Chapter 75: Sheep
Shinsei stood up slowly, spitting blood to the side.
"…Tch…"
She touched her cheek.
"…I don't feel pretty anymore."
A pause.
Her aura shifted to a more dark and heavy feel.
"…And that's your fault."
Before they could react—
SWOOSH!
She vanished and reappeared behind them.
SLICE!
SLICE!
SLICE!
SLICE!
The four bodies remained standing for a moment.
Then their heads slid off—
PSSSSH!
PSSSSH!
PSSSSH!
Blood spraying in clean arcs across the mountain air.
Shinsei exhaled slowly.
Her fists covered in blood.
"…We're going to that meeting," she said flatly, not even looking back.
"…Before I decide to kill someone important."
Cassian raised both hands slightly.
"…Yes, boss."
A grin.
"…But first—"
He stepped closer, examining her face.
"…we fix that messed-up leg…"
A glance at her cheek.
"…and that 'pretty' face."
Shinsei rolled her eyes.
"…You're annoying."
Cassian smirked.
"…You love it."
They began walking casually. As if they hadn't just wiped out five elite assassins. Shinsei suddenly pulled out her tablet.
Cassian blinked.
"…Where the hell did that come from?"
He glanced at her tight suit.
"…You've got storage dimensions in there or something?"
Without looking Shinsei pulled out a massive mango with her other hand and tossed it to him.
"…Shut up."
Cassian caught it effortlessly.
Grinned.
"…Now this…"
He took a bite, juice dripping.
"…is why I keep you around."
Shinsei sighed.
But didn't hide the faint smirk.
Together, they walked down the mountain path, leaving behind bodies, blood, and silence.
Ahead of them steam rose gently into the air.
The hot springs.
A brief moment of peace before the next storm.
Because one thing was certain, if the Supreme Authority had made a move.
Then, something far bigger was already in motion.
* * *
Fwoosh....
The desert stretched endlessly ahead dry winds sweeping across the cracked earth as a convoy of armored vehicles carved a path toward the horizon.
Three days.
That's how far Kingsville was.
And somewhere in that city, a name waited.
"Sphinter."
The Teleport.
Inside the lead vehicle, the mood had shifted.
There were no jokes, nor laughter.
Just tension.
Monday sat in silence, staring out the window.
Bzzz...
His fingers twitched slightly tiny arcs of electricity snapping between them.
Unstable and thinking.
Daito sat across from him calm, collected but aware.
Then Monday spoke.
"…Stop the car."
No one moved.
"…I said STOP THE CAR!"
BZZTL!
SKREETCH!
The electricity surged, the vehicle shook slightly, as Brandon looked at Daito.
Daito nodded once.
"…Stop."
The convoy came to a halt right in the middle of nowhere.
There was no cover nor buildings, just silence and sand.
Doors opened, and everyone stepped out.
FWOOSH!
The wind hit them instantly.
Monday walked forward slowly, then turned.
His eyes locked onto Daito. They were sharp and demanding.
"…Are you the leader?"
Without hesitation, Daito answered.
"…No."
That made Monday's expression twist slightly.
"…Then why the hell is everyone following you?" he snapped.
"…Why are they listening to you?"
A step forward.
"…And what the hell is this whole 'Rebel' thing supposed to be?"
The group tensed.
Champagne stepped forward slightly, but Brandon held him back.
Daito didn't move nor react.
"…You want answers?" Daito said calmly.
Monday scoffed.
"…That's why I stopped the damn convoy."
A long pause.
FWOOSH!
The wind howled between them.
Then Daito spoke.
"…I'm not gathering Rebels."
Monday frowned.
"…I'm finding people," Daito continued, his voice steady, grounded.
"…People who were never meant to fit into this world."
A beat.
"…People who were thrown away."
"…Used."
"…Hunted."
"…Or forgotten."
The group went quiet.
"…The word 'Rebel'…" Daito continued, "…is just a name."
"…Something to give direction to those who lost it."
Monday's eyes narrowed.
"…Direction?" he repeated.
"…Sounds like control."
Daito shook his head.
"…No."
A pause.
"…Choice."
Monday didn't respond.
"…No one here is forced to stay," Daito added.
"…No one is bound to me."
"…They're here because they chose to be."
Aerin stepped forward slightly.
"…We believe in something," she said softly.
Zachia crossed his arms.
"…And we're not afraid to fight for it."
Wasabi adjusted her glasses.
"…Even if it kills us."
Fah-jin smirked faintly.
"…Especially if it does."
The wind picked up again—
Fwoosh...
Sand swirling around their feet.
Monday looked at all of them one by one.
Then back at Daito.
"…And what about you?" Monday asked.
"…What do you want out of all this?"
Daito didn't hesitate.
"…Answers."
Monday blinked.
"…About Disorder."
"…About the world."
"…About why all of this exists in the first place."
A pause.
"…And if I have to tear the world apart to find them…"
Daito's eyes sharpened.
"…then I will."
The silence was heavy.
Monday deeply stared at him long.
Then he laughed.
"…Yeah…"
He turned away.
"…You're all insane."
Electricity sparked violently around him.
"…A group of broken people chasing some fantasy…"
He glanced back one last time.
"…Calling yourselves 'Rebels'…"
A pause.
"…Pathetic."
The air tightened.
"…I'm not a sheep," Monday said coldly.
"…I don't need a leader."
BZZTL!
He stepped back energy building beneath his feet.
"…And I definitely don't need a cause."
A final look at Daito.
"…Next time we meet…"
His voice dropped dangerous.
"…it'll be the last."
BOOM!
BZZZZTLE!
A burst of lightning—
SWOOSH!
And he was gone.
The silence he left behind was louder than anything.
"…So that's it?" Champagne snapped.
"…He just walks away after everything?!"
Brandon clenched his fists.
"…We fought for that guy."
Wasabi shook her head.
"…Unbelievable…"
Zachia looked at Daito.
"…You're just going to let him go!?"
A long pause.
Daito turned back toward the vehicle.
"…I'm not forcing anyone to stay."
The answer was simple.
Too simple.
"…But we went through hell for him!" Champagne shouted.
Daito stopped but didn't turn.
"…No," he said quietly.
"…We went through hell…"
A slight pause.
"…because we chose to."
That shut them up.
GARR!
Daito opened the vehicle door.
"…Kingsville is still ahead."
He stepped inside.
"…We move forward."
One by one, the others followed reluctantly and silently.
The convoy started again, rolling across the empty wasteland.
But something had changed.
A crack in the unity, a question left unanswered.
And somewhere out there—
BBRRRZZZTLE!
Lightning still echoed because Monday hadn't left for nothing.
He was watching and waiting for the next time, they met to prove whether Daito's path was worth following, or worth destroying.
To be continued....