Chapter 36: Menace

There was a lot of pressure on Raphael's shoulders. What he says could cause the deaths of many or possibly save their lives. Yet, he didn't seem nervous at all. 

"You look confident." 

"Well, I've been at your side for over two decades." 

He grinned at Giovanni. 

"You might not have spoken much about yourself or the past, but I'm still certain I have you figured out." 

"Alright, then first question. What's your name?" 

"Raphael." 

"…Did I name you?" 

Raphael noticed a small pause from Giovanni. 

"No, I was named by my biological parents." 

"Where did we meet?" 

"Tunisia. You were deployed by the U.S government to help control the riots from the military-led coup. You found me holding on to the decomposed remains of my parents." 

"I see…I now understand why I would adopt you." 

"It was on whim." 

"Correct." 

Giovanni answered immediately. 

"It seems I struck a deal with the US government and worked for them going from war zone to war zone. If that's the case, I was close to the answer I sought and met you who had a strong will." 

"I was your entertainment. Someone you could observe for reasons undisclosed to me." 

Giovanni nodded. 

"Did I name any of you?" 

Raphael nodded. 

"You named the youngest three. Gina, Ryder, and Damini." 

Ryder stood beside Gina and Damini. His eyes were bright for the first time since Gustav's death. 

"Gina and Ryder, I can understand, why Damini?" 

"You said I was a fast crawler as a baby." 

"Enough said." 

Giovanni nodded as if understanding. 

"Are any of you my biological children?" 

"No, but you do have a biological daughter, Melissa. She's the reason we came to the island. Her life was about to be in danger, so we came here to find a way to get her a stronger body without risking the chance of dying from digesting God Essence." 

"Her mother?" 

Raphael shook his head. 

"We don't know. You hid it pretty well and never told us no matter how much we bugged you. Melissa seems to know, but won't say." 

Roxanne answered. 

"We did make a bet on who it was though. The winner will be decided when one of you talks." 

Chul answered. 

"Makes sense. If I chose a partner, it must be someone pretty unique, probably some kind of criminal." 

Giovanni nodded. The smoke from the explosion finally cleared and Zagon and Kelz appeared in damaged clothing. Giovanni pointed at them with his thumb. 

"So we came here and got caught up in their mess and that's why we're here." 

Raphael nodded. 

"Then, did we get what we came for?" 

"Yes. Kelz gave—" 

"Then why are you still fighting for them?" 

Raphael swallowed his words. He didn't answer immediately and looked at Giovanni's deadpan expression. 

(He's wondering why we delayed bringing the medicine back to Melissa, just to help Kelz out, risking our lives in the process. This is a fundamental question and the answer is something the current him might not accept because of how much he changed.) 

"Because she did good by us, so we must do good by her." 

"...." 

Giovanni didn't say anything and kept staring at Raphael. After a while he spoke— 

"Why did you feel the need to fulfill your end of the bargain?" 

"Because we must always return the favor." 

"Alright, I believe you." 

"Huh?" 

Raphael was confused by the sudden acceptance. 

"Your answers were correct in your point of view and you showed no indication of doubting them. So I believe you." 

Giovanni pointed at him. 

"What I taught you was something necessary for blending in society. Following it will make life better. I did it to look normal to those around me." 

"Then…." 

Everyone's face brightened up. 

"I will destroy this island and its people." 

"….Huh?" 

Giovanni's words caused everyone to short circuit. 

"W-Why?" 

"Why?" 

It was Giovanni's time to look confused. 

"Do I need a reason other than wanting to do it?" 

"?!" 

Chills ran up Raphael's spine. His heart started racing and his palms became sweaty. 

(I made a mistake. I've gotten so used to Gustav Fernandez, the father, that I forgot how Gustav Fernandez, the Blood Devil, really was. He was a menace with no moral compass. All he cared about was getting the answer he was seeking.) 

"The 62-year old me who came here had obtained his answer, but I didn't. His journey has ended, but mine is just beginning." 

Giovanni clenched his fists. 

"This power I receive just opened a world of new questions that I must answer." 

He showed a grin. 

"No, let's stop the pretense." 

His grin grew into a diabolical one overflowing with venom. 

"I just want to test out how far I can go. Just how much destruction and mayhem I can cause before I die. I just want to see my limits." 

He stomped the earth and large cracks ran through the ground. 

"The chance of the lifetime! An even fight against gods to the death! This is will be the peak of my life! So come at me with everything you got!" 

His voice sent chills down everybody's spine and rocked them to the core. He quickly looked at Raphael. 

"Oh, you guys are family, so you're exempt from this death battle. However, if you still wish to fight I won't stop, but I won't kill you. Consider this as giving you a slight handicap. So what do you say?" 

"If you raised us the answer should be obvious…" 

Raphael and his siblings readied themselves for battle. The rest of the warriors from both sides did the same. Giovanni was standing in a sea of enemies. Yet, his grin only became wider. 

"Then let me give my children some advice." 

"Come at you with the intention to kill, right?" 

Giovanni chuckled. 

"You really are my—" 

He lifted his hand and blocked a kick from Zagon. The ground underneath him burst apart and chunks of earth flew about. 

"Aren't you impatient, Zaggy?" 

"Why would I wait for you to kill me?" 

Kelz popped up at his side. She threw a punch at his side. Giovanni raised his knee and blocked it with his leg. 

"Good. This is how it should be!" 

He forced the two of them back. 

"Xeroi!" 

"Zyna! Raphael!" 

The two Lords called out for their Generals. They glared at the smiling Giovanni as they roared in unison. 

"Prepare for war!" 

"Yes, My Lord!" 

The warriors roared, turning their full attention on Giovanni, who welcomed them with open arms. 

"Come, Gods! Let me send you all to hell!" 

Zagon and Kelz rushed at Giovanni again. Blue light gathered around their fist and leg respectively. Zagon punched out while Kelz threw a kick. A barrage of fists and feet made of light flew at Giovanni. He punched the earth and caused a dust cloud to cover the battlefield. Kelz and Zagon immediately gathered essence at their feet and spread it out. A map of their surroundings popped up in their heads. 

"Shit!" 

They spun towards each other. Giovanni popped up between them with his hands stretched out towards their chests. 

(A shockwave to the heart?!) 

It was too late to move back. 

A light flashed between them. The sound of metal clashing rang. Zyna and Fayax popped up and slashed both his arms. Kelz and Zagon was able to escape. Giovanni grabbed at their necks. Gunshots rang out and pierced through his arms. Xeroi and Brix flew out of the dust and attacked him from back and front. 

"Heh!" 

Giovanni grinned and leaped into the air. Roxanne appeared above him. He stretched out towards her. A whip was wrapped around his leg and pulled him. Roxanne was out of his reach but he was quickly in hers. She punched down and slammed her fist in the side of his head. He crashed into the earth. The whip pulled his leg again and threw him into the air. Chul aimed a rifle and fired at him. 

"I see." 

Giovanni twisted his body and kicked the shot into the earth. He pulled the whip and Gina was dragged into the air. 

"I trained you guys, so you know how I fight, right?" 

She released her whip and threw explosives in the air. They exploded before reaching. On the ground, Raphael and Ryder lifted Damini and threw her with explosive force. She flew through the smoke and slashed Giovanni with her daggers as she shot past him. Blood sprayed from his neck as he landed on the ground. 

Kelz and Zagon popped up at his sides. 

(He has a serious wound. He has to focus the essence inside him on healing. That means his defense and offense will be weakened.) 

"That's a good plan on paper." 

Giovanni shot to the right at Zagon. He hit him in the chest, stomach, and side. He spun around and kicked Kelz under the chin. Zagon fell to his knees gasping for air and Kelz flew into the distance. This entire exchange happened in an instant. Everyone froze when they saw the two Lords incapacitated in a blink of an eye. 

"The problem with your plan is you underestimate how much control I got over the Essence in my body." 

The cut on Giovanni's neck healed in an instant. 

"You've also underestimated how fucked you are."