It’s almost eleven thirty when Ren reaches the entrance to the path leading up to the highest hill in the Tama area.

Waiting for him there is Leon Thzraneel, wrapped in a long black cloak, wearing a plastic mask of a well-known comic book superhero.

"Seriously, Leon? This mask is even worse than the last one..."

"I know, but Axel insists I shouldn’t let you see my face — he doesn’t suspect you know the identity of the fantastic vampire behind this mask. Or at least, I hope not. On top of that, the cheapskates I work for don’t reimburse disguises, so I have to make do on my own. And since there were discounts on Halloween masks, I took the chance to stock up."

"I’ll say it — you really are the worst hitman in the world. Come on, take me to that bastard right now. I’ll put an end to this once and for all."

Leon gives him a thumbs-up.

"Sure, that’s what I’m here for. But I’m warning you, Red’s a tough one. He’s a vampire much more powerful than me!"

"You already told me."

As they walk along the path leading up to the top of the hill, Ren keeps glancing around suspiciously. For all he knows, it could be an ambush, and in an instant he might find himself surrounded by who knows how many enemies. He stays alert, attentive to even the slightest rustle of leaves.

"Not much farther," Leon says after a few minutes of silence.

Ren simply nods.

With every step, he grows more tense than the last, and as he nears the meeting point, fear and worry begin to take hold of him. Feelings driven both by his concern for Iris and by Axel’s strength — something he has felt firsthand.

His chest still aches, even though several hours have passed since he was struck there. And it had only been an open-handed blow, clearly more a warning than a real attempt to hurt him.

If that was just the strength of a restrained strike, Ren can’t help but wonder how frighteningly strong Axel truly is — a thought that makes him shudder.

But the desire to save his sister and the anger toward the one who hurt her drive away that brief moment of fear in an instant.

"I probably shouldn’t say this, but... I’m rooting for you, Ren. Kick that piece of shit’s ass."

"You’re only saying that so you can go back to enjoying doing nothing without anyone on your back about work, huh?"

"That too... but mostly because you’re my best friend."

Ren lets out a faint smile as Leon keeps going.

"...and as soon as you rip that bastard’s head off, we’ll start training together!" Leon finishes.

"Training together? Yeah, that’d be cool, but... since when do you train? No offense, but I’ve never seen you break a sweat unless you were forced to."

"Yeah... that’s exactly why I want to start training!"

Leon’s voice grows slightly more serious.

"Seeing the courage and determination in your eyes as you go to face Red to save your sister... let’s just say it gave me the push I needed to finally take the first step."

"The first step toward what?"

"The first step toward becoming strong enough to avenge my parents’ death," Leon says, with a seriousness and edge that catches Ren off guard as much as his words do. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"So, you too...? Damn, you never told me — I didn’t expect it... how did it happen? I mean, if you feel like talking about it."

"Well, you told me how you lost yours — it’d be shitty not to do the same, right? And I guess sharing my pain with someone who understands it is therapeutic — or at least that’s what I read once in a magazine."

Even through that goofy superhero mask, Ren can clearly make out the pained expression slowly forming on Leon’s face.

"I was only nine when Zayn Thzraneel, my older brother, killed them..."

Just the first words — and they’re already enough to grip Ren’s heart.

"...and the worst part is that even after almost ten years, I still can’t make sense of why he did it. I’m not saying we were the happiest family in the multiverse, but there was never anything that could’ve hinted at something like that..."

Just like what happened to us with Raelor Valraen. Something so cruelly senseless that, like Leon, I can’t find a single fucking reason for it either...

"Some say what Zayn did was an act born of desperation, but I don’t believe it — my brother has always been a vampire with a clear, rational mind — a cold, calculating type who never let himself be carried away by his emotions..."

"Why do they think he was driven by desperation?"

"Well... you should know that, at the time, Zayn was considered one of the most promising young vampires in the kingdom of Mildelar. So much so that, at my age, he had already joined the Crimson Requiem — an elite squad made up of five of the most powerful vampires in the kingdom. It was thanks to his talent, but also to a dedication that bordered on obsession. He trained for hours every single day, pushing himself to become stronger and stronger, until he reached his limit. It was when his progress began to slow, growing smaller and smaller until it stopped, that something in Zayn changed. He was no longer the caring, gentle brother I admired — it was as if something dark was slowly devouring him from within, until his turmoil culminated in that absurd act. And after killing our parents, he vanished into thin air, and there’s been no news of him ever since..."

"I don’t think even I can fully understand your pain. Losing the people you love at the hands of your own blood must be something only those who’ve been through it can truly understand. That’s why I don’t think there are any words that can ease your suffering, but I can promise you one thing: as soon as I make that bastard of a vampire pay, we’ll throw ourselves into training together and become strong enough to avenge our parents."

"You killing Raelor Valraen and me killing Zayn... it feels so unreal that it could actually happen, and yet it’d be so cool if we both really managed to bring justice to those who were taken from us..."

Leon stops abruptly near the end of the path.

"From here on, you’ll have to go on alone. Axel is waiting just up ahead. Make sure you kick his ass."

Ren extends his fist toward Leon, and he meets it, knuckles to knuckles.

"I will."