Chapter 41: Ride X Revenge
"Imp–" Uvogin's words were silenced as the room descended into complete darkness as if they sank into the dark abyss. The depth of this darkness was beyond the mind and eyes comprehension, unable to notice his body being forcibly moved from the room.
Once he broke free of Sinbad's Dark Abyss, Uvogin's confused eyes scanned his shifting surroundings and then down to himself, thick chains wrapped around his body. His vision traced up the converging singular chain to find it connected to the hand of a blonde hair colored boy sitting in the back seat of a car. Unable to fight back against the strength of the chains, Uvogin crashed inside the seat next to the boy.
'Visible chains? Why can't I break out of them?' Uvogin thought, keeping his attention on his capture. 'This Nen User is slightly skilled, I can't tell if they are Manipulating real chains or Conjuring them.'
"Welcome passenger, I hope our ride is smooth till we reach our destination," Sinbad said at the driver's seat, a bit excited to drive his first car. His gaze locked onto the confused and irate Uvogin through the rear window. Then, he hit the gas pedal with a bit too much emphasis and the car jerked forward and they hurried to escape the madness that would quickly commence. "I would request that you put your seatbelt on but it appears you are already strapped in."
Uvogin laughed. "We are not going to make it to "our" destination safely. You see I will be heading back to the auction and kill that cocky brother of yours and you two will go to greet whichever god you believe in."
"Enough with the childish threats," Kurapika said, huffing. He used his free left hand to readjust his collar and tie. Uvogin shifted his attention onto the blonde boy, feeling completely relaxed and unthreatened. "They are worthless."
"Plus, we saved you from a worse fate," Sinbad added, aggressively swerving the car to speed past a slower car. "That punch of yours did nothing to bother my brother."
Uvogin growled. "There must be some sort of condition placed on his shield."
"Nope, not at all," Sinbad answered with a smile. "He doesn't need stuff like that."
"Whatever," Uvogin replied, trying to relax his shoulder. "So how am I going to thank my heroes?"
"Don't misunderstand," Kurapika said, feeling his own heart rage in his chest. "You are still going to die tonight."
Uvogin unleashed a wide and savage smile. "I love the confidence because it's the two of you against me."
"You misunderstand once again, my barbaric friend," Sinbad said, smiling back at Uvogin. "My blonde friend is going to kill you and I am simply here to offer a deal."
"Deal?" Uvogin asked. 'A Nen condition?'
"Let's get to our designated place first, it's a deal you simply wouldn't want to refuse," answered Sinbad.
…
From within the Great Walls of Uruk, Gilgamesh yawned. His focus remained straight ahead, completely ignoring Uvogin's attack but then the world descended into darkness. So, he simply waited till the light returned and Sinbad's Dark Abyss vanished.
His phone vibrated into his pocket, lazily he retrieved his phone, answered and put the device next to his ear.
"Your Majesty, I heard the Auction had been attacked," said Imane. Her tone didn't suggest worry or surprise, she only wished to know what she could do to aid him.
"Are you calling to give me information I don't know?" Gilgamesh asked. "I'm dealing with the swarming pests right now."
"Should I order the driver to wait for you?" Imane asked.
"If he is still alive till him to take the night off," Gilgamesh said as the Dark Abyss vanished and the open and destroyed auditorium came to view. The night sky hung above them. "Just make sure my bath is ready when I return."
"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Imane, hanging up the phone.
Gilgamesh's gaze locked onto the confused Franklin. He disabled the Walls of Uruk and leaned his head onto his left palm. "Lost puppy, knell before your King and I will forgive your micro-aggressions against me."
'Where did Uvogin go? Did he get lost in that indescribable darkness?' Franklin put up a front to think about Gilgamesh's command to give himself some time to think.
A woman dressed in all black with black hair and glasses entered the auditorium mess, stepping out from behind Gilgamesh. Her sights landed on the deceased Feitan with a sword penetrating through his mouth.
"Another maggot?" Gilgamesh muttered, sensing Shizuku's presence. "I see yo–"
The noise of a roaring helicopter interrupted Gilgamesh as it flew directly toward them. He watched the helicopter stop and hover above them. A humanoid shape was strapped in chains, hanging underneath the helicopter.
Franklin and Shizuku locked eye contact. Doing his best to convey the utmost danger they were facing with the subtle movement of his eyes and entering into the state of Zetsu.
Still, Shizuku was processing the death of Feitan and believed that the members who waiting for them to arrive at the rendezvous point could come together to get revenge for their dead comrade.
But Franklin resisted the notion with an intense glare with a more subtle shake of his head. Ignoring his warning, Shizuku took a step backward and a Conjured Sword pierce into her foot. From the intense pain, she screamed.
"I don't recall ever giving permission to leave my presence," said Gilgamesh. He remained in his relaxed posture, leaning against his left palm and a leg folded over the other.
The sound of chains snapping erupted above them, the humanoid shape crashed and fell in between Gilgamesh and Franklin. On closer look, the hulking figure stood at eight feet tall made of pure obsidian muscle. It wore armored gauntlets and an iron plated skirt. Its eyes were closed as if it were in an eternal slumber. Two overlapping greatswords hung on its back. The suffocating chains around the figure had symbols and shapes itched into the steel.
"Shadow Beast…" Franklin whispered, commanding his body to enter into a state of Zestu. However, the absolute shock of the Beast's appearance made him forget that his Aura Nodes had already been sealed. "Berserker."
"I will have to teach this hideous interloper some manners," said Gilgamesh with a smile carved onto his face. Dozens of golden orbs of Nen manifested around the Beast.
The chains which held the Shadow Beast captured began to shatter, the creaking and snapping of the interlocked metal echoed. Berserkers's eyes flashed awake, deep sinister crimson colored eyes shone as it took a hot breath.
"Shizuku, Zestu!" Franklin shouted. Startled, it took her four seconds to activate Zetsu and if it wasn't for Gilgamesh's overwhelming and radiate Nen already being activated, she would have been dead.
Half of Gilgamesh's blades fired at Berserker but the instant they were released, the enormous muscular figure ripped his blades free and sliced the Nen Conjured Blades into a golden glowing mist.
…
Before the man became Berserker, he was named Alcaeus Apeiron. He lived in a tiny village in the Azian Continent, born with the figure of an ancient warrior with rumored blood of the gods flowing through his veins.
The course of time of this village turned them toward peace and harmony, reducing their once great nation into a small speck of land on the map. This village didn't bear any name or held onto any significance but out of fear of its once bloody past, the neighboring nations left them alone.
Until one fateful day, they banded together to wipe them all out without leaving a single survivor.
Alcaeus Apeiron had a weak bedridden little sister but this didn't stop the two from forming an unbreakable bond. With his invincible strength, Alcaeus would carry his little sister and run for days and weeks without needing food or water, taking the adventurous and ambitious girl anywhere she wished.
If they ever ran into trouble, Alcaeus would swiftly handle it as he always promised his little sister that he would always be there to protect her. Using nearby trees as twigs to toss or shattering steel with his bare teeth, imitations to install fear into his opponents because even with a god given body, Alcaeus Apeiron wielded a soft and loving heart.
The man reached the age of twenty seven and had never taken a single life, even the few bones he accidentilly had to break due to his strength, he would carry the injured and race to the nearest doctors to have them healed. Eventually, every doctor on the continent would tell stories of random injured men and women showing up at their clinics with detailed notes of the injuries.
Then one morning his little sister's body could no longer handle the outside world, her body would experience terrible illnesses but this didn't stop the duo. Her insatiable desire to see the world didn't end, asking to see the treasures of what her planet had to offer to her. Whatever she wished to see with her own eyes which could only be open for a few hours of the day, she asked Alcaeus to deliver it to her, sealed with a promise to accomplish her desire without fail.
Of course, the man known as Alcaeus Apeiron would not fail his precious little sister. No matter the request, Alcaeus's body brought back the sacred item, precious jewel, or renown artifact to present to his ill and dying sister. Every time, bringing a bright smile on her wrinkled face and this brought an unexplainable joy to Alcaeus.
Because they both knew, their time together was limited and the end was near.
One fateful day, their peaceful and loving village was attacked. Alcaeus listened as the people he grew up with and loved dearly in his heart were slaughtered. Unable to bring himself to leave his sleeping sister unattended, Alcaeus guarded their front door. Then, she woke up.
"Alcaeus…" she whispered.
Alcaeus rushed inside and kneeled by her bedside. "Our village is under attack and everyone is dying but I don't understand. Why would anyone attack us?"
"Revenge," she whispered.
Alcaeus shook his head in denial. "For what? I'm lost in the reasoning."
"You no longer have the memories because I've removed them." she whispered. Her dainty and fragile hand raised to hold Alcaeus's cheek. "All of those artifacts and jewels came at a cost. This is all your fault, Alcaeus."
"Wro–" The memories returned as his little sister's face twisted into a malicious, abdominal, and monstrous grin.
Those truly gifted and genius beings were able to utilize and unwillingly enact Nen without ever knowing, Alcaeus' littler sister was an exceptionally rare talent amongst those already extremely gifted. With each and every request, she Manipulated him and Alcaeus gladly obliged for his love for her.
Under her command and control, Alcaeus ruthlessly killed and slaughtered to steal or harvest to satisfy his little sister. Each time, his divine like body would be stolen from him to be used by her and she would live through him and take control once she discovered her gift of Manipulating her older brother.
But unbeknownst to her, Alcaeus' love for her sister was the reason for the memory loss. Whenever he returned home, knowing of the damage and harm he caused, she would give him the most loving smile and out of pity and love, Alcaeus' mind shattered. Forcing itself to forgive and forget all of it.
News reached his little sister of a princess whose fingernails grew green emeralds of the brightest and prettiest of shades. She Manipulated Alceaus to enter the kingdom, killed dozens of guards who stood in his way to enter the princess chambers and sliced off her hands, and brought them back to her.
This was their retaliation on the Alceaus. The monstrous entity who killed everything without any remorse in its path to accomplish its desires. One of the neighboring Kingdoms and the princess's army marched their armies in unison to kill the demon known as Alceaus Apeiron.
Heavy flowing tears escaped Alceaus's eyes. "Why did you use me to commit your heinous crimes, sister?"
"Because I was born in this dying pathetic body," she spat with venom and blood as her voice raised. "You were given with the body of a god and could achieve anything you wished but I WAS DESTINED TO DIE LIKE DISCARDED FILTH!"
"I loved you, little sister," Alceaus fell to the floor. "I still love you."
"Of course you still love your cute adorable dying sick little sister, my perfect knight of an older brother," she said, raising herself off the bed, glowing in dark scarlet Nen. "And I know you will kill and destroy this unfair world for me because this is my dying wish, Alceaus Apeiron and I know you will not refuse."
The man wept in silence as he nodded.
Her skeletal feet fell onto the stone floor, somehow supporting herself as she stood and then stepped toward the distraught and destroyed Alceaus. Her translucent hands lifted Alceaus' wet chin to force eye contact.
"My Berserker, kill everyone and destroy everything this world has to offer that I will never be able to receive," she demanded. "Will you do that for me?"
Berserker nodded, accepting that this must be his fate. Once the Nen Oath was accepted, she died in his arms.
Next, Berserker slaughtered the remaining people of his village and both armies of three thousand soldiers. He stormed his way to destroy the neighboring Kingdom but on his way there, he ran into Beyond Netero.
Berserker was then sealed and purchased off of Beyond's hands by the Ten Dons becoming a Shadow Beast.
…
Effortlessly, Berserker sliced the Conjured sword projectiles, lighting the room in a golden hue. In the next split second, Gilgamesh fired the remaining six Conjured swords, altering the angle to fire at the large beast's back.
Berserker blitzed straight for the sitting and relaxed Gilgamesh, the floor beneath the Shadow Beast's glow in golden circles and directly above it, creating a golden tunnel.
Gilgamesh unleashed dozens of Conjured swords in point blank range, faster than the eye could blink. The enormous monstrous figure moved faster than both Phantom Troupe members could see, when they're eyes were finally able to perceive what was happening, Berserker had long spears and swords impaled into its muscular body, trapping it in place.
Three blades pierced into each appendage, two elongated spearheads ran down each side of its neck, one spear impaled its right achilles, and four swords plunged through its chest before stopping Berserker a three feet from Gilgamesh's throne. The tip of its outstretched blade froze in mid-air a few inches from Gilgamesh's face.
"He killed it so quickly," Shizuku muttered as her mind switched gears, figuring out her next plan of action.
Franklin shook his head. "Berserker is unkillable."
Berserker, formally known as Alceaus Apeiron, was a Post Mortem Nen amalgamation of his sister's dying Manipulating wish and the older brother's insurmountable desire to accomplish every wish.
A/N…
In honor of HXH manga returning, here is a chapter. Sorry for the delay.
Also check out my other fic My Hero Academia: Shadow Garden (Megumi in MHA) if you are interested.
Please leave a comment if your still enjoying the story, thanks.