Chapter 281: Congratulations [2/2]
[Reader Warning: The following chapter is centered on rape and its effects on Hellsgate. Please skip it if you find the topic uncomfortable.]
The common people always wondered why Europe, with all its military might, seemed to turn a blind eye to its women being raped by displaced refugees.
'THE FUCKING BASTARD! HE IS ALLOWING IT TO HAPPEN TO CREATE SAINTS! FUCKING FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!
ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?'
CLIVE ZANARDI. I WILL FUCKING GUT YOU AND TEAR YOUR BODY TO SHREDS. I WILL MAKE SURE THAT I IMPALE YOUR SEVERED HEAD ON A FUCKING STAKE.
The news of hundreds of women and young children being molested and raped has always made me extremely resentful. Anyone who loved a woman would feel horrible hearing other women suffer such a terrible misfortune.
It was in the genetic impulse of every man to feel protective of women. Children and the elderly even more so. To think that a force of nature, a fucking Revenant, subjected those under his rule for his own selfish purposes drove my sanity to the wall.
'Kill him.' 'He'll rape your women next.' 'No one is safe.' 'You cannot stop him if he chooses to go after the Sirens.' 'Watch as your loved ones are violated before your very eyes.'
My own delusions suddenly amplified my raging emotions, my eyes became blind as my ears went deaf. Unable to feel anything, only terror gripped my heart.
However, just as I was about to lose control, voices resonated in my very soul.
{Beloved, calm down. We are fine. Come back to me.}
{Get it together, my dear. You are not going to fall here, are you?}
{Possum. stop being a cunt.}
{This side of Darling is cute too!}
{Honey, stand down. My man's not this weak!}
{Husband. Breathe. I am here.}
{Anata, I will not allow you to die before me!}
As their words reverberated in my mind, the raging storm in my soul settled. Clarity and peace suddenly returned to my heart. The warmth of my Kindred drowned out the voices that fanned my anxieties.
Soon my senses returned, and I saw my harem all looking at me with loving faces. The LLG leaders, Phillip, and the 2nd Amendment were puzzled as to why the eight of us had suddenly fallen silent.
"I'm sorry, please continue the meeting."
[Everyone. Thank you.]
I used {Connect} to send everyone a private message, and they all gave me heartwarming responses. The boldest of them asked for rewards.
Aside from the Sirens, the rest of the people had no idea that my soul almost collapsed for the fourth time.
I needed to understand what the hell had just happened. But for now, I allowed Jo to continue her interrogation.
"As I was asking, those who killed themselves, raise your hands."
Nine of the Golden Wick girls raised their hands.
"Now, who among you died while being violated?"
The last three girls raised their hands, with Claire and Yvonne belonging to this group.
With my emotions under control, I tried to understand what Jo was getting at. She continued to stand on Claire's head as she spoke.
"Claire Knight. Despite joining the 2nd Amendment, you are still a coward. You cannot evolve into a Phantom even though you tried, correct?"
"T-That is correct Lady Vela."
"That's because deep down you still think you are a helpless little girl. Those guys over there protect you because they realized that. You will never get stronger as long as you see yourself as a powerless human."
"I.."
Jo removed her foot and took Claire by the collar. The Italian was around 5'9", which was tall by most standards.
"There's one thing you and the rest of the 2nd Amendment forget. You are all dead. Despite having physical bodies, we are no longer part of the living. Physical limitations no longer apply to you. Your {fates} are the best proof of this."
Jas then added for all to hear.
"Everyone. The dream of returning to the land of the living. Please forget it. Do not delude yourselves. The living and the dead cannot coexist as equals. There is only one way to ensure the survival of your loved ones."
Next to speak was Lilly, who continued while resting her face on her hands.
"Become as strong as you can and kill anyone who tries to take from you. Give up your humanity, you imbeciles. It was over the moment you died."
Jo then lowered Claire to the ground as she scolded in a motherly tone.
"Stop running. That goes for all of you. Until you face your demons, there will be no peace. No amount of time will take away the fear you all feel."
Jo then wiped the tears running down Claire's face.
"I fought in the Syrian war as a teenager. Rape victims are unable to regain any semblance of a happy life. That is, until they confront their fears. Claire Knight. You told me you wanted to repay my darling, didn't you?"
"Y-yes, Lady Vela."
"Then are you willing to become a beast to do it?"
"I-I... I am," the saint replied hesitantly.
Jo then turned to face Lilly and Bella. Our resident IT suddenly pulled out a projector and showed the scene of a man drinking in a bar. The guy looked like a fucking asshole. Claire started to shiver when she saw the man.
Lilly then raised her hands and invoked a {Fate} "{Portal}".
A shadow suddenly ate the man in the video and dropped him near Claire.
The saint screamed in horror and suddenly began to cry when she saw the man. The human, unable to understand what was happening, began to look around in a daze.
Without saying a word, Jo mounted him and began to pummel his face like an MMA fighter.
Of course, being a descendant, even Jo's weak looking punches did a devastating amount of damage. In less than a minute, all of the bastard's teeth were knocked out of his mouth, and both of his eye sockets were shattered from Jo's blows.
As if that was not enough, one of his eyes exploded in a bloody mess, and his nose was barely attached to his face. The man's entire head turned purple like a grape from the swelling. The poor bastard barely had time to scream.
"Keurk."
The pitiful situation of the man I assumed had raped Claire made her stop shivering. Then Jo stood up and held out her hands to Claire.
"Claire Knight. Regain your dignity and abandon your humanity. Beat him till you fear no longer and move forward," Jo ordered in a stern voice.
Accepting her hands, Claire slowly kneeled to the ground and began to smash her rapist's face.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..."
Roaring with every fiber of her being, Claire began to pound the man before her. As if screaming to the heavens, my saint smashed the man until her hands were bleeding and torn.
But despite the pain, even as tears streamed down her cheeks, she continued to pound the bastard's face. His skull finally broke as Claire continued to roar.
"ARHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Under the eyes of all present, a mighty surge of soul erupted from my saint.
A power greater than any human.
This frail looking woman officially left the ranks of humanity.
"Congratulations, Claire. You are now a Phantom," I said with a smile.