WARNING: This chapter deals with very dark and violent themes. If you've seen the film Taken (2008), you know what to expect. Read at your own risk. This fanfic is intended for 18+ audiences only.
Chapter 38
That night, the sky was almost black, almost devoid of stars. Two gangsters stood by the pier, katanas in hand. They were supposed to be on the lookout for some vigilante who had supposedly killed all the Sozui boys.
A blond man in an unbuttoned shirt and black pants had just tossed a cigarette butt into the water.
"Have you heard the latest rumors about what happened at the warehouse?"
His companion looked up from the phone he was texting with his girlfriend.
"No. Do you know anything?"
The blond grinned, revealing his shark teeth. His quirk caused him to grow a new one every time he lost a tooth... the teeth were razor-sharp.
"I overheard the chief talking to that cop we pay him yesterday. He said that vigilante was a kid."
"What do you mean, a kid?"
"So, did you see the news from the park, how people were attacked by those weird spider-like creatures? Apparently, it's the same kid who killed Sozui."
"Oh fuck! Is that the kid Joe Rogan was talking about?"
"The same one."
"Dude... if what they said with their eyes on that podcast is true... then we're screwed."
The blond just shrugged nonchalantly.
"Uh, come on, don't be silly. It was a publicity stunt. Viper deliberately portrayed that kid so everyone would be afraid of him and tremble at the thought of meeting him."
"But..."
"But what? Do you believe that a teenager killed our guys in the warehouse? Come on. I'm sure Viper orchestrated the whole thing. A larger group of vigilantes probably burst into the warehouse and did a complete body-smacking. That's the only way they're saying it was that kid. There's no other way."
"But this kid is a samurai... I mean, a knight."
"Fuck... stop believing that nonsense. The kid is no knight, and he's definitely not..."
Air bubbles emerged from under the water... there were so many of them that it definitely wasn't a fish.
"Fuck... there's something there..."
"What? Are you hallucinating again? Maybe this kid just came for us, hmmm? Hahahh!"
A beast emerged from the water and immediately jumped at the Blondie, trying to rip his throat out.
"GET HIM OFF ME!!!!!!!!!! FUCKING HELP ME!!!!!!!!"
His companion ran up and plunged his katana into the beast's head. It immediately fell to the dock with a thud. The beast stank like hell, had bluish skin, large white eyes, and a bald head....
"Holy shit... what is that!?"
More creatures, similar to the first one, began to emerge from the water. One by one, they climbed onto the pier and attacked the Yakuza.
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Vesemir entered the port area unnoticed. Thanks to the information on his laptop, he knew exactly where to go.
The enormous container ship "Saru" made an impression, despite the overall darkness. Nearby streetlights and other light sources were off.
Vesemir was genuinely interested in the floating metal structure... if he ever acquired knowledge of the construction of such vessels and returned home with them... then Nilfgaard could become the sole, undisputed master of the seas and oceans.
He sniffed the air... his heightened senses informed him that Drowners had infested the area. Quite dangerous creatures, especially in large numbers.
A few seconds later, he heard screams.
He moved in the direction of the curses. However, he remained hidden, about 30 meters from the two fighting men, who were surrounded by Drowners.
The two monsters already lay dead. One of the men had a gash on his back that had ripped his jacket.
Vesemir didn't move toward them, as five other villains were running up to join the fight.
He simply reached for the 'Cat' potion and drank it. He shook his head slowly, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness...
He opened his eyes. In the clash between humans and monsters... humans were doing badly... really badly.
Three Drowners had dragged one man underwater. One lay in a pool of his own blood, his throat slit...
Vesemir sighed heavily... The remaining five bandits had nowhere to run. They fought because they had no choice.
When another one fell into the water, the Drowners seemed to have decided they'd had enough for the night. The remaining individuals began to retreat into the water. Two of them were dragging the corpse of a bandit with a slit throat. The losses were five to three... so that left four tired and frightened bandits.
A perfect opportunity to exploit their fear.
Vesemir slowly stepped out of the shadows, slowly clapping his hands. The surviving Yakuza turned to face him.
"Who the fuck are you!"
"Congratulations. You survived the first round."
The gangsters exchanged uncertain glances. The blond stepped in front of them and pointed the tip of his katana at Vesemir.
"Are you kidding us, you son of a bitch?"
Vesemir slowly shook his head.
"If I were you, I'd hurry up... when the Drowners finish feasting on the bodies of your colleagues, they'll be back for more... of course, I can't just let you leave."
A steel sword flashed. The gangsters recoiled instinctively.
"Now tell me where you're keeping the girls, and I'll let you go free."
Blondie's companion—the one he'd spoken to earlier on the pier—said in a trembling voice.
"That...that's him... That knight kid...we're screwed."
"Shut up! That's just a fairy tale for losers like you! We'll see if he's really as good as Viper said on the podcast!"
With those words, Blondie charged, raising his katana high.
Vesemir allowed him to make the first cut.
"DIE!"
The blond-haired bandit shouted. Vesemir parried his cut and half-pirouetted to the side, allowing the bandit to pass him by. Then he slashed him in the unguarded side.
Blood sprayed onto the concrete floor of the harbor.
The blond managed to swing his katana at Vesemir, but Vesemir severed his arm just below the elbow before he could hit him.
The severed arm flew several meters into the air before falling into the water, along with the sword. The water foamed with the Drowners fighting over this delicacy.
Before the bandit could scream in pain, Vesemir deprived him of that opportunity, slicing his throat with a precise cut.
He fell to his knees and began coughing blood everywhere. He managed to turn his head toward the other bandits.
Vesemir wasn't a sadist. He didn't like to cause suffering, but sometimes it was necessary. He decided the man had suffered enough and beheaded him, ending his suffering.
He slowly turned toward the other three.
"Gentlemen, please forgive me for not introducing myself properly. I am Vesemir, a Witcher. I kill monsters like you. I want you to understand that I only need one of you alive to tell me where the girls are being held. I will kill the rest."
Without a moment's hesitation, the bandit who recognized Vesemir threw his katana to the ground and raised his hands high.
"I only know that they are on the ship in several containers, sir... The containers are hidden and can be accessed by opening false containers. May I go home now?"
Vesemir slowly nodded in agreement.
"Yes, but before you follow, I need to tell you something."
"Um...yes, sir, I'm listening..."
"You'd better change your life, because if I see you again under similar circumstances, I'll have to kill you."
"Fuck! There are three of us here! We can handle him! Take your katana and go for it!"
The remaining bandits rushed at Vesemir. He only shook his head sadly.
"They'll never learn..."
Vesemir dodged the first slash, aimed at his head, and plunged his sword up to the hilt of the first attacker. The latter dropped his katana, fell to his knees, and tried to pull the sword out, piercing his lung.
Vesemir drew his dagger, given to him by Letho, and slit the man's throat, simultaneously turning it so that blood sprayed his companion.
The warm red liquid hit the second opponent directly in the eyes, causing temporary blindness, which Vesemir exploited immediately. First, he dodged the sweeping blow by crouching under the bandit's arm, simultaneously slicing through his armpit.
Suddenly, the bandit's arm became useless. Vesemir pushed him straight into the protruding sword of the first Yakuza. The two stared into each other's eyes as they died.
Afterward, Vesemir retrieved his sword and cleaned his weapon. He looked back at the terrified man.
"I thought I already told you, you're free to go."
He just nodded and began running toward the harbor exit.
"Hello? Hiraki? Are you there? Why were you shouting? Hello?"
Vesemir glanced at the walkie-talkie. Unsure how to use the device, he simply smashed it with his boot. He glanced at the massive ship nearby and headed toward it, once again entering the darkness.
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"Hiraki, answer me, damn it!"
Nakamoto was a businessman. From the moment his debt collection network was discovered, he knew he didn't have much time.
This would be the last shipment he would make, and he would close the business for two years. In the meantime, he would focus on illegal casinos and build up a database of "debtors" who would have no way to pay.
And thus, he built his fortune under the protection of the Shie Hassaikai. Overhaul had already given the necessary instructions.
Everything was going well until that moment...
A night vision camera captured the movement of a white-haired boy, dressed in black, with two swords on his back.
Nakamoto wasn't stupid... he knew what had happened.
It was all the fault of those idiots who screwed up. They were supposed to take that guy out of town and bury him alive, not show off under a bridge...
When he first saw the interview with that white-haired boy, he laughed.
When he saw his fight with the so-called 'Wraith,' he felt uneasy.
After the fight with the giant bugs, he began to worry.
After his men were massacred in the warehouse, he became afraid.
That's why he took precautions.
He turned his head toward the two mercenaries, who were master swordsmen.
They cost a small fortune, but he could afford such protection.
Tonight, they would kill the white-haired boy who had destroyed his well-hidden business.
"Roku, Soshu. Time to earn your pay. Bring me his head, and you'll get double the pay."
The two swordsmen made no sign of accepting the order. They simply turned toward the exit.
Roku was a short man wielding a katana. His quirk, Blood Regeneration, allowed him to heal his own wounds by pouring the blood of others onto his own.
Soshu was slightly taller, but incredibly muscular. He wielded a massive, two-handed European sword. He wore a black blindfold. He was blind, but that didn't make him any less dangerous. His quirk was Echolocation. He could hear everything... even the heartbeats of his enemies.
Those who knew him say he couldn't be lied to... he always knew when someone was trying to deceive him.
He and Roku had been partners for 20 years. They had killed many people, including the famous No. 3 German hero known as the Fechtmeister. It was his weapon that Soshu currently possessed.
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Vesemir slowly entered the ship, expecting a trap. The place was... oddly quiet, yet filled with metallic sounds emanating from the ship.
He had a device in his ear through which he could communicate with Letho... So he wasn't surprised when he heard his words.
"Everything is being recorded... From this point on, I won't say a word. I will step in if necessary... Remember, Nakamoto must survive... He knows a lot, and his death can only harm us... Refrain from killing, if you can..."
"You know exactly how I feel about this."
"I know, Vesemir, but we have to play the cards fate has dealt us. Sooner or later, you'll face trial... and if you want to continue living in this country, we'll have to present you in the best possible light."
Vesemir didn't answer... he heard a beep in his ear, meaning the drones flying high were recording everything... they were high enough that they couldn't be seen or heard... The technology of this world never ceased to amaze him.
He walked slowly along the deck, passing large metal boxes, called containers, on both sides. When he turned left, he encountered four men who were clearly waiting for him. They were armed, but he saw fear in their eyes.
"Oh fuck...it...it's him..."
Vesemir nodded to them without drawing his sword.
"I see my fame precedes me... Then you not only know who I am, but also what I'll do to you."
The men nodded slowly. They had been ordered to stop a vigilante at all costs... but only now did they learn that this vigilante...was the White Wolf.
Vesemir walked to the metal wall of containers and leaned his shoulder against it. He crossed his arms over his chest.
"I don't want to kill you. I'm not a sadist, so I'll give you a choice, just like I give almost all sentient beings. Drop your weapons and leave, and I won't hurt you."
"Our...our boss will kill us..."
"Is your boss on this ship?"
All four of them nodded slowly in agreement.
"Then he won't kill you."
"But...but how?"
"I'm starting to doubt you're a sentient being. I just told you I give ALMOST everyone the right to choose."
The young yakuza members glanced at each other uncertainly and nodded nervously. They slowly placed their katanas on the metal surface of the ship and, hands raised in the air, slowly passed Vesemir, keeping as much distance as possible.
As they neared the bend, they heard the boy's voice behind them, replacing hope with fear.
"Wait."
They slowly turned to face him. He was still leaning against the container, not looking at them.
"Before you go, I have to tell you something else. If I catch you even once in the act of any crime... murder someone, rob someone, deprive somebody of a freedom like you did here, or even just take candy from a child... I will kill you."
The former gangsters swallowed hard. One felt so weak underfoot that he had to lean against the container.
Vesemir slowly resumed his march.
"You may go... just remember my oath."
They didn't go... they waited for the White Wolf to go further... when they were sure he wouldn't return... they ran to the exit of the ship.
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Several yakuza entered the container. Himiko had to squint because they were shining flashlights.
"We're taking this one... this one... and this one too."
Together, they dragged the two girls outside, where two fearsome men waited. Himiko didn't try to fight back. She was afraid. The other girls were too.
She looked at the two men and knew immediately that they hadn't come for them... they weren't looking at her or the other girls in that... specific way. They were different... they weren't yakuza... they were professionals.
Himiko just didn't know why yet.
Along with the other girls, she was taken to a small square around the containers, about 30 meters wide. The gangsters forced her onto the roof of one of the containers. After a moment, the other girls joined her. A single yakuza stood behind her, but she sensed something was wrong. The hands he held her with... were shaking, but not from the cold... he was afraid.
She heard footsteps from across the street. Those two terrifying men stood in the middle... but the footsteps were coming further, from a dark alley between the containers.
She widened her eyes. It was... a boy, dressed in a black biker outfit, with a medallion on his chest. A little lower on his chest were two daggers, and on his back he had two swords...
She had no idea who he was... suddenly the boy looked her straight in the eye... his eyes... glowed. They were like the eyes of a cat...
The boy nodded gently at her. He turned his gaze toward the two swordsmen.
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Vesemir saw them even before he emerged from the darkness surrounding him. He surveyed the frightened girls and locked eyes with the blonde-haired girl with yellow eyes. He noticed her teeth... she was a vampire...
Was it possible for a vampire from his world... or from Uncle Regis's world to have entered this same world and been captured?
No. If she were a higher vampire, she would have killed them all long ago...
Vesemir decided to give her a curt nod.
He had no time to think now. Two swordsmen stood before him. He had long since learned to distinguish between threats... in this case, their aura screamed that these people had a lot of blood on their hands.
Good. His hands weren't clean either.
End of Chapter 38