What in the world, is this?. Yes, this question was in everyone's minds. How can this be?. The thoughts were etched on everyone's face. The girl looked at veteran leader.
" Brody, should I have... ". He shushed her before she could complete her sentence.
" . We can't interfere Vana, I'm just as shocked as you are". He looked back at Kato, who was still kneeling and in his resurrection moment.
". This kid,... ". He held his chin in his right palm. ". Might just be and immortal. ". The girl, Vana, just looked at her leader, and turned back to the playground.
". Immortal, huh. I think it might just be that. He has no regeneration, from what I see". Vana said calmly. She heard Brody click his tongue.
". Yeah". Was all he could say. He was just a surprised as everyone else. Some individuals in the crowd began to stir. Tae Sung was still in disbelief about what happened. He couldn't even react to this kid's movement, and he was flown to the cage. ". Dammit". Was all he could muster. Who is this kid?. He looked at Kato who was still kneeling facing upwards.
". Fine, I'll get serious then". He supported himself with his palms and stood, walking towards Kato. The crowd began to cheer again, still for Tae Sung.
". It's gonna get interesting. " Brody smirked, nodding his head. Vana just looked athene the playground.
". Tae Sung is a renowned boxer of yester years". She thought to her self. Tae Sung had reached the spot Kato was. He bent down whilst looking at him. Kato wasn't fazed by him, but kept his gaze steady at the crystals that took care of the artificial lighting.
". Hey, ". Kato heard the voice and turned to the producer of the sound. He looked at him.
Tae Sung has black iris. He thought.
". Senior? ". He looked at him. Kato still felt fear as he's still aware of how Tae sung can kill him with ease, however he wasn't the least scared of what will happen after that. He was sure, after all, that life doesn't want to let go of him.
". Who and what are you? ". He asked. Kato still looked at Tae Sung as he asked the question. The crowd began to jeer at Kato, asking him who he was.
". Me... ". Kato's lips opened, and words could flow. ". I'm a normal human kid. Musaru Kato."
". What I know is that,?". Vana stole a glance from Tae Sung. He was ready. She smiled sheepishly.
". Even before his hunter awakening,... ". Tae Sung's face squeezed immediately, making Kato recoil and jolt to laughter.
". He has never lost a match. " Tae Sung gave Kato a clean decapitation. His head rolled on the ground his blood speaking everywhere. Vana smiled more,
". I knew he won't lose.! ". She exclaimed, and so dd the spectators. Once again, victory cheer rang around the arena. Tae Sung walked over to Kato and grabbed his head. The crowd, cheered more, chanting his name. Brody laughed, exclaiming that's his friend right there. The referee appeared in the playground.
". So, the head has been taken. ". He took Tae Sung's left hand which was unsullied by blood.
". As tonight's..... ". Something cut him short. Tae Sung shouted in pain and dropped Kato's head. He cursed loudly, and groaning. Everyone was muttering now. What happened?. Tae Sung looked at his right hand, it was bitten and the flesh taken off. He was bleeding fresh. Tae Sung cursed again, then everyone was filled with horror. Kato's head shot out a string filled with squirming organisms flying with blazing speed, almost instantly connecting back to his neck. The head sat back on the neck, Kato's body used his hands to turn the neck back to its original position.
". Hey, what do you know?. ". Kato stood up, everyone opened their mouths but could say nothing.
". Life doesn't want to let go of me. ". Kato cried, but his smile said otherwise. A chant naming Kato as monster filled the air. The spectators were in chaos. The referee immediately disappeared. Tae Sung looked at Kato.
". I don't know what you are, but only one of us leaves here alive. ". He walked towards Kato. Kato stood, now sure that he can't die, at least almost immediately. He looked at his chest, the hole was still there, but the blood around it has become black and sticky.
". Let's see here, my head was off just now.". He began stepping back trying to avoid Tae Sung, which was impossible. Kato pondered.
". I was still alive and I bit him. Then... ".Tae sung rammed his skull on the steel cage. Kato's skull smashed to pieces. Tae Sung was filled with rage now, his emotions present on his face. Kato punched Tae Sung on the stomach. He absorbed the shock, tore away Kato's limbs. The blood became sticky, entangling Tae Sung in the good with Kato's body.
". Dammit, what is this kid?.". He gnashed his teeth, and broke free from the goo blood. Every blood on the playground turned black and began flowing towards Kato.
". If you are immortal, I'll just ram you till I kill you.". Tae Sung used his lightning quick steps and began punching Kato with each punch leaving a hole.
". Hoho, now it's a fight. ". Brody laughed. ". If you don't win this one, you aren't worthy of being my buddy. ". Vana looked at him, shaking her head, she scoffed.
". That kid, is literal immortal. A demonic one.". She shouted, her hands through her hair. Kato's body was torn to pieces. Tae Sung knew it wasn't over. He wanted to give another strike, but suddenly all the blood formed a shield blocking his punch causing Tae Sung to be flung across the playground by his own punch's shockwave. Hitting his back, on the steel cage. He wiped the blood on his forehead. He gritted his teeth and smiled.
". It's been so long since I had fun. Come on, immortal. Show me what you got. ". Tae Sung activated his lightning steps at an insane speed. The playground he was running on and the steel cage where blasted away from the shockwave, but he was astonished. Kato's body was melding back together, with maggots. He couldn't count it. Tae Sung was disgusted, and immediately his hand was set ablaze. He was finally activating his hunter powers. Brody was now concerned. Vana could see the look on his face too.
". This kid, his body is molding back with maggots, literal maggots.! ". Brody exclaimed.
". The fact that Tae Sung activated his powers. I mean it's what he does when he's only fighting against you. ". Vana looked back at the playground, staring at Tae Sung punching and blasting Kato's body with fire.
". Gustav brought something this time around.". Brody nodded in affirmation. The arena was silent and the only sound that pierced the air was the deathmatch between the two.
". I mean, I said he has no regeneration, but just what is this. ?". Vana asked, not removing her gaze from the playground. Brody squeezed his brow.
". Well from my observation. The fact this kid hasn't regenerated his heart yet, it's still unknown to reason but he can't control his regeneration. Maggots and black blood molding him together. It is some demonic shit alright. But why does it look like.. ". Brody paused, cocking his head forward. Vana still didn't remove her gaze.
". Yes, I'm aware. It's visible. ". Vana touched her forehead. ". His maggots are immune to heat. "
Tae Sung was getting exhausted. Breathing deeply he paused, he noticed it. His attacks had no effect on Kato, it did of course kill but didn't burn any of them.
". Dammit." He cursed again. Kato's body formed again, with his head in place. Kato looked at Tae Sung. He looked his body, his chest was covering up, he now had a black and yellow heart. His chest covered up immediately and that region became black. The scars of Yonikaharu was definitely still on him. He sighed, and sat down. He looked at the arena. It was as clean as before. Kato wondered where all the blood went. He looked at Tae Sung and shook his head.
". I am just a normal kid. ". Kato sighed. Tae Sung scoffed.
". You were literally in pieces. You can't tell me anything. ". Tae Sung took his boxing stance. ". I have a bad history with demons, and your type of immortality. I've never seen it before but the aura it emits, clearly states it's not an angel type. ". Tae Sung spat on the ground. ". I'll pound you till you are beyond regeneration. ". Tae Sung breathe out, and his iris glowed white. Some strange writings appeared on his skin, he looked at Kato.
". Man, I don't know what happened to me. ". Tae Sung immediately close the distance. In one fell swoop, he placed a hand on Kato's head and razed him in blue flames. He tore apart Kato's head again, but this time he burned it intensely.
". I'll kill you, kid. This is why it's a deathmatch, I won't let you leave here alive. ". Tae Sung roared, increasing the pressure of his flames. The playground was getting burned, and the steel cages began melting.
". I'll fucking slaughter you, even if I die at it .". The spectators now realized this fight, was on a personal level. But as the rules, last man standing. No one made a sound except for the captives on the playground. The steel cages successfully melted to the ground and so the playground. The heat began burning the floor drilling a hole on the ground.
Kato was feeling searing pain. It was continuous and he wants it to end, badly. Not only pain from Tae Sung's attacks but pain from actually not doing anything. After his complete regeneration, Kato kept feeling continuous pain and realized it's from the maggots squirming in his body. It can't end, he thought. Then he took this moment to recall and think..
". Life brought me back for a reason. ". His flesh had burned and vaporized from the flames, his skeletal framework was what remained. How was he still alive and thinking, he could feel the heat and pain but no flesh. He could feel his skeleton melting.
". Oh, looks like this is the final hit for me once again. ". He still is confused how he was still breathing even without his veins, flesh nothing.
". Wait, maggots.". He recalled when Jax told him, he slept on the female who supported him. The maggots had seeped into him, and created alot of holes. Even Xu Li said she wouldn't be surprised about it. But he was supposed to be dead by then. He began to think deeply.
". If the maggots are capable of merging and bringing me back to my human form then. .. .
Has the maggots replaced my cells, when I was in the underworld. ". He thought. ". Sister Yuki told me that, Maggots was the most common type of punishment for the bad humans on the second layer in the second layer of hell. But this is all weird for me to grasp. ... ". His skeleton began rebuilding forming maggots, and the maggots began multiplying all the more.
". Sister Yuki explained that no human is sent beyond the third layer. But I was sent to the deepest layer, meant for entities of destruction, all as divine punishment. Even though all I did was disbelieve. ". He paused. The maggots had reformed Kato's skin again, with his eyeballs .
". A portal opened... And all beings began rushing through that portal. Sister Yuki never mentioned anything as a black gate. ". His eyes widened at the truth. Tae Sung saw that his efforts were futile but kept trying. Kato broke his neck to be released from Tae Sung's grip. His head grew back slowly. Tae Sung caught the regrowing head and smashed it. The ground was sandy now, a large hole had been dug by the flames. Tae Sung smashed his body into pieces, but now instead of it to regenerate normal. It split and began growing individually.
". Damn it, how can a kid give me this much work?". Tae sung cried out and instantly engulfed the hole in blue flames. He was now becoming exhausted and overheated. Heaving heavily, he sat on the ground. ". Wow"
was all he could say. He actually formed four clones of himself, and they were all walking towards Tae Sung.
". Senior, you want to know the truth. ". The clones merged into one body. He squat facing Tae Sung. The marks on Tae Sung's body were fading slowly, and Tae Sung began coughing. ". Yeah".
He closed in on Tae Sung's ear. ". I actually went to the underworld and came back. As for this, I think it's a perk from life to help a cursed powerless kid achieve his goal. " . He looked at Tae Sung. He just smiled. ". Yeah alright.". He coughed blood again.
". Looks like only one of us is getting out alive today. ". Sarcasm was heard in Kato's voice.
Brody looked at Vana,
". Shit, he's going.. ".Brody was enraged and his veins were visible on the sides of his head. Vana stopped him.
". You know that, despite Gustav respect for us. He never likes disobedience. He has a rule. No interference. ". Vana looked at him. Brody squeezed his face with his palm.
". Fine". He mustered.
Tae Sung looked at Kato and sighed.
". Just do it, I can't kill you anyway. Gustav rules are omnipotent here. ". Tae Sung held his hands, his vision blurred, the edges of his world darkening as exhaustion set in. Every breath felt like fire in his lungs, every heartbeat a dull ache that reverberated through his entire body. Yet, despite the pain, there was a strange calm that settled over him—a resignation to his fate. He could feel his strength slipping away, like sand through his fingers."Yeah…" Tae Sung whispered, the word barely audible, carried away by the faint breeze that stirred in the arena. Tae Sung's lips twitched into a weak smile, a fleeting, ghostly expression that faded almost as soon as it appeared. "Alright… you win, kid." His voice cracked, heavy with an emotion that threatened to break through. The tears that welled up in his eyes were not just from the physical pain, but from a deeper, more profound exhaustion. "I've been here for 22 years. I'm tired… Please, just end it."Each word seemed to drain him further, his body slumping under the weight of his own plea. The air around him felt thick, oppressive, like the world itself was pressing down on him, urging him to let go. The once fierce fire in his eyes dimmed, replaced by a quiet resignation, a longing for release.Kato hesitated, the weight of Tae Sung's request settling heavily on him. The moment stretched on, each second a lifetime as Kato grappled with what he was being asked to do. The arena, once filled with the roar of the crowd, was now eerily silent, the anticipation hanging in the air like a blade poised to strike."I've never killed anyone before…" Kato's voice was a whisper, barely audible, as if speaking any louder would shatter the fragile silence. He reached out, taking Tae Sung's burned hands in his own. The skin was rough, blistered from the heat of his own power, yet there was a strange comfort in the contact—a connection that transcended the violence that had preceded it.Tae Sung's breathing slowed, each exhale coming out as a shallow rasp. "It's okay… I don't want to die alone," he murmured, his voice thick with a quiet desperation that tugged at Kato's heart. His grip on Kato's hands tightened, the last vestiges of his strength poured into that one, final gesture. "Just… stay with me."The words hung in the air, a plea, a command, a final wish. Tae Sung's eyes, once so fierce, now softened, filled with a vulnerability that Kato had never seen before. There was no fear in them, only a deep, profound weariness. A man who had fought for so long, finally ready to lay down his arms.Kato thought of his sister, of Mistress Kira, and how alone he had felt when he was separated from the only person he had ever known. He understood Tae Sung's plea on a level that went beyond words, a shared understanding of the fear of dying alone.The older man's breath hitched, his chest rising and falling with a struggle that grew weaker with each passing moment. His eyes fluttered, the darkness closing in, but he clung to consciousness, holding onto Kato's hands as if they were a lifeline. The silence of the arena was now absolute, the world narrowing down to just the two of them, everything else fading into the background."Thank you, kid," Tae Sung whispered, the words barely escaping his lips as he slumped forward, his strength finally giving out. His grip on Kato's hands loosened, his body going limp as life slipped away.For a long moment, Kato remained where he was, holding Tae Sung's lifeless hands, the weight of the moment pressing down on him like a physical force. The arena was silent, the spectators too stunned to speak, the air thick with the finality of what had just occurred.
Brody closed his eyes, saddened by this event. Vana looked away, in tears.
". Tae Sung, you finally got what you wanted. " She murmured, ". You finally lost a match. ". A voice lifted everyone up to return their gaze to the playground.
". Referee, I'm the last man standing. Please do me a favour and let this my opponents be buried, with his head intact of course. ". Kato called out. Everyone looked at him, then a clap was heard , then another followed. The clap seemed to make everyone remember why they were here. Soon, the arena was filled with the sound of applause. The referee appeared.
". No, burial is allowed but you must cut the head of your opponent. ". He looked at Kato, ". Whether you killed him or not. ". The arena quieted down slowly. Kato shrugged, he was about to turn when a voice called him.
". Kid". It was female voice, very soothing an light. Kato turned to see Vana standing before him. She was holding a spoon that had it's edge sharpened to a knife.
". Here. ". She handed it over to him. He took it from her hand, went over to Tae Sung, and completed his task. He held the head of Tae Sung. The crowd slowly began to cheer. He raised the hea and they all cheered vigorously. He sighed. The results was announced and he his labyrinth door was now open.
". Hey. ". Kato turned back, Vana offered him a hand. ". Vana, what's yours? ". Kato looked at her. She had white hair and black eyes, and was very beautiful. Nice caramel skin. He thought. He took her hand.
". Kato. ". He shook her hand. She turned to leave,". See you later, spars will be hosted soon between the two teams. Let's know each other better then. ". She walked away. Kato chuckled. The spectators were now leaving the arena. The match was over. Kato walked towards his labyrinth door and he stepped in. Immediately he was greeted by the stench of the rotten humans and dim light. Everyone turned to him, Nozeh actually stood up. Kato threw the head to the center of the room. Everyone looked at it, then him, then at it again. They all started chanting his name. Nozeh didn't do anything but was frozen in place. He saw Jax and the others guarded by some of Nozeh's guys. He looked at the environment. The purple walls, and he advanced towards Nozeh. Life didn't give up on him, and so he would return life the favour. Get stronger to save his sister and be with her. To release mistress Kira from her slavery to the lady. Kill Uncle Li and destroy that bastard, Yonikaharu. Yes, all these. He needed to get stronger. He has taken a step towards his path of achievement. What he wants the most is in progress, and although it wasn't how he thought it would be but... His when he found his answers to his questions he knew. He stopped and looked up at Nozeh. He reaches Nozeh in his upper chest region. Today, the fight took a turn and as he said but not what he implied, he would already become a corpse. Now he was a living one.
". Please, I need my fresh rations. ". Kato smirked at Nozeh, but that wasn't where Nozeh was looking. He then looked at himself, only to see that his knickers had been burnt. He was completely naked.
ORIGIN ------- COMPLETE