Chapter 92 — The Uncontrolled
Darkness swallowed the laboratory.
Brook couldn't see.
He could hear everyone breathing.
Henry.
Sera.
Crowley.
Elias.
Then—
something breathed beneath them.
A deep, unnatural sound.
Brook tightened his grip.
"Everyone stay together."
Lucifer laughed softly inside his mind.
Now this is interesting.
Brook felt his instincts sharpen.
His body wanted to move.
To hunt.
To attack.
He forced himself to remain still.
Michael appeared beside Lucifer.
Control.
Lucifer smiled.
I'm not the one losing control.
Brook frowned.
"Both of you, quiet."
A low growl shook the chamber.
Then the darkness moved.
Brook marked the floor.
Flash.
He teleported beside Henry.
"Can you see anything?"
Henry shook his head.
"No."
Sera raised her hand.
A small light appeared.
It illuminated the chamber.
Everyone froze.
The thing beneath the floor was enormous.
Only part of its body was visible.
Black flesh.
Long limbs.
No recognizable face.
And one enormous eye staring directly at Brook.
Elias whispered:
"It shouldn't be awake."
Crowley looked at him.
"You knew it existed?"
Elias nodded.
"Yes."
"Then tell us what it is."
Elias stared at the creature.
"The first failed vessel."
Brook frowned.
"First?"
Elias nodded.
"Before B-00."
Brook's expression changed.
"Then what is it?"
Elias looked at him.
"The reason they created B-00."
The creature moved.
The entire laboratory shook.
A massive limb tore through the floor.
Brook teleported.
Flash.
He appeared beside Sera.
The limb smashed where he had been standing.
Henry shouted:
"Move!"
Everyone scattered.
Brook marked three locations.
Wall.
Floor.
Pillar.
He moved between them.
Flash.
Flash.
Flash.
The creature swung wildly.
Brook avoided every strike.
Michael appeared inside his mind.
Its movements are predictable.
Brook watched.
"It follows movement."
Then control the movement.
Lucifer laughed.
Or stop running and kill it.
Brook ignored him.
The creature attacked again.
Brook teleported to the pillar.
Then the wall.
Then the floor.
The creature followed.
Brook smiled.
"I've got it."
He marked the ground directly beneath the creature.
Flash.
He appeared there.
The creature struck.
Brook vanished.
The attack hit the floor.
The impact cracked the chamber.
Brook appeared behind it.
Strike.
His sword cut into its back.
Black blood sprayed.
The creature screamed.
Brook stared.
"It can bleed."
Lucifer's grin widened.
Then it can die.
Brook felt the devil Source surge.
His heart began pounding.
His vision sharpened.
His smile returned.
Michael appeared.
Brook.
Brook gripped his sword tighter.
"I know."
Lucifer whispered:
Let me fight.
Brook shook his head.
"No."
You're afraid of what I'll do.
Brook looked at the creature.
"Yes."
Lucifer smiled.
Good.
The creature charged.
Brook teleported.
The beast followed.
Brook appeared behind it.
Strike.
Again.
Again.
He moved faster.
The battle became a blur.
Lucifer's instincts pushed harder.
Brook began enjoying the fight.
He laughed.
Henry heard it.
He looked toward Brook.
"Brook?"
Brook didn't answer.
He teleported.
Strike.
The creature roared.
Brook's smile widened.
Again.
Lucifer's voice echoed through him.
Brook attacked again.
Michael appeared.
Stop.
Brook ignored him.
The creature swung.
Brook didn't dodge.
He blocked.
The force threw him backward.
He crashed into a pillar.
Blood ran from his mouth.
Lucifer laughed.
Now we're having fun.
Brook stood.
His eyes had darkened.
His breathing slowed.
The devil influence was taking hold.
Henry ran toward him.
"Brook!"
Brook looked at him.
For half a second…
he didn't recognize him.
Henry stopped.
"Brook?"
Brook's fingers tightened around his sword.
Lucifer whispered:
Finish it.
Brook looked at the creature.
Then at Henry.
Then back at the creature.
Michael's voice came through.
Remember who you are.
Brook's eyes widened.
His expression changed.
"Brook."
Michael continued:
Not Lucifer.
Brook closed his eyes.
He took one breath.
Then another.
The darkness receded.
Brook opened his eyes.
"I'm Brook."
Lucifer laughed.
For now.
Brook smiled.
"Keep dreaming."
The creature attacked again.
This time Brook didn't fight alone.
Henry struck from the left.
Sera attacked from the right.
Crowley hit it from behind.
Brook marked the floor.
Flash.
He appeared above it.
He drove his sword into the creature's shoulder.
The creature screamed.
Brook teleported again.
He appeared directly in front of its eye.
Their eyes met.
Brook froze.
Images flooded his mind.
Laboratories.
Bodies.
Children.
Scientists.
B-00.
B-01.
Elias.
Then—
a man standing in the darkness.
The same shadow from the underground vision.
The mysterious voice spoke.
"You were never supposed to survive."
Brook gasped.
The vision vanished.
He fell.
Henry caught him.
"Brook!"
Brook looked at him.
"I saw him."
"Who?"
Brook stared into the darkness.
"The Maker."
Elias heard him.
His expression changed.
"What did you see?"
Brook looked at him.
"A man."
"Who?"
"I couldn't see his face."
Elias stepped closer.
"What did he say?"
Brook answered:
"He said I was never supposed to survive."
Elias froze.
Then he whispered:
"That's not possible."
Crowley looked at him.
"Why?"
Elias stared at Brook.
"Because that wasn't what he told me."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"What did he tell you?"
Elias looked away.
"He told me you were supposed to become something else."
The creature suddenly screamed.
Its body began expanding.
Crowley shouted:
"Everyone move!"
The creature's flesh split.
Something inside it began emerging.
Brook stared.
Another body.
Smaller.
Humanoid.
But completely black.
No eyes.
No mouth.
Only a smooth face.
Death appeared inside Brook's mind.
His expression was different.
Concerned.
Brook had never seen that before.
"What?"
Death pointed.
That one has a lifeline.
Brook's eyes widened.
"What?"
Very faint.
Brook stared at the smaller creature.
It moved.
Fast.
It grabbed Elias by the throat.
Elias slammed into the wall.
Brook teleported.
Flash.
He appeared beside them.
He attacked.
The creature blocked.
Brook was thrown backward.
Henry rushed forward.
The creature knocked him away.
Sera attacked.
It dodged.
Crowley moved.
It disappeared.
Brook stared.
"It's learning."
Michael nodded.
Yes.
Lucifer smiled.
Now I really like it.
Brook frowned.
"You're insane."
Probably.
The creature looked at Brook.
Then spoke.
Its voice was quiet.
Almost human.
"B-01."
Brook froze.
"You can talk."
The creature tilted its head.
"You."
Brook stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
The creature looked at Elias.
Then back at Brook.
"Brother."
Brook's eyes widened.
"What?"
Elias stared.
"No."
The creature smiled.
"Brother."
Brook looked at Elias.
"Elias…"
Elias backed away.
"No."
The creature pointed toward him.
"B-00."
Brook stared.
The creature continued:
"Failed."
Then it pointed toward Brook.
"B-01."
A pause.
"Success."
Brook's stomach turned.
Elias whispered:
"Kill it."
Brook looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because it knows too much."
The creature laughed.
"Maker."
Elias froze.
Brook stared.
The creature pointed at Elias.
"He lied."
Elias's expression changed.
Brook turned toward him.
"About what?"
The creature smiled.
"He told you…"
It looked at Brook.
"…that he was saving you."
Silence.
"He wasn't."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"What was he doing?"
The creature's smile widened.
"Preparing you."
The creature lunged.
Brook teleported.
Flash.
He appeared behind it.
Strike.
The creature turned.
Brook teleported again.
Strike.
Again.
Strike.
Lucifer's influence surged.
Brook's smile returned.
He moved faster.
The creature couldn't keep up.
Michael guided him.
Left.
Brook moved.
Now.
Strike.
Behind.
Flash.
Strike.
Brook was becoming a blur.
Lucifer laughed inside his mind.
Yes!
Brook heard him.
And this time…
he didn't fight the excitement.
He used it.
But he remained in control.
He teleported directly above the creature.
His sword came down.
The creature blocked.
Brook smiled.
"Got you."
He marked the ground.
Flash.
The creature disappeared with him.
They reappeared beneath the fortress.
Brook immediately teleported away.
The creature fell into a deep shaft.
Silence.
Then—
a distant roar.
The ground stopped shaking.
Brook breathed heavily.
Henry stared at him.
"You okay?"
Brook nodded.
"Yeah."
Lucifer laughed.
That was fun.
Brook smiled faintly.
"Yeah."
Michael looked at him.
You allowed the instinct without surrendering to it.
Brook nodded.
"I'm learning."
Lucifer smiled.
Finally.
Elias approached Brook.
"You shouldn't have heard that."
Brook looked at him.
"He said you lied."
Elias remained silent.
"About what?"
Elias looked toward the shaft.
"He wasn't lying."
Brook froze.
Henry stepped closer.
"What?"
Elias looked at Brook.
"I wasn't saving you."
Brook's expression hardened.
"Then what were you doing?"
Elias answered:
"Preparing you."
Brook stared.
"Preparing me for what?"
Elias looked toward the darkness.
"The Maker."
Brook tightened his grip.
"Why?"
Elias smiled faintly.
"Because he's coming."
The mysterious voice suddenly echoed inside Brook's mind.
Not yet.
Brook froze.
Elias looked at him.
"You heard it."
Brook nodded.
Elias looked toward the darkness.
Then whispered:
"He's watching us."
Far away…
In a room with no doors.
A man stood before a wall of mirrors.
Every mirror showed Brook.
Fighting.
Teleporting.
Struggling.
Mastering his instincts.
The man smiled.
A voice filled the room.
"He's learning."
The mysterious voice answered:
"Yes."
The man touched one of the mirrors.
Brook's reflection looked directly at him.
The man smiled.
"Good."
The room went dark.
End of Chapter 92