"Awaken, Heir of Desim, Harbinger of Destruction."
~FLASH~
David would be swiftly taken out of the void, illusive space that he entered through the white realm gate.
His consciousness returned back to his body in the real world. His realm.
His eyes opened widely, spiraling upward.
The blankets over him were briefly thrown away by the sudden force.
All the memories, from his past and his time in Desim's Void, would surge back into him.
He squeezed his head, as the memories flooded right back into him as his consciousness adjusted back to being in the Realm of Humans.
"...That couldn't have been a dream."
"That felt... so real. At least the memories of my family were real. It feels... like I've regained a important part of myself... Now I know why I ended up an orphan... how I got to where I am."
"...Where am I?"
David looked around, realizing where he was at. He was in one of Site-11's Medical Wards, the advanced section, from the looks of it.
"...Never been in here before. Those machines look completely different from modern ones. They look... newer."
"Ah, you're awake."
David peered over.
Two individuals entered the room. Black suits with white dress shirts. They had the ARC lapel pin. One agent was white skinned, blue eyes and slick blond hair, standing at 5'10 in height and visibly muscular, he had a blue tie. The other agent was smaller, around 5'8, with a black tie.
"...The ties must denote their status."
"...You're definitely from ARC... but not from the program, you don't look like scientists... You must be directly from the agency."
"That's correct. Adverse Realm Intelligence." The taller agent responded.
"You've been asleep for a week, Mr. Reece."
"A week?!"
"We've been monitoring your condition, hence why you are here."
"What happened to the rest of my group? Are they alive?"
"Only six of the original hunters survived the realm gate."
"..."
"Not everyone must've mentally survived the trial. I wonder if they had a similar experience to me. But I do remember the last words that... monster... told me."
"Heir of Desim...Harbinger of Destruction."
"Heir... I'm his Heir?..."
"What's their condition?"
"Mentally scarred. Some had physical injuries as well, which isn't entirely explained since the beast seem to have engaged you all mentally, not physically."
"Maybe for those who just survived the trial had received physical injuries as a price for not passing... Wait... no, they may have fought themselves like I did... their injuries may have self-inflicted..."
"We're not entirely sure if they will continue their work as hunters, since besides their physical condition, we've had trouble just getting them to recover mentally."
"...Not surprising since the realm gate tested your mentality... I... witnessed my worst memory."
"This is the first realm gate that we've heard of a monster attacking hunters mentally, instead of physically fighting them in their realm."
"Six out of twenty-one hunters surviving a mere E-Rank Realm Gate is very concerning, considering a D-Rank Hunter was mentally unstable as soon as he exited... but you seem to be fine."
David perked up.
"...We think you had a Resurgence."
"Resurgence?"
"In some cases, your biological body can evolve when the supersoldier serum is exposed to certain conditions... it is not fully explained, as the serum is based on monster physiology."
"Monsters do evolve mid-battle, it's not impossible for hunters to do the same when given the serum... Maybe that's what happened... Did I evolve?"
"Sir." The other agent spoke up, while looking at the machine.
"Hmm. Seems you are still an F-Rank."
David's heart sunk.
"Oh, I see..."
The agent grabbed his notebook.
"Thank you for your cooperation."
David nodded.
The agents then left the room and shut the door.
David sighed.
"Heir."
David jumped.
"What the hell?!"
David looked up, seeing a skull with a white and greenish flame. It had the similar curved horns that he saw on the entity with the similar aura.
"Do not be disappointed. You did inherit my power."
"Huh?"
"However, your body is much too frail and weak to receive it."
"...I assume you mean that I need to train in order to properly receive it."
"That is correct."
"But how? I've already had biological modifications and I'm still an F-Rank."
"Those...modifications you speak of... are merely a shell of what majin blood is capable of."
"Majin?"
"You call us... 'monsters', but we are majins. Demons, in your language."
"Back to our original topic... Remember the trial. It did not test your physicality, it tested your mentality. Absorbing my power is not merely physical, but mental as well."
"The power I have, as Ruler of Destruction, is limitless."
"...Are you saying I have the capability to infinitely get stronger?"
"Yes."
"...I'd assume that means you've manifested to help me then."
"That is why I am here. What kind of heir would you be, if your master could not guide you to becoming their disciple?"
"I have to ask... why are you a skull though? Can you not manifest properly?"
"It corresponds to the level of power you have. I am now part of you."
"So how do I start receiving your power?"
"By breaking down your body so my blood may properly seep through you."
"You mean by exercising? Hypertrophy."
"By your terminology, yes."
"...Time to get to work then."
***
"Hey, you've seen that hunter around right?"
"You mean Reece?"
"Yeah, he's been in the gym that the ward provides for several days now. He's also been running around nonstop."
"Isn't that dangerous in his condition?"
"Hunters are different from regular humans in terms of physicality and regeneration. Plus, I think the doctors did say he needed to 'stretch his legs'."
"Look. That must've been his 6th mile just running around the entire site."
"Stretch his legs? Are you sure he'll be fine."
"Positive."
David eventually stopped to briefly catch his breath.
"The plan you've set into motion has been interesting to observe. For a human, you're becoming stronger and more endurant then you were before you set foot into my void."
"Is that your way of complimenting me?"
"Yes."
"I believe you are ready."
"Hm?"
"Go to an place where you will not be seen."
David was confused, but followed along nevertheless.
*
"Mr. Reece?" A security guard stopped him.
"Is it alright if I leave the security site for a while?" David asked the guard at the gate.
"Give me one second." The guard then got on his radio.
"Yeah, you're good to go. Just make sure you're back for any medical tests that you're aware of."
David nodded.
"OPEN IT UP!" The guard shouted.
*
David walked into an abandoned alleyway.
"Now what?"
"..."
A realm gate would open, but instead of being the typical blue and whitish color, it appeared green and white.
"Go forth into the gate."
"A realm gate... so that means..."
"Yes."
David nodded and entered the gate.
*
-- Abandoned Train Station --
"Huh... seems to be a metropolitan train station. I never knew you had knowledge of Earth's structures, Desim."
"I do not. This is all based on your mind and your surroundings. The realm must've picked a train station because you were near one when you entered the alley."
"...But yet you know what an alley is."
"That is because I'm inside of your mind. Do not try to outsmart me, Heir."
"My bad, my bad."
"...Do you honestly believe I am strong enough to clear this realm gate by myself?"
"Do not cower in fear. Remember your pledge."
"..."
"...I would not put you in a predicament that would guarantee your death."
"I'll take that as a yes."
"It's a bit nerveracking to clear a realm gate all by yourself."
"When you master my powers, there will be few ever to match you."
"Meaning there will be few able to catch up to me either."
"That is correct."
"That stench... A beast?"
"...Oh, you can smell majins now."
David felt a presence behind him, as a roar followed behind it.
He quickly reacted, as he performed a backflip, dodging the beast's attack with its teeth.
"Looks like a tiger...an iron-clad one at that..."
The beast awaited its chance to attack once again.
"I'm closing the distance."
David rushed forward and the beast responded in turn.
Before it could open its mouth, David balled his fist and punched with full force into the bottom of its mouth.
The brunt launched the beast into the wall, leaving a noticeable impact. The beast had already died before it even came in contact with it.
"You are adjusting well."
"I guess you can say that was... destruction?"
"...Do not say that again."
"Ridiculous to think THAT mere attack was destruction."
David snickered to himself after sensing the skull's reaction to his joke.
"...Approach the majin."
"What for?"
"You do not just have the power of being a superhuman, Heir."
David walked toward the dead beast.
"Hold your hand out... and think of taking the majin's power for your own."
David held out his hand, an aura surrounding it.
The majin's dead body began to decompose as the same green and dark aura that surrounded David's hand came in contact with it, leaving nothing in its wake.
David then thought of the power that the majin had, where iron surrounded his hand, wrist and forearms, like a long fullbody combat glove.
"...Gluttony?"
"...You are reading my mind now."
"It makes sense. By destroying the body, your power has the ability to take the creature's power for your own."
"It is now your power as well, not just merely mine."
"There is much about you that you do not know."
"You will become more majin then human. Unrecognizable."
David looked at his hands, realizing his words may be true.
"...Two more."
"Very good."
Two more iron-clad tigers approached from the shadows before they made their physical presence known.
David did not let them have the advantage of surprise, launching forward with his legs.
He quickly kicked a tiger into the ground with a downward kick, killing it by the force.
The other tiger attempted to pounce, David quickly responding by punching it into the air. The tiger's body fell into the ground, as it was already dead by the punch.
"Come out."
The rest of the tigers in the shadows remained.
David looked in their direction.
Despite his eyes not being physically green, the tigers themselves saw a black and green aura surrounding them, glowing menacingly in the dark. The tigers growled to one another, as they retreated.
"...You can strike fear into those majin now, with just a glance. Picking you as my apostle has been worthwhile, Heir."
"Is it that rare?"
"No human, at least from my observation of your world, has been ever to strike fear into a majin with eye contact. Showing off their skill will simply cause the majin to retreat after being beaten, but those majin instinctively felt fear."
"What exactly are you saying then?"
"Your body is evolving much faster then I perceived. You may be half-majin now. Tread lightly around your own kind."
"...I don't care about the truth being exposed. The only thing I am concerned with is strength."
David felt the skull smile, even though it physically couldn't.
"Do I receive the strength of the majin I decompose as well?"
"Yes. But it does not work on the same creature a second time. You've already acquired its strength. Duplicating it will not mean much. You've already added it to your own strength."
"...Huh. So those creatures thought numbers would ensure their victory."
David looked to his right, as he saw a entire horde of iron-clad tigers, their roars filling the entire station.
David balled his fists with his iron gloves.
The tigers in front of the horde halted briefly, as they saw a smile creep on David's face.
The same aura they saw from before, was more prominent and fearful with David's smile.
"You are beginning to enjoy the hunt."
"Very good, Heir... Very good."
~CRACK~
*
"Leopards and Monkeys... Great."
"You've still defeated them with ease."
"Their speed took me some getting used to."
"Despite my blood granting you regeneration, you took minimal damage. I'm impressed by your ability to analyze a situation and adjust to turn the favor to you."
"...That's something I've had to learn through millennium."
"You've been alive for thousands of years?"
"Millions."
"...Doing what?"
"War."
David left the topic alone after sensing the skull's refusal to continue the conservation. He walked over to the dead majins and gained their powers, their bodies decomposing.
He could retract metal claws out of the iron gloves he received from the tigers and granted him enhanced speed.
"The majins you've been fighting are now too weak for your growth."
"...I've gotten way stronger then when I first got in here. I did have to use my full power when I first encountered a tiger."
"...Though I'm not sure if I'm ready to face THAT one yet."
David felt the presence of a much stronger beast, compared to the majins he's fought.
"That beast down there..."
"...Break down that wall."
"Wall?"
"What do you think the purpose of this trial is?"
"..."
"My first trial was testing your determination to grow."
"...A wall... my subconscious wall..."
"You are still feeling overwhelming fear in the face of a great adversary."
"It is to be human to feel fear. However, you are no longer the same as you once were."
"...Fear is not the same as caution. There is a thin line between the two."
"Fight that fear. Destroy the emotions you do not need. Fear will not grant you strength."
"Remember what I said in the beginning. You are ready."
David balled his fists together, steeling his resolve. The skull's 'eyes' widened.
"...Your aura..."
"Huh?"
"Do not mind me."
David was confused, but continued forth. He stepped further into the center of the train station.
He busted through two large doorways that blocked his path with ease.
He looked around, the center seemed completely different from the areas he crossed, the center seemed overgrown with weeds and grass, water falling from the broken glass ceiling.
David looked up, he saw the realm from what it was. It was a void.
"...Similar to the same void I was in before..."
~SWISH~
David felt a swift presence behind him, as he quickly put up his arms in a defensive manner. An attack launched him backward into a surrounding pillar, crumbling it down.
"...Was that a tail?"
He quickly looked up and saw an enlarged reptile-type beast that towered over him.
"...A snake and a lizard combined..."
"You must be the beast holding up this realm." David said out loud, as he recovered himself and stood back up.
The beast acknowledged his words, as if almost nodding through its hiss.
"...It understood your words."
"I can speak majin now?"
"No. You spoke in your human tongue, but your thoughts reached its mind."
"Focus."
"...It has scales like a snake, but legs like a lizard... facial structure is similar to a snake too..."
The beast leapt forward, its tail swinging to its side, hitting David. The sheer force blew apart the floor below him.
He put up a successful block with his arms, as the beast then swung its tail back.
The beast then used its large claws and swept them toward him. His body, including his face, was cut several times, if not by the actual claws, but by the force behind them.
"...I need to break its scales while it's attacking me... Those thick scales are a problem." David thought to himself as he tried to punch the scales on the beast.
The beast responded by swinging its body around then used one of its hands to launch his entire body into the wall, leaving another impact.
"Shit!" David coughed up blood.
***
"...People have been calling you a deadweight, David."
"I can see why..."
"...In my opinion, it doesn't matter whether you are a deadweight or not. You contribute to the mission in your own way. You've helped plenty."
"..."
"But that doesn't seem to satisfy you."
"...Sloane?"
"I can see it in your eyes, David. You have an... innate strong will. I don't know why or how, but I will say this."
"Work harder."
"Work to gain the strength you seek."
***
"...Powerful strength."
"...Overwhelming power."
"...Power to make those under you kneel and submit. Unchallenged."
"...Hypocrities will not help me... No matter the strategy, no matter the creativity, those weaker then their prey will become helpless in the face of overwhelming odds."
***
"I didn't think the weakest of us would play such an important and active role in the mission..."
"I looked down on you, you're smarter then you look."
"Of course I was thanked for my intelligence in battle... it was valued... for a time."
"But when they realize they are stronger then you... they will continue to look down on you... they will use YOU for their own gain..."
***
"I must get stronger."
"I NEED to get stronger."
"No way am I giving up after all this time..."
"...You fucking beast. You are MY stepping stone..."
"I will use you to become stronger..."
"...Transformation..."
The beast saw a similar aura, like the other majins, that felt threatening.
The beast wasn't intimidated, but surging with caution, feeling that it should attack before the human before it could get the chance to defeat it.
The beast jumped forward, its loud hiss filling the area.
David immediately leapt forward, dodging its pounce. The floor crumbled as it slammed into the ground.
"...Compared to the fear... compared to the anger... that I felt that day... the day I lost everything."
"YOU ARE NOTHING." His voice echoed through the station.
David attacked the part of its head that he left several of his former hits, with his retractable claws with full force, breaking its scales with his slash.
The beast instinctively twisted its head around, but that was what David was aiming for.
He jumped upon its neck, at its weak spot.
"DIE!"
David put his full strength into his hands, grabbing upon the beast's head and crushed it. The brunt had the beast's head spiral around on its own just by the force of his hands.
David then pulled its head with his strength and threw it across the center of the station, hitting several pillars.
"And stay fucking dead."
David took a breath as he sat down. His wounds began healing.
"...Marvelous work."
"You've seen better."
"That does not matter, nor is that what I am referring to."
"You broke the subconscious wall that remained, even after my first trial."
"You no longer possess the instinctive fear that humans are born with."
"You are becoming... more of the monster you wish to kill."
"You've become stronger, David."
David's eyes widened, sensing the skull's proud face.
"This has... been quite an experience so far. I've never thought a human could overcome their limits... We've always thought of humans as just another weak existence created by God... but you are beginning to change my perspective."
"This has been... educational."
David smiled. "You're welcome."
The skull nodded.
"I know I've been able to instinctively feel the strength of beasts, but is there a way you can... show me their power level?"
"...Of course."
"Look upon the dead majin."
David looked at the dead beast's head at his feet.
[] E-RANK.
"Woah. It's like a message in virtual reality."
"I was under the assumption this was what you were referring to."
"It was. Thank you, Desim."
"...Wait. E-Rank?"
"...I defeated a E-Rank Monster?"
"... Based your world's ranking system, yes. I adjusted it from the extensive knowledge that you possess of your world's understanding of power. It is... quite interesting."
"...And if it was the monster that seemed to hold up this realm gate's energy, then that means it must've been E+ Rank... I must be nearly D-Rank... already."
"I can now defeat a monster that can level houses with its raw attacks..."
***
"Has the patient returned?"
"David Reece? No, not yet Doc."
"Huh, strange."
"Not too strange, he's been doing better I hear. He should be discharged soon."
"...And the scans have noticed nothing of caution."
"Really?"
"Why, did you notice something?"
"No... just noticed the patent's physicality lately."
"I'm not surprised. Even a weak hunter is stronger then the average person with that superhuman serum that ARC formulated."
"That's why the government created the Hunter Program, so they could regulate them."
"Even high-ranking hunters are multi-millionaires, just as compensation for hunters closing the realm gates. A small fee to ensure a hunter's loyalty and service."
"They become monsters themselves..."
"And monsters are hard to control."
***
David walked over to the dead beast's head. He began to use Gluttony to gain its strength and any power it had. Its body decomposed.
"...I'm now Rank D."
David felt the beast's power surging through him.
"Venom?"
He retracted the claws out of his iron gloves, then swung his arm. Slashes of green venom launched out of the claws, hitting the wall, melting portions of it.
"Potent too... must have not realized it had poison when it cut me up, due to my regeneration."
"Go forth."
A green whitish realm gate opened.
He appeared in the same location, the abandoned alleyway. However, it was nightfall.
"...How long was I in there?... Oh damn, I just realized... my clothes are torn."
He mentally thought of hiding the iron gloves, as they melted and moulded like human skin. However they were still physically there.
"...Can't be caught with these."
Feeling a surge of energy, David then began to smile.
"...Would you like to test your strength?"
"Too obvious?"
"Let's see how you handle this one without using your newfound abilities."
"...What a pain."
"You are not yet strong enough to... encourage... your fellow humans that you are not a threat to be exterminated. Revealing yourself now would be illogical."
"Agreed."
David began to run out of the alleyway, bursting out.
He then leapt on top of a building and continued to run across the distance.
*
"Look! Is that a hunter?"
"Woah... looks like a high-ranking one..."
"He's leaping across those buildings so gracefully!"
"...I want be like him when I grow up!" A little kid perked up.
*
"No photos!"
"Please evacuate the area!"
David landed in front of the locked down area.
The crowd around him jumped in shock.
He looked around, as if waiting for the people in front of him to move.
The civilians quickly shifted out of his way.
"Hey! This is a restricted-." An ARC soldier stopped him, then looked behind him at the impact he made.
"Are you-."
"Yes." David briefly showed his license. One of his fingers hid his actual rank, but the soldiers didn't realize that was intentional due to the chaos. The license was authentic.
"...Were you involved in a battle?" He looked at his clothes.
"Something like that."
"What's the situation?" David asked.
"...Let me escort you." The soldier said, as the other soldiers let them through.
There was yellow lines of "KEEP OUT!", as well as military vehicles blocking the street, as well as the entire sector.
David looked around, seeing dead bodies: monsters, police officers, ARC soldiers and civilians alike.
"A realm gate opened here. It took us by surprise. ARC was not expecting this magnitude of damage."
There were destroyed cars, crumbled buildings, dead bodies everywhere.
"Seems like they overran us."
The soldier nodded, continuing to walk.
"How many are left?"
"Just two large beasts. It's been giving our current hunters trouble."
"A Priority Beast?" David inquired.
"That's correct. The monster separated into two bodies."
~BOOM~
A tank shell was heard in the distance.
The beasts roared in anger.
One of them lifted a M1 Abrams in response and swiftly threw it in their direction.
The soldier was too slow to react.
Before the soldier could even yell, David ran in front of him to take the brunt of the tank. To the soldier, it seemed like he suddenly appeared right in front of him.
As the tank was thrown in upward, it descended downward toward them.
David grabbed the tank in place whilst in the air and then carefully dropped it back on the street.
"Woah..." The soldier was impressed.
One of the operators inside of the tank opened the top hatch.
"...Damn... nice catch... thought we were goners for sure..." He set out a weak thumbs-up.
"Help them see if there's any damage to their tank. I'm going ahead." David looked at the soldier.
"Understood." He nodded.
David burst forward toward the action.
"...That guy... what rank you think he is?"
"To be able to grab the tank like that with minimal effort and drop it down... he's gotta be a high-ranking one for sure. Maybe even an unpopular A-Rank."
*
"Fuck!" An ARC soldier yelled in fear as he sprayed his bullets toward the beast.
"Your bullets aren't doing anything! Get back!" A hunter yelled.
One of the beasts took the opportunity to try and step on them beneath its large foot, as the hunter used his large shield to block his foot and launch it off.
The beast roared in response, causing it to briefly stumble.
"...Our weapons aren't doing shit, man!" Another hunter yelled.
"Explosives neither!"
"Its defenses are too strong!"
"We don't have anything brawl enough to break its rock structure!"
"Back the hell up! All soldiers, fall the fuck back!" The senior hunter yelled.
"Yes, sir!" The military vehicles up front and the soldiers began to fall back slowly while firing its bullets to try and slow down the beasts' approach.
"Continue to fire your grenade launchers and M141s! Weaken its structure, I don't care how many rockets you waste!"
"We can't let it get any closer to the populace!"
*
"...Huh. All lower ranked hunters... Eight E-Ranks, one D-Rank, twenty-four ARC soldiers... four armed Humvees."
From a building rooftop, David briefly looked at the two beasts.
"...That hunter holding the shield is the only reason they haven't been overrun... yet."
"...Their weapons can't penetrate the beasts' rock skin."
~BOOM~
David looked down at the beasts, seeing an explosion. The beast roared, part of its rocky skin blew up.
A young brown-skinned female girl with curly black hair was seen flipping out of the explosion before the detonation, landing near the hunters. She seemed generally attractive.
The beast's damaged structure regenerated.
"Shit. Seems like we need to hit its vital points to do some real damage."
"You tried. At least we know it CAN be damaged."
"...Jessica?"
David smiled, chuckling.
"...She was one strong girl. I'm not surprised she survived Desim's trial."
"...If you had not entered the realm gate, that girl was my second choice."
"But not for the reasons I chose you."
"...What do you mean?"
"...She has a strong emotion towards you. I don't know how to describe it, but it interested me. It helped her get through her fear. Strength comes in more ways then one."
"..."
"By your reaction, it seems to be an emotion that you know very well... and don't believe."
David prepared to launch himself off of the rooftop toward the two beasts. His legs began to bulge in strength.
~BOOM~
David's launch caused a shockwave, as the building's glass shattered and the structure began to crack in force.
"What the hell was that?!"
"Another monster?!"
While midair, he hardened his entire body in iron and prepared to retract his claws. He shot right through the beast's rocky structure, landing on the ground.
He quickly recovered in seconds. As soon as his feet barely touched the ground, he prepared to launch himself again, slamming into the second beast, ending up back in the air.
It was barely a minute when the beasts were both killed. Blood spiraled out of their mouths and out their rock skins, as they fell to the ground. The venom from his hands seeped through their bodies after his strike, killing them instantly even after his hardened body pierced them.
"...What the fuck?"
"Look over there!"
Only the hunters briefly saw David's backside, with his head looking toward the group.
They saw eyes with a green and black aura. It briefly frightened them before he completely disappeared from view.
"Was... that a hunter?"
"It.. may have been a monster. No hunter... emits energy like that..."
"A male human shaped monster? Let's be for real."
"He launched off that building... its wrecked just by the force... Goddamn."
"...Whatever who or what that was... it killed those beasts."
"With ease."
"...David?" Jessica's inaudible whisper reached David's ears, as he began fleeing from the scene.