Cyberpunk: Ultimate Cyborg System-Chapter 606: Black Skull. (Part Thirty Eight)

The destruction came to a halt, and the world healed itself. Still stuck on the same ledge she had been left on, Rose watched everything unfold with her own eyes, wishing that she had something that would allow her to get a closer look.

The destruction that erased half of the logistical park struck horror into her core, only for her to realize that was not the end. The bright flash that followed almost left her blind, and the bizarre mirage that enveloped the battlefield elevated her confusion beyond anything she could have imagined. Once the dust settled, she saw the figure of the Red Demon standing over the motionless Black Skull. That was when she knew the fight had reached its end.

Two strong emotions clashed in her chest, creating a storm she couldn’t hope to control. She felt relief seeing it all be brought to an end, but the frustration brought upon by her failure was hard to ignore. Rose had one goal since the day she escaped—to punish the monster who caused all her suffering, and to avenge the man who risked everything to save her back then. Losing the chance to achieve that goal made it feel as if she would never get her closure.

"What are you doing?"

Just as her tears began to flow, a familiar voice startled her from behind. Almost snapping her neck as she turned around, Rose met Dante’s disapproving gaze, which instantly banished the conflict raging in her heart.

"You’re going to fall."

She was leaning over the edge of a ledge more than two hundred meters in the air. Even if she was lying down on her stomach with only her head peeking out, one can’t help but fear that she might slip and drop to her death. Realizing how uncomfortably close she was to that happening, she slowly slid back and distanced herself from the edge.

"Startling me like that," She said. "It’s almost like you want me to fall."

As she tried to pull herself up, a firm hand grasped her arm. Dante pulled her back and helped her rest against the wall. Once she was comfortable, he sat down next to her. A somber silence settled between the two, and they remained staring at the cityscape, listening to the noise permeating through it.

"He’s still alive."

The words took a few seconds before settling in Rose’s mind, and her eyes widened as she finally grasped what they meant. When she turned to look at him, Dante kept his gaze forward, staring into the distance.

"I need to get the names out of him first. After that... you can do what you want."

The revelation brought back the storm of emotions she thought was gone. It wasn’t late yet. She could still get her closure. She could still get her revenge.

Faces appeared in her mind. Sirius, who embezzled money from his company to fund their escape. Monica, who risked everything to retrieve the forged IDs Jason took away that day, helped her escape even when she had lost hope in achieving the same for herself. Ben, Lu, Bruno. The children from the sanctuary.

"... Thank you, Dante..." The tears she thought had dried flowed once more, drawing new trails over her stained cheeks. "Thank you..."

"You can rest now," Dante said. "I will take care of the rest."

For a while there, a young girl cried her heart out, shedding the tears she held back for years. The strong woman who waged war against an enemy she couldn’t hope to beat was gone, finally letting go. The war was far from over, but she had finally reached her goal. After all those years, her wish was finally coming true. It was finally going to be over. It was finally going to end.

Dante said nothing, listening as she let it all out. After a while, her exhausted mind and body gave in, and she leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Hearing her faint breaths as she drifted into unconsciousness, he waited a couple of minutes, then the two of them vanished, leaving behind the destruction that marked the final step toward their goal.

~[ ]~

History was littered with accounts of countless wars—conflicts so brutal that most would prefer to never hear about. Nevertheless, the scars left by some were far too deep for the passage of time to erase. The war that earned Red Hill its name had been such a conflict, but on the night of May 05, 2099, the meaning behind that name changed forever.

The local gang, Black Skull, was entirely obliterated. All 1242 members were found dead, shredded into small parts while they were still alive. Their boss, Fisher Dawn, was burned alive in his mansion, forced to reexperience the incident that had left him with the scars that earned him the name Black Skull.

In the following days, a series of assassinations took place around the city. The targets ranged from normal civilians to business owners and politicians. Investigation revealed a connection between the victims and the gang, although when considering the nature of that connection, many argued that those targeted weren’t truly victims.

The total number of deaths connected to this incident was 3832, and the numbers continued to increase over time, making it one of the bloodiest in the history of Neo-Vatra. The perpetrator was never caught, and never will be.

The killing was witnessed by many, yet no records of the incident had been created, and no evidence had been found. Because of that, the rumors that claimed Black Skull was hunted by a demon from hell spread like wildfire. Many were quick to make the connection to a small gang in Hollowgrid, which is said to have been in a conflict with Black Skull, and its leader, who earned himself the moniker Red Demon. As the story continued to warp with each iteration, Inferno became the gate to literal hell in the eyes of many, its members turning into real demons that struck terror in the hearts of everyone who dared to make them their enemy.