Villain's Journey Towards Destruction

The bottomless pit was quiet as ever.

And in the bottom of the pit... A lonely man was seen sitting on the dirty ground.

Jack has been 1 year inside the bottomless pit.

His beautiful features were long gone, and now he looked like a homeless dude who was crawling in the dirt for year.

''I am here again...''

Again the familiar voice was heard.

Ariane comes to talk every day.

Jack sighed and covered his ears.

''Please... Leave...'' Jack was biting his lip with enough strength to make it bleed.

But no matter what he did, he still could hear her voice.

''Today was... Hard day... The government workers tried to get me drunk, and I am sure I smelled something funny in that drink... Why are all men pigs... I am not talking about you, of course.''

Jack lowered his hands and listened to her stories.

It is the only thing he enjoys, even if he tries to act that he doesn't.

''Charity has changed a lot.'' Ariane's voice became cheerful, ''It is getting more beautiful each passing day.''

''I wish you were here, though...'' Ariane became quiet after those words.

Jack could hear her crying noises and footsteps leaving the area of the tombstone.

'It's alright, Jacky.'

Jack turned his head and saw an illusionary figure of Sophia sitting next to him.

'She is a nice girl.' Sophia chirped, 'I am dead, and so is Jasmine— you need to move on.'

Jack looked at her with dead-looking eyes.

He couldn't believe any word the illusionary figure said.

Sophia's illusionary figure sadly smiled and disappeared.

Day after day.

Jack heard Ariane's stories.

Talked with illusionary Sophia.

And did nothing else.

Soon, he entered the third year of being in the bottomless pit.

Again, Ariane's voice was heard, ''I-I got confessed today...''

Jack's ears perked up.

''It was Chris... I don't know when, but apparently, he fell in love with me... I didn't give him my answer, but I thought... Maybe I should accept?''

Jack's frail hands were clenched in a fist.

''No...'' He wanted to scream, but he stopped and shook his head, 'Why should I care? I am a dead man...'

''B-But I don't like him... All my Hero colleagues say that we look good together... But I feel like he isn't any different from other men— I have seen him look at me with lustful eyes...''

An illusionary Sophia appeared next to Jack.

'Are you sure you want this?' Sophia said seriously, 'Your chance of finding real love?'

''I found real love! With you.'' Jack looked seriously towards Sophia.

Sophia sadly smiled and touched his cheeks softly, 'I want to believe that as well... But destiny says, I was never supposed to be with you, it was Ariane, and now destiny is trying to correct itself.'

Jack turned his head away, ''No... I can't believe you!''

Sophia had a sad face.

Her figure became blurry until it disappeared once again.

''See you tomorrow, Jack... It might be the last time...'' Ariane turned around and left the tombstone.

Jack waited with a nervous heartbeat.

The day went very slowly.

He wanted to know her answer.

The last 3 years went quickly, in his opinion, but this one day... Felt like 10 years!

And next day, Ariane finally came.

''I am back... About the confession, I rejected him... I wanted to test him by using a revealing dress which leaves my cleavage open, and I am pretty sure that he drooled— what a pig...''

Jack sighed in relief but quickly slapped his cheeks, 'Stop it!'

''Anyway... See you tomorrow— you might need to listen to my rambling longer... I have a feeling that Chris won't give up.''

Ariane left, and Jack was all alone.

'Power...'

Jack perked up his ears.

'Power...'

He put his ear on the ground and thought he heard a voice.

'Do you want... power?'

The voice sounded very pleasing.

Jack was sure that he could listen to the voice for a long time.

'I will give you... Power!'

Jack raised an eyebrow, but then crimson-colored spears appeared from the ground and impaled Jack's body!

''UGH!'' He spat a mouthful of blood.

Three crimson spears were stuck on his body!

But soon, the three spears disappeared.

Jack fell down on the ground and saw his veins glowing red.

But he also felt... His rage rising!

''N-No!'' Jack put his hands on his head and bit his lip.

His rage was increasing, and so was his bloodlust.

''S-Stop!''

Suddenly, the rage stopped.

'I am sorry... Will you forgive me?'

He heard the voice once again.

''W-Who are you?''

'I am the Power Core...'

''Power Core?!''

'Sorry for doing that just now... I am getting impatient.'

''Impatient... Why?''

'Kraah!'

The Power Core suddenly started screaming in agony.

''What's wrong?!'' Jack screamed.

'I am in so much pain!'

''W-Why?''

'I have been suffering for hundreds of years... Can you help me to stop this pain?'

''How?''

'Destroy me... Destroy!'

''Destroy... How can I do that?''

'You might need allies... Do you know the secret of Ultimate Awakening?'

''Secret?''

'Secret to Ultimate Awakening is Pain! Pain can unleash Ultimate Awakening, but many die because of the excess pain...'

He crawled towards the wall and sat up.

His bones were very frail currently, and he didn't have enough strength to stand up.

He hasn't been standing past 4 years.

He looked at his hands.

His veins were glowing crimson.

''Pain...''

'That's right... Make yourself stronger... And then destroy me!'

The Power Core shouted powerfully.

Jack's hand trembled.

He took a deep breath and touched his forehead.

[Rage Pain]

''ARGHHHHHHHHHH!'' Jack's eyes became bloodshot, and he fell down on his ground.

He twitched around, and he felt like dying!

He wanted to stop... But Power Core keeps tempting him to continue!

Jack's voice soon became hoarse, and his shouts weren't heard by anyone.

He was in agony, and soon the next day came.

When Ariane came to tell her story.

Jack was still in agony.

That lasted for 1 year!

Now Jack has been in the Bottomless Pit for 4 years!

Until finally...

Jack underwent Second Ultimate Awakening!

His S-Rank Superpower became S+!

Crimson-colored veins appeared all around the walls.

And now... He could hear everything...

His body was a bloody mess, but he soon recovered.

His black hair became crimson, and his grey eyes became red!

Jack leaned on the wall behind him and didn't move at all.

He only listened...

The voices...

He heard things happening all around the world!

He can also hear... Ariane talking with Chris.

Jack's face soon became angry.

Soon Ariane and Chris started fighting, and Ariane managed to escape.

''This isn't over... I will make you mine...'' He heard Chris' cold voice.

Jack's face went cold.

Ariane is the only reason he didn't go mad in this darkness.

Sophia's illusionary figure appeared next to him.

'See? You love her.' Sophia said gently.

''Sophia... Why do you want me to love someone?'' Jack asked seriously.

'I love you, Jack, I always will... I know how Ariane feels, and you staying here in self-pity won't help anything— you aren't the man I used to know. The real Jack would have never ended up in this state...

'The real Jack who got bullied but always fought back... Was the man I loved.'

Jack looked at her sad face, ''I was just so angry.''

'I know... I know...' Sophia kissed his forehead, 'It is time to move on... It pains me to see you like this.'

Sophia stood up and walked towards the refrigerator.

She touched it and said, 'You know what to do...'

Sophia's body became transparent until she completely disappeared.

Jack looked towards the refrigerator.

He pointed with his shaky finger towards the refrigerator. A crimson color started spreading around his arm.

And soon... A crimson beam left his finger.

*BOOM*

The refrigerator exploded into a million pieces... And Sophia's rotting arm disappeared from the world.

Jack cried one last time.

This will be the last time Jack cries in his life.

He mourned for another month.

Until... Finally, the Annual Meeting of the Heroes happened.

Jack heard about Chris' threatening Ariane's parents.

Jack located Ariane's parents, and he heard that they were fine!

No one was any danger towards them!

'Chris is lying...' Jack turned his beautiful red eyes towards the pitch-black darkness above him.

Soon... Chris announced his wedding with Ariane, and that was it!

''Not on my watch!'' Jack pointed his hand towards the sky... and soon...

The sky above Charity...

No...

Above Kindland!

Became crimson red!

He could hear Ariane leaving the building.

Jack snapped his fingers and destroyed the ground below him, but then he used his crimson energy to carry Ariane safely towards him.

And soon...

A beautiful figure landed on the ground not far from him.

Jack's mouth went dry, and he was too nervous to talk.

But then, Ariane turned her beautiful face towards him and started crying.

''J-Jack?'' Ariane muttered with disbelief— teardrops started trickling down her soft-looking cheeks.

Jack smiled and uttered his words, ''Ariane....''