Birth of a Monster

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Japan, Ozunu Orphanage: Forest

A heavy silence spread throughout the forest as everyone's gaze was fixed on Lucian, who fell down on the ground with a broken katana stabbing on his back.

For a moment, time stood still, the air thick with unspoken fear.

Then a cry of a young girl pierced through the stillness, a single, heart-wrenching cry that echoed through the forest.

"Wahh, don't die please don't leave," the young girl cried out as she kept pushing Lucian to make him move as she bawled her eyes out as tears kept dropping from her eyes.

"NO!!!" Violet cried out, her voice raw with grief. Garrett's face contorted in fury, turning a sickly purple as the children, fueled by a storm of rage, surged towards the Kurokos.

They didn't care about getting hurt, their desire for revenge consumed them entirely.

Noshiko's eyes, cold and empty, locked on Lucian, then shifted to the frenzied children.

She slowly turned back as she looked at Kuroko One and her purple eyes glowed more intensely as she vanished.

Kuroko One, clutching his bleeding arm, grabbed Seung-Jo's shirt. "Go! Take the Kurokos, any kids you can find. We'll hold them off here." Kuroko One said, but he saw Seung-Jo not listening to him, so he shook him up.

"Seung-Jo!"

Seung-Jo, who had been staring at Lucian, finally turned to Kuroko One, startled by his urgent voice.

Seeing this, Kuroko One repeated his order. "Go, take the Kurokos and bring back any kids you can. We'll delay them here. Do you understand?"

Seung-Jo nodded, his gaze flickering to Kuroko One's injuries.

"Now go!" Kuroko One urged, pushing Seung-Jo away, his hand returning to his bleeding arm.

Just as Seung-Jo was about to move, a voice, cold and chilling, slithered through the air behind them.

"Where do you think you're going?" Noshiko's voice was flat and devoid of emotion, her words a cold, sharp blade.

Kuroko One's instincts screamed at him. Even injured, he acted instinctively, kicking Seung-Jo away and simultaneously throwing himself back, just as a katana, crackling with lightning, slashed towards their former position.

Noshiko, her eyes burning with a cold, calculating gleam, watched them scramble to their feet.

"This isn't about saving children anymore," she said, her voice a silken caress laced with venom. "This is a hunt. And you," she added her gaze hardening into a predatory stare,

"are the prey."

•-----•-----•-----•-----•

Satomi was seen speeding towards Kuroko Three, who was punching out from left to right.

Yet, Satomi relied solely on her instincts, moving her head at the right time while stepping closer to Kuroko Three dodging his attack.

When she ducked as her left hand formed a fist and she punched Kuroko Three in the gut.

The impact was so strong that his body curled up like a shrimp but Satomi wasn't done.

She kicked him hard at the nape, sending him crashing to the ground. Satomi's eyes glowed more intensely before she stomped down on his head, sending blood and brain matter splattering across the ground.

Then she sensed something as she turned towards Lucian's direction, her eyes narrowing in surprise as she saw his body fall on the ground.

A wave of sadness and anger washed over her but this time a chilling calm settled upon her.

Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself before she ran towards the others who needed help.

•-----•-----•-----•-----•

Blind Master was defending with Jinx, using an illusion again.

Kuroko Two frowned feeling the same feeling again, as he raised his head, looking at Blind Master.

"You know that only works for a second on me," Kuroko Two said, unable to hide his disdain for the Arashikage Clan.

"A second is just enough," Blind Master said, unfazed by Kuroko Two's tone.

Kuroko Two's eyes widened, yet before he could do anything, he felt a claw digging through his scalp.

Satomi's claws pierced through Kuroko Two's scalp, digging in as she pulled with force, opening the back of his head causing him to fall to his knees.

Satomi looked at her hand, which held a piece of Kuroko Two's skull. Within it, she saw the parasite that died when she broke his skull open.

Satomi threw it to the ground and Kuroko Two fell over, his eyes still wide open with the back of his skull exposed.

Blind Master and Jinx looked at Satomi's ferociousness with shock. They kept their mouths closed not wanting to irritate the angry wolf but Satomi didn't care about them.

When she killed Kuroko Two, she wasn't satisfied. She still felt the sadness and anger in her chest.

She couldn't help but look up and release a pure howl that echoed throughout the forest, reaching the orphanage.

Even Blind Master and Jinx, who weren't her pack members or wolves felt the sadness and anger that the howl contained.

•-----•-----•-----•-----•

Japan, Ozunu Orphanage: Sky

On the cloud everyone turned silent as they observed the situation on the ground before someone finally spoke.

"What have you done?" Jang Man Wol whispered her voice a chilling rasp as she stared at Lucian, the blade still embedded in his stomach.

She had witnessed his unwavering determination to save the children, his tireless efforts to help them one by one, how he endured every hardship with a heart full of compassion.

Yet, Areum had never intervened.

"Is this your plan, to let him die?" Jang Man Wol asked, her voice barely a whisper.

A pity for Lucian washed over her and she turned to Areum, expecting some explanation, only to find her silent.

"Are you happy now?" She continued to ask.

But Areum simply stared at the ground, her aura fading, disappearing like a wisp of smoke.

Seeing Areum remain silent, Jang Man Wol moved towards her as anger kept building within her.

"Answer me, ahjumma. Is it worth it?!" She couldn't hold back the sorrow she felt for Lucian, the rage that burned within her for a mother who could be so cruel to her son.

Areum didn't answer. Instead, she was talking in her mind, communicating with Yggdrasil, who had suddenly contacted her.

[You owe me one this time.]

'I know,' Areum replied mentally, her gaze fixed on Lucian's lifeless form.

Jang Man Wol raised her hand about to strike Areum for her silence.

But then, Areum whispered, "Let's see what you're going to do now," a chilling smile spreading across her face as a physical tail suddenly sprouted from her back, swaying with an almost mocking grace.

Jang Man Wol sighed, slowly lowering her hand and shaking her head.

"You're not worth it," she said, as she turned towards Lee Yeon and the others, ready to jump down.

Areum didn't stop them. She focused on the scene below, and as Jang Man Wol and the others prepared to jump, they heard Ozunu's voice.

Areum heard it too, and the grin on her face widened.

"Lucian Ozunu, is that will be your full name."

•-----•-----•-----•-----•

Japan, Ozunu Orphanage

Talia glanced towards the forest direction drawn by the echoing howl. For a moment, her grip on the chains loosened causing Takeshi to gasp and inhale deeply.

Storm Shadow leaped to his feet, his face etched with surprise. He, Hard Master, and Scarlett turned towards the source of the howl but their astonishment deepened as the powerful shouts of the Ozunu clan's Tōryō reached their ears.

Takeshi, upon hearing Ozunu's voice, showed a flicker of sadness before quickly closing his eyes. He could feel Ozunu's farewell, his last order to them.

When he opened his eyes, now filled with determination, he looked at his hands, firmly pinned and stabbed through by Storm Shadow's katanas. With unwavering resolve, he decided to act. He tightened his grip on the floor, his muscles straining as he slowly pushed himself back.

He moved with calculated caution, not wanting to draw their attention as his hands were being sliced by the katanas. Despite the excruciating pain he suppressed any cries. His eyes widened as he watched his hands, gradually being cut open.

He persisted, inching backward.

Finally, when his hands were freed but cut almost in half he focused and control his muscles and with a surge of strength, he pushed himself back with all his might.

Talia, caught off guard, lost her footing and slipped as Takeshi rolled away.

Talia spun around, her eyes widening in shock, mirroring the reactions of the others. Storm Shadow stared at his katanas on the ground, then at Takeshi's injured hands.

'Ozunu ninjas are ruthless, even to themselves,' he mused. They hadn't even heard him scream in pain as he endured the ordeal.

Scarlett, though shaken, swiftly aimed her crossbow at Takeshi, prioritizing their mission.

Takeshi briefly met their gazes before turning and charging towards the wall. He shattered it as he charged through, disappearing into the flickering light and shadow.

"Now I understand why everyone fears them," Scarlett whispered, her voice filled with awe. While Hard Master nodded in agreement.

Talia briefly looked in Takeshi's direction before turning back towards the forest.

"I need to go," she announced, informing her companions.

Hard Master, nodding, looked at each of them in turn. He then gazed towards the forest, then back in the direction of Ozunu's voice.

"You two go with her. I need to confirm Ozunu is dead," he said before he strode towards the direction of Ozunu's shouts.

Scarlett and Storm Shadow exchanged glances before looking at Talia.

"Shall we?" Scarlett asked, understanding Talia's urgent need to leave.

But Talia shook her head, her eyes meeting theirs. "I'll go first. You guys follow," she said, and before they could react as she sprinted forward. She leaped, her body transforming into a fully formed werewolf, her clothes shredding as she landed.

She turned towards them before turning her gaze towards the direction of the forest with unwavering determination on her yellow golden eyes she rushed tearing through the wall with a powerful surge and then vanished into the forest.

Scarlett's eyes widened in astonishment as she watched Talia disappear.

"Oh my god," she breathed before she turned to Storm Shadow, who had sheathed his katana.

Tommy shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. "Don't look at me. This is the first time I've seen her shift into that form," he said, calmly walking past the broken wall as Scarlett followed closely behind while tapping her glasses.

•-----•-----•-----•-----•

Japan, Ozunu Orphanage: Helicopter

General Hawk's brow furrowed as the howl pierced the air. He turned to Sen, who was gazing down at the orphanage.

"Your guests seem to be facing a bit of trouble," he remarked, his eyes fixed on her, searching for clues about Satomi and Noshiko's intentions.

Sen simply shook her head, well aware of his purpose. "Their problems are their own to solve. After all, they are merely guests of the Arashikage clan, and they are old enough to handle their own affairs," she replied with a playful smile, offering no insight into their goals.

General Hawk studied her for a moment before shaking his head. "Is that so?" He murmured, his gaze dropping back to the orphanage. 'It seems the Arashikage clan is fiercely loyal to their friends. Worth remembering,' he thought, acknowledging that he might not uncover the wolves' true objective but he had gained a valuable piece of information.

As they continued to observe the orphanage below, Ozunu's booming voice reached their ears, causing them to frown.

The shouts ceased, and both General Hawk and Sen exchanged troubled glances, recognizing that Ozunu's words hinted at something significant.

General Hawk's phone buzzed, alerting him to a new report.

He focused intently on the screen, watching a video transmitted from Scarlett's glasses. His eyes then shifted back to the orphanage, where he spotted a wolf disappearing into the forest.

"Looks like whatever's unfolding in the forest is of paramount importance," General Hawk said, turning towards Sen. But Sen remained silent, her brow furrowed in thought. 'What the hell happened in the forest?' she pondered. Seeing her lost in thought,

General Hawk shook his head, then tapped the side of his headphones, issuing an order to the pilot.

"Proceed to the forest."

"Roger that," the pilot responded as the helicopter soared towards the forest.

General Hawk picked up his radio.

"Maslow, leave half your men here. The rest of you, head to the forest."

•-----•-----•-----•-----•

Japan, Ozunu Orphanage: Courtyard

The wolf's howl sent shivers down their spines causing them to instinctively scan their surroundings.

Their gazes settled on the direction of the forest, a silent sentinel shrouded in shadow.

"Alright, enough! Let's focus on the mission," Maslow barked, his voice cutting through the tension. The soldiers, their guns aimed at the orphanage, obeyed his command.

"Jesus Christ, Maslow, how many wolves are there?" Mika asked, her voice laced with nervous energy.

Maslow shook his head, a silent admission of his ignorance as he didn't know much information. Just then, the crackle of the radio brought General Hawk's orders.

[Maslow, leave half your men here. The rest of you, head to the forest.]

"Yes, sir. Right away," Maslow responded, before turning to his troops. "Half of you stay here, the rest follow me," he ordered, his gun pointed toward the back of the Orphanage towards the forest.

He started walking, then paused, turning to Mika.

"You coming?"

"To where the wolf howl came from?!" Mika exclaimed, her voice a blend of fear and disbelief. 'That's how people die in the movies,' she thought, a chilling image flashing through her mind.

Maslow smirked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Yes, where the wolf howl came from. Are you scared?"

Mika glanced around, the unsettling silence amplifying her unease.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath, before shouting, "Wait for me!" She trailed after Maslow, disappearing into the shadows behind the orphanage.

•-----•-----•-----•-----•

Japan, Ozunu Orphanage: Forest

The wolf's howl echoed through the forest, momentarily diverting everyone's attention from the impending fight but Ozunu's booming voice, reverberating through the trees, reached their ears.

They didn't know who this Raizo was but their gazes fell upon Lucian, lying wounded on the ground.

A collective gasp swept through the group. Thinking Could Lucian be the one Ozunu was speaking of as he had sacrificed everything to save the children.

Even the children, their frenzied behavior momentarily forgotten, stared at Lucian with a mixture of awe and gratitude. They knew they were the reason he stayed, the reason he didn't flee.

Ozunu's speech drew to a close, and his final words struck everyone like a bolt of lightning:

"NOW, STAND UP AND FIGHT! YOU ARE NOW THE TŌRYŌ OF OZUNU! YOU SHALL LEAD THEM TO GREATNESS!"

A single thought echoed in the minds of every adult present. 'Impossible.' From Satomi and Noshiko who were driven by their search for him and Kuroko One who was supposed to have killed him and even the Arashikage clan were all stunned.

'Impossible, he's not alive,' Kuroko, his eyes burning with anger and confusion, stared at Lucian.

The children, however, were filled with hope. Unlike the adults, they clung to the possibility of a miracle. They yearned for Lucian to rise not to fight for them but simply to be okay, to be alive.

Then, finally, they heard his voice.

"Lucian Ozunu, an interesting name, isn't it?" Lucian spoke, opening his eyes as he sat upright.

His words crashed over Kuroko one's ears like thunder, a grim premonition that their mission was doomed.

Kuroko One voice choked with frustration and despair as he roared, "How! Just fucking! how are you alive!"

Even Noshiko, who had been hunting him, found herself staring at Lucian with a mixture of shock and curiosity.

Satomi, her heart heavy with sadness and anger, finally felt a flicker of calm but her mind was still racing, struggling to comprehend how this boy, a mere human, could possibly still be alive.

Lucian's lips curved into a thin smile as he looked at his hands. He opened and closed them, his gaze focused on the movements.

"This feels weird, but oddly satisfying," he muttered, continuing to flex his fingers.

"You need to end this quickly. You can heal, but that doesn't mean your body can take endless abuse," Lucian said.

"I know," Lucian replied. He reached behind him and drew the katana from his back a deep wound, from across his stomach and back, appeared as the blade emerged.

The adults in the forest assumed he was talking to himself, their brows furrowing in confusion. They thought he had lost his mind.

Lucian's golden eyes, however, held a knowing glint as he looked out at them.

But only Lucian knew he was talking, and at the same time, it wasn't quite him.

He and Cortana were intertwined becoming more connected into one body but two minds and two souls into one being.

Cortana poured her energy into healing his wounds, while he focused on controlling his body into a deadly weapon.

He stood, the broken katana held tight in his grasp. His wounds, like magic, were rapidly vanishing, leaving behind unblemished skin. The speed of his recovery caused jaws to drop, eyes to widen in disbelief.

Lucian knows he had to be fast as their connection into one was not permanent and was slowly diminishing and even his body was still exhausted.

Lucian's gaze swept over the forest, taking in every enemy. His golden eyes, filled with a predatory intensity, sent a chill down their spines.

Even the mindless Kurokos, programmed to follow orders, felt the primal threat radiating from him.

His gaze finally settled on Kuroko One. Their leader, who posed the most immediate danger. Lucian made a decision. He had to be eliminated first.

With a swift movement, Lucian hurled the broken katana towards his foe.

Then, he vanished, his very presence dissolving, disappearing.

The katana arced through the air, a silent missile of death with *Swish*

Kuroko One reacted instinctively, catching the blade but his instincts forced him to throw it to the ground.

He blocked a powerful kick, clutching Lucian's leg, preventing him from striking.

"You won't die the first time? I'll just kill you again," Kuroko One growled, his eyes narrowed, a cold glint reflecting the moonlight.

Lucian's golden eyes, like two ethereal orbs, burned into him. He spun, his leg still trapped in Kuroko One's grasp.

The Kuroko One thought, 'Let's see if you can escape my grasp,' as he tightened his clutch on Lucian's leg.

But Lucian continued spinning, his leg twisting and breaking with a sickening crunch.

He then launched a devastating kick with his other foot, landing squarely on Kuroko One's jaw. The impact sent Kuroko One sprawling backward, tumbling across the forest floor.

Lucian landed hard, his leg twisted at an unnatural angle. Pain lanced through him, but it was a mere flicker compared to achieve his goal.

He snatched the broken katana from the ground, his grip tight and unwavering. As he rose to his feet, his golden ethereal eyes flickered as a wave of warmth surged through his injured limb. The bone knit itself back together, the pain fading as quickly as it had come.

He stood, ready for battle, his leg as strong as ever. His movements fluid despite the recent injury.

He vanished once more, reappearing behind Kuroko One who was just beginning to rise.

The broken katana pierced the back of Kuroko One's neck with a sickening thud. Kuroko One's eyes were wide with disbelief as he stared up at Lucian, unable to comprehend what had just transpired, but Lucian didn't hesitate.

He moved the broken katana using it to slice through the neck slow but surely, he had severed Kuroko One's head completely.

The severed head rolled to a stop, its eyes still wide with despair.

Lucian's gaze flickered to the head before looking up to the two figures standing before him, Seung-Jo and Noshiko.

They watched in horrified fascination, their eyes switching between Lucian's miraculously healed leg and Kuroko One's headless body.

They couldn't fathom what had just happened, but there was one word echoed in their minds as they looked at Lucian: 'Monster.'

The forest was silent, the only sound of the rustling of leaves and the chilling silence of death.

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Next Chapter 47: Rush Against Time

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