Enigma

I walked through the eerie silence of the early morning forest along with Emilia, making my way towards the temporary base.

"Emilia, its about time. Use the memory box. Also, remember to use aliases on the field." I spoke as I removed a tiny metallic box from my pocket.

"Understood, hades sama." She also took out a similar box.

I am still not used to being called 'hades'. Whatever, I'll get used to it soon. I should explain what this memory box is. It is a tiny box made from an infusion of mana stones into a metal similar to earth's titanium. Yes, it is similar to yet different and may I add this is only a prototype I have been working on. I plan to change the metal base to stronger substitutes ones like mythril or hell-stone, at least for the higher ranking members. What this box which can easily fit into the palm of even a baby's hand contains is what I am currently calling 'memory slime'.

While I call it 'slime', it is actually something equivalent to a shape-memory polymer from earth, a 'smart-material'. This is a term used to define a polymer on earth which can transform from a 'deformed' state to another shape when exposed to some external catalyst. On earth this catalyst would be temperature or pressure, but what I have used now is, you guessed it, mana.

This memory slime polymer can instantly change its slimy structure to another shape or structure with varying quality and quantity, when mana is passed through them. Its mana retention capacity is amazingly high. Anyway, what I meant earlier was, if I passed mana through this slime and modified its structure as I pleased. To aid with this process, the polymer can also 'consume' something and imitate it at will.

While it is a very useful substance whose uses are unknown to the public, it is very rare. Also, while it can retain mana it is hard to control. Hence where the 'box' comes in to regulate it. I had memory slimes consume different metals, armours, weapons, clothes etc so that I could transform the slime into these when needed. The others did the same when I explained it to them. The slime is trapped in the box, and each box has one individuals mana signature and only this individual can use it.

The memory box opens up as soon as mana of the registered individual is passed through it. As I did so, the slimy substance jumped out and engulfed by body. For the outside it looked like being covered by a dark cloud. This cloud soon settled down around me as a pitch black long-coat and a mask exposing my heterochromatic eyes. Two gloves made of hell-stone formed around my hand and exposed the 'H' imprinted on them. They were a glossy jet black colour. Like obsidian. Metallic threads were woven between the joints of the fingers making it comfortable to move my fingers. This was a design I was most comfortable with.

Similarly, Emilia also opened her memory box. A full sleeve black shirt and skirt formed around her after the polymer slime changed structure. A weapon resembling a Japanese katana with a red hilt, as well as a mask similar to mine materialised from the memory slime. This was the design chosen by her. Similarly so did everyone else.

By now I could see the base of operations set up by Aurora. As soon as we reached there, all the members of hell's gate present there stopped their work and bowed down. Most of members seemed to be around 18 years old. This is only right as that is the maximum age at which demonic synergy can and should occur in a host, naturally. Emilia and the others were affected too early. Also the ratio of men to women having demonic synergy is 1:10. Meaning it occurs predominantly in females.

Aurora also came as soon as she spotted us.

"Hades sama, Nu sama; the preparations have been completed. We can launch the attack at any time and commence the rescue operation."

I can feel the stares from everyone penetrating me, but I have to maintain composure here. Hence I spoke in my usual domineering voice.

"Well done, Aurora. You will remain here as the operation overseer as planned. The operation will commence as planned. If Nicole is found on my end, Aurora, send someone to get her out of there immediately."

"Understood, hades sama." A unanimous reply was audible.

"Commence operation."

****************

In about 10 minutes, I was standing in front of the base's rear gate. I would assume that this base has never faced any problems and adding on the presence of the 9th devil general, the activity was low. Despite having a sizeable amount of troops stationed, most were asleep or drunk. The mission could not become any easier. I jumped up to a high scaffolding of a nearby building and observed. The gate was immediately blocked by around 20-25 soldiers. There were also structures similar to watchtowers but had only 2-3 people each in them.

'Let's take care of those first.'

I folded my ring and little finger so that my hand imitated a gun and pointed it at the people in the watchtowers. I think calling them 'watchtowers' might be wrong as they can't even oversee the other nearby buildings properly. Anyway, I aimed at the heads and shot mana giving them clean deaths. I always wanted to try this. It seems some people nearby noticed them being dead but before they could inform anyone they kicked the bucket as well.

Once I took care of the guys in the watch towers, I looked at the drunken people spread out in the garden front of the rear gate. I want to make this as quiet as possible, I sighed. As I was deciding what to do, tremors started shaking the building and nearly everyone became alert. Confusion being sowed amongst them was an obvious result.

"Haah...I guess if Omega is on the other side, doing things 'quietly' is not possible." It seems Emilia's side has begun their attack as well.

There goes my plan for silent takedowns. Whatever, let's just finish this quickly. Saying so I jumped down from the scaffold onto the garden and smashed on top of one of the soldiers.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Damned brat, is all of this your doing?"

I just kept quiet at their attempts to intimidate me in the midst of their conclusion. Well, from their perspective who they are facing right now is only a teenager. Saying so 2 goons lunged towards me in, still affected by drunken stupor. All the men present here were equipped with swords.

I swiftly dodged the sword strikes and gave light blows on their stomachs. The two men immediately fainted spitting out blood.

"How foolish...fighting when completely drunk is like having a death wish. Now come at me all at once you fools, I don't have time to waste with the likes of you." Saying so, I let my massive mana pool leak out. This itself was enough to frighten them. Making fatal mistakes when pushed to ones mental limit is nothing out of the ordinary. This situation was no different.

"Damned brat, don't get too high and mighty. " Many such similar shouts were audible as the men started charging towards me.

I lunged into the midst of the frightened soldiers, and using my speed I quickly grabbed and smashed the skulls of two goons. It seems the other soldiers did not notice this movement. Still clouded in confusion, a soldier clumsily slashed his sword at me which I blocked with my glove and quickly landed a punch on his face. By this point the soldiers were afraid of the boy whose abilities resembled a supernatural entity and thus started running in different directions.

Around 10 of them remained. I jumped in front of a group of 6 people who were running away in the same direction.

"Damn monster, get the hell away. We also have a person with superhuman abilities here who can easily kill you. If you let us go, we can put in a good word for you and you may be spared or even employed by him." A bald man with a long beard spoke.

"Hahahaah....Oh sorry. Devil general Tristan is going to be of no help to you. Better say your prayers in the next world for joining scum like the order." I scoffed with a deep-cold voice.

This voice seems to be the most effective when talking to subordinates or intimidating enemies. I mean, I did have 2 lives to practice making such a voice which seems to pay of now.

"How the heck do you know of the order. More importantly about Tristan sama?"

There was clear fear on their faces. The order was a very thorough organisation and did not leave loose ends. Lower ranking members of the order did not even know of the existence of the devil knights. This means that the bunch of people in front of me were under Tristan's personal command. An outsider having such confidential information would of course be met with fear and suspicion.

"That is none of your business. You can meet your beloved Tristan sama in hell. Goodbye now." On hearing that the group of men began running in the opposite direction.For the most part, they believed that they were fighting with a force who could look down on their master. The fear was obvious.

The attempt to run away was nowhere near successful. I ran and kicked one of the soldiers. He flew and smashed onto the bald man who was speaking to me earlier. Similarly, I quickly dealt lethal blows to the other 4 people. It seems the other 4 people successfully escaped. There was no reason to go on pursuit after them, since anyway the whole base was now alert due to the presence of intruders. The only places they could have run to was in Emilia's direction or the underground level I will go to now.

"Aurora, can you hear me." I used magic transmission.

"Yes, hades sama. How may I assist you?"

"I am about to enter the base's underground level. Four men escaped into the base earlier so they might make contact with Tristan about there being powerful individuals amongst the people who attacked the base. Tell Nu and Omega to speed up the operation, in case they try to move Nicole in the midst of the confusion."

"Understood, hades-sama"

Huh...Let's get going as well. I entered the building and located the stairs to the underground level hidden behind a few boxes. I think they normally covered it but either due to the attack or due to Tristan's presence, they were again careless. After all, according to them devil generals are by far the strongest existences on the planet currently.

Nevermind that. I went down the stairs and...it was indeed a laboratory. A completely desolate laboratory. Uncountable numbers of papers were spread around on the multitude of work stations. The white boards hung on the wall were sprawled with calculations. It seemed to be magic theory. I looked through the room. it almost felt as if the laboratory was going to be abandoned or transformed for some other work purpose. The only reasons would be failure or success of the project. The order did not concern itself with financial troubles. After all, their members were people in positions who could control the governments and kingdoms of the world.

I walked toward the edge of the nearly dark room. Splash...I seemed to have stepped on some fluid. It took me a few moments for my eyes to get adjusted. In case I was completely blinded I had trained enough to move around without eyesight with ease. One thing was for sure Nicole was not here.

"Aurora, Nicole is not in the laboratory. I will soon move towards the upper levels after investigating this place."

"Understood. I shall inform Nu sama about this matter." She swiftly replied. Now Emilia's one sided focus could be on her own mission. My subordinates worry too much about me due to their high admiration towards me.

I bent down and touched the floor to confirm my suspicions. It was indeed blood. But when I looked up I was struck by a flurry of emotions the same as when my older sister had died. I could see clearly by now thanks to my training. And it was a sight I did not want to see. Sebastian lay hanging from the ground in front of me. He had multiple stab and slash wounds with blood flowing out. The wounds seemed to be fresh.

Behind him on the white board in the centre of the room, only had the words -'The Enigma Project' scribbled on it.

"Aurora tell Nu not to kill Tristan immediately. I will handle him myself." I said in a cold sad voice deeply imprinted with anger.

"....As you wish, hades sama"

I looked back at the horrid scene. There will be no mercy, Tristan.