Chapter 19: Let me show you

Heavy steps echoed through an empty hallway of the Magnate's manor. It became louder and louder as the man started to sprint towards a certain location. His grin reached the point where it can send someone some shivers even from afar.

"....?"

Kiyoto felt something eerie looming near, it's as if his senses are telling him that his fight is fast approaching. He clenched his fists and continued his advance with the help of his team. Fudo, on the other hand, is keeping the angry butler busy.

Meanwhile, at the Manor's lobby.

"Well, this is definitely something I would have never expected." Johan commented after entering the front door, surprised by the medieval design of the Manor's interior. He ended up here after giving chase to the retreating officers.

A loud voice from afar can be heard. Johan turned his gaze towards the voice's direction and saw one of the officers, standing atop the stairs, pointing towards him.

"Oy Jetto! Someone's inside!"

"Eh? This isn't part of the show though. What a bore, go shoo him away." Jetto replied with an uninterested tone.

"What!? Why only me!? We're both here already so why don't we just deal with this dude at the same time!?"

"Oh my, two officers ganging up on someone? That's bullying."

Johan interrupted their argument with a clasp of his hands, which then echoed in the spacious room.

"I can't help but wonder if the two of you exchanged personalities. I mean the steam guy is the carefree one, I thought he'll be the one who loses patience on everything."

Jetto raises his brow and sighs.

"Oh not this one too. I mean, the two are quite difficult to differentiate, but steam is just pure water vapor. Harmless if scattered, unlike smoke. It can be mixed in with different variants."

"Oh getting smarty-pants now huh Jetto!?"

"Kabuki, you know that shouting isn't necessary since we're close enough to hear each other."

"Shut it! I do what I want, and this is my normal voice for your information!"

"Are you two done?" Johan picks up the hanging sunglass mask in his shirt and wears it. "I don't know if this banter of yours is part of your so-called show, but it's beginning to bore me."

The two turn both of their gazes at Johan. Jetto might have said that Kabuki should deal with him alone, but after a quick observation, he decided to finally agree with Kabuki to fight Johan at the same time.

"Hmm. Kabuki, just this time, I think I'll approve of your suggestion." Jetto changed his tone as if he's getting serious. He might have felt that this man in front of them is not just some lost [Swords] member nor the average organization officer.

Behind his smoke-punk mask, Jetto smiled like he was looking forward to something. Kabuki, on the other hand, jumped from where he was standing and landed in front of Johan. Jetto remained in his place.

"So, [Swords] officer, you came in here alone knowing that there are high ranking officers like us inside. That means you're pretty confident about your chances of victory." Jetto stated his thoughts.

"You can put it like that." Johan gave a quick response, he seems to be confident like what Jetto just said.

"Hrg, in that case we're going all out.!" Kabuki said with his normal tone. The two did not belittle him, instead they didn't let their guard down and decided to put all their strength on the line.

Realizing this, Johan immediately pulled back his right hand, as if charging it for a powerful attack.

Kabuki's eyes widened after a shockwave of considerable force was released as soon as Johan punched through his charged hand towards his direction.

"W-wh– Gwuoh!"

Kabuki couldn't stand his ground and flew away, hitting a wall.

"That power. Hey Kabuki, don't even think of going down with just th–"

Just when Jetto was about to finish his sentence, he witnessed Johan launch himself towards him and close their distance in just a matter of seconds.

Jetto took a step back.

"!?"

As Johan pulled back his hand, a substantial amount of smoke puffed out of Jetto's mask that was seemingly coming from inside it.

Johan didn't waste a second and immediately threw his punch which then released yet another shockwave but in reduced size.

All the smoke that emanated from Jetto's mask got scattered and blown away, but Jetto is nowhere to be found. Johan also didn't feel like he was able to hit someone from his punch just now. He then turned around and saw Jetto appear on the first floor.

'He can also turn himself into a smoke, that's quite unbalanced. I need to know the catch.' Johan thought.

"Hm?"

Johan heard some stones rumbling from below. He puts his hands up as soon as he feels a sense of hostility fast approaching. It was Kabuki who got himself up from the rubbles, and jumped towards the second floor where Johan is currently standing.

Kabuki plucks a random feather from the ornament he is wearing and takes a look at it. "Purple!" Kabuki exclaimed.

Johan narrowed his eyes down. He is trying to analyze every bit of detail he can use with the incoming exchange. Though, as a practice of vigilance, he used the shockwave from his feet to leap backwards and keep their distance.

'So what's the trick of this one.' He thought to himself as Kabuki raised the purple feather, it then transformed into a bow and arrow made of unknown purple energy.

Johan's narrowed eyes, widened in astonishment. Kabuki pulled back the string and shoots the purple arrow towards him.

Johan bumped his fists together and pulled back his right hand once again. He released another shockwave to counter the arrow's flight, but then he was surprised when he saw that the trajectory of the arrow seems to be unaffected.

'This arrow. It's not physical!' Too late to retract, it struck him. As expected, he didn't feel any physical damage upon impact, but then as the arrow vanished, Johan was shocked by a current.

"Grrrrh!" Johan gritted his teeth. As soon as it faded, a wrecking ball of compressed smoke knocked him away, though he managed to shield himself using his arms.

"Jetto! He still managed to shield your attack! It's too slow!"

"Oh shut up, Kabuki. This man is just made of pure fighting instincts. Besides, mine hits harder, while yours travels faster."

Johan gets up from the rubbles caused by his collision from a wall. He lets out a deep breath, causing from some smokes he inhaled to be let out. He dusted himself off and puts his hands up once again.

"Looks like it will be a long day." Johan remarked.

Jetto disappeared in sight as he turned into a smoke, seems like this is how he's gonna fight in the duration of their battle. Kabuki on the other hand plucked yet another feather. This time, it's a red one.

"Red!"

"...?"

"I see. Looks like every color has its own unique weapon." Johan commented as soon as he saw what the red feather have transformed into: a baseball bat made of unknown red energy.

Kabuki then rushed towards Johan, brandishing his baseball bat. As Johan prepares for him, he sensed a smoke forming from behind and immediately turned. He then realized that it was a bait, since the smoke spreads out without doing anything.

'These two.' as he felt that Kabuki is close by, Johan claps his hand, releasing a small amount of shockwave to slow down anyone approaching him.

"Huh?" Johan was startled after he heard a sound that looks like something transforming. He turned around, witnessing that the red baseball bat, now turned into yet another bow and arrow.

Kabuki released the shot and strucked Johan once again, the red arrow released a violent explosion of force causing Johan to be blown away once again.

"Haha, I felt like what we're doing right now is bullying. Looks like two officers are still too much for you hm?" Jetto said while still in hiding.

"Oy Jetto! Spare the pointless talk after we beat him!" Kabuki shouted.

Johan can be seen emerging from the smoke of dust. He wiped out something from his mouth and puts his hands up once again.

"The two of you work well despite the habitual banter, I give you that."

"Tch! Mind your own business, Jetto can't just do anything on his own!"

"Oh? How about I don't cook for you anymore, how's that sound?" Jetto interjected.

Johan chuckled. "Hah, I don't know if you guys are being genuine about what you are saying. So if the two of you really care about the well-being of the other-" He then assumed a new stance, like someone who practiced taekwondo. "-now's the good time to fully cover each other."

Kabuki realized that Johan means what he is talking about. His aura changed as if he's not taking any more chances.

"Jetto! You're cooking for me if I win this!"

"Huh? Fine. But, don't you mean, we?"

Johan smirked after hearing their exchange. He thought that it was an alright relationship between friends as he has the same correspondence. But they're enemies, and these two brings harm willingly to others.

"Let me show you, the power of an ace."