— Do you... Do you see what I'm seeing? Yumé whispered, still in shock.
Ikku and Carla silently nodded, their eyes fixed on the unbelievable scene unfolding before them. Derek was on one knee, his body covered in multiple gashes, struggling to catch his breath. In front of him stood Zéno, impassive, his gaze cold and calculating. There wasn't a trace of fatigue on his face, not a single scratch on his body. He remained unscathed, as if this battle had been nothing but child's play.
"How... How can he be this powerful...?" Derek thought, overwhelmed by the difference in their strength.
Zéno approached slowly, emanating an aura of terrifying calm. Derek's face contorted with fear as he felt his breath shorten.
— Girls! Come protect me! he shouted, his voice trembling.
The women who had accompanied him earlier rushed to his side, positioning themselves in front of Derek like human shields, their eyes vacant, their faces expressionless.
— I see... So that's your Brand, Zéno stated, stopping just a few steps away from his new opponents. What a disgusting man you are...
— Oh, so you figured it out? Derek replied with a twisted smile. Yes... My Brand is from the Negative Category. I can temporarily control anyone whose head has been touched by my hand. Convenient, isn't it?
Zéno didn't respond. His gaze grew colder. The women lunged at him, their movements jerky, their eyes lifeless. He dodged them with disturbing ease, knocking them out one by one with precise blows to the neck. They collapsed like ragdolls.
"Impossible... There's no way I can touch his head... But for them... it's different!"
Derek suddenly turned and vanished, reappearing in a flash in front of Ikku and his friends. His foot connected with Ikku, sending him flying several meters away with immense force.
— Ikku! Yumé cried, rushing towards him.
— Got you! Derek roared, reaching his hand out towards Yumé.
But his hand never reached its target. It stopped dead in mid-air. Or rather... it was no longer there. A blood-curdling scream echoed as Derek dropped to his knees, clutching the stump of his arm. He looked up in horror at Zéno, who stared at him coldly, his sword still dripping with blood.
— So... That's your Bra...
He didn't even get to finish his sentence. A swift kick from Zéno sent him crashing through a building, which collapsed under the impact. Zéno turned to the other side, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice.
— Hey! Ikku, you alright? he shouted.
A few seconds later, Ikku reappeared before Zéno, his red aura evaporating as he deactivated his technique.
— Looks like nothing's broken, Zéno observed with a slight smirk. And it seems you've finally managed to manifest your Brand.
— Yeah! Ikku replied, his face glowing with a victorious smile. It's all thanks to your advice.
— Sorry to interrupt, Carla cut in, approaching them. But maybe we should've kept him alive, Master Zéno. How are we going to trace back to the boss now?
— Don't worry, Zéno reassured her. He's still alive. Focus, and you'll feel his spiritual energy. At this point, we don't really need him anymore. The mafia will probably send men to retrieve him. We'll just follow them straight to the leader.
— I see… Clever plan, Carla admitted, clearly impressed.
A loud noise suddenly echoed from the rubble where Derek had been thrown. His spiritual energy exploded, scattering debris around him. But his strength gave out immediately, and he dropped to his knees, drained of life.
— Damn you, Angel of Death! he growled, spitting blood. I'll make you pay for this...
His body trembled. His vision blurred. Life was fading from his body.
— There he is, Zéno said calmly.
— Perfect, now we just have to retrieve him, Yumé said confidently.
— Wait, Zéno said, narrowing his eyes. Something's coming.
He wasn't wrong. A car was speeding straight towards them. Zéno and the others dodged it effortlessly. The vehicle skidded before coming to a screeching halt in front of Derek. Two men jumped out, grabbed his limp body, and threw him inside. The car sped off, disappearing over the horizon.
— What do we do, Master Zéno? Ikku asked.
— Let them go, Zéno replied. Things are about to get a lot more interesting...
Derek's phone, which Zéno had discreetly stolen, started to ring. The number was hidden.
— Pleased to meet you, Zéno, the Angel of Death, spoke a calm and gentle voice on the other end of the line.
A cold smile curled on Zéno's lips.
— To whom do I owe the pleasure?
— I am the Head of the Mafia.
— Well, that certainly saves time.
— I've heard much about you and your exploits, Angel of Death. But for a while now, your name has faded from memory.
Zéno remained silent, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
— I'm no longer in that line of work, he replied coldly.
— Then what brings you to my territory? the Mafia Boss asked calmly.
— I'm with Nexus now.
A soft chuckle echoed through the phone, laced with mockery.
— Nexus, huh? That could be a problem. War happens when negotiations fail... Let's see if we can avoid that.
— That's just like the Mafia Boss. Business before pride. Alright, let's negotiate.
— What do you propose, Angel of Death?
— Nexus's goal is to rid this city of your influence. We're not here to destroy you, just to push you out. Leave the city for good, and we'll consider the mission complete.
A silence fell, broken only by the wind swirling dust around Zéno.
— Your proposal is interesting. This city isn't a vital point for my operations. But leaving would damage my reputation. I have to do it in style...
— What do you mean?
— If I leave without resistance, others might get ideas. So here's my counter-offer: I'll withdraw my troops and never come back… but in return, everyone who sought your help will die. Their corpses will be publicly displayed. That way, no one will ever dare rebel against me again.
Zéno closed his eyes, letting the silence hang for a moment. When he opened them again, a cold, deadly light burned within.
— I refuse.
— Such a pity... It was a take-it-or-leave-it offer. I'll give you this night to rest, Zéno. The Pleasure District isn't entirely destroyed. I'll inform all the merchants that food and services are free for you and your companions.
— How generous of you, Zéno replied mockingly.
— Don't get me wrong, Zéno. I hold no grudge against you, nor do I see you as my enemy. You merely stand in the way of my business. And as a gentleman rogue, let me at least honor you properly. Tomorrow, after 10 am, all merchants will leave the city, and war will be declared. Prepare yourself.
The phone call ended abruptly, leaving a heavy silence. Zéno turned to his students.
— Get ready, kids. We're putting our lives on the line tomorrow.
Ikku, Carla, and Yumé exchanged determined looks. They knew the real battle was about to begin.