Vladimir eyes stopped glowing and he looked down at his screen with an expression of seriousness. His combat team had obtained the power source that Stephan spoke of and marveled.
Humphrey was seated nearby looking through papers and raised his gaze toward his Family Head. He was designing a power plant centered on the power source as well as aspects that Valentine needed to confirm and re-evaluate for him.
"The both of you really complement each other." Humphrey mumbled
Vladimir answered, "I'm willing to admit that I am less talented in certain areas."
"You don't seem to rest. Always doing something." Humphrey spoke
Vladimir nodded with a sigh, "Because-"
"We don't have time, you've mentioned that before." Humphrey spoke, "Since last week, rifts have become more unstable but studies show that the number may increase in the near future. Luckily the number of ability users have increased as well-"
Vladimir spoke with a hint of surprise, "Already? Hmm, we need to move faster."
".....we can help you...." Humphrey spoke
Vladimir laughed slightly and the sound bounced around the room but he paused when he saw the resolve in Humphrey's eyes.
The teen replied, "You only ask difficult things. Just like the first day we met....we have a power source, but self-sufficiency is an issue. Come up with a solution by the time by brother's back."
"End of the day? It's almost evening?!" He retorted
Vladimir gave a slight smile, "Then you should hurry. I want actual good food with nutrients."
Humphrey rushed out of the office and the teen's eyes glowed again. In time to see Valentine thrown into a rock again. The rock gave up as it crumbled down.
"How many hours has this been going on?" Elsbeth asked looking up from her phone
The ground had returned to shore after collecting the chest that Vladimir and requested for a submarine which was oddly prepared waiting for them. Vincent raised his eyes from his book and peered out through the glass to the fight outside.
"5 hours? Maybe?" He answered
The woman asked, "That bra-"
She was silenced as the tip of a sickle rested on the tip of her neck. Vincent pushed slight and a blood slowly trickled down.
"I understand that you are Miss Athena, second child of some underworld middle level family. So think carefully about your next words and if your family will survive them." Vincent warned
Elsbeth sighed, "She's my friend, I didn't caution her. May you please pardon her this one time?"
Vincent nodded in understand and returned to the chair near the glass to sometimes look out toward Valentine in case he needed help. Elsbeth pulled her friend away to a room and began treating her.
"I knew your foul mouth would get you in trouble on day." She sighed to Athena
Her friend asked, "Who is he?"
"Vincent Winter. Later I'll give you basic descriptions and names of people you must be wary of if you want to badmouth our heads." Elsbeth told
Athena asked, "Why?"
"I don't pry into people wounds. All I know is these people were saved by the heads at some point." Elsbeth told
Valentine used the water to float up and avoid the tentacle. He used his vines to pulled himself down to dodge another attack.
"Yeah. I'm getting the hang of it now." Valentine laughed happily
Both Vladimir and the Kraken though he had finally gone insane and had the urge to back up instinctively with grimaces. Valentine shot forward with killing intent pumping through his veins. Before the Kraken could attack a vine pulled him to the side.
His palms were lined with thorns as he gripped the outstretched tentacle. Blueness dyed the water around it and the Kraken let out a wave of sound. Valentine instincts forced his body to fly backward before his brain could think.
Everything around was destroyed by it's scream and the ringing didn't stop in Valentine's ears.
"Mutant Kraken. High intelligent and use of sound waves...." Valentine thought as he push up
The tentacles were coming from all his directions. Some of them were real attack others were feints. Vine densely pack by with thorns shot out of his fingers and he twisted his body. The thorns torn into it soft skin and the creature had to retreat for the first time.
Valentine felt a smile spread over his face as he felt himself growing stronger with the new understanding on how to use his abilities.
Valentine smiled, "Since I learnt a lot, why don't you leave four tentacles behind. I really need them."
The Kraken's stubborn eyes glared at the human it was once playing with and bit back at him with anger. They looked at each other and the Kraken released ink. Valentine let the appendage punch him into the gut.
"Caught you." He smiled grabbing it
This time the Kraken endured the pain as two more punched into his side and back respectively. Redness slipped out as the Kraken increased it's ruthless assault. Large thorns thrust out of Valentines body.
The tentacles pushed back and the cry of the monster could be heard. It grabbed Valentines' ankles and swam up out of the water in the air.
"Huh?" Valentine gasped
Kraken twisted its body mid-air with Valentine pushed downward. He hit the ocean floor and the Kraken's large body slammed down on his body.
Elsbeth winced, "I feel terrible....but should I be thankful we're not fighting that thing?"
"Cau...ght...you" Valentine coughed
Large vines sprouted out of his body and held onto four tentacles tightly while thorns aren't dig into it flesh. The Kraken sent out a bursts of sound down but the teenage wouldn't let go until the vines tore of the appendages.
It screamed in pain, it blood dyed the water and some vines grabbed onto the submarine. Vincent drove it at full speed and pulled his superior with him. The Kraken tried to give chase but Valentine made a seaweed grow wildly upward to obstruct it view.
Valentine pulled himself onto land, laid on the beach and looked up at the moon missing the sunlight. Several roses bloomed around him and his external wounds began to close.
"We....we have a problem...!" Vincent reacted
Valentine looked at him with tired gaze.
"We....um....the cars we recalled by Vladimir and all transport to Nox City has been closed." his secretary told
Valentine was silent for a moment and nodded, "I'm not shocked, I would have done the same."
"So what now?" Elsbeth sighed at being pulled into their bet
Valentine sighed as well, "What else....we run."