Prologue RE-MASTERED

"So, here he is…"

Through the 12x zoom scope, the target is about one and a half miles from the sniper. The sniper adjusts his scope and begins calculating for the shot.

"Let's see, pressure is 30.7, humidity 70%, and the winds blowing two miles per hour east of my position. No wait…I am on top of a bu. The sky is dark alright, but it wouldn't be a problem since Tokyo city is already bright enough. I can take—"

"Ribenji, why are you using a sniper rifle!" a person yelled through his earpiece.

The sniper's ear is pierced by the volume of the person's voice. He let out a big sigh as he knew it was the employer's daughter, Misturu Amano, helping to spot the target. Though she has a unique ability to spot opponents miles away, her angelic resonance is weaker than your average angel. The young man shakes his head and touches his ear piece to reply.

"I can eliminate my targets any way I want. Didn't say in the contract how I should kill him," he replied.

"Is this how you truly kill someone? I wonder how the high-tier demons can lose to someone like you at times…Can you—"

"Listen, I wouldn't mind telling Michael about Mr. Amano's dirty work for the angels. Well…He already knows anyways. Angels do have their ways to hire someone to kill someone even though it is—"

"Grrr…Fine do it your way, Ribenji...Remember, snipers usually don't work from that distance so good luck."

Ribenji once again sighs, but in relief for this girl is always giving him a hard time. Mr. Amano and Ribenji have a long history of dirty contracts and killings. All of them Ribenji had to spend days, sometimes weeks, to locate one person.

However, the recent contracts have been easier because of his daughter's unique ability to locate someone through their personal materials or even, something they touched within the past two years: for instance, a piece of their clothing or even something simple as yen.

Despite her unique and seemingly overwhelming tracking ability, she is one annoying son of a bitch.

Ribenji takes his position on top of a skyscraper. With Misturu's ability and direction, he was able to pinpoint where the target is: on the street standing in front of a casino.

"Ready…Aim…"

He put his finger upon the trigger and took a deep breath. Before he pulled the trigger, he realized something is off about his assigned target; it is looking at him and before Ribenji knew it, the prey disappears when a huge truck interferes with his line of light.

"What are you doing Ribenji, shoot him!" Mitsuru exclaimed.

"Something is off, I know it. It is like he knows where I am…" Ribenji explained.

"What, how can that be? He was just there moments ago,"he thought.

Ribenji heard a gush of wind above him and without hesitation; he rolls to his right as he knew the aggressor came from above. He quickly took out his dual 92FS Berettas and he positions himself a good distance away from the attacker. Ribenji waits for the dust to settle. He could see the red eyes gleaming through the dust.

Ribenji fires his pistols. The creature waves his hand and the bullets deflect off from him using magic. Ribenji soon ran out of his current magazines and quickly reloads.

"Sheesh, that's not fair," he said with a big sigh.

"Haha, so you are that little runt that has been going after me for some hours now huh?" the creature chuckled. "Not so fun messing with demons now, huh kid?"

"Pssh, I'm just getting started!" yelled Ribenji.

Ribenji runs across the roof, shooting lead at the attacker. The demon stands still as he cast magic upon himself, making a shield that deflects all of his efforts. Ribenji grunts and throws a M67 grenade at the demon. The explosion ruptures the shield for a couple seconds, and then it regenerates back.

"The grenade bursts the shield open...Of course!"

"Die fool!" yelled the demon.

It raises his hand and an arcane circle circulated around his wrist. Several dark aura balls manifest from his hand and it homes towards Ribenji. He aimed his pistols at the aura balls and shoots. He manages to destroy almost all of them, yet was forced to dodge the rest. Ribenji flew to his side by the explosions of the aura balls, landing on his back. He slowly got up and witness the demon chuckle in front of him.

"I only have one grenade, a smoke bomb and on my last rounds for my pistols. My sniper is across from here. Maybe the smoke can distract him,"thought Ribenji.

"Yes, yes! Try harder please! HAHAHA!" the demon teased.

"Haha, look who's talking; you yourself isn't trying at all" taunted Ribenji.

"Hmph. Before you die scum, who sent you to kill me, hmm?" it questioned.

"A contractor never reveals his contractee," replied Ribenji.

"SO THEN, I WILL JUST HAVE TO BEAT IT OUT OF YOU SCUNT!"

The demon charges at Ribenji full speed. However, it didn't notice Ribenji's hand was secretly holding his smoke bomb.

"TRY THIS!" Ribenji yells, throwing his smoke bomb below him.

It soon creates a huge puff of smoke, rendering vision for his aggressor. Ribenji zooms towards the other side, grabbing his anti-magic sniper rifle and taking position. He grabs his grenade, took off the pin with his teeth and threw it at the demon. The explosion severs the shield once again. He focused down upon his scope.

"This is the end!"

Ribenji shoots the sniper at the demon's chest, piercing the bullet where his lung is located. The demon yells in pain and holds the wound spot with his hand.

Again…

Once more, Ribenji shoots the sniper at his arm. He still stands.

Again!

He shoots at his torso…

Again!

At his knee…

AGAIN!

With the finishing shot, Ribenji shot the sniper at the target's head. The demon's head blew up like a person stepping on a tomato. The body lands hard upon the floor and blood starts to gush out.

"Intel, mission successful" Ribenji reported.

"Sheesh, you could've ended the mission in three seconds, literally," Misturu sighed.

"I'm going back to base, meet you at 2210 hours," Ribenji said before turning off his mic.

He let out a big groan and sits on the floor with his legs spread out and his hands behind him. He closes his eyes and felt the Tokyo air breezing through him.

"I think I need to retire…" Ribenji chuckled. "Yeah…Maybe I can settle down in someplace and actually have an education rather than just killing."

He searches for his drink that was hidden beneath his coat. He finds it at the top left of his coat, pops the cork and starts drinking his whiskey. After he was done, he wipes his mouth with his arm and glances at the corpse.

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*THUD*

What it seems to be a normal library ends up showing a secret stairway to a secret room. Belthart knew this is one of the oldest tricks in the book since he has done this before. He wonders what his old friend is doing in these desperate times. He warded off the thought as he crept into the secret stairway. The doors behind him soon closed after he entered and descended he went. His footsteps echoed down the long stairway. Soon, he heard the bubbling of water and the tinkering of bottles.

There he is; a fallen angel, black haired with golden bangs and a goatee. He wears his typical Japanese clothing articles that are usually dark colored. Hmph, as expected from a fallen angel.

"I knew you would come, Belthart," said the angel.

"And you knew what I came for, Azazel," replied Belthart.

"Yes…Hold on one moment."

Azazel took off his gloves and put his equipment to its respected places. He looked at Belthart with his dark brown eyes.

"Well? Is this what I get after so many weeks; a staring contest?" growled Belthart. "I helped you with your 'projects' and now I get his?"

"My humble mistake, so, your son was last located at Tokyo. He killed another without his powers."

Azazel took an envelope from his drawers and passed it to Belthart. Belthart quickly examined the pictures. He sees a demon corpse with five rounds of sniper rounds into different parts of the victim's body.

"Is my Ribenji Taoreta that strong enough to not use his powers? What an ignorant boy," snarled Belthart. "I have given him life, immeasurable power and now this; using modern technology to surpass high rank demons. He is not using the gift I have given him."

"I don't view it as a waste, rather impressed," Azazel commented, "I've never seen a hybrid done that."

"Hmph, I guess you are right on that part."

Belthart folded the pictures and placed them on his breast pocket.

"Thank you for your service," said Belthart and he soon left with haste.

Azazel shook his head.

"Oh boy, I wonder what Belthart is thinking…Oh well, beats me…"

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"You're going to what?!"

Mr. Amano lets a nervous drop of sweat drop from his forehead as Ribenji tells him to end the mercenary contract. The man jumps up from his seat as Ribenji, who stands in front near the windows of the building, looks back at him with a raised brow.

"You heard me Mr. Amano; I want to the contract to end now," Ribenji repeated.

"B-but, you have been a faithful employee since the beginning!" Mr. Amano argued. "Plus, it's only one more target right? I know that you have been getting to this man for a long time and—"

Ribenji puts his hand up, signaling his employer to stop talking. "I know you have lots of people to kill in order for Heaven to get the upper hand against the demons, but I'm going to retire."

"You are seventeen, Ribenji."

"Doesn't matter," Ribenji said with a quick laugh, "For I have enough money to go to school and also buy this entire country. You don't know how many contracts I have accomplished before I even got to you anyways. Plus, Michael already has found out about one and pardoned you. What if he finds out again?"

Mr. Amano grits his teeth nervously and sat back down upon his chair.

"Alright…However, I will take a couple thou—"

"Fine with me," Ribenji agrees and snickers. "Just sign the goddamn paper I gave you."

Ribenji stares out of the skyscraper glass and focuses his eyes upon the lights of the buildings and cars. He smiles and looks at the night sky.

"Yeah…School is going to be a pain…" Ribenji said to himself.