Masabi released his grip on Regaku, who stumbled back slightly, rubbing the red marks on his jaw that were slowly beginning to heal. "Thank you for your cooperation," Masabi said, his voice calm but commanding. "Now sit down and don't move."
Regaku, glaring up at Masabi, tried to muster so defiance. "You know, just because I have a childlike face doesn't an I'm an actual child. I could easily—"
"I said sit down and shut up!" Masabi's voice cut through the air, sharp and authoritative. The intensity of his tone left no room for argunt. Regaku hesitated for a mont, caught between anger and the cold realization that Masabi wasn't bluffing. Reluctantly, he lowered himself into a crouch, still glaring but no longer moving.
Masabi reached to his side, pulling out a small, sleek cube. With practiced precision, he removed a piece and inserted it near his ear. "Support, do you hear ?" he spoke into the device, his eyes never leaving Regaku.
A voice crackled through the earpiece. "Loud and clear, Vice Captain. How goes the inspection of Earth?"
"Terrible," Masabi replied, his tone flat but with an edge that spoke volus. "I'll have a full debrief when I get back. Ensure the summit eting is set for the 12 captains and make sure EVERYONE is there—except the 3rd division captain. Relay this ssage straight to the Captain."
"Yes, Vice Captain Masabi," the voice on the other end responded crisply.
Throughout the exchange, Masabi kept his gaze locked on Regaku, who remained crouched, the red marks on his jaw fading as his body slowly recovered. Regaku's eyes, however, were filled with barely contained rage. He was in a lowered stance, clearly ready to spring into action at any mont.
Masabi slipped the communication device back into his belt and focused his attention fully on Regaku. "Now, to deal with you," he said, his voice taking on a colder tone. "Killing you would exert a lot of effort and probably take a few days, but I know for sure I could rip you to shreds eventually."
Regaku's eyes flashed with defiance as he gripped the side of his flute. "Then try it," he spat, his voice laced with anger. He started to lift the flute, his body tensing for the fight, when a sudden rush of wind whipped around them.
Both Masabi and Regaku paused, montarily confused as the wind grew stronger, carrying with it a deep, rhythmic thumping that reverberated through the air. The sound grew louder, and the shadows around them began to shift and stretch as if the sky itself was changing.
Masabi's sharp eyes caught the first glimpse of what was happening—a formation of dark shapes descending rapidly from above. Helicopters, eight of them, their rotors slicing through the air with relentless power. They moved in a tight, controlled formation, sweeping down toward the battlefield with unmistakable intent.
Regaku's eyes darted upward as well, his defiance montarily replaced by surprise. The wind from the choppers whipped through the street, sending debris scattering as the helicopters circled the area, engines roaring.
Masabi distracted for a short mont as he looked upward "Human inventions, crude, loud and weak.. .
Masabi's focus snapped back as he sensed the boy's sudden movent. The kid was fast, spinning around with a strike aid straight at Masabi's side. It was a sharp, quick attack, designed to catch him off guard.
But Masabi's reflexes were faster. He blocked the strike with his forearm, the impact sending a jolt through both of them. The boy's eyes widened, surprised by the swift counter. But before he could react, Masabi's other hand was already coming up, surrounded by swirling wind and crackling lightning.
Just as Masabi was about to unleash his attack, a shout broke through the tension. "Vice Captain! Don't let him touch your chest!"
Masabi turned his head slightly, catching sight of Kieran running toward him, her face flushed with sweat and urgency. "He can place a lock on your heart!" she yelled, breathless. "I thought he was just so weird pervert kid and gave him a hug—that's how he got !"
But her warning ca a split second too late. The boy took advantage of the distraction and slamd his palm into Masabi's chest. The hit connected, but Masabi didn't hesitate. He brought his hand down hard, smashing it into the boy's head with all his strength.
The ground cracked under the force, sending debris flying as the boy was driven into the earth. The sound of thunder rumbled through the air, followed by an eerie silence.
Masabi huffed, his breath steadying as he took a firm stance. "It took you long enough to regain control of yourself, Kieran. It's pitiful that you let yourself fall under his influence and took human lives… Even if they were just disrespectful creatures pretending to be humans."
But as Masabi spoke, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over him, his vision blurring. The ground seed to tilt beneath his feet, and from Kieran's direction, a laugh rang out—sharp, mocking, and unmistakably hers.
"You really thought I broke free?" Kieran sneered, her voice twisted with dark amusent. "Through what? Just willpower?!"
Masabi's hand shot to his head as the spinning intensified, his thoughts scattering. He glanced over, just in ti to see the boy slowly picking himself up from the ground, dusting off the dirt from his clothes. More of the eyes on his body closed, but the boy's smirk remained. "You sure do pack a punch," he admitted, almost grudgingly. "But sadly for you, I still hit my mark."
Masabi's gaze dropped to his chest, where a red triangle had begun to glow ominously. The light pulsed, sending waves of nausea through his body, weakening his stance.
"With this," the boy continued, his voice dripping with satisfaction, "I now have you fully under my control. I can use you to wreak havoc."
Masabi, confusion and anger mixing in his voice, demanded, "This can't be your power. Who gave this to you?!"
He dropped to one knee, his strength failing him as Kieran's laughter echoed around him. "How can you possibly tell what is and isn't mine?" the boy taunted, feeding off the chaos.
Masabi's vision swam, but he forced himself to focus. "This doesn't match the energy of any of your other abilities," he muttered, piecing the puzzle together even as his body betrayed him. "This ability to place control on others—it's a gift or a curse from the vampires, isn't it?!"
Kieran's laughter intensified, while the boy's smirk faltered slightly, his eyes narrowing in surprise. He stepped back, clearly caught off guard by Masabi's accusation. "And so what if it is?!" he snapped defensively. "It's still an ironclad control that grips your heart!"
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