Meanwhile, Zara was walking down the road with Lu-01 perched on her head.
"Well, the bad news is, a boy from Japan completed Level 5 today," Lu-01 said.
"What? Impossible. No one in the world was ahead of me. How did he do that?" Zara exclaimed.
"We have information that he was at Level 2, but in a single night, he completed Levels 2, 3, 4, and even 5 without dying a single time," Lu-01 explained.
"No way. I thought I would complete it faster than everyone in the world," Zara said,frustration evident in her voice.
"A guy from America is in the same position as you. A girl from Russia is also in the same position. If you don't work hard enough, you might not even get the second spot," Lu-01 warned.
"It can't be. I was the first person to complete Levels 3 and 4 in the entire world," Zara said, disbelief washing over her.
"That doesn't matter. You've been stuck at Level 4 for the last four months. A boy from Argentina, a girl from Switzerland, an Australian boy, and an Indian boy are all close to you. They've almost caught up based on progress. You grew up fast but couldn't maintain your lead," Lu-01 stated.
---
Osaka, Japan.
On top of a building, a Japanese boy in a school uniform sat, a crow with a blue ribbon perched beside him.
"So, you've completed Level 5 today. Here is your Angelicadul," the crow said, summoning a box.
The boy opened the box and found a golden apple.
"What's this?" the boy asked.
"Ishuki, it's the final test and the final fruit that will turn you into an angelic," the crow explained, calling him by name.
Ishuki picked up the golden apple and asked, "Should I eat it?"
"Yes, but remember, the moment you bite it, your soul will be sent to hell where all your sins will be punished. The punishment will be based on the sins you've committed. Are you sure about this?" the crow asked.
"Yes," Ishuki said firmly and took a bite.
As soon as he bit into the apple, pain radiated from his chest, and blood flowed from his mouth. Suddenly, he found himself in hell. The heat of hell was overwhelming, and his eyes widened in fear.
(Ishuki's torture in hell won't be shown for now.)
Back on Earth, the crow watched as Ishuki's body writhed in pain due to the punishment of hell. His body began to turn white with blue shades in some parts of his hair. His skin became smoother, and he started glowing with white energy. A white ray from space struck his body, and he fell to the ground.
Slowly, Ishuki opened his eyes. Seeing the earth again, he felt a wave of satisfaction, and tears welled up in his eyes.
8:00 PM
Tanisa and Tanvir stepped off a bus and started walking down a road. Tanisa thought, "Why is the road so empty? Where are all the people?"
"Mom, it's not that late, but I'm scared," Tanvir said, clutching her hand tightly.
As they walked, several bikes roared up and stopped in front of them. The same guys who had beaten Aria were sitting on them.
One of the riders, wearing a red helmet, dismounted and pulled off his helmet.
"Hello, lady. Do you know me?" the guy asked with a sneer.
"That's Nahid, the gangster of this area. What's he doing here?" Tanisa thought, her heart pounding.
"Well, I don't care if you know me. I'm here about your son. He did something very wrong, and now it's time for payback," Nahid said, his voice menacing.
"What are you talking about?" Tanisa demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.
Nahid looked at Tanvir and said, "You know what? Because of your big brother's mistake, your mom will face the same fate as many women and girls have faced." He gripped Tanvir's cheek, a cruel smile on his face.
Tanisa tried to intervene, but another boy grabbed her arm, holding her back.
"I've never done this with a woman older than 30, but to be honest, you look fine. We'll know better once you take your clothes off. I can't tell your shape with that loose costume," Nahid said, leering at her.
Tanisa clutched Tanvir and tried to run, but they were surrounded on all sides. A thug grabbed Tanvir from her grip, brandishing a knife. "If you try to run, we will kill your son. And if you scream, the same thing will happen," he threatened.
One of the guys cut the streetlight wire, plunging the area into darkness. "Yeah, now come with us and do what we say," another thug ordered.
They dragged Tanisa and Tanvir deeper into the road, reaching a secluded corner beside a building. The bikers parked their bikes at the gateway, standing guard.
Nahid, Tanisa, Tanvir, and seven other thugs were there. Nahid pushed Tanisa backward, and she fell to the ground.
"Hey, what are you doing with my mom?" Tanvir screamed.
A thug quickly gagged Tanvir with a ribbon. Tanisa, terrified, remained silent, fearing for her son.
Nahid removed his pants, smirking. "I'll go solo, then you guys can join in."
The other thugs ogled Tanisa lustfully. Nahid started touching her and pulling at her clothes while she struggled to resist.
Suddenly, the sound of punches came from behind. Nahid turned to see all his gang members knocked down and bleeding. The bikers outside were also unconscious. Samiul was tying a ribbon over Tanvir's eyes to shield him from the scene.
Samiul then turned to Nahid, his eyes blazing with rage. He kicked Nahid's exposed penis , causing him to scream in pain. Samiul picked Nahid up and threw him against the wall.
Taking off his jacket, Samiul handed it to Tanisa. "Don't worry, Mom. I'm here."
Nahid tried to escape, but Samiul caught up instantly and kicked his spine, breaking it and causing Nahid to collapse. "Please forgive me! I'll never do anything to you or anyone again. Please let me go," Nahid begged.
"Fuck off," Samiul growled, pounding Nahid's face with his fists. Each punch shattered bones, and Nahid bled profusely.
Police arrived, Aria among them. "Stop!" they commanded. Samiul kept punching. A middle-aged officer grabbed Samiul's hand to stop him.
Aria spoke softly, "Samiul, you can stop now. The police will take care of everything."
Samiul stopped, his hands covered in blood. The police arrested the gangsters, including Nahid.
Japan - Osaka
On top of the building where Ishuki and his crow were perched, Ishuki finished consuming his golden apple. His hair began to whiten further as he stood, observing the surrounding nature while the cold air brushed against his silvery locks.
"Humanity, I will save you. No matter what happens to me. With my power and responsibility, I want to be the ultimate warrior to protect humanity. Dad, I will keep your promise. Even if it costs me my life, I will safeguard everyone and everything around me," he declared as snow fell, blanketing the world in white.
Turning to his crow, Ishuki requested, "You said you would give me Xhuna. Can you please give me the Xhuna Potion now?"
The crow responded, "You may need it. An angelic is given only one Xhuna potion."
"Dabi, you know why I'm asking for the fruit, right? Why are you avoiding it? I've completed all levels without eating any Gabu fruit. Do you really think I need it? More importantly, someone else may need it more than me," Ishuki reasoned with the crow, addressing him as Dabi.
"Sorry, here you go," Dabi relented, revealing a hidden golden feather inside him that transformed into a glowing green, cross-shaped potion bottle with green potion.
"Thanks," Ishuki acknowledged. Donning a cap, he descended from the roof with the lift and reached the third floor.
Upon opening the door, he found the house empty. Making his way to a room, he discovered a man lying on the bed, whom he addressed as dad. Though the man opened his eyes, he couldn't speak or move his mouth.
Holding the cross-shaped bottle, Ishuki said, "Dad, eat this. It will return you to normal."
His father couldn't comprehend but expressed confusion. Ishuki instructed him to open his mouth using sign language, then administered the potion.
As the potion entered his father's body, he experienced pain throughout his chest and body. "Is it normal?" Ishuki inquired.
"Yes, he will be fine in a few moments," Dabi assured.
Gradually, his father's body began to glow. Initially devoid of muscle and flesh, only bone, his body transformed back to normal.
"Alright, dad, it's time to go," Ishuki said, though his father was still transforming slowly, unable to reply or understand Ishuki's words due to the pain.
As Ishuki left the room and exited the flat, he couldn't help but feel emotional as he bid farewell to his home, his mom, and his dad.
"Bye home, bye mom, and bye dad," Ishuki whispered, his voice laden with nostalgia and sorrow as memories from the past flooded his mind.
His father, a soldier in the army, had always emphasized the importance of saving others to Ishuki. He was Ishuki's inspiration, his role model. However, tragedy struck when Ishuki was just twelve years old. While saving people, his father sustained severe injuries that left him bedridden. Doctors predicted a gradual decline in his condition, with the eventual loss of motor function and a life expectancy of only eight to ten years. With no cure available, his father had to endure the suffering.
Despite his deteriorating health, Ishuki's father continued to instill in him the value of helping others, no matter the circumstances. Over time, he became confined to his bed, while Ishuki's mother worked tirelessly to support the family.
As memories of his father's teachings and sacrifices flooded back, Ishuki vanished from the place, his heart heavy with the weight of his past.
To be continued