God Shelter (EN)

Areyos Orionis' Point of View

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Thanks to Erina's call, we could now set up a strategy to find out who was behind these clones. The enemy could be anyone, but with Kaiser's Kengan, we had a way to discover who was a clone and who wasn't through the chakra system.

"So, the enemy uses clones that can take on the appearance of their victims. That's a terrifying technique," Kaiser said thoughtfully.

"Now that I think about it, Klaus Varray can create clones, right?" Yoko exclaimed.

"Yes, but I don't think Klaus Varray had the power at the time of your sister's murder to kill her. At least, we'd need to confront him to be sure," I replied pensively.

"Klaus might be a Devas, but let's not forget that Megan was Commander Dante Zaron's right-hand before James Will, the current captain. Megan alone was worth the strength of ten thousand highly trained men," Barrios added.

"That's true," Yoko said, lowering her head, realizing her sister's power.

"But what about Reiner now? Are you going to leave him like this?" Kaiser asked.

"Arresting him is risky because it would alert the one who's truly pulling the strings behind all this. Reiner is just a clone, and our target can create as many as he wants. If he knows we're tracking him, he'll be even more cautious, making our job harder. I'll use Reiner to learn more about our real target," Barrios explained.

"I understand, that's a very good idea. Better not to let Reiner know we know what he is," I said, taking a cookie.

"But he might continue his activities. Nothing will stop him from killing more people to replace them with clones and building an entire army within Baringer. And his clones are quite powerful compared to many people in Baringer. Reiner did manage to kill two professional assassins, which is no small feat. And we're not even sure if he's the most powerful clone of our target," Yoko explained.

"You raise important points. It's true that the difference in strength between the old lady and Reiner is huge. This indicates that our target can give different powers to his clones based on their needs. Reiner received a lot of strength because he's meant to fight often, while the old lady was just there to cover for Reiner; otherwise, an investigation into her disappearance might have fallen on him. She didn't need to be powerful," I explained.

"But wouldn't it have been simpler for the enemy to give both of them the same strength, just in case one of them gets attacked?" Yoko asked.

"It would have been better, indeed. But this might mean that the energy available for creating clones is limited. So, some clones will have more power than others," I added.

"That's not impossible," said Kaiser.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Strangely, I couldn't detect who it was despite my seismic sense. We exchanged looks with Kaiser, then Yoko. From their looks, I understood they had also tried to detect the person knocking.

"Forget it, you won't know who's there unless you open that door," Barrios said with a mysterious smile.

Kaiser stood up, activated his Kengan, and went to open the door. A lady dressed in a long white coat with an umbrella stood there in the rain.

"Good evening, Kaiser, will you invite me in?" the lady said charmingly.

"Of course, please come in..." Kaiser said suspiciously.

"No need to activate your Kengan, I'm not a threat," she said, closing her umbrella.

I adjusted my seat so she could sit down. She had long black hair and dark gray eyes. "Good evening, Eyline. Don't tell me you've already managed to make Valtor talk," Barrios said, surprised.

"Ah ah ah, I'm not like my daughter; I don't finish my missions in a flash," she said with a charming smile.

"Let me introduce you to Eyline Sendaris, a friend of mine."

"Sendaris!? Like Thaleus Sendaris!?" Kaiser exclaimed.

"Ahah, yes, it seems Thaleus has become the main figure of our family. I'm his cousin, Eyline."

"Wow, nice to meet you," Yoko said, all excited.

Barrios glanced at me, noticing my intrigued and thoughtful look. "Something wrong, Rey?"

I fixed my gaze on the lady analytically. "How is it that I can't detect you with my seismic sense even though you're standing right in front of me and your feet are touching the ground?" I asked suddenly.

"Oh, ah ah ah, is that what intrigues you so much?" She laughed amusedly, "Well, I'll answer you. I use the 'Dark Veil' technique, which makes me undetectable by any means other than sight."

"She uses chakra to generate a shadow-like affliction on herself, allowing her to become like a shadow. You can only see a shadow, not feel or touch it," Barrios explained.

"Chakra has that kind of characteristic!?" Yoko was astonished.

"Yes, and much more than you can imagine," she said to Yoko before turning to Kaiser. Suddenly, her eyes turned a dark blue. On each eye, a light blue ring surrounded the pupil directly, reminiscent of the gold line directly surrounding the pupil of the Kengan, but the Kaimetsugan has a second, brighter ring, encircling the middle of the blue iris.

"A Dōkō!!?" I thought, surprised.

"What is that?" Kaiser exclaimed.

"The Kaimetsugan, the Dōkō of the Sendaris family," the woman said with a mysterious smile. She then looked Kaiser up and down as if analyzing him.

"You've done good work, Barrios; Kaiser's energy systems are incredibly well-developed for his age, except for his Chakra. He just unleashed his Kengan, I imagine," she asked.

"Yes, it's quite recent. For Chakra, I'll train them tomorrow," Barrios said, scratching his cheek in embarrassment.

"'Train them'?" She asked before turning to me.

"Huh!? Who is this young man?! He already masters the four elements plus four Sub-Elements!!!"

"Uh no, he doesn't master all four elements, just three; you must be mistaken," Barrios said, looking skeptical.

Suddenly, my hair lifted due to the breeze of air that started to surround my body. I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the wind stir around me, ready to answer my call. In the palm of my hand, a current of air began to swirl, growing in intensity. I had just created a sphere of wind in my hand.

"Since when can you do that?!" Kaiser asked, shocked, standing up from his seat.

"Since yesterday. I assimilated this element from the Peacock King," I said indifferently.

"Assimilated? I see, so you're a Devas like me. I guess you already know our characteristics," said Eyline.

"Yes, I think so. Like humans, we can assimilate entire energy systems, but unlike them, we can use multiple types of chi and multiple energy systems simultaneously, which saves us from transitioning between elements or systems," I explained.

"That's correct. But do you know that Devas have a second power that humans don't?"

"Oh, which one?" I asked, intrigued.

"The 'Mystic Siphon' technique. This technique allows you, upon touching an aura or body, to recover a certain amount of energy from the opponent, whether it's chi, chakra, or mana, to use their powers until the siphoned energy is exhausted. It can be very useful for conserving your energy in combat, don't you think?"

"That's extremely handy! Thanks for the info," I said with calm astonishment.

"You're welcome. You seem smart; you'll certainly figure out how it works. It's somewhat similar to assimilation."

"Why is it always Rey who gets new stuff?" Kaiser asked, sounding jealous.

"Please, you have a cheated Dōkō and you control blue flames, that's already too much," I retorted.

"The new generation is truly incredible, Barrios," Eyline said, impressed, while we continued to argue with Kaiser.

"Ahah, I know. They'll inevitably surpass us at this rate. But tell me, how did it go with Valtor?" Barrios asked, which caught our attention.

"Well, you might have a hard time believing this, but he committed suicide."

"What!? That's impossible; he couldn't have killed himself; he had anti-magic handcuffs preventing him from doing so. The cell he was in was also anti-magic. No one could have used psychic powers to get in there," Barrios said, shocked by the news.

"He broke his neck, and no other fingerprints were found on his body, confirming suicide. No one approached the prison where he was. So there's plenty of evidence suggesting it was a suicide," she explained.

"That can't be true," Barrios said, hand on his forehead.

"How were you planning to make Valtor talk?" Yoko asked.

"I was going to hypnotize him with my Kaimetsugan."

"A power of hypnosis? That's convenient, isn't it?" Yoko said, surprised.

"Indeed, when you need information or a service, this power becomes very useful. Chakra can do wonders," Eyline responded.

"It's very useful indeed. It allows us to avoid torture. But unfortunately, we've lost the only person who could give us a lead," Barrios said, suddenly stopping as he had an idea.

"Why don't we hypnotize Reiner so he tells us everything he knows, and then hypnotize him again so he forgets he was interrogated?" Barrios proposed.

"Oh yes!!! That's a great idea," Kaiser exclaimed.

"Where is this Reiner? If we could do this tonight, it would be better. I'm extremely busy, you know?" Eyline said.

"I'm aware, Eyline, I wouldn't have called you if it wasn't important. I'll ask Reiner to come over to my place," Barrios said, activating his magic signet ring.

"How are you sure he'll come without suspecting anything?" Eyline asked.

"I'll lure him directly with what he's looking for," Barrios replied.

Reiner's Point of View

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After killing Dave and Nala, I returned to Mrs. Fox's house, thinking the boss would be there. Suddenly, I received a call from the general.

"Hello, Reiner, that was some great work you did again. Keep it up," the captain said cheerfully.

"Ah ah ah, thank you, General, you know, I'm just doing my duty," I replied, feigning embarrassment.

"Come over to my place; I have an unofficial mission for you, a very important one. It concerns the fire energy stone. I don't want to risk discussing it over a call. If other mages as powerful as Valtor have infiltrated the kingdom, it's better to avoid them intercepting our magical communications. If you succeed, I could appoint you as captain of your own division," the general said.

This was a unique opportunity to get more info on the fire energy stone. With everything that happened this weekend, it wouldn't surprise me if the general thought it necessary to move it as a precaution. Maybe he thinks his enemies already know where the stone is and are just waiting for the right moment to steal it? If I were in his place, I'd do the same.

"Okay, General, I'll be there in a few minutes," I replied.

As the rain began to calm down, I was about to head towards the Mendoris manor when the boss arrived.

"Boss, you're here, did you manage to free Valtor?" I asked.

"In a way, yes... I've freed him... he's no longer in prison," he replied mysteriously.

"Where were you planning to go?" he asked.

"The general called me to entrust me with an unofficial mission. It concerns the fire energy stone," I said as the boss approached me. He grabbed me by the neck, lifted me, and absorbed my memories.

"I see. You're of no further use to me, Reiner. They're certainly trying to set a trap for you. It wouldn't surprise me if Dave and Nala tried to buy their freedom by telling Barrios what they discovered. He definitely wants to lure you into a trap so Eyline can interrogate you about Mrs. Fox's body."

"I doubt it, Boss. If the general really thinks I'm involved in Mrs. Fox's death, he would come to arrest me himself. Why take the risk of calling me knowing I might guess what he wants and come up with a coherent lie by the time I get to his house? Moreover, arresting an army officer must be done officially," I said, my voice strained by the boss's chokehold.

"Barrios doesn't want to tarnish the image of an admired lieutenant by accusing him of murder. So, he calls you privately to be sure of what he thinks before making the arrest official."

"Let's say that's true, but in that case, I'm not at risk since I didn't kill her," I said, trying to hide my fear.

"Yes, but you killed Dave and Nala. He might think you wanted to silence them. And from there, it's only a matter of time before he traces it back to me," he retorted. On this point, he was right. If the general planned to use Eyline Sendaris to make me talk to clear any doubts he might have about me, then his questions would eventually lead back to the boss.

"You've been useful... it's time to disappear," the boss said. I felt my entire being dissolve into purple chakra particles. That was the end of me.

Areyos Orionis' Point of View

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"He's taking his time; it's not that far from his house," I said with annoyance.

"Speaking of which, from now on, I forbid you from going into the houses of such dangerous people," Barrios said, his tone firm, almost threatening.

"Understood, Chief," I replied, a shiver running down my spine.

"Pass the threat to Erina Shelter," Kaiser said, teasingly.

"Erina Shelter? I didn't know Ghost had a daughter," Eyline exclaimed, evidently surprised.

"Yes. It seems she's as brilliant as her father was at her age," Barrios responded calmly, almost admiringly.

Kaiser, intrigued, narrowed his eyes. "Why do you call him Ghost, anyway?"

"Demios Shelter isn't an ordinary assassin," Eyline began, a mysterious smile forming on her lips. "His nickname doesn't just come from his absolute stealth on the battlefield... but from what he accomplished during the war."

Barrios straightened slightly in his seat, as if the memory of those events weighed on his shoulders. "I remember that day clearly," he said, his voice tinged with dark nostalgia.

"While Thaleus Sendaris gave his life to stop the demon reinforcements, I was sent to Baringer to contain their imminent invasion. But when I arrived... what I found defied all logic. Demon corpses littered the streets, their bodies scattered on the rooftops, as if death itself had swept through the city. And in the center, the body of a demon king, impaled on a stone column, his armor shattered."

Barrios paused, letting a heavy, palpable silence hang, as if the shadows of the past had crept into the room. Our gazes were fixed on him, captivated by the tale.

"I asked the survivors," he continued, "who had saved them. All of them... I mean all of them... gave the same answer."

Kaiser leaned forward, anticipation visible in his eyes. "What did they say?"

Barrios looked up at us, a mysterious glint in his eyes. "They said... 'We saw no one.'"

The silence that followed was deafening. Kaiser shook his head, incredulous. "What? They saw no one?! That's impossible!"

"I didn't believe it at first either," Barrios went on, his tone growing more somber. "But that wasn't all. The residents described how, despite the panic and without a word exchanged between them or any coordination, they all ended up in the same place. They said they were somehow... guided by something. While fleeing, they saw demons falling one after another, without ever catching sight of who had brought them down."

"Wait a minute..." Yoko, who had been listening silently until now, spoke up, her voice trembling with astonishment. "You mean he took down an entire army of demons, without anyone seeing him?"

Barrios nodded, a discreet smile at the corner of his lips. "That's what makes him Ghost. He's untouchable. He operates in the shadows, dragging into the abyss anyone who pries too deeply into his affairs."

Kaiser shook his head, even more confused. "But how did he guide the survivors? If they didn't even see him?"

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. "He probably created calculated danger zones, instinctively pushing people to head towards safe spots. A purely invisible but meticulously orchestrated strategy."

Eyline, clearly impressed, raised an eyebrow. "That's exactly what he did..."

Even Barrios seemed surprised by my analysis, an enigmatic smile on his lips. "I didn't expect you to understand so quickly."

Yoko's eyes widened, disbelief marking her every feature. "You're telling me he fought an entire army of demons... while staying completely invisible... orchestrating their downfall and guiding survivors through deadly traps?!"

I shrugged, indifferent to the emotional wave spreading around me. "We're talking about an ally of Thaleus Sendaris here. The real question should be: why wouldn't he be capable of that?"

Eyline stared at me for a long moment, her eyes scanning every detail of my face as if searching for something hidden. Then, she finally spoke, her voice strangely calm.

"I was right... you're very intelligent. Tell me, was your father a strategist?" she asked, her words measured, almost too detached.

I shrugged, trying to mask the unease creeping over me. "I have no idea. All I know is he was a fighter, died during that war. His name was Astarus Shielden."

But no sooner had I finished my sentence than a flash of astonishment crossed Eyline's face. That brief moment of vulnerability in her eyes betrayed her. Her reaction deeply unsettled me.

"You're Astarus Shielden's son?" she repeated, her voice low and incredulous. She turned abruptly to Barrios, as if seeking confirmation or perhaps denial. But Barrios remained impassive, taking a sip of wine, his face unreadable.

Kaiser and Yoko, who had observed the entire scene, exchanged a quick glance. They both knew something was off. I could feel their eyes on me, filled with questions. It wasn't the first time someone had reacted so shockingly to the mention of my father's name. But this time, it was... more intense."What's going on?" Kaiser finally broke the silence, his voice betraying the tension that hung in the room. Everyone's gaze turned towards Eyline, who seemed to struggle to regain her composure.

"N-nothing... it's nothing," she stammered, awkwardly trying to regain her composure, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her.

I clenched my fists under the table, feeling an odd anger rising within me. Everyone seemed to know more about my father than I did.

Barrios then intervened abruptly, obviously trying to divert attention. "Well, I think we can definitely say that Reiner realized there was a trap."

But Barrios's words slid off me without effect. A dull suspicion rumbled in my mind. Who was Astarus Shielden really? Why did his name provoke such reactions? I knew Barrios would tell me everything after the prodigies exam, but it was frustrating not to know.

Eyline seemed lost in thought for a moment but quickly regained her composure, looking serene once more.

"Indeed. He'll probably disappear soon. His master has likely realized I'm here since you mentioned to Reiner that I would come," she said in a calm, yet cold voice. "He's surely eliminated him so I couldn't learn anything from him." She paused, a mysterious smile touching her lips. "But I would still advise you to visit his house tomorrow. You might find a surprise... an interesting one. Trust me, I have experience with this." Without saying another word, she stood up, clearly signaling her intent to leave.

"Thanks for coming, Eyline. I appreciate your gesture," said Barrios, also standing to escort her out.

As she headed towards the door, a voice suddenly rang out, breaking the ambient tension.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Eyline," Kaiser called out with disarming curiosity. "Your daughter, how old is she?"

Eyline stopped, slightly taken aback by the unexpected question. "Diana is 17. Why do you ask?" she inquired, her brows furrowing in palpable confusion.

"Just to know," Kaiser answered innocently before continuing with disarming nonchalance. "Ah, and one last thing, does she take after you or--"

He never got to finish his sentence. Before he could say another word, Yoko and I simultaneously delivered well-placed punches to his head. Kaiser groaned while massaging his skull, his expression a mix of confusion and pain.

Eyline raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical. "He's certainly your son, Barrios. No doubt about that," she said suspiciously, giving Barrios a piercing look.

Barrios shrugged, feigning seriousness. "I don't know what you mean," he replied, a shadow of a smile playing on his lips.

Eyline rolled her eyes, amused, before disappearing before our eyes, a slight glow at her wrist. Her multifunction bracelet briefly lit up as she teleported, undoubtedly using an integrated magical system that allowed her to instantly travel to places she'd already visited, bearing a magical beacon.

Barrios turned to Kaiser, an approving smile on his face. "Kaiser... your question was very tactical. Keep it up, and you'll end up with a beautiful woman," he said, nodding with a mischievous pride.

"Thanks, father," Kaiser responded, mimicking the gesture with misplaced pride. Like father, like son, indeed.

The evening then continued without incident. Barrios, exhausted from his busy week, went to bed while we stayed up playing video games late into the night, enjoying the calm after the storm.

Eyline Sendaris' Point of View

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"You took your time, mom. I had to handle your missions on top of mine. Extracting information from criminals is honestly boring to death," Diana grumbled as she carefully cleaned the rear-view of her high-tech motorcycle, her tone mixing annoyance and exasperation.

"Things didn't go as planned," I replied in a flat tone, tired from the events. "I had to come back earlier."

"Ah, I see... sorry for that, mom." She put away her cloth, her tone becoming lighter. "I made dinner for you and dad. He was waiting for you to eat. I've got a dozen missions to wrap up tonight," she said briskly, ready to leave as if it were just routine.

I watched her, concern lacing my voice. "Sweetie, you should rest sometimes. Even you, need to catch your breath."

She turned to me, a mischievous smile on her lips. "Don't worry, mom. I've been resting for eight hours. I'm bursting with energy now."

"Eight hours?!" I exclaimed, eyes wide. "But... didn't you have 25 missions today?"

"Yeah, so what?" she replied nonchalantly, already mounting her motorcycle. "That's less than my usual quota, have you forgotten my nickname or what?" She started her bike with a sharp motion. "Come on, kiss! I've gotta go. Let's goooo!"

Before I could respond, she vanished in a roar of the engine.

I sighed, a dull worry weighing on my mind. "Where did she go this time?" I asked one of our henchmen standing nearby.

He cleared his throat, looking unconcerned. "She's been assigned to eliminate a tyrant in a nearby village. This tyrant commands an army of 5,000 men, equipped with firearms and high-tech melee weapons, as well as a fleet of 50 fast combat vessels." He paused, giving me a reassuring look. "But don't worry, Madam. For Miss Diana, the Black Lightning, this is nothing too dangerous."