Deception

[Aunt Elizabeth POV]

"EVERYONE LOCK DOWN THIS ROOM!"

I wasn't going to take any chances. I followed all the protocol that Kuzan and I had discussed extensively in place for such a situation to arrive, effectively turning this residence into the safest room in this entire arena.

'I honestly probably have no reason to be worried, it's probably a false alarm.'

Scenario 1, the Dead Man scenario, only used when someone's life was in critical danger.

It could be triggered by countless events. For one, Kuzan had given both Melissa and I special bracelets that would constantly sense our heart rates, only initiating the start of Scenario 1 if our heart rate suddenly spiked to extreme levels or by the pausing of their rhythm as well.

It could also be triggered remotely, as well as in response to extensive damage that can be to the mansion's security system that could be explained by a calculated attack.

Nevertheless, none of the possible reasons for its activation were a sign of good news. I simply locked the door, while Melissa explained the situation to her two friends, waiting for him to arrive for the next part of the plan.

'It just doesn't make sense.'

I was waiting there, comfortable by the bedside while hugging the three of them in place like a mama bird to her hatchlings, waiting for him to arrive.

'How did she enter when I just locked the door?'

I simply stared forward, shielding my babies from the Japanese woman that had just entered the room somehow without breaking the door, simply appearing within the room.

'And why am I sitting here waiting, instead of rushing forward to protect my children from this mysterious lady with my fists, or simply reaching for either of the revolvers hidden in my shoes.'

I finally realized...

I was currently under hypnosis.

'Kuzan had warned me about this.'

At the slightest possible chance that something doesn't make sense, whether it be Melissa's behavior or my own, the best thing I could do when under hypnosis, was to simply do nothing.

Thus I stood there, staring at the 'woman', not moving an inch from my seat, suspended in time, praying to dear God that they would come out soon.

[Melissa POV]

"EVERYONE LOCK DOWN THIS ROOM!"

Aunt Elizabeth screamed while rushing into the room before locking it in place, before suddenly stopping in place, frozen.

Her statements made no sense, why would we lock ourselves in place when there was a girl already present in the room.

'Did Aunt Elizabeth know her or something?'

My eyes flashed, as was finally able to come up with an answer to this confusing circumstance before me.

'Hypnosis'

I finally was able to derive the conclusion, while trying to remember all of my training under Master Shikai Bun to counteract its effects.

Finally, I could feel myself becoming freed from this illusion, seeing the true ugly form of the little humpty dumpty before me.

[Xiao Li POV]

"No, please..." I begged the 'man' while dropping to my knees, reaching his eye level without daring to stare into his eyes again under the fear of actually falling under his hypnosis.

I had hated my training in Ninjutsu, seeing it as the replacement for not being able to meet Master Shikai Bun's level of skill in his Martial Arts.

Still, I thanked myself today, having spent the hours honing my skills in this moment.

The man entered, into this small guest room for the arena, following closely behind Aunt Elizabeth who's eyes had clearly lost their luster.

After all, it had only supposed to have been a single residence for myself. Just a comfy bed, a window, and space to store my 'goodies' as Melissa call's them. Plane and simple, just the way I liked it.

"I'll pay you anything, please."

I continued my act of pleading, begging finally as if I had just broken out of his hypnosis, just finishing my play of 'drawing' in my notebook that I had quickly grabbed from under my bed when I had first sensed his arrival.

My true prayers were only being said inside my head, as I begged every deity in existance to hear my plea to protect the ones I cherished the most.

'Please read it in time Diana, please.'

[Diana POV]

I recognized right away what Xiao Li was doing, also having learned to break away from such, as he would call it, 'petty tricks'.

Thus I followed in her steps, while contemplating my next decision and trying to gather as much data as possible to make an informed decision.

Master Oliva told me to be careful around fighters who could utilize hypnosis, but I had learned that they usually utilized a 'tool' to get you to fall in their trance. The oscillation of a watch, the circular movement of a walking stick, even the mere movements of the arms of a martial artist able to draw you into your dreams with dance.

But never had he told me that such a thing was possible, to be able to hypnotize someone with the mere glance of your eyes.

I stopped my analysis to look over at the words Xiao Li had written down in her notebook.

'save meli life attack my signal keep act.'

I was internally thanking God that I had read it, once again realizing the true usefulness of being calm even under the most dire of circumstances.

For that exact reason, I did not lose my cools, even when Xiao Li supposedly broke out of her delusions, falling to her knees to beg the little goblin.

I continued my act while drawing in more data.

He was small no doubt, and extremely dangerous beyond belief if my senses were anything to go by, if not for Xiao Li's desperation at the situation.

'But why?'

I had never heard of anyone like him, and I was sure he wasn't just a master of hypnosis.

'But why?'

My brain worked furiously, trying to derive an explanation to match the conclusion reached by my senses alone.

I didn't halt my thoughts of discovery, even when the man refused Xiao Li's pleadings with a sadistic smile, while licking his lips in seeing her anguish and suffering under his feet.

"Darling, you know that I don't sell out for my targets. Plus, you're not even the target. Who knows, I might even spare you two if you play with me enough." He answered with a smile, while clearly indicating that the two of the three currently under his spell did not have that option.

'He's short, he's bald, and he has strong muscl-'

'Wait.'

'Muscles, yes that it.' my revelation bringing no joy to my face.

I could see it, as having trained under that fanatic of muscles that was my master. I had grown to greatly appreciate them as well, the raw strength behind muscles. But...

'His are different.'

I could see it, the will behind those muscles as they screamed out at the damage done to them. He had taken a shortcut, no doubt halting his height in it's result, through the serious abuse of steroids.

'Why are Aunt Elizabeth and I his targets? I make sense due to my status, but what did she do, who did she offend?'

'Wh-'

[Melissa POV]

I could see her, on the ground begging for his pity, crying out with anguish.

'She's lying.'

I had known Xiao Li long enough to realize when she was acting, and what her true intentions were when doing so.

'She is waiting, waiting for an opportunity to fight back.'

And I would give her that opportunity.

'Please Xiao Li, run away when I do it.' I prayed to myself internally, not daring to give words to my thoughts.

I screamed, my next words distracting the small man so that Xiao Li could reach the cord just underneath her bed frame.

"Humpty Dumpty!"

[Xiao Li POV]

'This Idiot!' Still, I could only complain in my head, too busy at the moment pulling the theater, causing smoke to instantaneously fill the room.

God had answered my prayers, as right as I had done so, Diana had broken out of her seemingly unconcerned state.

She launched a punch forward, despite me knowing full well that it would be of no use, serving merely as just a distraction.

Still, it was worth it.

Betraying her trust, it had been worth it.

I was able to reach Melissa in his short moment of distraction, as if he was shortly caused off guard by the sudden movements in quick succession.

Still, it had been enough time for me to fling Melissa outside with all of the strength that I possessed, breaking the bedroom window in the process.

I whipped my head backwards in the small hopes that I would be able to save my other friend from his clutches as well, even at the cost of my own life.

Still, I was only deluding myself. I had known from the start that at most, I would be able to trick him only once, thus being able to save only one.

In those short moments that I had before I made my decision, I had done so while somehow suppressing the guilt I would face as a result.

Now, it had come back at full force, as I had seen the tail of the man's attack in response to the happenings.

His arms had spun while attacking, like the rotating blade of a helicopter, causing a large diagonal gash to open up on the girl's chest.

From the left side of her shoulder to her right hip, blood spurt forth, thankfully only ever slowly as she had backed out of her suicide attack at the last moment.

"Disgusting." His spoke his sole word with venom, as if hoping that it did just as much damage to the little girl as his attack from earlier.

The man seemed utterly displeased at Diana's growing form, "no wonder they paid so much for me to kill you."

'Good, keep forgetting about Melissa, give her more time.'

Still, I had not forgotten my duty as a friend completely. I was not sure whether I had done my next action out of guilt or love, but I had chosen to rush forward towards the man, despite knowing the consequences.

I was but a mere child playing with plastic knives in front of someone like the Grand Master, Natto L. Nerinho.

He certainly lived up to his name, parrying my paltry attempts to pierce his thick hide with my fingers alone.

I knew that I would not succeed from the start, my petty skills being nowhere near enough to match the Strongest Assassin in History. Thus, I did not fight back when he clutched me by my throat, able to crush it with the slightest effort.

He was sadistic, wanting to watch me squirm, for real this time.

'I'd rather die.'

I did not beg, and I did not plead, not wanting to give the man the satisfaction, peaceful for the fact that I had been able to save her from him at least.

I didn't even so much as shed a tear as I could feel the embrace of death approaching ever closer with every moment that passed, as if unable to wait a second more.

Instead I looked straight into his eyes, which were filled with sick enjoyment just a moment ago at the prospect of playing with his prey further.

My sight being blocked for just a moment by a small flash of wind from the outside, causing my eyelids to flicker, before I was able to regain my vision of his now changed expression.

'Why?' I asked myself, still being unable to speak while having the man's hand gripping tightly onto my throat.

'Why are they so dead?'