CHAPTER 232: BRUTE

A/N:- This battle is kind of gory and might make some people uncomfortable. So tread carefully.

.....

Entering the cell, Hades was met by a sight that would lodge in a child’s mind like a splinter.

Perched on the bunk, balanced on the balls of his feet, squatted a bald man, head and body scrawled with shifting black marks. He was tearing into raw human flesh, sharp canines ripping, pulling, chewing with wet smacks.

Hades stepped inside. The door boomed shut behind him—Vulcan’s doing—sealing them in the twelve-by-twelve box of stone. A toilet trench stank in one corner, a pot in the other. High up, a small window bled weak light through iron grills.

Hades took one slow step.

The prisoner stopped mid-bite.

He raised flat grey eyes, not quite meeting Hades’ gaze, and spoke in a soft, cracked voice.

"So... you were sent to kill me?"

"Yes," Hades said, voice low.

Crimson claws slid from his fingertips with a soft, wet snikt.

"I hope you enjoyed your last meal."

The prisoner tilted his head, listening to the claws, and laughed: dry, papery, delighted.

"You reek of weakness, boy. That voice still cracks at the edges." He sniffed once, sharp. "They’re feeding you to me like scraps. Cruel world, isn’t it?"

Hades didn’t answer. The blind man’s grey eyes floated inches past his face, unfocused, yet somehow still watching.

"What have you achieved," Hades said, "to speak with such arrogance?"

The prisoner raised the ruined hand, turning it slowly so the candle light slid over torn gold rings and royal signet.

"Know whose this was?" Silence. "A human king. Thought he could slip spies into our halls. I slipped into his instead."

He brought the wrist to his mouth, kissed it almost tenderly, then bit down again, crunching cartilage.

"His wife screamed beautifully," he murmured around the mouthful. "Children ran. Didn’t run far. I took the king last—kept him breathing while I peeled him like fruit."

He spat a fingernail onto the floor; it pinged against the stone.

"Just doing what a native should."

Hades felt his jaw lock. A human king. Past every ward, every sentinel, past the Sage herself.

She’s getting old.

The thought landed cold and heavy, no amusement in it, only the slow drip of dread. The future was already bleeding through the cracks, and the cell suddenly felt smaller, the air thicker, as if the walls themselves had leaned in to listen.

"Well... I will do what I should."

The blind man’s smirk split wider. "Heard I can kill you in here. Won’t free me, but a child’s death tastes sweet."

Hades bared fangs. "All I see is a yapper. Why don’t you—"

The words died.

A blur. Bare foot pistoned straight into Hades’ throat.

*CRACK*

Back slammed stone, breath exploded out. The criminal’s heel pinned his neck to the wall, grinding.

"Oh. Still breathing?" Mocking delight.

Mana flared just in time; without it his windpipe would be pulp.

Raising his hands, he slashed up, but the man moved his leg so fast and so precisely that his claws missed the mark and yet Hades was still pinned against the wall.

"Guh—!"

Hades dropped the strike, claws snapping back into his fingers with a wet click. His bare hands shot out, clamping the ankle a heartbeat before it vanished.

Flesh seared under his mana-charged grip. Smoke curled.

"Hmm... strong little fingers," the blind man crooned, lips peeling back.

He yanked once. Didn’t budge.

So he leapt.

One foot still grounded, the other twisting in Hades’ iron grip, he spun like a butcher’s hook. The free leg whipped up in a vicious arc.

Heel met jaw.

CRACK.

Hades’ head snapped back, teeth clacking, vision flashing white. The kick hurled him off his feet; he flew two strides, boots skidding through old blood, jaw screaming, tasting copper and almost snapping loose.

The two stared at each other, silence befalling the cell before—

"Here I come~" The prisoner moved first—no warning, no wind-up—just a blur of white skin and black sigils.

He sprang, legs scissoring. One heel speared for Hades’ temple; the other hooked low, aiming to kick his ankle.

Hades blocked high. Bone met bone. Pain lanced up his forearm. The low kick still clipped his shin; he staggered.

Before he could plant his feet, the blind man was inside his guard, knees pistoning. Thigh to ribs—crack. Knee to gut—air exploded from Hades’ lungs. Elbow to floating rib—something tore.

Hades snarled, swung a haymaker loaded with mana. The prisoner ducked under it like wind, spun, and whipped a shin across Hades’ mouth. Teeth cut lips; blood sprayed the wall.

Hades lunged, arms wide to grapple. Too slow.

The prisoner vaulted, hands on Hades’ shoulders for leverage, legs coiling, then snapped them straight. Both heels slammed into Hades’ chest like twin hammers.

He flew. Back hit the iron door—clang—then slid down, ribs grinding.

The prisoner landed in a crouch, tongue flicking across bloodied teeth.

Hades spat red, pushed up. Claws flashed out again.

He charged.

Caught an ankle mid-kick—twisted. The prisoner rolled with it, used the momentum to flip, other foot lashing. Toes raked across Hades’ eyes; skin split, hot blood sheeting down his cheek.

Blind or not, the bastard never missed.

Hades roared, tackled low. They crashed together, slammed the bunk. Stone scraped skin from Hades’ back.

The prisoner’s legs cinched tighter, heels gouging Hades’ kidneys like hot irons. A wet pop inside his gut; pain flashed white.

Hades roared, raw and animal, and surged upright with the bastard still wrapped around him.

He charged.

One step, two—then rammed the bald skull into the shit-crusted chamber pot.

CRACK.

Clay exploded. The prisoner’s head split the pot clean in half; shards raked scalp, blood poured.

The python grip slackened.

Hades seized the slick throat with both hands, pivoted, and smashed the blind man’s face into the wall. Bone met stone with a meaty thud. Again. Again. Blood painted the stones in wet streaks.

A guttural snarl tore from Hades’ chest as he drove his claws into the prisoner’s flank—four crimson spears punching through muscle, scraping ribs. He twisted hard, grinding, feeling organs shift.

"GAAH!" The prisoner’s scream was pure agony, but his shoulders rolled like a broken doll, joints popping. Hands shot up, seized Hades’ head, and yanked it down—crashing forehead to the back of his head.

Stars burst. Vision smeared red.

That half-second was enough.

The prisoner ripped the claw from his side in a spray of hot blood, spun, and faced Hades chest-to-chest.

Both of them drenched, dripping, grinning through split lips and shattered teeth.

Breath ragged. Eyes wild.

No words left.

Just blood and hunger.

Hades swung first, a freight-train right that caught the prisoner square in the cheek.

The blind man’s head snapped sideways; blood and teeth flew, spattering the ceiling. The whole cell shook, dust raining from the grills.

The prisoner laughed, a wet gurgle, and answered with a knee that pistoned up under Hades’ ribs. Cartilage crumpled. Hades folded, coughing red foam.

Before he straightened, the bastard’s shin whipped around, cracking across Hades’ temple like an iron bar. Vision strobed. He staggered, shoulder punching a crater into the wall.

Hades roared, grabbed the prisoner by the throat and the crotch, and lifted. Veins bulged in his arms. He hurled the lighter man overhead and slammed him down. The stone floor spider-webbed; the prisoner’s spine bowed with a sick crunch.

Didn’t stay down.

He rolled, sprang, legs scissoring. One heel smashed Hades’ mouth, splitting both lips to the teeth. The other drove into his throat, crushing windpipe for a heartbeat.

Hades gagged, swung blind. His fist found ribs, four broke like dry twigs. The prisoner wheezed, still smiling, and hooked toes behind Hades’ knee, yanking.

Hades toppled. The back of his skull bounced off stone; sparks exploded behind his eyes.

The prisoner pounced, knees pinning Hades’ arms, fists raining hammer-blows: cheekbone, eye socket, nose. Each punch a wet slap, each slap painting the blind man redder.

Hades bucked, monstrous strength surging. He bridged, throwing the prisoner off like a rag doll. The man hit the ceiling, bounced, landed in a crouch.

They crashed together again.

Hades head-butted, forehead splitting the prisoner’s brow to bone.

The prisoner answered with a spinning kick that shattered Hades’ collarbone with a gunshot crack.

Hades grabbed the broken shoulder, ignored the white-hot agony, and drove a knee into the prisoner’s gut hard enough to lift him off the ground. Organs ruptured; blood vomited from the blind man’s mouth in a geyser.

They reeled apart, swaying.

Walls bled dust. The iron door rattled in its frame from the impacts.

Both stood hunched, chests heaving, bodies shredded, grinning.

Then suddenly, the prisoner raised his both hands and said, "I am sorry to assume you are a child...you are a grown ass man...you are wild, I must say."

Hades wiped his lips though his hand was already too bloodied to wipe anything before he said, "And you have shown why you are kept here rather than being allowed in the outside world."

The criminal looked up finally and with a smile he said, "How about we end this? I really can’t talk."

Hades nodded, "One last exchange, what you say?"

The criminal nodded as they both stood up.

Their fists cocked, body tensed despite the pain.

"It was nice to meet you boy." The criminal said as suddenly his arm transformed into a giant blade made of bone.

However, just as he was about to lunge at Hades and end this...he found himself being trapped at his place. His body completely frozen, not listening to him at all

Hades grinned as he said, "You really think I would consider this a battle of honor?" His claws extended and in a swift slash, he beheaded the man.

°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.