The Bounty Hunter

December 14th, 2089

Terra’s POV

“Terra, please rest.  You’ve done everything that you can right for her.”  I grimaced at Kira’s words, but I could not refute them.  It’s been three days since Pandemonium attempted to kill Hikari and Veronica, and I have no clue as to why.  Not that I have had much time to think or do anything else other than frantically keep Hikari alive.  Veronica was also badly injured in that battle, but Hikari ran afoul of a blood magic curse.  I fucking hate blood magic.  It was likely the succubus who cast it.  Those dream demons suck the life force of men, adding it to their own reserves.  This means that they are pseudo-immortal until said reserves run out, and they can use the most vile blood magics without worry.

If I were a second later, Hikari would have died.  This blood magic was draining her life force and forcefully aging her.  It took the majority of my mana reserves and the drops from the Fountain of Youth to stave off the curse.  Hikari is now in an uneasy equilibrium that is teetering on the verge of death.  There are blackish-red streaks all along her body, a visible mark of the curse’s presence.  She cannot heal any further until the blood magic is removed, but this is not a curse that can be removed.  I don’t know what to do.

I briefly got up to go check on Veronica.  She has been fully healed, but it was an exhausting process for her.  Until she fully recovers, I have ordered her to stay in bed.  “How’s Hikari doing?” Veronica immediately asked as I entered the room.  “Stable, but not in a good way.  She’s not dying anymore, but I can’t heal her past the near-death coma stage.”  I replied.  I walked over to her and proceeded to do a light scan with my magic to make sure that they were no festering hexes or other nasty surprises hidden.  “How are you feeling?”  I asked.  “Better.”  Veronica responded.

We fell silent after that, taking solace in each other’s company.  I don’t want Veronica to go blaming herself for what happened to Hikari.  The fault is mine and mine alone.  “Don’t do that.”  Veronica suddenly said.  “Hmm?”  “Don’t blame yourself.  If it weren’t for your training, Hikari and I would have died for certain.”  “I’m not sure how reassuring that is.”  I responded moodily. 

Then, to my surprise, I felt a flick to my forehead.  I looked up to see Veronica giving me a smile.  She then started patting my head gently.  “I chose to believe in Hikari during that battle, and she did not let me down.  Now, I’ll believe in you to heal her.  I have complete faith that you will succeed.”  While I was still processing her words, she leaned in and placed a kiss on my lips.  She lied back down on the bed, clearly still weary from her healing, and peacefully drifted off to sleep.

I left the room quietly, and gathered my gear.  I have a lot of things to do in order to fulfill Veronica’s faith in me. “Irene, Rin, please keep your guards up.  I’m going out for a bit.  Kira, you and Veronica should stay here into the apartment for the next few days.”  “What about school?”  Kira asked me.  “Don’t worry, I’ll charm everyone into thinking that you guys are there.  No one will notice any of us gone.”  I said to her reassuringly.  I gathered my weapons and put on my bandana as I headed towards the door.  “Boss, where are you going?”  Irene asked me.

“I’m headed out to go berserk, if I hold it in any longer I might destroy this city.  Don’t expect me back for at least the next week or so.  Contact me if Hikari worsens.”  And with those parting words, I vanished.  I have one brief stop to make before I can relieve these roiling emotions inside of me.  The highest levels of healing magic require a clear heart and mind to succeed.  I need to quench my wrath before I can do anything else.

I appeared in the sitting room of Princess Vivian’s private chambers, thoroughly startling her in the middle of her afternoon tea.  “I need the list of all suspected Pandemonium contacts you have.”  I said to her.  “Minato!  Don’t appear so suddenly, you nearly gave me a heart attack!  And what’s this about the suspect list?  We’ll contact you with the names when we confirm Pandemonium affiliations.”  I waved away her point as I replied “I don’t care about that.  Just give me all the suspects you have.”  “Why?”  “Well, this and that happened, so I’m just going to kill them all.”  I said disinterestedly, as if I were talking about the weather.  Princess Vivian was aghast at my words “You can’t be serious!”

My response was the full brunt of my bloodlust, which was elevated to new heights due to my wrath.  Excalibur started shining brightly in an attempt to shield Vivian, who turned shockingly pale and was on the verge of breaking down in sheer terror.  “Do not test my patience today.  I will apologize when all is said and done, but for now you will GIVE ME THAT LIST!”

I left shortly after that, with the list of all 5,000 some people who had potential Pandemonium ties, I also decided to wipe Vivian’s memories of our encounter.  There’s no need to sour our relationship due to my temper.  About 95% of the listed individuals were criminals belonging to the various organized crime syndicates across the globe.  I’ve been a fool for trying to be merciful thus far.  If I had remained as ruthless as I had been back in the other world, things would have never progressed to the point where Hikari and Veronica were attacked.

I am someone who has murdered millions if not billions of people through my actions.  I have murdered hundreds if not thousands of people personally.  I am someone who does not care if the world burns as long as the few people my cold heart loves are safe.  I lost sight of that and it has cost me dearly.  No more.  I am not a hero.  And if that thrice-blasted summoning circle tries to appear even one more god damn time to whisk me away to another world, I will allow it to simply so I can slaughter everyone on the other side.

Speaking of slaughter, it is time to start.  Alright!  Let’s see who is first on the list.

That day was the start of a three-week period of blood shed that rocked the world.  It would have been shorter, but I took time to visit the girls and check on Hikari during my rampage.  The numerous criminal enterprises died out with no trace of their attacker.  The country of Mexico, having been virtually run by the cartels, collapsed into a state of near anarchy, resulting in a Council of Nine peacekeeping intervention.  Official estimates say the final death count of my manhunt was 5,234 people.  History would come to know it as the Bloody Holidays.