Atheron was helplessly trying to quiet the baby, crouching on the floor as he attempted to soothe both the infant and himself. His voice trembled, unable to go beyond hollow promises. They were both so thoroughly distracted that neither heard the scraping sound of a blade dragging across the marble floor. Kafka was about to step toward Atheron when the King appeared behind the door, slowly applauding what had just unfolded.
The King held his hands high, clapping with narrowed eyes. His smile was the kind that instantly planted seeds of suspicion deep within one's chest. His crown was caked in dried blood.
"Congratulations, congratulations!" the King called out, taking the title of The First. "Truly remarkable! You really are as talented as they claimed. I would have loved to have you as my knights in the future."
Kafka spun around in a rage, his eyes burning like roaring embers. He gripped his rapier tight, his fury turning him into something resembling a feral beast.
Atheron heard none of it. Overwhelmed and paralyzed, he tightly closed his eyes, murmuring prayers to comfort the baby, his back turned to the threat as he tried desperately to tune out reality.
"Unfortunately, that baby has to die," The First continued casually. "If a tiny infant survives in a place where everyone else has perished... what would people say?"
Kafka lunged at the King. With a lightning-fast thrust, he drove his rapier straight into the King's neck, yanking the blade back to let the blood spurt onto the floor. The King was entirely unphased; in fact, he looked as though he had been anticipating the blow. He offered a modest, almost gentle smile before seizing Kafka by the hair. Kafka shrieked in pain, grabbing at his head as the King casually tossed him into a corner like ragdoll.
"I didn't expect you to be this foolish..." The First mused, looking down. "And to think they claimed you were one of the brightest minds at the Academy."
Kafka sank his teeth into the King's hand with all the strength he had left, tearing away a chunk of flesh. He spat the bloody mass onto the floor.
"Your taste is as foul as your soul," Kafka spat.
The King met Kafka's eyes, tilting his head back to look down at him. His hand was already regenerating rapidly, the tissues and veins knitting themselves back together in seconds.
"Poor thing..." The First purred. "A fitting reward solves everything, doesn't it?"
The King clasped his hands together and chuckled. Dragging his sword along the ground, he stepped directly in front of Atheron. Atheron raised his head in utter terror.
"STOP!" Kafka screamed.
The King paused, as if he had received the reaction he was angling for. He tilted his head onto his shoulder, ready to hear what Kafka had to say.
"That... that baby isn't a vampire!" Kafka blurted out.
The King raised an eyebrow, listening intently.
"When I was fighting his father outside, he confessed!" Kafka shouted, clinging to the lie for dear life. "That baby is actually human!"
Atheron looked at Kafka with trembling eyes. Kafka forced a smirk, masking his underlying panic.
"Is that so?" The First replied smoothly. "Then... perhaps a new name is in order?"
Before the King could finish his thought, Kafka cut him off frantically.
"WAIT! I THINK HE HAS POTENTIAL! HE COULD BECOME YOUR SOLDIER!"
The King let out a soft laugh.
"Your lies are genuinely entertaining," he said. "Perhaps I ought to invest more into the Academy after all."
The King dragged his sword as he walked up to Kafka, grabbing him firmly by the chin to tilt his face up.
"If you give a dog enough fine treats, you don't ever need to pull its teeth."
Kafka spat directly into the King's face.
"You'll see!"
Despite the insult, the King didn't strike back. His grin only widened. He turned around and melted away into the grand estate, vanishing without a trace.
Once Kafka and Atheron were absolute certain he was gone, both collapsed to the floor, breathing a shared sigh of relief. Atheron finally managed to calm the baby down. After wrapping Ryan securely in swaddling clothes, he placed him in Kafka's arms and walked out of the room without uttering a word. Kafka rose and followed right behind him.
"Is the mission over now?" Atheron asked quietly. "Can we go back to the Academy?"
"Yes," Kafka replied.
As they stepped out of the estate, they were greeted by the sight of grief-stricken townsfolk weeping and clutching the bodies of the dead. The survivors were drowning in their own agony, glaring at the pair with cold, bitter hatred. They spat curses and hurled silent condemnations, yet they parted ways to leave an open path for them.
As the two walked through the clear lane, the King's words echoed relentlessly in their minds: "If you give a dog enough fine treats, you don't ever need to pull its teeth."
A cold shiver ran down their spines. It felt as though they were wearing medals of dishonor. They could do nothing but keep their heads bowed and push forward, desperate to escape.
No one dared to touch them; their grief was outweighed only by their terror.
"YOU KILLED MY DAUGHTER! CANNIBALS! MONSTERS!"
Atheron whipped his head around at the sudden scream. Behind them stood the innkeeper, his eyes welling with tears as he cradled Angelina's lifeless body. Atheron immediately clapped a hand over his mouth to suppress the urge to vomit.
Angelina: "Atheron, why did you do it?"
The Large Man: "You didn't have to shed blood..."
The Woman: "You'll grow up to be good someday."
Kafka placed a firm hand on Atheron's shoulder, nudging him to keep moving. Leaving the barrage of curses behind, they finally made it out of the village. The Academy's carriage was already waiting for them.
"Wait, we need to gather our belongings," Kafka muttered.
When they entered the inn, it was completely deserted.
"Hypocrites," Atheron spat through grit teeth. "Only a few hours ago, they claimed to hate vampires."
Cursing under his breath, Atheron packed his things and headed downstairs. Kafka's mind was a complete blur; barely recognizing where he was, he finished packing and stumbled down after him.
Without paying attention to their blood-soaked uniforms, the coachman stowed their luggage without asking a single question, simply stating that the carriage was ready. Kafka helped Atheron board first. Once Atheron settled into a seat, he pulled Kafka up inside. Kafka slouched onto the bench, staring out the window with a bitter, hollow grin at the villagers who were still hurling curses at them. Atheron closed his eyes, trying to sleep, but Kafka refused to rest, as if keeping himself awake was a form of self-punishment. Atheron, on the other hand, kept waking up every thirty minutes, gasping for air.
"THE BABY! WHERE IS THE BABY?!" Atheron panicked, snapping awake.
"Wait... the baby?" Kafka blinked blankly.
A cold sweat broke out across Kafka's forehead. He began frantically looking around the carriage as if he were searching for a misplaced pen.
"YOU IDIOT!" Atheron yelled, grabbing Kafka by the shoulders and shaking him to snap him out of it.
"RIGHT! YES!" Kafka yelled back.
"AT THE INN!" Kafka blurted out.
Atheron exhaled, feeling an immense weight lift off his chest. Leaving the child behind was far better than bringing him along on this dark path. He closed his eyes and tried to rest again.
After what felt like an excruciatingly long journey, the carriage finally ground to a halt at the Academy gates. Neither of them had managed a single minute of real sleep. Waiting eagerly on the other side of the gate were Nora and Odasaku. Odasaku was picking his nose, pretending not to care, while Nora was busy rehearsing the long mental list of lectures she had prepared to berate them with. Seeing them, Atheron forced a weak smile and rushed to throw his arms around Nora.
"What's with the emotional reception?" Odasaku scoffed.
Kafka stumbled down from the carriage, keeping his head low as he tried to slip past them unnoticed. Odasaku stepped into his path, eyeing him closely.
"Did you fail your very first mission?" Nora demanded, cross-legged with irritation. "AND WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO NOT SEND A SINGLE UPDATE FOR A WHOLE WEEK?!"
"A week?" Kafka muttered, dazed.
"It was two days..." Atheron whispered before suddenly pushing Nora aside and retching onto the ground. Odasaku immediately stepped in, patting Atheron's back.
"Did you two get poisoned or something?" Odasaku asked, turning to look at Atheron's face. Tears were streaming down Atheron's cheeks as he clamped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from vomiting again.
"What happened?!" Nora pressed, her frustration turning into concern.
Kafka brushed past them without stopping.
"We didn't do anything," Kafka said flatly. "The Shinigami handled it all."
Nora froze mid-sentence, the words dying in her throat. Odasaku, completely lost, shouted after him in frustration.
"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING, YOU BASTARD?!"
"To report to Professor Merlin," Kafka replied without looking back, accelerating his pace.
Odasaku reached out a hand to grab him, but stopped himself.
"Leave him..." Nora said softly, her voice barely a whisper. "Just... leave him be. I need to talk to Professor Merlin too."
Nora turned and ran off toward the tower, leaving Odasaku and Atheron alone at the gates.
"Come on," Odasaku sighed. "Let me get you to the infirmary."
Atheron nodded weakly, leaning heavily on Odasaku's shoulder as they began to walk. Stumbling with every step, they somehow managed to reach the medical wing. Seeing Atheron's condition, the nurse panicked and promptly ushed Odasaku out of the room. Sighing heavily, Odasaku leaned back against the wall outside, staring blankly at the ceiling lights without glancing inside even once.
He eventually shifted his gaze toward the distant tower visible through the corridor window. The structure was wrapped in enchanted flora, and a black cat was pacing across its pointed roof. The tower housed the private quarters of the Academy's most powerful mages.
"We rescued Rapunzel from up there, didn't we?" Odasaku muttered to himself.
From inside the infirmary, a faint voice answered:
"Yeah."
Heavy, hurried footsteps echoed up the winding staircase leading to Merlin's sanctuary. Sighing in defeat, Merlin finally relented and allowed the visitors inside. Standing at the threshold were Kafka and Nora.
"Only one of you," Merlin instructed calmly.
Kafka shoved Nora behind him and stepped forward alone.
"I came to report on the mission," Kafka said coldly.
Merlin closed the heavy tome in his hands, stood up, and placed it back onto a shelf. With a quiet gesture, he signaled for Nora to leave. Nora bowed her head in suppressed anger and retreated down the stairs, her knuckles white as she clenched her fists. Halfway down the spiral stairwell, she came across a glowing doorway. Resting her hand against the frame, she sank to the floor beside it. Everything inside the chamber seemed strangely inviting, its entrance covered in complex magical formulas—a solitary haven at the end of what felt like an infinite ascent.
Meanwhile, inside the office, Kafka stared at Merlin with bloodshot, burning eyes.
"You knew," Kafka said. "You knew everything."
"Not everything," Merlin replied smoothly, shutting his eyes and leaning back into his seat as he rubbed his temples. He seemed genuinely troubled by the situation. Taking a slow sip from his coffee, he gathered his thoughts. Kafka began pacing the room slowly, taking in his surroundings. The office featured a small library, while the rest of the walls were covered in vast, seemingly endless paintings. Near the entrance sat a comfortable armchair and an ornate desk placed upon a finely woven rug.
"Kafka, both of you are incredibly valuable students to me," Merlin began softly. "I truly didn't anticipate things escalating to this extent. Or that you would be the ones to..."
"Do you really think I'm that stupid?" Kafka interrupted coldly.
He paused his pacing and turned to face Merlin directly.
"Everyone knew Nora was supposed to go on the next mission. But the moment the assignment came through, you suddenly changed your mind and dispatched us instead. And during the mission, we encountered a child who looked inexplicably identical to Nora—so much so that even her closest friends couldn't tell them apart. And that child already knew Nora."
Kafka locked eyes with the professor.
"When Nora first joined the Academy, she took first place in the entrance exams, yet she never showed up to a single class, let alone the award ceremony."
"I remember," Merlin said quietly. "The three of you eventually got so fed up that you marched up here intending to beat her up."
"Exactly," Kafka said, his tone growing sharper. "So don't you find it odd? That the 4th Rule looks just like Nora?"
Merlin's composure cracked, his jaw tightening. Every word coming out of Kafka's mouth was laced with defiance and disdain. The atmosphere in the room began to warp; the color palette of the surrounding paintings shifted unsettlingly, yet Kafka remained utterly unfazed.
"ENOUGH!" Merlin's voice boomed.
The room shook violently as sudden gusts of magical wind swept through the space like an impending storm. Kafka stood his ground with unwavering resolve. Closing his eyes briefly, he spoke with raw fury.
"You knew everything... SO WHY DID YOU DO IT?!"
Merlin raised a hand, unable to maintain his stern facade any longer. Clenching his teeth, he sank back into his chair.
"WHAT, IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?!" Kafka spat, the disappointment washing over him in waves. He involuntarily took a step back.
"Kafka, please... just leave," Merlin requested quietly.
Kafka spat onto the woven rug, turned on his heel, and slammed the door behind him. As he descended the seemingly endless staircase, he ran into Nora. She scrambled to her feet eagerly.
"What happened?!" she asked, her feet already taking steps up toward the office.
Kafka reached out and grabbed her arm firmly. Nora nearly lost her footing and instinctively cast a levitation spell to stabilize herself.
"Hey! What's your problem?!" she snapped. "You've been acting weird ever since you got back! If something happened, just say it—don't let your stupid pride get in the way!"
Kafka looked at her, his expression unreadable.
"Do you truly not understand... or are you just trying your hardest not to see it?"
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about!" Nora retorted.
Kafka extended his hand to her. Nora grabbed it, pulling herself back onto the stone steps until her feet touched solid ground. She seemed to give up on seeing Merlin. As she turned to walk back down, Kafka called out to her. She turned around with an annoyed huff.
"Dude, are you bipolar or something? What is with these mood swings?"
"Can you make me a lock spell?" Kafka asked quietly. "Like the one you gave us before the mission."
Nora rummaged through her pockets and pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment.
"Sure, but what do you even need it for?"
Before she could react, Kafka snatched the paper from her hand and slapped it directly onto the door beside them.
"HEY! THAT'S MY ROOM! TAKE IT OFF RIGHT NOW!" Nora shrieked in outrage.
"Over my dead body," Kafka replied flatly.
Nora was practically fuming. Though not physically imposing, she tried her best to wrestle it back. Just then, a booming shout echoed up the stairwell.
"HEY, IDIOTS! COME ON, THEY JUST ADMITTED OUR LOCAL DUMBDUMB TO THE INFIRMARY!"
The sudden interruption shattered the tension. Nora immediately threw herself over the stair railing.
"Last one there is a softie!" she yelled, speeding down toward the medical wing.
Kafka, however, merely walked at a measured pace. Hands shoved deep into his pockets, he kept his head down, blowing warm air from his mouth and watching the faint mist dissipate as he ambled forward. When he finally reached the infirmary, he cracked the door open just enough to slip inside, leaning back against one of the support pillars.
Atheron was lying in one of the beds, an IV-like apparatus attached to his right arm. Though pale, a weak smile crossed his face. He slowly raised a hand and waved.
"You finally made it," Atheron chuckled softly. "I was starting to think you collapsed on the way."
Odasaku didn't bother turning around; he sat silently in a chair beside the bed, staring ahead. Nora, meanwhile, immediately started berating Kafka.
"Look at this guy's posture!" she scolded, pointing a finger at him. "We told you he was in the infirmary, and you come strolling in like you're on a casual Sunday walk!"
Odasaku ignored them both, keeping his focus on Atheron while resting his head against the back of his chair.
"So... turns out you're not even physically sick," Odasaku muttered.
Atheron offered a bashful smile, scratching the back of his neck.
"Psychosomatic..." Odasaku added dryly.
"Maybe I was just exhausted," Atheron offered weakly.
"Yeah, yeah, sure," Odasaku scoffed. "And I suppose it was my grandmother who came back blubbering and covered in tears."
"You must have misremembered," Atheron murmured.
As the two bickered back and forth, Kafka finally raised his head, fixing a hollow glare on Nora. His eyes were utterly void of life, as if some invisible parasite were slowly devouring him from the inside out, bathed in the lingering stench of slaughter. Nora caught his gaze and instinctively took a step back, a chill running down her spine.
"Fine, whatever! You must be exhausted too," Nora stammered, deflating. "Just... get yourself checked out, just in case."
"No need," Kafka said quietly. "I'm perfectly fine."
"Don't be like that, it's better to be safe than sorry, right?" Atheron chimed in, looking at Odasaku for support.
"I don't know about his body, but he should definitely get his head checked," Odasaku grunted. He abruptly stood up and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Nora asked.
"Dorm room," Odasaku replied flatly. "I don't want to stay in the infirmary."
He opened the door quietly, stepped out, and shut it gently behind him. Nora paced back and forth nervously, looking as though she were silently begging not to be left alone with the two of them.
"FINE! YOU WIN!" she blurted out, throwing her hands up. "WHAT HAPPENED?! JUST TELL ME ALREADY!"
Kafka turned his eyes toward the window and began softly whistling a tune. Atheron merely let out a weak, hollow laugh. Nora looked like she was about to explode. She paced the room continuously, repeating the question over and over, desperately waiting for an answer that never came. After hours of silence, she rubbed her temples, groaning in frustration.
"Fine! Don't tell me! I'm going to go prepare a bath instead."
"Why?" Atheron asked.
"Because both of you reek like rotting corpses!"
Atheron and Kafka froze instantly, their pupils shrinking into tiny dots. But before Nora could register their strange reaction, she had already swept out of the infirmary.
"Ah..." Kafka muttered softly. He lifted his sleeve and sniffed it. "We really do smell foul."
"It's only natural," Atheron said quietly. "We spent hours covered in that blood. I just hope the stench hasn't seeped permanently into our skin."
The moment those words left Atheron's mouth, the infirmary door slammed open with a deafening crash, vibrating against its frame. Odasaku stood at the threshold, his face contorted in sheer rage.
"YOU ABSOLUTE PIECES OF SHIT!" Odasaku roared. "AND HERE I WAS WONDERING WHAT KIND OF MESS YOU GET YOURSELVES INTO!"
He slammed the door shut just as violently as he had opened it. Atheron swallowed hard, trying to play dumb, but with every second they remained silent, Odasaku's mind was spinning increasingly dark theories.
"You already figured it out," Kafka said coldly. "Why make us repeat it?"
Odasaku marched straight toward Kafka, his hands clenched into tight fists.
"I don't believe it," Odasaku growled.
"Don't be ridiculous," Kafka spat back.
"My brothers wouldn't do something like that!" Odasaku shouted, grabbing Kafka's collar. "And even if they did, there had to be a damn good reason for it!"
Kafka's eyes welled with tears, but an involuntary, bitter smile spread across his face. He raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Spill it," Odasaku demanded.
"We were ordered to kill the vampires, so we killed them," Kafka said plainly.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
Just as Odasaku was about to strike him, Atheron cut in frantically.
"ACTUALLY! Yes, we were threatened! But if we tell you..."
Odasaku raised an eyebrow, releasing Kafka so abruptly that he tossed him aside like a bag of trash. Kafka collapsed to the floor, gasping for air as he clutched his throat. Odasaku stared down at him with pure disgust.
"So you went on a mission and slaughtered vampires because you were threatened... is that what you're telling me?"
Atheron nodded hastily. Kafka rolled his eyes, managed to gather his remaining strength, and stumbled to his feet. He tilted his head, locking eyes with Odasaku.
"Have you lost your mind, you bastard?" Odasaku asked, his voice shaking.
Kafka responded with a wide, eerie grin. His eyes narrowed into crescent moons, making for an infuriatingly unsettling sight.
"What are you trying to pull?" Odasaku demanded.
Kafka simply spread his arms wide, as if to say, who knows?
"You've completely lost it..." Odasaku muttered.
"I don't think so," Kafka replied smoothly.
Odasaku stared into the burning intensity within Kafka's eyes. His hands trembled. He took a hesitant step forward.
"Stop acting crazy. Come on, you idiots need to rest."
Kafka lowered his head and walked past him out of the room. Atheron watched Kafka leave in sheer horror, having caught that same terrifying glare in Kafka's eyes. Left alone in the room, Atheron whispered under his breath:
"Don't do it..."
Kafka and Odasaku walked down a long, dimly lit corridor. Odasaku deliberately trailed a few steps behind. Every time they approached a dorm room, they altered their direction. Finally, gathering his resolve, Odasaku reached out and gripped Kafka's shoulder. Kafka turned around slowly.
"What are you planning to do?" Odasaku asked grimly.
"What do you mean?"
"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO FROM HERE ON OUT?!" Odasaku demanded, his voice echoing through the empty hall.
Kafka raised his head, looking down the length of the corridor. In his mind's eye, everything around them was engulfed in roaring flames. He extended a hand as if trying to grasp the fire, smiling bitterly as he watched his own fingers burn before turning back around.
Though the hallway was dark, crimson sunlight streamed through the tall windows as the sun began to set, bathing Kafka in a bloody, radiant glow. Squinting into the light, his smile broadened.
"I'm going to burn it," Kafka said softly. "All of it."
Odasaku watched him in absolute horror.
"Just try it," Odasaku growled, gripping Kafka's shoulder with enough force to crush bone. "I haven't fallen so low that I'd let someone I care about stray off the edge!"
He leaned in, whispering harshly into Kafka's ear.
"Don't you dare even think about it... or else."
"Or else what?" Kafka asked smoothly.
Odasaku glared at him, barely containing his rage. He desperately wanted to believe that Kafka hadn't been completely consumed by the flames.
"Whatever it takes!"
"Even if it means killing me?" Kafka asked.
"It's better than watching you turn into a monster!"
Kafka chuckled and pulled away. Odasaku stared at him, terror mixed with heart-wrenching disappointment.
"KAFKA!"
"Yes?"
Odasaku was breathing heavily, his chest heaving.
"Don't do this... I will be the death of you."
"If you're the one to kill me..." Kafka began with a smile.
Before he could finish, Odasaku snapped, lunging forward and seizing Kafka by the throat. Kafka didn't even attempt to resist. Overwhelmed by betrayal and rage, Odasaku tackled him to the floor, raining heavy blows onto his face. With every strike, Kafka's head snapped to the side, yet he offered no defense.
Finally, several instructors rushed into the hall and pulled Odasaku off him. One teacher dragged the fuming boy into a corner, scolding him harshly, though Odasaku never broke eye contact with Kafka for a single second. The rest of the faculty gathered around Kafka, asking if he was alright. Giving brief, dismissive answers to brush them off, Kafka turned around and walked away without looking back.
"DON'T YOU DARE SHOW YOUR FACE IN FRONT OF ME AGAIN!" Odasaku roared after him. "DONT EVER CROSS MY PATH ON THE STREETS!"
The teachers exchanged uneasy glances. The entire Academy was well aware of the unbreakable bond shared by the quartet—Nora, Atheron, Kafka, and Odasaku. Seeing the boy so distraught, a concerned teacher handed Odasaku a warm cup of herbal tea and asked him to step into her office to calm down.
Sipping the tea, Odasaku quietly followed the teacher. His mind replayed the confrontation over and over, an unsettling numbness settling over him. The teacher motioned for him to take a seat on a comfortable armchair across from her.
"Hello, Odasaku," Cecelia said gently. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Odasaku averted his gaze, curling his lip slightly before taking another slow sip of tea.
"No one asked about you," he muttered defensively.
"It's nice to see you being your usual self," Cecelia smiled warmly. "Though you seemed quite furious a moment ago."
Odasaku finished the tea in one gulp. "It's in the past."
"To hear that from you, of all people..."
Odasaku looked slightly offended. "Fine, whatever. Kafka said some things, I lost my temper, and I jumped him."
"You realize he provoked you on purpose, right?" Cecelia asked softly.
"Yeah," Odasaku grunted. "He definitely has some insane scheme cooked up in that head of his."
"Do you have any idea what it might be?"
Odasaku turned to look out the window, asking for another cup of tea to avoid her gaze. Pouting slightly, he watched the sky outside while Cecelia quietly stood up and poured more tea into his cup.
"I think you already know what he's thinking... don't you?" Cecelia murmured, her tone suddenly shifting.
Before Odasaku could process her words, she was standing directly over him. Odasaku gasped, leaping out of his chair in shock and backing away until his hand hit the side of the armchair. Cold sweat poured down his neck.
"W-What do you mean?" he stammered.
"Odasaku," Cecelia said smoothly, her eyes unblinking. "As a guidance counselor, I'd be quite foolish if I couldn't understand what my students were feeling, wouldn't I?"
"Ha... ha ha... right?" Odasaku forced a laugh, his face pale.
He scrambled backward toward the door, barely able to keep his footing, using the doorframe for support. In his panic, he knocked over a flowerpot near the entrance. The water inside began pooling across the floor, slowly seeping under the door.
"Hehehe... hehehe..." Cecelia chuckled.
"+!&%^%&/=(/)(?/')=?(^=)(/&'^+(?'/+&?()&'(+)%'?/)/='(=^&'?(=^)?'"
A bizarre, corrupted noise erupted from her throat. Terrified by the distorted sound, Odasaku grabbed the door handle, desperate to break free.
"'^!+!&/%!/(&^)(!/!^/!=/^!?)(^=?!()_^=(!?=^!?^!&&+(&+(=&=!(/&(&!)"
The moment Odasaku yanked the door open, he collapsed onto the floor, his body giving out. Rising behind Cecelia was the looming shadow of a man, grinning menacingly down at Odasaku. The shadow slowly expanded, swallowing Cecelia whole.
"I am really not used to being in a woman's body," a deep voice resonated as Zero took form.
"%&+^/&%/)=)(?=)/)/+/%+(/&(/?)(?=(_=(?= ???"
Zero grinned wickedly into the dark. "I can't have you changing fate, darling."