Chapter Three
The Black Beast
????:
"You lost the battle. Hand me control of your body as per the pact."
W.o.N:
"No. Not now. I know exactly what you're planning if I let you take over, right, おるもり (Orumori)?"
Lord Orumori:
"Of course. I'll kill them... every last one of them... to feed my hunger for blood. You know well that I need blood to survive, which is why I made you my vessel."
Terrifying words from the Black Demon, Lord Orumori — a tall shadowy figure without legs, purely black and intangible, leaning on a massive two-meter-long sword with his monstrous claws. His sharp fangs (similar to a Japanese oni) glisten under a Samurai helmet. His glowing white eyes thirsted for blood.
W.o.N:
"I know... You’re always thirsty for blood. That's why you're my curse.
That's why you made me your vessel.
They might misunderstand me, but I won't fall so low as to kill them."
Lord Orumori:
"It's not for you to decide who lives or dies.
You're weak.
I have more right to this body than you.
Do you not remember the pain you went through?"
Immediately, painful memories flooded W.o.N’s mind — tragic memories he wanted to forget, voices tearing through his soul:
"You have no family — they all died at your birth."
"Listen, boy, don’t give up! Fight for me!" (his master's voice, in Japanese originally)
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
The sound of blood splattering and roaring echoes...
W.o.N, collapsing inside:
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"Enough! I get it!
Why are you reminding me of all this?!
She died two weeks ago... and before that, my master a year ago...
Is it your pleasure to feed on my sorrow?!"
Lord Orumori:
"Our pact — after you killed me — states exactly that.
Either you accept my conditions, or you die, and their sacrifices become meaningless.
What do you choose?"
After a long moment of agonized thought, W.o.N realized he had no real choice (even though he hated it):
"...Fine. You have control — for now."
---
Outside the Mind:
L.E. was walking away from the lifeless body he had crushed. T.W. and A.F. caught up after their intense fight.
T.W.:
"Good job.
While you was fighting, I managed to unfreeze him from that place, and you crushed him... Congratulations, everyone.
We defeated that criminal.
Although...
I feel a bit sad.
He could’ve been a powerful ally."
A.F.:
"Ally?!
That monster?!
He deserved death for killing a man who was helping humanity!"
T.W.:
"Yeah, you're right.
It’s unforgivable.
I'm just saying — if only he was on our side instead of against us..."
T.W. (looking at L.E.):
"What do you think?"
L.E.:
"Hmm.
Doesn’t matter.
We did our job."
A.F.:
"Exactly, mate!
No point thinking about it now."
As the team was preparing to leave and report their success, a thick darkness burst from W.o.N’s body, covering it entirely!
Suddenly, W.o.N rose to his feet:
W.o.N:
"You're not going anywhere."
An overwhelming darkness swallowed the sunlight, turning midday into night. Massive waves of black, ink-like liquid engulfed the streets — devouring everything, including the heroes.
The deafening roar grew louder and louder...
---
In the Darkness:
The darkness was suffocating.
It was almost 3 PM, yet not even a sliver of light remained.
The sticky black fluid made moving nearly impossible.
Amidst the chaos, a hand — T.W.'s hand — pierced through the black sludge.
He pulled himself out, followed by A.F. and then L.E.
T.W.:
"You guys... okay?"
A.F.:
"Yeah...
But this black stuff — whatever it is — it's impossible to move through!
Even heat isn't affecting it!"
T.W.:
"Well, at least we're all alive for now... right, L.E.?"
L.E. (nodding silently)
As they tried to figure out what to do, the black waters churned violently.
Suddenly —
countless hollow glowing eyes appeared overhead.
The roar grew louder, shaking the black prison they were trapped in.
Everyone was overwhelmed by terror.
Then — in the middle of the black lake — sharp fins began circling rapidly toward the team!
The fins dived below the surface...
And then — exploded upward, revealing a nightmarish creature:
A monstrous dragon with four glowing eyes.
Enormous jaws lined with black razor-sharp teeth.
Four horns — two long, two short.
Eight meters long, without legs.
Two massive arms ending in crushing claws.
Its back was lined with spiked fins.
It was half-physical, half-shadow.
This... was Water of Nature.
W.o.N (in dragon form):
"I told you...
I don't fall so easily.
You chose to fight me, believing Garry Osbourne was a good man?
If you're his allies... you'll end the same way he did."
The beast raised its claw to strike down the heroes.
A brutal battle began.
---
The beast's Power:
The black beast was terrifyingly strong:
His claws inflicted deep wounds on every hero.
He unleashed black flames (shadow beams) that burned their skin.
His semi-liquid environment made it nearly impossible to predict his moves.
His monstrous teeth crushed even L.E.'s diamond-hard armor.
His slashes were so fast they cut faster than sound — knocking T.W. to the ground too.
Dark tentacles shot from the inky ground, grabbing and crushing anyone who tried to flee.
A.F. was grabbed by one of the tentacles and crushed to death.
The outcome was decided from the start:
The black beast won.
---
After the Battle:
The beast let out one final roar before collapsing from exhaustion.
The darkness slowly faded.
The light of the sun returned, burning away the monster's shadowy form.
In the beast's place lay W.o.N — unconscious, bleeding heavily, but alive.
Above the battlefield, a helicopter hovered.
Inside it, a bald man in a white lab coat and glasses observed the scene.
??:
"Thank you... You fulfilled your role."
To be continued...
