As expected,
D-14134, now the vessel, suffered severe backlash.
He struggled against:
An excruciating, bursting sensation in his chest
Unrelenting roars and whispers flooding his mind
Though prepared, the pain nearly overwhelmed him instantly - like a 90-degree rollercoaster drop magnified a hundredfold.
He was just an ordinary human,
yet now his heart imprisoned countless demons,
far exceeding any mortal's limits.
His fingers turned white-knuckled gripping the altar's edge as he fought to:
Ignore the monsters' furious howls
Clench his jaw
Stop his heart from tearing apart
Jinx and Dante rushed over.
Dante caught his collapsing form: "Can you hold on?"
Jinx discarded her empty gun, charging bare-handed at the shadow -
Only for it to dissolve into smoke and pour into D-14134's heart.
His face drained of color instantly.
Jinx froze. "Do we...leave now?"
Dante didn't answer, staring at D-14134's chest with dawning horror.
The shadow's voice emerged from D-14134's tormented form:
"You won't last long. Did you truly think this desperate plan would work?"
"Why do this?" it mocked.
"Because of that agent? He just used you - squeezing value from a disposable D-Class."
"These agents aren't here to save you either - just to retrieve your camera."
When Jinx tried protesting, Dante stopped her.
The shadow continued its psychological assault:
"They never even gave you a real name - just numbers and letters. Does anyone remember your real name anymore?"
Jinx looked guilty - she'd only ever called him "D-Class kid."
But D-14134 lifted his head painfully:
"The Foundation archives all D-Class names post-mortem."
The shadow fell silent, stunned.
Even Dante and Jinx seemed shocked.
D-14134 grinned through his agony:
"D-14134 or my birth name - both represent me. That's enough. In some ways, D-14134 is more unique - regular names get reused, right?"
He winked at Jinx, making her tear up and look away.
As he spoke, his voice steadied strangely - the mental torment easing slightly.
But Dante knew.
The audience knew.
This was the calm before the end.
The cheering viewers fell silent,
watching in awe at the man who'd defied gods,
now facing his inevitable fate.
The shadow made one final plea:
"Why?! What was worth this?!"
D-14134 pondered mock-seriously:
"Maybe...I just wanted to try being the hero for once?"
He chuckled weakly at the idea:
"Though if I could choose, I'd pick the hero who survives. Guess I'm not cut out for the role."
Dante's grip tightened imperceptibly.
"Mostly? You're just more disgusting than the Foundation."
Their staredown lasted moments before D-14134 burst into genuine, carefree laughter.
As Dante propped him against the altar, watching life fade, he urged:
"Hold on. We'll get you out."
D-14134 shook his head:
"Don't lie. No one leaves this place."
In his fleeting clarity, he knew -
This was the final act.