Chapter 78 [Death]

"Haru, why don't you come closer? Don't worry, I won't use my power yet," Daiki said, then let out a heavy cough.

I took a couple steps forward with my hand holdings The Katana. The complicated machine around me light up one by one, then suddenly Catty scream without any sound out. But in my head, I could hear her screaming in pain. The facility itself starts to shake and dust starts to fall from the ceiling.

The scream and shake stop when the machine lights dim.

"Why?" I ask.

"It's a simple answer to a simple question," Daiki said as he rests his chin on his hand.

"I wanted to end the reality," Daiki answer.

"Why do you want to end?" I ask as I take a step closer.

"The world is already ending. I only quicken the inevitable," Daiki said the letting out a cough.

"Your answer doesn't make any sense!" I bark, with seething anger.

"I'm sorry for being vague. You deserve an explanation," Daiki apologizes.

"After the death of my son, I was angry. No, I furious at the other powered human. What gives them the right to sacrifice my son for their needs. You couldn't believe how much anger consumes me that day, I did what I had to do next. I kill them all."

"But that was not the reason I wanted to destroy this world."

"It's what happens after that event. I went around the world, accumulate power for a quest to stop the rise of superhero and supervillain by capturing powered child and slaughter them."

"Those kids in the shipping container?" I ask.

"Yes, they were supposed to be dead, but you release them into the city, but no matter. It doesn't make any difference now," Daiki said, but no a tinge of guilt in his voice.

"How heartless can you be?" I ask.

"It's hard at first, but it became easier throughout the years," Daiki said.

"Why do you kill innocent kids?! Are you insane?!" I yell.

"Not, if you know why I did it!" He said with a higher tone.

"The powered human! Whatever you call them, they are a sign that the end is coming,"

"Every time they used their own power, chaos and destruction follow them like a moth. No matter whether you a superhero or supervillain."

"Look at yourself, if you died that day in that burning house and haven't received any power to come back. How many people would be spared from your blindness rage?"

"So I try to save the world by killing them!"

"You are a powered yourself!" I said aloud.

"That's where the reason of why I want to end it right now came in. You see, myself also cursed by the world to become an agent of destruction," Daiki said he gestures to himself.

The machine lights up again and the shaking begins, I can see the space around Catty begins to crack. Catty scream even more in my mind, I wipe the sweat and look at the water drop begins to rise up instead of slowing down. The machine dims again and shaking stop so do the scream, but the crack in the space is still there.

"I realized there no fighting the end," Daiki said, his tone soundly defeated.

"My son sacrifices his own life to save this world, but for what purpose. He doesn't make any difference in the coming end. He only postpones it."

Daiki let out a sigh before speaking again.

"I want to finish it all, no more chaos destruction. Only quiet and peace,"  He said.

I look at this insane man, and hear that insane word, but why do I feel that he is right. I clench my teeth and grip the hilt of the Katana tightly.

"Haru, I know you're not the real one, but I still created you and you still my son no matter what," Daiki said, then he stands up from the steps.

"So why don't you drop your weapon. Come and join me for the last moment of this world," Daiki extends his hand to me, as an offer to join him.

The machine lights up again, and the shaking begins again. An even more crack appears around Catty and not just the space around her, but the facility walls also begin to crack. Instead, of a scream echoed in my head, a voice calls out to me.

Haru.

I look at catty and her swollen eyes looking at me, tears of pain flow down from her cheek, the sadness of losing a family in her heart, I can feel it. But, she felt happy, when she saw me. She smiles at me as if she waits for me.

Then I remember, the happy moment I have ever felt in my life.

The surprise breakfast.

The winter festival.

Hanging out with Kusagi at that hill and Diner.

Meeting Aeterna again.

The fighting and joking around with Cindy.

The surprise attack from Bigjaw.

Meeting Tony and Ricky.

The talk I had with Lucinda.

Lina love confession and the time we spent together.

Uncle...Touka, he gave me a life but it was me who choose to destroy it.

"It wasn't the powered humans that are causing the destruction of the world. It was the choice you make," I said.

Daiki looks at me with his brow furrow and a frown on his face.

"You could make the world better, but the day your son died. You pick the wrong choice because of your own blind rage till that point you were far gone and there is no turning back," I shouted.

"You make your own self-belief that the powered human is the problem, but it's not, It's you! and me!" I said.

"We're the problem!" I shouted.

"I thought you were different, but you are the same as everyone," Daiki said then let out a cough.

Daiki reaches into his blazer, taking out a 357 magnum revolver. Then he looks inside the cylinder of the gun.

"I have been studying you Haru. A habit if superhero, I would say, study your own enemy before facing them and I have been wondering for a while. Every time you fight, you always cover your head with armor." Daiki said.

"Your power is recovery from almost any attack, but to a certain point, I wonder if you can recover from a shot to the head?" Daiki said.

"What you are going to shoot me?" I ask.

"No, I can't shoot my own son," Daiki laugh.

"But, you can," Daiki said, his face absent of any expression.

"This gun has a single bullet," Daiki said, then toss the gun on the floor in front of me.

"You came here without any protection against my power, what makes you think you're going to win this fight?" Daiki said.

If I'm quick I can reach him before he used his power, no I need a distraction. I look around for anything, then I see Lina nodding her head at me. Lina screams as she breaks one of the chains that tied to her hands and begins punching the glass tube. Daiki turns to look at Lina to see what is going on. I took the chance to silently run toward the gun and use it on Daiki.

I grab the Magnum on the floor and aim for Daiki head. If I shoot him everything will end.

"Stop!" Daiki bellowed.

My fingers shake as I try to squeeze the trigger. I can't move a single muscle in my body.

"Distracting me? good plan, but not good enough," Daiki mocked.

My eyes glance at Lina as her tubes begin to fill with water submerging Lina entire body in it. I see Lina struggle to break the tube, but fail. She can't hold her breath long. She going to drown and I can't move to save her.

"Too bad you can't watch her die," Daiki mocked.

"Shoot yourself in the head," Daiki said and let out an even severe cough.

My hand shakes as I struggle to stop the revolver from aiming my head. I clench my teeth and I felt my muscle tension as I give everything I had on stopping my own hand. The cold barrel touches my head and my thumb pulls back the hammer.

"No!" I grunt.

My index finger slips into the trigger guard, and slowly squeeze it.

Boom!

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Lina.

I watch Haru pull the trigger, a small explosion escaped the barrel and Haru body went down with his sword on the side. Everything in matter second. I couldn't believe it, but Haru is dead. Blood splatter on the ground and dozen of it is spilling out of the hole in his head.

60

I clench my teeth while trying to break the glass.

50

But no matter how much I tried, I failed. The water and chains are limiting my movement, I couldn't break free. I look back at the body. Use your power Haru! come back to us.

40

Daiki looks at me and smile, satisfied with his own win. Then he begins to walk to Haru body.

30

Anger rises in me, I try to break the glass.

20

But no matter, I try, I couldn't break it.

10

The other chains! I grab other chains on my hand and squash it before tearing it apart. Any matter of second now, Haru will come back. After freeing my other hand, I turn my head to Haru body waiting for him to come back.

Daiki looks down at the body.

0

There was no movement, the gaping hole in his head is still there. Haru really is dead this time. I scream in pain as the reality finally set in. The water rushes into my throat, but I didn't care, I kept on screaming and punching the tube.

I cry a waterfall, but the tears are mixed with water, preventing anyone from seeing it. I punch and scream until I lose all my breath. No matter how many times I punch the glass tube the only effect I made to it is the small crack. My head became dizzy and my sight blurry. I am drowning.

I'm going to die too.

The machine lights up once more, and the shaking begins. The small crack in the tube becoming bigger and bigger until it breaks itself. The glass tube breaks and spills all of the water out. But, I couldn't move anymore, the fatigue was immense.

My eyes close and blackness replaces my sight.