15 minutes ago...
"Aha, I am getting bored," Allya sighed as she sat in the waiting room. "How much time do they need to fix a broken arm?"
Just then, two Dark Knights entered the waiting room. Allya tensed. "Dark Knights? What are they doing here?"
The two knights began talking to each other, unaware she was listening. "Have you seen the sight inside the temple?"
"No, why?" the second one asked.
"It was a total mess," the first knight replied. "I wonder how they managed to keep it in one piece. I heard that boy, Kirito, faced that devil face-on".
Allya's heart dropped. "Brother!" she whispered.
"That boy is now in the ICU," the knight continued. "It was a miracle that he survived after that blast". Without a word, Allya silently stood up from the bench and moved out of the waiting room.
Present Time
"I see. Those two bastards will be in your hands. Give them 'good treatment,'" Shanny said into her phone before cutting the call.
Allya was now sleeping with her head in Rika's lap while Rika sat in front of the operation theater (OT). The atmosphere was quiet; only the sound of a lightbulb flickering off broke the silence as Yuki stepped out of the OT.
"What happened?" Rika asked urgently.
"Everything is fine. He just needs some rest, and I guess she does too," Yuki smiled, looking down at the sleeping Allya.
"Aha..." Rika took a deep breath of relief.
Yuki went to the changing room, changed his clothes, and sat down on a bench. "If our prediction is right," he muttered to himself, "and if the core was changed at an atomic level and mana was increased forcefully, then there is only one person alive who can do this". His eyes hardened. "That bastard, and a genius... Rudra Kaizawa".
Somewhere in Europe
The police were surrounding a party hall where men wearing red and black hoods stood outside. From the first sight, it looked like a robbery, but inside, the story was different.
"For the last two hours, terrorists have taken over the whole building," a news reporter spoke rapidly into a camera. "Our forces are unable to get inside. We still don't know anything going on inside. Are the people really safe? What is their motive behind this? Why is our government still silent?"
Inside the command center, a Minister barked at an officer, "Do anything, but get the VIPs out of there safely!"
"But sir, we can't directly charge inside. We have to be careful," the officer replied.
"What happened to the help coming from the Dark Knights?" the Minister demanded.
"They are on their way," the officer assured him.
"You don't understand how much pressure is coming at me due to this!" the Minister shouted.
On the other side of the glass, the police and military were helpless. Riya peeked through a window before closing the curtain. "It looks like those cameras are not going anywhere".
"This is their job," Fujikata remarked. "In the future, you also have to give them interviews, Miss Riya".
"I don't want to run that damn company," Riya complained as she went downstairs. "I just want to travel all over the world. Let's go, I want something to eat".
In the main hall, two men dragged a bald man into the center and forced his hands open.
"Oh-oh, Mr. Darwin, it's a pleasure to meet you," said Rudra, the leader of Sol Invictus.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" Darwin stammered. Darwin was an "Awoken" person; his magic allowed him to locate anything that exists. Because of this power, he had become a well-known businessman in Europe.
"Huh? Are you kidding me?" Rudra asked. "We recently signed a project together. It's me, Rudra".
Darwin's eyes flew wide open. "Mr. Rudra?"
"Tschk. I cannot act anymore," Rudra said, his tone shifting. "Let's get directly down to business. I need your power. Will you help me?" Rudra's eyes reflected a devil inside him.
Outside, in the police van...
"Sir, we don't have time. You have to step in," Luna, of the Europe Police, urged.
"Why you kids were always this fired up?" Stark replied. He was with the Europe Police now, but was formerly an Ex-Dark Knight.
"Sir, please!" Luna pleaded.
"Okay, but first go and wear something. Why are you roaming in a bra and panties?" David asked.
"Oh! Don't look here! I totally forgot!" Luna cried, getting embarrassed. Luna was a "Walker"—her power allowed her to pass through any barrier and physical matter.
"So, what is going on inside?" Stark asked.
"There are 30 men. One in a black coat—I think he was the leader," Luna reported.
Stark and Luna stepped out of the van and passed the police barrier. Stark took a megaphone from a police officer. "Sol Invictus! It's Stark. I think you still remember me. But now, I will be acting on my own!" He threw the megaphone aside, his eyes glowing a light blue. "Let's go".
"Awakening: Cotton Snow Snow!" Stark roared.
A blanket of thick fog instantly covered the building. The only sound audible was the slashing of throats. When the fog cleared, Stark was standing in front of the main gate, having killed every enemy present.
"Sir!" Luna came running.
"Stay back," Stark warned. "Everyone get ready to face the devil! Evacuate the area!"
"Yes, I can hear them. I have full confidence in myself," Stark whispered as he drew his sword and took his stance. The gate was thrown open and scores of devils began to pour out. The police, in a panic, started firing blindly. Stark took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the sword, and in a single swing, decapitated five devil heads from their bodies.
"Tacet Diaboli," Stark muttered. "Luna, only one left. Let the Dark Knight take care of it".
"And what about the terrorists?" Luna asked.
"They flew," Stark replied.
"Then the citizens—" Luna ran into the hall, but after seeing the scene inside, she fell to her knees. Her eyes were wide with horror.
"They are all dead," Stark said as he came up behind her. The whole venue was covered in blood and the bodies of innocent people were lying all over the hall.
High above the city...
"So, he didn't come with us?" Riya asked from inside the chopper.
"Riya, I have a job for you," Rudra said.
"Do I get to travel?" Riya asked.
"Yes, and to meet someone else, too," Rudra smiled, looking at a photo on his mobile phone.