Tokyo – Sector 9 Ruins, 3:44 AM
The engine howled like a beast from hell as I weaved through collapsed expressways and twisted debris. The Yamaha R6—runes flickering, rear tire flaming—roared beneath me like it wanted to kill the road.
Bullets screamed past my shoulder. Behind me, three demonic bounty enforcers gave chase—riding crooked, spider-legged machines that spat acid and hate. Their riders wore skull-faced helms, and each carried weapons meant to kill divine slaves.
"Persistent little shits," I muttered.
I kicked the bike into hover-mode, leaped over a ruined freeway divider, and slid down a broken parking ramp sideways.
Target Locked.
They followed.
But I wasn't running. I was luring.
I burst out into an open courtyard near the collapsed remains of an old subway station.
Then, everything stopped.
My R6 skidded to a halt.
The hunters behind me… froze.
Something in the air shifted.
Heavy.
Like time itself didn't dare move.
I turned slowly—blade drawn, heart pounding.
That's when he stepped into view.
Vermund – The Black Fang of Oblivion
Demonic High General. Class S Antagonist. Slayer of Celestial Princes. Bounty: [Undisclosed].
He stood tall—dressed in matte-black formal wear like he'd just left a funeral. Long silver hair. Pale skin. A crimson scarf. His eyes… glowed like dying stars.
The bounty hunters saw him and ran.
Literally turned their bikes and fled.
I stayed.
"I'm guessing you're not here to sell insurance," I said.
He looked at me. Voice calm. Accent cold.
"You destroyed the beacon."
"Yup."
"You killed my scouts."
"Double yup."
He blinked slowly.
"You're not impressive."
I grinned. "That's funny. I was about to say the same."
Then he vanished.
I barely had time to react. One second he was ten feet away, the next—his hand was around my throat, lifting me off the ground.
"I expected more from Lysaria's new pet," he whispered.
"Sorry," I choked. "Didn't get the memo this was a job interview."
I slashed at his arm—he let go, dodging with casual grace. My blade cut air. I fired my pistol—he knocked it away mid-shot with a flick of his wrist.
Then he backhanded me.
Hard.
I flew through a support column, crashed into the wall behind it, and felt at least two ribs crack.
Damn. He's fast. Strong. Precise.
I tried to get up.
He walked toward me, slow and deliberate.
"You're still breathing. Impressive."
"You're still monologuing. Cliché."
He raised a hand.
A black spear of aura appeared, jagged and writhing.
This is it…
Then he paused.
Looked down at me like I was a dying dog on the roadside.
And smiled faintly.
"No… I don't kill insects."
He turned.
Walked away.
He left me there—broken, humiliated… alive.
Rain fell.
My R6 sparked and hissed, lying on its side, engine fading.
I slumped against the wall, blood dripping from my mouth.
Then—
Light.
Warm, soft… divine.
Lysaria appeared beside me in a column of shimmering gold, kneeling down, her hair glowing faintly in the dark.
"Kaito…"
I looked up weakly. "You're late."
"I sensed you burning your soul."
"Gotta keep things spicy."
She pressed her hand to my chest. Healing energy surged through me, soothing the pain, mending bone.
Then she turned to the broken bike.
With a gesture, the R6 lifted and glowed. Cracks vanished. Runes reignited.
It roared softly.
"Your recklessness… it'll get you killed one day," she said.
I grinned. "Not if I have a goddess for a mechanic."
She narrowed her eyes. "And master."
"Yes, yes," I smirked. "My divine and totally dangerous master. I'm deeply honored."
She sighed and healed the last fracture in my shoulder.
But in her eyes… I saw something else. Worry.
Vermund scared her.
Two Days Later — Abandoned Church Outskirts
The mission was simple.
Track and seal a cursed relic.
I wasn't alone this time.
Eve stood beside me in the cold dusk. Her hair floated unnaturally, as if the wind feared touching her.
"You should've stayed in bed," she said without turning.
"Doctor cleared me."
"Your goddess healed you."
"Same thing."
She turned slowly. "You're weaker than I expected."
"I get that a lot. Yet I'm still standing."
She narrowed her black-glass eyes. "We'll see if you still are after tonight."
Great. Another mission. Another gloomy partner.
But for the first time… it wasn't just about survival. It was personal.
Vermund knew who I was. And he didn't even need to kill me… to win.