Sirens were already echoing outside by the time they returned.
Police.
Military.
Guards.
All surrounding the building like something catastrophic had happened.
The moment Emma stepped out.
They rushed forward.
"Emperor—!"
"We need to—"
Emma raised her hand.
"Calm down."
Silence.
Immediate.
Her eyes swept across all of them.
"Nobody interferes."
A small pause.
"This is my business."
No one argued.
No one questioned.
They stepped back.
Orders accepted.
Inside.
The tension followed them in.
Mostang rolled his shoulder slightly as they walked.
"…Tch. That guy hits hard."
Kane didn't respond.
Still alert.
Still thinking.
They reached the medical floor.
Nurses rushed in.
Treating Mostang first.
Then Kane.
Checking bruises, cuts, internal damage.
Emma?
She handled it herself.
Sitting alone.
Wrapping her arm slowly.
The bullet graze wasn't deep.
But it burned.
She tightened the bandage without reacting.
Like it was nothing.
After some time.
All three gathered again.
A quiet room.
Mostang leaned back.
Lighting another cigarette.
Kane stood near the wall.
Arms crossed.
Emma looked at him.
For a few seconds
Just observing.
Then
"…Maybe get a haircut."
Kane blinked.
"…What?"
Emma tilted her head slightly.
"And your beard."
A small pause.
"…It's messy."
Mostang chuckled lightly.
"…Yeah."
Took a drag.
"Clean shave. You might even qualify as my partner."
Kane frowned.
"…No."
Emma stood up.
Already decided.
"You're going."
"…I just said—"
"To a high-class barber."
She cut him off calmly.
"…You represent me now."
Silence.
Kane exhaled.
"…Tch."
Not long after
He found himself sitting in one of the most expensive barber shops in the city.
Clean interior.
Sharp lighting.
Professionals around him.
The barber looked at him.
"What style, sir?"
Kane leaned back slightly.
Thinking.
"…Goatee."
A pause.
"And moustache combo."
The barber nodded.
"And the hair?"
Kane smirked slightly.
"…Make it clean."
Time passed.
Hair falling.
Edges sharpened.
Beard shaped perfectly.
When it was done
Kane looked at himself.
Sharper.
Older.
More… defined.
Not a wanderer anymore.
Something else.
Back at the building
Mostang glanced up as Kane walked in.
"…Well damn."
A smirk.
"You might actually make it."
Emma looked at him.
A brief pause.
Then
A small nod.
"…Better."
That was enough.
----
The room was quiet.
Not peaceful.
Heavy.
Marcus sat on a chair.
Breathing rough.
Bruises already forming across his face and ribs.
Maya leaned against the wall.
Arm slightly trembling.
Trying to hide it.
Leo moved between them.
Calm.
Precise.
He cleaned wounds.
Wrapped bandages.
Checked pressure points.
"…Don't move."
He adjusted Marcus's shoulder.
"You'll make it worse."
Marcus clicked his tongue.
But listened.
Anthony sat nearby.
Head slightly tilted back.
Tissue pressed against his nose.
Still bleeding.
"…Tch."
A faint smirk.
"That guy hits like a truck."
Elena?
She stood quietly.
Leaning against a pillar.
No visible injuries.
Just… watching.
Her fingers lightly brushed her neck—
Where Kane's hit had landed.
"…He's strong."
She murmured softly.
Across the room.
Joseph stood.
Silent.
Watching all of it.
His eyes moved from one to another.
Marcus.
Maya.
Anthony.
Elena.
Leo.
His team.
Then.
A small exhale.
"…So."
Everyone paused slightly.
Joseph stepped forward.
"They're not ordinary."
No anger.
No shouting.
Just… fact.
His eyes lowered slightly.
Thinking.
"…Emma."
He said her name quietly.
Then looked at Marcus and Maya.
"You two."
A pause.
"You engaged her directly."
Marcus wiped blood from his lip.
"…Yeah."
Joseph's gaze sharpened slightly.
"And?"
A small silence.
Maya answered this time.
"…She's not human."
Leo didn't interrupt.
Anthony chuckled faintly.
"…Yeah. I figured."
Elena tilted her head slightly.
"…No."
She corrected softly.
"…She's very human."
Everyone glanced at her.
Elena smiled faintly.
"…That's what makes her dangerous."
Silence again.
Joseph watched her for a moment.
Then.
A slow smile returned.
"…Good."
He turned away slightly.
"Then it'll be worth it."
His hand rested on the table.
"…Next time."
A pause.
"We don't test her."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"…We break her."
----
The door closed behind Joseph.
Silence settled again.
Leo kept working.
Finishing the last wrap around Marcus's arm.
Anthony leaned back in his chair.
Finally tossing the blood-soaked tissue aside.
Maya exhaled slowly.
Still feeling the aftershock of Emma's punches.
Her eyes shifted.
To Elena.
"…Hey."
Elena glanced at her.
Calm.
Maya narrowed her eyes slightly.
"What was that back there?"
A pause.
"…Calling her beautiful?"
Marcus let out a low breath.
"…Yeah."
Anthony smirked faintly.
"…Kinda weird timing."
Leo didn't look up.
But he was listening.
Elena blinked once.
"…It's true."
She said simply.
Maya frowned.
"…That's not the point."
She pushed herself off the wall slightly.
"We're here to kill her."
A step closer.
"And you're talking like, what?"
A small scoff.
"Admiring her?"
Elena tilted her head.
"…You didn't see it?"
Maya's expression hardened.
"…See what?"
Elena's eyes softened slightly.
"When she stood there."
A pause.
"After everything."
Her fingers lightly touched her own wrist.
Remembering the moment.
"No panic."
"No fear."
"Just… control."
Marcus stayed quiet now.
Listening.
Elena continued.
"…And her eyes."
A faint smile.
"They weren't angry."
"They weren't trying to prove anything."
Another pause.
"…She already knows who she is."
Silence.
Maya crossed her arms.
Still unconvinced.
"…That doesn't make her special."
Elena looked at her.
"…It does."
A beat.
"…Because people like that?"
Her gaze drifted slightly.
As if replaying Emma in her mind.
"…are the hardest to break."
Anthony let out a quiet chuckle.
"…Damn."
Leo finally spoke.
Without looking up.
"…Focus."
Bandage tightened.
"She's still the target."
Elena nodded lightly.
"…Of course."
But her expression.
Didn't change.
The room stayed quiet for a moment after Leo spoke.
Then Elena straightened slightly.
Her soft expression didn't change.
But her tone did.
"…But don't get it twisted."
Maya glanced at her again.
Marcus too.
Elena's eyes sharpened just a little.
"Don't let her… appearance fool you."
A small pause.
"That 'feminine' look?"
She shook her head faintly.
"It's not weakness."
Silence.
"She killed Vencor."
That name alone made the room heavier.
Anthony leaned forward slightly now.
Listening properly.
Elena continued.
"survived him, escaped him and killed him."
Her voice stayed calm.
Almost gentle.
"And she didn't get that 'Emperor' title for nothing."
Maya's arms slowly uncrossed.
Marcus exhaled through his nose.
Leo paused for a second.
Then continued treating.
Elena looked down slightly.
As if recalling that moment again.
"…We went at her together."
A faint breath.
"And she still controlled everything."
Anthony smirk faded just a bit.
"…Yeah."
He muttered.
"She was handling them like it was nothing."
Maya clenched her jaw slightly.
"…Next time…"
Elena looked at her
"…There will be a next time."
A small pause.
"But if you go in thinking she's just some 'pretty emperor'…"
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…You'll die."
Silence.
No one argued that.
-----
Kane leaned back in his chair.
Fresh cut.
Clean.
Sharp.
The goatee and moustache giving him a more mature look.
But his expression?
Still annoyed.
"…That girl."
Mostang glanced at him while lighting a cigarette.
"Which one?"
Kane scoffed.
"The small one."
"Elena."
Emma stood by the window.
Looking over the city again.
Silent.
Kane leaned forward now.
"She fought dirty."
A pause.
"Came from behind."
His jaw tightened slightly.
"Put a gun to your head like that was some kind of win."
Mostang exhaled smoke slowly.
"…It is a win."
Kane shot him a look.
"…What?"
Mostang shrugged slightly.
"In real fights?"
A small smirk.
"There's no rules."
Kane frowned.
"…Still."
Emma spoke.
Quiet.
"It was the right move."
Both of them looked at her.
Emma didn't turn.
"If you can end it instantly…"
A small pause.
"You take it."
Kane clicked his tongue.
"…Yeah but—"
Emma turned her head slightly.
Her right eye scar visible again.
"…You would've done the same."
Kane went silent for a second.
He knew.
"…Yeah."
Mostang chuckled lightly.
"Told you."
Emma looked back at the city.
"…Elena isn't reckless."
A pause.
"She waited."
"For the exact moment."
Mostang nodded slightly.
"…Yeah."
"Didn't panic either."
Kane crossed his arms.
"…I still don't like her."
Mostang smirked.
"Good."
Emma's voice came again.
"…Don't underestimate her."
Silence.
Kane sighed.
"…I won't."
A small pause.
"…Next time, I'll drop her faster."
Mostang laughed quietly.
"Now that's better."
Emma said nothing.
But her eyes.
Slightly narrowed.
Thinking.
About Elena.
About Joseph.
And the next move.
The room settled again.
quiet, but not relaxed.
Emma still stood near the window.
"…Kane."
He looked up immediately.
"…Yeah?"
She turned slightly.
Her expression calm.
Too calm.
"When you interrupted earlier…"
A pause.
"You saved my life."
Kane blinked.
Wasn't expecting that.
"…I mean, yeah."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Of course I would."
Blushing slightly.
Emma's gaze stayed on him.
"…I know."
A small silence.
Then.
"…But."
Kane frowned slightly.
"…But?"
Emma's eyes narrowed just a little.
"You didn't have to grab me like that."
Mostang raised an eyebrow quietly.
already sensing where this was going.
Kane blinked again.
"…What?"
Emma continued.
still completely serious.
"You touched… pretty much my entire body."
Silence.
Mostang turned his head slightly.
trying not to laugh.
Kane froze.
Blushing more.
"…I—"
Emma cut in.
"You held my waist."
A step closer.
"Pulled me in."
Another pause.
"And didn't let go immediately."
Kane's face tightened.
"…That's because you were about to get shot in the head."
Emma didn't react.
"…I'm aware."
A beat.
Mostang finally let out a small chuckle.
"…She's got a point though."
Kane snapped his head at him.
"…YOU too?!"
Mostang raised both hands slightly.
"Hey, I'm just saying."
A smirk.
"You were holding her kinda tight."
Kane groaned.
"…I wasn't thinking about that!"
Emma crossed her arms.
"…You should."
Kane stared at her.
"…So what, I should've just let you get shot?"
Emma answered instantly.
"No."
A pause.
"…Just be more precise."
Silence.
Kane blinked.
"…You're actually serious."
Emma turned back to the window.
"…Always."
Mostang laughed quietly now.
shaking his head.
"…Man."
Kane sighed.
"…Next time I'll save you professionally, alright?"
Emma didn't respond.
But after a second.
"…Good."
Silence settled.
Mostang suddenly hooked an arm around Kane's shoulder—
pulling him a bit closer with a grin.
"So…"
He leaned in slightly.
"…you like her body, huh?"
Kane froze for a second.
"…What?"
Mostang smirked wider.
"Don't play dumb."
"You grabbed her like you didn't wanna let go."
Kane immediately pushed his arm off.
"…Shut up."
Mostang chuckled.
"C'mon, admit it."
Kane's expression tightened.
"I was saving her."
A pause.
"Not… whatever you're implying."
Mostang raised his hands again.
"Relax, relax."
"But still…"
He glanced toward Emma.
"…can't blame you."
Kane sighed, annoyed.
"You're actually stupid."
Mostang laughed.
"Maybe."
Emma's voice cut in.
cold.
"If you two are done."
Silence.
Both of them looked at her.
She didn't even turn.
"…Focus on Joseph."
A pause.
"…Or next time, none of this will matter."
Mostang smirk faded slightly.
"…Yeah."
Kane exhaled.
"…Got it."
The mood shifted back.
Serious again.
But Mostang still muttered quietly.
"…still think you held her too tight though."
Mostang said.
"…I swear I'm gonna hit you."
Kane said Whispering.
Mostang laughed.
Chapter end