*Vroooo- screeeeee*
The motorbike roared through the streets of ward 4, cutting through the traffic and weaving through the congestion like a snake in a field of tall grass.
Eren's mind was heavy with thoughts. Dark deadly machinations.
'Who were those men? Why did death not have any hold over them? How can I make sure Emi is safe?'
Angry, frustrated, worried. The Reaper felt like a cage had been put up around him without any warning. His father's debt angered him greatly; the incompetence of a man he once held in higher regard.
Not to mention that Emi's name was on a list, and she had become a tool, a bargaining chip for an industry that should not be after a girl like that.
"Master." Saku spoke into the ear of Eren.
"Yes?!"
"The pair that you cut down... They have been spotted again." The Reaper almost lost control of the bike, swaying into oncoming traffic before righting himself.
"WHAT!"
"Yes... A few kilometres away from Emi's location-"
*VROOOOOM*
Eren turned the bike on its heel in an instant 180 degrees and blasting down the road. Faster than the wind and swifter than any car that would stand in his way.
"Lead me!" He shouted over the sound of the engine and rushing wind.
A crow emerged; from a shadow just ahead of the bike, leading a trail to follow.
---
"What do we do now?" Alekseev asked Mr. Kim-Woo in his broken accent. The pair skulking through the back alleys at the edge of ward 4.
"We have to collect the debt before we show our faces to the boss."
"We keep following the target?" The Russian looked to Kim-Woo for an answer.
"Of course, if he continues to attack us, we'll have no choice but to bring back up."
"Da..." Alekseev held some fear thinking of having their efforts scrutinized by those higher above. Calling in back up would cost them their commission.
"Come... We will try once more to be civil with the son. Then we may need to-"
*Vrrooooom*
A motorcycle roared in the distance. Louder and louder, it drew closer.
"He found us?" The Russian held a surprised look on his face; Kim-Woo didn't show any expression what so ever.
"We run?"
"We bargain." Kim-Woo simplified.
*Vrroom Vrooooooom*
The sound of the motorcycle grew closer and closer, whilst the pair of debt collectors hid in the shadows.
Although Eren knew exactly where they were hiding. The Reaper didn't let go of the throttle; driving the motorcycle into the pair and pinning Kim-Woo into the wall with the front wheel.
In an instant the wheel shredded his fine suit and tore into the skin beneath, grinding into the man like a meat blender.
Alekseev stood dumbfounded as the Reaper dismounted from the bike and walked to the Russian.
*Schlick*
Eren made short work of the man with a single swipe of his whip. Cutting off his legs; the man fell to the floor with a heavy thud.
"I cut you clean in half. Why are you alive?" Eren interrogated. But the Russian gave nothing. Save for the repeated lines…
"You owe us ten million yen... Pay up, or we come for girl-"
*Schlick*
Alekseev's head flew from his shoulders; a clean strike. His neck stump spraying blood like a fountain as it landed with a heavy thud.
"What the hell are they..." Eren looked at his hands, and then back to the bodies. Even if they were rankers, they would have been dead twice over by now.
Power of death? And it belonged to two low level thugs?
"Master..."
"What?!" Eren was still on edge, the anger still boiling deep within the man's heart. Or was it still the fear?
Saku seemed just as surprised at the reaper's outburst. Taking a step-back from the snappy question.
"What is it?" The reaper asked with a calmer tone of voice. He had no reason to yell at Saku. It wasn't the shadows' fault for this mess.
"Your sister and her friends are safe."
A deep exhale he began to think of what to do next.
~
Emi.
Yeah?
Can you stay at Mayu's house tonight?
Sure. Why?
Nothing important. I'll be out for guild business.
Okay. Thanks.
~
Eren put down the phone and turned to Saku.
"Keep looking for them. They'll turn up again." He ordered, but not in any angry mode. Just one of certainty.
"Yes master." With that the shadow left to resume his duties. Eren absorbed the corpses once more; leaving only the blood and gore to soak into the pavement.
***
Over and over; Eren tracked them down and cut the pair of men apart, each time finding them somewhere within ward four.
Again and again, he would cut the telekinetic Mr. Kim-Woo down first, the more powerful of the duo. Followed a quickly ended interrogation to Alekseev the Russian.
They never answered, only repeating. "You owe us ten million yen. Please pay your debts, or else we take the girl as payment."
The more they spoke, the angrier Eren grew. His heart contorting into itself with each beat.
He would be tempted to pay it. But didn't trust that these seemingly immortal loan sharks would keep to their word and leave.
"Fuck!" Eren kicked the corpse of Alekseev as hard as possible, the body flew across the room and hit the wall of the warehouse with a heavy crunching noise.
'What is this... Why do they keep fucking coming back? No way these two are immortals.'
"Master..." Megi appeared at Eren's side. A look of pity on her fox face.
"What?!" Eren yelled out, but quickly caught himself. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, calming down. "I'm sorry..."
"Baelor. You were going to visit Baelor?" Megi reminded the man of what he had planned originally.
"Yeah... Yeah, thank you." He turned to leave. Picking up the head of the dead Russian. Tossing it on the bike, that would be something to show to the elf.
---
*Thud*
"Hello Eren, you have something for me today?" Baelor sat in his office as he so often does; drinking wine and reading a book in the glow of an afternoon sunset.
"This fucker and a slimy Korean pencil pusher have been following me around the entire afternoon demanding I pay off my father's debts. Every time I kill them, they show up again somewhere else." Eren threw the head on to the floor of Baelor's office.
"A loan shark with immortality? For all human ingenuity, you still prioritise the various methods to exploit and prey upon one another... I'm assuming your sister has been threatened?" The elf was quick to put together the pieces of why the Reaper was so irritated.
"Yeah, I've got a guards set up around her. But these bastards just keep appearing around the ward... How is this possible?"
"Hmmm." Baelor knelt to the head, checking through the remains. He seemed to be searching for something, but what it was. Eren could not say.
"A homunculus."
"Both of them?" Eren asked.
Eren had his own ability to summon a homunculus which he rarely used. He thought it would be more useful, but it is really used as a training partner for his students fight. Not to mention it didn't quite look human…
But these ones passed any uncanny valley test.
"Often they possess inferior designs from their main whole. They are extensions of a singular life form. They will continue to spawn until the main body is killed."
"How do we find the main body?" The reaper looked at Baelor's hand, which pointed to a small insignia on the base of the neck.
"Your skeleton advisor... Bring him."
"Saku."
He emerged from the shadows. A full bow to the Guildmaster.
"What do you require master elf?"
"Have you been tracking the locations of these two men?"
"Yes, I have mapped them in my memory."
"Well-done. I would like you to chart their locations for us."
Baelor went to his computer; tapping away at the keyboard. A map appeared to the left; Ward 4.
Saku began to point his bone finger to the sightings of the men.
A pattern began to emerge with each sighting of the duo, a wide circle surrounding the western section of ward four. Leading into the neighbouring ward 3.
"Within ward 3 you will find your targets."
"Thank you, Baelor." Eren turned to leave. In a hurry to deal with this threat. Saku vanished back into the shadows.
However; Baelor stood to stop the Reaper from leaving before one last bit of advice could be given.
"Eren."
"What?" He turned on heel to face the elf.
"Your anger, your rage, your fear. I can see it in your eyes. Do not let your emotions get the best of you. You've done so well as the reaper, owing to the control over the ring and over yourself... Take a moment. Calm yourself, then make them fear death."
Wise words from a wise elf. Although Eren left without any other response.
Looking at his ring. Every time the ring begs for blood it speaks to him; in whispers, and temptations. Begging for more. Now, it was quiet, not a silent whisper.
What was it up to? Why was it not asking to feast upon these faux humans? It would be a near infinite supply of food for a near infinite appetite for souls.
"Eren, what are you doing here?" Kaori spoke with a skip in her step, seeing her probable boyfriend walk past in a hurry.
"Would you like to go out for dinner? I can book reservations for-"
"Later." Eren was curt in his response not stopping once to even look at her.
"Oh… How about next time?"
No response. Eren had rounded the corner without a word.
Eren was too deep in thought to even notice who it was speaking to him.
'Why have you gone quite?' Despite all the anger and fear, Eren knew the ring was waiting for its opportunity.
Surely it wasn't influencing Eren without him knowing? Waiting for him to break under its own pressure?
It wasn't going to work…
Right?