Kaito was sure now that neither of the ten people in front of him are real demon king . They are mere puppets under his control . His main body should be hidden in another location . Kaito carefully observed the pattern of the demonic energy in their bodies as he closed his eyes . Kaito spread his senses throughout the whole place till his max limit of sensing but didn't find anything unusual . Kaito was now not only confused but also helpless . He knows that the demon king is present but he couldn't find him . If he were to be SSS-Rank , then he might have been able to but with his current strength its impossible .
Kaito mind raced through each and every possibility he can think off . Finally , a last glimmer of hope showed his way in his mind . Kaito thought that the best way to find the master of puppets is through the puppets themselves . Kaito immediately instructed the blockage of the entrance . The guards listened to him and closed the gates . There was a new wave of panic spread among the crowd as they were unsure as to why the gate was locked . Many made assumptions that they were blocked because the interior is full and there is no space of accomodation any more which was wrong , of course . The tunnel was big enough to gather all the people in the base city and still be empty .
Kaito rised up in the air . Awakeners from SS-Rank have the ability to fly in the sky with the help of their mana . Kaito raised his hand which was covered in a bluish white glow as the ten people he sensed were wrapped in mana and raised up in the sky . The people continued looking at the scene before them . They heard about awakeners but they didn't see an awakener in action . This was their first display of the true power of awakeners .
Kaito's friends also looked at the actions he made and were waiting with their breathes held back . They couldn't even blink due to the surprise of Kaito's power . It was true that Kaito was an SS-Rank Awakener but his abilities far surpassed what an average awakener at his level would be able to do . Akari also rised up in the air followed by Yuuki . They were the only SS-Rank Awakeners apart from Kaito while the others were at best at the level of S-Rank .
Kaito flicked his finger as the people came towards him . They had a face filled with fear which was completely opposite of the evil face they had just few seconds ago . Kaito realised that the control over them was removed temporarily and this was their true reactions . Kaito intensified his view as he the veins on the side of his eyes spread a bit more as he finally saw the a light string of mana connected to each of their necks . This was what Kaito was looking for .
He knew that even for expert puppet masters it was normal for them to leave traces of their connection with themselves and their puppets . Its just that when a person achieves a higher level , the traces of the connection become more and more undetectable . Kaito didn't waste time as he spread his mana once more but this time it wasn't spread in an area rather he spread them through the strings connected . After a few seconds , Kaito spotted him . A man whom he saw last time was standing with a few strings connected to his fingers . It was undoubtedly the person they were searching for . It was Belros .
Kaito released the civilians as he immediately instructed to open the gates as he rushed towards the location . The others confused looked at Kaito who was getting furthur away . They wanted to follow him but his speed was too high for the others to catch up . Even though Akari and Yuuki can keep up but Kaito had specially instructed them to not interfere unless there is an emergency . They only had to watch as Kaito went far .
Kaito reached the place as he crashed on the building . The man immediately jumped off with a surprised and angry look on his face only to be met by Kaito's cold ice gaze . The man maintained himself in the air as Kaito came out from the rubbles . Kaito looked towards the person . His eyes were glowing with a bluish white glow as his left eye seemed to released a flame . The same was the look on Belros's face only the colour was dark red .
"Well , you finally managed to catch me"
"…."
"You should feel proud . No other awakener below SSS-Rank had sensed me"
"….."
"Not gonna talk . I see"
"Why did you come here ?"
"Well , I wasn't instructed to attack . It was simply a patrolling mission but you people created this situation"
"Did you really think that we won't be able to sense you ?"
"What can I say ? You humans are fools to begin with"
"Let me show you what a 'fool' can do"
Kaito disappeared from his position which surprised Belros . The speed at which Kaito moved was greater than any SS-Rank would possess . He appeared behind Belros as a kick came towards him from upwards . Belros dodged it as Kaito continued attacking . He didn't even take out his sword which was inside his inventory . He was fighting against a demon king in hand-to-hand combat .
Each blow they connected were a release of mana and the impact was great . Both of them suffered some blacklash but Kaito's blacklash was slightly greater . After all , he is just a SS-Rank . Kaito felt like his bones vibrated inside his arms . They again disappeared as they clashed against each other as they seemed like two stars colliding against each other . Everyone was now looking at their fight .
Suddenly , a figure flew hard and crashed on the ground . The dust settled and it was revealed to be Belros . He couldn't believe that a mere SS-Rank Awakener was giving him a hard time . Belros wiped the blood before continuing .
"Good job , kid . It seems I underestimated you . I will be serious now"
Belros released his mana . Suddenly , a huge pillar of dark red mana rised up in the sky . Belros's figure changed . His body got covered in shell type objects and two horns grew from his head . His body grew in size as his eyes turned red in the middle with black surrounding it . Kaito also went for a power up .
He too released his mana and a bluish white light pillar rised up in the sky . It seemed to everyone that Kaito was releasing his mana like Belros but the SSS-Rank Awakeners understood Kaito's intentions . He wasn't releasing mana but rather absorbing mana from the atmosphere in a rapid pace to increase his mana reserves . Kaito who was inside the pillar could feel his mana capacity rising . He sensed that another portion of the sea of mana inside him was unsealed as his mana capacity increased by leaps and bounds . Kaito's mana soon crossed 500,000 points as his body started to reconstruct .
Kaito's skin shred as new skin grew . His bones cracked as more studier bones replaced them . His organs were destroyed as new and powerful organs replaced them . His aura core revolving more rapidly as the speed of its rotation was unfathomable . Kaito's heart which was replaced just now had the formation of another circle . Soon , the circle completed but this time it wasn't mana which filled it . Rather , it was a particle no one knows exists . As soon as Kaito surpassed 500,000 MP , his body started absorbing the particle 'Aether' into his body .
This particle replaced the mana in the new circle formed as the mana capacity of the rest of the circles increased . Finally , after about 1 minute of this phenomenon did Kaito's pillar dissipated . Belros was surprised as he sensed the presence which he was feeling from inside the mana pillar .
Kaito slowly landed on the ground . His body taller than before , his muscles more developed , his silver hair getting more shine . The veins beside his eyes had vanished as Kaito's eyes changed . They evolved . His eyes no longer had the slit of the reptiles but rather a cross which was white in colour with the boundaries in black . His blue eyes became more brighter .
Kaito slowly came towards Belros . Suddenly , the clouds emerged above the city as thunder and lightning started roaring . Kaito's body slowly got covered in lighting as it emitted as sparks from his body . Belros couldn't fathom what was going on . Technically , he should have been more powerful than Kaito due to the rank difference but the Kaito in front of him was different from the before one . This one has a more menancing and terrifying aura .
Despite all this , Belros didn't back down . Kaito slowly moved towards him as he suddenly disappeared and appeared behind Belros . This time it wasn't a kick rather a punch which pushed Belros back by 5 steps upon contact . The place of contact was burnt . If he hadn't blocked the punch with his hand then it was quite possible that his punch would have seriously injured him .
Kaito's look didn't change . His icy cold gaze fell on Belros . He didn't see any option as he prepared for his final move . He moved a few steps back as he raised his right hand in an irregular pattern and uttered the word .
"Domain Expansion : World of Puppets"