Chapter 48 - Cruelty

Chapter 48 – Cruelty

Sensing a sudden change of emotion, Misaka's senses woke her up.

"What's up." She rubbed her eyes.

"Nothing, why?"

"I sensed something wrong with your emotions."

"Oh. Don't worry about it. I just thought of something depressing, that's all."

"Whatever you say..." Collapsing on her bed she snored away again.

(I don't think I can tell her what just happened. Knowing her, she would probably go kill them all right now...

But to do that to your own daughter is very cruel. He deserves none of my mercy.)

...

Because of Reg absorbing the back of reserves of the energy plant, he went out of control and an all out fight broke out between him and Bondrewd.

With extreme speed, his arm extended to over 40 meters long and surrounded himself, effectively making his body a drill and dashed towards Bondrewd.

Seconds turned to minutes as both engaged in combat. It was only when Nanachi interfered and closely hugged the out of control Reg that he regained consciousness.

Although it did help them, as all the combat knowledge on how to use his body remained, so a second bout with Bondrewd began.

"How come you are not affected by the curse?"

It was a very curious question, since Bondrewd did ascend more than 10 meters yet no visible signs of the curse showed.

But, out from the back of his case ejected a smaller box, and a slimy liquid dripped out of a hole to the side.

"Simple really. These cartridges are made of living humans removed of anything but the major organs to sustain life. Instead of the curse affecting me, it affects them first, basically serving as a human shield."

"What?" Reg was stunned. Such an inhumane way to survive. His disgust for him rose a few levels.

"Although... quite a lot of them have been used up in that fight. In fact, I only have one more... and here it comes."

Once again, because of the curse a cartridge was ejected.

Then, to their horror, Meinya who only responded to Prushka, rushed to the cartridge and wailed whilst licking the liquid flowing out.

"It is a shame."

"Is... that who-" Riko couldn't even mutter out words. She stumbled forwards but collapsed onto her knees.

Reg, fighting back the emotions that could affect his performance, engaged Bondrewd again with a fiercer attitude than before.

This time, it resulted in Bondrewd's defeat, as his body was cut in half.

Seeing how there was no danger left, Riko rushed to Prushka's cartridge and hugged it close.

She wailed like a baby out of a womb, and tears relentlessly flowed down her face.

At that moment, the liquid began to empty faster, and at the end of the flow, a small stone came out.

"That's a life reverberating stone." Nanachi identified.

"What?" Amidst the tears Riko asked.

"A life reverberating stone is the raw material required to make a white whistle. It can only be acquired by the death of a human life, and only if that human has a firm resolve to sacrifice everything for the whistle's intended user. That is also why each stone is unique to a person, as only the original owner can use it.

Most likely, Prushka wants to accompany us on our adventure. She assumed the form of a stone to be able to travel along with you." This relieved Riko a bit, and she gave a wide smile at the stone.

Then, after wiping the tears of her face, Riko stood up.

Nanachi made a harness so Riko can wear the stone around her neck.

Soon, they prepared to enter the capsule to descend into the 6th layer.

It was only then that they remembered about Medea and Misaka, as they were too busy worrying about their own lives.

"Where are they?" They asked the Umbra-Hands.

"We don't know. The place where we told them stay was empty when we arrived.

They then began to mutter between themselves.

"Shouldn't we wait for them? They did help us on the journey here after all."

"Yeah, but they left. The Umbra-Hands said that they imprisoned them as a way to get revenge for the one they killed, but they were not there."

"Should we leave them though?"

"Well, considering their abilities, I really doubt this is the last time we see them. Perhaps they also have a life reverberating stone? Otherwise why would they descend in the first place?"

"You make a fair point."

Settling the mental burden, soon they entered the capsule, and after using the stone, it began it's descent into the 6th layer.

Gradually, the outline of it disappeared in the darkness of the water.

...

"They spared you."

Without even turning around, Bondrewd could guess who was talking.

"Yes. They are still children after all. Maybe they couldn't bare the thought of killing?"

"Maybe." Unbeknownst to the trio plus Prushka and Meinya, the two in question actually purposefully hid from them until they left.

It was only Medea here as Misaka was sent somewhere to pass the time whilst Medea dealt with some business.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you hide? Do you have other ways to descend?"

"Indeed we do. We went along with them for the journey here just because there was not really anything else to do in that situation. We are not close at all, and the relationship was more of a mutual agreement one. They won't spare too much efforts for us, and we won't for them."

"How cruel but effective."

"And who are you to mention about cruelty."

"I see what you mean, but she still lives."

"Yeah, as a stone. Did you anticipate such a turn of events and purposefully set her up for slaughter just so she could become a life reverberating stone?"

"Truthfully, I didn't know. I did it on a whim."

"A whim? That was your own daughter that you genuinely loved."

"Yes, she was. Maybe I regret it and feel sorrow, but it is undeniable that she is going to a better place. Accompanying the kids on a journey into the unknown was the best gift I could give her."

"Is that how you justify yourself?"

"Yes."

Silence passed and they both watched the capsule disappear under the water.

"What will you do now Bondrewd? You can't really live here for long anymore since the place is half destroyed and the most crucial operation systems are malfunctioning."

"Indeed it is." He sighed, "and I don't have the means to fix it. And I can't even descend since the capsule isn't there. I guess I'll have to ascend then."

"Without your cartridges?"

"Without my cartridges. This would be a true test of my capabilities of a white whistle. No cheats, no short cuts, just myself."

"And what of your Umbra-Hands?"

"That is their choice if they follow me. Although clones they are still sentient lives that will do anything for me."

"Yes, and that you can transfer consciousness to them. Therefore ascending may not be harder than you think."

"Hahaha! You even thought of that!"

"So much for no shortcuts..."

"Well, you should know I am a very cunning person after all. Anyway, what will you two do then?"

"What we will do? Originally, after they left I was going to kill you and destroy this place. The experiments and behaviour that goes on here reminds me a bit of my past and I don't like it. But now... talking to you in person, and considering that they spared you after all that you did to them, I will forget my previous thoughts. It doesn't matter if you admit it or not, but you have at least redeemed yourself enough to not warrant death."

"Oh? How nice of you."

Medea smiled, and Misaka arrived at this point.

"I hope you suffer a terrible death on your way up."

"I hope so too."

Leaving with this, both Medea and Misaka walked up to where the capsule would've been, now just an empty space.

Bondrewd watched on curiously as behind Medea appeared a massive golden portal.

Out came an impressive, completely enclosed ship and they entered.

It was obvious that this was the first time Misaka saw this too, as her face showed very visible surprise.

Then, the ship plunged nose first into the water, and surprisingly it sank comfortably into the darkness.

After watching this, Bondrewd turned around and began his own journey up.

...

"Master, if you wanted then perhaps we could ask them to send the capsule back up. It would be better than ascending. At least we can try to unravel more of the mystery surrounding the Abyss."

"Are you questioning my decisions?"

"Uh NO!

"Mm. I did think of that but decided not to. My time is over now. The previous events just proved it... Although, Ido Front is no more. If any white whistles want to descend in the future, they have to deal with it themselves. I'm going up. If any of you want to join me then feel free. If not, you can stay here and hope to survive."

Without waiting for a reply and with no hesitation, he began climbing up.

Although not looking back, he could hear the footsteps of all his Umbra-Hands. Smiling to himself, he continued up.

A familiar feeling of pain began to hit him, but he ignored it and carried on.

1 hour later, he began to feel very dizzy. A little bit of blood began to leak from his ears.

Behind him was already a trail of dead bodies. It was only him now.

Unfaded by his subordinate's deaths, he carried on walking upwards.

Soon, he found himself in a beautiful vast field of flowers, but he didn't stop and appreciate the sights. At this point he was hanging on by a thread. The amount of blood he lost would take out anyone normal

He then reached the layer with the giant mushrooms growing out of the grounds. For some reason, it appeared like he could see through the dense mist and trudged forward in the water.

But behind him appeared an orb piercer. They weren't common at all, so meeting one despite another being killed was just bad luck.

Before he knew what was going on, tens of spikes pierced through his body. His mind already numb to pain, registered his condition and he still carried on walking despite his conditions. His strength was impressive, since the spikes began to slide off his body.

One heartbeat later, the poison reached every corner of his body.

One hundred heartbeats later, and his body was no more than an empty shell.

...

Fifteen years ago, he managed to steal the special grade artifact Zoaholic and used it to spread his consciousness on multiple bodies, creating the Umbra-Hands.

Five years later, the achievement that earned him the rank of a white whistle was made and after years of hard work, he established a large operating base in the 5th later and secured a passage to the 6th using an ancient alter of the past.

When he became a white whistle delver, he used his original body as the material for the life reverberating stone necessary to make the whistle, becoming his very own whistle himself.

And now... all that was left of him, was the whistle, forever lost in the depths of the water on the 4th layer.