[Word Count: 1379]
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Kishibe finally fulfilled his promise. As the week came to an end, he returned and picked up Leo from Yuki's apartment before they headed to school.
Sitting in the passenger seat of Kishibe's car, Leo found himself surrounded by silence, save for the rhythmic sound of the tires against the pavement and the occasional swig taken by Kishibe.
Contrary to Leo's expectations, they weren't heading back to the open grass fields this time. Instead, they seemed to be meandering through the streets of Tokyo, circling the bustling city center.
Unlike the serene outskirts, the heart of the city was teeming with life. People in business suits and school uniforms bustled along the sidewalks, each with their own destination in mind.
Kishibe remained focused on the road, keeping his attention fixed ahead without uttering a single word.
Leo, too, was lost in his own thoughts, quietly observing the individuals on the sidewalks as they made their way through the urban landscape.
Kishibe's phone rang, breaking the silence that enveloped the car. He answered the call and listened attentively as the person on the other end provided him with directions. Nodding in acknowledgment, Kishibe muttered a brief response before ending the call.
Without saying a word, Kishibe made a turn into a new street, diverting their path from the busy city center. As they drove, the density of people outside gradually diminished as individuals reached their destinations. Leo noticed that they were approaching a mostly abandoned part of town, and his attention was drawn to Quanxi standing outside a rundown building.
Kishibe parked the car not far from Quanxi and stepped out, with Leo following suit. They joined Quanxi a few feet away from her, facing the building in front of them.
"There are three unknown devils in this building," Kishibe stated, his voice calm and authoritative. "Take them out."
Leo regarded Kishibe with a blank expression for a moment before shifting his gaze toward the building. The windows, some still intact while others were boarded up, contrasted against the crumbling concrete walls adorned with green vines. The main doors, propped open by rocks, revealed the entrance to the seemingly abandoned structure.
"Simple enough," Leo muttered.
However, before he could step forward, Kishibe interrupted him.
"Wait," Kishibe called out, grabbing Leo's attention.
Leo turned back to face Kishibe and caught a knife that had been swiftly thrown toward him.
"Use that," Kishibe instructed, his tone unwavering.
Leo examined the knife, noting its slightly longer blade compared to a typical cooking knife. He pursed his lips slightly, carefully observing its craftsmanship from hilt to tip.
Suddenly, a rustling sound emerged from inside the building, drawing Leo's attention. He spotted a humanoid figure emerging from one of the rooms, limping slightly as it made its way into the sunlit hallway. Thin pieces of plywood protruded from its head, indicating its fiendish nature.
The fiend ventured deeper into the dimly lit hallway, until it stumbled over a bottle, causing its right leg to collapse and it to fall to the ground with a yelp. Leo watched the scene unfold, unimpressed by the fiend's plight.
Raising his hand, Leo pointed at the fallen fiend, preparing to snap. However, Kishibe's voice echoed from behind him, adding an unexpected restriction.
"You also can't use your contract," Kishibe called out. "Until we know what the terms are, you aren't allowed to use it."
Leo clicked his tongue in annoyance, realizing he would have to rely solely on his own abilities, meaning there was a chance he would stain
his school uniform.
Thanks to Kishibe's callout, the plywood fiend turned its attention towards the entrance, spotting Leo standing there.
"Pesky humans!" the fiend yelled, its sudden aggression evident as it charged forward.
Unfazed by the fiend's hostile approach, Leo calmly walked further into the building. With each step, he exuded an aura that radiated an unsettling presence, causing a cold sweat to form on the fiend's face. Fear consumed the fiend, urging it to flee, but it was paralyzed.
This was one of the advantages of having a contract with a primal devil, even if it was only a contract with its hand. Leo could channel the aura of the fire devil, striking fear into the hearts of his adversaries.
Observing the scene from behind Leo, Kishibe stared wide-eyed at the sudden change in Leo's demeanor, while Quanxi maintained her usual blank expression.
As Leo reached the plywood fiend, the creature's legs gave out, causing it to fall onto all fours. It stared at the floor, beads of sweat rolling down its face, overwhelmed by a sense of dread.
"Hey, look here," Leo ordered calmly.
The fiend, trembling, kept its gaze fixed on the ground, refusing to comply.
"Hey," Leo repeated. "Look here."
The fiend began to tremble, its fear intensifying.
"Hey," Leo called out once more, his voice firm and commanding.
Small sobs escaped the fiend as it attempted to sink into the floor, its shaking becoming more pronounced.
"Hey!" Leo's voice echoed through the air.
"Please!" the fiend suddenly pleaded, desperation evident in its tone.
"Look here," Leo ordered again, unyielding in his demand.
Summoning whatever strength it had left, the plywood fiend slowly lifted its gaze until its eyes met Leo's cold, unfeeling stare.
Leo bent down slightly, placing a hand on the fiend's forehead, carefully avoiding the protruding plywood pieces. Maintaining eye contact, Leo raised the knife Kishibe had provided and swiftly drove it through the fiend's head. With a swift motion, he slammed the fiend's head onto the ground, ensuring that his uniform remained unstained.
Motionless, the fiend lay there, its life force fading away.
Straightening himself, Leo moved past the fallen fiend and continued deeper into the building.
As Leo disappeared into the depths of the building, swallowed by the darkness that lay ahead, Kishibe and Quanxi remained outside, silently observing his departure. The tension in the air seemed to intensify, weighing heavily on their shoulders.
Kishibe retrieved his flask, its contents providing a brief respite from the grim reality they found themselves in. With a steady hand, he took a swig, savoring the bitter taste that lingered on his tongue.
"So that's the next generation of devil hunters, huh," Quanxi remarked, her voice tinged with skepticism.
"I doubt it," Kishibe muttered, his voice filled with a hint of uncertainty.
With a sigh, Kishibe set his flask aside, his mind filled with a mix of anticipation and apprehension. Only time would reveal the true nature of the path Leo would choose.
Back inside the crumbling building, Leo swiftly dispatched another fiend lurking in the shadows. A mask of leather distorted its face, with hollowed eye sockets staring back at him.
"The leather fiend," Leo speculated quietly, his voice barely audible amidst the silence that enveloped the decaying structure.
With two fiends now out of the way, Leo pressed on, ascending a creaking staircase in search of the final threat. Every step echoed through the desolate corridors,
keeping his senses alert for any signs of movement.
Closing his eyes momentarily, Leo relied on his heightened instincts, letting them guide him through the darkness. The absence of sound was unnerving, suggesting that the last fiend was biding its time, waiting to strike from the shadows. Undeterred, Leo continued his deliberate pace, intentionally making his presence known.
Faint shuffling reached his ears, a sign that he was getting closer. Opening his eyes, he noticed a dim light seeping through the cracks of a boarded window, casting a feeble glow upon a short figure standing before him.
As the fiend turned to face Leo, it recoiled in fear, frantically banging against the boards in a desperate attempt to escape. The muffled sounds of its futile struggle filled the air, reverberating through the dilapidated room.
Approaching calmly, Leo approached the fiend, closing the distance between them. With a sudden motion, he thrust Kishibe's knife into the back of the fiend's head, the blade penetrating both flesh and wood. The fiend froze, its arms hanging limply at its sides.
Resting his hand on the back of the fiend's head, Leo extracted the knife with precision. With a gentle push, he separated the lifeless body from himself, ensuring that not a drop stained his immaculate school uniform.