Chapter 11 – God Spear Visionary
Aven sidestepped just in time as the blazing bullet whizzed past his face. Chloe kept firing relentlessly, but then—something strange happened.
The flame bullet collided with Sephiroth. Instead of burning through, the blade swallowed it whole, flames spiraling along the steel.
And then—
Click.
The sword twisted, reshaped, and reformed into a sleek firearm that still carried the menacing aura of Sephiroth.
"What—what the hell?!" Chloe's grin faltered. "That's impossible!"
Aven's eyes widened, but then quickly lit up with glee.
"So this… this is the real power of Sephiroth?!" He raised the weapon with a manic laugh. "Hahaha! Finally, things are looking up for me!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
He fired in a frenzy, bullets of fire ripping through the air. Chloe dodged easily, twirling aside like she was dancing.
"Too slow!" she teased.
But Aven smirked, holding back one last shot. "Gotcha."
The final bullet tore forward—an arrow of compressed wind wrapped in fire, screaming through the narrow alley. Chloe froze, caught off-guard.
"Wait—!" she cried.
But before the bullet struck her—
Fwip.
The white cloth wrapped around the weapon on her back flicked open like a shield. The bullet slammed into it, but the fabric held, unscathed. Not a scorch, not a tear.
Aven's jaw dropped. "You've gotta be kidding me. A piece of cloth?! That thing just tanked my shot?!"
Chloe's grin returned, sharper than ever. "You really thought it'd be that easy, idiot?"
The cloth slipped down, revealing the monstrous barrel of an AWM sniper rifle. Its black scope glinted as Chloe raised it slowly, deliberately aiming at Aven.
His confidence drained instantly. "A-AWM?! You're pulling out an AWM?!" His knees trembled. "You're insane!"
Chloe tilted her head innocently. "This is the real world of Bounders, sweetheart."
BOOM.
The shot shattered the silence, the bullet grazing Aven's cheek as he yelped and dove for cover.
"G-Gh… she almost took my head off!" His face was pale, sweat trickling down. He fell on his backside, staring at her. "Y-you're trying to murder me, aren't you?!"
Chloe's grin stretched wider, almost predatory. "Relax. If I wanted you dead, you'd already be in pieces. Right now…" she licked her lips, "I just feel like hunting."
"NOT FUNNY!" Aven screamed and bolted, arms flailing. He sprinted down the alley like a rabbit, Chloe trailing him with calm, measured steps.
She fired again—this time aiming at his legs.
"WAAHH!" Aven twisted mid-run, raising Sephiroth in panic. The bullet curved, swallowed whole by the blade.
"Hah! Nice try!" he crowed between gasps for air. Then, suddenly realizing what happened, he smirked through his fear. "Ohhh, I see… you just gave me another snack. Sephiroth eats bullets now. Kekeke! Guess who's in trouble, huh?!"
For a split second, Chloe's eyes widened. But then—
Clang!
Sephiroth transformed back, the firearm melting into its original massive blade.
Aven blinked. His smugness collapsed. "…Eh?"
The silence hung heavy—until he screamed, "WHAT THE HELL, SEPHIROTH?!"
Chloe burst into laughter, doubling over. "Oh, you poor thing. You really thought you could handle a legendary weapon? Hahaha! Pathetic. That sword won't waste its true power on a weakling like you."
"W-Weakling?!" Aven sputtered. "I almost had you!"
She ignored him, raising her rifle again. "And that's why I don't mind fighting you. Because deep down, I know you can't control it."
She pulled the trigger—again and again. The alley exploded with gunfire. Bullets ricocheted off walls, tearing chunks of concrete as Aven ducked and weaved, his breath ragged. He was cornered, surrounded by her shots, Sephiroth's weight dragging him down.
"Is… is this it?" Aven whispered, slumping against the wall. His chest heaved. "Is this… my fate?"
Chloe's final shot rang out—but deliberately missed, hitting just beside his head. She lowered the rifle, her grin playful now, almost mocking.
"Relax, dumbass. If I wanted you dead, you'd be a smear on that wall." She leaned her rifle against her shoulder. "That was just a test. I wanted to see how the 'so-called wielder of Sephiroth' measures up."
Aven blinked. "A… a test?!"
"Mmhm." She tilted her head, eyes narrowing. "But you'd better keep your guard up. The 'Children of God' have their eyes on that blade of yours. And trust me, compared to them, I'm merciful."
"The what now? Children of—? Who are these freaks?!"
Chloe smirked. "That's for you to find out. Oh, and one more thing—you're not the only one hunting legendary weapons. I'm from the Order of GodSpearVisionary. Remember that name."
Aven staggered back. "GodSpearVisionary…?!"
Chloe sauntered closer, slipped a folded piece of paper into his hand, and winked. "That's my number. Call me when you stop being useless."
Aven frowned. "Let me guess… money? You'll want me to pay, right? If so, forget it! I'd rather you spread my location!"
Chloe chuckled, already fading into the shadows. "Not money. Something much more valuable. You'll find out soon enough."
Her figure blurred, then vanished completely. Only her voice lingered:
"Bye, little Bounder. Try not to die before we meet again."
The alley fell silent, leaving Aven clutching the slip of paper, his jaw trembling.
"…Why do I attract psychos?"
Back in the present, Aven lay sprawled on the couch while Mayane dabbed ointment across the gash on his forehead. Her expression was far more serious than usual, though her small hands trembled slightly with worry.
"Be honest with me, Brother," she demanded, narrowing her eyes. "Who did this to you? Whoever they are—I'll beat them up myself."
Aven sighed dramatically, then sat up with a solemn face. "Alright, fine. I'll tell you the truth."
Mayane leaned closer, bracing herself.
"I was crossing the street," he began, lowering his voice. "And then… I saw it. A shining bill of cash flying in the wind. I couldn't just let it go. I ran for it—like a hero chasing destiny. But then…" He clenched his fist. "A car came out of nowhere. Bam! Hit me. If it weren't for my sheer resilience, I wouldn't be here today."
He threw his head back. "Curse you, capitalism!"
For a heartbeat, silence. Then—
"Pfft—HAHAHAHA!" Mayane doubled over, clutching her stomach. "What kind of stupid excuse is that?! You greedy idiot! If you had died, who would take care of me, huh?"
"Hey, hey!" Aven puffed out his chest, ignoring the bloodied bandages. "I'm strong, I'm indestructible, I'm—"
Whack!
Mayane's fist sank into his stomach.
"Shut up, moron. I'm treating you."
Aven collapsed sideways, groaning. "Aghhh! You demon! I'm injured already!"
Night fell over the quiet house. From the kitchen, the smell of miso soup and grilled fish drifted into the living room where Aven lounged, half-watching TV. Mayane hummed softly as she cooked, her back to him.
"Mayane," he called, his tone unusually steady.
"What now?" she replied without turning.
"I might not come home for a while." His voice carried over the flickering sound of the TV. "Work in Kyoto's… demanding. But the pay is good. I'll send you money every week if I can. Just… take care of yourself while I'm gone, alright? And if anything happens, call me immediately."
Mayane kept chopping vegetables, but her movements slowed. "Yeah, yeah. I heard you. Just shut up and let me finish dinner."
Aven forced a laugh, leaning back on the couch. "…You're too cold to your amazing big brother."
Later that night, after dinner, Aven slipped into his room. He sat on the edge of the bed, clutching his phone. With a deep breath, he typed a message to Chloe.
Hey. It's me. About earlier—
He sent it. Waited. No reply.
Another message. Then another. And another.
Still nothing.
"Damn scammer!!!" he roared, throwing the phone onto the bed.
"Keep it down!" Mayane's muffled voice rang from her room. "It's the middle of the night!"
Aven groaned, burying his face in the pillow.