CHAPTER 15: SKILLERS

In the past, Rank 4's overall appearance was the same, just that she used to dress way more modestly. She used to be a very pure girl too, and had a handsome, helpful boyfriend who she was super in love with.

They lived together, and one day, she was cooking an amazing, great meal for him that she was very proud of, and to repay her, he came up to and ruthlessly punched her in the face.

She hit the floor, soul and nose, broken and bleeding. The boyfriend nonchalantly takes a pan nearby, throws the rice in it onto the floor, and uses it to brutally beat Rank 4 unconscious.

He then took her to a friend's secluded home, where a bunch of pals lived, and where she was held captive for weeks.

At first, they used Rank 4 as a sex slave and would violate her for hours, it was very painful by the way. In spite of that, they got bored and began using her as a punching bag for their sadistic desires.

Her limbs were smashed, skin was burned, hair was torn off, she was forced to eat rotten slop, was given little to no water, and was subject to a bunch of more unimaginable, indescribable torture. And if anyone had seen her after all of this, they would assume she was a zombie.

Fortunately, in the course of time, a savior broke into the house where she was being kept. It was Yutsu. He carried Rank 4 out of the hellhole and left behind the now-mangled perpetrators.

…

It's much closer to the present now. Yutsu and Rank 4 are at a furniture store, seated on a random sofa.

Yutsu: Starting today, you're a Skiller!.. Now, do you wanna help me achieve my dream or just wanna get revenge and call it a day?.. By the way, my dream involves killing a lot of innocent people, so uh, you've been warned.

Rank 4: … I want revenge.

Yutsu: Ooh! On who?

Intense anger oozes out of Rank 4.

Rank 4: … Those psychopathic troglodytes. I have to kill them. So they never hurt anyone else!

Yutsu: Well, go get 'em!

...

It's the dead of night, and there are gallons of blood being splashed all over the walls of a Hospital room.

Rank 4 just finished savagely stabbing all the previous perpetrators countless times as they were resting.

Now she's standing in the middle of the room, coated, and looking crazy, but immediately settles down and lets out a sigh of relief.

Rank 4: … Yutsu… That's all the killing I'm ever gonna do… I think I'm gonna go live in Wepo, and get a girlfriend or something.

Yutsu chuckles a bit.

Yursu: Cool.

…

The void dwindles. Rinka's dismayed, he extracts his katana and Rank 4 abruptly collapses. And instantly, Doa pops up there, gun aimed right at Rank 4's skull.

Rinka: Hey! Hold on! Don't kill her!

Doa is a little puzzled.

Doa: Huh? Why?

Rinka: … I wanna ask her a couple of questions.

At that moment, Rank 4 jounces up and scuttles back, she's fretting. Rinka and Doa just awkwardly stare at her, and she eventually relaxes.

Rank 4: … Questions?.. If - If you want to have a civil conversation with me, let's at least go inside, and have a drink, or something.

The awkward staring continues.

…

They're inside the biggest house now. Rinka, Doa, and Ashi are gathered on a sofa, just waiting, with Rank 4 on one opposite to them, looking suspicious. Assigned cups of tea and a plate full of sweet bread on a table between them.

Rank 4 takes her cup.

"... Okay, I don't sense any malicious intent from them."

The three chums take their cups.

Rinka: … Thank you.

Doa: … Did you put poison in these?

Rank 4 is shocked, then she giggles.

Rank 4: No. I would never do that!

She takes a quick sip of tea.

Rank 4: Anyways, the questions? What did you want to ask me?

Rinka finishes his own sip.

Rinka: Oh. Um… Could… Could you please tell me everything about the Skillers?

She peers at him, dumbfounded.

Rank 4: Wow! What a bold question!

She giggles once more.

Rank 4: … I'm sorry, honey. But I can't tell you everything… Because I don't know what that really means, exactly. Could you be more, you know, specific?.. Do you actually wanna know every single detail about us, or like?

Rinka: No, yeah, um… Earlier, when I stabbed you, I saw your past. All of it, but I only remembered the important events, I think.

She cringes.

Rank 4: Oh, that's awful. And embarrassing. What the hell?

Rinka: … I saw some stuff that has me conflicted on the Skillers… What's with the revenge? The killing, and revenge?

She ponders for a moment.

Rank 4: … Killing? Revenge? I can give you an answer, not sure if it's exactly what you wanna hear, but it falls under the category of the question, I think?

She lays down.

Rank 4: … So, the Skillers… I personally divide them into 2 sections, killers and active murderers. Because, the first 7 Skillers, including me, all they did was get revenge, they never hurt anyone after that, and they never will. We're good folks.

She moves her head.

Rank 4: The remaining 13 Skillers are always killing. They're helping complete the boss's dream, which I don't know what is, and don't plan to help with ever.

Rinka is staring at the floor.

Rinka: Revenge? That's… Okay. I understand. I think revenge is okay too!

He looks over at Doa.

Rinka: Doa, we should leave this Skiller alone. She doesn't deserve to be killed or caught… The Skillers we fought yesterday, they didn't deserve to be killed either, and the few we're gonna meet soon too. I wanna spare those who've done nothing wrong.

Doa is slightly surprised.

Rinka: All they did was get rid of horrible humans. That's good revenge.

Doa: … If that's really what you wanna do, I'm fine with it, I don't really care. But Sumairu might not be okay with it, he might get really mad.

Rinka: Yeah. I'm gonna try my best to get him to understand though.

…

The three chums step out of Bukkaru's fading purple ball and emerge in the living room. Where they notice a futuristic-looking washing machine, and Minaro and Maya hanging out nearby.

Rinka: Damn! That's a cool ass washing machine.

Minaro: Yeah. I thought we'd probably need one so I summoned one.

…

A few minutes have passed. Rinka and Sumairu are eyeballing each other pensively and everyone else is around, just spectating.

Sumairu: So, how did the mission go?

Rinka: Good.

Sumairu: Did you kill or catch the Skiller?

Rinka: Neither.

Sumairu: Neither?

Rinka: We left the Skiller alone. She didn't deserve to die, or lose freedom. She-

Sumairu: Hold on… Are you gonna try to get me to understand this new point of view?

Rinka: … Yeah?

Sumairu: Oh, then let me call the Guardians so you can get them to understand too. Cuz they're the important ones. I don't care!

Rinka looks nervous.

Rinka: … Okay.

Sumairu whips out his phone, dials, and puts it on speaker. The casual, calm voice of a woman answers.

"Hi Sumairu. What do you need?"

Sumairu: You know that dude with the Black Blood I told you about, Rinka?

"Yeah."

Sumairu: He just came back from tussling with a Skiller and he wants to explain to the Guardians why he didn't kill or catch her, why he believes she should be left alone.

"... Well, all of us are here, ready to listen."

Sumairu hands the phone to Rinka, and he takes a deep breath.

Rinka: Hi.

"Hello, Rinka."

Rinka: … Okay. The reason why I wanna leave this Skiller alone is because, the group, the Skillers, is split into 2 sections. The first 7 members only killed once to get revenge, revenge that was very deserved. The rest of the members are always killing… So, that's why I wanna leave this Skiller alone, not just her, but also the remaining 3.

The woman doesn't respond, instead a man with a soft voice in an angry tone does.

"Revenge? You think killing someone as revenge is okay? Killing is something that should never be done! It is-"

The woman interrupts.

"You've killed a bunch of people, dude. Shut up."

Lots of slight giggles can be heard, then another guy, his voice composed and strong, starts speaking.

"Rinka, how did you get this info?"

Rinka: The Skiller told me, but I also have a Skill that lets me see their past, and so I did, and I saw a lot of stuff that helped me think this way, and validate it too.

"... I see … So … Why'd you call again? What do you want from us?"

Rinka: I want the first 7 Skillers to be left alone! Please.

No response, now another guy begins to verbalize, voice energetic and outgoing.

"How much are you willing to sacrifice in order for us to accept your request?"

Rinka is pensive for a second.

Rinka: … Like 2 dollars. I'm not THAT invested in this, I just felt kinda bad for those Skillers. If you ignore me then that's that.

The dude laughs.

"I like how honest you are!"

The soft, angry voice from before butts in.

"Ignore him! Hang up! We can send Iza and Zeph to get rid of those-"

He's cut off by the composed voice.

"Rinka, I'll accept your request on one condition."

Rinka: What is it?

"If any of those 7 Skillers kill anyone, I'll have you arrested, and have them killed. Okay?"

Rinka: Okay.

…

In a red room, Yutsu is typing. Abruptly, he lets out a small giggle. Eivee, a Skiller with Taupe Brown curly hair, under a White and Black punk beanie. Eyes Sage Green under some glasses, and dressed in a colorful hoodie and Black pants, who's in the room too, looks at him.

Yutsu: Rinka, that's one of the Black Blood Bearers. He just got in contact with the Guardians and requested permission for the first 7 members of our group to be left alone.

Eivee: Why?

Yutsu: I don't really know, it seems like he's just like us, thinks revenge is okay… The Guardians accepted his request, but if any of those Skillers kill, he'll be arrested.

Eivee: Damn. Is this all according to plan?

Yutsu: Nah. But it makes the show more exciting, which is another one of our big goals!

…

Defei, he's got puffy, coiled Black hair and Rubine Red Pink eyes. Also rocking a stylish Dark Magenta Purple coat and simple Black trousers. He was the composed voice.

He hands the used phone back to Liz, she's got smooth, wavy neck length Black Hair below a Dark Gray beanie, and her eyes are the same color as the accessory. In addition, she sports a traditional lab coat, not buttoned, so a Light Cyan shirt can be seen. She's the calm voice.

Defei: That was odd… Rinka, what an interesting dude.

Defei feels a vexed glare on him and turns. He's being bitterly stared at by Rimin, who's got Bistre Brown hair in the one side-swept style and Goldenrod Yellow eyes, and a long-sleeve shirt the same color as those eyeballs, and to finish off the appearance he's got standard jeans. He's the soft but angry voice.

Rimin: You seriously accepted that kid's request? Just like that? He said like 2 things, outlandish too.

Defei: It's cool, man. I trust him. Plus, he's not lying. Looking at Skiller activity, Rank 7 and lower have not been active, deaths happening right now couldn't be caused by them.

The energetic voice chimes in and catches everyone's attention.

"I trust him too!"

It belongs to Mausho, who has a Black and Vivid Orange perm, a Vivid Orange robe jacket over a Black T-shirt, and some Beige slacks. On top of that, his eyes are a mix of his hair.

Mausho: He seems like a good dude. He's got balls calling us about sparing Skillers.

…

In an unlit, average bedroom, Rinka stands on the big bed, fiddling with his katana.

"Void Attack 5, Black Fiber Blades."

Nothing happens.

"Void Attack 5, Null Squid Blades."

Again, nothing happens. Rinka is a little mazed.

"... Why can't I make more Void Attacks? Is there a limit or something? What the hell?"

He flails his katana in random directions, and the door to the room opens, ensuing Minaro walking in. The two make eye contact.

Minaro: Hey, what was that call with the Guardians about? I kinda tuned out during it.

Rinka stops his blade.

Rinka: Nothing crazy, I just told the Guardians that the first 7 Skillers aren't evil people, they just got good revenge, so I want them to have freedom, cuz I think that's okay.

He adjusts his posture.

Rinka: Also, in our first mission you killed 3 Skillers! All not super evil!

Minaro: … Weren't they trying to kill us?

Rinka: No. I think it's because we started the fight, I don't remember.

Minaro shrugs.

Minaro: Well, I'm still gonna kill all the Skillers I come across. I want more Skills.

Rinka: What the hell, man?

Minaro: Having more Skills is good, Rinka.

Rinka: … I guess, I'm just gonna have to find all the Skillers before you do. Any that I find first you can't kill! Okay?

Minaro: … Sure.

TO BE CONTINUED...