Chapter 160 to Chapter 167
Chapter 160 Desire
The entire hospital was in chaos with the sudden appearance and disappearance of the smothering pressure.
Many tables and equipment were lying upside down after people fell on them. As people regained their wits back, they started correcting the mess they have unconsciously created.
Many patients and staff were still sweating profusely at the sudden close encounter with death. None of them could understand what has happened and why.
"Just what was that pressure?!" A senior doctor in a cabin questioned.
"I have never felt so helpless in my entire life," The nurse in the room muttered while wiping the sweat from her face.
"It was like my right to breathe was taken away," An old patient said with fear evident in his voice.
"Just who is responsible for this?!" A young staff member questioned her senior.
"No idea but let's rejoice," the senior staff answered, "Death is definitely close than I ever thought."
"Y-yeah."
"We need to see if the patient in VIP ward is fine or not," A senior doctor on a lower floor said, "She is the daughter of a senator and if anything happens to her...our life would turn to hell."
"Let's go!"
...
VIP Ward.
Kiba was barely standing with his hands clutching his head. His body was trembling with bolts of red current and vibrations from the ring and the bracelet jolting his nervous system.
Some distance away, a small drone was attacking Kiba with high-frequency sound waves. The combined might of three simultaneous attacks made him suffer through a severe headache.
"Urgh," Kiba's thoughts were in mess. All he wanted was to kill but a side of him disagreed with the proposal.
His eyes were half-open. Inside his half-blue and half-golden pupils, a faint trace of gray marked its sinister presence. The gray was continuously struggling with the half-blue for supremacy.
[[Recall what you seek in life.]] Claudia's voice entered his ears like a whisper.
"What I seek," Kiba closed his eyes as memories flashed inside his mind.
-----
*
Twelve years old.
On a street outside the slum.
A dozen men in black stood with their mouths wide open. Their eyes were filled with disbelief as they witnessed the scene in front of their eyes.
Some distance away from them, an otherworldly beautiful woman in a red dress was crouching in front of a kid in rags clothing.
The woman has auburn hairs reaching her shoulders, making a sharp contrast with her creamy white skin tone. Her eyes were sparkling like a galaxy carrying a depth no human could ever grasp.
The woman was Veronica and the kid in front of her was Zed. Veronica slowly placed a finger on his forehead.
"The greatest gift in this world is Eternal Wisdom Of Dream," Veronica said as a ray of violet light originated from the tip of her finger, "A wisdom from The Creator."
"The Creator?" Zed was mesmerized by her sweet voice.
"Yes," Veronica smiled while her eyes were filled with reverence and even love. She shook her head as the ray of violet light entered his forehead.
"The first step in the path of dreams is seeking what you desire," Veronica retraced her finger, "Remember the desire should be yours and not others."
"My desire..."
---
Fourteen years old.
Zed left the slum temporarily with great efforts to reach a certain part of the city. He arrived in front of a shop and looked at the banner.
"Misty Ice Cream House."
He observed the pictures of ice cream and licked his lips unconsciously.
"Mint chocolate chip, rocky road, blue moon, stracciatella, tutti frutti, butter pecan, raspberry ripple..."
Each variety of ice cream seemed more delicious than others. Just the pictures alone made his mouth water.
He stepped in front of the glass window to take a peek inside. On the counter, a woman took down the orders of customers.
The children pestered their parents for their favorite flavor, and they laughed merrily when the ice creams arrived. The parents smiled in delight at the reactions of their children.
Many couples were sitting together in a cozy environment. A girl in twenties took a scoop of ice cream from the hand of her boyfriend.
At the corner, an old couple was licking on an ice cream cone. A young couple laughed at the love between the old couple and promised to follow their leads.
Outside, Zed didn't focus on the promises of couples or the joy of children. He only gazed at the ice creams.
"Haah," He gave a self-deprecating smile as he took out his saving from the pocket. The saving was nothing more than a few coins and he knew he could barely afford the cheapest flavor.
"I desire a day when I don't have to worry about money for eating something I crave," Zed turned his head away from the shop, "Till then I would save every penny to afford to live in the city."
With his newfound determination, he suppressed his craving and walked away.
"Not today but someday in future for sure," Zed gave a final glance at the shop, "I would taste the best delicacies the world has to offer."
----
Fifteen years old.
On the outskirts of the slum.
Zed jumped through a window to enter the living room of an apartment. The room was dark but Zed didn't switch on the light.
His intent was to steal and he didn't dare do anything which could get him caught.
Sss
He clenched his fist and a small fire enveloped his hand. The fire was enough to allow him to see through the darkness.
He silently stepped forward to collect anything valuable in the room. As he moved around the room, he heard a muffled sound.
He was surprised for he believed the residents were out.
"Oooo"
The sound turned loud and he could make out the words spoken.
"Ahh...don't stop."
Zed was startled by the voice. There were obvious traces of pain in the voice but yet the speaker seemed to be asking for more.
"The voice definitely belongs to a woman," Zed moved closer to the source of the sound.
"Oh god!"
Zed gulped down as he arrived in front of the door to the bedroom. The door was open with light from inside covering the corridor.
The voice was now fully clear.
"FASTER!"
Zed didn't know why but the voice tantalized his senses. He tried to suppress the strange feeling inside his body.
"Just what is going on?" Zed thought before gazing through the half-open door.
Inside, on a bed, a woman was sitting above a man. The woman was naked with eyes closed.
"I'm getting close," She was moving up and down at a fast pace. Her face was carrying an expression a mixture of pain and pleasure.
"This is..." Zed felt a part of his body turning hard and erect, "...sex."
He has only heard about it in the slums.
From what he knew, there were brothels where women offered their bodies to men for a sum of money.
He never understood why men would spend a fortune in brothels. He believed it was idiotic to spend such money for few hours with prostitutes, but after glancing at the scene inside the bedroom, and the feeling boiling inside his body, he understood the reason.
"I was wrong," He focused his eyes on the breasts of the women and the uneasy feeling in his body turned stronger.
Her plump breasts and the dark nipples felt like a source of ultimate bliss. His conjecture turned stronger as his eyes moved down on her pink foldings.
Her naked figure made him feel weak but yet for unknown reasons, he felt this weakness was the best feeling in the world.
"No, I'm not supposed to see this," Zed thought but yet his eyes were glued to her gorgeous curves.
"I might get caught," He shook his head with great determination and turned around.
Zed quickly returned to the living room. Without wasting any time, he collected everything which could make him some money.
A few minutes later~
He walked towards the window with a large bag in his hand. He gave a final glance at the direction of the bedroom.
"Someday I would make love with the most beautiful women out there."
He jumped down from the window with his loot after ensuring he has left no clues.
"In future, I would still invade other's home but not for money or items! I would seek something more valuable!"
That fateful night, he didn't leave the apartment with mere loot but a dream.
Alas, what he considered a dream would become a nightmare to all men...
Chapter 161 Integrity
Zed went to the apartment to steal valuables but he returned with more than just loot. He established a dream for himself.
That night he dreamed of stealing something more precious than money and goods. He dreamed of becoming a type of thief the world has never known.
Of course, back then he didn't know how successful he would be in the pursuit of his dream. He wasn't aware of the talent he carried to think of unconventional schemes to get what he wanted.
Nor did he actually imagined a day would come when people would fear his other persona.
Now, his name was synonymous with rake and womanizer. Parents feared the possibility of their daughters being seduced by a man named Kiba.
Husbands, on the other hand, dreaded leaving their wives alone and giving Kiba a chance to carry out his hunt.
The fear of Kiba now loomed throughout Delta City...
What truly needs to be mentioned is that back then he didn't dream of stealing others wives for an affair. This type of thought never crossed his mind when he formulated his dream.
He only wished to make love with every beauty out there. A wish shared by most men.
But as time passed, he became different from other men. The encounters in his life and his first experience with the opposite sex gave him his greatest desire: Stealing others wife for an affair while their husbands die of envy and shame!
Maybe the orthodox society would find his dreams and desires strange, but to him, this never mattered. Life was far too short to waste on the views of the others.
----
Present.
Kiba was clutching his head while his eyes were closed. He continued to suffer under the onslaught of the ring, bracelet, and the drone.
Swoosh~!
His hands left his head and he teleported next to the drone. He clutched it tightly with one hand.
Crackle~
The drone fell on the floor broken.
[[Sir, stop.]]
Claudia was worried about his reaction. Much to her horror, he brought his hand on his wrist to remove the bracelet.
He grasped the bracelet and streams of golden energy flowed inside. Like molten wax, the bracelet melted into silver liquid.
The next moment, he raised his right hand in which he was wearing the ring.
Ssss
A column of golden fire engulfed the ring.
BANG~!
The ring exploded into fragments of white and red pieces.
[[Sir, you mustn't give in. There is---]]
Claudia stopped as she sensed something from the sensors installed in the VIP Ward. Kiba slowly opened his eyes, and in them, there was no more bloodlust.
"Claudia, thank you once again."
His pupils were like they originally were without the presence of the sinister gray. On his face, there was no more struggle.
[[Sir, I only helped you to differentiate between your desires and those of your powers. I'm glad that you are once again clear on what you desire.]]
"My desire is not mere money or women, but a wish to live however I please," Kiba said with a faint smile, "I would kill if I want, and even protect others if it pleases me."
Meanwhile, inside his chest.
The Cosmic Spark continued releasing a wave of golden lightning which moved throughout his body. This golden lightning was the source of his present form and its disappearance would mean he would turn back into Zed.
As he opened his eyes and the struggle within him ended, another stream of golden lightning manifested from Cosmic Spark. This stream disconnected from the Cosmic Spark as soon as it left its confinement.
"The only one to decide on how I would live my life is me and no one else."
The stream of golden lightning entered his brain and struck at the dormant gray particle.
"Not even my powers get to dictate on the choices in my life."
The gray particle began its struggle for supremacy with the stream of golden lightning. Their battle seemed as if it was within another space, and in just mere seconds it was evident they were equally powerful.
Feeling the futile nature of battle, the stream of golden lightning enveloped the gray particle like a cocoon. The gray particle seethed but alas, that was all it could do after being sealed by its natural enemy...
----
"There is a price to be paid for everything in this world," Kiba stepped towards the sleeping Felicity, "Someday I would have to pay for this power."
A golden spark flew out from his finger and flew towards the corpse of Arnie. In no time, the corpse burned to ashes and flew outside through the window. There were no more traces of Arnie's existence.
Kiba sighed and sat down on a stool next to the bed. He silently looked at Felicity and then at the mechanical bead in his hand.
This bead was the only clue Arnie has left on the mastermind of today's events.
"The last 12 hours have been very hectic," Kiba closed his eyes, "I could have avoided so much trouble if I hadn't let emotions cloud my judgment."
He knew how emotions work but controlling them was easier said than done. This was especially true after his confrontation with Akshobhya.
"Time to complete the job," Kiba left the stool and glanced at Felicity, "Wake up soon."
A column of white light enveloped him as he teleported away.
------
Section I, Dream Rise House.
Kiba freshened up and changed to casual clothes before undergoing a detailed medical examination. He glanced at the virtual monitor for a few seconds before swiping it away in disappointment.
The mechanical bead was lying on a scanner along with the communication device owned by the revolutionaries.
"No time to waste," Kiba shook his head and walked towards the table where Rufus was confined.
"Well, you seem to be having fun," Kiba said with a smile.
Rufus was in a condition where he was having anything but fun. His eyes were mutilated and there was not a single trace of skin on his body.
His skin was shredded away leaving behind a bloody figure having no similarity with the former Rufus.
Some distance away, the other revolutionaries were trembling in fear. They have witnessed the entire event of how the droid tortured Rufus.
Even when Rufus offered to talk, the droid didn't stop till ten types of procedures were completed. Each procedure was more painful than the other, and they didn't dare imagine the sufferings Rufus has faced.
Even in their headquarters, they have rarely seen such type of cruel torture. At least, they never heard about torment by an AI in an apathetic fashion.
"Do you perhaps wish to answer my questions?" Kiba asked while a golden light enveloped his hand. Without giving Rufus time to respond, he struck his hand at the chest of Rufus.
"AHHHH!"
Rufus screamed in pain as his fleshly muscles and the ribs shattered.
"Oops, I was planning to break your cuffs so that you can freely speak," Kiba retraced his hand, "But I guess lack of sleep has affected my vision."
~@#%!
Rufus and the other revolutionaries cursed in their hearts.
You targetted his body and not the cuffs!
So how can it be a misaim?!
"Now this is embarrassing," Kiba scratched his head, "You are doubting my integrity."
SON OF A BITCH!
Integrity?!
You use that word after what you have done to us in the warehouse and now at the lab?!
You have no integrity, to begin with! So there is no question of doubting it!
Chapter 162 Back In Character
Section I, Dream Rise House.
Kiba was standing next to the table where Rufus was cuffed. Rufus' chest was filled with fragments of broken flesh and bone. A medical droid started emergency treatment to stop the bleeding.
Next to Rufus' table, the other revolutionaries were cuffed. Each of them was fuming with anger at the words spoken by Kiba.
His excuses made them vexed to no end but they tried their best to not curse him openly. As far as they were concerned, he was a madman and they didn't want to offend him.
"Your expressions say you don't believe me," Kiba smiled awkwardly while scratching the back of his head.
The revolutionaries, on the other hand, gritted their teeth in frustration.
Obviously, we don't believe in you!
Do you actually expect to trust in your words that it was a mistake?!
Even if it was a mistake, how would you explain the current state of Rufus?!
"Claudia, they seem to be envious of Rufus," Kiba said with a grin on his face, "They are comrades so we can't let their relationship break due to envy and jealousy."
"W-what?!" Yuzi was horrified.
Just how did the subject change so quickly?! Weren't you talking about integrity just a moment ago?
So why are you bringing the relationship among us?!
Envious of Rufus' bloodied state?!
None of us want to be in Rufus' shoes so there was no question of jealousy!
"N-no! We never doubted your integrity!" Simon shouted.
He has witnessed the torture carried out by Claudia and this was the last thing he would ever want for himself.
"You are the most honest man we have ever known!" Another revolutionary said in a very sincere voice.
"Y-yes!" The remaining revolutionaries readily agreed. They never thought a day would come when they would fear their enemy to this extent that they would praise him.
The only revolutionary who remained silent throughout was Mailo. After the destruction of his memories, his consciousness was no better than a newborn.
"Hmm," Kiba put a hand on his chin, "But few minutes ago your expression was saying that I lack integrity."
"You misunderstood our reactions!" Yuzi hastily said. She wished the cuffs would magically disappear so that she could run away from this madman.
"I misunderstood?" Kiba's voice turned stern.
"N-no, of course not," Yuzi felt her throat turning dry, "It was us who failed to express our thoughts properly."
"She is right," Simon quickly added, "We are sorry for our earlier behavior."
"I see," Kiba nodded his head, "Well, Claudia, you can start."
~step~
Five droids slowly walked forward from a corner of the lab.
"WHAT?!"
"We already apologized!"
"Please don't do this!"
"W-we would answer everything you want to know!"
The revolutionaries begged with teary eyes. They were trained to not reveal secrets even under torture, but the training failed under the influence of Claudia.
Just thinking about how Claudia carried out the torture frightened them out of their wits. They didn't feared death but now they dreaded living under such environment.
Much to their horror they realized that living was truly the most scary part. The pain from death was momentary but the same wasn't the case for living.
"You would answer everything I wish to know?" Kiba asked with a smile while the droids arrived next to the confined revolutionaries.
"Yes! Everything!"
"Just ask us!"
"But please stop the droids!"
"You might lie though," Kiba said while stroking his chin.
While he didn't knew how the revolutionaries functioned, he believed the revolutionaries would be trained in such a fashion that they would have a fix answer for a specific question.
The higher ranking members of revolutionaries would keep this as a fail-safe in case the low-ranking members give in torture they couldn't handle. This would even make separate interrogation useless since the revolutionaries would have training for this as well.
He couldn't afford to rely on false details now. Like if he asked them how to use their communication device, every single of them might state a same method. But there was a very strong possibility that the method might activate self-destruction function of the device.
Similarly, they might answer wrongly on the conspiracy which harmed Felicity. While he could obviously confirm the truth in due time, but that would waste a lot of time and efforts.
Of course, everything so far was only plausible if his guess on how the revolutionary functioned was correct.
But he has reasons to believe his hunch was correct seeing how he failed to read the memories of Mailo.
"I won't lie," Yuzi said.
"Me neither!" Simon and others shouted together.
"What about you?" Kiba asked mutilated Rufus. His mutilated and skin-less body made it difficult to judge his expressions.
Rufus hated Kiba but he didn't dare curse or act brave. Nor did he doubt Kiba's ability to inflict more pain on him.
"I would answer whatever you wish to know," Rufus said in a shaky voice. He wanted to bargain for freedom but he knew that was impossible.
"Wow~ I have such cooperative guinea pigs," Kiba signaled the medical droids to step back.
Cooperative guinea pigs?!
Rufus felt his blood boiling up in anger and resentment. Some veins on his body even snapped into two.
Kiba ignored Rufus' reaction and stretched out his hands to remove tiredness. He was feeling sleepy but now he wouldn't sleep at such a crucial time.
"Claudia, please bring a chair," Kiba said. He would ask questions while relaxing himself.
[[Yes, sir.]]
A humanoid droid stepped forward carrying a chair on its hand. The droid placed the chair behind Kiba.
"Bring me some eatables to enjoy while I hear their answers," Kiba took the seat.
[[Please give me few minutes, sir.]]
Claudia's tone was filled with delight. From the last 12 hours, she was extremely worried after anger took over his mind and changed him for worse.
But now he was the same master she has known ever since she was created. Maybe the world considered him as evil and deviant, but to her, none of those labels ever mattered.
For her, he was more than just her master and creator. He was her everything...
Chapter 163 Lizenea
Section I, Dream Rise House.
A droid covered Rufus' body with a white blanket. Claudia did so that Kiba could enjoy the food without having to sight the disfigured and bloody figure of Rufus.
Some distance away from Rufus and other revolutionaries, Kiba was sitting on a chair. In front of him, a table was placed filled with various fast food items: Cheese bacon burger, finger chips, coke, and so on.
"Let's start," Kiba said as he took a bite from the burger, "Tell me about Nation of Terror."
The crispy and applewood smoked bacon melted on his tongue. The deliciously juicy flavor from the bacon and cheese greeted his hungry taste buds and made him feel happy to be alive.
"It is not Nation of Terror," Yuzi protested, "My nation is built on principles of justice and liberty."
Kiba placed down the burger on the table and looked at Yuzi with pity.
"Haah~ Seems like your mind has been brainwashed with a high dosage of nationalism," Kiba released a heavy sigh.
He didn't really blame her for her views since she was cultured like this from the very start of her life. Most people in the world like to believe they have their own free thought process, but never realize that from their very birth, they are being programmed by the society.
This programming is subtle and done in such a way that people never consider it as brainwashing.
The brainwashing cultures our thoughts within a certain boundary and no matter how we look, the thoughts outside the boundary seems evil and dangerous. This is perhaps the most scary part of the programming.
Like in case of Nation of Terror and World Government, the citizens of both regions hate and despise the culture and views of each other.The citizens from both regions believe their own region is noble and fighting for the greater good.
How exactly they make such claims?
By relying on history which is more fiction than truth. A history in which the forefathers are glorious heroes with no flaws, while those on opposite side are more evil than a demon lord.
The society, through this fictitious history, subtly manipulate the mindset of its people into taking pride in the deeds of the forefathers, and effectively in the society itself.
This implant of nationalism is done by the society through various modes of propaganda: Education, social media, news coverage and so on.
And who exactly control the society?
The top echelons consisting of politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats.
They feed on this nationalism and control the citizens. The citizens were truly nothing more than the slaves of the society even though they never realize it.
After all, what else would you call a person who is controlled by the culturing of the society?
"Well, tell me about this glorious nation of yours," Kiba sipped in coke. He felt it would be waste of efforts to argue with the hardcore revolutionaries.
"My nation is called Lizenea," Yuzi started sharing the details.
----
Southern Hemisphere.
The Blood Dunes, spanning for hundred of miles, separated the world into two. One where the government ruled and the other which was independent.
Lizenea.
The sole sovereign nation was far different than the rumors stated. It was neither undeveloped nor filled with the stench of poverty as the masses outside believed.
It was strange in more than just one way. It was surrounded by Blood Dunes in east while on west it joined to Black Sea.
Both regions were known for their dangerous mutated beasts but yet the same danger formed a protection for Lizenea. The geographical location protected the country from a direct confrontation with World Government.
A transparent green wall reaching the clouds surrounded the land mass known as Lizenea. The land was filled with skyscrapers and palaces alike, and in the geographical center, there was a giant tree.
The branches of the tree expanded to the outskirts of the landmass and merged with the transparent wall.
Streams of vital energy radiated out from the leaves of this tree. This energy not only rejuvenated the people in the country, it was also the main source of power.
At the bottom of the tree, there was no ground for roots. Rather the roots grew in a crystalline pool of blue liquid. Each droplet of the liquid dazzled like a star, carrying an explosive energy within.
Three men in royal attire were standing at the end of the pool. Their facial features were old but their aura carried a terrifying might.
Currently, their attention was on a kneeling figure in front of them. The man's face resembled a snake with elliptical pupils. He was none other than Count Viper who sent Rufus and others to Delta City.
Next to him, a silver-haired woman, in early twenties, was standing in a lazy manner. She stood about 5'9" with a petite build that included a tight, flat stomach, nicely curved buttocks, and firmly shaped breasts. The short black jeans and the white top gave a glimpse to her attractive figure.
Apart from her gorgeous face, the other point of attraction was definitely spider bites piercing on her lips.
The woman was none other than Alina.
"Mailo is most likely dead. At the least his consciousness was destroyed," Alina took out a red lollipop from the pockets of her jeans, "The satellite detected the activation of the fail-proof measure."
"And the rest?" One of the three elders asked. He has a long white beard with his face carrying brown poke marks.
"No idea, sir," Alina said as she put the lollipop in her mouth, "Maybe imprisoned or dead."
Chapter 164 True Revolutionary
The sun loomed over Lizenea but it paled in comparison to the shadow of the giant tree. The branches of the tree crossed from one end of the country to the another, passing by skyscrapers and mountains alike.
Even the shortest leaf of the tree spanned for ten meters. The leaves radiated out strong life force and every being in the vicinity felt like a newborn with no ailments.
Under the shadow of one such magical leaf, three elderly figures listened to the words of Alina. Next to her, Viper was kneeling with an expression of deep obedience on his face..
"Elder Cagres, it would be safe to assume all of them are either caught or killed," Alina said while sucking on the lollipop.
Her behavior was like a child in front of adults but deep in her eyes, there was some bitterness. She has accompanied Rufus and the other six across the Blood Dunes when they left for the mission.
Back then she has expressed her disappointment in the futility of the mission but the seven didn't differed in the views. The seven argued they would change the world and liberate it from the clutches of the government.
Now, just like she expected, the seven of them were most likely dead. Of course, their deaths served a purpose but it was not what the seven thought.
It wasn't that she truly cared about them either. It was just that she disliked the war and the deaths it brought.
"I see," The elder named Cagres said with no emotions.
"Provide a generous compensation to their family," Another elder closed his eyes as he commanded Viper, "Make sure there are no problems on this front."
"I will personally overlook this, Elder Japhire," Viper nodded.
"Almost all investigators have been killed along with the backup force sent by the government," The final elder said with a cold glint in his eyes, "Those old bastards in the council would definitely feel the pain of this loss."
"Indeed, this attack was truly a punch in their guts," Cagres let out a sinister smile, "They sent their best forces to seek a new power but they lost what they already had."
"Viper," Japhire opened his eyes and let out a sigh, "You have carried out your duty well."
"Sir, you are over praising me," Viper remained expressionless.
"No, you deserve the praise," Japhire put a hand inside the pocket of his royal attire "And a reward suiting your accomplishments."
He brought out a black box inscribed with golden patterns. The box flew out of his hand and arrived in front of Viper.
"Thank you, elders," Viper accepted the box with utmost respect.
"You can open it now," Cagres said.
"Yes," Viper's scaled hands opened the box eagerly.
Inside, a black flute was lying. The flute carried an aura of vicissitude.
"Th-this is..." Viper trembled. His elliptical pupils dilated in disbelief.
"We hope you are satisfied by your reward," Japhire closed his eyes again.
"Yes, I'm honored," Viper closed the box again, "Thank you for considering me worthy for this task."
"You have few weeks before Desolate Blood Forest opens," The third elder said, "Use the time to study our records on the trial."
"Understood, sir," Viper stood up and bowed.
"Alina," Cagres called out.
"Yes?" Alina removed the lollipop from her mouth.
"You would be accompanying Viper," Cagres said.
"Is this an order?" Alina asked.
"No, just an advice," Cagres said with a deep sigh, "It is for your good."
"If you say so," Alina gave him and the other elders a deep bow, "I would take my leave if there is nothing else."
The elders nodded and gave her the permission to leave. Viper followed her from behind.
"That girl is disillusioned with our cause," Japhire shook his head, "Perhaps it is for better."
"Our cause is for the future of our children and not for us,"Cagres disagreed, "She is our future and she has to accept her role."
"The upcoming trip should change her mindset," The third elder said.
"I hope so," Cagres gazed at the blue pool and the giant tree, "The times are turning more turbulent."
"Are you perhaps talking about the destruction of our fleet outside Paradox Dimension?" Japhire inquired. (Chapter 108)
"Yes," Cagres nodded his head, "The government suffered equal damage like us but we are still unaware on what happened."
"Only that bastard Kakusandha knows the truth," The third elder said.
The elders begun discussing the other affairs...
-----
Delta City.
Section I, Dream Rise House.
Sss
The communication orb opened up revealing the data chips inside. Kiba took out the data chips with utmost precision and inserted them in a console.
[[Extracting data.]]
Claudia notified him the status of the data retrieval.
"Phew~" Kiba breathed in relief. He has gathered the information on how to open the communication orb from the revolutionaries so he was skeptical.
He thought they would try to play tricks but much to his surprise, they answered the details honestly.
What he didn't know was that they were far too afraid to lie. They feared Claudia and didn't dare do anything which would bring her wrath.
[[There is some information on the nanites.]]
"Ah!" Kiba rejoiced. No matter how low the information was, it was better than nothing.
...
Kiba arrived back to the examination tables where the revolutionaries were confined. There was one more thing he wished to know before he proceeded with his plans.
"I'm happy by the details so far," Kiba stretched out his hands, "Count Viper and now the communication orb."
Rufus and the others didn't know about the top echelons of Lizenea nor state secrets. But they explained him about the details they knew like the geographical features and lower members of the hierarchy.
They also told him it was Count Viper who planned the attack on the city.
"To think I'm partly responsible for this attack," Kiba pressed his forehead. From what he gathered, the revolutionaries were looking for an opportunity to strike the government.
And Kiba gave them this opportunity thanks to the events which took place in the wasteland. Those events brought the government forces in the city.
Their entire attention was focused on seeking Cosmic Spark which gave the revolutionaries a chance to land damage on their sworn enemies. The government forces were completely caught off guard by the use of nanites in the suicide attacks.
"You are partly responsible?" Rufus was startled by the words.
"Nothing much," Kiba cleared his thoughts before saying, "It is just that I'm a true revolutionary so I feel responsible."
True revolutionary?!
Yuzi and others were shocked in disbelief. They glanced at each other to confirm their mind wasn't a playing trick on them.
Just how was this guy a revolutionary?!
No!
Why was he adding 'true' to the title?!
There was no way he was a false revolutionary much less a true revolutionary!
Or was he trying to say we are false revolutionaries?!
"W-what do you mean by those words?" Simon asked in a low voice. He initially thought Kiba was joking but after noticing the serious expression, he felt there was some secret.
""You really didn't hear about me before today?" Kiba sighed in disappointment as he took a seat.
Of course not! If we had heard about you then we wouldn't target that sister of yours!
"I caused such a big scene in the city and yet you were oblivious," Kiba said before taking a sip of coke, "You seven are truly a disgrace to revolution."
Disgrace?!
Motherfucker!
We have carried out glorious mission and yet you call us disgrace?!
"Big scene..." Rufus' pupils dilated as he thought of a possibility, "Y-you are that masked man who bombed the police headquarters?!"
"Bingo!" Kiba smiled in response, "At least one of you has an active brain."
Rufus, Yuzi, Simon, and others felt the world they knew shattered. In just seconds, their eyes turned bloodshot in anger and resentment.
They have suffered his attacks at the warehouse and then the torture by Claudia. But this confession erupted the emotions they were suppressing like a volcano.
The bombing at the police headquarters have given them many sleepless nights and kept them on their toes for weeks!
"Shit! It was truly you!"
"You bombed the police and put the entire blame on us! Not only that but you even broadcasted the event!"
"Everyone believed it was us revolutionaries due to that speech of yours! For a second, even I believed you were one of us!"
"Y-you caused so much troubles!"
"It was because of you that we have to hide and delay our plans!"
"You have been targeting us even before the attack!"
"We are the victims instead of your sister!"
"You are the true evil guy here!"
"Fuck! There is no natural justice in the world!"
Chapter 165 Do The Right Deeds And Forge
Rufus and the rest released out their frustration. The anger and resentment boiling inside took over their minds and made them ignore the threat of Claudia and Kiba.
They could handle the beatings from Kiba and the torture from Claudia, but the news of Kiba being responsible for the police bombing was nothing less than world-shattering for them.
After Kiba attacked police headquarters and live-casted a speech on the corruption in society, almost everyone in the city believed it was the work of a revolutionary.
The 'evidence' about the cruelty by government forces and the killings of investigators left no doubt about this conclusion. Many residents of the city even cheered for this masked revolutionary for he was liberating the city. They admired he murdered investigators who were supposedly about to conduct a freak experiment on them.
But for the real revolutionaries like Rufus and others, this was a piece of bad news. The police and government forces began searching for more revolutionaries in the city thanks to the activities of the masked revolutionary.
The revolutionaries had no choice but to change their whereabouts regularly while being on guards. This further delayed their plans of nanites explosion by weeks.
One can say their life turned harder by countless folds. There was not a single moment of peace for them.
They even promised themselves to find this 'fake' revolutionary and kill him for making their lives this difficult. Alas, now they realized their promise was not worth anything.
The conspirator was sitting some distance away from them, but they could only curse helplessly. What truly made it worse for them was that they shared information about Lizenea with him.
They didn't feel the information they revealed could harm Lizenea since the top government officers were privy to it as well. But this didn't mean they liked sharing the details as this meant a betrayal to their glorious cause.
They chided themselves for giving in to the torment and breaking their oath. The only reassuring point for them was that Kiba was unaware of Cleo's role so far.
Each of them had sworn to not reveal details about Cleo as long as it was possible. The reason was simple: Cleo was one of the hidden assets of revolutionaries.
Now, after learning Kiba was responsible for the attack on police headquarters, they swore to never mention Cleo no matter what.
Their bloodshot eyes denoted both their anger and determination...
"I always thought you guys wanted to kill police and government officers," Kiba continued with a smile, " I helped you in your cause so why such extreme reactions?"
"Son of a bitch!"
"Some help it was!"
"You only ruined us!"
"We were always on toes afraid our locations would be raided any minute!"
"None of us could sleep peacefully from the last one month!"
"Haah~ Instead of appreciating my contribution, you are rather cursing me," Kiba let out a sigh filled with disappointment, "I never thought such ungrateful people exist in this world."
His expression was of a man whose generous efforts were wasted by the cynical society.
"Motherfucker!"
"What contribution?!"
"Didn't you heard what we just said?!"
"You destroyed our lives!"
"Are we supposed to be grateful for this?!"
Kiba shook his head in dismay at the words. He was like an elder hearing the rants of ungracious children.
"Someone aptly said that a complaining tongue reveals an ungrateful heart," Kiba's voice contained sadness at the reality of the world.
"Complaining tongue?!"
"Did I heard it right?"
"Is he perhaps expecting us to thank him for screwing our lives?!"
"Seems so!"
"He is truly acting like a victim!"
"And making us the bad guys at the same time!"
"Shameless!"
"Extremely shameless!"
"Stop playing the victim!
Earlier they thought he was a sadist but now they concluded he was equally shameless.
"Remember it is not the result that counts but the intention," Kiba said after they calmed down a bit, "The gods know my intentions were only kind towards the revolution."
"@%$!~"
"Stop using foul language and ask yourself a question," Kiba interjected in between.
"Question?" Yuzi was startled.
They believed he would ask them about the conspirator who schemed against his sister, but from the tone, he didn't seem to be referring to that.
"Yes," Kiba nodded his head, "In this world, people always steal credits from others despite not deserving it."
"That's true," Simon agreed.
People only wanted credit without any work. This was true in every field of life.
What was truly worse was how people stole the credit of others' hard work. There could be nothing worse than this.
"But why is bringing this now?" Yuzi thought.
"Just ask yourself one thing... how many people in this world would truly give away the credit of their efforts to others?" Kiba concluded in a solemn tone.
FUCK!
What a shameless bastard!
You want us to think you sacrificed your efforts so that we could take the credit for the blast at police headquarters!
No!
You actually want us to believe that you are a selfless man who doesn't care for credit!
No matter how we ask this question...you come out as noble! And we come out as ungrateful bastards!!
...
BA BUMP~
Yuzi felt her heart bumping loudly as the anger inside grew further. Blood leaked out from the corners of her mouth while she clenched her fists tightly.
The condition of the rest (except Mailo) was the same. Their bodies were trembling heavily with traces of blood on their lips.
~beep~
The computer screens flashed and beeped.
"Hmm?" Kiba smiled after giving a quick glance on the medical reports on the screens, "Glad to see I didn't waste my time for nothing."
The report showed the blood pressure of the revolutionaries was increasing beyond their handling capacity. Their bodies were undergoing one stressful activity after another and now the recent conversation was slowly overstepping the threshold.
Earlier, Claudia ensured their bodies didn't cross this limit through medical serums, but now the effects of serum were fading.
Extreme emotions have a negative influence on the body, especially anger. There were proven medical records of living beings dying from extreme anger.
To avoid this, almost as an innate reflex, the human body looked for means to channel out the anger and stress. This could be through sports, fighting and even murder.
But revolutionaries had no such means. Much less fight or murder, they couldn't even move freely from the table.
"Do the right deeds and forget," Kiba left the chair, "Never worry on who takes the credit for your deeds."
~cough~
Simon coughed up a mouthful of blood as dizziness took over him. His body was sweating profusely while his heart contracted with sharp pain.
"You guys must thank your lucky stars," Kiba said in a polite tone, "The side-effects from the serums would ensure the heart seizure would last at least an hour before it kills you."
The revolutionaries felt despair taking overtaking them at the words.
A seizure for at least an hour?!
"Ple...please...help," Simon tried to open his eyes.
" Why should I?" Kiba placed a hand over his chin.
"Your...sister...att..." Simon stopped as he coughed up another mouthful of blood.
"Perhaps you are saying I should save you to know the identity of the person who planned the attack on my sister?" Kiba said in a nonchalant voice.
Simon barely nodded with his body shaking heavily.
"Even if I save your life, you would try to delay sharing the name," Kiba said with a smile, "It is rather obvious given the importance of that attacker for your cause."
"N..."
"No need to deny," Kiba shook his head, "Besides, aren't you guys supposed to be fearless in the face of death?"
Simon didn't fear death but such torment was another matter.
How can one handle the pain of such a long heart seizure?!
"I might change my mind if you give me the name now," Kiba said without showing any emotions.
Simon's breath turned short but the darkness of death didn't overtake him. Every second felt like an eternity under the palpitations in the heart.
"Cl...eo...Cleo," Simon muttered.
"What?!"
Chapter 166 Generalization
"Cleo?!"
Kiba was startled, to say the least as Simon muttered the name of the conspirator. His mind automatically associated the name with Felicity's elder brother.
"No, Cleo is not a unique name," Kiba gathered his wits back, "There must be another Cleo."
He refused to believe the elder brother of Felicity would plan for her demise. He has witnessed Cleo being quite close to both Felicity and his parents. For Cleo to conspire against Felicity and even his father wouldn't make sense at all.
"Who is Cleo?" Kiba asked.
Simon shivered on the table as the palpitations grew stronger. He was in no condition to reply under the heart seizure.
Kiba placed a finger on Simon's chest. A stream of golden energy flew from his finger and passed inside Simon. The energy opened up the clogged blood vessels and normalized the blood pressure.
Ssss
Simon felt the pain subsiding and the dizziness fading. His senses rejoiced at the escape from death and torture. The survival instincts he has suppressed forever now once again were active. They wanted him to live at any cost.
This was something totally against what he was taught in Lizenea. It was like his body wanted him to betray the teachings of Lizenea and live no matter what.
"I have to live!" Simon found a new mission in his life. The close encounter with death changed him into a new being.
"Snap out," Kiba's cold voice ringed inside his mind, "Answer my question."
Simon opened his eyes and saw Kiba standing with a cold expression.
"I have a condition before I answer----"
Before Simon could complete his words, an elbow slammed into his stomach. His stomach caved in as the ferocious force ravaged through his body.
BANG~
The force transferred to the table and shattered it into pieces. Simon fell on the floor, struck by metallic splinters throughout his body.
"Urgh," Simon felt his inner organs dislocated. He couldn't believe how things turned worse suddenly after he found a desire to live.
He raised his head and his eyes meet Kiba.
"You think you have the right to bargain?" Kiba asked.
"I-I," Simon didn't dare utter his thoughts. He glanced around and noticed his comrades still suffering under heart seizure.
"If not you, they would answer," Kiba moved forward, "So answer before I change my mind."
Simon opened his mouth to agree.
BANG~!
Even before he could utter a single word, he saw a foot stomping towards his chest.
KA-CHA~!
The sound of bone cracking apart was loud and crisp. Blood flew from his mouth and chest like an arrow.
Simon was so terrified by the unexpected attack that he didn't even dare to scream. He couldn't understand why would he be attacked when he was already answering.
"Now you can answer," Kiba retraced his leg.
"Y-yes, thank you," Simon didn't dare speak any more unnecessary words, "Cleo Weisz."
Kiba's expression turned grim. Earlier, he thought the name was not uncommon so it could be another Cleo instead of Felicity's brother. But now even the surname was the same.
Kiba waved his hand and a virtual screen popped in front of him. The sensors in the villa and underground facilities were sensitive to his gestures. Every part of the villa and lab was filled with a virtual console system which he could activate any time.
He clicked a few options on the screen and an image appeared in front of Simon. The image was of a black-haired man in mid-twenties.
"You mean this guy?" Kiba enquired.
"Yes," Simon hastily nodded.
"You dare lie?" Kiba put a hand on his forehead. He didn't dare believe it was really Felicity's brother.
After all, blood is thicker than water.
"I-I'm not lying," Simon quickly said.
[[Sir.]] Claudia interjected before Kiba could ask any more questions.
"Yes?"
[[He is most likely answering truthfully.]]
Kiba's expression turned worse. It was one thing for Simon to say he wasn't lying but another for Claudia to make such observation.
"Why would you think so?" Kiba turned around and returned to his chair.
[[The data chips we retrieved from their communication device has information of encrypted calls. While I couldn't make out the identities of the callers due to encryption from both ends, I was able to understand the algorithm. And using this, I checked emails which Arnie received for poisoning Lady Felicity. The combination of two checks confirm a common link which originated from Lady Felicity's house.]]
"Damn," Kiba clenched his fists tightly. He couldn't think of any excuses to believe otherwise.
If it was any other person, he would have taken action when the name was first mentioned. But this name was linked with Felicity's family so he has to be fully sure before he decided on any course of action.
"Take care of things here," Kiba said as rays of white light enveloped him.
[[I will, sir.]]
------
Weisz House was located outside the central district.
The house was two storied with dozen room and multiple facilities. The lavish design and the grand scale truly matched with the status of a senator.
Inside a bedroom on the second floor.
Cleo was sitting on a chair with his attention on multiple computer screens. Two screens showed the latest news while the rest displayed social media reactions.
"There have been strange developments in City Heart Hospital," A blonde female anchor said, "The hospital staff and patients faced a suffocating pressure around 4 am. No casualties have been reported so far."
"Senator Patrick Weisz and his wife Kyla have reached the hospital just now to check on the condition of their daughter. For those who are joining us now, their daughter was a survivor of the explosions which occurred yesterday evening."
"The hospital staff is reporting Dr. Arnie has disappeared from hospital premises," A middle-aged journalist said, "His disappearance is shocking, to say the least."
"Fuck," Cleo gritted his teeth, "What happened to that bastard?!"
He closed the news screen and took a deep breath to calm himself.
"Could he have been caught?" Cleo contemplated, "Even if he is caught, he doesn't know anything about me so there is nothing to worry. But Felicity..."
Cleo moved his eyes on the screens which showed the social media reaction of the general public.
[Never thought our city would suffer explosions. Let us pray for the departed souls.] - Coolstar.
[More than 3000 innocents died due to those terrorists. The should be hanged.] - RockFist
[They need to be mutilated and then fed to dogs.] - Little_Sunshine
[No! They should be put out in the streets and we would take care of them] - ForestLover - [The government is truly useless so far.]
[True. The response of mayor has been just lip service] - AngryYoungMan- [Old leaders need to be replaced by young blood.]
[We need leaders who can understand our pain and take strict actions] - Powerboy20 - [Only then can we destroy the Nation of Terror.]
[Have you guys heard about what happened to Felicity?] - TragicWarrior - [She is paraplegic.]
[OMG! Poor girl!]
[If I was her then I would rather die.]
[Don't say that! Felicity remain strong!]
[Her father is a senator so he should fight for some strict actions against terrorists]
[He is old so we can't expect anything from him just like mayor!]
[Speaking of the mayor, Felicity's brother is contesting upcoming mayoral elections.]
[What?
[Isn't he the same guy who was crying in front of the hospital after learning his sister could never walk again?]
[Yes. It is him. He was torn by the plight of his sister.]
[I checked his interviews and he came out strong against terrorism.]
[We need to vote for him! He would surely take revenge for his sister and the general public!]
[He can definitely understand our pain! My vote is for him!]
[+1]
[+1]
"Haah~ At least, some good news here," Cleo thought. He switched off the screens and lied down on the bed with a smile on his face.
"You seem rather happy."
"What?!" Cleo jumped in fright. He hastily turned towards the window and noticed a golden-haired man sitting there.
"Kiba?!" Celo obviously knew about him even though he has never met him.
"Any sane man would be broken after knowing the state of his sister," Kiba jumped from the window and entered the room, "But then again I forget something basic thanks to my feelings."
"Forget? What are you talking about?!" Cleo asked.
"Generalization is bad, " Kiba answered.
As he took a step forward, an invisible force field covered the entire room. Behind, the window closed up.
"Humans forms generalized opinions due to emotions and the culturing from the society," Kiba shook his head with a self-deprecating smile, "A mother is supposed to be the sacrificing figure in the family. She would stay starved to fed her children and husband.
"A father is supposed to be an inspirational figure who teaches his children through his struggles. He is strict but yet firm believer of his child.
"Then there is a sister who is supposed to a combination of angel and devil. She is the closest confidant with whom one shares the most unique bond," Kiba closed his eyes and smiled from the heart, "The only generalization I agree with."
Chapter 167 Pathetic
Weisz House.
Cleo was startled by the words on the generalization of relationships. The culturing have established a set of expectations from a specific relationship.
If one goes again this set of expectations then one was considered a disgrace. It was especially true for women.
"Sisters often tease and irritate, but yet their love and care is something which no other relationship can give," Kiba smiled with memories flashing in his mind like a reel, "Yes, sometimes sisters are crazy but that's the real fun part. There is love involved in every action."
Invisible streams of energy released from his body to reinforce the room with an invisible force field.
"What the hell are you talking about?! And why are you here?!" Cleo opened his cell phone.
He didn't know why Kiba barged in his room at such late time, but he was sure it couldn't be anything good. He was aware of Kiba's reputation as a strong mutant so he wanted to prepare for a worst-case scenario.
"No one would be helping you so save your efforts," Kiba pointed a finger at the cell phone. A streak of golden light originated from the tip of his finger.
BANG~!
The cell phone exploded into fragments of metal and glass.
"YOU!" Cleo was shocked.
"The subject is you and not me," Kiba took a seat on a chair, "Why did you do it?"
"What do you mean?!" Cleo was incensed by Kiba's behavior.
First, he barged in his room at such a late time. And then even destroyed his phone!
Now he is even pretending like he has committed some grave sin!
"Why do you want to kill Felicity?" Kiba asked.
The words were like a clap of thunder for Cleo who was caught off guards. Beads of sweat profused out of his face.
"Don't you dare to say such a thing!" Cleo gulped down, "How could you accuse me of harming my own sister?!"
For him, the question was nothing less than a nightmare.
"First, the collaboration with Rufus and others, and then paying Arnie to poison her," Kiba's expression turned cold, "Do you think you still can pretend to be a loving elder brother?"
Cleo backed away in shock.
How could he know so much?!
"You truly fooled everyone well with your acting but then again the fault is mine for being blind," Kiba shook his head, "I only saw the world like I wanted to."
Every scheme and trick in this world depended on human behavior. The behavior, in turn, depended on the innate desires and emotions.
Kiba was someone who understood how emotions and desires worked. He was also a master in the way to exploit them to get what he wants.
This was how he manipulated Daniel and Sarah to get in bed with Sarah while punishing the former in the most terrifying manner. After all, for a man can anything be scarier than having his woman sleep with another man?
Similarly, it was his understanding of desires which helped him in tempting Suzane at the gym.
A few weeks ago, during his dinner with Emily, Morgan, Suzane, and Olly, he used Morgan's hate for him to create an opportunity to fuck his wife. He made love with Suzane in the restroom but Morgan and Emily remained completely oblivious.
Noticing this, Suzane has remarked something about Kiba: "A man who knows how to use others' emotions is the most dangerous."
But even with such expertise, he was easily fooled by Cleo. If it was any other person, he wouldn't be fooled by the dual nature of humans. He would eye others with suspicion instead of taking everything at its face value.
The reason for him being fooled in the present case was simple: his feelings for Felicity got in his way and clouded his judgment.
Human mind relaxes one's guards in the presence of loved ones. We see our relatives and friends with a different vision than the rest.
The brain even makes us ignore the negative qualities in our loved ones and acquaintances even though the same quality in any other person would make us despise him/her.
"Answer me," Kiba continued in a cold voice, "Just what has she done for you to target her in such a vicious manner?"
"She is my sister and this is none of your business," Cleo leaped from bed, "And now get ready to die!"
Cleo clenched his fists as green radiance enveloped him. In no time, the radiance transformed into an armor of vines.
Ssss
From the floor and walls, various plants materialized out of nowhere. While on the ceiling, a mutated sunflower moved down towards Kiba. The disk florets opened up to reveal yellow teeth stained with corrosive green liquid.
Strange pollens floated in the air releasing a poisonous aroma. It was like the room has turned into a garden in the span of seconds.
"Domain?" Kiba remained seated and looked at Cleo with disinterest.
"Yes!" Cleo answered with a smirk, "You should feel proud to witness it before death!"
"Proud to witness such a pathetic display of ability?" Kiba asked in a lazy tone.
"You are courting death!" Cleo gritted his teeth in anger.
It has taken him years of hard work and torturous experiments to gain this strength, but yet his opponent was calling it pathetic?!
"Die!"
The sunflower opened its mouth fully as it arrived above Kiba. The corrosive liquid fell on the chair, and the chair began melting like wax.
"After women, flowers are the most divine creations, " Kiba raised his hand above, "This stinky flower of yours is bringing a disgrace to its race."
"Son of a bitch!" Cleo cursed.
How could this bastard be so cocky and relaxed in face of death?!
And why isn't the poison from pollen showing its effect?!
"You truly lack manners, Cleo."
The flower enveloped Kiba's hand, while its teeth closed in to rip apart his flesh.
CRACKLE~!
The yellow teeth cracked apart with a crisp and brittle sound. It was like his flesh was reinforced with metal while the teeth were made of sand.
Ssss
Golden stream of energy circulated around his hand and moved inside the flower.
"Impossible," Cleo backed away in disbelief, "How can the corrosive force and the teeth be useless against mere human flesh?!"
BOOM!
The flower exploded into bits of green and yellow. Not a single bit touched Kiba, as if an invisible wall has surrounded him.
"You are quite a disappointment," Kiba took a step forward.
"This is not over!" Cleo got his wits together. He snapped every bit of his energy into fuelling his last attack.
Swoosh~!
The plants in the room grew further to cover Kiba into an impenetrable net. The stems protruded out with sharp thorns.
The armor of green vines on Cleo's body expanded and rushed towards Kiba like arrows.
"You truly are giving a bad name to greenery," Kiba made a flicking motion in the air, "Let me end this before you make it more ugly."
The air around Kiba compressed itself into folds, filled with turbulent energy.
Whoosh~!
The air folds detonated with a terrifying might.
BOOM
The vines and plants blew into oblivion as the chaotic waves moved away from Kiba.
"Just like that?!" Cleo's throat turned dry.
How can such a monster exist in this world?!
Cleo covered himself with more vines as the turbulent storm approached him. He couldn't believe how his turn luck turned so bad in mere minutes.
Just why did this monster care about Felicity to such extent?!
He didn't get time to think any further as the vines ripped apart under the might of chaotic waves.
"NO!" Cleo screamed.
A wave struck across his chest like a sword.
RIPPP~!
His chest sliced opened and blood spurt out like a fountain.
"AHH!"
Cleo fell on the floor covered with blood. His eyes were filled with pure horror as he glanced at his bloodied chest. He quickly brought his hands to his chest to prevent further blood loss.
"Hey~ A gift for you," Kiba's voice entered his ears.
Cleo reflexively raised his head to look in front. His eyes greeted the sight of a shoe striking towards his face.
THUD~!
Cleo pounded on the floor with a loud thud. Blood streamed down his forehead and moved below.
"How was the gift?" Kiba asked.
Cleo was in no position to answer. His eyes were filled with tears and blood while he fought the pain from a broken nose and a sliced chest.
An outline of a shoe marked his face, making his appearance unsightly to the extreme.
"I'm sure you are feeling so grateful that you have no words to thank me," Kiba put his feet on Cleo's chest.