The house was quiet. The kind of silence that presses on your eardrums.
Master Khun sat motionless on the couch, legs crossed, eyes half-lidded. His only movement was the rhythmic tapping of his fingers on the armrest—light, deliberate, and maddeningly constant.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Days had passed. No word. No progress. No Llyne.
Standing by his side, Master Jay and Master Asha were like statues carved from tension—stiff, slouched, and bracing for the storm beneath Master Khun's calm.
Across the room, The Doctor sipped his tea, the porcelain clink sharp in the silence. Of all of them, only he seemed unbothered—perhaps because he brewed the tea himself, or perhaps because he liked watching things die slowly.
A knock.
The wooden door creaked open. A few henchmen entered with sunken shoulders and bloodied boots, dropping to one knee before Master Khun.
"We apologize, Master Khun. Every time we spotted her, the girl kept slipping away."
Tap. Tap—
The tapping stopped.
Master Khun didn't speak. He didn't move.
The henchmen's leader hesitated, lips parting.
"Mas—"
Schlick.
A crimson arc splashed the floor. His head rolled across the floor like a discarded dice. A heartbeat later, the body collapsed beside it.
Not a single soul saw the sword unsheathed.
Not even Master Jay.
Not even Master Asha.
Not even The Doctor.
The silence afterward was suffocating. The air reeked of blood and fear.
Master Khun glanced at the corpse. Then, gently:
"I should break this bad habit of tapping my fingers. It can be quite disturbing sometimes, don't you think so, Master Jay?"
"I don't think it's disturbing at all, Master Khun," Jay said instantly, voice sharp, eyes wide.
The Doctor, still calmly sipping tea, disagreed.
"I think it's rather annoying. I can't enjoy my cup of tea peacefully."
Master Khun bowed with unnerving politeness.
"Ah. I'm sorry, The Doctor. Please do forgive me."
"It's fine. But how do we deal with them?" The Doctor gestured lazily to the remaining kneeling henchmen.
Master Khun followed the gesture, sipped from the tea offered to him, then spoke as if he were discussing the weather.
"Oh? If it isn't the squad I sent out a few days ago. I don't see Miss Llyne with you."
One henchman stammered, trying to hold steady.
"We couldn't catch her. She was too fast for us. But we know where she is. It's just…"
He paused, eyes flicking upward.
"Well, continue on," Master Khun said, chin resting on his palm.
"She might run if we approached her. We hoped the Masters would assist us."
"You little—" Master Jay started, stepping forward.
But a single raised hand from Master Khun silenced him instantly.
Then came the whisper.
"…row…"
The air went cold. Master Asha and Master Jay exchanged looks.
The Doctor leaned closer.
"Louder. They can't hear your whispering."
"Ah…" Master Khun straightened. "What I meant was we shall visit her tomorrow. Meanwhile, I want one of you to tell me the floorplan of the place she is staying."
The henchmen nodded rapidly and left like shadows fleeing fire.
"Why can't we barge into the house? It's not like there can be hidden doors," Master Jay asked.
"You've forgotten the Grand Master's wrath, have you?" Khun's voice was like steel dipped in honey. "You nearly cost us the last mission because of your impatience."
"Tch." Jay backed off, silenced.
Asha smirked. "I missed that fiasco. Such a pity I was sent on another mission."
Jay hissed. But before he could retort—
"Do remember," Khun warned, "who files the report to the Grand Master."
That shut both of them up.
The threat lingered in the air like poison.
The Doctor chuckled into his teacup.
"Children. We're dealing with children. When will these two ever grow up, I wonder? Don't you think so, Master Khun?"
"I wonder if it was your drug that stopped their mental growth?" Khun mused.
The Doctor didn't deny it.
"Yes. It might be a side effect. Well, we'll never know… since they won't let me operate on them."
"Ah yes. What a pity."
Master Khun stood up at last, the long katana resting at his side like a silent threat.
"I'll go make plans for tomorrow. Are you coming, The Doctor?"
The Doctor tapped his belly and rose.
"No. I'm not the physical type, as you can see. But if something important comes up, you'll be the first to know."
He bowed, and faded into the house's shadows.
[The Next Night – Outside the Abandoned House]
Moonlight failed to reach inside.
The house stood silent. Watchful. Its breath held.
The wire lines had been cut. The power grid severed. No lights. No warmth. Only the cold breath of night.
"Everything is prepared, Master Khun," a henchman whispered.
"Lead the way," Master Khun said.
His katana gleamed as he walked into the night. Master Asha and Master Jay flanked him like twin shadows. The Doctor waved them off casually from the porch.
Inside the house—beneath floorboards, behind cracked walls—I was waiting.
And I heard him.
"Some traps were newly made," Master Khun muttered. "Here, I thought she'd be like her parents. Face her enemies head-on. Looks like I was wrong."
[Inside the House – Llyne's POV]
'That katana-wielding psycho spotted the traps with a single glance?'
"How did that pretty-face swordsman know? Is he a psychic? We worked all day on those!" I muttered under my breath.
He was terrifying in a way I didn't understand yet. Calm. Precise. Like he'd already predicted every move I could make.
And yet, I grinned. "Let's give them a welcome party."
The Masters stayed back while the henchmen stormed the front door.
Click.
WHAM!
The log trap triggered. Wood and screams flew through the air. Some were thrown out. Others screamed as they stumbled into Lyndall's carefully placed spike pits, caught bamboo whips across their faces, or slipped onto caltrops hidden in the shadows.
Lyndall darted through the gloom, manually triggering certain traps when they got too close.
"This house is a playground of pain now," I whispered, crouching behind a wall.
One by one, they were taken down. Screams echoed, then faded. The house settled into silence again, this time filled with blood.
[Outside Again]
"...That's all?" Khun asked, seemingly bored.
"I can't believe that small squirrel took them out," Master Asha murmured. "No matter how strong she is, they were all outer disciples of Master Khan."
"This is what happens when you don't train your disciples," Master Khun replied. "But if Miss Llyne couldn't hold her own, I'd be greatly disappointed. After all, she is their child."
His smile was... genuine. Like a proud teacher watching a student grow.
Asha scoffed. "Her sister was nothing. Died like paper to fire."
Jay stayed quiet.
Asha smirked. "Cat got your tongue, Jay? Don't tell me you're afraid of our little squirrel."
Jay's eyes narrowed. "There's something else in there. The brat's not alone."
Khun blinked. "Oh?"
Jay clenched his fists. "It doesn't feel human."
Asha shrugged. "I don't see anything."
Khun stepped forward. "Then let us see for ourselves."
[Inside – Chaos Unleashed]
The traps sprang again, but Master Khun moved like wind. His katana sang as he cut through wires, spikes, even shadows. Nothing touched him.
I was watching from the back, jaw practically hanging off. "Am I dreaming? Pinch me."
Lyndall pinched my arm.
"Ow. Guess not." I gulped. "He's not human. He's like a cheat code come to life."
I grabbed Lyndall. "It's time. Last resort: Run and Hide!"
We bolted. I turned a corner—and suddenly, fingers wrapped around my collar.
"ACK—!"
That voice. Polite. Cold. I turned around slowly.
"Hello," Master Khun said with a warm, eerie smile.
"Pretty face katana swordsman... Master Khun?" I tried my best smile.
"You remembered. I'm honored." He patted my head. "And hurt. You ran off and broke our engagement."
"Who the heck agreed to that?!" I almost shouted—but swallowed the words when I saw my reflection in his blade.
Behind him, Master Asha was grinning like a snake. Master Jay was silent, not even facing me. I scanned for Lyndall. Gone.
Did he run? Is he safe?
I prayed.
Khun stepped closer, and I had nowhere to go.
His katana rose. My back hit the wall. I could smell steel.
"Wait! Can't I have my last words?!"
"Nope."
Shing.