‘If you could’ve done that all along… why only suggest it now?’ Finn asked hesitantly.

[Because when I first met you, I didn’t think I needed to interfere. But seeing you with that girl… hm, how do I put it… I feel a bit… angry? Fufu~]

‘…’

[I was the one who saved you from the brink of death, Finn. I was the one who gave you your powers. Seeing another girl just take you away like this… it makes me pretty jealous, y’know~? So much so that I feel… hatred.]

‘You should’ve made this proposal as soon as I met Iris,’ Finn scoffed.

[Perhaps. But back then, I still wasn’t sure why I felt annoyed. Now though, it has become clear~ I’ll make you mine, Finn. Mine and no else’s~]

‘What are you trying to say?’

[If anyone tries to steal you from me… fufu~ I’ll kill them, that’s all~]

Finn clenched his fists. ‘… Don’t you dare lay a hand on Iris.’

[Ara~ you care about her this much? I thought she was only a tool to you. I can be your eyes too, y’know~]

‘I’m already used to working with her — we have good synergy and work fine together. I am not about to change now.’

[Fufu~ but can you stop me, I wonder~?]

‘What you did earlier today… you were hoping for Iris to get sucked into that black hole as well?’

[Perhaps~]

‘… You’re a psychopath.’

[I suppose so. After all, my heart has already been broken once. But that’s also exactly why… it can’t be broken again.]

‘Zelestria… just what are you?’ Finn asked, a question that had been lingering on his mind for a long time now.

[Hm… I don’t know. Machine? Human? Monster, perhaps? Those words don’t mean much to me anymore. When I first met you, I only wanted you as my soldier — a pawn to fulfill a duty. But overtime… by watching you and that girl, Iris… I realized emotions again. In a way, you helped me find my humanity back, Finn.]

‘Your humanity back…? You used to be human as well?’

[Was I? Fufu~ it’s been far too long. And quite frankly, I don’t really care about the past. But if there’s one thing I know now…]

Suddenly, Finn felt a warm body sitting on top of his as Zelestria’s two slim arms slid around his neck and wrapped around him tightly.

“… It’s that you’re all mine, Finn.”

Without letting him respond, she leaned in and planted a kiss on his lips, trying to worm her tongue in. But Finn held rigid.

After a few seconds, she gave up, backing away and wiping her mouth. Then, leaning in to his ear, she whispered softly yet threateningly, a dangerous gleam in her eyes that showed her other, darker side.

“I won’t let anyone else have you, darling~”

Later that evening, Elder Hua came to the infirmary and picked Finn up for dinner. Nurse Yang had woken up already, slightly confused but otherwise unhurt.

“How is he?” Elder Hua asked, gesturing towards Finn, who still lay on the bed.

“He should’ve recovered by now,” Nurse Yang replied. “Finn? Are you feeling okay?”

Finn nodded briskly and Elder Hua snorted.

“You really caused a disaster today, brat. Hell, you nearly got me killed in the process. If it wasn’t for Patriarch Lei protecting you, I swear I would’ve…”

She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, steam practically blowing out of her ears, but luckily, Nurse Yang was there.

“Ahaha… calm down, Elder Hua,” she said, patting the other woman’s back like one would calm a little kid throwing a tantrum. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it…”

“Tch… whatever! Follow me,” Elder Hua growled and spun on her heel, heading out of the infirmary without a single glance back.

Finn got out of his bed, then muttered to Nurse Yang, “Thank you.”

“Ah… don’t worry about it, it’s my job…”

With that, he trailed after Elder Hua by listening to her footsteps and left the room as well.

On the way to the cafeteria, the journey was mostly quiet. But just before they were about to arrive, Elder Hua spoke.

“… Brat. I don’t know what you did, but it has made the Patriarch extremely interested in you. I can see why. You used an Ability even he didn’t know of, was able to withstand one of my full-scale punches, and recovered from any wounds near instantly. I won’t ask how or why you’re able to do all this, since the patriarch told me not to, but…”

“…?” Finn tilted his head as Elder Hua trailed off, trying to think of what to say next.

“U-Ugh, just don’t disappoint me, you hear?!”

Shouting this, she stormed off. Finn thought to himself.

‘… Interesting.’

In the cafeteria, Finn didn’t receive many gazes, contrary to expectations. He assumed this was because Elder Hua, Patriarch Lei, and the others kept a lid on things. No one else knew that it was Finn who caused that destructive phenomenon this afternoon, so naturally he didn’t get any unwanted attention.

That is, apart from a certain five people who sat in the corner of the room, away from everybody else. No one dared to get close to them, for they were the strongest Ghost Hunters in the squadron — The Big Five. Finn couldn’t tell, but these five were observing his every step closely.

“… Claire. Are you certain what you saw was real?” Qi Ling asked quietly, staring intently at Finn’s walking figure.

The short girl with glasses beside her nodded frantically, breathing ragged and body trembling.

“I-I’m sure… I can see… a black aura around him…”

“A black aura…” Tian Long murmured. “Could it be… the Deathmaster Angelica?”

“N-No…” Claire stuttered in fear, closing her eyes tightly, not wanting to look at Finn any longer. “It’s something more pure… more dark… more… evil…”

“Darker than the Deathmaster Angelica… sorry, I can’t think of anything else,” Rampager said with a shrug. “I seriously doubt it though… you don’t even act that scared around our actual Deathmaster here, but you’re this afraid of that blind kid?”

Saying this, Pang Zi gestured towards the quiet teen of the group, who sat with his feet up on the chair, hugging his knees with one hand while biting his nail with the other. His black eyes held nothing but cold, eternal emptiness, and his very presence was able to make those who weren’t strong enough feel chilled to the bone.

His alias was one word, simple.

Death.