The night before…
The screams of Nathan died down.
The zombies tore him apart.
"Come at me, you bastard!!!" Gerold's teeth creaked.
But although his fighting spirit burned, his face had turned pale. His body was nearing its limit.
SWOOOSH!
Suddenly, the demon lunged downward.
It grabbed two zombies and soared up again.
Swush!
It hurled the zombies at Gerold.
"COME!"
Gerold roared.
But the demon was already descending with the zombies, charging straight at him.
"Impenetrable defense!"
His shield let out a weak light.
But suddenly, the demon changed direction.
It charged at Mateo.
"Hmph!!"
Gerold scoffed.
His veins bulged up!
Bum!
He threw the shield forward at the two incoming zombies.
"MATEOO!"
He stormed toward him.
'I'll die…'
Mateo's feet planted in the ground, his eyes wide in despair.
He could see the terrifying demon rapidly approaching him, yet his body refused to move.
"Save…me."
He creaked.
'I won't reach in time.'
Gerold realized, his face turning ugly.
"Move! Damn it!"
A voice rang from the side.
Liam!
He was closer than Gerold, and with his super speed, he closed in fast.
Mateo's eyes flashed.
"Liam!"
Seeing Liam about to reach him before the demon, he finally reacted, reaching for him.
"Hang on!"
Liam extended his arm, intending to grab him and push out of the way.
Swooosh!
THUD!
"Wha…"
The air tore, and a whip-like leg came flying.
It slammed into Liam's side.
"Cough…"
All air left his lungs as his body was hurled to the side, right in the way of the incoming demon.
Gerold's eyes widened in the distance.
As if time slowed, allowing him to witness the madness.
Liam looked at Mateo, his eyes wide in disbelief and confusion.
"Go die for me."
Mateo smiled - a twisted, apologetic smile.
Swoosh!
He jumped back.
'Bastarddd!!!'
Liam's lips burst into blood as he went down.
Realization dawned on him, and rage ignited within him.
But he could also feel the incoming demon at his back.
"I hope you die a terrible deatthhh!"
He cursed.
THUD!
Suddenly, something slammed behind him.
Splashh!
Wet, rot-stinking liquid splashed on the back of his body.
He immediately knew. It was blood. Zombie blood.
His back slammed on the ground.
The impact with the demon he expected never arrived.
'What happened?'
He looked up and saw.
Scre?!
The demon flew in the air, looking around in confusion.
A zombie came hurling at it out of nowhere.
But Gerold saw it. The direction it came from.
He felt it.
The entire battlefield froze. Even the zombies around.
'Something even more monstrous arrived.'
He could only judge by the battlefield, all his hope vanishing.
SHRIIIIEK!
The demon let out a shriek—a shriek of a terrified little rat.
It soared higher.
Swoooosh-shluck!
A blue streak flashed.
For a second, nothing. But then…
Splasssh!
The zombies where it passed split in half.
Green blood and rotting intestines poured on the ground.
Swush! Swush!
Two more flashes flew.
The heads split open.
Black, rotting brain matter flowed out.
Then…
The butchered zombies fell aside.
As if an invisible force pushed them away.
Then, from the distance, a figure emerged.
A child.
The demon no longer looked at Gerold or Liam.
Its entire attention was on the child.
"It's Kai!"
Gerold's eyes flashed a strange light.
Hope. Relief.
Suddenly, all his exhaustion vanished.
He knew they were saved.
Liam stood up, glaring at Mateo.
But he made no moves.
Kai looked around, observing.
His gaze lingered on Mateo and Liam, a deep frown on his young face.
An unusual expression for his age.
Then his gaze went up at the demon flying in the air, observing him.
"Hmph…"
A smile curled on his lips—an unusually arrogant smile.
Eight daggers of different shapes rotated on his back, like a halo.
He pointed his finger at the sky, tilting his head.
"Come down…"
Dingg…
The daggers on his back halted, trembling for a second.
Then…
Swoosh!
They disappeared.
'What?'
Gerold's eyes widened in disbelief.
'I didn't see them…'
SHRIIIIEK!
A cry rang from the sky.
Their gazes followed the scream, and they saw it.
The demon struggled to battle with eight daggers, releasing blue streaks as they flew.
"Hmph…"
Kai shook his head, faintly laughing.
"Die already…"
Rattttle!
Metal clanging rang out.
The two leather bags on his waist trembled.
Swooosh!
Iron needles and sharp small blades flew out.
Hundreds!
They covered the night sky, releasing faint blue light.
SHLUCK!
In an instant, they pierced the demon in the sky.
It had no chance to struggle. No, to even register the danger.
It became a fountain, drilled with hundreds of holes, oozing blood as it fell.
"Now…"
Kai glanced at Liam and the others.
Boom!
The body of the demon fell into the distance.
But Kai's gaze locked on Mateo.
Swoosh!
He disappeared and reappeared before Mateo.
"Wha…"
Mateo stumbled back.
"K-Kai, good job!"
He forced a smile on his face.
"I saw it…"
Kai stared him dead in the eye, his gaze carrying strange coldness.
Coldness enough to freeze the blood in the veins.
"W-What did you see?"
Mateo's eyes darted around.
Boom!
"Aghhh!?"
His body slammed onto the ground.
An invisible force pressed on him.
"I…can't breathe…"
But glancing at the little feet before him, his eyes widened in terror.
Kai looked over him, emotionless, like a judge.
"You deserve death…"
The seven daggers floating behind him all pointed at Mateo's head.
"No…"
A cry escaped his lips.
"KAI!"
A shout rang out.
Gerold came running.
"Please stop this!"
He stood before Mateo.
"Are you protecting the traitor?!"
Kai's little brows furrowed, his expression dark and dissatisfied.
"N-No… I'm not." Gerold glared at Mateo, his eyes carrying disdain and hatred.
"But it's not right to deal with him now. The group has certain procedures to follow when dealing with traitors. We'll take him back and let the leaders decide. Make an example of him."
"Hmm…"
Kai nodded repeatedly, then he stopped.
"But he betrayed the group. The group brother Vincent created. My Home."
Murderous intent intensified in his eyes.
"He is destroying my home. He must die!"
"KAI!"
Gerold extended his arm, blocking the way to protect Mateo.
"Listen to me, plea…"
Kai's gaze shifted from Mateo to Gerold.
Swoosh!
The daggers disappeared.
"Wha…"
Gerold's instincts screamed.
He tried to pull his arm back -
SHLUCKK!
"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
A horrendous scream escaped his lips.
And for the first time, it carried a hint of fear. Pain-driven fear.
"Aghhhhhh!"
Blood gushed out, and an arm rolled to his feet. His own arm.
"KAI!"
He roared, his teeth creaking in pain as he collapsed to his knees.
His eyes turned bloody with hatred and furry at the injustice he suffered.
Mateo's still body lay behind him, daggers stuck deep into his brain, his face a mask of horror.
"Gerold…"
Kai looked down at the man at his feet.
"I don't care."
His demeanor didn't fit that of a child at all, but rather that of a murder god incarnate.
"The next time you try harming my home…"
A strange light flashed in his clear, childish eyes.
"I'll eliminate you too."
…
"Do you understand now?!"
Liam asked Peter, his voice much calmer now.
His pupils trembled, gleaming with fear.
He would never forget what he witnessed.
The coldness, the ruthlessness, and…the power!
"KAI!" Peter's teeth creaked, his eyes gleaming with hatred. "That little orphan bastard!! He cut off Gerold's arm for nothing!"
His head snapped up, looking at Liam with a newfound purpose.
"Why have you not mentioned this? We must bring him down! We can use this…"
"Peter!"
Liam's shout snapped him out of his delusions.
''You don't get the point."
Liam shook his head in disappointment, letting out a tired sigh.
"Sometimes, you can't rely on politics and scheming. Before absolute power, you…no, our little schemes are nothing."
"Kai is a monster. A monster among monsters! And he is completely on Vincent's side. As long as that's the case, we have no chance of taking him down. Not to mention there are the other leaders."
"And if it really comes to it, I suspect…"
Liam paused, the fear in his eyes intensifying.
"He can eliminate the entire leadership of the group…or at least half."
Peter's eyes widened.
Liam patted Peter's shoulder.
"Let it go, or you'll be throwing your life away."
With those words, Liam left the room, heading to rest.
Peter remained in the room, his head lowered, his gaze flickering with unwillingness.
His fists clenched.
His mind raced with thoughts, while his heart burned with revenge.
This was not the end of it…
…
The news of Gerold's injury and team annihilation spread quickly, causing the entire hospital to whisper and guess what really happened.
However, as night approached, the talk slowly died down.
Livia and the other leaders released a statement to calm the group, while only a select few knew the truth.
And soon, night fell.
Darkness engulfed the hospital, the generators running at the lowest possible output.
The lively hospital turned deserted.
Everyone holed up in their room, not wanting to accidentally catch a glimpse of the horrors of the night.
The three moons hung in the sky, and the guards stood before the hospital entrance and around it, overlooking the surroundings on all sides.
…
Deep into the night.
Clack! Clack!
A figure walked down the dark hospital hallway.
Peter.
His step swayed, and as he got closer to his destination, his heartbeat raced.
Then, he stopped before a door.
He raised his hand, but hesitated.
Fear flashed in his eyes.
'No!'
His brows furrowed, and anger replaced the fear.
'He must pay!'
Knock! Knock!
He knocked quietly
His body trembled, but he still waited before the door.
And soon…
Creeeak!
The door opened.
"Hmm…What's happening?"
A childish, sleepy voice rang out.
Kai!
He appeared on the doorframe, rubbing his eyes.
"Kai,"
Peter called gently, crouching to his height.
Kai stood blankly, blinking.
"Something happened. We need your help."
"It couldn't wait till morning?"
Peter shook his head. "No."
"What is it?"
"We found a collapsed warehouse not far from here," Peter started his made-up story. "There are a lot of intact resources underneath the rubble. But there are also a few demons surrounding it."
As he spoke, Peter's expression grew more serious, trying to make Kai aware of the seriousness.
"There are a lot of resources. And food and candies."
"Candies?"
Kai's eyes sparkled.
Peter's lips curled slightly, but he quickly hid it away.
"Let's hurry up. Our brothers are fighting to hold off the demons and protect the resources."
His voice carried urgency.
"Mmmm…"
Kai nodded repeatedly, innocently following behind Peter.
The story had many loopholes. Too many.
But to deceive a child, it doesn't take much.