The battle between Jason and Giles raged on, but it felt as though the end was already drawing near.
Giles moved fast, sketching a brick wall into existence just as Jason unleashed another lightning strike. The wall formed in a flash and shattered just as quickly.
Jason's attack tore straight through it and slammed into Giles, hurling him backward through the air. His body twisted as he skidded across the ground.
But the damage wasn't as devastating as it should've been.
Then Jason realized that at the last second, Giles activated his Harmonic Mantle Essence, the energy coating his body and dampening the impact of the blow.
Jason: (thinking) He's using Harmonic Mantle Essence to weaken my attacks every time. (aloud, to Giles) How long are you going to keep this up?
Giles: Shut up! (thinking) Even with Harmonic Mantle Essence, his attacks still leave considerable damage.
Jason: Wanna call it quits? I'm supposed to take you in, so why don't you make things easier for both of us?
Giles: HMPH!! Like I'd let you.
Jason: (laughs) You don't have to let me. I can force you, and there won't be any Harmonic Mantle left to save you.
Giles: (thinking) He's pushed me far enough to use my trump card. (aloud) Well, since you've forced my hand, no more holding back.
Jason: Holding back?
Jason felt Giles' shadow energy surge and instantly braced himself for what was coming next. But just as Giles was about to act, a phone rang and he stopped.
Slowly, deliberately, Giles reached into his coat and answered it. Jason couldn't hear the full conversation, only fragments carried by the wind, but one phrase cut through clearly:
"…It's done."
Jason's grip tightened.
Jason: (to himself) What was that about??
Giles sighed and turned back to Jason.
Giles: Guess we'll finish this another time. I've got to go.
Jason: You think I'd let you run?
Giles snapped his book open and the same winged Shadow monster that had carried them before burst out from its pages. Without hesitation, he leapt onto its back as it spread its wings and prepared to ascend.
But Jason wasn't letting him escape.
Light energy surged through Jason's body, lightning cloaking his form as he dashed forward in a blur, closing the distance in an instant.
Giles reacted just as fast.
With a sharp motion, he summoned a rushing river from his book. Water exploded outward, slamming into Jason and snuffing out his lightning in a violent spray. By the time the flood vanished, Giles was already high in the sky, out of reach.
As the winged Shadow carried him away, Giles looked down and saw Haruto below carrying Veto and Karla/Annie on his shoulders.
Giles' eyes narrowed, and he let out a low hiss.
Giles: Those two went on to get themselves captured. Should I save them?
Suddenly, Giles felt something tear through the air toward him.
His instincts screamed.
"Move."
He snapped his fingers, and his shadow monster veered hard to the side. A split second later, a massive spear of ice screamed past them at insane speed, missing them by inches.
Cold wind ripped across Giles' face as he turned toward the source.
Down below, Marlo stood with his arm already drawn back, ice forming fast in his grip preparing to launch another one.
Giles' eyes narrowed.
Giles: So that's how it was going to be…? I'm outnumbered and even if I drew myself an army, I'd lose against everyone here.
Giles sighed and then motioned his shadow monster to fly away from the premises.
As Marlo watched the shadow monster disappear into the sky, Jason joined in.
Jason: Damn it! He escaped.
Marlo: He must've been the one behind the surge of Shadow monsters that suddenly appeared here. He must be the artist who drew them.
Jason: Artist?
Marlo: (waves his hand) Come on. Let's get to everyone else.
Jason and Marlo regrouped with Takimo and the others before finally returning to the academy, where Lisa and Koichi had already taken care of the remaining Shadow monsters and were now waiting for them.
Within the hour, Marlo and Jason had eliminated the last of the Shadow monsters on the examination grounds. The injured students were rushed to the academy's hospital for immediate treatment.
Veto and Karla/Annie were taken into custody and transported to HFA Headquarters for interrogation.
By that afternoon, the news had spread across the entire country: the Hunter Force Academy had been attacked by none other than the terrorist organization known as Kaimi Daja.
When a crowd of journalists gathered outside headquarters demanding answers, Gabriel refused to comment and the silence only made the situation feel more dangerous.
******
After that, interrogations began immediately and Jason was assigned to interrogate Karla, while Marlo interrogated Veto.
The interrogation room was tense as Karla sat across from the table with Jason looking at her with concern in his eyes, which surprised Karla as that wasn't what she had expected from him.
Finally he spoke.
Jason: Hey there, Karla.
Karla, who was downcast, couldn't look at his face.
Karla: I'm sorry Mr Jason. I'm really sorry that I betrayed you. I didn't want to. It was…
Jason: Silva and Tendo already explained everything. Your sister's soul is inside you. You didn't harm Kazemaru or Terry, that was her. But the fact remains, Karla, that you and your sister are part of a terrorist group that infiltrated the HFA. I can't protect you from the consequences.
Karla: I know. I'm ready to face the consequences of my actions. And I'll answer any questions you have about the Kaimi Daja because, as of today, I'm no longer one of them.
Jason heaved a sigh of relief.
Jason: You're making this easier than I expected. Alright, my first question is, why did the Kaimi Daja choose to attack today? What was their objective?
Karla fidgeted before she spoke.
Karla: I… I don't know the full details but…the entire attack was a distraction.
Jason's eyes widened.
Jason: A distraction from what?
Karla: I don't know…
Suddenly, a Hunter burst into the room.
Hunter: SIR!!
Jason: What is it? I'm in the middle of an interrogation.
Hunter: I'm sorry sir, but we just got a call from RigSville sir!! There's been an incident!!
Jason: Incident?
Hunter: Yes sir! It's about Mr Egoshin!
Jason thought back to his conversation with Joshua the day before, remembering how Joshua had told him that he was been sent to Rigsville on a requested mission.
Jason: What happened to him?!
Hunter: Sir, Mr Joshua is…