Chapter Text
The night was thick, viscous, like oil paint smeared across a canvas of an endless sky. The only lamp in the apartment cast a dim, flickering light, making the shadow of the tied-up girl look comically small and absurd. Although, she seemed absurd in any case.
- "Do you even love your father, damn you?" - the captive hissed through her teeth, barely audible, but with that signature, nasty sneer that could only belong to one person - Hiyoko Saionji.
Her voice – shrill, sarcastic, imbued with arrogance and disgust for everything around her. Even tied hand and foot, she managed to look down on Kaito, as if he were just dirt clinging to her sandals. A crooked smirk was frozen on her face, betraying that she was enjoying the situation, as much as possible.
Kaito Momota, clenching his teeth until it hurt, looked up, his eyes full of fatigue and anger. Blood ran down his chin, staining his shirt crimson.
- Well…he’s my dad. Like…yeah, - he exhaled, spitting blood directly onto the floor.
- "Like"? What is this whining? You're not even sure about loving your daddy?! - Hiyoko squealed, bursting into mocking giggles. - What a wimp!
Anger surged over Kaito. He jerked to his feet, nearly falling.
- Damn you…
He took a deep breath, trying to calm the trembling in his hands. He needed to get a hold of himself, otherwise he wouldn't get anything out of her. With difficulty, he approached Hiyoko and grabbed the chair to which she was firmly tied. The girl twitched, tried to break free, but the knots held her tight.
- Hey! Don't touch me with your dirty hands, you hillbilly! - she squealed, writhing.
Kaito ignored her words, continuing to drag the chair to the balcony. Cold night air hit his face, bringing with it the scents of the city.
- I don't care about your provocations, - he said wearily. - I need what you know. Where is Junko Enoshima?
Hiyoko's face twisted with anger.
- No way! Never in my life will I tell you anything! And anyway, you better die, you vile criminal!
Kaito brought her closer to the very edge, above the black abyss of the night. Down below, the lights of distant cars flickered, like fireflies in the dark.
- Where is she? - he repeated, his voice becoming menacingly low.
- Bastard!!! - Hiyoko screamed, she was full of horror. - I hope you get torn apart!
Kaito leaned forward threateningly, tilting the chair over the abyss. At that moment, Hiyoko broke.
- Okay! Okay!! The Black Eclipse Heavy Systems factory, on the outskirts of the Steel Arc industrial district! That's where she is, your precious Junko!! Are you satisfied?! Now let me go!
- Should've just said so, - Kaito muttered, pulling the chair away from the edge and setting it on the floor.
But Hiyoko only narrowed her eyes, and a predatory smirk appeared on her lips. Gathering all her strength, she screamed at the top of her lungs:
- HEY! HELP! I'M BEING HELD CAPTIVE!
- Shut up! - Kaito roared, covering her mouth with his hand. - You'll wake the neighbors, and then you'll really be in trouble!
He tried to gag her, but Hiyoko suddenly sank her teeth into his hand.
- Ow! Are you rabid?!
- He-he-he! Sucker! Gotcha!
The pain was sharp, but Kaito held back. He realized that it was useless to negotiate with her.
- You know…you need to cool off.
With one sharp shove, he threw Hiyoko off the chair. Fortunately, there was a thick mattress waiting below, which he had thoughtfully placed beforehand.
- UGH ! Shit!!! - she screamed, floundering on the mattress. - You'll pay for this, you stupid sack of bones!!! I'll turn your life into hell!
Kaito sighed:
- I actually sacrificed a mattress…ungrateful.
Not wanting to listen to the endless stream of curses, he returned inside the apartment and went to the closet. There hung his suit – dark, dense, with a symbol embroidered on the chest, stylized as the letter "w".
He lingered over an old photograph attached to the closet door: his father holding him, a little kid, on his shoulders, and both of them laughing. In that memory, there was still the warmth from that only remained in Kaito's heart.
Shedding the last remnants of doubt, he changed into the suit, feeling the fabric touch his skin, as if reminding him of duty and responsibility. Then he went down to the garage, where his mech stood – massive, purple-black, with sharp angles and lines, resembling a constellation, which is gradually erased from the mech.
Kaito opened the mech's cockpit and climbed inside. The mech's interface came to life instantly, filling the cockpit with holographic displays and glowing symbols. After buckling up, he started the engines.
The mech came to life with a rumbling roar of engines, shaking its entire metal body. The ground beneath his feet trembled. Kaito smoothly lifted the machine into the air. He soared into the night sky, cutting through the darkness with his powerful searchlights.
The Black Eclipse Heavy Systems factory loomed among the rusty structures, immersed in impenetrable darkness. The wind pierced the empty workshops, howling a sinister melody and causing the dilapidated cranes to creak painfully.
The Watchman mech landed smoothly. The cockpit opened with a hiss, and Kaito, smiling widely, jumped onto the cracked concrete. A determined fire burned in his eyes.
He cautiously crept up to the first guard, aimlessly wandering near the entrance. With a sharp, practiced elbow strike to the temple, Kaito sent him into a deep sleep. The second one proved to be more difficult. This guy was more vigilant: he noticed Kaito approaching and managed to land a blow to his face, forcing him to stagger. The guard tried to raise the alarm, screaming hysterically, but Kaito, reacting in a flash, threw the first thing that came to hand, witch was a mug. Not giving him a chance to recover, he caught up with the stunned opponent and knocked him out with a powerful blow to the jaw.
The next few guards didn't pose much of a challenge. Kaito, acting quickly and efficiently, neutralized them one by one. A trip up for some, a blow to the solar plexus for others, and still others he sent flying with a beautiful uppercut. He pulled a tablet from the unconscious guard's pocket and activated his mech's interface. Fingers, accustomed to complex systems, raced across the touch screen, and in a few seconds, the factory's defenses were breached.
A detailed map of the building flashed on the internal screen of the Watchman: thermal signatures, the locations of surveillance cameras, security branches. The mech's holographic projector came to life, speaking in a dispassionate mechanical voice:
- Access granted. Recognition of Heat Sources…
Identified: two hundred people. Fifteen – high danger. One – deadly danger. One - ??? Mark: Unknown. Potential threat: Extremely high.
Everything inside Kaito went cold. An unknown threat, and one marked as "extremely high" at that, evoked an unpleasant premonition. But there was no turning back.
He clenched his fists, trying to restrain the excitement that had overwhelmed him.
- Found it.
The hall turned out to be enormous – without exaggeration, like a cathedral dedicated to technology. Dozens of flickering screens displayed intrusive recordings, charts, and data streams. On one of them, to his horror, Kaito saw a recording of him knocking out the guards, as if Junko was specifically broadcasting it on all the screens. Another displayed live feeds from all of the factory's surveillance cameras, creating a sense of total surveillance.
In the center of this nightmare place – a lonely figure in the dimness. Kaito burst inside, ignoring the oppressive atmosphere.
- That's it, Junko! The show's over! - he yelled, his voice echoing under the high vaults. The figure slowly turned around… And Kaito froze in bewilderment. -…You’ve… got to be kidding me?
Looking at him was Hiyoko Saionji, already free from the ropes, in her unchanged traditional kimono, smudged with dirt and blood. A malicious smirk was playing on her face.
-He-he-he! How stupid you are, “watchman”. Even name sounds lousy. Like someone from a cheap cosmos serial! - her voice was running with poison and scorn.
-You? What are you doing here? Where is Junko?
-Oh, sorry! Disappointed with it not being Junko? - Hiyoko feigned demureness and smiled sweetly, but spiteful sparks danced in her eyes. - Or maybe it never will come!
Kaito did not have time to recover- just as Hiyoko thrown in his face the most disgusting, witch she coud come up:
- By the way, your dad died so bad! Fried in this trough! Psh-sh-sh! "- she made the sound of the frying meat and parodied the falling bones. - And it was remained, only embers, hi-hi-hi ! And ew, you're sitting on the place where your father died! It's sickening!
Anger was boilig in Kaito's blood. He waved his hand, calling "Watchman". The mech burst into the hall with a crash, forcing Hiyoko to squeal and cover her face with her hands. Dust rose in a cloud.
- WAIT! - Hiyoko howled piercingly, jumping to the side. The mech, obeying Kaito's commands, stepped forward heavily, preparing to crush Hiyoko – carefully, with the power limiter activated. Kaito, despite his anger, didn't want to kill her. Information was displayed on the screen: SUPERPOWER: "PUPPET ANATOMY". Hiyoko's body is unnaturally flexible; strikes are damped, she is able to change joint angles, dodge, turn into a living "doll". DANGER LEVEL: HIGH!
- OW!! I'm one tough cookie, you idiot! Prepare your ass for death! - Hiyoko growled, feeling the pressure of the huge machine. Kaito, not wasting a second, jumped into the mech's cockpit. The safety doors slammed shut, and he felt safe.
Hiyoko, like a broken marionette, arched and sprang to the side with a springy grace, immediately launching into a furious attack. Her strikes were quick, lashing, like whip blows. She moved erratically, constantly changing stances and angles of attack. Kaito was an experienced pilot. He calculated her dancing movements, deflecting each blow. Finally, he grabbed her in mechanical pincers and threw her against the wall. Hiyoko squealed in pain, but immediately jumped to her feet, gasping with anger.
- I hate you, you dumbass -
- Mutual, - Kaito replied shortly, not distracted from controlling the mech. But the floor trembled, convulsing even the Watchman. From the side doors, like rats from the hold, the other Ultimate Despairs crawled out – the graduates of Peak of Hope, who had turned into the living embodiment of a nightmare. Dossiers appeared on the screen:
IBUKI MIODA, WITH SONIC ATTACK – ultrasonic screams capable of destroying buildings. DANGER LEVEL: HIGH!
GUNDHAM TANAKA, THE OVERLORD OF SHADOW "BEASTS" – genetically modified creatures woven from darkness. DANGER LEVEL: HIGH!
PEKO PEKOYAMA, POSSESSING DEMONIC SPEED AND PRECISION WITH A BLADE. DANGER LEVEL: HIGH!
NAGITO KOMAEDA, SHROUDED IN ABSURD LUCK – everything around him becomes deadly random. DANGER LEVEL: UNPREDICTABLE!
Suddenly, a massive steel beam broke from the ceiling and crashed down. Chance? Hardly… Only the mech's lightning-fast reaction saved Kaito from imminent death. "Watchman" put up his arm, taking the impact, and the beam shattered into pieces with a crash.
All four Despairs launched a synchronous, carefully planned attack. Peko, like a spider, wove a web of steel chains, trying to immobilize "Watchman".
–You underestimate my sword, pilot! - Peko hissed, her eyes burning with fanatical fire. Gundham unleashed a swarm of dark beasts on the mech, their sharp claws tearing cables and damaging the armor, making a terrible screeching sound.
–Feel the wrath of my hellish creations, mortal! - Gundham's voice thundered, full of insane pride. Ibuki deafened with ultrasonic screams, knocking out sensors and disrupting targeting systems.
–Insanity of sound! - Ibuki shrieked, her eyes rolling back with ecstasy. - Come on, come on, break him to pieces! Nagito "accidentally" dropped a huge magnetic lock on the mech, blocking most of its systems.
–Oh, what an embarrassment! I hope this doesn't inconvenience you too much… - Nagito muttered with a crazed smile, his eyes full of ominous gleam. The mechanical system began to fail. One by one, the lights on the dashboard went out. Kaito desperately pounded the levers, trying to regain control.
–No… No!! Damn!!
Suddenly, the hall was illuminated by an ominous pink light. The smell of expensive perfume and blood filled the air. There was a measured sound of heels beating out the rhythm of a mad dance. A familiar melody swirled in Kaito's head – either music, or a figment of his paranoia.
And then, JUNKO ENOSHIMA entered the hall with a light, graceful gait, as if on a catwalk. Her eyes burned with madness, shimmering with all shades of emotion – from delight to absolute insanity.
–Well hello, star boy! - Junko sang, walking around the chain-bound mech, as if examining an exotic exhibit.
–How… cute stump.
Kaito gritted his teeth in rage, but there was nothing he could do. "Watchman" was immobilized, and his protective field was on the verge of exhaustion.
Junko leaned closer to the cockpit, looking Kaito in the eyes.
–Your defensive field… well, let’s say, it’s getting close to zero. 2.7 percent, sweetie. Very little.
Kaito glanced at the panel – 2.7%. Damn.
–Crap…
–All I need is your "pulsator". A little thing that feeds your tin friend. Give it – and maybe I'll spare your life, - Junko purred deviously, enjoying his helplessness.
-Bullshit. You'll kill me anyway afterwards.
Junko waved her hands falsely, feigning innocence.
Oh, what a rude man. How dare you?
Peko added dryly, holding her katana at the ready:
–We can finish him off right now.
–Nooo! - Junko giggled, looking slyly at Peko. - He's so funny! It's too early to break his toy. I want to play with him
– Go to hell… –. Kaito, realizing that he was running out of time, hissed through his teeth
– How much fire. – Junko winked, stretching her lips into a sinister smile
At that moment, Kaito, mobilizing his last forces, activated the mech's secret protocol:
CODE: "HEART OF THE STAR"!
"Watchman" flashed with dazzling white light, its systems overloaded, generating an unimaginable amount of energy. Chains, entangling the mech, shattered into pieces with a crash, like paper. Hiyoko squealed in horror, covering his ears. Peko jumped aside, instinctively feeling that something terrible was about to happen. Ibuki, deafened by the flash, collapsed to the floor, writhing. Gundham's shadow beasts scattered like smoke. Junko seemed utterly engrossed in the spectacle to come.
– I'm not as stupid as you think, - Kaito whispered, feeling the mech's systems vibrate to the limit. The mech, like a wounded beast, broke free and, roaring deafeningly with its engines, soared into the air, piercing the roof of the factory and taking off away from this cursed place. Kaito screamed with delight:
–YES!! YES!!! Freedom! What are our readings, onboard computer?
Right arm lost. Protective shield failure. Damage level is medium.
Kaito interrupted the computer's monotonous analysis, but then noticed a red light flashing on the mech's chest. A message appeared on the screen:
BOMB ARMED
0:03… 0:02…
A carousel of memories flashed through Kaito's head: his father, his family, his dreams of space – everything he loved, everything.
-… Oh no. Nooooo!
A dazzling explosion lit up the night sky, and the mangled mech crashed down into an alley.