Shattering Humanity-Chapter 479: A Pretty Convincing Argument

’Do good to your servant according to your word, Lord.

Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands.

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.

You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.

Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart.

Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law.

It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.

The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.’ -Psalms 113:65-72

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{Inner Sanpaku}

Inside of the padded room within the underwater tunnel leading to Vinland’s mainland is the small Navy crew that had been captured.

A majority of the group has been released from handcuffs and they sit on the floor or stand in small groups around the white walled, enclosed area.

However, in the corner are two separate individuals kneeling. Their hands cuffed behind them and a pillowcase over their heads. Both of the unprivileged captives have their foreheads pressed against the corner’s perpendicular walls.

Having the trust of the Takamagahara Head Honcho, left unsupervised in the locked from the outside room with his men and women, the Captain of the S.S. Broly is in his seat, keeping careful watch on the two tyrants.

Somewhat identifiable by their uniforms, the detainee to Capt. Whistler’s left is the man who bit the tip of Daisuki’s pinky off.

Slightly muffled insults are spoken, not under his breath, but loud enough for his prior foreman to hear through the makeshift blindfold.

Navy Rogue: "Cowards.

We’re all going to die here anyway.

Go down with a fight."

The bald, bearded man with glasses smokes another cigarette while he keeps guard over the rebels.

After a small drag, the prisoner supervisor speaks with a slight vocal fry.

Captain Whistler: "At first, that young gentleman was reluctant to tell us about your investigation tactics.

If it weren’t for that girlfriend of his bringing up how she found you, that boy was planning on walking out of here and letting your evil go unknown.

I’m sure he didn’t even tell us everything. Probably in an effort to get you in less trouble..."

He gets up from his chair and takes two steps towards the right.

Gripping the pillowcase covering the newest threat to peace, he pulls it off revealing...

Captain Whistler: "...But is everything that kid said true, Vice Captain Willems?

Did you really make that child simulate drowning?

Did you actually restrain his arms, and hit that defenseless teenager?"

Having been transported by Shelly and Katsu, the man who orchestrated Katsu’s torture has a sour defeated expression.

After no answer, he is asked once more.

Capt. Whistler: "Answer me, Vice-Captain!"

Without looking away from the wall, the soldier who tortured Katsu and got completely overpowered by Shelly, responds to his military superior.

Willems: "It’s ’Captain’!"

Irritated the answer wasn’t relevant to what he asked, and not placating to a power struggling soldier’s exclamation, the more experienced Captain takes a drag from his cig.

Whistler: "The moment you decided to waterboard a civilian, I incontestably became in charge.

As far as myself and the integral legal system of Vinland’s current military operations are concerned, you haven’t received any actual promotions.

With that being said, the field promotion from your previous superior is now void and when we return back to the mainland, I will make sure of your dishonorable discharge. As well as your proper legal punishment under the Sheriff’s laws."

Proud of their virtuous Captain, the spectating soldiers nod and reinforce that it is his word over all currently in the cell.

In the quiet room, without any Takamagahara members keeping watch over the locked in PoWs, Willems begins to chuckle.

Not entertained by his unnecessary response, the unquestioned decision maker of the group looks down upon the option less giggler.

Willems: "Hehhehhe.

You think those terrorists are going to let us live peacefully with them?

You have no idea the capabilities of those savages, sociopaths, and psychos."

Captain Whistler’s eyebrow rises and after taking the last inhale of his burned down cigarette, he crushes the filter in his palm.

Willems: "Every one of them...

Dead."

A female soldier swallows her spit nervously as she listens.

Willems: "Are you all not wondering why I am the only other prisoner they brought back? Out of the entire 2,000 from our arrival forces, am I the most easily captured?

Are you not asking yourselves why our ’Messiah’ isn’t here with us, and why that blonde bitch who was declared top priority #1 is?"

The more mentally structured Captain Whistler narrows his eyes. Having been more focused on the disgraceful act from one of his own, the shaved headed man is now realizing the facts being laid out.

Willems: "We arrived here with over 2,000 people, and a magical Sheriff, but one day later, who is left?

A kidnapped, scared destroyer crew and one beaten but dedicated Marine ’Captain’.

Semper Fi."

Navy Rogue: "I hear that!"

Now that same crew he disrespected is starting to understanding and visibly consider what the restrained Marine is trying to convey.

Willems: "That girl and the ’civilian’, who is part of the organization we are fighting against, killed all our allies, took my Captain, and more than likely defeated Vinland’s leader."

Turning his head to face the complying Captain, Willems opens his mouth and shows where his molars are missing or damaged.

Willems: "I was shot in the face, but they somehow healed my injuries before bringing me here.

They must’ve used the same magic on themselves too, or else where are the damages on that brat’s face from my accused assault?"

Now there are murmurs from the crew, but Capt. Whistler still has trust in the charismatic Daisuki.

Willems: "Who knows, if they can do that, they might be keeping us alive only to use us as test subjects?

Forcing us to go through tortuous testing ourselves, just to have our monsters magically heal us after it all?

Day after day, being picked and prodded, torn apart, cut up, stabbed, sliced open, given frostbite, burned from fire or acid..."

The list of macabre methods makes the others in the isolated area (except Whistler) extremely uncomfortable. Some girls cover their ears and some men get angry in fear of what’s being described.

Willems: "...Having our limbs removed to prevent our escape, castrating our dicks, and raping us.

Each of us here will be begging for the mercy of death, only to be immediately healed on the outside, but inside, they would be breaking us. Until our pain is reacted to like tickle torture.

It has happened in human history before, but this time, we will be the first occupants of an actual Hell those demons created."

With nobody from Shelly and Katsu’s side to defend the pair’s morality, or Takamagahara’s peaceful intentions, the scare tactic clearly has an affect, adding skepticism to the air.

Willems: "While I had that cover over my head, I heard that boy fool you. Taking your medic with him to ’take care of his friends’.

Or is that their first test subject?"

After the speculation and accusations on their new alliance, there is a stone cold silence.

Nobody says a word, waiting for the Captain to debate back and give them hope.

After 45-50 seconds of nothing but each person’s breathing.

Seeming to have found his counter argument, leaning forward in his chair, Capt. Whistler is about to refute all of what his subordinate claimed.

However, as he opens his mouth to speak, there is a low bass rumble and what sounds like rustling leaves. The louder, or closer the nonstop noise gets, the surrounding shake increases as well.

Everyone trapped looks at the ceiling, the walls, and helplessly wait in the underwater padded facility.

Suddenly, a lower ranked soldier standing closest to the only locked door, notices a squishing, wet noise from under his boots.

Captain Whistler’s light blue eyes dart all over. The intelligent man is trying to decipher what could be causing this ominous noise and quake.

As if having come to an alarmingly definitive answer, the Vinland Captain jumps up from his seat just as water starts leaking in from each of the room corners and floods in from the crack under the solid metal door. The only light source in the holding cell goes out and makes it pitch dark.

Panic immediately sets in and some of the doomed men manage to find and ram open the only escape, but to no prevail.

The women start hyperventilating, and some men desperately try to find any secret exits, or attempting to dig through the saturated cloth.

Using the lighter in his pocket, Captain Whistler creates barely enough light.

Unprepared for this type of situation, the unfortunate Navy leader can’t fathom his and his crew’s watery fate.

Reveling in not only his correct prediction, but also with immediate timing, the insane Marine grins before gloating his win.

Willems: "Oh, did I forget to add they could probably bring us back from drowning too?"