-fear our name but never face one-

The Dirtline 

(head area)

The Dirtline is the territory with no official rulers, but the strongest is the one at the top of the food chain. The Dirtline's map is the shape of two curved lines hitting each other into one line, like a snake. The head side is on the west, and the tail side is on the east.

I am not nervous to meet the strongest person on top of the Dirtline, the area that no one wants to dare mess with. Even Mr. Saya doesn't like the idea of getting involved with these people. But I'm still determining how we are going to deal with them. Is there another way than physical violence?

It's not a rumor that they are the continent's most violent citizens. The second best is Keithland. I wonder how Stygians can be a partner with them and what they can offer. Money? Power? In my opinion, the power is the bottom choice since they already have the name and the power on their own without interrupting or intruding on the city area. Moreover, they scare the shit out of city people.

Kaiza and I take a step on the land. The place is in front of us. It looks dirty and messed up outside, as does the gray and black concrete building with the galvanized iron roof decorated on top and also to the side of the building. The neon black light makes me wonder if it is a choice. 

We're here with only ten of the Takaki men. It's less than I thought it would be, but he pictured the outcomes of the situation. If we bring more than ten, it will look full, and they will see us as the enemy. If we bring less than ten, it will look lacking, and they will see us as weak. Or perhaps insulting, look down upon them. 

Kaiza is wearing a black and dark red suit and a dark red shirt. I'm wearing a red high neck, long sleeves, black pants, and a black crop-top blazer.

We're holding hands together and walking inside the building with Jay and Jodai, following us. Jodai is on my side, Jay is on Kaiza's. Jodai holds his sword on the right side of his belt and my sword in his hand. 

Four security guards—two on the left and two on the right—are wearing black, sporty clothing and are armed. Behind the table, a woman wearing an orange tank top, black jeans, and a silver leather jacket is also present. Her hair is tied up in a high ponytail, and I can see tattoos all over her neck down to her cleavage.

She glances at us as we walk to the center of the room. Then, tilting her head to look behind us to see our men, she shifts back to us.

"Mmm."

She makes a sound while her sight is lying on our body from head to toe.

"Red hair, red eyes, Takaki?"

Her deep voice echoes the room.

"I came here to see Slaven."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"I don't think anyone else needs to do that."

"Because they are loyal guests."

"I don't want to be one...and he doesn't want us to be one."

"Then what is the special occasion for the red dragon to come down here?"

"That's a topic I want to discuss with your boss."

"Hmpt."

She gets up, walks away from her desk, straight ahead toward us, and observes me directly. Her eyes aren't afraid to look at every part of my body, and I am not scared to look back into her eyes.

"Hmpt."

She makes a sound again and shifts her eyes to one of the men. Then, he gets inside the door.

"She doesn't look like...your native gene...beautiful, unique eyes...she looks ethereal."

She walks around me and stops at my face. She's about to touch my front hair.

"!!"

 I grab her wrist.

"..."

And says nothing, only glares at her. 

"Hmpt, holding hands...your girlfriend?....ah, she has a ring..."

"..."

I grab her wrist hard.

"Watch your mouth. I'm coming to talk to your boss, not you."

Kaiza.

"...arg.."

She clenches her jaw because I hurt her wrist. She stares at me, but her eyes are a bit shaky.

"Boss is ready to see you."

"Arg!"

I let go of my hand, and she cries.

Kaiza holds my hand tighter and is about to go in that man's direction. I walk past the woman and hit her shoulder without caring. Then Kaiza puts his hand over my shoulder and holds me in.

I glance at Jodai. He's about to pull his sword, but he holds back, and he follows us with Jay.

"They can not come in."

"..."

"These two can, but not the rest."

Kaiza looks back at them and nods. Then, five of the Takaki men leave the room to go outside, and the other five stay where they are.

We follow the man inside the dark hall with neon graffiti all over the wall so we can see the path lightly. It reflects the light green and pink colors on the path, the man's body, and Kaiza's face. 

Outside the wall, there's also the quaking of the music sound. I can't hear obvious melodies, but it's loud enough to make my heart and my ear vibrate like we are underwater.

The man in front of me stops at the door and knocks twice. It takes him a second to open the door for us. Then, we got inside together.

The giant man sitting on the big chair is surrounded by women wearing tights and high heels and men wearing unusual outfits, showing their abs and muscles with shorts. Some are wearing long ones. But this does not surprise me because we are in the land of the opposite, which I haven't experienced.

The sofas and couches are untidied and separated in different positions. The carpets, in different styles, lie on top of each other around the floor. The pink, blue, and red lights are floating mid-air on the walls and ceiling as we're floating in the space.

"Phew..."

The giant man wearing the white suit covers the naked top, showing the muscle on his body. He exhales the gray smoke that turns out to be any color that shines on it.

"Please sit."

He talks to us under the vibrating sound.

Kaiza and I select the leather couch to sit behind us, facing him.

"How long have you been together?"

He asks us after shifting his eyes to our hands, which we are holding.

"A year."

Kaiza.

"Hmpt,... phew...not that long...but it's been a year too...that you haven't stepped foot in Dirtline."

"I'm busy."

"Busy doing her?"

He says with a smirk and points the smoking pipe at me.

"..."

I calm Kaiza down by rubbing his hands with my thumb.

"It's alright. We're adults. I probably do the same."

He looks at me in a lecherous manner.

"Is the red devil good in bed?"

He asks me another violating question.

"Yes."

I answer without a doubt or fear.

"Heh...So what an occasion for coming in here?"

"Can I be straight because I don't have that much time?"

"What an arrogant...phoo...pretty...devil...city--phew...boy of you...heh, every fucking Sovereign fuckers are all the same...Why are you scared of being here?...for your sweet girl?...phooo....or we're not elegant enough to be talked to...pheww...."

"No. If I thought it like that, I wouldn't be here at all."

"Spit it out."

"I want you to end the business."

"...ha...ha..hahahaha."

"So he can joke?"

He turns his face to ask me.

"Sometimes...but not this one,"

I answer.

"The business with Stygians."

Kaiza.

"..."

The giant man glares at him.

"Actually, I have heard about you...aren't you one of the Stygians?"

The giant man.

"Decades ago."

Kaiza answers for me.

"We ended our business decades ago, too."

"Tuek-Tuek-Tuek."

Kaiza gets up and walks toward the giant man.

"I don't think you did, Slaven."

Kaiza faces him and looks down at him.

"Phewww."

And Slaven exhales the smoke on him.

I cross my legs and look at Slaven.

"We never cross our paths together. We just pass by, and now why?"

Slaven.

"Because I want to show my lover what I can do for her."

"...heh.."

He shifts his eyes on me.

"And what if I don't?"

"Slaven, I wonder about something. You are on top of the head of the snake here...runs your thing, boss your things. Have power and fame all over the continent. But why are you partnering with the city people you hate so much?"

Kaiza slowly paces in front of him.

"Have you heard the word you are willing to do anything if you want to be the greatest? Sometimes, people we hate have similar goals..."

"Is there anything greater than what you have right now?"

"Sovereign, the ugly self-centered city. She wants to be great in this area. I can give her that...but of course, not entirely. And she can bring me...us..to the top over there in exchange...She used me, I used her."

She? not they? Is he talking about Veronica?

"Because you're right, Kaiza. People fear our name but never face one. Why don't I just give it to them for free?"

"Do you think Stygian can help you with that?"

"Well, no...but our goals can...Phooo....We have the same goal...the business is just the

excuse for me to partner with Stygians...phewww."

"And what is that?"

"You."

"Heh,"

Kaiza smirks and steps closer to the chair where Slaven is sitting. The giant man leans his back against the back of the chair, and all the women there shiver. 

"Nothing is coming for free."

Kaiza.

"..."

"You know it well. You're doing business, but I don't."

"Phooo..."

And then Slaven halts his breath from the smoke pipe because it seems to run out.

"You know what I do, right?..."

"Frankly, boy, I haven't seen you doing anything."

"Well, because I never do stuff outside the territory...You might be the first to see."

"Phewwww."

"So, what would you say? End or continue?"

Kaiza asks.

"You're so brave coming here to threaten me in my territory."

"You see that it's a threat?... Wow, you haven't seen anything yet, Slaven."

Kaiza.

I haven't seen Kaiza being like this before. The words, the dark aura, the devil's eyes, the teasing smirk on his face.

He turns his back to him and sends the sign for me to leave. Then, I get up.

Jodai and Jay step out from behind the couch.

"You should not turn your back to the enemy, click!"

Slaven tells Kaiza while the man with a crop top shirt pulls a gun at Kaiza's head.

"So...you decide to be an enemy..."

Kaiza.

I swing my palm to the back, and Jodai gives me the sword from behind. I take out my sword while printing myself fast to the giant man ahead.

"!!!"

Then, the smoking pipe breaks in half, and they fall down to his feet.

"Argg!!"

Suddenly, the guy with the crop top screams out in pain because I swing my sword to cut his hand off before I get to Slaven and break his smoking pipe.

"Thug!!"

The gun drops to the floor with blood spreading out.

"!!"

Slaven looks at me with fright.

Kaiza steps closer to me and holds my waist.

"Who the hell is she?!!"

"She's my queen."

Kaiza tells him and kisses me on the cheek.

That's so cheesy. 

"So, the enemy?"

Kaiza asks again.

"...Do you think I care?"

"Thug!!!"

Then, the guards run into the room, and Jodai takes his sword and strikes them. Jay pulls out the gun and shoots some of them in the head.

"!!"

I use my blue sword to aim at Slaven's neck. I don't care which side of the sword I threaten because all sides are sharpened, real nice.

"Where are they?"

Kaiza asks.

"Who?"

"Victims"

I tell him.

"Ahh, you try to help the people...I thought it was because of the black bones between you and Stygians...Eh, but that's odd...How can the devil save humanity? I can't imagine the picture, heh...Even the Saint can't save them all."

"Then I don't think any devil or saint can help you with this."

I tell him.

I switch sides of the sword, which is permanently carved on the blue and reflects the word purging. Slaven sees the word and looks at me.

I hold the handle two hands this time and am about to slide his skin.

"The stomach!"

He shouts.

"..."

I halt.

"They are in the stomach area."

"Tell them."

Kaiza tells Jay.

Kaiza puts his hand on my hands and presses them softly to lower the sword. I switch to hold it on the right. Then, He joins my left hand to hold.

He looks at us, and the rest of them look at us.

Kaiza takes me away from the sweaty giant man, and we're about to leave the room.

"You shouldn't be doing this. It means you start a war with us..."

"Aren't you already planning?"

Kaiza tilts his head to him.

"...Heh. You, Takaki, I will bring you down like the rest of the Sovereign."

I squeeze the sword's handle and am about to turn to that man, but Kaiza notices my reaction first. He holds my hand tight, pulls me into his chest, and covers my ear.

"Pow!!!"

Ha...

Kaiza shoots that man before me.