Intermediate

[Warning: continuous mentions of graphic violence, sexual content, and profanities. Do not continue if you find any of these categories offensive.] 

(Recommended song: DNA by Kendrick Lamar)

...

...

...

"– ♪ ♫ ♪ ~"

The call ended, and music resumed.

But even then, Hadrian did not stop.

He kept moving, considering he was still in the midst of a scuffle.

It had been almost a minute since he interrupted their festivities.

Keres and his men were not happy about that, of course.

Hadrian could care less.

He decided to invite himself in, and no one in the room could say otherwise.

Those who tried…

"Kuak…"

"Mo…mon…ster…"

"He… he… help…"

Well…

They were now lying in their own puddle of blood on the cold floor.

Coincidentally, they were all lying in a sort of haphazard circle around him.

As a result, the blood pouring from their injuries were forming and combining.

Accumulating into an actual small pool of sanguine fluid beneath his feet, along with their other body parts.

Dismissing the curious view aside, Hadrian glanced around.

'Hmm…'

At first, it was one against thirty-four men.

Him versus Keres and his men.

Not only do his enemies have the numbers, but the room they were occupying was one they were familiar with.

They were also armed, but he supposed that was a bit unfair of him to judge them for it…

… seeing as he rendered their weapons (jamming them via spell) useless earlier.

Hence, the reason why they all resorted to either unarmed or mele weapons.

Still, the outcome should have been in their favor.

That was how it was supposed to be.

From their point of view, that is.

However, reality was far different from their expectations, cruel even.

Now, eleven were on the cold, hard floor.

Either unconscious yet bleeding heavily, at near death, or dead.

The target's men were now down to twenty-three.

Behind the mask, Hadrian smiled thinly.

"…?"

Without blinking, he turned and swung Tempest.

His arm almost a blur, lashing out like a snake –

WHOOSH

CLA – CLANG

"Gah?!"

"Fuck!"

Two steel pipes were parried to the side.

The goons, who were still holding onto them, looked surprised.

They obviously did not expect him to sense their approach from behind.

Step

"…"

Surprise quickly turned into dread as the man in black suit faced them.

The two men could not help but swallow their own spit when they became the sole recipient of a chilling, ominous glare from an unusual pair of bright cyan eyes.

Their only relief was that there was a few distance between them.

They would be able to prepare for whatever tricks he may try to do.

But…

Like all others before them, that was their mistake.

And a single mistake became their undoing.

A split second –

WHOOSH

"Huh?!"

"Wha–"

– was all it took for Hadrian to close the distance.

And in one smooth motion –

WHOOSH

SLICE

SLICE

SPURT

Two heads were detached.

Blood sprayed wildly, bursting like crimson fountains.

"AHH?!"

"FUCK?!"

Horrified screams echoed around the room.

But the mage paid them no mind.

THUD

THUD

And two bodies fell on the floor together.

"Hmph…"

Casting the two headless bodies (which were having a bit of a seizure) a glance, Hadrian turned away and swiped Lapis to the side, flicking off the blood on the blade.

'That's twenty-one now…'

Hadrian exhaled.

Looking around, his calm gaze settled on the group who were huddled on one side of the room.

"Hiik…!"

"Shit, he's looking this way…!"

"The fuck do we do man?!"

"Fucking fuck fuck fuck…!"

The huddled group were what remains of the hired thugs.

And the cowering form behind them was the target himself.

Keres Komorov

A faint smile formed on his lips.

With the target in sight, Hadrian moved forward.

Step

Step

"Shit!"

"Fuck! He's coming over here!"

"Oi! Stop him!"

"How bout you go stop him, bitch!"

"Motherfucker…"

"Gah…"

"Ah, fuck! FUCK!"

Either through courage or going crazy with fear, several men came out of the huddled group.

They hastily grabbed whatever melee weapon they could find within reach: a crowbar, a steel pipe, or a broken piece of furniture that had been damaged during the scuffle.

They also tried to be intimidating.

Truly, they did.

But the sweat on their nervous faces and their bloodshot eyes were hints to their true feelings.

Not only that…

"Hm…"

Hadrian closed his eyes briefly, exhaling softly.

Fear

He can sense so much of their terror, drifting from them in waves.

It was palpable, he could almost taste it.

Unknown to him, a hint of crimson appeared in the inner rings of his irises. (1)1

The change was subtle, almost unnoticeable even.

But the men facing him caught it right away.

Earlier, while still fearsome, the man in black was still that.

A man in form, and a man can still be injured.

Killed even.

But now…

There was something different about him now.

It was as if a switch was turned.

And in its place, an unspeakable monster was unveiled.

The men's fear heightened significantly on a different level as they met the glacial, stoic gaze of an unknown being head on.

"…?"

Hadrian tilted his head, noticing their stiff forms.

They appeared rooted to where they stand, seemingly too afraid to move, despite their bravado.

The goons looked as if they saw a horrifying monster.

Which was somewhat offensive since he was the one they were currently looking at.

…

Regardless, it was not his problem.

With that thought, he centered himself.

Step

Step

"Haah…"

Squaring his shoulders for another bout, Hadrian went on the offense.

From there, his body and mind went on autopilot.

Seconds passed as he went through half of the remaining hired men.

BANG

SLASH

Lapis was used to cut down those who tried to get too close to him, or engaged him in CCQ's (close quarters combat).

Tempest was used in a different manner though.

He used the form-shifting scabbard to block their attacks, swatting them to the side, then using its shotgun mode for crowd control, either to scatter the thugs or herd them in one place.

Sometimes, he switches to its rifle mode to shoot some fools coming at him.

They seemed to have learned their lesson after the first demonstration.

BANG

SLASH

BANG

SLICE

SPURT

For almost a minute, Hadrian moved from one enemy to another.

Sometimes, taking on two or three, cutting and shooting here and there.

Sprays of crimson were left in his wake as he made his way to Keres at a leisured pace.

The pest looked absolutely terrified, hiding behind a group of armed guards like the coward he was known for.

They were on the far side of the room, huddled near one of the entrances.

But the true reason for his panicked state was that he quickly realized that the doors had been barricaded, and there was nowhere for him to escape.

They looked quite confused when the doors would not budge, no matter what they tried to do.

Two men even tried to shoot the doors (before he cast a spell) –

"What the –"

"The fuck is happening?!"

"This is some crazy shit right now…"

– but their efforts were in vain.

The bullets seemed to disappear on their own before they could make contact on the surface of the doors, along with any scratches caused by their punches or kicks.

One tried to throw a grenade at the doors –

"Fuck you doing, eh?!"

"This shithead is outta his mind…"

"You motherfucking idiot!"

"Got a better idea then?!"

"No! But it definitely won't blow us up, ya fucking moron!"

– but Keres and some others quickly shut that idea down as it would also endanger them due to their proximity.

Heated exchanges were thrown at each other since then.

However, the panic only grew from there as it dawned on them that not only something odd was going on, but there was a lethal hunter in their midst.

The hunter in question had already culled about half of their numbers and was getting close to reaching his target, much to Keres's surmounting horror.

Honestly, Hadrian did that on purpose.

He planned it, actually.

Pests of Keres's ilk seemed to enjoy what little power they get a hold-off, even going as far as to flaunt it and lord it over the weak.

But…

When those of Hadrian's caliber, whom most see as an anomaly, comes along and cuts through their confidence with a gruesome display of violence, they fold like paper and their minds break as they realize how little they compare to those who have true power.

And that was what Hadrian sensed from Keres's emotions.

The man was absolutely terrified.

A monster in human form was nearby, who was taking his sweet time in cutting down opposition and seemed to be the source of what was preventing them from escaping.

Some realized this fact and even informed their comrades, but their suspicion did not change the tide of the situation.

Instead, they were slain, almost systematically and without remorse.

Not that Hadrian felt any mercy for them in the first place.

After all, he was not known to be gentle to people bearing a similar mindset as Keres.

All of the men in the room were just as evil and irredeemable as their employer.

At that point, gaining a shred of mercy from Hadrian was already an impossible task for them.

Oh, some tried, even going as far as to beg him with their knees on the ground while watery mucus and tears fell from their nose and eyes respectively.

It was a deplorable thing to see.

"Please… please spare me! I have children!"

"Don–don't hurt me please!"

"I surrender, okay? Just let me live!"

Step

SLASH

BANG

SLICE

But for Hadrian, he did not care for their words, nor did he feel anything as he eviscerated them with the rest.

They begged for their lives to be spared only because they fear him, yet they did not grant such mercy when they were torturing their past victims.

It was only fair that Hadrian would provide them with the same treatment they had done to their countless victims in the past.

Furthermore…

"This motherfucking fucker!"

"Kill the bitch already!

"Oh, you wanna play, ya fuck?!"

These were the same vermin who called him names earlier.

While Hadrian can tolerate most things, even smiling through countless jests despite being at the end of it, he was fine as long as it was done in a friendly gesture.

These upstart ruffians, however…

Hadrian clicked his tongue.

They were just outright malicious and disrespectful.

Their past actions and nature also rendered them irredeemable in his eyes as well.

Hence, they were all cut down without a second thought.

Tit for tat, and all that.

Thanks to the automaton's assistance, he had seen brief glimpses of their history, and what he found was simply downright unsightly.

The lot of them were acquitted of countless of crimes, ranging from theft to a series of offenses, such as first to third degree murders, child abuse, rape, human trafficking, and more.

The epitome of scum – that was what they were in Hadrian's perspective.

They had plenty of chances to redeem themselves.

And it was only when they were at death's door that they realized their mortality and started to regret their past actions that led them to the present situation.

…

Well, except for the latter category.

Rapists and child abusers are the ones who will never live to see the light of day again.

For these types of imbeciles, Hadrian had decided to treat them especially…

"Huu – uaaAAAA!"

"AaaaaAAAACK –"

"NooooOOOO–"

– by murdering them in the most brutal fashion that their pain seemed to stretch for eternity, screeching as they suffer a rapid internal change before their bodies imploded.

The 「Rupture」 spell was perfect for such vermin. (2)2

Although…

"Haaah…"

Looking at his feet, Hadrian sighed.

…

Tiny droplets blemished some areas of his blazer and the lower part of his trousers.

Thick crimson fluids also stained the soles of his once clean dress shoes.

And scattered around him were several large red splotches with distinct human remains.

…

… the spell can cause quite an aftermath mess.

The scene around him, while it was a typical image from a horror movie and didn't incite much emotion from him, was a reminder why he does not cast the spell too much.

The clean-up to its aftermath was awful to endure.

Moreover –

…

…

"Please… please… please…"

"Oh god…"

"I want to go home…!"

…

…

The aftermath of the spell can easily terrify people.

Case in point: the female escorts and a few men (not hired thugs, merely ordinary warehouse workers) who are cowering on the other side of the room.

Hadrian paid them no mind.

But he was aware of their presence.

It was difficult not to… when he kept hearing whimpers and sobbing from their side during the scuffles, along with the waves of fear and terror he sensed from them.

Hadrian exhaled softly.

It was not their fault that they happened to be at the wrong place and time.

Thus, it was why Hadrian did not go anywhere near them during the fight, nor did he let any of Keres's goons get closer, lest the imbeciles have any thoughts of taking them as hostages.

Best not to wait for vermin to have any bright ideas.

Still though…

He would have to ask Luka to modify the memories of the survivors.

The sight of the ruffians' upper bodies spasming, then suddenly imploding with their viscous life essence, scattering outwards like crimson flower blooming in the spring not a split second later, was probably too much for the mundanes to bear witness to.

Hell, he would not be surprised if they were traumatized by such violent displays of murder.

He even caught a few of them fainting the first time he used the 「Rupture」 spell on a thug.

Recalling their horrified and panicked expression once the chaos began…

'…'

Yes, Hadrian would definitely need to ask the aide for help.

Shaking his head, Hadrian walked to where Keres Komorov and the remaining of his hired men were huddled –

"Gukgu–"

SHUNK

"…ugh…"

– absentmindedly stabbing a goon suffering from a lung hemorrhage (caused by yours truly) in the head with Lapis to end his pain as he walked past from where he was lying.

He flicked the aikuchi katana to get rid of the blood, slowing to a stop once –

TING

"В пизду!"

"…Hn?"

Hadrian raised a brow.

...

---

...

Keres Komorov was terrified.

He didn't know where everything went wrong.

For several years, he had worked hard to make his ambitions come true.

He survived the streets, learned the trade, played the game, earned his reputation, and worked with likeminded fellows to spread his influence in the city. He made some friends overseas, and in turn, they introduced him to potential clients who would require one of his services.

If the client needs a cargo to cross the country undetected, Keres has the license and permits to make that happen. There would be no questions asked, not even those from the government.

They want labor workers? The client can order a cargo of them, and it will arrive in two weeks.

They want women? The client is allowed to pick and choose from one of the brothels he made great investments in.

A free sample could even be negotiated, but the final decision would be up to the Мадам, who were in charge of managing the women.

They want weapons or drugs?

Keres could have that arrange as well.

No questions asked.

These surreptitious ventures eventually became his brand in the business, and it was what brought him to where he stood now, despite the hurdles that came in his way.

Sure, it was money made from the blood, sweat and tears of the people.

But in his opinion, he was just ahead of the curve in this fucked up world.

With his little empire established and his reputation solidified, the newly recognized crime lord in Moscow had been living his life like a king for a few years.

His reputation and money made it difficult for the law to hold him accountable for his past sins.

Fortunately, there are those that can be persuaded.

All that must be done was to slip a white envelope under their desks, offer a few favors, and a bit of flattery here and there. Then, Keres and a few members of the law were quick friends.

While those that tried anything funny…

"Please… please, let me go. I-I won't push the case anymore!"

"Leave my wife and kids alone! Don't hurt them!"

… they were either silenced, or were given the stick.

Recently though, things have not been going well.

An acquaintance of his had passed away the other day.

Igor Kamenev. (3)3

He was one of his connections in Moscow. Bastard he may be at times, but he was quite good in recruiting people with potential, be it as merchandise or hired men.

Keres heard of his demise recently.

He went around and asked to see his body in person, but he couldn't stop by the morgue, seeing as there were too many eyes focused there.

The marketplace was also a no go.

He had seen the news, and he wondered what kind of fire burned down a large building such as that, even damaging the ones nearby, despite the efforts of the firemen extinguishing it.

From what he heard and seen on the news; the fire was certainly not natural.

A certain number of people he knew at the marketplace were also in trouble, either they were being hunted down by the police, in hiding, or dead by the fire. He made investments in that place too, so he was not unaffected by the incident, like many others.

But recently, there was word of a strange rumor.

One of his sources informed him (via private number on a telephone) that a gruesome fight had occurred inside the marketplace, and that it was a one-sided massacre.

When Keres asked for evidence, the source only responded by saying that there was none.

But there are witnesses. Many of them, in fact.

Regardless, Keres found it strange that there would be no footage of the instigator of the event, yet there were plenty of witnesses who had survived that night.

The source also described the instigator's appearance –

Step

Step

Step

"…?"

Keres blinked.

Pupils dilating as he took in the sight of an ominous figure.

'No…'

The masked man in black walked, moving at a leisured pace.

To Keres though…

Every step the latter took was a step closer to his death.

CHILL

Fear gripped his heart.

A tingle went down his spine, causing small hairs to rise.

His breath hitched, making him feel as if the room was closing in.

But…

For some reason, his pride unexpectedly reared its head.

Emboldened by this, he soon found the entire situation just fucking ridiculous.

The masked man moved leisurely, as if he was just walking in a park.

Noticing this, Keres felt like he was being toyed with.

Anger

This motherfucker was playing with him.

HIM? One of the criminal lords in this city?

Small timers wouldn't get jobs without his say so.

The law couldn't pin him down for his past crimes.

And yet, he was being hunted down by this fucking upstart and toyed with?

"Fucking bitch!"

Without thinking, Keres dashed forward.

"Oi! What –"

"Boss?!"

"Shut up!"

Out of anger, Keres snatched a grenade from one of his men.

He held down the trigger.

TING

Pulled the pin with his other hand, moved into position –

"Fuck you!"

– and threw the explosive in the fucker's direction.

"Hahaha!"

"Hey boss, get back here!"

"This is not the time, Keres!"

Encouraged by his men, Keres ran back to their side, laughing deliriously.

Maybe he was going crazy, but he doesn't care.

He guessed being near at death's door can do that to anyone.

Wanting to see the fucker die with his own eyes, he looked over his shoulder as he ran.

His eyes widened.

'The fuck is he doing?!'

Contrary to what he expected, the masked man in black stopped.

His poise was relaxed too, using that weird weapon of his like it was a cane.

Judging by the angle of his gaze, he was looking at something in the air.

'No…'

Time seemed to stretch as Keres looked closer to what the ominous man was doing.

'No… he wouldn't!'

He was not looking at nothing.

The man in black was watching the grenade he threw at him.

CHILL

Another cruel shiver went down his spine.

Keres could not help but rub his arms this time.

"Motherfucker's really crazy!"

...

---

...

"В пизду!"

"…Hn?"

Hadrian raised a brow.

At first, his intention was to move out of the way.

But, perhaps by instinct, he chose to stand still.

The mage watched the grenade's descent. 

Having faced enemies faster than him before, watching a grenade thrown at him was not much of an issue. In fact, the experience was akin to watching a ball descend, albeit in slow motion.

And once it was close enough, he –

WHOP

THUNK

– battered it away with the side of Tempest.

As a result, the grenade bounced.

It flew up to the ceiling.

"Huh?"

"What the fu–"

Incredulously, Keres and his men watched the explosive device's sudden ascent.

Their eyes widened as they realized what was about to happen.

"Oh shi–"

BOOM

The grenade detonated.

CRAAASH

A large portion of the ceiling crumbled.

"AAAHHH!"

"FU–"

BA–BA–BAM

"SHIIIIT!"

The line of men in front of him were crushed.

It was too late for them to escape.

Keres himself barely survived, only managing to dodge by the skin of his teeth.

Woosh

Woosh

Dust from the debris filled his vision for a few moments.

The gray particles were solid enough that it even forced Hadrian to wave his free hand to clear his point of view, which gladdened him that he had the mask on.

Otherwise, he too would be coughing like the others in the room.

Soon enough, the dust cleared, displaying the aftermath of the crash.

Quietly, Hadrian surveyed the area.

A large part of the ceiling was missing, and the debris in front of him was the remains of it.

Beneath the broken concrete and other materials, there were splotches of blood, along with the crushed bodies of the hired men, who were just alive and cussing the hell out of him earlier.

Now… they were not so.

And on the other side of the debris –

"Kuhuk! Guhuk!"

– was Keres Komorov himself.

"Huh…"

Hadrian tilted his head, staring at the man lying sprawled on the other side.

Not only was he able to dodge the debris at the last second, but he was also completely fine.

For a repulsive mongrel, it was almost admirable.

Keyword – almost.

"Gaaah…"

Hadrian snapped out of his musing when the mongrel finally gained his bearings.

Bemused, the mage leaned his weight on one foot and observed quietly.

The way the mongrel heaved a sigh.

The way he turned his dirty head slowly.

His eyes widened in shock and dread, taking in the debris and the crushed bodies of what was once his hired men.

"Ah wha–!"

And last, the way his gaze snapped to Hadrian and how his pupils dilated in anxiety.

In reply, Hadrian tilted his head curiously.

"Hiiiik!"

– was the mongrel's gibberish response.

Rude.

Hadrian shook his head lightly.

Cooly, he watched as Keres pathetically picked himself up from the floor, almost tripping over his own feet as he tried to get away.

Either from the dead bodies of his men or Hadrian, the question was up in the air.

Nevertheless, it was an unimportant thought to delve into any more of his time.

He had already wasted enough of that cutting through the mongrels.

Now, with the target by his lonesome, it was time to set a conclusion to the operation.

And that will only happen by delivering the proof to the client.

Which, in this case, would be Keres Komorov's death.

"Hooh…"

Exhaling softly, Hadrian focused.

Then, he walked.

Step

Step

Calmly, he tread around the debris, mindful not to step on the dead bodies.

They may have been irredeemable scoundrels and filthy mongrels, his enemies once, but as a Lucis Caelum and a fellow mortal, Hadrian felt the need to respect them as the dead.

True, the mongrels would not have done the same to him, had the outcome been the opposite.

Hell, the filthy scoundrels would probably desecrate his body and piss on it.

But, as a Lucis Caelum, a child of Etro, the patron goddess who governs over death, time and darkness, he felt it was only right to respect the dead, despite of their rotten nature when they had been alive.

'May you filthy mongrels live a different life next time… If not, then I'll end you blithering twats should our paths happen to cross. Again.'

With that silent prayer (threat?), Hadrian moved on.

Step

SQUELCH

He was able to avoid their dead bodies, but…

Step

SQUISH

… the puddles of blood and bits of their internal organs were a different matter altogether.

"Haah…"

Hadrian sighed.

'Definitely not going to use that spell again any time soon…'

Ignoring the mixture of blood and grime on his clothes, Hadrian moved to where Keres was.

With the hired thugs gone and executed, the whole room was silent.

Idly, he marveled at how peaceful the room had become now that –

"Hic… Hic…"

"God please…"

… correction, mostly peaceful.

At least the loudmouths were gone.

That counts for something.

Paying no heed to the sobbing and whimpers far behind him, Hadrian strolled to where Keres was hiding, slowing to a stop once he was within several meters from the latter.

"…"

Silence hung over them.

Tense and discomforting, even for onlookers.

Bright cyan eyes stared down at the pitiful form of a once arrogant man.

Surprisingly enough (not really), it was Keres who broke the silence.

"Ple-please! Spa-spare me please! I'll give you anything! I-I-I…" He stuttered in Russian, trailing off into a whisper as he stared into the unmoving cyan orbs with frightened wide eyes.

"…"

Hadrian offered no verbal reply.

Merely tilting his head to the side as he gazed upon his target.

Not too long ago, Keres viewed himself as a king in his own world, reveling in the fruits of his illegal deals and questionable business ventures.

He was having the time of his life earlier, being pleasured by two women while enjoying the rowdiness and depraved actions of his men in the background.

Now, he looked like the complete opposite.

His face had tear stains and snot all over.

The sole effect of experiencing utter fear for the first time in his life.

His clothes and hair were disheveled and stained with mixed fluids: a result of his futile attempts at running around the room like a headless chicken, looking for an escape route.

There were even hints of mush on some areas of his clothes and body, probably leftover bits of the organic flesh of his men's remains, who died via Rupture spell.

'Hmm…'

Behind the mask, the mage smiled faintly.

Amusingly enough, earlier, the blithering donut had the nerve to grab a gun and shoot Hadrian while he was busy fighting the others.

A wasted effort on his part as he and his men quickly realized that the weapons were jammed.

Now…

With only terror in his veins, Keres Komorov looked like a husk of his former arrogant self.

It was almost laughable, really.

The fight began with a 'one versus thirty-plus'.

Now, it was only down to a one on one.

"Please… Spare me…"

The target continued to beg, tears falling freely now as his fear reached a new level when he only received an eerie silence in return.

However, Hadrian was no longer listening.

"~ ♪ ♫ ♪ ~"

The wireless earbuds were still in his ears, playing music, but at a lower volume than before.

Hadrian did not need to take them off anyways, seeing as he can read lips.

It was a useful ability for him to have, especially when spying on what his targets would say from a faraway distance.

The plus benefit to such an ability was that he would not need to hear their ramblings and pleadings… like what Keres was doing.

He stood several feet away from Komorov, trapping him in one area with the latter's back against the sealed doors.

The only way for Komorov to leave that spot was to go through Hadrian, which he seemed to be deathly afraid of even considering.

Nonetheless, Hadrian does not feel like moving any time soon.

Keres seemed to sense it, much to the latter's great dismay.

…

…

Unknown to Hadrian, the working women were staring from behind overturned tables and ruined furniture, watching attentively.

Through the hole of the broken roof, the moonlight acted as a sort of spotlight in the room.

As a result –

Ash silver hair glinted under the moon's soft illumination, creating a halo-like effect, rendering his appearance now to be no different from that of an angel.

But…

If one were to broaden their point of view of the present scene.

The black suit he wore, the weapons held in his hands, the mutilated bodies, and the puddles of blood left in his wake held a different meaning to the situation.

Keres and the comfort women would blame it on hysteria, but they felt as they were all in the presence of an otherworldly being.

The figure in black exuded a unique presence: beautiful, mysterious, yet utterly intimidating.

…

…

For Keres Komorov, he was feeling the brunt of it.

Which was the main reason why he was rooted in one spot.

His mind and body do not seem to know whether to be frozen in fear, or to admire the unknown entity before him.

It was a confusing moment to experience, especially the circumstance.

"…"

The unusual pair of vivid cyan eyes stared down at him.

There was no judgement, no discrimination, or even disgust.

Instead, they were clear.

Focused.

Piercing.

Acceptance.

The figure in black was merely observing quietly, not casting judgement upon him.

Which was almost amusing since Keres was sure that the man was there to kill him.

…

Still, Keres can't deny.

Despite it all, the hunter's eyes were calming.

Almond shaped eyes with long dark gray lashes fanning against pale, smooth skin.

The eyes held the same shade of hue as the sea.

It was strange though.

While beautiful to behold, he felt that the color was not suitable for him.

Keres blinked.

"Ah –"

Step

SHUNK

"Guk!"

The vivid cyan eyes he was admiring were now closer.

Mere inches above where Keres knelt.

And there was pain.

Excruciating pain.

He had been through fights before, survived outright brawls even.

But this was different.

There was searing heat where he could feel that terrible pain.

He could feel it on his front and out of his back.

"…uuk!"

Keres tried to speak, but…

Something…

Something came out of his mouth.

It held a distinct metallic taste.

Keres then realized belatedly.

'Blood… Mine…?'

SHUUUK

"Gah…"

His sight blurred soon after.

Keres felt his equilibrium tilt to the side.

THUD

He felt himself fall to the grimy floor, lying on his front.

He could not feel anything in his body, only the searing pain and utter weakness.

But…

With all the inner strength he could muster, he moved his eyes.

It was by chance, but he was glad to do it.

"Haah…"

The hunter's back was turned to him.

But from where he lay, Keres caught a good angle of his face.

His eyes slowly closed, despite his desire to keep them open.

And the last thought he had was –

'I didn't know… that death… was so beautiful…'

...

---

...

Taking the mask off, Hadrian exhaled.

"Haah…"

Languidly, he opened his eyes after closing them briefly.

The operation was done.

Natasha had successfully retrieved the safe.

And Hadrian had reached and killed the target.

The mage in disguise tilted his head upwards.

Giving the hole in the ceiling an amused glance, his gaze caught sight of the moon.

He took note of the dark sky.

'Hmm… it's that late, huh.'

"Ah…"

Languidly, Hadrian blinked.

The moonlight moved to him, bathing him in its soft illumination.

He was about to close his eyes when –

TING

'Hn…?'

A familiar blue screen appeared.

---

「Notice」

A new (old) ability has awakened.

---

…

The mage stared.

'… what?'

He didn't even have time to ponder on it as –

TING

TING TING

– a familiar sound was brought to his attention.

Surprisingly, it was not a notice from the alien automaton this time.

FWIP

Hadrian suddenly turned.

…

…

"Ah…!?"

"Hiik…!"

"Why he so fast?!"

"Hide, motherfuckas! Hide!"

…

…

His sudden movement startled the onlookers, who were observing him from a safe distance, causing them to cower back to their respective hiding spots as they exchanged whispers.

"…"

"…"

While afraid, the desire to observe the figure in black still persists.

Thus, they peered at him from any possible angles their covers could allow them.

Hadrian paid them no mind.

Instead, his focus was on a different matter.

His gaze was upwards.

… in the direction of the Bounded Field's center.

Earlier, the noise he heard was one of the Bounded Field's alarms.

There are three levels of alarm he had installed into the temporary barrier before he deployed it all over the property. He also programmed all levels to ring equalizing to their number.

The first alerts him of those who enter the barrier, and it will ring once.

The second informs him of those who bypass the perimeter are allies that had been registered into the barrier's ethereal database.

In this case, that would be Natasha, Luka, and the AEONS members accompanying him.

And judging by the second alert's ringing, it appears that Luka and the team have just arrived.

The few guards on duty outside the warehouse were already lured into the trapped room earlier, and are now lying dead on the ground floor.

Hadrian took a glance around to look for said guards.

"Ah…"

– only to blink in surprise when he finally found them.

…

… in bits and pieces above several crimson splotches scattered across the room.

'Hmm, I hope Luka and his team have resilient stomachs…'

No matter, Luka and his team would encounter no resistance to their sudden arrival.

Sighing softly, Hadrian pulled up his left arm to look at his watch.

Ash silver brows raised up together as he noticed the time.

'Huh…'

Thirteen minutes.

That was how long the time had passed since the operation had begun, yet his objectives were already complete while Luka and his team had just arrived at the scene.

Natasha also contributed greatly to that, as she retrieved the safe successfully, and that helped him save more time than to search for it on his own

"Hmm…"

Shaking his head, Hadrian exhaled deeply.

He supposed he started it a bit too early for Luka and his team to take an active part in it.

But then again, he was specifically asked to handle most of it on his own by the client, while Luka and his team were tasked to be present to take care of the aftermath, not join him during it.

With Keres and his cohorts gone, there was nothing for them except to clean up the aftermath.

And by now, Natasha should be on her way to meet Luka to deliver the package.

Hadrian glanced down at the dead body of Keres Komorov.

He walked over, and was about to lean down to –

TING

TING

TING

Hadrian stopped.

Slowly, he rose up to his full height.

'And now there's three…'

The third level was far more serious.

It detects individuals who possess beyond the limits of man near the barrier.

In other words, a divine spirit, a demon, or something else entirely.

Lips thinned.

…and with a stoic expression, he stared.

…

It was the familiar blue screen from the automaton.

This time though… it carried an ominous message.

…

---

「Alert」

An unknown entity has been detected near the Bounded Field.

From henceforth, maintain vigilance.

Location: ???

Origin: ???

---

...

Hadrian sighed.

"... brilliant."