Crimson Murders

Chapter Thirty-Four

I was planning on making this longer, but I decided to break it into two parts. I could've done more on Kota's part but meh.

No one ever talks about their near death experiences and when they do, it's far fetched or they never remember it. The thing is, it's a good thing they don't remember it. When one person comes close to death like this, it's as if their whole being is set ablaze with the fires of hell while being dipped into acid, then being frozen in the waters of the Arctic but ten thousand degrees colder. The soul is one of the most fragile parts of the human. When it's in a mid-state like that of being in the middle of life and death (Limbo), the soul is being grappled by the two beings. It is being tugged from one side to another, it hurts. Almost like one's arms being ripped out by two disputing friends for the attention of the one in the middle. A tug-a-war. The soul is fragile so each time it happens, a piece is lost to one side. If Life has the bigger piece, then Death has to give back the smaller piece. This is where the pain comes from, fusing the two pieces of the soul back together. It is a harsh experience.

  But with Izuku, the pain is so much greater, the experience so much harsher. Imagine a porcelain doll being thrown with the power of All Might against one of the strongest metals. In a better explanation, his soul is basically being shattered into a 3,000 piece jigsaw puzzle then being forced right back with a few of the pieces in the wrong slots. The experience is one that he hopes any of the newer Champions will never have to go through. That they will not be stubborn like hmm and actually willingly accept being a child of one of the Immortal Beings.

  The night is a dark time. Even with the light of the moon and the stars. The twinkling stars that stare down in horror as the humans fight. The stars and moon, having seen so much bloodshed and the harsh violent acts of humanity, they cannot seem to get used to any of it. The worse for them is all the horrible acts against nature. Again and again, they watch. Again and again, they cannot do anything. Right now, they watch as the heroes seem to be losing. Right now, they watch as the determined child of Death has been killed—crushed to death—for protecting the child of Fate. Just how many more unimaginable horrors should these humans cause?

Horror is displayed on Kota's face as he listens to the crunching sound of his friend, of the guy that risked his last chance at being a normal human for another few years. In an act of pure instinct, he looks at the Strings of Fate that are wrapped around Muscular's wrists and ankles. Like a puppeteer, he tenses his fingers, spreading them like he's puppeteering the marionettes for a show. He waits as the four strings wrap around his own fingers. When secured, he balls his hands up, grasping the strings and uses it to control the villain. In haste, he takes control of the villain's movements and forces him away from the older Champion. Kota forces himself to not even peek at the deformed body as he throws Muscular into the side of the building. "I should take about five minutes rest time during my deaths, but I never have the chance. I technically didn't die my first. The second time, I let it be about three minutes or else my friends would've died." He knows that the damage Izuku suffered will not be healed in five minutes. This one can't be healed in that short span, not to mention, the agony he'll have to endure when he is forced to accept the full title of Championship.

  Kota ignores the questions and protests from the villain. "You're just my pawn," he shouts through tears and anger. "And pawns don't talk!" He tightens the strings, bringing the villain to his knees. The adult is a marionette to the Puppeteer of Fate. He is left gaping at the child who has a water quirk and is able to control him. How is that possible?

"Ho-how?" he whispers as fear slowly starts eating at him.

Kota takes a page out of Izuku's book and gives a smile. Not as predatory but a sickly sweet smile that makes him seem innocent as he tilts his head. "By using the water in your body, how else?" Izumi hides his own terror in an overly happy, innocent facade as he glances over at Midoriya.