Okay, here is the translation of the provided text into C1 level English, maintaining the core elements and narrative flow:
Adrenaline coursing through him, a cocktail of anxiety and fear brewing within, young Berwick sprinted towards the source of the piercing light. 'Please, let nothing have happened, please...' the thought echoed in his mind, even as he braced himself for the worst-case scenario. Soon, he arrived at the scene. The air hung thick with dust and smoke. As it slowly settled, Berwick spotted a figure lying bloodied on the ground ahead.
"No… no, no, no… impossible…" He rushed towards the body, immense relief washing over him as he realized it wasn't Touga. But who had done this? His eyes caught sight of blood trails on the ground, suggesting someone had struggled to their feet and walked away. He followed the tracks and saw someone slumped against the wall of a dilapidated building further on. Squinting, he tried to make out who it was. As he drew closer, he recognized Touga. "TOUGAA… THANK GOD YOU'RE ALRI-" His words died in his throat. Touga was alive, yes, but also drenched in blood, bearing a deep, diagonal gash running from his waist up to his shoulder. Berwick ran to his side and knelt. Touga managed a weak grin upon seeing him.
"Hey… Look who it is, the kid… Cough!" Touga spat blood onto the ground. Berwick's hand trembled. Touga, with considerable effort, raised his hand and gripped Berwick's tightly.
"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? WHO DID THIS? HOW? WHY?" Berwick couldn't process it initially, but looking closer at Touga, the realization dawned… the uniform he wore. It could only be a Guardian's uniform. "This is…" Berwick stared at Touga, bewildered and confused.
Touga took a ragged breath, trying to gather his strength. "Listen to me, Berwick, I don't have much time…" He reached into his pocket with his left hand and produced a cassette tape wrapped in brown paper. "This belongs to you, Berwick, it's your right. You were right… back then… The Guardians… they're definitely… hiding something… Cough… Whatever happens… keep this safe… And… Watch it!!"
"What are you trying to say? My head's spinning right now!!"
Touga's eyes began to glaze over. He offered Berwick one last smile and placed his hand on the young man's shoulder, who was still crouched before him. "This is from me to you… a… Birthday present… Sorry… it's a bit early, but… whatever happens… stay strong, kid… I can see it… You… truly are… destined for… grea…"
Touga's gaze shifted behind Berwick in astonishment. The person who always graced his dreams, his wife… She was smiling, holding out her hand. 'My love, it's been too long… Come… Let's go…' Tears welling in his eyes, Touga reached towards the woman seemingly suspended in the air… A few seconds later, his eyes closed for the last time.
Moments later, rain began to pour down relentlessly, as if the heavens themselves were weeping. Berwick remained frozen… unable to react. He just clutched Touga's cooling hand and held the cassette tape tightly. About fifteen minutes later, Guardians began arriving at the scene. An airship descended and landed. Berwick was kneeling, cradling Touga's corpse, staring blankly at it. Four Guardians and a commissioner – a woman with pink hair – disembarked from the ship. Her posture radiated strength and elegance. She approached Berwick slowly, looking slightly surprised upon recognizing him.
"You're that boy from before…"
Berwick didn't respond. The woman slowly crouched down, reaching a hand towards the body, but Berwick instinctively slapped her hand away forcefully with the back of his own. The fury in his eyes spoke volumes. "You're not taking hi-"
"SHUT UP, DAMN YOU!!! YOU'RE ALL THE SAME SCUM!!!" The woman flinched slightly. Berwick lifted Touga onto his back and stood up.
"I WOULDN'T GIVE YOU GUARDIANS THE DIRT OFF MY SHOES! LET ALONE ANYONE I CARE ABOUT!!"
The woman regarded Berwick for a moment, then sighed and nodded to the other Guardians. She turned and walked back towards the airship. Once the Guardians had departed, Berwick carried his friend's body towards a car. It took him nearly an hour to finally get Touga inside. He drove directly to the city near his family's former residence. Thirty minutes later, he arrived at the city cemetery and prepared a grave for Touga.
An hour after leaving the cemetery, he got into Touga's car. He wanted to return to his apartment, but Touga's words and the cassette in his pocket weighed heavily on his mind. Unable to bear it any longer, he drove to his old family home. The keys still worked. Opening the gate to the front garden, his eyes and imagination played tricks on him, memories flooding back with every glance around the property. He entered the house. It was coated in dust.
The young man slowly walked into the living room and collapsed onto the sofa, sending dust motes dancing in the air. He felt utterly exhausted and consumed by rage. It felt as though life itself was mocking him. In a sudden burst of fury, he began wrecking the place. Chairs flew through the air, a bookshelf toppled over. Everything on the table crashed to the floor, shattering. Finally, unable to contain himself, he grabbed a large shard of broken glass from the floor and brought it to his neck. His eyes were wild; he reasoned that if he had been reincarnated just to endure this pain again after already dying once, it was better not to exist at all. However, his attention was abruptly caught by the paper-wrapped cassette on the floor. Touga's words echoed: 'This belongs to you, Berwick… Whatever happens… keep this safe… And… Watch it!!'
Berwick dropped the glass shard and slowly picked up the cassette. Unwrapping the paper, he looked at it with a slightly puzzled expression. "What… is this?"
Written on the cassette was: 'The Last Will and Testament of the Nichiyobi Family'. He inserted the tape into the VCR across the room. Grabbing the remote, he settled back onto the sofa, turned on the television, and pressed play on the VCR. Suddenly, his father appeared on screen, trying to adjust the camera.
'Is it recording? Yes… wait, if I do this-' The camera tumbled to the floor. His older brother's voice came from off-screen: 'Seriously, Dad? You're great with all sorts of tech, but you can't even keep a camera straight.' 'Quiet, you! You do it if it's so easy!' The camera view steadied, revealing his father, older brother, and older sister standing together.
His father cleared his throat. "Ahem… Right…" He took a deep breath and sighed. "Berwick, Illya… We're sorry. If you're watching this video now, it means we've long since kicked the buck-" His sister smacked him on the back of the head from behind. "Jeez, old man, just tell them properly!" His father rubbed his head and continued. Berwick's eyes had already filled with tears, but seeing them like this, he let out a tearful, melancholic chuckle. He missed them terribly.
"Anyway… You get the picture. First off, yes, you're probably wondering why your brother, sister, and I are wearing Guardian uniforms on camera, why we kept such a huge secret from you."
His sister interjected. "Honestly, we did it for your future, kids… Arden and I are ordinary people. But Berwick and Illya… you two are special."
His father cut in. "Especially you, Berwick. Listen closely, son. I told you about the history of wormholes. But things are far more complex than they seem. I…" He inhaled deeply. "I'm actually much older than you think, son. I lived through those historical events firsthand. Remember I told you about genetically modified humans? Created for the exploration of new universes? I also mentioned those who wanted to misuse this power for evil. My story begins there. I was just a child then, part of an experiment involving a million people, including my own parents... They sacrificed all one million of them... except me. And they injected me with something called 'Ether,' which contained the power, ideals, and hopes of those people. In short, most of my abilities are nearly a million times greater than a normal human's. I couldn't control it at first, but I learned as I got older. The experiment was run by nefarious people. Initially, they tortured me, testing my endurance. The collar around my neck limited my power, preventing me from resisting. One day, I found an opportunity and escaped. Later, I met your mother, and we both promised to start a family once the wars ended. The wars were brutal, we suffered many losses, but eventually, we brought that era to a close. Berwick, you carry a piece of this power, the 'Blood of Nichiyobi' flows in your veins. Originally, when I spoke with the Master of Time, he told me both my children would be born with abilities. I didn't want that. But when he explained the crucial roles you would play in the future, I reconsidered."
Berwick's older brother spoke up. "Your sister and I were born without powers, but you and Illya inherited these traits. Dad initially considered making you both Guardians, but he couldn't bring himself to put his own children in harm's way. When we grew older and learned the truth, we volunteered to take your places. Dad resisted at first, but we eventually convinced him."
His father interjected again. "We're telling you this specifically, Berwick, because you possess the greatest potential among us. I've seen it since you were born. I believe you're destined for great things. Even at home, you were the one who brought everyone together; your brother and sister would agree without hesitation. As for Illya, please, keep her away from all this and protect her. And absolutely do not tell her anything about us until the time is right!! Son…" His father made a fist and brought it towards the screen, smiling.
All three spoke in unison: "You are our pride! Take good care of yourself, little champion. We're always with you..." The tape ended. Berwick stared blankly at the screen… His heart pounded violently. Suddenly, he broke down, screaming and sobbing uncontrollably. He just wept, collapsing to the floor and curling up, continuing to cry…
As dawn broke, a sliver of light pierced through the gap in the curtains, first falling on Berwick lying amidst the shattered debris on the floor, exhaustion and devastation etched on his face, then moving towards the wall behind him. He turned his face towards the wall to shield his eyes. Thoughts swirled in his mind: 'What do I do now? What should I do? I feel so drained.' He cautiously glanced towards where the sunlight reflected. A grey-greenish sword leaned against the wall, gleaming as the light struck it.
A past conversation with Touga flashed through Berwick's mind.
***
"Hey Berwick, you know, lots of Guardian families live around here."
"Like I care, they're all the same idiots…"
"Hey, don't say that, there are bound to be good ones among them. Anyway, listen, I'll tell you something really weird and funny."
"Go on, spit it out. You always tell me weird crap at times like this anyway."
"In our village, relatives of Guardians die often. There's this tradition: if you take the weapon of a fallen Guardian and scream your lungs out, it's a sign that you're taking on their honour, a way of mourning. Bwahaha, can you believe it?!"
"Is that supposed to be funny, you moron?! Man, you're really messed up."
"PWAAAAAHAHAHAHA…. HAAAAHAHAHAHAH…."
****
Berwick pushed himself to his feet… He approached the sword with slow steps. Reaching for it, he struggled for a moment with its considerable weight, but eventually managed to lift it, holding it precariously balanced. He closed his eyes… took a deep breath…
'RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!'
Young Berwick screamed until tears streamed down his face, channeling all his rage, all his hatred, all his stress into the sword. As he roared, it felt as though all the negative emotions were dissipating, one by one.
After a while, the screaming stopped, and he collapsed to the floor. When the clock showed 8 AM, he took one last look around the house and left. He got into the car and drove back to the city where he had been staying. Arriving at his apartment, he thoughtfully packed his necessary belongings.
After loading his things into the car, he went to the market and abruptly quit his job. His boss looked shocked and angry, but young Berwick couldn't care less. An hour later, he arrived at his aunt's house, pounding fiercely on the door. His aunt opened it quickly, staring in astonishment at Berwick, who was covered in dust, dirt, and traces of blood.
"Berwick! What on earth happened to-" Without waiting for his aunt to finish, Berwick pushed past her furiously and went into the living room.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong, young man?!" Berwick slowly stood up, pulled the cassette from his pocket, and handed it to his aunt.
"Here, watch this. This is what happened…" His aunt looked at Berwick, understanding dawning on her face. Berwick recounted everything that had happened the previous day. His aunt listened in stunned silence. He also explained the contents of the cassette.
"I see… So you found out everything, huh?"
Berwick reacted to his aunt's composed response by slamming his hands on the coffee table and leaning into her face. "HOW LONG WERE YOU PLANNING TO HIDE THIS FROM ME?!" His aunt remained silent. Berwick took a few breaths and looked at her.
"I can't believe it! I seriously can't believe this madness! How… How could you hide something like this?!"
"You were young-"
"DOES AGE MATTER?! LOOK AT ME… DID YOU WAIT FOR THIS MOMENT, AUNT?! IF YOU KNEW, WHY DID YOU WAIT UNTIL NOW?!" He swiped a vase off the table with the back of his hand, sending it shattering to the floor.
Tears welled up in his aunt's eyes. "BECAUSE I WAS TERRIFIED! TERRIFIED YOU'D GET INVOLVED IN SOMETHING DANGEROUS AND RECKLESS! I LOST MY BROTHER TOO, I LOST MY NEPHEWS! I COULDN'T BEAR THE THOUGHT OF LOSING ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"
Berwick glared at his aunt furiously, but gradually, he calmed down. After a while, the atmosphere softened considerably. His aunt sat on the sofa, hands clasped, watching Berwick who was now staring at the carpet.
"What will you do now?"
Berwick looked at his aunt. "I don't know… I don't know anything… But I know where this path leads."
His aunt nodded in understanding. After a moment, Berwick stood up. "I need to go see someone. I'll stop by here afterward, we'll keep in touch." His aunt saw him off. Berwick got into the car, started the engine, and drove towards Oritron Hospital. Upon arrival, he went inside.
"Excuse me, pardon me, I'm looking for Lisandra Holly Mary? Could you tell me which room she's in? I'm a relative, you can inform her if you need to."
The staff member nodded and checked the computer. "3rd floor, room 122."
"Thank you so much!" Berwick quickly took the elevator to the 3rd floor, found room 122, knocked, and entered. Lisa was reclining in bed reading a book, but she sat up immediately, startled by Berwick's appearance.
"What happened to you?!" Berwick gave Lisa a gentle hug, then they both sat on the sofa. Berwick recounted everything, step by step. Lisa's eyes widened in disbelief.
"So… does this mean… you're like, a superhuman or something?" Berwick shrugged. "I don't know, but I guess so."
"So, what are you planning to do?" Berwick sighed and took Lisa's hands. She was the only person he could truly trust, his only friend…
Sometime later, Berwick returned to his aunt's house. He knocked, entered, and announced his decision. Although his aunt was apprehensive, she offered her support, knowing there was little else she could do. The next day, Berwick emerged from his aunt's house with his belongings and loaded them into the car.
"Are you sure you want to do this, dear?"
"More sure than I've ever been." His aunt hugged Berwick. "Take care of yourself, okay? Come visit sometimes. Even though Illya acts that way, I'm sure she misses you." Berwick glanced up at the window. Illya was looking down at him. Berwick offered a faint smile; as soon as he did, Illya closed the curtain. She was still angry. The young man took a deep breath.
"I should get going… You take care too, Aunt…" He turned and walked slowly towards the car.
"Big brother!" Berwick stopped, slowly turning around. It was his sister, Illya. Even his aunt looked surprised. She stood right in front of him. Berwick rushed over and hugged Illya tightly.
"I'm sorry, please don't leave me…" As Berwick hugged her, he gently stroked the back of Illya's head.
"Don't worry, I'll never, ever leave you! I'm your one and only big brother, not even death can separate us, understand?" Illya nodded.
"Will you come back again?"
"Of course! As soon as your brother gets some things sorted out, I'll bring back whatever Illya wants." Illya nodded cheerfully.
"I'm off." Illya wiped the tears from her eyes and waved goodbye to her brother, watching him with a happy expression.
*****
A short while earlier, at the Hospital: "So, what are you planning to do?" Berwick sighed and took Lisa's hands. She was the only person he could truly trust, his only friend…
"That's actually why I came. I don't know what I should do, Lisa… Part of me hates them, but another part feels like I need them."
Lisa smiled gently, placed her hand on Berwick's head, and began stroking his hair. "Then rely on them until you no longer have to. Strive to become stronger, so others don't suffer this fate in the future…"
*****
Young Berwick walked towards the car. His face bore the determined, resolute expression of a young man set on his path:
'Touga's other note mentioned my family indirectly died in an assassination plot or something, the perpetrators likely collaborated with someone within the Guardians. Otherwise, why would the response team, which usually arrives within 10 minutes, show up the next day back then? Dad… Sister… Brother… I'm so angry with you… So incredibly angry... But now isn't the time for that… The killers, they will answer for this… Just watch me… You will all face judgment at my hands…'