Green Sweater

Yuki got help from Trivy to get dressed, somewhat, as he prepared to follow his brother back into hell.

He wore a green long sleeve with sweats and running shoes, both of his sleeves dangled as his arms remained in a cast from his injuries.

Both Yuki and his brother begin to depart from the hospital room as Trivy, yet again, is left behind, something he was slowly growing irritated with.

Even though he didn't like Ryuzaki much, he trusted him to keep Yuki safe, which is all he needed to stay behind.

"You fought this guy, right?" Ryuzaki asked.

"Yeah... he's pretty strong."

"It seems he has no control."

"Huh?" Yuki was a bit confused at Ryuzaki's response, no control, control over what exactly?

"Did you even think as to why he was strong enough to do that to you and your classmate?"

"No... not really... why?"

"It's called Rai."

"Huh?" Yuki is still completely lost, not having a single clue what his brother is talking about, as if there was a large iron wall between them already.

Both of them made it outside of the hospital as their conversation continued.

"Rai is like your spiritual force, it isn't easily attainable, but the killer clearly uses it, it explains his unusual strength. He unknowingly uses a technique called Zhen, which basically lets one weaponize their Rai by enhancing their strength. If someone who doesn't use this fights someone who does——they should be killed easily."

"I'm not getting it completely..." Yuki couldn't keep up with his brother's words.

Spiritual force?

Rai?

Zhen?

What the hell was he talking about?

Is he serious, or is he toying with him, something that he usually did when they were younger.

"Don't worry, you'll learn more soon enough." Ryuzaki responded as both of them were getting into a dark blue colored coupe, Ryuzaki prefered that much more over sedans for some reason.

"I already know where the killer is at." Ryuzaki said as he started the car, which left Yuki in shock.

Was he serious, or was this joke somehow still going on?

"What? How?" Yuki asked, he'll play this game, whatever game it is.

"I already told you. He has no control. He's like a child who just started to walk. And anyone can spot an infant when they fall flat on their face a couple times."

Theo was still in Star City, hidden after he was identified two days ago from Anastasia's hospital bed.

Star City police figured he had left town and is already within another country by now, but Theo couldn't leave, not like this, especially at the last second, he risked the possibility of getting caught at the border.

He didn't even realize that Anastasia was still alive, something he didn't even know now as he questioned his entire method.

His brother was still nothing more than a decomposed carcass in a wheelchair, and he didn't know why, why wasn't he resurrected by now, he was certain Anastasia was the golden coin that Asclepius asked for.

His hopelessness was bothersome even for the empty crates within the warehouse that he hid out in.

The stench of his brother's body easily spread through the entire warehouse, let alone the smell of old fish had already been present beforehand.

The warehouse was just by a port, even though he hadn't had an official plan yet, Theo thought maybe he could stay hidden on a ship until he's finally left Kashitama, after all, it will be a process for them to enforce their laws in another country.

Even though something of his magnitude wouldn't face much disagreement, it still could have taken a couple of days for members of Kashitama to have the authority to search for him, or have other countries' enforcement do so.

Once again, this plan wasn't fully thought out, especially within the wallows of self doubt and fluctuations of disgust and lust for oneself.

The images of his former victims might have had something to do with the latter.

As Theo was contemplating his next move, he was unaware of the small navy car that slowly pulled up just outside the warehouse.

"He should be just inside there."

"How are you doing this?" Yuki asked, still not fully believing his brother's words, when is he going to give this up.

"Come on." Ryuzaki said, and they both slowly got out of the car.

Ryuzaki slowly closed his car door, making sure he could enter with the weapon of surprise.

Yuki, however, slammed his car door shut, something that was habitual for him.

Ryuzaki just looked at Yuki as if he knew what he was saying with nothing more than a cold stare as Yuki replied "oops..."

Theo's thoughts were halted by the sound of the car door, to which grew his anxiety to the surface.

"Someone's here... someone found me?! Impossible... must be someone who works on this port maybe..." Theo thought, his thoughts weren't so stable.

Ryuzaki kicks in the doors to the warehouse, alarming Theo as his worst fear has become a reality.

Luckily for Theo, he was able to hide before Ryuzaki could pan across the entire warehouse from the front doors.

It was empty, abandoned, with crates scattered around the somewhat moldy floors, the smell of the ocean, or more specifically, a soaked dead body.

The only thing that was visible from the front doors, other than the obvious environment of the abandoned warehouse, was Theo's brother glued to the wheelchair.

Theo stayed hidden behind one of the many crates within the warehouse, thinking "Impossible... Impossible... how... how could someone find me... no... they don't know I'm here..."

"Come on out now, there's nowhere to go!" Ryuzaki shouted while still maintaining his monotone pitch.

"Impossible..." Theo frantically thought before finally revealing himself, confusion and anxiety clearly isn't a good cocktail.

"How did you find me?!" Theo shouted at Ryuzaki and Yuki, whom he noticed but didn't pay much attention to as Ryuzaki seemed like a much larger threat than Yuki who he easily handled the last time they met.

"I'd like to know that as well..." Yuki said under his breath while looking at his brother.

"Don't worry, you won't live this time boy!" Theo shouted, attempting to intimidate the two in front of him, intimidation is a key factor in gaining the upper hand within combat.

After a somewhat short pause, the Killer bolted straight towards Ryuzaki and Yuki, thinking his sinister atmosphere was more than enough to get the first couple of blows in.

He swings straight for the man he had no knowledge of, testing his strength, similar to his approach with Anastasia.

To his surprise, and Yuki's, Ryuzaki didn't flinch and easily caught the wrist of Theo's attack as if he could've done it with both of his hands behind his back.

"This'll be easy... you see Yuki, I'm able to easily catch his swing. Do you get it now?"

"You're not the best at explaining things..." Yuki said as Theo began to struggle within Ryuzaki's grip.

"How dare you ignore m—" Theo shouted as his words were cut short by a critical strike from Ryuzaki's fist, landing perfectly on his nose.

This punch sent Theo straight into one of the boxes, that was more than a few yards away from their previous location.

"Well, you see, a person like me who has more spiritual control than him, will easily defeat him in combat." Ryuzaki said nonchalantly as Theo shot up out of the crate he crashed into, losing complete control as he did before.

"I'll Kill You!!" Theo shouted from across the warehouse, and didn't hesitate to close the gap that was easily made by Ryuzaki just a few moments ago.

Theo unleashes a barrage of attacks, similar to what he did during his first interaction with Anastasia.

Ryuzaki didn't pay much attention to Theo, using only one hand to easily reflect Theo's assault of attacks while still paying much attention to his brother.

"You see he's only able to use it off of rage..." Ryuzaki said before looking back towards Theo and halting his assault by simply catching his fist.

Ryuzaki then swiftly double taps Theo in the chest, which has a similar outcome to before with Theo ending up in a crate like last time.

"Do you see now, Yuki?"

"He's... He's handling the killer like he's nothing..." Yuki thought in amazement of his brother's display, not yet realizing the large gap between them.

Theo slowly arises, similar to the first time, out of the crate and thinks "Impossible... no one has ever challenged my strength..."

"I'll Kill You!" Theo shouted, not recognizing that he's being repetitive through his frustration.

Theo suddenly released his bloodlust, similar to the fashion he did during his assault on Yuki and Anastasia.

The trick worked as it did before, but solely on Yuki as Ryuzaki seemed unfazed at Theo's trump card.

"I see... He does have some technique after all..." Ryuzaki said.

"That should've been able to freeze them with utter despair..." Theo thought as he was quite surprised at how this challenge seemed to become more and more difficult by the minute.

"I will grant you both an early death!" Theo shouted, still maintaining the arrogance he displays that is more prevalent during his killing process.

Theo attempted to thwart Ryuzaki's defense for a third time, which brought nothing but a smile to Ryuzaki's face.

"He's smiling!! He's about to die and he smiles?! "What the hell is he?!?! I've never seen someone smile after I've struck them with fear..." Theo thought in frustration.

How can someone smile in the eyes of the reaper?

It doesn't make sense, it isn't remotely close to the experiences he's had before with his previous victims.

What was wrong with this man?

"It's too late for you..." Ryuzaki said under his breath as he was now standing right behind Theo, who froze in shock as soon as he heard the chilling whisper.

"What... when did..." Theo softly said as survival began to kick in.

"I didn't even see him move... how did he..." Yuki thought as he remained frozen from Theo's trick, stunned at how skilled his brother is, who is only older by 8 years.

Ryuzaki then kicks Theo's side and he goes flying into some more crates, creating a very repetitive process here.

"Impossible... How... How did he do that..." Theo thought as he grew tired of this process of not getting a single hit on his opponent.

He still couldn't quite understand how was this possible, how this man was able to dominate him as if he were just another cattle within the herd.

Wasn't he supposed to be blessed, gifted by the gods?

Why was this happening to him, and why now?

Was this his destiny after all, to come so close and then finally be dragged down by Hades himself.

Confusion and anger circulated through Theo like a washing machine.

"You're better off just giving up now." Ryuzaki said, merely holding back the majority of his capabilities and not wasting it on such a pathetic excuse like Theo, who used their talents for nothing but destruction.

"All I wanted to do was bring him back... All I wanted was my brother alive again..." Theo yelped, now on his knees and crawling towards Ryuzaki's feet.

This surprised Yuki, seeing someone who loved the smell of their own odor so much yet graveling at the sight of his brother.

Ryuzaki stayed quiet and still, his guard still up and his sympathy still absent.

"Please... just let me bring him back... please... I just need that gold coin... that'll be enough for him..." Theo begged.

But keeping his ulterior motives hidden as his weapon remained still within his palm as he thought "To think I'd have to go this low to defeat someone... His guard is down now though, this is my best chance to kill him!"

"Please..." Theo begged, now molesting Ryuzaki's shoe.

Ryuzaki looked down with nothing but disgust towards the serial killer who overestimates himself.

Theo then swiftly attempts to make this last strike count, going straight for Ryuzaki's throat with his hidden knife.

"I said you're better off giving up." Ryuzaki said as he swiftly strikes Theo directly in the chest.

"How?!" Theo thought as he began to suffocate from the strike, clearly the single blow was more than enough to take down a building let alone knock Theo directly back into the destroyed crates.

Theo lost consciousness from the attack, luckily Ryuzaki refrained from using 2% of his strength, or else there would've been nothing but a gaping hole through Theo's chest.

"That should be enough." Ryuzaki said.

"What the hell just happened..." Yuki could barely keep up with his brother's movements let alone even comprehend the capabilities displayed right in front of him.

"You should learn more within the youth program."

"How did you know I was a part of that..." Yuki was clearly still astonished at his brother's strength that the first thought, albeit not with much analysis, just shot through his lips.

"Sometimes you ask pointless questions, but, I found out from the Director..." Ryuzaki said as he grasped the ankle of the prized serial killer that he was able to finish quicker than a midnight sitcom.

"The old man told you?"

"Yeah" Ryuzaki said as both of them walked out of the warehouse together, he was still dragging Theo as if he were an oversized fish.

"As much as I would like his help, this is something I have to do alone..." Yuki thought, then softly said, "Thanks..."

Ryuzaki didn't respond with words to his brother's appreciation, nothing more than a smirk enough for his brother to understand.

This seldom pause between brothers was soon interrupted by a phone ringing within Ryuzaki's pocket, to which he answered accordingly.

"Yeah... we got him." Ryuzaki said over the phone, before hanging it up.

Soon after Theodore Ritz was arrested and most likely will spend the rest of his life alone in prison.

Group one finished their month long training and headed back to HQ, where they awaited their next challenge.

Whatever that may be, it wasn't going to be easy for them.

After all, if this was enough to put two members on stretchers, then only the gods know the trials that is yet to come for Class B of the Youth Program.

But, they do deserve a congratulatory victory lap for their accomplishments over the past month.

Especially after surviving something unexpected, but to save the words from the rightful proctor of this mission...

Job Well Done.