Shin
Heh, what a great lie... Managed to continue being the greatest liar until the end.
As everyone departed, I tossed my rifle to the side. My gaze shifted to my hand… If I was gonna die, then why not display my curse, right..?
I'll atone for my sins today... It's the least I can do, for all the trouble I caused... I just hope I survive long enough for them to escape. No telling what's gonna happen when one of the councilors gets a hold of me... Wasn't much of a fun life, but at least I can know, in the end… This was my choice…
Here they come...
I took to my feet with a deep breath. My curse seal naturally enlarged and expanded, patterning my left arm with bold yet sparse, diamond-shaped markings… The expansion halted almost at my elbow- that was as far as I'd progressed.
Guards swarmed through the door, people who I once stood shoulder-to-shoulder with turned enemies. In a heartbeat… And all because I listened to some hothead.
I scoffed, smiling just a little.
"Can't say I… didn't see this one coming."
Lifting my arm to the soldiers, energy bubbled and built around my palm, and soon enough, I allowed it to take physical form.
As if my hand were a gun itself, the energy released and fragmented instantly. The result was hundreds of bullet-like energy projectiles being fired off, taking on a rock-like appearance.
I wish my mother could've taught me how to use my curse. But, this'll do, for now, I guess…
My energy-made bullets pierced without an issue, leaving bleeding bodies scattered across the floor. Wave after wave, I found myself killing for what felt like forever… Until Livian finally showed up…
Livian raised one hand in the air, balling it into a fist.
His men stopped pointlessly shooting and simply stood at a distance as Livian proceeded forward, fearlessly. He was armed, and I recognized the gear he wore. Grenade-launching gauntlets, a sickle-shaped axe at his side… The weapon at his side was definitely created using Nikai's blood… I recognized it- the black blade itself emanated curse energy…
Pointing my arm back, I blew the stairs to smithereens. And I would've done the same to the consoles if the anti-curse fields wouldn't automatically activate as a result.
"One hell of a traitor, and honestly, the least expected..."
"A traitor, huh? You stole me away from my parents, forced them to leave the clan…"
Livian chuckled.
"Oh, nephew… Your mother was a vile, accursed woman. And my brother was a fool to fall for her, a fool to have a woman like her bear his child. None of this was your fault at first, you were just a victim of their idiocy… But you're grown now. And you have to take responsibility for who you are. You're no different than Kozuna or Nikai… Just another little snake hiding in his hole…"
"I'm not your nephew... You wanted a pawn of your own. You call curses the power of the devil and whatnot, but you want that power for yourself! You're the biggest fool… and biggest monster of us all. Not even Izanai compares to the likes of you, Livian…"
"You've never even stopped to consider why I want the power of curses, have you?"
"Doesn't matter… I just wish I had the guts to end this sooner… It's my fault that everything spiraled out of control. With my 'curse,' I have the power to kill you!"
Livian laughed, flipping his axe around with a smirk.
"You've got power, Shin. That much is true. But killing me? Now you're just being idealistic. I see now I was wrong to believe I could mold you into the perfect soldier, without any preemptive… modifications… And to think I was willing to be merciful to my own family."
Energy gathered around my hand once again, splintering into shards that floated around my wrist. My eyes narrowed as I stared at my uncle. That is, until a flash of red impaired my view…
Pain shot through my arm, and what little I could see became blurry in moments.
A small thud was the only sound my mind could register. When I looked down, I saw my hand at my feet, cut clean from the rest of my arm…
Livian was practically breathing down my neck by then- I hadn't even seen him move, and yet he was fast enough to slice my curse seal away. He hooked his sickle around my neck without saying a word until after the fact…
"You don't need your hand, Shin. We can always manufacture prosthetics… What's important… is having the body of someone compatible with cursed blood…"
"If having me alive is important… why are you about to cut into my neck..?"
"I never said I needed you alive, Shin."
Wait, what..?
"Right about now… It's my decision whether or not you die…"
I calmed myself and closed my eyes. What happened to me didn't matter, so long as everyone else got to live another day. In a sense, death was a kind of freedom… And that was all I yearned for.
I'm okay with dying… But not with the others getting killed on my account… So… please, keep her safe for me… Kozuna…