Ren sat opposite Eliza, the distance between them filled with broken glass, overturned furniture, and an uneasy silence.
His elbows rested on his knees. Both hands pressed against his face.
"…is she insane?" he muttered. "Why is Judith trying to do sothing like that?"
Eliza was already dressed, robe loosely tied, shoulder bandaged with practiced ease. She leaned back against the couch, legs crossed, expression unusually calm.
"I don't know," she answered plainly. "I'm just her underworld link."
Ren lowered his hands and looked at her. "Link?"
"I manage money," Eliza said. "Move it, clean it, hide it. I make sure people don't notice the project she's secretly working on."
Ren frowned. "You don't even know what the project is?"
Eliza shrugged. "I know fragnts. Funding routes. Black sites. Disappearances."
She smiled faintly. "Never the full picture...but I know It's one of great danger and could change the world. It's called Project Balance or sothing."
Ren stared at her for a long mont. "Then why are you telling this so easily?"
Eliza's eyes lifted to et his.
"Because it isn't valuable information anymore," she said.
Ren blinked. "What?"
She exhaled. "Ever since Judith started her political campaign, she hasn't given a single order. No transfers. No cleanup. Nothing."
Ren's jaw tightened. "That ans…"
"She's operating on a different level now," Eliza finished. "Or she has other people. Other plans."
Ren leaned back, rubbing his temples. "A project to bring balance to this world…"
He let out a short, bitter laugh. "She really is insane."
Eliza tilted her head. "You sound like you know more than you're saying."
Ren looked at her sharply. "Did a scientist nad Misa Tachibana work with you?"
Eliza paused.
Her brows knit slightly as she searched her mory. "Misa… Tachibana…"
She snapped her fingers once. "There was a woman with that na."
Ren stiffened.
"She worked through shell labs," Eliza continued. "Not directly under , but her funding passed my hands."
Ren's voice ca out low. "What happened to her?"
Eliza hesitated. "She went missing after an incident."
Ren stood up so suddenly the chair scraped loudly against the floor. "Missing how?"
"Records were sealed," Eliza said carefully. "Internal reports said deceased."
Ren's fists clenched. "She is not dead."
Eliza looked at him, surprised by the raw force in his voice.
"…I see," she said softly.
She studied his face for a second, then smiled in a knowing way. "Records also ntioned she had a son."
Ren froze.
Eliza's smile widened. "Don't tell ."
Silence fell between them.
"…So this is about finding out about your dead mother then," Eliza said.
Ren slamd his palm against the wall. "She's not dead!"
Eliza raised both hands. "I'm sorry. I can be insensitive sotis."
She shifted her posture. "So. What are you going to do with this information?"
Ren turned away. "That's none of your concern."
He walked toward the door.
Eliza's voice sharpened. "Boy."
Ren stopped.
"You'd better stay away from Judith if you want to stay alive," she said. "There are at least ten groups I know in this city alone that want her dead."
Ren glanced back. "Then why hasn't she been killed?"
Eliza smiled darkly. "Because everyone's afraid of what happens after she dies...she is not an easy woman to kill either."
Ren let out a slow breath. "Thanks for the advice."
He opened the door.
The night air was cold.
Ren walked down the empty street, lights reflecting off wet pavent. His wristwatch glowed faintly as he checked the ti.
"…Still midnight," he muttered. "I still have ti."
He stopped walking.
"…Do I really want this now?"
Nas surfaced in his mind, one after another.
Misa.
Kyouka.
Anna.
iling.
Nina.
Luxy.
Each na carried weight. Each carried consequences.
eting Anna was the most dangerous choice of all.
"…If I et her," he muttered, "I can't walk away."
He knew her too well. Attention was not optional with Anna. It was demanded. Claid.
Even if he didn't et her…
"If her mother told her about ," Ren said quietly, "she'll find anyway. I need to be serious about this."
He resud walking.
"…Whatever," he muttered. "I need them."
His eyes hardened.
"If I want my revenge. If I want to be free."
He clenched his fist. "Might as well take the risk."
Judith could wait.
For now.
Ren turned onto a quieter street and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
Victoria's handwriting was neat.
He read the address one more ti.
"…Let's see who's waiting for ."
And with that, Ren disappeared into the night, unaware that multiple pairs of eyes were already tracking his path.
***
Astrid felt them before she saw them.
The air near the outer gate of Valkyrie Fang trembled, not with fear, but with intent.
"Traitors," she muttered, tightening her grip.
Steel boots hit the ground in unison. Six figures erged from the mist, all wearing full military armor. Their faces were hidden behind gas masks with dark lenses. Thick cables ran from their backs to strange rifles glowing with pale blue light.
Power neutralizers.
Astrid clicked her tongue. "So they really didn't die in that incident."
One of them raised a hand. "Power bearers. Stand down. You are outnumbered. If you stand down we will give you a painless death."
She laughed, low and sharp. "You counted wrong."
Her axes ignited.
Both weapons humd as runes lit up along their blades. The air around them warped, like it could not decide whether to stay solid or explode.
The traitors lifted their rifles.
Too slow.
Astrid kicked off the ground and vanished forward.
"Fire," one of them shouted.
Energy beams scread through the space where she had been a heartbeat ago.
Astrid reappeared in front of the leftmost soldier.
"You hesitate," she said.
She swung her right axe.
Boom.
The explosion did not spread outward. It folded inward, crushing armor like paper. The soldier flew back and slamd into the ground, unmoving.
"Target is mobile," another shouted. "Do not let her close."
They fired together.
Blue beams crossed the battlefield, tearing through stone and tal. Astrid twisted, rolled, jumped. One beam grazed her shoulder guard and drained its enchantnt instantly.
"Tch."
She landed, skidding across the ground.
"So these things really work," she said.
A soldier charged her with a shock baton.
Astrid smiled and threw her left axe.
The axe spun once.
Boom.
The soldier disappeared in a cloud of dust and shattered armor.
"Four left," she said calmly. But She knew this was just beginning as she could hear several people already marching toward the community. She had her fighters ready to repel these people, but facing them head on was never a choice.
Her eyes flicked toward the massive iron gate behind her. Valkyrie Fang. Her people. Families. Children. Fighters who trusted her to stand here.
She straightened.
"None of you will take another step."
She rushed them again.
A beam sliced past her cheek. Another burned through the air above her head. Astrid ducked low, slid between two shots, and slamd her axe into the ground.
Boom.
The explosion flipped two soldiers into the air. One hit the wall and went limp. The other tried to rise.
Astrid was already there.
She brought her boot down on his rifle.
Crack.
The weapon shattered.
"You should have stayed dead," she said.
She knocked him out with the flat of her axe.
Only two left.
They regrouped quickly, backs to each other, rifles tracking her every move.
"Keep distance," one said. "One clean shot is enough."
Astrid rolled her shoulders. "Then stop missing."
She charged, then suddenly jumped sideways.
The beams followed her.
That was the mistake.
Astrid reversed direction midair and hurled her axe.
The remaining soldier tried to dodge.
Boom.
The blast tore away half his armor and sent him crashing into the gate wall.
Astrid exhaled slowly.
"One left," she said.
A sharp pain exploded in her hand.
She gasped.
A thin blue beam pierced her right palm.
"No," she whispered.
Her axe fell from her fingers and clattered across the ground.
The glow on her hand faded. The runes vanished. The familiar pressure of power disappeared, leaving behind normal flesh and blood.
Astrid stared at her hand.
"Power neutralized," the last soldier said, stepping forward. "Just like the reports said."
Astrid clenched her fingers. They shook.
"So this is how it feels," she said quietly.
The soldier switched weapons, drawing a pistol.
"This ends now."
He fired.
Astrid twisted aside. The bullet grazed her armor. She rushed forward despite the pain.
Another shot.
She ducked and closed the distance in three steps.
The soldier raised the pistol again.
Too late.
Astrid slamd her fist into the soldier's helt.
Crack.
The helt flew off and skidded across the ground.
The soldier stumbled back, clutching her jaw.
She was a woman.
Blond hair spilled free, ssy and short. Her face was pale, sharp, and undeniably beautiful despite the pain twisting her expression.
She kicked the woman square in the chest.
The traitor flew back and collapsed, gasping for air.
Astrid stood over her, breathing hard.
The pain in her hand pulsed with every heartbeat.
But the victory was not that easy, as Astrid quickly used the body of the woman in front of her to cover herself, as she realized an army of traitors had already co to greet her.
"Fuck! Let go," The blonde haired woman muttered, to which Astrid answered. "If so tell your traitors to stand down."
Reviews
All reviews (0)