The She-Devil

In the dark there's a blade dripping with blood. Leaving dots of blood on the floor. On the corridor there were men who got their limbs slashed by a sharp blade. The walls are covered in sword marks. There were bullet holes all over the place.

There was this sense of dread that followed. The lights were lit up. But the stench of blood occupied the air of the corridors. In the morning it would have been filled with all sorts of men and women looking for work. There's a clerk that was usually giving everyone a deadpan voice. That clerk was on the ground covering his eyes, not daring to look at the two that entered the premises.

A green eye and a mechanical eyepatch that was moving to scan every part of the corridor. Behind her was a woman holding a rifle. She was scanning every corner while the woman with long black hair and a red jacket walked slowly to the center of the building.

She carried a sword. A sleek hiltless sword that vibrates with every second. She wore an exoskeleton around her body. A deployable one that could cover her body.

The woman entered this large hall. Gunshot rang everywhere and they were all repelled by this metal cling. Pellets drop on the floor with a light sound. The woman in the red jacket cleaved her sword. The ones who shot their weapons had been easily cleaved.

No matter how many times she saw it. The one who was behind the woman in the red jacket trembled. That monstrous skill in the sword. It wasn't something that could be replicated unless one had great understanding of technique and proper use of the blade she was using.

Ghost Techs were prized because of how dangerous they are. And also because of how they are not easily obtained just by anyone. To obtain one means that it was granted or that the one who has it killed someone.

Whatever was the means of how she obtained it. She knew that it was not simple. And that she knew how to use Ghost Techs to perfection. It hasn't been long since she has followed this woman. And yet she knew that this was nothing more than a warning to those who pulled the trigger.

She was sure that if they found her man still on that driveway. She wouldn't be like this. Not a single trace of existence. And even the one who was responsible for finding them did not leave any trace. She has suspicions and yet did not find her target.

And without a target she turned towards the one who ordered the capture. The one who had his hand cleaved kneeled in front of the red jacketed woman. A raised chin. A deadly expression and a sword that could slashed him in half.

"P-please, let me go."

"Could have said that before you decided to attack."

Her voice was cold, and her face was like ice. The one who begged her got easily killed mercilessly. To her they were nothing more than smugglers, capturers, and enemies. There might be some good in them, but in this kind of life. What did it matter? You could be the kindest mercenary in the city and it wouldn't matter at all.

She placed the tip of her blade on the chin of the one who ordered the capture. The man said his name and spoke while begging.

"I was only ordered! I didn't know that you would be the one guarding Miss Yua! I'm not an idiot. What kind of idiot would offend you? I am just a nobody compared to the others!"

The man begged. He spoke every name he could pass the blame to. While the woman holding the sword listened so quietly and eagerly. At first she thought that she would let go of the man after his begging. But the man made a mistake.

"It's not like Goro-san's daughter is dead! We just killed that nobody! No harm done, right!?"

"That nobody is my partner."

She pushed the tip of her sword in the man's throat. Then raised it vertically. The man stared blankly before falling to the side.

She kneeled next to the man. Searched the man's deck and kept them in her pocket. She looked at the area before quietly leaving the same way. She scanned the area and after making sure that building was clear and they didn't leave anyone other than the clerk alive.

They lit up the building and evacuated from the area. She drove the woman to the place they left the little heiress of the Takemura Group. It was in a shelter that the woman had owned. It was in the middle of nowhere and if she wasn't led to this place. She was sure that she wouldn't be able to find this place that was near this cliff edge.

When they arrived at this cliff edge. The woman took off her exoskeleton suit and stashed it away. She entered the base.

She waited outside watching the area for any followers before taking a seat on the edge of the water.

She dug up her mother's memento and listened to her voice. She closed her eyes and immersed herself into this melody until she spotted a little girl fearfully looking at the seas. The little girl then went back to the base while keeping her head down. She was docile. So tamed. And she couldn't blame the kiddo knowing that her guardian was like a block of ice.

Two weeks have easily passed.

In those two weeks she has done nothing but guard the little lady, and then sometimes join the boss lady into killing every son of a bitch that wanted to make money off the little lady.

The pay was good. And working with a strong and deadly woman was an eye opener for her. How despite all that she had done in the past months since coming to Agua. She was still nowhere as close to the woman named Kim Jisoo.

She had been familiar with Kim Jisoo's way of fighting. Although she was colder than ice most of the time. Naomi was sure that beyond that cold façade there was a bleeding heart.

Always staring at the wallpaper of her mobile screen. The only times she had real emotion. As if regretting constantly. That face that wanted to take back what was hers.

Naomi didn't say. She was hired to protect the little lady. Still, she couldn't help but be curious at the woman whose heart was like ice. What kind would be able to melt it? No, she had closed off that heart. Although Naomi had gotten information about Kim Jisoo's role in a clan vanishing and many more.

Seeing her action never ceases to amaze. She thought to herself that maybe one day she would come to the point of being able to take on many opponents with reckless abandon. All plans go to shit the moment she attacks not within human understanding.

Naomi is an augmented. But the difference between them was like a chasm of difference. She didn't want to think. She didn't even want to imagine how she could reach that state.

If anything she pitied her opponents.

They know not the wrath of a woman who has lost someone close to her. And it takes a lot of effort for a woman like Kim Jisoo to open her heart only for the world to tear it apart.

A broken heart mended with ice was dangerous. Naomi didn't even want to think of consoling her. She didn't have that right. She didn't even experience the joy of having someone to share her heart with another. But looking at how Kim Jisoo was acting. Naomi wondered if she would even dare to try and look for one especially in this kind of profession.

Naomi waited outside. Kim Jisoo walked out of base while keeping her sword-hand on the pommel of her sword. She scanned the area before landing her eyes on Naomi.

"You… do well. Yua's paying you. But it's worth it so far."

"Thank you?"

Kim Jisoo stared hard. Naomi wondered if she had done something wrong. No, she was sure that she hadn't messed up or made a mess of anything. She has been obedient and she just did what Kim Jisoo told her.

"My partner. He was rather… he spoke highly of you. Said that you have potential."

So was that the reason she was keeping her? Naomi wanted to ask that truly. But the look on Kim Jisoo's face. That mix of longing and then pain made it impossible for Naomi to ask.

"That's the only reason I'm keeping you. He told me that you have potential as a merc. That you can grow into someone who can match whatever the Augments and Mutants can throw at you."

"I see."

Kim Jisoo's eyes were half-opened. She had raised her eyepatch up. And her cold green eyes stared back. Reflecting Naomi's somewhat stiff expression in Kim Jisoo's eyes. The pressure that she was feeling made her wonder if she was going to get kicked out and be killed.

"My partner… said that you'll be a merc. You're getting paid handsomely. You have done nothing but watch my back and so I am allowing myself to trust you. Do you know why?"

Naomi had no clue. So she shook her head. She was somewhat sure that a woman like Kim Jisoo wouldn't easily trust someone. But she was also a reasonable person. A woman who knows how dangerous things can be. If anything Naomi believed that she wanted her to protect Yua. And that she wanted to be sure that Yua was protected while she goes through her one woman vendetta.

This woman was planning for it. She had seen and heard her muttering. The way she looked at her drawing board, digging every information she could, and systematically killing everyone who was involved in trying to kill Yua Takemura.

This woman was planning to hand over the seat back to the little girl. Not because she believed that the sea at the top of the Takemura Group belonged to the little girl. Not because of some twisted belief that it was the right thing to do.

Even little Yua could understand that this was part of Miss Kim Jisoo's selfishness. She wanted to get something out of this. Whether it was an excuse to let loose and get rid of the awful feelings in her chest. Whether it was to distract herself.

The swordswoman named Kim Jisoo didn't want to sit still. Drowning herself in ambition. Projecting what she desired to a little girl who simply wanted to survive.

The worst part was that she knew that the woman could do it. That this woman has solely devoted herself to doing this. For a moment Naomi wanted an out. She wanted to escape the grasp of this woman before she's dragged to situations that would certainly push her to her limits.

Behind the cold mask lies an ambition made out of the desire to escape. Like she has something to prove. She did not want to be with this madwoman. Naomi however wanted to learn. To grow. To become stronger. And if she follows some of the steps that this madwoman will take. Naomi was sure that she would at least learn some important things. That she would undoubtedly become stronger than she was.

She dreamt of becoming someone who stood at the top. And what better way to reach the top other than learning from someone who has already stepped into it?

"Potential," Kim Jisoo said. "You have a potential that I can use. That we can use to reach something. It's not like you're stepping out of this. The time to step out of this job is long gone now. You and I are going to become the Red Sun for Yua Takemura."

Kim Jisoo declared.

Mino Naomi could only agree.

It didn't matter that she was joining hands with the she-devil of the Red Sun Clan.