Place: ???
Noise was coming from everywhere the sounds of vehicles moving along the ground instead of gliding, the footsteps of tons of people, voices, conversations, laughter… all of it created a massive noise pollution. Some buildings were old, some were new. Traffic lights were turning green, orange, and red within certain intervals. Some people were walking in the opposite direction, while others were moving forward, and the cars were doing the same, but the paths of those going backward and forward were different.
While people were walking on the sidewalk, one old man was standing completely still in the middle of those thousands of moving people. He was literally like a statue. The strangest part was that half of his face was covered in darkness starting from one side of his nose and spreading across that half. The lower part of his face was visible though. His wrinkles were very obvious, so it was clear he was old. He was wearing a completely blue suit and also had a red tie. In his left hand, there was a triple-camera phone. His shoes were black, old-style, and on his right hand there was a high-quality watch.
His mouth was slightly open, but it was open in a way that made it look like his soul had been taken from him.
Anyway, the old man suddenly started to move.
He began to hold his head at a normal level, and his mouth closed. The old man suddenly looked around in shock, as if he was seeing everything for the first time. After quickly looking around, he started looking at his hands. There was a phone in one hand, the other was empty but had a high-quality watch. He was confused and started to speak:
Old Man: What is going on? Where am I? Who am I? What is the device in my hand? And most importantly...
Before finishing his sentence, he looked up and...
Old Man: ...Why am I old!?
His voice came out very loudly, like he was making an announcement. But his voice wasn't loud enough to be heard by all those people because the environment was extremely noisy so noisy that even if someone fired a gun, it would barely be heard.
Anyway, after shouting, the old man started looking around again. After looking around, he kept looking, but this time he started thinking:
Old Man (In his mind): What is going on here, why are vehicles moving on the ground... Shouldn't they normally be gliding in the air?
The old man was literally talking like he came from the future. But why was he talking like that? Did he lose his mind?
The old man started looking at his hands again and said:
Old Man (In his mind): I guess Hana defeated me so badly that she sent me to the past... I hope Bob is okay...
Yes, the one inside this old man this current old man is actually Jack himself. So how did he go to the past?
While Jack was clearly worried, he suddenly slapped this old body himself and said:
Jack (In his mind): Worrying right now is useless. First, I need to learn why I'm in this body, which means I need to find Arthur.
Jack was just about to move forward to learn the reason, but suddenly his legs felt like they were stuck to the ground. Jack was trying with all his strength to move them his body was moving like a spring. Like if a spring is glued to somewhere, it can shake in every direction but can't come off from where it's stuck that's exactly how Jack looked. Eventually, he gave up trying to move and continued thinking.
Jack (In his mind): Damn it! I literally turned into a character in a game. No matter what you do, you can never escape dialogues. You can't move until that dialogue is over...
Jack started scratching his head, and even though his eyes weren't visible, it was clear he had closed them.
Jack (In his mind): Now I need to learn why I'm here, but how?
While Jack was thinking that, suddenly the screams of tons of people started creating an even bigger noise pollution. As if that wasn't enough, the sounds of many cars crashing were like the final breaking point but no, it didn't stop there. Buildings were burning, glass-breaking sounds were coming either people were breaking them to steal something or breaking them to escape quickly and jumping down, but the moment they touched the ground, they were taking fatal damage and losing their lives.
The surroundings turned into a terrifying place. Just by Jack closing his eyes, the calmness turned into chaos.
The moment Jack opened his invisible eyes, he looked around in fear, as if he was in hell, and started speaking his voice was clearly filled with fear:
Jack: Wh-Wh-What is happening! Where did that calmness from before disappear so quickly!?
Jack was completely confused. While people were running away, Jack's body the old man's body was not moving. People were running past him in fear for their lives, while Jack had to watch this chaos without moving.
Jack: I need to figure out what's going on right now! But these damn legs won't move! Move already!
While Jack was struggling to move, suddenly the surroundings fell into a deathly silence. People stopped moving. The moment everyone stopped, they all started looking upward to the direction Jack was facing, but above. Their faces were covered in so much fear that not even tears could come out… No… not just their faces their entire bodies. It was as if something so terrifying was standing right in front of them…
As if…
A God was standing above all of them.
At that moment, Jack noticed this difference and slowly, with fear, started looking up. Slowly… slowly his head moved upward…
Finally, Jack saw that terrifying figure. But its face couldn't be seen because of darkness. Only its ruby-red eyes were shining. It was wearing a kimono colored like it came from endless darkness. But the strangest part was one sleeve was worn, but there were other arms too. Two arms were positioned behind it like someone praying, attached to its back. Another pair wore the kimono sleeves. And the last pair was positioned near its stomach, again like in prayer.
From what it looked like, this figure had exactly six arms. It looked like a monster, but at the same time, it was so terrifying that it could make angels die from fear. The pitch-black darkness on its face gave off an even more horrifying aura.
After seeing that figure, Jack was filled with extreme fear and started saying:
Jack (In his mind): My heart is beating so fast it feels like it's going to explode… How can something this terrifying even exist… And on top of that… I just noticed… the sky has completely turned blood red…
Just like Jack said, the sky had turned completely blood red. This figure was so powerful that it felt like a terrifying God.
One of the arms in the middle the right hand slowly started pointing toward the city. Everyone, including Jack, watched in fear. Finally, the figure fully pointed at the city. Its mouth slowly moved and said a sentence. The moment it finished, Jack caught the first two words:
Jack (In his mind): Super Technique?
After saying that, Jack's lower body from his stomach down completely disappeared, as if it had never existed. But all the people disappeared in even more horrifying ways some from mouth to feet, some entirely, others in more painful fragments.
After falling to the ground in blood, Jack could see the destruction of the entire city. Buildings were disappearing mid-collapse. People's screams were being cut off before finishing. Everything was being erased before it could fully happen.
While Jack was watching all of this, the ground he was lying on disappeared. With half a body, he started falling downward. It felt like being inside hell. While falling, he saw things falling or about to fall but disappearing just before impact.
As Jack fell, he closed his unseen eyes…
And when he opened them again, the pain hit even harder. The pain of hitting the ground, the pain of a massive piece of metal crushing his right arm, his entire body covered in blood, blood coming from his head…
And Jack thought:
Jack (In his mind): It hurts so much… This is worse than what Hana did to me… Please… someone… help me…
While saying this, footsteps were heard. But Jack was in too much pain to turn. The footsteps got closer… and closer…
That person came right next to him.
It was the one who destroyed everything.
That figure bent down and said:
Figure: I'm quite impressed. For someone this old to survive my attack… If you have even a little strength to speak, tell me your name.
Its voice was deep so deep it felt like fear itself.
Jack had no strength to speak, but inside he said:
Jack (In his mind): If I give my name to someone like you, I'd go straight to hell, you damn bastard!
But strangely, the body moved on its own and said:
Jack: M-My… name… is… William…
Jack (In his mind): My body started speaking on its own! What is going on!?
The figure smirked. Using one of its six arms, it cut its hand and made this body drink its blood, then said:
Figure: From now on, your name is Lucifer Deadman. You will become my second strongest companion.
Jack's eyes completely shut, and he fell into darkness. As he was falling rapidly within that darkness, it felt as if there was water beneath him he crashed into it and plunged inside. But strangely, he returned to his own subconscious, and he said to himself:
Jack: Could it be… did I just experience memories from a time when the Guardians didn't exist?
Just like Jack said, he had gone back 1100 or maybe 1000 years into the past and witnessed no, experienced a terrifying being attempting to destroy the world. And not only that, the old man's body Jack had been controlling was actually telling the true birth of Lucifer revealing that Lucifer was half human, half demon. On top of that, those horrifying events felt like they came straight out of hell itself. After this terrifying experience, Jack returned to his own consciousness.
The moment Jack returned to his subconscious, Liberty began to appear from the darkness. It was as if the darkness itself was breaking apart piece by piece to form Liberty. He fully formed about five meters away from Jack and said:
Liberty: How did a pathetic loser like you end up becoming my vessel? Well, whatever it just gives me more ways to have fun, so I can't complain.
Jack looked like he was thinking, but no, after experiencing something that horrifying, he could barely even think. He was trying to overcome his fear. Liberty slightly tilted his head to the left, as if saying "What's wrong with this one?", took a deep breath, and said:
Liberty: Did Hana beat you that badly? I mean, if I were you which I never would be it'd be nothing more than a scratch for me. No need to fall apart like that, you incompetent brat.
Jack was taking deep breaths, trying to suppress his fear, and eventually started speaking in his mind. But there was a problem Liberty could hear his thoughts, yet Jack didn't know that.
Jack (In his mind): If I really went back to a time before the Guardians existed… and if that figure managed to spread fear to all those people and even to me… then that means… I just saw Liberty from the past!
While Jack was going over everything he experienced, Liberty slowly started clenching his fist. Was he angry because Jack saw his memories? Or was there another reason?
Liberty (In his mind): Damn it! When we made that contract, I could clearly read his thoughts… but now I can't hear anything at all! What the hell is going on!?
Liberty couldn't hear Jack's thoughts even a little anymore. But why? When did that change?
He stopped clenching his fist and started walking toward Jack. While Jack was still deep in thought, Liberty kept getting closer. As he walked, it sounded like he was stepping on water with every step. Eventually, he stopped about one meter in front of Jack and called out to him:
Liberty: Hey! You damn brat! Listen to me!
Jack immediately stopped and slowly turned toward Liberty. He was now fully focused, ready to listen. Liberty smirked and said:
Liberty: If you ever have a training fight with Arthur, hand over control to me immediately.
Jack gave him a suspicious look a look that clearly said he didn't trust him. Liberty, slightly irritated, continued:
Liberty: I'm not saying this with killing intent. I just need a chance to fight Arthur. It's insanely fun. So you will give me control when you're sparring with him.
Jack stopped looking uncertain and instead stared at Liberty seriously.
Jack: Let's make a second deal. If you want to fight Arthur in a training match, you will never, and I mean never, attack anyone other than Arthur. Not even by accident. Deal?
After finishing his sentence, Jack extended his hand. Liberty paused, thinking for a moment, then smirked and quickly grabbed his hand.
Liberty: Deal, you self-serving bastard.
After the handshake, Jack let go of Liberty's hand. Jack stayed where he was, but Liberty immediately started moving toward the place where he usually sat. Suddenly, Jack began moving and started following him. After following him for a while, Liberty spoke to understand why:
Liberty: What do you want, you idiot brat?
Jack stopped walking. Meanwhile, Liberty started climbing to his usual spot the top of a pile made of shattered, blackened objects, fragments of memories. Jack then spoke:
Jack: How exactly did you lose?
Liberty paused slightly but continued climbing. Jack asked again, more firmly:
Jack: Answer me. How did you lose?
As Liberty kept climbing, he said:
Liberty: Tell me what you heard. I heard it too, but say it anyway.
Jack answered immediately:
Jack: It's said you were defeated by the First Guardian and his companions. But some believe you lost on purpose, while others say you lost because they were simply stronger.
Liberty smirked slightly. When he finally reached the top, he sat down and looked down at Jack, answering:
Liberty: I'll tell you I lost on purpose. But the First Guardian and his team didn't defeat me. Only the First Guardian fought me. Even if I lost on purpose, that bastard was seriously strong. Let me put it this way if I compare everyone I've seen so far, excluding Arthur, not a single one of them comes close to that guy. He was the First Guardian, the First God, and the first person who ever fought me on equal footing.
Jack froze in place. He was shocked but the part that shocked him the most was "First God." How could a God step into this world? So he asked:
Jack: Wait… the First God?
Liberty let out a deep sigh and answered:
Liberty: As you can see, humans can climb to the level of a God. But if you're talentless, you'll never reach that level. Take Arthur Violend, for example he has already reached the level of a God. In fact, his current level is probably something like "God of Gods." Let me tell you this humans are beings carefully created by God, which is why they have the potential to become Gods themselves. There's more detail, but it's unnecessary for you.
Jack understood. Arthur had become the strongest Guardian in human history. That's why humanity could live so peacefully because Arthur had already reached a completely different level. As long as he existed, humanity would live in its most comfortable and peaceful era.
But reaching the level of a God should take a long time so Jack asked:
Jack: Then if someone reaches the level of a God… wouldn't it take at least fifty years?
Liberty suddenly let out a short laugh, adding a chilling atmosphere, and answered casually:
Liberty: The reason is simple you have more life energy. Let me explain. First level: Half Angel. Second: Angel. Third: Archangel. Fourth: Demi-God. Fifth: God. Sixth: God of Gods. All these levels determine your lifespan. For example, if you reach the level of a God, you'd live around three hundred years.
Jack was learning a lot, but why was Liberty giving him this kind of information? Probably because it wasn't something that could harm him.
Still, there was one thing Jack didn't understand:
Jack: Life energy?
Liberty sighed.
Liberty: Life energy is the energy that determines how long you live. For example, if you're going to live a hundred years, your life energy is that large. It also has many uses you can use it in contracts, or when your energy runs out, and other similar things. But the more life energy you spend, the fewer years you have left to live. For example, if you use life energy equal to five years, you'd live around ninety-five years. Anyway, that's the last question I'm answering. Do whatever you want until you wake up, just don't bother me.
After all this information, Jack slowly started walking away. Liberty closed his eyes as if he were sleeping but opened one eye slightly and watched Jack leave.
Liberty (In his mind): Hana beat him so badly that his mental state actually became stronger. He's hiding something from me… but what? Whatever. My remnants have started connecting with Lucifer. If he absorbs the third fragment… I'll be able to read his mind.
As Jack walked away, Liberty was aware that his remnants were currently being absorbed by Lucifer. And on top of that, if Lucifer absorbed the third fragment, Liberty would be able to read his mind again.
What kind of things are waiting for them in the future?