บท 8: Chapter 8: The Wandenreich
The moment the woman moved closer, Matt stiffened as his heightened senses screamed at him that he was in danger. His heart sank in an instant with dread flooding his system.
"Only realizing now?" The woman chuckled softly as she held him close. "Don't you think it's a little too late, Daredevil?"
Shunk!
A pale, slender arm pierced through Matt's chest.
"Ugh—" Matt's face turned ashen, and a thin stream of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
The woman leaned in as if she was about to kiss him and whispered, "Master, I succeeded."
"Well done, Jessica," a man clad in a sharp purple suit said as he emerged from the shadows, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. A cold smile danced across his face as he continued, "Daredevil, we meet again."
"It's... you?" Matt collapsed in agony, the gaping hole in his chest making even speaking a struggle.
"Jessica, come here," the man commanded.
Jessica's expression flickered with hesitation, but her face quickly turned blank. Obediently, she walked to his side and knelt at his feet.
"Good job," the man said, gently stroking Jessica's cheek as if she were a cherished pet. His face beamed with satisfaction. "You didn't see this coming, did you? Everything was part of my plan!"
"You... Purple Man..." On the brink of death, Matt was consumed by rage and resentment.
Kilgrave laughed loudly and taunted him, "I love the way you look right now, Daredevil!"
Spurt!
Matt coughed up another mouthful of blood, his mind beginning to blur.
Kilgrave laughed triumphantly and ground his foot into Matt's head as he gloated, "From a month ago, I meticulously orchestrated this entire 'save-the-damsel' act. Once you got used to it and let your guard down, I had Jessica finish you off!
Not just her—those thugs earlier? They were all part of my plan. How does it feel, Daredevil? Aren't you thrilled? Hahaha!"
"Purple... Man..." Matt's voice grew weaker with each passing second.
He never imagined his end would come like this. Pain, regret, despair—each emotion surged through his fading consciousness.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Kilgrave's laughter echoed down the alley. At last, his long-standing enemy was gone.
Step. Step. Step...
The sound of approaching footsteps suddenly broke through the grim silence.
"Who's there?" Kilgrave asked sharply, instinctively ducking behind Jessica. His eyes squinted as he strained to see who was approaching under the dim-light.
A man?
Both Jessica and Kilgrave froze, their gazes locked on the newcomer. His attire was strikingly unusual: a pristine white double-breasted coat, fitted trousers, and thick-soled boots. A black belt was cinched around his waist, giving him the appearance of a military officer from World War II.
The man had neatly combed blonde hair and piercing green eyes. Thin-rimmed glasses perched on his nose added an air of refinement to his already striking features.
Kilgrave narrowed his eyes and wondered, 'Is he just an ordinary man? Or some damn superhero?'
Despite his pain, Matt sensed someone approaching. He endured the agony in his chest and managed to rasp, "Go... run... leave this place!"
Even at the edge of death, Matt's thoughts remained selfless, driven by a need to protect others.
However, the man didn't respond. His expression remained stoic as he continued walking toward them, ignoring Matt's plea.
Step. Step. Step...
As the man drew closer, Kilgrave's expression shifted from arrogance to unease.
His control wasn't working!
At this range, his pheromones should have completely dominated the stranger's mind. Yet, this man seemed utterly unaffected, as if he were an empty shell, devoid of any hormonal or human instincts.
The man came closer still.
"Kill him, Jessica!" Kilgrave barked in panic, his voice edged with desperation.
"Yes... Master," Jessica responded. Her movements were mechanical as she charged at the mysterious figure with unwavering obedience.
The distance between them disappeared in an instant. Jessica's fist shot toward the man's head with terrifying speed and power.
Her punch ripped through the air with a deafening boom, its force enough to shatter bone and crush flesh. It was unthinkable that such raw power could come from someone who looked so delicate.
But the man didn't flinch. He stood perfectly still, as if frozen in place, watching her strike come closer.
"Hahaha!" Kilgrave's excitement surged as he imagined the man's head being obliterated.
"No!" Matt cried out, unable to bear the thought of someone dying because of him.
He knew the terrifying extent of the woman's strength. A direct hit would mean certain death.
Boom!
The punch missed.
The man was gone.
Jessica and Kilgrave both froze in shock. The mysterious figure had vanished before their eyes.
Tap.
The sound of footsteps echoed once more through the still alley.
"He's behind me?!" Kilgrave turned sharply, fear gripping him.
Sure enough, the man now stood behind them, beside the dying Matt.
Cough, cough...
Matt hacked violently, bits of blood and tissue escaping his lips.
"Matthew Murdock," the man said, his voice low and raspy, yet commanding. "Do you wish to live?"
"Y-yes... I want to live..." Matt managed to rasp with his voice filled with desperation.
The man crouched down, placing a hand on Matt's chest. "Then, I bestow upon you the power of our king. From this moment, you are one of us."
A faint blue light emanated from his hand, sinking into Matt's chest.
Suddenly, a fierce wind howled through the alley as countless Reishi particles flowed into Matt's body. His wounds healed at an impossible speed, flesh knitting together seamlessly.
"I... I'm alive?" Matt whispered in disbelief as he stood, his injuries completely gone.
"Welcome."
The blonde man's gaze remained cold and detached. "Matthew Murdock, from now on, we are family."
"Why... why save me? Who are you?" Matt asked, confusion etched across his face.
The man's green eyes locked onto Matt as he said, "Because you are one of us."
"This... can't be!" Kilgrave stammered, his face contorted in disbelief.
Matt should have died. His injuries had been fatal. There was no way he could recover.
Yet, here he was, standing unharmed.
"Who... are you?" Kilgrave's voice trembled with fear.
"I am Jugram Haschwalth, Sternritter Elite Guard of the Wandenreich."
The man spoke without hesitation with his unwavering calm demeanor.
---
This was a Gigai custom-made by Nemu at Lod's request.
Not only did this Gigai allow Lod to fully utilize his Quincy powers, but it also imposed minimal restrictions on his Soul Reaper abilities.
As for its appearance, Lod took inspiration from the Wandenreich and the Sternritter, particularly Jugram Haschwalth from the original series, in order to distinguish this identity from his Soul Reaper persona.
The reason? Pure aesthetics.
Haschwalth's appearance leaned more toward Western beauty standards: long golden hair, emerald-green eyes, refined features, and an elegant, noble demeanor. It was perfect for Lod's new disguise.
Initially, Lod had planned to use this disguise to explore and see if he could find suitable individuals to whom he could bestow parts of his soul. This would allow him to integrate Quincies into the storyline naturally while rapidly expanding his forces.
However, after wandering around Hell's Kitchen, he found no suitable candidates.
The scum in Hell's Kitchen might have served well for breeding Hollows, but they were far from qualified to become Sternritter.
Just as Lod was about to head back, he stumbled upon the scene of Kilgrave and Jessica ambushing Daredevil. It was a delightful surprise.
Daredevil, who is a blind vigilante, was an ideal candidate for Soul Distribution. With his strong will and principles, he would be an excellent addition to the Sternritter.
Thus, the events leading to the earlier scene unfolded.
Disguised as Haschwalth, Lod made contact and transferred a fragment of his soul to the injured Matt Murdock.
This instantly transformed Matt into a Quincy, and enabled him to unconsciously absorb the surrounding Reishi and heal himself.
However, the effects of this soul-sharing and healing went far beyond simple regeneration.
Matt suddenly felt an itch in his eyes. When he removed his mask and rubbed his eyes, he froze in shock.
"My... my eyes?"
Matt could not believe what he was seeing—his own hand, every crease and line crystal clear.
This was... his hand!
"I... I can see? My eyesight is restored?"
Shocked to his core, Matt slowly looked up.
Above him stretched a vast, polluted cloudy night sky.
For twenty long years, blindness and darkness had been his constant companions ever since the radioactive accident.
Having resigned himself to a life without sight, Matt had never dreamed he could see the light again.
That light...
"Haha... Hahaha! I can see!"
Overwhelmed, Matt looked around, trembling with emotion.
The street lamp, the night sky, the trees, the walls—everything captivated him.
Meanwhile, Kilgrave was on the verge of an aneurysm.
A month of meticulous planning to eliminate Daredevil had culminated in this disaster. Not only was he alive, but someone had even restored his sight!
"Kill them!" Kilgrave roared with his bloodshot eyes filled with rage. "Kill them, Jessica!"
"As you command," Jessica replied.
She stomped the ground and launched herself like a hunting leopard.
Boom!
The concrete beneath her shattered, leaving a deep imprint as fragments sprayed like bullets, embedding themselves in nearby walls.
"Look out!" Matt shouted. "I don't know how strong you are, but I strongly suggest you dodge her attack! She's unbelievably strong!"
Having previously been punched through the chest by Jessica, Matt was deeply wary of her.
He knew that breaking human ribs with a single punch required not only immense strength but also extraordinary speed.
Clearly, Jessica surpassed him in both.
"There's no need to dodge." The man known as Haschwalth calmly adjusted his glasses and said, "As Quincies, we need not concern ourselves with mere humans."
His demeanor was tranquil, composed, and cold—qualities Matt read clearly on his face.
To this man, these attackers were nothing more than specks of dust.
Instead of dodging, Haschwalth raised a hand to meet Jessica's punch head-on.
"Kill him! Kill him!" Kilgrave screamed hysterically. "You think you can block Jessica's punch?"
His confidence in Jessica's strength was absolute. With her mutation, she possessed terrifying power equivalent to lifting twenty-five tons.
Even steel walls crumbled before her fists—what chance did a human body have?
Jessica's punch tore through the air with a sonic boom, accompanied by a violent gust.
Lod's arm glowed with dark veins as he activated a Quincy technique. By forcibly absorbing Reishi from the atmosphere and infusing it into his veins, Lod greatly enhanced his physical durability.
This was the Quincy-exclusive combat technique known as Blut Vene.
Boom!!!
Fist met palm, and the ground beneath them crumbled.
Winds roared and slashed through the concrete around them.
Kilgrave's crazed laughter abruptly stopped as shock and terror filled his face.
The man named Haschwalth had not been crushed by Jessica's punch. Instead, with a single hand, he blocked her full-strength blow!
"Not bad..." Lod muttered, a faint smile curling his lips, satisfied with Blut Vene's defensive capabilities.
Blut was an exclusive Quincy technique divided into Blut Vene for defense and Blut Arterie for offense. While they couldn't be used simultaneously, each offered incredible enhancements.
Blocking Jessica's punch using Blut Vene was relatively easy for Lod, as her strength was comparable to Captain America's—not weak, but not particularly formidable either.
Lod glanced at Kilgrave with thinly veiled disdain.
Not only was Kilgrave's ability sinister, but he himself was a depraved monster. He had not only manipulated Jessica but also subjected her to both physical and psychological abuse.
Lod knew he wasn't a morally good person, but there were lines he would never cross.
Indeed, as you might suspect...
Yes, she had been assaulted sexually.
Lod had come across some of their stories in a previous life while researching.
In comics, such scenarios might be tolerated, but in reality...
Monsters like Kilgrave deserved only one fate: death.
Murderous intent flickered in Lod's eyes.
Swish!
Kilgrave broke into a cold sweat in an instant, and panic was written all over his face.
He had come for revenge that day, but who could have expected such a terrifying figure to show up halfway through his plan?
Not only had this person saved the dying Matt, but they had also effortlessly blocked Jessica's attack, and even Kilgrave's greatest weapon, his pheromone-based mind control, had proven to be completely ineffective.
"Run! Run! Run!"
"Jessica!" he shouted in terror, "Get me out of here!"
With Jessica's superhuman strength and her ability to fly, she was his only hope of escape.
As soon as she received the command, Jessica quickly retreated and grabbed Kilgrave by his clothes, then effortlessly carried him on her back.
Whoosh!
Jessica flew with astonishing speed and vanished almost instantly from sight.
Matt's expression changed drastically as he exclaimed, "This is bad! They're escaping!"
"Don't worry," Lod said with a cold smile, and his eyes slightly narrowed. "He won't get away."
To be fair, Kilgrave's plan had been meticulous if viewed from a normal perspective.
Most superheroes lacked the ability to fly, so once Jessica had taken off into the sky with him, no one would have been able to stop them.
Unfortunately for him, Kilgrave had been simply too unlucky, for he had encountered Lod.
Flying through the air? No, no, that was far too basic.
Whether as a Quincy or a Shinigami, one could hover in midair by manipulating the Reishi beneath their feet.
Air Step!
In Matt's view, Haschwalth had vanished in an instant.
"???" Matt blinked in confusion.
The next moment, Kilgrave, who had thought himself safe, had his eyes widen in shock.
Right before them was none other than Haschwalth.
"Down you go," Lod said as he pressed his hand downward.
A terrifying burst of Reiatsu suddenly erupted.
Crash!
An invisible force slammed into Jessica and Kilgrave, sending them hurtling toward the ground.
Boom!
At the critical moment, Kilgrave had used Jessica as a cushion, which reduced the impact for himself.
Still, his body, being no stronger than that of an ordinary human, had suffered greatly, and one of his legs had broken upon landing.
Lod descended slowly from the sky.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Kilgrave cursed under his breath while his face twitched with frustration.
Saving a dying person with bare hands had already been ridiculous, but what had come after was even more absurd. 'Was this man really human? What kind of human could stand in the sky like that?'
"Wait… wait!" Kilgrave stammered in panic. "Spare me! I can serve you!"
"Serve me?" Lod's gaze turned icy. "The Wandenreich cannot be sullied by trash like you."
This was a lie.
The truth was that Lod had found him too useless to bother with. Control pheromones and hormones? Don't make him laugh. Soul Reapers didn't have such things. Controlling Hollows? That would have only led to a messy death.
For these reasons, Lod had decided that exterminating him was the best option.
"No… no!" Kilgrave's sweat dripped down as he shouted, "You can't kill me! I have connections with The Hand!"
"The Hand?" Lod raised an eyebrow, reminded of the organization he had nearly forgotten.
It was indeed strange, for members of The Hand had been rather inactive lately. Could they have been in hiding?
Seeing Haschwalth pause, Kilgrave assumed his threat had worked and continued, "The five leaders of The Hand need my help for an important mission. If you kill me, they will come after you!"
"Good," Lod said with a grin. "I'd be delighted."
He had been running low on souls lately and had been planning to deal with The Hand regardless.
"Farewell… Purple Man," Lod said coldly as he loosened his grip.
Ding…
A silver Quincy Cross, attached to a chain, fell into his hand.
Buzz!
Lod infused his Reiryoku into the cross, transforming it into a silver revolver adorned with intricate engravings that resembled an exquisite work of art.
At the same time, the revolver's name appeared in Lod's mind:
The Adjudicator!
Unlike Shinigami, Quincies didn't rely on complex abilities for their weapons.
Instead, the Quincy Cross could absorb Reishi from the air to execute specialized combat techniques.
Realizing Lod's intent, Kilgrave panicked and shouted, "Jessica, shield me!"
Jessica stepped forward under his command, and Kilgrave hid behind her, yelling, "If you want to kill me, you'll have to kill her first!"
Lod chuckled and said, "Do you think I care about her?"
"No!" Kilgrave shouted hysterically. "She's a superhero, an innocent person! She's only under my control!"
Kilgrave clung to Jessica as if she were his lifeline and said, "She's innocent! Can you really kill an innocent woman? Are you still a hero?"
Lod raised his gun, aiming at both Jessica and Kilgrave
"You can't kill me!" Kilgrave screamed. "Heroes don't kill innocents! Do you want her blood on your hands?!"
"For the last time," Lod said coldly, "I am not a superhero. I am Jugram Haschwalth, Sternritter of the Wandenreich."
Kilgrave, now desperate, pushed Jessica forward.
"Jessica, block the bullet no matter what!"
Lod murmured, "Schrift: X-Axis," as he pulled the trigger.
The Judicator absorbed ambient Reishi, condensing it into a projectile imbued with the X-Axis Schrift.
Bang!
A blue light shot forth, piercing Jessica's chest before continuing through Kilgrave and beyond, obliterating everything in its path.
Boom, boom, boom…
Buildings in the projectile's trajectory crumbled, leaving utter devastation.
Lod's eyes gleamed with satisfaction, for the X-Axis was indeed formidable.
Within its range, no object between two points could withstand its attack.
This was the true essence of absolute offense.
---
After Lod had used Schrift: X-Axis, the SHIELD alarms immediately began blaring with a shrill and relentless siren.
"Damn it!"
Nick Fury, looking exhausted with heavy dark circles under his eyes, angrily hurled yet another coffee cup across the room.
"Is this ever going to end? Who's causing trouble this time?" he demanded with a weary but fiery tone.
"Director." Agent Hill entered the room and stood at attention.
Fury sighed deeply, the weight of the situation visibly creasing his face further as he waved a dismissive hand. "Find out what's going on!"
"Yes, Director." Hill nodded firmly before striding out of the room.
---
Kilgrave lay sprawled on the ground as his life slipped away, his pupils gradually losing focus and his breaths growing shallower.
He had never imagined that his end would come here of all places.
But he thought it had been worth it, for at least he had managed to take a superheroine down with him in the end.
"Ha... hahaha..."
Even in his final moments, Kilgrave let out a maniacal laugh.
"Jessica, looks like you'll never escape my control!" he said triumphantly.
"You're celebrating too soon," a calm yet chilling voice interrupted.
Lod's lips curved into an eerie smile as he slowly approached Jessica's motionless body.
Placing a finger gently on her forehead, Lod split another fragment of his soul and gifted it to her without hesitation.
However, splitting two soul fragments in one day left Lod looking pale and visibly drained.
Fatigue etched into his features as he reflected grimly, 'I can't keep doing this. The emptiness in my soul is becoming too severe.'
The faint blue soul fragment gradually merged into Jessica's body with its glow flickering softly.
"???" Kilgrave, watching this bizarre and familiar scene unfold, was left speechless before succumbing to his injuries and dying.
[Gained Medium Soul x1.] Lod nodded slightly with his satisfaction faint but evident.
Matt arrived just in time to witness the peculiar scene, finding himself momentarily stunned into silence.
He couldn't shake the feeling that Haschwalth had orchestrated the situation specifically to enrage Kilgrave to death.
And he wasn't entirely wrong.
Lod's actions had been intentional, though not solely to torment Kilgrave.
The "Soul Distribution: Flawless Healing" ability had a strict limitation, as it could only be used on individuals suffering from physical or mental deficiencies.
Since Jessica lacked such deficiencies, Lod had to create one.
Severe injury and near-death, from a particular perspective, could indeed qualify as deficiencies, he reasoned.
"Ugh..." Jessica groaned faintly as her eyes fluttered open.
The first thing she saw was a finely sculpted face framed by mesmerizing emerald-green eyes.
"Welcome back... my kin," Lod said softly, a rare hint of relief in his voice as he realized his gamble had succeeded.
"It's you?" Jessica blinked in surprise before recalling his name from the depths of her memory.
'Haschwalth!' Even though she had been under Kilgrave's control, Jessica had retained her memories and remembered this cold man vividly.
"You... saved me? Why?" Jessica's voice trembled slightly as disbelief mingled with confusion.
She had fully expected to die alongside Kilgrave, yet this man had saved her life instead.
"Yes." Lod replied in a tone that was distant and composed. "Because you share our bloodline. Though faint, it still makes you one of our kin."
"Bloodline? Kin?" Jessica repeated the unfamiliar terms, her mind fixating on a single pressing question. "Kilgrave... is he really dead?"
"He's dead," Lod answered without any discernible emotion. "From now on, you are free."
'Kilgrave was dead.'
'He was truly gone!'
"I... I'm free?!" Jessica whispered, the realization crashing over her like a tidal wave as tears began streaming uncontrollably down her face.
The nightmare was finally over.
The demon who had tormented her for so long had been vanquished.
And with his death, the pain, humiliation, and tragedy that had marked her life as his puppet had come to an end.
---
After some time, Jessica managed to calm herself, though her expression remained troubled as her gaze settled on Lod.
"You... would really accept me?" she asked hesitantly, her voice tinged with fear and uncertainty.
Her dark past and the blood of innocents that stained her hands weighed heavily on her conscience.
Even with Kilgrave's control broken, Jessica felt as though there was no place left for her in the world.
Her clear eyes locked onto Lod's, reflecting a fragile mix of hope, anxiety, and hesitation. "Can I... truly join you?"
"Jessica Jones..." Lod adjusted his glasses with deliberate precision, his tone steady and unyielding.
"You are a citizen of the Wandenreich. Our blood flows in your veins, so there is nothing for you to fear."
"But..." Jessica hesitated, her voice faltering. "I might bring trouble... the superheroes will come after me."
Lod knelt down before her and gently took her hand, his gaze unwavering as he spoke with quiet conviction. "If you are afraid, then stand behind me. Just as clouds cannot hide the sun, I will dispel all darkness for you."
His voice, deep and resonant, carried an unshakable strength and a calming assurance.
Jessica's heart skipped a beat, her cheeks flushing with an unfamiliar warmth.
In her eyes, Haschwalth seemed to radiate like the sun itself, warm and dazzling.
Unable to meet his gaze any longer, she lowered her head, her battered heart finding solace and clarity in his presence.
She made her decision silently but resolutely.
If her past had been cloaked in darkness, then her future would be spent by the side of the sun.
Haschwalth had become her sun.
"Lord Haschwalth..." Jessica murmured, kneeling on one knee as she spoke with reverence. "If you are the sun, then I shall be the planet that orbits you, forever at your side."
It took everything in Lod not to visibly react to the moment's overwhelming cringe.
'Sigh,'
---
Lod knew deep down that he was a hypocrite, through and through.
The "Soul Distribution: Flawless Healing" ability didn't merely heal the body and mind. It also absorbed knowledge, experience, and talent for the wielder's benefit.
Its most insidious feature lay in the subtle influence it exerted over the souls it touched.
Those healed by it often came to see Lod as a god and worshipped him.
By killing someone for controlling others, Lod recognized bitterly that he was merely doing the same thing, albeit with more subtlety.
For Jessica, Haschwalth had become the sun that illuminated her life.
For Matt, he had become the light that guided him through the darkest shadows.
Even Matt, who is steadfast in his own principles, found himself unable to resist the subtle transformation that had taken root.
"Lord Haschwalth!" Matt knelt before him, his voice brimming with fervent devotion. "I, too, vow to follow you!"
(End of Chapter)
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