ALL NOVEL Chapter 27: The gods are among us
Three days had passed since Akira had given his blood to Hernandez. During this time, the sound of metal hitting metal had echoed incessantly. Then, suddenly, the tumult ceased. A thick dark fog emerged from the forge, slowly dissipating. Hernandez, his face radiant, emerged from the workshop.
"I believe I have completed your weapon," he announced enthusiastically.
"Finally," sighed Akira, rising with some impatience. Together, they made their way to the forge. Hands in his pockets, Akira walked calmly. Upon entering, he discovered a long sword encased in its scabbard.
"So, this is my weapon?" he asked, withdrawing the blade. An unsettling aura emanated from the sword, a captivating mix of red and black.
The blade, long and sharp, was double-edged, with an elegant shape that widened slightly near the hilt before tapering towards the tip.
Fascinated, Akira made a move to swing the sword, but Hernandez interrupted him.
"What are you doing? Do you want to destroy this place?" he exclaimed, alarmed.
"Well, I need to test my sword," Akira replied, surprised.
"I don't want to stop you, but it would be wiser to do it outside," Hernandez replied.
"Hmmm, alright. I'll drop that idea," Akira admitted, abandoning his desire to try it out. "By the way, get ready, we're leaving soon."
"Thank you! I am eternally grateful to you," replied Hernandez, bowing, a smile of gratitude lighting up his face.
Akira, pausing for a moment, glanced at the still-bowed Hernandez, then walked away without a word, leaving the artisan alone with his pride.
********
Back at the camp, Akira received glowing praise for his sword from Yumi and Elysia, while the others kept their distance, avoiding his gaze, especially Dorian.
"So, when are we leaving?" Elysia asked, impatient.
"Not long," Akira replied. "Get ready, as soon as Hernandez returns, we'll leave again."
With those words, everyone set about packing their things. After a few minutes of waiting, Hernandez appeared.
"I see you're already prepared," he said with a satisfied smile.
"You are exactly who we were waiting for," Elysia responded, relieved.
"Can we go now?" Akira suggested, taking the initiative to head off, followed by Yumi and the others.
*******
As they exited the gate, they were greeted by total silence. The hunters who were supposed to be conducting checks were not present, and as they were lost in the situation, a hunter who was running noticed them, stopped, and spoke.
"You there, why are you still here?" he shouted. "Don't you know what's happening!?"
"Wait! Why is there no one... Kyaaaa" As Mia was about to ask what was happening, a wave of energy struck them, causing her to stumble.
"Hurry up!! Go gather the other hunters," said the man before leaving as well.
Turning around, Akira looked towards the dark gate, then activated his Byakugan, allowing him to see everything that was happening. What he saw was a gathering of almost all the hunters standing in front of the gate, dressed in their gear, and among these hunters, there were several auras that caught his attention.
"Well... it looks like they've all prepared themselves," Akira said amusedly.
"Prepared for what? What did you see?" Rhéa asked in a panic.
Looking at her, Akira began to walk away. "Let's go, you'll understand when you get there," he said.
Limping, the others followed him. Unlike Yumi and Akira, who didn't care about what was happening, the others looked worried as they walked through the desolate streets of Washington, not a single civilian lingering around.
When they arrived, they were shocked, and their faces paled as they remembered the prophecy made by...
"Well... I'll leave you," said Akira, pulling them out of their thoughts as he headed towards an alleyway.
"What!! You're not going to help us!?" Dorian shouted in a mix of rage and fear. "You're not going to abandon us after using us, are you?"
Stopping, Akira looked at Dorian coldly. "Don't get too worked up, you big piece of crap, tsss... I used you because I wanted to stir up trouble... and why should I help you anyway?"
Under Akira's cold gaze, Dorian could say nothing except grind his teeth.
Heading towards the alley, Akira left behind a saddened Elysia. Watching the group for a moment, Yumi followed Akira.
As Akira stood in the alley, Yumi called out to him and asked, "What are your plans now?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Akira replied. "I plan to wait for the one behind that gate," he finished with a smile.
"I see!... you intend to face them, don't you!" Yumi said with a smile on her lips.
"That's kind of it," Akira replied, not hiding his intention. "By the way, could you do me a favor?"
After a few seconds passed, Yumi replied, "yes, what is it?"
"Could you stay close to Elysia?" Akira asked.
Upon hearing this request, Yumi's eyes widened, then she chuckled. "I expected everything but that," taking a pause, she continued, "but tell me, why this request?"
"Let's just say it's a whim of mine," Akira replied with a slight smile.
Looking at him for a moment, Yumi sighed. "Alright," she agreed.
"Thank you," Akira replied as he was about to leave.
"You are much more human than Otsutsuki," Yumi murmured so he could hear.
Without stopping, Akira flew towards one of the buildings in the alley.
*******
First-person POV
An hour had passed since the door began to show signs of breaking. As the minutes ticked by, the energy waves became more and more violent, shaking the very foundations of the city. On the roof of a building overlooking the area, Akira stood, impassive in the face of the spectacle unfolding before him. His hands were casually in his pockets, while his sword was planted in the ground by his side.
His usually sharp and piercing gaze seemed lost in the horizon, as if his mind wandered far from the apocalyptic scene unfolding. Yumi's last words still echoed in his mind, looping like a haunting melody: "You are much more human than Otsutsuki." Those words had touched him more deeply than he was willing to admit.
Clicking his tongue with annoyance, he muttered into the intensifying wind, "What did you want me to say, Yumi? That I was human in the past?" His voice carried a note of melancholy. "It doesn't change the fact that I am an Otsutsuki now. But..." He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I do not intend to give up my human feelings."
The wind made his hair dance as he continued his monologue, like a confession to himself: "I want to fully enjoy this long life ahead of me. That's why I will eliminate anything that stands in my way." His fists clenched in his pockets. "And to do that, I must become stronger, much stronger than all the Otsutsuki combined."
A smile spread across his face, a mix of confidence and arrogance. "Come on, bring it on!" he called out to the void, as if challenging the universe itself.
Hardly had those words left his lips when the door exploded with a deafening crash. The explosion released waves of unimaginable power, spreading in all directions like destructive waves. The buildings nearby began to disintegrate, windows shattered into a thousand pieces, and the ground itself cracked under the phenomenal pressure.
Without a superfluous gesture, Akira erected a barrier of energy around him. The same went for the hunters in the vicinity. Debris and shockwaves crashed against the barrier like waves on a reef, but it did not falter for a moment.
In the midst of the chaos, as if from another world, two silhouettes materialized. Their supernaturally pale skin contrasted with their immaculate white tunics. They floated in the air. Their mere presence was enough to make the air tremble.
"Ohh... interesting," murmured Akira, a sly smile forming on his lips as he recognized the newcomers. In a swift motion, he completely erased his presence, becoming invisible even to the sharp senses of the new arrivals.