Reborn with my killer's looks-Chapter 33: The chase

Inside the Zone, Calvin bent over, hands on his knees and coughing up water.

Josephine was wringing out her hair, her whole body trembling from the adrenaline rush.

Luna stood perfectly still and the Blue reaper noticed her hands were shaking, albeit just barely.

He moved away from the portal, and sheathed his katana.

"Everyone alright?"

Calvin shot back glare that was clearly saying we almost got murdered, how could we be alright.

The Blue Reaper turned to face them properly. "Jazz, status on the brothers."

The AI’s voice echoed across the void. "Massive pneuma fluctuations detected at the Azzuri building. Estimated time until collapse: one minute."

"So they’re going to bring down the whole building huh." Said luna in an exhausted tone.

"Let them." The Blue Reaper started walking deeper into the Zone. "We have bigger problems."

"Bigger than two psychotic brothers with god-tier powers trying to kill us?" Calvin followed. "What could possibly be bigger than that?"

"The fact that this was all planned out."

That stopped everyone.

Josephine looked up, water still dripping from her hair. "What do you mean?"

The Blue Reaper was too busy doing something with his hands to answer,

and when he was done a window opened in the void, like looking through a glass into the real world.

It showed the Azzuri building. The top floor was filled with chaos, the brothers were barely visible through it all, just sparks of orange and blue tearing into each other.

"Look at the timing," the Blue Reaper decided to answer her question. "Phillip attacks us the moment we finish with that box."

Calvin frowned. "So?, wasn’t all of this already established with the vison we saw."

"So how did he know?" Said the Blue reaper. "How did he know we’d be there? How did he know we’d use my Charis on the box? How did he know the exact moment to strike?"

Luna spoke first. "The box was obviously bait."

"The box was bait," the Blue Reaper confirmed. "They wanted us to find it and see what was inside."

"But Peter showed up," Said a Calvin who was still catching his breadth. "And he seemed genuinely angry at Phillip,not sure that was planned."

"Yeah that was real." The Blue Reaper closed the window. "They’re brothers and I can relate to that a little."

"A brother, huh." Remarked Josephine.

Before the Blue Reaper could answer, Jazz’s voice cut in.

"Sir, we have a problem."

The window reopened and the brothers were still fighting. But they weren’t alone anymore.

A third figure had entered the destroyed office, wearing the same white robe as the others.

But this one had a different air to him. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

He walked right into the middle of the brothers’ battle and raised his right hand.

Peter froze mid-attack, his molten fist stopped inches from Phillip’s face.

Phillip froze too, his water blade halted just before it could slice through Peter’s neck.

The figure in white—Paul, Paul the punisher lowered his hand slowly and when he spoke, his voice carried through the window clearly.

"Enough."

Peter and Phillip both collapsed, completely unable to move.

"The master is disappointed," Paul continued. His voice was eerily calm. "You were given a simple task. Corner the targets and Capture the Blue Reaper. Instead, you indulge in petty fraternal conflict."

"Paul—" Peter tried to speak, but his jaw wouldn’t move properly under the pressure.

"I don’t want to hear it." Paul looked down at them and shook his head.

"Pathetic."

Through the window, Calvin could see both brothers struggling against Paul’s ability. Peter’s body was glowing hot enough to turn the floor beneath him molten. Phillip had dispersed into pure water, trying to flow away.

Neither could move more than a few inches.

"The master will deal with you both later," Paul said. "But first....."

He turned toward where the window was. toward them and for a terrifying moment, Calvin thought Paul could see them.

"And as for you," Paul said to nothing "The one watching from his rabbit hole. The Blue Reaper."

The trinity and the Blue Reaper all immediately tensed up.

"The master knows you’re there and he has a message for you."

"The mark of Nemesis is wasted on someone like you. A low life, who runs and hides. The master will take what is his soon enough and when he does, you’ll beg him to let you die."

He gestured, and both brothers vanished into thin air like they’d never been there.

Paul lingered a moment longer.

"Run while you can, Reaper. The master enjoys the chase."

Then he vanished too.

The Blue reaper closed the window Inside the Zone, nobody spoke for a long moment.

And finally, Calvin broke the silence.

"Just to be clear, we’re completely screwed right.?"

"Completely," the Blue Reaper confirmed.

"Great. Just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page."

Luna was staring at where the window had been. Her hands had stopped shaking, but now they were clenched into fists so tight her knuckles were white.

"They know about us," she said. "They know our capabilities, limits...."

The Blue Reaper walked to the center of the Zone. "Which means we need to change tactics. No more reactive and no more defensive."

"What are you suggesting?" Josephine asked.

The Blue Reaper turned to face them fully.

"I’m suggesting we stop waiting for them to act first, we hunt instead."

"Hunt them?" Calvin laughed. It sounded slightly hysterical even to his own ears. "Did you not see what just happened? That Paul guy stopped both brothers with one hand! And even they were on a completely different level!"

"They are," the Blue Reaper agreed. "Which is why we need help."

"From who?" Josephine asked. "Sister Jewel? The Golden Chalice? Arcanum."

The Blue Reaper was quiet for a moment.

"What if I told you your Magister and I are already working together?"

The silence that followed was deafening.