The sun shone down. Blazed from the sky.
Brushed slowly over the city. Its buildings.
Its people.
And him.
Uhra walked along the pavement.
His hands buried in his pockets.
A pair of sunglasses.
Black with golden ornaments perched on his nose.
And a mocking grin on his face.
He turned.
At a crossing.
And headed straight toward.
His destination.
A burger joint.
The signboard was weathered.
Once shining yellow.
Now faded.
Splattered with dirt and mud.
Despite all that he went on.
Crossed the street.
Without sparing a glance at the honking cars.
His gaze fixed only on one.
The young woman.
Arms crossed.
And a cold stare.
She stood by the entrance.
Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulder.
Her red eyes fixed on Uhra.
She was tall.
But not too tall.
Uhra stopped before her.
Hinted at a bow.
"Shi-."
She cut him of.
"Really here,"
asked the girl with a cold voice.
Uhra tilted his head.
A grin on his lips.
"Is this beautiful establishment not worthy of you?"
He chuckled.
"Shimura of the Apocalyptic Four Riders."
Shimura's mouth twitched, fixing Uhra with a grim look.
"Let's get this over with," she growled.
Shoved the entrance door open.
And slipped inside.
Uhra followed.
Mocking grin on his face.
Inside it was dim.
The air stifling.
Filled with the smell of burgers.
Shimura walked past the counter.
Did not grant the guests a single glance.
In the farthest corner.
At the last table.
There Shimura sat down.
Crossed her legs.
And waited for Uhra.
Who now let himself sink down opposite her.
He took off his sunglasses.
Let them fall casually onto the table.
"So," he asked with a grin,
"why would the Rider of War want to parley with me?"
Shimura,
ignoring his tone,
brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Because the leader has given me overall authority over this mission."
She studied Uhra thoughtfully.
Her eyes met his with force.
"Especially after the fiasco in Karuka City."
Uhra stiffened slightly.
The grin froze somewhat.
"Oh, has he now."
Shimura only nodded.
"Yes, he has. And now report."
Uhra leaned back.
A smile on his lips.
"But there's so much to tell."
Shimura leaned forward.
Rested her elbows on the table.
And tilted her head.
"Then start,"
she demanded coldly.
Uhra crossed his arms behind his head.
Looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling.
"Well, we set out at night, five days ago. All twenty-three. Aren wasn't there, no idea what he was up to."
He shook his head with a grin.
Shimura groaned.
"And then? How could it all end in a fireball?"
Uhra scratched his head.
His grin widened.
"We split up," he said as if self-explanatory.
Shimura pressed her hand to her forehead.
Shook her head slowly.
"Split up how?" she asked in a weary voice.
Uhra smiled.
"Seven went in as the vanguard. All dead. But luckily they were weaker."
He paused, then continued.
"The remaining sixteen surrounded the house, four each. When I heard their death screams over the radio, I went in with my group. If the others had come along, we'd probably be even fewer now."
Shimura nodded.
Then froze.
"How many of the group are still alive?"
She asked.
Uhra crossed his arms.
Thought for a moment.
"If I counted right—fourteen."
Shimura exhaled sharply.
"Who else, besides the seven?"
"Two from my group. They were excellent killers."
Uhra grinned.
"I killed one of them, but don't worry, he deserved it. He wasn't a real killer—no sense of humor."
Shimura sighed audibly.
Her hand made a dismissive gesture.
"Fine. In war you need real killers, not hypocrites."
She leaned back.
"And the fourth in your group," she asked attentively, "was it the Phantom?"
Uhra raised one eyelid.
His smile thinned.
"The Phantom has a name."
Shimura looked at him coldly.
"Right." She leaned forward again.
"Ruigh was his name, wasn't it? How is he?"
Uhra rested his arm on the backrest.
A smaller smile crept onto his lips.
"The boy's doing fine."
He looked up.
His smile grew wider.
"Only fifteen, and already more kills than you and I together."
Shimura crossed her arms.
"Hardly. No one takes more souls than War."
Uhra chuckled.
"Well, the rest of the Riders aren't exactly innocent either."
He grinned broadly.
"You're all really impressive—in presence as well as in killing."
"We're also far more experienced," murmured Shimura.
Uhra laughed.
"Oh, come on. You're only two years older than Ruigh. And your youngest is said to be even younger than him."
Shimura shook her head.
"That's not the topic. Keep going."
Uhra only nodded.
Slowly tapped his temple.
"Where was I—ah, right."
He grinned.
"Anyway, me and Ruigh took out the attackers inside the house, and then suddenly—BOOM."
He stretched.
"The explosion, and then everything was gone."
He leaned forward.
Whispered conspiratorially.
"By the way, Ruigh was actually dead. But his Logic Manipulation made itself automatic."
He laughed softly.
"Thanks to that, bones and muscles grew back."
Shimura raised her brows.
"Impressive, this Ruigh."
Shimura's gaze drifted briefly.
Across the room.
Over the counter.
The tables.
And the patrons.
"Oh, by the way, Uhra," she asked, her voice low,
"What peculiarities did the attackers have?"
Uhra smiled knowingly.
His eyes following hers.
"Mostly masked, and oddly ugly eyes."
Shimura nodded.
Her voice cold as ice.
"Good to know."
A guest.
On the opposite bench, jolted upright.
Wise eyes fixed on them.
While the attacker hurled two blades.
Shimura turned her head slightly.
Her blood-red eyes.
Wide.
Full of cold.
Followed the blades.
As they cut through the air.
They sliced clean.
Uhra jumped up.
Raised his hand.
But the blades shattered.
They turned gray.
Almost colorless.
Then cracks began to spread across the blade and hilt.
The attacker had meanwhile leapt up.
He charged toward her.
Shimura had averted her gaze.
She studied the table in front of her.
And did not see the attacker coming.
And yet she reacted.
Ridges formed on the attacker's skin.
They began at his neck.
Spread over his entire body within seconds.
Then he crumbled.
Uhra clapped, laughing.
A grin on his lips.
"Impressive, Shimura."
She rolled her eyes.
"That was nothing."
A few guests had looked up.
But too late.
The act was already complete.
In complete silence.
Shimura stood.
And looked at Uhra.
"Continue your report."
She turned.
Had already taken a few steps.
But added,
"And watch the boy. And yourself."
With that, she left the burger joint.
Leaving Uhra behind.