The word 'Headquarters' echoed in Faiz's mind, pulling him out of the present. It tasted like his old life—the days of gang warfare and underground syndicates that he had tried so hard to leave behind.
He leaned back against the car, crossing his arms. "Look, I'm not trying to stray from my original goal. I came to this country to be a researcher. Not a soldier."
Saki leaned against the hood, a playful glint in her eyes. "We have a brilliant doctor on staff you could partner with. And honestly? I am dying to know more about whatever Akuma genetics you're hiding in that body of yours."
Faiz stared blankly past her, lost in thought.
(The "Half-Crazy Human." That was the moniker they gave me. It wasn't just a state of mind; it was an anomalous ability to forcefully shatter my own biological limits, pushing my physical output to monstrous levels. Even now, I don't know where my own ceiling is...)
Snap!
Saki snapped her fingers right in front of his face, pulling him back to reality. "Earth to Faiz."
"I'm just not interested in playing secret agent," Faiz sighed, rubbing his temples. "I have zero reason to follow you down this rabbit hole."
Saki's smile didn't waver, but her tone dropped an octave. "No reason? Well, how about this: I planted a remote explosive in your handler's car just in case you proved uncooperative. And, oh look, I happen to have the detonator right here." She twirled a small black remote in her hand.
Faiz gave her a deadpan stare. "You've got to be kidding me."
Saki's eyes locked onto his, dead serious. "I never kid about leverage. Refuse, and you can take responsibility for the fireworks."
Faiz gritted his teeth. Crazy woman. With no other choice, he gave a reluctant nod. They walked back to where Kiyoshi was waiting in the car.
"Did you get the sample?" Kiyoshi asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Faiz just pointed his thumb at the grotesque remnants of the Cthulhu-Akuma that Saki had dumped in a containment box in the trunk. Before Kiyoshi could process the gore, Saki slid a folded piece of paper through the driver's window.
"What is this?" Kiyoshi asked.
"Just open it," Saki replied.
Kiyoshi unfolded the paper. "An address...?"
"Take us there, Kiyoshi," Faiz ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
One look at Faiz's battered, intense face was enough to silence any of Kiyoshi's complaints. He drove them straight to an abandoned industrial district. As soon as the car stopped, Faiz and Saki stepped out.
Faiz leaned into the window. "Kiyoshi, you can head back. But before you go home, pick someone up for me." He scribbled a quick note on a scrap of paper and handed it over.
"Someone?" Kiyoshi blinked, but seeing Faiz's expression, he just swallowed hard and nodded. "U-Understood."
As the car sped off into the night, Faiz turned to Saki, holding out his hand. "Give me the remote."
To his surprise, Saki tossed it to him without a second of hesitation.
Faiz caught it, blinking in confusion. (Wait, that easily?)
Saki burst into laughter. "Honestly? It's a fake. There's no bomb. Did you really think I'd blow up a company car?"
Faiz let out a slow, dark chuckle, his lips curling into a cynical smirk. "Hmph. You set me up perfectly. I'll give you that."
"Come on, let's head inside," Saki said, gesturing to a massive, hidden freight elevator.
As they descended deep beneath the streets of Yokohama, Saki formally introduced herself. "Sorry for the rough initiation. Let's start over. I am Fuse Saki. My Akuma mutation technique is called Kiru—Slash. I can manipulate invisible blades of force, adjusting their range and lethality however I please."
"Faiz Adriansah," he replied, hands in his pockets. "Just a normal researcher. As for my powers... they're a bit hard to explain."
"A 'normal researcher,' huh?" Saki smirked. "Right. Well, I look forward to working with you."
The elevator doors chimed open, revealing a sprawling, high-tech subterranean facility bustling with armed personnel.
"Welcome to the 5th Division Headquarters," Saki announced. "This is a branch of the AHA—the Akuma Hunter Association. We hunt the rogue mutations that threaten human society."
"Fascinating," Faiz muttered, completely unimpressed. "Honestly, I just want to go h—"
"Oh? So this is the brat who got in through nepotism?" a rough, feminine voice interrupted.
Faiz turned to see three people walking toward them.
"Do you think he joined just to hit on the Captain?" mocked the second, a lean man with a cocky grin.
"P-Please don't be disrespectful to our guest," stammered the third, a girl who looked entirely too anxious to be there.
Faiz felt a familiar annoyance bubbling in his chest. "Wow. I'm already famous. And not in a good way."
Saki clapped her hands. "Now, now, play nice! Faiz, let me introduce my Vice-Captains. The loud one is Igarashi Yori; her Akuma skill is Saxum, which lets her harden her body like solid rock. The cocky one is Ishikawa Hisoka; his Boot Up skill drastically multiplies his speed. And the polite one is Osada Yuki; she uses X-Ray to see through matter, right down to your internal organs."
"Got it," Faiz said dryly.
Yori crossed her muscular arms, glaring at him. "What's with the arrogant attitude, huh? Trying to play the cold, edgy lone wolf for a TikTok trend?"
Hisoka chuckled. "Judging by your reaction, you aren't really surprised by Akuma powers. You must think you're pretty tough."
"I read the report that you took down a High-Tier Cthulhu-type," Yuki squeaked. "That's really amazing!"
"Bah!" Yori spat. "Don't believe that forged garbage. There's no way a baseline human beat a High-Tier. It's impossible."
"The report came directly from the Captain, Yori," Hisoka pointed out.
"I don't care!" Yori growled, pointing a calloused finger at Faiz. "If he's really that strong, then I, Igarashi Yori, challenge him to a fight right now!"
Faiz sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't care about your fragile ego. I was blackmailed into coming here by your Captain. I just want to finish this tour and go to sleep."
"What's wrong?" Yori sneered. "Scared?"
"Scared?"
The word hung in the air.
Suddenly, the atmospheric pressure in the corridor plummeted. The air grew thick, suffocating and heavy, smelling faintly of iron. Yuki gasped, clutching her chest as she struggled to breathe. Hisoka took a subconscious step back, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek.
(What is this pressure?) Hisoka thought, his instincts screaming.
Faiz's eyes were dead and hollow. "Fine. I'll play your stupid game. And while I'm at it, I'll teach you what fear actually looks like."
Ten minutes later, word of the duel had spread like wildfire. The underground training arena was packed with off-duty Hunters buzzing with excitement.
"What's going on?" an agent asked.
"Some rookie challenged the Vice-Captains! They're about to mop the floor with him!"
Standing in the center of the ring, Saki held a microphone, grinning from ear to ear.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" Saki's voice boomed over the PA system. "For tonight's exhibition, I will be your referee!"
(Is she serious?) Faiz thought, standing near the entrance in his torn, blood-stained suit. (I thought this was just a quick spar. Why is she acting like a WWE announcer?)
"Let's welcome our fighters!" Saki yelled as the crowd roared. "In the left corner! A man known as a living anomaly! Forged in the fires of the underworld and trained as a combat machine since childhood! The man who threw away his title as 'The Half-Crazy Human' to become a nerd! Give it up for FAIZ ADRIAAAAANSAAAAH!"
Faiz facepalmed. "Damn it, she actually dug into my background? And why is she roasting me?" He walked into the arena, his steps silent and terrifyingly calm.
"And in the right corner!" Saki continued. "Our very own Vice-Captain! The silent flash who executes missions with deadly precision! ISHIKAWA HISOKAAAAAA!"
Hisoka vaulted over the railing, landing gracefully in the arena.
Faiz stopped dead in his tracks and pointed an accusing finger at the stands. "HEY! YOU ASSHOLE YORI! YOU CHALLENGED ME, WHY ARE YOU MAKING SOMEONE ELSE FIGHT ME FIRST?!"
"I'm not letting Yori waste her energy on a rookie," Hisoka scoffed, dropping into a sprinter's stance.
Faiz cracked his neck. "My pride is incredibly insulted right now. Fine. After I crush you, I'm going to beat up the loudmouth, and then I'm going to punch the wrestling announcer."
"I'll end this in five seconds," Hisoka promised.
"BEGIN!" Saki yelled.
Hisoka vanished.
He reappeared instantly in front of Faiz, launching a high-speed roundhouse kick. But Faiz simply tilted his head, letting the foot breeze past his ear.
"Heh," Hisoka smirked, using his momentum to pivot into a blistering spinning hook kick aimed squarely at Faiz's temple.
Faiz ducked it effortlessly. Finding an opening, he stepped into Hisoka's guard and drove a heavy, piston-like punch deep into Hisoka's gut. The impact echoed like a gunshot. Hisoka gasped, the air leaving his lungs as he skidded backward across the concrete, dropping to one knee.
Hisoka coughed, forcing himself to stand. "Ugh... you're tougher than you look. But too bad for you, I wasn't even serious."
"Hmph," Faiz replied, checking his knuckles. "I haven't even started trying."
"Cocky bastard!"
Hisoka blurred again, moving twice as fast. He unleashed a barrage of rapid-fire strikes. This time, Faiz didn't dodge. He parried every single blow with minimal movement. Before Hisoka could pull back, Faiz grabbed his ankle mid-kick, hoisted him into the air, and violently slammed him into the arena floor.
Hisoka wheezed, stumbling as he tried to get up. His pride was shattered.
"You asked for it," Hisoka growled. The air around him warped as he pushed his Akuma cells to the limit. "BOOT UP!"
Hisoka's speed broke the sound barrier. The crowd couldn't even track him.
"WHAT—" Faiz started.
BAM!
A fist materialized against Faiz's jaw, sending him flying backward. Before Faiz could land, Hisoka was already above him, delivering an axe-kick that sent Faiz crashing into the concrete, cratering the floor.
The arena fell silent. Dust settled around the impact crater.
Hisoka walked slowly toward the crater, his face twisted in a cruel sneer. "Trash like you shouldn't be here. You just wanted to hit on the Captain. The match is over." He planted his boot firmly on Faiz's chest.
"And the winner is—" Saki began.
"Heeeee..."
Hisoka froze.
A low, vibrating chuckle echoed from beneath his boot.
Faiz smiled—a thin, psychotic smile. His hand shot out like a viper, gripping the ankle of the foot stepping on him. He squeezed. Hisoka screamed as his leg went completely numb.
In one fluid motion, Faiz stood up and unleashed a front kick. The blow connected with the force of a freight train, launching Hisoka completely across the massive arena. Hisoka slammed into the reinforced concrete wall, spider-webbing the stone before slumping to the ground, unconscious.
The crowd gasped in absolute horror.
Faiz stood tall in the center of the ring. His left eye was no longer brown. It was glowing a bright, predatory yellow.
"Half-Crazy," Faiz whispered.
In the stands, Yori felt a cold sweat break out. (His eye... it changed colors. His physical output just skyrocketed, and that terrifying aura is back!)
Deep within his own subconscious, Faiz heard a familiar voice.
(D.Faiz: "I'll lend you a fraction of my consciousness and power for this one. Have fun.")
Back in the real world, Faiz's smile widened into an unhinged grin. "Hahahahaha! Hehehehehe! Your leg can only move in one direction now, huh? Let's finish this!"
Saki gripped her microphone, her playful demeanor vanishing. (He's losing control. I might have to stop them—)
Before she could move, Faiz slowly turned his head. His glowing yellow eye locked onto Saki. The look in his eye wasn't just a threat; it was a promise. Move, and you die. Saki froze, completely paralyzed by the sheer killing intent.
Yori, seeing her friend destroyed, couldn't hold back anymore. She leaped over the barricade with a furious roar, her entire body turning into dense, impenetrable gray stone.
"SAXUM!" Yori bellowed, swinging a rock-hard fist straight at Faiz's head.
Faiz raised his forearm to block. The impact cracked the floor beneath him, sending him skidding toward the edge of the arena, but he stayed on his feet.
"Heh. Mad about your friend?" Faiz taunted, his voice distorted.
"Shut up!" Yori roared, charging forward like a runaway tank. She unleashed a blind flurry of heavy blows. Faiz danced around them effortlessly, but every counterattack he landed did nothing. The stone armor was too thick.
"You're dead!" Yori screamed. She finally managed to grab Faiz by the collar, hoisted him into the air, and slammed him into the ground. Yori mounted him, bringing her stone fists down over and over again, pulverizing the arena floor until a cloud of dust obscured them both.
When Yori finally stopped, breathing heavily, she looked down. Faiz was a bloody, broken mess.
"The kid is dead," Yori muttered, standing up. "I need to get Hisoka to the medical bay."
She turned to leave.
Then, the atmosphere broke.
It didn't just feel heavy; it felt like all the oxygen had been violently sucked out of the room. People in the stands began to choke, clutching their throats in terror.
Yori felt a chill run down her spine. She slowly turned around.
From the crater of pulverized stone, the bloodied figure of Faiz stood up.
Saki watched from the referee stand, her heart pounding against her ribs. The yellow glow in Faiz's left eye was gone. It had turned into a deep, luminescent crimson. The killing intent rolling off him was no longer just a threat—it was a physical weight.
Faiz vanished.
He reappeared right in front of Yori and drove his fist directly into Yori's hardened stomach.
"SAXUM—!" Yori tried to reinforce her armor.
CRACK.
The impenetrable stone armor shattered like cheap glass. Before Yori could comprehend the pain, Faiz's hand clamped onto her face. With a terrifying roar, Faiz slammed Yori backward into the ground, obliterating the concrete beneath her.
Faiz raised his blood-soaked fist high into the air, aiming directly for Yori's unprotected skull. The strike came down like a meteor—
BOOM.
The fist smashed into the concrete a fraction of an inch from Yori's ear, completely cratering the floor and sending shockwaves through the arena.
Faiz exhaled a long, ragged breath. The crimson light in his eye slowly faded back to brown. He had intentionally missed. He had regained his senses.
"Looks like... the match is over," Faiz muttered, his voice weak.
He stood up, swaying on his feet, and began to walk toward the exit. He made it exactly five steps before his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed face-first into the dirt, bleeding profusely.
Panic erupted. "MEDIC!" Saki yelled, snapping out of her trance. "Yuki, get the medical team in here now!"
As the stretchers were rushed into the arena, Saki stood frozen, staring at the spot where Faiz had just been. She rubbed her arms, realizing she was covered in goosebumps.
(I didn't expect it to go this far,) Saki thought, her hands trembling slightly. (When that left eye activated... I felt like prey. The way he looked at me, it was a clear warning. Faiz... what the hell are you?)