Chapter X

Like statues, we three stood there without even lifting a muscle. All our attention was focused on the back door of this warehouse, where we had been sitting for so long. Even Wendy's cat had jumped up immediately and threw her poisonous glances, which usually I got away, now to the door. The sounds from outside grew louder and finally it was clear that someone was working on the door from the outside.

"Blade incantation.", I whispered softly and immediately two narrow daggers formed in my hands. The coolness of the metal on my skin immediately gave me a reassuring feeling because with weapons in my hand, I always felt much safer. I glanced over at Wendy and Charle, who looked in astonishment and a little reverentially at my just-vowed weapons.

Suddenly, with a loud click, the door opened a few inches wide and from outside I heard a triumphant murmur. At least two people, I realized by the different voices and pressed me tight against the wall next to me. We did not know how many were there, so it was safer to have the element of surprise on our side.

In the meantime the dusk had begun, so that the view here in the back of the hall was already limited. Orange rays of the setting sun now slipped in through the crack of the door and lit up the room a little, but fortunately we were in the shade, so we did not could be discovered immediately.

Carefully, the door was pressed further and a dark massive silhouette entered the room with a slow step. At first glance, I realized that this had to be the kidnappers, because this first person was completely covered in the face and wore only dark clothes. Who else should get access to the back door of a warehouse in such a careful and secretive way?

I let the person enter the room a few more steps, fortunately he did not notice us. As just a second person entered, I rushed from behind on the first intruder and kicked him with full force from behind in the knees. Sure, that was not a fair way to bring someone down, but when you grew up in the street, like me, you learn that every means is right to win.

Painfully, the person cried out and went to his knees, as I had to kick as hard as possible. Alarmed, the second person spun around.

"Danger! An ambush!", the person shouted, judging by the voice, this was a woman. Like the first intruder, she was completely dressed in black and covered her face, but under the mask a few bright, blond strands peeked out. At the same moment, she already clenched her fists and looked at me with piercing bright eyes.

"Stone Make!", she shouted and instinctively I acted lightning fast. Without even thinking about it for a second, I threw myself on her and rammed one of my daggers into her shoulder at the same time. Frightened, she screamed as I tore her to the ground and with that, I had achieved exactly what I had intended: I had interrupted her to cast a spell. So she was a magician, I thought as I pulled my dagger out of her skin. Probably the others were also magicians. In a flash, I straightened up over her and gave her another violent kick in the face, so she lay unconscious on the floor.

The first person had recovered from my attack meanwhile again and straightened up now puffing. This was obviously a man, because he was very stocky and towered over for lengths, but I was used to this circumstance now. Almost every one of my opponents had been taller than me. Now my opponent growled briefly before he straightened up completely and took a step in my direction. Just then, Wendy jumped next to me and I stared in horror. What did the brat want here?

"Sky Dragons ...", she started and only then did I realize that she also wanted to fight. But with her Sky Dragon Slayer magic she would not be able to do much in here, on the contrary!

"Are you stupid?", I shouted at her and pushed her aside so that she fell roughly to the ground and was interrupted in her spell. She squeaked in shock when she was knocked over by me, and at that very moment the man took advantage of me. As I had stopped paying attention to him for a few seconds, he now lunged at me, and as he rushed toward me he produced two short short sabers under his clothing.

Just now I could tear up my daggers to catch the blow of his weapons, which otherwise would have drilled with full force into my flesh. Shortly there was a violent exchange of our weapons. He struck with full force each time, so I had trouble parrying his attacks, but at the same time I realized that this man did not seem to be a magician or he would have used his magic long ago.

As we fought, I noticed from the corner of my eye that two more people entered the warehouse through the back door.

"White Moon!", I suddenly heard the annoying voice of Charle and wondered what exactly it was all about, but then had to focus on my opponent again. This chunk of a man seemed to be very tough and tried again and again to stab me, but he did not succeed thanks to my nimble evasive maneuvers.

When I intercepted another blow with my daggers, I gave him a slightly unfair kick in the pit of my stomach, so he gasped slightly. This gave me the chance to give him a strong chin hook and immediately afterwards a solid blow from above on his head. Unconsciously, he then collapsed under me and without appreciating another glance, I whirled around to the other two intruders.

Between the two people stood suddenly a girl in Wendys age with bright white hair, a cat's tail and white cat ears. I blinked confusedly, because for a moment I really thought my eyes would play a joke on me. What was that? Where did this strange catgirl come from?

"Charle!", I heard Wendy calling worriedly, who had meanwhile got herself up and stood a few feet away from this catwoman. She looked at them with wide eyes and only then did I realize that Charle was nowhere to be seen. Could it be that this catgirl was Charle? But how was that possible?

But I could not worry about that now, because we still had two opponents in front of us, who now surrounded the catgirl threateningly. Although she did not seem to be in bad shape, it was clear that she would not stand a chance against these two attackers in the long run.

"Blade incantation.", I called as I rushed at one of the attackers. The two daggers in my hands disappeared and made an elongated and delicate sword that fits perfectly in my hands. When the left person noticed me, she turned to me and firmly pressed her fists together. When dark green circles appeared around the person's hands and shimmered slightly, it was immediately clear to me that I was dealing with a magician again.

"Plant attack!", the person exclaimed in a deep male voice, and suddenly dark green plant tendrils suddenly sprouted from the ground. Like a wild sea monster with countless tentacles they crawled towards me in no time, but with a swift stroke of my sword I was able to sever the tips of the tendrils. I walked on quickly and before the magician in front of me could make another spell, I already held my sword to his throat. He stood there stiff and looked at me fearfully, while I examined him cold from top to bottom.

"If I were you, I would not keep trying to fight me.", I growled annoyed and he only nodded quickly. Next to me, I heard a body slump down to the floor and amazed to find that the catwoman had actually managed to bring down his opponent. Apparently I had underestimated her.

"How many are you?", I snapped at the man in front of me.

"Only ... we're only four.", he stammered intimidated and it was clear to see that this was the truth. Just as he looked down at me in fright, he was not really able to lie on the spot.

"Wendy, Charle! Find something to tie them up with and then get the others.", I ordered the two of them, and as the catgirl actually started moving, it was really clear to me that she was Charle.

Only a few minutes later, the two appeared with thick ropes, with which we tied the four attackers and sat next to each other lined up against the wall. When they sat tied up in front of us, I turned my head to the catwoman. She and Wendy were standing next to me, looking disapprovingly at the attackers in front of them.

"What the hell are you, anyway?", I now asked the catgirl next to me and Charles eyes narrowed to slits, as she looked at me. After all, she was still smaller than me, I thought with a little satisfaction.

"What's the stupid question?", she snapped, crossing her arms. Only now did I realize that now as a human being she wore the same clothes she had on as a cat. The same dark suit with a red tie and the same dark red skirt.

"Why are you no longer a cat?", I growled and crossed my arms as well. Challenging, she looked me in the eye while she snorted indignantly. "Already forgotten? I am also a magician!", she berated me, „And I can transform myself into this shape, because so I can fight much better.".

"You look pretty stupid.", I just commented and indignantly she gasped. Her eyes sparked furious sparks as she took a step toward me.

"Now do not argue.", Wendy tried to settle behind her, but we ignored her.

" I do not have to say that to me, of someone who pushes his companion aside in the middle of a fight!", she snapped irritably at me and her voice kept rocking upwards. Unimpressed, I continued to look down at her without even a single expression. As a cat she had been annoying enough, but as a human she was almost unbearable.

"What was that? Why did you knock Wendy to the ground?", she continued and when I briefly looked at Wendy, I noticed that she was looking at me a bit sadly. Probably she wondered the same and was looking forward to my answer.

Annoyed, I rolled my eyes. "Gosh, are you two really that dumb?", I grumbled, "If she had let her dragon roar in here, the entire hall would have collapsed. How can you act so thoughtlessly?". Shortly, the two really looked a bit dumbfounded. Apparently they had not thought so far so far. What good-for-nothing!

"But ... I just wanted to help.", Wendy muttered a little intimidated and looked down to the ground. She seemed really slightly distressed and did not seem to be thinking about what she was doing, and for a very short while I felt a need to placate her overconcilably, as I had always done with Isabel, when she had apologized for her stupid actions. But I forced myself not to move and sighed only annoyed and loud.

"Make yourself useful by bringing the others out.", I growled.

"We are not your subordinates.", the catgirl hissed immediately, but Wendy already pulled her along.

"That's fine. Come on, Charle.", she said, and a little reluctantly she let the girl pull her away. I shook my head briefly. One little girl was exhausting enough, but two of them were really too much for me!

Then I turned my attention back to the bound captors in front of me. Two were still unconscious. The woman I had knocked down in the meantime had regained consciousness and was now staring at me with hatred, and the plant magician was still giving me frightened glances, though I no longer threatened him with my sword.

Slowly I approached the woman and tore her mask off her face. Underneath hid the face of a young woman with pale blue eyes and a pointed nose. Her light blonde hair just reached her shoulder and was gathered in a braid at the nape of her neck.

"Who are you?", I asked her threatening, but she stared at me just bitten into my eyes. Ah, one of the hard kind, I thought unimpressed. But that's what sparked my ambition. Slowly, I squatted down in front of her and grabbed her by the chin, forcing her to keep looking at me.

"I have to warn you. I'm not known for being extra patient.", I growled at her and for a moment I saw something like fear flare up in her eyes, but immediately the stubborn look returned from just now. Stoic, she just continued to look at me without uttering a word.

I sighed softly and straightened up again. I looked down at her with folded arms. Without warning, I stepped firmly on one of her legs, which she had stretched out in front of her and it cracked threateningly under my foot. Painfully, she screamed and bent under my footstep. "You ... bastard.", she gasped, glaring at me.

"Who are you?", I repeated my question, but left my foot on her leg and shifted the weight exactly to this point. Tormented, she groaned under the pain, but continued to look at me only hateful. Tough brat, I thought, gritting my teeth.

In a flash, I let out my fist and hit her hard in the face. Sputtering, she spat a little blood aside and gasped in shock. Her lip was now cracked and swollen and her right cheek was flushed red.

"Levi!"m I heard the horrified voice of Wendy behind me and I turned my head. There stood only Wendy and looked at me dumbfounded. She was alone, obviously the others would follow soon.

"What ...", she started and her gaze moved from the injured person to me and back again. Even though I wanted to have as little to do with her as possible, my protective instinct started now. All in all, she was still a little girl and should not know anything about what happens here.

"Wendy.", I said in a low, calm voice and looked straight at her. This kind of being approached by me evidently puzzled her and with wide eyes she looked right at me. "Wait outside.", I continued, "And do not come back in until I tell you.". To my astonishment, she nodded slowly, but continued to look at me in confusion. Carefully, she actually left the room again, but she gave me a last, hesitant look as she went out. She's scared, I thought, and to my astonishment, that realization bothered me a little. She is scared of my behavior.

However, I was alone again and did not have to worry about anyone seeing this.

"You two are cute.", the woman in front of me said mockingly, grinning cheekily at me with her battered face. She had nerves! To be provocative in such a state! With full force I kicked her again on the already injured leg and listened with satisfaction her shrieking cry of pain. If she thought she could just sit here, she'd been wrong. I was ready to go much further to get information. When she remained silent, I kicked her in the face again and even knocked out some of her teeth, which she spit out bleeding.

"It's enough, you monster!", suddenly shouted the plant magic and amazed I turned my head to him. Startled, he stared at me and apparently my interrogation methods seemed to succeed.

"Leave Caven alone!", he screamed hatefully and I raised an eyebrow. Lustless, I let go of the now heavily panting woman in front of me and took a few steps toward the man. I also tore his mask from his face and realized that he needed to be about the same age as the woman. He had some scars on his face and dark, brown hair.

"I'll stop immediately if I get the information I want.", I growled at him. It was obvious that he would collapse to protect the woman named Caven and that was exactly my advantage.

"Duran, you idiot. Do not tell him anything.", Caven hissed at him, but the man named Duran did not pay attention to her. He looked at me hatefully while I stood in front of him with my arms crossed. I took a vague step back to the woman, who was already looking pretty battered.

"If you do not talk, I'll just pick up where I left off ...", I said casually.

"Wait!", the man shouted and I heard his voice that he was just capitulating, "I tell you everything you want to know, but leave her alone.". Intentionally, I did not say anything to it and just turned back to the man to watch him closely.

"We were hired by someone to kidnap the employees of Erwin Smith.", he began and inwardly I already triumphed, "He calls himself Ripper, but who exactly he is, we do not know either. We only met him at an agreed meeting place and he never revealed his face to us.".

"Where have you always met him?", I asked the man in front of me.

"On the south coast in a deserted fishing village called Rose. There's no one else out there.", he answered immediately. Just as he explained to me exactly where this fishing village was, I heard the others behind me enter the room. There was silence for a moment, and they were just staring at the injured Caven, wondering what had happened right here.

"There you are finally.", I said untouched and turned my head back. Erza walked towards me and stood with scowling eyes right in front of me.

"What the hell are you doing?", she snapped.

"What does it look like? I'll interrogate them.", I answered irritably. If she wanted to be a moralist now, she was in the wrong place with me.

"But not like that!", she hissed and pointed her head at Caven. I saw that she was quite shocked and snorted annoyed.

"If it bothers you that way, wait outside.", I muttered to her and she was slightly shocked by my behavior, "But at least I've already found something new.".

Surprised, she looked at me and did not seem to know whether she should praise me or continue to rant. I clearly saw the inner conflict, but finally she folded her arms and looked at me scrutinizingly.

"And what is it?", she asked. Apparently she had decided to ignore my interrogation methods. Quickly, I also notified the others of the new information and amazed they sucked in a breath when they heard all that.

"When are you meeting Ripper again?", Erza asked the man when I finished my explanation.

"In two days. Shortly after sunset.", he replied resignedly.

"So it's clear where we have to go next.", Erza just commented and then turned back to the others, who looked at us silently, "We will meet Ripper.".