Eros. (Benimaru Shinmon)

七十三

My grip tightened around the collar of the trembling Shadow, his white uniform now marred by the dirt and sweat of fear. I yanked him closer, my fingers digging into the fabric as I lifted him off the ground with an ease that spoke volumes of my barely contained rage. The mask he wore, with its curved eyes and mouthless void, only served to fuel the fire within me. I could feel the heat radiating off my body, the air around us shimmering with the intensity of my anger.

"Where are they?" I demanded, my voice low and venomous, each word dripping with a lethal promise. The air crackled with energy, the temperature in the room rising as I waited for his response.

The Shadow struggled to speak, his breath coming in shallow, panicked gasps. His eyes, hidden behind the mask, were wide with terror as he finally choked out, "They're... they're in the inner chamber... Please, I swear I'll tell you everything!"

Without another word, I flung him forward, dragging him through the doorway and into the dark corridor beyond. The oppressive air of the Nether closed in around us, but I didn't care. My mind was focused on one thing: finding Akira and Ichiro.

As we entered the chamber, my heart clenched at the sight before me. My teammates, and my friends, were shackled to the cold stone walls, their bodies slumped in exhaustion and pain. Their clothes were torn and tattered, hanging off them in shreds that barely covered the raw, red welts crisscrossing their backs. Blood trickled down their skin, seeping into the stone beneath them, the marks of countless whip lashings clear in the dim light.

For a moment, the world seemed to blur, my vision tunneling until all I could see was the brutalized state of my comrades. The fire within me erupted, a blinding surge of rage that obliterated any semblance of restraint. The Shadow in my grasp whimpered, sensing the shift in the air, the storm that was about to be unleashed.

"You did this," I said, my voice cold and unfeeling, devoid of the warmth it once held. My eyes, now glowing with an ethereal light, bore into the Shadow, freezing him in place with the sheer intensity of my gaze. There was no mercy left in me, only the overwhelming need for retribution.The Shadow tried to stammer out a plea, but I tightened my grip, the heat in my hand growing until his uniform began to smolder. The scent of burning fabric and searing flesh filled the air, and his body convulsed as the heat consumed him, his cries of agony echoing off the walls of the chamber. I watched, impassive, as his form twisted in pain, his struggles becoming more desperate with each passing second.

"Please—!" he choked out, but it was far too late.

"Die."

Without a word, I unleashed the full force of my power, the heat within me surging in a blinding flash. The Shadow's body was engulfed in flames, his screams abruptly cut off as the fire devoured him from the inside out. In an instant, he was reduced to ash, crumbling to the ground in a heap as the flames died away, leaving nothing but a dark stain on the floor.

I didn't linger. My glowing eyes snapped to Akira and Ichi, the sight of their broken forms igniting something even colder, more resolute, within me. I moved forward with deliberate precision, my heart a distant echo as I reached Akira first. His head hung low, his body barely holding onto consciousness. The shackles binding his wrists were thick, the metal biting into his skin, but with a single strike of my blade, they shattered, the pieces falling away with a dull clatter.

Akira's body slumped into my arms, his skin unnaturally pale, and as I caught him, I saw the marks etched into his flesh—deep, cruel carvings that traced across his back and shoulders, forming twisted symbols of pain and torment. My grip tightened as a fresh wave of fury surged through me, but I forced it down, knowing I couldn't lose control now.

I quickly moved to Ichi, his body limp against the wall, his breathing shallow and labored. His clothes, tattered and soaked with blood, clung to his frame, barely covering the horrific lashings that marred his back. The whip marks were deep and raw, the flesh around them swollen and bruised, and like Akira, symbols had been carved into his skin, as if to mock and dehumanize him.

My eyes glowed brighter, the light casting eerie shadows on the walls as I broke the chains that held her, pulling her close as she collapsed into my arms. Her skin was feverish, her body trembling with the trauma she had endured, and the sight of her suffering cut through me like a blade.

"We're leaving," I said, my voice now a low, emotionless growl. "I will not let you suffer any longer."

Holding Akira and Ichi close, I could feel the heat of my power wrapping around us, a protective barrier against the horrors of the Nether. The world around me seemed to fade, the chamber growing dimmer as the light in my eyes intensified, burning with the promise of vengeance for what had been done to them.

The Shadows had made a fatal mistake in harming my teammates, and as I gathered Akira and Ichi to me, I knew there was only one path forward—one of absolute destruction for those who had dared to cross me. The Nether itself would tremble before I was through.

As I carried Akira, his well-built frame draped over my shoulder, the weight was nothing compared to the burden of rage that burned within me. Akira, a man with a build similar to Vulcan's, was solid and muscular, his body honed from years of hard labor and relentless training. His strength had always been a source of pride, a testament to his resilience, but now he hung limp, his powerful form reduced to a heavy, unconscious mass. His arms dangled lifelessly, and the broad expanse of his back, usually so unyielding, was marred with deep, searing wounds. Each step I took sent a dull thud through the stone floor as his boots dragged against it.

In my other arm, I cradled Ichi, the kid whose small frame contrasted starkly with Akira's. He was light, his body fragile and trembling against me, his face buried in the crook of my neck as if seeking solace from the horrors she had endured. His tiny hands clung weakly to my clothing, fingers trembling from both pain and fear. Despite his small size, the weight of his suffering pressed down on me, a reminder of the innocence that had been so cruelly shattered.

The corridor stretched ahead, dim and foreboding, the flickering lights casting long shadows on the walls as I made my way forward. The oppressive heat of the Nether seemed to intensify with every step, but it didn't faze me. My focus was singular, my eyes glowing with an inner fire that illuminated the path before us.

Akira's muscular form shifted slightly as I adjusted my grip, his breath shallow and uneven, each exhale a faint, pained sigh. The muscles in his arms, usually so defined, now felt heavy and unresponsive, the carved symbols on his skin a brutal testament to the torture he had endured. The sight of his battered body only fueled the cold fury that simmered beneath my calm exterior.

Ichi's small, feverish body felt like a fragile bird in my arms, his weight was barely noticeable but his presence grounded me in the reality of the moment. His short hair, matted with sweat and blood, stuck to her forehead, and every breath he took was a labored effort, a fight against the pain that wracked his tiny frame. His eyes were closed, but I could feel the faint flutter of his lashes against my neck as if he was trying to stay conscious, to hold onto whatever comfort my presence could offer.

The narrow corridor, once a place of dread, was now merely a passage to freedom, a tunnel through which I would carry them to safety. Each step I took was deliberate, the cold determination in my glowing eyes a beacon of the vengeance that would soon follow. The walls of the Nether seemed to pulse with an ominous energy, but it paled in comparison to the power that radiated from within me.

The shadows on the walls flickered and danced as we moved, but I paid them no mind. My focus was on the two lives in my arms—Akira, the strong, unyielding force that had been broken, and Ichijiro, the innocent child who had suffered far too much. I could feel the heat of my power enveloping us, a protective shield that kept the darkness at bay.

As we neared the exit, the air grew slightly cooler, the oppressive weight of the Nether lifting just enough to offer a small reprieve. But I knew this was only the beginning. There would be no peace, no solace until those who had done this were brought to justice.

With each step forward, I could feel the energy building within me, a storm of fury that would not be contained.