againimer: I do not own Hollow Knight or Akame ga Kill. They belong to their respective owners.

Chapter 6:

Kill the Regret 2

Danger Beasts are a plight in the world. No one knows how they are born or made but as long as humanity remembers, Danger Beasts of all sizes would always, always, kill them.

Over time, humanity would overcome them and learn everything about Danger Beasts. Their movement, territory, power level, and…

And Alyssa put that knowledge to good use.

It was late afternoon since the quest began this noon so it meant the night was coming soon. That meant tracks are harder to see and more Danger Beasts out to prey on foolish humans.

Using her skills as an explorer, she was able to find where the Horned Rabbits were coming from and marked it for extermination. Perhaps telling Shiro about this? Maybe have Lila do some training? Either way, she knew where they were and that meant extra money.

She then heads to where Emilio said the large tracks belonging to a Danger Beast were found. Alyssa took her surroundings in her mind as she thinks about which Danger Beasts could be here. It could be any number of Danger Beasts so hopefully, the tracks can narrow it down.

During this, Lila observed Alyssa closely as she attempted to understand what it takes to track certain Danger Beasts. The various plants and fungi made it hard to find them but Alyssa told her where to look and how to find what you are looking for. Now, she had a good handle on what to look for and where they can be expected to find.

"Hey, Alyssa?" Lila asked the explorer as they walked through the forest.

"Yeah, Lila?"

"What kind of Danger Beasts live here?" Lila asked, hoping they won't come across a Class 2 or 1 Danger Beast.

"Well… judging from the tracks I'd say a Fanged Saber or Wild Bull here. But… " She trailed off as Alyssa looked at the sight before her with fear. "I don't know what made this."

Lila looked over and saw a decomposed corpse. Not only that but it was a Class 2 Danger Beast, Tree Snake. She knows this because she almost fell prey to it when she was a slave if the giant fangs were anything to go by. But what made her shudder in fear was how it was killed. The body looks dried, like all of its blood and fluids were suddenly gone. Like something sucked it dry and left the husk of what it was.

"Is it- Is it near?" Lila looked around nervously, grabbing hold of her slingshot.

Alyssa carefully looked around for any tell of nearby Danger Beasts. Any broken branches, shrubs, trees, whatever, it has to be a path of destruction for a powerful Danger Beast to kill a Tree Snake.

But nothing showed up. Alyssa's fear suddenly grew as she knew the last place it could hide or flee.

"No. I don't think so. Whoever made this is gone already." Alyssa looked at the sky above the leaves as her face grew grim. "But I hope we never encounter it."

{-}

Shiro slashed vertically at a Horned Rabbit as it fell to the ground split in two. Just as it hit the ground, the void underneath him devoured the corpse, leaving nothing, not even a speck of blood. Another Horned Rabbit attempts to stab the child, only for him to grab it by the horn and gut it, dropping it to the void agian.

A short while after Lila and Alyssa left, Shiro has encountered the Horned Rabbits by the side of the barn. The Danger Beasts attempted to harm the human but Shiro made quick work of them. He thought these beasts were something like the small Gruzzer when he first went into the Crossroads but they were faster and had weapons. Even then, after merging with the Void, it seems all damage against it seemed pointless. So why did those weapons before kill it? Were they special than any other weapons?

Shiro put the thought on hold as he decapitated another Horned Rabbit. By his count, 17 Horned Rabbits were killed by his hand. There was more but fled in fear.

Shiro didn't know what to do with the bodies since back then the corpses of bugs in Hallownest would turn to dust, after dropping a few Geo, so he opted to have the corpses stored until then. The human named Emilio did mention the more they kill the Horned Rabbits, the more he will pay.

Walking back to his original position, Shiro saw the old human standing there, holding a small transparent object but in a shape of a circle. The Knight turned his head in confusion as he walked towards him.

Emilio saw Shiro and clutched the glass tightly. "Hello. You are Shiro, yes?"

Shiro nodded as Emilio offered the glass. "Please, have some water. You must be thirsty by now." The Knight looked at the transparent glass for a moment before taking hold of it. Emilio nodded as he headed back to his wooden house.

The white-haired child looked at the water inside of the glass as he tried to know what the human said about thirst. Is it another human emotion he has yet to grasp? The human offered it to him for free so it must mean they have an abundant supply here.

Anyway, The Knight assumed that this water is to be consumed. So it turned the glass to where it is open and poured the water… at his mouth. As it's called.

The water went into what Shiro assumed was his torso, as he looked at the glass now empty. The taste was odd, almost weird but whatever it was, it didn't affect the Knight at all. The feeling was gone the moment it appeared.

With nothing left to do, Shiro resumed his role at guarding the barn with his nail in hand, hoping his companions return soon.

{-}

Emilio nervously bit his nails as he watched the albino child still awake. He looked back at the small pill bottle at the table, labeled 'Sleeping Pill'.

'This shouldn't be happening. He's supposed to be asleep, damnit!' Emilio's anxiety and dread were making him nervous at everything. 'Oh, gods. If that boy finds out…'

He shook his head as the situation mustn't be worse. Emilio calmly took deep breaths as he tried to come up with another plan. He must not fail. For them.

When he looked back at Shiro, Emilio sighed in relief upon seeing that he had left to the forest, leaving the two females to guard the barn. They looked tired, likely from traveling too long.

With the opportunity laid out in front of him, he got two new cups and filled them with water. Adding 2 pills instead of one to each cup.

'This will hamper the price, but it shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully, they will succumb to the effects faster than him.' Emilio begged as he stirred the pill to mix with the water. The pill dissolved quickly, melting in the water as it looked slightly murky white.

Now that his concoction is complete, he prepared himself and stepped out of the door with 2 glasses filled with water.

{-}

Deep in the forest, Shiro calmly looked around the large roots and rough rocks as he walked to his destination. His nail glimmering softy from the light above him as he prepares for any enemy that comes his way.

When Alyssa and Lila came back from their trip, Shiro showed them the bodies of the Horned Rabbits he killed when they were away. Normally, Alyssa would want him to stay and just guard for another day but considering how many are left and how effective he is in combat, she told him the location and direction where the den of the Danger Beasts are.

So with the nail on his back and some farewells, Shiro set off to the den of the Horned Rabbits.

It wasn't long till he found it. Like Alyssa said, a cave facing the forest with plants growing over it. It wasn't too hard to spot, especially when compared to other entrances in Deepnest.

The mere thought brought shivers down the Knight's body. The enemies there made the Knight glad that the Mantis Tribe dispose of them whenever they come near Hallownest.

Shaking off those memories, Shiro heard some noises behind him, so he turned around to face the same Horned Rabbits that fled at the barn. He knew that because one of them had a broken horn, a by-product when the Horned rabbit attempted to break the Pure Nail.

Grabbing its nail, Shiro swiftly ended their lives and consumed the bodies for a better reward. With them gone, it was time for the nest.

Turning to the entrance, the Knight thought back to its first-ever boss, Grub Mother. The slow-flying bug moved around the small room until it bashed on every wall to attempt to hit the Knight. It never succeeded but her children did. That was its first-ever defeat the Knight had felt. And it wasn't long before the Knight never died against similar threats.

With a quick look on its blade, the Knight walked headfirst into the cave. Not noticing at all 2 eyes looking at it atop the trees.

{-}

Lila groggily opened her eyes for what felt like a long time as she groaned softly. "Wha… Where…" She tiredly says, feeling too sleepy right now.

The place she was in was dark, very dark. From what she can see, Lila was in a large, dirty building with cracks on the roof, if the pale light shining through it was any indication.

She tried to move her hands but felt stuck and painful like she was bound in a rough texture. Lila then attempted to move but her body wasn't responding, her arms in particular felt rashy and burning. Finally, she tried to speak but her voice was too soft to hear.

"... Shiro… aly...ssa… where… are you…" She softly says as her eyes feel really heavy.

Lila desperately tried to stay awake but whatever was in that water made her like this. It was beginning to turn black for Lila as she almost succumbs to her sleep.

A soft creak made it to her ears as she wondered what that means. Perhaps it'sAlyssa finding her? Or Shiro?

With the last remnants of her energy, she opened her eyes fully as the light now shone where she was and what she saw terrified her.

Children. Aged between 8 and 14 were bound by heavy metal collars and chains. All grouped. She didn't know how many but it was a lot.

Lila was horrified because she knew what is going on. It terrified her still as she does not want to go back to her old life. Her life as a slave.

When she looked at what the noise was, Lila saw the old man, Emilio at the door dragging something. Lila tried to call out to him but saw whom he was dragging made all hope be destroyed.

It was the sleeping figure of Alyssa, stripped down to her undergarments and tied up with rope. And Emilio dragged her to where the slaves were.

With the last remnant of her energy now leaving, Lila fell to a deep slumber which she fears will never wake up again.

Her last thoughts echoed in her head, slowly getting softer and softer. 'Shiro… please… save me…. please… please…'

{-}

With one final swing, Shiro had destroyed the Danger Beasts den. He killed 17 when they ambushed the farm. Now, 53 of the remaining Horned Rabbits were killed in their own home. The cave would have been filled with corpses of Danger Beasts but the void sucked it all up for later use, leaving the cave only filled with splattered blood.

When Shiro was fighting in the cave, he noticed something weird.

The Danger Beasts barely managed to harm it. It wasn't something he could say since other smaller bugs have damaged it before and that's what the Knight expected when the few Horned Rabbits stabbed it with its… horn. Yet, it did nothing as Shiro killed them all. This leads to him guessing that Danger Beasts that are classed 5 can do no damage to him at all. Perhaps this was the void's doing but didn't think too much at it.

If that is the case, would that make the lesser enemies in Hallownest Class 4 and above? If so, is there a class that surpasses Super Class?

No matter, Shiro went along with what had happened and moved on. With no Danger Beasts in sight, he opted to leave. Walking back would have been confusing with all the tunnels the Horned Rabbits dug but for Shiro, it was as easy as resting.

Even if you put the Knight in an impossible cave of sorts, it does not rest until the exit is found.

Getting out, Shiro noticed that it was dark and the pale circle above had risen to the top of the sky. He glanced back at the cave as he wondered how long he was in, culling the Danger Beasts.

With its mission complete, Shiro walked back to the barn with the pale light shining around him, making the roots here bright and the path visible, barely.

Nearby, a beast as large as a tree glared its eyes at Shiro, hungrily salivating as it quietly moved toward it.

{-}

Jonathan stifled a yawn as he rubbed his eyes tiredly. Running around the barracks while wearing heavy armor was too much for him and his team. But what can he do? The commander was too strong to handle anyway and the punishment was worse.

Still, to walk out in the middle of a forest? It was crazy when he first heard it! All he wanted was to sleep off the fatigue but his position made him do this.

"Tired, little Jonny?" One of his mates said with a grin, holding the torch up high. "Perhaps you should tell the Captain for a break."

"You know what will happen if I did, Gabe," Jonathan replied with a tired sigh and straightened his posture, marching along with them. "Besides, if anyone should take a break; it's you."

" What? I'll have you know I'm as fit as an ox and can take all the training captain gave us." The man proudly exclaimed, shuddering slightly to make him look better.

"Oh?" However, the moment the captain breathed down his neck, the man's shuddering was now more noticeable. "Then you don't mind doing 'The Pot', then?"

As if a switch was flicked, the man turned 180 and bowed 90 degrees at the captain. "I'm sorry for what I said! Please don't put me in the Pot, sir!"

"Hmm. That's what I like to hear. So quite chatting and move on!" The captain loudly explained as he leads the squad through the forests. The man groaned to himself and glared at Jonathan, who was smirking all throughout the encounter.

With that out of the way, the captain finally sees the small farm and smirks about naughty fantasies, his pants bulging slightly. "Oi! Hurry up, you maggots! Unless you want more training than usual next morning!"

"Yes sir!" They all shouted, saluting to him with their gazes covered.

So they walked to the farm where Emilio was waiting for them in front of the barn. The old man looked worse for wear, as though his age all of a sudden doubled, making him hunch more. And under the captain's eyes, it made him cower before him.

"Yo, old man." The captain greeted Emilio with a smirk. "Any good ones?"

"..." Emilio didn't say anything, which irked the captain and lead to him punching straight at his head. Emilio dropped down to the ground as the captain grabbed him by his shirt and lifted him to his height.

"I said, do you have it?" The captain growled his voice, with his glaring straight at him.

"Umm, captain. That's not what you sa-" The unfortunate soldier who interrupted him had his head rolling to the ground, blood leaking from his neck and soaking his shirt and pants. The soldiers who were nearby sweated considerably and stood straighter than possible.

The captain sheathed back his sword and looked back at Emilio. "Anyone else feeling brave enough to question me? Good. Now, men. Open the barn. Take all that you see. Leave the… female ones to me."

The soldiers headed to the barn instantly, opening the large doors and scuttling to find what they want. The captain released Emilio from his grasp as he held his beating heart. He gasped breath after breath and sat up straight.

"Congratulations, old man. You no longer need to pay the Empire. All debts have been repaid." The captain declared but with an evil grin. "However, the Empire doesn't like loose ends and we don't tolerate evildoers."

Emilio couldn't help but shake in fear as he backpedaled behind him. "Wh-What do you mean?"

"The Empire has to deal with a lot of things, so much so that they assign people like me to clean out what they left behind. Now, you have been a very good friend to my superior, Ogre, and I also liked you as a friend myself. But…" The captain pulled out his sword, dragging it on the ground with his grin becoming more contorted. "We have a new supplier now and I think it's time we finish this business of ours."

"No. You're lying. You're lying! We-we had a deal! I would bring you slaves and you-you protect my family!" Emilio said as his fears were controlling his body and his mind racing about death.

"Oh? You still think your family's alive?" Emilio's thoughts went dead and his heart nearly stopped as the captain brought out a red ribbon, filled with dried blood. "Ahahahahaha! I love it! I love that face of yours! It looked exactly what that daughter of yours looked like when I killed her! Hahahahahahahaaaa!"

The captains' hysterical laughter was drowned out as Emilio's body went slump and his mind blank. All he could ever do was stare at his daughters' precious ribbon. His brain played back to a time before, when he would hold his daughter in his arms, giggling about as they tended the crops around them. With his wife smiling at home, baking a delicious pie for them to eat.

He then remembered the time his daughter was being chased by a bunch of Horned Rabbits and defended her using his shovel, the sharp edge was enough to harm them away from the farm.

And lastly was his treasured memory of her, and that was her 5th birthday. Even though they were poor, Emilio worked day and night just to get his daughter the best present ever. And although it wasn't much, the mere joy she radiated when she received the ribbon brought the old man to tears.

He replayed those moments in his head constantly, not even noticing the giant sword above his head. The captain grinned so gleefully as he imagined the pained faces of his victim time and time again, about to earn the moniker of "100 Man-Slayer".

"Say hello to them, in hell!" And with one large swing, Emilio accepted his fate and kept his closest memories in his heart.

*SPLAT*

The lifeless corpse of Emilio laid dead before the captain, with a large slashing mark across his chest and blood spewing out from the cut. The captain stayed there for a while, not moving an inch just from killing someone.

During the time, all the soldiers had just finished looting in the barn and tugged the rope containing the slaves. Including Lila and Alyssa, drowsy and unresponsive from the drug.

"Uh, sir. We're finished with the preparations. We should head back now." One of them approached the captain while maintaining his distance. "Sir?"

The captain finally moved and the face he wore horrified the soldier. It was completely angry, with wide eyes and grinding teeth. The soldier immediately went back to the squad and sweated like a fountain.

"Damn you… DAMN YOU!" The captain stomped at the bloody corpse of Emilio repeatedly while cursing loudly. "Damn it, damn it. DAMN IT! YOU SON OF A BITCH! WHY DO YOU HAVE SUCH A CALM FACE?! HUH?! DAMN YOU!"

And true to his word, the face of Emilio wasn't that of fear but joy with a small smile and eyes closed. This ticked off the captain so much that he slashed the body, again and again, to vent out his stress.

The squad of soldiers was slightly shaking but stood firm, in fear of what will happen if they move out of line.

Soon enough, the captain stops. The corpse was now bloodied enough to stain his entire clothes and face, looking like a demon straight from hell. He then points to one of the guards, jerking him in surprise.

"Give me a slave." He said softly to the guard, who couldn't hear him enough.

"I-I-I'm sorry, si-" A sword punctured his stomach as he hunched over and vomited blood. The captain recoiled back his arm after he threw his sword at the soldier.

"GIVE ME A SLAVE, NOW!" The soldiers hurriedly scrambled to pick one of the drowsy slaves before them as fear gripped them into doing it.

They eventually got Lila and pushed her towards the captain, tripping along the way. The captain slowly makes his way over there without saying a word, hovering over the small girl with his fist clenched.

Lila was still receding from the drug and couldn't see or hear very well. What she did see was a towering figure soaked in blood glaring right at her.

The next thing she saw was the figure reaching out to her with his big hands and that made her think of one person to save her. "...Shi… ro…"

Before the hand could get to her, a strange wind blew past her and she was laid resting on the soft grass. When she looked up, Lila saw the albino boy and smiled sweetly.

"Shiro… Shiro…" Lila called out to his name, reaching out to him and wanting to touch his face. He let her as Lila could feel the smooth and cooling skin he had.

With that final touch, Lila passed out as Shiro laid her on the grass.

{-}

When Shiro finally reached the barn, he didn't remember there being so many humans wearing shells on their chests and their heads. Especially when one of them, their leader, grabbed Emilio while they headed straight for the barn.

Shiro was curious about how the leader knew Emilio and wondered what they were saying, making Emilio shaking constantly before stopping when the leader pulled out a piece of cloth too silky to be considered as one.

That was when the leader killed Emilio, his corpse on the grass with a contemptuous look on his face. And then the leader screamed and slashed the man continuously before stopping and asking one of the half-shells about a 'slave'.

Lila mentioned the word to him once; someone bound in chains and made to serve their master. She then told Shiro to never get captured or stay away from them because of what they will do to him.

One of the half-shells got Lila from the pack of slaves and thrown her to the leader. Shiro guessed he was gonna kill Lila and he didn't want that. Lila has been a great companion and model for him as a human and he didn't want her to die now.

So equipping Dashmaster, Shiro used the Shade Cloak and grabbed Lila from the leader, and set her down nearby. Now that Lila was away, Shiro now knows that the leader and his followers are enemies and he must eliminate them.

"Hoh. So there was someone else, huh?" The leader calmly looked over Shiro as he took out his Pure Nail and prepared to fight. "Gotta say, no one can pass by me so quickly. You must've had training."

"But your luck runs out here, kid." He glares menacingly at Shiro who was unfazed at all. "I'll cut you a deal: Give us that girl and I won't pummel you to death, deal?"

"..." Shiro said nothing as he walked calmly towards him. His focus was on him and others near him, taking into account what will happen and prepared his charms.

The leader sneered at Shiro before motioning his head towards him. One of the guards knew what he meant and moved forward, sword in hand. Walking to Shiro, the guard expected the child to just cower in fear and cry over a small injury.

So, with little effort, the guard swung his sword at Shiro, expecting him to flinch or try and stop the blade from reaching him.

However, Shiro saw the attack coming and Shadow Cloaked through the sword and the soldier before ending his life in one swipe of the Nail. Shiro continued his trek toward the leader, who looked scared all of a sudden.

The leader shook uncontrollably and sweat started forming around his head. Most people would think that he was afraid of death but it was another fear. A fear was so deep that any sort of magic or abilities would drive this man into insanity.

ThatFeare fear of Teigu.

"You… you have one of those cursed things!" The leader shouted with rage and pointed straight at Shiro. "Kill him! KILL HIM!"

The guards were completely off guard by his command but paid it no mind. They all got their swords and guns out and headed straight to Shiro, fully expecting to kill a child.

None could touch Shiro. He could simply das through any attack and kill them with only one swing from his nail. The gun did prove to be a challenge as it was faster than an Aspid but they were too shaken to continue shooting so it proved no problem to Shiro.

The captain was having a hard time keeping his legs up as he saw Shiro decimate the squad of soldiers he was with, with no effort and killed them with another cursed weapon. So when Shiro was done, that was when the captain attempted to flee the scene.

Unfortunately, lightning doesn't strike twice. The captain tripped in front and into the ground when he saw that his legs were bound by black tendrils. Now hysterical, he attempted to claw his way out as the tentacles slowly dragged him deep into the abyss they came out from.

The leader could only see Shiro standing there, watching silently as he was devoured by the Void.

Silence surrounds the areas Shiro successfully captured a live human to use as his basis for his body. When he turned back to where Lila is, Shiro saw Alyssa among the slaves nearby.

The slaves still acted droopy and sleepy but Shiro still found Alyssa among them.

Freeing Alyssa from the crowd of slaves, Shiro used the void to carry Alyssa near him and get Lila from the patch of grass he laid her nearby.

Together again, Shiro went inside Emilio's home and laid them down on the floor, hoping they could get better again. For once, Shiro could rest until the bright ball shone again above them.

But, that didn't happen.

Moments later, a large cry was heard as Shiro raced back outside to see a Danger Beast feasting on the slaves Shiro left behind.

One look from the Danger Beast was all it took for Shiro to grab his Pure Nail.

So sorry for the long wait folks. But at long last, I finished my Senior High School and on my way to College.

Yay me…

Also, thank you all for responding positively to my last chapter. It meant a lot to me that so many of you think this is a great story so far. So, thank you again chapter!