Chapter 62: Ashes to Ashes Part III
[Word Count: 2237]
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The atmosphere was tense as Leo sat in front of the balding, bearded man named Engelbert.
Engelbert's office was simple, with a wooden desk and two couches facing each other, separated by a coffee table. Leo sat on one of the couches, staring at the table, lost in contemplation.
Beside the door, Engelbert's guard lay in bloody pieces, evidence of the swift and deadly attack that had occurred moments before. One moment Engelbert was entering his office, and the next, he found himself trapped with a murderer. Leo's silence only heightened the tension in the room, leaving Engelbert on edge, wondering what his captor's intentions were.
Leaning back, Leo cracked his back, causing Engelbert to flinch. Pointing at the ceiling, he startled Engelbert once more. The situation was becoming increasingly surreal.
Suddenly, alarms started blaring outside, indicating a devil attack. Ever since the Gun Devil's assault, the deafening alarm system had been implemented to warn of potential danger.
Engelbert's nerves worsened with the alarm's blare, but Leo remained motionless, seemingly predicting the timing of the alert. He seemed unperturbed, which only fueled Engelbert's anxiety.
"Do you know where the wild things go?" Leo asked in an eerily calm tone.
Engelbert couldn't respond; fear seemed to have paralyzed him.
"Do. You. Know. Where the Wild Things go?" Leo repeated, this time locking his gaze onto Engelbert, making the man squirm uncomfortably.
Leo let out a frustrated sigh as he stood up from the couch and walked over to Engelbert's desk. The silence was heavy, and Engelbert dared not make eye contact with his captor, feeling as if Leo's gaze could pierce through his soul.
It was a moment of profound unease, with the sound of the alarms filling the room, and the threat of something sinister lingering in the air. Engelbert's mind raced with possibilities, but he couldn't find the words to break the silence or comprehend Leo's intentions.
The encounter with Leo left him with an overwhelming sense of dread, uncertain of what lay ahead and whether he would make it out of this situation alive.
"Are you scared of dying, Engelbert?" Leo asked calmly, his voice piercing the chaotic atmosphere. The hairs on the back of Engelbert's neck stood on end. He knew his fate, and it terrified him.
"Engelbert, look at me," Leo spoke with an air of authority. But Engelbert couldn't muster the courage to meet his gaze.
"Engelbert..."
"Engelbert."
"Engelbert!"
Leo repeated his name, the words echoing in his head like a relentless drumbeat, but Engelbert remained paralyzed by fear.
"Engelbert!!!"
His heart raced in his chest, struggling to keep up with his labored breaths. This was surely the end, and he couldn't bring himself to face it. Unbeknownst to him, Leo had moved closer, now standing next to him.
"Engelbert," Leo whispered, his voice tinged with hatred, but still, there was no response, only whimpering.
Without warning, Leo grabbed Engelbert by the chin, forcing him to face his captor's wrath. Trembling, Engelbert's gaze shot upward, unwilling to meet Leo's eyes.
While Engelbert was terrified, Leo was filled with bitterness. He had missed his chance to properly avenge Yuki's passing, and now, the only outlet for his anger was Engelbert—the man who had supplied explosives to Tosaki, responsible for Yuki's death. Leo couldn't pass up the opportunity for revenge.
Leo finally let go, dropping Engelbert to the floor as blood spilled from his mouth. He looked up and caught a glimpse of Leo's heated glare. He knew his time was limited, but he couldn't accept his fate, clinging to the floor as if trying to hold on to life itself.
"Are you scared of dying, Engelbert?" Leo asked again, his voice now an icy whisper, but Engelbert could only respond with more whimpers.
Once again, Leo crouched before him, forcing him to meet his eyes. Engelbert's gaze met Leo's, and he saw the bitterness, the wrath, and the torment in those eyes.
"You shouldn't be," Leo declared with enmity. "Everything dies, nothing lasts forever. What you should fear isn't death, it's the unknown that follows."
Engelbert's chest began to heat up, and he spat out more blood, the alarms outside growing louder and louder. Leo released him, and Engelbert crashed back to the floor, clutching his chest in agony, his vision blurred by pain and fear. The end was near, and there was nothing he could do but endure the torment that awaited him.
Engelbert's body convulsed as he coughed out smoke, and cracks appeared on his burning skin, causing his clothes to catch fire. He attempted to scream, but it only resulted in more smoke being expelled from his lungs. Gurgled words escaped his lips as he struggled to stand, only to falter and collapse on the floor, the flames intensifying.
Pain became his sole motivator, and Engelbert's survival instincts kicked in, urging him to flee. "AGH!!!" he managed to scream as he stumbled toward a nearby window, crashing through it and landing in the street with a thud.
The once bustling streets were now deserted, with people seeking refuge underground or fleeing on boats to the ocean.
Engelbert staggered into the street, now engulfed in flames that consumed his skin at a slow, agonizing pace.
Leo's intense glare never left Engelbert's fiery silhouette as he raised his hand and pointed at the burning man.
SNAP!
Engelbert's body became a blazing inferno, unleashing a torrent of flames akin to a Molotov cocktail, creating a tempestuous spectacle that shattered the very air around him. The fire erupted with a voracious hunger, its hungry tendrils extending rapidly, consuming everything in its path. As it spread like a relentless wildfire, the streets were soon devoured by its fiery embrace, leaving behind a trail of havoc and destruction.
The flames seemed to dance with a life of their own, flickering and weaving through the cityscape like an unstoppable force of nature. Each building and structure it touched became engulfed in a blazing hug, succumbing to the searing heat and fierce power of the inferno.
The city was soon eclipsed by an all-consuming fiery tempest, the once-clear skies now obscured by a thick shroud of choking smoke and swirling ash. The flames cast a sinister glow, turning night into day with their fiery brilliance.
The streets, once teeming with life and activity, now lay deserted and desolate, as rats and other animals fled in a frantic scramble to escape the all-consuming blaze. The once-familiar landmarks and buildings were now mere silhouettes, distorted by the waves of heat and flames that danced around them.
Amidst the chaos, Engelbert stood at the epicenter of the blaze, as the inferno continued to consume the city, the once-vibrant landscape transformed into an apocalyptic nightmare. The air was thick with smoke and the acrid smell of burning debris. The sky was an angry canvas of red and orange hues as if the very heavens were reflecting the fury of the inferno below.
Leo's revenge had unleashed a catastrophe of unprecedented scale, and the once beautiful city of Berlin was now consumed by flames. The chaos and destruction mirrored the raging inferno that burned inside his heart.
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Standing atop a building overlooking the burning city, Leo donned a gas mask to shield himself from the thick smoke contaminating the air. The acrid smell of ash and burning wood filled his nostrils, a stark reminder of the devastation surrounding him.
High above, helicopters buzzed urgently, their rotors slicing through the dense smoke as they attempted to douse the relentless flames with ocean water. However, the inferno seemed to mock their efforts, repelling the water with its searing heat.
Boats filled with frightened citizens sought refuge away from the coast, their eyes wide with terror and disbelief as they watched their once-thriving city crumble before them. Smoke and flames intertwined, creating a haunting veil that shrouded the scene in mystery.
The crackling of the flames echoed through the night, accompanied by occasional explosions that sent shockwaves of fear and despair through the hearts of onlookers. The cityscape, once a vibrant tapestry of life, was now transformed into a nightmarish inferno.
A news helicopter hovered above, capturing the ferocity of the fire in all its terrifying splendor. The camera focused on the tallest building, where a solitary figure stood, a symbol of enigmatic power amidst the chaos. Leo's gas mask reflected the incandescent glow of the flames, concealing his identity and adding to his aura of ominous anonymity.
As the camera's lens captured his attention, Leo turned his masked face towards it, his intense gaze penetrating the very souls of those watching. Without uttering a word, he turned back towards the burning cityscape, drawn in by the mesmerizing display of destruction.
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In the aftermath of his actions, Leo stood amidst the smoldering ruins, his eyes cold and unforgiving, grappling with the weight of the consequences. There was no turning back now, and the enormity of his choices bore down on his shoulders like an oppressive burden.
As the city burned, memories of Yuki flooded Leo's mind—the tender moments they shared, the laughter they once enjoyed together, and the dreams she had shared with him. It was all gone now, taken away by the greed and cruelty of others.
With a heavy heart, Leo peered at his hands through the foggy lenses of the gas mask. Shouzou's words echoed in his head like a haunting refrain, "Yuki wouldn't want this."
His breath hitched, torn between the pain of his loss and the path of revenge he had chosen. He clenched his fists tightly, his emotions churning inside him like a tumultuous storm as he looked at the ruins he created.
"But I want this," Leo muttered, his voice tinged with anger and desperation. "I want this." He took two steps back, momentarily losing his balance as he struggled to come to terms with his conflicting emotions.
The ruins before him bore witness to the havoc he had wrought in the name of vengeance. As the flames danced in the night, he realized that this cycle of violence had consumed him entirely, leaving him empty and hollow.
Yuki's memory would always be cherished, but with this final act, it was time to move on. The burden of revenge weighed heavily on his heart, but he knew deep down that it wouldn't bring her back or heal his wounds.
For his children, for Ai...
It was time to break free from the chains of hatred that bound him. He had to embrace the love and responsibility he had for his family.
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Walking away from the smoldering cityscape, the flames continued to lick at the wreckage behind him, Leo took his first steps toward a new chapter, vowing to cherish the memories of his past while embracing the possibilities of the future.
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In the safety of a worn warehouse, Jeremy and James watched a small TV displaying the breaking news in Germany, while Richard was writing down names on a whiteboard.
"Oi, Hammond," Jeremy called out. "Come look at this."
Writing down the final name, Joey, on the whiteboard, Richard jogged up to Jeremy and James.
"What's going on?" Richard asked curiously.
Jeremy didn't answer and simply pointed at the TV.
"Holy hell! Where is that?" Richard exclaimed, his eyes widening as he saw the raging fires on the screen.
"Germany," James answered, crossing his arms.
"Holy shit..." Richard muttered, visibly stunned.
A small silence took over before it was suddenly broken by Jeremy.
"Well," Jeremy said, clapping his hands together with a smile before rubbing them together. "Looks like our boy will be coming sooner than expected."
Richard and James looked at Jeremy before exchanging glances and then snickering.
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In a familiar laundromat, Hitoha, and Cosmo calmly observed the breaking news on the TV. Neither of them seemed surprised by the unfolding events. Hitoha casually turned off the TV and went back to reading her book, while Cosmo set up a chessboard, seemingly undisturbed by the news.
"Figures," Hitoha muttered, turning the page.
"Halloween..." Cosmo followed suit, going back to setting up a chessboard.
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In the safety of a little apartment building, Ai held Ruby in her lap while Miyako held Aqua. They all stared at the TV screen with wide eyes, except for Ruby, who seemed surprisingly unfazed.
The fires in Japan following the Gun Devil's attack seemed minuscule compared to the ones raging in Germany. From the coast, what should've been the morning glow was obscured by smoke and ash, and the fires painted the sky orange, resembling a haunting sundown.
Thankfully, the alarms in Germany had given people enough warning to evacuate the city before the inferno consumed it. Miyako couldn't help but express her fear, "What devil could've done this?"
"Papa could beat them," Ruby boasted pridefully in baby gibberish as she gazed at the carnage unfazed.
Aqua stared at Ruby in disbelief before looking back at the TV. "Could he?"
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Finally, in the confines of a familiar office, Shouzou stared at the news, shaking his head.
"Could've given us a call before unleashing hell," he muttered, reaching for his phone.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone