Chapter 10: Mentor

The elevator doors swung open, and Kai saw the teenagers stepping out.

"I knew you’d make the right choice," he said with a big smile.

The three approached slowly, doubts lingering in their eyes, but aware they needed help. Kai’s group seemed like honest people. If they were enemies… they would’ve known by now.

"We’ll stay so Hayato can learn how to use his powers," Asley said firmly.

"It’s true I’m a Dual… but I don’t know anything about him. I can’t even summon him like they can…" Hayato added, head lowered.

"Don’t worry, kid. Sometimes your dual spirit takes its time to manifest…" Kai replied as he walked toward a new door.

"Minerva has a theory that every human being is a Dual. It’s just that our souls don’t resonate enough to manifest," the American added.

The door slid open with a soft hiss.

"But don’t worry, we’re about to take a look at your case. Follow me," he said, stepping inside the room.

The teens followed, leaving their school things on a nearby couch.

They entered a room so white it almost hurt their eyes. No furniture, no screens, not even the slightest texture. When the door closed behind them, it seemed to vanish entirely.

"This is a training room," Kai explained. "It’s reinforced to prevent damage to the building in case your powers get out of control."

"Wow… this sounds too good. Really high-tech," Sakura murmured.

"Yeah. These facilities use cutting-edge technology developed by Minerva," Kai answered calmly.

"In fact… nobody outside these walls would hear you scream…"

He turned around and grabbed Hayato by the neck with sudden force.

Hayato struggled, trying to break free, while Asley and Sakura froze at the unexpected movement.

Was this… a trap?

"Mr. Ventura… what are you doing?" Sakura asked timidly.

Asley, on the other hand, didn’t hesitate for even a second. She launched herself forward, throwing a punch straight at his face.

"What are you doing to Hayato!?" she shouted, putting all her fury into the strike.

Kai deflected her attack with his free hand, as if she were nothing but an annoyance.

"M-Mr… Ventura… I can’t… breathe…" Hayato gasped, barely getting the words out.

"I know," he replied, not loosening his grip.

His expression shifted instantly. He became serious. Cold.

"Oh, I forgot to mention…"

He leaned in slightly, looking at the boy with an expression that froze the air.

"My name is Kai Ventura, former General of the Extermination Squad of the United States and Japan, Division 1."

A deadly silence fell over the room.

Kai continued, unfazed:

"506 effective Dual exterminations… including women and children."

Asley felt a chill crawl down her spine, while Sakura stepped back, trembling.

Hayato felt his strength slipping away more and more with each second.

Kai brought his face closer, looking at him with a mix of challenge and brutality.

"So tell me, Hayato…"

His grip tightened slightly.

"What are you going to do?"

In an instant, Kai sensed movement and turned his gaze just in time to see Luminelle leaping toward him with fists raised.

"Get away from him, you creepy old man!" the magical girl shouted, ready to smash him with everything she had.

Kai lifted his arm toward the girl and, without even turning his body, his wristband fired a projectile.

ZAP!

An electrical burst shot out, slicing through the air with a sharp snap.

The blast struck Luminelle directly.

"Gah!" she screamed as her body stiffened instantly.

The pink light surrounding her transformation flickered… then vanished completely, leaving Sakura on her knees, trembling from the shock.

"L-Look, sorry… I don’t have time for games," Kai said with disturbingly calm indifference, as if this were a daily routine.

He turned his gaze back to Hayato, whom he still held by the neck. His expression turned cold, razor-sharp.

"So come out already… if you don’t want to die."

The air grew heavy. Asley’s legs shook. And Hayato, gasping, felt for a moment that his life was hanging by a thread.

He remembered Trigger’s words from that day.

"Pull the trigger."

Slowly, he raised his hand, mimicking the motion of holding an invisible gun, as if he were about to shoot Kai.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" he screamed—more out of desperation than courage.

"I see… so now you finally need my help, kid…"

"Well, I don’t have anything better to do."

"Let the show begin."

A red flash lit up the room.

Hayato’s body began to change: his hair turned white, his clothes shifted into a violet trench coat, and a cowboy hat appeared tilted over his head.

Kai smiled when he saw the transformation.

But Asley did not look pleased.

Her aura didn’t manifest.
Her Dual wasn’t responding.

"Valjfreya… why are you doing this to me now?" she whispered, a knot forming in her throat.

The spirit of the valkyrie appeared behind her like a radiant, ghostly presence.

"This is his trial. Don’t interfere… like that idiot over there." She glanced at Sakura, still on her knees from the shock.

"B-but…"

"If that boy really matters to you, you must let him suffer."
"I won’t help you protect him. Warriors are forged in battle."

"He’s not a warrior! He needs my help!"

No answer came. Valjfreya faded away like an icy sigh.

Trigger, seeing he was still being held, planted both feet firmly against Kai’s chest and pushed with force, slipping out of his grip.

"Sorry, old man, I only take English lessons from blondes. Nothing personal," Trigger said, materializing his pistols with a smug grin.

"I see…" Kai murmured as he typed something into his wrist device. "So you’re that boy’s Dual."

"I’m nobody’s Dual," Trigger scoffed. "This weakling is just my vessel."

He adjusted his hat with theatrical flair.

"And I’m gonna beat you up just for waking me on my day off."

Kai tapped his own chest.

A metallic wave rippled across his torso and, in the next instant, millions of nanobots spread across his body, forming metallic plates and armor segments until he was completely covered, just like Liberty’s mecha-soldiers… but bulkier, more dangerous.

"You talk a lot. Very confident… I like that," Kai replied as the suit finished assembling.

His eyes glowed behind the visor.

"Let’s see if you stay that chatty."

He took a step forward.

"Your training starts now…" he said with a seriousness that chilled the blood.

The air tensed like a wire on the verge of snapping.

Asley hesitated, torn between intervening or trusting the process.

Sakura could barely get back on her feet, her heart pounding wildly.

They didn’t know if this was training… or a real extermination.

But one thing was certain. Kai Ventura didn’t play games.