The words out of the man’s mouth were suspending in the air and there was silence for some seconds. I felt Ai squeezing my hand and I looked at her to see a deadly glare on her face. I squeezed her hand even tighter which made her look at me. Even if no words were said, Ai understood that I wanted her to calm down. Letting her attack the man right in front of us was not something I want to happen.
"I think you should first tell me your name before putting up an ultimatum before me. I am pretty sure that you know who I am," I said in a calm voice not being intimidated by his aura anymore.
"Very well, my name is James Lockhart. I am the current leader of the VEO," he said and looked at me.
This man was a man with many stories. The look he gave me showed that he had seen a lot of things in his life, good and bad. His posture was that of someone superior and every little movement he did had the air of confidence to it. He was the type of man to do anything in his power to get what he wanted.
"I see, so as for the choices that you gave me, I will take the third option," I said while smirking. "How about I kill vampires for you while still being a human?"
Again, the room was filled with silence and all eyes were on me. I don’t know if I can do this job but what I can say is that I have no other choice. I don’t want to die or turn into a vampire so the choice I am making is the most convenient one. I doubt that they will let me leave without doing anything. The blood of the first is far too precious for them. I could tell by the choices they gave me.
To them, it is like a dangerous weapon that they wanted to obtain and if they cannot obtain it then they wanted to destroy the weapon. Looks like there is not much difference between humans and vampires.
"Do you even know what you are saying, Shiba?" James said coldly staring at me.
"I know full well what I am saying," I said and started walking towards him. "Tell me what do you know about the blood of the first or to what extent do you know about it?"
I was standing before him within the range that if he would try anything, I would be done for but I knew that he wouldn’t do anything like that. What was the reason? Well, there were two.
First, was that Natsumi-san was here in this room and I could see that he was try his hardest to not look in her eyes while giving me the choices.
Second…
"I can tell you if you chose any of the two choices," he said to me blankly.
"Now, now James. We both know how much you know about the blood of the first. It’s almost nothing. The only thing you know is that it can give a vampire powers out of this world," I said and leaned closer to him. "But have you thought what it can give a human?"
"What is it?" he asked curiously.
"Even I don’t know that right now but I have a vague idea. I am willing to tell that you if you were to agree to my decision. So, what will it be James? Information is very important in a battle," I said binding him in an ultimatum.
He can deny my offer and just kill me but I could tell even he was honestly very curious about the matter. This is why he would have no other choice than to accept it. He is obsessed with the blood of the first.
"You really are your parent’s son," he said and lets out a small laugh.
"Oh, so you knew mom and dad. I think that adds to my credibility," I said leaning away.
"Very well then Shiba Kazuki. I will go with this decision of yours but I hope that you satisfy my curiosity," James said to me and I smirked.
"The human curiosity is limitless but I will try my best. This meant I passed?" I asked him and his eyes widened. "You were testing me, weren’t you James? Testing my will to survive and get to the top."
"It looks like we think similarly," he said and a small smile formed on my face. "Special class hunter Kawazuki, let Shiba Kazuki have that."
"I was already planning on giving that to Kazuki. Let’s go now," Natsumi-san said to me and I nodded and started walking.
"Looks like your was fate decided the day you were born," James said.
Hearing him, I stopped mid-way and looked back at him.
"No, it was not. It was all just a coincidence," I said smirking. "Everything in my life was a coincidence. My entire life is nothing but a bunch of coincidences happening one after others. There are some coincidences I hate and some love but that is just life, now isn’t it?"
"I like your philosophy," James said.
"I like your coat."
I put my hand on Ai’s shoulder and we head out of the room and I let out a big sigh and wipe off the sweat on my head. That was really nerve-wracking. Everyone looked at me with an amused look on their face and Ai pecked me on the cheek.
"What was that for?" I asked her.
"Do I need a reason to kiss you?" Ai asked cutely tilting her head.
"Makes sense."
"Wow, you guys are really bold doing it in front of strangers," Iwaguchi-san said.
"Not really, you are no longer a stranger to us Iwaguchi-san and maybe I did it just to tell Natsumi-san to look for the right guy," I said looking at her.
"Can’t help it, kid. All of them are just either after my body or just are there for a one-night stand. No one loves me for who I truly am," she said shrugging her shoulders and I looked at Iwaguchi-san who slouched his shoulders with a sad look on his face.
Natsumi-san really does not know where to look for a man.
I patted Iwaguchi-san’s shoulder giving him a reassuring look and we started following Natsumi-san as she swiped her card and we entered the elevator. She pressed a button and the elevator started going up. After a few floors, the elevator door opened and Natsumi-san had to scan her card yet again. How many times has she scanned her card now?
"There is a lot of security here," Ai said and leaned her head on my shoulder. "Kazu-kun, I want to go home already."
"Let’s wait a little more Ai. I am sure what Natsumi-san is showing us is very important. How about on the way back, we have lunch outside?"
"Yaay, I would love that," Ai said childishly and I chuckled.
"Stop flirting in broad daylight," Natsumi-san said being annoyed.
"Then get someone good to also do it with you," I said and it looks like I did a lot of damage because Natsumi-san held her heart in pain.
"All the best Iwaguchi-san," I whispered to him who was walking next to me.
"W-why do you say that?"
"No reason."
We finally entered a room that was made of concrete and had bright white light panels on the top illuminating it. There was a big wall that stood out from others. It was jet black and as we walked closer, I saw even there was a scanner. Just how many scanners are there in this goddamn place?!!
The wall moved and what came from behind was a big assortment of shining weapons that were placed there as if they were for display. I could not help but stare at it with amazement. There was a broad sword, daggers, kusarigama, rifles with silver bullets, and even a giant hammer.
"This is the weapons that were retrieved from all the previous vampire hunters we could find," she said looking at the weapons and my eye widened at the realization.
She extended her hand and took out a long, jet-black bent wooden scabbard that had blue lines on it.
"A katana?" I blurted out looking at it.
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"Not just any katana," Natsumi-san said and unsheathe the weapon showing the shiny metal blade. "This was Kazuto’s weapon."
"Dad’s weapon?" I questioned.
Natsumi-san sheath the katana back and tossed it at me. I quickly extended my hand to hold it and I felt the weight of the katana and it was not too heavy. Ai steps away from me giving me some room and I stared at the sheathed blade. My hand went on the hilt and it felt comfortable.
I unsheathe it and see my reflection in the shiny blade. Unsheathing it completely, I drew it out and held it with both hands. It was balanced perfectly and I did not have much problem holding it.
"Though he was an idiot but when it was about weapons, Kazuto knew what he was doing. The katana was made by him and he perfectly balanced it for anyone to wield but he made this with the thought of using it with ease," Natsumi-san said. "Now that you said you will fight the vampires then you will need to learn how to use a weapon. I gave you this because it belonged to your dad but if you don’t like it, you can keep it and chose another one."
"No, this is fine," I said looking at the blade. Did dad use this, huh? This moment feels so cliché in mangas where the protagonist gets something from his deceased parent long after they died and it becomes their main weapon.
"Okay, then get in stance. I am going to train you," she said and picked out her pen and it turned into a scythe. "Iwaguchi and Ai, step aside and do not intervene. Especially you Ai, Kazuki might get a little hurt in this."
"Natsumi-san you asking the impossible then. There is no way I will not intervene if Kazu-kun gets hurt," she said shaking her head.
"Ai, it’s fine. Natsumi-san won’t kill me," I said patting her head and she leaned at my hand smiling. I smiled seeing her like this and kept stroking her head.
"Now, if you are doing with that lovey-dovey business of yours then do as I said."
Natsumi-san’s words got us out of our little world back to reality. Ai stepped aside and I held the katana in one hand and the scabbard in another. Natsumi-san smirked at this and without a warning charged at me. Her speed was almost inhuman and I felt a hit on my chin making me fall down on my back.
"Don’t let you opponent get out of your sight," Natsumi-san scolded and lunged at me with her blade ready.
I rolled over and dodged her in the nick of time. Her scythe had dug the floor where I was and this made me shiver. Is she trying to kill me for real?
"Fight hard Kazu-kun!" Ai cheered from the sideline as I stood up.
"Your stance is all wrong and your center of gravity is not in the center," Natsumi-san said kicking my back foot making me fall face first. When did she even get there?
"When did you get beside me?" I asked her but she readied her scythe.
"Talk less, fight more," she said and sliced horizontally. On instinct, my body reacted and I jumped up high in the air but as I looked down, there was no trace of Natsumi-san.
"What did I saw before? Don’t let your opponent out of your sight. You will be dead if I were a vampire going for the kill," Natsumi-san said from behind me and I felt a kick on the back which made me slam on the ground. I am pretty sure I broke my ribs with this.
I might die for real today.
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