robotics to allow them integration at will so I don't always have to utilize them."
    "Very well. Let's start the process then. Giga, let's go!" Dr. Raijin happily returned to the lab to begin tinkering around with the metal and robotics. The guardian followed them inside, closing the door behind them.
    For several months, Dr. Raijin studied the metal and worked on the robotics. The process took in all eight months to complete, from the replication of the metal to the design of the integration to the final surgical touches. When all was said and done, the doctor stood proudly before the guardian alongside Gigan Kid.
    "Awaken, guardian! The process is finally complete!" With that, the guardian slowly opened his eyes and glanced around, getting accustomed to the feeling of integration with the robotic technology now inside him. "At last, Project Heroman X is at an end. How do you feel?"
    "I feel..." The guardian walked forth and moved his limbs around, taking in the way the new form feels. "I feel...great. For the first time in quite a while, I actually feel amazingly refreshed and aware. It's like I've truly been reborn. Thank you, Dr. Raijin."
    "You're most welcome...erm...Heroman. Would you like to warm up with Gigan for a bit to get accustomed to everything?"
    "Yes. That would be beneficial, if you wouldn't mind, Gigan?" Hero looked at him with excitement and energy as he hastily replied.
    "Of course I would!"
    "Then it's set. Start the simulator, doc!"
    "But of course!" Dr. Raijin presses a few buttons on a nearby console and a door to an adjacent room opens. The room is dark and vacant, but is very large. "Remember, there's only so much room in there. Don't demolish the walls!"
    The door closed and the doctor disappeared from view. Gigan and Heroman X stand apart from each other, acknowledging each others' readiness. Without words, they begin fighting, starting with physical blows to each other. After a while, they started using their weapons. Indeed, Heroman X's weapons were far superior to his original counterpart and Hero X had bested Hero in a matter of minutes. Both satisfied with the results, they emerged from the training room to a very smug-looking doctor.
    "It felt great, doc!" Heroman X exclaimed, excited about his new abilities.
    "Good! Now comes the real test, Heroman. Apparently, a pair of robots have stirred up trouble in the city. Let's see if you can handle this alone. I'd like to see you in action."
    "Alright, then! Let me enchant this first, that way if things get too hairy, I can bail myself out." With that, Heroman X touches a panel on his armor, causing it to disappear entirely. "There. That should do it. I feel back to my usual self. Now...let's try turning back into Heroman X!" He forms fists with his hands and shouts as he summons the armor and robotics. A few moments later, he heavily sighed as the transformation was complete. "Well...it's a bit uncomfortable during the transformation, but it works as it's supposed to. Now...onto the mission. Gimme the details, doc..."