Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: turning my weakness… into my strength.

"Take it as whatever you want knight… because if any of my friends get hurt in the hands of your clan." Hercul stated, bending down face to face with the knight, as his aura instantly neutralized the force from the knight, making the knight a little bit shocked by this. "Then there will be no force in your clan or this world…. That will stop me from destroying your clan with my bear… hands."

" we will see about that-."

"Enough Alex… besides the lord only asked us to deliver the message, and not to stay a battle with them." One of the elites pointed out, as the dark knight removed his hand off his shoulder, and made his way towards the guild door. But then stopped, and turned his gaze at hercul; who had a neutral expression on his face.

"Very soon… I will make you bow to the fortia clan." He exited the guild. "Because even a beast you caliber… can be tamed."

"Please jack… next time don't charge at your enemies, without knowing what they are capable of." I told jack, making my way towards the bar. "Something tells me that things will just keep on getting… worst god help us…. Hmmmm… where is kami?"

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Dante p.o.v

In the morning

'I think that's enough rest for me… now I can feel my strength back, at least just half of it… but I know it will still be enough… though I just hope that the clone I placed at home is still intact I can't keep on resting all day.' I stood out of the bed, making my way towards the door. I exited the room trying to find the exit out of the orphanage, as I passed a room, just close to the main hall; to see that it was sister mia, who was just putting on her veil; covering up her golden hair that shimmered in the glorious morning sun. 'sister mia… wow she really has most of sister trinity's features… I can't let her know that I have gone out for a while.'

I continued to sneak my way out of the orphanage, until I finally made my way outside the orphanage. Passing through the gate, as the seal on the gate had caught my eyes…. 'So this is how the orphanage has been fending itself off the hamjis… though… this seal feels strange.'

"hmmm maybe I can use my chronicle to analyze." I figured, trying to summon my chronicle at that moment… but then, nothing came… it was like as if, it was never present… this can't be. "why is it not appearing… unless… death…"

Flash back.

"y-you see… one of the children from the orphanage brought you here, after you were unconscious in the woods… so I tried to heal you, as you… y-you were dying."

End of flash back.

'how could I have forgot that piece of important information…. But just how did it happen… sure I used death powers but why can't I used my chronicle.' I made my way to the last site, I fought that assassin… the river side. 'whoa… I really did a number on this place huh… but … hmmmm what really happened?'

Flash back

"Hahhahahahah I don't need to go there…. Because I have already been there myself" I brought up my right arm towards his face, with the red ring facing him. As he stares at me with fear in his eyes, the ring grew even brighter than before.

'DANTE…. THERE IS NO TIME LEFT; PROTUES SOUL HAS ALREADY BEEN RESTRAINED BY THE SEAL… AND SOON WILL I.'

'aaaaaahhhhh! I can't hold on!' I shouted in pain, as I felt the seal grow even stronger.

'JUST…. REMEMBER… ONE…. THING… DANTE….' Death voice had started to trailed off, as he was already getting restricted by the seal.

"…. W-what are y-you…..?" the assassin trembled in fear, as he started to stammered

'YOU….. MUST…. LET…. GO…. OF… THE…'

'aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!'

"…. I'm the devils worst nightmare…. dEaTh" I said with a sadist tone, as everything then became bright and then the whole terrain started to burn in ashes. The temperature was so high, that the heat was able to turn the ground into molten magma and the assassin just started at me in horror as his body started to burn little by little.

"NoW diE" I said in a deep, dark tone; as everything just turned white and started… to fade away.

'…..PAST…. AND… ACCEPT… WHO… YOU… ARE.... SAGE...'

End of flash back

"aaaaaarrrggghhh!.... " I shouted out in pain, as a sudden burst of pain ran through my body. I clenched my chest, skeptical on what had occurred. "that memory of death… could it be."

'death…. Death are you there? This can't be…. Proteus, can you hear me?' I tried calling out hoping to get an answer from any of them… but alas… there was no respond. 'i-it can't be…. This seal! Always trying to make my life a living hell! Why can't I just remove you?'

I grip the area of the tattoo on my skin, starting to peel of my very skin; as I couldn't take it anymore.

"aaaarrrggghhhh I don't care anymore I will just have to remove you by forc- aaahhhhh." I screamed in agony, as I peeled off my very skin… but then I noticed that the seal… had fused with my flesh and bone, making sure that it could not be removed. "no… no… so.. I'm stuck with it for the rest of my life."

Flash back

"is this really what you want… is this really what you want to become…" myself said in monotone voice, void of any emotions. "You are alone… and will always be alone… you are a monster; the path you go through is one of endless despair…. Let the seal be in control…. Let it become your despair."

End of flash back

"No… I will not let this happen." I stood up, forcing myself to go beyond my pain. "I will not let all those years in hell go to waste."

Flash back

: "i….won't…. give up…. No they are waiting for me….. I WON'T DIE!" I shouted in rage and anger, as i then I teleported myself out of my shield and switched places with the orb as it was now in my barrier and I was where it was and from there i head straight towards death, who just stared at me.

: "AAHHHH!!" I shouted as I threw a punch at death but only for it to get caught by him and the orb exploded in my barrier, instantly destroying it in the process. I stood there panting with my fist still in his palm as I was already bruised up and had blood running from my nose.

: "i…. won't... give up." I said out of breath.

: "YOU PASSED… WELL DONE. SAGE." Death said as he let my fist out of his grip and the portal showed the next realm as I was left in shock.

: "b-but I lost." I said but death just sat down on the floor.

: " YES YOU LOST THE BATLLE BUT YOU PASSED THE TEST… THE TEST WASN'T ABOUT THE FIGHT BUT YOU DETERMINATION, WHICH FLAMES IN YOU THAT BURN EVEN WHEN FULLED WITH DESPAIR…. YOU PROVE THAT, YOU WON'T LET DESPAIR CONTROL YOU… BUT YOU CONTROL DESPAIR, AND THAT IS WHY YOU PASSED THE TEST." Death said with stoic expression and I just smiled as I was so happy that I was free.

: "so I get to be reincarnated?" I asked and he just nodded.

: "yes yes after all this time, after all my struggle…. I'm free."

End of flash back

'I'm free…. If I can't stop it.' I assumed a steady stance, as I widen my legs and point my elbows back. "… then I won't let it win… I will bear all my despair alone."

Zero p.o.v

Dream state

"sir, it seems that the beast has awoken." I heard a voice from, just beyond the cage that binds me… why I'm I here again. "and it seems that he almost escaped his bondage father."

I tried to push the cage over, wanting to get out of this; as this was the last place I ever wanted to be in again.

"such temper … so it seems that the process has already begun then I guess we just." The stranger started to wake towards a prison cell, which had some covers preventing anyone from looking through. "have to speed up… the process."

Immediately the words left his mouth, my gaze were turned towards the prison cell. He removed the cover to revival one of the most horrific things that I have ever lay my eyes on… or even imagine.

"z-zero no… please father, let my son go… please." That voice… mom.

"please father at least, see it in your heart to pardon him… please just let him go." Father… why are there here, why are they nailed to a cross, wearing white garments that are stained with a little drops of blood.

"no no… NO! mom, dad… what is going on?" I questioned them… but it seems that they could not hear me. "please leave them alone…. Please."

"the sins that you bear shall stain those who are descendants of you two… and for him to be cleanse, are you ready to pay the ultimate price for his salvation?" the priest asked them, with voice that bear false intent… and with that said, they responded by nodding their heads, accepting their fate. "wonderful, for your gracious sacrifice… I shall give your son the chance to witness the reborn of your stained souls… into the light."

"no NO MOM! DAD! PLEASE DON'T… PLEASE!" I broke down in tears, trying to convince them but it seems that it was no use.

"by the order given to me by his holiness… father victor, I hereby deliver you from your sins." The father stretched his arm towards them… as they both stared down at me from their cross, with tears in their eyes, but a loving smile on their faces.

"z-zero we will always love you… always." Then both said in union, closing their eyes in the process. As the father then flashed a grin… that would scar me for life.

"by meanings…. Of holy flame." he finished off, and in front of my eyes… the ones whose took care of me… the ones whose only loved me in this cruel world…. My parents were set ablaze, in a fury of unholy flames. "May god forgive your souls hahahaha."

"no no NO! I-I WILL KILL YOU ALL!!!" I roared out in rage, and like that everything just went down in flame… white flames

End of dream.

" mom… dad…. It was all a dream huh." I trailed off, coming down from the bed and heading towards the window of my room, that show what's just in front of the gate.

"This is the 9th time I'm having that particular dream…. His coming… I can feel it." I muttered, with a distressed look on my face. As a sudden flash of his malicious grin unveiled in front of my eyes, but then I noticed something in front of the gate… or should I say someone, heading towards the forest…. Just what is he up to? "Hmmmm might as well find out."

I immediate freshen up myself, rushing through the halls; hoping to catch up to him and not get caught in doing so… but alas, big sis mia caught me heading out of the gates, with a confused look on her face.

"Where are you heading off to zero? Is something wrong?" she came up in front of me, with a concerned look on her face. That one look I never want to see… 'Come on zero… think of something.'

"Oh big sister… oh I-I was just heading towards the river side, cause… I forgot my…. Necklace over there, see forgot." I said, showing her that I wasn't with it. "Sooo I will… be going off to go get i-it."

I was pulled into a hug by her, as it was so sudden that I immediately turned red by how close we were. "Just be careful… of zero." She mentioned to me, letting go of the hug, which I did enjoyed and was heading towards the orphanage, to go and attend to the few children that will soon start waking up.

"Okay… mia." I trailed off, heading towards the woods… but before I knew it, there was a sudden burst of energy, that seemed to have triggered something in me… but I didn't pay attention to, heading towards the river, to be met with a sight of that stranger from yesterday, in a huge crater just close to the river, as his body was producing steam, but mostly his arms; that were covered in some sort of black tattoos.

"You shouldn't have followed me… child." The stranger said in a pissed off tone, but then there was a sudden poof of smoke where he stood. As I couldn't see anything but smoke… but then suddenly I could hear some growls at my back, as I was now about to be jumped by a wild hamji… I closed my eyes, about to accept my fate, but then it never came.

"Huh… but ho-." I was stunned to see that the hamji; that was about to jump me… was now stopped and hoisted up in the air by… a kid using just one hand; who looked almost my age and my height, having a lightly tanned skin and had white hair, with red iris… what is going on here?

"As I said… you shouldn't have followed me here kid." The kid said in a monotone voice, as in an instant; the hamji was sucked into his black tattoos.

"no way… y-you're the stranger."