CHAPTER 87: BETRAYED ONCE AGAIN

The bartender is mixing drinks I have never seen before. This one is brown, that one has no color like water. I wonder what he is doing. Let's read his mind first.

'Since when do we tell our pass code to outsiders? Or maybe he is an impostor? I did see him before, so that might be the case. I will poison his drink then. The other guests have already entered the base anyway. But what if he knows something? Better safe than sorry. I will put some drugs to make him sleep, and we will bring him to the base for interrogation.'

He furtively puts a weird powder in my drink, then brings it to me.

"The best of the best. Drink slowly and savor the taste." He goes his way to serve another customer. There is a weird dude sitting next to me on the counter. When he is not looking, I pour the drink in his mug quickly. The bartender said he puts something to make me sleep, so I will act like it.

I gradually close my eyes and fall on the counter. In less than five minutes, I hear three heartbeats approaching me. They carry me somewhere, remove my bracelet, put me on a chair, and tie me up. Now, I am alone with somebody. I can hear only one heartbeat. There are also two heartbeats further away.

***

"Wake up." I am doused with water. I was not sleeping, you idiots! I open my eyes, and there is a guy in front of me. Huge, muscular, with red hair. He has a big scar on his right eye, and his lips have a darkish pink color. He is wearing an apron, but it is covered in blood. Next to him, some kind of tools, including a small hammer and three knives, and my bracelet.

"Where am I?"

"You are in your last residence. Who are you? Who do you work for? And what did you hope to find here?" the guy takes a small knife and place it near my thumb's nail. "Three seconds to answer."

I don't have time to deal with him if the guests I am looking for are already here. I create a small bullet while he is removing my nail with the knife and blow off his head. I didn't use fire Angas, so there was no explosion. But blood still splattered on me. Now, to remove the rope. Those ropes were tied up with precision. I have a hard time moving. But I managed to free my left hand. I take a knife from the table and cut the rope. I put on my bracelet and bring out my raizen. There are two guards outside the room. And there is no window. The room only light are candles. I extinguish them and just leave one at the corner. Then I knock on the door.

"He finished already?"

"That guy must not be a pro."

They open the door, and seeing as it is dark, they panic a bit.

"Where are y-" I cut the head of the first one. My raizen is as sharp as the first time now. I am impressed. The second guy tries to use his sword, but I smash it away with the handle of the raizen and slash the guy, opening his stomach like butter. My raizen is definitively sharper, and I am not even using Angas.

Outside the room, a hallway. No guards, there are eight doors on each side of the hallway, I was in the fourth one of the left side. Above me, I can hear heartbeats, one, two, three… seven people. I take the stairs and go up. There are two doors, I open the first one where there doesn't seem to be any heartbeat, and there are stairs. The second one seems to be where the seven people are. Should I open it? Should I not? I came here for answers and information, so I have no choice. I open the door slowly, and behind it there are barrels. A lot of them arranged and creating a path.

I enter and jump above the barrels. There I can see them. Seven people, two have their back towards me, so I can't see their faces.

"So, you are saying that forty guys got dealt with and even your base has been infiltrated. Is that correct?" One of the two with the back turned speaks to a guy wearing a… wait, that's the bartender from earlier. And that voice, I am sure I heard it before.

"…Yes."

"Forty guys, and you couldn't even take care of such a small matter. The bodies have disappeared as well. I knew we should have come ourselves." I also know this voice.

"But, there is a guy downstairs who knows-"

"He is not downstairs. He is here already." The first of those who had their back towards me turns quickly and launches sword at me. I jump and land in front of them.

"It is not nice to listen to other people's conversations like that, you know?" I lose my breath when I see the faces of the two guys. The butler who was with Demether, Andre, and you… Mark. Mark GRANDCROSS! Why are you here?!!

***

"Why are you here?"

"Do we know each other? Wait, That weapon…." you forgot? You forgot me? You forgot your promise?!!

"It would seem he fell into the trap by himself. You now have a chance to redeem yourselves." Andre looks at the five other people. They attack me almost instantly.

I fight them, but I am too troubled to focus properly. Then, seeing as they are having a hard time, Mark jumps in and slashes my back.

"Where did you hide Excafol and Selene's bodies?" He tries to cut my neck, but I block him and back away a bit.

"Why are you doing this Mark?!"

"You wouldn't understand. Nor do I have to explain anything to you." Now, even Andre jumps in. They are all seven on me.

"HE MUST NOT GET OUT OF HERE ALIVE! HE KNOWS OUR CLIENT'S NAME!"

"Yes, sir!!"

I can't continue like this, my hands are trembling, my vision is blurry, and I have a hard time seeing things.

"It's me!! Mark! Andre! Don't you-" Andre cuts my wrist with his short sword, disabling my hand, I also receive a blow from the side, one guy just hits me with a hammer on the ribs. Blood pours out of my mouth, and I can't speak properly for a moment.

"Don't resist and it will be all over soon, Kevin." Who are you to tell me this, Mark. No, I know who you are. I know what you are. You are a fucking betrayer!!!

"We have to take him alive. At least until he tells us where are the bodies of the other two."

Andre, you as well…You have betrayed me as well?!!!

"Why?!!! What did they do?!! What did we do?!!!" I rush to Mark, and he blocks my attack. Using my raizen with one hand is not enough against him. Pushing me back, I see Andre coming from the corner of my eye, I manage to block his attack, but he still stabs my arm, and the blade goes through. I try to use the crescent apocalypse but the guy with the hammer hits me again and breaks my balance, then the bartender stabs my shoulder with his sword.

"Betrayers… All of you!! Betrayers!!!" I jump to Mark, but he dodges then he cuts my face, I can't see with my left eye anymore. Behind him, there is a window; I jump through it. There is a roof below where I land with a loud sound. I am sure i broke. 

"You guys find him and finish him." I hear Mark's voice while I am running away.

I am running away again. Why? Have I not become stronger? They must pay! Those betrayers must pay!! All those who helped them with it! I start flying and go above the building where we were just now. They will see feel it! They will feel the flames of my hatred!!! 

"Cissa, I want to use it. Whatever it is!! I want to kill them all!!"

"Do not let your rage consumes you, or you will misuse your power."

"I. SAID. I WILL USE IT!"

"…Fine." A red lightning aura engulfs me, and a sphere the size of my head appears in front of me while I go higher and higher in the sky.

"If you use the Roar now, you won't be able to use Angas for at least one week."

"I DO NOT CARE!!!"

"… So be it then."

"AHH!!!"