Tanya, Ari, Hazu, Tlen, and Monita crouched low in the tall grass, the bushes swaying lightly with the night wind. The warehouse loomed a few meters ahead,
"Should we split up, or what?" Hazu whispers, his tone impatient, his eyes darting from shadow to shadow.
Tanya pressed a finger to her lips, narrowing her eyes as she studied the building. "Hold on… I'm thinking."
The others wait quietly, watching her. After a long pause, she straightens her back and finally speaks. "We'll have to balance the groups. I'll go with Ari and Hazu, we'll take the front. Tlen, Monita, you two circle around from the back."
Hazu nodded immediately, "Alright, yeah, that sounds good to me."
…
"You got it, Tlen?" Tanya asks,
"Yeah…" Tlen mutters, already moving. Monita followed beside him, her steps light and careful.
The trio that remained crept closer to the warehouse entrance. No sound came from inside. Tanya crouched beside the front door, motioning for Ari and Hazu to get ready.
"We're going in. Stay on your toes," she whispers.
She slides the door open with care. Ari and Hazu exchanged a quick nod before slipping inside after her.
The interior was dark and heavy with dust. Their footsteps were quiet, but the silence made even the smallest creak echo.
They followed the corridor deeper into the warehouse until they reached a door by the right. Tanya presses her hand against it, glancing back once to confirm the others were ready.
"We're going in," she whispers again.
The door creaks as it opened. The three slip inside and suddenly stop.
In the center of the room, illuminated by a strip of moonlight, sat Prince. His tall, broad frame was slouched into a wheelchair, his long white hair catching the pale glow. He stared silently through the window.
Tanya froze. "A person?" she whispers.
Ari's eyes widen as if the air had been sucked out of the room. His chest tightened, heart pounding against his ribs.
"Ari? What's wrong?" Hazu asks, glancing at him nervously.
Tanya turns with a frown. "Ari. Talk to us. Do you know him?" Her voice carries genuine concern despite her sharp tone.
Ari swallowed, shaking his head quickly. "S-sorry… He infiltrated the school the day Saint got kidnapped."
Hazu tilts his head and looks at Prince,
Tanya raised a brow, skeptical.She crouched down in front of the man, her eyes narrowing. "This guy? He's in a wheelchair?"
"Yeah," Ari said quietly. "He wasn't back then. Something must've happened."
Prince didn't look at them. His cold, pale eyes remained locked on the moon, his large frame almost intimidating despite being bound to the chair.
Tanya leaned closer, staring at him. "So you're telling me he's a criminal, huh?"
When Prince didn't react, she nudged his knee. "How did that work out for you?" Her voice carried a sharp sarcasm.
Hazu frowns deeply. "Hey, Tanya… maybe you shouldn't do that."
She shoots him a look. "Nonsense. Taiho said we could kill Psychomaners. He is one. And right now he's vulnerable. Isn't that right, Ari?"
Ari hesitated, caught between their stares. But before he could answer, Hazu cuts in, his voice firm.
"Taiho also said we could turn them in. Don't be heartless, Tanya. We can just bring him in."
Tanya laughs lightly, shaking her head. "He's probably killed over a thousand people. And he broke the law at school, our sacred turf. He deserves to die. Look at him."
She raises her hand and slaps Prince across the face multiple times with a quiet laugh,
Ari stepped forward quickly, grabbing her arm before she could strike again. "Hazu is right," he said coldly.
But before Tanya could retort, her eyes widen. She looks around suddenly, panic flashing in her expression. "Ari… where did Hazu go?"
Ari whips his head around. Hazu was gone. Vanished without a sound.
"What?" Ari mutters, his voice sharp.
The two bolted back to the door, throwing it open. The corridor was empty.
And then,
Ari's body was slammed sideways, tackled with brutal force. He was hurled across the hall, crashing against the far wall. The impact rattled the building.
"Ari!" Tanya's voice rang out.
A tall man stepped calmly into view, brushing off his shoulder as though he'd only swatted away dust. His cold gaze locked onto Tanya.
"Oh?" Zodiak mutters. His attention fixed on her.
"You bastard!" Tanya roared. She summons her mana-charged taser staff, lunging at him.
Zodiak didn't flinch. His hand shot out, catching her arm mid-swing. With casual strength, he flung her through the wall. She smashed through the wooden boards and disappeared into the next room.
Zodiak adjusted his sweater and steps toward the place Ari had landed.
…
On the far side of the warehouse, Tlen and Monita had crept inside from the back. But they weren't alone.
"Look alive, Monita," Tlen mutters.
Two figures with light blue hair emerge from the shadows, Skai and Mela.
"Let's go, Huracán!" Tlen's right arm twists, transforming into skeletal armor. With a burst of force, he launches himself at Skai.
"Whoops," Skai said casually, He drops low and sweeps Tlen's legs from under him. Tlen gets sent flying into the wall with a crash.
Monita's eyes flash, "Voodoo Style: Nail Corpse!"
A massive spectral nail formed in front of her and shot straight toward Mela.
Mela's eyes widen. "Domain Style: Sailor Neptune!"
A shimmering blue sphere envelops her, the nail collides against the sphere and shatters into fragments.
Mela darted forward with speed and precision, her foot kicking away, Dori Dori. The teddy bear flew from Monita's hands.
"That's the source of your power, isn't it?" Mela said, her tone sharp.
Monita's turns to the distant Dori Dori, then locks eyes back on Mela in fury. "You… you just hurt Dori Dori?"
…
Meanwhile, Hazu stumbled through a pitch-black void. "Where… where am I?"
A voice purred behind him. "Hello, child. Care to tell me who you are?"
Hazu spun, Mari stood there with a smile, her finger aimed at his throat.
His eyes widen. "What? Who are you?"
Mari blinked twice, then tilted her head. "Wait… you're that kid who was with Saint that day." She chuckles, remembering. "I knocked you out back then, didn't I?"
Her laugh spills into the darkness, sharp and mocking.
"Sorry… I can't hold it…" She continues,
Hazu tried to turn in anger, but Mari's hand gripped his head, forcing him still. Her smile faded as her voice hardened. "Move again, and I'll assume you're trying to kill me."
A cold shiver ran down Hazu's spine.
…
Back in the warehouse, Zodiak stepped calmly into the main hall. Ari was still slumped against the wall, forcing himself to stand.
Zodiak stops a few feet away. Ari squinted at his face, recognition striking him.
"You… you're 12-Star!?" Ari's voice cracks with disbelief.
Zodiak pauses, genuinely surprised. "What?"
"What family are you fro—" Ari began, but Zodiak's hand shot forward, seizing him by the throat and lifting him off the ground.
"The 12-Star clan is filled with cowards disguised as warriors. Are you calling me one of them?"
Ari's lips twists into a strained laugh, even as Zodiak's grip cut off his breath. "I agree with you…" His voice came in gasps. "But I think you're out of touch, old timer."
His hands lit with purple mana. Zodiak's eyes widened as a sudden surge pulsed through Ari's body, Viper Pulse was active.
Ari's ability made Zodiak release his grip and leap back. Ari drops to the ground, hunched and gasping for air.
"I never expected to run into someone from my clan…" Ari mutters between breaths.
Zodiak shakes his bruised arm, his tone leveling. "Hey, kid. What family are you from?"
Ari straightens slowly, eyes locked on him. "Mainline. Son of Mizer."
Zodiak raises his brows. "Oh? I'm son of Aegen. I used to train with your brother, Vain."
"Yeah, yeah…" Ari steps forward, purple aura erupting from him, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
"I'm not here for a reunion."
The warehouse trembled with his power.
…
Elsewhere, in the lively streets of Entoria, Ciel. Saint and Zara drove under the glow of neon lights. The city was alive with chatter, vendors, and the hum of nightlife.
"Oh, it's right around the corner," Zara said, pointing toward a narrow alley.
Saint parked nearby. As they step out, he glances at a letter in his car uneasily. A strange feeling crawled across his skin.
'Jane…' He thinks,
"Is something the matter, Saint?" Zara asked, tilting her head.
He smiled faintly, shaking it off. "Oh no, it's nothing."
Together they walked through the alley until they reached a guarded door. A tall man stood watch. Zara spoke first.
"Silence in the ballroom."
The guard gave a single nod. "You may go in, ma'am."
They descended the staircase. A roar of voices echoed up at them, the energy of a crowd waiting for blood.
Saint glanced at Zara. "So what is this place?"
"Oh, it's wonderful," she said, her eyes gleaming with nostalgia. "An underground fight club. I used to sneak into these when I was younger."
The deeper they went, the louder the cheers became. Around them, fighters clashed in caged arenas, each bout bloodier than the last.
"Thanks for coming with me," Zara said softly.
Saint smiles. "No problem."
But before he could say more, the host of the arena strutted over, eyes locked on Saint.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Some fresh meat?" The man's laugh booms across the hall.
…