56 A Blank Moment? Nero's Thoughts

The night was getting late, and by this hour, the scene within the Gutter Zone was a harsh one. It was during these hours the gangs and the most violent side of the community would bare its truest fangs. Suspicious people were wandering about the street, each with a harsh aura as if they would do the unthinkable by the slightest provocation.

One such person with a skinny frame and sly features looked around with shifty eyes. He stared at the only looking two-story house with a small compound, gazing beyond the broken gate at the slightly open window at the top his eyes flickered in a lustful ray.

As if he made up his mind, the man licked his lips and started to climb the fence; he stealthy made his way towards the door, placing his ears on it only to hear few light coughing noises that cause his face to show excitement.

'Haha, look's like I'll be lucky tonight! Even that brat is not...' The man was about to think something, but right then and there, he felt a cold feeling all over his body, causing him to shiver uncontrollably.

'This.. what the hell?' The man thought in shock, but before he could look around to identify the problem, the danger had already arrived.

Grip! The sound of something being grasped tightly sounded, one that grew tighter with each passing second, not long after the vague sounds of someone being choked and struggling to speak was heard.

"No... ple...ase... spa...re..." The man tried to say something, but sadly, it was too late; the sounds of bones snapping echoed before everything returned to silence.

A ruthless air now blew along with this violent night scenery, even the moon grew weary of witnessing its brutality, shifting away from its luminescent lights by means of the floating clouds.

Two brutal-looking red pupils that gleamed in an indifferent ray gazed at the man's corpse that was firmly gripped by his neck. Following these eyes, one would notice a youth's face with short silver hair, gently flowing with these odd winds as this boy calmly walked with the dead man for a good distance before tossing it into a sewer.

Splash! The body made a loud sound as it fell in the sewage waters, before being swept away towards another location, the scene here being withness by a few shifty individuals. Still, they acted as if it was normal, even more so as the person wasn't observed clearly and vanished soon after.

By this time, Nero had once more found himself at the door of his abode; he frowned as he felt strange, causing him to think to himself, 'What was that just now? My head felt a little strange, did I black out?'

Nero was expecting an answer, but Adult Nero seemed to be focused on other things, so he only no longer paying it any mind.

After entering the house, Nero closed the door and promptly began to close up firmly. He then went to the kitchen and saw that food was covered on the table, Nero smiled as he spoke to himself, "Ah... mother cooked today, she must have been feeling better."

As Nero spoke, he felt happy; he didn't bother to think about making her food. He filled up a cup of water before going towards her room while shouting, "Mother, I'm home!"

When Nero said this, he was expecting a quick reply, but he didn't hear anything. He felt a bit worried, so he hurried up and climbed the stairs reaching her door in a few seconds.

He then opened the room door and saw the beauty with silver hair that rested on the bed in an exhausted manner, her skin as pale as ever, looking as if she couldn't handle much at all.

Nero felt sad as he saw her like this; he knew that she must have had severe symptoms during his time outside, causing her to enter this state.

'Those damn bastards, I hate that they wasted my time!' Nero inwardly cursed as he hurried over towards her side.

Having arrived at his mother's side, Nero lifted her gently, feeling the heat coming from her back and even noticing that her breath was a bit unsteady.

"Mother, wake up, look I've brought medicine today," Nero said as he gently shook her.

As if she heard his words, Hersa's eyes slightly opened as she looked at him warmly, she placed one of her palms on the side of his face and spoke, "Nero, welcome home, did you see it? I made you dinner today... see, your mother isn't useless..."

Tears ran down Nero's cheek as he heard this, he knew she must have struggled hard to make dinner just to let him feel good.

"Mother, don't you worry, you'll never be useless, even if you can't move, you will always be my brightest light," Nero said with firm eyes as he stared at her.

Hersa smiled as she wiped his tears and spoke weak giggle, "Hehe... my boy is turning into the sweet little talker, be careful, you might lead those innocent ladies astray"

Nero blushed sightly before he shifted the topic, he didn't like how weak she looked, he hurried to place the medicine he bought while coming home to her mouth and spoke, "Mother, take this pill and use this water to gulp it down."

Hersa looked at the medicine again, noticing that it was the usual pain relief that could even strengthen the body's functions. She sighed, knowing full well that he was still holding onto a futile hope, but she didn't go against his wishes, she swallowed the pill and gulped down the water from the cup in his hand.

Only after seeing his mother swallow the pill, did Nero felt slightly better, he noticed that she was growing even more sleepy, as her eyes were droopy.

Nero tucked his mother in gently as he spoke, "Mother sleep well, I'll spend all day with you tomorrow."

Hersa sighed as she looked at Nero weakly and spoke, "My... son... don't mind me... go out... have... fun... with... your... friends..."

As Hersa struggling spoke to here, her eyes closed as she fell asleep, it seemed that she had done some really strenuous activities today, causing her flairs up to be worse than the norm.

Nero gripped his fists tightly as he stared at his sleeping mother, he murmured under his breath with a firm light in his eyes, "Mother... don't you worry, I will certainly heal you, no matter what cost I have to pay or deed I have to do!"

Following Nero's words, a chilly wind blew through the crack window, rustling the curtains and his hair. Nero shook his head, he knew full well that it was her habit to leave it open, and was only glad nothing happened while he was gone, and he came home quickly enough.

After closing the window and leaving the door slightly open, Nero hurriedly went to eat his food before he sat down in meditation in his room while thinking with a sigh, 'So many events in a single afternoon, to think that a classmate of mine would suffer such a consequence. Damn! It was primarily my fault for being targeted, I really do hope she's at least able to make it, maybe my own lies were on point and she wasn't shot in a vital, but even so, who would have had the time to take her to the hospital in that kind of chaotic setting?'

After thinking about the scene of Kara being shot, Nero pushed it to the side of his head, thinking back to the group of False Digitizers that called themselves Bit Hunters.

'These Bit Hunters are far too dangerous, the longer I stay unaffiliated to no group, the more I'll likely be targeted by them, though it would seem that I've been protected by some other group so far. I have yet to know of their intentions, but based on Ryo's manner, I can at least assume that they aren't of any threat. They didn't even seem to interfere in today's affair; it's likely that they aren't thinking of blocking me from choosing to side with some other force. Since this is so, why would they go through the trouble of protecting me in the...?' Nero was about to come at a conclusion, but his eyes flashed when he remembered something.

'Wait, to protect me? Could it be that they also know of the true grade of my Digitize Bit? If that's the case, then it would make sense, but if it's as my older self says and many would hunt me to take it away, why would they offer themselves to protect me in secret?" Nero pondered for a while and was unable to find an answer.

Nero sighed, not bothering to think about such things, his eyes narrowed as he shook his head and wrapped up his thoughts, 'It doesn't matter, I shouldn't care about those Hatmans and the Blood Steel Society for right now, I can maybe speak with that woman at some other time after I clear my head. What matters at the end of all things is strength, overwhelming personal strength that crushes all things.'

The night soon after growing darker, as it soon arrived at midnight, Nero, who was in meditation had a bright flash when he opened his eyes and commanded, "Digitize..."

His body then glowed with multicolored lights before he vanished from his room towards the World of Promise.