One Above All

Chapter 11: Children are a Nuisance.

The longer he spent in that elevator, the more he felt the tension and discomfort increase. He was trying to formulate an explanation, a response that would explain why he had done what he did, but he thought that anything he might say could be used against him.

He had been so foolish, he knew, but at the same time, he thought he had done the right thing by deciding to go with Makima to the library. One would never know what she might have done had he refused, but he was starting to believe that it probably wouldn't have been so bad.

Did he regret it? A little. On one hand, he didn't risk tempting fate and denying the invitation of that girl with yellow eyes, and in the process, he gained a very strange friend. But on the other hand, he regretted it because he was afraid of what Kishibe might say for having disobeyed his orders and taken such a high risk.

Was he angry with him? It was very likely, but at least he hoped that he would understand his reasons. What would he have done in his place? The scene he had witnessed a few minutes ago was unique because he had never seen Kishibe with that level of alertness and with such ferocity in his eyes, along with a killer instinct that was becoming much larger.

He and Makima seemed at that moment like two wild animals ready to attack each other. Kishibe had been looking at Makima with murderous eyes all along; he identified her immediately as a danger, or maybe something that goes far beyond that word because if Kishibe reacted that way... Then it was because there was something very dark in all this.

Then he realized that Kishibe, in his place, would not have hesitated to kill Makima, the thought made his stomach churn with nausea.

"This is worrying me too much."

"You, worried about something? You usually seem carefree."

"Something only worries me when I feel it has gone beyond my understanding."

"Do you mean the fact that neither of us could detect that girl? To be honest, it also has me puzzled... And a bit scared.

"Although, it still amazes me that this kid is still alive. What the hell did they talk about, and why isn’t this kid in a body bag?"

"Maybe they talked about the weather?"

"Whatever they talked about, it doesn't matter anymore. We must be more vigilant next time; times are changing, and with them, the devils"

Kishibe was disappointed.

But disappointed by the ineffective use of his hunting skills. He had been caught off guard and mocked as they stealthily took Hiro away, all without his knowledge. He had been a fool, allowing Hiro to take a great risk by leaving him alone in that corridor; in just a few minutes, they had taken him away, and he didn't know until they brought him back.

They easily breached his barrier, and Makima took Hiro to who knows where. They basically took him by the hand and led him away.

All of this was worrying him too much because he couldn't understand how the control demon managed to get close to him without him sensing it; his instincts had failed him... but his instincts were supposed to never fail.

How did it happen?

Not knowing the answer was scaring him because he believed his skills were getting rusty or that for once, they were ineffective against a devil, but that couldn't be it since he had seen 60-year-old hunters fight as if they were 20.

So, had Makima become much more skilled? This was what worried him the most, the fact that Makima had managed to surpass him terrified him greatly, because he would not be able to defend himself and protect those he cares about.