THUD.
..
THUD.
THUD… THUD THUD… THUD THUD…
THUD… THUD THUD…
The sounds of blows too powerful for any human to deliver. The place was destroyed by her fists alone.
The most terrifying part? Her hands showed no injuries—but the room could barely withstand her rage.
It was a vast space with strangely colored sand scattered across the floor, shreds of fabric strewn everywhere.
"HEY!
YOU THINK I'M GONNA CLEAN ALL THIS MESS BY MYSELF?!"
The woman stopped and turned.
No one was there.
It was just a familiar voice she hadn't heard in a long time.
That tedious woman hasn't shown up.
Haaa…
"I need to rest," she muttered, surveying the wreckage. Sand covered the wooden floor, and the entire structure seemed on the verge of collapse from her strikes.
It's strange she hasn't come.
Damn it. Even after our agreement, you decided to break it.
Fine. If you won't come willingly, I'll drag you here myself. I'll prepare a suitable punishment.
SNAP!
With a simple flick of her fingers, a figure clad in a full-body suit resembling darkness materialized.
"Here. I want you to find this woman."
She handed over a photo of a white-haired woman with an indistinct figure and a bright smile—though the image was blurry, as if taken hastily.
"Boss, may I ask a question?"
"Go ahead."
"Why search for that woman who often accompanied you?"
"It's not important. We had an agreement, and she broke it long ago. I gave her enough time, but it seems she couldn't fulfill it."
"I see. So if I find her, should I elimina—"
—!
His words were cut off. His body hit the floor instantly. After all, she was the head of the ----- Family—one of the few shadow powers few knew.
"DID YOU MISHEAR ME?!"
The figure bowed its head and entire body in surrender, trying to appease her sudden rage.
"S-s-sorry, Boss. Forgive this foolish servant."
"REPEAT THE INSTRUCTIONS I GAVE YOU."
"C-c-certainly. Find the woman in the photograph."
"So you did hear."
—!
With a wave of her hand, his body was crushed against the floor, feeling as if it might explode.
"If you understood my order, go carry it out. Do nothing unnecessary. I'll deal with her myself."
"Haaa… Haaa… Forgive this foolish servant. Expect news soon."
"Hmmmm."
Without a sound, the suited figure vanished.
"Ufff…"
"Haaaa…"
"I need to rest."
Leaving that place behind, she slid open a door and entered her home—a large, isolated house filled with warm, bright furnishings.
"This is what I needed. A moment for myself."
"Really, where could ----- be? She hasn't shown up for days."
She lay back on the sofa overlooking a large window with a stunning view of the forest and the distant lights of the Academy.
"Well, I'll sleep a bit while ----- brings me information."*
…
…
..
.
.
"Hurry up! Move!"
"YES!"
"Damn it, I need to clear my head."
She took the elevator to the top of a skyscraper surrounded by clouds and other towers.
"?"
♪♪♪♪♪
♪♪♪
♪♪
♪
A soft hum echoed in the distance.
At the top, an incredible sunset unfolded.
There, standing dangerously close to the edge, was a figure.
But she didn't seem nervous. She was simply playing a song on her guitar, humming melodies without singing a single word.
Who would've thought ----- "saved" me from going mad back then?
..
"Miss…"
…
"Boss…"
…
"Boss…"
..
"Wake up."
—!
"Damn it. You'd better have found her, or I'll make you pay for waking me from my dream."
"I found her. You meant -----, right?"
—!
"Yes. So you found her."
"Boss, I'm sorry, but it seems you won't be able to have your chat with her."
"Go on."
"Yes. I found it strange that you, the head of -----, were with a woman like her."
"HEY! DON'T DEVIATE. JUST TELL ME: WHERE IS SHE?"
"DID THE ----- KIDNAP HER?"
"I-I'm sorry, Boss. Forgive me."
"No, it was just difficult to find information about her whereabouts. I couldn't access her records in the Academy's student database."
—!
"What do you mean?"
"As you know, the Academy should have records of everyone. Some are hard to obtain, but a few are impossible to trace. Hers seems to be one of those cases."
"I need a drink."
"YES."
The figure swiftly prepared a drink for her.
"Here you go."
"Continue."
"YES. I thought she might be dead. The Academy erases traces of those who die and hides them in places we don't yet know."
CRACK!
The glass in her hand turned to dust.
"SO SHE'S DEAD?!"
—!
"N-n-no, ma'am! Let me conclude. You know better than anyone that the cultists of ----- have made moves that ended them. One less problem for us."
"Yes. It was only a matter of time before not only the Academy but at least one of the ----- realized they had a pesky rat in their precious battlefield."
"Yes. When I got her name from the database, I searched every corner of the city, through rumors and student whispers. It seems she was involved somehow."
"WHAT?!"
"S-she wasn't part of the cultists, but it seems she lived with the Detective."
"Really?"
"Yes. I don't know if she helped her, but it seems the Detective was her sponsor."
"That explains a few things."
"The point is, I investigated her apartment. It wasn't easy—I think the Detective noticed—but I got some information. The Detective hasn't returned to her apartment for days."
"?"
"Why?"
"I'm very sorry; I don't know. I couldn't stay long in that area, but I followed a trail. From the window, I noticed this."
He handed her a photo of a strange symbol.
"This is what they used, isn't it?"
"You're correct, ma'am. It seems the Detective is interrogating one of the few survivors of the Academy incident."
"But what does this have to do with her? I only asked for her whereabouts. I don't care what caused that crawling rat's fall—at least not now."
"Forgive me, ma'am. Long story short, the woman you're looking for is 'missing.'"
—!
—!
"YOU COULD'VE JUST SAID THAT."
"SO YOU THINK YOU CAN RUN FROM ME?"
"Ma'am, I just want to warn you—there's strong evidence and high probability that 'she' might not be…"
"STOP."
"GET OUT BEFORE I DO IT WITH MY OWN HANDS."
"YES. Have a pleasant night."
The figure vanished into the shadows.
"Pleasant night, my ass."
"If ----- were stupid enough to die, she wouldn't have even been able to sit by my side."
"IT'S IMPOSSIBLE."