Serum - Chapter 83

For a while, Dirk and Ava decided to let Garel sing his heart out. At some point, Dirk pulled out a book and read it on the side, tuning the man out. 

When he was finally done though, he let out a big sigh. Dirk perked up when the guitar disappeared from under his arm. 

At the same time, Ava walked out of the kitchen holding a large pot of soup. In the time Garel was singing, she had made an early dinner. 

"Here you go, Mister Garel."

"For me? Well aren't you the sweetest young lady. Dirk sure is a lucky man to have you by his side."

"Aww, thanks."

Ava smiled sweetly at the genuine compliment. Afterward, Garel took a large serving of the soup. 

"Mm. It isn't rich in mana, and the flavor isn't explosive. But it's got the comforting warmth of a home cooked meal. It's delicious!"

Garel spoke as he ate another spoonful of the meat soup. Ava smiled even brighter. She was starting to like this man and his praises. 

"I'm glad you like it. Have as much as you want."

"I give my thanks to the chef. If you don't mind..."

Saying that, Garel suddenly grabbed the pot of soup. Ava was stunned when he brought the entire thing to his mouth, lifting it like a cup of juice. 

Dirk stared at the man incredulously as he drank the pot of soup in its entirety. That was an entire dinner for them as well!

Garel licked his lips with a smile after setting the pot down. 

"Truly, good food! I haven't had a humble meal like this in ages. Say, is there more?"

"Uhh..."

Ava was unsure as she looked at Dirk. Dirk just sighed, shrugging his shoulders. 

Ava turned back to Garel with a small smile. 

"I'll put on some more."

"You have my praises, Chef Ava!"

Garel clapped as Ava went back to the kitchen. Dirk also got up to help. 

After that, they made three more meals. They brewed another pot of soup, cooked a large slab of meat, and baked a few loaves of bread. 

And when they set the table, the two couldn't even sit down before Garel ate all three meals. They watched as three more dinners' worth of food disappeared.

Thankfully, it seemed to be enough. After Dirk and Ava cooked two more meals, Garel was only able to eat one, leaving the other for them. 

"Have you had your fill?"

Ava asked Garel with a strained smile. He alone had eaten their entire food stock. Not that they couldn't buy plenty more, but still. 

Garel just nodded in his seat, his stomach bulging out of his nice blue suit. 

"Indeed! I thank the chef again for her wonderful cooking."

"...Sure."

Ava passive-aggressively responded. Then, she clapped her hands. 

"Anyway! I think it's about time we close up for the night. Mister Garel, why don't Dirk and I escort you home?"

"A double escort? I've never had a double escort before!"

"Then it'll be a new experience. Come on! Let's go."

Ava motioned Garel out of his seat. The man quickly rose, happily trotting to the door while hypothesizing about what a wonderful walk they would have back to his house. 

Ava smiled at Garel before looking at Dirk who reclined against his chair. 

"Hey, let's go!"

"...Do I have to?"

"Oh, yes you do! We're in this together, mister!"

Ava pulled Dirk's arm. Like that, they left the house and stepped into the night. Garel looked up and smiled at the two moons in the sky. 

"Ah, such beautiful moons! Light and Dark, chaos and order! Did you know that some believe the two moons to be bridges to other worlds? Perhaps they hold worlds within themselves! There are also those who believe that those two moons hold the sources of power for all light and dark magic. So many legends were created around these moons, and yet so few people have actually set foot on those majestic celestial bodies."

Garel spoke with enraptured wonder. Realizing the implication of his words though, Dirk was shocked. 

"Wait, people actually walked on those moons?"

"Well, the stories aren't for certain, but I believe there are those that have. Think about it. Tier 8 masters attain power that can rend mountains in two, set the skies afire, and create entire oceans! How could one not have been curious about those moons? Curiosity knows no bounds, and to those unfathomable existences, those moons represent great unknowns. I refuse to believe that there hasn't been one that couldn't make such a dream come true."

"...Maybe."

Dirk nodded after a moment. He wasn't sure what the power of a Tier 8 looked like, but Garel was right. Who wasn't curious about those moons? There was no way at least one person didn't at least try their luck. 

Ava also dove into thought. Only, Garel wasn't done with his train of thought. 

"Ah, this night, those moons. Oh Deliha! They can't compare to your beauty!"

"Oh god..."

Dirk and Ava simultaneously facepalmed as Garel brought out his guitar again. Like that, the two walked with him back to his home, his sorrowful voice ringing out the entire way. 

Finally, after arriving at his residence, Ava hastily pushed Garel through the door to his own home. After brushing off his enthusiastic thanks, she shut his front door, sealing him in his house. 

"...How does he even teach you?"

"A lot of the time he doesn't, actually. But when he does, you'd be surprised how good he is. Anyway, let's go home. I'm exhausted."

Dirk answered her question with a sigh. Ava nodded as she turned back from where they came, heading back home. 

The two walked in silence under the night sky. Along the way, Ava linked arms with Dirk, the two getting cozy with the other's warmth. Like that, they arrived at the house. 

Dirk went to open the door. When he did though, his hand froze a bit. That was only momentary though as he continued to turn the doorknob. 

"Ah, home sweet home. And no sad musicians."

Ava walked in with a tired groan, plopping down on the couch. Dirk hummed in response as he walked toward the kitchen. Ava watched him and realized there were still dirty dishes on the table. 

She pulled herself off the couch to help with the cleaning. However, when Dirk passed by the table, he suddenly moved. 

*Ting!*

There was a loud ring. Ava was stunned as she saw a red knife in Dirk's hand. It was thrust out toward one of the chairs. 

"Hoho, aren't you sharp?"

A voice came from in front of Dirk. The next moment, a figure materialized in the chair Dirk had stabbed toward. The figure was holding its own knife, one that it used to block Dirk's strike. 

Suddenly, Ava felt her heart pound out of her chest. She realized something was happening as she saw that person cloaked in black. 

Dirk didn't wait long before attacking again. 

*Slash!*

"Hah!"

Dirk shouted after swinging his knife. Taking a step back, two magic circles suddenly appeared above the backs of his hands. With that, 8 metallic arrows appeared above his head while four fireballs appeared around his body. 

Before attacking, he shouted.

"Ava! Get out of here!"

"Wha..."

Ava couldn't seem to respond as she saw Dirk respond to this person in full force. She saw his face and its utter seriousness. She could even say he was flustered. She had never seen him like that before. He was always calm no matter the enemy.

But this wasn't a normal enemy. In Dirk's eyes, he could sense an absurd power of darkness within this person. Dark mana shrouded their body, and through his initial strike he could sense strength beyond words. 

It didn't take long, but Dirk had already determined he couldn't fight against this person. Still, he responded with his full power. The reason was Ava. He couldn't retreat without her. 

The shrouded person chuckled at Dirk's violent response. A feminine voice escaped the black cloak.

"What's wrong, little boy? Afraid we'll hurt your girlfriend?"

*Woosh!*

Right after the cloaked woman spoke, Dirk responded with his prepared attacks. The arrows launched out at once, and the fireballs followed shortly after. 

*Ting! Ting! Ting! Ting!*

With casual flicks of the wrist, the woman deflected every arrow despite them homing in at the same time. After that, her hand flew toward the fireballs. Before she could nullify them though, they exploded. 

*Boom!*

Fire blasted out, filling the entire house. Seeing the approaching flames, Ava raised her arms and summoned her water mana to defend. 

The fire never came though. After the bright flames dissipated, Ava looked up. Dirk was in front of her. 

"Snap into it! You need to get out of here! Now!"

Dirk yelled as he turned back to her. When he grabbed her arm, she shook a bit, nodding. 

"Alright!"

"Let's go!"

Saying that, the two ran toward the door. When Dirk turned his back though, he felt a chill. 

[Casting Rock Wall.]

Dirk barely even thought of the spell he wanted to cast before the AI responded. After a magic circle flashed, a rock wall was erected behind him. He grabbed Ava at the same time, pulling her to the ground. 

*Zip!*

The next instant, a black arrow sailed over their heads. The rock wall was momentarily obliterated, sending rock fragments everywhere. Dirk popped to his feet, turning back around. 

"You think you can run so easily? How naive. I thought you had properly judged my power for a second there."

The woman stood from her chair. The fire had engulfed the entire kitchen and living room. The table, couch, and any other flammable items had already been destroyed. Only she and her chair remained, though even that chair disintegrated when she stood up. 

Still, she didn't have a single burn on her cloak. And that dark arrow was powerful. It had pierced straight through Dirk's rock wall without resistance, destroying it along the way as if it were a house of cards. 

The woman chuckled.

"First you walk in calmly as if nothing was wrong. Then you get close without giving the slightest hint that you know I'm here. Then, you launch a surprise attack. I commend your composure. I'd ask how you knew, but I'm not sure how much I care."

"..."

Dirk was silent as the woman took steps towards them. After making an internal decision, his hand suddenly shot toward his neck.

"Oh, I don't think so."

Before his hand could pound against his chest though, the woman flung out her hand. A chain extended out, one with a spike on the end. This spike flew faster than Dirk could keep up with, and it stabbed right into his arm. 

"Agh!"

Dirk let out a pained grunt as the black spike impaled his forearm. After that, the woman pulled, yanking him forward.

"Dirk!"

Ava shouted as Dirk flew towards the woman. When he hit the ground though, his body entered a tumble, and he rolled to his feet right in front of the woman. 

Then, his other hand shot out. His red knife, one he had forged personally from Infernia, shuttled toward the woman's neck like a snake.

*Ting!*

The woman responded with her own knife though, blocking the sneaky attack. Dirk could see her smile from under her cloak. 

"Skillful. I'd almost think you were properly trained if you weren't still a child."

*Woosh!*

Dirk didn't respond, continuing to throw out attacks. Spikes, arrows, and fireballs constantly shot out at the woman while Dirk attacked with his knife. His body was fast, nimble, and cunning. He backed the woman into corners with every attack, each advance chained with the next. It was skill that no child should possess. 

But the woman never faltered. She just swung her knife while spinning around, cutting down each and every attack. She seemed to dance with Dirk as the two made their way across the floor. 

But it never seemed like she was trying. Dirk was throwing all his strength and speed at this woman, but her hand was always sturdy when she blocked his attacks. It felt like everything he did was futile. 

It was a new feeling to him who had never fought someone with absolute strength. 

After several exchanges, Dirk also started to send his hand towards his neck again. The reason was due to the necklace on him. This necklace held a black marble, and it was the beacon his mother had told him to crush when he was in danger. 

Well, he was now in mortal danger, but he couldn't even crush it. Whenever he tried, the woman would yank her chain, jerking his body around. It had never actually come out of Dirk's arm, still impaled through his muscles and keeping him from using it. He tried to rip it out, but that put him in mind-numbing, paralyzing pain. When he fell to his knees due to this pain, the woman had merely laughed like he was some kind of joke. 

He couldn't get rid of the chain, and even when he tried to fall on the marble, using his chest to crush it, she would lift him back up. Nothing he did could set off that crucial alarm. It was obvious that she knew its function. 

When Dirk stood from his knees and started launching more attacks, she chuckled. 

"My goodness! You're a tenacious one. Let's see how long you can last."

With those words, Dirk suddenly saw the woman vanish. The spike in his arm was suddenly ripped out. 

"Ahh!!"

Dirk let out a rough scream. It felt like the spike tore out his nerves. His body felt weakness overcome it as blood streamed down his hand. 

Then, a fist came around, slamming into his back. 

*Bang!*

Dirk's body slammed into the floor under this punch. When he forced himself back up, another fist drove itself into his stomach. He was lifted off the ground before falling. He coughed, blood spilling from his mouth. 

Still, he got back up. When he did, he was punched again. Each fist sent shockwaves through his body, and he was alerted by his AI about internal injuries. 

But that was only the appetizer. After fists came a knife, each slash opening large wounds across his body. Dirk's body was quickly soaked in blood. 

Still, he kept standing. He tried throwing back attacks with his rapidly dwindling strength, but none of it mattered. Then, there was suddenly a shrill cry. 

"Get off of him!"

From upstairs, Ava came charging out with her axe. She had left when Dirk started getting attacked to retrieve her weapon, and the woman didn't bother with her. Now, with eyes filled with rage, she ruthlessly attacked the woman who was toying with Dirk. 

Of course, her slow axe couldn't hit its mark. The woman smiled at Ava's attempt, watching as her axe merely split the ground by her feet.

"Futile! But courageous of you. Oh, young love. How naive and stupid it can make people."

"Ahh!"

Suddenly, Ava cried out in pain. Dirk's pupils contracted as he saw a wound open up on her hand. 

"Stop!"

"Or what! What will you do about it, Dirk Strider?!"

The woman cackled as she continued. Ava let out cries as wounds opened up on her body. And these weren't normal slices either. Dirk had felt dark mana within each one, dark mana that caused excruciating pain. He could put up with it, but Ava couldn't. 

Ava collapsed after a mere five slices, tears streaming from her eyes. She was in so much pain, and she couldn't do anything about it. 

Dirk gritted his teeth. 

"What do you want?!"

"You, Dirk Strider!"

Suddenly, the woman appeared in front of Dirk's face. Her hand grabbed his hair, yanking him upward until he looked into her eyes. 

"How about it? Would you like to come with me?"

"...Fuck you..."

"Wrong answer."

*Bam!*

The woman drove her fist into his stomach. As Dirk collapsed in on himself, the woman simultaneously grabbed his necklace, pulling it off his neck. 

She gazed at the black marble. 

"So this is the warning beacon? Naive, so naive. And you! How stupid are you?! You should've crushed this the moment you realized something was off!"

*Thud!*

"Ack!"

Dirk felt the wind escape his lungs as she ruthlessly kicked him. Despite the pain though, rage was brewing inside him. 

As the woman seemed to admire the marble, a feeble voice sounded.

"Get... away... from him!"

Ava barely stood and swung her axe again. Let alone casting magic as well, she barely had the mind to stand. Each movement sent waves of pain through her. 

The woman sneered as the axe missed her, hitting the floor. She didn't even move. Ava was just that out of it.

"Stupid."

*Crush!*

Raising her foot, the woman stomped down on the axe. The metal warped under her foot, directly folding in half before crushing the wooden floor underneath. Ava felt her heart sink as she fell to her knees. What was this freakish power?

"Agh... I'm going... to kill you."

"You? Kill me?"

The woman smiled as Dirk stood up with hateful words. Despite the horrifying pain he was feeling, his eyes were determined. 

She just watched as he stood, sneering at his hopeless resistance. However, he quickly raised his arm afterward. She became curious about the item in his hand. 

It was a metal device, entirely black with a few glowing circuits along its body. From its handle extended a hollow barrel. 

[Final Stand Weapon System deployed.]

It was his weapon system, a single pistol with a mere 8 bullets inside. For years, Dirk had waited and waited as the nanites within his body constructed this weapon piece by piece. It had long been completed, and now, Dirk was desperate enough to bring it out. 

Of course, the woman didn't know what this thing was. She just raised her eyebrows in curiosity. 

That was until Dirk pulled the trigger. 

*BANG*

There was a flash as an explosion rang out.

*BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG*

Seven more shots rang out after the first. Ava covered her ears as the sounds rattled her head. 

Dirk's eyes were glued to the woman. After firing every bullet within the gun, he lowered it. Bullet casings rattled on the ground by his feet for a second before silence prevailed.

His face wasn't happy though. If anything, it was hopeless. The woman hadn't collapsed to the floor, and half the shots were placed on her forehead. 

"...Now that was interesting."

She spoke as she raised her hand to her chest. After digging around, she pulled out a small chunk of metal. It was the bullet. 

"A small little thing, yet so much power. It actually made me bleed a bit... Hey, what is that?"

The woman zipped over, grabbing the gun in Dirk's hand before kicking him away. He didn't even resist as he tumbled across the floor, stopping only when he slammed into the wall. 

The woman looked at the gun. However, after a few seconds, the glowing circuits on it flashed red. 

*Ding!*

*BOOM*

After a sound, the weapon suddenly exploded in her hands. Dirk watched as the weapon system was obliterated into nothing. This was a failsafe ensuring the technology of the weapon system couldn't fall into enemy hands. It also acted as a last resort, exploding with more power than a grenade. 

Dirk only lamented that all the time spent forming the weapon system was for nothing. He had thought of it as his last resort in dire situations. But as soon as he got into a truly dire situation, the enemy proved to be beyond even modern weaponry. 

Not even the explosion did anything. She had erected defenses in advance just in case there were any more surprises. Her instincts proved true. 

She stood there blankly for a second.

"...Interesting."

She spoke that one word. Then, she turned back to Dirk. 

"Is that it? If it is, then it's time to finish up here. I can't have you lose too much blood."

Saying that, the woman walked over and grabbed Dirk by the ankle. He was too weak to resist as he was dragged to the door. 

"N-no!"

Ava cried out as she saw the woman open the door. Hearing her, the woman turned before leaving. She smiled at Ava. 

"Be thankful, little girl, that we're only after your precious boyfriend. You've avoided a descent into hell. Thank your weakness for that."

With that, the woman turned and left. Ava trembled as they disappeared from view. 

"No... No! Ahh!"

Letting out a scream, Ava forced her body to stand. Her body screamed back at her, but she fought the horrifying pain. 

She dragged her body out of the house. Looking around, she couldn't see Dirk or the woman. After a few tears fell from her eyes, she turned in another direction. One foot in front of the other, she marched.

She didn't know how long had passed, but she finally arrived outside of the Strider residence. With all her strength, she pounded the door. 

"Strider! Mister Strider!!"

She screamed as hard as she could. Thankfully, only a few seconds passed before the door shot open. 

It was Cecilia, and she froze upon seeing Ava's bloodied body. Ryker was right behind her, and his heart sank after instantly realizing what happened. 

"No..."

He muttered as Ava fell to her knees. 

"Dirk he... Someone attacked us... They took him!"

"..."

Cecilia was silent, but Ava was horrified as dark tendrils extended from her feet. Ryker, who recovered quicker than his wife, quickly bent down and scooped Ava off the ground. 

Then, he turned to bring her inside. Before he could though, there was a shout. 

"Striders! The noble Marquess, Ryker Strider! The noble wife, Cecilia Strider!"

A random man approached the house, bottle in hand and words slurred as if drunk. He eyed the husband and wife who glared back at him. Cecilia, especially, had a terrifying gaze. 

He didn't seem fazed in the slightest. Suddenly, the man's eyes sharpened. 

"Asura sends his regards."

"AHHH!!"

With those words, Cecilia suddenly let out a shrill, soul-shivering scream. From her feet, black tendrils shot out in all directions. The ground was overturned as grass corroded and died. The already dark night turned even darker. 

At the same time, Cecilia's body changed as dark mana enveloped her. She turned ghostly, as if she were a wraith from hell itself. Without the man able to even react, she teleported in front of him. Her eyes had already turned pitch black, as if she were the abyss gazing into him. 

"WHERE IS MY SON?!"

"Hahaha! I don't even know! You think they would send someone who knew something?! Hahaha!"

"I'M GOING TO REND YOUR SOUL!"

With a voice that shouldn't belong to a human, Cecilia's hands dug into the man. His cackles turned into screams as his body was torn apart limb from limb. Then, with dark claws, she shot her hand into his head. 

There was a flash of light as her hand retracted. Above it was now a wisp, a colorful entity of light. It was a soul. 

Cecilia's two hands contracted around this soul, and within her grasp, screams were let out, ringing in the minds of others. These screams died out though as the soul disintegrated under her fingers. The light dissipated. 

Cecilia, who had turned into nothing short of a monster, took a few breaths before suddenly looking back at Ryker. The man faced his wife, not scared or afraid of this horrifying form. 

The two seemed to communicate with their gazes. After Ryker nodded, Cecilia turned. Taking a step, she disappeared like a true ghost. She was off to find her son. 

Ryker gritted his teeth as his wife disappeared. He knew he couldn't do anything. This was her domain. It was her battle. Still, he hated it. 

With a heart full of silent rage, he turned and walked into the house. Ava had already passed out in his arms, though it was possible that Cecilia's monstrous form caused her to faint and not her exhaustion. He quickly went to treat her. This was all he could do.

The night deepened with this small bout of chaos.

For a while, Dirk and Ava decided to let Garel sing his heart out. At some point, Dirk pulled out a book and read it on the side, tuning the man out. When he was finally done though, he let out a big sigh. Dirk perked up when the guitar disappeared from under his arm. At the same time, Ava walked out of the kitchen holding a large pot of soup. In the time Garel was singing, she had made an early dinner. "Here you go, Mister Garel." "For me? Well aren't you the sweetest young lady. Dirk sure is a lucky man to have you by his side." "Aww, thanks." Ava smiled sweetly at the genuine compliment. Afterward, Garel took a large serving of the soup. "Mm. It isn't rich in mana, and the flavor isn't explosive. But it's got the comforting warmth of a home cooked meal. It's delicious!" Garel spoke as he ate another spoonful of the meat soup. Ava smiled even brighter. She was starting to like this man and his praises. "I'm glad you like it. Have as much as you want." "I give my thanks to the chef. If you don't mind..." Saying that, Garel suddenly grabbed the pot of soup. Ava was stunned when he brought the entire thing to his mouth, lifting it like a cup of juice. Dirk stared at the man incredulously as he drank the pot of soup in its entirety. That was an entire dinner for them as well! Garel licked his lips with a smile after setting the pot down. "Truly, good food! I haven't had a humble meal like this in ages. Say, is there more?" "Uhh..." Ava was unsure as she looked at Dirk. Dirk just sighed, shrugging his shoulders. Ava turned back to Garel with a small smile. "I'll put on some more." "You have my praises, Chef Ava!" Garel clapped as Ava went back to the kitchen. Dirk also got up to help. After that, they made three more meals. They brewed another pot of soup, cooked a large slab of meat, and baked a few loaves of bread. And when they set the table, the two couldn't even sit down before Garel ate all three meals. They watched as three more dinners' worth of food disappeared. Thankfully, it seemed to be enough. After Dirk and Ava cooked two more meals, Garel was only able to eat one, leaving the other for them. "Have you had your fill?" Ava asked Garel with a strained smile. He alone had eaten their entire food stock. Not that they couldn't buy plenty more, but still. Garel just nodded in his seat, his stomach bulging out of his nice blue suit. "Indeed! I thank the chef again for her wonderful cooking." "...Sure." Ava passive-aggressively responded. Then, she clapped her hands. "Anyway! I think it's about time we close up for the night. Mister Garel, why don't Dirk and I escort you home?" "A double escort? I've never had a double escort before!" "Then it'll be a new experience. Come on! Let's go." Ava motioned Garel out of his seat. The man quickly rose, happily trotting to the door while hypothesizing about what a wonderful walk they would have back to his house. Ava smiled at Garel before looking at Dirk who reclined against his chair. "Hey, let's go!" "...Do I have to?" "Oh, yes you do! We're in this together, mister!" Ava pulled Dirk's arm. Like that, they left the house and stepped into the night. Garel looked up and smiled at the two moons in the sky. "Ah, such beautiful moons! Light and Dark, chaos and order! Did you know that some believe the two moons to be bridges to other worlds? Perhaps they hold worlds within themselves! There are also those who believe that those two moons hold the sources of power for all light and dark magic. So many legends were created around these moons, and yet so few people have actually set foot on those majestic celestial bodies." Garel spoke with enraptured wonder. Realizing the implication of his words though, Dirk was shocked. "Wait, people actually walked on those moons?" "Well, the stories aren't for certain, but I believe there are those that have. Think about it. Tier 8 masters attain power that can rend mountains in two, set the skies afire, and create entire oceans! How could one not have been curious about those moons? Curiosity knows no bounds, and to those unfathomable existences, those moons represent great unknowns. I refuse to believe that there hasn't been one that couldn't make such a dream come true." "...Maybe." Dirk nodded after a moment. He wasn't sure what the power of a Tier 8 looked like, but Garel was right. Who wasn't curious about those moons? There was no way at least one person didn't at least try their luck. Ava also dove into thought. Only, Garel wasn't done with his train of thought. "Ah, this night, those moons. Oh Deliha! They can't compare to your beauty!" "Oh god..." Dirk and Ava simultaneously facepalmed as Garel brought out his guitar again. Like that, the two walked with him back to his home, his sorrowful voice ringing out the entire way. Finally, after arriving at his residence, Ava hastily pushed Garel through the door to his own home. After brushing off his enthusiastic thanks, she shut his front door, sealing him in his house. "...How does he even teach you?" "A lot of the time he doesn't, actually. But when he does, you'd be surprised how good he is. Anyway, let's go home. I'm exhausted." Dirk answered her question with a sigh. Ava nodded as she turned back from where they came, heading back home. The two walked in silence under the night sky. Along the way, Ava linked arms with Dirk, the two getting cozy with the other's warmth. Like that, they arrived at the house. Dirk went to open the door. When he did though, his hand froze a bit. That was only momentary though as he continued to turn the doorknob. "Ah, home sweet home. And no sad musicians." Ava walked in with a tired groan, plopping down on the couch. Dirk hummed in response as he walked toward the kitchen. Ava watched him and realized there were still dirty dishes on the table. She pulled herself off the couch to help with the cleaning. However, when Dirk passed by the table, he suddenly moved. *Ting!* There was a loud ring. Ava was stunned as she saw a red knife in Dirk's hand. It was thrust out toward one of the chairs. "Hoho, aren't you sharp?" A voice came from in front of Dirk. The next moment, a figure materialized in the chair Dirk had stabbed toward. The figure was holding its own knife, one that it used to block Dirk's strike. Suddenly, Ava felt her heart pound out of her chest. She realized something was happening as she saw that person cloaked in black. Dirk didn't wait long before attacking again. *Slash!* "Hah!" Dirk shouted after swinging his knife. Taking a step back, two magic circles suddenly appeared above the backs of his hands. With that, 8 metallic arrows appeared above his head while four fireballs appeared around his body. Before attacking, he shouted. "Ava! Get out of here!" "Wha..." Ava couldn't seem to respond as she saw Dirk respond to this person in full force. She saw his face and its utter seriousness. She could even say he was flustered. She had never seen him like that before. He was always calm no matter the enemy. But this wasn't a normal enemy. In Dirk's eyes, he could sense an absurd power of darkness within this person. Dark mana shrouded their body, and through his initial strike he could sense strength beyond words. It didn't take long, but Dirk had already determined he couldn't fight against this person. Still, he responded with his full power. The reason was Ava. He couldn't retreat without her. The shrouded person chuckled at Dirk's violent response. A feminine voice escaped the black cloak. "What's wrong, little boy? Afraid we'll hurt your girlfriend?" *Woosh!* Right after the cloaked woman spoke, Dirk responded with his prepared attacks. The arrows launched out at once, and the fireballs followed shortly after. *Ting! Ting! Ting! Ting!* With casual flicks of the wrist, the woman deflected every arrow despite them homing in at the same time. After that, her hand flew toward the fireballs. Before she could nullify them though, they exploded. *Boom!* Fire blasted out, filling the entire house. Seeing the approaching flames, Ava raised her arms and summoned her water mana to defend. The fire never came though. After the bright flames dissipated, Ava looked up. Dirk was in front of her. "Snap into it! You need to get out of here! Now!" Dirk yelled as he turned back to her. When he grabbed her arm, she shook a bit, nodding. "Alright!" "Let's go!" Saying that, the two ran toward the door. When Dirk turned his back though, he felt a chill. Casting Rock Wall. Dirk barely even thought of the spell he wanted to cast before the AI responded. After a magic circle flashed, a rock wall was erected behind him. He grabbed Ava at the same time, pulling her to the ground. *Zip!* The next instant, a black arrow sailed over their heads. The rock wall was momentarily obliterated, sending rock fragments everywhere. Dirk popped to his feet, turning back around. "You think you can run so easily? How naive. I thought you had properly judged my power for a second there." The woman stood from her chair. The fire had engulfed the entire kitchen and living room. The table, couch, and any other flammable items had already been destroyed. Only she and her chair remained, though even that chair disintegrated when she stood up. Still, she didn't have a single burn on her cloak. And that dark arrow was powerful. It had pierced straight through Dirk's rock wall without resistance, destroying it along the way as if it were a house of cards. The woman chuckled. "First you walk in calmly as if nothing was wrong. Then you get close without giving the slightest hint that you know I'm here. Then, you launch a surprise attack. I commend your composure. I'd ask how you knew, but I'm not sure how much I care." "..." Dirk was silent as the woman took steps towards them. After making an internal decision, his hand suddenly shot toward his neck. "Oh, I don't think so." Before his hand could pound against his chest though, the woman flung out her hand. A chain extended out, one with a spike on the end. This spike flew faster than Dirk could keep up with, and it stabbed right into his arm. "Agh!" Dirk let out a pained grunt as the black spike impaled his forearm. After that, the woman pulled, yanking him forward. "Dirk!" Ava shouted as Dirk flew towards the woman. When he hit the ground though, his body entered a tumble, and he rolled to his feet right in front of the woman. Then, his other hand shot out. His red knife, one he had forged personally from Infernia, shuttled toward the woman's neck like a snake. *Ting!* The woman responded with her own knife though, blocking the sneaky attack. Dirk could see her smile from under her cloak. "Skillful. I'd almost think you were properly trained if you weren't still a child." *Woosh!* Dirk didn't respond, continuing to throw out attacks. Spikes, arrows, and fireballs constantly shot out at the woman while Dirk attacked with his knife. His body was fast, nimble, and cunning. He backed the woman into corners with every attack, each advance chained with the next. It was skill that no child should possess. But the woman never faltered. She just swung her knife while spinning around, cutting down each and every attack. She seemed to dance with Dirk as the two made their way across the floor. But it never seemed like she was trying. Dirk was throwing all his strength and speed at this woman, but her hand was always sturdy when she blocked his attacks. It felt like everything he did was futile. It was a new feeling to him who had never fought someone with absolute strength. After several exchanges, Dirk also started to send his hand towards his neck again. The reason was due to the necklace on him. This necklace held a black marble, and it was the beacon his mother had told him to crush when he was in danger. Well, he was now in mortal danger, but he couldn't even crush it. Whenever he tried, the woman would yank her chain, jerking his body around. It had never actually come out of Dirk's arm, still impaled through his muscles and keeping him from using it. He tried to rip it out, but that put him in mind-numbing, paralyzing pain. When he fell to his knees due to this pain, the woman had merely laughed like he was some kind of joke. He couldn't get rid of the chain, and even when he tried to fall on the marble, using his chest to crush it, she would lift him back up. Nothing he did could set off that crucial alarm. It was obvious that she knew its function. When Dirk stood from his knees and started launching more attacks, she chuckled. "My goodness! You're a tenacious one. Let's see how long you can last." With those words, Dirk suddenly saw the woman vanish. The spike in his arm was suddenly ripped out. "Ahh!!" Dirk let out a rough scream. It felt like the spike tore out his nerves. His body felt weakness overcome it as blood streamed down his hand. Then, a fist came around, slamming into his back. *Bang!* Dirk's body slammed into the floor under this punch. When he forced himself back up, another fist drove itself into his stomach. He was lifted off the ground before falling. He coughed, blood spilling from his mouth. Still, he got back up. When he did, he was punched again. Each fist sent shockwaves through his body, and he was alerted by his AI about internal injuries. But that was only the appetizer. After fists came a knife, each slash opening large wounds across his body. Dirk's body was quickly soaked in blood. Still, he kept standing. He tried throwing back attacks with his rapidly dwindling strength, but none of it mattered. Then, there was suddenly a shrill cry. "Get off of him!" From upstairs, Ava came charging out with her axe. She had left when Dirk started getting attacked to retrieve her weapon, and the woman didn't bother with her. Now, with eyes filled with rage, she ruthlessly attacked the woman who was toying with Dirk. Of course, her slow axe couldn't hit its mark. The woman smiled at Ava's attempt, watching as her axe merely split the ground by her feet. "Futile! But courageous of you. Oh, young love. How naive and stupid it can make people." "Ahh!" Suddenly, Ava cried out in pain. Dirk's pupils contracted as he saw a wound open up on her hand. "Stop!" "Or what! What will you do about it, Dirk Strider?!" The woman cackled as she continued. Ava let out cries as wounds opened up on her body. And these weren't normal slices either. Dirk had felt dark mana within each one, dark mana that caused excruciating pain. He could put up with it, but Ava couldn't. Ava collapsed after a mere five slices, tears streaming from her eyes. She was in so much pain, and she couldn't do anything about it. Dirk gritted his teeth. "What do you want?!" "You, Dirk Strider!" Suddenly, the woman appeared in front of Dirk's face. Her hand grabbed his hair, yanking him upward until he looked into her eyes. "How about it? Would you like to come with me?" "...Fuck you..." "Wrong answer." *Bam!* The woman drove her fist into his stomach. As Dirk collapsed in on himself, the woman simultaneously grabbed his necklace, pulling it off his neck. She gazed at the black marble. "So this is the warning beacon? Naive, so naive. And you! How stupid are you?! You should've crushed this the moment you realized something was off!" *Thud!* "Ack!" Dirk felt the wind escape his lungs as she ruthlessly kicked him. Despite the pain though, rage was brewing inside him. As the woman seemed to admire the marble, a feeble voice sounded. "Get... away... from him!" Ava barely stood and swung her axe again. Let alone casting magic as well, she barely had the mind to stand. Each movement sent waves of pain through her. The woman sneered as the axe missed her, hitting the floor. She didn't even move. Ava was just that out of it. "Stupid." *Crush!* Raising her foot, the woman stomped down on the axe. The metal warped under her foot, directly folding in half before crushing the wooden floor underneath. Ava felt her heart sink as she fell to her knees. What was this freakish power? "Agh... I'm going... to kill you." "You? Kill me?" The woman smiled as Dirk stood up with hateful words. Despite the horrifying pain he was feeling, his eyes were determined. She just watched as he stood, sneering at his hopeless resistance. However, he quickly raised his arm afterward. She became curious about the item in his hand. It was a metal device, entirely black with a few glowing circuits along its body. From its handle extended a hollow barrel. Final Stand Weapon System deployed. It was his weapon system, a single pistol with a mere 8 bullets inside. For years, Dirk had waited and waited as the nanites within his body constructed this weapon piece by piece. It had long been completed, and now, Dirk was desperate enough to bring it out. Of course, the woman didn't know what this thing was. She just raised her eyebrows in curiosity. That was until Dirk pulled the trigger. *BANG* There was a flash as an explosion rang out. *BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG* Seven more shots rang out after the first. Ava covered her ears as the sounds rattled her head. Dirk's eyes were glued to the woman. After firing every bullet within the gun, he lowered it. Bullet casings rattled on the ground by his feet for a second before silence prevailed. His face wasn't happy though. If anything, it was hopeless. The woman hadn't collapsed to the floor, and half the shots were placed on her forehead. "...Now that was interesting." She spoke as she raised her hand to her chest. After digging around, she pulled out a small chunk of metal. It was the bullet. "A small little thing, yet so much power. It actually made me bleed a bit... Hey, what is that?" The woman zipped over, grabbing the gun in Dirk's hand before kicking him away. He didn't even resist as he tumbled across the floor, stopping only when he slammed into the wall. The woman looked at the gun. However, after a few seconds, the glowing circuits on it flashed red. *Ding!* *BOOM* After a sound, the weapon suddenly exploded in her hands. Dirk watched as the weapon system was obliterated into nothing. This was a failsafe ensuring the technology of the weapon system couldn't fall into enemy hands. It also acted as a last resort, exploding with more power than a grenade. Dirk only lamented that all the time spent forming the weapon system was for nothing. He had thought of it as his last resort in dire situations. But as soon as he got into a truly dire situation, the enemy proved to be beyond even modern weaponry. Not even the explosion did anything. She had erected defenses in advance just in case there were any more surprises. Her instincts proved true. She stood there blankly for a second. "...Interesting." She spoke that one word. Then, she turned back to Dirk. "Is that it? If it is, then it's time to finish up here. I can't have you lose too much blood." Saying that, the woman walked over and grabbed Dirk by the ankle. He was too weak to resist as he was dragged to the door. "N-no!" Ava cried out as she saw the woman open the door. Hearing her, the woman turned before leaving. She smiled at Ava. "Be thankful, little girl, that we're only after your precious boyfriend. You've avoided a descent into hell. Thank your weakness for that." With that, the woman turned and left. Ava trembled as they disappeared from view. "No... No! Ahh!" Letting out a scream, Ava forced her body to stand. Her body screamed back at her, but she fought the horrifying pain. She dragged her body out of the house. Looking around, she couldn't see Dirk or the woman. After a few tears fell from her eyes, she turned in another direction. One foot in front of the other, she marched. She didn't know how long had passed, but she finally arrived outside of the Strider residence. With all her strength, she pounded the door. "Strider! Mister Strider!!" She screamed as hard as she could. Thankfully, only a few seconds passed before the door shot open. It was Cecilia, and she froze upon seeing Ava's bloodied body. Ryker was right behind her, and his heart sank after instantly realizing what happened. "No..." He muttered as Ava fell to her knees. "Dirk he... Someone attacked us... They took him!" "..." Cecilia was silent, but Ava was horrified as dark tendrils extended from her feet. Ryker, who recovered quicker than his wife, quickly bent down and scooped Ava off the ground. Then, he turned to bring her inside. Before he could though, there was a shout. "Striders! The noble Marquess, Ryker Strider! The noble wife, Cecilia Strider!" A random man approached the house, bottle in hand and words slurred as if drunk. He eyed the husband and wife who glared back at him. Cecilia, especially, had a terrifying gaze. He didn't seem fazed in the slightest. Suddenly, the man's eyes sharpened. "Asura sends his regards." "AHHH!!" With those words, Cecilia suddenly let out a shrill, soul-shivering scream. From her feet, black tendrils shot out in all directions. The ground was overturned as grass corroded and died. The already dark night turned even darker. At the same time, Cecilia's body changed as dark mana enveloped her. She turned ghostly, as if she were a wraith from hell itself. Without the man able to even react, she teleported in front of him. Her eyes had already turned pitch black, as if she were the abyss gazing into him. "WHERE IS MY SON?!" "Hahaha! I don't even know! You think they would send someone who knew something?! Hahaha!" "I'M GOING TO REND YOUR SOUL!" With a voice that shouldn't belong to a human, Cecilia's hands dug into the man. His cackles turned into screams as his body was torn apart limb from limb. Then, with dark claws, she shot her hand into his head. There was a flash of light as her hand retracted. Above it was now a wisp, a colorful entity of light. It was a soul. Cecilia's two hands contracted around this soul, and within her grasp, screams were let out, ringing in the minds of others. These screams died out though as the soul disintegrated under her fingers. The light dissipated. Cecilia, who had turned into nothing short of a monster, took a few breaths before suddenly looking back at Ryker. The man faced his wife, not scared or afraid of this horrifying form. The two seemed to communicate with their gazes. After Ryker nodded, Cecilia turned. Taking a step, she disappeared like a true ghost. She was off to find her son. Ryker gritted his teeth as his wife disappeared. He knew he couldn't do anything. This was her domain. It was her battle. Still, he hated it. With a heart full of silent rage, he turned and walked into the house. Ava had already passed out in his arms, though it was possible that Cecilia's monstrous form caused her to faint and not her exhaustion. He quickly went to treat her. This was all he could do. The night deepened with this small bout of chaos.