CHAPTER 26: VISION ZERO

Zeishuro and Ren moved quickly through the sewers. Along the way, they ran into a few of Smileys guards, but took them down easily with perfectly synchronized attacks like they’d been fighting together for years.

Zeishuro’s wind scythes, powered by Ren’s lightning were nearly impossible for normal Smileys members to block.

Zeishuro and Ren couldn’t help but smile. Every move, every strike, they were perfectly in sync. Even with barely half their strength restored, it felt as if each was filling the other’s gaps. It was as if their skills fit together like two halves of the same blade.

"Wah!!" the thugs shouted, confused about why Zeishuro was suddenly attacking them.

"Tell the boss that Zeishuro betrayed us and joined the enemy!" one member yelled right before Ren axe kicked him and knocked him out cold.

They continued traversing through the sewers as the air started growing heavier with them nearing the Saint’s lair.

"Be prepared," Zeishuro warned. "Father is a cautious man. Even if no one has informed him, he’s probably already assumed one of three things. Either you’ve defeated me, you’re controlling me, or I’ve joined the enemy to launch an attack."

"Does he not trust you?" Ren asked.

"He does," Zeishuro replied. "But he’s too cautious. As calculating as I am, he’s always rational and never lets emotions cloud his judgment."

Without warning, Zeishuro placed his hand on a section of the left wall. A faint click echoed and a hidden door slid open, like one of those secret passages in an old castle.

Beyond it lay a narrow corridor, barely illuminated by a few flickering lamps as they were greeted with air that smelled of dust and stone.

"Stay sharp," Zeishuro whispered. "We’re directly beneath the Saint’s lair now. Do not use your Drive Core energy unless absolutely necessary. If you do, Father will sense it instantly."

Ren gave a firm nod before following Zeishuro.

—-----------------

Seth and Kaela arrived right on time to the first drive circle, just west of the ward. From the rooftop of a nearby building, far enough to avoid the Smileys’ patrols, they finally laid eyes on it.

Zeishuro had already told them what to expect, but seeing it in person was different.

Seth was in disbelief. How did we miss something so obvious?

It was there, hiding in plain sight. Most would expect something like this to be buried underground, hidden in an abandoned building, or hidden in some alley. But here it was, right in the middle of a plaza, concealed only by tall buildings and establishments surrounding it.

And the sight was worse than either of them imagined.

Dozens of citizens with unnatural grins, marched willingly into the glowing circle as they laughed uncontrollably. Their voices only spoke the same thing before exploding inside the circle.

"More laughter. More laughter."

It sent a chill crawling up Seth’s spine.

"I-I’m scared." Kaela whispered.

"I know," Seth replied with his voice low. "I am too. But we need to end this now."

Without hesitation, Seth raised his sniper rifle and scanned the plaza through the scope. He searched for the transmitter Zeishuro had described until his sight locked on it.

There it was, located in the dead center of the glowing circle, a luminous gem-like object that seemed something straight out of a fantasy tale. But Seth knew better that it wasn’t magic. It’s just a device well crafted by the Shikkoku themselves.

He steadied his breathing.

With a deep inhale, Seth poured his Drive energy into the shot, condensing it into a single devastating bullet. The instant he pulled the trigger, the bullet ripped through the air faster than the eye could follow, striking the transmitter right on the center. The gem shattered in an explosion of light and circuit as it removed the glow from the drive circle.

The sound was barely even heard. No heads turned. No one even noticed.

"Silencer Veil," Seth whispered under his breath.

Almost instantly, the eerie laughter stopped. The wide, unsettling grins on the citizens’ faces faded as it was replaced by confused and disoriented expressions.

Then chaos erupted.

The once controlled citizens turned on the Smileys’ guards, screaming in rage and the plaza became a bloodbath.

Seth’s hands tightened around his rifle. Every instinct screamed at him to jump in, to help the people who had just been freed. But time wasn’t on their side.

With a pained expression, he grabbed Kaela’s arm.

"Come on, we have to move."

"No! Seth, we can’t just leave them!" Kaela cried, struggling against his grip.

"Kaela.... please." His voice was low, almost breaking.

She felt it, his hand, it was trembling against hers. Without another word, she tightened her hold, shut her eyes, and ran beside him.

Seth didn’t look at her. He didn’t want her to see the expression on his face, the clenched jaw, the gritted teeth, and more so, the tears blurring his vision.

He wanted to save them. Every single one of them. But if they stayed, more would die.

In just a few hours, Seth and Kaela had taken out four of the five transmitters without being spotted. But each one destroyed came at a cost, the guards were getting sharper, faster, and larger in number.

"Tch, their communication’s too good," Seth muttered. "Every time we hit one, their defenses tighten. We’re lucky we’ve made it this far without taking a hit."

Finally, they found it, the last drive circle. Which means, the final transmitter.

Seth crouched by the window inside of a tall building with his rifle steady. For a brief moment, relief welled in him. This was it. No more disturbing scenes. No more screaming crowds. Just one last shot....

Then a shadow appeared out of nowhere. A sharp kick slammed into his face, launching him across the room as he crashed into the wall with a thud.

What? This is the seventeenth floor! How do you just show up outside the window like that?!

A man stepped in through the broken glass. Slender build, messy black hair hung over his face, and red eyes that cut through the dim light. But what’s more terrifying was his grin filled with malice.

Seth started looking up slowly and saw that he was wearing the Smileys’ jacket with his body covered in a black smoke-like aura. "Seth!" Kaela shouted as she flicked her wrist, sending a storm of petal knives flying at him.

The man just swept his hand, and his smoky aura swatted them away like nothing. He closed the distance in an instant, his leg whipping toward her head in a deadly roundhouse kick.

"Hey, hey, hey." His voice was playful, but cold. "Not very polite to attack without introducing yourself, is it?"

Two pistol shots came instantly at the man. He twisted his body, dodging them until both bullets bent in midair and slammed into his legs.

Seth smirked from where he stood, pistols raised. "Gets them every time."

"AGHHHH!" The man yelled, staggering.

"Right back at you," Seth said, eyes narrowing. "Who said it was polite to jump us without introducing yourself?"

"Heh... hahahaha." The man chuckled as he forced himself upright despite the bullets in his legs. "You’re right. Even pests deserve an introduction before they die."

His grin widened unnaturally.

"The name’s Aku. A Saint, freshly appointed just a few hours ago. And I’ll make sure the boss sees I’m worth the title by killing you both here."

Without warning, Aku dashed forward. Black aura erupted from his body, shaping into a barrage of spear-like black smokes that ripped through the air toward Seth and Kaela.

Kaela’s eyes sharpened. In one motion, petals swirled around her and Seth in a defensive bloom.

"Petal Cage"

The spear-smokes slammed into the barrier, shaking it violently. It held. Barely. But Kaela was catching her breath. Just keeping the wall up in her current weakened state felt like having her strength sucked out of her veins.

Then suddenly, a thick black smoke poured out from Aku, flooding the room until it became an endless void. The air felt heavier and colder. Seth and Kaela could see nothing but only the suffocating abyss swirling around them.

Before they even knew it, they were separated.

"Kaela!"

"Seth!"

"Stay alert!" Seth called as his voice echoed. "He could attack any—"

Before he could even finish, a sharp impact crushed the words from his mouth. An aura infused punch slammed into his gut, forcing the air from his lungs to run out. He couldn’t even swing back. As soon as he realized what hit him, Aku had already vanished again.

Kaela’s cry followed, then silence, then another blow. It was a relentless game of hide and strike. Or more like, Aku was the only one playing it.

Tch! He’s toying with us. He’s not even trying to kill, he’s just here to break us. Seth thought.

Aku leveled up the game, this time holding spear-like blades of smoke. They tore across skin and muscle, leaving shallow but stinging wounds. Seth’s and Kaela’s breath only grew heavier as they both got weakened by the one sided beatdown.

I’m too weak, I can’t even trigger my Core Release. How do we get out of this loop? Seth tried to think, but nothing came.

"Seth!" Shouted Kaela. "I’ll forge a path! Follow it and destroy the transmitter!"

"What? What are you saying? No! I’m not leaving you!"

"Just do it! We can’t stay trapped in this forever. Go!"

Her petals surged outward, forming into twin dense barriers that sliced through the smoke like giant blades. The walls cleared some of the smoke to reveal open air and a narrow escape route for Seth.

Seth hesitated as his chest tightened. He could see the path clearly, but he knew that moving meant leaving her in this game.

"What are you waiting for?!" Kaela shouted.

His body moved before his mind could even process things. Seth dashed forward with his teeth clenched, forcing his eyes ahead. He didn’t want to leave her, but he refused to waste the chance she had bought with her pain.

Kaela watched Seth run through the path she made. She smiled, knowing it had taken the last of her Drive Core energy to do it.

"Go, Seth. Save this ward and its people," she whispered as the thick smoke from Aku swallowed her.

Her knees gave out, and she fell. The attacks that hit her again and again without mercy finally caught up to her body.

"That’s so heroic," Aku’s voice echoed from every direction in the smoke. "But it’s all for nothing. He couldn’t have gotten far in his condition. I’ll catch up to him soon right after I finish playing with you."

Aku’s laughter echoed through the room, but Kaela wasn’t afraid nor worried. She believed Seth would finish the job and destroy the last transmitter.

Still, deep inside, she wished to be saved. She wanted someone to burst in like a hero and defeat Aku. She didn’t want it to end yet. She wanted more time, more missions with the squad, more shared meals, more training, more moments together.

But that hope faded. She braced herself for the final strike as Aku charged with his dagger shaped black smoke in hand, aiming straight for her chest.

Then before it could connect, a streak of yellow light tore past her like a falling star, smashing Aku through multiple walls.

"BOOM!"

Kaela looked up and saw a figure she knew. Her tears came in, but this time, it was tears of pure relief.

"Thank God!" she sobbed. "I thought I was about to die!"

"I’m sorry I was late," Aeri said, stepping forward. "You’re safe now."