Chapter 19: Foul Legacy

Kyouya staggered back, colliding with stacks of heavy supply crates, causing a resounding crash. As the echoes of the Hydro whale's assault faded, he lay amidst the debris.

When the dust settled around him, his gaze fell upon a crate that had fallen mere inches away. It broke open, and his eyes widened upon seeing that it contained a bunch of delusions.

The vibrant colors of the precious crystals glowed ominously amidst the wreckage, each one a symbol of immense power. Childe noticed him staring at the delusions and chuckled a bit before softly kicking a Pyro delusion towards his direction.

"Go on, use it. You wouldn't dare," he laughed.

"Ugh…."

Kyouya groaned while clutching his wounds.

"There's no way your body can handle the power of three elements at once. In the first place, you using the power of Electro without a delusion is already ridiculous. You are quite the peculiar specimen, comrade."

"Shut up…"

"You're weak," Childe scoffed.

Kyouya's heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the Pyro delusion before him. The temptation to wield such power was strong, but he knew the risks.

But just then, he heard something within the depths of his conscience.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? TAKE IT" the voices in his head began calling out to him.

"Huh!? Wait… it's you again… you can talk?"

He panicked at first but realized this was the same voice that had been instructing him to kill throughout multiple duels.

"I HAVE BEEN TALKING TO YOU FOR A LONG TIME NOW, BOY" the voices got louder.

"Well… I thought you could only say one word so I haven't been paying much attention to you."

"LOOK AT YOURSELF. YOU'RE NEVER BEATING HIM LIKE THIS. GRAB IT! GRAB IT NOW!"

"No!" he shouted.

Childe tilted his head in confusion. He was confused as to who Kyouya was arguing with.

"Just using the Electro delusion messed with my head so much. I can't imagine what will happen if I absorb another one…"

"Well then… you can just die here, boy," the voices started whispering.

"Huh?"

"That's right. You'll die here. The Fatui will invade Fontaine again and that precious Archon you adore so much will be no more."

"You… you've been observing me this whole time?"

"Of course, boy… you and I… we are the same. I've been here… all along."

"Hey, comrade! Are you having a bit of an inner monologue there? Do you have a few screws loose in your head?" Childe shouted.

Kyouya snapped out of his thoughts to see the Harbinger approaching him.

"You know… you should take this duel more seriously. If you're not gonna fight back then I'll gladly finish you right here."

"N-no… wait! Time out!"

"It's my victory, comrade!"

The Harbinger shouted as he lunged forward to stab him.

"Fuck… it's now or never," Kyouya muttered as he barely sidestepped the strike while grabbing onto the Pyro delusion.

Taking a deep breath, he dashed away to the corner of the room and focused his mind for a brief moment. His hands tightened the delusion and its power started to flow into him rapidly.

Small flames began flickering around his body, displaying his newfound Pyro powers. However, as the flames enveloped him, an unsettling presence seeped into his mind. Whispers echoed within his consciousness, urging him to embrace the delusion's full power.

"MUAHAHAHHA! THERE WE GO! SEEMS LIKE YOU DO HAVE THE GUTS TO GO ON, BOY!" the voices in his head growled loudly.

"This power… is amazing. Tell me your name, demon."

"The name's Raum. Now step forth and tear that Harbinger apart!"

"Alright then…"

With every passing second, Kyouya felt the Pyro energy coursing through his veins, empowering him beyond his imagination.

Neuvillette silently watched in awe from the cage.

"He's the real deal."

Kyouya's muscles seemed to pulsate with newfound strength.

Raising his hand, he attempted to summon a sword, but to his astonishment, a claymore manifested itself instead.

"What the fuck? I've never used one of these before," he groaned.

It seemed like a relic from wars fought centuries ago, yet its power was unmistakable.

"A sword is boring, boy. This will be far more destructive," the voices in his head spoke maliciously.

The claymore's imposing form blazed with Pyro energy, and Kyouya could feel its immense strength coursing through him.

Despite being reluctant at first, he gripped the greatsword firmly.

Childe observed the transformation with a twisted smirk, evidently amused.

"So you CAN wield three elements at once. Also, I've noticed you absorbed the delusion instead of using it directly. You continue to impress me, comrade." he chuckled.

"It's over for you," Kyouya growled.

As he dashed forth, the power of the pyro delusion surged through him, imbuing his body with incredible strength. However, he also felt himself moving slower than usual.

"What the? This is ridiculous… I feel… so slow…"

"You can't have it all at once boy," the voices laughed in his head.

It seemed like the trade off for the Pyro delusion was losing some of his speed. But to make up for it, he was stronger than ever. His strikes could pierce through the sturdiest obstacles as of now.

His claymore clashed against Childe's abyssal spear, sending shockwaves rippling through the air, causing nearby supply crates to tremble and quake.

Muscles strained and sweat trickled down their brows as they pushed against each other, each refusing to yield an inch.

"W-whoa … you seem different now, comrade."

Kyouya could feel himself getting consumed by the flames flowing through his body, and he knew he had to end this confrontation swiftly.

With one final surge of strength, he broke the deadlock, pushing Childe back just enough to gain some breathing room.

"BURN!"

As he lunged forth, his fiery claymore connected perfectly and this time, his strike was strong enough to pierce through the supposedly impenetrable armor.

Childe was shocked to witness this sudden growth.

However, before he could drive the blade in any deeper, the Harbinger retaliated swiftly. A powerful kick sent Kyouya hurtling into the air, leaving him momentarily vulnerable. Childe teleported behind him, spear in hand.

With deadly precision, he slashed Kyouya once more, sending him crashing back to the ground. As his body hit the floor, the impact reverberated through his bones.

He began panting heavily as he struggled to stand up.

"Shit…"

Kyouya didn't have much experience wielding Pyro so he was having a hard time controlling such overwhelming power.

As he tried to get back up, he saw Childe descending upon him. The Harbinger stood on top of him, aiming the spear directly at his neck,

"You've put up a good fight. But it's not enough, comrade."

"I can… still… go on…"

"You'll die before that. But, it doesn't have to end here. Come with me. Work for the Fatui. I would love to spar with you everyday. You can get so much stronger!"

Childe reached his hand out to him.

"NEVER!" Kyouya shouted.

"It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable," Childe sighed.

"I don't care about all that…"

"I knew you'd say that. You imbeciles and your stupid code of conduct. None of that matters. In this world, the only thing that matters is your strength and right now, you're not strong enough," Childe scoffed.

"How can you be… so heartless?" Kyouya coughed out blood as he tried to get the words out.

"That's just life, comrade. Anyways, I'll be finishing you off now. Next, I'll go retrieve that damn Hydro Gnosis so I can finally get out of here. Fontaine has been an eye sore for me anyways."

"N-no…"

Kyouya tried to reach out for the claymore but Childe stepped on his arm instantly.

"Stay down! You're far too weak to take me on. I'll burn this pathetic nation to ashes and then I'll go for that useless Archon you adore so much."

His eyes widened in horror at the Harbinger's words.

"Y-you…"

As Kyouya lay on the ground, gasping for breath, his mind drifted away. He began hallucinating in the middle of the fight.

In the depths of his mind, he could see Furina standing before him, her presence filling him with warmth. But then, Childe appeared from behind her.

Kyouya's heart clenched in fear as he saw the glint of a blade. He reached his arm out desperately, trying to stop the tragedy unfolding before him, but it was too late.

"FURINA!"

He shouted, unable to reach her in time. The blade found its mark, piercing Furina's chest with precision.

"It's alright," she said with her dying breath.

Kyouya felt a surge of pain in his chest. He was unable to form any words, watching helplessly as the love of his life was struck down before him.

It seemed so real, so vivid, that for a fleeting moment, he forgot where he was. The battle, the warehouse, and even Childe faded into the background as he was consumed by his greatest fear. The thought of losing her bore down upon him, threatening to crush his very soul.

"Get up, boy. It's not over yet," the voices called out to him again.

Kyouya was pulled back to reality, the sounds of the battle around him breaking through the haze.

His eyes shot open as he clenched his fists, screaming out loudly.

"GRAHHHHHHHH!"

The flames engulfed him, creating an inferno of scorching heat. The ground beneath him trembled, and an explosion of searing energy rippled outward, pushing Childe back. As the fiery haze subsided, Kyouya emerged from the flames, his eyes burning with unfathomable rage.

"Huh? Looks like you still got some steam left in you, comrade."

Every muscle in his body seemed to surge with unmatched power, as if the flesh on his body was on the verge of tearing apart.

"Muahaha! That's right,boy! Embrace the power within you," the voices in his head urged him to proceed.

With a primal scream, he charged towards Childe.

As he closed the distance, he unleashed a devastating punch that smashed into the dark armor, shattering it effortlessly. The sheer force of the blow sent Childe hurtling across the warehouse, breaking through the wall with an explosive impact.

He crashed to the ground, gasping for air, his once formidable armor now reduced to mere pieces around him.

Kyouya's newfound powers surged through his veins, igniting his entire body with otherworldly strength. With a fierce expression, he charged at Childe, his footsteps leaving scorching marks on the ground.

He grabbed the Harbinger, gripping onto his body tightly. With a powerful leap, Kyouya launched himself and Childe into the air.

"This is gonna hurt," he roared.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT!!!!" Childe shouted.

At the pinnacle of their ascent, Kyouya twisted his body, bringing Childe down with him in a gravity-defying arc.

In a spectacular display of strength, he slammed the Harbinger onto the ground with bone-shattering force. The impact echoed through the battlefield, the ground quivering from the sheer power of the suplex.

Childe groaned, temporarily incapacitated by the devastating move.

"F-fuck… what was that, comrade!?"

Kyouya stood on top of him, staring into his eyes.

"Tell me, do Harbingers bleed?" he growled.

Childe simply watched in horror upon realizing that this may be the end.

"Ugh… I might actually die here."

Kyouya straddled Childe's body, as he raised his Pyro infused fists, ready to beat the shit out of the Harbinger below him.

"So this is how you do justice in Fontaine, huh?" the Harbinger coughed out blood as he laughed.

"FUCK YOU!" Kyouya shouted, beginning his assault.

His fiery fists rained down upon Childe like a relentless storm. Each punch landed with a resounding impact, the force of the blows echoing through the warehouse.

Neuvillette silently watched the scene from his cage, unsure of what to think of the sight before him.

The flames surrounding Kyouya intensified with his rage, casting a crimson glow upon the brutal scene.

Childe's red mask offered no protection, swiftly breaking apart against the fiery barrage, as his face bore the brunt of Kyouya's wrath. His Foul Legacy had timed out. This form wasn't something he could keep using for too long as it would take a massive toll on his body.

The sounds of flesh meeting flesh filled the air, accompanied by pained grunts and desperate gasps for breath. Kyouya's heart pounded with every punch, his vision blurred by the flames that danced in his eyes.

"ALL I WANTED WAS TO LIVE A PEACEFUL LIFE… WITH HER. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR?" he shouted in agony.

The weight of his emotions unleashed a torrent of fury upon Childe, as if every drop of anger and fear he had ever experienced was being poured out through this relentless assault.

"DIE! DIE! DIE!"

The sound of bone cracking beneath his fists only fueled his determination.

"That's it, boy! Let loose! The power calls out to you!" the voices continued laughing in his head making his rage worse.

The once confident Harbinger now lay battered and broken, his mask shattered and his pride stripped away.

Clorinde had finally made her way to the room after clearing out the horde of Fatui soldiers below. She witnessed the horrific scene before her and was unable to recognize Kyouya. He seemed like a beast at that very moment.

Without a second thought, she ran behind him, wrapping her arms tightly around his body, in an attempt to stop him from going any further.

"KYOUYA, STOP! THAT'S ENOUGH!" she screamed.

Upon hearing her voice, Kyouya snapped out of his thoughts. He slowly lowered his fists, the fire in his eyes beginning to dim.

"It's okay… you got him," she spoke in a soft tone.

He turned to look at Clorinde and realized what he was doing.

Kyouya knew that this brutal beatdown was not the man he wanted to be. He fought not out of cruelty, but out of a desperate need to protect the ones he cared for.

"I'm sorry, the voices got the better of me," he mumbled to himself.

"W-what?" she asked, unable to make sense of what she just heard.

…

…

Kyouya pushed her away and raised his fist for one last strike. With one final punch to the face, Childe passed out, his body battered and bruised, and his spirit broken.

Breathing heavily, Kyouya stood over his fallen opponent, the flames of fury subsiding to reveal the man he truly was.

He silently walked away from the brutal scene.

Clorinde watched him go, torn between wanting to stop him or let him go. She realized that the man needed time to process what had just transpired.

"I shouldn't…"

With a heavy sigh, she decided not to follow him.

As the rest of the Gardes arrived on the scene, Clorinde quickly composed herself and took charge.

She gave clear instructions to the officers.

"Send him to the ICU first and once he receives treatment, put him behind bars. Keep him under strict surveillance at all times."

The Gardes took Childe away immediately. Turning her attention to the cage, Clorinde approached with a sense of determination. Neuvillette's eyes met hers with relief.

"Sorry for the delay, Monsieur Neuvillette," she said softly.

As she unlocked the cage, the man stepped out, stretching his limbs after being confined for so long.

His gaze lingered on Kyouya's retreating form.

"Do you think he's gonna be okay?"

"I am afraid I cannot answer that, Clorinde," Neuvillette sighed.

Only Kyouya knew what he truly had to go through to win this battle. The voices still lingered within his head and he was unsure how long this would go on