Chapter 23
An hour later.
There were a lot of police, paramedics, and pro heroes around. Vesemir was examining the tracks at the edge of the tree line. All the civilians had been taken to safety.... or rather, almost all of them. Vesemir could hear the steady, calm breathing of someone in the tree, 20 meters away.
"You don't know me, so I'll give you advice. Don't ever try to sneak up on me again."
Asui Tsuyu She froze, surprised by his perceptiveness. For a moment she didn't say a word... she went down to a lower branch and then jumped down.
"Kero... I thought you wouldn't notice me."
"You're either stupid or brave and stupid. Go home."
Tsuyu clenched her fists, her heart pounding, but she didn't back down.
"Those monsters are still here, aren't they? This isn't over yet. I can see it in the way you move. You're looking for them."
Vesemir sighed heavily, like someone who doesn't have time for such conversations.
"You know that all I have to do is shout and one of the pro heroes will show up here to catch you and take you back to your parents?"
"You know that all it takes is one sentence from me to say that you plan to go fight the monsters yourself, kero?"
Vesemir narrowed his eyes, giving her a cold stare.
"Don't you understand that this isn't a game? Those monsters won't mess with you. They won't give you a second chance."
Tsuyu crouched down and placed her hands on her knees.
"They won't give you a chance either, kero."
"I'm a trained specialist with experience who hunts monsters. I have the right equipment for such a hunt. You're just a girl who thinks she has any chance against such a monster."
"I don't think so..."
"So what do you think?"
"I'll stay away in the trees and watch, kero. I want to be a pro hero."
Vesemir looked at her for a moment without saying a word, as if assessing whether she was serious or just trying to impress.
"No."
Tsuyu stood up, turned toward the few pro heroes who hadn't seen her yet. She took a deep breath and...
"Okay, stop..."
Vesemir straightened and turned, looking deeper into the forest. There was a hint of reluctance in his voice, but also... acceptance of the situation.
"We need to establish some rules, though."
"What are those rules?"
"You stay in the trees, you keep your distance, you don't attack, you run if necessary, and most importantly, you stay out of my way."
Tsuyu nodded slowly, her gaze becoming more serious. Although she was still tense, there was a sense of determination in her. She nodded.
Vesemir turned and began walking deeper into the trees, and Tsuyu followed him. Vesemir decided to use this journey to persuade the girl to return. He approached a tree that was partially stripped of its bark. "If you're so ready for action, at least you'll learn something. Look at the area and tell me what you see."
Tsuyu stopped on one of the branches and looked around carefully. Her frog-like eyes widened slightly as she began to analyze the terrain.
"The trees are marked, kero. They even smell different. The plants on the ground are compacted. The ground is uneven."
"Do you know why?"
"These monsters have legs like spiders, kero. They weigh a lot, so they dig their legs into the ground, destroying the plants, kero."
"Look closer. What else do you see?"
Tsuyu looked around, but she couldn't understand what Vesemir was trying to tell her. After a moment, he began to speak.
"The Endrega were dragging something across the ground. Something heavy. I doubt there are any deer or wild boars here. It was a human body. There's a scrap of black fabric by the branch."
Tsuyu stiffened as soon as she heard his words. Her frog-like eyes slowly moved to the indicated spot. Sure enough, a torn piece of black fabric lay by the branch. She felt a lump in her throat.
"So... they took someone, Kero?"
"No. They only took bodies. The Endrega kill on the spot. They drag the bodies away so the queen and larvae have something to feed on."
Vesemir spoke in an emotionless tone, like someone who had seen similar things too many times to care anymore. Tsuyu felt a chill run down her spine. She clenched her fists, trying to control the trembling in her voice.
"This is your chance to make the right decision and return home."
Tsuyu swallowed.
"I won't. Kero."
"Eh... like I said. Stupid and brave."
Vesemir continued on, following the tracks. He decided to try again.
"Listen. There will be no one to save there. There will be a pile of stinking flesh and bones. This is your last chance. Turn back."
Tsuyu gripped the branch she was passing. Her heart was pounding, but her voice remained calm.
"If I ever want to be a pro hero... I have to see the truth. Even the worst, Kero."
Vesemir paused for a moment, turning his head towards her.
"Time to climb the trees. At least 10 meters. Stick to the thick, large trees. Endrega can break smaller trees."
"Is Endrega the name of the queen, kero?"
"No. It's the name of an entire species. Just like you call ants ants."
Tsuyu nodded and climbed the tree, moving as quietly as possible.
The forest slowly thickened, the sunlight finding it harder and harder to penetrate the tangled treetops. The air became heavy, filled with the smell of damp and rotting plant and animal remains. Tsuyu couldn't believe that this was what the park looked like from the inside. Even the trees were different here. They looked like they were from an ancient forest.
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Aizawa walked between the policemen and other pro heroes, searching for his son. He seemed calm, but those who knew him better could see the tension in his movements. Present Mic approached him, a worried expression on his face.
"Before you ask, I haven't seen him in about 30 minutes..."
"Did you search the evacuation zone?"
"No, but I asked Gang Orca's sidekicks. They haven't seen him either, and you have to admit, he's quite distinctive."
Aizawa sighed quietly, though his eyes showed growing concern.
"Where did you last see him?"
Silence answered him.
"Hisashi, I don't have time for this right now. Where did you last see..."
Eraserhead didn't finish his sentence, because when he looked at Present Mic, he realized he wasn't moving... wasn't blinking... wasn't breathing... he looked around... everyone was frozen in the same position. Burnin's flaming hair also froze in place.... In this strange stillness, he was the only one moving consciously. And then he heard a whistle.... Step by step, someone was approaching slowly from behind the police cars. Only the sound of footsteps and whistling could be heard, nothing more. The man wore casual jeans and an elegant coat. Aizawa narrowed his eyes. He used Erasure on the man, but it didn't help....
"Hey you. Who are you?"
The man didn't stop smiling. On the contrary, his smile widened slightly, and something unsettling flashed in his eyes. He continued whistling, finishing the melody, and only then did he respond.
"Oh, but please don't bother using Erasure, Mr. Aizawa. I'm not here to fight. Quite the opposite. I'm here to help."
Aizawa didn't relax for a moment.
"Did you freeze time? Is that your quirk?"
The stranger spread his hands slightly in a theatrical gesture.
"Time is just one of the things I have control over..... but let's not talk about me now... We should rather talk about your son."
"What did you do with him?"
Aizawa almost growled. He stood in a position ready to attack....
The stranger raised his hands slightly, but it was not a gesture of someone surrendering.
"Me? Absolutely nothing. I have a very important matter for him, but don't worry. I don't intend to hurt him, and I want to make him a proposition."
"A proposition? Don't you dare talk to my son...."
The stranger tilted his head slightly, as if amused by this determination.
"Oh, such concern... Such fatherly behavior from a man who's known about his son's existence for less than a month... Your son must make his own decision. He must decide for himself whether he wants to take me up on my offer. He has nothing to lose, and perhaps only something to gain! Relax, Mr. Aizawa. Vesemir already knows me from Geralt's stories."
Aizawa closed his eyes... took a deep breath... calmed down... and asked.
"Then... what do you want from me?"
"I want you to save your son from death. He's on his way to meet Endrega queen right now. He's accompanied by a girl, one Asui Tsuyu."
Aizawa clenched his jaw, and his eyes narrowed to slits. He had no idea if he could trust this man.
"Who are you?"
"Me? A mangy vagrant. My name is Gaunder O'Dimm. At your service"
Gaunder bowed slightly. Aizawa decided to ask....
"How do you know my son.... and how do you know my name?"
Gaunder smiled even wider.
"Oh, Mr. Aizawa... I know so many names, stories and secrets. Your world, my world and many others... are closer to each other than you think."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Easy. Patience is a virtue... which you, it seems, lack a bit.... In my profession, it's good to know a lot of things... especially about interesting people. Tell me... do you know that some people were afraid of Vesemir before he was even born?"
Aizawa flinched at those words. He asked carefully, holding back his anger.
"What do you mean?"
O'Dimm shook his head....
"We don't have time for this now. Your son is in danger. I'll give you something that will help you find him."
The man pulled a small metal compass out of his pocket.
"With this, you'll find your son. Instead of north, it points to Vesemir... ah... and remember, I want this back."
There was silence for a moment. Aizawa stared at the man, trying to gauge his intentions, but O'Dimm was as impenetrable as thick fog. Finally, Aizawa reached out and grabbed the compass. The moment his fingers touched the cool metal, a shiver ran down his spine. The compass needle immediately turned and pointed to the depths of the forest.
"And... what do you want for this?"
"Like I said earlier... I'll just make Vesemir an offer, but for him to consider it, he must first be alive. Don't hesitate... Shota."
Aizawa lifted his gaze from the compass to... where the mysterious man was standing. He disappeared. Time began to flow again.
"Hey Shota! What did you do? How did you do it?"
Aizawa turned to Present Mic. The surprised hero stared at his friend. According to Hisashi, Aizawa practically teleported a few meters away.
"I'll explain later. There's no time for that now. Vesemir is in danger."
"You were standing still a moment ago, and now suddenly... you're a few meters away... what happened?"
Aizawa looked into the depths of the forest, where the compass needle was pointing. He sighed quietly, and his voice became cold.
"I'll tell you in detail later. Now we have to hurry. Call all the pro heroes. Vesemir has gone to fight the Endrega queen."
Present Mic froze upon hearing those words.
"I'm on it!"
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Vesemir moved at a calm pace. As he walked, he adjusted the swords on his back. He checked if he had enough elixirs. He was ready and confident. He stopped for a moment by a fallen tree and leaned down to touch the tracks on the ground. Deep footprints were clearly visible in the damp soil.
"Kero... it's not far, isn't it?"
He looked up, where Tsuyu was perched on one of the higher branches. The girl was looking at him tensely.
"Yes... I can hear her now. She's not alone. Remember to keep your distance."
A few minutes later, they reached the edge of the clearing, where the trees were starting to thin out, but the wide canopies of the trees meant that the sun's rays only reached the ground in selected places. The small clearing was damp and covered from the sun. The perfect place for a queen. Vesemir had already seen a dozen or so Endregas guarding the entrance to the protruding cave.... no... it couldn't be a cave. The walls were even... it was a human creation. Maybe a descent into the basement of the castle that had once been here... Vesemir didn't know. There would be time for such contemplations later. Now it was time to get rid of the threat to the people.
Vesemir grabbed a few stones the size of chicken eggs and threw them in different directions to distract Endregas. He moved towards the smaller group. The sword was already soaked in insectoid oil.
The young witcher's first move was lightning fast. In one fluid movement, he stepped out from behind the tree and slashed at two monsters at once. Worker fell immediately from the slash, but the warrior didn't suffer any serious injuries. He tried to jump at Vesemir, but he jumped to the side and slashed the beast before it touched the ground. The dead one fell with a thud, informing the other Endregas about the uninvited guest.
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Tsuyu sat on a thick branch. Her eyes were wide, following Vesemir's every move. Smooth and precise. Every move was deliberate. When he emerged from cover and instantly felled two monsters, Tsuyu held her breath. She could already see the silhouettes of more Endregas, slowly circling Vesemir. The beasts hissed, their legs thudding against the damp ground. The boy didn't wait idly; he attacked the smaller monsters, killing each one in a few moves at most.
Tsuyu clenched her fists, suppressing the impulse to help him. She knew it would be foolish to go down. He had forbidden her... but perhaps she could help in another way. She looked down and saw large stones that could weigh several, even several dozen, kilograms. She knew that with her quirk, she could throw them at monsters.... but she would wait until she needed to... she was afraid she might accidentally hit Vesemir.
Then she saw a huge beast emerge from an old concrete bunker.
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Vesemir danced between the monsters, slashing his sword in all directions. He had just thrown Igni towards several Endregas to burn them. The beasts made a sound of pain. They had to retreat. Vesemir heard the queen go into battle. He plunged his sword into another warrior and pulled it out, performing a pirouette to the side, slashing another Endrega that wanted to get behind him. He was not tired, but he had to quickly end the fight with the smaller Endregas if he was to fight the queen... unfortunately, he was not given that chance. The queen spat venom in his direction. He dodged it, but because of that he opened himself up to the warrior's attack, which cut his armor on his back. Blood flowed. Vesemir, driven by pain, immediately made a counterattack, slashing the beast into the gap between the armor. He jumped back and threw a bomb towards the queen to keep it at bay. When the worker wanted to attack him from the side, a large stone hit him in the side. The monster's natural armor crumbled, giving the witcher a chance to kill the monster. He didn't waste it. He cut precisely into the weakened spot, reaching Endreg's internal organs. The creature died with a terrible screech.
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Tsuyu held her breath as her stone struck the monster, which the white-haired boy killed moments later.
*I hit it....*
The girl thought. Her heart pounded. Her hands trembled, and her tongue curled around the second stone. She looked at Vesemir, waiting for a reprimand, but he was absorbed in the fight. She glanced at the other monsters, took aim, and threw the stone, hitting them squarely in the legs, causing the monster to writhe in pain on the ground. It couldn't get up, its limbs shattered. She lifted another stone. She aimed. She threw.
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Vesemir saw a worker staggering on the ground a few meters away, his legs broken. He ran up to the creature and killed it with two sword slashes. The queen began to approach again. Vesemir gasped. Adrenaline drowned out the pain. The queen's massive abdomen quivered dangerously. Vesemir threw another bomb at her to momentarily stun her. He struck several more blows at the surviving workers. He killed the creatures one by one, but then the queen charged. Vesemir dodged, but she struck him with a leg, sending him crashing into a tree. The witcher slammed his back against the thick trunk. He spat blood. He saw a large stone strike the queen's armor, harming her but giving Vesemir a moment's respite. He drank the Swallow and Golden Oriole potions. He used Quen on himself and charged into battle.
The queen was still young, and therefore quicker and more agile than the other, older creatures. The queen wasn't about to wait. She charged at him furiously. The queen rose higher and lashed out with her legs. Vesemir quickly rolled to the side, and her blow shattered the tree trunk behind him. Splinters flew several meters around. Vesemir slashed the enormous beast from the side, unleashing a sequence of blows. The beast howled furiously and tried to strike him, but the Quen barrier absorbed the impact. Vesemir jumped back as Quen terminated its action and cast the Yrden sign on the ground.
The enraged queen charged towards him and walked straight into an ambush. The witcher quickly got to the rear of the creature, which moved as if in slow motion. Vesemir delivered several swift slashes from behind, raining ichor on the ground. When the Quen wore off, he jumped back and drank Petri's Philter. He felt dizzy from the sheer number of potions he'd consumed and the slow loss of blood. He had to end this fight quickly.
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Tsuyu saw Vesemir clashing with a powerful being. She heard a strange buzzing sound not far from her.... and saw several drones with cameras that flew towards the fighting Vesemir. They were definitely media drones.
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Vesemir, unaware of the drones, continued to fight. The Queen managed to strike him powerfully in the back. He felt as if she had broken several of his ribs with that one blow. His face turned pale. Every vein was visible, and his eyes turned black. He allowed himself to drink the elixir he had been saving for the most difficult fights. Thunderbolt. It flashed before his eyes. This was his limit. He had drunk too many elixirs in such a short time. His blows became faster and stronger. The Queen did not give up. When the witcher used Quen again, she destroyed the magic shield with two blows. The third blow sent him straight into a boulder, which he hit with his back. Vesemir was stunned. He felt that his leg was broken. He did not even think about more ribs. When the queen charged towards him, some kind of... rope wrapped around him from above, with which someone lifted him up. The girl who came with him used her tongue. She caught him, allowing him to lean against a tree branch.
The queen hit the boulder straight into the rock, which shattered into pieces. She stood motionless for a moment, before finally heading towards the witcher and the girl.
"HELL SPIDER!"
Fireballs came from the sky, which pierced the queen. Wounded earlier by Vesemir, she could not withstand such an attack. The last thing she did was let out a terrifying roar. Endeavor's fiery attack pierced her armor and burned her from the inside.
NO. 2 pro hero landed between the beast and the teenagers. He made sure that all the beasts were dead. Then he turned towards Tsuyu and Vesemir. The girl lowered the witcher to the ground slowly. She also went down herself. Endevor looked at the boy... and was shocked by how he looked. Several drones were showing people in front of the TVs what the 'White Wolf' looked like after the fight.
Vesemir was lying on the ground, supporting himself with one hand, the other still clutching his sword tightly. His body was wounded, his armor torn, blood was seeping from many places, and his face was as pale as snow. He was coughing blood. He was barely conscious. Everything that could hurt him hurt, I guess... including his wounded pride that he had let the monster defeat him.
Endeavor stood in silence for a moment, only the wind stirred the flames in his arms. Slowly, with a heavy sigh, he knelt down by Vesemir. Before he could scold the boy, Vesemir said it. "Eggs....you have to...destroy the eggs....in the trees....low....and...in...the...cave too....eggs..."
The boy's words were broken, quiet, barely understandable. Every breath hurt him. Endeavor froze for a moment, looking at him in silence. At that moment, a group of pro heroes ran out of the forest, which Endeavor left behind. Among them were Eraserhead and Present Mic. Both immediately rushed to Vesemir.
Aizawa stopped and knelt down by his son, seeing the state he was in. Pale face, black eyes, blood from the wound and from his mouth. Broken leg. Shallow breathing.
"Vesemir....son...."
Present Mic paled, coming closer.
"What the hell... Shota, he looks like... like something poisoned him."
They didn't know that it wasn't the monster's venom, but the elixirs that had overloaded Vesemir's body to the limits of its endurance. Aizawa looked into the boy's eyes, which were struggling to focus on his face.
"I'm here, son.... It's all over."
Vesemir shook his head.
"Eggs... destroy the eggs..."
Aizawa felt his throat tighten.
"Alright. We'll take care of this. Now we have to help you."
Vesemir spat out blood.
"I have....broken ribs....leg too...."
Aizawa gritted his teeth, listening to his own son.
"I know son...I know....everything will be fine. Don't move. Help will come soon."
"I drank...a lot of...elixirs....antidote....also....elixir...that...helps heal.....wounds...."
Present Mic looked at him with concern.
"Shota. I'll call a helicopter here."
Aizawa nodded, forcing himself to keep a cool head.
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In the meantime. Nejire's room.
Nejire was sitting on the bed, curled up, with her knees drawn up to her chin. She was terrified. Her heart pounded, her whole body trembling as she watched the monster strike him again and again. As he lay there, pale, bleeding... as his eyes were completely black... She wanted to be there. Now, immediately. She wanted to hug him and tell him everything was okay. She couldn't bear the tension anymore. She simply began to cry. Fear filled her mind with the worst-case scenarios.
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Meanwhile. Midnight's room.
Midnight sat on the couch, her expression serious and tense. Next to her, curled up, sat Yui. She was hugging her aunt. Yui was trembling. She had never seen a fight like this before. When the camera zoomed in on Vesemir's wounds and face, Yui's heart stopped.
"Auntie..."
"Everything will be alright, Yui. It's over. Recovery Girl will take care of him soon. Besides, I'll need your help."
"What...auntie?"
Yui replied, sobbing. Tears were streaming down her face. Midnight wiped her niece's cheeks with a tissue.
"I have to kill Eraserhead for letting Vesemir fight alone... and you will kill Vesemir for going alone."
Yui, despite her tears, smiled after a moment. Sobbing, she said.
"I'll knock some sense into him... as soon as he's back on his feet..."
Midnight smiled gently and hugged her niece, stroking her head.
"Oh, that's right. And remind him that he's not immortal. Then, if he doesn't wise up, we'll repeat this process together."
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Nezu's office.
Nezu watched the fight and everything related to it. The number of viewers exceeded 16 million.... 16 million people saw the state the boy was in. 16 million people heard Aizawa call Vesemir his son.
The world had just learned that Shota Aizawa..... Eraserhead, the strict UA teacher, had a son. And that this son, instead of going to school, was fighting monsters straight from nightmares alone. Nezu sighed heavily and looked at the ceiling, as if searching for answers there.
He grabbed the phone to call Recovery Girl to prepare the operating room. He didn't know yet if she would be needed, but it was better to be prepared.
End of Chapter 23