Chapter 17
Nezu's office.
Nemuri was sitting in her UA sportswear. Her hair was still wet. Nezu looked from her to Vesemir. Aizawa was holding his head, trying to understand what exactly Vesemir had told them. Hound Dog was just sitting on the couch, his gaze as if absent.
"Vesemir..." Hound Dog began. "So... you want to tell us that on our school grounds there is a lake, the existence of which I am only just learning about, which is inhabited by a woman who has no quirk, only magical powers according to you. Moreover - some worship her as some kind of Goddess?"
"Yes, Mr. Hound Dog. Exactly."
"And she threw Midnight into the lake?"
"No. Mrs. Midnight was able to walk on the surface of water until she decided to grab her sword. Then the Lady of the Lake decided... to show Mrs. Midnight that she shouldn't do that."
Midnight dried her hair with a dry towel.
"How to defeat her?" Aizawa asked.
"Defeat? You're lucky the Lady of the Lake can't hear you. At best, she'd take such words as a joke."
Aizawa glared at his son. He wasn't stupid. He understood that Vesemir wouldn't have said such words if he wasn't sure about them.
Nezu sipped his tea and said.
"There will be time to deal with the matter... Lady of the Lake. For now, it would be best if you prepared for the journey. Aizawa. Vesemir. You may set off to meet the Wraith."
.
.
.
Aizawa looked at Vesemir through the mirror in the car. They were traveling in three. He, Vesemir, and Present Mic, who insisted on this trip.
The music was playing loudly, but not as loud as Present Mic liked. He also sometimes looked at Vesemir, who was sitting in the back seat, strapped in and with two swords between his knees. The boy looked out the window. Vesemir watched hundreds, if not thousands of lights, which Present Mic called neon lights. Neon lights, despite the late hour, illuminated the area. Yellow, white, red, blue... lights in every color. It was another thing from this world that Vesemir liked. What works of art could be created from lights.....
The car stopped at a red light. Vesemir looked up at the large screen depicting a bridge, and around him red and blue lights from cars flashed in their own rhythm. It was the same bridge under which Wraith appears.....
Vesemir slowly inhaled the air through his nose. He could smell the unknown assassination that was in the car.... it came from a strange pendant on the mirror that resembled a tree. The young witcher allowed himself to drift into gentle meditation.
The sound of passersby, the music in the car, the smell of the pendant, the neon lights passing him by.... this world was different.... this world is different.... now it's his reality.... he has to adapt.
Aizawa saw his son fall asleep. Despite this, he decided not to risk it. He looked at Present Mic, turned down the radio so they could talk. Present Mic began to speak in English.
"I don't like this Shota. We're sending the kid to fight."
"I know.... I don't want that either.... but it seems to me that we have no choice"
Present Mic squeezed the steering wheel as if he wanted to unload in it. For a moment, his usually cheerful and boisterous visage disappeared completely. Instead, his face was tense, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.
"We are teachers. Our mission is to teach children, not send them into battle."
"You weren't there when Detective Tsukauchi took part in the boy's interrogation. He's seen more dead bodies than all the third-year students combined. He's experienced, too."
"Experience shouldn't be a ticket to more trauma, Shota. He's not a weapon. Even if he's been trained to be one for most of his life."
"I know... but we have no other choice."
"We have a choice. We can go back to school."
"No," Vesemir said in clear English.
Present Mic and Aizawa looked at Vesemir with such speed that their necks snapped. Did he understand them?
"We can't turn back, because none of the pro heroes are able to handle Wraith." - He said once more in English.
"How do you know this language, Vesemir?" - Present Mic asked.
Vesemir looked at him unseriously.
"What language? You were talking normally."
Present Mic turned his head towards Aizawa.
"Dude.....he speaks fluent English..."
"That's....impossible...."
The car behind them honked. Present Mic turned to see that the light had turned green. He continued driving.
.
.
.
They arrived at the scene. Present Mic and Eraserhead immediately caught the attention of the media. A young boy with two swords on his back and in leather armor also caused a commotion. Dozens of flashes of light caused Vesemir to narrow his eyes. He was about to reach for his sword, but Aizawa grabbed his arm, and the police formed a cordon that separated them from the media representatives.
"Eraserhead! Who is the white-haired kid!?"
"Is he a UA student from abroad!?"
"Do you have a ready tactic for the criminal under the bridge!?"
"Why can't any attacks hurt the villain!?"
Aizawa didn't even look in the direction of the journalists. His face was stony, his gaze focused, and his step confident. He ignored the flashes, microphones, and voices as if they were just the sound of the wind. Present Mic, despite usually having a talent for playing with the media, this time also remained silent, which surprised many present. "Why does he have two swords on his back!?"
"Why are you bringing a student to such a dangerous villain!?"
"What's his hero name!?"
The people didn't want to let up, but they finally managed to reach the other pro heroes. There were two of them here. The first was Edgeshot. He was standing on a metal stake, watching what was happening under the bridge. The second was a muscled man bathed in fire known as Endeavor. The fire-wielding hero looked at Aizawa, Present Mic, and was about to say something when his eyes fell on a 14-year-old boy with white hair.
"Eraserhead. Who the hell did you bring?"
Vesemir stepped closer, looked at Endeavor, and said.
"A monster expert."
Enji narrowed his eyes. The young boy showed no fear. There was something..... disturbing in his eyes.
Edgeshot looked at the boy at that moment. Vesemir was looking into his eyes. The young witcher nodded at him, and looked towards the bridge.
"None of you are to go near the bridge when I'm there."
"You, little one. Who do you think you are?" Endeavor said through a clenched jaw.
"Please step back. You have neither the skills nor the ability to defeat the Wraith."
Enji's flames grew with anger. How dare this kid! Enji has been trying to defeat this man for 4 days, who mocks every hero and no one can even hurt him, and this brat thinks he can handle it? And what the hell is this Wraith? Is that the name of this villain?
"Endeavor.." Edgeshot began. "Let him do his thing."
Endeavor turned towards the ninja hero. The shinobi wasn't looking at him, but at the creature that had begun to appear under the bridge. At exactly the same time as always... for 3 weeks.
All the cameras focused on Wraith or the approaching Vesemir.
The Witcher grabbed his sword. The silver-plated blade slid out of its sheath with a soft hiss. As he walked, he pulled a bottle of Specter Oil from his belt and poured its contents onto the blade, covering it on both sides.
The media went wild.
"ERASERHEAD AND PRESENT MIC SEND THE BOY INTO FIGHT!"
"HOW IS THE SWORD GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS VILLAIN WHEN EVEN THE FLAMES OF ENDEAVOR COULDN'T HURT HIM!?"
"UNKNOWN SIDEKICK ERASERHEAD? ISN'T HE TOO YOUNG TO STUDY AT A SCHOOL FOR HEROES?"
Cameras recorded every step, while super sensitive microphones tried to record all sounds, and what the media wanted most - a conversation with the villain.
Wraith swayed restlessly, moving under the bridge. His face was invisible, covered by a hood... if he even had a face. He carried his sword in one hand, and in the other he held a lantern. He was levitating above the ground, his legs, if he had any, were invisible.
For Vesemir, everything around him froze, as if the world was holding its breath. Only this moment mattered. The monster and the Witcher. One would win, the other would die.
Wraith finally turned towards the witcher. Surprisingly, he didn't attack, he just said.
"I beg you, boy..... go away.... I can't... control myself... for long...."
Vesemir was surprised, but he didn't lose his cool.
"I know what you've become. You're a wraith called Wraith. You're a soul that died in anger. You didn't finish your business on this earth, and someone did you great wrong... otherwise you wouldn't be here... in this form. The mere fact that you retained some of your consciousness shows that you must have had an exceptionally strong will in life."
Wraith began to mumble something..... until he finally spoke louder.
"Mori... my name was Mori Kazuki...."
Vesemir looked at him calmly, unaware that half of Japan was watching and hearing what was happening under the bridge.
Mori continued.
"They came for me.....because I didn't want to pay tribute.....because I reported them to the police.... My wife...Kaori...."
The ghost swayed restlessly, Vesemir took two steps back, but didn't sheathe his sword.
"Tell me what happened."
"Boy.....why do I have to do this?"
"I'm a Witcher. It's my profession. From where I come from, they say we kill monsters, but that's not the whole truth. Our main goal is to undo spells and help people, but not all monsters can be helped.... some have to be killed... often it's people's fault.... because, for example, they entered the hunting grounds of some beast, or cursed someone's daughter, which turned her into a Striga...."
Mori looked at the young boy.... for three weeks he's only been fighting and fighting.... he can't stop himself.... but no one can hurt him either....
"How.... can you help me....?"
"Tell me where I can find those who did this to you. Tell me where your apartment is, and I'll go there and bury you and your wife with dignity. In the end, one day I'll find those who killed you and then..... revenge will not pass them by."
.
.
.
The monster laughed, which sounded like the whir of a chainsaw. The people who were at a safe distance involuntarily took a few steps back. Aizawa watched and listened as his son showed what witchers were.....and who he was.
Present Mic wanted to scream. He wanted to run to the boy and take him away from there, but he saw his fight with Mr. Brave....so he wouldn't react until Aizawa did the same.
Edgeshot stood still in the same position as before and despite being ready for action, he simply listened. The boy's attitude intrigued him. Confident...and that's a strange term...A witcher.....kills monsters, but also helps....interesting....
Endeavor looked at the scene angrily. The kid walked up to the villain as if nothing had happened and was talking to him as if nothing had happened. He was the first one to do that in three weeks. It didn't occur to him to do this, because he immediately attacked the criminal, and with each attack, his frustration level increased because he couldn't do any damage.
.
.
.
"What is your...name, boy...?"
"I am Vesemir of Rivia...and as I said...I am a Witcher, just like my grandfather, and my great-grandfather after whom I received this name. I swear to you this oath..."
Vesemir knelt on one knee, blade pointed to the ground, but continued to look at Wraith.
"...that I will find your and your wife's remains. That I will treat them in accordance with honor and tradition. That I will promise to bury you together, even at my own expense, in accordance with your faith. That I will find those who committed this crime and see to it that your vengeance is fulfilled. This is my promise, as I am Sir Vesemir of Rivia, my sign - Coat of Arms Bridge. Witcher. Do you accept my promise, Sir Mori?"
Wraith froze. Only his hands were shaking. The sword struck the flat of the lantern, which made a sound like a gong in the ring calling boxers to fight. For a moment he didn't say a word, just looked at the boy, who knelt before him with his sword pointed to the ground.
"Sir Vesemir... I accept your promise..... please.... I can't... hold out any longer.... Yakuza.... Shie Hassaikai.... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGRRRRRRRRRHHHHHH"
The wraith roared and slowly began to fly towards the witcher. Vesemir stood up, pointed his sword to the side and started to walk around to the side to get a better position to defend himself.
.
.
.
AIZAWA POV
Aizawa's eyes widened. He looked at Vesemir and felt like he wasn't looking at a child... but at an adult warrior who carried more weight than he should. Once again, he remembered how he had failed his son. In addition, he felt pride... and anxiety. Would this boy really be able to live in this world that didn't understand its rules?
PRESENT MIC POV
Hisashi clenched his fists. His throat went dry. He looked at Aizawa with shock in his eyes. All he could whisper was.
"Shota.... your son....he...he seriously?"
EDGESHOT POV
Edgeshot slowly jumped down from the stake he was standing on and approached Aizawa. He didn't say anything for a long time. He heard what Present Mic had said.... so the young boy is Eraserhead's son... After a moment, he said.
"This isn't some kind of show-off. He really believes in what he says... And he's not here to fight. He came to help..."
ENDEAVOR POV
Enji gritted his teeth. His muscles tensed under the fire. But not from anger, but from the humiliation of defeat.
"That brat... not only did something no other hero has done. He... talked to him. He did something I couldn't do in four days of fighting. I just wasted my time..."
He looked at Vesemir and reluctantly, slowly lowered his hands, extinguishing the flames a little. The young boy had just earned something that Enji almost never gives... a shred of respect.
NEJIRE POV
Despite the late hour, Nejire was sitting in her room, watching the news. There was something off about the way Vesemir had left the cafeteria with Midnight-sensei... and right after showing him the footage of the ghostly man he had called... Wraith? So, Nejire stayed up late to see what would happen to the man under the bridge, until she finally saw Vesemir.... She saw him take the oath.... A witcher just like his grandfather and great-grandfather..... Vesemir of Rivia.....
Nejire felt fear as the specter began to move and Vesemir stood up, ready to fight.
YUI POV
Yui stayed in her aunt's apartment in UA. When Midnight decided to go to bed, Yui stayed in the living room, watching TV.... the show was immediately interrupted to bring up the latest news.... Vesemir was there. She saw his oath and the start of the fight. She instinctively grabbed a pillow and hugged it to herself, staring at the screen. However, she managed to shout to her aunt to wake up and come see what was going on.
NEZU POV
Nezu, sitting in his office with a cup of tea, looked at the screen thoughtfully. His eyes shone in the reflective glow of the monitor. The boy on the screen was about to show his skills in a real fight, not a duel with a weaker opponent.
Commentary channels, local and national news. Internet creators. Everyone went crazy. Dozens of news headlines.
"Public confrontation! The spirit has spoken! The investigation into the death of Kazuki Mori begins again!"
"Mori Kazuki - They killed me for reporting a protection racket."
"Isn't the sidekick Eraserhead too young?"
"A knight's oath of revenge! The yakuza will be on their guard!"
"Vesemir of Rivia! A foreign apprentice to become a hero!"
.
.
.
Vesemir allowed his opponent to make his first attack. The Wraith attacked slowly, as if the human soul was still fighting to control the wraith, but it was quickly losing the fight. The sword whistled past Vesemir, harming him.
Unfortunately, what was left of the man known as Mori lost the fight. Now there was only Wraith full of anger and pain.
The Wraith stood in front of Vesemir and suddenly three additional copies of his opponent appeared around the boy. He jumped and slashed the first wraith on the back. The wraith died in a roar from one blow, meaning it was a weaker copy of the original. . The real Wraith threw a lantern at him, but Vesemir dodged and used a sign.
YRDEN
Glowing hourglass-shaped signs appeared on the ground, creating an invisible circle. As soon as Wraith entered his field, Vesemir attacked. He slashed towards the chest and hit. Wraith Mori screamed in anger, trying to attack with his sword.
Block. Jump to the side. Slash to the ribs.
Another blow caught the specter. Glowing matter escaped from the wound. Another scream. This time in pain. The specter disappeared.
Vesemir stood in the middle of the circle. He used another sign on himself.
QUEN
A magical shell lit up on the young witcher. The remaining two specters rushed to attack.
Dodge, cut, parry sharp, cut.
They were not in this world long. The witcher dealt with them quickly, without suffering any injuries. Finally, Wraith Mori appeared behind him. Vesemir jumped forward, leaving Moon Dust where he had been a moment ago. The bomb exploded, covering the specter with silver filings. The silver cutting into the 'flesh' caused another roar of pain.
"KAORIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The specter roared and charged. A slash with the sword, a blow with the lantern, and another slash. Vesemir dodged the first two blows. However, he allowed the last slash to hit him. The Quen sign ended its effect in this way, but it deflected the Wraith's blade away, allowing Vesemir to make two quick slashes to the chest.
The monster began to lose its form. It was blurry. From under the Wraith's hood, a single human eye was looking at Vesemir. Finally, Mori spoke.
"Thank you... Vesemir."
Vesemir dealt the finishing blow. He impaled the Wraith on his sword and forced it to the ground. He looked once more at Mori's 'face.'
"It's time for you to go, Mori... allow yourself to rest."
The figure of Mori, who had taken control of the Wraith in the last moments of his life, finally felt at peace. The specter suddenly burned in a fire, but without the familiar roar Vesemir made with it. All of Japan was stunned. The boy did something in 2 minutes that the pro heroes couldn't do every night for 3 weeks.
.
.
.
All that remained of Wraith was green dust... Emerald... a valuable ingredient, but Vesemir decided not to collect it. He still knelt with his silver sword stuck in the ground, breathing calmly. He wasn't triumphant. He wasn't celebrating. There was no pride in his eyes. All of Japan expected a cry of victory. Nothing came.
The world came back to life. Camera flashes began to flash again. The cameras recorded the boy's every move. Voices mingled into a cacophony.
"Why did the boy fight alone!?"
"Vesemir! Where are you from? America or Europe!?"
"Are you legally in Japan?! Do you have the status of a hero!?"
"How is it possible that you dealt blows to someone who was immune to them!?"
Before any of the reporters could get to Vesemir, they were stopped by a police cordon, Aizawa and Present Mic rushed towards Vesemir.
Aizawa had a look on his face as if he wanted to hug him immediately, to check if his son was okay, but he wasn't the type to show emotions. Instead, he said dryly.
"We can go back to UA. You did well."
Present Mic stepped closer, trying to put his hand on the boy's shoulder. Vesemir reflexively stepped back. The boy was looking at the sewage manhole. He could smell death from it.
"First we have to get Sir Mori's body out."
Present Mic pretended that his heart didn't hurt after Vesemir moved away from him. So he asked.
"Excuse me?"
Vesemir looked at him. His gaze was steady, focused. Chin high.
"I made an oath. Then we'll go to his house."
"You don't have to do this, Vesemir," Aizawa said. A note of concern for his son appeared in his voice.
Vesemir looked at the manhole once more.
"I have to. I took an oath. An oath is sacred, and it must be kept."
The reporters were pressing harder and harder against the police. Now they were shouting their questions at the boy.
"IS YOUR SWORD YOUR QUIRK!?"
"WHAT DOES THE WORD WITCHER MEAN!?"
"DID YOU JUST KILL A MAN WITH A QUIRK!?"
"WAS THAT EVEN A MAN!?"
"WHERE DID YOU LEARN TO FIGHT LIKE THAT!?"
One short female reporter made it through the wall of policemen, passing between the legs of one of them. She got to Vesemir before anyone could stop her. Vesemir stuck his hand out towards one of the policemen, stopping him from grabbing the girl. The reporter asked him a question, then turned the microphone towards him. "Why did you do it? Why did you make that promise?"
Vesemir looked her straight in the eye. He wasn't smiling. Calmly, but reproachfully, as if he was speaking to all the pro heroes who had been trying to stop Wraith for the past 3 weeks.
"Because no one else would listen to him. It's easy to take up a sword. It's harder not to use it."
.
.
.
Mori's body was recovered. It was wrapped in a bag and thrown into the sewage. The police knew Mori's address, so Vesemir went there with Aizawa and Present Mic. The journey was short. Together with the police escort, they arrived there in a few minutes. When the police tried to get inside the small apartment on the ground floor, from which the smell of death was rising, Vesemir said.
"Can I break down the door?"
Aizawa nodded, signaling the police to step back.
AARD
The door flew in with a bang, torn off its hinges. A flock of flies flew out into the street.
The apartment was destroyed. Vesemir, despite the stench, entered slowly. Not out of curiosity, but out of a promise he had made. On the table, he found a framed photo. A couple of people, a man and a woman. They were probably Sir Mori and his wife.
Aizawa looked at his son. He saw that the boy wasn't looking for glory, he didn't want applause. He wanted revenge. He said it himself. As soon as he got back to UA, Hound Dog would start working. He emphasized the word therapy several times in his thoughts.
In the open room Vesemir found a decomposing body. It was in a position that... whoever killed Kaori... must have used her earlier. His anger grew. All he could manage to do was mutter.
"Shie Hassaikai....."
.
.
.
Kaori's body was secured by police technicians. Reporters arrived right after the police. They asked questions again. Vesemir spotted the reporter who had forced her way through to him. Right behind her was her companion with a camera. Vesemir approached them and waited for the reporters to shout. Finally, he put his finger to his lips to silence them. He nodded for her to ask her question.
"Vesemir. Is that your name or the hero's name?"
"Vesemir is simply my name. I don't have a hero's name or anything like that."
"So you're still an apprentice! Do you already have a name in mind?"
Vesemir didn't think long. If people needed a name, they would get one. He hoped Geralt wouldn't be offended if he ever heard about it, but according to Vesemir, the name fit..."
"Gwynbleidd"
"Gwynbleidd!? What does it mean?"
"It's a word that the ancient people once called my grandfather in their language. Gwynbleidd means White Wolf. That's who I am. I also have a message for a group known as the Shie Hassaikai. I understand that many people....see and hear what I'm saying now....can you pass on a message to the Shie Hassaikai?"
The reporter just nodded. Everyone fell silent. Even the policemen were curious to see what the young swordsman would say.
Vesemir looked at his own reflection in the camera. He realized that it was a device that transmitted what he saw to other devices. He imagined the members of the Shie Hassaikai. He imagined that it was speaking to them.
"You don't know me. You've never heard of me. I won't go on about what I'll do to you. I'll be brief and let your imagination run wild."
Vesemir leaned in closer. An ominous whisper escaped his throat.
"I'll come for you, because I gave my word of honor. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe in a year. I'll come."
Present Mic caught up with Vesemir and pulled him away from the reporters.
"That's it for today, my loyal listeners! The young hero is tired!"
.
.
.
AIZAWA POV
Aizawa saw Vesemir talking to reporters. He narrowed his eyes. His son....has a lot of darkness inside him.
PRESENT MIC POV
Hisashi kept his smile on the outside, just like he always did. But when he pulled Vesemir away and made sure the microphones weren't picking up sound, his voice trembled.
"Boy. You can't react like that..."
Vesemir didn't answer him.
NEZU POV
Nezu had just finished drinking his tea. When the speech was over, he put his cup back on the saucer. Time to come up with a treatment plan. There would be a meeting first thing tomorrow morning to come up with a plan on how to help the boy.
End of Chapter 17