Chapter 4
Oleg, Takeuti, Maria and Chikeko quickly came to the needed place. It was the same restaurant; Oleg visited for the first time, when they celebrated his arriving. Now they were about to celebrate Maria's one. Sakura and two other persons have already been waiting out of the restaurant. The first one was a man with green hair, who was a trainer of Gosha Academy, Takano Suzumu. Another one was a woman with blue hair, her face was a bit frown, she was wearing a white shirt which exposed her neck, shoulders and bust. The wind wasn't strong, but still it was pretty cold, so Takano decided to lend his jacket, to the woman.
"You're pretty longs." Sakura exclaimed, "Come on snails!"
"I don't like the attitude of younger Igawa." Maria said, to Oleg in Russian, "Too childish for a person of her age."
"Don't be so strict to her." Oleg chuckled, "In some ways she has her own reasons, and I think it gives her special charm."
"Are you in love with her?" Maria looked at him raising her eyebrow.
"Of course I'm not." he replied, "But what? Are you jealous?" he smirked.
"Why should I? As I remember we stopped our relations." Maria said coldly.
"Yeah, stopped." Oleg repeated sadly.
Chikeko didn't know what the people were talking about, but somehow understood that it wasn't good at all.
"Finally you're here!" Sakura seemed not happy, "What made you so late?"
"Work." Maria and Oleg replied to her.
"Let's forget about it for the evening, and enjoy it in a company." Sakura declared.
Suzumu, Chikeko and Takeuti liked the idea.
"And if, I'm not mistaken you're Uehara Rin." Oleg turned to the woman.
"Yes." the woman nodded, "We haven't met often, so you cannot know me well." the woman added to him.
"And where is Hagivara? I thought she also would come." Oleg glanced over the group.
"She has some business today, so she won't come." Suzumu answered to Oleg.
"I see." Oleg replied, and all started to get into the restaurant, suddenly they heard a noise. Oleg took out his telephone and replied, "I'll join you in a minute."
"Don't stay long." Takeuti said.
When everyone entered the restaurant, Oleg accepted the call.
"Yes, finally you called me." Oleg said in Russian, "Yes, everything is fine tomorrow in the night; they are to kill demons. Yes meet them or send someone else to do that. I hope everything will be fine." Oleg said and put down the receiver, 'I hope they want be too troublesome for division, after all they're professionals, while these two are just students.' he sighed and looked at the sky, 'However, they're not weak too, under their guide they'll become stronger.' suddenly Oleg heard a voice.
"Oleg, come Chikeko and Sakura doesn't want to start without you!" Suzumu said being in the doorway.
"Coming." Oleg replied and followed the man.
They both came to a private room where a large space was for many customers. Takeuti was sitting between Maria and Sakura, Rin was sitting with Chieko, and Takano sat along with Oleg. The table was filled with different snacks and drinks. All women preferred to drink beer, while the men decided to drink something heavy.
"Now, let me say greeting to our new colleague!" Sakura declared, "Maria Vlasova, the teacher of mental protection. I hope we will work with you as well as we did with Oleg!"
The named woman got up and said, "I hope you'll take care of me on the new place. I know nothing about the place so I hope you'll tell me everything I must know. I have a good feeling in working with you." she declared.
They hit their glasses, and started to drink. After drinking the first glasses they started to eat snacks and talk.
"By the way, Uehara, what lesson do you teach?" Maria asked the woman.
"My first subject is Math, and sometimes I substitute physics." the woman replied.
"What missions do you specialize? I always wanted to talk with you, but rarely saw you in the academy." Oleg joined to questioning.
"Rescuing and infiltration." she replied, "I find them more important, as there's nothing important, but to save our pupils from traps and captivity." then Rin looked at Maria, "And what about you?"
"I'm focused on retrieving data, and killing demons." Oleg merely replied.
"I have got a question to Maria." Suzumu joined the talk, "How your ability works? Can you show it?"
"Calm down." Chikeko tried to not the man bother the transferred teacher, "She can't show it, as you can only feel it."
"What?" the man didn't understand.
"For example, if you drink a lot." Maria started to explain, "I can use my power and the sense of drunk will leave you. But after some period of time, I must repeat it as crapulence will return to you. Or if you over eat, I can make your mind to feel that it didn't eat, something like that."
"Wow, very useful ability." Suzumu chuckled.
"It's just a mere explanation." Oleg added, "Her powers can do much more than that, I hope you've read about mental abilities of Archon and Przemislav."
"Yes, but I still don't know how they work." Suzumu replied.
"I want to know one more thing." Rin decided to ask Maria too, "Since we remembered these guys, is that Archon your full brother?" her question was firm, and by her face it was easy to say that she wanted to hear an honest answer.
"Hey, Rin." Chikeko said, "Isn't it impolite! Even if he is her full brother, she can respond for his actions."
"Yeah, I think so too!" Sakura joined Chikeko's side.
"I just want to know, how we can be sure that she isn't working with him?" Rin still was restless, "We had such people in our lines, who were spies and helpers to the ones who betrayed us."
"Rin!" Sakura got up and hit the table with her palms, "It was already said, she can respond for her brother, why are you continuing that? And just to let you know, she helped us twice."
"I agree with Sakura, she even helped us three times, with mental barriers, during our prelist mission. I understand now, how her power works, so I can say that she could do with us that day, and we all could be captured." Chikeko glanced at Sakura, who still was watching at the woman with blue hair.
The two men didn't know how to enter the talk, but somehow wanted to calm the female part, but suddenly Maria took the word after drinking her glass.
"I understand your distrust towards me." she said coldly, the half of presenters felt creepy themselves of it, "I must say you that nothing, but blood binds me with that scum. He betrayed our country and now he is one of the most wanted criminals of it, I was among first one, who want to find him and get his head."
"Then why did he betray you?" Rin asked again.
"As it was told, he has his own head on shoulders, I'm not his mother nor girlfriend in order to wander around him, and the name of his sister is tense I must say."
"So you don't know even why he became a criminal? Money, influence or something else?" Suzumu asked her this time.
"I don't care why he did that, but the one who'll get his neck will be me." the woman replied, "His crimes will be paid dearly."
"Okay, boys and girls." Oleg entered the conversation, "Let's stop our conversation about these guys for one evening. Sakura, Chikeko how about to do some special training for our students?"
"What do you mean?" the women asked him in unison.
"Well, if they're to fight them, they must be ready for everything." Oleg started to explain his notion, "I think to do something of a special training in groups like three against three."
"Not a bad Idea." Takeuti became lively, "If me help is needed, I'm in too!"
"If you want it can be done as experiment with your class during our brief vacation." Chikeko said.
"How about two teacher against two three students?" Sakura gave an idea, "I think it'll be good for them, one two fight us and the third one trying to find a needed moment tries to help to someone in trouble."
"Not a bad idea." Suzumu replied.
'They are so kind to their students.' Maria thought, and said, "I would advise you to another method, two teachers against one student, that will give them a sense of a real fight."
"They won't have a chance." Oleg chuckled, "That'll be a real hardcore for them."
"Our students have such trainings, why not to make them here?" Maria didn't want to give up with such idea.
"Not often." Oleg replied, "But still… I think it can work." Oleg pondered, "For example I, Chikeko and Sakura could give them a really difficult time."
"Now you're telling like our former teachers." Maria was satisfied of Oleg.
They continued their talk, drinking and eating. The tenseness left and no one remembered Maria's connection with Anatoly. However Rin and Maria still remained strictness, although they dropped into the talk. The meeting lasted until the evening, Chikeko decided to leave first as she had a mission tomorrow and didn't want to be like a kneading-through on it, she even drank not much. The other persons who left were Rin Uehara and Suzumu. And then Takeuti decided to leave the restaurant.
Sakura, Maria and Oleg left the place and started to walk by streets.
"Damn, that Rin doesn't know when to stop." Sakura mumbled, "Why the hell she asked such stupid questions." Sakura was slightly drunk, "I ask for forgiveness if she hurt you."
"No need." Maria replied, "It just questioning nothing more, I got use to it, so there's no need to be scared of it."
"Man, you're like Mu-chan." Sakura stretched, "Frown outside, kind inside. Oleg is lucky to have such friend, as I do."
Maria stumbled, "Th… Thank you." Maria mumbled it wasn't clear did she like such praising or not. She looked at Oleg trying to see his thoughts, but Oleg was only watching somewhere ahead.
'Is it possible to return everything back?' Oleg asked himself, 'If there only was a way.'
"By the way thank you for helping us, if not your help then, we wouldn't be able to left without troubles."
"Don't mention it. It was our duty to help you." Maria replied to Sakura, by her voice it was possible to understand that the woman started to dislike her obtrusiveness.
They went to the middle of the village, Sakura decided to leave old friends together, and go home alone. Oleg wanted to help her, but she rejected his aid, and went on her own.
"You found good friends." Maria said to him, waving with her hand to Sakura, "Such ones will always help in troubles."
"Likewise you're not going to make friends out of them too." Oleg smiled to himself.
"I don't think I'll make friends here." Maria answered.
"Always the same song." Oleg sighed, "Just be easier and kinder and people will be close to you too. It seems, Takeuti liked you."
"I'm not interested in make loving relations abroad." Maria turned around and walked to the accommodation, Oleg followed her.
"And what if I would offer you to go out somewhere?"
"I thought that woman with silver hair is your girlfriend." Maria looked at him.
"Why do you think so?"
"You had such an intensive conversation on our way to the restaurant." Maria narrowed her eyes.
"Are you jealous?" Oleg narrowed his eyes too?
"Idiot." Maria only replied.
"We were discussing our work, just as you were talking with Takeuti, nothing more." Oleg did a pause, and then asked his friend, "By the way, what if I decided to date with someone, what you would say in that?"
"I would be…" Maria stumbled, "Glad, I think." she said after a pause.
"I see." Oleg said, "I would be glad too if you find someone whom you'll like."
Their further way was in complete silence. No one said even a single word. They didn't want to hurt each other more.
There was a pretty big crowd on a roof top. A man and a woman were standing on its right edge with four demons, while four other strange creatures were standing aside. The demons and humans were talking with each other, while the creatures were only watching at them with some dread and anger.
"Where is Celine?" Etienne asked Tardis, "I thought she must be here already."
"Don't hurry; sometimes she can be late." the Pegasus replied, "After all it was her, who called us before our searching."
"I'm surprised that master Walter isn't taking part in our hunt." a massive werewolf, Alid, growled, "I hoped to see his power, is he really that strong?"
"Do you still have doubt of it?" Tiradex exposed his teeth in a frightening smile.
"I don't but still would like to see what he can do." Alid replied.
"Maybe you'll be able to face the power of mistress Celine." Tiradex said to him with a grin.
"Mister Richar." the woman turned to him, "Shouldn't we think about our formation? We still don't know who will go with whom."
"Yes." the man fixed his glasses, "Listen! Our formation will be next I with my apprentice will go with my creatures, and you decide how you'll go."
"That was fast." Tardis seemed not amused at all.
"I'll go with Alid again, I hope I'll be able to get that girl, for what she has done to me." the demon grinned, in his maw one tooth was absent.
"Then, will I go with you?" the demon with a massive tail, Malek looked at the Pegasus.
"I don't think that it'll be good." Tardis pondered, "Two scouts won't be a good idea. We must take bigger square, that's why one must go with the one who hasn't got perfect scent."
"Now everything is fine." Malek became calm of these words, "I'm glad that I'm not the only one who thought about it."
"You have much more benefits just flying around and checking the area." the dinosaur didn't like the plan of his demonic comrade.
Suddenly a tail appeared between the dinosaur and the Pegasus, "On the contrary, his nose isn't as strong as yours, so he has to be with you or Alid." Malek replied, "If you want we can be in pair together and Alid will work with Tardis."
Tiradex watched at Malek, he wanted to say something, but he paid attention on changing of the air. It became cold; they turned around and saw a person in white metal armor, along with beautiful lass, in a cloak.
"Finally!" Etienne exclaimed, "Any news? Where can we find our precious Taimanin for my projects?"
'Food.' Tiradex thought watching at the girl, he came closer to her, but then he was curbed by Celine.
The demon stepped back, Malek and Alid saw that, and understood that this person is really dangerous. They could even feel a strange aura of hers.
"Still not well known." Celine replied, "Haven't found direct location… only approximate…"
"And where is it?" Liza asked the armored woman.
"There." Celine pointed to the West, "Several hunters were seen… But couldn't be chased…"
After these words Stephaney felt herself like a culprit. She even turned her face from them, trying not to be seen, but next words of Celine amused her a lot.
"Soon will find them all, she will help too… in that…" Celine looked at the girl.
"Will you join us?" Etienne asked her.
"No… Have to deal with East." Celine shook with her head.
"Fine, we'll check that direction." Etienne replied, and then saw how a cold steam covered the roof, and Celine and her guide left them, "Well, now let's start our hunt, Tardis and Alid will check that direction." he showed to the Northwest, "Tiradex and Malek?" the demon nodded, "Will go there." he pointed to southeastern direction, "And we'll take that one." now he pointed to the West.
"If something goes wrong, I'll come to help." Tardis replied.
Everyone agreed and went to their directions.
Etienne and Liza were following the creatures, which were in front of them. The creatures were fast, however it wasn't difficult to follow them. Etienne didn't remove his eyes from the creatures, Liza did the same. The creature with for legs and some processes on its back was the leading. It was sniffing and checking direction, so it made them to stop from time to time. The creature that reminded a bat was flying in the sky checking everything around. The other two creatures, a massive monster with lobster claws and the monster that looked like a snake, were behind the four legged creature.
'Interesting, will we be able to find something?' Etienne asked himself, 'I can't wait to see what will appear out of these cells.'
The creature sniffed for several seconds and then continued its way, the team followed him. The winged monster flew a bit faster, and then started to circle, the four legged demon noticed it and started to sniff.
"Finally." Etienne grinned.
The monster followed the same rout the winged monster flew, the snake creature and the massive one followed their comrade. When the team was on the place there was nothing.
"Maybe they stepped back?" Liza started to examine the surface.
"I don't know, but I don't like that." Etienne mumbled also examining the place.
The place where they were now was deserted, somewhat of some factory was in front of them, the creatures weren't going to go to the building as they were waiting for the first acts from their four legged partner. The creature sniffed for a quite long time, but didn't move. Etienne started to lose his patience. He took out some console and pressed a button. The creature fell down and started to shout, in pain and agony.
"I hope now you'll move." Etienne said irritated, then raised his head and shouted to the monster, which looked like an ugly bat, "Go and check the place! If find something come here!"
"How do you think can it be an ambush?" Liza asked him, "I think it was scared and didn't want to go there."
"Maybe, but I don't like disobedience so it's good to teach them from time to time." he replied.
Suddenly the creature did a strange sound that was pretty loud and well heard from such distance. And now it was chased by someone.
"Move!" Etienne ordered.
The three creatures jumped over the gap between buildings and rushed to help their friend. One of the persons, jumped high and wanted to strike the bat, but his jump was failed as the humanoid snake hit the person, with its long arm at the chest.
"What the hell is that?" the man shouted as he landed onto the ground.
"I've never seen such strange demons!" the other person, who was a woman with a scar on the cheek, said, "Are they someone's work?!"
"Mine, to be exact." the man in the white robe responded as he caught up with mutants.
"And who the hell are you?" the man asked Etienne exposing his swords preparing for the worst.
"We?" he looked at Liza, "Answer them, my dear apprentice."
"We are from 'The Third Law'." Liza chuckled, "And by the mark on your chests you're from NOMAD, aren't you?" the girl saw combined letter N and D don't their uniforms, "The only question I has is how much of you are here, I don't think that there only two of you."
"You're pretty smart, girl." the other female chuckled seeing how the winged demon landed onto the shoulder of the massive mutant with lobster pincers, she snapped with her fingers and about ten more people appeared, "That is our number." she chuckled.
"Wow, so many of material, wonderful, wonderful!" Etienne exclaimed jolly, "I hope to find some Taimanin, but that NOMAD will suit me too."
"Much words." some from the crowd replied.
'I've heard somewhere, about these ones, but where?' the man who was with the woman thought.
"Attack!" Etienne gave an order to his creatures, "Leave them alive, I need them for experiments."
The creatures moved. The winged mutant took a wing and flew at the woman; the massive one attacked the man. The snake decided to attack the people who we're from the right, while the four legged monster attacked the ones from the right.
Liza joined the battle and helped to all monsters from time to time, the winged beast did the same. The massive creature didn't parried or dodged the attacks, as all wounds were restored pretty fast, as it was noticeable, it even didn't feel pain at all. The four legged creature attacked two people they were fast, but the creature was fast too. It also used its processes, which gave its opponents troubles.
The snake monster could coil one of its opponents and started to squeeze it spine. The enemy started to snarl, his ally wanted to help, but suddenly something stroke his back.
"What…?!" he only exclaimed and fell down, "Can't… Move…"
"Everything goes as planned, the most important is to get at least five captivities, if we can get more, it'll be only better." Etienne said, to Liza and the monsters.
"Got it, mister Richar!" the girl replied and pushed away her opponent.
'Richar?! That French scientist?' the man with swords pondered, "Arizu, retreat! Inform Lord Black about them we'll handle them!"
"What?!" the woman didn't understand why the man wanted to make her leave.
"He is from high ranks of 'The Third Law'!" he dodged the lunge of the bat mutant, "No time to explain, just go!"
"Got it!" the woman answered and started to leave.
"Don't let her go!" Etienne ordered.
The winged demon followed her, but was stopped by the man who ordered her to go.
"Where do you think you're going?" he chuckled.
The battle continued, Etienne joined it too now. With his help and Liza's support the battle started to come to their favor. Etienne bound his opponents with his tentacles, and used his poisoned needles, in order to immobilize the NOMAD members. The snake humanoid did the same. The battle started to come to its end, and when the last person was immobilized Liza finally exhaled.
"Phew, it was a tough battle. That NOMAD knows how to fight."
"Nothing special, if my pets would be more tempered in battles the fight would be much easier." he looked at the bodies which lied on the ground, "I hope we want start war with NOMAD. It'll be needed to discuss with Walter about that, I hope he'll do something about that. Take them, returning to our point!"
The creature with claws grabbed two captivities, the winged monster took one, the one that looked like a snake took two, and the four legged took one too. The rest there were grabbed by Etienne's tentacles. With such catch they returned to the meeting place.
"Wow you had a really good time." Malek was quite astonished of it, "As for us, we have found nothing."
"Just a messy day, only mere humans were in the way at least I could have a snack." the dinosaur chuckled, "That woman was really delicious."
"Maybe if you looked for someone, you would find at least one hunter." Tardis lectured his comrade, "After all we were able to find two hunters, the problem is that we don't know who they're working for."
"It wasn't difficult for me." Alid chuckled, "And fighting with you gave lots of pleasure."
"It was a pleasure to fight along with such skillful fighter." Tardis praised the werewolf too.
"Interesting, what would you do if you fought with me?" Tiradex scowled.
"Wanna check?" Alid smirked.
"Why you!"
"Gentlemen, I hope you're not going to fight. Walter won't be glad if you do that our captures will have an opportunity to escape."
"Not with broken legs." Alid chuckled and glanced at their two captivities.
"Smart move." Liza looked at them too, "But it would be better to just knock them down."
"By the way, how we're to return?" Malek asked Etienne.
"With my help." they heard a voice behind them, they turned their heads and saw a man with silver armor, "As I can see your catch is not bad, I thought you'd bring not so much."
"I'm hurt of your words." Etienne chuckled, "But our squad missed one woman."
"And?" Walter didn't like what the man wanted to say.
"As I understood, these ones are from NOMAD, and that woman is going to inform Edwin Black, should we worry about that?"
'Edwin Black? Did we cross the road to him?' Malek looked at Alid, who also was worried, but what was next amused them.
"And that's all?" Walter laughed, "I thought there's something really magnificent. That pathetic kid won't harm us, I hope he remembers that I'm yours protector and along with Celine, he will be smashed as just some bothersome fly."
'Who the hell is he if he speaks about Black in such way?' Alid frowned, 'He is just some monster or a naive fool.'
"Just inform me if something goes wrong with him, I'll deal with it." Walter chuckled.
Then he snapped with his fingers and he disappeared.
"Izumi, please slow down a bit." the boy pleaded, "I just can fight with your speed!"
"Why should I? Think that you're in an ordinary battle and you try to strike me." the fair haired girl said to him.
"Easy to say than to do." the boy caught his breath and tried to attack Izumi again.
The combat was intensive, the boy tried his best, Izumi felt it and decided to be easier on him. She started only dodging and parrying his attacks, the boy understood it and became a little braver. But suddenly she parried his trident and did him a foot stretcher. The boy fell down and then felt how a blade was got closer to his neck.
"Your moves become better and better." Izumi gave him a smile.
"Thanks, but I'm still far from your level." the boy replied getting up.
"Didn't know that someone will train you, while I'm off." Izumi and the boy heard a voice, they turned their heads and saw a boy with blue hair along with the fair haired girl, both of them were wearing their combat uniforms.
"Torch!" the boy exclaimed, and rand to the couple.
"What people." Izumi became merry to, as she saw Azumi.
"How was your vacation? What did you do?" the boy started to bomb the lad with lots of different questions.
"Have something interesting happened between you?" Izumi narrowed her eyes and smirked.
"Sis! Not in the presence of children!" Azumi exclaimed.
"Pretty fine." Torch replied to the boy, "and what about you, have that man troubled you?"
"No." he shook with his head, "Master Walter didn't bother me, in your absence, Izumi and Mister Richar taught me everything."
"Glad to hear." he petted the boy, "By the way, where is Doc and the rest?"
"Mistress, Przemislav and Mystic are on some mission, and as I was told they won't came near time." Izumi replied him.
"I see, it seems the books will be given later." Torch seemed a bit upset, but then encourage, "Hey, boy, don't you want to have a practice with me? Or you'll have it only with Izumi now?"
"I'd love too." the boys eyes became bright again, "I'll show you everything what I've learnt!"
"That's the spirit!" Torch liked his mood.
The male fighters went to different sides of the room, while the sisters sat onto the bench that was in a distance from them.
The boy dashed first, Torch awaited such move, and prepared to face the trident with his gloves. Torch could parry the trident, but the boy quickly tried to his Torch with the handle, but Torch blocked it again. After blocking, Torch decided to strike too. The boy dodged the lunge of his opponent and started to attack again.
"Yeah, you've became more careful." Torch praised the boy, "Now, I'm ready to fight using a little more powerful."
"Got it." the boy nodded.
"So, sis." Izumi asked Azumi, "How was your vacation? Did you enjoy it?"
"Well, yes." she replied to Izumi, "I think, I really did."
"What did you do during it?" Izumi continued her interrogation with a smile on her face.
"Well, we were just walking, talking, visited his sister." Azumi enumerated.
"I'm not interested in that, I want to know had you something between each other or not." Izumi grinned like she had already known the answer.
"Um…" Azumi mumbled, "I had something with him, and…"
"And?" Izumi continued the thought.
"I think I love him, sis." the girl mumbled indecisively, "Not just a comrade, but as a man."
"Is it the same love, which we have towards Mistress?" Izumi asked her sister, "Or something more?"
"More…" Azumi replied, "Sis… What would you say if… I would join them?"
"Why such questions?" Izumi didn't understand.
"Would you join me in their organization?"
Izumi didn't replied for this question, he face became a little frown and gloomy. She knew that if there was something, Azumi always tried to think on her own, while Izumi herself only followed orders of her superiors.
"I don't know." Izumi replied somehow strange, as if she didn't want to lose her sister, "I must think."
"Yes, I know that it's a difficult decision, I hope we'll make it right."
"Yes." an image of Polish doctor appeared in front of Izumi's eyes, 'Maybe it'll be not a bad idea? After all only hear I feel myself peacefully, and all thanks to him.'
"Phew! You've became really strong." Torch chuckled as he defeated the boy, "It's take much more time to defeat you than before."
"Thanks, but I still have a lot to study." the boy replied, "By the way, I was on my first mission." the boy suddenly said, "Along with Izumi and other tow guys."
"Really and what have you done?" Torch asked him amused.
"We killed some politician."
"You had lots of interesting ventures, while we were on the vacation." he chuckled, "Will you tell about your mission?"
"Of course!" the boy exclaimed with a joy.
"How I hate waiting that drunkard!" Splash growled, "We must look for Yukikaze's mother, but not interrupt on his stupid ideas and offers!"
"You know, he never bothers other if it's not an urgent." Doppel tried to cool Splash, "Maybe he wants to tell us something about Shiranui?"
"I hope so, or the next flask will be his last one." he mumbled.
"If only you'll be able to beat him." Doppel chuckled, "As I remember you never bit him during practical fights."
"Huh?" Splash turned to the woman, "Do you really think I can't beat him?" the blue haired raised his eyebrow.
"Do you want to say you have been playing with him in the giving away?" she chuckled again, "As I remember it right, he always was equaled to Commander and Hush."
"If I want I'll beat him…"
"Whom you'll beat?" they heard a voice from the right.
Doppel and Splash turned their heads and saw a man in the greatcoat and a service cap.
"Finally, why the hell such harrying, Drunkard?" Splash turned to the newcomer.
"Just have some news for you." the man chuckled, and took out a flask with a paper out of his greatcoat. The man stretched the map to Hush, then opened the flask and then did a sip out of it.
"And when you start have a snack with it?" Doppel sighed deeply.
"What is that damn paper means for us?" Splash didn't understand.
"Well, that paper shows us the places of Kuroi bases and allies." the man explained.
"Interesting." Splash pondered, "And there're only seven of them."
"It's only in Tokyo Kingdom, and as I know known to us right now." Drunkard answered, "The place I'm going to check is that one." the man came to Hush and pointed at the circle which was near the water.
"Isn't it a bit reckless to go there alone?" Doppel didn't like what she'd just heard, "Even if you're strong that doesn't mean that you can do everything what you want."
"I'll have an ally." Drunkard smirked, "So there's no need to worry about me. As for you, you'll have a little another task."
"What?" Splash and Doppel exclaimed.
"The hell does that mean?! Where are we sent again?!" Splash grunted becoming angry.
"To meet Mizuki Yukikaze." Drunkard replied.
"What?" Splash surprised.
"She agreed to join us in this mission and you're to meet her tomorrow, and your additional order is to help with their mission too, and then they'll join you." Drunkard explained.
"Wow that really surprising." Doppel still was amazed of these words, "I thought she won't do such a thing."
"You're forgetting whose daughter she is." Splash smirked, "No wonders why she decided to do that."
"Your truth." Doppel nodded.
"One more question." Doppel asked the man in the greatcoat, "Who you're going to take for checking of that location?"
"It's a secret." he turned to her, "After all I have secrets too."
"I don't like when you speak like that." Doppel came closer to him, "But I hope you'll do nothing reckless."
"I passed Bosnia and Montenegro, what can scare me?" Drunkard answered, "By the way, their mission was about to clean some place from demons or something like that, so I hope you won't mess up."
"Nothing special." Splash responded, "It'll be done fast and then we continue our mission."
"Nice to hear." Drunkard said, "Now you can go and rest tomorrow at elven o'clock you're to meet them." the man took his flask again, and did another drink.
Splash, Hush and Doppel left leaving the man alone. The man stood for some period of time watching at the farthest parts of the city. In his hands he was holding his flask, but still didn't drink. He put his flask under his greatcoat and then watched at his telephone.
'Half past three.' the man thought, 'Well, I think he should come to the place too.'
The man jumped onto another building and then onto another one. His way was long, it took almost an hour. On his way to the needed location he was thinking a lot.
'Interesting, how does his daughter look like? I think her temper must be the same as his one.' Drunkard pondered, 'And in appearance it would be really better if she looked like Shiranui.' he took out the paper and looked at it, 'Thank goodness they believed to it. With him, I'll be able to deal with that location, which the most dangerous, after all it's not interesting to live without intrigue.' he chuckled to his thoughts, 'However, it'd be better to give that place to their company, maybe Doppel would sniff something.'
He continued his way until he found some factory. As he saw there were lights inside of it. It was a big building that didn't seem special; the man looked and saw some men and demons outside of it.
'One, two, four, six…' Drunkard counted in his head, 'This place is really protected well, I counted about thirty guards and at the same time, the question of their numbers in the building is still opened.'
"What are you thinking about?" Drunkard heard a voice behind him.
"What the…?" the man turned around and sighed in relief seeing the newcomer in front of him, "Didn't I tell you that I hate such appears, Mystic?" Drunkard said to the man with the cloak and the hood.
"Sorry, why so urgent?" Mystic asked the man, "Usually, you give me at least a day or two for preparations."
"This time is another, we are saving Mizuki Shiranui." Drunkard replied.
"Yasuhiro Mizuki's wife?" Mystic asked him, "And why the hell I must help you to save our enemy?" the mysterious man chuckled.
"Because I saved your ass in Montenegro, so now you owe me." Drunkard took out a flask, and did a sip, "Want some?"
"Sorry, don't drink on missions." Mystic replied, coming to the edge of the building, "And what are you going to find here?"
"Maybe some evidences, which can bring us to Shiranui." the man in the greatcoat replied, "However, I don't think we'll find here anything."
"About forty guardians." Mystic said to himself, "Not a good place for just two hunters, what's with the time?"
"About four o'clock." Drunkard did another sip of his drink.
Mystic grabbed the flask and put it under his cloak.
"Hey! The hell you're doing?!" Drunkard didn't like what his companion just did.
"You'll drink after the mission." Mystic answered, "I don't have much time, so let's deal with it fast."
"Your bastards are waiting for you?" the member of 'Red Division' smirked.
"Don't call them that." Mystic asked him, and then said, "Now, let's go."
Both of them jumped off the building, and started to sneak from one corner to another one.
'Well, where to go?' the man with the service cap pondered, and showed Mystic to go to the right.
The man nodded and they headed to the pointed route. Suddenly Drunkard stopped, Mystic looked at him, Drunkard pointed with his thumb to the turn. Mystic nodded and quickly dashed to behind the corner.
"What? Who's…" the demon wasn't able to speak as his neck was quickly pierced with Mystic's dagger.
Then they heard some hard steps. Mystic and Drunkard looked at each other, and quickly hid themselves in the shadow of the building.
"What's going on here?!" A man with machine gun exclaimed, "What the…?!"
"Who have done that?" the demon asked the man watching at the demon who was lying dead on the ground.
'Five.' Drunkard and Mystic counted together.
Drunkard jumped out of the shadows quickly taking out his sickles. He jumped into the middle of the group.
"Hunters! Call for help!" the man shouted.
The man did a swing and two enemies fell down lifeless. Mystic jumped out too and dealt with another two persons. The fifth one tried to escape, but Mystic threw his dagger at him.
"Not bad." Drunkard whispered, "I thought you've become slower."
"Don't think so." Mystic grabbed his blade, "I thought the same about you."
They continued their way. They met demons and human mercenaries on their way and dealt with them fast, they were like two predators, who were dealing with their pray. The targets were unable to do anything. Then they found a way inside of the building, when they sneaked into it, Drunkard heard Mystic's whispering.
"What's now?"
"Let me think." they jumped to the dark place, "Well, I think we must hear what local bastards are talking about."
"Do you think they'll discuss Mizuki Shiranui such all of a sudden?" Mystic hid his chuckling.
"I don't know, but maybe they will blurt something out." Drunkard replied.
Suddenly they heard some voices, somewhere not far from them. Two demon hunters shut quickly and started to listen to them.
"I don't know, why the hell Kuroi ordered us not to oppose NOMAD? If he decided to show his ass in battles we would easily destroyed them!" a rude voice said.
"Don't say such things." the second one replied, but this one was a bit softer, "He doesn't like to act openly and always try to work concealed."
"That's why we haven't taken that damn kingdom yet! If he let us use that Taimanin bitch that always wanders around him, we would be able to take some other place!"
'Are they talking about Shiranui?' the member of 'Red Division' thought, watching at his companion from 'The Third Law' with a smirk.
Mystic didn't watch at him and was watching at the couple, which had a talk.
'You still don't know who is standing behind us.' Mystic chuckled in his head.
"That damn bitch is only pleases him or doing some stupid mission on capturing Taimanin." The first massive demon continued to grunt.
"The second one is good with them we rise our power, but still NOMAD is strong and it'll be difficult for us to oppose them, and at the same time I've heard, someone has attacked one of NOMAD's shelters."
"Hah?" the first demon was surprised with that.
Drunkard looked at Mystic and touched his arm, Mystic nodded on such move and both continued listening.
"I've heard they were battered by some monsters, with another two persons, one looked like a Taimanin, and the other one used tentacles and was wearing a doctor's robe."
'Etienne.' Drunkard thought, 'And how they can strike so many targets?'
"Do you think they'll strike us too?" the angry and loud voice asked the second person.
"I don't know, but we must be ready to strike back." the second one replied, "No one knows, will we be attacked by Taimanin, NOMAD or by these new gits."
Drunkard took out his sickles, Mystic did the same with his blades, and in next moment they jumped out.
"What?!" the first person, who was a big demon exclaimed.
"Taimanin?!" the second one, who was a human shouted too.
The demon was quickly killed, with a sickle, while the human fell onto the ground and a blade was got close to his neck.
"Now, we have someone to interrogate." the man took out his flask and did a sip out of it.
"Who the hell are you?" the man was frightened.
"Don't even think to call for reinforcement." Mystic worried him, "Or you join him fast."
"I wouldn't dare to bargain with him." the man in the greatcoat pointed at Mystic, "Now, if you answer our several questions we will let you go."
"What do you want to know?" the man asked them still being excited and frightened.
"Where can we find Mizuki Shiranui? We are to find her." Mystic asked him.
"King's assassin?" the man reasked, "I don't know, several days before she was here, to check everything, but right now her location is unknown."
"What she had to check?" Drunkard asked their captivity.
"The security of the base, nothing more." the man replied, "I've heard she must go to some other shelter in the middle of the Tokyo Kingdom."
Drunkard took out a map out of his greatcoat and showed it to the man "Is this map of you bases here?"
The man examined it and replied, "Yes, it is, but we also have a base here." he pointed into the middle of the map, "I think she must be there."
"Really?" Mystic asked him, "And if she is not there?"
"She must be there till the end of the week." the man answered as the cold blade got closer to his neck.
"And we have Monday today." Drunkard pondered.
"You're to wait there she can come anytime." Mystic said.
They heard some more steps somewhere not far from them. The man wanted to shout, but was quickly shut with the blade of Mystic. The corpse fell onto the ground. Drunkard got closer to Mystic and then they disappeared in circles of winds.
In no time they were on the same roof they had been some time before.
"Now we know where to start." Drunkard looked at the map, "Interesting is this place well protected?"
"If it's in the middle of that Kingdom, then no doubt it is." Mystic answered him, "This place is not far from NOMAD's central base, so be careful there."
"Aren't you going with us?" Drunkard looked at him with a smirk.
"Not funny." Mystic replied emotionlessly, "By the way how are Haze and Hush?"
"Not bad, they…" Drunkard wasn't able to answer as he heard some sound.
"Yes?" Mystic put his hand onto his ear, "Yes, I'm coming, don't start without me, on my way." Then he removed his hand and stretched it to Drunkard, "Till next time, have to run."
"Yeah, good luck on your missions too." the man with the service cap shook the hand of the criminal, and saw how the member of 'The Third Law' disappeared in the circles of winds, "And I must go too, I think they will like what we've just known."
The night was late, but the work in NOMAD's base wasn't stopping, and was going as usual in some places fast and urgent, somewhere pretty reasonably. There was an office on the last floor, where the leader of one of the most dangerous criminal organizations was thinking on some reports. In front of his was a woman in a black official suit, her skin was brown, her hair was pink and her eyes were amber. She was holding some papers and was reading something to the man, while the man was listening and was giving his comments on her reading.
"So right now, we know that 'Black Wing' was in charge of kidnappings in Sapporo." the woman read to the man, who was wearing a black official suit too, but his neck was decorated with a blue tie, "And at the same time, they were working with 'The Third Law'."
"I see." the man replied emotionlessly, when he heard the name of the second organization, "Anything on Kuroi's activity, Ingrid?" he asked her watching at her.
"Yes, master Black." Ingrid nodded, "His allies started to act bolder, I think it's because of Mizuki Shiranui, who was captured and brainwashed by him, they even started to cooperate with other organizations in Tokyo kingdom."
"Not bad for him." Black smirked, "This scum has really start to act rough if he dares to sneak my territory."
"Shall we do something with that?" Ingrid asked him.
"No, we will see what he does first." Black replied, "It'll be stupid and reckless to show that we are thinking something about that, first we must know what is in his head, and only then strike him."
"As you wish master." Ingrid said, and continued her reports.
After some minutes, they heard some voices behind the door, then a knock at the door, and then saw a woman who rushed into the office, not even excused.
"Lord Black, an urgent message from the shelter four!" the woman exclaimed.
"What is the meaning of this?" Ingrid wasn't glad of such rude interruption, and wanted to hear the reason of that deed.
"Lord Black!" the woman tried to catch her breath, "We were attacked!"
"By whom?" Black raised his eyebrow, the woman could attract her interest, and with a sign of hand he ordered Ingrid not to interrupt her.
"These people called themselves 'The Third Law'! A man with gray hair and doctor's robe a woman with pink hair, who uses magnetism and some strange creatures struck us, I've never saw them before." she did a pause, "They attack my squad, I escaped, while my comrades decided to leave and fight them, their fate is unknown for me."
Black put his hands into a lock; his face became frown, "Was there a man in silver armor?"
"What?" the woman didn't understand the question.
'The man that came to us several two months ago?' Ingrid thought remembering their meeting with the representative of that organization.
"No." the woman shook with her head, 'I didn't see such a person there."
"Good." Black sighed, it was possible to see that the sigh he did was nervous, "You may be free."
"Yes, Sir!" the woman declared and left the office.
"Master Black." Ingrid said, when the sound of steps finally vanished, "Who is that person you've asked her about? I don't want to say such thing, but it seems you're afraid of him."
"It's stupid not to be afraid of him." Black got up from his chair and came to the big window that was behind him.
"But why? What's so special in that person? When he arrived that time, you became suppressed and thoughtful."
"Have you ever heard about Demon Lords?" Black suddenly asked Ingrid.
"Of course I have, there's no one in the demon's world and here who can match with you." Ingrid replied.
"I'm pleased." Black chuckled, "But, I'm asking you about ten Demon Lords, who were before us." Black responded, he felt how Ingrid was confused.
"No, I've never heard about them." Ingrid replied quickly.
"It's because they existed for long before you're born. We destroyed all memories about them, long ago, so no one knows about them in Demon World, there's only small number of demons, who know about them." Black did a small pause, "They were our mentors and masters, who taught us everything we know."
"So do you want to say, that man is much stronger than you are?" Ingrid asked him, being astonished.
"Yes, he is." Black sighed and turned to his interlocutor, "Long ago, there were ten lords of three lines, one of the first line, three of the second one, and six of the third one."
"And that one is…?"
"The second lord of the second line." Black answered her, "He is mine and Teutates mentor, who taught us everything we know. In some ways we were his generals."
"If you mean that you two were his disciples, that mean the other lords are the disciples of the other demon lord too, am I right?"
"Yes, I Astaroth, Ryuji, Teutates, Kaliya and other noble demons were the generals of the Lords."
"But, why don't we know about them?" Ingrid still was shocked of heard information, "I mean, even being the first Hell Knight I've never heard about them even a thing."
"The first lord was sealed away." Black started his explanation as he sat back onto his place, he gave a sign that Ingrid can do the same, "The three of the second line supposed to be destroyed, by some human heroes, along with first three lords of the third line. The other three lords of the last line were destroyed, by us."
"So you killed your own masters?" Ingrid was shocked; by her voice it was easy to understand that it was difficult for her to belive in that story.
"Yes. However, it seems that Demon Lords of the second line weren't defeated all." Black leaned onto the back of his chair and pondered, "Our only hope is in that he haven't restored his powers yet, and the other hope is that he is the only one, who is alive."
"And what if the other ones are alive?"
"We'll have a lot of troubles. It was difficult for us to defeat the one of the last line, so I don't know how we'll handle with the Lords of the second one."
"Can you tell about that second lord something else?" Ingrid asked him.
"He was called a Vampire Lord or sometime Bone King, as his main ability is manipulating with bones." Black stopped for a second, "Each lord possessed unique power, and he taught us his own too. He is a master of necromancy, Teutates studied that why, while I preferred on ruling over demons, however, that doesn't mean I can use it at all."
"I see." Ingrid responded, "So, what are we going to do with them? Shall we watch after them?"
"Yes, send Oboro to the place, where was the fight, maybe she find something. Right now we shouldn't show that we are daring them, but do everything carefully, and say her not to attack them."
"I will my lord." Ingrid nodded and left the office in searching of the named person.