Bab 7: Hanabi in Danger
Earlier that morning, Mrs. Kimura and Hanabi left the house, walking together toward the school. The streets were bustling with people starting their day, and Hanabi chatted excitedly about her drawing in art class.
"Teacher, do you think my brother will like my drawing?" Hanabi asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"He definitely will, Hanabi. You put so much love and effort into it," Mrs. Kimura replied with a warm smile.
"Where did my brother go today? He didn't tell me," Hanabi asked, her curiosity evident.
"I'm not sure, Hanabi. Maybe he had something important to do," Mrs. Kimura responded, trying to sound reassuring.
As they continued walking, the faint sound of a car reached their ears, growing louder with each passing second. Vroom... vroom... Mrs. Kimura's brow furrowed in concern, and she instinctively tightened her grip on Hanabi's hand.
"Stay close to me, Hanabi," she instructed, her voice calm but firm.
Hanabi nodded, her eyes wide with a mix of curiosity and fear. The source of the commotion soon became apparent as a car screeched to a halt in front of them, blocking their path. Screeeech...
"What's happening, teacher?" Hanabi asked, her voice trembling.
Before Mrs. Kimura could respond, the car door flew open with a loud BANG, and two masked men jumped out, their eyes cold and menacing. One of them brandished a gun, pointing it directly at Mrs. Kimura and Hanabi.
"Get in the car, now!" the man barked, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Mrs. Kimura's heart raced, but she knew she had to stay calm for Hanabi's sake. "It's going to be okay, Hanabi," she whispered, trying to reassure the frightened girl.
The men roughly shoved them into the backseat of the car, slamming the door shut. Thud! Hanabi clung to Mrs. Kimura, tears streaming down her face. The car sped off, weaving through the traffic with reckless abandon. Vrooooom...
"Why are they doing this?" Hanabi sobbed, her small body shaking with fear.
"I don't know, sweetie," Mrs. Kimura replied, her voice trembling as she held Hanabi close. "But we're going to get through this. I promise."
The men in the front seat spoke in hushed tones, their conversation inaudible over the roar of the engine. Hanabi's cries seemed to agitate them, and the man with the gun turned around, his eyes narrowing.
"Shut that kid up, or I'll do it for you," he threatened, his voice dripping with menace.
Mrs. Kimura tightened her hold on Hanabi, shielding her from the man's harsh glare. "It's okay, Hanabi. Just try to be brave," she whispered, her heart breaking at the sight of the girl's fear.
"Teacher, will my brother find us? He's really strong," Hanabi asked, trying to find some comfort in the thought of her brother coming to save them.
"Yes, Hanabi. I'm sure your brother will find us. We just need to stay strong and wait for help," Mrs. Kimura said, hoping her words would comfort the frightened girl.
In Hanabi's eyes, her brother was the strongest person she knew. She remembered one time when she bumped her head on the wall at home. Kai had been so angry that he had smacked the wall, leaving a crack in it. From that day on, Hanabi believed her brother could do anything.
The car continued its wild journey, leaving the city behind and heading toward the outskirts. The buildings grew sparse, replaced by open fields and abandoned warehouses. The destination became clear as they approached a run-down building, its windows boarded up and its structure decaying. Crunch... crunch... the tires rolled over gravel as the car came to a screeching halt. Screeeeech...
The men dragged Mrs. Kimura and Hanabi out, forcing them inside the building. The interior was dark and musty, filled with the remnants of its former use. Creak... creak... the floorboards groaned under their weight.
As they were shoved into a small room, the door slamming shut behind them, BAM! the men began discussing their plans.
"Do you think her husband will pay up?" one of the men asked, pulling off his mask to reveal a scarred face.
"He better," the other man replied, his tone grim. "Her husband owes a lot of money to our boss. He borrowed money from our boss two years ago and never paid. The boss figures taking his wife will make him pay up."
Mrs. Kimura and Hanabi overheard the conversation, their hearts sinking. Hanabi's sobs echoed in the confined space, Hic... hic... and Mrs. Kimura held her tightly, whispering words of comfort.
"Someone will come for us, Hanabi. We just have to stay strong," she murmured, praying that help would arrive soon.
Mrs. Kimura had chosen to live a normal life teaching kids, not knowing about her husband's debts.
Back to the present, Kai moved with inhuman speed, his newly heightened senses guiding him through the streets. Whoosh... whoosh... He followed the faint trail left by Mrs. Kimura and Hanabi, his mind racing with thoughts of how to rescue them.
"Hang on, Hanabi," he growled under his breath, his determination unwavering. "I'm coming for you."
Kai activated his [Blood Magic] skill to navigate and locate Hanabi. His eyes glowed a deep crimson, whoosh... and he could feel the power of blood coursing through his veins. He focused on the faint blood traces left by Hanabi and Mrs. Kimura, but his amplified emotions made it difficult to concentrate.
The first few attempts were failures. His rage and fear for Hanabi's safety clouded his mind, causing him to lose focus. Each time he tried, the trail would fade, and he would have to start over. Thump... thump... thump... his heart pounded in frustration.
"Damn it," he muttered, frustrated. "I need to calm down."
Even though his entire being had transformed—blood, soul, bones—Hanabi was still his sister. He could feel her through the bond of their blood. Taking a deep breath, inhale... exhale... he forced himself to focus, pushing aside his overwhelming emotions.
"Come on, Kai. You can do this," he told himself.
On the next attempt, he managed to steady his mind. The blood magic finally responded, and the trail became clear. He could sense Hanabi's presence, her fear, and her desperate hope. It guided him to the run-down building on the outskirts of town.
It took him about twenty minutes to reach the building, his enhanced speed cutting through the distance rapidly. As he approached the location, the run-down structure loomed ahead, its decrepit facade standing out against the twilight sky. Creeeeak... the door groaned as he burst through it.
Kai's heart pounded with a mix of anxiety and determination. He burst through the door, his presence commanding attention. BAM! The men inside turned, shock and fear flashing across their faces as they registered the intruder. Gasp...
There were over twenty men, all low-tier warriors at most, with their leader barely a mid-tier warrior rank. Despite their numbers, the sight of Kai's fierce aura of power surrounding him made them fear. They realized they were just facing a kid.
"Oh, it's just a kid. Who the hell are you, kid?" one of them demanded, raising his weapon while all of them started laughing. Hahaha...
Kai's eyes glowed with an intense, otherworldly light. Whoosh... "I'm here for my sister," he said, his voice cold and menacing.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone