Infernus, overwhelmed by intense fear, was starting to surrender to the power of my Aura Of Dread. He was forced to witness his own transformation into a creature of the undead, with spectral beings tugging at his legs and the presence of a grim reaper in front of him.
This grim reaper happens to be myself..
Until this point, it seems likely that he had been employing a form of sorcery to shield his mind from it. However, the more he resists, the more he begins to believe that he may meet his demise. Any individual who fears death has the potential to fall victim to it. This phenomenon is known as the Aura Of Dread.
I told you its a overpowered ability.
Using his final ounce of strength, he urgently exclaimed, "I will not allow someone like you to live on in this world!" And with all his force, he promptly seized my hands, harnessing his power to engulf them in flames, freeing himself from my grip.
I was somewhat shocked to be honest, I was amazed that he still possessed such determination despite experiencing a glimpse of my Aura Of Dread, which is comparable to or even worse than the feeling of imminent death.
But its doesn't matter, the outcome will remain the same.
Without hesitation, he quickly crouched down and pressed his hands onto the ship, gazing up at me with a determined expression, as if this was his final attempt.
I observed my hand, and even though it didn't exhibit any bleeding, it began the process of regeneration almost immediately after being exploded.
It appears that my ability to heal and recover compensates for my tendency to lower my guard. However, I need to become more serious or else it may have negative consequences for me in the future.
My bone started to heal in an unpleasant manner, with my flesh gradually wrapping around it.
But honestly.. it really is disgusting to see my bones forming back like that...
Through gritted teeth, he angrily declared, "There should never be anything like you in this world, and if I'm going to die, you should die as well!"
He's talking as if I care.... I really don't.
He can shout all he want, in the end i'll still kill him.
With a firm grip on the sturdy metal beneath him, he exerted enough force to create cracks, while softly uttering, "Activate at maximum fire power... Ignition." He initiated his last attack.
Tiny sparks of fire started to emerge from his palms, as though he was absorbing and channeling all of his magical energy into his hands.
I became aware of potential danger when he uttered those words. It felt like a warning sign, urging me to take action or face serious consequences.
BOOOMMMMMMMM!
Immediately following my thought, the entire ship burst into flames just as Infernus executed his final attempt to eliminate me. The resulting explosion extended over a vast distance, generating immense waves and a massive plume of smoke that ascended into the sky.
Similar to a nuclear weapon that was fired into the center of the ocean.
The assault was incredibly dangerous and could have potentially caused significant harm to me.
Luckily I moved out of the way in time.
After the explosion subsided and the smoke drifted away, I found myself crouching on the wreckage of the ship that had just exploded. As dust swirled around me, I realized that the entire ship had been completely obliterated, erased from existence by the failed attempt to eliminate me. Unfortunately, his plan to kill me was unsuccessful.
Ultimately, his last attack took his own life.
When he launched his attack at that very moment, leaving me with less than six seconds to respond. In a swift motion, I utilized basic teleportation magic to escape the area.
I felt a strong feeling of risk, similar to a signal that warned me to move out of harm's way. This could possibly be one of the advantages of possessing the 'Supernatural Phenomenon' ability.
Anyways..
The deaths of Infernus and Hugo Strange can be seen as a positive outcome, but it is important to consider the tragic loss of potentially hundreds of kidnapped and trafficked individuals. Therefore, one may question whether this ultimately qualifies as a victory.
If I had difficulty defeating Infernus, who was not even ranked among the top 20 heroes in Gokyo City, it means I still have much more training ahead of me.
I narrowed my crimson eyes while the dust flew past me, contemplating my past mistakes, as the wind gently tugged at my cloak.
In a flat and empty tone I expressed, "I must become... stronger."
In order to improve this flawd world and eliminate corruption and unfairness, I must strive to become as strong as I can, ensuring that my power cannot be undermined by anyone.
There were no if or buts about it. I must become stronger as soon as possible if I want to achieve my goal, so strong that nobody can stand against my power.
While I was lost in my thoughts, out of nowhere, two white orbs appeared and started floating in front of me, capturing my attention as they whirled around.
"A lingering soul!" I exclaimed.
I swiftly grabbed it and then crushed it in my hands, observing as it shattered into minuscule fragments and absorbed into my skin.
So let me guess, you're confused again?
Let me explain before you ask. A lingering soul refers to a soul that has not yet reached either heaven or hell, but remains in the realm of the living.
You might think lingering souls are common, but it can only take just a few seconds until a soul passes on.
As the embodiment of Death's Ego, I possess the ability to perceive ethereal beings that remain unseen to ordinary sight. Additionally, I hold authority over three distinct actions: sending souls to heaven or hell, obliterating souls entirely, or absorbing them to satisfy my personal desires.
I have the power to act as a sort of "judgment day" scenario. I can literally send a bad person to heaven, if I so choose.
And hey... You may label me a hypocrite, but I find absorbing the souls, particularly powerful ones, to be much more advantageous.
What happens to the soul when it is absorbed? It remains alive, but I absorb some of its strength into myself. Additionally, there are numerous other abilities that I can currently do or will be able to do in the future as I continue to train.
This specific soul appears to be none other than Mr. Hugo Strange. I understand that it may not seem useful at the moment, but it will prove to be valuable in the future.
I thought I saw two souls still present, but where did the other one disappear to?
I searched my surroundings but, despite my heightened senses, I was unable to detect the presence of the other lingering soul. It is unfortunate, to be honest. That particular soul could have been Infernus.
His soul probably passed on already.
"Whop! Whop! Whop!"
Then suddenly, I caught the sound of something resembling the rotating blades of a helicopter. I swiftly looked behind me and witnessed a fleet of helicopters encircling me, their lights flashing upon me, creating an effect as if I were a minuscule insect.
Did the explosion cause enough damage to already raise their attention? Infernus really had some powerful fire power.
I observed that the helicopters had the initials V.A.T displayed on them. It is likely that you are unaware, but this signifies a problematic situation. V.A.T is an organization that operates under the president's authority and targets individuals like myself, who believe they are above the law.
Someone aboard the helicopter shouted through what appeared to be a microphone, their voice muffled. "Criminal NightFall, the VAT organization is seeking you and requests that you accompany us without causing a disturbance." Without causing a disturbance? Do they believe I am scared? They then added, "If you refuse, we will be left with no option but to kill you."
A news reporter inside a helicopter hastily sets up her camera, urging the cameraman to hurry. Just before going live, she exclaims, "Hello, this is Darnes Charles reporting for CxB news channel, and I am here to present you with live footage of the vigilante NightFall in the flesh."
She had an unusual-looking microphone in her hand as well.
This news station had a global reach, attracting hundreds of thousands, if not millions, who tuned in to witness me, the alleged villain or vigilante.
I can't handle all this noise. My head is hurting, and I'm starting to feel tired.
The female news reporter instructed the cameramen to aim their camera towards me, and once they did, I stared intensely at the helicopters hovering above.
A strong feeling of unease washed over them when, inexplicably, the camera began to malfunction and displayed a blurry image when I looked at it.
One of the men shouted, "What is happening to my helicopter?" as his helicopter suddenly started to lose control. Shortly after, other helicopters also began to wobble erratically.
It was as though the helicopters suddenly ceased functioning.
The lights directed towards me started to flicker as they battled the instability of the wobbling helicopters. They clung on tightly, fearing the possibility of falling off, while shouts of terror filled the air.
This lasted for approximately half a minute, a few of them even dropped off from the helicopter.
However, shortly after that, the helicopters resumed their functionality, and the camera started functioning correctly again. The lights flickered back on in the designated location where I was supposed to be, but inexplicably, I had already vanished without a trace. One of the men radioed in, saying, "NightFall has disappeared... I repeat, NightFall has disappeared."
The female news reporter swiftly repositioned the camera and handed it to the cameraman with a sense of urgency. Breathing heavily and filled with anxiety, she exclaimed, "NightFall has mysteriously vanished into thin air, and we have encountered a significant setback... We kindly request your patience for additional information."
The live news suddenly came to an end, leaving those who had watched it for a brief moment in awe and confusion about what had actually happened.
After concluding the news, the reporter gently massaged her temples and expressed her thoughts, saying, "Ugh, I really need to find another job. It's the sixth time this month that I've come way too close to death. It seems like fate hates me at this point."
With this, there is certainty that the news about nightfall will spread to an even larger audience. However, there is still one unanswered question...
Where did NightFall go?
*****
5:59AM
CAPITAL OF GOKYO CITY_
"ahhh I'm so exhausted!"
I groaned and shifted restlessly in my bed, feeling fatigued.
I'm completely exhausted after successfully eliminating Infernus and Hugo. It was particularly draining because I had to use my power to simultaneously disable the numerous helicopters and objects, enabling me to make my getaway.
Focusing all my energy on specific objects or things at once can be extremely tiring and detrimental to my brain sometimes, even though it may not seem like much.
But honestly.. That situation could have turned bad. Given my current level of strenght, I would have had no chance against such a large group of people in a V.A.T.
Every member of the VAT possesses extensive experience and rigorous training in the art of combat, specifically specializing in the use of shadow magic, which is a cause for concern.
The name NightFall seems to be gaining a more notorious reputation. I'm uncertain if this is positive or negative.
Fortunately, I quickly escaped from that place by utilizing my unique skill known as my checkpoint power. Teleporting over small distances already exhausts me greatly, since I am essentially navigating through the fabric of space-time to instantly appear at various places.
This is the reason why I created something I refer to as my 'checkpoint portalling.' Essentially, I am able to establish a checkpoint or landmark at any place I have previously visited, allowing me to create a portal and travel to that specific location.
Like a game so to say.
Oh yeah, did I forget to say that I have the power to teleport? Yeah, that's just one of the numerous abilities I possess.
Maybe I'm bragging a little too much.. but how else would you understand my abilties?
Although it might be inconvenient, I made the choice to utilize my Supernatural Pheonoum power to create a diversion by tampering with the helicopters and camera lights. This was done to facilitate a swift and effortless escape, since it usually takes slightly longer for the checkpoint portal to materialize.
And now I am here, home sweet home. But you have to admit, it was pretty clever right?
I extended my arms slightly and let out a tired yawn, expressing, "Man, I'm wiped!"
As I started to drift off to sleep and my eyes began to shut, I could feel the effects of my tiredness finally taking its toll on me. After the events that occurred, I definitely needed a substantial amount of rest.
Out of nowhere, there was a sudden disturbance that was so loud it woke me up from my sleep. It was my mother shouting at the top of her lungs, "Raizel! Get out of bed and prepare for school."
"..."
Oh god fucking dammit...