The ticking of the wristwatch on Yume's left wrist hammered in her ears, louder than the voices echoing through the hall.
The ten minutes before the auction had already passed.
«I see many of you are here today.»
The voice, clear and authoritative, came from the White Place's loudspeakers.
Yume lifted her gaze toward the stage. From the beam of light a woman emerged: slow steps, impeccable posture.
—Who is…?— she wondered, watching her closely.
«Many of you will already know me,» the woman said, approaching the microphone. «But for the new buyers, allow me to introduce myself.»
Her eyes swept across the audience, never losing that air of supremacy.
«My name is Chizuro Fuyumi, head of the Fuyumi family.»
—S-she… she's the head of the family!!—
A shiver ran through the crowd.
«Finally, let's begin!» someone shouted.
Chizuro smiled faintly, pleased. «I declare the auction open! Bring forward the first item!»
A cheer of excitement rose from the stands.
From the side of the stage the mysterious figure seen earlier appeared, dragging a small cage. Inside, a girl clung to the bars.
«No… please, I don't want to!» Her broken voice sent a chill through Yume. The prisoner's knuckles were white; tears streaked down her cheeks.
«I present the first lot of the day,» Chizuro announced, casting her a quick glance as if she were nothing more than an object among many.
«She doesn't possess any special abilities…» her smile widened slowly «…but I'm sure she will brighten your days.»
An excited murmur rippled through the hall.
«The starting price is twenty thousand brish!»
The first bids came quickly.
Yume stared at the scene unfolding before her in stunned silence.
—I must wait!— She clenched her jaw without moving, while the acrid smell of cigarettes spread through the salon.
Her mind returned to last night and Kaito's words:
«As much as possible, once the auction starts, try not to move straight away,» he had said.
«At first they'll be more watchful. As disgusting as it is, we'll have to wait until at least the third or fourth sale.»
Yume refocused and fixed her gaze on the stage, lingering on the entrance from which the mysterious figure had led out the first lot.
—At any cost, I have to get inside there…—
---
At the same moment, on the other side of the tower, Kaito was still embroiled in a violent fight.
A sharp blow sent him flying against the high ceiling, making the structure vibrate.
«Amane — Blaster Crystals!»
With her palm facing him, the girl hurled a barrage of crystals.
The boy spun, cutting them.
He threw the wakizashi; the blade pierced the opponent's right hand.
—Tsk… damn it!— The agent's face contorted with pain.
As Kaito's feet hit the ground, he sprang forward with brutal speed, delivering a violent kick to the enemy's abdomen.
The impact was so strong the opponent staggered backward.
«I'm not finished!» Kaito snarled.
He gripped the wakizashi's hilt, still lodged in Amane's hand, and yanked it toward himself, forcing her off balance. With the other blade already at the ready, he charged a slash aimed at the exposed flank.
«Amane, think!» she shouted.
With her left hand — the only one still intact — she summoned the crystalline barrier again.
Kaito tried to retreat, but a disturbing rustle rose behind him: the sound of hundreds of crystals growing. He turned and understood immediately.
—I'm trapped…— he clenched his jaw, furious.
Around him, blocks of crystal had closed like a cage. When he looked back at the girl, the barrier burst into a thousand shards, striking him full on.
Kaito crashed against the right wall of the office, shattering what remained of the already half-destroyed desk.
The entire room was strewn with shards embedded in the walls, furniture, and floor.
The boy lay on the ground with several fragments lodged in his body: two in his right leg, one in his left, two more in his shoulder and right arm, and one, deeper, in his abdomen.
The girl stepped forward slowly, breathing heavily.
«I won't let you… ruin… everything Chizuro created,» she murmured in a broken voice.
She paused for a moment, grabbing the hilt of the wakizashi still stuck in her hand. With a groan, she pulled it out: blood began to flow from the wound, dripping onto the floor.
Kaito raised his head painfully, staring at her. They were only a few centimeters apart.
«I'll kill you…» the girl whispered, and with her foot she pushed the shard further into Kaito's abdomen.
A scream of pain exploded from the boy's lips as the crystal pierced his muscles; his breathing became shallow.
«Do you have any idea how many people every year try to ruin the auction?» the girl continued, pressing the fragment into his flesh. «You're just another voice in a long list.»
«You're wrong…» Kaito growled, holding the girl's leg with his hands.
«What?!» she stammered.
«I'm not like them.» He forced himself to his feet and, with a burst, shoved the girl backward.
The wakizashi in his left hand glowed with a cold light.
«N-nothing is possible…» the woman whispered, while her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
«I, unlike them, will stop this auction!» The blue light of the blade intensified.
«Amane… Crystal Dagger.» Once again, a blade of crystal materialized in his hands.
«I won't let you do it, understood?» she shouted, gasping for breath.
«Are you willing to die for Chizuro…?» Kaito asked.
«Yes, exactly!» she answered.
Kaito watched her; he could not help but recognize in that devotion the same feeling he had for his master.
«What's your name?» the boy asked as the blade's light grew even brighter.
«What does it matter to you?!» she snapped. More crystals formed and floated around her.
«I want to know,» Kaito insisted.
«Serika,» the girl replied coldly.
Kaito closed his eyes for a moment, then reopened them with renewed determination. He bent slightly, lifting the wakizashi to shoulder height.
«My name is Kaito!»
They launched themselves at each other in unison.
Serika hurled every crystal she had generated at Kaito.
«Spirit Slayer: Pressure Mode!» he said, reactivating the technique.
He cut each glass projectile one after another. He leapt, bent, ignoring the pain slicing through his muscles; every slash sent sparks into the air. When he finally found himself face to face with Serika, their blades crossed one last time.
—Serika, look!— Amane whispered in the girl's mind, noticing the warm blood still flowing from his abdomen.
Serika's lips drew into a cold smile.
«You lost, Kaito!» she shouted. With a swift motion she stopped the opponent's blade by grabbing it with her free hand.
In an instant the glass dagger pierced Kaito.
«I defeated you…» she breathed, a thread of blood staining her fingers.
«I'm sorry, Serika…» he said in a low voice.
She stood there incredulous: «How are you still alive?!» Terror distorted her face when she saw that her assault hadn't achieved the intended effect.
Kaito had moved just enough to prevent the blade from striking the wounded part of his abdomen.
«It's over!» Kaito freed the wakizashi from her grip and, with a thrust, pierced Serika's chest.
For her, that moment lasted an eternity. As the world faded, her mind slipped into a memory: she was locked in a cage, ready to be sold at auction in a distant city. She trembled, and a young woman — beautiful, named Chizuro Fuyumi — had placed a bid for her.