The solar cross, the Dell symbol with ancient roots in religious and cultural traditions. With arms extending outward like rays, eliciting the sun's life-giving energy, this symbol indicates rebirth, renewal, and the cyclical nature of life.
Everyone and their mother knows that this symbol is only worn by those acknowledged by the Ancient Church as official members of the Dell corp.
And spotting the symbol on Beatrice's chest pocket, one lackey's jaw dropped to the ground. His balance betrayed him and he stumbled backwards, landing on his rear end with a thud.
"D-d...dells!!" He exclaimed in a disoriented voice.
Klang!
The sound of a collapsed beer can rang out as the man, who held it previously, also began to tremble.
"I-I... I don't know anything!" He tried running away but soon collided with the brick wall at the alley's dead end, his head throbbing with a concussion.
The burly man began cowering in fright. Even these hooligans are fully aware of the significant disparity between Dells and non chakra users; fighting them wasn't conceivable in the slightest.
When he weighed out his options, he realized that he still had the upper hand. Right, if he could negotiate the hostage's life for his freedom, he just might be able to escape in one piece.
"Hey, D-don't move or I... I'll kill this brat." He said, pulling out a knife and Beatrice halted.
She had swiftly passed all the plastic bags to her left hand and was about to remove her right hand's glove using her teeth when the burly man's warning rang out.
"Hey, are you being serious? You could've gotten out of this with simple assault charges, why would you willingly overfill your bucket with mud?" Beatrice asked, keeping a stiff upper lip.
"Sh-shut up a-and place your hands above your head where I can see them" The man said, shielding himself with the teenage boy. With a deliberate move, he pinned the blade of the knife on Keres' neck.
"You bloody cowar—"
"Beatrice" Ina interrupted the infuriated bodyguard.
"Do as he says" The young Princess said, slowly raising her hands and when Beatrice met her gaze, she responded with a nod and followed suit.
"Huh... ha ha." The burly man's bitter expression slowly transformed into a smile.
"Hwahahahahahahahaha." In a matter of seconds, he burst into laughter. He must've had his doubts at first but seeing everything progress as planned, he couldn't help but marvel at his own exceptional, genius-esque quick thinking.
"Hey brothers, didn't I tell you guys? Even the almighty Dells are no match for my charisma." He said.
"Laugh with me brothers." He added, and his two underlings began laughing as well.
"Haha... hahahahaha... hahahahahahahahahaha." They were hesitant at first but with each passing second, they only seemed to gain more confidence.
Keres clenched his fists, frowning. Something wasn't right.
He wanted to escape Ina's presence by any means possible but the situation seemed to be progressing too smoothly in favor of the thugs. Something was definitely out of place but he just couldn't quite put a finger on it.
The drunk underling in a mohawk, who tried to run earlier, began staggering towards the alley's entrance where the Princess and her bodyguard stood.
"Oh? Look what we have here, it's a cute young miss." He said, licking his lips with a lecherous gaze aimed at the Princess.
"Oi" Beatrice flashed a sinister glare. Her eyes, like obsidian shards pierced through the man.
He cowered initially, but when he looked behind and was greeted with his boss' grin and nod, he continued.
"Don't worry, this uncle will play with you." He said, moistening his lips with a trickle of drool. When his hands extended towards Ina's face, Beatrice's eyes went from sinister to murderous. They shone with a tangible killing intent, a warning written in the threatening focus of her gaze.
The man's fingers stopped in their tracks, they soon began to tremble and he couldn't understand why. It was as if a gigantic sword coated in lightning descended from the sky and was a few milliseconds away from tearing him in half.
"Beatrice." Ina's composed voice pulled the bodyguard's attention without fail.
"It's fine, I just need you to focus on me alone, and nothing else." The Princess added, meeting Beatrice's gaze.
Those watching from behind him didn't realize the lackey in a mohawk was trembling like a leaf. Keres would rather avoid involving himself with Ina but he felt the man had crossed the line.
"Hey, chicken head, it's money you want right?" He asked, slipping a wallet out from his pocket.
"Here!" He tossed it towards the heel of the man extending his hand towards the princess.
"Take the wallet and get out of here without doing anything stupid." He said with his voice pulling everyone's attention towards him.
"Little bastard, who asked you to speak? Are you fed up with your pretty skull? Do you want me to take it away from you?" The burly man threatened, lowering his mouth to Keres' ear height. One of his hands was on the teenager's shoulder, while the other pinned the knife's edge onto his neck.
"Haaa, this won't do." Keres shook his head sideways, releasing a sigh. When the knife grazed him, a shallow cut arched the curve of his neck, leaving behind a thin red line on his skin.
"Stupid runt, are you that tired of the world of living? That loose mouth of yours will make me behead you if you aren't careful."
"Alright then, do it."
"W-w...what did you just say?" The burly man stuttered, breaking into a cold sweat.
"Surely, even someone as stupid as you realizes they're only playing along because it's what Dells are trained to do in hostage situations. We both know you're finished the moment you lose your hostage, so go on ahead, behead me." Keres said and the man flinched at the chillness in his voice. Next, the teenager tilted his head upwards to meet the burly man's gaze.
"What's wrong? My loose mouth won't stop running so why are you nervous all of a sudden? Weren't you supposed to cut my head off if I kept on talking?" Keres added in a venomous tone, paralyzing the burly man with a momentary panic.
"Hey, answer me, Mr Charisma!"
When the teenager's terrifying red eyes shot wide open, the burly man shrunk backwards.
"C-c...crazy brat." He stuttered.
It was then, Keres realized the underling in a mohawk was trembling in a state of reverie. With remarkable confidence, Ina glided past the disoriented man, advancing deeper into the dimly lit alleyway. And even though there was a free path to escape into, the thug couldn't dare move an inch.
When the young Princess reached an arm's length away from the other lackey, who initially stumbled to the ground, a disoriented voice rang out.
"S-st...stay back" The man said, extending his cowering arm forward but with a swift and elegant motion, she navigated her way past him as well.
This stirred up a thought in Keres' mind.
'Something's not right.' Yes, it was the exact same thought from earlier, except he now had a clearer picture as to what exactly it was.
When he looked towards Beatrice, she remained still like a fashion mannequin, her arms up in the air, and the plastic bags that should've been in her grasp, no longer to be seen.
The keen, sharp sensation initially aimed at his neck also disappeared. What he could feel was a smooth, waxy object shuddering along with the burly man's right hand.
Don't tell me... When it dawned on him, Keres instinctively activated his innate ability. He could now sense the monstrous bloodlust raging behind him. No, rather behind the burly man, holding him hostage. In that instant, it happened.
The teenage boy suddenly jacked his shoulders, catching the man's large arm like a vice grip.
Next, he pivoted, flipping the man over with lightning speed.
A resounding whack echoed and an ominous silence filled the air, following Keres' throw.
Beatrice's complexion distorted as her naked right hand revealed a golden chain bracelet that served as a needle bracer.
From its central bracelet, five thin chains ascended up her fingers, each terminating in small rings on each finger. Braced in these rings were short, golden needles that rested on her fingers, their tips glistening purple with poison.
The bodyguard had stealthily appeared behind the burly man with the help of Ina's illusion. Stunned, her face contorted into frown. But it wasn't just her, as four other pairs of dumbstruck eyes watched the events that followed.
"This is your last chance..." Keres' venomous voice filled the air as he clenched his opponent's wrist, dragging the defeated man across the stony floor.
The burly man tried to fight back, but when he realized that the knife he once held had turned into a banana, shock overcame him.
Meanwhile, Keres moved past Ina, continuing his words.
"Take the wallet and scram while I'm still asking nicely." He mustered strength and flung the burly man towards the alley's entry. There was a never-before-seen darkness in his inactive eyes that caused the men and their shadows to tremble in fear.
"D-d..damn it!!!" The lackey with a mohawk was the first to take off, running as if the hounds of hell were after him. And almost immediately, his comrade followed suit, abandoning their boss in the alleyway.
—