《Clone Seeker》


 Chapter 1 - All that’s left

    Within a desolate plain, one of white soil and flat terrain, bright flames danced. They were of a crimson so deep that it would make the thickest pools of blood be engulfed by envy. The flames hissed and crackled, forging an orchestral born of nothing but their own furious melody as they danced freely, uninterrupted. Their presence was domineering, unchallenged by anything for as long as there was a stretch of solid soil, far beyond the limits of any prowling eyes, not that any were around to witness it either. They burned viciously as if in the process of hungrily devouring whatever poor soul had been ensnared by its infernal grasp. And yet, there was no such thing. The fire simply was. It burned infinitely, indifferent to whether the world wished it to or not.


    So it did, until finally its unquestionable authority was challenged. It rippled violently for a moment, its attempt to resist discernible. Yet in the end, the flames had been repelled.


    Stomp


    Taking a heavy step, followed by another, then a next, two figures suddenly appeared. They were both men, seemingly within their late twenties. They wore ragged military clothing and were showered in their own blood. Neither men knew where the blood of one began and the blood of the other ended. Not that it mattered either.


    Afterall, soon both of them would be dead.


    Stomp, Stomp, Stomp.


    They continued to walk within the radius of a circle which the flames did not dare, or were simply incapable of crossing. Beneath their feet was charred pure white soil, silently steaming as they experienced relief from the crimson inferno in what must have been over a hundred years.


    Behind them, in front of them, and to both their sides, red flames twice the young men¡¯s sizes simmered, swaying towards them as if wishing to invade the strange authority which had forbidden their entry. Neither men paid this site any special attention, they merely stared forward, yet even that did not seem to be their focus.


    They wore grim expressions, their faces carrying heavy scowls. The first of the two, a man with black hair and green eyes, took a moment to pause and re-adjust his partner''s arm which was around his shoulders, supported firmly by his own grasp. His partner was limping, his light brown hair dyed red and his glasses shattered. They now served the man no use, yet he could not muster the strength to abandon them as well, he had done so much of that already.


    He could not walk on his own anymore, his leg too mangled for it to be of any use. His life was entirely in the hands of his partner, their diligent protector. It was as a lump of bitterness and sorrow built in his chest that they stopped once more.


    ¡°Ciel?¡±


    The injured man asked, his tone confused. However, before his protector, Ciel, could answer, the injured man had already discovered the problem.


    Ciel frowned.


    All around them, the infernal flames spiked then the size of the radius they had been unable to cross just moments ago weakened and the invisible authority began to shrink.


    The scene brought shivers down Ciel¡¯s spine, however, he had no time for panic. He strengthened his resolve and willed the radius to expand once more. An imperceptible power, one familiar and felt only by him, responded to his will, albeit weakly. What followed were a series of excruciating minutes in which the flames challenged his authority, almost winning at times yet in the end being repelled back to the previous distance of five meters.


    When it was all over, Ciel felt his body calm down. Only then did he realize that he had gripped his fists so tightly that his nails had pierced his skin and blood had shed. He lifted his hand for a moment, staring at the wound with an indescribable emotion.


    This doesn¡¯t matter, what is a little more blood after all which I have already shed.


    His thoughts were dismissive yet his tone was drenched in bitterness. It was only after his injured partner called out full of concern did Ciel¡¯s thoughts return to him.


    ¡°Ciel, Are you sure you are okay? If we have to, don''t worry about me and make the call. We can sleep here for today. I won¡¯t complain, you know I won¡¯t.¡±


    His injured partner and long time friend, Oliver Styles, was a far too considerate person. Staring at him blankly, his green eyes darting down towards Oliver¡¯s mangled left leg. A bit of guilt built itself inside Ciel¡¯s heart. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Damn it all! Why couldn¡¯t I do better?!


    Oliver was his responsibility, along with the hundred others which he had promised to protect. They trusted him and followed him beyond the ruins of their once precious home, the last stronghold of humanity, Bastion City.


    Damn fallen! I swear I¡¯ll obliterate you all some day!


    Before he realized it, he had resumed to squeeze his hands once again.


    ¡°Ciel?¡±


    Once again Oliver worriedly called out. Ciel shook his head and answered, his tone heavy and poorly concealing his fatigue.


    ¡°Fine, but only for a few hours, we are too exposed here. If any fallen find us then¡­¡±


    He did not want to finish those words, nor did he need to. Oliver understood full well the horrors of this world, now far better than many humans before him had. A gentle smile appeared on his lips after a while, the sight of which made Ciel¡¯s guilt grow even heavier.


    *****


    An hour later, the two were resting atop of a quickly deployed futon. It was barely wide enough to allow both of them on top, its belly was made of steel while its surface was of a soft fabric. Ciel deployed it from its compressed state which had been strapped onto the single bag hoisted on his back, along with what remained of their food and water.


    Ciel watched as Oliver took a moment to count what supplies they had left, a task which his injured friend had insisted on taking upon himself. The attack they had suffered just hours prior had been so sudden that little time was left to properly salvage anything, just as no human lives were able to be salvaged.


    Ciel¡¯s eyes turned to focus west, there the sun set was blessing the sky with an orange yellow hue. Just this morning around a hundred humans had been alive, yet as night came only two remained. They were all that¡¯s left.


    The last humans on earth¡­


    Ciel gritted his teeth as a sudden urge to scream and cry assaulted him. He could not allow himself to succumb to either desire so he resisted with all his might.


    ¡°We are okay for three more days.¡±


    Soon his struggle was interrupted by Oliver¡¯s neutral voice. Ciel turned his eyes away from the horizon, the darkness of the night around them being pushed away by the bright crimson light which the blazing flames produced.


    He sighed.


    ¡°Then we have maybe seven more days before we die from either hunger or thirst.¡±


    Ciel spoke with clearness, though he judged that Oliver would easily see through his facade. The two were silent for a moment before Oliver shrugged.


    ¡°Then so it is¡­ For now, want to play some arcana?¡±


    Oliver reached his hand inside the single bag and took out a black deck. Without waiting for Ciel to answer, he began taking out the major arcana cards from within, laying them out onto the surface of the futon freely.


    Ciel watched the first of the twenty two cards fall, unlike the ones that followed, this one stayed upfront revealing the character it portrayed. It was that of a man who wore colorful clothes, bright yellow shoes, and a hat adorned by a large feather. He carried a stick on his back, stood near a cliff¡¯s edge, and had a small puppy companion.


    Numbered: ¡®0¡¯


    ¡®The Fool¡¯


    Ciel stared at the card for a long moment, not moving his sight away from it until Oliver reached fourth to collect it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the fortune teller, you be the client.¡±


    Oliver said, his voice lacking its usual flamboyance, even with his faulty attempts to emulate it. Ciel sighed.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this right now, you can get some sleep first.¡±


    Oliver shook his head.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t pretend like the fire didn¡¯t push back your authority. We need to strengthen your Concept Accommodation or else we will both die. Starvation I can accept, but burning alive is something I¡¯m not willing to experience. So stop worrying, this is for my own selfish reasons, okay?¡±


    If you want me to believe that then don¡¯t add the ¡®okay¡¯ in the end.


    Ciel kept his frown but he knew it would be futile to argue with Oliver on this so he simply gave in. Besides, he was right. With the last of humanity being extinguished then his power would soon dissipate and with that he would lose control.


    To avoid that they needed to strengthen the anchor of his powers, his concept accommodation. Ciel was a stage 4 esper, however without an accommodation then he would succumb to his uncontrollable spirituality before too long.


    Luckily for them both, out of a lack of options, he had hastily accommodated the concept of the arcana cards, specifically their twenty two major arcana cards and all the symbols and meanings which came with them.


    This had granted Ciel the capability to express these cards through abilities which correspond with each card. The very fact that the eternal flames had yet to swallow them was a result of ¡®The World¡¯ card¡¯s ability. It gave him the right to step onto anywhere unimpeded by supernatural forces.


    This was why their game was so important, and why Ciel felt more and more bitter as they continued. With each card that appeared he would recall the many abilities which it granted him, along with its meanings. And yet, even with so much at his disposal he was powerless to save the humans he had taken under his care, and powerless to overturn such a dreaded outcome.


    Useless¡­ I¡¯m so useless.


    Soon their game came to an end and Oliver was finally allowed to rest. It was as he did however, that an unexpected idea sparked in the mind of Ciel. That idea stormed chaotically until it was shaped into a plan.


    A plan so crazy that it would overturn not just the dreaded fates of the hundred humans which were slaughtered on this very day, but the millions who died two years ago, when Bastion City fell at the hands of the fallen.

 Chapter 2 - Regression

    Ciel and Oliver had played for around three hours, not stopping until the fire was pushed back ten meters. For now that would have to do. Oliver wished for more, but the excessive loss of blood left him weak.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, get some sleep.¡±


    Ciel said, his voice stern. He understood his friend''s desire to push himself further, but there truly was no purpose to it all anymore. That bitter truth they both were too stubborn to swallow. Oliver spared him an indescribable look, one which made Ciel¡¯s own waver for a moment.


    That moment hung in the air, before Oliver broke it off finally by shifting his sight downwards. There he saw his mangled leg, and just above his waist was a deep gouge, still spilling blood. Noticing the somber expression of his friend Ciel felt crushed by the wait of his guilt and muttered out.


    ¡°I¨CI¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Oliver was taken back to his senses by those words of sorrowful regret, he then forced a smile, one gentle and filled with acceptance.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, we should have known that mystic-tech lacked the ability to counter the authority and will of the fallen. Now we do, lesson learned.¡±


    His hand covered the ugly wound as he spoke, the dry blood on his hand suddenly re-enforced by fresh ones. Ciel clenched his fists.


    ¡°It is my fault, I should have sensed it approaching. And even if I couldn¡¯t have then at least I should have been able to save more people. They¡­ They all placed everything on me, and I failed them.¡±


    Saying it out loud tasted bitter, the worst kind he had ever felt. He remembered that not too long ago, when he ascended to a Stage 4 Esper, he felt unstoppable, and yet where was all that supposed power when helpless hands reached out.


    Even the single soul he managed to save was destined to die, the wound he suffered drenched with the animosity of a being far beyond what Ciel was. He could not heal him.


    Oliver did not answer for a long time, then eventually he reached out and touched Ciel¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You did all that you could. Perhaps someone else might have done more, perhaps not. Regardless of the what ifs. I can still say you protected me well, allowing me just a few more months within this wonderful world. I¡¯m certain the others would agree with me as well. Thank you Ciel, for everything. I mean it.¡±


    Wonderful, Huh.


    Oliver¡¯s grip tightened.


    ¡°Listen, I might not even make it before the food runs out. I¨CI don¡¯t want you to die losing control, I want you to die with your sanity, as a human like me. So¡­ If you see that I¡¯m about to go, please join me.¡±


    Ciel¡¯s eyes widened slightly, surprised by the request of his friend.


    Take myself out huh¡­ That is an option, although in my case I will have to do it twice. Is¡­ Is that an outcome I can accept?


    He knew it was not a choice, it was an inevitability. Humanity had lost two years ago, and now the few stubborn cockroaches which escaped that fate would be reunited with them. It was an outcome so inevitable that it almost seemed as the world itself willed it.


    Seeing the wavering eyes of Oliver, Ciel did not have it in him to dispute. He simply nodded.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    To that Oliver smiled and soon he finally allowed himself to rest.


    *****


    Ciel could not fall asleep. It was already the depths of the night, the moon hanging high above him far beyond his reach. It was a dazzling white pearl which adorned the black sky. He stared aimlessly at it, his thoughts a chaotic storm.


    So much had occurred in his life, yet he never could have imagined it would end this way. He reminisced on Bastion city, then on the people who once called its borders home, then on the disaster which followed, then on the long days of hiding.  If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Each passing second encompassed a different moment within his mind, and a different emotion stirred within every minute. Sometimes happiness, sometimes regret, sometimes sorrow, but most of all, anger. Deep simmering rage.


    He knew there was nothing he could do, yet he bitterly clung to hope that he could still find a way. If not to save the ones he had taken under his care then at least to save his friend beside him, and if even that was denied to him then he wanted to tear the fallen who did this to pieces.


    The more he thought of this furious wish, the more he sank into despair. Eventually as this cycle of emotions and memories danced viciously, Ciel¡¯s thoughts wandered back to his Concept Abilities. The image of ¡®The Fool¡¯ card burned deep into his cerebrum.


    The Fool¡­ The Fool¡­ The Fool¡­


    For some reason he simply could not let that thought go. The abilities it granted worked differently in nature than that of the other cards with the exception of ¡®The World¡¯ card. Ciel suspected this was a result of one being the beginning and the other the end.


    The beginnings¡­ New beginnings.


    Suddenly Ciel¡¯s green eyes bulged. He swiftly lifted his body as an avalanche of thoughts slammed into him. An idea had sparked, one so crazy he trembled at the thought of it working. The Fool card had many abilities, however one of its uses was a simple ability to cause trickery onto an opponent, to fool them.


    Often Ciel employed this to fool others into mistaking his distance, or even distorting the arrangements in which they saw the world.


    They were simple methods, and he still did not know its full capabilities. That was only natural, Ciel had only had this power for a little over two months. He had been given neither the time or means to experiment with the true reaches of his Concept Abilities.


    Furthermore, every time he saw The Fool card, he was overcome by an indescribable feeling. It was as if his intuition was screaming at him that he was missing something vital. Ciel trusted his senses more than most, he had special ones after all.


    For that reason he felt certain he had just reached his final hope. The final move to play within the grand game which humanity had been involved in since Judgement Day.


    Talk about waiting for the buzzer.


    Ciel let out an exhilarated chuckle. If he was right, then by combining the power which the meaning of the fool card held, that being of travels and new beginnings, with his ability to manifest its meaning and symbols then he could very well break the very laws which govern the world.


    I just need to fool time¡­


    To not fool others but the laws and nature of the world itself.


    It was insane, but he felt so certain that it was not impossible. Perhaps that was just the hope of a desperate dying fool or perhaps it was a sign from his intuition. Whatever the case, Ciel did not care. This would either work or he would die.


    Still, I need to discuss this with Oliver and get some ideas. I might very well only get one try so I need to get it right.


    Shifting over and shaking Oliver¡¯s shoulder Ciel called for his friend, his excitement barely suppressed.


    ¡°Oliver, wake up. I think I just found our salvation! Oliver¡­¡±


    He shook his shoulders for a few more seconds before finally Oliver moved. His eyes opened slightly, his tired expression exposed by the bright red glow which bathed his face. It took only one exchange of sights for Ciel¡¯s heart to sink.


    Oh no¡­


    Oliver had reached his limit far quicker than either of them had thought it seemed.


    ¡°Oliver, wait! Not yet! I can save us now! Please hold on just a day more, if not then an hour, hell even just a minute will do! Please let me save you!¡±


    Hearing Ciel¡¯s pained voice, Oliver¡¯s lips weakly turned into a smile.


    ¡°I¨CI¡¯m Sor¨Cry¡±


    He said in a voice so low it was drowned out by the crackle of the burning fire all around them. Then his tired eyes succumbed to the weight of his fatigue. They closed, never to open again.


    Ciel¡¯s eyes moistened, his heart assaulted by an indescribable feeling of loss. Not just because of his friend¡¯s passing but that of all of humanity.


    Then not a moment later his soul sparked to life, like an engine being suddenly ignited as his spirituality began to leak outwards uncontrollably. His spirituality was thick and now beyond his capability to control. Or at least it would be soon enough.


    Damn it all! Let me grieve at least!


    Cursing the world itself, Ciel had no more time to hesitate, with Oliver gone then he would lose his Concept Accomodation shortly after, perhaps a minute after, perhaps just seconds, whatever the speed, he was certain that should he fail to act now, then within no more than ninety seconds he will be dead.


    As his spirituality raged forth, reshaping the area around him in bizarre and unnatural forms. As it reshaped his body into different forms, stretching his limbs, changing the length of his hair, changing his nails into claws, his skin into carbon, his blood into a boiling sea, Ciel grasped the black deck of the arcana cards and reached inwardly.


    There he grasped the almost faded connection between his soul and his Concept Accommodation. Feeling it slipping away, he did not hesitate and willed the activation of ¡®The Fool¡¯ ability. He poured whatever spirituality which still obeyed his will into it and let out a stifled pained scream as his body morphed painfully. This agony lasted for a second, then two, then three, and finally by the fourth it occurred.


    The world quaked, and the raging spirituality disappeared in an instant, as if it had never existed to begin with. Not a moment after, the raging infernal flames spiked as the force which had once forbidden their passage evaporated.


    They raced forth with terrifying speed and soon devoured a body. It was of a man with light brown hair and wearing a pair of shattered glasses, covered in blood and ghastly wounds. He showed no resistance to the fire as it engulfed him.


    The man to his side was no different. His body had been deformed, unrecognizable from before. He was also covered in blood but far fewer than his unfortunate friend. His face wore a pained expression, yet his eyes remained open. They retained their green glimmer but lacked the spark of life.


    He was not dead however, merely hollow. His soul had already escaped its cage of flesh.


    The fire came and devoured his body as well. Just a second after its restraint had been lifted, it had consumed the world absolutely yet again. It crackled and danced, somehow more viciously than before, as if certain that nothing would ever challenge its authority again.

 Chapter 3 - Shattered Soul

    The experience of traveling through the river of time was, in a word, exotic. It felt unnatural and unwelcoming as if the very audacity to attempt such a feat sparked the world¡¯s fury into a frenzy. It always allowed for its natures to be shattered before, yet today Ciel discovered that there are a few laws which the world seemed to guard more fiercely from disruption.


    His soul traversed through an expanse of information, all of it assaulting it with tenacious vehemence, as if alive. It was overwhelming. Ciel felt as if he had come to know everything, he understood the smallest details of which governed the world¡¯s most ancient laws. He understood its grand machinations just the same.


    And yet he was unable to retain any of it, how could he? He lacked a mind to process it, and even if it was present, the sheer quantity of knowledge would be too vast for such an organic machine, even one as magnificent as the human brain, to bear.


    His soul was no exception either. Ciel could feel it being pulled into all directions, stretched almost infinitely. Yet like a stubborn rubber band it did not tear, holding together through great strife of will. Ciel¡¯s own consciousness was weak, but he could feel enough to understand that he was afraid, terrified even.


    He wanted to scream, but couldn¡¯t for he lacked the organ to do so. He failed to cry for that very same reason as well. All that held him together was a strange connection, that of his Concept Accommodation. At first it glowed weakly within his soul, like a dying ember. Then slowly, as he traveled further into the river of time, fighting against its furious current.


    His connection grew stronger, then stronger still. Soon his soul shone with a white radiance as the number of humans alive increased the further back he went.


    IT¡­ WILL¡­ HOLD?!


    That was the only thought Ciel managed to form through his weak fading consciousness. He felt hope, even if his current self lacked the clarity to realize it. He needed this to work after all, for failure meant the end to everything.


    For a moment his soul held, but only for a moment. Not long after it began to fail.


    His soul, stretched out as it was and supported only by the single concept, suffered yet another terrible pull. This pull finally caused even the shine within its center to be mangled.


    The radiant orb, his world anchor, his Concept Accommodation, began to split itself. First into two, then three, then eventually twenty two orbs of bright lights shone distinctively within his soul. His Concept Accommodation had failed to resist the unimaginable force for long enough.


    Shortly after, the single soul shattered, and twenty two pieces fell onto the river of time.


    At that moment, Ciel felt himself lose something so indescribable that it paralyzed his very existence, engulfing him with only a single domineering sensation.


    Cold¡­ Profound coldness.


    That sensation bathed him for an eternity until finally even that came to an end.


    The surging stream of information raddled him one final time before he felt his broken self, whatever was left, suddenly fall and soon his consciousness dissipated, entering an empty black void.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    *****


    Darkness, all that was is darkness. All that could be was not, leaving only black emptiness.


    Is this death?


    The sensation of feeling nothing was not unfamiliar to Ciel. He had died a few times before after all. What he felt now was different, the very fact that he felt anything at all pushed against his initial desire to declare himself dead.


    Then as his mind began to churn properly once more, he commanded his muscles to move and his eyes to blink. They obeyed and soon his arms and legs met a hard surface.


    THUNK


    THUNK


    Is that wood?


    He questioned as his eyes blinked five more times at a rapid speed. Still they failed to adjust to the light. That was only natural however, since light did not reach the place which he found himself in.


    I can¡¯t see¡­ No light huh.


    He waited for a moment more and finally his sensations returned to him. Immediately his body was assaulted by a deep cold. His very skin was freezing.


    Somewhat perplexed, Ciel first touched his body. Beyond his cold flesh, he found that he wore ragged clothing. Torn short pants and a simple shirt with many holes on them. He could not discern what color they were, not that such a detail held any importance.


    Hmm. Perhaps it did work. Have I returned to my younger self? If so then why?


    Back then, Ciel had aimed for a very specific time. One which he felt he could best accomplish his goal. That was to the year 183 AJ, when he was at the age of 15, roughly 13 years into the past. By now his parents would have already passed away and he would be living in the slums, perhaps even already having his first encounters with the Red Tiger Gang which ruled the outskirts of district 11¡¯s western edge.


    His home back then was a run down hole under an apartment plaza in the same sorry state. It was a simple home which lacked many necessities of a comfortable life, however he did have candle lights and it was far more spacious than this wretched space he found himself in.


    The more he thought it through, the more confusion piled in on itself. Eventually Ciel simply gave up. He would reach no conclusions without further action, and so that was what he did.


    Reaching out to the surface of the wooden structure he found himself in, his cold fingers caressed its ragged body, taking note of its details.


    Weak¡­ Of very poor material? No, perhaps simply old.


    He touched it for a few more seconds until finally his moving fingers halted. They then pressed into a fist and¡­


    THUNK!


    THUNK!


    THUNK!


    Three swift punches was all it took for the wooden surface of the structure to collapse and just as it did, a stream of sand began to pour inside. Feeling that sensation touch his skin, Ciel¡¯s green eyes showed a spark of understanding.


    So that¡¯s it huh¡­


    He was inside a wooden coffin, somehow buried alive.


    That revelation did not ignite any emotion within him. Neither fear or joy, but merely understanding. Satisfied with his new enlightenment in regards to his previously unknown situation. Ciel immediately began to take action.


    His body wiggled, pushing the influx of soil to his back. At the same time, he unleashed more concentrated punches to the surface of the wooden coffin, tearing the hole wider and increasing the current of dirt.


    He did this until his hands bled, then continued long past that. When he finally managed to damage the structure of the coffin enough so that the weight of the soil above collapsed it, he would spend the next hour struggling to move and slowly dig himself out.


    He sunk his hands deep into the soil, used every muscle at his disposal, until finally two fingers pierced the surface of the ground. They jerked vigorously until more popped out to the surface. Soon the entire hand was out, then a dirt filled face, then an abdomen, until finally the last to part with the soil, a pair of legs.


    Ciel dragged himself forward a few meters before stopping. Only after this moment of rest did he realize something, this entire time, his lungs had yet to grasp for a single piece of air. His heart was no different, refusing to start its diligent work even now.


    Perhaps I am dead after all. Or at least I was¡­

 Chapter 4 - Evaluation

    Ciel would have thought himself a walking corpse if his heart had not suddenly remembered its purpose and erupted to life. The sensation of flowing blood felt wonderful, like a warm bath after a cold winter day. The blood rushed forth like an unstoppable tide within his veins, dispelling away the coldness ingrained in his flesh.


    Before he would do anything else, Ciel merely continued to lay in the soil. As his body heated, like an old machine being suddenly started, his lungs too remembered their purpose and immediately began demanding for fresh oxygen. He inhaled greedily for many more minutes after, his skin still beneath a layer of dirt.


    I need a shower¡­


    Ciel thought simply.


    However his cold aimless stare directed firmly towards the sky showed no real haste. Finally after a few more minutes of inaction, he sucked in one final heavy breath then commanded his muscles back to work. Sitting upright the first thing he did was examine his surroundings.


    He was inside a graveyard, however not one of any glimmer. It was dark and empty, only distinctive as a burial sight by the numerous wooden plank signs which protruded from the soil. Some signs were tilted, some had fallen over, others lacked even a base to hoist them above the soil and were halfway engraved into it.


    Whatever their state was, every one of them had the same engraving. One which simply said:


    ¡®Spot Occupied¡¯


    In front of him rested a massive wall, one made from the earth itself. No, not a wall, but rather the end of a carving which humanity had done towards a small portion of their beloved host planet. Finding the scenery vaguely familiar, Ciel twisted his torso, there his green eyes finally reflected more than just darkness.


    Just beyond reach, small houses could be seen, they were clustered tightly with one another, then when that was not sufficient, they began to overlap each other. Some engulfed smaller buildings entirely while others simply closed off any obvious exit points. It was an ugly architectural mess, a great achievement of disorder.


    Entering would be no different than entering a maze, and worse yet the buildings did not even have the integrity to be forged of a single material. Some were of wood and steel, others of steel and stone, some were of all three, while a few had materials indiscernible at just a glance.


    That however, was just what was at reach, beyond it a far more magnificent sight awaited. Towering structures between ten to hundred floors stood proud in the distance. They gave off a warm yellow glow of an active industrial center. The lights gleamed and danced far beyond reach from those stuck within the maze of disorder.


    That was not all, beyond that still, an even more gargantuan figure awaited, one which sparked the most recognition within Ciel. His eyes shifted upwards slightly, there he saw it clearly.


    The Central Elevator¡­


    A massive spherical shaped tower which stretched upwards to the sky, however it was not the sky which it touched but the ground.


    It really did work.


    The central elevator disappeared within the dark ground above which was substituting as the sky for the people underneath. The stronghold of humanity, Bastion City, was a city of three layers and eleven districts. An enormous marvel of engineering, architecture, and science.


    Currently Ciel found himself located within its third layer, the underground district. The area responsible for all mining activities of humanity as well as the place where they discarded the trash of society. For the most part district 11 was no-less inferior than any of the districts above, however uniquely it found its edges infested with useless trash which did not participate within the larger structure of Bastion, the slums.


    And at the further edges of even that, Ciel laid.


    Understood. This is good, very good.


    His gamble had paid off it seemed. Having confirmed that, Ciel turned around and away from the scenery. Too many details were off and he needed a moment to evaluate the situation. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I should be 15 years old. My parents had just passed away late last year on 182 AJ, so I should have already been living in this wretched place all on my own. Hmm, but if this is the year 183 AJ, what is the date? How long have I been in the slums? Have I already made contact with the Red Tiger Gang?


    There were too many unanswered questions, with the only certainty being that his regression had succeeded.


    If that is the case, then¡­


    Ciel¡¯s eyes narrowed towards the patch of dispersed dirt where he had climbed out of just moments prior. Above it laid the same weathered wooden plank sign as everyone else, one which read:


    ¡®Spot Occupied¡¯


    He stared at it with a blank expression.


    Why was I dead? Or was it rather that I was buried alive?


    That did not align with the memories of his past self. His confusion rested heavily on his mind for a long moment until finally, with the lack of any additional information, he temporarily discarded it and instead shifted to another matter.


    First things first, I need to set up my objectives.


    That at least, would be far simpler. Ciel had two objectives. The first was the most obvious: grow in strength and prepare Bastion City for the sudden fallen herd which will descend on them in the year 194 AJ, eleven years in the future.


    That was not only a clear-cut goal but his responsibility to humanity.


    He failed to grasp the pleading hands of a hundred humans before, now he would take hold of it tightly long before they ever had a chance to do so again. Thinking such was illogical, for those cries had yet to have ever existed, however for Ciel, once was enough be it present or future.


    Never again did he have any need for such a melody of despair.


    The second goal was very different. Unlike the grandeur of the first, this was more personal. A wish of his own making. He wanted to save a single person, the woman who had been his savior many years before, or at least would be many years in the future.


    Maeve Dawson.


    The Arbiter who had saved him back when the fallen first attacked and Bastion city was turned to cinder. She was a tall woman who shared in his features, possessing black hair, pale skin, and deep green eyes, however she was a few years his senior and his mentor.


    It was her who took a useless slum rat and gave him the strength to protect the few survivors of humanity. It was her who handed off that sole responsibility onto him as she laid buried under a pool of her own blood.


    He had failed her as well, perhaps even the most.


    He failed to grow stronger in time, becoming a stage 4 esper only after she had perished. He then thought himself powerful enough to traverse the eternal flames with a hundred lives on his shoulders, only to falter when the ghastly fallen descended upon them, eradicating everyone within a matter of seconds.


    Truly his sins ran far too deep.


    For that reason, for his selfish desire to help the person which he owed so much to, Ciel had come here.


    This year held no significance for him, he could have very well chosen a far closer timeline. Perhaps even just five years before the disaster. Yet he came here, the year 183 AJ, the year Maeve lost her mother under a series of mysterious circumstances.


    She had once told him that she held two regrets. The first was the failure to grow strong enough quickly enough, while the second was failing to discover the truth behind her mother¡¯s death.


    The two did not have much time to share quiet moments back in that desolate ruin, however that day had been an exception. It was the first time Ciel saw his mentor, a powerful almost otherworldly figure, shed tears. It was the first time he had seen her for what she was, only human.


    Thinking such, his calm green eyes showed a glimmer of emotion for the first time.


    Do not worry mentor, I managed to give myself a second chance, I will do the same for you. Just you wait and see. When the fallen come, it will be us who shatter them into pieces of rotten flesh.


    *****


    Making his way through the empty graveyard, Ciel headed towards the dreary sight of clustered buildings which composed the slums.


    His goals were grand, but for now, he needed to get himself started. He anticipated that it would be the most difficult part of his entire plan, however his confidence had yet to waver.


    After all, who could stand in my way when I have a Concept Accommodation.


    Ciel might have appeared powerless, but he was no ordinary boy. Far from it.


    Even with his esper abilities gone, the sheer diversity of his accommodation was more than enough of a boon for the start of his imminent long journey ahead. It was here that Ciel took a moment to reach into his soul.


    He closed his eyes and calmed his breathing. He felt the presence of his soul, and the connection it shared.


    Hmm.


    Ciel¡¯s steady pace suddenly came to a halt.


    Something was not right.


    His soul did not seem as vast and heavy as it should have, and his connection was no different. The glowing orb at the center of his soul shone brightly, much more than it ever had before, and yet, it had shrunk significantly.


    Ciel remained motionless for a long time after that, his mind suddenly assaulted by terrible confusion and a bad premonition.


    After two entire minutes had passed, Ciel finally moved. His hand reached out and grasped at the area where his heart should have been. He could feel the steady rhythm of beat which it birth, as well as the warmth such a theme spread. And yet something was very wrong.


    I do not feel anything.


    That was it. Ciel Adams, the newly established regressor, felt nothing at all. It was not that he did not feel sensation but rather that he did not care, he did not feel joy, nor did he feel anger.


    He felt no emotions which a human should.

 Chapter 5 - Unforeseen Predicament

    To the present Ciel, his mind felt active, it was churning as it rushed to examine itself. He was thinking, analyzing, pondering, as a result he reached dead ends, felt perplexed, or experienced sudden epiphanies. Ciel could now also perceive the warmth of his flesh and acknowledge the comfort that brought.


    In many ways, nothing was wrong. He still had his motivations, his desires, his regrets, and yet there the sudden problem could be found. Those feelings only existed as preexisting facts, ones placed by his previous self, the him who had yet to regress to the past.


    The current him remained willing to pursue those set desires, however he felt no joy at discovering that his regression succeeded, no passion in pursuing his desires, no lump of anguish at the reminiscing of his regrets.


    He felt nothing¡­


    Intellectually he understood the emotions he wanted to feel, or even those he felt he needed to. That stumped not from his present self desiring to feel those emotions but rather from the knowledge of who his old self is.


    That was how the issue was first discovered. Ciel realized that he had yet to smile, yet to feel afraid, yet to rejoice. He just felt calm, unfazed, and simply ready to commence his work.


    In this moment it was as though he was himself yet not at the same time. He felt whole yet infinitely broken. Perhaps that would have surged panic in him before, but now he lacked such an ability. Instead he merely began to brainstorm.


    Why has this happened? How can I fix it?


    Those were the only two questions which mattered. Ciel may have lacked the passion he should have felt towards the accomplishment of his goals, however his sense of responsibility remained firmly drilled into his being.


    For even if he was an empty husk, so long as he could take action then he would. If he failed to do even that, then he should have remained buried beneath the dirt. He would move towards his goals, like a machine merely following its built in programming.


    For that reason he needed this to be solved, however, only if it would hinder his ability to move forward. His mind churned, attempting sheepishly to recall the journey he endured when traversing the river of time.


    The experience was one of grandeur, however the moment it dissipated it was as if he had never experienced it. His mind remembered no sensation of it, beyond some vague understandings of what his soul wished to convey as it swam against a furious current.


    After some time, a single recollection came to him. That being the shattering he experienced just before the end. The cold of it all and the indescribable sensation which assaulted him as his soul was torn.


    Only then did a hint of enlightenment gleam within him.


    Could it be¡­


    Ciel watched the distant city which modeled itself ahead, only to then turn the way which he came and raise a hand forth.


    ¡°Come Chariot.¡±


    He commanded. But nothing happened.


    His expression failed to change, however his hand fell and as it did it attempted to grasp at the air¡­ No, not the air but the light which occupied its space.


    Again nothing happened.


    Hmm.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    His premonition seemed even more certain now.


    Did my Concept Accommodation shatter along with my soul? Is that why I feel so hollow?


    He questioned, but his conclusion was all but verified when he was unable to summon any of the twenty one powers of the arcana cards at his disposal. His power had disappeared it seemed, running away with pieces of his broken soul.


    Now most certainly, Ciel could not ignore this.


    *****


    Realizing the gravity of his situation, Ciel judged it best to return to his gravesite. There he sat cross legged, facing the lights of the distant metropolis. He wanted to evaluate every inch of his soul and confirm just how grave the situation was.


    Furthermore, should it be the case that he has lost all of his Concept Accommodation abilities then his entire strategy moving forward would have to shift dramatically. He would no longer be a lion entering a den of kittens, but a very kitten himself, one perhaps in a more sorry state than most.


    Such a conclusion did not anger him, neither did it agitate him. He merely accepted it as it was and immediately disregarded it as an inescapable state of reality.


    No great feat will come without cost. It never has before, why did I believe I would be any different?


    He thought self-deprecatingly before his eyes opened once more. His hour-long meditation had come to an end.


    With it came troubling news.


    Upon inspection his soul appeared rigged, with its edges pointy and uneven, as if literally torn apart. Of course this conclusion came from an instinctual understanding which he gained when he willed to ¡®witness¡¯ his very core. Souls had no tangible state which the naked human eye could hope to glance upon after all.


    My soul is shattered, and my abilities are gone. Now the question is, have they turned into aberrations and become lost in the history of time? Or have they fallen into the timeline I aimed for, just detached and capable of being claimed by any wandering fool?


    Neither seemed pleasant, yet both were plausible.


    Hmm, at least there is one outlier.


    He had lost all of his twenty one abilities of the arcana cards, however, the first of them, and the very power which he used to accomplish this miraculous feat, ¡®The Fool¡¯ was still present within his soul. It was this which allowed him to disregard the possibility that he had merely lost his Concept Accommodation as a natural result of traveling to the past before he had ever acquired it.


    That came with its own boon as well, it meant he was not entirely powerless.


    Yet even that was a poor excuse of a blessing.


    Once he made a connection with ¡®The Fool¡¯ ability, he had willed its activation and through such an attempt, he made another realization. The Fool¡¯s ability had yet to deactivate, it appeared that even now, it continued to fool time.


    Is that because I don¡¯t belong here? Does that mean the world would reject me should its ability be disrupted?


    Through what he felt like a joke from mother luck herself, he had kept a single ability, and yet that ability was almost useless.


    Almost¡­


    Ciel still had one of its traits which it could still use, that being the ¡®The Fool¡¯ card¡¯s reversal application. All major arcana cards abilities stemmed from the card¡¯s: Name, Symbols, and Meanings. For that reason, each one came with a Name Ability and a Meaning Ability.


    With one Ciel would take its literal name and use it to manifest an ability corresponding to it. With the second he would take its meanings to manifest abilities corresponding within those domains. That applied to both the card¡¯s upright and reversed meanings.


    Such was the nature of a Concept rooted in a fortune game.


    For the current Ciel, his only ability which he could actively use was one which served as a mental-hex. It would invade the mind of a single target and slowly, with growing intensity, it would cause them to lose proper reasoning in their actions and become foolishly reckless.


    The ability could only be used once every twenty four hours, limited to a single target. That knowledge came instinctively within Ciel¡¯s mind the moment he willed it to.


    A lot weaker than it was before, hmm. That makes sense, I am not an esper anymore, perhaps my soul lacks the spirituality to go any further than this.


    It appeared that even his single ability had received more limitations. Ciel found it quite pitiful, but quickly disregarded it as well.


    Alright, I have gotten everything I needed. It will be more arduous, but I will manage. All I can do is keep my eyes wide for any signs of my concept and proceed forward.


    He would march forward, even if his legs were to break and his flesh be mangled, so long as he could move then he would aim towards reaching his purpose.


    There was too great of a price if he failed even now, for that reason Ciel soon stood and resumed towards the direction he had been headed before. Before anything else could be done, he needed to properly arm himself.


    For now, a gun will have to do.


    He took one step after the other with nothing stopping his march this time around. Before long, he arrived at the entrance of the gravesite, and at the edge of the slums.


    With cold indifferent eyes, he moved his tattered self forth, taking his first steps inside.

 Chapter 6 - A need for tools

    The slums of District 11 were in a sorry state, that fact had yet to receive a remodeling from what Ciel¡¯s past memories allowed. The moment he entered the dilapidated maze of clustered buildings, his nostrils were assaulted by the scent of feces and rotten flesh.


    The sources of the foul scents made no attempts of concealment, dead animals and human shit spread out within random corners in what felt like every turn. Occasionally a human corpse would join, or even a sleeping human which bore an eerie resemblance to the dead.


    The cause of that was also clear, these people were all weak and beyond frail. Some wore ragged clothes while others merely a torn cloth. Those with skin laid bare exposed their almost skeletal states. Ciel recalled a previous habit which he held when he too called this desolate place his home.


    He would stare at his fellow rats and count the ribs which had protruded on their chests, taking a guess as to how well off they were by such a number. To the old him, he thought that had been a feat of mathematical achievement, one worthy of praise.


    After all, he had often guessed how much longer they would last using such a statistic as well, winning his self-made bet more often than not. That Ciel would feel glee when finding a familiar corpse, and a sudden surge of pride would catapult forth within him without fail.


    ¡®Pathetic, could not even outlast a kid!¡¯


    Such were his thoughts then, never devoid of mockery.


    Ciel failed to gain anything within his time in these vast slums, perhaps only regressing further as a human with each day that passed. He showed little respect for others then, and that had not changed even now.


    The current Ciel was marching in random directions, vaguely heading east. Only vaguely however, once one entered the clustered mess of buildings, it was impossible to ignore the lack of any light sources within the areas.


    Furthermore, the city lights which once bathed it in its entirety could no longer reach its touch deep within the chaotic arrangement of buildings. No streets existed either, paths merely appeared and disappeared, sometimes traveling forward, sometimes curving into many directions transforming into spins.


    Those which did neither were a combination of both or simply ended abruptly.


    Ciel spent three hours trying to follow the path forward, using the Central Elevator as his beacon. Eventually he had to admit his failure, he had become lost. After yet another hour of attempting to travel east, he finally decided to shift his approach.


    His cold eyes began scanning its surroundings. Nothing was recognizable. That made Ciel conclude that he had not explored this part of the slums in his past life. Once more his past experiences, another boon at his arsenal, proved its incompetence when the application time came.


    Ciel sighed, then his cold inspection finally halted.


    This will not do, I need tools. The longer I take to acquire them, the more wasted time passes. Remember your purpose, it is all you have left.


    He thought, as if reprimanding himself, albeit without the tone which any reprimand typically carried. Tilting his head upwards, Ciel finally spotted it, a faint orange glow. The dim light was situated on the second floor of a building which was a fusion of rusted steel alloy and rigid wood. Its glow hid behind a wooden window with only some of its radiance escaping through the window¡¯s cracks.


    A candle? A stolen battery bulb is an option as well. Whatever the case, so long as it is portable then it will do.


    Making his decision, Ciel took four steps towards his new target.


    STOMPThis book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Stomp


    Stomp


    Stomp


    By the time he completed his fourth step, his footsteps had become light. With an indifferent expression he then took hold of a protruding plank of steel. Only ten seconds later, he had already reached the window with the warm orange glow.


    He did not take action immediately, haste was the talent of a fool after all. Instead, he calmly pressed his ear against the window and listened for the noises inside.


    ¡°Ram control your eating! One fourths each damn it! Do not let your father¡¯s diligent work be for nothing!¡±


    Inside, the voice of a woman reverberated, coated in fumes. With the angry voice came the rustling of wood, perhaps furniture of some sorts. Whatever the specifics were, Ciel could not discern for obvious reasons. Soon a stifled and bitter voice dared to rise and meet the heights of the woman¡¯s own.


    This time it was the sound of a boy, clearly still a pubescent.


    ¡°But I¡¯m so hungry mom! We never can eat properly at this place! I hate it, I hate it!¡±


    ¡°Brat, learn to be grateful that you have anything to eat at all! I grew up in an even harsher time, where the best I could hope for was to eat a fleshly dead rat! Your father saved me from that, and even now he does his best for us!¡±


    After her tangent, a sudden loud slam eclipsed the woman¡¯s furious voice. The room grew silent for a moment, then a raspy voice spoke.


    ¡°Rebecca enough, those around us will get riled up if we cause a scene.¡±


    The woman, Rebecca, made a swift sheepish apology before growing silent. Only then did the raspy voice continue.


    ¡°And you Ram, one day you will truly understand how much we have shielded you. Even managing to secure a room here is beyond what those slum rats here have¡­¡±


    Hearing such a claim, it sparked a recollection about the slums within Ciel¡¯s mind. The slum rats came in three types; The homeless, the builders, and the gifted. Those which lacked the ability, strength, or materials to build their own makeshift homes were homeless. They simply walked around in search of food, water, or mist powder.


    They were the first to die, and the most commonly refreshed as hundreds of new people entered each month. Perhaps their lives had gone south by conventional means, after all beyond the slums was the outskirts. There the people were still a part of society, albeit barely. They live each day with their head just above the water.


    Due to such a fragile standing, many would eventually drown, unable to salvage the lives they possessed. That was when the slums would welcome its new residents. There were a multitude of reasons which could cause the destruction of a person¡¯s old reality, however more often than not, those who entered empty handed and were doomed to be homeless rats had done so after becoming hooked on mist powder. They failed to combat the addiction away before it tore their lives apart.


    Those who managed to see their downfall beforehand were the ones which rushed to acquire whatever means they could and obtain the capability to carve out their own little corner within the slums. One with a rooftop at the bare minimum. That was what the builder rats were, rarely entering alone, often accompanied by a family of varying sizes.


    That left the gifted rats, those who lived in corporate boxes within the outskirts but failed to even earn enough to remain there. Instead of losing everything, they would occasionally be offered deals by housing corporations in which they paid a fraction of the cost; a gift from them, but one which came with a caveat.  These new homes were built inside the slums.


    The corporate apartments found there were hideous examples of architecture, primarily being a simple square room with thin wooden walls and a single source of light with no water supply. The doors had locks at least, yet that was all the protection the corporations cared to implement.


    In fact, only when such corporations needed to remove someone who had forcibly taken hold of their rooms, or when an individual had failed to meet their payment agreement, did the police ever enter the slums. They marched forth like a tide of indomitable authority, never failing to carry large enough guns which kept rats from swarming them.


    The gifted, as a result, were seen as outsiders themselves, never welcomed by the rats of the slums. That indignation was mutual however, with a gifted refusing to associate themselves as a ¡®Slum Rat¡¯. No, they were far better, merely pigeons which happen to have their nest within such a rat infested place.


    When the rest of the slums discovered that they could not take what the gifted had by force, they instead expressed their irritation by building all around and above the corporate manufactured cages. Now whether the gifted cared to accept it or not, they were surrounded by their supposed lessers.


    ¡°Yes dad.¡±


    The response of the boy refocused Ciel¡¯s straying thoughts and his evaluation began.


    Three people. Two which could be of any threat. Environment unknown until entry, but it is safe to guess that nothing dangerous enough to trigger a caution is present. Furthermore, since these are gifted then this building is a manufactured one.


    He had not recognized it as such at first glance, a testament to how well the rats had covered it behind a layer of architectural chaos. More importantly, depending on which corporation claims credit for its construction then it would determine which type of lighting tool had been built in.


    No. He was certain that the light bringer wasn¡¯t plastered onto the building itself. Through observation, Ciel saw a lack of electrical batteries and their exposed or concealed cords anywhere around the building.


    That insight was the final check he needed. His time for caution was over, now it was time to act.

 Chapter 7 - A crucial difference

    Ciel first retracted his ear from the window and spent a few seconds assessing its strength through touch of finger. Once satisfied, he climbed a bit further up, twisted his body so that his front faced opposite to the wall. Finally with all that done, and with his hands serving as the anchors of his weight, he took both legs and with as much force as his body could exert, he slammed the window wide open.


    He was no longer an esper, now only a fifteen year old boy in a slightly better shape than the immediate others around him. For that reason, what his future self could have done with a thought, required this present self to exercise with great effort.


    THUMP!


    The wooden constitution of the window squealed as its two halves were unable to be kept together by the thin steel lock which promised it unity.


    Ciel did not hesitate either, swiftly shifting back and jumping inside the room with an experienced role. The reduced size of his current body made his actions appear somewhat clunky, however such a detail was not what concerned the family of three.


    Ciel¡¯s green irises watched them coldly. They donned startled expressions, with the young boy, one even frailer than what someone his age should ever be allowed to be, being the first to show panic.


    That was only natural, after all, he was the only one within the room which Ciel was bigger than. His father and mother on the contrary had already abandoned their initial expression and equipped one with hostility instead.


    The father was frail, however he had just enough meat in him to prevent the protrusion of his ribs. He had short brown hair with a messy stubble. His chest was bare as he wore a comfortable pair of shorts. He was also two heads taller than Ciel.


    To his side, the mother stood. She too possessed brown hair and eyes but surprisingly she appeared the chunkiest of them all. Her hands had already reached out to grasp her son as she glared forth.


    The father feeds her the best. What a diligent husband.


    Ciel thought pointlessly, then his cold glare met that of the father.


    The room was simple with only a single round table which stood one meter above the floor. Behind them were three folded futons and sides that were a few basic kitchen supplies. The room was also decorated with hanged clothes, none which could be considered a large amount however.


    The only obvious weapon which Ciel could see was the sole kitchen knife. It had been resting in the center of the round table, used to cut pieces of low grade artificial meat which the father had brought. Now that knife was being firmly grasped by the five fingers of the father¡¯s left hand.


    ¡°Brat! What the fuck do you think your doing you shit?! Do you know what this place is, and who we are?!¡±


    Ciel did not answer immediately, instead he merely narrowed his vision towards the door, located to the right of where he stood. There a small metallic lamp of sorts laid on the floor. It was thick in the bottom with a cracked rectangular screen providing the user with relevant information. Above it was a cloudy glass frame, keeping a soft orange electrical line glowing. The electricity was concentrated, however it sporadically shot forth smaller currents which were denied escape by the glass encasing. And finally above that, completing the lamp, was a lid with a long handle.


    That will do just fine.


    Ciel thought simply. He then turned to face the tense company and spoke in a cold matter of fact tone.


    ¡°This place is a corporate apartment. That is why I am here. Give me your lamp and I will leave without any trouble. However, refuse and I will kill you all. Make the choice, you have ten seconds.¡±


    The young boy trembled at such an insidious promise. His mother grasped him tighter as she bared her teeth. The Father¡¯s reaction was no different, his own grip tightening significantly. He was angry, however he seemed hesitant to act.


    Not a fool I see. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    By just a glance, one might think that the boy was of no threat, merely a slum rat attempting something of pure stupidity out of desperation. And yet, Ciel¡¯s cold demeanor made their hearts waver with hesitation. For a while that¡¯s how they remained. Neither the family nor Ciel made any move. The moment hung for a while longer until Ciel suddenly spoke once more.


    ¡°Times up.¡±


    The sound of such a declaration made the father shudder slightly, painfully pulled back into this moment. Ciel did not attack as promised, he merely began to walk calmly towards the lamp¡¯s location. Perhaps that was what finally triggered the father to act at last.


    ¡°Shit! Get out of my home!¡±


    With a burst of sudden fury, the father dashed forth, ready to swing his sharp weapon. Ciel¡¯s eyes narrowed coldly towards the incoming attack. With the father attacking it meant that the mother would do the same as well. He could handle one at a time in his current state but two would be difficult.


    The Fool¡¯s ability was not an option either. Its reversal application was great for provocation and the initiation for an enemy to take reckless action. That primarily resulted in them committing to a foolish attack when they knew better.


    It was a boon for when Ciel wanted to initiate an insidious trap, however currently, when he was this weakened, such an action would be pointless. One was already attacking him recklessly after all, and Ciel had no traps to deploy either.


    Finally the father arrived, slashing the knife forth awkwardly but deadly nonetheless. Ciel reached out his arm, redirected the incoming attack using his opponent¡¯s own momentum against them then swiftly elbowed him with his spare arm.


    The sound which it formed was gory, his sharp elbow landing directly on the father¡¯s left eye, mutilating it. Without stalling, Ciel then exploded into action. His left hand, which had redirected the attack, took hold of his opponent¡¯s weapon arm as they were left dizzy by the prior blow. With a simple leg movement after, Ciel had successfully brought the man down.


    THUMP!


    He fell chin first, its surface of flesh scraped off as a result. Meanwhile, Ciel twisted the weapon arm with all his strength until he heard the popping of joints.


    ¡°Rahh!¡±


    The father let out a pained yelp as his hand was snapped. Ciel used that as a signal to finally reach for the knife. He met little resistance as he dislodged it from his opponent¡¯s fingertips. Then with a swift follow up, he thrusted it forth, penetrating the father¡¯s posterior cervical area.


    He felt flesh, muscle, and bone resist the knife¡¯s invasion, however it was a futile effort and just a moment later, the father stopped all his resistance.


    He was dead¡­


    Ciel did not linger. When the kill was confirmed, he swiftly rolled away from the body, his eyes quickly finding the two others within the room. The wife, Rebecca, had forgone any attack. Instead she had risen the short round table and was using it as a shield.


    Her son, Ram, was entirely shielded by this with only Rebecca¡¯s head visible. Plastered on her tired face was clear horror and rage, each struggling for dominance within her heart.


    In truth, Ciel had dealt with the biggest threat in the room already therefore he did not need to further this attack.


    And yet.


    No witnesses.


    That option had disappeared the moment the father chose to attack. A simple theft would not be treated the same as a murdering of their residence by whichever corporation laid claim to this building. Should he allow details of his appearances to be leaked, then a manhunt for him would be initiated.


    As he was now, Ciel was incapable of surviving such an altercation with the police force, he was however, very well equipped to handle two slum rats like himself. When he thought of it as such, then the logical answer was obvious.


    Ciel remained motionless for a moment. Then with an action either too swift for her to react or too unexpected, he shot the knife forth. It was not one meant for throwing, however Ciel¡¯s rich experience in battles with monsters and humans alike had made him a master at adapting.


    For that reason the knife struck true. It embedded itself straight between her eyebrows, killing her as she stood.


    Her body lost all strength and she fell down with a thud. Soon the table followed, rolling to a corner for a second or two before tilting over.


    ¡°Aaahhhh! Mom! Mom!¡±


    Ram¡¯s shivering self screamed loudly. That reaction, however understandable, Ciel could not allow. He dashed forth, quickly reaching where Ram stood. The young boy had wet himself and his eyes were moistened, overcome with fear.


    Ciel remained indifferent. Taking hold of Ram in a tight neck lock, snapping it before he could make another sound. Just like that, the third corpse touched the floor.


    When it was all over, Ciel spared a moment to watch the scenery, then another to examine himself.


    Nothing, I still feel nothing at all.


    He had murdered in cold blood, yet his heart remained calm and his mind clear. This once more solidified the difference between his current and old self, a very crucial one indeed. The Ciel of before would have taken measures to not harm these innocent people, his current self however saw them merely as they were: Obstacles.


    His two goals remained his focus, and while one involved the saving of humanity, that did not mean he would shy away from taking his fellow human¡¯s lives when necessary. It was for humanity''s greater interest that he not be stopped by anything. Even should they themselves be ignorant of that fact, he was not.


    That was why his responsibility was a heavy one. Too much was at stake to hesitate over three worthless lives, be them good people or not.


    Still this situation had not required force from the start, a simple theft would have been an acceptable result as well. I did give them a choice. In the end, the father was just the right amount of foolish to hesitate but not back down. What a pitiful way to be indeed.


    Calmly contemplating his current state, Ciel reached the spot where the lamp stood and took hold of it. Regardless of the methods used, it bore fruit. Ciel had obtained his first tool, the first of many more to come.

 Chapter 8 - Strange encounter

    Having obtained his objective, Ciel did not linger. The walls of the apartment were thin, he was certain that those around him were already made aware of his ruckus. Then regardless of whether they came to investigate it themselves or not, it would not be long before the police were notified.


    He swiftly escaped through the same window which he entered, this time with a light bringer in his grasp. With light steps he landed back on the dirt path and quickly retreated into the cacophony of clustered buildings.


    Immediately, the acquired lamp proved its worth, allowing him to rapidly deduce which paths were worth the effort of further exploration and which were not.


    Ciel kept his walk calm and unhurried, as if not bearing a single concern in the world. It was a hard contrast with the sheer bleakness which hung in the depths of the slums, almost like a tangible scent. The slum rats, those which lacked homes that was, were found in every corner which he took.


    They spared him, an unfamiliar figure engulfed in a warm orange glow, a distant glance and left him be. Some even took jittery efforts to avoid being touched by the light which he hoisted around, like a creature of shadows allergic to its radiant touch.


    Ciel was similarly unbothered by their presence. It was the dead of night so many of the slum rats were preoccupied merely trying to catch some rest in whatever hole they could fit in.


    That was only some of them however.


    Those which seemed unbothered could barely be called awake, yet they were not asleep either. Ciel¡¯s eyes fell upon one of these rats, his case the worst he had seen so far. Sprawled in the middle of the dirt path, a naked sickly man laid.


    His body was twitching slightly with his open mouth drowning with sizzling purple foam. Their eyes were bulged, as if about to pop, whilst bearing a slight luminescent glow of the same color. Ciel watched the man which obstructed his way for less than half a dozen seconds, then he calmly continued his way forward.


    Mist addicts¡­ How pathetic.


    He stepped on top of the man¡¯s stomach, followed by his face, until finally his bare feet touched soil once more. Perhaps a normal man would have already jumped up with murderous vigor and attempted to retaliate for Ciel¡¯s carefree actions, however the man was already too far into his episode to even notice anything had occurred at all.


    As he marched forth, Ciel spared the man one last glance. He did not care how a man chose to kill themselves, however seeing that purple foam ignited memories of his past. He had begun his time as a red tiger member by being a lookout for mist powder deals after all.


    From there, he was promoted to the carrier of the package until finally he received the privilege of being the dealer himself. That was how he had survived at first, and how he eventually escaped the slums and rose from a rat to a standard street rodent.


    Back then, such a thing was quite the promotion indeed.


    The Red Tiger Gang¡­


    They were his current goal. Much like his old self, Ciel would once more need to build a connection and become one of their members. Only then could he hope to arm himself properly. Of course, such a task was not easy, taking his old self many years to accomplish.


    This time however, he had the gift of experience and a talent for death. He was certain that should he showcase his skills adequately, then it would not be impossible to gain membership within a month or less.


    Such a timeline was acceptable.


    The only issue which arose was making a first contact. The red tigers weren¡¯t a welcoming group, and they often preferred to implement youngsters which they had been nurturing for years. That was the reason his old self had taken so long to gain their trust.


    Ciel could not spend too much time with the infiltration, lacking the precious leisure his old self had. They were merely a stepping stone after all, a means but not the end. Still, he could not approach this carelessly as a result of his eagerness.


    If possible Ciel wished to keep things under a familiar course of actions. That way he could fully utilize his past memories to reap the most benefits possible. For that he needed to meet one man in particular; Azik Miles.


    He was one of the twelve striped tigers, the gang leaders in charge of certain territories. He is a ruthless man with a pension for retaliation whenever anyone dared to hurt his pride. A worthless fiend of society by all accounts.


    Just the type of fool I can use as well.


    Ciel quickly found his train of thought acceptable, clearing away the haze in regards to his actions once out of the slum¡¯s tight embrace.


    However even now he remained unhurried.


    It is still night. I need to find somewhere near the edge of the slums and rest for a few hours.


    Ciel had a great many things to do, but his body did not seem as eager as his mind. The more he walked, the more fatigue he felt building inside him. Whether that was because he had been a corpse just hours ago Ciel was not sure.


    In truth he still had no leads as to why he had awoken in such a state. None of the answers which he could think plausible fit the situation. That only left him more at a loss.


    Suddenly, his steady steps came to a halt.


    A distant noise had caught his attention with his eyes quickly narrowing towards the direction which it came. The orange light of the lamp spread out through almost the entire dirt path, illuminating a good portion of both his front and back.


    However, the strange noise came from a diverging pathway just three meters from his current stance. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Hmm.


    Ciel calmly proceeded to walk towards the turn. Once there, the orange glow of the lamp¡¯s electric current rapidly spread forth, revealing a far more narrow path than the one which he currently stood upon.


    Looking further ahead, a figure was moving just beyond the reach of the warm glow. He had found the source of the strange sound, but chose to approach the distant figure regardless.


    Stomp, stomp, stomp.


    After a few steps, Ciel¡¯s eyes narrowed, recognizing the noise for what it was at last.


    It was the sound of flesh being cut.


    No. Not just flesh, he could hear bones being broken and the distinct sound of organs being rearranged. Accompanying them were raspy jittery mumbles. Once the light of the lamp reached the back of the figure they trembled vigorously, then promptly turned around with a panicked expression etched onto their face.


    ¡°W-Who¡¯s there?!¡±


    They shouted, however Ciel did not answer.


    With the figure now thoroughly bathed by the orange hue, an image of an old frail man with a long gray beard and deep black eyes came into view. He was on his knees, covered in dirt and shirtless. Protruding out of his chest were eight ribs, four on each side, and attached to his flesh was the embrace of blood.


    The blood did not belong to him however, as just below him another figure laid there. This one a mutilated corpse. Ciel could make out that it was that of a young man, one who had their entire bowels sliced open and their guts taken out.


    His eyes shifted, falling upon the stranger¡¯s right hand. On it was a sharp piece of steel, pieces of flesh still attached to its jagged edges and entirely engulfed by deep crimson blood. The stranger¡¯s left hand was not left without its own task, having its five fingers tightly grasping the corpse¡¯s guts.


    Unperturbed by the gruesome sight before him, Ciel parted his lips and asked.


    ¡°Were you trying to pull it out?¡±


    The shaken old stranger was startled for a moment, surprised by Ciel¡¯s calm demeanor. Then with a somewhat childish decorum, he nodded.


    ¡°Yes! Th-That¡¯s right! This. This bastard tried to take the meat I stole! My meat! My life you know! I had to kill him after that you see, simply had to! Yes. Yes. That¡¯s right, I had to¡­¡±


    His voice was raspy, his body twitched after every few words he spoke, and his eyes darted around as he exaggerated his body language.


    Ciel watched on, still unbothered by the sight.


    ¡°I see, then why pull out his guts and not his stomach? If what you want is your stolen meat back then it should still be there. Provided that he stole it just moments ago that is.¡±


    The eyes of the old stranger widened, then a deep smile appeared on his lips. Without any words, he merely began shaking his head with a bit too much vigor.


    ¡°Ah yes, yes I know and I will of course! But, but, but. Before that I need space, I need as much space as I can get, I need these pesky organs out so that I may get more blood and complete it! I can¡¯t get my meat back before I complete it. That¡­ I just can¡¯t!¡±


    Ciel did not understand.


    ¡°Complete what?¡±


    He asked simply.


    The old stranger¡¯s grin grew wider and eerie while his dark eyes stirred slightly within its depths. Then suddenly he shook again, however it was a reaction devoid of fear like before and instead as a result of sudden intense pleasure.


    His hand trembled, causing his steel weapon to fall from its grasp. He did not care though, since his bloody fingers quickly rose and pointed even further down the narrow path, then with a cheerful voice the man spoke.


    ¡°My drawing of course! That takes precedence over everything! Before death I must pay tribute! I must, I must, I must!¡±


    Ciel followed the direction of the stranger¡¯s fingers.


    He saw nothing, however unlike before, it was not because the light did not reach it but rather because the darkness was pushing back against it.


    Sparing the excited old man another glance, Ciel took one step forward, then another, until finally he reached the end of the path.


    Pushing forth the lamp, its steel frame almost touched the wall when at last its glow overpowered the stubborn force which prevented its warm embrace before.


    There he saw it. Blood. A lot of blood.


    It was splashed against the wall, still as fresh and carrying a poignant stench. Should that have been all, then Ciel would have quickly retracted his inspection and moved on, his curiosity fulfilled. However, what was before him was far too strange.


    There on the dead end wall, a clumsily arranged symbol was formed, one which Ciel did not recognize or was even able to fully comprehend. The image, which used crimson blood as its ink, remained hard to focus upon, even with the light bathing it.


    That was only for a moment however, soon it fully cleared up, at last blessing Ciel¡¯s sight with total comprehension of its shape. The image was made of twisting lines which combined to forge what appeared like an incomplete spiraled eye.


    The eye was eerie and alien.


    No.


    Ciel¡¯s own eyes narrowed upon seeing it clearly in its entirety, realizing his mistake just a moment too late. Suddenly, the eerie symbol¡¯s presence grew many times more tangible, as if his sight had invited it into the festival of existence.


    It appeared to stir yet remained entirely motionless at the same time. Meanwhile, the light around him grew dimmer as Ciel¡¯s own mind was suddenly assaulted by insidious incomprehensible whispers.


    Ciel did not hesitate to jump back, allowing the heavy darkness to swallow the image whole once more. Once it did, the whispers abruptly halted, as if severed.


    Ciel caressed his head, feeling an intense headache for a moment. He could not describe why, but it was almost as if his own brain was protesting for the whispers to return. He felt compelled to walk towards the darkness again, to stare upon that eye again.


    Corruption¡­ A powerful one as well.


    Of course, he did not comply with such sudden urges. It was not only due to his own reasoning and better judgment but due to the fact that the emotion itself felt faded and weak.


    I suppose my current state does have its advantages.


    Ciel shook his head, successfully waiting out the painful outburst of his mind, then he shifted and walked back to the stranger¡¯s side. There the stranger had returned to carving out the corpse.


    ¡°You drew that?¡±


    Ciel asked simply, his stance showing a hint of caution. The stranger¡¯s body jolted as he shot his head up. Once meeting Ciel¡¯s gaze his eyes widened with panic.


    ¡°Wh-Who are you?!¡±


    Ciel merely stared at him, his expression cold.


    Yep. Deep rooted corruption.


    Seeing his emotionless face, The old man reached out for the corpse and embraced it tightly. Then with exaggerated expressions of utter fear he yelled out.


    ¡°It¡¯s mine! The meat was.. I- I Took it. Now this body is mine too! I Kill¡­ He deserved it.. He is mine!¡±


    He stared down at the corpse with passion in his gaze, accompanied by an eerily wide grin.


    ¡°I need to complete the drawing! I need to! Then¡­ Then you can take what''s left! I¡¯ll only take the stomach okay?! So for now go! Go away! Please, whoever you are, please leave me alone!¡±


    Ciel merely stood still for a moment, honing in on the old stranger¡¯s deep black eyes. The darkness within them, they seemed to be spiraling as well.


    He shook his head.


    An aberration to be sure, however, if so then I need to distance myself. I can barely handle humans as I am, I do not need the corruption of a being at this level, whatever it may be.


    He knew better than to involve himself with this further. For a corruption to affect a mind so deeply, then it meant the source could without a doubt destroy any sense of self which Ciel, or anyone who would attempt to seek it out, held.


    I am already broken enough. I have no need for further complications.


    Leaving the old man behind, Ciel calmly exited the narrow path and went on his way. Judging it best to ignore this strange encounter.

 Chapter 9 - Woman of Ash

    After the strange encounter involving a truly insidious corruption, Ciel made certain to not allow his curiosity to spark such recklessness again. Before being discovered, each aberration would undoubtedly develop a victim count. One made up of fools who were simply unable to resist its influence or those unfortunate enough to cross its path.


    Without fault of their own, they would become its prey. He could not let himself turn into such a case, and as such he made it a point to ignore whatever he found strange.


    Following such a principle, he continued to wander, only reaching his destination after three more hours of further searching.


    He knew he was approaching the end when more and more embers of light began piercing through the chaotic maze which he traversed.


    The structures themselves had gradually become less tangled and the pathways ahead grew not just longer but far more focused than before, no longer possessing as many dead ends or sudden twists. That pattern continued until finally he reached it.


    The end of the slums.


    Situated on a path which was dimly illuminated by a pantheon of neon lights, each merging and twisting with one another in their contest to consume the pathway with their glow, Ciel at last caught a glimpse of the greater world beyond.


    Walking to its edge, or rather its beginning, the dirt path slowly gave way to asphalt until finally the wider outskirts modeled itself in its full glory.


    In front of Ciel now was a long horizontal street. He was situated on its western side while across stood what appeared like the rest of society. If not, then most certainly its borders.


    Proper buildings stood tall and firm, each diverse in height, ranging between two to ten stories tall. They were structures of steel and stone, ones with more integrity than anything the slums could ever hope to match.


    The buildings were hosts which were adorned by countless colorful neon''s. All sourced from signs which declared proudly their occupation.


    ¡®Bar time! Anytime!¡¯


    ¡®Chunky¡¯s¡¯


    ¡®Rider Central!¡¯


    ¡®Hazard Hotel¡¯


    Just upon that single block, three clubs stood, light music escaping with every opening of their iron doors and holographic videos of half naked women hovered just above their roofs, serving as bait for the many intoxicated men which littered the road.


    Some others were simple bars, honing in on a more serene environment. Others were run down artificial food restaurants, and occasionally a small hotel dared to carve a place for itself upon the colorful street.


    Challenging the disorderly arrangement of colors were the tall light poles which emitted a soft yellow glow upon the street. That calm light fell upon the many crowds which made their way past.


    Men and women were in no shortage either. Some walked around dressed exotically and flashy, standing out like a flare. Most however merely wore worn down suits, seemingly just escaping the powerful clutches of their work.


    Regardless of what state they were in, less than a handful did not possess some kind of substance in their hands. Beers, energy boosters, and high inducing whites, were consumed and discarded at terrible speeds.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Many lingered around for that reason whilst only a few escaped the street¡¯s many pulls and successfully arrived at the following road, surely more traps awaited them there as well¡­


    For a long, long time, Ciel just stood there. Unwilling to move, unwilling to stare away either. Blurry lights of civilian vehicles flashed into view as they raced past, driving away, or taking a sudden turn to a diverging road.


    Then when he had finally had enough, he sighed.


    It really did work huh¡­


    He knew that already of course, however seeing the edges of society, churning like it always had, made him truly understand the incredible feat which he had accomplished.


    Sure, the outskirts were still far from the most ideal side of society, yet it was undeniable that it stood before him now. It stood in valiant resistance to the forces which wished for its destruction, along with the rest of humanity.


    It was an ugly sight to be sure, however after two years of its absence, for a moment longer Ciel remained motionless.


    Soon, that moment passed.


    I can not fail¡­


    Thinking such, Ciel spared the distant skyscrapers, along with the Central Elevator which shone with white brilliance, a glance. He then turned, making his way back into the slum¡¯s embrace.


    Before I can proceed further, I need sleep.


    Now at its edge, leaving the slums was a simple matter. For that reason he could shift towards obtaining needed rest. It would do him no good to leave with a body so fatigued.


    Luckily, Ciel was far from picky. So long as it was wide enough for his lean body to enter, then even a hole on the ground would be acceptable. After all, the goal was rest not comfort.


    Retreating from the path he took, Ciel calmly inspected each diverging pathway in search for a suitable dead end. This crusade lasted only ninety seconds before he found a narrow path which met his low criteria.


    Unlike many of what could be considered ¡®proper¡¯ paths, the one he settled upon resembled a tall squared tunnel which was situated between two merging buildings. The structures were both two stories tall and made of blended materials.


    One of the buildings had connected with its neighbor, however it did so only halfway through its first level, leaving behind a narrow tunnel which was barely a few centimeters taller than Ciel himself.


    This will do just fine.


    Taking a step inside, the withered walls of the buildings immediately suffered the shame of exposure from the orange glow emitted by his lamp.


    With a few unhurried steps, he entered deeper and soon reached its end. Once there however, he made an unexpected discovery. It appeared that Ciel had not been the only one to consider such a tunnel a suitable stable.


    Nestled deep inside, with their right shoulder leaning upon the wall, and their legs wrapped firmly by their arms, a figure laid.


    Ciel froze.


    The figure was frail, but not sickly, their delicate stature stemming from the natural physique of a woman¡¯s body.


    Furthermore, that body was as black as the shadows around them, however it was not so as a result of it being her natural state. It simply couldn¡¯t be. That certainty came from the simple fact that her skin resembled ash more than it did flesh.


    Before him was a woman of ash.


    She wore no cover, leaving her hideous skin free for the world to witness in its entirety. Furthermore, her curled state made her appear like a doll which had failed to be set ablaze. It was a truly grotesque scene, and yet simultaneously incomprehensibly alluring.


    Ciel¡¯s eyes examined the ashen woman, their green glimmer devoid of interest. Still, while he felt no lust, he could not pull his sight away, falling prey to the strange allure which she wielded.


    Then, as if sensing his heavy gaze, her charred eyelids twitched. Slowly, one opened, revealing a breathtaking red iris stranded in the white sea of her sclera. For a second it remained unfocused until suddenly shifting to meet Ciel¡¯s stare head on.


    Then, like a dazzling scarlet gem, her eye began to shine, somehow growing many times more profound and carrying with it a dreadful authority.


    In the next second her scorched lips parted and a weak, yet simultaneously domineering, voice echoed.


    ¡°Leave.¡±


    Just like that, with a single word, Ciel felt his mind become assaulted by a foreign force once again. This one perhaps, far more insidious than the last.

 Chapter 10 - A royal creature

    Like an unstoppable tide, sudden thoughts slammed into Ciel¡¯s psyche. Before a single second could pass after the ashen figure¡¯s voice reverberated, he had already begun his struggle against its influence.


    Leave¡­ She wants me to leave? Yes¡­ Then I need to leave, I need to. Will that please her I wonder? Will she praise me for following her will? Ohhh I must even more if so. Yes¡­ Yes¡­ Leave, let me leave right now. I can not dare disturb her further!


    His mind throbbed fiercely, and his heart felt a surge of actual emotion for a moment. It was reverence, one drenched in twisted passion. That sparked an unquenchable desire to follow the command he had been given. He had to obey her, then he would surely gain her favor, perhaps even become worthy of her touch.


    N-No.


    Suddenly squinting in agony, Ciel took hold of his head. He pressed against his temple so vigorously that one wouldn¡¯t be wrong to fear it shattering open, like a melon overcome by tremendous pressure. That arduous struggle raged forth, with his very mind being the enemy.


    Huh¡­ What did I just say? Why does it hurt? Damn. Damn. Do I dare placate against her will? Just who do I think I am?! For that I should atone¡­ Yes atonement, I need to die. Ha, that is right, death is the only fitting punishment. Only death.


    ¡°F-Fuck.¡±


    Muttering a curse Ciel bit his lips until crimson blood poured forth, his face remaining a portrait of wrinkles. Then, with the little clarity which the burning pain of such an action brought, his eyes shot open, carrying with them a cold murderous glare.


    He did not linger to retaliate, sending forth his hand and shoving its fingers right into the single dazzling crimson eye, mutilating it.


    ¡°Aaagh!¡±


    The charred figure let out a pained squeal, their hideous body suddenly contorting in pain. As she moved reflexively from the abrupt agony, the ash-like texture of her skin changed for a moment. Beneath her scorched flesh, a red glow bloomed in every corner of her body which she dared to move. That glow appeared alive and infernal in nature.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    Once more the woman of ash cried out in agony.


    As she did, her already burnt flesh suddenly began to steam, quickly transforming into silky pale skin only for the infernal glow beneath to grow in intensity, as if enraged, and turn that flesh back into blackened charred meat.


    It looked painful, terribly so. It was almost as though her blood was molten lava, one which forever wished to burn its hostess alive. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Regardless of the gruesome display before him however, Ciel was not prone to care at the moment. Crushing the scarlet eye had calmed his deranged storm of thoughts, returning his state to that of an emotionless void.


    Even so, he could not let down his vigilance.


    Ignoring the woman¡¯s pained state, he dropped the lamp and sent forth his newly freed hand to pierce the second eye, one still hidden behind a scorched eyelid. The moment his fingers tore inside, and much like the sensation of his neighboring hand, they were slowly assaulted by a sizzling heat.


    It appeared that the woman¡¯s volcanic blood, or whatever such a force was, did not take kindly to the foreign presence anymore than it did to its hostess¡¯s own flesh. The pain was intense, and soon the heat would burn past his skin and reach deep into his tissue below.


    For that reason, Ciel quickly took proper grasp of the two eyeballs and with a swift retraction of his hands, he tore them from her eye sockets.


    ¡°Arrugh!¡±


    The woman, no, the creature, cried out in anguish, however this time she bore her teeth and unleashed a deep hiss. Her teeth were as white as snow, with two long fangs serving as her canines.


    Ciel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, realization donning upon him.


    A vampire.


    One of the mystical world¡¯s most rare yet powerful creatures of shadow. Among the primordial races of monsters, which were born long before the eternal flames descended upon the world, they are placed as one of the apex creatures.


    They possess a plethora of insidious abilities, many of which serve as perfect foils for both humans and aberrations alike. Their immortality was just as impressive, falling short to no known monster race, only ever possessing equals.


    By all accounts, Ciel had stumbled before a royal creature. A king of aberrations, and even more so rare, one which Bastion was certain had not managed to escape the desolation of Judgement Day.


    Even in a city infested by monsters, the vampire monster race was only ever known before the fall of the old world. They were few in numbers then as well, with only the descendants of those which took it upon themselves to hunt down these immortal creatures bringing forth rich knowledge which they inherited.


    By all records, when the old world entered its second world war, that race was already considered extinct.


    Of course, that is all based on the information I obtained externally, I never properly worked for the NSRA. Perhaps the encounters with creatures at this level were strictly classified.


    That was always a possibility. After all, Ciel only knew of the NSRA¡¯s internal affairs thanks to his time with his mentor and Oliver.


    One had been a Stage 4 Esper, a powerful Arbiter which only numbered in the thirties. The second, Oliver Styles, was a high ranking mystical researcher and myst-tech engineer. Although he was young, according to the booster himself, he claimed to be quite the genius and the fastest rank climber within his research department in all of its history.


    As a result, both were previewed to many classified information, including monster races which were potential Disaster Level: Plague, and above.


    From what Ciel knew, only one monster race managed to reach the disaster level: Plague. Despite that, the NSRA was far too cautious of an entity to be ill prepared to face any potential threat, even more so when rumors of their terror rang far before humanity was even properly equipped to handle them.


    Crushing the eyeballs between his palm. Ciel¡¯s now burnt reddish fingers shook slightly, as if banishing the pain with the mundane effort. He stared attentively to the creature before him, her empty eye sockets now covered by sizzling steam.


    Is this a fortune I have been handed, or a dreaded curse?


    Whichever it was, one thing was certain. This mighty creature, one older than even the modern calendar, was in a far too weakened state. Realizing that, Ciel was now faced with a choice. Slay it and be done with it, or shackle it and equip this fiend as another tool for his arsenal.


    Such an idea was a dangerous one to be sure, however if the benefits were high enough, then even his cautious self was willing to partake in a gamble.

 Chapter 11 - A Deal

    Staring coldly upon the scorched vampire which was riddled by pain. Ciel¡¯s mind was in full churn. It appeared that she was suffering under the effects of a terrible power, one perhaps made for the sole purpose of countering her immortality. That alone was quite the intriguing thought, as well as the first risk he would have to consider if he was to move forth with this gamble.


    Was she attacked by another monster, or is she being hunted by the NSRA?


    The answer to that question would be the deciding factor for his choice. With both possibilities carrying troubling implications.


    If it was the first scenario, then it meant that a monster powerful enough to not just damage but continuously suppress the immortality of a vampire was out there, perhaps even still in pursuit and just moments away from sweeping down to claim the life of its escaped injured prey.


    Ciel would have no means to kill such a foe, much less fair a better chance of escaping their grasp than the vampire herself has.


    On the latter side, if it was instead the NSRA which was behind the royal creature¡¯s abhorred state, then it meant that no less than a full unit of Arbiters were behind its hunting.


    No. For a vampire, they might even deploy a Senior Paladin or Saint Disciple from the start.


    Those were humans which were worthy to be called the spears of humanity and could match the strength of any mighty beast. Being found harboring one of their targets would only lead to unwanted trouble, if not direct execution.


    The more he pondered it, the more the thought of taking such a gamble appeared to be a foolish one. However, that was only so on the surface. In truth, Ciel had no knowledge of the creature before him.


    Where did she come from? and why was she so injured? Naturally, those were questions he did not have answers for, and yet before him was the means to obtain them.


    No need to take risks, such is the usefulness of interrogations.


    Moving closer to the ashen woman, Ciel first leaned in and flicked her head with his index. The sound of the minor impact echoed while the area where his finger touched began to simmer with a red glow for a moment.


    Paying no special attention to this, Ciel spoke.


    ¡°Hey there fiend. You look to be in quite the sorry state so I will make this quick. Be sure to be honest with me, okay?¡±


    He was mimicking a casual tone, however, the coldness which his voice carried, as if engraved into it, made his words sound eerie and unnatural. In that moment, it was almost like a creature was attempting to mimic the casual speech patterns of a human and falling just short of it. As such, no one would be mistaken for thinking that two monsters had sparked up a dialogue.


    Uncaring of this fact, Ciel continued.


    ¡°Where did a vampire like you come from? Has your race been inside Bastion this entire time? Who did this to you? Was it another monster race, your own kind, or maybe even a human like me?¡±


    The blinded ashen vampire had ceased her pained movements, suddenly attentive of the voice addressing her. All the while, her empty eye sockets remained hidden behind a stream of smoke.


    She waited for Ciel to finish his questioning, then finally, her scorched lips first shifted into a rigid smile, before parting to answer.


    ¡°Human¡­ You? Hah. Hah. You could have f-fooled me. Hah¡ª¡±


    Ciel listened to her weak chuckle for a moment, his vision cold. Then once she finished, the fiend continued.


    ¡°W-Why do you wish to know? So that your kin may praise you? I-If you will slay me then do so and be done with it. I-I am in no mood for a drawn-out death.¡±


    Her voice was chopped and weak, yet somehow, Ciel found it sweet, like a soft pleasant melody. In that instant, he found himself thinking that he could listen to her speak forever¡­


    Shaking his head slightly, Ciel quickly banished such a thought.


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    The charm of a vampire is truly a terrifying thing. If I was not in my current state then I might have already succumbed to it¡­


    Whilst pondering such a bleak alternative, Ciel¡¯s actual retort was riddled with mockery.


    ¡°Mood you say? What would a foul thing like you know of death? Just how many times has it come to grace you with its touch? I would bet none until now. Do me a favor fiend, stop pretending as though you understand the courage it takes to accept death¡¯s embrace. You want to continue living, yes? If so then start answering my questions.¡±


    The faint rigid smile of the scorched woman froze then quickly dissipated.


    ¡°I-I was attacked¡­ No. I was punished¡­¡±


    She paused, seemingly hesitant to say anything further.


    ¡°Go on, who punished you?¡±


    Ciel pressed.


    ¡°T-That is all I can say about their identity. Should I say further, then¡­ Then gather the courage which you spoke of and prepare for death itself to descend upon us.¡±


    Hmm.


    Ciel did not understand. The creature before him appeared calm, however the hesitation which attached itself to her tongue suggested that whatever it was that her warning meant, it could not be treated as merely hollow words.


    He sighed.


    ¡°Okay then, do not tell me who. However, tell me this, why were you punished?¡±


    The ashen vampire grew stiff at his words, then she allowed a soft chuckle to escape her lips. Her body quaked slightly from such an action, reigniting her infernal cycle of being burnt, then healed, only to be burnt again and again in whichever area she dared to move. She did not seem to care however, her chuckle quickly transforming into a proper laughter.


    Her sweet alluring laughter echoed within the cramped softly lit tunnel, slowly becoming more and more pained with each passing second, until finally, from within her empty eye sockets a red glow surged forth. Deep crimson blood rose, appearing like molten lava. It sizzled inside her empty eye sockets, like how boiling soup does inside a pot. However not long after, the crimson blood grew too plentiful and began trickling down her scorched cheeks.


    Amidst her laughter, the vampire had begun crying.


    Only after a few more seconds of her infernal shedding did she finally answer.


    ¡°B-Because I did not belong¡­¡±


    Left utterly baffled, Ciel did not know what to answer with. Luckily he did not need to, the scorched fiend was not done speaking just yet.


    ¡°T-This is to be my fate¡­ I-I had accepted it at first, truly I had¡­ However, the more death creeped near the less I was able to accept this outcome¡­ T-Tell me human. W-What is it you desire? Should you become my aid, then once I regain my strength and before we part ways, I-I will use my might and grant your wish. Are you willing to accept such an agreement?¡±


    The longer she spoke, the more the sweetness of her voice became drowned by pain¡­ Ciel found the sight to be a truly pitiful one.


    Guess I did not even need to bring it up¡­ Still, she did not mention humans which means the first scenario is likely the case here. Was she abandoned by her kind? Does Bastion have more vampires within its borders? And more importantly, is the NSRA aware of such a possibility?


    If something was holding her tongue, be it fear or a more insidious bind, then Ciel would not gain much through further questioning. Regardless of that though, he felt he had gained plenty.


    She had been betrayed by her kind most likely, though the possibility that she was attacked by another powerful creature was also not unlikely. Regardless of which scenario rang true however, only one thing mattered now. Depending on what the answer to that was, he would be able to make his decision.


    Thinking such, he asked.


    ¡°Are the ones who did this to you aware that you are still alive? If I help you, should I expect a battle of survival to follow?¡±


    The ashen woman did not linger to answer, moving her neck side to side slightly.


    No she says huh¡­


    Of course, she could always be lying. Ciel knew full well that monster races possessed more cunning the stronger they were, and yet, he believed her.


    He did so not out of trust, but simply a result of the evidence before him. Given her state, even with Ciel¡¯s help, recovery would take a substantial amount of time. If a being, or much worse a herd of them,  powerful enough to bring her to this pathetic state were still actively hunting her then Ciel saw no reason for the fiend to continue believing that she could survive long enough to recover, or even that Ciel had the means to protect her.


    In other words, a damn monster has to be placed at death¡¯s mercy to barely be trusted huh.


    He would need to be cautious nonetheless, however, had Ciel possessed the means to obtain a one hundred percent guarantee then making this choice would not be worthy of being regarded as a gamble.


    The risk was high, but the reward was just as high.


    Making a choice, Ciel sent forth his hand and tightly grasped the ashen woman¡¯s delicate neck.


    THUMP!


    The back of her charred head slammed violently against the wall as she let out a pained screech. Ciel felt his hand begin to experience the protest of her smoldering blood, however he ignored the burning sensation it spawned and spoke coldly.


    ¡°Very well, we have a deal. However, know this, if you lied to me then not only will I not help you regain your strength, but I will end you myself before anyone else gets to do the honors.¡±


    His grip tightened, pressing onto the ashen creature¡¯s windpipe with terrible force.


    ¡°Nod in affirmation if you understand.¡±


    She did not hesitate to comply and quickly did just that. Ciel nodded in return, mimicking a satisfied expression¡­


    He released his grip and allowed her body to fall. She fell to the ground with a thud, then immediately curled her body as a reaction to the sudden pain. Sizzling steam followed shortly after, signaling the continuous motion of her infernal cycle.


    Ciel watched this scene coldly, uncaring for her pain.


    Before him now was a new weapon at his disposal. A dangerous tool which he would use to its fullest.


    Of course, when the time comes, there is no future where we both walk away from this alive.


    He knew that well, and most certainly, she must know it also.

 Chapter 12 - New Name

    Ciel watched the pitiful scene before him with a distant expression. The cycle of being burnt only to be healed, then to be burnt once more was quite the cruel one. The more the scorched vampire moved as a result of the torment, the more it would continue. In the end, it would only stop when she managed to remain entirely unreactive to its infernal fury.


    Ciel judged it would take her a few dozen seconds for her to do just that so he did not spend that time idly, using it to adjust his actions moving forward.


    Her charm is powerful but at her current state it would fail to impact a stage 1 esper in any significant way. I can not rely on her for a fight either, she can not even defend herself against me, a 15 year old¡­ Actually scratch that, I might not be too normal myself so perhaps that is not a fair assessment.


    Ciel¡¯s state was that of a young teen, however, his mind was far more advanced. Not only was he proficient in battles, but often in ones which had unpredictable elements constantly being thrown his way. Furthermore, he was no stranger in facing stronger opponents which held significant advantages over him. For those reasons, he could not be made the standard in which to judge her.


    Hmm. Well whatever, time will reveal everything to me. For now, her charm is enough of a boon.


    Having decided such, Ciel approached the now stagnant vampire, who had finally managed to escape her torturous cycle, and spoke.


    ¡°First things first, we need to establish a few things about this deal of ours¡­ Rule number one; no questions about me. Do not ask why I am here, why I do what I do and when, nor why I know what I know. Just follow my orders, and in return I will do my part to help grasp at opportunities for your recovery. Understood?¡±


    The charred woman appeared motionless, like a statue, but undoubtedly she was attentive to his words. Her eyes were no longer bathed under a stream of smoke, seemingly fully recovered and hidden behind the thin layer of her scorched eyelids.


    She nodded stiffly.


    Ciel nodded in return also.


    ¡°Good, then as for rule number two; I am in charge here. Even if an opportunity arises which could regain some of your strength, but I deem it too dangerous, then we will look past it and you will not protest that choice. Your goal should be survival, not recovery. Understood?¡±


    This time the scorched vampire did not just nod, instead she curled her lips slightly and her sweet voice followed shortly after.


    ¡°My, my, if I did not know any better, I-I would think you secretly wish to be the dominator of a monster. T-Tell me, do all humans share in such a fetish?¡±


    She chuckled weakly with a bit of pain serving as a topping for its melody. She then continued.


    ¡°I-I jest¡­ I understand¡­ F-Furthermore, you seem well informed, I-It appears I shall not need to reveal how an immortal recovers their strength once cursed¡­¡±


    Ciel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.


    ¡°So it is a curse then. That tracks.¡±


    Ciel knew a few things about killing immortal creatures. They were tricky beasts to be sure, however often the method of slaying them was rather simple. Attack them with a power so great that they are unable to heal before being annihilated.


    Oftentimes, raw power was the correct answer¡­


    Many monsters had incredible healing capabilities, but that alone did not qualify them as an immortal. To qualify a monster would need to not age whilst also have the ability to survive half or more of their body being completely eradicated. Only then could they join such a rank.


    For that reason, if entrapment was not possible, then a powerful esper would merely have to incinerate them to the limits of their body¡¯s healing capacity. This method was tried and true, however the more powerful the immortality was, the less potent such a method became. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Ciel was unsure of how a vampire¡¯s immortality functioned in comparison to other beasts, however he doubted that raw power alone was enough to eradicate them entirely. No. For a royal creature one needed an attack which brought with it the touch of death, whatever shape that may take.


    Such an attack not only targets the body but the status of the creature as an immortal being. In many ways, it weakens their very standing inside the world.


    Finishing his pondering, Ciel confirmed one final thing.


    ¡°You need to absorb, or if not then ¡®take¡¯ away the authority of other aberrations or monsters, correct? By strengthening your existence through the acquiring of these anchors, your immortality will naturally grow stronger than the remnant effects of the attack which lingers inside you. That lingering effect being what you refer to as a curse. Is that so, or did I miss something?¡±


    The searing vampire¡¯s stiff smile grew wider.


    ¡°Y-Yes, it is so¡­ Heh. Heh. I-It seems you are no ordinary human after all. P-Perhaps you shall actually be worthy of being called m-my master, even if just temporarily so.¡±


    Ciel scoffed, then answered mockingly.


    ¡°Worthy or not, an injured dog has no choice in who it must lick up to in order to continue its pitiful life.¡±


    Once more a pained chuckle reverberated.


    ¡°Y-You are correct, yet I find myself feeling quite favored by luck nonetheless¡­¡±


    Ciel shrugged.


    ¡°So you say. Anyways, for now that is all the rules I will impose. If the need arises then I will add more, consider that as the third rule if you would like. Now¡­¡±


    Ciel froze, belatedly realizing that he was unsure of how to address the fiend before him.


    Should I just use fiend perhaps? Hmm. No, if recovery is the goal, then by calling her by her actual name it will help solidify her existence as an aberration. Though the effect will be miniscule.


    After his short pause, he continued.


    ¡°Actually fiend, what name should I call you by?¡±


    Hearing his words abruptly shift into a question, the ashen woman seemed to immediately turn apprehensive.


    ¡°M-My name¡­¡±


    Weakly, far more than even before, she repeated those words through her charred lips. Ciel only barely managed to hear her, along with the pain her voice carried. It was a pain unrelated to the constant simmering of her infernal blood.


    Then after a long pause, she answered.


    ¡°I-I have none¡­ Not anymore. I-It was stripped from me.¡±


    Nameless huh.


    For an aberration to claim such meant that it had been done so literally. To them, symbols and names held great authority, tied firmly with their mighty existences. Still, while he understood that her words were not metaphorical, Ciel still found himself intrigued.


    I have never seen a monster be stripped of their name before. What kind of thing or being even has the ability to do that? Or maybe it is something to do with the nature of vampires specifically?


    Just through the encounter with this vampiric figure today, Ciel had come to realize that there were yet a great many things which he was unknowledgeable about. An obvious conclusion, however one he had chosen to play ignorant to until now.


    The more he discovered about this ashen creature, the more Ciel was rattled by one unanswerable question after another. Ironically, after having set a rule which forbade her from questioning him, he felt compelled to do just that to her.


    Is knowing the answers worth having¡­ Hmm¡­ How had she put it? ¡®Have death itself descend upon me¡¯?


    Sparing the question some solicitous thought, Ciel quickly reached an answer.


    Of course not¡­


    Shrugging with an indifferent demeanor, he spoke.


    ¡°If that is the case, give yourself a new name. By associating yourself under said new name then it will have the same effect as your old one.¡±


    The ashen vampire did not answer his words immediately. Ciel could not tell, since she lacked a speck of hair anywhere in her head, however he was fairly certain she was frowning. It appeared that his newly acquired tool was far too hesitant to take up his offer.


    ¡°M-My name¡­ I-It held great value. To abandon it now¡­ I-Is to abandon even more of myself, and beyond that¡­ I-It is to abandon half of my power.¡±


    The scorched lips of the ashen vampire quaked slightly as she spoke, betraying her attempts to mask her grief.


    Ciel sighed.


    ¡°If it was taken like you said then simply take it back once you regain your strength. What is wrong with you? Is a monster not meant to be more decisive about matters of life and death? What has made you into such a timid beast?¡±


    Ciel spoke simply, his voice tinged with both coldness and ridicule.


    The charred creature¡¯s silence continued for a few more seconds, then at last she merely nodded stiffly.


    ¡°Y-Yes¡­ Y-You are correct. So then, my master, why not bless me with a new name? C-Consider it the solidification of this deal of our making.¡±


    Me huh¡­


    Ciel did not feel bothered or inconvenienced by such a request, however he did find his mind reaching a deadend.


    What would be fitting?


    He knew nothing of her, nor could he discern her true appearance. For that reason he did not name her by using a characteristic as an inspiration. Thinking back on his old life, a few names shuffled within his brain until finally he decided to name her based on a particular clothing brand which his old self often wore.


    ¡°Very well. From today onwards, your name will be: Rin.¡±

 Chapter 13 - Into the outskirts

    ¡°Rin¡­¡±


    The blistering lips of the ashen vampire repeated the new name a few times, firstly as if it was a distant concept, then slowly her voice gained a resonance of familiarity with it, signaling that the scorched vampire had accepted her new name.


    She nodded.


    ¡°V-Very well, Rin it shall be.¡±


    Seeing that she had found the name to be a fitting one, Ciel affirmed with a nod of his own. Following this, his eyes narrowed down, taking a moment to thoroughly examine Rin¡¯s grotesque figure. His brows furrowed.


    ¡°Your state, how well can you prevent others from noticing it?¡±


    He asked.


    Rin was quick to answer.


    ¡°A-As of now, perhaps only when I actively deploy my charm.¡±


    ¡°That requires eye contact, correct?¡±


    Rin¡¯s neck twisted slightly, denying his conjecture. Then she added,


    ¡°O-Only commands require eye contact. My existence alone is endowed with my charm. I-I can infect an unprotected mind like so and without their awareness affect them in accordance to my will.¡±


    Hmm. So just by being around them, she can affect the way they act? It seems a vampire¡¯s authority in the mind domain is rather high. That might explain why they have yet to be discovered within this city until now.


    While under thought, Ciel recollected the image of the bustling street he had witnessed not too long ago at the edges of the slums. Soon a singular hotel surfaced in his mind.


    If we exit in a way so that it is a direct line to that hotel then perhaps nothing too bad will occur.


    Ciel understood that he could not hide her state therefore all he could do was attempt to mitigate any potential mishaps.


    I suppose this is the price of wielding a defected organic weapon huh.


    Having made his decision, he spoke.


    ¡°That will have to do then.¡±


    Saying such, Ciel quickly stood straight and began taking off the ragged gray shirt which he currently wore. It was an accessory made of poor materials way before the cruelty of nature further dropped what little integrity it possessed. Beyond its dirt filled state however, his shirt was slightly oversized and peppered with tears and small holes.


    When it came to covering up Rin¡¯s hideous state, the shirt was far from the ideal solution, and yet for now it would have to do. Throwing it over to Rin, showing little care of where it landed, Ciel ordered.


    ¡°Put this on, we will be leaving right now. Make sure to not let out any sounds of pain once we leave the slums.¡±


    Rin seemed to sense the disturbance the cloth caused in the air around her as it fell, however even with that she failed to catch it before it touched the dirt. Her stretched out arm hung in the air for a moment before she dropped it down in pursuit of the clothing.


    These actions triggered her cycle of infernal torment once more, however she merely ignored the pain through gritted teeth. Finally, her fingers found the ragged fabric and took hold of it.


    ¡°U-Understood.¡±


    Only a single word left her scorched lips.


    *****This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Before the start of the slums, on the edges of the greater organism known as society, Ciel stood. Beside him was a figure seemingly burnt from head to toe, wearing nothing but a tattered gray shirt which did not even manage to cover past her waist. Initially Ciel had thought it would, however he had made a simple oversight; that being the difference in height between himself and his vampiric partner, Rin.


    Within Bastion, the average height for a man was 1.70 meters tall while women fell just short of that at an average height of 1.63 meters tall. Currently, at the age of 15, Ciel was standing just below the woman¡¯s average height, however his vampire companion was the opposite, standing just above the men¡¯s average height. He had been fortunate that his shirt was already a bit oversized, however that luck was a fleeting one.


    Realizing that there was nothing which he could do to further mend this issue, Ciel simply sighed.


    He turned to face Rin, who was struggling to even remain standing, and asked.


    ¡°Ready?¡±


    With her eyes still hidden behind a veil of scorched flesh, the pitiful vampire appeared even further crippled. She herself remained unbothered by this however and nodded stiffly.


    ¡°Good. Now then, open them.¡±


    Rin did not linger, upon hearing his words, her eyelid twitched before being pulled back. Immediately, Ciel came to witness two dazzling red gems, ones which were of a deep crimson, and which carried with them an insidious power.


    Despite laying sight to double what he had before, Ciel did not struggle to contain his emotions this time. The reason for that was simple, the dreaded authority which those scarlet eyes possessed were still hidden further from the world, only this time its trapper was not flesh but Rin¡¯s own will.


    Satisfied with this, Ciel waited no further. He reached out his first step, then another, followed further still by another, until at last he had done it, he had returned to society after what felt like an eternity.


    *****


    Crossing the road had not been a struggle. As expected, Rin, even with her torturous cycle at full churn, remained silent and capable. Even more so than Ciel had initially thought her able of. Furthermore, the stubborn vampire had not yielded to Ciel¡¯s pace, matching it with her own. It seemed her pride had yet to falter.


    It was not until Ciel successfully crossed the busy road before at last Rin¡¯s unique appearance presented its first hindrance.


    ¡°Wah! My dude, is she alright?!¡±


    A man commented, he was one of the many people lingering outside the plethora of bar and club options. He was dressed in full black with many tattoos etched into his face and a colorfully painted green hair which, unfitting to the rest of his appearance, was neatly placed in a slit back hairstyle.


    He had been leaning against the city light poles, taking a hefty sip of his Stinger-Brand beer when his eyes suddenly bulged and he began choking mid-way through his chug. Then after a few heavy coughs, he blurted out those words with a trembling finger directed precisely at Rin¡¯s scorched figure.


    Ciel had just stepped upon the pedestrian sidewalk when he heard the man¡¯s panicked voice. Sparing him a cold chilling stare, the green haired man visibly became startled by his intense animosity and let out a heavy gulp.


    Before the man could say anything else however, Rin had already made it to Ciel¡¯s side. The parts of her body which were visible glowed red, constantly fluctuating between intense and dim states. That all culminated with thin steam being left behind as she walked.


    To others, not only was she mutilated and in a state where no one should have had the ability to walk, but she appeared like an overheating machine on the verge of igniting into utter cinder.


    Rin''s neck stiffly turned, her eyes falling not just on the startled man, but the few dozen others which were alerted by his yell. Her lips parted, and a weak but unfathomably alluring voice rang out.


    ¡°Pay no heed¡­¡±


    As she spoke, her crimson eyes grew in its luster, glistening brightly like a pair of scarlet moons when at their fullest.


    The audience present all grew motionless for a moment, then after no more than two seconds passed, they all continued along their way, uncaring for neither her nor Ciel¡¯s presence.


    Yes, quite the boon indeed.


    Ciel could not help but feel satisfied by her display of power. He felt that the gamble he chose was worth wild if it meant this power alone would be at his disposal. However, he knew better than to believe it would remain that way for long.


    I do need to be careful. I have to make sure she regains her strength at a pace just short of my own. If not then when the time comes I might carve out my own heart with a wide smile and hand it to her.


    Rin was certain to prove herself a useful partner, but even more so a dreadful enemy.


    Not lingering any further. The two quickly walked towards the nearest establishment. Before them now stood an old building, one of stone with rusted steel edges, and standing only three stories tall. Plastered on its center, just above the alloy double doors, was a sign bathed in bright blue which read:


    ¡®Hazard Hotel¡¯


    This was to be their first settlement¡­


    After a few more instances of Rin exerting her powerful charm, Ciel pulled back the double-doors with some considerable effort. Most modern hotels were equipped with self-operating doors, even if not, they would often employ a doorman to do just that. For a place like the outskirts however, expecting such conveniences of life would only highlight one''s ignorance.


    After successfully winning his struggle with the alloy doors, the two had stepped inside the small establishment. There they were met with a simple hall, no, it was not a hall but the entire first floor of the building.


    The floor was empty with only the counter resting at its end. Surrounding it on both sides were spiraling stairways made of rusted steel which served as paths towards the upper levels. The moment the door closed shut behind them, a red light just above it flickered brightly and brought with it a screeching beeping.


    BEEP!


    BEEP!


    BEEP!


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    Only after such an alarm did the sole figure, an older man with grayish hair, a thick beard of the same color and a large gut hidden behind his brown torn vest, turn to face their way.


    Hoisted on his chapped lips was a single white, its tip collapsing to ash as a result of the spreading flame within. The old man¡¯s eyes squinted for a moment, then just as quickly his brows bent into an ugly scowl.


    ¡°Tck. Didn¡¯t I tell yah?! No more begging damn it! Get out you rats! I have no free rooms to give! Even if I had a damn hole in the dirt I woulda still charge you rent for it! So go! Go! Go!¡±


    Ciel stared forward at the yelling man for a moment before turning his head to face Rin, he murmured.


    ¡°Well then, I do not think I need to explain what I want you to do next right?¡±

 Chapter 14 - Hotels are best when free

    Rin¡¯s movements were rigid, even after successfully keeping pace with Ciel¡¯s own, she had done so through bare minimum motions. That was to be expected, after all every action she took would only serve as a catalyst for more agony. Due to that reason, she did not turn to face Ciel after his murmur. Instead she merely stared at the disheveled old man and answered softly.


    ¡°D-Do not insult my intelligence, your intent is quite clear.¡±


    Ciel shrugged, adding a bit of extra zing to his movements as he retorted with ridicule.


    ¡°Well you have yet to be trained so of course I would be skeptical of it. Hmph, but maybe to a vampire dominating minds is equivalent to a dog barking at fences no?¡±


    Rin¡¯s searing shoulders twitched slightly, however she managed to calm the impulse to counter his mockery, signaling her defeat within this back and forth.


    ¡°S-Surely you jest¡­¡±


    She said simply.


    Ciel found his vampiric companion¡¯s reaction to his ridicule acceptable. It was his intention to not cultivate a friendly partnership between the two of them. Just because he had to use her did not mean he would enjoy the company of a beast. Beyond that, he could not become casual with her either. One can tame a beast, but never trust them.


    The relationship they currently held had Ciel as its head, Rin had not protested this because he was currently the stronger out of the two. That fact however would slowly become blurred as she begins to regain more of her old power.


    Should he let his guard down or show too much weakness then it will diminish her wariness. As such she might grow bold and attempt a first strike when he least expects it or is not in a position to defend against it. That possibility was troublesome, yet Ciel felt it to be an inevitability.


    With their exchange finished, Ciel¡¯s focus shifted back towards the old man situated behind the counter.


    ¡°Stay here, I will set things up for you, that way we can maximize the effects of your charm.¡±


    Saying such, Ciel walked forward.


    The first floor of the building was in a far worse state than the building¡¯s outward appearance. The wood was weathered, its polish long since gone. No windows decorated the level either, in fact literally nothing beyond the lights which hung above its center and counter were found.


    The lighting in itself was poor, barely encasing the floor with a dim orange hue. Light bulbs were items which could be found at a variety of prices. Even the dirt cheap ones came in brighter variations, such as the basic pure white bulbs of the: Call-Glow brand, which was only more expensive by a margin of five credits or less.


    Of course, the reason this hotel did not use such a light source was rather simple. To mask the deterioration of the structure from any potential customers. No one in the outskirts were in a position to demand the industry standards found in the city proper, however hotels, motels, and resorts did not exclusively aim for those who lived inside the outskirts itself like many apartment complexes did.


    Their target customers included those which came into the outskirts from the greater city for either work, cheap whores, partying, or maybe even a few laundering schemes here and there. Oftentimes, while those folks were not what one would consider as ¡®well off¡¯, they did demand just a bit more than the average outskirt residence would. This sparked a tricky balancing act in which outskirt hotels did just enough to appear the better option than their nearest competitors while doing so as cheaply as possible.


    With every step Ciel made, the ground beneath his feet shrieked. He reached the counter after a few more steps then donned a smile and spoke.


    ¡°Good day sir. My name is Ciel Adams and I was interested in a room for hmm¡­ I suppose for the foreseeable future. Do you happen to have any available?¡±


    The old man, with a burning white still hoisted between his chapped lips and a heavy scowl plastered upon his face, scoffed. His deep brown eyes examined Ciel from top to bottom for a moment then instead of answering he took another heavy puff of his diminishing white and blew the smoke into Ciel¡¯s face.


    ¡°Brat, if you wanna get a room at least pretend you got money will ya! Don¡¯t come in here wearing nothing but that cheap cloth as pants and a face fulla dirt then expect adults to take ya seriously! Now I have never met ya before so imma be nice when I say this¡­ We don¡¯t accept your kind here, and sorry but we don¡¯t house rats for free either! Now go back to the damn slums!¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    That is you being kind?


    Ciel¡¯s smile did not waver, Instead he merely continued.


    ¡°Oh come on now, I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t care about where my money came from right? Tell you the truth, I just stole some and thought I¡¯ll treat myself for once. You know I have never even fucked a whore before? Things are different now tho! But well, I can¡¯t exactly do that without having a bed and a place to put all the nice new clothes I plan to buy now can I? So yeah, no worries really, I got the money, so just tell me the prices.¡±


    The old man spared Ciel a dubious look, clearly skeptical of his claims. He then ruffled his white disheveled beard for a moment before shrugging.


    ¡°Yeah, I suppose that sounds believable. Ha! But brat, just know, if the police come knocking, I won¡¯t be covering for ya!¡±


    Ciel clapped his hands and widened his smile, turning it even more carefree.


    ¡°Hah, hah! No worries, gramps, I¡¯m sure the police don''t care. Hell, even if they do, I won¡¯t resent you for doing what you got to do. That''s the way of the world after all.¡±


    The old man nodded, then after yet another heavy puff he continued.


    ¡°Well then brat I got two rooms, room five and room twelve. Five is smaller and it costs 40 Credits or 4 Premium Credits. Has a stable light source, a single bed, a holographic tv, and a built-in bathroom. Room twelve has all the same but da tv has access to the network, the bathroom got a heater, and is just bigger. That one will cost ya 60 Credits or 6 Premium Credits.¡±


    After the old man finished stating his offers, Ciel pretended to ponder the options for a while. Of course, the choice was obvious from the start.


    If free, then always go for the better choice.


    ¡°Room twelve then. Let''s do a month for now¡±


    He said with a smile.


    The old man nodded, then casually twisted his neck slightly and spat out his white. The single piece of stub flew through the air, just nearly missing the open garbage bin situated at the counter¡¯s edge.


    The old man was indifferent to his aiming failure and began writing down the information he needed upon a book at his side. After a minute passed he turned to face Ciel once more. He stretched out a hand then did a simple back and forth motion with his fingers.


    ¡°That''s 1,200 Credits then, 120 Premium if ya feeling fancy.¡±


    Ciel chuckled nervously whilst scratching the back of his head.


    ¡°One moment then, the whore I just hired has my money.¡±


    He turned to face the figure standing at the entrance and gestured for her to come. Soon Rin did just that. The wooden floor shrieked from her passing, however its cries were drowned out by a much louder surprised yell from the old man.


    ¡°W-What in da lord Luminous¡¯s name is that?!¡±


    His small eyes had bulged wide, seemingly forgetting the skeptical look he had shown Ciel when he called her forth. Meanwhile, Rin¡¯s eyes had already begun emitting their scarlet luster as her lips parted.


    ¡°Pay no heed¡­¡±


    She murmured, her sweet voice exposing the world to her dreadful influence yet again.


    That alone made the old man¡¯s panic cease instantly, then after a second or two, his skeptical scowl returned and he turned to face Ciel again.


    ¡°Brat, you wa trust a whore to hold your damn money?! I thought you were a smart rat for a moment ya know, guess not!¡±


    Ciel simply shrugged then said in a boisterous manner.


    ¡°Come on gramps, you have to put yourself in my shoes! Like you, she was skeptical if I had any money so to prove I was worth her ¡®services¡¯ I showed her my stuff and even made her carry it for me! Call it stupid if you like, but to me, that''s a small risk to take for the fulfillment of my long time fantasy! You can understand a youths'' desperation can¡¯t you?¡±


    The old man stared at Ciel with an incredulous expression, then after a few seconds he burst out into a hefty laughter. He bellowed for a good while after, slapping his sizable gut a few times in the process. Then after he was done, he faced Ciel and nodded, his lips curled.


    ¡°Ha! Good one brat! Ok, ok, I won¡¯t judge you. Live life how it should be lived, in whichever way it favors ya most!¡±


    He took a few more heavy breaths then whipped his eyes slightly. His focus then shifted back to Rin. She still stood where she had arrived just moments prior, motionless like a statue.


    ¡°So the money then¡­¡±


    The old man said as he reached out his hand.


    Rin¡¯s eyes spared Ciel a glance, their scarlet luster betraying her perplexity. However, she did not question him now and instead her focus returned to the old man, answering him as her eyes shimmered crimson.


    ¡°There, it has been given.¡±


    The old man¡¯s empty hand clutched tightly two seconds after her words reverberated in the room. He wore a wide grin as he opened the register hidden underneath the counter.


    ¡°Well, well, you actually had it! Ha, Can¡¯t believe you weren¡¯t full a shit brat!¡±


    What a fool¡­


    Ciel mocked the old man inwardly, however outwardly, his lips stretched from end to end.


    ¡°Of course gramps!¡±


    The old man frowned slightly. He then reached out his other hand to Ciel, this time not to collect but instead to give him the key-card of the room.


    ¡°Brat, I ain¡¯t no gramps so no call me that will ya! My name is Neil. So call me that if you wa address me!¡±


    Ciel took hold of the small steel card and spared the number twelve glowing with a dim blue luster upon its center a glance. He then nodded.


    ¡°No problem Mr. Neil! Thank you for the room¡­¡±

 Chapter 15 - Tired body

    The steel stairs released a low screech with every step Ciel and Rin took, causing smithereens of rust to trickle down. The pair had already concluded their discussion, and began heading towards the room. They were halfway to the third level when Ciel could no longer ignore the heavy gaze tickling the back of his neck.


    Turning to face the hideously scorched vampire attempting to keep up pace with him, he asked.


    ¡°What? Do not tell me you want some blood.¡±


    His tone was cold, entirely devoid of any emotions which he displayed when discussing with the elderly Neil.


    ¡°N-No¡­ Tell me, why waste breath upon weaving a lie? M-My power should have been sufficient from the very beginning.¡±


    The two arrived at the third level just as Rin¡¯s questioning concluded. The floor was encased by a wooden coating which formed a narrow hallway. On both sides were steel doors with dim red lights displaying the room numbers.


    Ciel spared Rin a glance, then began making his way through. Rin followed, her body enwrapped by spots of surging red glows along with a thin layer of trailing steam.


    ¡°I did it for efficiency and protection. Rin, you use your ability like a barbarian would, completely devoid of foresight. You simply tend to the need at hand. That may have worked for you before but right now both you and I are in a precarious situation. Beyond that we will also have plenty of trouble come our way in the future¡­¡±


    Ciel arrived at the hallways end, there a steel door to his right possessed the number he sought.


    ¡®Twelve¡¯


    Reaching out his key-card, he hovered it above the lock sensor until it registered its code. The lock sensor was of the lowest quality, all it had was a single vertical screen which displayed an icon of a shut padlock flickering.


    Ciel had to swipe the key-card above the lock sensor three times before it finally registered the card¡¯s influence. An extended beeping sound followed soon after, along with the screen¡¯s icon shifting into sliding words which read:


    ¡®Access Granted¡¯


    Ciel¡¯s fingers wrapped around the door¡¯s handle and pulled. The door let out a creaking sound as it retracted, then once extended, Ciel spared Rin a glance. She did not fail to understand his intent and stepped inside ahead of him. Seeing Rin enter, Ciel did not linger to follow behind her. The steel door released its cry once more before closing shut.


    As expected, the room was far from lavish, just barely above atrocious even. The blue paint of the stone walls were faded, the furniture appeared ancient, and the wooden floor was just a step away from being considered weathered.


    The room was perfectly rectangular, with a kitchen facing them at the entrance followed by a dinner table, and beyond that was the living space. There a projector stood hoisted by a one meter tall table with a sofa facing it on the opposite side. Around halfway to the right of the room, two doors could be found side by side, serving as the entrance to the bathroom and bedroom respectively.


    Registering their entrance, the two lights attached to the room¡¯s stone ceiling came to life, bathing it under a warm orange glow.


    Rin was already past the kitchen, quickly arriving to the distant sofa. She stared at it for a few seconds, seemingly contemplating resting on it, however in the end she chose to take a seat on the floor next to it. Her legs curled in and she wrapped them with her arms, turning herself back into a living statue. The steaming of her body intensified for a moment after, an agony which she bore with gritted teeth.


    Ciel meanwhile walked around and gave a further inspection to the room. Their silence did not break until Rin¡¯s infernal cycle ceased its churn. Only then did she turn her neck slightly to face Ciel.


    ¡°I-I see no need for it still. M-More often than not those placed under my power fail to retaliate¡­ Y-You had been one of the few exceptions.¡±


    Ciel was staring blankly at the empty fridge situated at the kitchen. He then sighed. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Yep my point exactly, you are completely blind. Listen, you need to change your mindset. You are no longer an apex predator but instead a small prey with a few tricks up their sleeve. Due to that, take this saying to heart: ¡®Be aware of danger, but never within it. Like a storm you can¡¯t control its existence, however you can shield yourself from its wrath¡¯.¡±


    Ciel closed the fridge door then began examining the kitchen counter as he continued.


    ¡°Let''s break down your ability. In its simplest explanation you essentially mind control others, however you do so through verbal commands and eye-contact. Furthermore, from what I experienced, if someone can resist your command then they will start having thoughts which are imbued with a mixture of devotion and lust towards you. Almost as if they are trying to convince themselves to do as you say despite the objections of their own will. It is an insidious ability no doubt, however there is a caveat to it. A flaw which is only amplified by your usage of it.¡±


    Rin¡¯s scarlet eyes were locked onto Ciel, displaying her attentive state. Ciel meanwhile finished his examination of the kitchen counter. He then approached the dinner table, pulled a chair, and sat down.


    With their gazes meeting he continued.


    ¡°Let us say we gain the attention of the NSRA in the future. It will not be long before they narrow down our approximate location and start sending their officers to investigate. When they arrive here they will meet the gramps downstairs. Now let us assume we did it without my lie and instead you had just walked toward him then commanded that he give us this room. When the officers interrogate the bastard and he fails to recall things he clearly should, such as making the deal with us, then it will become obvious that something is wrong¡­ Mind control is powerful however it does not create memories, it merely leaves blanks. The NSRA knows this all too well, and just like that we are caught¡­ No, not caught, executed.¡±


    Seeing a hint of realization shimmer beneath Rin¡¯s crimson eyes, Ciel nodded.


    ¡°You understand now right? With my lie all he will not remember is you actually handing the money over. He will remember every word I spoke, along with thinking I am a thief with a desire for whores. I am sure the old gramps will simply assume he forgot the moment the money was handed. It is very normal to not remember everything in full detail, after all we are only human. Furthermore, with me being a common slum thief, the case will be forwarded to the police department. A far better outcome than the first scenario, do you not agree?¡±


    With his explanation complete, Ciel simply leaned back on his chair. His vampiric companion remained silent for a moment after, seemingly in thought. Soon her scarlet eyes met his own once more and her ashen lips curled into a stiff smile.


    ¡°My, my, are you truly certain you are not a monster?¡±


    Ciel shrugged.


    ¡°A monster no¡­ Perhaps just a shattered human.¡±


    Not caring if Rin would understand the meaning behind his words, Ciel stood from his seat.


    ¡°I will be calling it a night¡­ Come morning I will clue you in on my plan for the near future.¡±


    Ciel did not wait for a response before opening the bedroom door and stepping inside. Once there he allowed himself to take a few heavy breaths.


    Why do I feel so tired?


    He had done his best to conceal it from Rin, however Ciel¡¯s body was already close to its limit before they had even crossed paths. Being tired was a natural feeling of course, and yet he found his current state odd.


    He was a little too tired.


    It felt as though he was mere moments away from collapsing entirely. Something about that made him wary, especially when considering the already shattered state of his soul.


    Do not tell me that a damaged soul can have noticeable effects on the body¡­ Have I not been given the worst hand already? Why must fate mock me further?


    He sighed, locked the room, then without care or thought laid down on the bed and immediately entered a deep slumber.


    *****


    Ciel did not know for how long he slept, he merely remained under the comfort of nothingness until his body deemed itself ready. With a subtle trembling of his eyelids, Ciel¡¯s green eyes were unveiled. A pure white bedsheet greeted his gaze, along with the empty room of stone in which the bed laid.


    Realization took a moment to settle within his mind. That was only natural since just a day ago he was still within a living nightmare. The end had almost come, however he managed to successfully regress to the past.


    So much more happened even after that¡­


    Coffin¡­ Slums¡­ Vampire¡­ Hotel¡­ Alright got it.


    His mind churned sluggishly as he sat up. He then waited a few more seconds, allowing the lingering drowsiness to dissipate. After it had, he jumped off the bed and was immediately assaulted by a sudden feeling of disorientation which made him wobble slightly.


    That sensation lingered for a moment, however it eventually dissipated as well.


    Damn¡­ I need to get myself together.


    Lampooning inwardly, Ciel made his way towards the door and opened it. As he did, soft orange radiance assaulted his eyes causing them to flinch. When his gaze adjusted seconds after, he allowed it to fall to his side, situated a meter away was his scorched partner, Rin.


    She was sitting in the exact same pose she had before, unwilling to move even now it seemed. Her neck however was the exception. In response to his gaze, she turned to face him. Her crimson eyes soon grew narrow, filled with bewilderment.


    Finding this reaction strange, Ciel asked simply.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°M-Master, have you perhaps¡­ Gotten taller?¡±


    Ciel raised an eyebrow. He then dropped his gaze towards himself, immediately finding an answer to her question.


    Yes he had¡­


    The short ragged pants appeared to have shrunken, now fitting him like underwear would. Ciel¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. It seemed his current state was not done with its surprises. If nothing else, he thought this one at least was a welcomed one.

 Chapter 16 - Crime Scene

    Inside a dilapidated maze of clustered buildings, a place which stood as an insult to the architectural integrity which the rest of the district possessed, and where those outcasted from the greater society came to call their home, an incident was unfolding.


    On the second floor of a building made of rusted steel alloy and rigid wood, one which was surrounded on all sides by single level structures forged of even worse materials than the building in question, a gruesome crime scene could be found.


    Within the apartment complex¡¯s seventh room, three corpses laid upon its floor. The first was that of a middle aged man, he was situated on the ground face first with the rear of his neck entirely mutilated. His blood had seeped forth through the night¡¯s expanse, tainting his back and the area around his corpse crimson.


    The second body was that of a woman, much like her partner, she had also been mutilated. Between her eyes laid the murder weapon still, a simple knife deeply lodged into her skull. Its steel surface was bathed by dry blood along with the woman¡¯s face.


    The last body found was that of a young boy. It appeared he had suffered the simplest fate, perhaps even the most merciful one. All which his corpse carried was the scar of a broken neck.


    Situated just beyond the room¡¯s door were two figures. The first of the two was the most striking, he was a tall man who possessed a pair of green eyes with light golden hair. Decorating his chin was a neatly trimmed goatee which matched the color of his hair.


    The man had a white cigarette etched between his lips. He wore a simple linen button shirt with dark brown trousers and black laceless shoes. There was also a small silver badge attached to his belt, one which had a small steel star etched onto it, along with carved words on all of its sides which read:


    ¡®District 11¡¯


    ¡®Police Department¡¯


    The man¡¯s posture was straight, his right hand elevating a small electronic notepad up to his chest, while his left hand¡¯s thumb clicked his retractable digital pen in a chaotic tempo.


    That man was just a meter away from the second figure, a shorter man dressed in an aged business suit. In contrast to the first¡¯s calm demeanor, the second man appeared far more nervous.


    ¡°Are you certain this occurred around 1PM?¡±


    The first man asked, his voice raspy.


    ¡°Yes detective. I-I had told my wife that I heard some screaming but she thought I must have dreamt it. It was late so we were both already in bed for some time. I almost believed her if not for the violent noises that followed. We got worried and called the housing company¡¯s emergency network immediately.¡±


    The blond detective nodded, then scribbled some words on his notepad.


    ¡°I see. When did you actually find the bodies then?¡±


    ¡°As dawn came. I got up and knocked on the door. When no one answered I¡­ I was worried so I climbed from the window to peek inside. That was when I saw it.¡±


    The detective took a puff of his whites then continued to his next question.


    ¡°So that was when you called the housing company a second time, correct?¡±


    The nervous man nodded.


    ¡°Good. Did anyone else realize what happened? Are they home right now?¡±


    The man thought for a moment then shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry detective I don''t know. Many of them were probably still at work, some are heavy sleepers because of how hard their jobs are, and well, by now I¡¯m sure that those who were here have already gone out to work again.¡±


    The detective nodded, shut down his notepad and tucked it on the single pocket of his linen shirt. His green eyes then examined the man before him for a moment. The man wore old clothing however his skin was clean and his hair neatly combed.


    Somewhat curious, he asked;


    ¡°What about you Richard, how come you do not have to work as hard as them?¡±


    The man, Richard, seemed startled by the questions switching topics at first. He then placed a hand at the back of his head and answered timidly.


    ¡°Well my life has actually been turning for the better as of late. My company did a mass firing not too long back and now I have been promoted. If I¡¯m lucky I might be able to move back into the outskirts within a month or two¡­ That¡­ That¡¯s why this makes me so unsettled. The damn rats are getting too bold.¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Yeah if your definition of luck means working like a slave all day for a cheap box in some gang infested place somewhere in the outskirts.


    Whilst mocking him inwardly, the detective shared a subtle smile then spoke in a reassuring voice.


    ¡°I see, good luck to you then. Anyways, those were all my questions. You can go now, we will deal with everything from here rest assured.¡±


    Richard smiled at hearing those words, he then bid his farewell and began walking away. The blond detective, Al Davis, watched Richard¡¯s fleeting back until he turned towards the stairway, falling out of view.


    Only then did Al discard his false smile and sighed in annoyance.


    What a pain. Seriously, what does the captain have against me? Assigning jobs inside this shithole is way below my pay grade!


    Al did not linger at the scene of the crime, instead he took the stairs down to the first floor himself before arriving just outside the building.


    Almost instantaneously, the scent of trash and shit assaulted his nostrils, along with the sight of many frail half naked figures. Each appeared sickly with ribs protruding from their chests. Furthermore, they appeared devoid of passion or purpose.


    Many were merely situated upon an empty corner, their heavy tired eyes portraying a lost mind. Al felt certain that even if he were to rush forth and attack them suddenly, the rats would fail to notice it until the moment of impact had already passed.


    Perhaps even then they would fail to feel anything¡­


    He thought scornfully.


    His green eyes continued to observe them for many more minutes, with each passing one further fueling his disdain.


    Disgusting trash¡­


    He took one final puff then flicked what remained of his white away with his index finger. He did not do so aimlessly however, ensuring that it landed on the disheveled white beard of a frail old man which had been staring at him.


    ¡°Mind your stare rat!¡±


    He cursed, however a subtle sound caught his attention and his head twisted upwards.


    In the distance a soft humming reverberated. That sound intensified little by little until finally it transformed into the domineering roars of two twin engines. Soon after a large figure flashed into view, immediately catching the attention of everyone present on the ground below.


    Upon seeing it, the slum rat¡¯s expressions became riddled by fear, with perhaps only Al finding it a welcoming one.


    Hovering above them was an airborne carrier jet. One which was large and heavy, being at least four times the size of a personal land vehicle. Its front was narrow with its body wide and bulky, betraying its purpose for carrying cargo even further.


    Its body was forged of thick alloy which was coated under black paint. Supporting its massive frame were two short protruding wings that hosted a pair of propulsion engines which emitted a powerful stream of searing white plasma as they released a fierce roar no beast could ever hope to match.


    On its sides were words painted in white which read:


    ¡®District Police¡¯


    Furthermore, just above its glass windshields, blue and red lights flickered. In this moment, it was as though authority itself took an incarnation and stepped forth into the slums.


    ¡°Sure took your damn time huh¡­¡±


    Al¡¯s complaint was completely drowned out by the might of the carrier¡¯s engines. His clothes and hair both danced vigorously as the alloy beast hovered directly past him. Since its entrance, he had been the only one which remained calm with the frightened slum rats fleeing the scene.


    Al found such a reaction comical.


    By then the carrier had already positioned itself above the apartment complex, it opened its loading ramp which allowed a group of five men to jump down.


    They all wore pure black suits made of smooth cloth which hid the thick Kevlar underneath. Beyond that they wore a full head helmet with pure black glass visors covering their entire faces. On their right chest side a dim blue light displayed the words:


    ¡®DPF¡¯


    Hoisted on their arms were dual purpose model seventeen¡¯s (or DPM-17¡¯s for short), they were bulky assault rifles with the capability of either the continuous firing of a 1,000 rounds or that of 10 consecutive charge blasts.


    The small squad team first secured the rooftop before a sixth figure jumped down from the carrier. Like his men, the man wore the same pure black uniform, however unlike his men, the man had neither a weapon with him nor a helmet shielding his face.


    His deep black eyes examined the ugly scenery of architectural chaos for a moment before signaling his men to stand down.


    ¡°No need for so much caution, there are just rats around after all.¡±


    The man, who possessed a cut jawline, deep black eyes, and short black hair, appeared stern but relaxed. He ordered his men to wait as the steel beast hovered away. The man then walked to the edge of the roof where he spotted the figure of Al below.


    He smirked, then casually jumped down the two story tall building. He felt his body cut through the wind as he soared down before slamming into the dirt below with a heavy stomp. His lean muscular build tensed for a moment upon impact but quickly recovered and he emerged from the scattering dirt unscathed.


    Laying witness to this scene in its entirety, Al scoffed.


    ¡°You sure like to be a showoff don¡¯t you Lieutenant Anderson.¡±


    He mocked with an irritated smile. The person in question, Anderson Shaw, merely shrugged at Al¡¯s words, seemingly more occupied with wiping off the dirt which landed on his uniform.


    ¡°It was the simplest way down¡­¡±


    Al sighed.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand how your legs don¡¯t shatter every time you pull a stunt like that¡­ Hah if I wasn¡¯t so smart I would genuinely start betting credits on the rumors that you are actually a super soldier.¡±


    Anderson¡¯s lips curled into a ridiculing smile.


    ¡°Not a super soldier per say, It would be more accurate to classify me as a monster instead.¡±


    Hearing such, Al rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I hope your legs actually shatter one of these days as retribution for your lies¡­ Anyways, let''s get to work, I don¡¯t like coming to this wretched place, it''s so damn filthy.¡±


    Al turned his back to Anderson then began walking inside the apartment complex.


    ¡°Follow me, I¡¯ll show you the crime scene.¡±


    Anderson lingered for a moment, his mocking smile still present.


    ¡°Lies huh¡­¡±


    He murmured to himself before chuckling slightly and following behind the eager detective.

 Chapter 17 - The law has borders

    The two men quickly made their way towards the crime scene, their paste unhurried. As they traversed the stairs which led them to the second floor, Al commenced his report.


    ¡°The murders occurred around 1PM last night, though that time is unverified as of right now. There are three bodies, a small family. No one saw the killer, however a man named Richard heard screams followed by a loud commotion. That is how we were first alerted¡­¡±


    Al spoke devoid of enthusiasm, a demeanor which was disrespectful towards his direct superior. However, Anderson¡¯s stern expression showed no sign of irritation from this. He merely remained silent throughout.


    The two arrived at the room¡¯s entrance and did not linger to enter. Upon entering, the stench of blood invaded their nostrils, a stench only rivaled by the heavy odor of decay.


    Al¡¯s expression turned slightly twisted as he added.


    ¡°Cases of slum rats attacking the ¡®gifted¡¯ are not unique, however, an incident like this hasn¡¯t occurred for almost five years.¡±


    Anderson¡¯s eyes firstly took in the gruesome view. He then began a slow steady pace around the small apartment whilst his right hand caressed his chin. Soon he arrived at the most mutilated corpse, that of this family¡¯s father.


    ¡°Do we know their names?¡±


    Hearing the sudden question, Al first tried to recall. When he failed to do so he reached for his notepad and turned it on.


    ¡°Jake Soli, Rebecca Soli, and Ram Soli.¡±


    Anderson nodded, he then crouched down and began carefully inspecting the mangled corpse. He first examined the killing wound, then silently reenacted the thrusting of an imaginary knife forward. He did so until he felt he had forged an image in his mind of what possibly occurred.


    Once done, he asked.


    ¡°Did you form any leads on what the possible motive was?¡±


    Being asked such, Al merely shrugged with a dismissive expression.


    ¡°Who knows¡­ Does that even matter? Maybe they wanted food, maybe they wanted an item, hell maybe they just wanted to kill for sport. Since when do rats have complex motives to ponder over huh? I bet it was just a newly entered rat who was starving and did not know what this place was. Can¡¯t we just file this under a petty robbery from a slum rat and be done with this case?¡±


    Anderson, still couched down by the father¡¯s corpse, did not answer. He stood up once more and walked to the woman¡¯s side. His brows furrowed slightly at the sight of the firmly etched knife inside her skull.


    ¡°Al tell me, on your way here, did you once see a slum rat who was not frail? I find it hard to picture any scenario where they not only overpower the father but the entire family at once. We are not dealing with a slum rat, of that I am sure.¡±


    Hearing Anderson¡¯s conclusion, Al sighed.


    ¡°What do you think then? Do you believe it is related to the Red Tigers? The slums have never interested them before, why enter this deep into it just to kill a random family? That makes no sense.¡±


    Anderson did not answer immediately, instead his eyes shifted and examined the room for a second time. Realizing something, his chin rose as he scanned the apartment¡¯s roof.


    ¡°There are no attached lights here¡­ Do the apartments provide an external light source?¡±


    Al was somewhat perplexed by the sudden topic shift, however he answered nonetheless.


    ¡°Yes, either light batteries or lamps I believe.¡±


    Anderson nodded, then gestured towards the entire room. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Then the light source is missing¡­¡±


    He said. Al¡¯s green eyes did their own scan and found that his statement was true. Before he could add anything, Anderson continued.


    ¡°The killer¡¯s motive was probably a petty theft, then when the family resisted it shifted to murder. That tells us that they have an understanding of the relationship the housing corporations and the police department share. Furthermore¡­¡±


    Anderson¡¯s hand stretched out, his index pointing at the body of the woman¡¯s corpse, her eyes still wide open and tainted with utter horror. His finger then traced towards the corpse of the father.


    ¡°She is facing the same direction of the corpse, most likely she witnessed the death of the man first-hand. After his murder, she undoubtedly became the immediate follow up target of the killer. However, the lack of any wounds on her body suggests that the killer shot forth the knight, hitting dead center¡­ He must have done so close to the man¡¯s corpse, anyone with the skill set to do that is no ordinary person. I hesitate to think they are a gang member. The Red Tigers are too barbaric for this type of precision. Perhaps we are dealing with a rogue NSRA Officer or even Inspector.¡±


    Concluding his deduction, Anderson initiated a new order to Al.


    ¡°Contact the NSRA District 11 headquarters and inquire about any rogue agents¡­ If they affirm my suspicion, then hand over all the information we have to them and let them handle the case from there.¡±


    Al¡¯s brows furrowed at hearing those words.


    ¡°Lieutenant, with how tense the situation is right now in the outskirts, can we really afford to waste our effort for a small case like this? Especially one taking place in this damn shithole?¡±


    Al did not hide his protest, still unhappy with his involvement in such a case. Anderson meanwhile shook his head.


    ¡°Al the captain is already walking on thin ice, if operation striker fails then the mayor will likely replace the current commissioner which will then likely lead to the captain¡¯s own dismissal. That is why cases like this can not be treated dismissively, Vern Corp. is a heavy backer of the current mayor. What do you think will happen if they hear we discarded their case? Corporations like them can only build here because the police force does not hold back its punches when crimes are committed within their complexes.¡±


    Al¡¯s rebellious thought, along with his heavy bitterness, suddenly experienced a decrease. He had grumbled about the matter just a few moments prior but he had not actually tried to consider the precarious situation his captain was in.


    With that understanding however, came an even greater revelation.


    Is that why he spared no expense and sent in a detective as skilled as me right off the get go? Huh¡­ Don¡¯t tell me the captain actually does think of me favorably? He has to right?... Right?


    Feeling a heavy sense of satisfaction nestled within his chest, Al nodded, suddenly filled with more vigor than before.


    ¡°Understood¡­ What will our plan of action be beyond the inquiry of the NSRA?¡±


    Anderson¡¯s eyes turned towards the three corpses once more, he allowed his heavy gaze to linger over them for a long moment. After that moment passed he spoke.


    ¡°We have no details, no witnesses, no descriptions¡­ The case has already run dry. If the NSRA does not have any rogue officers then we will really be at a dead end, however, this killer will strike again, of that we can be sure. All we can do is wait for that moment to arrive.¡±


    Al knitted his brows, he then asked doubtfully;


    ¡°Will that go well with Vern? How is that any different than closing the case?¡±


    Anderson spared the detective a glance then shook his head.


    ¡°It is different. Firstly it will remain as an open case with a team actively searching for any new developments. Secondly, we will request assistance from the NSRA, that alone shows our enthusiasm. Lastly, and most importantly, we will make sure to send a message to the greater slums so that this does not happen again.¡±


    Message?


    For a moment after Anderson¡¯s heavy words reverberated throughout the room, Al found himself unable to understand the meaning behind them. That did not last however, as soon after an idea sparked in his mind and his eyes bulged.


    Somewhat hesitant, he asked;


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    Realizing what was left unsaid, Anderson merely nodded.


    ¡°There is a reason the captain sent you. A detective always looks best when at work, however as for me, this is actually below my pay grade, so tell me why else would he send me here?¡±


    Because of his authority as a lieutenant!


    ¡°But¡­ Don¡¯t get me wrong, I don¡¯t like the rats found here, they are filths to society. A plague even, however, to kill them while knowing they are innocent is a step too far. More than that, it¡¯s against the law.¡±


    Hearing Al¡¯s words, ones which carried with them a tinge of apprehension, Anderson merely shrugged. This time it was he who did so dismissively.


    ¡°The law is limited to the borders of society, last I checked we are well past it. Only these apartment complexes stand as embassies of that law, and if violated then a message needs to be sent.¡±


    Anderson said coldly.


    He then walked past the stunned Al.


    ¡°Do not worry, my squad will handle the dirty work. In the meantime contact headquarters and tell them we will need cleaners here soon.¡±


    With those parting words, Anderson wrapped his hand around the door-knob, then exited the crime scene. All the while, Al simply stood there motionless. After a few seconds he sighed then took out his pack of cigarettes.


    Taking one out, he ignited its tip and inhaled a heavy dose of smoke. He exhaled shortly after, unleashing a stream from his nostrils.


    ¡°I knew you were an intense guy, but damn Anderson, where is that naive man who first entered the department?¡±


    In truth, Al would not lose sleep for what was to follow, however despite his complaints, he had never once considered killing those who were innocent¡­


    Recalling something, Al scoffed.


    Maybe ¡®monster¡¯ is a more accurate description after all¡­

 Chapter 18 - Massacre

    STOMP


    Taking a step outside the worn out apartment complex, Anderson was met by the chaotic anatomy of the slums. To his back five fully suited men stood, their postures straight and their orientation uniformed. Anderson did not act immediately, instead he merely took a moment to examine the dilapidated scene before him.


    No one was within sight, however he was certain more than a few eyes were locked upon their figures, hidden behind the boxes which masqueraded as homes. His stern face showed no obvious emotion, neither did his posture betray his thoughts.


    When the moment passed, He raised his right arm in the air. That arm hung motionless, its palm wide open.


    ¡°Make it quick¡­¡±


    He said simply, his voice raspy. His open palm then collapsed into a fist, and the five men to his back sprinted into action.


    Like a tide of indomitable fury they rushed forth, each separating into diverging paths. Two of the men shifted towards the left and right side of the building, while the remaining three marched in union directly forward; they then splintered off and entered separate pathways.


    Only a single officer remained in his forward trajectory, his target a weathered door. Before that officer even arrived at his first target, the unique sound of charged blasts firing forth began reverberating throughout the air.


    Shortly after, the armored officer arrived at the door, then with a powerful front kick he tore apart its support.


    THUMP!


    The wooden door fell backwards, barely remaining whole after it impacted with the floor. The officer stepped inside the small wooden structure, the room was devoid of anything with only two figures in sight. The first of the two was a frail woman with short disheveled hair, her skin was covered in dirt and shielded from the world by a tattered blue dress.


    The second figure was that of a young boy, his state even more abhorrent than that of the woman. At first glance one could not be blamed for believing he was a walking skeleton in ragged cloth. The two slum rats were interlocked in a tight embrace with the woman¡¯s hand shielding the boy¡¯s head.


    Her blue eyes reflected the officer in black, his presence equivalent to that of any calamity. Her body shook and her eyes were drowning with utter terror. Her lips quivered before uttering a plea drenched equally by both dread and confusion.


    ¡°P-Please don¡¯t hurt us! Why are you attacking us?! W-What did we do wrong?!¡±


    The officer did not answer, instead he raised his DPM-17 and aimed its muzzle to them. With a swift set of masterful movements, he flicked a side switch then adjusted the weapon¡¯s level with a short protruding handle.


    The assault weapon suddenly came to life, its barrel beginning to spin whilst emitting a blue glow. Paying no special attention to this change, the man simply adjusted his aim slightly then pulled the trigger.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    A flurry of small balls fired forth at tremendous speeds, they were of a pure white color and formed out of raging electricity. The electrically charged bullets impacted the pair before the two could even react. The moment the surging bullets made contact with flesh they expanded forth into countless streams of raging currents.


    The two figures had a visceral reaction upon impact. The woman felt her torso being disintegrated into charred flesh by the spreading current, causing terrible agony to overcome her existence. She wanted to scream out, yet as her mouth opened her head suffered the same fate as her torso.


    ¡°Ar¡ª!¡±


    Her cries were silenced before they ever escaped as a side of her head popped into a hundred fragments by the direct impact of the blast, what remained was then ravaged by the spreading tide of electricity.


    To her side, the young boy suffered the same outcome, however his head was the first to be hit and utterly mutilated, sparing him the agony.


    In less than five seconds, the two figures were dead.  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Seeing that the job was complete, the officer did not linger. He immediately exited the small home, tore down the next door he saw and mercilessly repeated the same act.


    Throughout the area surrounding the apartment complex, the brutal executions continued with their many shots echoing forth from every corner.


    Their terrifying sound came sporadically, only sometimes overlapping, forming a discordant melody of death¡­


    *****


    Still standing upon the same spot, Anderson listened to every shot which reverberated. As he did so, from behind, the figure of Al appeared. Upon reaching his side, Al¡¯s green eyes darted about for a moment.


    ¡°I made the call¡­¡±


    He said simply, a cigarette etched between his lips.


    He waited for Anderson¡¯s reply, however it failed to come. When he leaned a bit forward, he quickly discovered why. It appeared the lieutenant was occupied.


    ¡°Thirty three¡­ Thirty four¡­ Thirty five¡­ Thirty six¡­¡±


    With each blast that echoed, Anderson¡¯s count rose. Finally when that count reached forty, he reached for a small device on his belt and spoke into it.


    ¡°That is enough, stand down.¡±


    Not a moment later, the sounds of firing ceased. Just like that, the massacre was over.


    Anderson then shifted his focus to Al.


    ¡°Just so you understand, if not for the current state of affairs then we would not need to be this harsh. In a way it is the Red Tiger Gang which is responsible for these people¡¯s deaths today. All the more reason for us to remain focused on Operation Striker.¡±


    Al took a good puff of his white, he then shrugged.


    ¡°Yeah sure, whatever you say lieutenant¡­¡±


    He hesitated for a moment then added.


    ¡°If you are saying that to save face, don¡¯t bother. I already know how intense you have become, oh hero of the outskirts.¡±


    Anderson spared him a side glance then shrugged.


    ¡°It was not. Think of me in whatever way you like. I say it so that you understand the reasoning, nothing more, nothing less¡­¡±


    He paused for a moment, then unexpectedly added.


    ¡°Besides, it is because of my unwavering ways that the people hail me a hero. They are afraid, all they want is a savior, even if it is a monster doing it.¡±


    Al¡¯s eyes hung on Anderson¡¯s side profile for a long moment. He found himself unsure of what to think of the man before him. Just a few short years ago, this man had been taken in by the captain himself, back then it was Al who taught him everything he needed to know. If Al compared the two versions now, then they were almost unrecognizable.


    What drives that intense thirst of yours?


    He was certain Anderson had acquired ambition only after his enrollment into the force, however even though Al was present throughout that entire period, he failed to catch the moment Anderson obtained it.


    His silent pondering was interrupted by a familiar distant humming sound. Shortly after, the massive frame of the carrier jet re-emerged. With it came the sudden dancing of the wind and the two loud roars of its engines.


    Almost at the same time, the five officers emerged from within the many diverging pathways of the slum¡¯s expanse. Their walk was calm and indifferent, as if nothing of consequence had been done just moments prior.


    Of course, who was to say otherwise?


    Anderson nodded at his men, his expression stern.


    ¡°Good work. Retreat back to the carrier, our job here is done.¡±


    The men did a salute, then spoke in unison.


    ¡°Sir yes sir!¡±


    With that they marched back towards the roof of the apartment complex where the carrier hovered just above. Anderson did not follow his men immediately, he first turned to Al and ordered;


    ¡°Remain here until the cleaners arrive, you can catch a lift back in their carrier. Once you are back at headquarters, open a new case file under the name: Slum¡¯s Butcher and proceed with what we discussed before. You can report to me your findings.¡±


    Should I put your name on that file then? Hah, it would be fitting.


    Mocking inwardly, Al did not dare be so blatantly disrespectful now. He was smart enough to recognize when the timing was fitting.


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    He said simply. Anderson was satisfied by that response, he then followed his men towards the roof of the complex. Not long after, the carrier¡¯s plasma engines became more full of vigor as their roar grew many times more thunderous.


    Soon the carrier shot forth at a great speed and disappeared from view. Now left behind, Al first sighed. It was one drenched in irritation.


    Great, if this place did not stink before it really does now!


    He grumbled inwardly before finally finishing his white. Now left with disposing of its stud he turned to his corner, however he froze. Situated a few meters away was the old man from before. The once irritating gaze was gone, his open eyes cold and empty. There was a hole on his chest, with its edges composed of charred flesh.


    The old rat was dead, a consequence of his indifference towards the carrier¡¯s arrival.


    Al¡¯s eyes hung on him for a long time. Eventually however he made his way over to the corpse. Reaching out with his left hand, he closed the old man¡¯s lifeless eyes. With his free right hand he reached for the old man¡¯s white disheveled beard, retreating a small stud which was nestled inside it.


    Standing back up, Al first stared at his right palm, present there were two studs.


    He sighed.


    Closing his fists tightly, Al discarded the trash he held into his right pocket then walked away. He decided it best to wait for the cleaners inside the apartment complex.

 Chapter 19 - Life Necessities

    Ciel briefly explained his rough outline for the coming month to his vampiric companion. In accordance with his rules, Rin remained silent and did not inquire further for details regarding his motives to join the Red Tiger Gang.


    She did not object either. Of course, Ciel did not care for her consent regardless.


    The outline was slappy, made of vague statements and semi-thought out courses of action. When he finished this briefing, he reclaimed his ragged shirt. Replacing it with a single towel he found within the hotel bathroom.


    Putting it on, the once oversized shirt fit him a little tight. A consequence of his sudden growth. Then with himself now fully dressed he was finally ready to tackle the most urgent matter.


    That being obtaining life necessities.


    Ciel had acquired the option of deploying Rin¡¯s abilities, however her current state made deploying it a risky endeavor. An issue he would need to adjust if he wished for her to actually be of use. That could wait. For now what he needed was the obtaining of proper clothing and food without worry that they might be discovered by the NSRA.


    He left the motionless Rin within room 11, and began making his way downstairs. Once there, he found that the elderly Neil was absent, left behind was only a small sign which wrote:


    ¡®Checkout at 2PM¡¯


    Ciel found the fact that the elderly Neil did not hire an employee to cover for his absence as fitting of his character. Most certainly, many hotel owners within the outskirts surely shared in his frugality.


    Not caring for this fact, Ciel continued on his way. Soon he pulled on the heavy steel door and exited the Hazard Hotel.


    The moment he stepped through, his vision blurred as his eyes contracted. The shine of the daytime had assaulted his senses, overwhelming them instantly. He raised a hand to shield his eyes reflexively whilst blinking with vigor a few times.


    After a while, his vision adjusted itself, granting him back his sight. What welcomed that sight was the view of a bustling street. Just on the pedestrian zone alone, numerous people walked past, their paces moderate.


    Many wore business suits of varying quality, many others wore casual clothing which displayed the style of the current time, then a few wore excessive amounts of leather, their bodies modified in unique ways which aimed to express their individualities.


    Beyond them, the Personal Motor Vehicles (PMV¡¯s) flashed past the road at contrasting speeds. Some continued down the road, others shifted to diverging ones, while some even slowed down and parked near the spot where Ciel stood.


    Ciel found the view a familiar one, however whilst he was certain his old self would be bathed in nostalgia, he himself felt indifferent for it. Far too many things troubled his mind for this to stray its focus.


    Concluding such, he tilted his head up. There a new view replaced the previous pure black sky. What was seen now was stone, or more accurately, the earth itself. Bastion had built District 11 last, its construction only possible after a decade of carving into the earth.


    The project was seen as incredibly dangerous at the time, however with the help of Bastion¡¯s modern engineering, the impossible feat was done. Down here, the sky was earth, made of different shades of browns. Its surface was jagged and contained massive circular mirror-like structures which emitted the sun¡¯s shine like massive spot lights.


    These structures were called Sun-Ray Stations, a revolutionary technological invention which helped illuminate all districts beyond that of the first.


    Ciel¡¯s stare did not last long, the intense brightness of the earth-sky simply not allowing for such a thing. Taking a moment to decide which direction to venture to, Ciel finally began his walk. He first passed by the same street he had witnessed upon the slum¡¯s edge.


    Its once bustling scene was now entirely absent. No bright neon lights or holographic naked women. That was to be expected since all the clubs and bars closed for the daytime.


    It was as he paid a few glances at a closed club that a man dressed in a black business suit collided shoulders with him.


    ¡°Damn it rat! Watch where you walk will yah!¡±


    The man stopped his walk and bellowed in a fit of rage, his blue eyes fixed on Ciel¡¯s figure. Ciel spared him an indifferent glance, then bowed slightly and uttered.


    ¡°My apologies¡­¡±


    His tone was low, but polite. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    That was not enough to quell the man¡¯s anger it seemed, however he did not continue to press Ciel further. The reason for that was because their commotion had caught the attention of the passing pedestrians.


    No one in the outskirts liked the slum rats, and yet no one liked a bully either. Ciel had reacted accordingly for his supposed misconduct, what reason was there for the man to continue the issue?


    Sensing their gazes on him, he clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Damn rat¡­¡±


    He uttered to himself before continuing on his way. Once he did, the eyes which had observed them retreated as well.


    Ciel did not linger, instead he continued his leisure pace until reaching the first diverging street. Taking its turn he finally allowed himself to examine his catch. Nestled on his right hand was a black leather wallet.


    Although his collision from before had appeared accidental, that was far from the truth.


    Ciel reached in for the banknotes, claiming a respectable sum of three hundred seventy credit bills.


    Acting so mighty yet posing only this much huh¡­


    Ridiculing the man from before, Ciel discarded the wallet.


    First things first, I need a change of clothes¡­


    He was tired of standing out, moreover he was tired of the look which every passerby gave him. Slum rats had a bad reputation for being beggars. In his previous experiences, Ciel had been no exception to this notion.


    In fact, it was while doing so to a Red Tiger Gang member that he was first singled out by them. Everything was different now however, he had changed so much since then.


    Wandering about, it took him only five minutes before he stumbled upon a small single story clothing shop called:


    ¡®Style Boutique¡¯


    It was time to begin his shopping¡­


    *****


    Within room twelve of the Hazard Hotel, a motionless Rin sat. Like she had grown accustomed to, her legs were tucked in and embraced tightly by her arm. Rin was a vampire, a royal creature which once stood on as a monster with few equals.


    That however, was no longer the case. She had lost it all in but a single night¡­ No, in retrospect, she realized that the decision of what was to be her fate had been made years ago. She felt powerful once, yet now all she could do was hide and make herself small.


    It was the reaction of an injured beast which had lost confidence.


    It was pathetic.


    Feeling herself slowly growing more restless, her inhumanly beautiful red eyes began searching her surroundings. Ciel had left some time ago which left her entirely alone and embraced by the darkness which filled the room.


    Rin normally found darkness soothing, however today was different.


    She still felt utter terror over what had occurred, of the attack which had wounded her so terribly. That memory had yet to fade even a little.


    Today more than anything she wished for a distraction.


    Admitting to herself such was humiliating for a monster like herself. That emotion was far too human for her liking¡­ Even so, she failed to contain it. With every passing moment, she felt more and more trapped.


    It was as this crisis unfolded within her heart that her crimson eyes landed on an object. It was a white item with a smooth shiny surface which was in the shape of a flat monitor stand however devoid of the actual monitor.


    Before her was the projector. Even more crucially, it was her salvation!


    Parting her charred lips, her sweet voice echoed.


    ¡°Activate¡­ Turn on¡­¡±


    She was mimicking what Ciel had done to turn off the lights with his voice alone when he exited the room not long ago, however her attempts ended in failure. Undaunted by this, she parted her lips once more.


    ¡°Display¡­ Obey¡­ Switch on¡­¡±


    Her sweet voice continued to echo within the room for a long time after.


    *****


    ¡°Welcome to sty¡ª¡±


    Upon entering through the automatic glass doors, Ciel was greeted by a young woman dressed in a lovely light green outfit with a red bow around her neck. Her hair too was neatly tied into a bun. She wore a bright smile as she spoke, however she froze mid sentence.


    Ciel looked terrible. He was simply far too dirty, far too disheveled to be overlooked. Noticing her startle he donned an awkward smile.


    ¡°Hello there, I was hoping I could shop at this establishment if that is okay?¡±


    The young woman turned somewhat nervous as she stuttered out her words.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Em¡­ W-Well listen, we don¡¯t tolerate slum¡¯s people here¡­ They, they always try to steal from us so¡­ I¡¯m sorry but you have to leave.¡±


    Ciel shifted his smile, turning his expression somber.


    ¡°Oh, but I have money, I swear. You can even follow me around if you would like! All I want is to change out of these clothes, please madam could you make an exception for me?¡±


    The young man¡¯s eyes began darting around in a panic. It seemed she was not the kind which was good at confrontations of this sort.


    Why place her at the front if so?


    Ciel thought calmly as he continued his act.


    Unable to respond properly, it was another employee who stepped forth.


    ¡°Lilith, is this rat giving you attitude?¡±


    The young woman, Lilith, shook her head.


    ¡°No actually he is being very amicable! He wants to shop and says he has the money but I don¡¯t know if we can let him in.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Lilith¡¯s coworker, a woman dressed in the same outfit with a more aged face, first spared Ciel a somewhat hostile glance. Ciel did not miss his opportunity and repeated his previous statement.


    After a few minutes of discussion, the manager of the store had to be brought in before Ciel was finally allowed through. To his side, and serving as his supervisor, was Lilith.


    Hmm, the sooner I get proper clothes the better¡­


    Thinking such, Ciel began his shopping.

 Chapter 20 - Shopping

    Within the style boutique one story building, situated on its furthest end where the considerably smaller men¡¯s section was located, Ciel was browsing his options with great leisure. To his side, the young woman, Lilith, supervised him.


    Despite her somewhat awkward demeanor, although she is uncomfortable, she tried her best to be of help when he requested it. Ciel did not have any strict requirements for his own clothing, however he did need it to be cheap.


    Two pairs of pants and shirts will do for now¡­


    Thinking such, his hand swiped a white shirt off its hanger and checked its tag. That tag read:


    ¡®Printed by the SO-250¡¯


    ¡®None-Living¡¯


    In bastion, the price of clothing was mainly determined by three factors. The first was the recognition and reputation of the manufacturing company¡¯s brand. The second was the technology which they used for the clothing manufacturing, those being the 3D clothing printers. The more advanced the tech was, the more it cost for clothing production at a mass consistent rate.


    The third and final reason was whether the clothing fell under the: Non-Living or Living category. Non-living clothes were mundane, with no inherent special traits about them. Living clothes however were printed with nano-tech built in and had the ability to repair itself when damaged or be rebooted when turning old and worn out.


    Those clothing came with limitations of course, with some possessing higher levels of nano-tech assimilation within them. All those factors affected the standard price of clothing on any given market. That of course was without mentioning the profit stores aimed to gain and the cost of distribution.


    Ciel had little money so he could only dare buy the lowest quality. After confirming that the white shirt was of low quality he hoisted it onto his shoulder and continued his browsing.


    Five minutes passed until he had finally settled upon four pieces of clothing. He then turned to the young Lilith, who was staring at him with her curious gaze, then asked;


    ¡°Is there a dressing room? I would like to see if these fit me¡­ If that is alright of course.¡±


    Lilith was initially caught off guard by Ciel¡¯s sudden question. That was due to them not having a single exchange of words since she began her tailing of him. When she regained her thought process, she shook her head with a smile.


    ¡°Of cour¡ª¡±


    Suddenly her words became stuck within her throat. Her eyes widened slightly as she was overcome by uncertainty.


    ¡°A-Actually¡­ I don¡¯t know if it is allowed or not¡­ They told me to watch you but¡­ But does that mean I¡¯ll have to follow you inside?!¡±


    Somewhat panicked, she blurted out her thoughts without any filters.


    Do I have the choice in the matter then?


    Ridiculing her inwardly, Ciel¡¯s outer appearance shifted into an awkward expression.


    ¡°Em, I would rather you didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    He said timidly, perfectly portraying his hesitation.


    The young Lilith froze for a moment, then she extended both arms outward and shook them with vigorous denial.


    ¡°No, no, no, no! I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡ª I simply said something stupid is all! Gosh, I¡¯m always like this okay, please pay my ramblings no mind!¡± Stolen novel; please report.


    Ciel nodded with an understanding smile. He then asked again;


    ¡°Then may I attempt these clothes? You can inspect them as I enter, then again when I exit. That way you can be certain I am not trying to steal.¡±


    Lilith nodded her head enthusiastically.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s perfect!¡±


    Seeing this Ciel had but a single thought.


    Not too bright huh¡­


    *****


    About a minute later, Ciel found himself inside a small squared room. The dressing room had full body mirrors facing him within each of its walls with the exception of its door. Once inside Ciel placed down the two sets of clothing on top of a small seat beside him.


    He then took a moment to examine his body properly, something he neglected to do even this morning inside his hotel room.


    I really am dirty.


    Before him was a disheveled mess. He had yet to take a proper shower, which left many small patches of his pale skin beneath a layer of brown dry dirt. His black hair was unruly and peppered by a few grains of stubbornly clinging sand. His attire was no better, his gray ragged clothing appearing on the verge of falling apart.


    Truly who could be blamed for not trusting a person with his current appearance. Of course, Ciel had chosen not to shower since he felt it would do nothing to improve his stranding until new and more proper clothing was acquired.


    Speaking of which¡­


    He removed his shirt and threw it to the side, he then lifted his first option, the plain white shirt from before and tried it on.


    It was a perfect fit.


    I guessed correctly it seems.


    Ciel¡¯s body had undergone yet another strange anomaly. First his dead state, then the extreme fatigue, followed by sudden growth.


    He could perhaps explain away his intense fatigue as a side effect of the blow his soul suffered. Normally, people¡¯s souls remained deeply hidden away from the world¡¯s influence, however when someone acquired a concept accommodation, then it meant binding it to their soul.


    Thus they cause their souls to become more tangible, more deeply connected to the physical body and more easily influenced by the world. This then leads to the soul being able to create noticeable effects of a person¡¯s physical state.


    Ciel knew his soul was shattered, however he did not know how that anomaly would affect him physically. He doubted that he had discovered the true extent of its negative effects just yet.


    He was very wary of this hidden threat, even more so now.


    However, even if the two latest anomalies were due to his soul¡¯s shattered state, that did not explain why he had awakened inside a coffin, his heart devoid of its rhythm.


    I was dead. My heart was not moving. But if so then why? How could that even be?


    Ciel had not died in his past life, an obvious statement to assert since he came from the future. However he could not deny what had occurred upon his awakening.


    Everything was simply too strange. If Ciel was in his normal state, then surely he would have already been overwhelmed by all these appearing anomalies, however his current self merely had a tendency to ponder over it every now and again.


    Once he recognized that he had no leads, he would push the thoughts away for later inspection. They were a priority in his upcoming investigations, but for now so long as he did not lose his ability to function then there was no rush to his approach.


    I must be calm. I must move cautiously. I must be smart.


    Ciel was far too vulnerable in his current form. He could not allow himself to make any mistakes, not until he at least regained some of his previous esper abilities.


    Whilst dwelling over these matters with a cold indifferent demeanor, Ciel had finished his fitting session. In the end all the clothing had fit him just fine.


    It was as he collected these clothes, folding them between his right arm that a sudden thought came to him.


    Wait, could it be that my Concept Accommodation ability of ¡®The Fool¡¯ is also damaged and thus not working properly? The fooling ability is still active even now, preventing the world from rejecting my presence within this time period, however if that ability is fractured or damaged then maybe it has been able to prevent my ejection but unable to keep my body from reflecting my soul¡¯s actual age?


    This idea was improbable, yet when he considered the uniqueness of his state Ciel did not think it to be impossible. No, in fact he felt very strongly that this could be the case. If true then it meant that his body would slowly grow to reflect that of his soul¡¯s age, the age of his future self.


    My body currently appears like when I was 17 or 18 years old. That is a 3 year jump. If I go to bed tonight, will my body grow to when I was 20 or 21 years old?


    Ciel did not know if his conjecture was correct, however to his luck, he would only need to wait until tomorrow to test if his guess was correct.


    Finishing his pondering, Ciel exited the dressing room and met up with Lilith once more. With a satisfied smile he said;


    ¡°They fit perfectly, now then where can I pay?¡±


    The young woman seemed pleased to see his content, she then returned a smile of her own and gestured for him to follow her. It was as they walked that a sudden thought came to him and he called out for her to stop.


    ¡°Actually, before I pay¡­¡±


    Lilith turned to look at him, her eyes betraying her bewilderment. Ciel paid her no mind as he examined the many women''s clothing around him.


    ¡°Could you help me pick out a dress for my friend?¡±

 Chapter 21 - The outskirt’s layout

    Lilith was quite enthusiastic to help Ciel, perhaps a little too much. It appeared that the young woman had a passion for fashion. That was not surprising, considering where she chose to work.


    Before long Ciel walked to the counter, possessing both his own set of clothing but also two crimson dresses. One was a wrap dress with puffy shoulders and peppered by images of black flower pedals. The other was a simple pure crimson maxi-dress.


    Ciel did not know what Rin¡¯s original appearance was, however there was no doubt that only the deepest crimsons and darkest black would do her justice. Of course, he had not made any input into Lilith¡¯s choice, simply requesting that they be as cheap as possible.


    Considering his appearance and presumed background, Lilith did not go against his request. Rather, she seemed excited by the ¡®challenge¡¯ of finding suitable clothing with such a restriction. After she was finished, Ciel then searched around for a pair of underwear and a single set of shoes.


    Ignoring the strange look the woman behind the counter gave him, Ciel asked for his total. In the end he spent 267 credits, leaving him with a remaining 103 to his name.


    Before the cashier could place his newly bought clothing inside a bag, he raised a hand and pretended to ask timidly.


    ¡°Before you do that, could I grab a pair of clothing and quickly change?¡±


    The woman behind the counter spared him an annoyed glance then shrugged.


    ¡°Yeah why not, you just paid for it so it''s yours now.¡±


    *****


    ¡°Bye! Bye! Come again when you can!¡±


    With a cheerful farewell from the young Lilith, Ciel stepped outside the automatic doors of the clothing store. A white bag was being held by his right hand. Ciel himself was no longer dressed in his ragged clothes.


    He now wore a simple white shirt with black pants and brown shoes. He finally appeared somewhat presentable, if not for his dirty skin and disheveled hair.


    For now this will have to do.


    Ciel placed taking a shower as his first task upon his return to the Hazard Hotel. For now however, he still had two further objectives. The first was the thorough exploration of the area around him. He was not content with his lack of spatial awareness.


    Thinking such, he took a few leisure steps before suddenly halting.


    Hmm?


    Suddenly perplexed, he lifted his head up towards the sky where a soft humming sound was reverberating. That sound quickly grew, transforming into a ferocious roar. Then, almost too fast to properly see, the alloy belly of a carrier jet flashed past at a tremendous speed.


    From where Ciel stood, he could only see the metallic beast for less than a second before it disappeared from view, hidden by the many buildings. Soon the overwhelming cry of the engines returned to being a distant hum before disappearing entirely.


    I had forgotten how loud those carriers are.


    Ciel spared the scene a passing thought, then proceeded on his way as though nothing of note had occurred. Of course, those around him did the same, only momentarily captivated by the passing carrier jet. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    *****


    Ciel spent three more hours walking leisurely within his surrounding area. By doing so he was at last able to remember exactly where he was located. The outskirts and slums only existed on the western side of the eleventh district, that was a direct result of the center being where the city proper was located and the east being covered by factories as well as being where the current mining efforts of humanity was focused on.


    With the central elevator at its center, the entire district appeared almost perfectly rectangular. One carved out of the earth itself. The outskirts began where district 11¡¯s city ended. It was then divided into the north, central, and south regions, each consisting of smaller named areas.


    Following even further westward, the slums laid. Beyond even that was only a small untouched area owned by one of the two largest mining companies: Stone-Dive. Their current owner was a man named Roshan Mathers. He had a reputation as someone with a large heart, or so everyone believed at least.


    This thought came from his various programs which he established within the outskirts, one of which was the: Corpse Entitled Program. This saw Stone-Dive establish small burial managing shops where those who could not afford burying their loved ones would go.


    All one needed to do was bring the corpse, or sign the rights for them to take the body and bury it in the private cemetery located just beyond the slums. The coffins they used were of poor quality and the graveyard was largely neglected, and yet to the desperate people of the outskirts this was enough to earn their admiration.


    Passing by one of these shops, Ciel froze and made a mental note to return here. So far this was the only clue he had gathered in regards to his sudden awakening inside a coffin. Considering the fact that he ended up within the Stone-Dive¡¯s private graveyard, then it meant someone had actively taken his body or if not then given permission for his body to be buried.


    After I have properly armed myself, then I will be sure to return here.


    Ciel¡¯s exploration had also revealed to him the reason for his lack of familiarity with the area. That was due to him not passing here much in his past life. He was currently within the southern region of the outskirts.


    His past self had spent his time within the central region, on the edges of the Red Tiger Gang¡¯s territory. That realization finally allowed him to further assess his plan moving forward.


    In particular it meant that his plans of meeting back up with the gang leader who had first recruited him, Azik Miles, was no longer a viable option. As one of the gang heads, one with a short temper and unmatched ferocity, he had been the perfect leader to place in charge of the area at the edge of the Red Tiger Gang¡¯s territory.


    With Rin being unable to move freely, then it meant Ciel could not make the journey north easily.


    Well it does not matter.


    He would succeed in his endeavor regardless of the complications placed his way. Having asserted such Ciel found himself exiting the street he was on and arriving at a familiar road. It was the same one which separated the end of the outskirts and the start of the slums.


    With his pinpointing of his location, Ciel now finally realized that this was the Western Stretch Highway. It was a wide road which served as the barrier between the two ugliest sides of society. It traveled all the way from the northernmost part of the outskirts to its southernmost part.


    From it multiple streets broke off, entering the many different areas which collectively formed the outskirt''s three regions. Ciel was currently within the second southernmost area, Rich Valley Area. It was a location defined by the numerous casinos, clubs, and bars. Unlike the southernmost area below it, Solace Area, where it was infested by countless corporate owned apartment complexes, this area was not seen as a great place to settle down.


    It was simply too full of Red Tiger Gang members, drinkers, and alluring traps to steal more of the little money they already had. As a result, many simply came here to either party or find work within one of these nightlife establishments.


    The few that did live here however, especially the youths, were at high risk of being harassed by the red tiger members or even being incorporated into their gang after years of careful nurturing.


    All these factors led to the police presence within this area to be especially heavy.


    Ciel had become reacquainted with this side of the outskirts thanks to his walk through its expanse, however he did find something else which was odd.


    The presence of the NSRA is also heavy here.


    After every few minutes, after every third corner which he turned to, Ciel would be greeted by the sight of patrolling NSRA officers. Unlike the residents of the outskirts, the officers were immediately distinctive from them.


    They wore a far more expensive black and white suit than any worker here could only dream of affording. Furthermore, hung on their belts were their badges, with some even letting their gun holster be displayed along with it.


    Ciel saw many Red Tiger Gang members also, each appearing like a typical street delinquent wearing their signature red coloring, albeit in varying attires. They huddled together in more broken down parts of the area, staying clear of regular police patrolling sights.


    Taking note of all these details, Ciel decided he had accomplished enough reconnaissance for today. Instead he shifted his attention over to the many different shops on the highway street side. It was finally time that he stopped his neglection of food.


    To be quite honest, he felt very famished.


    He had not had a single meal since the morning of the dreaded day from two days into his past yet also many years into his future.


    It did not take long before he found a suitable shop. It was a small old two story building made of aged alloy and weathered stone. A heavy metallic door stood in between two wide glass windows. Just above the door a sign read:


    ¡®Meat Harvest¡¯


    Finding the thought of eating artificial meat acceptable, Ciel made the decision to approach the meat shop.

 Chapter 22 - Date

    Before the dreaded descent of the eternal flames and the appearance of the fallen, the humanity which flourished within the old world were accustomed to consuming primarily processed food. Those foods however were still closer to what one could call natural than those which existed almost two hundred years later.


    Upon Bastion¡¯s establishment, and with the eternal flames claiming the world for itself, humanity had no choice but to undergo a titanic shift towards artificial food manufacturing. Just like its clothing, almost all food products within Bastion¡¯s great dome were produced by highly advanced machinery mimics. Those that weren¡¯t were the meals that were made using the limited naturally grown ingredients which District 1 produced. However the prices of those meals would make anyone from within the outskirts, or even most of the middle class, eyes pop out from shock.


    As a result many could only settle for the machines which replicated any food products which existed before Judgement Day, with the only requirement being the purchasing of the needed nutrients and taste packages. Of course, the chef was not stripped of the honor of forging the meal itself if they so choose, only creating the ingredients instead of a completed meal. Yet that too made the meal¡¯s price rise.


    However, beyond the choices of artificial and non artificial, or the choice of it being prepped by a person or not, there was a far more important choice present for the citizens of Bastion.


    The mimic did not make the products any healthier than they had been long ago. Instead it recreated its structure faithfully, with only the taste losing some of the original¡¯s luster.


    Some were not content with this however, and as such the ¡®Guilty Free¡¯ category was forged. These products would be made to appear like the original had, however its nutrients would be altered, leading to a forcible shift towards a guaranteed healthy product.


    This meant one could buy a Guilty Free cheese burger for the rest of their lives yet be just as healthy as someone who constantly ate salads and alike.


    This came with the side effect of losing much of the food product''s original taste which was what prevented it from becoming the norm all throughout Bastion. To the average citizen, a more faithful product was preferable.


    Even then, a select few still protested the shift they had taken, wishing to return back to genuine meals instead of what they referred to as: ¡®Disguised Filth¡¯.


    However, its ability to be mass produced without too many resources needed was what made artificial foods the only viable option for mass consumption within the last stronghold of humanity. This fact cared little for those who wished for what was from a time long since passed.


    BEEEEEP!


    ¡®Welcome! Welcome!¡¯


    The moment Ciel pushed upon the meat shop¡¯s entrance door, a subtle alarm resounded, followed by a stale robotic voice greeting him.


    Paying this no special notice, Ciel¡¯s green eyes calmly scanned the shop¡¯s interior. Before him, to his right and left, refrigerated display counters stretched out, each composed of three layers. To his right raw meats of all varieties laid, all neatly arranged into many categories. To his left were neatly wrapped pre-made meals.


    The entire shop radiated a powerful odor fitting of its theme.


    How original¡­ Actually, no. This is simply plagiarism¡­


    Sparing the design of the shop a passing thought, Ciel silently took a few steps to his left. To the current him, the taste or quality of the food was of no concern, so long as it would keep his body functioning properly then it would suffice.


    The only variable which caused Ciel to spend a minute of inspection was in regard to the item¡¯s price. He was still on a tight budget after all¡­


    After finding the cheapest product, a small dish with roasted lamb accompanied by a side of white rice and a simple toss of greens, Ciel was about to open the glass window to retrieve the pre-made meal when he realized that it was tightly shut.


    Only now did he turn his focus to the counter where the register was, finding it empty of any service person. He approached it and soon discovered a small red button. He pressed it expectantly, however nothing occurred.


    He waited a few seconds before repeating the action. This time, a voice rang out from the second floor in response.


    ¡°Coming!¡±


    Soon heavy steps echoed and a figure appeared from a left corner behind the counter. The figure was that of a broad man with a thick beard, curly light brown hair, and deep black eyes. He wore a black and blue plaid flannel shirt with black jeans and a white apron.


    His face seemed somewhat pale, as if he was exiting a sickly period.


    Upon locking eyes with Ciel, a wide grin appeared on his thick lips.


    ¡°Welcome! My name is Simon, how may I be of service?¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Ciel¡¯s cold expressionless face suddenly obtained a shallow sense of warmth, he did his utmost to immediately mimic a genuine polite smile.


    ¡°Hello Mr. Simon, I wanted to purchase a pre-made meal from your display.¡±


    Hearing his words, Simon¡¯s expression suddenly surged with vigor.


    ¡°Ah, of course, of course! I made those meals myself I''ll have you know!¡±


    With pure unhidden glee he made his way towards the display and after inquiring as to which one Ciel wished to purchase he unlocked the glass display then retrieved the meal.


    ¡°That will be eight credits¡­¡±


    Simon said.


    Ciel quickly withdrew the money then handed a ten credit banknote to Simon. Whilst waiting for the broad Simon to retrieve his change, Ciel inquired casually.


    ¡°Say, would you happen to know today¡¯s date?¡±


    Simon retrieved one coin credit and four smaller ones known as bits. He then slid them to Ciel¡¯s side as he reached into his pockets to retrieve his cell-phone. He turned it on then took a second to stare at its screen.


    ¡°It is November 7th, Thursday¡­¡±


    Paying no special notice to Ciel¡¯s request, Simon answered nonchalantly.


    Ciel¡¯s smile grew a little wider, yet somewhat eerie as he thanked the broad joyful man.


    *****


    By early afternoon, the Sun-Ray Stations attached high above on the earth-sky were already growing dim. Since district 11 was located upon Bastion¡¯s third and bottommost layer, not only was the intensity of the sunlight reflected inside less than that of the base layer but by 3PM the brightness would begin to diminish, vanishing entirely by 4:30PM.


    Using this knowledge to determine the approximate time, Ciel made the decision to return back to the Hazard Hotel. He was hoping to leave everything behind within room twelve before heading out in the night to at last begin his initial contact with the Red Tiger Gang.


    As he walked, his mind churned with swirling thoughts.


    November 7th, 183 AJ¡­ That is troubling¡­


    Ciel had previously judged that he was within his preliminary stages of being a homeless rat. Perhaps within June or July. His parents had passed away within April of this year, and it would not be until he made first contact with the Red Tiger Gang in late August that he would have exited the slums to live a life within the outskirts.


    However, discovering the date only made his previous state become further enshrouded by mystery.


    Why was I buried? Have I already made contact with the Red Tiger Gang? Who took my ¡®corpse¡¯ to Stone-Dive''s Burial Managing Shop?


    He had spent this day accomplishing two goals, those being: reconnaissance, and the acquisition of life necessities.


    He had accomplished both to an acceptable level for the day, but come tomorrow he would need to grow aggressive in his approach. His pace was acceptable, however the lingering mysteries were possible hidden dangers that could surface within the near future.


    On that note, I need to find a monster to hunt for Rin as well.


    Normally, both monsters and aberrations were not encountered through simple desire to do so alone. Ciel however had a strong suspicion that the outskirts were experiencing a surge in aberration activity. His evidence for that conjecture was based on the overly heavy presence of the NSRA officers.


    Soon Ciel arrived back at his room after a short exchange with the elderly Neil.


    Upon entry he was met with Rin¡¯s familiar figure, one still as motionless as a statue. Her frozen body, which rested beside the sofa, was currently bathed under the lights of a large holographic monitor. Her dazzling crimson eyes seemed eerily focused, not blinking once as they reflected a movie which Ciel did not recognize.


    When she heard the door close, followed by his calm steps, her neck twisted slightly. Her lips then parted, exposing the room to a weak but unexplainably sweet voice.


    ¡°W-Welcome back¡­¡±


    She said simply.


    Ciel acknowledged her greeting, this time his voice and demeanor were devoid of any false emotions, remaining cold.


    He placed everything which he obtained upon the kitchen table before he heard Rin suddenly speak once more.


    ¡°Say, were you aware that to activate this device one must merely say the words ¡®Start Confirm¡¯ within that order? I-It can not be any other words it seems, o-only those¡­¡±


    Ciel was first left at a loss as to why she was suddenly speaking of such useless common knowledge, however Rin¡¯s voice carried with it a sense of fascination which quickly allowed for him to make a guess.


    Has she never been exposed to human technology before? Hmm, were my assumptions regarding her age incorrect?


    ¡°I am.¡±


    In the end, he did not question her and merely answered with an indifferent tone.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Rin said, her vision having returned to the display before her.


    Ciel discarded her from his thoughts, instead he shifted his focus towards the meal which he had bought. He began unwrapping it whilst searching for a suitable set of utensils. As he did however, a sudden question arose within his mind.


    ¡°Hey Rin, will you need any food? Does your kind live off of the consumption of blood?¡±


    Rin¡¯s head did not stray from the holographic monitor as she answered.


    ¡°B-Blood only has mystical significance for my kind. I-I only ever need its replenishment when I have exerted a significant amount of my power. F-Furthermore, I am perfectly capable of surviving without a meal. I-I merely eat for pleasure¡­¡±


    Ciel nodded.


    A monster which never starves, truly the vampiric race are an insidious bunch.


    What exposed most monsters was their need for food. No matter how good they may be at concealing themselves, eventually a mistake was inevitable. Once made, the NSRA would soon deal with the issue accordingly, never sparing the resources needed to do so.


    Whilst pondering, Ciel walked towards the kitchen table and took a seat. In his hand was a fork with a spoon placed at the plate''s side. He had no water, nor did he add any sauces or spices found within the room¡¯s kitchen to liven up his meal.


    He simply did not care¡­


    Rin, who was situated not far from where he sat, suddenly felt the presence of a strange odor. Her nose twitched slightly as her deep scarlet eyes shifted towards Ciel¡¯s direction.


    Ciel was already lifting the fork, which held a piece of roasted lamb hostage, to his mouth. Rin¡¯s eyes widened slightly before they began to emit a bright crimson glow.


    ¡°Halt!¡±


    Ciel¡¯s hand immediately froze mid-motion as his face contorted. Once more his mind was under a powerful attack, that being the unrestrained authority of Rin¡¯s charm.

 Chapter 23 - Corruption

    Rin¡¯s charm had a multitude of ways which it manifested. The first and currently weakest way was her presence¡¯s innate ability to slowly charm those around her, influencing them to act in accordance to her will without them even realizing.


    The second was to make eye contact with someone and through the amplification of her charm, which used her eyes as a medium, along with the authority and weight of her existence manifested via verbal command, she could directly corrupt the mind of another to do as she instructs without having to influence their emotions.


    To a regular person, their mind¡¯s would be immediately overwritten and they would not be able to put up any resistance as they themselves would fail to even realize the force affecting them. Those who possessed more powerful existences could resist, however the process of doing so was not just painful but it would turn into a battle against not just her will but the third method of her charm¡¯s manifestation, that being lust¡­


    Currently that aspect of her power was also under heavy restrictions, only manifesting when a person attempts to resist her command. Their attempts cancel the combined power of her charm and verbal command, leaving only the more potent manifestation of her ability bare.


    The ability to imbue and enhance lust within others was just a deeper stage of her charm, however while intimately connected, it is also an extreme of the charm itself.


    This made them different in the rules of mysticism since they are separated by a single layer, as a result of this both create similar but fundamentally different effects. Charm encouraged pure devotion and admiration, whilst her lust encouraged fanaticism and obsession, shifting into twisted love and an overflowing sense of bodily attraction.


    Normally Rin could control which she used, however currently that was not the case, her charm and command was first, momentarily inseparable concepts, and what followed beyond that was the much more powerful lust.


    Ciel¡¯s guesses about the vampire''s authority over the mind domain had been correct, however his views of her actual ability were flawed. The reason for this was simple; vampires only had the ability to affect the minds of others via domination, through the weight of both her existence and will.


    That however was merely a side effect of her nature as a powerful aberration race, many other beings to her level had will which could influence lesser beings.


    Rin¡¯s actual authority was over a different domain, one intimately tied with the mind, that being emotions. Charm was the one which had the most effect, as it directly complimented her race¡¯s ability to dominate over the wills of others, but in truth her touch could reach every emotion she wished to.


    When added together, it led to the terrifying control which vampires seemed to command over the mind of others.


    Of course, Rin currently had no desire to influence Ciel¡¯s mind. Not that she would be able to do so easily, and yet, she had unleashed her command imbued with her charm towards him without any second thoughts.


    It was to save him¡­


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    Stop¡­ Stop! How dare I not stop¡­ Oh Rin¡­ Is¡ª Is that all you need of me?!


    Ciel did not normally feel any emotions within his current state, however Rin¡¯s dreadful power did not fail to spark a desire to obey, to become infatuated by everything about her, to desire her flesh to touch his, to ravage her but not do so without her love being first bestowed upon him.


    This time around, with both her eyes having initiated the attack, the effect was far more powerful. It took Ciel a few seconds of struggling for him to at last regain clarity, however by then Rin had already shifted her gaze away, taking with its departure her insidious power.


    When the surging desires disappeared, returning to an empty void, Ciel did not feel vengeful. He did not even feel angry, instead he immediately stood with the goal of eradicating a lingering threat. No deeper than that simple goal fueled his actions.


    Before he could dash towards her, Rin¡¯s voice echoed once again.


    ¡°T-The meal¡­ D-Do not consume it.¡±


    Ciel froze.


    Rin¡¯s horrid authority did not accompany her words this time around. He turned to stare down at his meal, finding no obvious problems.


    ¡°F-Forgive me. I-I merely did not know how to halt your actions in time.¡±


    Due to his lack of any anger, Ciel was quick to forgive a harmful action taken for the sake of his aid.


    ¡°I see¡­ What is wrong with it?¡±


    He asked indifferently, his green eyes still examining the meal. Realizing that Ciel had no plans of hurting her, Rin dared to turn her neck once more to his direction. With her usual weak but sweet voice she explained.


    ¡°I-I smell corruption. It is faint, y-yet I smell it nonetheless.¡±


    Do not tell me that vampires are the sniffer dogs of the supernatural.


    Sparing a passing thought, Ciel recalled the meat shop where he bought the meal.


    ¡°I bought it at a meat shop not too far from here, could it be that the butcher is actually a monster?¡±


    Ciel pondered out loud. Rin, though, disagreed with him.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°N-No¡­ T-The corruption is faint, far so. I-It is more likely the case that the butcher is corrupted and is voluntarily or involuntarily spreading his acquired corruption.¡±


    ¡°Corruption huh¡­¡±


    Ciel¡¯s mind recalled that strange encounter within the slums. He then proceeded to examine the meal, searching for any hidden symbols. He found none.


    When he was finished, he raised the same fork from before and asked,


    ¡°Rin, can you eat this? Would this help in your recuperation?¡±


    ¡°Hmm p-perhaps a little, h-however such an effect is far to miniscule to be of any real aid.¡±


    Ciel walked closer to her, kneeled down to her level, then reached out his right arm. The fork his hand held hovered just an inch or two away from Rin¡¯s charred lips.


    ¡°Eat it anyway.¡±


    He said, then his voice suddenly turned even colder as he continued.


    ¡°Consider this the appetizer. I will get a full meal for you soon.¡±


    Rin¡¯s scarlet eyes met his, they carried an emotion which Ciel quickly identified as hesitation, one which was certainly not stemming from fear but rather from humiliation.


    Soon Rin¡¯s neck stretched out slightly, her chard lips parting to take a bite. Whilst doing so, Ciel once more witnessed her two sharp fangs. When she swallowed the piece of roasted lamb, Ciel¡¯s lips curled into an eerie smile.


    ¡°Good dog.¡±


    He said with a hint of mockery in his tone.


    Of course, he did not feel joy mocking her either, his smile merely appearing for the purposes of further amplifying his insult.


    *****


    Ciel decided to forgo his initial plan to make first contact with the Red Tiger Gang. He had just stumbled into a golden opportunity after all. Having decided such, he waited for the night to truly come to life. Then after confirming that he was not feeling any intense fatigue, as well as finally cleaning himself with a shower, he ventured out.


    He carried nothing with him, only changing into a full black shirt and pants. Those were the clothes which he had bought earlier on this day. Upon stepping outside, he was immediately met by the many pedestrians all adorned in various attires and eager to reach their destination of partying for the night.


    Ciel incorporated himself with the passersby, casually closing the distance towards his own destination.


    It was as he walked past the entrance of a strip club, one which had a live display of the inside performance playing right outside via a red hologram, that he suddenly heard a man¡¯s voice bellow forth.


    He, along with those around him, turned towards the direction of that voice.


    It appeared that a scene was unfolding.


    ¡°Bitch! You think you''re so pretty huh! You think that makes you better than me!¡±


    A young man with a skin fade haircut, silver hair, wearing pure black leather clothing, and possessing arm tattoos which were of the luminescent type which only appeared dimly upon nightfall, was quickly identified as the source of the loud voice by the surrounding audience.


    The man¡¯s face was covered by wrinkles as he scowled deeply at a woman with straight short brown hair and blue eyes wearing a proper black suit clearly tailored to compliment her body perfectly. The woman¡¯s own expression appeared mostly relaxed, with only a small hint of irritation finding its way onto her beautiful face.


    She sighed.


    ¡°Listen buddy, It¡¯s fine to approach me and shoot your shot, like I get it. However, when the woman says she is not interested, then drop it and scram.¡±


    She gave the young man a cold glare, further emphasizing her point as she spoke calmly. The young man however, did not seem to understand. With unmasked rage he spat.


    ¡°Fuck off! I was only being nice ya hear! But you went and got all full of yourself! I hate whores like you!¡±


    ¡°What did you call me?!¡±


    Just like so, the woman¡¯s previous relaxed and somewhat composed state completely shattered. Replacing it now was pure unbridled anger.


    Stomp


    Stomp


    She took two heavy steps towards the young man, her fists clenched tightly. However before she could reach him a hand suddenly grasped her shoulder.


    ¡°Lara calm down!¡±


    Beside her, a new figure appeared, this one of a tall man with green eyes and neatly kept black hair. He wore the same style of suit as she did, signaling their connection.


    Simultaneously, a friend of the young man stepped forth and took hold of him as well.


    ¡°Bro, leave the girl alone! You''re making a damn scene!¡±


    Lara¡¯s blue eyes turned to her patrolling partner, Eric Stevens.


    ¡°But this bastard has the audacity to blame me when he approached me with some shitty pickup line like: ¡®Hey sweet ass, I love clean girls like you the most, want a drink? My treat!¡¯. I tried to be polite but he was too stupid to appreciate my tactfulness!¡±


    Lara altered her speech upon quoting the young man¡¯s previous words, adding the tone of an imbecile.


    Eric appeared unamused by the entire situation.


    What is the point of an act if you always point out that you are acting?


    Lampooning such, he sighed.


    ¡°Yes, I get it but you shouldn¡¯t lash out because of a few curses. How thin-skinned are you? Come on, aren¡¯t you supposed to be the embodiment of womanly elegance? Prove it now and ignore him.¡±


    Lara¡¯s lips first opened to protest, however no words followed. After a short moment of her mouth hanging open she pursed her lips in frustration.


    ¡°Fine. Come on, let''s go.¡±


    Seeing her calm state, Eric released his grip and without any further words, the two began to walk away.


    The young man, feeling even more enraged that the beautiful woman before him was about to dismiss their entire encounter, let out one final curse at her fleeing back.


    ¡°That''s right, run away bitch!¡±


    Both Lara and Eric froze simultaneously.


    Eric let out a resigned sigh. Lara on the other hand first felt her body tremble vigorously from the sudden surge of rage, she then turned to face the young man once more.


    That young man¡¯s body instantly became paralyzed by fear upon meeting her vicious gaze.


    Lara dashed forth, closed the distance within a second or two, then swung her right arm.


    THUD!


    In the next second, the young man¡¯s jaw experienced a terrible shock before his vision went blank. His jaw was not only dislocated but his entire body, along with the friend which had been holding him, was violently sent flying back towards the ground.


    Overcome with great satisfaction Lara unleashed a forearm jerk, using the same arm which she had punched him with. The friend of the young man, who had just managed to get his bearings and was holding the unconscious young man on the ground, shook in fear.


    ¡°Make sure to teach your friend some manners!¡±


    Lara said cheerfully before turning around and rejoining with Eric a few steps away. The tall man was shaking his head, utterly defeated.


    As the two walked away, their banter becoming fainter and fainter, the audience was left behind with many still captivated by what had unfolded.


    Some of them chatted amongst themselves, shocked by the unexpected power the punch of the petite woman possessed. Others discussed their potential identities as NSRA officers. Some simply moved on, quickly dismissing the scene from their focus.


    A few others could not contain their laughter, finding this moment too funny to not immediately record and upload to the network. The last bunch approached the unconscious man, seeing if he was okay.


    Ciel meanwhile, only had a single thought emerge.


    Esper¡­

 Chapter 24 - Pious

    Esper¡­ More than likely a stage one.


    Ciel made his judgment, he then seamlessly joined those within the audience that had continued on their way. The night was basked under a plethora of neon lights, each emitted by signs, building ornaments, and the official pop up holographic ads.


    The entire area had transformed, now unrecognizable from that of the day. The more one entered the Rich Valley Area, the more casinos they would encounter. Upon the day, these buildings appeared normal and devoid of anything special, however now with the night¡¯s embrace they had transformed into eye-catching beacons.


    When Ciel passed one of these casino¡¯s he would see the same things. Heavy police supervision, countless drunks, and even the occasional Mist Powder addict sprawled on the ground without a care in the world.


    After a few more minutes of walking, Ciel finally arrived at his target. In front of him was a two story weathered building with two rectangular side windows and a heavy alloy door. Unlike its surrounding buildings, it allowed itself to be more comfortable with the darkness of the night as it lacked any light sources beyond a single white beam placed just above the door and the dim light which was emitted from beyond the glass windows.


    This building was none other than the shop; Meat Harvest.


    Still open huh¡­


    Ciel expected this much. After all, the average closing time for businesses within the outskirts was no earlier than 10PM. Ciel tapped his left pocket, confirming that the small kitchen knife he brought from his hotel room was still present.


    He then walked calmly towards the door and entered. The familiar beep along with a robotic voice welcomed him as it had done so prior. Furthermore, the counter was empty.


    Ciel had thought as much. He approached the counter and without pressing the button, he jumped over it. Following through the same corner which Simon had exited before, Ciel was first immediately met by a staircase leading to the second floor.


    Without hesitation he began his way up, however it was as he did so that a faint sound began reaching his ears.


    Hmm¡­


    For a moment, he slowed his pace then lowered his body as he gripped the knife within his pocket.


    STEP


    STEP


    STEP


    After a few more steps, he finally identified the sound. It was humming. A melodious, cheerful hum.


    Ciel arrived at the second floor. The stairs had begun near the end of the shop, as such they curved and followed the wall towards the top right side of the building. This led to a narrow horizontal hallway which had a single dim orange light illuminating it.


    That sole light source however, could not stop flickering.


    Close to Ciel was a wooden door, appearing somewhat new. He paid it little more than a glance before stealthily making his way past it. To the end of the hallway was another door, this one of steel with a squared display window.


    The pleasant humming grew louder the closer Ciel got until finally he reached the door and peered through the window.


    The room inside was seemingly coated by an alloy layer, one which still retained its shine, as if new. On its roof and side walls were long vertical lights which emitted a calm white luster. Surrounding the corners were netted ventilation sources.


    These sources brought in cold air, chilling the room. Hanging from symmetrically placed hooks, large pieces of meat swayed slightly as the broad figure of Simon walked across. He was still humming as he did nothing in particular.


    As if in a trance, he walked around inspecting the hanged meat again and again with an expression of total infatuation. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Ciel silently watched Simon, searching for any obvious defects within the butcher¡¯s body, however he found none. Having concluded such, Ciel retracted the knife he possessed then opened the door. The moment the alloy door was flung, Simon was taken out of his trance, his eyes widened in surprise as his humming halted abruptly.


    Ciel took two confident steps forward then stood straight whilst raising his right arm, which was grasping the knife, and saying with a cold expression.


    ¡°Mr. Simon, could I trouble you with your murder?¡±


    Simon¡¯s shocked expression slowly faded away, replacing it with a joyous smile.


    ¡°Ah, young man! How wonderful! Have you returned for seconds already? Or¡­¡±


    Simon lowered his broad shoulders slightly, as if ducking. He then gave a few glances to each corner of the room. It was almost like he was afraid that someone would overhear his words to come. And indeed, once he felt it safe enough, he whispered.


    ¡°Or could it be that my meal has awakened you to the glory of my lord?¡±


    Ciel had expected Simon to have reacted far more viciously upon hearing his proclamation. However, instead the butcher had asked a question which Ciel failed to understand.


    Am I missing something? What lord? Was the intended effect of the corruption simply to have this ¡®lord¡¯ notice me? Or perhaps for me to notice them?


    Considering that the altercation had yet to explode into a bloodshed, Ciel chose to inquire further.


    ¡°Surely this ¡®lord¡¯ you mention is not referring to the God; Luminous?¡±


    Simon¡¯s pleasant demeanor immediately shattered, his expression morphing into a nasty scowl.


    ¡°The god Luminous is a false god, a betrayer of man! Why should we grovel and devout ourselves to him when he has given us nothing but the eternal flames?!¡±


    Ciel shrugged.


    ¡°Watch it, that is blasphemy. ¡®HE¡¯ might choose to strike you down should you continue.¡±


    In truth Ciel did not care with his actions being merely a probing attempt to gain any useful information on what exactly corrupted this cheerful butcher.


    Of course, even before his shattered state, Ciel had been no zealot. He believed in the orthodox church¡¯s rhetoric once, however when the day that the fallen arrived, no god came down to save them. Ciel could not say for sure if this had been due to the lord¡¯s indifference or as a sign of his verdict.


    Humanity had failed to please him for the second time, rejecting to them the salvation he had once granted them.


    Ciel did not care which was the correct answer since he had already decided to save humanity. He would do so whether God wished it to occur or not. Such was the magnitude of his goal, one which currently lacked passion but retained its purpose.


    Simon snorted in disdain.


    ¡°Let him try then! However, I am blessed by the Lord, ¡®HE¡¯ shall protect me!¡±


    Is the corruption sourced from an aberration which wishes to play god?


    As Ciel pondered, Simon suddenly gained a great elation. He expressed this joy by staring intently at the room¡¯s roof whilst chanting:


    ¡°Praise you!¡±


    ¡°Praise you!¡±


    Again and again.


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    Seeing the butcher begin to lose his clarity and enter a state of pure zealousness, Ciel judged that he would no longer be able to gain any more insights. If nothing else however, he was certain that the corruption layered upon Simon was heavy and plentiful.


    This will be a perfect first meal for her.


    Thinking such, with a cold indifferent demeanor he dashed forth, colliding with the large butcher not long after.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    Somewhat belatedly Simon was taken out of his trance-like state of being engulfed within his piousness by a sudden burning sensation. Beyond that he also felt something moving inside his guts before the feeling dissipated.


    Then without delay that sensation reappeared again, this time in a different part of his belly. It was only now that his eyes narrowed down that he realized he had been stabbed more than a dozen times.


    His body turned weak, then he staggered back a few steps. He reached down for his stomach, pressing his hand down on his crimson dyed apron. The lacerations peppered around his stomach were gushing out streams of blood, their source appearing bottomless.


    Simon¡¯s deep black eyes widened as he raised his blood stained right hand to his face.


    ¡°H-How¡­ pretty¡­¡±


    His voice carried a pleasant melody as his lips curled into a smile before he lost all strength in his legs and fell backwards, swaying a piece of hanged meat as he did.


    THUD


    Seeing this Ciel remained motionless a few meters away, his right hand grasping a knife bathed in scarlet blood. Despite the success of his attack, he remained still.


    Is that it?


    He knew that the large butcher was not a monster, however with the severity in which Rin had reacted towards the lingering corruption found in his meal, along with the level which Ciel himself judged it to be after interacting with the cheerful butcher, he had expected to find a man which when pushed into a corner would reveal uncanny abilities or experience a transformation into something which bordered between aberration and human.


    It was as he thought this that suddenly the cold wind circulating inside the room began to pick up pace. That however was just an illusion¡ª no, rather, everything but it was an illusion.


    As if released from a curse, or perhaps a blessing, the bright room suddenly dimmed and the alloy surroundings began to shake violently¡­


    Ciel¡¯s eyes narrowed as his grip tightened upon the knife¡¯s handle.

 Chapter 25 - Dreadful stare

    Back in the Hazard Hotel, within room twelve, Rin sat motionless. From a far her charred figure might have been mistaken for a statue, of course that was only if she was not within such a hideous state. The room was bathed by darkness with the only source of light being the flashing lights of the holographic projector.


    Rin¡¯s frozen scarlet stare was intently focused on the night show currently airing when suddenly her right eye twitched. With some difficulty, she frowned. Then suddenly her throat began to convulse as if she was about to puke. This action came at the cost of her infernal blood igniting to life, bringing her terrible pain. She ignored the agony however, instead breaking her unmoving state entirely as she raised her right arm and reached into her open mouth with her slender charred fingers.


    Taking hold of what was stuck within her throat she yanked it out. Her eyes then narrowed upon the object, in her palm was a small rotten piece of flesh.


    That being the finger of a corpse¡­


    *****


    Within the second floor of the Meat Harvest shop, the room which Ciel was in had just finished its violent shaking. Along with the restored peace, the room experienced a qualitative change. It was no longer made of shiny new alloy but rather of a layer of old rotting wood.


    That had not been all the changes. All around him the meat which were held up by what were now rusty steel hooks revealed themselves for what they actually were; dismembered parts of human corpses.


    The sudden change had made Ciel take a defensive stance, however what was the greatest threat hung even higher than the desecrated body parts¡­


    Something thick and moist fell onto his shoulder.


    Drip


    Drip


    Drip


    Slowly one drop after another of deep crimson blood began to trickle down like a calm drizzle.


    Could it be¡­


    Being suddenly showered by this, Ciel slowly shifted his gaze towards its source.


    Towering above him was a large artwork of blood. One which formed a familiar symbol, that of a multitude of twisting lines which combined to forge what appeared like an incomplete spiraled eye.


    An eye which embodied both immense eeriness, and dreadful presence. Upon witnessing the familiar unsettling symbol of the incomplete eye, Ciel had only a single thought:


    Not good.


    Ciel wished to look away, and yet his body hesitated to follow his command. He felt as if he was in a trance upon staring directly into the blood center. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    The eerie incomplete eye was where the blood was thickest, its spreading twisting lines growing thinner the more they stretched out. Furthermore, Ciel was situated directly in the center of the rotten room just below the incomplete eye.


    He felt a terrible pressure slam into him with almost tangible fury as his ears began hearing distant whispers. These whispers were insidious and sounded like a thousand voices were layered above each other repeatedly.


    Not only that, Ciel also felt a dreadful presence staring back at him. That ominous, domineering gaze was distant and muffled, as if restricted by an unknown force. However, even with its influence restrained, Ciel was not spared of it entirely.


    Before he knew it, his flesh shriveled, then slowly began rotting.


    Not good.


    Despite the terrible situation, Ciel remained calm within his mind. He did not feel fear for his life, however he understood that he needed to act with great urgency should he wish to accomplish his goal.


    And the goal is everything.


    It was the responsibility which his old self desired to carry. For that reason he could not allow his end to come now.


    Ciel tensed his body, then with considerable effort he yanked his head away from staring upon the dreadful incomplete eye. His struggle was as though a force had been tying him in place, however the moment his vision turned away he felt that pressure lessen. Not just the pressure, the whispers grew more quiet whilst the rotting of his flesh slowed considerably.


    Drip


    Drip


    Drip


    Blood still continued to drizzle down, yet Ciel paid no attention to this as he shifted towards the direction of the door.


    He took a first step, however, before he could take a second. The cold air inside began to stir once more, along with the entire rotten room. The incomprehensible whispers in his ears suddenly spiked, and above him the bloody incomplete eye began to spiral.


    In that moment, Ciel understood the will of this unknown harrowing aberration.


    It wants me dead.


    Ciel tried to move forward regardless but the exit door was slammed shut by the stirring chilly air inside. The tangible pressure which he had felt concentrated before had now spread into the entire room. It grew weaker, unable to prevent his movements completely, instead making his movements sluggish.


    Stomp


    Stomp


    Managing to take two more steps with great difficulty, Ciel could feel the piercing stare which hit his back like a raging tide. The whispers within that direction were also the clearest, almost understandable even, and far more louder.


    By now having been exposed to them for so long, his mind was aching terribly. His ears were bleeding as well. Despite it all, Ciel managed to take another step, then another after that. He was now near the shut exit door which had turned into ugly rusted steel.


    Ciel was certain he could make it, especially with the rotting of his flesh shifting to primarily affect his back. However before he could reach, the whispers disappeared entirely.


    The influence on the room itself also lessened but the drizzle of blood suddenly surged, transforming into a storm. It all came falling down within five seconds, then without hitting the floor, they all converged and barreled into the hanging body parts wrapped on hooks as well as Simon¡¯s corpse.


    Ciel felt the room tremble violently once more.


    When he stared behind him, he no longer found the eerie symbol of blood upon the roof. Instead what welcomed him was the sight of writhing dismembered body parts which were all reaching out towards him, only restricted by the rusted hooks which bound them.


    That was not the focal point either, instead it was the single broad figure which stood a few meters away on the other end of the room.


    It was Simon, his corpse had risen.


    Beyond that, the dim flickering lights which bathed the room now revealed yet another strange occurrence. With every flicker, when the light shined for a moment, Ciel could catch a glimpse of countless illusory women.


    They stood motionless, staring aimlessly into different directions. The only illusory figure among them which Ciel focused on however was the sole man. The reason for that was due to the fact that Ciel recognized that man.


    It was Simon.


    He was both standing as a lifeless undead, while at the same time to his side, he stood as a vengeful phantom¡­

 Chapter 26 - Memories

    Within the second floor of the Meat Harvest Shop, Ciel stood at the far edge of the wooden room. He no longer felt the dreadful pressure which permeated the area just moments prior, however in its place was a tangible animosity which seeped out from a distant standing corpse.


    The corpse was of Simon, the broad joyous butcher. His figure stood motionless whilst his body experienced a change. His flannel shirt¡¯s fabric, along with his pants, dimmed in color, before their very materials began to deteriorate. His hair in both his head and beard were slowly falling off as his skin began to decompose as if he had been dead for far longer than he actually was.


    His white apron suffered the same fate, soon falling off completely and revealing the now rotten lacerations which Ciel had caused. His deep black eyes somehow turned more profound whilst at the same time remaining entirely hollow.


    They were eyes devoid of any spark of ambition, desire, or passion. Not even coldness found its way there as it had with Ciel. Only utter emptiness.


    Despite that however, permeating from inside their dark depths was an insidious will. One which rushed forth and penetrated Ciel¡¯s mind. With that dreadful will came those familiar whispers, their countless words almost audible.


    It gave him a headache.


    It took a vessel, so could this be considered my first real meeting with that distant aberration?


    Ciel understood that it was not Simon who rose, instead it was the ¡®lord¡¯ which he worshiped. It seemed that the fiend had not wished for Ciel¡¯s escape to such an extent that it personally descended down.


    Regardless of its sudden tangible presence, Ciel still felt certain about one thing.


    With cold eyes, Ciel donned a fake inhuman smile whilst lifting his chin up slightly.


    ¡°Do not strain yourself too much, oh great lord. It is pathetic.¡±


    He mocked.


    The aberration¡¯s gaze had felt distant before, so Ciel was certain that its restraint had not disappeared. Before him now was just a vessel, the real source of the aberration was still either far away or under some severe restriction nearby.


    That meant that however powerful this corpse might be it most certainly had a limited time with the living.


    The continuous decomposing of its body served as evidence towards that conjecture.


    Simon¡¯s corpse did not move, it merely continued to stare at Ciel head on. Ciel meanwhile, did not show fear. He returned the empty stare with his own cold one, despite the terrible pain the growing whispers caused him.


    No good huh. Then this aberration must not be human-like.


    Having grasped more information about this unknown existence, Ciel finally felt ready to take action. His urgency from before had lessened the moment his flesh ceased its rapid rotting. His body was still covered by disgusting areas of rotten flesh, however he could bear that pain still.


    The only question now was whether he should engage the aberration and retrieve what he came for in the first place, or retreat and waste all this effort.


    Whilst pondering this, his eyes narrowed to the side slightly, falling upon the illusory phantom of Simon.


    Simon¡¯s expression was joyous still, seemingly elated at being in the presence of his corpse self, which was also the supposed ¡®lord¡¯ which he worshiped. Despite that though, deep within his illusory eyes were hints of both sorrow and rage.


    Ciel was most wary of him, along with the countless illusory women which flashed into view with every flicker of white light. Each phantom was situated beside a writhing hanged dismembered body part.


    With the exception of one which stood far into the back, all alone. Unlike the rest of the female phantoms, and much like that of the sole male one, the distant illusory woman¡¯s eyes did not seem lost and distant. Instead they were intently focused upon the phantom Simon¡¯s back.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Nuzzled within her dark eyes was pure elation, one which the phantom woman expressed with an eerie, wide, sinister smile.


    Having finished his counting of them, Ciel made a quick judgement.


    Outnumbered. Retreat is for the best.


    Ciel then immediately entered into a sprint. His goal now was not the rusted steel door behind him but rather the rotten wooden wall to his right. He was certain it would not withstand a full speed slam.


    The hollow, empty eyes of Simon¡¯s corpse followed him. The corpse did not move, however, all around him the phantoms, which seemed dormant, suddenly trembled then turned towards Ciel. With terrible speed they dashed forth, passing through the writhing hanged body parts which constantly reached out towards Ciel¡¯s direction as if he were a flesh magnet.


    Ciel almost made it to the rotten wall when his body was suddenly invaded by numerous phantoms. His body shuddered violently and his mind became overwhelmed by countless thoughts, emotions, and memories.


    *****


    Within the outskirts stood a woman. She was a frail woman with light brown hair, black eyes, and light skin. She wore an ugly pink dress which could not hide its old age. By no means could this woman have been considered beautiful.


    Indeed she was not, however she had been once, only nine short months ago.


    The outskirts were a cruel place, truly so, and yet if one had a single advantage then there was hope that it could provide them with a life which was just passable enough. That was all which the woman wished for once.


    She had successfully leveraged her beauty to gain a job at a casino, one which was of course gang affiliated, however one which valued pretty objects above all else.


    Because pretty and beautiful things were the greatest allures. Men would rush in like moths chasing a burning bright light. That was her job; lure them inside, keep them inside.


    The woman had grown very good at her job, until the day came that a young handsome man from within the city arrived. It did not take long before the woman received a plethora of compliments, then promises. The man had been rather charming and pleasant.


    She had never fallen for the advances of a customer prior, however she must have been extra foolish on that day. Perhaps she wished that his proclamations were true, that she could actually be saved from this place. That she could live a better life, surrounded by affection and stability. In the end she had returned with him to his hotel, slept with him, then was meant to be taken along into a much better life, a happier one.


    That did not occur.


    Instead she was awakened by the hotel owner kicking her half naked self off the room, her handsome partner long gone.


    Had that been it then everything would have been okay, however her luck was rotten, she had always thought so at least. Only a month after that encounter, she discovered her pregnancy. Her bosses discovered it as well.


    Just like so, she was jobless and carrying an unwanted child.


    Life became even harsher after that, its quality dropping among the worst within the outskirts. She lost a lot of her weight from many nights without proper food, and she was just barely managing to sustain a job longer than a month before losing it due to her growing inability to work.


    At least it''s almost time¡­


    It was almost time for her child to be born, almost time for her to discard of it. Almost time for her to become free again.


    Bastion had strict anti-abortion laws, a direct result of the fact that humanity was on its final embers and it needed reassurance that the future generation was not dwindling in numbers. The woman felt that such a law was unfair and cruel, especially to those within the outskirts who it had never bothered to help.


    So great was her resentment that she even wished for the eternal flames to devour them all like it had done the rest of the world.


    She had no love for humanity, no love for life.


    Thinking such, with simmering hatred inside her heart, she took a step forward and crossed the Western Stretch Highway. Before long she had entered the slums, the area which was to be the birthplace, and death place of her soon to be born child.


    *****


    Her labor was grueling and filled with overwhelming anguish. The woman could not remember just how long it had been since she felt such pain, nor could she recall when she had cried to such an extent.


    It was the worst experience of her life. One endured for nothing.


    Finally, when the child did come. Her initial instinct was not to throw him away as she had planned, rather it was to see his face. She wanted to see the monster which made her wretched life harder. She wanted to strangle it with her own hands.


    But, when she brought the weeping baby closer, her heart¡¯s hatred failed and she hesitated. She did not know why she was hesitating, if nothing else in this world, she at least had the right to kill this monster. And yet, she could not.


    Because it had her eyes, because those eyes were drenched in tears, because he looked healthy. Sure the last nine months had been grueling for her, but was that not true for this child as well? He had survived the lackluster food she provided, he had starved with her when she failed to acquire anything, he had worked so, so hard. And in a state far weaker than she herself had been.


    In that moment, the woman discovered that she was capable of a thing like motherly love. It was a wonderful discovery, one which made her happy. She had not had much within this world, but now, if nothing else she had a son to keep her company.


    Perhaps someone who would not need her to be anything other than herself, a woman named Elly, a woman who was not good at keeping a job, who was not good at masking her emotions, a woman who was a wreck, but who still struggled on, unwilling to wield to this wicked world without a fight.


    Along with her joy, shame also assaulted her. How could she have ever considered killing this child? This child was hers, her only son. For now and forever¡­


    It was as all her emotions, memories, hopes, and pains collided into a chaotic storm within her heart that she could no longer halt the tears which swelled up in her eyes. As she wept in her empty corner, far detached from the society which cared not for her, she whispered the name of her child.


    ¡°Simon¡­¡±

 Chapter 27 - Simon

    It was a regular day within the outskirts of the eleventh district. There a young Simon was walking back from his local school. The education here was subpar, however it was considerably cheap and if nothing else, at least it was not absent entirely. To the young Simon though, the quality of his education meant nothing to him.


    Simon only ever had a single concern on his mind, that being of his mother. Life was rough for him, he lived in a cramped apartment which possessed little of the life necessities expected of homes to have. Beyond that their home was infested with rodents that came to life upon nightfall.


    Simon had already become accustomed to their noises whilst he slept. Beyond that he lacked much clothing and never had a full belly. To his luck at least, almost all within his rundown school were in no better shape than he was so it brought little ridicule from his peers.


    This was a harsh life to have most certainly, and yet Simon rarely found himself worried over it. Instead he cared more over the deteriorating health of his mother. She was a frail woman who worked herself to the bone for the sake of the two of them. Simon could tell that despite her bravado, she was barely holding on.


    She worked all day and throughout most of the night, only returning to gain a few hours of sleep before repeating the grueling process once more. It was only then that the two could spend some time together, perhaps an hour''s worth or even less.


    Simon loved his mother to no end, she was simply far too caring for him. Oftentimes she even neglected her own self for the sake of him. Food was expensive, and his mother often got the cheap veggie based products from third rate stores for them to enjoy. When she failed to afford it she would buy just enough for Simon then claim to have already eaten.


    Such a lie worked on him once, however Simon was getting older and far less gullible. He was already twelve this year and was beginning to slowly understand just how much harder she has had it.


    This sparked a deep desire to help her in any way he could. For that reason he never complained, did the house chores without fail, and pretended like the same stale veggies were the most delicious thing in the world.


    When he did, his mother would always give him a tired smile. That smile brought warmth to Simon¡¯s heart, but also heavy sorrow.


    Despite his efforts however, he was still young and immature. Sometimes he would catch himself staring upon the display pictures within meat shops, ones which promised them the quality which their mimicking machines could produce.


    Simon had never had meat before, those products were simply far more expensive than the veggie ones, even when done by lesser grade food mimicking machines.


    Grumble¡­


    Feeling the plea of his stomach, Simon frowned then continued on his way. That night when he ate, he pretended that the green lettuce was the same piece of grilled steak which the display had shown. Somehow, that helped him keep up his facade for a day longer¡­


    And so it was, this was their life. Until the time came where it all crumbled to ruin.


    The change happened quickly and without warning. His mother, after many years of hardship, finally collapsed. She became deathly ill and soon lost her many jobs as a result. Simon was fourteen years old when she informed him that they had been kicked out of the apartment and would be going to live inside the slums.


    She had told him through tearful eyes, with a voice drenched in sorrow.


    Simon saw the regret she carried, he realized the pain it caused her, and still he could not stop his own selfish heart from finding a million reasons to explain why it was all his fault.


    He hated himself for being nothing but a burden, however he hated himself for being grateful at having been born as her burden. He simply could not imagine having a different mother, nor did he ever wish to, even if him being born was the very reason for her current suffering and soon, the reason for her death.


    Simon wished to deny it at first, his mother also tried to pretend it was not happening, but both knew that no doctor would come to help them for free. Her illness was going to be the end of her.


    All Simon could do was go out to beg and see what he could find for them to eat. Meanwhile his mother grew weaker with each passing day. Her skin became even paler, her eyes barely opened, and her battered body could no longer muster the strength to move.


    She remained talkative at first, then slowly began speaking less and less. Soon she was no different than a mute. Simon could do nothing but sit beside her, legs wrapped by his arms as he watched with empty eyes unto the scenery beyond the small hole they carved for themselves within the slums.


    He knew she would die soon, perhaps today, or maybe on the next. Regardless of when, he knew it would be no more than three days. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    He felt dread overcome him, fear, and sorrow. He also felt hope. Hope that the God Luminous would answer his prayer and save his mother.


    He just needed her to survive a little longer. He was already fifteen, he had already given up on so many things, he had already begun trying to contact The Red Tiger Gang. If he was accepted by them then maybe, just maybe their lives could return to what it was before, however this time she could stay home and rest whilst he provided for them.


    That was all he wanted. Just a little more time.


    Tears soon surfaced within his eyes as his heart cried out its desperate plea without rest. Accompanying his growing anguish was his growing hunger. It had been three days since he had eaten last, however he had not gone out to beg since.


    His mother would leave this world soon and he refused to not be by her side when she did.


    A day passed, then another, until finally the destined moment arrived. Before all life seeped from her dark eyes, Simon was gifted with the sight of her warm, caring smile once more. It gave him an indescribable stir, one a complicated mix of joy and anguish.


    He did not let his suffering show however, instead returning a warm smile of his own, along with his earnest gratitude.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ For everything. Thank you so much. I love you with all my heart ma!¡±


    His mother¡¯s smile seemed to deepen as he spoke those words, then her eyes closed, never again opening.


    Simon entered a deep depression following her passing. So much so that he did not move for a long, long time. He did not wish to do anything anymore, however his body demanded that he obtain some food and water.


    He had ignored its demands for a long time, until it became so unbearable that he had no choice but to submit. It was as he was standing with empty eyes that he felt his sudden movement stir his mother¡¯s corpse slightly.


    His eyes fell upon it, hanging there for a moment before he did something without much thought. He raised a piece of her arm then sunk his teeth into it. He did not know why he was doing it, however he simply wished for her to stay with him.


    Beyond that twisted wish, was the simple primal hunger which had been assaulting him for many days now.


    Simon¡¯s first taste of meat was that of his mother¡¯s flesh.


    Worst yet, he found it the most delicious thing in the world¡­


    *****


    Simon ate his mother. Then life continued as it had been before, indifferent to his grief. However, Simon experienced a change. He spent many years within the slums, only entering the outskirts to beg for what little change people were willing to spare.


    He however, no longer used that money to eat but rather to gamble. He was unlucky most times, with only a few significant wins. When he did win he would hide the money within the small hole he had been calling home for years now.


    It did not take much effort to hide because no one expected a slum rat to have any money. That rang true for both his fellow slum rats and the outskirt folks. This was all part of his eventual plan of starting his own business in a place he could fully claim as his.


    With enough patience then he knew it would bring him a better life in the future. In the present there was also another change which occurred. That was his diet. Simon no longer bought food, instead he had begun eating the freshly found human corpses within the slums.


    Of that there were no shortages.


    However, Simon had yet to find a delicious meal like that of his mother. He did not know why that was either, only suspecting that his love for her had somehow allowed him to enjoy the taste of her flesh far better than of these sickly nobodies.


    Regardless of the reason, he continued to eat human corpses, discovering many ways in which to prepare his meals. It was only after many years of this that one day he had a strange encounter. A corpse that had been carved open laid before him, with a distant symbol of a spiraling incomplete eye painted upon the stone wall.


    Staring upon it brought voices into his head, ones that spoke of a great existence. These voices worshiped this existence and encouraged him to do the same. Simon was skeptical at first, unwilling to believe in the false promises of another god ever again.


    However the voices never left, soon becoming far too unbearable to ignore. As a test he prayed to this being and requested for something outrageous and impossible, hoping to mock the whispers for claiming its supposed greatness.


    He wished for his mother to return.


    To Simon¡¯s utter shock, his prayer was answered. His mother did return to him, however she did not do so in flesh but rather as a silent phantom. This phantom donned that familiar warm smile which he loved. She also never left his side, silently following him wherever he went.


    Simon had no reason to doubt after this, just like so he became a loyal worshiper of this hidden existence, to The God of Death.


    He learned to make an altar and received more guidance. He had a role in spreading this god¡¯s grace, and by doing so he received its favor.


    Before long Simon could see another layer of the world, this one of phantoms. He also finally saw through with his long time plan, successfully opening his own meat shop within the outskirts. It was there that he would not only continue to follow the will of his lord, but also indulge himself.


    He would select women which had resemblance to his mother, then corrupt and devour them. Simon at last was able to taste something truly delectable, proving that it was love which had made his first taste of flesh so unforgettable all those years ago. When he ate those women, memories of his time with his mother would stir, along with his deep love for her. Those emotions were the greatest seasonings.


    And so he continued to indulge himself, with each meal tasting better than the last.


    To his side, the phantom of his mother would always watch intently as he ate, her constant smile transforming even more radiant each time.


    His mother also seemed loyal to the god which reunited them, always becoming elated whenever he completed its will, whenever he spread its corruption, and especially so when he completed the massive symbol of the spiraling incomplete eye with the blood of his victims.


    His lord too, only continued to bless him, granting him the ability to feast on those he wished without fear of being caught, and also the ability to spread the lord''s glory.


    Yes, everything was great now.


    Simon was happy now, so, so happy.


    And all of it was thanks to ¡®HIM¡¯.


    Within his heart zealous grew, and his soul had but a single phrase etched into it:


    ¡°Praise you!¡±


    ¡°Praise you!¡±


    ¡°Praise you!¡±

 Chapter 28 - Memory onslaught

    Helga was a woman in her mid-thirties with light brown hair and black eyes. She had managed to retain her beauty and feminine grace despite the many years within the outskirts. Currently she worked as a teller within The Royal Casino, one of the Red Tiger Gang¡¯s most influential stations.


    Despite their designation as a ¡®Gang¡¯ Helga found them to be rather fair with their treatment of workers. Of course, she was not ignorant that it all could just as easily simply be sourced from their lust. She had heard rumors of vile ways which they exploited women, however it appeared that the boss of the gang, that aloof mysterious figure, was rather strict with the management of the many casinos under his control.


    Helga understood why, after all, this was where their money truly sourced. She also had further suspicions over their overall operations, however she knew better than to stick her nose in a place which it did not belong.


    Instead Helga merely focused on surviving each day within the outskirts. Her job had made it easier for her than many others most certainly, and yet she was under a strict contract which she could never violate. Doing so simply meant death.


    ¡®Well, what¡¯s five more months anyway¡­¡¯


    She had already served most of its duration, having saved a respectable sum within that time. It felt almost unreal, to be free of not just her contract but soon the greater outskirts.


    Helga had it all planned out. She would return to the district city, take a year to settle back to a proper life, then maybe seek her chances at realizing her dream of starting a small business.


    Of what? Well she had yet to decide.


    To her the dream was the business itself, the ability to have something calm and stable, in a place far removed from the outskirts, the place which both raised her and stripped her of the basic rights a human ought to have.


    The more she pondered it, the more her heart raced. Her ears turned hot as she imagined that beautiful life which was just beyond reach.


    It was so close.


    On that particular day, she had decided to treat herself to some artificial meat. Helga did not eat meat often despite being able to afford it. She did not wish to grow a liking to it, then lose everything and be stripped of a simple luxury. Luxuries are always easy to become accustomed to, however they are never easy to let go of.


    Helga was optimistic about her future, but she was also a realist. Far too many things could go wrong, just as they already had many times in her past.


    Stopping before a meat shop she had yet to visit before, one named: ¡®Meat Harvest Shop¡¯


    Helga donned a bright smile.


    Today was a good day¡­


    Such were her thoughts, however, far into the night of that same day, she would never be seen again.


    *****


    Emily was a woman in her early forties with light brown hair and deep black eyes. She did not appear the healthiest, her pale skin was dry and had many parts where it was peeling off. Her eyes had deep bags under them and her body was skinny, just short of rivaling those which were deathly ill.


    Emily had long since given up on her looks, so long as her body could move, then that was all which mattered to her. Furthermore, her job as one of the countless programmers within her company required long hours of work.


    Bastion was a massive place and within it there were thousands of companies each with specific needs and demands. Whilst in the old world these companies could outsource their work to different countries to gain cheaper costs, now district 11¡¯s outskirts had taken over that role.


    Emily was a brilliant woman, together with her co-workers she spent day in and day out programming new code for the many different models of food mimicking machines which her parent company produced. Technology had advanced significantly even when restrained behind Bastion¡¯s borders, however human oversight was still a crucial element.


    These food machines constantly needed adjustments to their codes, along with the development of new features which could then be sold as: ¡®Bonus Capability Packages¡¯.


    Emily had long since stopped caring over the fact that despite her time and effort being so integral for her parent company¡¯s flourishment, that in the end it was her which ended up going to a run down home which she barely saw.


    Amongst the outskirt¡¯s people, she was of an acceptable life level which came at the cost of all her time. Emily could not remember the last day in which she had a day-off, nor could she recall the last day in which she had some actual spare cash to spend on herself.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    She barely made enough to cover all her bills, and even then she could only afford a small box to live in. She couldn¡¯t even remember when was the last time she called her parents, or even when she had last spent time with old friends.


    She was just far too tired¡­ Too tired to do anything other than collapsing the moment she reached home.


    And so her life flashed by, always the same routines, the same work, the same hardships. On special occasions, she would even have a day to herself, yet those rare days would be wasted under the embrace of a full day¡¯s slumber.


    Emily hated her life, she hated it with all her being. She also feared death, a fear which robbed her of the courage to simply end her own suffering.


    On a day like all the others, she would run into a strange man on her way to work. Apparently he had just opened up his very own meat shop. The two had been walking in the same direction so Emily indulged herself in an out of the norm socializing.


    That brought her a nice feeling.


    Oftentimes, the walk from home to work in the mornings felt the most hollow. That was the period in which she felt the most like a slave. Someone with invisible chains tied to their legs. Despite her desire to forsake them, in the end, if she wanted to just survive, then she would need to work. That company of hers, along with all its executives, were her masters.


    Worst yet, she was a slave who returned each day to do their bidding for mere scraps, all of her own free will.


    It felt degrading. She did not even feel human anymore. She sometimes even thought that those who lived in the slums were the only humans within this damn city which were truly free.


    Emily might have joined them had she simply been less of a coward.


    By the end of their pleasant talk, the joyous man invited her over after work for a taste of his dishes. His enthusiasm and clear overflowing passion for his craft was intoxicating, it placed her in a good mood.


    The only issue was that the man had been giving her occasional intense stares, ones which she found the most fitting to describe as: ¡®Carnal¡¯.


    Does he want to sleep with me perhaps?


    Emily had not been with a man for a long time, not because she wished it so, but merely out of a lack of time to meet new people. When she considered that, not only did his proposal sound more enticing, but she found herself flattered to be stared at so intently.


    Once again, such a simple thing, a simple norm of everyday life, like a man¡¯s kindness or lust, made Emily feel like she wasn¡¯t just a cog which worked tirelessly to support a vast entity, but instead a human.


    She agreed to his offer, meeting him later that same night. Emily was never seen again after that.


    *****


    Vic was a woman within her early thirties with light brown hair and deep dark eyes. She worked at a club as a bartender. Vic loved her job because she loved to party. When she was at work, when she drank, nothing else in the world mattered.


    Not her spiteful neighbors which had been subtly harassing her each day as she arrived home. Not the pain of having lost her father to a mining accident just two weeks after he traveled east in search of work. Not for the subsequent murder of her best friend because of her secret affiliation with the Red Tiger Gang.


    Absolutely nothing mattered, only the movement of her body, and the spirit of her soul.


    She felt free when drunk, felt happy to make drinks which allowed others to escape this hell alongside her, felt dread when it all ended and she was forced back into reality.


    At first, she would merely go home to her cramped box and sleep until the night reached once more. Even refusing to take days off entirely. However this constant cycle was far too strenuous. Soon she would fall ill and be unable to work for many days after.


    She was fortunate that her boss was kind enough to wait for her return instead of outright dismissing her as a lost cause as many places often did. Within the outskirts, when one got sick, they rarely got better. Vic knew her troubles came from exhaustion. She was able to convey that to her boss and was given a few days to get better.


    Vic felt her body gradually recover from its exhaustion, however she could not spend the entire time sleeping. She had many hours where she merely sat in her room, tortured by the many troubles she had been desperately avoiding.


    It was as this simmering anguish, anxiety, and sorrow reached a boiling point that she decided to do something which she had never done before.


    She tried Mist Powder for the first time.


    Acquiring it was not hard. She merely had to approach the rough looking Red Tiger Members or hover around any of the Rich Valley Area¡¯s casinos. Vic obtained her dose through the lather. Soon she was sprawled in bed, her body twitching slightly, and her open mouth released a purple foam. That foam sizzled then turned into mist which rose into the air. Her eyes also carried a slight luminescent purple glow.


    Vic found the experience to be wondrous. Her mind was seemingly transported to a dream where anything happened, no matter how bizarre, and she herself could even dictate what occurred. She was lucid within this dream, whilst at the same time not.


    She also felt incredible!


    Her depression was entirely forgotten, replaced entirely by utter ecstasy.


    It was so that her addiction began. Now she would drink and party when at work, then do Mist Powder when at home.


    She had finally fully escaped¡­


    In fact, she spent so little time without being under some influence that she did not even realize when a certain meal from a certain shop nestled a corruption within her. She began hearing whispers in her ears, however she merely thought them as side effects of the powder.


    Not that she cared.


    And so, without her awareness, she began going to that shop often. Until the day came that she entered, and never returned¡­


    *****


    Within a rotten wooden room, Ciel was rendered unable to move. More and more memories flashed within his mind. With them came all the emotions which they carried. Of course, his heart was not moved by these scenes thanks to his shattered state, however it completely hindered his physical abilities. A result of the sheer overload of information which was currently assaulting his mind.


    One after the other, the memories of one unfamiliar woman flashed within his mind, then another memory would take its place, repeating endlessly. They occurred in a scattered pattern, yet he felt he understood everything as if they were happening in order.


    It was a sensation similar to that which he felt when traversing back through the expanse of time. Of course, infinitely more tamed. The experiences were all happening rapidly, making a single second contain countless life-long memories within them.


    And despite all that, Ciel could still barely possess a sense of awareness. With that small awareness he was able to realize that calm footsteps were approaching his way.

 Chapter 29 - Sufficient Evidence

    Ciel was struggling, in truth everything had not gone as he expected. What was meant to be a simple hunt had transformed into a lethal battle for his life. He had made that realization the moment he discovered the source of Simon¡¯s corruption. That strange existence was simply too dire of a foe for him to realistically kill or even successfully ward off.


    For that reason he attempted retreating, however his efforts were foiled by his dreadful opponent. And of course, it had been done through a mind attack. There seemed to be no shortage of those recently.


    He stood motionless near the corner of the rotting room. His body was twitching slightly, however his balance remained firm and his eyes seemed to be moving rapidly in all directions. Surrounding his body was an illusory, ghastly aura.


    Within that aura, faces flashed at times, along with voices. They were voices of different women which had a wide range of strong emotions. Occasionally the sole male voice of Simon could be heard as well. It was as he was in this state that the walking corpse moved.


    Its pace was calm, wherever the soles of its feet touched the area¡¯s decay intensified. It had already completely destroyed the shoes Simon had worn. Furthermore, this effect of decay was occurring to its own body.


    The more time passed, the more Simon¡¯s corpse appeared dead.


    Soon it arrived at Ciel¡¯s location, then it calmly raised its hand and grasped at his jaw. Immediately after, the previous rotting of his body not only started anew but the area where Ciel was directly grasped rapidly decomposed.


    The process was so thorough that no blood spilled, nor did he feel pain.


    Ciel tried to resist, however there was nothing he could do. He was barely lucid enough to understand that he had been grasped, and the memories flashing through his mind had not ceased nor had the intensity of their flow diminished in any form.


    If he failed to do anything, then it would spell the end of his life.


    Realizing such, the still calm Ciel resorted to activating his only tool: His Concept Accommodation ability. He was not sure if it would have any effect at all, however right now he had no other choices. If even that failed, then he would try and disrupt the activated ¡®Fool¡¯ ability which was preventing the world itself from rejecting him within this time.


    What would such an action do?


    It was as he was about to surge the little spirituality he possessed that suddenly the rusty alloy door was sent flying forward with a small boom.


    For a second, all movement halted. Even of those dismembered body parts which hung on hooks.


    ¡°Ugh. Disgusting¡­¡±


    A woman¡¯s voice then sounded before a young figure with beautiful features stepped inside. She had short brown hair and light blue eyes, along with a slender build. She wore a neatly fitting black suit and possessed a womanly grace to her movements.


    She was beautiful. She was also the Inspector Lara Taylor of the NSRA, and an Esper of the Second Stage.


    *****


    A few minutes prior, upon the bustling neon showered streets of the Rich Valley Area within the southern outskirts. Two figures were walking side by side as they cut through the many pedestrians out to indulge within the nightlife.


    The first was a beautiful woman with short brown hair and blue eyes, it was Lara. Currently she was walking straight, however her eyes were not locked on the path ahead, instead they were staring intently at her phone.


    Eric, who walked beside her, did not mind this, especially since he had just sent her information which she had to examine. That information being the sudden disappearances of local residences within the Laften street, Ergo Street, Cashen Street, and Ninter Street.


    ¡°One hundred thirty three women within the last year huh. Damn police, if they suspected this might be related to the supernatural then why not hand over the case sooner?!¡±


    Lara¡¯s words were both a question and a frustrated complaint. She hated seeing needless deaths, especially when it concerned targeted attacks on women.


    Eric gave her a side glance, then shrugged.


    ¡°This is not the main district area or even the base layer districts. No witnesses mentioned seeing anything. Everyone within this place is barely holding on so they aren¡¯t the type to care much about what others beside them are doing. Furthermore, these were all single women living alone without any criminal records or previous known enemies. They barely seemed to have any friends either. Considering all of that, then it is not unreasonable to think that they merely became victims of the Red Tiger Gang or simply chose to enter the slums. Statistically, sixty percent of deaths within the outskirts occur within the slums, so it is hard to know when an actual murder occurs which is unrelated to the remaining thirty five percent which die from gang violence.¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Lara stared at Eric with a strange expression.


    ¡°Eric, sometimes I think I like you best when you stay quiet.¡±


    Eric shrugged, then said evenly.


    ¡°You asked so I answered in a concise and true to the facts manner.¡±


    ¡°That was what you consider concise?¡±


    Lara retorted, then crossed her arms in disapproval.


    ¡°I get it, I do. But this operation striker they are doing wouldn¡¯t even involve us if it wasn''t for that unexpected complication. Then what? They would have begun their gang war whilst whatever monster is causing these deaths does as it pleases?¡±


    Eric sighed.


    ¡°That is a hypothetical. We are here now are we not? And even if that was not the case, it would get to us eventually wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    Hearing his calm response, Lara¡¯s head turned sharply at him. She then grumbled.


    ¡°Do you hear yourself? You sound so indifferent! Don¡¯t you care about saving lives?!¡±


    Eric sighed.


    ¡°Of course I do but don¡¯t be so naive Lara, things like this happen each day. They won¡¯t stop now because I am mad at the system or how efficient it is, and those women won¡¯t come back from the dead either. Being angry at that is a waste of energy. Energy which is better spent preventing this from continuing further.¡±


    Lara opened her mouth to retort, however in the end she just remained silent. She returned her gaze back to her phone¡¯s report after unwrapping her arms.


    The two continued on in silence until finally they arrived at their destination.


    ¡°This is it¡­ The commonality between all the victims. An affiliation with a small meat shop hosting an old world theme to it.¡±


    Hearing Eric¡¯s words, Lara raised her head away from the phone. Across from them was a two story structure, one in visible contrast to all the surrounding brightly illuminated buildings.


    ¡°Meat Harvest huh¡­¡±


    Even from where they stood, something was already off. Lara¡¯s eyes furrowed.


    ¡°Eric¡­¡±


    ¡°You too?¡±


    Eric did not need to hear what Lara was going to say, he already knew. As espers, they had the ability to enhance their eyesight exponentially, and yet, when they peered into the glass windows they could not see anything.


    ¡°Something is definitely wrong here! Obstruction to the eyes of espers proves that the owner is a monster doesn¡¯t it? I mean a regular human would not know how to create a seal.¡±


    Eric shook his head.


    ¡°No, this is odd, but it is not enough evidence to label the owner a monster just yet. Perhaps the true culprit is not a monster but a strange aberration. That is a possibility as well.¡±


    Eric¡¯s brows furrowed even deeper.


    ¡°This is odd isn¡¯t it? The police officer which assigned this case noted that they had checked this place before but found nothing out of the ordinary. If that is true then why is the anomaly exposing itself today?¡±


    Lara shrugged.


    ¡°Does that even matter? We need to take action either way. The question is do we storm in and potentially risk facing an actual monster or do we call for backup? I mean, performing monster exterminations isn¡¯t exactly our expertise, shouldn¡¯t we request that an Enforcer join us?¡±


    Eric contemplated for a moment.


    ¡°We should proceed on our own first. The NSRA is already breaking protocol by having Stage Two Espers working in pairs so the fact that they gave us this case without a supervising enforcer means they are expecting a very weak monster.¡±


    Turning to look at Lara, he smiled.


    ¡°Let''s show them how deadly we are.¡±


    Lara smiled as well, she then nodded.


    The two inspectors proceeded forth, but found their entry blocked. No matter how hard they tried, the door refused to open. Eventually, they attempted to enter through the windows, finding resistance even then. The window however, was unable to delay them for long.


    It was shattered shortly after by a powerful kick from Eric. The moment it did, both Eric and Lara¡¯s eyes widened. Inside everything seemed like what one expected to find from a shop which modelled itself with the style of the old world.


    What made both of them pause however, was the sight behind the glass of the many display counters. There, many pre-made meals rested, all of which were terribly repulsive.


    The sides of the pre-made meals appeared normal, unchanged, yet in the places where meats such as tender steaks, grilled chickens, and seasoned pork should have been, were instead disgusting parts of human corpses.


    ¡°These are¡ª!¡±


    Lara¡¯s voice was horse and her shock had shifted to unbridled fury. The two inspectors then shifted their head¡¯s upwards. Their eyes could not see past the first floor ceiling, however they could sense an eerie presence.


    ¡°That monster is dead for disgracing those women!¡±


    Without hesitation Lara dashed forward. Eric did not stop her, he was just as vexed so he simply followed.


    *****


    The moment Lara stormed inside the strange, rotten room, her nostrils were assaulted by a terrible smell of decay and death.


    ¡°Ugh. Disgusting¡­¡±


    She muttered before turning her head to the side. As she did her partner finally entered behind her, seemingly agreeing with her earlier words as he donned a frown.


    The two inspectors were met with a truly sinister and unexpected sight. It was sinister in that the entire room was rotten whilst having pieces of hanged human parts moving as if alive. It was also unexpected for the fact that an unknown young man was present, currently in the thralls of a horrific walking corpse.


    Safe to assume this is sufficient evidence right?


    Thinking such, Lara retrieved her gun from its holster, aimed it, then pulled the trigger.


    BANG!

 Chapter 30 - Battle

    BANG!


    Just like so, a small bullet with strange symbols etched onto its surface shot forth, reaching the assumed enemy within less than a second.


    The head of Simon¡¯s corpse jolted slightly from the bullet¡¯s impact, however despite having been hit perfectly between his brows, nothing happened. The body did not cease to move, not even swaying from the impact.


    Lara found this sight quite unsettling¡­


    Is¡­ Is that thing even alive?!


    The answer should have been obvious upon first sight, and if not, then further upon the sight of the ever increasing decay which the body was experiencing. Whatever the thing before her was, it was clear that it would not remain with the living for long. A smart approach was to simply wait out this inevitable destruction, but the two inspectors were not in the position to do such a thing.


    Firstly, they had been sent out to eradicate this issue, not scare it away. Should she allow it to escape successfully, then more people would continue to die. She could never accept such a reality, for if she was someone capable of doing so, then why had she become an Inspector of the NSRA to begin with?


    And even beyond that reason, in front of them was an unknown young man, one who was currently being grasped by the eerie monster and having their body decay whilst suffering from some other insidious phenomena.


    Lara had no idea who this man was, nor did it matter to her. What mattered was that he was about to die, and she had the ability to prevent that.


    Well, they both did¡­


    Immediately upon realizing that her first bullet was ineffective and determining the likely nature of the monster before them, Lara called out.


    ¡°Eric!¡±


    ¡°On it!¡±


    From behind her, Eric¡¯s swift figure slid past her, then he dashed forward at a superhuman speed. Eric reached the motionless corpse within a second, all while its dead empty eyes followed his movements. Eric heard sudden whispers assault his mind, however his cold focus did not shatter even when exposed to such sudden frenzy.


    Leaning his body low, he pulled back his right arm, which was not only clenched in a tight fist but also had blue electricity dancing violently above his skin.


    BAM!


    His hand shot forward like a harrowing javelin. It impacted the now weakened skull of Simon¡¯s corpse with terrible force, completely caving in the corpse¡¯s face before the surging electric currents on top of his fists shot forward and further scattered in all directions.


    The sound of shattering reverberated, then an electric pulse was heard. Half of the corpse¡¯s head had been destroyed, scattered into countless smithereens of charred, shattered, flesh and bone. All that remained was its lower jaw with tongue still writhing like a headless snake.


    Eric hoped such an action would be enough to kill this undead monster.


    Soon his brows knitted together.


    The corpse had staggered back a few steps as a result of the attack, and yet, it failed to fall. It merely regained its balance, and continued to look upon where Eric stood, or at least he thought the monster was attempting to stare upon him. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    If nothing else, at least the young man was released from its grip. Eric wanted to check the condition of this unknown person, however he halted at the sight of the corpse moving. It had not attacked, nor did its feet move. All it did was reach out and touch one of the many hanging dismembered body parts. This one of a writhing hand.


    That decayed hand was then somehow dissolved into decay which clung onto the rotting corpse and then traveled up to its head. Within just three seconds, a smaller, but upper head side appeared.


    ¡°It¡­ Created another head?!¡±


    Eric¡¯s confidence wavered, suddenly pensive of fighting this monster when so much hanged flesh was available to it¡­


    He found this enemy eerie, and he felt a deep presence beneath its dead shell.


    The corpse then began walking forward, taking more pieces of dismembered body parts which hung throughout the room. It formed a third arm, then grew twice in size.


    Step.


    Step.


    Step.


    It walked calmly, its empty eyes locked upon Eric¡¯s tall figure.


    As it approached him. Eric¡¯s frown only deepened. Then with a sudden surge of blue electricity upon his clenched fists he cursed:


    ¡°Damn it all, we are too underqualified for this case!¡±


    *****


    Upon seeing her partner charge at the enemy monster, Lara did not hesitate to prepare her follow up move. She could determine what action Eric would take, he was quite predictable in regards to battle after all. So much so that their captain had called his technique as:


    ¡®The grayest gray there was.¡¯


    Lara herself did not consider this trait of his as a bad one. After all, it allowed for such seamless cooperation. She returned her gun to its shoulder holster with her right hand whilst reaching into a hidden pocket in her suit¡¯s vest with her left hand.


    There she felt a smooth surface and yanked it out, revealing an empty sheet of pure white paper.


    BAM!


    Just then, the expected attack finally came. Lara saw as the corpse¡¯s upper head shattered into pieces, she then dashed forward, doing so fast enough to catch the body of the young man which was suddenly released from the monster¡¯s tight grasp.


    A powerful, intense aura was consuming his body, rendering him motionless and seemingly within a lot of pain.


    Lara was now drenched in that aura. She began hearing voices as well, ones of women, of happy moments, of tearful regrets, of intense hatred, of terrible dread.


    It stirred her heart, almost making her fail to do what she had planned. Biting her lips so that blood seeped out and a sharp pain assaulted her, she regained her clarity as her blue eyes stared upon the young man.


    His condition was¡­ Not good.


    His lower jaw was entirely rotten, with even his jaw bone laid bare for the world to see. That bone also seemed brown, as if from an ancient corpse. His hair had almost completely fallen off, whilst his skin was yellow and covered in deep dark patches of rotten flesh.


    And yet, the young man was not only still alive, but seemingly fiercely struggling with the dreadful assault which was ravaging his body.


    ¡°Good, don¡¯t give up whoever you are! Fight!¡±


    Lara offered sincere words of encouragement, not that he was likely to hear her words amidst his struggle.


    She then bit into her finger, drawing blood and using its blood stained tip as a pen to write down a strange symbol on the blank piece of paper which she held. When she was finished, she chanted:


    ¡°Oh lord, gracious light, you are the embodiment of purity, a symbol of invincibility and the radiance of the world. Grant me your blessing, protect your follower, grant him your holy grace. On the God Luminous I pray; Repulse!¡±


    The bloodstain on the paper suddenly grew deeper upon the end of her chant before a tangible change occurred as the pure white paper turned into a deep black. Having created the desired effect, Lara then pressed it unto the young man.


    The aura which encompassed the young man surged violently, hitting her with tangible force. However soon it could not compete with the power of the pure black paper and slowly, one by one, illusory figures dashed out from the young man¡¯s body, only to be disintegrated into nothingness shortly after.


    Lara held him as this all unfolded, however her attention was stolen by Eric¡¯s sudden tense words.


    ¡°Damn it all, we are too underqualified for this case!¡±


    His body was directly before her, blocking her from seeing the current state of the walking undead monster. Whatever it was, she was certain it must not be good since it made the usually calm Eric sound nervous.


    You¡¯re right though, Inspectors should not be dealing with a monster at this level on our own! Damn it captain, what happened to protocol?! to the rules?!


    It was as she lampooned inwardly, her vision elsewhere, that she failed to notice the clarity return to the young man¡¯s green eyes, along with lethal sharpness.


    ¡°Aack!¡±


    Soon her blue eyes shot open in shock.


    The young man which she held had just slashed at her slender neck with a knife, successfully cutting halfway through with frightening ease.

 Chapter 31 - Escape

    The attack was so swift that Lara was completely caught off-guard. And yet, she still managed to save herself from being entirely decapitated. She had done so by rapidly thickening the bone of her cervical vertebrae, successfully stopping the swift attack as the knife became etched upon her bone.


    Her blue eyes then flashed with rage as electric sparks emerged from her hands. She made a tight fist and sent it forth with terrible power while holding her bleeding neck with her free hand. The young man however, had already escaped from her grasp, using his attack as cover for his retreat.


    He now stood just a meter from her.


    Lara had failed to register this through her mutilated state and did not correct the trajectory of her punch accordingly.


    BAM!


    The rotten wooden floor exploded into countless shards as her fists collided with it.


    ¡°Lara!¡±


    At the same time, Eric had become aware of the dire shift occurring behind him. He stared upon Lara''s figure, now covered in blood on her left side, and upon the young man not too far away from her. Rage surged within his chest like a furious tide as he made eye contact with the cold figure, their eyes of a matching color.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m okay! F-Focus!¡±


    Just then, Eric¡¯s ears picked up the footsteps of the monster.


    Damn it!


    He was unable to decide which choice to make, was he to help Lara, deal with the monster, or kill the figure which had their entire lower jaw fully decayed away.


    The next moment an unknown force, like an invisible gust of pressure, hit his body and engulfed it. Suddenly he felt himself lose something indescribable. He forgot about the young man, or about the monster approaching and just ran to his partner.


    His care for her was spiked by the sight of her half mutilated state. Meanwhile, the young man seemed to grasp a squirming hung hand and ran out. Eric reached Lara in a single dash, blood was pouring down her slender porcelain neck. A plain kitchen knife etched into it firmly. His heart raced. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Are you okay?!¡±


    Lara¡¯s expression had turned ugly, she removed the knife in one movement then yelled out.


    ¡°Behind you!¡±


    Eric¡¯s eyes widened as his back grew cold. Facing them now was a towering corpse figure. It looked down upon them with cold hollow eyes then sent forth three fists from its right side. Thinking quickly, the bleeding Lara kicked Eric with tremendous strength, sending his tall figure flying. Not a moment after, three rotting fists collided with the wooden floor. The impact sent smithereens everywhere while at the same time completely shattering the hands of the corpse monster.


    Its hollow eyes stared upon its three stumps, then its rotten skin writhed and moved forth, forming a new set of hands. Lara watched this scene with grim tension. She removed the hand which was grasping at her bleeding neck, revealing smooth and soft white skin. Of course her entire neck was still bathed by her blood, however the source of its bleeding had ceased.


    The monster¡¯s eyes were now locked onto her, ready to take action. Before it could though, an electric fist impacted its side. The monster swayed in the opposite direction while its flesh was charred by the scattering currents.


    Lara got to her feet then made her way beside Eric. Her hands were lit by the same blue sparks of electric current which surrounded Eric¡¯s own.


    ¡°It¡¯s decaying away, we can win but it''s a matter of endurance!¡±


    Eric said in a tense voice. Lara nodded, her posture that of a warrior. At the same time her mind wandered to the figure of that young man and of the scene which she witnessed upon her entry. Anger and rancor simmered inside her as she had a sudden thought.


    Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Did that bastard use us as glorified scapegoats?!


    *****


    Half an hour later, the two inspectors sat sprawled on the ground with their breathing heavy. All around them was rotting wood and pieces of scorched flesh. The battle with the appalling monster was over. It had truly been one of attrition.


    The flesh of the walking undead was easy to destroy, however it kept on replenishing itself. The duo were forced to exhaust this aspect of the monster¡¯s powers before they could hope to go in for any killing strike. In the end though, by the time it ran out of hanged flesh to absorb, the monster was already close to falling apart from the own decay of its body.


    What remained were the two inspectors, tired and in a slight daze. Eventually, Lara turned a fiery gaze at Eric¡¯s way.


    ¡°Idiot! What was that earlier?! I can understand not going after that unknown guy but why come check if I was okay? So long as my head remains intact then I can heal!¡±


    Eric stared at Lara silently. He then sighed and grasped his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just saw you bleeding and became so worried all of a sudden¡­¡±


    He paused, thought deeply with a somber expression before continuing.


    ¡°I think¡­ I think something is affecting me even now.¡±


    Lara¡¯s anger was somewhat stifled by Eric¡¯s strange reaction. She thought for a moment, then said sternly.


    ¡°If that''s the case then we need to get you under the care of the Minor HQ, or at least have captain meet us here.¡±


    She pulled out a small communicator and began her transmission.

 Chapter 32 - Return

    With a body engulfed by a strange illusory aura, a ghastly aura which spiked in intensity only to dwindle again, Ciel retreated. Of course this was a result of the talisman placed upon his body, the power which it wielded was potent enough to single handedly dispel over 100 simmering phantoms.


    Even now Ciel was entering and exiting stages in which unfamiliar memories rushed forth, like raging tides. It was hindering his movements so he made the choice to find a dark alley and collapse upon it. His body twitched, and another phantom shrieked before dissipating into gas.


    This process continued for almost an hour before Ciel felt the last foreign presence exit his body. He took in a horse breath, finally able to command his senses properly once more. That did not prove itself such a great blessing because his entire mind was suddenly spiked by the intense pain of his jaw and many parts of his body.


    The decay¡­


    He assessed. That ¡®lord¡¯ is a god of death more than likely, born from the stench of death which the outskirts and slums possessed. In his previous life, he had encountered creatures of that nature before, but this one was far more vast.


    Its bloody glare across from who knows what distance was enough to affirm that within his mind. Along with the potency of its rotting touch. He almost died if not for the sudden arrival of the NSRA inspectors. Their entry was unexpected to be sure, but welcomed.


    By now they will have dealt with that monster, bringing its existence to the attention of the NSRA.


    He thought simply, examining his jaw as he did. It was strange, he could touch his bones, yet no blood poured out, only pain accompanied the grievous wound. It was as though the rotten parts had forgotten that he was not dead, but alive and kicking.


    That is good at least.


    Regardless of the lack of blood, the agony was not miniscule. He was certain Rin would be able to solve this issue for him though, so he did not waste any more time. Not only was his body in dire need of healing but he could not be certain that the NSRA inspectors were not about to sweep through this entire area.


    Given the oddly high amount of personnel they had placed upon the outskirts, he was certain they could mobilize a large enough force within an hour or two. Back then, Ciel had escaped through the usage of his ¡®Fool¡¯ card ability, its reversal application.


    This ability made one¡¯s clear mind become compromised, allowing for reckless action and poor judgment upon critical junctures. It always shone brightly when in situations where Ciel desired a reckless attack be sent his way or when he needed someone¡¯s decision to be flawed.


    By attacking the female inspector, not only did he buy himself a moment to make distance but when her partner turned to them he used the reversal application upon him to make it so that the esper would not take the most optimal course of action.


    That being the dismissal of his partner¡¯s well being on account of the fact that espers have incredible healing abilities, and quickly immobilizing Ciel with his superior speed before returning their united focus on the eerie, however slow and sluggish, monster.


    Instead what occurred was a reckless course of action taken by the tall inspector.


    Had Ciel not been in a shattered state, he would have taken a moment to chuckle at the sheer amount of mind attacks going around within the last two days. Even he was entering the fray now. Of course, the current him had the ability to pinpoint this detail but found no amusement from it.


    Having stood up once more, he was currently staring upon the severed arm which he snatched during his escape. Perhaps no one would notice it if he ran all the way back, but considering the fact that he would have to hide away his face with his shirt, it would without a doubt call forth the attention of any police or inspectors nearby.


    He had just begun pondering this issue when he felt the pain on his mutilated jaw suddenly spike. He reached out instinctively with his hand, only for it to be drenched in crimson. It appeared that his flesh remembered that he was not a corpse¡­


    *****


    Within The Hazard Hotel¡¯s room twelve, Rin watched motionlessly upon the holographic monitor. Suddenly though, she heard the unlocking of the door before it was flung open. Rin could not help but turn her neck to inspect the need for such urgency only for her dazzling scarlet eyes to widen.


    ¡°W-What¡­¡±


    She tried to inquire, but Ciel was already on the verge of collapsing, blood pouring out of his skinless jaw like a waterfall. He took a few steps then fell a meter away from her.


    ¡°Do¡­ Something¡­¡±


    He said, his voice fainter than a whisper.


    Rin did not hesitate. She moved forth her left arm and raised it to her mouth. Her body protested with an infernal spike but she ignored the searing agony and bit deep into her charred flesh. Red, lava-like, blood spilled forth and she moved her hand so that the stream of simmering blood poured atop Ciel¡¯s head.


    For a moment Ciel felt terrible heat assault him, like he was being showered with molten lava, however no matter how hot and painful it may have been, there was also a soothing touch to it, like a hot bath after a long winter¡¯s day. Slowly, the pain of his rotting flesh began to subside.


    His skin regained its luster, and parts of his black hair which had fallen off also reappeared. Most noticeably, his jaw too had once more obtained flesh to cover itself up. Stolen novel; please report.


    In just seconds, he was completely healed.


    As expected¡­


    He thought, then rose from his sprawled state. His gaze turned to the charred figure, a clear question written in her eyes.


    ¡°Turns out the threat is far beyond what I am capable of handling in my current state.¡±


    He said matter-of-factly.


    ¡°I-I see. P-Perhaps that is to be expected¡­¡±


    Rin answered, clear disappointment within her weak voice. Ciel removed his shirt which he had covered his face with the entire sprint here. He then loosened his pants and revealed a slender, rotten, severed hand.


    In the end, that was how he had decided to transport the appendage within the urgent moment.


    ¡°I failed to retrieve the main source of the corruption for you, however I did manage to grab this. It might be mild but it should still help in improving your state, yes?¡±


    Rin was very interested in the encounter with the creature bearing such heavy corruption, yet she placed her curiosity to the side and seriously examined the severed corpse appendage before her.


    ¡°M-Mild indeed¡­ I-It shall make due for now.¡±


    She said simply. Ciel nodded then threw the appendage to her feet.


    ¡°One more thing¡­¡±


    Ciel made his way to the kitchen, picked out a clean white cloth, then walked back to Rin¡¯s side. He handed her the cloth.


    ¡°Poor your blood on this and do so with explicit consent.¡±


    Rin raised a brow, but did as he asked. She once again bit into her charred flesh and molten blood poured on top of the white cloth. The cloth soon turned a deep crimson color before being ignited by the intense heat of Rin¡¯s blood.


    ¡°I-I hereby give you my blood.¡±


    After a few seconds, only ash remained on the floor. Ciel lowered himself, carefully moved the ash to his palm, then made his way to the room¡¯s door. He proceeded to carefully mark a line of ash a meter before the door while chanting.


    ¡°I, the blessed, hereby claim this territory for the being of ash and flesh, for a king of aberrations, for Rin. May no storm disturb her rest, may no eyes pry into her home. That is her will, and so it shall be.¡±


    Ciel repeated that chant seven times, adding some of his own spirituality upon the falling ash as he did. When he was done, he turned to face the somewhat confused Rin.


    ¡°I am borrowing the weight of your royal existence to perform some anti-divination.¡±


    Rin made a doubtful expression.


    ¡°H-Hmm. M-My existence is rather w-weak at the moment, a-are you certain such a thing shall work?¡±


    Ciel shrugged.


    ¡°Perhaps not entirely, however, weak or not, an aberration king is still a king. Additionally, I added some of my own spirituality to strengthen the effect. The combined influence of that should be enough so long as no Senior Paladins or Saint Disciples act personally.¡±


    While Ciel may currently be within a shattered state, he still had some advantages which remained even now. The major one was his Concept Accommodation. It may have been damaged along with his soul, however just the ¡®Fool¡¯ connection alone would help greatly.


    After all, it dealt in the symbols of deceptions.


    When added with Rin¡¯s blood and the weight of her existence, then he was certain it would make a mighty repellent. From the four primal laws of the supernatural, none were more terrifying than The Law of Connections¡­


    Rin nodded stiffly in understanding. Ciel then turned his focus on examining his body. His body felt tired beyond measure, suffering under lingering pain. Furthermore, Ciel had yet to eat and his body¡¯s demand for the quenching of its carnal desire was worsening by the hour.


    Rest first, then get food first thing in the morning.


    He thought, then began heading towards the bedroom before stopping abruptly. He reached into his pocket and retrieved a black paper.


    ¡°I also retrieved this talisman, it has the lingering effects of a divine prayer. Will this work as well?¡±


    He asked. Rin turned to stare at his direction, doing so stiffly. Her scarlet eyes paused the moment they locked upon the black talisman. Suddenly her calm stare turned sharp. Her body began to tremble slightly, causing a thin steam to simmer from the surface of her skin.


    ¡°G-Get it away from me! I-I shall not¡­¡±


    Her voice trembled along with her body, the infernal blood beneath her ashen flesh viciously boiled. So intense was her reaction that her eyes shimmered with scarlet radiance as if she was about to unleash her powers upon him.


    ¡°T-T-This instant! R-Remove it!¡±


    She demanded, her weak voice the most intense Ciel had heard. He nodded.


    ¡°Very well, but calm yourself.¡±


    Before Rin had even realized, she had been clenching her fists tightly. She was also in the midst of terrible agony brought about by her curse, however none of that mattered, only the distancing with that talisman did. She only calmed herself after Ciel had burned it to ashes.


    ¡°Satisfied?¡±


    He asked.


    Does the blessing of Luminous frighten her so heavily? Does his power dwarf even that of a vampire so drastically?


    Ciel pondered as he watched Rin slowly settle down. When she had, she at last reached for the severed arm and bit into it. The arm immediately dissolved, as if it was a jello forged of pure, dark, ugly, and eerie energy. Her two sharp canines then seemed to pull that energy in, like sipping a smoothie.


    When the process was done, dark radiance engulfed her for a moment before it subsided.


    ¡°Well?¡±


    Ciel asked expectantly.


    Rin did not immediately answer, only doing so after a dozen seconds.


    ¡°It appears my speech has returned to normal.¡±


    She said satisfied, the weakness which lingered in her tone before completely gone. Her voice now sounded pleasant, like the chirping of a sparrow but infinitely sweeter.


    That is it huh.


    Ciel found that the results were less than optimal, however he had failed in his task so he could not expect more.


    ¡°At your estimate, what amount do you need to regain your basic mobility?¡±


    Rin pondered.


    ¡°One reasonably powerful aberration should do just fine, two for my combat capability to return to an acceptable level¡­ If not, then five to seven smaller ones, such as fragments or echoes of powerful monsters.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Ciel said simply. He could no longer hold back the protesting of his body. He quickly entered the bedroom, locked the door behind him, and prepared to sleep.


    Will my body grow a few more years this time?


    He pondered silently, then laid upon the soft embrace of the bed.


    Left behind in the adjacent room Rin could no longer remain still. The program she had been watching prior had lost all its allure. Her scarlet eyes instead narrowed towards a small garbage bag, where the ashes of the black talisman laid.


    Her body shook once more, its fear beyond what she could control. Her teeth gritted against each other while her expression distorted. Before long, crimson molten blood emerged from her eyes, boiling upon their surface before trickling down as a pair of simmering streams.


    Within this night, a vampire cried tears of blood. Ones born of deep fear, and profound sorrow.

 Chapter 33 - Captain

    The moment Ciel entered his slumber, a different commotion was unfolding within the streets of The Rich Valley Area. Unbeknownst to him, however had he been just a dozen minutes slower then his presence may not have gone unnoticed.


    After all, within the wide streets, swarms of officers dressed in black suits were swiftly scattering in all directions. These men and women were thoroughly inspecting each corner, stopping suspicious individuals, or even investigating apartment complexes over any unknown disturbances.


    Beyond those normal means, many were equipping strange tools which seemed to aid them in their attempts to find the trail of the wanted suspect.


    Within a corner of The Ergo Street, two women were currently rushing forth with visible urgency. One of the two was sprinting slightly faster than the other as she stretched out her right hand. Upon that hand, grasped tightly by her fingers was a doll with blond hair, blue eyes, porcelain skin, and wearing a battered pink dress.


    The doll¡¯s face was pointed forward, with its head occasionally shifting towards one direction or the other. Whenever it did move however, the two women would promptly correct the direction which they ran. As a result of this they had already entered and left a multitude of streets within this bustling night.


    Everything was proceeding well at first, yet suddenly the doll¡¯s head ceased to further shift directions. Instead, it began rapidly shifting from left to right then right to left. Each time it did the speed at which it turned its head increased until at last it seemed to snap.


    A sound reverberated from its plastic neck before its head began spiraling rapidly.


    Witnessing this, the two women frowned. However, before anything else could be said, the voice of a little girl suddenly rang forth from the doll¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Heh-Heh, We Lost Him Mama! We Lost Him! Come On Mama! If We Can¡¯t Find Him, Then It Will Be My Turn To Hide! YOU READYYYY?! Heh-Heh-Heh-Heh!¡±


    The voice of the doll was utterly joyous, yet behind its every giggle was the subtle, almost imperceptible sound of a baby crying.


    As they listened to the doll¡¯s eerie giggle, the two women shared a glance with each other before one sighed and muttered;


    ¡°Damn it¡­ A dead end.¡±


    *****


    Meanwhile, back within the rotten second floor of The Meat Harvest Shop, Lara and Eric were now accompanied by over five other Inspectors. Each Inspector was currently using unique methods to attempt to unravel just what kind of existence had descended upon this very night.


    Lara and Eric did not take part in this however as they had already been through a grueling ordeal and were now on standby as key witnesses.


    Lara¡¯s blue eyes watched the blood filled room with a somewhat twisted expression. Even now they could feel their skin prickle, as if it had the sudden urge to begin rotting.


    ¡°This room stinks.¡±


    She said resentfully, wishing for nothing more than to leave this place. However, her annoyance did not truly stem from the abhorrent smell and lingering corruption but rather for their failure to accomplish anything. She felt utterly incompetent.


    Sparing his partner a side glance, Eric could not help but agree.


    ¡°It sure does¡­¡±


    He answered simply. A silence fell upon the two of them before Lara could no longer take it and exploded forth.


    ¡°Ahhh! Damn it! We fucked up really badly this time! That damn brat stabbed me after I went out of my way to save him! Like could he not have punched me instead of stabbing me?! You know, something less lethal! Ungrateful little shit!¡±


    There it is¡­


    Eric expected this reaction from his partner from the very start, however to his surprise she had managed to keep herself in check until now.


    ¡°Calm down, we are just Stage Two Espers. The fault here was not on us but the captain¡¯s assessment of the level of danger. Inspectors should not be hunting monsters, such is the job of our Enforcers. So calm down and rationalize that.¡±


    He paused for a moment, then added somberly.


    ¡°Actually, considering what we faced, I think we performed exceptionally well.¡±


    Lara felt frustration rush forth within her chest. Despite having been attacked, she did not truly feel angry over that, nor was she truly upset that they had come across a monster. What she hated was that she failed to kill the threat. Such a failure would be paid for with human lives. Just how many more women would become that vile thing¡¯s victim before they tracked it down again?


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Damn it! I need to advance to the next stage soon, this level is just not enough!


    She was about to answer Eric when a voice from behind the rotten door rang out.


    ¡°My, my, Eric, you of all people brazenly talking behind my back. It pains me.¡±


    Everyone present suddenly stood straight in attention upon hearing that voice. Shortly after, the door was opened, and the figure of a beautiful woman appeared. She was tall with a slender build and smooth brown skin. Her eyes and hair were black, with the latter being of a curly texture. She wore an elegant black suit which highlighted her perfect curves. Her stare was calm and warm, yet behind it was an unexplainable presence which would yield to no one.


    This was their captain, the current head of all activities within the Southern Region of the Outskirts, and the sole Arbiter, Oriana Valenti.


    Behind Oriana were a group of three Enforcers. Although the rank of Arbiter was but a single step away from them, the difference between a Third Stage and Fourth Stage Esper could not be underestimated. Furthermore, making the leap across those stages was so difficult that countless Enforcers had died before ever succeeding.


    As such within all of Bastion, only around 30 Arbiters existed.


    When she stepped forth within the room, an invisible force shot from her body. This force enveloped the room, immediately dissipating the lingering corruption which made one¡¯s skin feel like it was about to rot away.


    Instead it was replaced by a strange sensation of warmth, the same type one felt when they were smiled upon. This was of course, Oriana¡¯s will imprinting itself within the toxic place.


    Upon realizing what his captain had said, Eric made an awkward expression before weakly retorting.


    ¡°Captain¡­ I¡­ Well¡­¡±


    Seeing such a sight from the usually stoic Eric made Oriana chuckle slightly.


    ¡°It is alright Eric, what you said was the truth.¡±


    Her beautiful black eyes turned to examine the scene before her. It was gone but she could still sense just how potent the corruption from just prior was.


    ¡°It seems I took this creature too lightly.¡±


    She said somewhat self-deprecatingly.


    It was at this point that Lara stepped forward.


    ¡°Captain, the monster had a strange presence to it, I suspect what me and Inspector Eric fought was but a vessel which it took. Furthermore, there was another unknown figure present, already in conflict with the creature when we arrived. I believe the enmity between these two was what initially exposed the creature¡¯s existence.¡±


    Oriana nodded.


    ¡°So the report went. I too agree with your assessment. After all, the corruption present here must have been immense.¡±


    Oriana turned to one of the Enforcers beside her, her gaze serving as a signal. The Enforcer quickly retrieved a screen tab which displayed information.


    ¡°None have reported spotting the young man. It seems we have acted too slow. Furthermore, the Mystical Artifacts used also failed to acquire any results. Whoever this person is, he must know of our tracking methods if he remains unfound even after divination methods were implemented.¡±


    Oriana nodded. She then turned towards the pair once more.


    ¡°News of a killer with eerie skill was reported to us by the district eleven police force, they suspect we may have a rogue agent however our own surveys did not suggest this was the case. That was reported to us this very morning and now an individual with both the means to block our tracking methods and face a horrid monster appears. I believed they labeled him as The Slum¡¯s Butcher. This is a conjecture, however the chances are high that it is the same suspect.¡±


    Both Eric and Lara were surprised to hear this. Lara hurriedly asked.


    ¡°If that is the case then why was he here?¡±


    Oriana shook her head.


    ¡°We still lack too much information. I will report this to my superiors and see if they can perform a survey throughout all departments within Bastion in search of a rogue agent with pale skin and green eyes. Until then, we will be on the lookout and will request that the police assist us.¡±


    The three Enforcers behind her nodded.


    Oriana then turned her focus to the Inspectors still surveying the room. She calmly raised her arm and with a grasping gesture, all of the remaining pieces of rotten flesh rose to the air before rapidly condensing into balls of flesh which moved towards the inspectors, landing on their hands.


    ¡°Use this at the lab, they will serve well as spiritual materials.¡±


    She then saved two balls of flesh, these ones noticeably larger than the others and made them fly towards Lara and Eric with the flick of her slender finger.


    ¡°If you two wish, you can attempt to forge charms before you leave. While it may have ended in failure, none will deny that you performed well. Naturally, WVO Credits will be allocated to your profiles accordingly.¡±


    The two Inspectors became elated when they heard these words. However, Eric could not truly be at rest when the situation had yet to be settled.


    ¡°Captain, what will we do about the monster and unknown young man? Will we truly just remain on the lookout?¡±


    Oriana sighed.


    ¡°With Operation Striker soon approaching, I can not turn my focus upon the fiend just yet. I will dispatch a team of Enforcers to aggressively follow any trails left behind by that monster. When the operation is over and before I depart, I will personally track down the fiend and slay it.¡±


    Oriana stated it with unquestionable certainty. It was as though the monster being slain was already predestined. Hearing that an Arbiter would act personally made both Lara and Eric feel relieved. However, they noticed another issue, she did not mention anything about the unknown young man.


    ¡°That is great news captain, but what about the young man? He is not normal, even placing a strange effect on me. He is dangerous.¡±


    Oriana waved her hand dismissively.


    ¡°Yes, be sure to head to the Minor HQ after this and receive a scan by the researchers there. However do not worry about that unknown man, even if we fail to spot him or if the report back from the main headquarters fails to bring any more information, he will soon be caught by me. We will meet soon after all.¡±


    Both Lara and Eric were surprised to hear this. They both hurriedly blurted out, their voices in sync.


    ¡°How?!¡±


    Just why could she claim such a thing with utter confidence? Where did that certainty stem from? Did she already have a lead she would follow?


    Oriana meanwhile surprised them even more by shrugging.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how just yet, however we will meet, of that you can rest assured.¡±


    Seeing that the two inspectors were still confused, her lips curled into a warm smile.


    ¡°You are not qualified to know this, however as an apology for my lack of foresight, I will bestow this classified information onto you¡­ My Concept Accommodation is that of Manifestation. If I believe that it is fated to occur then the world will bend to that belief of mine. Of course, if it involves creatures then they must be below my strength for me to influence. Whatever the creature was which you encountered, its true body is no less powerful than me so I can not manifest an encounter with it¡­¡±


    At this point, Oriana¡¯s warm smile turned confident.


    ¡°However, an encounter with a small figure like that young man will be easy to manifest.¡±


    Her words left both Lara and Eric stupefied. They stared at each other, then back at their captain. A cold chill of both awe and fear rushed forth within their hearts as they asked themselves.


    Is this the power of an Arbiter, of an Esper at the Fourth Stage?!

 Chapter 34 - Royal Casino

    The morning came quickly, yet Ciel did not awaken from his slumber even then. Instead he remained deep within his rest until the hour struck five. By the time his green eyes emerged from the veil of his eyelids, the sunlight emitted from high above had already ceased and the night was already upon them again.


    Ciel¡¯s first action was to examine his face, ensuring one final time that no remnant effects of that fierce rotting power remained. Luckily his skin was smooth and filled with vitality, indicating that nothing unbecoming had occurred as he slept.


    With that settled, his eyes then wandered to the rest of his body.


    No¡­ Changes?


    Ciel¡¯s body had remained the same, suffering no further spurts of growth. As he was now his body was that which he possessed when he was 17 or 18 years old, but just why was that so? His guess prior was that his body would revert back to its future state, reflecting the true age of his soul, however that hypothesis now appeared to be mistaken.


    Ciel spent many more minutes pondering just what exactly was occurring to his body. However, throughout human history he was certain that none had ever managed to traverse against the river of time¡¯s current and arrive in the past. It was only natural that unexpected complications and odd reactions would sprout forth.


    In the end, like so many unanswerable questions which plagued him, Ciel was forced to look past it for now. Of course, he would remain wary of any disadvantageous developments which might still reveal themselves but for now that was all which he could do.


    Having decided such, Ciel then stepped out of the bedroom. There a familiar sight of Rin¡¯s charred body silently sitting greeted him. His gaze did not linger. He indifferently looked past her and watched the time displayed upon the bottom left counter of the monitor.


    ¡®5:13 PM¡¯


    I slept quite a bit¡­


    He thought. Ciel had a lot which he hoped to do upon this night, but before anything else he needed a shower. Yesterday he had been so battered by his encounter with that dreadful monster that after Rin had healed him, he carelessly threw himself unto his bed.


    He did so with skin still covered with his dried blood, along with wearing what remained of his recently bought clothes. Ciel spared himself another glance upon entering the bathroom, His shirt had been discarded with the night prior, while his pants remained torn within many areas. On his right side, its color even seemed to fade away, that had been where the rotten hand was hidden.


    Ciel could not help but make a sudden comment.


    ¡°Perhaps I should consider the cost for Living Clothes as a necessary expense.¡±


    Ciel quickly undressed himself before proceeding with his showering. Around ten minutes later, he walked out of the bathroom, changed into his remaining set of clothing, then without further loitering he began walking towards the door. However, before he exited, he suddenly stopped and turned towards the crawled up vampire.


    ¡°Yesterday I bought some clothing for you. Try them out if you want.¡±


    He said indifferently, then stepped out of the room.


    Rin did not react, she merely kept her crimson eyes fixed upon the holographic monitor. A comedy of sorts was playing yet Rin¡¯s eyes were distant, her mind lost in thought.


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    ****


    Ciel had a single goal when stepping out of The Hazard Hotel, the acquisition of food. Too many matters obstructed him from such a simple need, however his body was now demanding its sustenance. As such he spent the first two hours walking idly by.


    Now that he was properly cleaned and dressed, the dirty looks from before were nowhere to be found. He used that to his advantage, bumping into people carelessly and snatching away their wallets before they even realized it.


    Such a thing was a mastered talent back when he lived upon these very streets. Today, with the accumulated experiences of his previous life the act of thievery had become simpler than inhaling a breath.


    When he was done making the rounds, Ciel¡¯s wealth had risen to 500 credit bills. That was more than sufficient enough and he stopped by a restaurant before ordering a simple meal. Before he knew it, more than three hours had passed. The night was well into its depths.


    Alright then, no more delays.


    He thought. Ciel had already left the restaurant a few minutes prior, his cold eyes were now set upon a towering building adorned by countless lights. Upon it was a sign which read:


    ¡®Royal Casino¡¯


    This was one of the largest casinos within the southern outskirt¡¯s Rich Valley Area. Unknown to many however, this was also one of the main headquarters of the Red Tiger Gang. From what he knew, even the gang¡¯s seldom seen boss would occasionally appear within it.


    If Ciel wanted to come into contact with a Red Tiger Gang member of considerable rank, then this was the place. Ciel did not linger, he walked towards the entrance. Upon arriving there, two beautiful women dressed in red and black greeted him. They then opened the large doors for him as they spoke in unison;


    ¡°Welcome to The Royal Casino! May you prosper within its walls and may your riches soar to the sky!¡±


    Ciel simply nodded, then stepped forth inside.


    When he entered, Ciel was momentarily overwhelmed by the sheer overload of visual traffic before him. The Royal Casino was truly grand in scale. Just its main hall alone was multiple stories tall. Upon its roof, beautiful chandeliers shined down with incandescent lights.


    At the same time, holographic figures of dragons, birds, dinosaurs, planes, and many more constantly appeared within its skies, performed an elaborate act, then disappeared only to be replaced by yet another creature which would begin its own turn in the spotlight.


    To his immediate corner, Ciel saw hundreds of slot machines lined up with each one being in use. The machines were tall and lean with a wide screen, however, as if mandatory, its display was quite theatrical. It would mix both holographic and touch screen technologies.


    When the symbols spun, it remained within the screen, however upon the results they would pop out as holographic projections, often accompanied by other effects such as fireworks and a mini-air show whenever a person won.


    Additionally, from their sides, holographic ads would occasionally appear. Each aiming to encourage the player to dive deeper into the casino¡¯s embrace. Beyond the slot machines, Ciel saw a vast expanse of different gambling games, each hosting their unique theatrical flair to them.


    Furthermore, the casino itself was utterly stacked with individuals from all sides of life. Some were from the outskirts, however a greater number were merely visitors from the district city who traveled here to indulge themselves in the outskirts'' infamous casinos. Naturally, there were also a plethora of wealthy men which came with the goal of conducting their shady activities.


    Staring upon it all, Ciel realized that he had never actually entered a casino before, much less such a large one. Back then even after he had been accepted as a Red Tiger Gang member, his territory of work was not The Rich Valley Area but was on the edge of The Red Tiger Gang¡¯s influence, within the outskirt¡¯s central region.


    As such, having this as his first impression of casinos, Ciel found them to be rather flashy. He was certain his old self would not have liked being within such a place.


    ¡°Hello there, care for a complimentary drink sir?¡±


    Snapping Ciel out of his silent pondering was the sweet voice of a woman in a tightly fitting black and red dress. She wore a radiant smile as she spoke, her right hand lifting a tray filled with cups which she handled with great familiarity. Beyond that, her entire demeanor exuded an alluring charisma.


    Yet another flower huh¡­


    Understanding her purpose, Ciel promptly rejected her offer with an apologetic smile.


    ¡°Ah thank you but I¡¯d rather drink only after my luck has favored me.¡±


    The beautiful woman did not react negatively to Ciel¡¯s answer, merely nodding.


    ¡°Then may lady luck smile upon you today Sir. Please indulge yourself without shame.¡±


    With that, the woman left his side before stopping in front of another individual and repeating the same question she had asked Ciel prior. Ciel did not remain rooted any longer either. He began entering the casino¡¯s depths.


    First things first, I should blend in.


    With that, Ciel decided to approach a wide poker table after a few minutes of wandering and was soon registered as a player for its next game.

 Chapter 35 - Three Divisions

    Unlike many of the games which Ciel had laid witness to within his short time wandering through the expansive depths of The Royal Casino, the poker game being played before him could be considered as plain. Overly so even. No grand holographic effects were layered atop its table nor did celebration pop outs occur.


    All that was of any note was that the table¡¯s surface was a screen which displayed information and reacted whenever cards were moved. Currently the game was not finished just yet, as such Ciel was required to wait until its conclusion.


    Naturally such a thing did not bother him. As he stood beside the many spectators, his green eyes quickly moved their focus away from the game unraveling before him and instead towards the wider area around him.


    However, his vision had not wandered without purpose, rather, it landed directly upon the numerous security personnel which were outfitted in black suits. Some of them were walking around the casino¡¯s large expanse, carefully inspecting each game¡¯s progress, while others stood rooted like statues within the corners.


    Having joined The Red Tiger Gang within his previous life for an extended period of time, Ciel was well aware of their command structure and general composition of members. Despite being classified as a ¡®Gang¡¯ they operated more as a mob.


    Such a detail could be discerned only once one knew of the true reach which they possessed. The Red Tiger Gang was divided into three divisions, those being; The Royal Division, The Street Division, and The Intern Division.


    The Royal Division was the head of The Red Tigers, not only were the lowest members of The Royal Division higher ranked than those of the other two divisions, but it was here where most of the true benefits of joining the gang lay.


    After all, as the head of it all, The Royal Division was what controlled the vast wealth which The Red Tigers accumulated over years, doing so through the various casino¡¯s under their tight hold.


    Furthermore, it was here where The 12 Tiger Heads could be found. They were none other than the leaders which oversaw The Royal Division along with the two others beneath it. Within the gang, their authority was second only to the boss and beyond that they were the individuals which most benefited from the sweet fruit which it bore.


    Just beneath this division was The Street Division, the part of the gang which was responsible for maintaining the ¡®gang¡¯ image. They were responsible for all street activities, most notably the selling of Mist-Powder. Beyond that they also secured the claimed territory for the gang, served as hit-men when needed, and constantly instigated violent acts towards both the district police force and the public.


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    The goal for doing so was rather simple, to keep the police force occupied and unable to place its focus where it would truly matter. Of course, the district police were no pushovers, each act against them would invite an even greater, and far more vicious response in kind. Whenever such an exchange occurred, it left only a bloodbath in its wake.


    As for the members of this division, should they accomplish enough, then they could stand a chance at being integrated into The Royal Division. Naturally, the allure of an infinitely better life was a powerful motivating factor, made even more enticing by the significant drop in the danger which they would experience.


    The leaders of these divisions were known as The 24 Red Commanders. Not only were their benefits far higher, however, if favored by one of The 12 Tiger Heads, then they could immediately obtain a far greater position when at last advancing towards The Royal Division.


    Lastly, there was The Intern Division. Those which forged this division were not full members of The Red Tiger Gang but rather the individuals which wished to join. It would not be wrong to classify them as being part of a long trial.


    Only after loyalty was sewn, and enough dirty work was done would they at last be allowed to officially enter within The Red Tiger Gang. Oftentimes, those who accepted to enter this division were young and desperate to grasp at whatever hope they could.


    Back then, Ciel had been no different than them, having nothing else which he could take hold of. He had come close to death many times over within his period with The Red Tiger Gang, however that was more so upon the years which he spent within The Intern Division.


    As Ciel was still lost within thought, he heard the dealer of the game proclaim its end and as such, the start of a new one. Ciel soon exited his contemplative state and took one of the available seats. Not long after he did so, a few others joined him and the game began.


    *****


    The poker game which followed was rather uneventful within Ciel¡¯s eyes. To him, it was of little importance and as such he did not attempt to either win or lose. However, despite his passive state, his expressionless face turned into a powerful boon within such a game.


    Oftentimes, those around him found themselves desperately searching for anything which would give them a hint into his thoughts. And yet, there was nothing, not even the slight twitching of a brow or lip. The player¡¯s frustration aside however, the game proceeded with Ciel merely moving upon impulse.


    Alas, since he lacked any drive to win, Ciel naturally did not end up doing so. When the game had come to an end, he merely stood and promptly left the table. Currently, he wished to properly observe each corner of the large casino as he blended in.


    With such a goal in mind, Ciel quickly began playing single matches from the plethora of games which The Royal Casino had to offer. It was not until two hours had passed and after he had finished a game of roulette that Ciel at last completed his exploration of the casino¡¯s great expanse.


    Alright then, It is time¡­


    He thought simply as he readied himself to make his first contact with The Red Tiger Gang.

 Chapter 36 - Storm of Confusion

    Ciel had made his decision to begin his first contact, however, due to how crucial the casinos were for The Red Tiger Gang¡¯s overall operations, oftentimes they would outright ignore or discard anyone which dared to approach them with a desire to join the gang.


    They already had their methods of recruiting new members and as such they did not need to heed anyone. However, Ciel was not just anyone, he already knew what bait to use as a bargaining chip in order to gain the attention of a high figure within the gang.


    Previously, he planned to infiltrate via a similar method from his past life yet far more quicker, however upon realizing where within the outskirts¡¯ layout he was, he had decided to set his sights a little higher. Ciel¡¯s green eyes leisurely scanned his immediate surroundings, then after a few seconds of doing so he at last laid sight upon his target. Situated not too far from him was a burly man wearing a full black suit which did little to mask the man¡¯s impressive muscles.


    It was one of the security personnel, one of no specific importance but merely a convenient tool from Ciel¡¯s perspective.


    Ciel¡¯s feet then began taking one step after the other. Within half a minute he had arrived before the burly man, approaching him with a friendly smile. Upon noticing Ciel¡¯s trajectory, the burly man''s bushy eyebrows knitted together.


    Soon his previous impassive expression turned utterly stern.


    Locking eyes, Ciel¡¯s polite smile only continued to blossom as he arrived before the man.


    ¡°Hello there friend! You are part of the casino security right?¡±


    Ciel asked enthusiastically. The burly man stared upon him with a sharp glance before he answered simply.


    ¡°Yes I am, what of it?¡±


    Ciel¡¯s green eyes shone with excitement as he eagerly asked.


    ¡°Really?! Hah-hah, I knew it, I mean what else could you be?! Anyways though, this is great! I am trying to find a few people who should be here but I can¡¯t seem to spot them. Think you could help me, friend?¡±


    Hearing Ciel¡¯s seemingly nonchalant request, the burly man allowed himself to relax somewhat. In truth, having been a member of The Royal Division for quite some time now, he had already had many encounters with intoxicated individuals approaching him in search of directions.


    However, there was still an issue.


    ¡°I can try, but if it''s people you are looking for then I probably don¡¯t know them. If you know where in the casino they are meant to be then yes I can help by leading you there. Beyond that don¡¯t expect anything else.¡±


    The issue was an obvious one, how could he help find people he knew nothing of?


    Despite the burly man¡¯s somewhat cold demeanor, Ciel did not show any signs of being offended. Instead his smile only continued to ascend in its radiance.


    Clasping his hands together, his amicable voice reverberated out as he nodded in understanding.


    ¡°Yes, yes, of course! I understand¡­ But, that said, I really do think you can help me. The people I am looking for are rather infamous after all.¡±


    The burly man raised an eyebrow as he inquired.


    ¡°Oh yes? Then who are the people you are searching for?¡±


    It is time¡­


    Thinking simply, Ciel¡¯s friendly smile turned somewhat eerie as he spoke the next words.


    ¡°Kenneth Blake, Chase Ballard, Brent Knight, Bill Steele, Dominic Smith, Jay Evans, Callun Walsh, Ryan Ahren, Arlo Cole, Stephen Keevan, Joe Carson, and Severino Izzo¡­ Might you know any of them?¡±


    By the time Ciel had finished uttering his words, the burly man had already taken a few steps back. His eyes were wide like saucers and his right arm had already reached into his suit¡¯s jacket where his gun rested upon its holster.


    He then questioned with a voice drenched in both surprise and wariness.


    ¡°Those are¡­ H-How do you know their names?! Who are you?!¡±


    As the burly man yelled out, Ciel¡¯s smile slowly began to fade. Soon only an indifferent look remained as he ignored the man¡¯s questions in favor of one of his own.


    ¡°You know them right? I know you do¡­ Now take me to one of them, I do not care which one it is. Do it or my friends outside this casino will send an anonymous tip to both the district police and The Silver Dragon Gang. You would not want that right?¡±


    It was only natural for the burly man to be as shocked as he was, after all, the names which Ciel had spoken were that of all 12 Tiger Heads which currently oversaw The Red Tiger Gang. Those were figures which hid their identities well with only members of The Royal Division allowed to even be told their names.


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    The burly man¡¯s mind was experiencing a whirlwind of emotions. He was uncertain of what action to take next, on the one hand he was angry that this brat had dared to threaten them, yet he also could not help but allow fear to creep into his body as the brat¡¯s piercing cold stare made him feel paralyzed.


    Eventually however, after a few seconds of pondering, the burly man made a decision.


    With a complicated scowl etched to his face and a voice drenched with hostility and barely suppressed rage, he answered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you¡­¡±


    Hearing the words spoken through gritted teeth, Ciel merely nodded. He then turned sideways and gestured with his head.


    ¡°Shall we then?¡±


    The burly man continued to direct a murderous glare at Ciel¡¯s direction. Before he could settle the furious storm of emotions within him, both he and Ciel suddenly heard an irritated voice.


    ¡°Hey Max, hear this, I just met some rich arrogant fucks back at¡ª¡±


    *****


    Just prior to the sudden arrival of a third individual, the very same figure was walking with hurried steps throughout the casino¡¯s expanse. All around people were pacing about, entering and exiting game areas with a myriad of different expressions.


    The figure which currently walked was a tall man with a lean body, blue eyes, and dark red hair. The man¡¯s face hosted a cut jawline and his eyes appeared sharp, appearing perpetually angry. Additionally, the man wore the same uniform as the security personnel did, however his was far more scruffy and wrinkled.


    Such a thing was only natural since he himself was a security guard, at least on the surface he was.


    Yet despite the man¡¯s apparent haste, it did not stem from actual urgency but rather pure, simmering rage. The source of which had been an individual who approached him along with his cohort in order to complain about the free drinks which were being handed out. That individual had stated that the quality was far beneath what he could tolerate before they then began a rant about their high status upon some company.


    The tall man had tried to redirect the rich asshole which was before him, yet he was promptly thrown a half filled glass. The glass did not hit him, however, upon that moment the tall man almost lost himself. Had he not remembered where he was and what his rank was then he would have murdered that rich asshole then and there.


    My rank¡­


    Recollecting something unpleasant, the red haired tall man felt even more furious. This time though, there was also resentment tinged within his rage.


    Bastards! After all the shit I did they fucking place me here! And with such a low rank! Fuckers! Every last one of them are fuckers! I¡¯ll show them! I¡¯ll show them what I¡¯m worth!


    As he thought such with a murderous glare, the tall man at last spotted a familiar face. It was that of his fellow Royal Division member, Max Nunez. With the two of them having known each other for some time now, the tall man suddenly felt like venting.


    After reaching closer, he did not mask his irritation as he called forth.


    ¡°Hey Max, hear this, I just met some rich arrogant fucks back at¡ª¡±


    The tall man had halted his walking and paused his words after noticing a strange scene. Not too far from where he stood was Max, however something about him was off. He appeared furious, extremely so.


    Granted so was the tall figure, but that did not mean it was for the same reasons.


    Sensing that something was not right, the tall man¡¯s head rapidly shifted to the side. The moment he did his blue eyes directly clashed with a cold green stare.


    Then¡­


    ¡°W-Whoa?!¡±


    ¡­He immediately lost himself to shock¡­


    *****


    Upon the arrival of a second figure Ciel would not have perceived it as anything unfavorable, after all his threat was not something which could be easily dismissed by anyone within this casino. Yet Ciel found his body suddenly pausing for a moment as his green eyes locked upon the new figure which appeared.


    What followed was confusion.


    Why is Azik here?


    Before him stood a man which he had known well in his previous life, the very person who had integrated him into The Red Tiger Gang and the one which oversaw his every action back then. Of course, the current Ciel was from the future, at least his soul was, however, from what he knew Azik should still be one of The Street Division¡¯s leaders; The Sixth Red Commander.


    If so then why was he here? Wearing the suit of a security personnel no less, the lowest ranked members of The Royal Division. With his many years of service as one of The 24 Red Commanders then he could have easily received a status just below one of The 12 Tiger Heads, perhaps even as an apprentice to one of them.


    It simply made no sense¡­


    Before Ciel could process more regarding Azik¡¯s unexpected appearance and what his presence here meant, the subject in question had turned their gaze onto him. There was a familiar fury tinged within those blue eyes of his, however the moment their gazes met Azik¡¯s eyes shot open as absolute shock enveloped his expression.


    ¡°W-Whoa?!¡±


    Azik¡¯s body twitched and he involuntarily yelled those words out of shock. That prompted some which were passing by to turn their focus his way.


    However he did not seem to care about how strange he appeared as he promptly raised his trembling arm and pointed fiercely at Ciel.


    ¡°Y¨CYou¡­ C-Ciel¡­ Ciel is that you?!¡±


    With a stuttering voice, one etched with surprise and fear, Azik asked. Ciel¡¯s usually expressionless face suddenly experienced a change as his eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly. Such was a consequence of his name being called by a man which was not yet supposed to know him.


    Do not tell me¡­


    Before Ciel could finish his conjecture, Azik''s voice began to raise as the fear reflected in his eyes only continued to intensify.


    ¡°No. No. No. No! It can¡¯t be him, It can¡¯t! He¡­ He¡¯s already dead!¡±


    Azik¡¯s loud proclamation did not surprise Ciel. The moment his name had been mentioned, then it only meant that Azik had already met him and that he knew of Ciel¡¯s supposed death. If Ciel thought of it as such then he could make a few guesses.


    The first was the date, it was early November of the year 183 AJ, however he had met Azik and as a result entered The Intern Division of The Red Tiger Gang in August of the year 183 AJ within his previous life. This meant that if nothing changed before his arrival then he would have already known Ciel for around two months.


    But there laid the issue¡­ Things had changed. Ciel awoke in a cold body, somehow buried alive, not only that but Azik was not within The Central Region of the outskirts as one of The 24 Red Commanders.


    Such things had never happened before, nor could he think that the gang merely wanted to get rid of him as he awoke within the private graveyard of Stone-Dive¡¯s Corpse Entitled Program. The Red Tiger Gang never shied away from mundane assassination after all. If they had wanted him dead, then a simple bullet was all they would use.


    Ciel was now firmly inside a storm of confusion, yet at the same time he found that this was also good. He did not know the answers to all these questions, but before him was someone who might.


    I need to question him.


    Immediately deciding such, Ciel readied to approach Azik. However as he tensed the muscles within his legs, Azik¡¯s following words made him freeze.


    ¡°Ciel is dead¡­ He''s dead! He¡ª He died three years ago! I¨C I saw his corpse! I saw it!¡±


    Huh¡­?


    Upon that moment, Ciel was sent further into the storm of confusion.

 Chapter 37 - November 8th…

    Huh¡­? Three years? Did he say three years?


    Ciel found himself rooted to his spot the moment Azik had uttered out those words. And how could he have not? Although a few things were different from what he experienced in his previous life which left him thoroughly baffled, Ciel had never once considered that the changes were far greater than it seemed on the surface.


    He awoke within a coffin¡­ The heavy presence of the NSRA within the outskirts¡­ His location being in the southern region of the outskirts¡­ The sudden growth of his body¡­ Azik¡¯s appearance within The Royal Division¡­


    Those were all which he took note of, yet now, he realized something else. He himself was different.


    Of course, he understood that he was within some strange shattered state and that his body experienced an unusual change after his first full night¡¯s rest. However, it was clear now that far more was still wrong with him. Something had been wrong with him since the very moment he awoke. Something so glaringly concerning that he could not find an excuse as to why he neglected it, even as he was now.


    The problem which he unraveled was simple, from the very start he had assumed time and time again that he was within the year 183 AJ. That was the year he aimed for when he first activated his ¡®Fool¡¯ card ability back within that hellish burning land, when Oliver had already succumbed to his injuries.


    However, now that he pondered over it further, had he not shattered before arriving? Why had he assumed then that his destination was not affected by that? Moreover, when he awoke he possessed this overwhelming sense of certainty and took great leisure in confirming something as basic as the date.


    Sure he had asked Simon, but before that, he could have asked Rin, or Neil, or merely glanced upon the time displayed on the corner of the holographic monitor within room twelve of The Hazard Hotel.


    Why hadn¡¯t he? Even now he continued subconsciously ignoring everything which displayed the time. Even Simon who he asked Ciel did not recall the year being mentioned.


    Hmm.


    Having a sudden ominous premonition, Ciel''s chaotic thoughts focused upon one thing.


    I did ask right?


    Ignoring Azik¡¯s frightened figure not far from him, Ciel¡¯s head snapped towards the burly man, Max, who


    was situated to his side. Then with a cold voice he questioned.


    ¡°Max is it? Tell me the date¡­ What date is it today?¡±


    Max was left somewhat flustered, from the moment Azik had arrived, the scene which unfolded after made no sense to him. However, Ciel¡¯s cold glare was simply too frightening. Within that moment he understood clearly that if he did not answer then this person would kill him without hesitation.


    As such, with a fearful voice he answered.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s Friday, November 8th¡­¡±


    Ciel¡¯s eyebrows furrowed deeply as his cold voice only intensified.


    ¡°Come again? What is the date?¡±


    Max grew more fearful upon that moment, his eyes exposing clearly that he did not understand why Ciel was asking this of him. Ciel did not care about his confusion however.


    ¡°It¡¯s Friday, November 8th¡­¡±


    Ciel¡¯s knitted brows quickly turned into a fearsome scowl as a sudden headache assaulted him. It was a truly savage pain that felt like thousands of needles were currently stabbing at his brain. He grasped his head with one hand as he defiantly continued to glare at Max.


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    ¡°F-Forget¡­ Forget the day, only the date! Tell me the date!¡±


    Max¡¯s feet moved a few paces back, clearly alarmed by Ciel¡¯s fearsome demeanor, nonetheless he again answered.


    ¡°November 8th¡­¡±


    ¡°Again!¡±


    ¡°November 8th¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn it! Just the year, what year?!¡±


    ¡°........¡±


    It was here that Ciel finally confirmed it. Something else was wrong with him. He saw Max''s lips move yet he heard nothing. At the same time, the throbbing pain within his mind seemed to only intensify. While he was not angry or frustrated, he knew that only through harsh demands would a man like Max answer so tamely. Furthermore, he was currently very wary of his own head. The pain was not the problem however, that did not matter, yet what did was that his thoughts were being interrupted by said pain, turning his mind hazy.


    He was forgetting what he wanted to ask, the question slipping away for a second or two before the sight of Azik made him remember what he was trying to confirm. Had Azik not been within his peripheral vision then perhaps he might have already forgotten the issue.


    For that reason his cold mind understood that this was a chance which might not appear again. All this would risk his purpose for being here, his goal¡­ And the goal was everything.


    And so he continued to ask again and again. The more he did, the better his mind seemed to combat the fogginess enshrouding it, yet the pain also rose to greater intensities and slowly hindered his ability to think clearly even further.


    Ciel continued however, ignoring the unimaginable pain which ravaged his mind¡­ Until finally, something changed.


    ¡°One more time¡­¡±


    ¡°....6¡±


    ¡°Again!¡±


    ¡°1¡ª86 AJ¡±


    The moment Ciel at last heard it emerge from Max¡¯s mouth, he experienced a sensation equivalent to someone clearing up water which had entered their ears as the fogginess within his mind rapidly dissipated. With it so did the intense agony.


    It all just stopped.


    Suddenly, Ciel was able to think of the date freely and his thoughts returned to its proper capacity.


    ¡°186 AJ¡­ Hmm so that is the date huh, November 8th 186 AJ¡±


    It had truly not been the time he aimed for but instead three years later. He then gained a sudden conjecture in regards to one of the previous unknowns. The change that had occurred within his body, when he grew to be a few years older, was that because he was 18 years old in the year 186 AJ?


    If correct, then it also explained why he did not continue to grow further upon sleeping the second time. However, it also meant he was truly dead for the last three years.


    At first, he entertained the idea that he had truly been a corpse when he awoke, yet the fact that his body was completely intact made him doubt such an answer. After then hearing Azik¡¯s words just a few moments prior, he briefly considered if perhaps his old self faked his death to escape from Azik and The Red Tiger Gang for some unknown reason, then somehow being buried alive as a form of torture before death when he was found out, yet if his body remained at the state which he was when he was 15 years old then it only meant that he had truly died.


    Before he could dive deeper into this direction, Ciel chose to face Azik once again, completely forgetting about the utterly baffled Max. Azik was staring at him with distant eyes, seemingly lost in thought. However Ciel¡¯s cold voice soon snapped Azik back into the present as he questioned.


    ¡°Azik, you said I died three years ago, right? Did you have me buried? Have I been buried for three entire years?¡±


    If yes then things are still not making sense, how could I have died for that long when I have lived past these years before?


    Be it the year 183 AJ or 186 AJ, Ciel should have still been alive. And had he not been, then why was he dead? Why had his body not decayed away? Why were so many things different?


    Azik still appeared intensely fearful of Ciel, however he still answered with a wary tone as his right hand twitched slightly.


    ¡°Ciel¡­ A-Are you even human? I¨C I saw your corpse. Three years ago you suddenly died, your heart was not beating so I know, and also¡­¡±


    As if recalling something truly horrifying he continued with newly acquired fear etched into his voice.


    ¡°Y-Your corpse¡­ I couldn¡¯t destroy it! Like fuck man what is going on?! W-What are you?! And why the fuck are you here?!¡±


    Indestructible huh¡­


    Upon hearing this Ciel¡¯s thoughts were like that of a furious whirlwind, yet he could not permit himself to ponder this issue any longer. He had already noticed the newly found determination within Azik¡¯s eyes. With it also seemed to come courage as well.


    To Azik, who doesn¡¯t know of the supernatural, then Ciel must truly appear like a monster. As something unimaginable and terrifying.


    He had answered Ciel yet at the same time was merely distracting him from his slowly moving hand. Ciel knew this person well so he immediately understood.


    Azik Miles was going to try and murder him here and now, uncaring of anything which Ciel had to say. Such had always been his nature, always quick to kill that which troubled him. Much less that which he feared.


    I guess I will not be joining this gang after all.


    Just as Ciel thought such, he took action. Simultaneously so did Azik. Then¡­


    BANG!


    BANG!


    The sound of gunfire reverberated across The Royal Casino.

 Chapter 38 - It needs to die

    Azik Miles never had much as a kid growing up, nor was such a story a unique one for a child within the outskirts. He was abandoned by his mother early within his life, and his father¡ª Well Azik found him unworthy of being labeled as even that. After all, he never once showed himself to Azik. Although his mother had left him alone in the end as well, she did so when he was 13 years old, by then he was old enough to just barely manage to survive within the wretched outskirts.


    Naturally, his options for survival were truly limited, so in the end he decided to approach the rough looking thugs which always seemed to be donned in red. Not long after that he was within The Red Tiger Gang¡¯s Intern Division.


    It was within his time there that Azik made a new discovery about himself. That being his love for violence. To him when he lashed out, murdered, or merely battered down those around him, it felt as though he was punishing back the wretched place which always sought to destroy him.


    In truth Azik hated everything, it was a deep unquenchable hatred which simmered at the center of his very being. That was why he soon found that no other place upon this world suited him more than that of The Red Tiger Gang.


    Eventually, he was promoted into The Street Division, and then further down he was even given an option to move forth towards The Royal Division. However, Azik refused such an offer for he did not wish to live a more comfortable life.


    Violence was his favorite song and more than that, he was passionate in instigating its melody. While they accepted his decision to remain within The Street Division Azik was promoted to the recently vacant position as The Sixth Red Commander of The Red Tiger Gang. He was also placed to guard the edges of the gang¡¯s territories within the central region of the outskirts where bloodshed often occurred between The Red Tigers and their rivals; The Silver Dragon Gang and The Green Python Gang.


    To Azik, such a place was no different than a paradise.


    And so his life continued. Unlike before however, as a Red Commander, he was also tasked with various new responsibilities. Truly troublesome ones no less. It left Azik feeling irritated to constantly inspect the new recruits within The Intern Division.


    He had always found most of them as weak willed and pathetic. However, understanding full well the importance of constantly replenishing the members they lose he continued to approve the new recruits with little enthusiasm.


    One day, as he leisurely made a routine patrol of his territory, a figure suddenly approached him. It was a youth seemingly between 14 to 16 years old. He possessed deep black hair which messily cascaded down and covered his brows whilst just barely leaving his green eyes in view.


    The young boy also wore ragged clothing, and was covered in dirt.


    A brat from the slums?


    Azik thought, his eyes suddenly growing colder as irritation began to simmer within him. He had never liked being bothered by these beggars, much less the young ones that never seemed to understand what the word ¡®No¡¯ and ¡®Fuck off¡¯ meant.


    For a moment he hoped that the brat would simply ignore him after realizing the hostile glare which he donned. Yet to his sheer annoyance the brat still dared to approach him.


    ¡°Excuse me¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fuck off! I¡¯m not interested in giving jack shit to anyone, much less a brat like you.¡±


    Before the young man could even finish his plea, Azik had already said his peace. His face was now adorned by a nasty scowl and he promptly pushed away the young boy¡¯s body with his own as he defiantly walked past him without adjusting his position.


    ¡°Azik Miles, right? Gang leader or whatever?¡±


    Upon hearing his name be called by a cold voice behind him, Azik¡¯s body froze. Then with a glance behind him, he at last truly met gazes with those green eyes. Beneath them was something which even now Azik would never forget.


    It was cold amusement¡­


    His blood froze and his hand began to twitch, eager to unleash a shower of bullets upon this creepy brats face.


    Creep, and a stupid one too, what the fuck is so damn funny to him huh?!


    He was about to reach for his gun when the young boy¡¯s following words made him halt all over again.


    ¡°If you try to pull your gun at me then I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    It was a threat, one so brazen and without question that for a moment Azik failed to process it within his head. When it at last did, he wondered if the slum rat before him was merely seeking out death. Moreover his anger had only continued to rise.


    And yet despite his surging fury, he did not reach for his gun.


    Why hadn¡¯t he? In truth Azik himself did not know, or rather he did but he was merely too prideful to admit it. He was afraid of the brat before him. He could not explain it, but when he stared upon the person¡¯s cold glare and somewhat curled up lips, he could not imagine landing the shot he was itching to take.


    So before realizing it, he was already opening his mouth.


    ¡°Brat, what''s your name? Why did you approach me?¡±


    Seeing as he took no action against the young boy, the brat¡¯s subtle amusement only intensified. Before long he answered.


    ¡°My name is Ciel Adams, I¡¯m a nobody from the slums¡­ As to why I came to you isn¡¯t the answer obvious? Why does anyone approach a Red Tiger Gang thug if not for drugs or membership? Heh-heh, I¡¯m here for the latter.¡±


    Upon hearing Ciel¡¯s reply. Azik soon found himself chuckling slightly.


    ¡°Hah-hah, so is that why you are acting so brazenly? To make a good first impression? You got some balls brat, real big ones.¡±


    Ciel merely smiled.


    ¡°Putting aside the warped standards that allow this to be classified as ¡®good¡¯, it worked didn¡¯t it?¡±


    Immediately Azik found his anger fading away, instead what replaced it was excitement. The young boy before him did not bother to plead like so many of the youths did when wishing to join. They only cared about surviving, nothing more. That was what made their cries be drenched with desperation.


    It was pathetic. Such weak resolve would not grant them a long duration within The Red Tiger Gang.


    However, before him Azik saw someone which perhaps was not too different from him.


    He could tell that Ciel wanted to join the gang, yet he could also see that it did not truly matter to him. Azik was curious to know what exactly drove this person? Perhaps that was what subsided his fury. Soon his lips curled into a savage grin, his right hand reaching out.


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    ¡°Congrats brat, it sure did. Hah-hah, maybe a little too much though. Listen here, I¡¯ll take you in and look after you personally. Hmm, maybe the label apprentice will be fitting in this situation. But if I do that, then don¡¯t disappoint my expectations. If you do then I¡¯ll make sure to reach for my gun and not your hand next time.¡±


    As expected, Ciel merely continued to smile before then stretching out his dirty hand and grasping Azik¡¯s own. Just like so, Azik gained an apprentice. A decision which would later haunt him every time he recalled it.


    *****


    One month. That was all which it took for a single word to firmly attach itself upon Azik¡¯s mind in regards to his impression of Ciel. That word was: Terrifying¡­ Utterly so.


    The young brat had wasted no time in proving his worth to Azik. He entered a streak of bloodshed as he single handedly assaulted members of their two rival gangs time and time again. His touch truly felt like that of death itself for Azik had yet to see the brat fail to kill anyone which he set his sights upon.


    So impressive was his performance that Ciel even managed to murder a leader of The Silver Dragon Gang. That alone triggered a violent gang war between the two factions which saw the district police be forced to take action.


    Naturally Azik reveled within such a chaotic and bloody affair, yet at the same time, his own apprehension towards the personal recruit and the instigator of this all only continued to silently simmer. That mostly stemmed from the brat¡¯s strange demeanor and from the fact that even now he was left wondering, what did Ciel Adams desire most? What was his goal in all this?


    Azik could conclude that Ciel did not naturally enjoy shedding the blood of others, despite being such a natural talent in wielding violence. He merely appeared to do it as a matter of fact, like a worker fulfilling their contractual duties.


    That was why Azik found him so utterly terrifying. So much so that he had even begun considering taking action against Ciel. However, before he could, something unexpected occurred.


    One random day, without any warning, Ciel Adam¡¯s corpse was found sprawled on the ground by the other Street Division members. The news left Azik shocked and he did not hesitate to move the body into one of their hideouts.


    Before long he was able to arrive and face the corpse.


    Seeing his unmoving body, and after truly confirming that his heart was motionless, what escaped Azik¡¯s lips was not an angry curse to whichever person did this but rather a relieved sigh.


    That terrifying brat was dead at last¡­


    Turning towards one of his men he commanded.


    ¡°Bring me some gas and a lighter.¡±


    His men quickly did as he asked and soon Ciel¡¯s corpse was set ablaze by Azik¡¯s own hands. Azik, along with the few around him, stood back and watched it burn, and burn, and burn¡­ Until finally, all those present realized something. Ciel¡¯s body refused to turn to ash.


    ¡°What the¡­!¡±


    Left with an ominous feeling, Azik watched the still body continue to burn endlessly for the following three hours. He wanted to reject what he saw, but how could he? Ciel had yet to become ash, and from where he stood, he could faintly see his skin switching back and forth between a state of being scorched and that of never having been touched by the flames.


    I¡­ I knew something was off about you¡­ I really did¡­ But this? W-What even is this? Just what kind of demon were you Ciel?


    He did not dare utter those fearful words before his men, yet it was undeniable that he was truly afraid of Ciel. Now far much so after his death than even when he walked around taking in breath after breath.


    ¡°Damn it, someone stop the fire then get me the butcher tools!¡±


    Azik barked orders at his men and soon his wishes were executed. When only Ciel¡¯s body laid before him atop a steel table, his flesh somehow still smooth and unblemished, as if it knew not of the flame¡¯s touch, the uneasiness within Azik¡¯s heart could barely be suppressed.


    Within that moment, he dreaded if it was not a human which he recruited but a devil. If he failed to eradicate the corpse of it now, then it might reach out and take his soul. Such a thing was ridiculous to actually consider seriously, however the fear within him overwrote any rationality which he may have possessed.


    And so he hurriedly dismissed his men, remaining alone with the eerie corpse.


    He took hold of a butcher¡¯s cleaver and hacked down Ciel''s lifeless body with trembling hands.


    CLANG!


    CLANG!


    CLANG!


    First he detached the head, doing so cleanly from the neck¡¯s center. Then he dismembered the hands, followed by the legs. Fresh blood spilled forth, lacking the distinct stench of death which a corpse ought to have.


    That eerie reality only made Azik¡¯s expression twist further as his hand trembled with intense vigor. At the same time, the speed in which he hacked forth increased drastically, along with the force behind it.


    CLANG!


    CLANG!


    CLANG!


    The sounds of flesh being severed, of fresh blood spreading forth, of bones being cut, all of it reverberated across the empty room which Azik was left in. His clothes were now drenched under a paint job of crimson.


    He did not care though, he merely continued.


    Please¡­ Please!


    And yet, the corpse refused to remain severed for long. To Azik, what he saw was the stuff of nightmares. Each time he severed a part, thin red threads would rapidly emerge and connect back with the severed parts, healing miraculously to its previous state.


    By now he was shaking so intensely that he could no longer aim the direction of his cleaver properly.


    However, Azik was too terrified to stop. He had welcomed this devil after all. Who knew what it would do to him if it ever opened its eyes again. He tried to hide away a severed part within a steel box, but the corpse merely regrew the missing section from the main body.


    Then, after a long night of endless trials, Azik was forced to face the truth. He could not destroy the corpse. Such an admission brought him despair and all which he could do was wait silently for it to awaken to bestow judgment onto him.


    However, such a thing never occurred. Even after many days had come and gone. Then after three months of no movement from the corpse, Azik at last allowed some of the trepidation within him to subside.


    It was then when he pondered something.


    Maybe¡­ M-Maybe I might not actually be in danger.


    Thinking such, Azik soon found himself before one of Stone-Dive¡¯s Burial Managing Shops. He had dressed Ciel upon dirty, tattered gray rags reminiscent of those worn by someone living in the slums and covered him in dirt, intending to pretend as though he found the body when walking from work near The Western Stretch Highway.


    To add to the disguise he dressed as a prim and proper business man.


    That way the clerk would not question him too intensely over the boy¡¯s identity and Azik could at last get rid of the dreaded corpse which he had been troubled by.


    Just like so, he was finally free of the thing which called itself Ciel Adams. That should have been the end of it all, truly he wished that it was.


    *****


    Azik continued with his life, soon able to forget of such an incident, not because it was easy to do so but rather because he wanted to. He continued in his role as a Red Commander until the day when he was suddenly and without a choice of his own promoted to The Royal Division.


    The 12 Tiger Heads had characterized such an action as a much needed promotion yet Azik knew that they were full of shit. Something about their mindsets had shifted, something which Azik could not understand.


    That was how he ended up within one of the lowest ranks of The Royal Division. Such a thing infuriated him to no end. However, he could do nothing to change it. Then upon a random night and when he least expected it he ran into him; Ciel Adams.


    Ciel appeared older and his demeanor was somewhat different, however Azik could never mistake him for someone else. It had been three years now since he last saw Ciel¡¯s lifeless, cold corpse. As such he was left both extremely shocked and utterly terrified.


    ¡°No. No. No. No! It can¡¯t be him, It can¡¯t! He¡­ He¡¯s already dead!¡±


    ¡°Ciel is dead¡­ He''s dead! He¡ª He died three years ago! I¨C I saw his corpse! I saw it!¡±


    He was so afraid that he began denying the reality before him, completely unraveling his strong and vicious persona. Ciel did not address him immediately, instead turning towards Max and furiously questioning him over the date.


    Watching such a scene unfold, Azik could only guess that Ciel had truly risen from the dead. That he was right to be fearful of this monster. Azik also desperately hoped that Ciel would not know that he was the one who buried him, much less attempt to mutilate his body.


    Yet when Ciel at last turned to him and his voice snapped Azik out of his fear ridden thoughts, he realized that it was too late.


    ¡°Azik, you said I died three years ago, right? Did you have me buried? Have I been buried for three entire years?¡±


    He knows doesn¡¯t he?! If not then he will soon! He¡ª No it! It''s a monster! A fucking demon!


    Upon that moment Azik felt that he was destined to die tonight. However, even as he thought such, he was not someone who would die so calmly. That was the extent of his desire to live, an emotion which allowed himself to calm down slightly.


    He then answered Ciel who was directly staring upon him with a wary voice. His right hand twitched from the overwhelming urge to reach for the gun resting inside its holster underneath his suit¡¯s jacket.


    ¡°Ciel¡­ A-Are you even human? I¨C I saw your corpse. Three years ago you suddenly died, your heart was not beating so I know, and also¡­¡±


    He paused, the fear of recalling the day which he attempted to dismantle the corpse re-emerged vividly within his mind and he could not prevent it from surfacing within his voice as he continued to speak.


    Distract it! It seems confused, I can use this! I have to kill it quickly, in one go!


    ¡°Y-Your corpse¡­ I couldn¡¯t destroy it! Like fuck man what is going on?! W-What are you?! And why the fuck are you here?!¡±


    It needs to die!


    While he had spoken with the excuse of distracting Ciel, in truth Azik also needed a moment to affirm himself. To grow the courage to strike upon the devil before him. This was something he needed to do, a consequence of reaching out a hand to that strange brat three years ago.


    However, just as he gained that determination fully, he noticed Ciel¡¯s green eyes turn colder.


    Shit! It realized!


    Thinking such, Azik took action. Simultaneously so did Ciel. Then¡­


    BANG!


    BANG!


    The sound of gunfire reverberated forth.

 Chapter 39 - Casino Bloodbath

    Ciel was weaponless currently, however Azik was not. He knew that he was also too far to successfully close the distance between them before a rain of bullets would fall upon him. Perhaps his corpse may have been indestructible but the present him was not.


    Luckily for Ciel, there was someone else situated just beyond his reach. Of course that was none other than the burly man, Max Nunez. Ciel used the time it would take Azik to fully draw out his gun to close the distance between himself and Max.


    Max meanwhile still appeared in a state of confusion regarding everything which was unfolding. Then before he realized what was happening and before he could do anything, Max had his throat assaulted by a swift jab. As Ciel performed his attack with one hand, the other reached inside Max¡¯s jacket and took hold of his gun.


    However, by the time he had succeeded in retrieving the gun, no matter how swift and perfect his actions were, Azik simply had a far greater advantage over him. Azik¡¯s hand had already retrieved his gun and fully aimed it Ciel¡¯s way.


    Ciel meanwhile had yet to even raise his gun, however he did not fear what was to come next. Just as Azik was about to pull the trigger, Ciel calmly tilted his head slightly, raising his gun as he did.


    BANG!


    Azik unleashed the first gunshot, however it failed to reach Ciel¡¯s skull and instead merely obliterated half of his left ear. By the time that first shot was over and before Azik pulled the trigger once more, Ciel had finished raising his weapon.


    BANG!


    Just a moment after the first bullet was sent forth, the second one reverberated loudly within the casino¡¯s expanse. Ciel then saw Azik¡¯s head jolt backwards violently as his body lost all its strength and fell onto the casino¡¯s floor with a thud.


    Ciel immediately turned to Max which was still recovering from his previous strike and without hesitation he directed the gun¡¯s barrel Max¡¯s way.


    BANG!


    Once more a gunshot boomed loudly within The Royal Casino.


    Ciel now stood before two corpses. All around him the people had entered a stupor of fearful frenzy as they scattered forth in all directions. Ciel examined them with cold indifference for a few moments, uncaring about the stream of blood which currently traveled down from his obliterated ear to his left shoulder.


    When he finished his brief observing of the panicked crowd, Ciel took a few calm paces towards Azik¡¯s corpse before then reaching out for his gun.


    Hmm, both are part of The Regular-Grade¡­


    He examined the two guns before securing the second one within his pants and walking away. After what he had just done, Ciel knew that he could no longer continue forward with his previous plans of joining The Red Tiger Gang. Now only a bloodbath awaited him.


    Ciel was the only figure which was currently taking calm steps towards the direction of the exit. All around him the others were too fearful to notice his leisure, much less care about its source. As he walked, Ciel could already see the men donned in black suits approaching in his direction. Discerning them was not difficult as they alone went against the panicked current.


    Before they could catch a glimpse of him, Ciel took it upon himself to raise his gun and welcome them.


    BANG!


    BANG!


    BANG!


    *****


    Within The Royal Casino, upon a room forged of steel alloy and possessing lavish furniture, two figures were currently present. One was a man with blue eyes, short dark brown hair, and possessing a beard of the same color upon his chiseled jaw. He wore an expensive gray suit and shiny laceless black shoes. Before him was the second figure which was currently sprawled atop the sole desk of the room.


    She was a beautiful woman with pale skin, golden hair, and calm green eyes. She wore a black bodycon dress which wrapped tightly around her voluptuous figure. Her perfect collarbones and slender shoulders were left bare while her dress ended just above her knees, barely hiding away the set of milky white thighs beneath its cover.


    The woman wore a seductive smile as she posed herself upon the desk, all for the pleasure of the man before her. That man too had a smile of his own equipped, however his was one of utter carnal desire and raging lust.


    The two had already been drinking leisurely for some time now until at last the tension erupted and he would be able to indulge himself. Within this moment the man found the suit he wore, something which he went through great care to keep clean and untouched, as nothing more than a nuisance.


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    He would tear it to shreds if it dared to obstruct him from what was to come.


    And yet, before either could quench their lust, the man suddenly heard the door of the room be knocked.


    TAP!


    TAP!


    TAP!


    The abrupt knocking were not light ones, echoing into the room like that of loud drums. The noise immediately filled the man with intense fury as he yelled out.


    ¡°Did I not say to leave me the fuck alone for the next three hours?!¡±


    Behind the lavish wooden door, the knocking ceased before a hesitant voice rang forth.


    ¡°Sir. I¨CI¡¯m sorry for the disturbance, but there is an incident occurring and no other head but you is present tonight.¡±


    The man¡¯s brows knitted tightly together, his anger and irritation only boiling further.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit what the disturbance is! Deal with it yourselves! Use a damn bullet if you want, just leave me alone!¡±


    Once more the voice behind the door hesitated, however in the end they continued to speak.


    ¡°Sir¡­ W-Well the thing is, within the ground floor, an unknown person is firing down on us. We have already responded with all the men present and still¡­¡±


    The voice behind the door suddenly gained a new cadence of fear etched into it, however, this time it was not towards the man he was speaking to.


    ¡°H-He has not died yet Sir¡­ He has already killed over fifteen men.¡±


    Hearing this, the man¡¯s full focus was immediately taken away from the beautiful woman to his side as his back turned straight and his expression deadly serious.


    Someone is attacking us? Is he from a rival gang? And if he has already killed this many then is he like me?


    The man turned to face the beautiful woman who was collecting herself and smiled apologetically to her.


    ¡°Sorry love, we will have to do this some other day.¡±


    Saying nothing more, the man promptly exited the room and joined the startled figure behind it. Soon, the two were out of sight.


    *****


    Ciel was no longer within the same state as he had been from the start of this ordeal. His clothing was now drenched by crimson splashes, both by the blood of others and that of his own. His left arm alone bore three bullet wounds, a consequence of Ciel using it to shield himself from incoming fire.


    His right shoulder, and left thigh were in a similar state. However, despite his injuries Ciel was unbothered by them. After all, if he escaped the casino successfully then Rin would quickly solve any issues he may have in regards to injuries.


    Ciel was already near the entrance doors of The Royal Casino, however, not only had the doors already been sealed shut but two Red Tigers were situated behind two massive pillars which rested on the right and left corners. The pillars were not near the entrance nor each other, yet Ciel would not be able to advance without dealing with them first.


    Ciel himself was momentarily taking cover behind a thrown down slot machine, its holographic specs damaged by the fall and currently showcasing endless fireworks which seemed to lag from time to time.


    The remaining Red Tigers which were present before had not left the area but instead were but corpses scattered all throughout the floor. Those which managed to survive were barely holding onto their lives while a few decided to retreat with the promise of returning with heavier weaponry.


    If such a promise was kept, then Ciel might just die upon this night.


    He had been able to contend with The Red Tiger Gang¡¯s Royal Division members for the simple fact that they lacked any weapon which was not of The Regular-Grade. Furthermore, the previously panicking crowd had allowed him to sew confusion upon who exactly was the killer.


    Yet the horrified herd had already vacated the casino and those that didn¡¯t were hiding throughout the casino¡¯s expanse, far from where the slaughter was unfolding. All this was what left Ciel within his current predicament.


    With little time to act, Ciel at last grasped the handgun which he had taken from Azik¡¯s corpse and readied to move. Then from behind the fallen slot machine he soon dashed out while unleashing two simultaneous barrages of gunfire upon the two pillars.


    As he did he chose to close the distance between himself and the nearest pillar. The moment he did and turned its corner he was met by a muzzle aimed at his head.


    BANG!


    The Red Tiger did not hesitate to pull his trigger, however even then it was not enough. Ciel had already anticipated such an obvious attack as such the moment he met the gun¡¯s muzzle he had already stretched out his hand towards it, using the body of his grasped gun as a means to shield himself from the bullet. Of course that was not enough and the bullet soon penetrated the held gun and nearly passed clean through his palm but failed to do so fully in the end.


    This provided the needed opening and soon The Red Tiger¡¯s lifeless body fell to the ground after the echo of a gunfire.


    Ciel¡¯s cold stare then turned to The Red Tiger situated upon a pillar not far from where he stood. He was prepared to take action against him and at last escape from the bloodbath which he had been instrumental in forging, when suddenly a furious voice boomed forth.


    ¡°Fucker!¡±


    Ciel then felt a presence appear behind him. A powerful grasp engulfed his shoulder before he could react and he was sent flying a few feet into the air. A second after, he crashed into the floor, just a meter or two away from the fallen slot machine.


    Ciel was confused as to how the figure managed to reach him so quickly yet he did not hesitate to raise both weapons his way and fire forth.


    BANG!


    BANG!


    Ciel¡¯s attacker, a man cladded in an expensive gray suit, suddenly had his head jolted back violently as two bullets cleanly landed upon his skull.


    However, the man did not fall. He merely staggered back slightly before then slowly raising his head once more. Ciel then saw something troublesome. The man¡¯s head, which hosted a set of blue eyes, dark brown hair and a beard of the same color, was thick and bulky, at least his forehead was.


    So much so that it appeared as though the man wore a helmet of steel underneath his skin. And right above his brows was a wound surrounded by torn flesh which unleashed a stream of blood that trickled down between his brows. At the center of that gruesome injury were two bullets etched shallowly within shattered white bone.


    It appeared that the man¡¯s skull alone was enough to reject the two bullet¡¯s touch of death. The moment Ciel realized such, confusion surged within his mind along with a single thought.


    An esper?

 Chapter 40 - Just human

    An esper?


    Before Ciel was a figure which seemed to command the abilities of an esper. Normally, that alone would not be shocking, after all the NSRA Inspectors and Enforcers were not a rare sight within any of Bastion¡¯s 11 districts. Even if most failed to realize the miracle walking before them.


    While the world had always possessed mystical elements before The Day of Judgement arrived and The Eternal Flames descended, it had never been as plentiful or influential as that of the new world. In fact, had it not been for the descendants of those which fought against those hidden forces then perhaps those which knew of the supernatural today would have thought that it came along with The Eternal Flames.


    It was not long after Bastion¡¯s establishment that Mystic Researchers discovered both The Primal Laws and Spirituality. What followed was a race to harness the power which such an illusory force promised and forge it into a weapon for both the mystical forces within Bastion¡¯s borders and for The Fallen which roamed within The Eternal Flames.


    Such was how The Esper Program was founded.


    Ciel knew the story behind The Esper Program''s founding from his mentor, furthermore, as a former Fourth Stage Esper himself, he was well versed in what it took to advance through its stages. But it was exactly due to this that he was left utterly confused upon this moment.


    After all, The NSRA are the sole manufacturers and owners of the crucial material needed to become an esper, that being the E-Chips. So why was it then that an esper of The Red Tiger Gang stood before Ciel now? He could not make sense of it, nor did he have the luxury to care either.


    If an esper appeared before him with the intentions of reaping his life then all that mattered was survival.


    ¡°Damn, that shit hurts.¡±


    However, instead of attacking Ciel right away, the man before him began acting as though he was not even present. The man¡¯s forehead was still bleeding, its white shattered skull bare to see for all nearby. It was that gruesome wound which the man seemed to place his focus on instead of Ciel. The man used his fingers to reach out and remove the two bullets nestled onto his shattered bone with a pained expression.


    It was as the man did this that The Red Tiger who previously hid behind the right pillar by the shut entrance doors ran towards the man¡¯s side and aimed his weapon at Ciel. He was not alone either as from behind Ciel was another Red Tiger who arrived with the man in the gray suit.


    Unlike his fellow Royal Division member, the second Red Tiger did not lack Advance-Grade weaponry. Grasped on his hands was a truly intimidating beast of steel alloy. It was a Triad Model Nine or TM-9, a bulky pump action shotgun with the capability of firing 8 rounds, 3 charge blasts, and that of 6 stunners. Its steel frame was black in color with only its rapidly spinning barrel emitting a blue hue as sparks of raging electricity danced both within and upon its surface.


    The second Red Tiger made sure to aim that rage directly on Ciel, completing the encirclement.


    Ciel took this moment to fully return to his feet. All the while, his green eyes remained firmly upon the man with the gray suit. Naturally he was most wary of the esper, however he would be a fool to ignore the presence of the two Red Tigers. It was as he assessed the level of danger that the man at last addressed him.


    ¡°Fucker, damn brat!¡±


    He spat out a hateful curse, discarding the two blood soaked bullets as he did. Then with a piercing stare he demanded.


    ¡°Right now I want nothing more than to tear you to pieces, but I don¡¯t think someone would just come and bring trouble here without cause, tell me brat, who are you? Who sent you here?¡±


    Ciel smiled, then gave a polite bow.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Ciel Adams. You must be one of The 12 Tiger Heads, yes? Would you believe me if I said that all this is but a simple misunderstanding?¡±


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    The moment Ciel finished his words the man, Jay Evans, Fourth Head of The Red Tiger Gang, widened his blue eyes in surprise. His shock soon turned into wariness as he questioned once more.


    ¡°Who are you? How do you know that?¡±


    Ciel merely shrugged.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t until you just confirmed it. But it makes sense though, I mean if any member of The Red Tiger Gang would be espers then it would have to be its 12 heads.¡±


    Jay clicked his tongue for having been successfully baited. He then felt a sensation which bothered him. He took a moment to reach for a small handkerchief nestled within his pocket and wiped out the blood which was traveling down from his forehead.


    While Jay¡¯s head still appeared strangely thickened, the wound which he previously possessed had already healed completely and left only some lingering blood behind. As he did this he continued his exchange with Ciel.


    ¡°You used the word ¡®esper¡¯ just now, I can assume that you know about us then right?¡±


    Ciel donned a smile, one which he made sure to showcase mockery.


    ¡°Us? Why aren¡¯t you a quick adapter, espers aren¡¯t meant to be in your hands to begin with.¡±


    Finishing the wiping of his forehead, Jay discarded the bloody handkerchief before glaring at Ciel.


    ¡°You sure lack respect don¡¯t you brat? Do not forget where you are, who stands before you, and especially don¡¯t forget what you have done. Keep talking like that and I¡¯ll make sure you suffer a fate worse than death.¡±


    Ciel raised both hands in the air, making an expression of innocent surrender. Since he still held Azik¡¯s gun upon his right hand, his action made both Red Tigers flinch. Jay however, remained unbothered.


    Proud¡­ Too proud even¡­


    Ciel kept his thoughts silent as he answered.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I apologize, I will answer any question you want.¡±


    Jay scoffed before lifting his chin slightly and once more inquiring.


    ¡°Then let''s start with your knowledge of espers, from what I know of only a few entities and their people have the knowledge of their existence, so tell me brat, what all do you know of espers?¡±


    With his hands still raised Ciel¡¯s eyes remained devoid of any fear as he answered casually.


    ¡°I know quite a bit actually, like how there are stages to them, how they use E-Chips to harness their spirituality and enhance their bodies as well as create imaginary matter, how they require anchors after a certain stage or risk losing control, how their heads are their only weak spot, how¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, hold on! Huh? Imaginary Matter? Anchors? Losing control?¡±


    Jay interrupted Ciel with an expression of utter confusion etched to his face.


    So he does not know huh¡­ That confirms it, this is a recent discovery for them.


    Having obtained this answer, Ciel at last felt ready to take action. The moment the esper before him chose to not attack him immediately, Ciel had decided to further inquire upon just how deep The Red Tiger Gang¡¯s grasp on espers was exactly. He believed that this new change from the past which he knew was perhaps of crucial importance in explaining some of the other changes which he had already noted.


    Furthermore, it also highlighted a simple fact, his opponent was more than likely a novice¡­


    As Ciel pondered this, Jay meanwhile continued to stare at Ciel with confusion, however beyond that was also wariness. His brows furrowed, a mere step away from being an ugly scowl.


    ¡°Alright then brat, you seem to know a lot¡­¡±


    For a moment, Jay¡¯s green eyes examined Ciel¡¯s bleeding figure before he continued.


    ¡°But you aren¡¯t an esper yourself aren¡¯t you? That makes what you did tonight an impressive show of skill, but it also exposes you as being a representative of some other faction. I¡¯ll ask one more question and you better be honest with me¡­ Are you a member of The Green Python Gang? Was doing this a test from them? Or are you merely their tool to declare war on us?¡±


    The Green Python Gang? Why assume them instead of The Silver Dragon Gang?


    Ciel did not answer immediately, instead he remained silent for a few moments.


    Meanwhile Jay only grew more restless for a response with each passing second. After all, this entire situation could only have dark implications behind it. Jay needed to confirm who their enemy was now, for if he didn¡¯t then the tension which had been rising within the outskirts might just erupt from a direction which they never expected.


    For that reason Jay hoped that Ciel¡¯s answer would align with his conjecture.


    Yet Ciel kept silent for a few more seconds, then just as Jay was about to lash out at him for his silence, Ciel finally spoke once again.


    ¡°Before I answer, can I make a correction to something¡ª?¡±


    Ciel asked. However, before Jay could confirm anything he continued.


    ¡°I wanted to correct what I said about espers'' only having one weak spot, in truth, they have plenty. After all, beyond all the enhancements, they are still just human.¡±


    Just as he said such, and before anyone present even realized what his words meant, Ciel immediately brought down his arms and aimed his gun directly upon Jay¡¯s chest.


    He then pulled the trigger.


    BANG!


    Just like so a bullet shot forth and pierced Jay Evan¡¯s heart, instantly killing a First Stage Esper where he stood.

 Chapter 41 - Prelude

    Before the echo of the gunfire could dissipate and even before Jay Evan¡¯s body fell into the ground, Ciel had already thrown himself into a side roll. Although his attack was swift, the two Red Tigers retaliated almost immediately.


    Just an instant after Ciel had taken evasive action a deafening electric bang spread forth. A blast of raging blue currents then pierced the empty space where Ciel had just stood. The blast seemed to heat the air as it soared and impacted the pristine parquet which forged the casino ground.


    What followed was a violent explosion of vicious electric currents which spread forth in all directions.


    Meanwhile, the moment Ciel had taken action to evade the devastating power of the TM-9¡¯s charged blast, he heard another much softer gunfire echo and then felt a bullet pierce his side abdomen. As he was currently within full motion he was forced to wait until his roll was complete before he aimed his weapon towards The Red Tiger responsible, then¡­


    BANG!


    With a thud, the first Red Tiger fell to the floor, joining Jay Evans side as a fellow corpse. Ciel¡¯s decision to attack The Red Tiger nearest to Jay Evans gave the second Red Tiger enough time to fully recover from the intense recoil of his first shot and finish pumping his weapon.


    The moment the TM-9 was pumped its rotating barrel had a burst of sudden speed while a steaming metallic battery shot out from its side. All the while, the weapon emitted a sound of unwavering electric fury.


    Ciel had come out of his roll not far from where the second Red Tiger stood, furthermore he was now in a knelt position, making evasion through another roll too slow to perform. All Ciel could do now was face the terrible danger head on.


    He immediately shifted his position, along with the aim of his gun. Ciel did so swiftly, equaling the second Red Tiger¡¯s own time to aim at him. Both had their weapons pointed at each other, it was now a race to pull the trigger faster.


    BANG!


    In the end the winner was Ciel¡­ But not by much.


    The second Red Tiger received a clean bullet to his head giving him a violent jolt back which slightly tilted his aim. Regardless of its lethal touch however, the bullet arrived just a millisecond too late as the Red Tiger had already pulled his own trigger.


    BANG!


    A deafening blast echoed once more, its fury now unleashed upon Ciel¡¯s knelt figure.


    Ciel was then illuminated by a bright blue glow as a raging electric orb was sent his way. He could only shift his upper body to the right as best as he could, betting his life on the slight tilt of the Red Tiger¡¯s aim.


    Luckily, he was not hit by the powerful blast head on, however he did not come out unscathed either. The entire upper area of his left arm, from shoulder to elbow, was caught by the speeding sizzling orb of electric frenzy.


    Upon contact, his skin, tissue, muscle, and bone were all incinerated by its flawless tyranny. Ciel then heard what remained of his charred left arm falling to the ground; however he could pay it no mind as intense agony engulfed him due to the many currents of raging electricity which were scattering throughout all of his left side.


    It was an insidious experience to be sure, yet Ciel remained calm even as he endured it. After all, this marked the end of his struggle within The Royal Casino.


    For a moment after the currents passed, Ciel gave himself a bit of respite. As he did such, he briefly considered taking the TM-9 with him; however he quickly discarded the idea. The alloy beast was simply far too large to remain inconspicuous.


    Not that Ciel could talk, with how he was now perhaps only the blind would fail to notice him.


    We will have to relocate¡­


    He thought simply before at last forcing his aching body to obey his will, his expression that of utter indifference as his leg muscles squirmed to pull his body up.


    However, just when he managed to properly stand, a voice suddenly reached his back.


    ¡°Leaving already? I¡¯d rather that you didn¡¯t.¡±


    The moment Ciel heard that unknown voice he rapidly shifted while raising his gun its way. He did so in spite of his body¡¯s protesting.


    It was already too late though.


    BAM!


    Before he even managed to see his new foe, much less raise his gun at them, Ciel experienced the violent sensation of being sent flying by a devastating blow. Beyond just the sheer force behind the attack, many small threads of sizzling electric currents spread forth from the point of impact and tore into his flesh and bones.


    Ciel landed hard on the casino floor not long after, his body now utterly mutilated and charred. Not only was he missing an arm with most of his left side scorched, but his clothes were torn and wet with blood, and his entire body bore many bullet wounds. And yet it was he alone which was somehow not a corpse.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Ciel tried to command his arms to pull his body up and his legs to support them, intending to continue on fighting, however his body failed to even flinch. Regardless of how little he cared for the pain and damage of his body, it could only do so much. This final blow had at last placed him upon his limit.


    He did not will it, yet in the end he collapsed and not long after his consciousness followed.


    *****


    For an unknown amount of time, there was only darkness. Ciel experienced nothing, did nothing, thought nothing, and knew nothing. Had this been his death, he would be none the wiser to it. However, Ciel¡¯s time was not yet upon him. A truth of the world which he discovered when suddenly an oppressive coldness enveloped his body.


    Ciel¡¯s green eyes then snapped awake along with the rest of his body. Disorientation assaulted his senses for a moment before his mind cleared and he remembered what had occurred just before he blacked out.


    I was not killed huh¡­


    Ciel began examining his surroundings with an aloof expression. He was in a dark room, one illuminated only by a single light which hung in the ceiling. The light was pure white, its glow overwhelmingly centered above him yet insufficient to properly bask all which surrounded him.


    However, Ciel could still make out a few things despite the poor lighting. For starters there were many broken machines scattered about, along with tables and other furnitures of different shapes and sizes. There were also a plethora of sealed steel boxes and wooden crates scattered about.


    When that cursory glance was complete, Ciel then focused upon himself. His body was wet, drenched by freezing water, however that did not surprise him, what did was that his body appeared completely healed. Even his severed left arm had returned, seemingly untouched by its previous trauma. Furthermore, he was situated upon a steel chair, completely unrestrained.


    Despite having the ability to move freely, Ciel instead chose to remain still. It was then that a voice rang out from behind him.


    ¡°Oh? You''re not scared then?¡±


    It was the same voice which he heard before he received that devastating blow. With it also came the sound of something plastic being discarded and impacting the ground.


    Ciel held onto his aloof expression as he answered the unknown voice.


    ¡°Should I be? If you wanted me dead, I would have already been. Me waking up to this can only be to my benefit. And besides¡­¡±


    Ciel adjusted himself upon the steel chair, taking on a relaxed demeanor.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of leaving me unrestrained?¡±


    The voice chuckled. Then calm steps began to reverberate within the dark room.


    ¡°What is there to be scared of? Kid, you have accomplished something impressive tonight, however half of that accomplishment goes to the guns that you used. What are you without them huh? What can you even do to me without a weapon?¡±


    The voice said, devoid of any discernible arrogance.


    The steps could now be heard on Ciel¡¯s left side. Ciel then felt a hand ruffle his wet hair.


    ¡°What? So passive now¡­ Go ahead, kill me. Like all the others that you did tonight. Do it.¡±


    The voice provoked, its tone calm and collected. However, Ciel remained motionless.


    ¡°See¡­ You don¡¯t always need elaborate tools to restrain a person.¡±


    The ruffling of Ciel¡¯s wet onyx hair intensified for a moment before the hand swatted it away. The action jolted Ciel¡¯s head to the side slightly, yet the force used remained a step or two behind being considered violent.


    Ciel continued to do nothing, his vision firmly aimed ahead.


    The steps then continued once more, the source of the voice entering Ciel¡¯s clear line of sight not long after. Previously, Ciel had refrained from turning towards the source of the unknown voice as doing so would only inform his foe that he perceived them as a threat.


    Before Ciel now was a tall man with dark brown eyes, a beard of the same color which wrapped around his well defined jawline, and a head devoid of any hair. His lean body was covered beneath a distinctive red suit, one perfectly tailored for his figure. What made the suit a distinctive one was, ironically, the fact that it was a uniform. The same one worn by all of The Royal Casino¡¯s dealers.


    The man possessed a calm temperament, and with him was a sense of elegance. His demeanor made his sighting upon this poorly lit, clustered room quite unfitting, as if it was wrong.


    Ciel immediately took note of his features and merely returned the man¡¯s calm glance with that of his own. However, his situation was less than optimal and with what this unknown person had just done to him moments prior, Ciel felt that the important conversation to come had already tilted against him before it even began.


    And so he at last spoke once more.


    ¡°This room, is it storage? Hmm a place for trash perhaps? Considering the ruckus I caused the police must be swarming all over the casino so you thought this was the most optimal place for an interrogation, yes? Then could it be that we are actually beneath The Royal Casino? You know, within one of its large underground mist powder factories?¡±


    Upon hearing Ciel¡¯s words the man¡¯s calm expression was interrupted at last, however, it was not by surprise, rage, or irritation, but rather amusement. A subtle curve appeared at the edge of his lips.


    ¡°You know a lot, kid. Too much even. Want to tell me where all that knowledge comes from?¡±


    He asked, as if it was an unimportant matter.


    ¡°No¡­ No, I don''t believe I want to.¡±


    The man¡¯s subtle amusement seemed to rise slightly as he nodded.


    ¡°Then how about I end this conversation short then? After all, what is the point of a talk with only one participant?¡±


    The man showed no signs of murderous intent, yet his threat was an obvious one.


    ¡°What is the point of a shallow talk either? Can we get to what it is you really want? Who cares where the knowledge came from, isn¡¯t all that matters in the end is that I have it? And let me tell you, I have a lot of it.¡±


    Despite the seemingly unfavorable situation, Ciel was rather certain that he knew not just who stood before him, but what it was that he wanted as well.


    The man chuckled slightly. He then walked to the corner of the room and pulled out a dusty wooden chair which was adorned by elaborate carvings yet appeared aged and battered. He allowed its back legs to hiss upon the ground¡¯s surface before he placed it just a few steps away from Ciel.


    The man then straddled the chair, resting his elbows upon its back before joining his ten fingers. Doing so entirely with a leisure decorum.


    ¡°What a strange one you are, smart enough to recognize the situation yet too bold or stupid to not keep your mouth polite. Those like you always fall victim to their tongues. Let¡¯s see if you join them today.¡±


    With those words, Ciel understood that the prelude was over and the true conversation had begun, one which would determine his fate upon this night.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with an introduction. No proper talk can be done with a stranger after all. You go first¡­¡±


    Ciel did not linger to answer, doing so with a calm tone that rivaled that of the man.


    ¡°My name is Ciel Adams, a nobody from the slums.¡±


    The man repeated his name in a murmur, doing so twice for his surname, seemingly attempting to recall if the name was familiar to him or of any note. Upon seeing such, Ciel inquired.


    ¡°Do you find my introduction to be a valid one?¡±


    ¡°No. The name maybe, but the second part is a lie. A nobody couldn¡¯t have done what you did tonight. Makes one question why exactly you came to us to begin with¡­ But before we get to that I suppose it¡¯s my turn. I wonder though, do you already know who I am?¡±


    The man asked, however Ciel merely remained silent. Seeing such, the man dropped the probing and spoke once more.


    ¡°My name is Wilson Francis, and I am the boss of The Red Tiger Gang.¡±

 Chapter 42 - Substantial Step

    Ciel''s expression did not shift upon hearing such a revelation. After all, it perfectly aligned with his expectations. From the moment they began their verbal clash, Ciel was pondering over the man¡¯s identity, quickly arriving at a likely conjecture.


    Until it had been confirmed by the man himself, Ciel¡¯s only proof was based entirely upon a single factor. Back when he was suddenly attacked in The Royal Casino¡¯s expanse, Ciel had not only received a fatal blow laced with powerful strength but he also experienced an electric burst ravage his flesh.


    It was an effect similar to that of the TM-9¡¯s charge blasts and also a common way in which Second Stage Espers engaged in close combat.


    From what Ciel knew of The Red Tiger Gang command structure all of The 12 Tiger Heads are equals in both rank and authority. It was not unreasonable then to assume that all 12 Tiger Heads would be at the same stage. And Ciel had already confirmed one as being a First Stage Esper. If he followed that logic forward and a figure appeared which stood at a stage beyond The 12 Heads then it aligned with their command structure which saw the boss stand with the highest authority.


    To Ciel, it all made sense. However, even had it not done so his expression would have failed to reflect his shock.


    The man, Wilson Francis, silently studied Ciel¡¯s calm state for a moment before he added with a lingering amusement etched to his voice.


    ¡°Are you not surprised? Could it be that you already knew from the start?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    Ciel said simply. Wilson made his skepticism clear to discern.


    ¡°You sure like to act ignorant don¡¯t you kid?¡±


    Ciel donned an eerie smile.


    ¡°I could say the same about you. Why even bother asking for my name again when you already heard my exchange with your Tiger Head? If you had been completely unaware of that conversation then you wouldn¡¯t be here wasting time interrogating a brat who killed your men. Your timing was too perfect after all.¡±


    Ciel had to count himself as lucky, had he not bothered to probe just how ignorant The Red Tiger Gang was in regards to espers, and expose some of his knowledge as a result, then Wilson Francis would have killed him without hesitation the instant he attempted to flee.


    Within his past memories, Ciel learned the names of The 12 Tiger Heads within his final days as a member of the gang. Back then, he had just been promoted to The Royal Division and he used his newly acquired resources to flee not just The Red Tiger Gang, but the entire eleventh district.


    That was why Ciel knew nothing of the aloof Red Tiger Boss. Until today that was¡­


    From what he had seen so far, the simple fact that Wilson hid himself as a dealer already told Ciel that he probably liked observing from a distance and only took action when absolutely necessary.


    Tonight, Ciel had exposed them to their ignorance and it cost Wilson one of his Tiger Heads. If Wilson allowed that ignorance to remain, then perhaps more of his Tiger Heads would suffer a similar fate.


    It was because Wilson was a smart man that Ciel was still alive. Wilson was hungry for knowledge while Ciel possessed plenty of it. That simple desire was what allowed Ciel to be so disrespectful upon this exchange of theirs despite all which he had already done to deserve Wilson¡¯s wrath.


    Before Wilson could confirm or deny Ciel¡¯s accusation. Ciel moved on.


    ¡°Mr. Francis, did The Red Tiger Gang develop the esper technology yourselves? I doubt that you have the means for that. Could it be that someone from the NSRA has assisted you?¡±


    Ciel chuckled, one which he tinged with ridicule.


    ¡°Whoever they are, they have really taken you for a fool. It is clear that they left out a lot of important information regarding espers. I wonder, are you merely being used? Are you a man capable of allowing someone to step upon you as they please?¡±


    Wilson sighed.


    ¡°Enough with the provocations, just state what you want already.¡±


    Witnessing Wilson¡¯s irritated expression, his previous mirth now entirely absent, Ciel at last made his move.


    ¡°I want to make a deal. One of mutual benefits and acceptable conditions.¡±


    Wilson raised a brow.


    ¡°Oh? Was that the reason you approached us then?¡±


    Ciel shook his head.


    ¡°Actually I had come originally just to join the gang. However, I met a Red Tiger whom I knew before. He and I don¡¯t exactly get along so he tried to murder me.¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Wilson scoffed.


    ¡°What a convenient excuse. Was the killing all in self defence then? Am I really just meant to believe that?¡±


    ¡°Convenient or not it is the truth. He tried to kill me but I killed him first, Then¡­ Well you already know. Putting the slaughter aside, if you can¡¯t trust my words due to me being an unknown, then you can place conditions which guard against me within our deal.¡±


    Wilson fell into silence. Then after a dozen seconds of contemplation he asked.


    ¡°Tell me what you have in mind first, I¡¯ll decide if I¡¯m interested based on that.¡±


    ¡®If¡¯ huh¡­


    ¡°I will provide you with all the knowledge that I know of in regards to espers. In exchange, I want you to let me join The Red Tiger Gang and to provide me with any weaponry that I request. That is the core of the deal with my conditions being that you do not try to investigate where all my knowledge comes from and that I be given free reign to handle personal matters from time to time. So what do you say?¡±


    Wilson chuckled slightly.


    ¡°Kid, you have some nerve¡­ If I accept this then it will be no different than rewarding you for slaughtering my men.¡±


    Ciel merely shrugged.


    ¡°Yes I suppose so, however, if you reject it then your ignorance will remain. What¡¯s worth more: a few worthless lives or the strength of your future espers?¡±


    Seeing that Wilson remained conflicted, for a moment, Ciel considered using the ¡®Fool¡¯ card ability, its reversal application. However, he quickly discarded the thought. Wilson was a Second Stage Esper, one who was currently on guard. He would likely sense the power creep into him, even if he would have no way of realizing what that power was.


    If that occurred, then Ciel would fail to gain anything beyond death upon this night.


    It was as Ciel¡¯s mind churned silently that Wilson at last spoke once more.


    ¡°Alright kid I¡¯m willing to accept this deal, but with a few conditions of my own¡­¡±


    He raised his index finger.


    ¡°Firstly, you will answer a question that I have in person right now then write down a large portion of your knowledge regarding espers before you leave this casino. If it turns out that you deceived me, I will spare no resources in having you hunted down.¡±


    He raised his middle finger.


    ¡°Secondly, I will allow you to join my gang and give you the weaponry you want but what you have done tonight can not be easily overlooked. You will pay it back with the blood of our enemy gangs, and from that slaughter, you will need to kill one of their heads as penance for taking one of my own.¡±


    He raised his ring finger.


    ¡°Lastly, when I need something from you, regardless of the task, time, or place, you will obey. If you don¡¯t I¡¯ll consider it your way of rebelling and take action accordingly. If I¡¯m going to take the risk of keeping you alive then I at least want an obedient dog¡­ Those are my terms. Now decide if they are more bearable than death.¡±


    Ciel pretended to ponder the matter over, however he knew full well that this was the best deal he could receive. After all, while Ciel could use his knowledge as a bargaining chip, it was all which he had. Wilson meanwhile, possessed far more things which Ciel needed. If he pressed for more then Wilson might just choose to let go of this opportunity in favor of avoiding an unknown risk.


    Still¡ª Ciel had to keep up appearances and not show eagerness. Doing so would only expose his disadvantage within this deal.


    After a while, he nodded.


    ¡°Okay, that sounds acceptable.¡±


    Hearing such, the previous amused smile resurfaced upon Wilson¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother acting as though it was something to be pondered. Doing so now is only a waste of time.¡±


    Wilson said, his tone that of slight mockery.


    ¡°Now then, let''s test this supposed knowledge and see if it is actually worth the risk of letting you join.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    Ciel asked.


    ¡°I was told that espers only have one weak spot, their heads¡­¡±


    Wilson did not need to say anything further as Ciel immediately understood what he wished to know. As per their agreement he did not linger to answer.


    ¡°Whoever told you such was not lying, but they were misleading you if that is all they said. Only Fourth Stage Espers and above don¡¯t have to fear any injuries apart from the head. Their healing is that potent. However, First, Second, and Third Stage Espers can¡¯t heal fast enough to survive a simple shot to the heart. Moreover, First Stage Espers are unable to even heal fast enough to survive an organ rupture. Though all this only applies when their Spirituality Fields are activated. Even a Sixth Stage Esper can die from a simple bullet if they are caught off guard and the circumstances are right.¡±


    Though that is very unlikely¡­


    Ciel added silently before continuing.


    ¡°That 12 Tiger Head was a First Stage right? He was too fixated with his strength to see me as a proper threat. His Spirituality Field was fully activated so he probably noticed me bringing down the gun yet chose not to react immediately. Overconfidence can also become a critical weakness.¡±


    Wilson listened calmly before nodding with a complicated expression.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Ciel could tell that a lot was processing within Wilson¡¯s head. Perhaps he at last realized just how deeply he had been deceived by his investor. Soon Wilson snapped out of his thoughts and continued further down the topic.


    ¡°How can you tell that he was a First Stage Esper?¡±


    Ciel pointed at his head.


    ¡°He protected his head by thickening his skull but his skin was burst open easily by the two bullets. First Stage Espers can¡¯t alter their skin so that was how I knew. Then again there was also the possibility that he was a Second Stage Esper who was merely ignorant of the many applications available to him, but that possibility turned unlikely when you appeared¡­¡±


    Wilson gently began stroking his beard as he smiled with slight mirth once more.


    ¡°You really do know a lot. Just who the hell are you kid?¡±


    Although he asked, Wilson¡¯s tone exposed the fact that he did not actually desire an answer. Instead he merely continued.


    ¡°You mentioned skin bursting open easily, do tell, how can I prevent that as a Second Stage Esper?¡±


    ¡°Simple really, you just need to exaggerate and alter the carbon atoms in your skin to create an effect akin to that of carbon fiber. Do that and you will find it hard for any Regular-Grade weaponry to easily penetrate your skin.¡±


    Wilson continued his leisure motion of stroking his beard as he entered into some pondering. Then his already curled lips widened even further, exposing his white teeth.


    ¡°This deal might just be even more beneficial than I thought.¡±


    With his immediate curiosity quenched, Wilson did not inquire more. Instead he stood up and leisurely discarded his chair to the side before approaching Ciel. He then extended a hand.


    ¡°Let us see where this deal of ours takes us¡­ Ciel Adams, welcome to The Red Tiger Gang.¡±


    Ciel did not hesitate to take the hung hand with that of his own. They both shook firmly, solidifying an alliance which promised to bring bloodshed. Not that Ciel cared. He had at last taken his first substantial step towards his ultimate goals.


    Regardless of what awaited him, he would march forth without hesitation or mercy. Such was his only purpose, one driven by a dead but remembered desire.


    End of Part 1 ¨C Chaotic Entry

 Chapter 43 - Good Mood

    November 10th, 186 AJ. District 4¡­


    As the dawn arrived, and just as they did upon every other district within Bastion¡¯s great expanse, the massive Sun-Ray Stations which were attached firmly upon District 4¡¯s steel sky began to radiate a blinding white glow.


    So intense was their shine that it appeared as though the entire district was a set being lit up by blinding spotlights. With District 4 being part of the nine districts situated upon Bastion¡¯s base layer, the sunlight reflected upon them was far more intense than that which District 11 endured.


    Before long, when the hour had arrived at the 7AM mark, the entire sky was bathed under a white radiance which neglected one the ability to even see the steel sky above them.


    No one paid this detail any concern however, such was simply how it was to live within Bastion. Instead most of the district¡¯s population had already begun the familiar bustling which signaled a new day¡¯s arrival. By now the entire district was already alive.


    Upon its city roads, be they large or small, countless PMVs entered the harrowing tribulation that was the rush hour traffic, their sleek and low alloy bodies slowly making their way past it. Those which lacked PMVs, were instead pacing themselves upon the street¡¯s pedestrian walkways which ran on both sides of the asphalt roads.


    The residents who found the prospect of walking unappealing instead directed themselves to the transportation service of their choice. Most popular of which was the vast train network which spread out into every corner of the district¡¯s massive expanse like veins of steel alloy.


    It was upon one of its stop points, Deanbrook Station, located upon District 4¡¯s Dean Rest Area on Brookwayde street, that a large group of people passed the time as they awaited the 7:15 train¡¯s arrival.


    Deanbrook Station itself was a five story tall building, and due to how elevated the railways were, its third floor served as the waiting grounds. Most of it was a large open area which was held up by massive pillars. The space had a multitude of different seating options, with the long vertical steel chairs serving as the ones closest to the railway.


    It was precisely upon one of those seats that a beautiful woman currently sat, leisurely reading a small book which she grasped with a single hand. The woman possessed straight jet black hair that reached just short of her shoulders and seemed to dissipate all light which dared to touch it. Currently, her hair swayed gently with the morning breeze. That soft motion that nature instigated carried forth her lovely fragrance to all those who passed by.


    Hidden behind her book, then furthermore behind a pair of black rimmed glasses, were two green eyes that rivaled any emerald¡¯s beauty. Her skin was of smooth alabaster, almost entirely covered by the fine black suit which wrapped around her exquisite body. The suit appeared perfectly crafted to compliment her slender physique and had no discernible flaws in its wearing or texture.


    Not a wrinkle, not a speck of dirt, not even a strand of her hair.


    She sat with perfect elegance, resting one leg atop the other as she did. This beautiful woman was none other than Ciel¡¯s future mentor, Maeve Dawson.


    Maeve wore an aloof expression, not once betraying a simple truth¡­ She was in a good mood today, a really good mood.


    So overpowering was her mirth that she was currently merely staring upon words, unable to process a single sentence she read. In fact, she had not turned the page for over ten minutes. Her gaze constantly fell onto the display of her phone which she grasped leisurely with her free hand.


    7:15¡­ Shouldn¡¯t the train be here by now?


    She thought impatiently. Yet the train remained indifferent to her frustration, even as each second that past felt like eternity had come and gone many times over.


    Then, at the 55 second mark, finally it happened.


    BEEP!


    ¡°Attention! Attention! Incoming train, be sure to situate yourself behind the marked line! I repeat, be sure to situate yourself behind the marked line!¡±


    Just as the automated voice boomed forth and a holographic line emerged just a meter away from the edge of the waiting area, flashing with a crimson glow, everyone at last saw the train¡¯s steel frame turn the corner in the distance as it gradually began to slow down.


    Finally!


    Unable to hold herself back Maeve quickly took grasp of her black case then joined the rest who were standing just before the flashing holographic line.


    Since the trains worked on magnetic railways, it made no sound as it approached. Then finally the steel worm came to a halt. Its white body glistened beneath the light as its steel doors opened and a flood of people first rushed out.


    Only after did Maeve at last enter.


    As she did, she could no longer hold back the subtle smile which had been threatening to appear this entire morning.


    Today would be a good day¡­ The day where she would officially become an officer of the NSRA.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    *****


    Growing up, Maeve Dawson always knew what she wanted for her life. She had never once doubted that she would reach this point, the day when she would enter the NSRA. Back then, she discovered the truth that mystical forces lurked in every corner of Bastion all because of her mother, an Arbiter in charge of overseeing the outskirts of District 11.


    It was that district which she called home for the majority of her life, yet she did so under the comfort of stability. Naturally her mother was given a nice home where she could manage her job and the growth of her child.


    Maeve had always admired what her mother did, and as she matured, the more she wished to do the same thing. To help others and to stop the forces that infiltrated Bastion from spreading. And so, when she at last graduated from high school she did not hesitate to apply into District 11¡¯s NSRA Officer Academy. Doing so at the age of 18, on 182 AJ, the year before the news of her mother¡¯s death reached her.


    Her death¡­


    Maeve had known of the supernatural for a long time, but she didn¡¯t know the details regarding it. That was why when her mother died in action she refused to believe that anything existed out there which could kill her.


    Beyond that desperate rejection from a grieving daughter, Maeve also had an uneasy feeling. One which stemmed from her mother¡¯s final days. Maeve remembered that period vividly even now, the distress, the anxiety, the fear, how it had begun eating away at the gentle person who she loved, to the point that Maeve barely talked to her before her passing¡­


    That was why Maeve was convinced that there was more to it all. She was certain that her powerful mother had discovered something, something which could even terrify a Fourth Stage Esper.


    It was only a conjecture of course, one of two which she had in regards to the truth behind her mothers death. All Maeve had to believe in such a thing was but a single piece of evidence. Then again, perhaps it was all just her delusions, the lingering denial of a daughter who could not accept her mother¡¯s fate.


    Whether she was right or not, she had to make sure¡­


    It was her responsibility to do so.


    Luckily for Maeve, she had already been within the first year of the academy when her mother passed. All she needed to do then was merely continue forward with her original plans of joining the NSRA, even if it was no longer a goal solely motivated by selfless compassion.


    Upon the present day, Maeve felt exuberant to at last take a step forward.


    Despite having graduated the academy in September, she was merely relocated to District 4 and told that she would be informed of the details of her start on a further date. And yet, that date seemed to never arrive.


    Until at last, on November 1st, she received a letter. On it was the emblem of the NSRA and it told her of her starting date, along with the place where she would be situated...


    *****


    The train ride was over before Maeve even realized it. She had gotten lost in thought somewhere along the way and somehow it allowed for time to finally act properly once more. Without hesitation she exited the train station, then after requesting a car service and waiting an additional 10 minutes of travel time, Maeve arrived at her destination.


    In the middle of a bustling street, she stood before a building of around 50 stories tall. Its outer appearance was no different than its much larger neighbors and no sign could be found to even hint at what the purpose of the structure was.


    Maeve knew of course¡­ It was her new workplace: The SW-4 Station.


    Glancing at the time¡ª That of 7:49 AM¡ª Maeve stopped her loitering and headed inside.


    Immediately upon entry she was stopped by a few security guards which required her to showcase her ID Code and the stamped letter. When she finally was let through, she took a moment to take in the building''s look.


    It was elegant, yet simple. The first floor was entirely empty for the first few meters with the large reception desk located almost half way through it. It was that desk which separated the first floor into two paths which she could not discern the details of with just a glance.


    However, right behind the desk was a wall which had a bright crimson that displayed the word:


    ¡®NSRA¡¯


    Situated behind that large desk were three assistant personnel, all donned in black and white dresses that had neat bows wrapped around their collars.


    Approaching one of them, Maeve smiled faintly.


    ¡°Hello there, my name is Maeve Dawson. I¡¯m a rookie who has been assigned to this station, can you help me find out what I¡¯m supposed to do next?¡±


    The assistant, a young woman with black hair and wearing a pair of gold rimmed glasses, lifted her gaze away from her screen upon hearing Maeve¡¯s voice. She then gave a wide smile.


    ¡°Maeve you say? Ah yes! I remember, you are one of ten rookie agents who have been assigned to our station.¡±


    Only ten huh¡­ Will I get to meet anyone from the academy?


    Maeve silently pondered the fates of her previous classmates as the assistant turned her focus back to the screen before her. The sound of a virtual keyboard being tapped then reverberated.


    ¡°Let''s see¡­ Just show me your ID Code and letter. After we verify that, I will take you to your supervising Inspector.¡±


    The woman said, reaching out her hand as she spoke.


    Maeve nodded and did as she was asked. However, it was then that a voice rang from behind her.


    ¡°Excuse me, but did I hear wrongly or are you helping this rookie agent with her entry? If so, then may I join as well?¡±


    The voice was calm and gentle, sounding overly polite without any effort from the speaker. Maeve spared its source a glance and was met by the sight of a middle aged man. The man had light brown hair that cascaded down on both sides, reaching almost as long as Maeve¡¯s own. He wore a familiar black suit, yet he neglected to equip both its jacket and vest, leaving only the white dress shirt neatly tucked under his black trousers. The shirt had a tie secured to it by a silver pin, its color that of plain black.


    Currently, the man wore a gentle expression, one adorned by a polite smile.


    Grasped on his hands were a letter and his phone, its surface portraying his ID Code, exactly what was requested of Maeve just prior. Naturally, Maeve immediately understood who this person was and took a step back to make way. Witnessing such, the man turned his gaze at her for the first time.


    ¡°How kind of you, may the lord bask you with his radiance today¡­¡±


    Saying nothing more to her, the man walked up to the desk and slid forth the requested items. The assistant greeted him warmly, took his items, then began inserting their information within her system.


    That left Maeve and the man with a moment of silent stagnation.


    It was only after a few moments of silence that the man turned to face Maeve once more, reaching out a hand as he did.


    ¡°Since we have the time, why don¡¯t we formally introduce ourselves? My name is Archie Morris, and like you, I¡¯m also a rookie officer. Graduate of District 4¡¯s NSRA Officer Academy, ranked 27th of my class.¡±


    A fresh graduate. They really do come in all ages, don¡¯t they¡­


    While Maeve knew such a thing was not uncommon, the oldest from her graduating class was 28 years old. Far younger than what the man, Archie, appeared to be.


    Keeping her thoughts to herself, Maeve took his hand and spoke in a neutral tone.


    ¡°Nice to meet you Archie. I¡¯m Maeve Dawson, graduate of District 11¡¯s NSRA Officer Academy, ranked 1st of my class. Let us get along moving forward.¡±


    Archie shook her hand, doing so with a gentle care that was hard to describe. However, his polite smile suddenly experienced a subtle shift, turning a little more intense somewhere along the way.


    ¡°Ah yes, yes of course. First of your class too huh, amazing! But Ms. Maeve, I must ask you something very important¡­ Have you ever considered donating a portion of your salary to a Holy Light Cathedral?!¡±


    Huh¡­?

 Chapter 44 - Rookies

    Maeve¡¯s aloof expression did not shift, yet the slight tilting of her head betrayed her bewilderment. Upon this day the two were mere steps away from commencing their new jobs as NSRA officers. As a result, Maeve had not expected to suddenly be questioned over something such as cathedral donations. It felt entirely out of the blue¡­ However beyond that Maeve herself was only a casual believer, having not attended a proper radiance for many years now.


    ¡°Um¡­ No, I haven''t considered it.¡±


    In the end, she answered despite her confusion. Doing so with a neutral tone.


    Still shaking her hand, Archie nodded at her words. However, the subtle intensity that Maeve had only somewhat sensed up to this point erupted as his eyes gained a new shine to their brown luster.


    It was the same shine a business man got when they unraveled an untapped market.


    Archie at last stopped the handshake which had already long exceeded what was customary, however instead of letting go he encased Maeve¡¯s hand into a tight embrace with two of his own as he took a few steps closer.


    ¡°Well you should! I''ve been doing so since I received my first paycheck as a sales clerk back when I was a teen. Luminous is a forgiving, generous God. ¡®He¡¯ blesses us each day without any expectations beyond devotion. But devotion alone is cheap don¡¯t you think? Just as a father would not ask for a gift from their children, that doesn¡¯t mean it is not the children¡¯s responsibility to take the initiative and show their eternal gratitude. It¡¯s the same idea! So, Ms. Maeve, please consider it!¡±


    By the time Archie finished his breathless rambling, his face was only a few inches away from Maeve¡¯s own. Maeve had pulled back her head in an attempt to flee what appeared like an inevitable collision. When he finished speaking she had expected him to pull back, but Archie merely kept his passionate gaze her way, seemingly unaware of how uncomfortable she felt.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll consider it¡­ Could you back off now?¡±


    She said, her voice neutral.


    Archie raised an eyebrow, then examined their positions for the first time. Maeve felt her hand be set free as Archie rapidly took a few steps back. He then scratched the back of his head with an awkward, yet ever gentle smile.


    ¡°My apologies, that was ungentlemanly of me. I simply lost myself in the excitement¡­ That said, it is wonderful that you will take what I have said into mind. God may be good, but it should not disqualify him from receiving kindness.¡±


    You say so but perhaps money wouldn¡¯t be that helpful to a god, no?


    Maeve mused inwardly.


    By the time their brief encounter ended, the assistant had already finished. Somewhere along the way, she had used the 3D Printer to create smooth black cards with scannable verification codes hidden beneath their surface and handed it to them.


    ¡°Now then, follow me.¡±


    The two were then led through the left diverging path and past what appeared like a few offices and break rooms before reaching the elevators. Similar to the train networks, Bastion had long since adopted magnetic technology into all its building elevators.


    Such a simple change had almost entirely eliminated the chances of an accident occurring.


    Once inside, they were greeted by a pleasant melody. The beautiful assistant picked the 18th floor as their destination which caused the alloy box to proceed forth in a seamless elevation.


    When they arrived, Maeve was surprised to be met with an appearance no different than that of a regular office space. There were desks lined up in an organized formation with many already occupied by their respective owners. The officers present did not pay Maeve or Archie any special notice beyond a cursory glance. Most appeared to be within their own morning discussions with a cup of coffee at hand.


    When they passed the main area, they entered a hallway and were led to the room at its furthest end. Before the room was a sign at its steel door which read:


    ¡®Briefing¡¯


    Only now did the assistant speak once more.


    ¡°Despite everyone having until eight to arrive, the majority of them reached far in advance. Heh-heh, I¡¯m sure the months of waiting must have made them eager¡­ Anyways, once you enter, that will mean everyone is now here so I will be informing your supervising inspector of your arrival.¡±


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    The assistant then tapped on a corner near the steel door which activated it and the door automatically slid to the side and into the wall. The assistant made certain that they entered before then bidding her farewells.


    The moment the door closed, eight sets of eyes fell onto them. Maeve immediately felt her skin crawl as she did not know what to do under such scrutiny. In the end she kept on her aloof expression and nodded simply.


    Archie meanwhile donned the same gentle smile and politely bowed.


    ¡°Hello everyone, we are the last of the new rookies. Pleasure to make your acquaintance!¡±


    The briefing room was spacious and had enough space to accommodate at least 50 personnel. Despite that, the present 8 rookies had chosen to sit themselves in the front row. The rows themselves were composed of ten seats each, with the two nearest to the door being vacant.


    Maeve continued as she walked ahead of Archie with the intention to sit at the edge seat. However, when she approached, a sweet voice called out.


    ¡°Hey, hey! Come sit here!¡±


    Situated beside the two vacant seats was a young woman. She possessed soft pale skin and wavy brown hair which was long enough to reach her chest. Much like Maeve herself, the young woman wore her black suit properly, devoid of any notable flaws. She stared at Maeve with a set of blue eyes that shimmered with excitement, a mirth which beautifully paired itself with the curling of her cherry colored lips into that of a radiant smile.


    Maeve¡¯s steps came to a halt as she suddenly was unsure of what to do next.


    Witnessing this, the young woman excitedly stood from her seat and wrapped her arm around Maeve¡¯s own.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, come! We are the only two girl rookies so we should get along!¡±


    With a bubbling energy she dragged the helpless Maeve to the seat next to hers and made her sit. Maeve could only give in to her fate as she awkwardly faced the smiling young woman. Without breaking her aloof expression Maeve parted her lips.


    ¡°Um, hello¡­¡±


    Situated beside her, the young woman giggled.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, was that too much for you? I admit I got too excited. Here, let''s do it properly.¡±


    Reaching out her hand, ones which were hidden behind a black glove, she continued.


    ¡°My name is Cory Hudson, and like you I¡¯m also a rookie assigned to this station. So let¡¯s be friends okay?¡±


    Maeve awkwardly reached out and took Cory¡¯s hand.


    ¡°My name is Maeve Dawson¡­ I don¡¯t mind being friends.¡±


    She said in a neutral tone.


    Maeve did not have any friends, mostly because she had dedicated herself to excelling within the NSRA academy. That had not only pushed away those who she grew up with but it also left those around her thinking that she was cold and distant. Furthermore, as the first of her class, some even began disliking her for such a reason.


    At best she could say she had favorable acquaintances.


    That was why she found herself at a loss when Cory had closed the distance between them with a palpable enthusiasm.


    ¡°Maeve huh, what a beautiful name. So tell me, where are you from? Why did you join the NSRA? What was your morning like? Hmm do you like these custom suits?¡±


    Cory¡¯s enthusiasm had no end in sight as she jumped straight into an interrogation. Not far from them and witnessing this exchange, Archie quietly sat at the edge seat. Aside from him, everyone else had already returned to their silent chatter with the exception of the figure situated on the opposite end of the row.


    There a tall man sat with a relaxed temperament. The man possessed a lean body, jet black hair that he placed in a slick back style, and dark eyes which currently rested beneath the veils that were his eyelids. He wore the standard NSRA suit with black laceless shoes, a black trouser, and a long sleeve white dress shirt. He wore the suit¡¯s black vest but neglected to wear its jacket. Wrapped around the shirt¡¯s collar and neatly tucked beneath his vest was a gray tie with black stripes.


    In contrast to the tense or excited states of the other rookies present, he alone remained indifferent enough to try and catch a short nap as they awaited their supervising inspector¡¯s arrival.


    *****


    Meanwhile, in a different room within the 18th floor of the SW-4 Station, a beautiful woman currently sat behind her desk with a slight frown adorning her face. The desk itself was composed of steel legs and edges, however its surface was of glass. The glass currently was working like a monitor and displayed countless digital paper stacks neatly separated into different corners of its surface.


    The woman was scrolling past a stack of these files. She stopped at one, made a motion to grasp at it, then pulled it out of the screen and into a holographic projection which levitated a few inches away from her.


    The woman, Inspector Alina Krutova, currently had visible dark marks beneath her eyes. However, despite such a flaw, her beauty remained untarnished. She possessed wavy onyx hair which was so short that it resembled the typical haircut of a man. Not that any could ever confuse her for one since she bore a perfectly proportioned face that emanated a feminine charm.


    Her soft porcelain skin, her long eyelashes which were dazzling to watch flutter with every blink she made, her small, perfectly rounded nose, her plump lips that were of a soft pink hue, all of it could captivate any man¡¯s heart upon just a glance.


    Naturally, Alina¡¯s slender body was wrapped by the standard black suit required of all NSRA agents. However, she did not wear a tie, preferring to leave a button or two free which exposed the start of her collarbones.


    Alina watched the holographic report with empty eyes. Then after a few seconds, she blinked repeatedly and realized that she had not processed a single thing she read. Instead of forcing herself to focus she collapsed onto her seat, rubbing her brows as she did.


    Alina had made an attempt to complete all her backed up work by staying until dawn, yet here she was with the hour at 7:59 AM and her being far from finished.


    Damn it, I want to die.


    She thought in bitter resignation.


    ¡°Ten today huh¡­ Does the captain not care about my health?¡±


    She murmured to herself before shutting her eyes in the hopes of catching some respite. It did not last long though since only a few seconds later, she heard knocking.


    TAP


    TAP


    TAP


    To her, such a sound signalled the sealing of her fate and the cruelty of her present reality. She sighed, then answered.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door automatically slid open and a beautiful assistant came into view.


    ¡°Good morning Inspector Alina. I came to inform you that everyone is already present and awaiting your arrival.¡±


    Alina stared blankly at the beautiful assistant before she nodded with a bitter smile.


    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll be right over.¡±

 Chapter 45 - Introductory Briefing

    Within the SW-4 Station¡¯s 18th floor, the rookies were continuing their conversations. Among them, Maeve and Cory were the most talkative. Such was only the case due to Cory¡¯s bubbly temperament and her ability to run her mouth without rest.


    ¡°Oh wow, so you don¡¯t like overly girly clothing huh?! Heh-Heh, that¡¯s the complete opposite from me! I love skirts and dresses. The more elegant the more I feel like a princess from some fantasy world!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t dislike them, I just prefer to wear pants instead.¡±


    Cory giggled softly, her voice like that of a sweet melody. In an attempt to suppress its volume, she raised a hand to cover her mouth. Seeing such, Maeve could not help but find Cory¡¯s joyous expression beautiful.


    ¡°You must be a tomboy then¡­¡±


    Cory examined herself slightly before adding playfully.


    ¡°Oh well with these uniforms we all appear like tomboys.¡±


    Overhearing her say such, the man situated to her side chuckled and interjected.


    ¡°Nah, it looks sexy! Really badass too!¡±


    Just as he said such, he got elbowed by another of the rookies.


    ¡°Dude stop trying to talk to her, she is way, and I mean WAY above your league!¡±


    ¡°Huh? So what, a man can¡¯t aim above his weight class then?!¡±


    The two men, seemingly already having known each other, forgot about the two girls and began an argument discussing the nature of weight classes in all its contexts. Maeve had not even realized what occurred but since she saw Cory giggling at the two of them, she figured that this little social monster had already made everyone here her friends.


    She is quite skilled¡­


    Maeve thought with a hint of admiration.


    That bustling soon halted when the steel door suddenly slid open and a beautiful figure stepped forth. It had all occurred so quickly that everyone froze for a moment before rapidly adjusting their seating postures.


    Instantly they all turned no different than mutes.


    The sole individual to not react was the man situated at the row¡¯s end. He merely continued upon his relaxed state, only caring enough to open his eyes.


    The figure meanwhile, curled her lips slightly.


    ¡°Hello everyone, I¡¯m Inspector Alina Krutova. You may refer to me as Inspector Alina, or Inspector Krutova. Whichever way suits you best is fine with me¡­¡±


    Alina fell silent, scanned each person with a set of tired eyes, then nodded.


    ¡°I see that some of you have already taken advantage of the style leeway that was stated within your starting letter. Please note though, while you may omit certain things from the suit, the pants and shoes must always be worn properly. I also saw that you all arrived in a timely manner. Good, good. Be sure to keep that habit up and save yourself the scolding¡­ Now then, while I normally would take time to hear an introduction from all present, I am too worn out for that kind of thing today.¡±


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    As if on cue, Alina¡¯s soft lips parted to yawn.


    ¡°I have already read through all your reports and¡ª Well, we will be discussing certain details within the individual contract signing that will follow this introductory briefing.¡±


    Alina¡¯s focus seemed to linger upon three figures in particular. Two of which were currently sandwiching Maeve.


    ¡°Individual circumstances aside, your first two days will be spent informing you of all of the details regarding not just the internal structure of the NSRA but also detailed information regarding the supernatural and espers. From what I read, some of you already know quite a bit while others are still mostly in the dark. If you were wondering why none of it was elaborated in the academy then understand that anything regarding the mystical forces of our broken world is considered top secret. Only now that you have graduated do you qualify to know of these things.¡±


    Alina took a step to the side and elegantly gestured to the door.


    ¡°That said, if you choose to stay then know that your first tier confidentiality clause will be upgraded to third tier. That will come with strict restrictions that if violated will result in serious consequences both with the NSRA but also The Holy Light Church since our contracts are blessed by the light priests. If that is something you have a problem with then congratulations, you just wasted 4 years of training and can leave now.¡±


    She waited, however none present showed a hint of being bothered by her statement. Nodding in satisfaction, Alina¡¯s smile seemed to deepen slightly.


    ¡°Good. No turning back now. If you stay and try to not sign the work contract later then you will be arrested and locked up without a trial until the end of time.¡±


    Seeing the faces of a few rookies shift uncomfortably, Alina chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m joking, we are not so corrupt that we will deny you a trial. Though it will be one rigged against you.¡±


    Having gotten the reactions she wished for, Alina stopped her joking and reached into her pocket. She retrieved a silver bracelet and equipped it on her wrist. The bracelet¡¯s center began to emit a blue light that resembled digital code before, with a wave of her hand, a holographic projection appeared.


    It was that of the words: NSRA.


    ¡°First things first, the basics. The NSRA is one of Bastion¡¯s three armed powers alongside The Police Force and The Army. NSRA is an acronym that stands for: National Supernatural Response Agency, however to the public it stands for: National Special Response Agency. Be sure to never confuse yourself¡­¡±


    Alina did a slight hand wave and the holographic image changed to show two icons.


    ¡°The NSRA is divided into two divisions: The Aberration Containment Division and The Monster Hunting Division. All of you present are classified under the first division and are called: ACD Active Officers.¡±


    She made another hand gesture and turned the projection into a 3D rendition of the building they were presently on.


    ¡°There are 4 stations within each district and they oversee its northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast areas. The center meanwhile is then overseen by The Minor-HQ which acts as the head of the district¡¯s NSRA presence. Currently we are in the SW-4 Station. It¡¯s a 50 story tall building and it houses both divisions. As active officers you have access to any of the first 24 floors, though if you don¡¯t have business on the other floors then I advise against being a nuisance. The training ground is located on the 25th floor, while the lab is on the 26th. Floors 27 to 46 belong to The Monster Hunting Division. Only support officers assigned to those higher floors may enter, along with the enforcers. The remaining topmost floors are for the administration of the station¡ª¡±


    She swiped her hand and the display of the building disappeared. Replacing it were a few icons all linked in an ascending order.


    ¡°Within the NSRA there are ranks which bring with them responsibilities and authorities. At the bottom are the support officers. They are people who have chosen to assist inside our offices rather than risk their lives in the field. Their contribution is crucial and mistreating them will result in your dismissal. There are roughly 100 support officers within floor 18 and you as active officers have the right to request for their assistance, though they can refuse the request if they are too busy.¡±


    Arlina made a gesture with her fingers and the projection zoomed into the active officer icon before expanding into a long list of flowing text.


    ¡°As active officers you will be under the supervision of an inspector, typically 5 per inspector. However, due to some circumstances I alone will be overseeing your training period. That aside, your role is to assist the inspectors in the field. To do this effectively you will be taught to use mystical tools like charms and you will have access to Advance-Grade weaponry. The better you perform then the higher your chances are at earning salary bonuses or WVO-Credits.¡±


    With another motion of her slender hand, the text expanded on the WVO acronym.


    ¡°WVO stands for: work value only. Their usages vary but I can assure you that they will come in handy. There are also Merit-Points which are given by your supervising inspector to your work file. The higher the number, the greater the chance that you will be considered for a promotion. If you are chosen then you will become a provisional inspector, a direct disciple of an inspector¡­¡±


    Alina took a moment to rest her voice. At the same time she did a grasping motion which made the holographic display crumble into an orb of information. It hovered in the air before then splitting itself into ten identical orbs and shooting forth to the rookies. Maeve felt a vibrating sensation on her left thigh. She then sourced it back to the black card she had been handed, its surface now shimmering with dancing code.


    Alina confirmed that everyone had received the information before she clasped her hands together.


    ¡°Those cards are scanner cards, You can upload the code they record into any NSRA network to witness the information. This was only an introductory briefing so the smaller details will be found there. For now we will be moving on to the contract signings.¡±

 Chapter 46 - Ignore it

    Within the 18th floor¡¯s briefing room, the rookies were once more left alone. After Alina had stated what was to follow she had chosen one of them, a man named Duke Wilson, and exited the room. Contracts were a private affair between the NSRA and its officers so it was only natural for their negotiation and signing to be done within Alina¡¯s office.


    Her absence had once more caused the previous chatters to reignite with new vigor. The rookies had mostly begun discussing the new information they just learnt along with exchanging what they understood regarding aberrations and espers.


    That was only around half of them since the tall man situated at the row''s end had merely returned to his sleep while Archie took out a small book to read. Then there were the two women present. Instead of discussing anything regarding the briefing, Maeve was once more bombarded with endless questions by the bubbly Cory Hudson.


    ¡°Heh-heh, why so shy Maeve? Just give me a number. Oh, and yes, even those of your childhood count!¡±


    Cory''s voice was sweet and filled with vigor. She had just shifted their topic of discussion into that of Maeve¡¯s romantic history. It was certainly an inappropriate subject to question when one considered the length of their status as both friends and co-workers. However, even so Cory did not care.


    She used the excuse that they were both women to pressure Maeve into answering.


    Of course, her personality helped in receiving little pushback even when Maeve clearly grew uncomfortable with her excessive questions regarding her personal life.


    However Cory could not stop, she was desperate.


    She wanted to discuss fun topics, to immerse herself in the experience of gaining new friends. Such was her honest desire. So she continued to talk, and talk, and talk some more. Even as Maeve became overwhelmed, even as her tongue began to dry up, even as her eyes continued to deceive her.


    She did so because only that was keeping her sane.


    But it was pointless. Cory could see the white steam which ejected from her mouth with every breath she took, she could feel the raging cold winds colliding with her body, and she could still see the rapid falling of the snow.


    To Cory, she was in a blizzard. The entire briefing room was¡­


    *****


    It had begun early in the morning, just as she awakened. Back then, a cool breeze assaulted her body the moment she rose from her bed. She felt drowsy and thought little of the breeze, even after she properly changed and bathed.


    It was a breeze just cool enough to make one rub their hands. Perhaps enough to cause a slight shiver. And so, she foolishly chose to equip a pair of black gloves. However, doing so only caused the breeze to enter a rage. One which brought forth falling snow.


    It was only then that Cory first heard it¡­ A whisper¡­ It was from something which lurked in the shadow of her room.


    Cory felt her heart sink when she realized her mistake. She was hallucinating again. She was so foolish to have not questioned her reality, for not realizing that a cold breeze caressing her from her enclosed apartment was not normal.


    She had lost herself within excitement and it caused her to falter.


    However, despite realizing such, Cory still felt it was acceptable.


    I¡¯ll just ignore it¡­


    She did not want to miss the first day of work. She stepped outside her apartment and began heading towards The SW-4 Station. Even as she entered the city streets, the snow and cold continued to follow her. It was certainly unpleasant but bearable enough that she could easily push it back through simple distractions.


    Luckily, upon her arrival at the station, she found plenty of people to enter conversations with. Most exciting of which was her fellow female co-worker, Maeve Dawson. However, when Inspector Alina arrived and began her briefing, Cory was left intensely aware of the falling snow all around her, and of the cold which it brought. It was in the middle of that briefing that Cory made her second mistake, she allowed herself a small shiver.


    It was subtle, almost imperceptible. Yet it was enough¡­


    The calm snowfall increased and the cold winds turned into a frenzy. Cory Hudson''s personal white day had transformed into a raging blizzard.


    With that blizzard also came the voice¡¯s return. It was now far clearer than before, far more eerie as well. Cory was also able to guess what direction it was coming from. She felt an anxious tension grip her, but she held strong throughout the entire briefing.


    Inspector Alina¡¯s exit was like salvation to Cory. It meant she could jump into a distracting conversation. Yet it wasn¡¯t working so well anymore. In response to her growing desperation she talked more, giggled more, smiled more.


    Her chest ached at having her first exchanges with all these wonderful new people be sourced from a fake kindness.


    No¡ª Cory was always kind, she genuinely meant every word she said. She wanted to befriend them all, truly she did, so for that reason she could not call her kindness fake. However, while it may have been her true desire, it was undoubtedly just a tool today.


    Cory began feeling the sensation on her lips grow numb, and the tips of her fingers were engulfed by a sharp agony that was slowly spreading. It was then that she finally faltered, her eyebrows twitched as she hopelessly tried to stop her body from shivering. Her efforts failed and she trembled slightly not long after.


    Oh lord no¡­ Please lord no!


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    The moment she realized it, she felt her heart sink into an ocean of deep regret.


    ¡°Cory? Are you okay?¡±


    Snapping her out of her state was Maeve¡¯s neutral voice. Cory¡¯s lips felt numb but she curled them nonetheless.


    ¡°Ah yeah, why?¡±


    She managed to say. Maeve stared at her with a complicated expression.


    ¡°Em, well you grew silent all of a sudden¡­ If¡ª If I¡¯m boring you then don¡¯t force yourself to talk.¡±


    Huh? Since when did I stop talking? Actually since when did I stop hearing Maeve¡¯s voice?


    Panic overcame Cory and she wanted to rebuke Maeve¡¯s words, however the cold was still there, only growing worse. The voice too was still present.


    ¡°Psst¡­ Psst¡­ Cory¡­ Hey Cory¡­¡±


    Even now, it kept calling her over and over again.


    Ignore it!


    She thought, still fighting with all her might to stop her body from reacting to the cold.


    ¡°Cory?¡±


    Maeve¡¯s voice then reached her once again, this time with clear concern. Cory thought Maeve was kind for worrying over her, however she remained motionless. Even if she spoke, it would not help her anymore. The cold was simply too oppressive now to drown away with simple chatter. However, doing nothing was not good either. She was near her limit.


    No! No! No!


    Fear overcame her as she blankly stared at Maeve, someone who had her whole body peppered by falling snow.


    ¡°Cory¡­ Hey Cory¡­¡±


    The eerie voice continued, its every breath like that of shattering ice. She was now certain it was at the corner of the room, staring at her.


    No! Please no!


    The cold seemed to worsen yet again, growing stronger the more her terror turned into despair. Then as if to save her, the door slid open and Duke walked back inside the briefing room.


    ¡°Cory, Inspector Krutova asked me to send you over next. Her office is¡ª¡±


    Without even waiting for him to finish, Cory immediately ran towards the open door.


    ¡°I know thanks!¡±


    She said, mustering up all that she could to bring forth her bubbly personality one last time before the steel door closed behind her. She then continued to run until she found a secluded corner.


    She was panting, her wavy long hair now slightly disheveled.


    It''s so cold¡­


    She thought as she struggled to inhale, each breath bringing forth a sharp assault to her lungs. She closed her eyes to avoid seeing the raging snow all around her, she tensed her body in an effort to stop it from shivering, and she most of all clenched her jaw as tightly as she could.


    She struggled desperately to keep her tongue at bay and prevent the scream stuck in her throat from escaping.


    ¡°It¡¯s not real! It¡¯s not real! It¡¯s not real!¡±


    Like a broken record, her mind repeated those words endlessly.


    She had done well to hide it so far¡ª But that was just a calm cold¡­ What she was experiencing now was the heart of a blizzard. The first thing to falter was her body as it ignored her mental command and began shivering. That action alone made the feeling of freezing even more unbearable. Cory leaned against the wall then slid down to the floor and hugged herself, desperately trying to keep her body heat from escaping.


    The cold worsened even more.


    Cory could barely hold back her scream now. She bit deep into her lips, drawing out a stream of crimson blood. She would not scream, because her screams were real, because screaming would make everything real. Both the blizzard and the creature within it.


    It was then that the cold stirred and a sharp noise reverberated. It was that of ice carving across the floor. Then that eerie voice caught up to her once more, remaining somewhere near the corner.


    ¡°Hey¡­ Hey¡­ Psst¡­ Hey¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Hey! Cory! Look at me Cory! LOOK AT ME!¡±


    Cory felt the presence of that voice make her tremble even more. She held her breath, focusing desperately on stopping the shaking of her body. At the same time, her despair made her closed eyes begin to water.


    No! It¡¯ll cause a scene, I¨C I can¡¯t have them see that! They¡¯ll hate me for sure!


    It was as she was about to collapse and give in that she felt two hands grasp her shoulders. They were slender, yet powerful hands.


    *****


    Alina Krutova had been waiting for a while within her office. She had already sent instructions as to who she wanted to meet with next. In front of her were the relevant files and reports of that second meeting, along with a modified contract.


    In an attempt to prepare, she had once more skimmed through the information written, however doing so had only amounted to a headache.


    She sighed.


    Damn it all, I¡¯m too tired for this.


    She thought then continued to wait. However, the person did not appear even after a few minutes came and went. Frowning slightly, Alina felt annoyance simmer inside her chest as she stood from her desk.


    ¡°Did she get lost?¡±


    She murmured to herself before stepping outside her office.


    She then froze.


    Huh?


    The hallway was cold, too cold. The SW-4 Station had high grade air conditioning at all times, yet upon no day did it ever reach the point where it actively made her take note of it. The frown on her beautiful face deepened further, this time sourced from an ominous premonition.


    She began tracing the coldness to its source, using the rapid dropping of the temperature as a guide. Then after a few seconds she reached the corner where it felt the most chilly and found a trembling Cory Hudson situated on the floor, seemingly on the verge of falling into despair.


    Her breathing was ragged and Alina could see steam exit her mouth with each breath. She immediately became alert and dashed towards Cory.


    Don¡¯t tell me!


    Taking a tight hold of Cory¡¯s shaking shoulders she called out to her.


    ¡°Hey Cory, what are you doing here? Why didn¡¯t you come to my office?¡±


    Cory¡¯s shut eyelids quivered before she slowly opened them.


    ¡°Cory, are you hallucinating? What is it?¡±


    Alina asked, her voice stern.


    Cory''s eyes widened slightly and for a moment she almost spoke, yet she stopped herself upon hearing the eerie voice¡¯s continuous screams. She shook her head fearfully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a Second Stage Esper, I can handle it. So answer me, are you?¡±


    With tears swelling in her eyes, Cory at last removed the deep grip on her lips and answered with heavy mouth breaths.


    ¡°Y-Yes, I¡¯m in a blizzard¡­ S-Something¡­ S-Something is here too. It¡­ It wants me to see it¡­¡±


    She said, her body still shivering violently.


    ¡°I see, then I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Not waiting for Cory to inquire, Alina swiftly jabbed and knocked her unconscious. Before Cory¡¯s body could fall, Alina secured her into a princess carry. She stared upon the unconscious rookie with a complicated expression, recalling the term used to classify the woman Cory Hudson.


    ¡°A schizophrenic seer huh¡­¡±


    She sighed then began walking with Cory at hand. The signing of their contract postponed until further notice.

 Chapter 47 - The Fated Man

    Alina took a detour from her plans and ensured that Cory arrived upon a resting room. Considering just how unexpectedly long some working days were for agents of the NSRA, each floor possessed a few rooms designed for catching respite. The bed found inside did not appear comfortable in the least, yet Alina suffered from a brief temptation to lay down near the unconscious Cory. Just the sight of a bed made her body overflow with drowsiness.


    In the end, she pushed back the temptation with a reproachful sigh. She exited the room and walked into the main area where she spotted a few seasoned officers situated upon their desks.


    ¡°You three, I have a supervising task for you. Oh and also, someone get me a V1 cartridge.¡±


    Five minutes later, Alina''s concern over Cory Hudson had significantly reduced. On her right hand was a steel cartridge. Its surface was of a black color, its shape cylindrical, and on it¡¯s surface were blue words which read:


    ¡®Velocity¡¯


    ¡®Dosage Level: 1¡¯


    This was a drug developed to help one quickly rejuvenate lost energy. Considering how strenuous the long term usage of an esper¡¯s spirituality field was, all NSRA espers had the right to request an approved dosage level at any given time.


    However, Velocity was a drug which brought strenuous side effects if used too often. Alina had already used two dosages of the second level just this month. The thought of doing so again for a simple lack of night¡¯s rest made her feel like she just lost some unseen battle.


    It can¡¯t be helped¡­


    She thought, then twisted the cartridge¡¯s bottom to trigger its pop-out needle. She injected it into her neck shortly after. Her eyes bulged for a moment as her heart began to race rapidly. Alina found that her mind was now clear, the previous lag entirely gone.


    Her lips curled into a satisfied grin, feeling as though she could survive a marathon ten times over.


    With that issue resolved, Alina made her way to the briefing room. The rookies were surprised to see her, clearly expecting to catch a glimpse of the bubbly Cory instead. Alina paid no special notice of their shock as her gaze found who she sought.


    ¡°Archie Morris, come with me.¡±


    She said.


    Without confirming if he heard her, she turned and began making her way back to her office. Not long into that journey, her ears picked up on hurried steps following behind.


    They arrived at her office within less than a minute. She directed Archie to sit while she took a moment to search for his specific contract and related files. Throughout that process Archie sat quietly, a calm smile etched to his lips.


    ¡°The Fated Man.¡±


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    Alina broke the silence, her sudden words visibly confusing Archie.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    He asked, his head tilting slightly. Alina briefly compared his bewildered face to that of a puppy before she clarified.


    ¡°That is the codename you were given; The Fated Man.¡±


    A flash of understanding appeared on Archie¡¯s face as his smile turned awkward.


    ¡°Is that so? It¡¯s a fitting one¡­¡±


    Alina gently pressed the contract his way.


    ¡°That¡¯s what the reports says. I for one am interested in actually seeing these ¡®fated¡¯ moments unfold.¡±


    Leaning back on her seat, she waited for Archie to grasp the contract before she continued.


    ¡°Archie Morris. You are a highly risky investment we have made. That is why the responsibility is ultimately still on us.¡±


    Archie paused his reading.


    ¡°But I chose this of my own free will.¡±


    ¡°You have already lost most of it. Choosing the only path available to you is no choice. And even if it is, it¡¯s not one made of free volition.¡±


    Archie''s expression shifted into that of silent acquiescence. He shook his head.


    ¡°No Inspector Krutova, what I chose was to live as I am. If this is a byproduct of that decision then I will accept it as well.¡±


    Alina silently met his gaze. She sighed.


    ¡°Fine, then I''ll continue¡­ The contract is for five years of service. In accordance with the risk you will be taking, your salary has been set to three times the average at 720,000 Credits per year, 60,000 Credits per month.¡±


    Archie¡¯s gaze seemed to ignite with a thirsty vigor as he heard her words, causing Alina to stifle a chuckle.


    ¡°Your working hours are left as ¡®undetermined¡¯ due to how some cases can shift schedules. However, on an average week it should remain between 40 to 60 hours, a day shift lasting from 8AM to 5PM. You will receive a week with a single day off and a week with two. Your pay will be wired to your bank of choice each end of month and upon your full year you will be eligible for a two week vacation period.¡±


    Alina¡¯s somewhat neutral tone experienced a shift into a more serious one as she continued.


    ¡°In consideration to your ¡®special¡¯ classification. You will be placed under certain restrictions. An inspector will be made to accompany you to and from work. If an inspector is unavailable, then your overseer officer will do so instead. You are forbidden from leaving your house without first requesting our permission. You will be required to make an extensive report on your regularly visited locations for either business or pleasure so that those areas may be visited without prior permission but still with supervision.¡±


    Alina stood. Retrieved a device within a steel drawer not far from her desk, then slid it towards Archie¡¯s direction.


    ¡°This is a communicator. Every officer has one, however yours is special. It has a program that shows you where all active cases are currently taking place within district 4. Avoid those areas at all times unless we deploy you there.¡±


    Alina paused, thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered what she missed and added.


    ¡°Also, you are already a candidate for The Esper Program. The faster you grow in strength the less resources we will exert looking after you. That said, you still need to take a few cases as an officer before you are truly eligible to be an esper.¡±


    With that, she had mentioned all the crucial details. Alina then waited for Archie to finish his reading of the contract. When he did, Archie merely gave his usual gentle smile.


    ¡°This is similar to what the academy had done so it won¡¯t change my current lifestyle much¡­¡±


    He paused, hesitated for a moment, then added awkwardly.


    ¡°I must admit though, I don¡¯t really understand the whole esper thing. I was only ever informed that what affects me is a dormant aberration¡­ That said, if you entrust me with that role then I will do my best.¡±


    Alina smiled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, after the contract signings are over I will be settling that issue. Today is about briefings after all.¡±


    With that, Archie soon signed his contract and left her office. Before long the next rookie arrived.

 Chapter 48 - Overseer officer

    Tap. Tap. Tap.


    Within the briefing room, Maeve sat with a calm elegance that radiated mature beauty. She wore an aloof expression, appearing both unbothered and unapproachable. That was just a facade, in truth she felt troubled.


    Not long ago Cory had been cheerfully talking to her about a plethora of different topics. Some of those made her feel uncomfortable, but Cory¡¯s bubbly personality somehow made her unable to think of her unfavorably.


    That was why when she began acting strangely, Maeve was overcome by a flood of self conscious thoughts.


    Am I that dull of a person? Maybe I don''t smile enough? Was it my tone?


    Maeve never considered herself to be an exciting person. She was always awkward when interacting with others after all. When she thought back on it, she could not clearly remember a time where she easily made friends.


    Such a thing was ironic when she considered her most fervent desire.


    Her mental bashing ended abruptly when Cory failed to return from Alina¡¯s office, shifting into genuine concern. Perhaps something bad had occurred? That thought made her fall into a pit of restlessness. Cory was her first friend in such a long time, it would be wrong for her to dismiss the possibility of her being troubled.


    Maeve had no way of knowing what had happened. The only solace being that the inspector herself appeared untroubled. Still, her restlessness did not fully dissipate. It caused her to unconsciously begin a subtle rhythm, one forged using her feet and the floor as the instruments.


    Tap. Tap. Tap.


    Cory¡¯s unknown state was not all that had Maeve worried. There was also the fact that she had yet to be called to Alina¡¯s office. The second to last was already there, which meant only she was left.


    Is it because of my mom? Or could it be¡­


    Perhaps worrying was an overreaction. It appeared that she was being very sensitive today. However, Maeve only considered such troubles due to a certain suspicion she had been harbering for three years now.


    It was that of her second conjecture regarding her mothers death. It was one just short of being an accusation. To Maeve, the chances were high that it was the NSRA themselves who killed her mother.


    She had no solid proof of it. Just a single piece of paper that fueled her suspicion.


    However, if it was the truth, then did her being here now not equate to courting death? Her anxiety made her feel that it did.


    I need to relax my thoughts!


    She urged herself. She closed her eyes and began taking a few deep breaths. It was then that the briefing room¡¯s door slid open and the second to last rookie returned.


    ¡°Ms. Maeve, Inspector Alina is calling for you.¡±


    The rookie called out to her. She failed to register his words at first before rising from her seat with a nod.


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    She said.


    The rookie explained to her where the office was situated, and she left the briefing room shortly after. Before long she stood in front of another steel door. In front of it was a sign which read:


    ¡®Inspector Alina¡¯


    Maeve felt a tightening in her chest. She hesitated for a moment but eventually triggered the automatic opening of the door.


    She was greeted by Alina seated at her desk, her fingers crossed while she rested her chin atop them. Her lips wore a friendly smile, and while her face was still adorned by dark marks underneath her eyes, she no longer appeared tired.


    Maeve felt that her eyes shone with an emotion that she could not discern. That unknown only made her tense state worsen.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Maeve said.


    ¡°Sit.¡±


    Alina gestured with her eyes to the seat across her desk. The smile still etched to her lips. Maeve nodded and did as she was instructed. The dreaded moment was upon her now, she steeled herself to face whatever it would bring her; good or bad.


    ¡°Maeve, do you know why I chose to meet with you last?¡±


    Alina asked.


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    ¡°Hmm, because I am special?¡±


    Maeve answered with a neutral tone and her usual aloof expression. It appeared that the combo was amusing because Alina chuckled slightly at her words.


    ¡°Yes, you are special¡­¡±


    She said, then leaned back and pulled a file displaying on her desk, transforming it into a holographic display. It was that of Maeve¡¯s results upon her final year at the NSRA academy.


    ¡°You are a top ranked student. That makes you special.¡±


    Hearing such, her tension overwhelmed her for a moment.


    ¡°Only because of that?¡±


    Maeve asked. Alina was confused by the question as she tilted her head slightly.


    ¡°Yes. Why, are there any more reasons?¡±


    Good. So it has nothing to do with mom.


    Maeve felt a heavy relief overwhelm her. She held in a sigh as she shook her head.


    ¡°No. No, please continue.¡±


    Alina made a bewildered expression, but she soon dismissed it and continued.


    ¡°Maeve Dawson, described by your teachers as: Sharp minded, competitive, domineering in combat, and skilled with a large range of weaponry. The only stated flaw was your aloofness which might hinder your ability to be a team leader. All in all, a good report.¡±


    Alina swiped away the projected report, then asked an unexpected question.


    ¡°Maeve, do you understand what aberrations are?¡±


    Maeve did not try to hide anything as she nodded.


    ¡°Yes. I know more than most I would say.¡±


    Alina nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°Good, then when you hear the term ¡®special officer¡¯, what do you think it means?¡±


    Maeve felt confused over the direction of the questioning, but answered nonetheless.


    ¡°Considering what you asked me prior, are they officers that have special circumstances related to them like that of aberrations?¡±


    Alina¡¯s expression turned pleased.


    ¡°Yes, you''re exactly right¡­ Listen Maeve, the NSRA has many ways to combat the mystical forces that infect this city. That does not mean we shy away from gaining extra tools whenever we can. These special officers are just that. But they come with risks.¡±


    Alina reached for the papers resting to the side of the table for the first time. She then flipped them over and used a hand each to slide them towards Maeve.


    ¡°Maeve as a top student you receive the privilege, or perhaps the displeasure, of having this choice¡­¡±


    She began tapping the contract to her right with her index finger.


    ¡°The first is to be a regular officer and have a standard path of ascension. This involves the standard yearly salary of 240,000 Credits, 20,000 Credits per month. With it are all the usual benefits of a regular active officer.¡±


    Alina then began tapping the contract to her left.


    ¡°The other option is more lucrative but it will come with a higher risk. I want you to be an overseer officer, the one responsible for looking after the special officers. The pay is higher with a yearly salary of 1,000,000 Credits, around 83,000 per month. It requires you to make weekly reports regarding any alarming traits, actions, or sudden behavioral changes of the special officers. If they are hiding something from us, it is your job to catch it. If they are assigned to a case, you will likely be on it with them. If an inspector is absent, then you will serve the leader role¡­ So what do you think?¡±


    Maeve was left surprised over this development. She was naturally unaware of such a role within the NSRA. Still, something immediately bothered her. She frowned slightly as she asked.


    ¡°Inspector Alina, earlier you stated that my biggest flaw is my aloofness. I hate to admit it myself, but it is true. Are you sure you want me to act as a leader or supervisor of any sort?¡±


    Alina gave a beautiful smile.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t face it, then the flaw will never disappear.¡±


    The smile shifted into one touched by a tinge of sadness.


    ¡°And besides, while they are all people, they are tools first. I want you to improve your aloofness, yes. But what I value more is your ability to kill¡­ Maeve, if you accept this then you are agreeing to be their overseer and their executioner. They are always walking on the edge, if they lose themselves and fall, even if they endanger a life by pure accident, you will have to stop them. So beyond just the allure of the benefits, ask yourself¡­ Can you kill a victim?¡±


    The question stirred Maeve''s heart and mind into immediate conflict. In an effort to delay answering, she asked.


    ¡°Why use the word victim?¡±


    Alina''s expression turned somewhat sorrowful¡­ Or perhaps it was an expression better described as distant pity.


    ¡°I was an overseer officer myself for a long time. Well, even now I get handed those types of people. What I learned over the years was that they are all just victims of their own humanity. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that we manifest aberrations then many of the friends I made would still be alive¡­ So can you?¡±


    Asked once more, Maeve did not know how to answer. Before she did, Alina added.


    ¡°Actually Maeve, they don¡¯t mention this in the contract because it tends to cloud people¡¯s judgment, but accepting does place you as a top candidate for The Esper Program.¡±


    A top candidate huh¡­


    Alina was not wrong, hearing such did indeed cloud Maeve¡¯s judgment.


    Maeve was entering the NSRA with a jumbled mess of motivations and desires. She wanted to know the truth behind what occurred with her mother, saving her judgment over its justification until after. However ultimately, that was a short term goal.


    She just wanted closure, and if it was the NSRA who were responsible then she would do her best to hear out why? If it was due to corruption then she would cut it out accordingly. She didn¡¯t want revenge. The NSRA was the pillar that protected what humanity had left to claim, their only home in an infernal world.


    She would ensure that it remained pure, that it continued to fully pursue its purpose for existing without any ugly flaws surfacing from within.


    Believing herself the one worthy to make that judgment was the epitome of arrogance. However, Maeve did not care. Ever since she discovered the mystical forces of the world, she was overcome by a sole desire.


    She wanted to save humanity.


    She had always looked up to her mother, but what inspired her most was the cause that she stood for. At first Maeve was content with becoming another soldier in the field, yet the more she thought over it, the more she became dissatisfied with such a role.


    It was then when she began asking herself: Why stop there? Why only defend Bastion? Why ignore the biggest issues of them all?


    What Maeve wanted was the complete eradication of both The Eternal Flames and The Fallen.


    If someone heard her say such, then they would call her insane for believing that she alone could do so. Yet who said it had to be done alone? The Esper Program existed, a result of humanity''s desperate search for salvation.


    Maeve would become an esper. She would rise the stages and reach the peak of power available to her. If that was not enough still then she would push past that ceiling. Whatever it took¡­ Certainly, those who doubt the validity of such a monumental desire would follow her then. She hoped that they would at least.


    But that was for a distant future, a distant dream still. She had yet to take a step forward. That was why such an offer was tempting. At the same time though, the idea of executing those who are victims of aberrations was unpleasant.


    Sure, Maeve had a grand goal. However, she refused to forget what the point of it all was. She didn¡¯t want to trample over a few lives in the present for the sake of becoming an esper quicker. Those two contradicting desires clashed viciously within her, making her unable to decide. Alina did not disturb her thought process. Then after a few minutes of silence Maeve gave her answer.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll become an overseer officer.¡±


    If she could not pass on this opportunity, and if she could not bear the thought of killing someone who is only a victim of the supernatural, then all she would need to do is ensure that they never fall off the thin edge which they walk.

 Chapter 49 - Chaotic Order

    Alina donned a bright smile when she heard Maeve¡¯s decision. She slid over the overseer contract and handed Maeve a pen for the signing. Maeve read over the unspoken specifics before placing her signature. As she returned the contract she could not help but ask.


    ¡°Inspector Alina, could it be that you really wanted me to accept this deal?¡±


    Alina took hold of the contract.


    ¡°Huh, why do you think so?¡±


    She asked, clearly feigning ignorance.


    ¡°Well putting aside my status as a top graduate student, you went out of your way to mention a tempting bait when I appeared indecisive. That was why I was wondering if you had a specific reason for wanting me to accept.¡±


    Alina¡¯s gained an amused tinge within her beautiful smile.


    ¡°Ah, yes I suppose I did want to lure you into this¡­ I was in your position once. Back then I almost turned down the offer due to my righteousness. However, the inspector managed to convince me. Years later I find myself as a Second Stage Esper at an age much younger than most. This job trashed my righteous nature by exposing me to how our world truly is. If I had not accepted it, then I would have lost that version of myself regardless, and have little benefits to show for it¡­ You are bound to be a good egg Maeve, and I think it would be a shame to let you lag behind your potential over a naive sense of ideals.¡±


    Maeve wanted to further inquire, yet Alina did not let her. She stood, placed Maeve¡¯s contract away, then instructed.


    ¡°Now that the signings are over let''s go back to the briefing room. We will discuss your role another day.¡±


    Forced to let the topic go, Maeve nodded. The two then exited the office. When they returned, the eager rookies all adjusted themselves accordingly. Maeve returned to her seat as well.


    Alina waited for them to settle down before she began.


    ¡°Perfect. With the signings complete, we can at last continue with our briefings. It goes without saying, but as officers of the NSRA you will naturally be facing supernatural forces on a regular basis. Some of you already have well rounded knowledge on it due to the circumstances that led you here, but I need everyone to be on the same page.¡±


    She reached into her pocket and once more retrieved the silver bracelet. Once she secured it to her slender wrist, Alina waved her hand to project a holographic image. Before them were a few different icons. Each of them seemed to hold information which Alina intended to go over.


    ¡°Let us start by distinguishing between aberrations and monster races¡­ While an aberration can end up as monsters, those monsters are unique beings born with the nature of the aberration. Monster races on the other hand are groups of creatures that have existed since before Judgment Day and sought salvation within Bastion¡¯s walls. It¡¯s these monsters that our Monster Hunting Division specializes in finding and eradicating. Currently we estimate that there are around sixty monster races living in hiding within Bastion¡¯s walls. Further details regarding their characteristics will require you to rise the ranks so that is all I can explain about them.¡±


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    Alina¡¯s hand movement caused the aberration icon to expand and reveal new information text.


    ¡°As the name of our division suggests, our specialization is dealing with aberrations. There are two types of aberrations: Dormant and Conscious¡­ Dormant aberrations are best described as a strange and unique phenomena that affects an individual or place. They are not things or objects, nor do they have thought or will. They are born spontaneously from either an individual or a population. There is always a catalyst that triggers their birth. Our job is usually to investigate what the catalyst was and deal with it accordingly. This is the reason the academies had a course in psychology. Your gun doesn¡¯t always have to be the answer.¡±


    She swiped the air once more and the holographic projection shifted.


    ¡°While the chances of a dormant aberration being born is around 0.005%. There is a 1 in 10 chance that the dormant aberration will experience what is called: An awakening. This sees the previously specific or contained phenomena suddenly begin to expand and intensify as well as gain new attributes that it previously lacked. While that alone may not trigger the next step and some dormant aberrations naturally expand without ever transcending, there is still a chance for these aberrations to experience an evolution and transcend from a phenomena or effect to a thing with its own weight of existence. If that occurs then they are then classified as conscious aberrations.¡±


    The displayed information entered into the conscious icon and a new set of information began to appear.


    ¡°Conscious aberrations are not all intelligent, many simply gain a will, instinct, or warped purpose that they follow in a sloppy manner. Some manifest into living objects, however there are those that gain an actual body. Those that do can be considered aberration monsters. They are unique creatures and that alone makes them separate from the monster races. If an aberration turns into a conscious monster then we will use force to destroy its body. However, if it is an object then we might try to seal it and use it as an artifact. Everything depends on the case.¡±


    Alina spared everyone a careful look, before smiling slightly.


    ¡°Does your situation now suddenly make sense? Many of you present are only here due to encountering aberrations, right? You can use what you learned today and apply it to your past.¡±


    Returning to her briefing, Alina made the holographic projection exit the aberration icon and enter upon a new one.


    ¡°Now then, to further understand the nature of aberrations, we must first understand what we have dubbed: The Primal Laws. From what mystic researchers have observed these four laws remain as constant behavioral aspects of the supernatural. The only order to the chaos if you will¡­¡±


    Expanding the first set of information with a leisure gesture, she began her explanation of the laws.


    ¡°The Law of Existence. It dictates that once an aberration is spontaneously born, it can not spontaneously disappear without targeted action taken against it.¡±


    She swiped and the second law appeared.


    ¡°The Law of Reaction. It dictates that the world reacts to the beings that inhabit it. Those can be either emotions, beliefs, or mere observation. From what we know, this was not so prevalent before the descent of The Eternal Flames. It is also the reason why Bastion has heavy regulations over cameras and why they are not found on most streets or buildings. If an aberration is observed directly then it helps it solidify itself into reality, increasing the chances of it transcending. On that note¡­¡±


    She swiped to the third law.


    ¡°The Law of Transcendence. It dictates that all existing things can transcend and strengthen their existence through accommodation and evolution of other elements. This is perfectly showcased in the way espers of the fourth stage and above use anchors to support their souls.¡±


    She then revealed the fourth and final law.


    ¡°The Law of Connections. It dictates that all things, even aberrations and monsters, have corresponding symbols connected to them. These symbols can be used to affect the being connected to it and is the key factor in most divination techniques.¡±


    Alina finished her explanation of the laws then turned the display into orbs of information that were shot into the rookie¡¯s scanner cards. With that done, she walked over to the briefing room door before turning to all the rookies present.


    ¡°As officers, your main job is to assist inspectors upon their cases. This also includes any potential battles they may find themselves in. We will be heading to the training grounds where I will give you the last part of today¡¯s briefing. That is in regards to espers and their capabilities.¡±

 Chapter 50 - Espers

    The rookies followed Alina¡¯s lead as she stepped outside the briefing room. The journey to the training ground was merely a simple trip towards the elevator. The nine rookies were made to enter the box of steel alloy, and make due with the limited space. Only Archie, Maeve, and a tall man with a relaxed bearing seemed unbothered by either their compressed state or Inspector Alina¡¯s presence.


    A soft melody rang throughout as the elevator doors closed. Shortly after the steel alloy box began its smooth elevation. It was halfway through the silent trip that Alina''s eyes widened slightly. She turned to face them.


    ¡°Oh one last thing I forgot to mention regarding aberrations and monsters. We categorize them using disaster levels. They are: Criminal, Rampager, Fiend, Plague, Demon, Devil, and Nuclear. The scanner cards will hold the specifics of what each level means so be sure to go over it on your own time, understood?¡±


    Seeing their nods of affirmation, Alina gave a satisfied smile before turning her focus away. They arrived at their destination not long after. A steel hallway greeted them. It was narrow and short, being as wide as the elevator itself.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Alina said.


    Before long they reached another door that opened to reveal a pure white room. The area was vast, encompassing the entirety of the remaining 25th floor. Its temperature was far lower than the previous floors, and hung upon the ceiling were horizontal lights which shone with white radiance, furthering its desolate appearance.


    While everyone was distracted absorbing the sight, Alina nonchalantly turned to an area not far from the entrance. There a panel was etched to the wall. She placed her hand upon it as she spoke.


    ¡°Request access.¡±


    The panel came to life and quickly scanned her hand before a mechanical voice rang out.


    ¡®Access granted. Welcome inspector, you have primary command over the system.¡¯


    Only after did she turn to face the rookies.


    ¡°The training room may not look like much at first glance, but once activated it gives you different platform modes to choose from. To awaken its features you just need to use your scanner cards.¡±


    After explaining, Alina returned her focus to the panel.


    ¡°Give me a 12 inch steel wall.¡±


    She requested. The floor near the center of the area suddenly came to life, shifting away to raise a steel wall from beneath it.


    Alina then directed the rookies towards it.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t need to bring you all here for the next part of the briefing, but I think the abilities of an esper are best grasped when paired with visualization.¡±


    Alina arrived before the steel wall, shifted her stance, then unleashed a fist forward with perfect precision.


    BANG!


    The sound of steel yielding beneath the force of her blow reverberated. Alina retracted her hand, showcasing the large dent which she forged. She wore a satisfied expression as she turned to face the rookies present.


    Many of them had a mixture of shock and amazement etched to their faces. Only Maeve and the tall figure with a relaxed temperament stood as the exceptions. Alina raised her hands for them and showcased the lack of any visible harm.


    ¡°The Esper Program can be described as our best weapon against the supernatural. This is most true when it comes to facing the monster races. However, to become an esper does not mean to become superior to a human. An esper is merely a human who can grasp their spirituality and use it to change the natural state of reality as we know it.¡±


    Alina raised her right hand. As she did her nails rapidly grew 3 inches longer, transforming into sharp claws. She then unleashed a slash to the steel wall behind her, leaving clear cuts upon its surface.


    Turning back to the rookies, she began her explanation.


    ¡°To understand espers you must first understand spirituality. From what humanity has researched, spirituality is the expression of the human soul. An illusory energy that resides somewhere in the boundary between the body and soul. Additionally, it is a product closely tied to emotions, be they good or bad. We don¡¯t know much beyond that, but what we do know is that it is both boundless and limited, that it exists and doesn¡¯t at the same time. It also has the ability to affect reality¡­¡±


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    As she spoke, Alina silently returned her forged claws to clean nails tinged by a soft pink hue.


    ¡°I mentioned the four primal laws earlier, however there is also another ¡®truth¡¯ about our world. That being the fact that every existence has a weight to them. An ability to bend the world¡¯s natural laws through their mere existence. Since spirituality is the expression of the soul, it also carries with it the weight of the human soul.¡±


    She raised a finger to her head.


    ¡°Inside my brain right now is an Enhancement-Chip. This chip is the only successful example of mysticism and technology being joined together. As I stated before, spirituality both exists and doesn¡¯t, seemingly appearing and disappearing from the physical world. Researchers believe it''s like a tide that constantly reaches the shores of our body then returns to the ocean of our souls. In the brief period that it exists however, specialized machines can detect it. What mystic researchers realized was that it does not disappear again when observed, a result of the second law: Law of Reaction¡­¡±


    She brought down her raised hand, then began a calm pace back and forth as she explained.


    ¡°It is that characteristic that the E-Chips take advantage of. When installed, the E-Chips release nano-tech optical fiber-like threads known as The Spirituality Conducting Fiber Network. The network spreads through the brain, spine, and then throughout the entire body. That is only the first step, once the main fibers have spread and fully mimicked your nervous system, it will spread out what are known as branch fibers. Those will continue to shrink until they are the size of a human chromosome.¡±


    Alina¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as she made a bitter smile.


    ¡°Trust me, the fiber spreading process is long and it hurts like hell. It¡¯s also the stage of advancement that kills most people.¡±


    Shaking off her smile, she continued.


    ¡°Anyways, once fully installed all that the esper must do is will for their spirituality to appear while recalling an emotionally intense memory. It may take a few tries the first time, but when the spirituality inevitably manifests, the branch fibers will detect it and solidify its existence as a result. The spirituality will then be absorbed by the branch fibers and sent to the main fibers where it is detected by the esper, solidifying its existence by yet another layer¡­ It is at this point where the esper can finally affect the spirituality with their thought and will¡­¡±


    She pondered for a moment then added.


    ¡°From my experience its flow feels pleasant, and it gives you this strange sense of connection.¡±


    Alina stopped her pacing and reached out a hand.


    ¡°See anything?¡±


    She asked, however none of the rookies present, Maeve included, noticed anything. Alina smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaking my spirituality. Imbuing spirituality to objects with mystical properties can help amplify their effects or simply imbue them with symbols and authorities connected to me. That said, only Fourth Stage Espers and above have any symbols to imbue thanks to their concept accommodations.¡±


    Bringing down her hand she recommenced her pacing.


    ¡°How expansive the fiber network is within the body will determine how much of their spirituality can be solidified into existence. The size of that solidified existence is known as The Spirituality Field. These fields are given a rate.¡±


    Alina paused her walking once more and raised her pinky finger.


    ¡°First Stage Espers have a spirituality field that resides only within their bodies, ending just below the skin. Its rate being: -1.¡±


    She raised her ring finger.


    ¡°Second Stage Espers have a spirituality field that ends 3 cm above the skin. Its rate being: 0.¡±


    She raised her middle finger.


    ¡°Third Stage Espers have a spirituality field that ends 5 cm above the skin, however that is only due to the spirituality being densely concentrated inside the body. Third Stage Espers can will the field to expand, thinning it in the inside while spreading it forth by 5 meters in all directions. If they try to stretch it further than that the spirituality will become too thin and will begin to disappear. This field is rated as: +1.¡±


    She brought down her hand, reached into her jacket and retrieved a small pop out knife. She then opened her right palm and sliced at it. Her crimson blood gushed forth, splattering before the white surface of the training ground.


    Her actions surprised some of the rookies, but before they could say anything they saw the laceration slowly begin to heal.


    ¡°Once harnessed, spirituality serves a few purposes: The first is the enhancement of what the body is already capable of, doing so at an almost ridiculous level the higher the stage and the thicker its concentration. The second is alteration of every facet of an esper¡¯s anatomy, allowing them to move and restructure their very atoms if they wish to¡­¡±


    Alina began cleaning her bloody palm with a piece of cloth that Archie offered her.


    ¡°The third usage is the most impressive, its exaggeration and the creation of imaginary matter¡­ For first and second stage espers then this merely allows them to exaggerate things of their anatomy, such as the amount of a specific type of atom they possess in their body, or to exaggerate the electric signals that their nervous system uses, turning it into raging currents that can dance on their fists and be shot forth.¡±


    She finished the cleaning of her palm and neatly folded the bloody cloth before storing it in her pocket. She then raised that very hand once more, yet this time it was accompanied by blue currents of electricity which sizzled above her skin.


    Alina smiled and raised her left hand as well, its surface also covered by dancing electric currents.


    ¡°Of course, the beauty of it is that everything depends on knowledge. I¡¯m using the ions of my nervous system to create powerful electric currents on my right hand, however on my left I¡¯m using electrons in my skin¡¯s atoms to do so. But I can only do this because I am exaggerating the number of electrons and ions I¡¯m supposed to naturally have. The spirituality is essentially transforming into that matter but it can only exist while the field is activated, thus the term: Imaginary matter.¡±


    With a clap of her hands, the raging sparks ceased.


    ¡°For the first two esper stages exaggeration is a useful bonus, however once an esper becomes a third stage they can alter and exaggerate the environment that their spirituality field encompasses. This leads to applications like telepathy and many more¡­¡±


    Alina paused, watched the engrossed expression upon everyone¡¯s faces, then smiled brightly.


    ¡°Well then, that concludes today''s briefings!¡±


    Her announcement caused some of the rookies to frown slightly, their eagerness to learn more unable to be hidden. One of them even raised a hand and spoke up.


    ¡°Inspector Krutova, that can¡¯t be all right? What about espers of the fourth stage and above?¡±


    Alina shrugged.


    ¡°Most of that is classified, all I can explain is that they acquire anchors known as: Concept Accommodations. If you want more details than that, then rise the ranks.¡±


    Saying nothing more, Alina began making her way back towards the training ground¡¯s exit.


    ¡°Now then, it¡¯s time for all of you to find out where you will be working.¡±

 Chapter 51 - Familiar, yet unacquainted

    Contrary to what everyone expected, Inspector Alina did not continue to guide them around any longer. She merely escorted them to the elevator, then upon arrival at the 18th floor of the SW-4 Station, she quickly ordered for a few support officers to serve as their new guides.


    Apparently, they each would be given a private desk along with a few expected equipment such as their communicators, badges, and standard weaponry. The anticipated practicing of Advance-Grade weaponry, along with mystical tools would be saved for a different date it seemed.


    Soon the rookies were all taken away towards their respective desks. However, Maeve was not among them. She had been singled out by Alina and taken to a different corner of the floor. Alina then reached into a different part of her suit and retrieved a small device before handing it to Maeve. The device was not too different from a cell phone, its body rectangular, its surface a black screen, and its body thin.


    ¡°Here, this is your communicator. Inside it is a downloaded code, all the details regarding special officers can be found there. For now, try not to let them know just how much information regarding their situation you possess. There are things people would rather others not know.¡±


    Having never used a communicator before, Maeve tilted her head slightly as she asked.


    ¡°Inspector Alina, how is this any different than a regular phone?¡±


    Alina¡¯s soft lips curled from subtle mirth.


    ¡°For one you don¡¯t need data packages to make calls. The security is far more advanced too. But the best part is¡ª¡±


    Instead of continuing to explain, Alina closed the small gap between them, reached for the communicator, then through activation of its sensors placed it atop Maeve¡¯s wrist before parts of its surface dissolved into a stream of living metal, and shifted into a bracelet with a screen upon its surface.


    ¡°¡ªIts nano-tech features. It naturally also has holographic technology. So yeah, more advanced than a phone.¡±


    Maeve examined it with some intrigue. She eventually looked past it, and questioned Alina over a different matter which was bothering her.


    ¡°Um, Inspector Alina, do you know what happened with Cory Hudson? She was meant to head to your office but didn¡¯t return.¡±


    Alina chuckled.


    ¡°She is fine if that is what you are worried about. Actually, she is one of the higher risk special officers we have ever taken, so try not to grow too fond of her.¡±


    Maeve wished to inquire more over the specifics. There was no point in doing so though, she likely already held the answers within the device wrapped around her wrist. Maeve found herself hoping that whatever tribulation the bubbly girl faced was not a cruel one.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    *****


    After her discussion with the beautiful inspector Maeve returned to the main space of floor 18. There a support officer was already waiting. It was a young man with short golden hair and green eyes. He wore the black suit to perfection, paired perfectly with a professional temperament.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    She was led into the back right corner of the large space, however to Maeve¡¯s surprise she was not made to sit upon vacant desks found there but was instead directed into a private room. The room was perfectly squared and forged of steel alloy from nearly all sides.


    The only exception was her immediate left side which saw the glass window of SW-4 Station substitute for a wall. Beyond it was the vast landscape of district 4, its skyscrapers all illuminated by a vast white radiance which covered the sky. Opposite to the door was a massive screened monitor that clung onto the alloy wall. Then to the left were three desks, their backs to the glass wall. To the right were only two desks.


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    Sitting upon them were two familiar figures and one unfamiliar one. Two paid notice to her entrance which made Maeve feel a pang of discomfort. She did not greet the gazes however, choosing to ask her escort a question instead.


    ¡°Why only five desks, shouldn¡¯t there be ten?¡±


    The support officer smiled.


    ¡°Inspector Alina said this room is special. I do not know the specifics though, so I¡¯m afraid that you will have to ask her.¡±


    Are they all my responsibility then?


    She pondered, then thanked the support officer after he pointed out which was her desk. As it turned out, hers was in the middle of two familiar figures. On the left side, the first desk was occupied by Archie Morris, the middle aged man with a gentle bearing. The end of that small row was Cory Hudson¡¯s desk, its seat currently vacant.


    ¡°Ah fate desires us to continue this acquaintance of ours it seems Ms. Maeve.¡±


    Such was Archie¡¯s greeting. Maeve nodded whilst doing her utmost to portray a welcoming smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure.¡±


    She spoke neutrally then turned to face across their side of the room.


    Occupying one of the two remaining desks was a familiar, yet unacquainted figure, a rookie like Maeve and Archie. He was a tall man with a relaxed temperament. The man possessed a lean body, jet black hair and eyes, and he wore the standard black suits of the NSRA, though he neglected its jacket.


    The suit was worn with enough grace, however his sharp eyes portrayed a perpetual disinterest which he didn¡¯t wish to or bothered to hide. His lips were dry and upon his lower face was a thin goatee stubble. He appeared utterly disheveled when one also noted the few strands of hair which stuck out from his slick back hairstyle. It was a sharp contrast from the neatness of his suit.


    Maeve did not know him, however back in the briefing room she heard his name be called for the contract signing.


    Marcel O¡¯Daniel.


    From afar, the man named Marcel felt unapproachable. Maeve had no desire to do so at least, and yet having accepted the role as the overseer she knew that he likely fell under her watch. So despite not wishing it, she found herself closing the distance between them.


    Arriving before his desk she cleared her throat and reached out a hand.


    ¡°Hello there, we have yet to meet. I¡¯m Maeve Dawson, who might you be?¡±


    Marcel had his vision fixed upon the holographic monitor of his desk. His eyes did not betray much interest in what he was watching, yet whatever it was it seemed to have been so enthralling that he failed to register Maeve¡¯s voice.


    No matter, she just had to try again.


    ¡°Hello there, I¡¯m Maeve Dawson.¡±


    She said, this time her words were louder than before. Her hand still hung.


    Marcel did not react though.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. I must be growing deaf, or perhaps mute?¡±


    She murmured. Maeve tilted her head towards the curiously observing Archie.


    ¡°Archie, hello¡­¡±


    Her words sounded neutral, while her volume was of a normal level. Archie''s expression shifted into confusion, however he was too kind to ignore someone once they addressed him. Waving slightly, he gave a dubious reply.


    ¡°Hello Ms. Maeve.¡±


    ¡°Nope, not deaf, nor mute either.¡±


    That confirmed it, Marcel O¡¯Daniel was ignoring her. She gained such a conformation in an odd manner, but Maeve Dawson was an odd person to begin with. She did not think of it as a flaw for everyone had their quirks.


    However, while she usually fell into a pit of nervousness when encountering social situations thanks to her aloofness, Maeve was a prideful person deep inside. At least when it mattered most. She failed to express herself more than she succeeded, but she tried so hard to be kind because that is what she wished others to be in return.


    Yet this man had spat before her kindness. If he would not accept it with a gentle tug, then she would shove it down his throat. It was then that Maeve entered it, the cold state she always entered back when competing against her peers in the NSRA Academy.


    The next second, Maeve collapsed Marcel¡¯s chair with a swift and powerful kick upon its base. Marcel showed a hint of emotion for the first time today as his eyes widened in surprise. He slammed into the floor with a thud before he exploded from it with a new found vigor.


    His previous sharp, but lazy gaze gave way to one of fury.


    What met that enraged gaze were cold green ones safely tucked behind a pair of black rimmed glasses.


    ¡°Why the fuck¡ª?!¡±


    ¡°Hello there, I¡¯m Maeve Dawson. I don¡¯t take kindly to being disrespected so next time listen when I talk to you.¡±


    Maeve said, her voice icy. She once more reached out a hand. Marcel''s furious gaze faltered when faced with Maeve¡¯s own. Then it fell upon her stretched out hand, full of new found wariness. It seemed that he was grappling with the choice of escalating the situation or giving in and submitting.


    After a few breaths, he sighed. With it was a hint of annoyance as he roughly took hold of her slender hand. Despite the difference in size, Maeve''s grip was not inferior to his. They shook it as two sharp gazes clashed like blades.


    ¡°Marcel O¡¯Daniel, nice to meet you.¡±


    Marcel¡¯s voice was deep, its melody full of unmasked hostility. Maeve curled her soft lips into a smile. The sight was enchanting, gorgeous even, but also cold, and vicious.


    Her smile was equally sweet as it was deadly.