"No, no—!" Yū's eyes widened, fear taking hold. "I'm human! I'm just a normal human!"
The man smirked. "Then let's find out."
Clang!
A small blade flew and struck the man's head.
His bladed arm instantly retracted, reforming into a normal hand as he yanked the weapon out.
"What's this?" he muttered. Then his grin returned. "Ohh, what a coincidence… Aria Valeheart."
Yū, still struggling to break free, heard the name. Valeheart… Where did I hear that before?
I thought her last name was Kurenai.
"Let go of him," Aria said coldly.
"Hmm? This reminds me of our first meeting, this boy suddenly interrupted my conversation with you." The man's grin widened. "Do you know what happened to him back then?"
"I struck him in his heart!" he laughed darkly.
"I know," Aria said, her voice steady. "Because I was there when it happened."
"So, you already know what I'm gonna do now, right?"
Valeheart… Valeheart! Yū thought, his mind racing. Right! That's the president of Star City, and also the hero from 18 years ago, Ash Valeheart! Is that her father? Then the mansion and the bodyguards make sense.
Aria's eyes narrowed. "I'm not as weak as I was a few days ago."
I've already accepted my fate, she thought. My Affinity is gone… but this new power "this Trigger" I'll make it mine.
Five daggers floated into the air around her, orbiting as she extended her hands. They shot forward like streaks of light, each guided by her will.
The man didn't even flinch. With one hand, he deflected every blade with ease.
"What's this? Is this what you mean by 'not weak anymore'? Pathetic. This is nothing compared to when you still had your Affinity," he mocked.
"Affinity…" Yū thought, watching. So she inherited her father's power, but now it's gone… I see.
He remembered a line from a book he'd read yesterday:
Once you are an Affinity user, you cannot possess a Trigger ability. When a Trigger manifests, your Affinity essence fades. And if your Trigger is a Death Trigger… you might die activating it. Though, sometimes, that power can surpass even death itself.
— Toru Gisaraki
"Tch…" Aria hissed, frustrated.
---
Yesterday — in a white chamber.
"Haah!" Aria launched a flurry of attacks toward Ayato.
"My lady, why are you so eager to find that guy, that you even lost your Affinity in the process?" Ayato asked, dodging her strikes.
"That's my business. You don't have to know," she said coldly, blades floating at her side.
"But are you sure that normal student won't get dragged into this?"
"What are you implying?"
"Well, he did tell me what happened in the alley. It reminds me of something we talked about before. You were close to being killed by the very people you thought could lead you to him."
Aria froze. "Why would they attack Yū in the first place? I'm their target."
Ayato chuckled. "That kid just has a little quirk for getting into trouble, I guess."
---
Is this what he meant yesterday? Aria thought, eyes narrowing. But why…?
Her mind flashed back to her time in the organization.
"Our rules are simple, we are one, and we follow only the Boss.
Our goal: locate humans with Triggers.
Either kill them… or take them for experimentation.
If you find something useful — take it."
"So, little lady," the man said mockingly, bringing her back to reality, "I have a question for you. Did someone help you back then and heal this kid? Or is this boy some kind of Death Trigger who awakened a unique power? Huh? Answer me, little Valeheart."
He really thinks there's something inside Yū… but he doesn't know yet.
I can use that.
Aria stopped her attack and straightened. "That boy is just an ordinary student. And yes, someone helped me that time, someone who healed him." Her tone was cold, calculated.
"Is that so? I guess you're lucky, boy," the man sneered.
Good. That worked, Aria thought with a quiet sigh of relief.
"I believe you, little Valeheart," the man said — then suddenly smirked.
His hand morphed back into a blade, and before Aria could react, he stabbed Yū through the chest and dropped him to the ground.
"No!!!"
Aria's eyes widened in horror. "Why did you do that!?"
"This is just a guarantee," the man said with a laugh. "I'll believe you, if you're still an Affinity user."
Yū lay on the cold ground, blood pooling beneath him. His thoughts blurred.
Why… does this always happen to me?
It's cold… no, it's hot… everything's… fading…
His mouth moved, but no words came out — only broken sounds.
There was so much blood.
The man chuckled darkly. "So, little Valeheart… what will it be?"
---
From above, a shadow descended.
"Sorry I'm late, my lady," Ayato said as he landed, calm and composed.
Aria's eyes widened slightly. "What took you so long?"
Ayato glanced at Yū, lying motionless on the ground. "What the... the 'normal student' is down again," he muttered.
The man chuckled. "Oh? What's this? Is this the guy you were talking about?"
Ayato glanced around, eyes narrowing. Then he looked at Aria, she gave a small nod.
"What are you talking about?" Ayato asked, feigning confusion.
"Are you the one who helped this kid back then?" the man asked.
"Ahh, that time…" Ayato tilted his head, a smirk forming. "Ohh, are you the one I killed that day?" His tone was mocking, though inwardly, he thought, Well, that's a lie.
The man's grin twisted. "So you were the one who killed me back then, huh? Let's see how strong you really are!"
He lunged at Ayato, his massive arm growing larger as it swung down like a hammer.
Ayato didn't move. He simply raised one hand, just one finger.
"Soft touch," he whispered.
The moment the man's hand met Ayato's finger—
BOOM!
The man exploded instantly, his body scattering into countless pieces across the street.
"That's all?" Ayato said flatly.
The fragments twitched, still barely alive. A faint, gurgling voice escaped the dissolving remains.
"Well… I guess the little Valeheart really told the truth after all… and I shouldn't have kidnapped that little girl as insurance that the boy had something…"
Yū, still on the ground but half-conscious, heard the faint words.
"A… little girl? Mari…?"
The disembodied voice let out a wheezing laugh.
"Oh, you can still talk? Impressive, even without your whole body intact…" Ayato remarked.
Then, something strange happened.
The blood that had spilled from Yū began to move, crawling back toward him. His veins pulsed, his eyes flickering red for an instant before returning to normal.
Static filled his mind again. His heart ached, like chains snapping one by one, but he forced himself to stand.
He staggered forward, glaring at what was left of the man. "Where… is she?"
The man's remains twitched, forming a crude mouth. "Oh… you're still alive?"
"Answer me. Where is she?" Yū demanded, his voice trembling with anger.
"Well… if you really want to know…" The man's grin widened, his body melting further into liquid. "…there's someone here who already knows where we are."
"What are you—"
Before Yū could finish, his body gave out. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"This kid…" Ayato muttered, looking down at him with faint surprise.
---
Not far away — deep in the shadows — the man's body began to reform, smaller now, barely human.
"Dangerous… dangerous…" he muttered, chuckling lowly. "I almost died again. But what a good day — I learned a lot."
He smirked, half of his face still regenerating.
"So the boy has a Death Trigger after all… and that guy — Ayato — he's hiding something. His power doesn't match the one who killed me. So… was it the boy?"
His grin turned sharp. "I can't wait to find out."
He melted into the darkness, his laughter echoing faintly.
---
In another part of the city—
Within a dim alley, Kaito knelt, bruised and bleeding, his breath ragged.
"Mari…" he whispered, his voice breaking.
His hands trembled as he realized, his little sister had been taken right before his eyes.
---End of Chapter 13---