Chainsaw World — Public Safety Headquarters, Tokyo, 06:42 PM
The sky outside was still gloomy, shrouded in thick gray clouds. Light rain danced on the large window, leaving glistening streaks as the neon lights flickered on. Inside, the bitter aroma of coffee mixed with cigarette smoke filled the space, creating a heavy atmosphere.
Fitran sat comfortably in the leather sofa, his cloak still half wet, droplets of water falling on the wooden floor with a soft sound. His eyes remained fixed on Makima, who stood across the table, her fingers pressing down on the surface of the tactical display that projected a blood-red holographic map before him.
"Pay attention to this," Makima said in a commanding tone, her eyes shining sharply as she zoomed in on the underground district. "Our target this time… a Class A Devil. He has taken control of that area since last month. His codename is—The Howler."
Fitran furrowed his brow, examining the narrow paths displayed on the map. "This district is like a labyrinth. So many blind spots. You deliberately invited me for this mission, didn't you?" He tried to catch the nuances in Makima's expression.
Makima showed no reaction, her face remaining cold and calm. "You need a test. I want to see if you can endure… and obey my orders, Fitran."
He leaned back in the chair, his voice flowing with tranquility despite the underlying tension. "Orders… or obeying you?" There was an implied pride in his statement.
A thin smile touched Makima's lips, as if she knew more than she was letting on. "Both are interconnected. Consider it carefully."
BOND QUEST UPDATE
Mission: Hunt The Howler (Class-A Devil)
Partner: Makima
Special Condition: "First Dominance" Flag Possible
Reward: Affinity Boost + Spiral Bond Route Unlock
Failure: Affinity –15%, Route Locked for 1 Cycle
They descended into the underground parking lot, the atmosphere growing increasingly grim as their footsteps echoed in the cramped space. The tactical vehicle belonging to Public Safety waited at the end of the corridor, its engine producing a low growl, as if welcoming the hunters ready to face danger. Raindrops hammered against the steel roof, creating a gentle yet tense drumming sound, illustrating the uncertainty hanging in the air.
"You look very calm," said Makima, stepping towards the passenger seat with assured strides, her sharp gaze seemingly able to pierce into one's soul. "People usually get anxious before missions like this."
"There's no point in feeling anxious," replied Fitran, his tone balanced and steady, even though the tension in the air felt increasingly like a stretched electric wire. "Unless you're my opponent."
Makima glanced over, her gaze slow but penetrating with a biting intensity. "If I were on your side... you would definitely lose," she said, her voice like a whisper laden with threat.
Fitran replied with a slight smile, unable to ignore the awareness of the risks he was facing. "That will only happen if I play on your turf," he answered, his tone remaining calm even as the tension began to creep in between them.
[WORLD SYNC – FIELD DEPLOYMENT]
Combat Adaptation Bonus: +10% Detection Speed
Skill Sync Available: [Voidlight Cross] / [Spiral Guard]
The underground district's corridors seemed to exude a frightening aura, like the gut of a dead creature that had begun to rot—stuffy, damp, and enveloped in the faint scent of decaying flesh. The flickering neon lights created darkness that appeared only briefly, just enough to make the shadows in the corners of the room seem alive, as if they were creeping into the soul of everyone passing by. The smell of fresh blood lingered in the air, mingling with the scents of rust and mold, forming an unsettling and chilling atmosphere.
"Behind me," Makima said in a firm voice, showing that she was ready to face whatever was coming. The tension between them felt suffocating, like the air before a storm.
"Actually, I'm not used to receiving orders like that," Fitran replied, his voice slightly hesitant. However, his curiosity urged him to follow along, even though he was aware of what might lie beyond that corridor.
A low growl echoed from the end of the hallway, its vibration felt like a tickle against his ribs. Then, the sound erupted—a scream of a thousand mouths, a piercing noise that cut through the air, as if threatening to shatter the calm around him and force his neck muscles to tense.
ENEMY DETECTED
Name: The Howler
Class: A
HP: ████████████
Trait: Sonic Terror – Continuous Area of Effect Damage
Weakness: Precision Null-element / Will Disruption
"Clear the path," Makima commanded, her voice firm and undeniable, as if it carried the strength of unwavering leaders.
"Understood." Fitran responded, his voice quivering slightly in the tense air. He raised the Voidlight; its blade shone with a blue light, reflecting off the cold, damp walls. "Let's finish this."
He stepped forward, each stride steady and purposeful, channeling energy into every movement. The Howler emerged from the darkness, its towering form exuding a terrifying aura, its skin appearing as a rough patchwork of human remnants. Its mouth was torn back to the ears, its jaw creaking horrifically, and its tongue was split, vibrating with the waves of sound that created pressure around them. "Its voice," Fitran added, momentarily stunned, "is truly painful."
The vibrations of the voice hit hard, compressing Fitran's lungs until his breath felt as if it were being squeezed to the limit. His ears rang, the world around him trembling with a disturbing frequency. "Hard... I can barely breathe," he groaned, furrowing his brow as if struggling against a current. "But I won't back down, not this time."
"Definitely too stubborn to die quickly," Fitran muttered quietly, his eyes sharp as they watched his opponent. The Spiral Guard began to glow, a rapidly spinning aura emitting energy that dampened the sound's pressure, shifting into a more tolerable dull vibration. "But I will adapt, as always."
He ducked low, avoiding the sweeping, claw-like threat to his presence. "Voids, gather!" he shouted, his voice calm yet powerful amidst the chaos surrounding them. Before Voidlight Cross shot out, the blue blade surged forward and cleaved The Howler's chest from shoulder to waist.
The sound of flesh ripping and bones cracking echoed clearly amid the chaos. "Yes, that's it," Fitran whispered, his heart thundering irregularly as thick black blood spurted, some evaporating due to the heat of the blade, while others splattered onto the walls and floor, leaving a horrifying trail like wet asphalt. His insides—a mass of gray flesh—slipped out, a whisper of death's roar before disintegrating into ash from the light's burst. "Finally," he murmured, struggling to believe that the attack had truly succeeded.
The Howler tried to scream, but only an empty sound escaped as its jaw moved. "No... no..." Its voice was hoarse, trembling, as its body shook violently; its knees buckled and collapsed with a loud crack of breaking bones. "Help..." In an instant, the remnants of its body dissolved into black dust, leaving a bubbling pool of blood before everything faded away.
Makima stepped closer, her boots splashing through the remaining pool of blood. "This is so... ridiculous," she whispered in a low tone, as her splatter stained the hem of Fitran's cloak. She stopped half a meter in front of him, allowing her presence to fill the space with tension.
"You did well," she said in a cold, challenging tone.
Fitran raised an eyebrow, looking at her skeptically, reflecting the doubt in his voice. "That's a compliment, isn't it?"
Makima leaned closer, her voice dripping with affection, almost brushing against his ear. "That... is just the beginning of my dominance." Her tone was cold and confident, reminiscent of a cat watching its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
SYSTEM FLAG TRIGGERED
Dominance Trigger: Completed
Affinity: 5% → 15%
Special Route Unlocked: Spiral Bond – Domination Path
New Status: Submissive Resistance Detected (Unique Trait)
Fitran met her gaze without flinching, his eyes radiating calm even filled with challenge. "You can try to dominate me... but I will never simply accept." His voice was unwavering, like a solid rock amidst a storm.
"Oh, we'll see about that," Makima replied with a faint smile that wasn't entirely sincere, holding back the pride behind her deeper words.
The rain continued to pour outside, the sound of its droplets echoing as they hit the ground, creating an atmosphere even darker within this basement. However, at this moment, they had just opened the door to a game of power far more lethal than merely hunting Devils, filled with intrigue and tension that threatened to consume them.