The room was thick with tension.
Yukihime had entered Kugutsu's office without saying a word, keeping her presence to a minimum.
Despite that, many of the serial killer's loyal followers noticed her figure moving toward the upper floors—but paid her no mind.
Only the teams alerted by Kugutsu knew part of the truth.
Her men and women were already equipped and dressed, in case things went south.
If their leader's life was ever in danger, they would be the first to act.
Some would do it out of loyalty, like Cris. Others, out of fear—fear of what the woman would do to their families if she ever sensed hesitation in their actions.
It had happened before: she staged a fake crisis just to test her loyal puppets.
One of their colleagues made the mistake of failing his duty, hoping for Kugutsu's death, while another tried to use the moment to get revenge on the loli.
Both suffered fates worse than death.
The [Black Corps] tortured them for weeks before turning them into two giant dolls.
Dolls that retained full consciousness—but had no ability to move or act on their own.
Kugutsu then had them slaughter their own families and friends, before setting fire to their new artificial bodies.
That act was a clear warning to all of them—what would happen to anyone who tried to back down from their duty to protect the serial killer.
"Welcome, Yukihime. If I had known you were coming, I would've arranged a welcoming committee worthy of your stature."
Kugutsu's voice, dripping with malice and mockery, almost made Yukihime vomit.
To the [Omega Mage], the serial killer looked like a worm writhing in the mud, struggling to survive.
Just speaking to such a person made her feel dirty.
"None of your 'puppets', whether made of flesh, plastic, or [mana], could ever pose a threat to me, little girl." (Yukihime)
"Oh right, you're an [Omega Mage], with two centuries of experience under your belt. I imagine we 'normal' [mages] are just blood bags for you to snack on with those cute little vampire fangs of yours."
Kugutsu was trying to provoke her—to catch her off guard and gain the upper hand.
That's why she was laying out everything she knew about the [New Dawn] leader.
Unfortunately for her, Yukihime had come prepared for exactly this kind of situation.
She wouldn't lose her temper. But that didn't mean she wouldn't release a bit of irritation on her enemy.
" I don't enjoy the taste of blood, nor do I take more than necessary to stay healthy. But you know, everyone has a different aftertaste, depending on their personality... I'm quite sure just a single drop of yours would make me vomit for days." (Yukihime)
"Sounds like you really despise me."
"You're a serial killer who targets men, women, and children alike, without distinction. Did you really think I admired you?"
"No, I thought we might have a certain... connection. You use ice, don't you? It's ideal in battle, against many types of enemies. With your power, you could freeze someone for years, maybe even decades, under the right conditions… Would they still be alive during all that time? Or not? What fascinates me is how their bodies wouldn't change due to external factors. They wouldn't rot or decay, just like my dolls..."
The [Omega Mage] didn't bother to hide her disgust. The fact that Kugutsu believed they had something in common was revolting.
"I might've understood if you had used your power to defend yourself. But you never did. You killed innocents for fun, under the sick justification of your twisted mind. Don't compare yourself to me, you disgust me." (Yukihime)
"Not the best attitude to have toward someone who holds your people hostage." (Kugutsu)
"I could say the same. Don't forget, I could kill you in the blink of an eye, long before your little toys could do anything to stop me. Did you really think I wouldn't notice you've stationed them all over the place?" (Yukihime)
For a moment, Kugutsu's facade slipped—just for an instant—before she quickly composed herself. The dolls under her control twitched for a few seconds before calming down.
"But could you save my prisoners before they suffer permanent damage? I don't think so—otherwise, you would've done it already, right? After all, Takeda Fumio has a rare and useful ability, not to mention Goto's stepson... quite the valuable pieces you've got there. Or maybe I should say... puppets?"
Being equated with her again made Yukihime's skin crawl.
"Think what you like, little girl. But we're not here to talk about this, are we?" (Yukihime)
"No, we're not." (Kugutsu)
The pressure in the room rose, along with the tension between them. The two stared at each other in silence, waiting to see who would speak first.
"Your little 'revolution' or 'civil war' will fail if Goto finds out about you." (Kugutsu)
"Yes. That's true. Your boss would launch a preemptive strike with everything he has, and wipe us out."
The [New Dawn] leader didn't even try to hide the truth, even though it weakened her position.
"I want certain guarantees, in exchange for keeping my mouth shut and keeping my subordinates out of the conflict when it begins." (Kugutsu)
"No." (Yukihime)
"No?"
"No. Don't try to demand anything from me when we both know you're the one at a disadvantage."
"Oh really?"
"Let's say you tell Goto about us, what do you think would happen to you? We both know he would never forgive a subordinate who made a deal with one of his enemies... he'd make you an example for the rest of his lapdogs."
Kugutsu paled slightly. If it hadn't been Yukihime sitting in front of her, it would've gone unnoticed.
"He would. But first, he'd go after the bigger threat: you. That would give me enough time to execute an escape plan." (Kugutsu)
"Not if I bring the battle straight to your district. The best fighters of the [New Dawn] would be on you in seconds. You'd have no allies, no dolls, when Goto came for you." (Yukihime)
If anyone else had been in the room at that moment, they likely would have suffocated from the tension.
"We're not getting anywhere if we keep threatening each other." (Kugutsu)
"No. But I just want to reiterate a simple fact: you're not the one in control here. If years of sacrifice are undone by your actions, I will find a way to make you pay." (Yukihime)
An uncomfortable silence fell over the office as the two continued to stare at each other.
"However, I'm willing to offer something in exchange for your neutrality." (Yukihime)
"Now you're speaking my language. I assume someone as old as you already knows what I want more than anything in the world?" (Kugutsu)
"You want to create new dolls. And you won't stop until you make the perfect one. To do that, you need to stay alive—and free. As much as I'd love to bury you in a hole and never hear your screams again, my priority is defeating Goto." (Yukihime)
"Ah… finally, someone who understands. Then let's think together of a deal that benefits us both." (Kugutsu)
They spoke for hours, exchanging subtle threats and shifting conditions, trying to extract as much as they could while giving away as little as possible.
Eventually, an agreement was reached.
There was no trust, only a fragile belief that the enemy had bigger priorities.
Kugutsu would keep her forces out of the coming war, in exchange for a certain freedom to continue her "work"—so long as it didn't interfere with the [New Dawn]'s plans.
Yukihime, reluctantly, would turn a blind eye to the killer's activities… at least until the fight against Goto was over.
Shortly after, Yukihime made her way to the prison blocks of the [Black Corps]' base, knowing full well that she had just made a deal with the devil.
With a grimace, she glanced at her reflection in a scorched steel door.
(All for the greater good… even if it means despising the person I see in the mirror.)
****************
It was almost night when the [Black Corps] guards went to free Yukihime's subordinates.
Meanwhile, a few hours earlier, Cloe woke up from her semi-coma state, screaming and showing unusual strength for someone who had been unconscious until just seconds before.
"Ahhhhh!!!!!"
"Girl, calm down! We're with [New Dawn], you're safe! You're safe!"
"My comrades!? Where are they!? Where are they!?"
"Help me hold her down, damn it!!!!"
The two doctors tried to restrain Kuro's stepsister, who, luckily, and due to her altered state, was not using her powers to free herself.
"My friends!? Where are they!? I want to know!!!!"
The girl's glassy eyes and mental state gave her a disturbing appearance that the two [New Dawn] couldn't link to any normal medical problem.
"This isn't a normal panic attack!?"
"It must be the aftereffects of what Yukihime-sama did!?"
Yukihime had entered the seventeen-year-old's mind to read her memories of what happened during the mission to save Fumio.
The [omega mage] knew there would be negative effects, possibly lasting or permanent, from probing the mind of someone unconscious.
But she had done it anyway, leaving precise orders to her subordinates on what to do in case of complications.
"Call the chief! Now! Before she starts using her powers!"
Things escalated quickly when Cloe's [magic] began obeying the girl's orders.
Fortunately, the second doctor only had to risk his life for a few seconds.
"What's happening here?!"
Before the first doctor could go look for her, Hoshi herself arrived to understand the cause of the commotion.
"Hoshi-sama! You have to help us! She might hurt someone!"
"Or herself!"
While the two [New Dawn] panicked, their superior, an [esper], remained outwardly calm as she approached the violent and unstable Cloe.
"Girl, stop immediately! That's an order! You and your friends have already caused enough trouble with your reckless actions!" (Hoshi)
"Where are they!??!?!?! Where are they!!!!!!???"
The woman's patience ran out quickly.
With some aggression, she grabbed Cloe by the shoulders and forced her back onto the bed, staring straight into her eyes with a look anything but friendly reflected in her light blue pupils.
"Listen to me! Your friends will be fine, Yukihime-sama herself assured me she would take care of them! But if you want to see them again, it's better if you stay quiet and calm here, otherwise.......!"
Hoshi's pupils turned red like molten metal. The room's temperature suddenly rose, forcing everyone to sweat to cool their bodies.
The seventeen-year-old distinctly felt the [New Dawn]'s fingers almost burning her skin—a clear sign of her barely contained fury.
This made Cloe think a little, and she began to sense the murderous instinct that was overtaking her.
"Did you understand me!?" (Hoshi)
Swallowing some saliva, the girl nodded slightly while trying to calm down.
"Bind her! I don't want her to escape!" (Hoshi)
"But, Hoshi-sama, Yukihime-sama told us to-"
"She and her companions are ticking time bombs! They won't wander around ruining our organization's plans just to 'try' to save Fumio-san and the others. So I repeat my order: bind her and keep an eye on her. If she escapes, I'll hold you responsible for any trouble she causes." (Hoshi)
Hoshi didn't even give the two doctors time to respond before leaving, furiously slamming the door behind her.
The pair did as ordered, even though they didn't agree with the treatment the girl was receiving.
"My m-mates..... will they really be b-better......?"
Unable to ignore the seventeen-year-old, who barely managed to stop the tears running from her eyes, the two doctors tried to comfort her.
"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be fine."
"Yes, they'll be back before you even notice the time has passed."
Cloe tried to believe their words as she closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep.
(I hope that when I wake up, you'll be here......)