*In the early morning of the next day, the chef was in an undisclosed room where he was tied down to a chair and his hands on a table. On his right hand, three of his fingernails were missing and tears could be seen pouring down his face from the pain he was feeling. On the opposite side of him was Dante sitting in a chair with some pliers and standing behind him was Dust, Jordan, and Lylah*
(Jordan): Feel like talking now buddy?
(Dark elf chef): Kiss. . .my ass.
(Jordan): Go for the pinky.
*Dante takes the pliers and rips the fingernail off the chef’s right pinky. The chef screams out in pain as blood pours from his pinky. Dust walks over to the side of the table as the chef was breathing heavily and trying to recover from the pain*
(Dust): The pinky is always the most painful. Listen up chef boy, you can make all this pain stop if you answer all of our questions.
(Dark elf chef): If I tell you anything I’m a dead man.
(Dust): You’ll be a dead man if you don’t talk. The difference is the people you work for will make it quick and simple. Us on the other hand are going to make you suffer. You’ve got six more fingernails we can pull out and then we start breaking your fingers. After that it’s your toenails and then your toes. Once we’re done with that we start breaking bones and when you have no more bones to break we start dissecting you. So what’s it going to be? Talk or a painful death?
*The chef remained quiet staring at Dust and then at the others where he could see they were serious about making his death as painful as possible. He then took a deep breath*
(Dark elf chef): The people who made Smile are here in the city.
***
*In another room in the upper levels of the estate, the members of Shadow Eye along with Kai and the knights of Brister were listening to Jin tell them what he learned about Dust. He explained his past, his parents, how he joined the Coriarty Clan, why he left, how he can’t return to home, and Lylah’s plan*
(Jin): And that’s the gist of Dust’s situation. If he wants to go home he has become the head of the Coriarty Clan.
(Jade): Damn, who knew the demon was carrying so much luggage around all these years.
(Ryuuji): I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like being away from home for twenty years.
(Amarti): I can. It’s not a good feeling. Even harder when you know what’s waiting for you there isn’t welcoming.
(Sanada): Does Dust know anything about Lylah’s plan to bring him back to the clan?
(Hibana): No, and she has no problems with us telling Dust about it. Though I’m not sure if we should.
(Raika): What? You afraid of his reaction? Or afraid that he’ll really leave?
(Hibana): And you aren’t?
*Hibana hissed at Raika with an angry expression. As Raika was about to retort, she could see a hint of fear in Hibana’s eyes. She was taking this seriously. She was legit scared that Dust would leave her to rejoin the clan. Raika quickly realized how insensitive she was being to the situation from Hibana’s point of view*
(Raika): Sorry. That was a little insensitive of me. I forgot how close you and Dust are.
(Jin): What exactly is your relationship with Dust? How do you know him?
(Hibana): He rescued me from prison. At a young age I was already being seen as a tech genius and a lot of people wanted exclusive rights to my technology. My parents were pretty greedy so they sold me off to the highest bidder they could find and abandoned me. At the time, I didn’t know what was going on, but as I got older I began to see the full picture. I was a corporate slave for a company. They didn’t care what I wanted or my wellbeing. As long as they got what they wanted out of me they were satisfied. And if I tried to do anything to fight back I get the proper discipline I deserved*
*Hibana’s whole body began to shake*
(Hibana): I was prohibited from going outside and spent years locked up in an underground prison. My only window into the outside world was through my drones and by some incredible stroke of luck I came across Dust. I don’t know what it was about him, but he caught my interest. So much so I had my drones follow him around a couple of days.
(Jin): *Inner thoughts* That is both cute and terrifying at the same time.
(Hibana): His life was so interesting and fun to watch. I couldn’t stop watching him. Then one day I saw him and the others stuck on a case. So I took a chance and reached out to them. Hacking into Dust’s phone was easy enough but the question was would he accept my offer? In exchange for helping them, I wanted them to free me.
(Amarti): And that’s exactly what we did. After she was free getting her reacquainted with society was next and Dust was with her every step of the way. If not for him I don’t believe Hibana’s rehabilitation wouldn’t have gone so smoothly as it did.
(Hibana): I have little recollection of my parents and honestly, I’d rather not remember them. Whenever I think of family, Dust is the first person that pops into my head. I don’t remember anything about my dad. Not even his face. But whenever I think of one I always picture Dust.
*Jin sat there quietly relating to what Hibana said. Growing up in a house surrounded by girls was never easy for Jin and he always wanted a brother in his life. In his time with Shadow Eye he came to see Dust as a big brother figure. While he admired and respected Ryuuji he only saw him as a father figure. Someone he could always call up for advice and look to for inspiration. Dust on the other hand was more aggressive with him. He was hard on Jin but did it as a way to motivate him to get stronger. He wouldn’t tell Jin the answer but would give him clues to find the answer himself. He wasn’t as open as Ryuuji but Jin knew that Dust cared about everyone around him. He just showed it in a different way. Jin saw Dust as a motivator and someone he could come to for man advice*
(Zia): Hibana. We know how much Dust means to you. He means a lot to us too, but we can’t force him to stay with us if he doesn’t want to.
(Sera): He does seem to have great respect around here. I’m sure they would welcome him back with open arms.
(Gael): Yeah, but who’s to say this isn’t a ploy to stab him in the back when he’s asleep?
(Kai): I’m an outsider in all of this, but I think you guys are being a little biased since you’re knights. You guys don’t know what it’s like outside the walls of a kingdom. If you betray someone they hunt you down until you’re dead. And anybody who betrays the Coriarty Clan doesn’t live long to tell the tale. The fact that Dust is still alive and was able to walk in without someone trying to kill him is proof enough for me that he’ll be safe here.
(Brigit): So you’re okay with Dust leaving the kingdom?
(Kai): I just want the guy to do what makes him happy. Even if that means leaving the kingdom and you guys behind. It’s not about what you want it’s what he wants.
*As the conversation finished up Dust walked in*
(Dust): Hey guys. We got something. What’s going on in here?
(Jade): Oh, nothing. Morgan was just telling us the story of his first dirty dream.
*Morgan’s face went bright red. The girls aside from Raika gave shocked expressions and blushed. Sanada looked away to hide his laughter while Ryuuji, Amarti, Kai, Jin and Gael snickered at his disposition. Alita titled her head in confusion*
(Dust): I have questions on how we got to this conversation, but I’m very curious on what the fetish he had as a kid. Dish, professor.
*Morgan looked around to see everyone’s eager faces. He stopped at Jade who was snickering at him and staring daggers at her promising to make her pay for this. See no other way out he decided to confess*
(Morgan): It. . .involved elves. . .who were bullies. . . forcing me to take a shower with them.
*Morgan’s face got redder from embarrassment*
(Dust): Who knew you had a perverted side to you? I’ve never felt closer to you than now. As much as I would like to hear more, our chef finally cracked and has agreed to show us where the Smile factory is. Let’s go.
*Dust left the room followed by everyone except Morgan who stood there trying to recompose himself when Alita came over to try and comfort him*
(Alita): Do not be so ashamed Morgan. It is normal for boys that age to have dirty dreams like that. If anything, this gives us insight into your sexual preferences and what you desire your mate to be like.
(Morgan): GAHHHHHHHHH~!
***
*A little bit later, the group pulled up to a large, abandoned building that looked condemned and the windows were boarded up*
(Lylah): So, this is the place?
(Jordan): Got to hand it to you, it’s the least conspicuous place you would think to make a drug.
*Gael focuses on the building and begins to sense multiple auras inside*
(Gael): I’m sensing multiple auras inside.
*Sanada steps forward and draws his sword to slash down the door. Everyone immediately rushes in*
(Dust): One team goes up the other goes down.
*Sanada, Raika, Jade, Morgan, Gael, Jin, Kai, Brigit, Jordan, and Dante run up the stairs while Dust, Ryuuji, Amarti, Zia, Scarlet, Sera, Hibana, Alita, and Lylah went downstairs. As Sanada’s group climb the stairs, Sanada pulled out ahead of them followed by Dante and Jordan. The three of them reached the top of the floor first where they quickly step back to avoid the blast from a shotgun. The gunman grabs a bag and then jumps out the window just as Sanada and the others enter the room. Jordan and Raika rush over to the window where they see the gunman zipline to the next building over. Before Raika can fire a shot, she gets shot at by three other gunmen from the other building which forces her to take cover behind the wall along with Jordan. As soon as the gunman makes it over to the building he cuts the cord to stop the others from following him and takes off with the other gunmen following him*
(Raika): Damn, they got away.
(Dante): They did that too perfectly.
(Jordan): They knew we were coming. That means-
***
*Meanwhile, Dust’s team descended the stairs and made it down into the basement where they saw a bunch of barrels lined up and multiple rows. They could hear footsteps and began to look around for the perpetrator. Scanning the room, Hibana saw the perpetrator who was a normal man with yellow eyes, wearing a blue beanie, a white no-sleeved shirt, beige cargo jeans, and white sneakers. He was running towards the backdoor*
(Hibana): Gotcha!
*Hibana ran forward through the row of barrels after him*
(Dust): Hibana! Wait!
*Dust ran after Hibana where she unknowingly tripped a wire. This lit a spark that started a fire and made its way to the barrels. After tripping the wire, Hibana stopped running and Dust reached her where he used his body as a shield to protect Hibana from the inevitable barrel explosion that was about to occur. The explosion occurred resulting in a loud sound that shook the building and pushed everyone in the basement back. Once the explosion subsided fire could be seen. Dust and Hibana were sent flying to the other side of the room near the back door where Hibana regained her consciousness and Dust was on top of her. Dust was also conscious, but not for long as the back door opened and five masked individuals entered the room. One of them was holding a lead pipe and whacked Dust in the back of the head with it. Dust fell unconscious on top of Hibana and was then dragged off her where two of them tied him up with rope, picked him up and carried him out the door as Hibana watched helplessly. As Hibana found the strength to get back up the fire was instantly put out by Morgan who used his ice magic to cover the area in ice. Lylah quickly ran forward past Hibana and out the back door where she saw Dust unconscious in the back of a van. The doors closed immediately and drove off at top speed before Lylah could pursue them. She slammed one of her axes on the ground in anger*
(Lylah): Dammit!
*The others soon came out where Lylah in a fit of anger grabbed Hibana by her collar*
(Lylah): What the hell were you thinking!?
(Hibana): I’m sorry! I didn’t expect them to lay a trap like that.
(Dante): Lylah, let her go. Fighting each other isn’t going to help the situation.
*Lylah let’s go of Hibana*
(Jordan): We were obviously set up. Nobody could have seen this coming.
(Kai): I bet that chef was told to lead us here.
(Lylah): Then I’ve got a few questions I’d like to ask him once we get back to the estate.
*Dante calls the estate where he gets no answer*
(Dante): That’s odd. Nobody’s answering the phone.
(Gael): Is that normal?
(Jordan): There’s always someone there to answer the phone.
(Lylah): Something’s wrong.
***
*A few minutes later, the van holding Dust arrived at an undisclosed location. The back of the van opened and Dust was thrown out of the van still tied up and with a blindfold over his eyes*
(Dust): This is the worst car service I’ve ever had.
(???): Shut up!
*Dust got kicked in the gut and then picked up by two men who continued to mock him. They drag him into a room and sit him down in a chair*
(Dust): I hope you guys are enjoying this. Because I’m remembering all your voices and when I match them with the bodies, I’m kicking all your asses.
*The men all laughed at Dust*
(???): Don’t laugh too hard guys. After all, this is a legend we’re dealing with. Let’s show him proper respect.
*Dust’s blindfold gets taken off. His eyes are a little blurry and starting to refocus where he sees a familiar face in front of him. Rather than be shocked Dust just smiles*
(Dust): Of course it had to be you.
***
*Back with the others. They arrived at the Coriarty Estate where they saw the gates were open and unconscious bodies were on the ground. Everyone rushed over to the gates to check on the injured elves. After passing through the gates, everyone saw Baek on the ground beaten up badly. The cars had also been destroyed. The tires slashed, the windows broken, and headlights bashed. However, Hibana noticed one car in particular was missing*
(Dante): Baek! Speak to me! What happened!?
(Baek): Master Dante, I’m. . .sorry.
(Lylah): Baek! Who did this to you?
(Hibana): Guys, Dust’s Sharkfang is missing.
(Baek): He took Master Dust’s Sharkfang.
(Jordan): Who took it?
*Dante and Lylah help Baek to his feet*
(Baek): It was. . .Flint.
***
*Back with Dust, his vision was no longer blurry, and he could clearly see Flint wearing his normal attire. Standing next to him was Issac and along with other dark elves who were members of the Bansika Family*
(Flint): Surprised to see me?
(Dust): Not really? I had my suspicions about you since we first met. Didn’t want to believe a member of the clan would stoop so low like this. I should have taken you down when we shook hands.
(Flint): *Chuckles* I was thinking the same thing.
***
*Back at the Coriarty Estate*
(Jordan): Flint did this?
(Baek): Yeah. As soon as you guys left him and the Bansika family went ballistic. Started attacking everyone who wasn’t part of their family. We tried to fight back and at first we were doing good. But then they took out vials that contained some purple liquid and drank it. All of sudden they got stronger and beat us.
(Amarti): That sounds like Smile.
(Baek): *Cough* Flint killed the chef you guys interrogated, had his men total our cars and then took Master Dust’s Sharkfang claiming it was now his property.
(Ryuuji): So Dust’s intuition was right. Flint was involved in this whole Smile incident.
(Jordan): I bet he’s also involved with the kidnappings. It would explain his increased profits.
(Raika): He makes money off drugs as well as selling people off to slavery.
(Lylah): And since he holds a lot of sway in this particular area, it’d be easy for him to cover his tracks and destroy evidence linking him to all of this.
*Dante has a look of anger on his face and turns around to head out the gate*
(Jordan): Dante, where you going?
(Dante): To find that bastard and rip his head off. Not only has he disgraced the clan with these crimes, but he had the gall to try and kill us and has kidnapped Dust. I’ll rip his head off and feed his remains to the dogs.
(Lylah): Not if I get to him first.
(Jordan): Same here. Not sure whether to shoot him between the eyes or between the legs.
(Raika): Hold up you three. While we understand your anger you don’t know where he’s hiding. We’d be wasting more time searching wildly than finding them.
(Hibana): Good thing you’ve got me.
*Hibana sits down, takes out her laptop, and opens it. She begins typing*
(Hibana): Did you guys think a barrel blast like that would be enough to take Dust down that easily? He was totally fine.
(Morgan): Are you sure?
(Hibana): Stared at the guy with my own eyes. He wanted to get captured.
***
*Flashback*
*In the abandoned building after Dust and Hibana went flying from the barrel blast, Dust was on top of Hibana*
(Dust): You all right, Hibana?
(Hibana): I think so.
(Dust): Good. Now find me.
*The gunmen entered and knocked Dust out with a lead pipe and his unconscious body fell on top of Hibana. Before they dragged him off of Hibana, she quickly pieced together what Dust meant and slipped a small tracker into his pants pocket*
*Flashback ends*
***
(Dante): He allowed himself to get caught on purpose?
(Jordan): *Chuckles* Boss is as clever as always.
(Lylah): That’s crazy. He would never do something that reckless in the past.
(Hibana): That’s because he trusts us to find him. “Everything I do has a purpose-“
(Lylah, Dante, and Jordan): “And every purpose has a reason.”
(Lylah): That was the first lesson he taught us.
(Hibana): And it was one of the first things I learned from him. He allowed himself to get caught on purpose so that he could lead us back to where their real hideout is. Bingo!
*Hibana shows everyone a map on her laptop. On the map is a flashing yellow light that’s not moving*
(Hibana): This is where Dust is telling us to go.
(Jordan): That’s where Clockwater Gate Prison is at. It used to be where Roppango housed all their criminals but it got decommissioned a few years ago for a much better prison and location. Only thing you’ll find around there is Eclipses.
(Sanada): Which makes it the perfect hideaway for illegal activities.
***
*Back with Dust*
(Flint): So you had suspicions about me all along? How’d you know I was involved?
(Dust): Simple, your family’s sigil. A lion in front of a tree. The symbol of a man who wants to rule over everything. Next time your family members conduct a drug deal, tell them to keep their sigil at home.
(Issac): Creed.
(Dust): After seeing the sigil, all I had to do was compare it to the rest of the families in the clan. Yours was the first one that came up. Originally, I thought it was one of your underlings running the drug ring from under your nose, but after seeing the authority you wield over them, I knew you had to be the ringleader.
(Flint): Not bad. I sent you guys to that party hoping Britter and the others would take you out, but I guess even that big dumb idiot couldn’t get the job done. So I had to hurry up my plans a lot sooner than I wanted to.
(Dust): How’d you even create Smile? You don’t strike me as a lab guy.
(Flint): Damn right. I came across the drug completely by accident. A bunch of dumb college dropouts were on our turf and I got asked to deal with them. At first, I was gonna kill them and call it day but then Issac here gave me the idea to take over the ring. Make the drug our own, increase profits for the family, and raise our status in the clan.
(Dust): The only problem is you need more bodies to produce the drug.
(Issac): As well as test subjects. We couldn’t take people from settlements owned by other kingdoms as that would arouse the authorities, so we stuck to our territories and covered it up ourselves. Since we were in charge of the investigation covering up our tracks was easy and anyone starting to get too close to the truth was swiftly dealt with.
(Flint): Everything was going great. Until you showed up. A fossil from the past who couldn’t stay missing. Do you have any idea how many stories I’ve heard of you over the years? To think everyone compares me to you. Pathetic.
(Dust): Hey, how do you think I feel, cub scout? Everyone was betting on you to be my successor? Talk about insulting.
*Flint immediately kicked Dust in the chest and his chair fell over with him in it*
(Dust): Thanks for the change in scenery. I was starting to get tired of looking at your face.
*Flint walks over and puts his foot on Dust’s chest*
(Flint): I will not live in the shadow of some pathetic relic from the past. This is my family. My clan.
*Flint pulls out some car keys*
(Flint): And my Sharkfang.
(Dust): You drove my Sharkfang? It takes a certain kind of man to handle a car like that. You unfortunately don’t have those makings, cub scout.
(Flint): Shut up!
*Flint stomps on Dust’s chest making him grunt*
(Flint): I’m going to enjoy killing you. But it’ll be a slow and painful death for everyone in the clan to see. I want them to see you whimper and cry for mercy as you beg me to end your life. I can see it now. The laughs, the looks of shock as everyone watches. And know that when you take your last breath the Lionheart was better than the Demon’s Shadow.
*Flint lifts his foot off of Dust’s chest and walks away as his men return the chair to an upright position as Dust begins to laugh. Flint looks at him confused and angry*
(Dust): Ohh~ that was great. Really. I’d clap for you if my hands weren’t tied behind the chair. I can tell you rehearsed this so many times in the mirror. You think you’ve got all the answers. You think you know everything there is to know in order to reach the top of the clan and be better than everyone. Hate to break it to you cub scout, but you are so in the dark and blinded by your own illusions that you have no idea the danger you have unleashed upon you and your family. You want to call me a relic of the past? You want to say you’re better than the Demon’s Shadow? You want to pretend I’m not that same dangerous son of a bitch you heard about in all the stories? You want to kill that same guy so many people came to fear and despise for so many years? Well, congratulations. You’re about to meet him. But just know, that you are not ready for what is to come. I’m going to take everything you’ve worked so hard for and tear it all down in front of your eyes. And when it’s all done you will know why they call me the Demon’s Shadow and why even after all these years people are still talking about me.
*Flint begins to laugh along with everyone else in the room*
(Flint): Oh man! I needed a good laugh today.
*Flint walks up to Dust and bends down so that he’s at eye level with him*
(Flint): Come on. I’ll give you the first shot. Come on. I’m practically beg-
*Dust immediately jumps out of the chair and headbutts Flint. His hands no longer tied to the chair and free to move around. Everyone watched in shock as Flint got headbutted and started to walk backward dazed and bleeding above his right eye from the attack*
(Isaac): Impossible! I told you buffoons to tie him properly.
(Dust): I could have escaped any time.
*Dust reaches into his pocket and drops Hibana’s tracker on the ground*
(Dust): But I had to keep you guys distracted while the others reached my location.
(Flint): What!
*All of a sudden a dark elf with long black hair and green eyes wearing a black shirt and beige pants comes running in*
(Dark elf): Boss! Our cameras just picked up a hummer heading this way. It’s got members of the Balor Family inside of it.
(Dust): Right on time.
(Flint): Fuck! Ready the defenses. You guys better earn your keep. Don’t let him out of this room!
*Flint and Isaac leave the room leaving thirteen dark elves to deal with Dust. The elves took out their weapons which varied from each of them. Some had guns, bows, swords, axes, and spears. Dust acted quickly and shot a wire from his wrist to destroy the lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. The room was now completely dark and no one could see. One dark elf who could use fire magic lit the room up and shined the light on the area where Dust was standing. Dust was no longer there*
(Dark elf #2): He’s gone! Where’d he go?
(Dust): Here.
*The dark elf turned around and was immediately pulled up to the ceiling along with Dust. His fire went out as he screamed in horror. The other elves began to panic*
(Dark elf #3): Everybody stay calm and block the door! He’s locked in here with us he’s not going anywhere.
*All of a sudden the dark elf that Dust had fell to the ground unconscious in front of the elves*
(Dust): There seems to be a misconception. I’m not locked in here with you.
*All of a sudden the windows to the room opened and Dust’s silhouette could be seen. The elves looked up in fear as they saw multiple wires and Dust standing on one of them while looking down at them with his finger knives in his arms and dawning his shadow beast spider form*
(Dust): You’re locked in here with me.
*Dust jumps down from the wire as some of the dark elves began to scream and fire their guns and arrows out of panic at him. Their attacks missed as Dust landed safely and began attacking the dark elves one by one. The room soon became filled with screams of terror*
Author’s Notes: We are approaching the climax of the arc. Only three chapters left. We get a little bit of everything in this. Drama, suspense, action, shocking reveals, and comedy. Revealing Hibana’s past and her connection to Dust was tragic but at the same time inspiring. I originally thought of giving them a sibling bond like Joker and Futaba from Persona 5 but as I kept writing their lines and interactions I realized that their relationship is more father-daughter. The reveal of Flint being the mastermind isn’t quite shocking and I’m sure everyone saw it coming. Like when they first met you just knew somewhere down the line they’re going to fight each other, but I had to build up the circumstances that would cause them to come to blows with one another. Even despite being captured I like how Dust is staying calm and joking around. Once again, he is showing off his more playful side and the fact that this has happened to them so many times in the past that he’s used to them by now. I think everyone big take away from this chapter is will Dust leave the order and return to the clan? You know everyone enjoys having Dust around and wants him to stay but it’s Kai who acts as the voice of reason and reminds the group what’s important is what Dust wants to do. Not they want to do. Well that’s all I have to say. Sorry for the late upload. Look forward to the next chapter. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time on Project Nitsuj.