Chapter 4: Traps of Death

At the place where green grasses were dancing freely along the wind; a lonely and gloomy place where gigantic leafless trees from afar that could be seen were covered by fog, there, a group with twelve individuals arrived, emerging from the shadows. They were all tall, had an ashen-white skin, eyes that were like obsidian, and they were wearing a black smokey robe.

"Hmmm." One of the twelve walked forward from the group. His gaze wandered around his surroundings and stared intently at every area, suspiciously. 'This scent...'

Shortly after him, another one of the twelve moved forward and did the same as him as well as the others.

"(Sniff)" They were sniffing the air, and they can smell a familiar scent. However, the scent they were smelling seems to be more unique than the moment they smelled it together with the one who ordered them. Also, it was addicting that they almost lost in their delusions related to that scent.

"This scent..."

Irises of their eyes emitted neon white glow as they smelled the unique scent. Their vision became grey and can see threads of white energy.

'Anemo?'

'That young jester seems to be a reckless one.'

The twelve had the same perspective and thought... And with same thought, they all dashed in sync in the shadows, following the traces of anemo-energy and the scent.

From a certain distance, without them knowing, a pair hidden eyes glowing red behind jet-black hair were staring at them through eyeglasses in shadows.

***

[Haise PoV]

'That's it? Those fools really took that obvious bait?'

I was watching the twelve with mere disappointment from a certain distance, worried about myself being unable to never witness another day again.

'I guess my plans are just too good for them.'

'Goodness! I worried my ass here for nothing. But still, I can't let my guard down just because of that... they are still too strong for me. Fortunately, I have set another trap in case of this went out of control.'

It's not that I desire a long life. It's just that I haven't experience to have an ordinary life again, after being reincarnated to another world, wandering the spirit-realm after my death as a villain, and being trapped in the cosmic-egg for who knows how long... Probably, eons.

The silence therein comforts with no peace but torture, reminding me of eternal solitude. No one in this world will be able to understand what I went through. Not even those who have second-grader syndrome would dare to delude what I went through.

And because of that, I will definitely not let anyone trample this simple dream of mine. Even if I have become a being considered to be a flaw in both the human society and in the vampire society.

I... will give my judgement tonight to free myself from this situation. I will survive this night no matter what and get out of this radar!

As those thoughts were running wildly in my mind, my surroundings in my gaze were blocked by a flash of light followed by darkness. Soon after, I intently arrived at the place I planned to settle my quest down.

The obvious bait has been unexpectedly bitten. Now the next step is for them to hear my lullaby that would define their fates.

°°°

The twelve arrived near at the roots of the anemo-energy with the scent they were following. As they arrived, they realized something was wrong.

There was no roots or source in the place. Only a spell that was keep spawning the wind around, cast upon onto that area was there, trapping them inside.

Soon, the white threads of light they were seeing by their activated special eyes slowly became butterflies.

The butterflies looked made of some anemo-energy, imbued with spells to act with the wind. Furthermore, they bear the addicting scent they were following.

"That brat... got us."

"It seems so."

"It appears we are already under his tricks the moment we follow this scent and anemo-energy."

Realizing their mistake, the twelve summoned their special weapons, wandered their gazes around with full alertness. The weapons they were holding was either double-edges long-swords, daggers, or spears with glowing blades that looked like it was soak in the fire.

"What will we going to say to the Doctadeer about this matter?"

"Let us move on for now, catch the young jester first, and bring him to the Doctadeer instead."

The twelve all agreed as they move forward with full alertness, raising their blades into the fog that was already raising around because the spell. And when they all made their few steps, they suddenly heard something...

"What is that?"

"A lullaby?"

As they all listening to that melodious voice singing the lullaby, they all lost in their stupor. However, one of them fought back and quickly deafened himself as he shouted: "Shit! All of you, deafen yourselves!"

His fellow woke-up from their stupor, then quickly did what their fellow shouted. "Ugh!" They all stab their ears with black needles made in magic with no hesitation. A needle imbued with spell that prevent their regeneration ability for a certain amount of time.

...

Haise, with his special visual ability, watched them in the shadows as his plans works well. For a moment, he raised his hand with gesture of holding something in the air. Shortly after that very moment, his shadow expanded, and a long wooden sword appeared and approached his palm.

Haise pulled the sword out and ready to extract his judgement. The wooden sword looked plain black at first sight that resembles katana, a very famous wooden sword in the nation of Hinhinima that was used to practice swordsmanship. It was also the sword he had created under power of Aishina he possess. Of course, it causes his life force to create one, after all it solely created for two purposes and oath... And those are to protect and to judge accordingly.

Now that one of their senses has been cut-off temporarily, Haise waste no time and moved forward accordingly to his plan. He vanished from the place he was hiding as he created more anemo-butterflies to destruct the twelve.

It was tough for him to perform such magic because of his limited mana. However, the cat behind him provides him more mana to process his plans further.

The twelve sliced the anemo-butterflies with magic-spells involve. Each time they managed to slice down the anemo-butterflies, it just vanishes into the anemo-smoke they left behind, then return after a few moments. Furthermore, each time the anemo-butterflies got sliced down they divided, leaving an anemo-smoke in the fog.

"All of you stop!" One of the twelve shouted, unfortunate for him, no one can't hear him. "Dammit!" He can't even hear his own voice, and all he could do was just shout in annoyance. As someone who's been a trusted member of the Black Hats Order under the leadership of the Doctadeer in his party for a long time, he cannot just accept such humiliation. Because of that, he swore to himself that he will personally kill the young jester who dared to play such tricks with them, leaving his composure behind for his honor.

Haise already studied their behavior from afar, hence everything they do was already expected and defined.

>Aishina no Zanpakuto Series< [Author here: Unlike in the anime or manga, he is not shouting his special move here.]

Haise behind the shadows was already accumulating his mana into his sword. The sword changed its form, its color became pure white as it got sharper with magic involved. The mana which was emitting from his body to his sword transmuted its property into anemo-energy.

>Silent Slash< [Author here: Again, he's not shouting his special move here!]

Like a series of riffle, silence became a subject of his intent: an intent to solely slice the target down.

"You brat! Show yourself."

Series of slashes move against the fogs of the anemo-butterflies from his sword intent, again and again. He was really annoyed, utterly lost in his hatred; wanting to strike the young jester down, who put them into their current situation they were experiencing. Suddenly, his vision went upside-down, before he realizes, his head was already falling down onto his feet. And at the very last moment of his life, he saw a gloomy-looking young man stood at the finishing stance of his attack while pushing the bridge of his eyeglasses.

The gloomy-looking young man's eyes were covered by his messy jet-black hair. However, despite that, he could still tell the color of his eyes because of the bright red glow emitted from his eyes.

The scent of his blood had caught the nose of his comrades; without delaying any further thought, his comrades dashed towards the source of that scent of his blood. Much to their ignorance, Haise guided the scent through anemo-magic. And as they all arrived at their specific and separate destination, they saw nothing but a part of the ground... and once again, they bit the trap. After that, they all face the same fate—

Death!