Seekers of Hell

People say murder is a crime. But let's think about it. Aren't there 5 billions of humans crowding on this Earth? Kira knew well how outrageous a number that is. Because he counted the gravels in the park when he was a kid. Of course he got discouraged after ten thousand, but he didn't forget the frustration he felt that time. There are five hundred thousand times that many humans.

Furthermore, it is said that the number of births and deaths everyday can be counted by the tens of thousands. What weight can Kira have by becoming a murderer? Beside, by killing people one by one, Kira can perfect each of their death thoroughly. Occasionally, he enjoys making sure the "process of death" takes up to half a day. With this incentive and experience, the information volume brought by one death can be much more important compared to what you can get by living a too short life. From Kira Hase's reasoning, can't you say that homicide is a more productive action?

With that creed, Kira wandered around in various places, accumulating murders. He didn't fear the law. The feeling of being imprisoned and handcuffed ―however many men it would actually require for that― was something he definitely "understood" to the point of not fearing it; he had "observed" enough deaths by hanging or on the electric chair for that. But his reason for escaping the law was, simply, because there is nothing to gain from being taken away from freedom and life in prison; hence he considered that living a life seeking everyday pleasure was better, that it was the right choice for a healthy man.

He is satisfied by squeezing the best out of the life force of those he kills, of feelings such as the attachment for human life, anger and affection. To let his victims know the exact time and circumstances of their death, that in itself had a deep meaning as rich as a miniaturized life. When on the verge of death, very common people will behave strangely, and on the other hand, people seen as exceptional will die in an extremely banal way― observing such patterns in humans, Kira pursued death; and while being an expert in death, he greatly studied its complete opposite, life. The more he killed people, the more he understood the lives he took.

That knowledge, that discernment in itself was a kind of dignity, a style.

Kira Hase was...accompanying Kirika Hotsuin to his own Dark Guild; the Hell Seekers. Of course, Kirika had snarked multiple times at the name—seeing it as cliché and what not; however, Kira was so enamored with this woman that he seemed to ignore her comments. "Here we are, Miss Kirika!"

They arrived at an imposing building mildly reminiscent of a bizarre fortress: it was surrounded by stone walls topped with railings, which ended on the front in the building's own entrance, flanked some meters away by a pair of modest light flags secured to the walls, and had two smaller, detached buildings at its sides, connected to the central one by suspended stone bridges complete with railings. Such secondary buildings possessed an elongated facade facing the main building and shorter sides, their pitched roofs were composed of tiles, and they sported several simple, square windows, appearing as nothing more than holes in the walls, and more elaborated, larger and arched ones. The main building, built of stone and linked to the two minor buildings by the suspended bridges, had another, central and arched bridge adorned by battlements, connecting a pair of large, square pillar-like structures placed in front of it, and seemed to take the form of a massive tower.

The base's most distinctive feature, however, was the entrance: acting as both the door to the main building and the seemingly only way to get past the walls, it consisted of a cylindrical structure topped by a complicated series of small, pitched tiled roofs pointing in several directions, piled up one on the other: right above the cylindrical part were three of such roofs, one pointing frontally like the structure itself, and the other two jutting out respectively to the left and to the right; above those were two more roofs yet again pointing outwards, topped by the last, single and more imposing roof, facing frontwards and seemingly being adorned by a clock, or a rose window. Below such roofs, topping the entrance was a large, arched dark sign reading "Hell Seekers" in light characters, possessing light edges and a pair of strange protrusions jutting upwards at its sides. The double wooden door below it, with the square pillars holding the sign up at its sides, sported a light, torn banner above it, almost split in two to house two distinct, dark heart symbols, one at the other's side. Flanking the entrance, in front of a series of small windows similar to those found on the secondary buildings, were two lines of dark, massive spear-like ornaments, held in place by brick supports in their upper part, just below their heads. Leading to the entrance was a small, modest wooden bridge, seemingly suspended over a river or a gorge.

"Wow," Kirika snarked, "When we have hover-vehicles powered by Lacrima and fifty story diamond houses, you guys are the most advanced. How you mighty Übermensches surprise me with your new-age crap."

Kira didn't seem to get the hint. "It's really wicked-cool, right!? Come on, come on!"

As Kirika was dragged inside; she was left rather...bored at the sights which she had witnessed.

Inside the guild was a large and tall room furnished like a club or pub of sort, possessing several tables paired with benches. The floor was composed of wood, bearing a distinctive square pattern in which every square was composed by four planks, and the ceiling sported a complicate system of massive, horizontal and vertical wooden beams hanging from it on top of the hall, just below the passageway leading to the second floor, which was complete with a small mezzanine; the lower horizontal beams had round lamps hanging from them. The inner side of the double door granting access to the building had thin reinforcements in the shape of "X"s, and bore two light banners with a dark heart symbol in its middle part, one on each leaf.

It certainly looked impressive...but maybe they were just attempting to make it appear posh to impress Kirika; whom was rather important and famous within the dark world; lauded throughout the underworld as a fearsome vixen without any equal in regards to combat and intelligence. Kirika herself wasn't too sure—and nor did she really care. "Nice place, I guess, but I don't see why you can't just set up the alliance instead of dragging me here, Hase."

Almost three years ago, Kirika might have had a hard time wearing her confidence the way she now does. The history, the long sequence of events and conflicts where she'd come out ahead, it could just as easily be a burden, the accumulated weight of the various precedents she'd set, but she'd made it into her armour, something to make everyone who knew her hesitate at a critical juncture.

Kira smiled at her, "So, here's our guild, the Hell Seekers—"

"Again, your name needs work. This place reeks of filth." Kirika sighed, yawning, "Show me the head honcho here and I'll be on my way, thank you very much." She dusted her clothing off; the guild had an oppressive aura about it.

"I do believe that you're looking for me, little lady." A booming voice called out; Kira glanced over to see the guild master approaching. The man had amber-orange eyes, and dark skin—his hair was long, reaching to about mid-back, silver in colour, and some of it fell over his shoulders. Shrouded in a black cloak; he certainly contained an air of mystery about him—and naturally, Kirika wasn't paying attention as he stood straight in front of her, about one head taller than the woman—the Guild Master of the Dark Guild known as Hell Seekers was Rizevim Oberon.

"That's good for you," Kirika growled, "Anyway, your little lackey brought me here, since an alliance would do both of us the world of good. Let me tell you three things. One, I want you to attack the Zodiac Knights and destroy them all; however, leave Joker to me—it's the Philosopher's Stone embedded inside their heart which I seek. Two, if you touch Tsuruko Sejren, then it will be bad for you. My showdown with Tsuruko is inevitable, but I don't really need it. Although it'd be the simplest thing for me to kill her instantly in any of our battles, I won't. She really is a paragon of hope; killing her off would prove...troublesome, as she'd go out like a martyr. Besides, I never planned to kill her in the first place—there's something important I have to do when she's near."

Kirika glared over at Rizevim; her tone suddenly less flirty and more vicious. "If you or any of your cronies touch even a single hair on Tsuruko Sejren's head, then there consequences will be dire. I will burn your Dark Guild, you disobedient scum. I will destroy everything you love and make you watch."

All of a sudden, Kirika grabbed Rizevim's sandwich out of his hands, taking a bite out of it. "Third, that is now my sandwich." She glanced up at Rizevim with a smug smirk.

Rizevim brushed this off, as the rumours of the Super Galaxy King were slowly doused with the air of haughtiness that this woman exuded; truth be told, he thought that Hase was hallucinating right now and this woman was just a...brat. "I highly disbelieve that you're all you're built up to be. I do not see a fearsome villainess; all I witness before me is a spoilt brat with an attitude problem. Get out of my face."

Kirika smirked. "Oh, my. Is it just me, or are all old men like you distrustful of outside help? Why so serious? I think somebody needs to loosen up. Look, I can do good for your little group as I can the Zodiac Knights. On one hand, I can form an alliance with you, and with my help, this guild can get a foothold in Hargeon. Buuuuuuuut, on the other! At any moment I can destroy you in a heartbeat, or let the Zodiac Knights charge in here and take your heads. I'd rather the former—a queen does need her servants, after all."

Rizevim's magical aura surged in the form of darkness—snapping, "Then I will destroy you and nothing will happen. I will crush your neck with my hands, woman. Give up now, and work under MY rule, and I will endeavour to make your death relatively painless."

"You better watch it." Kirika cackled as she snapped her fingers—summoning a silver and black belt from out of nowhere which had a triad of purple crystals engraved upon the buckle. "Don't mess with somebody who's far out of your league."

"You amateurs can't put on a good fight." Rizevim's darkness magic manifested; swelling around his arms in the forms of spheres as he yelled at Kirika, "Do children these days really enjoy watching these pathetic fights with these special armours? You Soul Armour Knights are all fakers, the lot of you! Amateurs play-fighting! You imposters can never match the brilliance of a true mage! If they go on, society may forget the true passion required to fight! Oh, this simply will not do! You need to be taught the true meaning of war. Of battle! Behold, my pageant of death and destruction begins!"

"Come on, you crusty old bastard! I guess it's time for a real- ah, how should I say it—" Kirika cackled, snarking, "Oh, my. I haven't said it in so long I've forgot what it is..." Shaking her head, Kirika let out a deep sigh—obviously unimpressed at herself.

Kirika's face contorted into a grin which showed no emotion; only teeth, as she let out a laugh louder than any ever heard before... or since.

It was a laugh that echoed in the halls of the guild, lingering for what seemed like hours.

"That's right! Your death will be my SHOWTIME!"