Chapter 96 — The Prisoner Beneath
The staircase broke.
Brook reacted instantly.
"Jump!"
He grabbed Henry and pulled him toward the wall.
Sera caught the railing.
Crowley simply stepped backward.
The section beneath them collapsed.
Stone disappeared into darkness.
A roar rose from below.
Brook looked down.
Nothing.
Then two enormous eyes opened.
Red.
Everyone froze.
Henry whispered:
"That's…"
Crowley finished for him.
"Old."
The eyes disappeared.
Then something struck the underside of the staircase.
The entire structure lifted.
Brook lost his footing.
He fell.
Henry grabbed his arm.
"Brook!"
Brook looked down.
A massive hand was climbing through the broken staircase.
He immediately marked the wall.
White energy gathered around his palm.
"Hold on!"
He teleported them onto a stone platform farther below.
Henry hit the ground hard.
Brook landed beside him.
Sera and Crowley appeared moments later.
The staircase above them collapsed completely.
They were trapped.
Henry looked around.
"Great."
Brook stood.
"We're not trapped."
He looked deeper into the darkness.
"We're exactly where it wants us."
A distant voice echoed through the underground prison.
"B-01."
Brook's expression hardened.
"Not again."
Lucifer appeared inside his mind.
His eyes were bright.
It knows you.
Michael stood beside him.
Something has been observing you.
Brook looked toward the darkness.
"Who are you?"
The voice answered.
"The first."
Brook frowned.
"The first what?"
Silence.
Then:
"The first prisoner."
Crowley went pale.
Brook noticed.
"You know that voice."
Crowley didn't answer.
Brook turned toward him.
"Crowley."
"I know the legend."
"What legend?"
Crowley stared into the darkness.
"The prisoner beneath Shinokuni-01."
Henry frowned.
"I thought that was a myth."
"It was supposed to be."
Sera looked at Crowley.
"What was imprisoned down here?"
Crowley shook his head.
"Nobody knows."
The voice echoed again.
"I know."
The ground trembled.
"I remember."
Brook stepped forward.
"Why were you imprisoned?"
The voice laughed.
A deep sound that seemed to come from every direction.
"Because they were afraid."
"Who?"
"Your makers."
Brook froze.
Michael's expression changed.
Lucifer smiled.
Now we're getting somewhere.
Brook ignored him.
"You knew the people who created the vessels?"
"I knew the people who created the idea."
Brook looked at the walls.
"What did they want?"
"To create a vessel capable of holding something beyond humanity."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"B-00."
"No."
The voice became colder.
"Before him."
Brook swallowed.
"B-00 was not the first."
"He was the first successful attempt."
Brook looked at Crowley.
"And B-01?"
The voice answered immediately.
"The second."
Brook's heart sank.
Elias had told him he was the continuation of B-00.
But this was different.
There had been something before them.
Something hidden.
Something that had survived.
Brook looked toward the darkness.
"Why does the Maker want me?"
Silence.
Then:
"Because you are the only vessel that contains what he needs."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"Michael?"
"More."
"Lucifer?"
"More."
"Death?"
The voice laughed.
"Much more."
Death appeared inside Brook's mind.
For the first time, his expression was almost unreadable.
Brook looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
Death said nothing.
The ground shook.
A massive chain snapped somewhere below.
Then another.
Crowley immediately drew his weapon.
"He's breaking free."
Brook looked at him.
"How many chains?"
Crowley stared into the darkness.
"Three."
A third chain snapped.
The entire prison screamed.
Not a person.
The structure itself.
Stone walls cracked.
Ancient symbols ignited.
Henry raised his sword.
"What's the plan?"
Crowley answered:
"Get out."
Brook shook his head.
"No."
Everyone looked at him.
Brook pointed downward.
"Elias is down there."
Crowley frowned.
"That's exactly why we're leaving."
Brook looked at him.
"No."
His voice hardened.
"He knew this would happen."
Sera understood.
"You think he wants it awake."
Brook nodded.
"Yes."
Crowley stepped closer.
"Then we stop him."
Brook looked toward the darkness.
"Before he reaches it."
They descended.
The prison became stranger with every level.
Massive chains hung from the ceiling.
Some were broken.
Others were still wrapped around something deeper below.
Brook noticed markings on the walls.
B-00.
B-01.
Then another.
B-00R.
He stopped.
"What is that?"
Crowley looked at it.
"I don't know."
Brook stared.
"You recognize the symbol."
Crowley remained silent.
Brook stepped closer.
"Crowley."
Crowley sighed.
"That designation was never supposed to exist."
"Why?"
"Because it wasn't a vessel."
Brook frowned.
"Then what?"
Crowley looked at the darkness.
"A prototype."
A blast tore through the corridor.
Brook threw himself sideways.
The stone behind him exploded.
Henry shouted:
"Incoming!"
Three figures emerged from the smoke.
Black coats.
The same soldiers from before.
Brook raised his sword.
"You again."
The first charged.
Brook met him halfway.
The soldier swung.
Brook blocked.
The impact drove him backward.
Brook twisted his wrist, redirected the blade and drove his shoulder into the man's chest.
The soldier stumbled.
Brook followed with a knee.
Then an elbow.
The soldier recovered and fired a dark blast.
Brook ducked.
The blast tore through the wall.
Brook planted one hand on the floor.
A white burst erupted beneath the soldier.
The man flew upward.
Brook jumped.
He caught him in midair.
A quick punch.
Then a spinning kick.
The soldier crashed into the ground.
Brook landed.
Lucifer laughed.
Beautiful.
Brook smiled.
"You're enjoying this too much."
Always.
The second soldier attacked from behind.
Brook turned too late.
The blade cut across his shoulder.
Brook hissed.
Lucifer's presence surged.
His eyes darkened.
His breathing changed.
The soldier attacked again.
Brook caught the blade with his bare hand.
Blood ran down his palm.
He smiled.
"That was rude."
He headbutted the soldier.
The man staggered.
Brook grabbed his coat and slammed him against the wall.
Once.
Twice.
The soldier went limp.
Brook released him.
Michael appeared.
Enough.
Brook looked at his bleeding hand.
He realized he was smiling.
He stopped.
"Right."
Lucifer laughed.
You're getting better.
Brook glared.
"You're the problem."
And you're starting to understand why I exist.
The third soldier fired.
Sera intercepted the blast.
Her energy collided with it.
The corridor shook.
Henry charged through the smoke.
He drove his weapon into the soldier's chest.
The man fell.
Silence.
Brook breathed heavily.
Sera looked at him.
"Your eyes."
Brook frowned.
"What?"
"They changed."
Brook looked away.
"I'm fine."
Lucifer smiled.
She noticed.
Brook ignored him.
A slow clap echoed through the corridor.
Everyone turned.
Elias stood at the far end.
Brook's expression hardened.
"You."
Elias looked at the fallen soldiers.
"You survived."
Henry stepped forward.
"Why did you send them?"
Elias shook his head.
"I didn't."
Brook narrowed his eyes.
"Then who did?"
Elias looked deeper into the prison.
"The Maker."
Brook froze.
"You said he was coming."
"He already came."
Brook's expression changed.
"What?"
Elias pointed toward the darkness.
"He's been here."
Crowley stepped forward.
"Impossible."
Elias looked at him.
"You've been guarding this prison for years."
Crowley went still.
Brook looked at Crowley.
"You knew?"
Crowley shook his head.
"I didn't know he was here."
Elias smiled.
"Of course you didn't."
Crowley raised his weapon.
Elias didn't react.
"You're still hiding behind the same lies."
Crowley said nothing.
Elias looked at Brook.
"But I'm not here for him."
Brook raised his sword.
"Then why are you here?"
Elias answered:
"To open the prison."
Brook attacked.
He crossed the corridor in seconds.
Elias blocked the first strike.
Brook twisted.
Elias caught his wrist.
Brook drove his knee forward.
Elias moved aside.
Brook's fist struck the wall.
Elias kicked him backward.
Brook slid across the floor.
He marked the wall.
White energy gathered.
Elias immediately moved.
Brook appeared behind him.
Elias turned.
Their swords collided.
Brook pushed.
Elias pushed back.
Neither moved.
Brook stared into his eyes.
"You killed Kael."
Elias's expression didn't change.
"Yes."
Brook's grip tightened.
"You don't regret it."
Elias shook his head.
"I regret that he had to die."
"That's not the same."
"No."
Elias shoved Brook backward.
"It isn't."
Brook charged again.
This time Lucifer's influence rose.
Brook's movements became sharper.
His attacks became heavier.
Elias blocked one.
Then another.
Brook kicked his legs out.
Elias jumped.
Brook fired a white blast.
Elias crossed his arms.
The explosion sent him through a stone pillar.
Brook landed.
Lucifer laughed.
Finish him.
Brook stared at Elias.
His instincts screamed.
He wanted to.
He wanted Elias to suffer.
Michael appeared.
Brook.
Brook breathed.
Then lowered his sword.
"No."
Lucifer's smile faded.
Why?
"Because I don't want you deciding what I become."
Elias looked at him.
For the first time, something like respect crossed his face.
Then it disappeared.
"You should've."
Elias raised his hand.
The black emblem appeared.
The entire prison shook.
Crowley shouted:
"Stop!"
Elias smiled.
"Too late."
The final chain snapped.
Silence.
Then—
a heartbeat.
One.
Deep.
Massive.
The entire prison pulsed.
Brook's Death Source activated.
He looked into the darkness.
Nothing.
No lifeline.
No connection.
Nothing.
Death whispered:
It has awakened.
Brook raised his sword.
Elias stepped backward.
The darkness behind him opened.
Brook shouted:
"Elias!"
Elias looked at him.
"This is where we separate."
Brook stepped forward.
"No."
Elias smiled.
"You still think this is a fight between us."
He looked toward the darkness.
"It's much bigger than that."
Then he disappeared.
Brook stared.
"Run!"
Everyone turned toward the exit.
But it was already too late.
The massive prisoner rose from beneath the fortress.
Its chains dragged behind it.
Its body disappeared into the darkness above.
And its voice shook Shinokuni-01.
"I REMEMBER THE MAKER."
Brook stopped.
The creature continued:
"AND I REMEMBER WHAT HE DID."
The prison walls began collapsing.
Brook looked at Crowley.
"What did he do?"
Crowley stared upward.
His face had gone pale.
Then the prisoner spoke again.
"HE CREATED THE DEVIL."
Lucifer stopped smiling.
For the first time since Brook had known him…
he said nothing.
End of Chapter 96