Chapter 89 — The Last Brother
Brook woke suddenly.
His chest hurt.
Not physically.
Something deeper.
He sat upright in his bed, breathing heavily.
For a few seconds, he couldn't understand what was happening.
Then it came again.
A sharp, twisting pain beneath his ribs.
Brook grabbed his chest.
"What the hell…"
Michael appeared in the white space of his mind.
Brook.
Brook looked around.
"What's happening?"
Michael's expression was serious.
Death is active.
Brook froze.
Lucifer appeared beside him.
His usual smile was gone.
Someone close to you is in danger.
Brook closed his eyes.
And suddenly—
he saw them.
Lifelines.
Thousands of them.
Every person in Shinokuni-01 had one.
Some were bright.
Some were faint.
Some were damaged.
But one stood out.
Kael.
Brook's eyes widened.
His lifeline was trembling.
And it was getting shorter.
"No."
Death appeared behind him.
Kael.
Brook could feel the pain.
Not Kael's physical pain.
Something else.
The sensation of watching a lifeline being pulled toward its end.
Brook grabbed his chest.
"He's dying."
Michael stepped closer.
You can see the lifelines of those closest to you.
Brook looked at him.
"Why can I feel it?"
Michael answered:
Because Death is becoming more present.
Brook's breathing became heavier.
"How long?"
Death looked at Kael's lifeline.
Not long.
Brook immediately opened his eyes.
He jumped out of bed.
Henry was already outside his door.
"Brook?"
Brook rushed past him.
"Kael."
Henry followed.
"What happened to Kael?"
"I don't know."
"Then how do you know?"
Brook stopped.
His face was pale.
"I can feel his lifeline."
Henry stared.
"What?"
"He's in danger."
Brook grabbed his coat.
"Get everyone."
They ran through the streets.
Brook didn't know exactly where Kael was.
He didn't need to.
He could feel the lifeline.
It pulled at him.
A strange connection.
Like an invisible thread running through his chest.
Every time Kael's lifeline weakened, Brook felt it.
He stumbled.
Henry caught him.
"Brook!"
"I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
"Keep moving."
They turned toward the eastern district.
Brook's chest tightened again.
He stopped.
Henry looked at him.
"What?"
"He's closer."
Brook pointed toward an abandoned building.
"There."
They ran.
The door was broken.
Blood covered the entrance.
Henry stopped.
"Oh God."
Brook stepped inside.
"Kael!"
No answer.
They moved deeper into the building.
The pain in Brook's chest intensified.
His vision blurred.
Death appeared again.
His lifeline is weakening.
Brook clenched his fists.
"Then we're too late."
Not yet.
Brook ran.
They reached the final room.
Brook kicked the door open.
Elias stood in the center.
Kael was on the floor.
Brook froze.
"Elias."
Elias turned.
His face was covered in blood.
Brook's eyes immediately went to Kael.
"Kael!"
He rushed forward.
Elias stepped aside.
Brook dropped beside Kael.
"Stay with me."
Kael opened his eyes.
"Brook…"
Brook pressed his hands against the wound.
"You're going to be okay."
Kael gave a weak smile.
"You always say that."
"Because it's true."
Henry knelt beside them.
"We need Sera."
Brook looked at him.
"Go."
Henry ran.
Brook looked down.
Kael's lifeline was barely visible.
It flickered.
Brook could feel every pulse of it.
Every weakening beat.
He swallowed hard.
"Don't."
Kael looked at him.
"What?"
"Don't leave."
Kael smiled faintly.
"You feel it?"
Brook froze.
Kael looked at him.
"Your Death Source."
Brook nodded.
"I can feel your lifeline."
Kael's smile faded.
"That's creepy."
Brook laughed through the pain.
"Yeah."
Kael closed his eyes.
Brook immediately shook him.
"No."
Kael opened them again.
"I'm here."
"Good."
Brook held his hand.
"Stay here."
Elias stood several feet away.
Brook looked at him.
"What did you do?"
Elias shook his head.
"I tried to stop it."
Brook's voice hardened.
"That's not an answer."
Elias looked at Kael.
"I didn't kill him."
Brook stared.
"Then who did?"
Elias didn't answer.
Henry returned with Sera.
Sera immediately rushed forward.
"Move."
Brook moved aside.
Sera placed her hands over Kael's wound.
Energy surged through her palms.
Kael's body jerked.
"Come on."
Sera pushed harder.
"Come on, Kael."
Brook stood nearby.
His eyes remained fixed on the lifeline.
It flickered.
Sera kept fighting.
The lifeline brightened.
Brook's eyes widened.
"Yes."
Henry looked at him.
"What?"
"She's bringing it back."
Sera gritted her teeth.
"Come on!"
The lifeline steadied.
For a moment, Brook smiled.
Then—
It began fading again.
"No."
Sera's breathing became heavy.
"I can't stop it."
Brook stepped closer.
"Try again."
"I am!"
"Again!"
Sera screamed:
"I'M TRYING!"
The lifeline weakened.
Brook felt the pain shoot through his entire body.
He dropped to one knee.
Henry grabbed him.
"Brook!"
Brook pushed him away.
"No."
Death appeared inside his mind.
Brook stared at him.
"Do something."
Death looked at Kael's lifeline.
I cannot interfere.
"Then tell me what to do."
There is nothing you can do.
Brook's eyes filled with tears.
"You're wrong."
Death said nothing.
Brook looked at Kael.
"You're wrong."
Kael opened his eyes.
"Brook."
Brook immediately moved toward him.
"I'm here."
Kael looked at him.
"You look terrible."
Brook laughed weakly.
"So do you."
Kael smiled.
Then he looked at Sera.
"Don't…"
Sera leaned closer.
"Don't what?"
"Don't waste yourself."
Sera shook her head.
"I'm not giving up."
Kael looked at Brook.
"She always does that."
Brook smiled through tears.
"Yeah."
Kael breathed slowly.
Then his expression changed.
"Brook."
"Yeah?"
"You need to listen."
"I'm listening."
"You were right."
"About what?"
"Everyone hiding things."
Brook shook his head.
"Forget that."
"No."
Kael coughed.
"I should've listened to you."
Brook tightened his grip on Kael's hand.
"You didn't do anything wrong."
Kael smiled.
"You always say that too."
Brook's voice cracked.
"Because it's true."
Kael looked toward Elias.
"Elias didn't…"
He struggled.
"…do this."
Brook looked at Elias.
"What?"
Kael's eyes closed briefly.
"He tried to stop them."
Elias looked away.
Brook stared at him.
"Who?"
Kael whispered:
"The people behind him."
Brook's expression changed.
"The Maker?"
Kael slowly nodded.
Elias looked at Brook.
Kael's breathing became weaker.
Brook looked at Death.
The lifeline was almost gone.
"No."
Kael looked at him.
"Take care…"
Brook leaned closer.
"Of what?"
"Everyone."
Brook shook his head.
"You can tell me yourself."
Kael smiled.
"You're stubborn."
"So are you."
Kael's hand tightened around Brook's.
Barely.
"Don't let him become what they want."
Brook frowned.
"Who?"
Kael looked toward Elias.
Then back at Brook.
"Elias."
His eyes slowly closed.
Brook froze.
"Kael?"
No response.
"Kael."
Sera continued trying to save him.
Nothing.
Brook stared at the lifeline.
It flickered once.
Twice.
Then—
It disappeared.
Brook felt it.
The connection vanished.
The pain stopped.
And somehow…
that hurt even more.
Brook's mouth opened.
No words came.
Sera slowly lowered her hands.
She shook her head.
"No…"
Henry stepped backward.
"He's…"
Sera couldn't finish.
Brook still held Kael's hand.
It was cold.
Brook whispered:
"He's gone."
Nobody moved.
Elias stared at Kael.
His face was completely broken.
He took one step forward.
Brook immediately stood.
"Don't."
Elias stopped.
"I loved him too."
Brook's eyes were filled with tears.
"Then you should've protected him."
Elias looked down.
"I know."
Brook raised his sword.
Henry grabbed his arm.
"Brook."
"Let go."
"Not like this."
Brook stared at Elias.
"You knew."
Elias looked at him.
"What?"
"You knew people were coming."
Elias didn't answer.
Brook's voice became colder.
"You knew Kael was in danger."
Elias closed his eyes.
"Yes."
Brook's grip tightened.
"And you still let him come here."
"I tried to stop it."
"But you knew."
"Yes."
Brook lowered his sword slightly.
"Why?"
Elias looked at Kael.
"Because I thought I could control it."
Brook stared.
"And now?"
Elias looked at him.
"I can't."
Footsteps echoed through the building.
Crowley entered.
He stopped.
He saw Kael.
Everything changed.
Crowley slowly walked forward.
"Kael."
Nothing.
He knelt beside him.
For several seconds, he simply stared.
Then he placed his hand on Kael's shoulder.
His expression became empty.
Brook had never seen Crowley look like that.
Not angry.
Not sad.
Just…
empty.
Crowley slowly stood.
His eyes moved toward Elias.
"You."
Elias didn't move.
Crowley drew his weapon.
"You brought this."
Elias looked at him.
"I didn't kill him."
Crowley's voice was quiet.
"That doesn't matter."
Brook stepped between them.
"Crowley."
"Move."
"No."
Crowley looked at him.
"You saw his lifeline."
Brook's eyes widened.
Crowley continued:
"You knew he was dying."
Brook looked down.
"Yes."
"And you couldn't save him."
Brook's jaw tightened.
"No."
Crowley looked toward Kael.
"Neither could I."
He lowered his weapon.
Then looked at Elias.
"But you can."
Elias frowned.
"What?"
Crowley stepped closer.
"You can tell us everything."
Elias remained silent.
Crowley's eyes hardened.
"Who is Draven?"
Silence.
"Who is the Maker?"
Silence.
"Why are the Hell Knights following you?"
Nothing.
Crowley stepped closer.
"And why did Kael have to die?"
Elias's eyes filled with guilt.
"He didn't."
Crowley stared.
"Then why is he dead?"
Elias couldn't answer.
Crowley turned away.
"Get him home."
They carried Kael back to Shinokuni-01.
Nobody spoke.
The house felt different.
Smaller.
Colder.
Brook walked behind them.
His mind was strangely quiet.
Michael appeared.
You are grieving.
Brook nodded.
Lucifer appeared beside him.
He didn't make a joke.
He simply stood there.
Death appeared last.
Brook looked at him.
"I felt it."
Death nodded.
You were connected to him.
Brook wiped his eyes.
"Will I feel everyone like that?"
Death shook his head.
No.
"Only people close to me?"
Yes.
Brook looked down.
"Then I don't want to get close to anyone anymore."
Lucifer looked at him.
That's fear talking.
Brook shook his head.
"No."
Michael stepped forward.
You cannot control who you love.
Brook looked at him.
"Then what's the point of having power?"
Michael answered:
To protect what you can.
Brook looked away.
"But I couldn't protect Kael."
Michael remained beside him.
That does not make you a failure.
Lucifer finally spoke.
It makes you human.
Brook looked at them.
For once, none of them felt like powers.
They felt like friends.
Brook closed his eyes.
And cried.
That night, Elias stood alone outside the city.
The black emblem glowed in his hand.
The mysterious voice returned.
You chose.
Elias stared into the darkness.
"I didn't want Kael to die."
But he did.
Elias clenched his fist.
"He wasn't supposed to be involved."
Everyone is involved now.
Elias looked toward Shinokuni-01.
Brook was somewhere in that city.
Grieving.
Broken.
And Elias knew exactly who was responsible.
The voice continued:
You wanted a war.
Elias whispered:
"I know."
Now you have one.
Elias closed his eyes.
"I'll finish it."
A pause.
Then the voice whispered:
Good.
The emblem went dark.
Elias stood alone.
Behind him, the forest moved with the wind.
Ahead of him stood the city.
The city where his family lived.
The city he had promised himself he would protect.
And the city he was slowly preparing to destroy.
End of Chapter 89