ajfa

Death

Chapter Text

It the wide place filled with different carriages and cargos, the sound of dripping water into a puddle could be heard.

But it was unbelievably vague through the loud conversations.

Kaiso, an older man in his 30's took a gulp out of his jug, laughing roughly through the large place.

"Today's loot is a real catch! Kekeke~ I can't wait for the fat reward."

His words received loud acknowledgment from the surrounding crowd.

The Black Snake was a loose branch of the Snake Boys, quite well known for acting alone and doing as they wanted.

They were a branch in name only, not really thinking of themselves as the underdogs of the Snake Boys.

It was no surprise that the boss of such branch would be just much of a loose cannon as the branch itself.

The humorous mood spread before it was suddenly interrupted.

"Excuse me?"

Everyone quieted down at the timid and awkward voice coming from the entrance.

Their faces showed confusion and bewilderment.

In front of the closed metal door, which would definitely screech loudly if one were to open or close it, stood two well-dressed girls.

The one who just spoke was a young lady with short brown hair put up into a styled bob and brown eyes.

She wore light yellow dress with small golden embroidery on the sleeves and chest.

It was very simple, but still overly noble dress.

The girl wore an anxious and slightly scared expression as she looked up at the boss.

Behind her was a slightly taller woman with long light-brown hair and emerald green eyes.

She kept silent as she eyed those present, her face also looked timid, but her gaze strangely sharp.

Kaiso blinked twice before placing the jug down and leaning closer to the two girls.

He scanned them, then looked at the group of confused men around him, and then scanned the girls again.

His bewilderment twisted to amusement and exasperation.

"Heh, how did you get in here? You lost?"

Kaiso stood up, strolling closer to the two women.

Roselyn exhaled.

"We entered, uh. I think you took something which belonged to us, we've come to have it returned."

Roselyn gestured to the door behind her before looking at the surrounding carriages.

Kaiso tilted his head at Roselyn's strange words.

"Yours? You from Shake's group...? Nah, kek. You don't look like his type."

Kaiso stopped right before Roselyn, leaning to her eye level and licking his lips.

"If you really want, I can give you something you'll like."

A burst of laughter came from behind him, strengthening Kaiso's confidence.

Roselyn flinched, looking Kaiso in the eyes before quickly glancing away.

"No, you stole the cargo of the Baroness Mailey. If you return that, we'll have no more business here."

Kaiso snorted, pulling a knife from his side.

"Hah! What would a Baroness's business be doing on Shake's track? What you're saying is bunch of made up stuff. It'd do you much more good to keep your mouth shut and open your legs instead."

He waved the knife around, sliding it under Roselyn's chin as she shuddered.

Her expression fell as she sluggishly took a step back.

She looked at Airina who stood next to her.

"I give up."

Airina nodded with a slight smile.

"I told you this can't be solved peacefully. But at least you tried."

Kaiso raised a brow, his smirk widening.

"Peacefully? Oh my, I didn't realize we had a child with us, kekeke~ That's why girls like you should stay snuggled behind their parents."

As he talked, he grabbed Roselyn's cheeks, placing the knife by her temple.

But before anything more could happen, a black hand, or more like a claw, gripped the sharp blade.

Kaiso flinched, letting go of the handle immediately.

"What-!"

His eyes moved to Airina, who already held an imaginary book in her other hand.

She moved the blade away from Roselyn's face before crushing it into small pieces.

Airina's face was blank as she took a step closer to the confused and terrified man.

"It's time to do this the right way."

...

In the corner of a crowded bar, there sat a tall but average looking man.

From time to time, he would touch his face once in a while and listening to the conversations around him.

As the man's attention was caught by a nearby table, his facial features shifted.

It was inconsistent and chaotic, revealing a clean, flat white mask.

The man quickly turned his focus away from the other table's conversation, touching the revealed mask with his palm.

The man's face returned to normal, although his eyes now changed color.

He looked down at the glass on the table, mumbling under his breath.

"God... what a terrible training this is. My face won't stay in place and just twists like soup every time I don't pay attention."

The disguised Marionettist, Jonah, leaned back in his seat.

He's been trying to keep his face consistent for an hour straight.

But just when he thinks he got the hang of it and tries to actually listen to people around him, his facade collapses.

"I might as well give up on becoming a spy and take on clown business."

A smile tugged at his lips before a loud shout caught his attention.

"I'm telling you it's the truth! There's a monster in there!"

Jonah's hand moved away as he crocked his head to the side.

A table near him, four guys with flushed faces laughed and screamed with one woman just watching.

Jonah clicked his tongue.

"Tsk, so much enthusiasm it could kill a bear... wonder if I can join."

Just as the thought hit him, the standing guy continued.

"There was a freaking bear, but some monster just snatched him away. Just grabbed the bear's head with its hand!"

Jonah's focus was once again moved from his cover, making his cheek sink into his jaw.

But he didn't immediately notice, paying more attention to the other table.

Some other guy chugged down his drink, pointing at the standing man as if he was crazy.

"You were just hung over, man! Such things aren't real, you alcoholic."

Then he took another gulp of his, very much alcoholic, beverage.

The standing man slammed his hand against the table.

"I'm telling ya! Hic, it's the real deal! I saw it with my own two eyes, that monster is a real creature!"

The only girl at the table, also the only one who was not drunk, shook her head.

"Don't you think that more people would be discussing it if something like a monster really was in the forest?"

The sitting man with the large mug of beverage nodded his head hastily.

"Right! You're just one with your delusions!"

Jonah lightly nodded to himself.

Then, a rugged man who entered the bar not too long ago, made his way over to the drunk group.

"You're talking about that creature in the woods, right? I didn't see what it looked like, but I saw it tear a tree down with one kick. It was really something."

Those around the table turned to him as the standing man beamed.

"You saw it too? See! I'm not delusional or drunk, you egghead!"

The sitting man groaned, taking another sip of his beverage.

"Don't call me an egghead."

He grumbled as Jonah stood up.

With a smirk, he run his hand over his face, steadying his look as he left the bar.

"Finally, something actually interesting."

...

The room was filled with tension as Shake leaned back in the worn wooden chair, arms crossed.

The Snake Boys, including their leader, Varen, stood before him.

The faint glow of a gas lamp cast shadows across the walls, making Varen's nervous face stand out even more.

"It's taken care of."

Shake said flatly, his voice carrying a hint of anger.

His gaze scanned the group, stopping on Varen.

"The mess your branch caused? It's dealt with. No thanks to you."

Varen sidestepped uneasily, scratching the back of his neck.

"Shake, look, we didn't mean-"

"You didn't mean?

Shake interrupted sharply, leaning forward just enough to increase the pressure.

"You didn't think either. That's the problem with you lot. You think you can do whatever you want. Steal, fight, draw attention to yourselves. And why? Because you think someone else will clean up after you?"

Varen opened his mouth to respond, but Shake cut him off with a raised hand.

"Don't. Let me make this very clear. I've been keeping you afloat. I've let you play this little game of yours because I thought you had some brains. But if you keep testing the waters, don't think for a second I won't be the one to throw you in to drown."

The Snake Boys in the room stiffened.

Varen's pride still burned strong despite his better judgment.

"We didn't mean for things to get out of hand. It's just... things happen."

Shake leaned back, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

"Yeah. Things happen. And you're about to find out what happens when you run out of second chances."

Before Varen could question, the door slammed open.

The loud bang startled the group as a young Snake Boy stumbled in.

His face was pale and his chest moving hastily.

All eyes turned to him as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Boss! Officials!"

He managed to blurt out, his voice shaky.

"They've caught onto us. They're moving in, gathering people. If we don't act now, we're done for!"

There was only a short silence before the room erupted into chaos.

Snake Boys murmured among themselves, their voices filled with panic and disbelief.

Varen raised a hand, his expression tight, trying to maintain control.

"Enough!"

He turned to the boy who had burst in.

"What do you mean, the officials? What exactly did they find?"

The boy hesitated, glancing nervously at Shake.

Shake's calm presence only seemed to make the situation more nerve wracking.

"It's... it's everything. The smuggling routes, the stash locations, they know. And they're closing in fast."

Hearing the boy's staggering words, Varen cursed under his breath, rubbing his temples.

He tried to uphold his air of authority, but the tension in his shoulders was obvious.

"Alright. We'll handle this. We've dealt with worse."

Shake's smirk widened as he watched Varen scramble around.

"You've dealt with worse, huh?"

His voice carried obvious sarcasm.

Varen shot him a glare.

"We'll fix it. Just you watch."

Shake shrugged, leaning back in his chair.

"I'm watching."

Varen turned back to his crew, barking orders and demanding ideas.

But the more they talked, the clearer it became that they had no plan at all.

Shake said nothing, simply observing with detached amusement.

After several minutes of futile discussion, Varen finally turned back to Shake.

His expression was filled with apprehension.

"You're awfully calm for someone who's supposed to be watching this mess."

Shake raised an eyebrow, his smirk fading into a more neutral face.

"Why wouldn't I be calm? This isn't my mess anymore. You made sure of that."

Varen's jaw tightened.

"You know how to fix this, don't you?"

Shake took his time responding.

He picked up a glass of water from the table beside him and took a slow sip.

The sound of the glass clinking as he set it down echoed through the room.

"Maybe."

His tone was nonchalant.

Varen gritted his teeth, his voice dropping the facade as desperation seeped in.

"Then help us. You're the only one who can."

Shake chuckled, shaking his head.

"Why should I? You've done nothing but push your luck. And now you want me to clean up after you again?"

He stood up, towering over Varen, his gaze heavy and sharp.

Varen hesitated, glancing at his group, who all looked to him for answers he didn't have.

Finally, he took a deep breath and lowered his head.

"Fine. We'll do whatever you say. Just... help us."

The room fell silent, the weight of Varen's words settling over the Snake Boys.

Shake studied him for a long moment before speaking, his tone low.

"We'll see if you mean that. This isn't about words, Varen. If you want to survive, you'll need more than that."

He turned toward the door, his coat sweeping behind him.

"Get ready. I don't work with fools."

He left without looking back.

A smile appeared on his lips as he turned a corner.

The Snake Boys didn't stand a chance against him, but he didn't want to use force.

He was sure Varen was a Sequence 8 at most, probably not even that.

'He's just a kid with too much self esteem. But he's got the ability to correctly lead others. Even if he can't handle big groups.'

Shake looked at the coin in his hand.

'It was not hard to make him collapse in fear. Just a bit of bribery. Heh.'

...

With a light thud, the last of the limp bodies was thrown onto the pile.

Airina dusted off her hands, sighing as she finished tying the last knot on the gang's restraints.

Her eyes moved to the side, where Roselyn stood clumsily.

Seeing that Airina was finished, she stepped closer.

Her eyes moved between the pile of tied-up bodies, the ground and Airina.

Finally, she spoke up, her voice shaky and filled with caution.

"Y- um. You won't kill them?"

Airina blinked twice, resting her palms on her sides before smirking.

"Hm~ Do you want me to?"

Roselyn flinched, hurriedly shaking her head.

"No! Not at all. I just thought..."

But she didn't find the words to finish her sentence.

Airina glanced at the pile of bodies before shrugging.

"I don't like unnecessary bloodshed. Not to mention, the people I called will be here any moment, so no need for me to bother with the clean-up."

Roselyn tilted her head, not understanding who these 'people' were as they never discussed anything like that.

Airina looked at the carriage filled with coal and nodded.

"Alright, this will be successfully delivered tomorrow and the criminals were caught. I'd say this was very successful. Now we just have to leave."

Roselyn took a step closer, having realized something.

"Miss Airina, if you already called for someone to solve the problem, why did you intervene personally?"

Airina smiled.

"Why else? First of all, I wanted to make sure everything would be handled smoothly. And second-"

She paused, pointing at Roselyn.

"You were a greenhorn who understood the words but not the principles. You can never protect your business with such mindset. So I thought seeing the real reason why you can't be peaceful would give you the necessary push."

Roselyn shuddered at the memory of steel sliding across her cheek.

She grabbed the side of her neck, pouting.

"Solving things through words is impossible...?"

Airina exhaled, shaking her head.

"Not exactly, but you have to get better at reading people and situations. Some can be handled without the use of force and some have to be solved by force but don't have to spread death."

Airina started walking, passing Roselyn while tapping her on the shoulder.

"I don't expect you to learn fast, nor am I going to force anything for you. You should see it for yourself and make your own decisions and views."

Roselyn stood in place for a moment, turning her head to look at the leaving Airina.

"And then? What comes after that?"

Airina paused in her steps, turning on her heel.

"Then? Act accordingly to your own justice. As long as our beliefs meet, I'll be by your side to help you, and so will the Abyssal Troop."

"And what if our views don't align?"

Roselyn asked back again, her tone heavy.

Airina's eyes moved to the emerald ring on her own finger.

"If that happens, you'll have to find your own way and walk the world with someone who's not me. But that doesn't mean we have to be enemies."

Roselyn gripped her hands into firm fists, walking forward without another word.

Airina watched as she passed by her and followed her out.

Unlike Roselyn, whose head was filled with deep and complicated thoughts, Airina's steps were light.

Since she's long chosen her own path.

...

The forest was deadly quiet, only the subtle sound of fluttering leaves filling it.

Jonah strolled through it at a leisurely pace, calmly looking around as if he was on a casual walk.

He was no longer wearing someone else's face, having decided to only wear the mask in pursuit of this 'monster'.

It didn't take long for him to hear a loud thud as something collapsed to the ground.

Jonah paused for only a moment before the face on the white mask changed.

He grabbed a nearby twig, mumbling a divination as he walked.

As he circled a thick tree, his eyes moved to the ground.

On it was a... bear corpse.

A really badly beaten-up one.

Jonah moved closer to it, playfully pushing it with the twig as if to make sure if it's dead.

Of course, that much was unnecessary.

The bear's fur was covered in thick layer of blood with chunks of it torn away to reveal bruised skin underneath.

Its skull was bent in and one of its eyes was swollen shut.

It had deep, crushed wounds all over its stomach and torso.

With one look, it was obvious that the bear could be killed with one hit.

It only survived so many hits because of the precise evasion of its vital organs.

It seemed as if the last hit to the head was what brought the bear death.

It was quite gruesome, using a bear for target practice.

"Well, looks like someone's got anger issues... Did the bear steal their lunch or something? Whoever it was, they sure went a little overboard."

The face on the mask changed to a playful smile as Jonah threw the twig away and looked around.

What he was looking for was not a monster, but a bloodthirsty human psychopath.

This was not something a creature with claws or teeth would or could do.

Jonah lightly snapped his fingers, setting the bear corpse on fire as he took a step in a particular direction.

His steps was still as leisurely with his mask still smiling brightly.

"Heh! Looks like I've found a good sparring partner. I hope one bear is not all they can do though... that'd be a real bummer."

It didn't take long for him to catch a glimpse of light.

He stopped to lean on a tree as a campfire entered his sight.

By the fire sat a rugged man in torn up and loose clothes.

He was around 1,9 meters tall with disheveled black hair and expressionless brown eyes.

Even though he must've felt Jonah's presence, his eyes never left the campfire as he didn't even acknowledge him.

Seeing this, Jonah clicked his tongue and pushed himself off the tree, taking a step towards the campfire.

"Nice night for a campfire. You always spend your evenings punching wildlife, or was today special?"

Finally, the rugged man lifted his head, his expression as dead as before.

"I do what I have to. What do you want?"

Jonah tilted his head, the smirk on the mask growing wider.

"Oh, so it wasn't just a one-time thing? Guess I should see if you hit as hard as they say... or if that bear just stood still for you."

The man simply stared as Jonah moved closer, not moving in the slightest.

After a moment, Jonah paused right next to the man, leaning on one leg.

The face on the mask's raised an eyebrow.

"Wow, are you really not going to stand up? I thought you weren't the type to needlessly underestimate others. Who knew you were so

lame-"

Before Jonah could even finish his sentence, a man gripped his leg.

He could only blink in exasperation before he was shoved to the side like a twig.

Jonah, though, didn't show any panic as he grabbed the earth with his fingers.

He gripped tightly before lunging his body forward, landing back on his feet as if nothing happened.