WARNING: This chapter touches on very dark and brutal themes. If you've seen the film Taken (2008), you know what to expect. Read at your own risk. This fanfic is intended for audiences over 18.
Chapter 34
Vesemir knew he didn't have much time. He managed to sneak into his room unnoticed... or so he thought. Under his bed, he had a black biker suit, smuggled in by Letho especially for him.
He placed his two old swords on the stand. He stared at them for a long moment, remembering their history. The silver sword had been given to him by Geralt... but the steel sword had been given to him by his uncle Zoltan... Vesemir wondered what the old dwarf was doing... maybe he was still managing the inn with Dandelion... maybe he had some business on the side... Maybe he had returned to Mahakam...
The young witcher shook his head. He knew he didn't have much time. He reached for the pouch of gold and another gift from Letho – a wallet filled with money. The paper currency reminded Vesemir of the bank notes from his world. In this world, the piece of paper took over the function of gold and silver coins. It was much lighter and easier to conceal.
Aerondight and Excalibur… two swords rested on his back. When he closed his eyes… he could swear he could feel the magic emanating from the runes on the blades.
He took one last look in the mirror. He didn't know if he would return. He checked the contents of his backpack one last time… then stepped out into the hallway… his father was already waiting there.
Aizawa leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. Despite his posture, he remained alert.
"Where are you going, Vesemir?"
"Where my duty calls me."
Aizawa straightened and slowly moved away from the wall. The shadows in the corridor lengthened in the light of the setting sun streaming through the tall windows.
"Your only duty is to learn and obey your elders."
Vesemir tightened his grip on the strap of his backpack.
"Get out of my way. You can't stop me."
"Not only can I stop you, but I will."
Aizawa readied his scarf to use as a weapon to catch his son. Vesemir looked at his father with determination in his eyes.
"I don't want to hurt you, but I will if you stand in my way."
Aizawa narrowed his eyes.
"You are my son. I will not allow you to become a murderer."
The young witcher only shook his head slowly.
"No... you were never my father. Besides, someone has to do what is necessary. That person is me."
Aizawa froze, a flicker of pain he never allowed himself to show in front of others crossing his face. He had failed him... he had failed his son...
"Even if you say so... I am still your father. And that is precisely why I will not let you go down this path."
Aizawa's scarf shot towards Vesemir. However, he didn't reach for his sword.
Aard.
A powerful spell, cast with both hands, knocked the scarf away and hit Aizawa. The UA teacher flew several meters, dazed, but managed to land on his feet. He gritted his teeth in helplessness.
"You will not become the instrument of vengeance. I will not allow it."
Vesemir took a step forward... then another... and another.
"I do not need your permission. You have no power over me. You never have, and you never will."
Aizawa felt anger tighten in his throat. His eyes burned red... but 'Erasure' had no effect... Vesemir's quirk cannot be blocked this way... because it is not a quirk.
The scarf fired again. This time, Aizawa aimed for the boy's legs to block his path.
Vesemir reacted instinctively. He jumped to the side and threw the bomb at Aizawa. Before it exploded, his father managed to shield himself from the flash and the impact of the shrapnel.
"VESEMIR!!!!!!!!!!"
Aizawa shouted after his son... but his son was running away. Suddenly, a portal opened in front of the young boy, and he ran through...
Aizawa immediately rushed forward, trying to follow his son. His scarf managed to slip through the portal. He sensed he had grabbed something. He pulled it toward him and simultaneously ran... but the portal closed, severing his scarf.
He stopped abruptly. His teeth were clenched so tightly that he could taste the metallic taste of blood.
"Shota!"
He heard Midnight's voice, running towards him. When she reached him, she glanced from him to the shattered fragment of the scarf.
"What happened?! Where is Vesemir?!"
Aizawa stared at the spot where the portal had flickered moments before. His shoulders were trembling... Midnight hadn't seen so much emotion pour out of her friend in a long time.
"Shota... what happened?"
She asked gently now, stepping closer and placing a hand on his shoulder.
"He... he disappeared..."
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.
.
A portal opened, and Vesemir emerged. His father's scarf shot out right behind him, but the moment the portal closed, the material was cut.
Vesemir walked to the wall and turned on the light. In the center of the room stood a black motorcycle. A Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. The matte paint absorbed the light.
He turned his head toward the board Letho had prepared. On it were photos and descriptions of the people responsible for collecting debts and extorting money from the Shie Hassaikai. At least one of them was responsible for what happened to Kazuki and Kaori Mori.
Time to keep his word of honor.
He randomly selected the first bandit. Sozui... he was the one offering loans to people... loans they couldn't repay.
He still had a few hours until nightfall... He used this time to read the bandit files and replenish his potion supplies.
According to information from Letho's contacts... Sozui was supposed to be collecting 'debts' today... not necessarily in monetary form. Unfortunately, he had no information about the debtors' whereabouts... but Sozui's briefcase contained the address of his transit warehouse....
Tonight, the White Wolf would return to the only path in life he knew. A knight... A defender of the innocent... A slayer of monsters... A witcher.
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.
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Ochaco Uraraka sat at her desk in her small room. It was already dark outside. She was grading her latest math test. If she wanted to get into UA, she had to be better. She didn't notice when a black van pulled up to her house.
Three men got out one by one. Each wore dark coats. They wore masks so that no one would recognize them. They approached the door and knocked calmly. Ochaco's mother started walking toward the door, thinking it might be her husband who had returned home and forgotten his keys.
She opened the door without thinking. She looked at the men in surprise. Before she could react, the man stepped forward and pushed himself inside. The other two followed. One of them grabbed her arm roughly and pushed her aside. She slammed her back against the wall.
Ochaco looked up from her notebook at the noise.
"Mom? Are you okay?"
There was no answer. Instead, she heard heavy footsteps on the stairs. She walked to the door and opened it a crack... she spotted a man in a mask. He noticed her and immediately moved toward her.
"Guys, I've got her!"
Ochaco stepped back abruptly and closed the door, but a powerful kick forced it open, and two more attackers burst inside.
She grabbed a chair. She used her quirk and threw it at the nearest attacker. The chair shattered against the man's arm, harmlessly. He only shook a few splinters from his arm.
"You little bitch."
He lunged at her and grabbed her wrists. The other one put gloves on her hands to block her from using her quirk.
"Let go of me! Help! MOM!"
They grabbed her roughly. Ochaco struggled, screamed, and tried to bite the hand of the attacker who was pulling a black hood over her head.
Her mother screamed downstairs, but her voice suddenly faded. She hadn't noticed her mother lying unconscious on the floor when they went downstairs with her.
The bandits dragged her outside and threw her into the back of the van. She landed on the cold, metal floor. The air was stifling, smelling of sweaty bodies and fear. It took Ochaco a moment to realize she wasn't alone. In the darkness, she heard muffled sobs and heavy breathing.
Three girls sat huddled against the wall of the van. One of them kept whispering only one thing:
"Daddy...Daddy..."
Only despair could be discerned in her voice.
Ochaco crawled closer.
"Who...who are you?"
Another girl answered her after a moment of silence.
"Y...Yasuda Fujiko.... What will they do to us?"
Ochaco swallowed. She wanted to know. The van finally moved in a direction unknown to the girls.
"I don't know, but I'm sure some pro hero will save us."
Fujiko began to whisper. She could barely speak through her sobs.
"What if...if no one comes?"
Ochaco felt a shiver run down her spine. She struggled...but she couldn't free herself...she felt helplessness...right after that, she felt true terror...that awful feeling when you have no control over your fate.
From the front of the vehicle, the harsh laughter of one of the bandits echoed.
"Shut your mouths. No one will come for you. From now on, you're whores. You'll be worth whatever the client pays for an hour."
Fujiko burst into silent, spasmodic sobs. The girl, who had been whispering "Daddy," suddenly fell silent and began rocking back and forth.
Ochaco wanted to scream... but she couldn't... Tears streamed down her cheeks, though she tried to hold them back. She opened her mouth and whispered almost silently, more to herself than to anyone else.
"Please... someone... anyone... please... help."
No one answered her.
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.
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Vesemir gazed out the window at the city. Neon lights in all their colors created a beautiful blend of light and darkness... but there was no time to capture it in a painting.
He donned a black suit. He hid his wolf school amulet under his jacket. The garment was made of ultralight materials, yet durable. From the outside, it resembled a biker's uniform.
He tied his hair into a ponytail to fit under his helmet. He looked at his face in the mirror. Aerondight and Excalibur rested on his back, ready for immediate use. A belt of potions, along with Letho's knives, rested on his chest.
This was the night... He would finally begin doing what he had trained for his entire life: killing monsters.
He put on his helmet and lowered the visor. The screen inside showed the route he was to take. He loved the technology of this world.
He walked to his mount... he sat down and turned the key. The roar of the engine echoed off the concrete walls of his hideout. The gates opened.
The headlights blazed white, illuminating the darkness. He pulled out and turned onto the street.
Vesemir leaned forward and picked up speed. He didn't care about breaking the law, as he didn't have license plates on his bike anyway. He passed an intersection and pulled the handlebars toward him to wheelie. People nearby saw him passing cars at 120 km/h.
Finally, he stopped at another intersection. He meant to be discreet, but of course, he got carried away. He waited patiently for the traffic light to turn green.
He glanced to his right. In the car next to him, a boy was staring at him open-mouthed.
Vesemir raised his hand to his visor. He had done this movement hundreds of times before, wearing his armor. Normally, he would have raised his visor to greet another knight. He hesitated... and waved at the boy.
The child's eyes lit up. He held an All Might figurine in his hands, which he almost dropped. The boy began waving energetically at him.
The light turned green. Vesemir moved forward, and the Kawasaki roared and surged forward like black lightning. He didn't look back.
After a few minutes, red and blue lights flashed behind him. An announcement came from the speaker:
"Driver of the black Kawasaki, please pull over immediately and prepare your documents."
Vesemir responded by accelerating. The Kawasaki roared. The speedometer needle quickly read 160 km/h. The police car tried to pursue him, but after 30 seconds, the black motorcycle disappeared from view.
He turned off his lights and overtook the truck, cutting right in front of it. He used its size to conceal his exit from the expressway just before the bridge. He slowed to thirty. Sirens filled the night air like a raging alarm, and a second later, he saw a red-and-blue glow overhead. The police car sped straight across the bridge.
He headed toward the port district. A multitude of warehouses, both large and small. Whether this world or his own... it didn't matter. Such places had always been the center of operations for criminal organizations.
Vesemir pressed the green button, and the engine immediately stopped... but the vehicle continued to move. This was the advantage of the small electric motor, which allowed for a silent cruise of up to 50 km/h. Perfect for staying unnoticed.
After a few minutes, he parked the Ninja in a dark spot, covered on several sides by pallets of various goods. This part of the port was shrouded in darkness. He looked around.
The containers formed a maze known only to regulars. The skeletons of old port cranes looked ominous in the moonlight. The smell of used oil hung in the air. Everything here was unfamiliar.
He straightened, inhaled, and closed his eyes. He opened the Cat and drank the potion. The world instantly turned gray... and his eyes glowed with a yellowish light.
He ran his hands over his equipment. Everything was in its place. At the end, he looked at the warehouse, guarded by two men with strange mutations... quirks.
The first man resembled a crab from the waist up. His hands were equipped with pincers, with which he crushed metal barrels out of boredom. The second man looked normal, but he was extending bone blades from his wrists and arms.
Vesemir spotted a van parked next to the warehouse. He placed his helmet on the seat of the Kawasaki. He took a deep breath, calmed his thoughts, and set off. He took slow, unhurried steps... and walked toward the only source of light... two guards.
He stepped out of the shadows... the guards finally noticed him. The crabman raised his claws, and the other one extended his bone blades. They took the threat seriously... until they saw his face in the light of the bulb. The young witcher began the conversation calmly, but to the point.
"I'm looking for Sozui."
There was a moment of silence, then both bandits burst into laughter. The crabman spoke first.
"What's this? Are you lost, boy? Get lost while I'm still here."
Vesemir lifted his head and looked the tall man straight in the eye. The crabman saw no fear in them... the boy's glowing yellow eyes... were... something else.
"I'll give you a choice. You can leave. Go back to your families."
The second guard extended his bone blades towards Vesemir.
"What if we stay? What will you do to us? Will you complain to Mommy?"
Vesemir pulled Excalibur from behind his back. For now, he held it with the blade pointed at the ground.
"Then you will die. I don't want to kill you, but I will if you leave me no choice."
The crabman became visibly angry. He raised his claws to slam the boy into the asphalt.
"YOU FUCKING FOOL!"
He shouted. But before his massive weapon could descend, Vesemir closed the distance between them and stood right in front of his chest, where the claws couldn't harm him.
*Cut, cut.*
Internal organs spilled from the crabman's abdomen onto the cold asphalt. He didn't cry out in pain. Not because he was brave, but because he didn't even know what had happened. A second slash cut through his neck, preventing him from breathing and thus making any sounds beyond the soft gurgle of blood.
The second guard, seeing his companion fall, froze. His shock at his friend's death lasted a second... maybe two... but it was too long. Vesemir didn't give him time to attack.
*Aard*
A wave of energy swept the bandit away, throwing him against the warehouse wall. The thud of flesh hitting metal echoed throughout the area. It was surely audible inside the warehouse. Vesemir stood over the fallen bandit, who was wheezing, trying to catch his breath. He asked again, his voice calm.
"Where is Sozui?"
The bandit looked up, his face twisted with pain and fear.
"Inside...inside...looking through the new merchandise...don't kill me..."
Vesemir didn't move, just nodded.
"Go home. If I see you again, I'll kill you. Do you understand?"
The bandit nodded, his eyes full of panic. He slowly crawled away from the boy, then stood clumsily and started walking in the opposite direction. He turned to the warehouse door. He could hear muffled voices inside. Finally, someone asked louder.
"Guys...is everything okay outside?"
End of Chapter 34