Chapter 154: A Heart-Ripping Experience

Chapter 154: A Heart-Ripping Experience

Subject 7 narrates. “Growing up, my life was pathetic. In this cruel world, life never threw me a bone. I was the loser kid in school who had arms like twigs and my eyes always looked bloodshot. My weakness made me an easy target for bullies. They’d call me ‘Charlie the Sleepless Twig’ as they picked on me all the time. I was almost never happy as I went through life. And to make things worse, I was eventually diagnosed with a terminal illness. That made my already disappointing life become outright depressing. I was put in a hospital bed just waiting to die. I prayed to the Light Goddess every night from my hospital bed hoping that she would bless me and cure me of my disease. Sadly, that never happened. And then one day, I met Master Kogen.”

Kogen enters the hospital room where Charlie is staying, lying on the bed and connected to medical equipment.

“Who… Who are you?” Charlie asks nervously.

“My name is Kogen,” Kogen says with a warm smile. “I have partial ownership over this hospital so I come around to see the patients. I want you to know that I have an offer for you.”

“It wouldn’t matter,” Charlie says. “I’m about to die. There’s nothing you could offer that I could get anything out of.”

“I think you’re wrong about that,” Kogen replies. “You see, I came in here already knowing about your terminal condition.”

“I can’t get anything out of an offer if I am dead,” Charlie reiterates.

“That’s the thing. My offer is something that could possibly save your life.”

“Save my life? Really?”

“Yes. And not only that, it could make your life even better!”

“Wait… You said that it could ‘possibly’ save my life. It’s not a guarantee?”

“It’s an operation on your body. If it succeeds, your life will be saved. If it fails, well, let’s just say that nothing will have changed since you are about to die anyway. Will you accept my offer?”

Charlie’s eyes widen. “…Yes. Even a 1% chance of survival is better than 0%.”

“Excellent,” Kogen says. “I will let the support staff know of your decision.”

***

Subject 7 narrates. “I agreed to Master Kogen’s offer and then underwent Enigmus surgery. The surgery was a resounding success.”

Charlie wakes up on the operating table and is greeted by Kogen and Gido.

“Hehehe! It was a great success!” Gido proudly announces.

“That’s right,” Kogen adds. “The surgery was successful and your life has been saved. Plus, now you have a stronger body than before.”

Charlie smiles with his cheeks stretching as wide as possible, feeling genuine happiness for the first time in a long time.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Charlie shouts.

“No need to thank me,” Kogen says. “All I want is that you serve under me. You were the first that we ever performed a fully successful Enigmus operation on, and now I want you to help me achieve my goals.”

“Well…” Charlie mumbles, caught off guard.

“Think about it,” Kogen urges. “Your life will be so much better here. Unlike in your earlier life, you will be appreciated here. I have big goals and I want you to be a part of them.”

“I’ll do it!” Charlie says cheerfully. “I have spent my whole life before this in disappointment, and now I am being given the opportunity to do something good! I’m ready, Master Kogen!”

“To represent your new life, you should leave behind your old name,” Kogen suggests. “You were the seventh attempted Enigmus operation so we will call you ‘Subject 7’.”

“I’ll take the name! I’m ready to serve you, Master Kogen!”

Kogen smiles. “Excellent. Enjoy your new life, Subject 7.”

Subject 7 grins with excitement.

Subject 7 narrates. “That’s how my time serving Master Kogen began, and I will serve him until the end of time.”

***

Back in the present, Subject 7 opens his eyes as wide as they can go and jumps out of the hole. As he looks at Keith, he has flashbacks of his younger days when he was a wimpy kid being picked on.

“I feel… anger!!!” Subject 7 screams.

In a blood-filled rage, Subject 7 charges at Keith. He begins a barrage of rapid punches, which leads Keith to start his own barrage of rapid punches. They both lands equal hits on the other, each strike drawing more blood from their wounds.

With a magic-charged arm, Subject 7 thrusts his fist toward Keith’s face. Keith slants his head but the punch still grazes his face, and blood starts to spill out.

Keith’s eyes widen in shock as he thinks, “He still has this much power!?”

Subject 7 follows up by smashing his fist into Keith’s gut three times, each blow causing Keith to cough up more and more blood, and then kicks him away. Subject 7 immediately launches himself forward and slams his fist into Keith’s face, which blows him into the wall.

Subject 7’s attacks are starting to take their toll on Keith’s body as it continues to bleed.

Keith thinks, “He saved his magic by not teleporting but how can he still have this much physical energy!? My own body is starting to wear down!”

Keith emerges from the partially destroyed wall, breathing heavily.

They charge at each other and start punching each other once more, trading blows and not even bothering with defense. Their continuous blows hit hard, knocking blood, sweat, and tears from their bodies.

As they continue to punch each other, Subject 7 has more flashbacks of his child self.

***

“Haha! Charlie, you’re so weak!” the teenage bully says, laughing.

Charlie continuously punches the muscular bully, but the punches do nothing. He’s simply too weak.

The bully punches Charlie in his arm, breaking his bones where the punch hit.

“Ahhhh!!!” Charlie screams, grasping his broken arm using his other hand.

“Hahaha! See you later, weakling,” the bully mocks as he walks away.

***

Subject 7 keeps fighting, his flashback fueling his rage.

Subject 7 thinks, “Master Kogen took me in, and in turn made me great! I will not let him down!” He then screams, “I will show you how strong I am!!!!!”

He lands a powerful punch against Keith’s left arm. The bones don’t break, but his arm is left in extreme pain.

“Ahhh!!!” Keith screams.

Subject 7 follows that attack with an uppercut to stun Keith. He strikes with a thrusting kick, knocking Keith back.

Keith lands on the floor, lying on his back as his blood starts to cover the floor around him.

“I put all of my faith in Master Kogen!!” Subject 7 roars. “I will be victorious!! I am strong!!!”

Subject 7 jumps up and intends to smash downward into Keith to finish him off. As he comes down, Keith thrusts his hand upward, piercing Subject 7’s body with his fingers.

Subject 7 coughs up blood, with some landing on Keith and some on the floor.

“How?” Subject 7 asks.

Keith smirks. “It’s something I have always wanted to try, and you left your body vulnerable on the way down.”

Keith lets go, and Subject 7 jumps back. Blood is spilling out of the wounds left from Keith’s fingers.

“This is bad…” Subject 7 mutters.

Keith rises to his feet. “Damn right it is. I can sense you are suffering from some inner turmoil. It’s time I put you out of your misery.”

“Shut up!” Subject 7 shouts defiantly. “You have no idea what I have been through! I owe my life to Master Kogen! That man saved me from a terminal illness!!!! I went from being the lowly Charlie to being the great Subject 7!!!!”

Subject 7 charges his right arm with magic.

Keith uses a portal and warps to the space right in front of Subject 7, who gasps in shock.

Keith thrusts his arm at Subject 7’s chest and pierces it with his hand. He grabs onto Subject 7’s heart. Blood pours out from his chest.

“No… You can’t… I can’t die here…” Subject 7 says in despair.

Subject 7 grabs onto Keith’s arm, trying to force him to let go.

“You lost this fight the moment you lost your cool,” Keith says. “You were even shocked by me warping over to you.”

“No… I don’t want to die…” Subject 7 reiterates, his fear skyrocketing.

“Whether you want to admit it or not, you are suffering,” Keith says. “You need to go find peace.”

“No…! Master Kogen…! Save me…!” Subject 7 pleads.

“I hope you find peace in death,” Keith says quietly.

Keith rips out Subject 7’s heart. A ton of blood pours out as Subject 7 falls over dead with his eyes still open.

Keith looks down at Subject 7 with pity. “I don’t know your life story but I can tell… You were an unfortunate soul who never found real happiness. I hope you go to Heaven… Charlie.”

Keith bends down and uses his hand to close Charlie’s eyes.

He stands back up and looks around the room. There is blood everywhere, including on himself. He reverts back to his human form.

“And so ends a bloody fight that is part of a bloody battle,” he mutters. “Why did it need to come to this?”

The battle against Subject 7, formerly known as Charlie, comes to an end. The bloodshed is not over.

Chapter 154 END

To be Continued in Chapter 155: Joe vs Gido