[Scene: Marketplace, Late Afternoon]
Layla walked through the bustling market, her brows furrowed in deep thought. She stopped in front of a small jewelry stall, staring at a golden bracelet.
Layla (thinking): "What am I even doing? He never accepts gifts… he'll just throw it away. And why am I even buying something so expensive for that ungrateful idiot?"
She sighed, tapping her fingers on the glass display.
Layla (grumbling to herself): "He'll probably say, 'I don't need this,' and walk away like always."
But still… she bought it.
Stuffing the small box in her bag, she pulled out her phone and hesitated before texting Alex.
Layla (texting): "Meet me at the café. Now."
She bit her lip. He's totally going to ignore this, right?
Surprisingly, within seconds—
Alex: "Fine."
Layla nearly dropped her phone.
Layla (shocked): "Wait. What? No arguing? No ignoring? He actually said yes?!"
Something felt off.
---
[Scene: Café]
Layla sat at a table, tapping her fingers on the surface. She was expecting Alex to be late—or not show up at all.
But then—
The bell above the café door chimed.
She looked up, expecting disappointment.
And froze.
Layla: "Alex?!"
Alex walked in, his hands in his pockets. No usual scowl, no annoyed glare, just… tired.
Layla blinked.
Layla (thinking): "Who is this imposter? The Alex I know would be groaning about wasting time already."
She watched as he sat down across from her, rubbing his temples.
Still no complaints. No sarcastic remarks.
Now she was really suspicious.
Layla (narrowing her eyes): "Okay. What's wrong with you?"
Alex exhaled, leaning back in his chair.
Alex (flatly): "Nothing."
Layla: "Liar. Did you get into a fight? Did someone punch you too hard? Are you sick? Or wait—" (gasping dramatically) "—did you suddenly grow a heart?"
Alex: "Shut up."
Layla (grinning): "There it is! The usual grumpiness! I was starting to get worried."
Alex rolled his eyes.
Layla reached into her bag, pulling out the small box.
Layla: "Anyway, here. This is for you."
Alex frowned at the box.
Alex: "What is this?"
Layla: "Your death sentence. Open it and see."
Alex sighed and flipped the lid open.
A golden bracelet.
He stared at it, completely unimpressed.
Alex: "A bracelet? Really?"
Layla (crossing her arms): "Yes, really. Now wear it."
Alex: "No."
Layla: "Yes."
Before Alex could shove the box back at her, another hand suddenly reached out and plucked the bracelet from the box.
Layla turned her head so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash.
Eden, standing beside the table, twirled the bracelet between his fingers, smiling like he had just found a treasure.
Layla (shocked): "Wait—WHAT are you doing?!"
Eden (grinning): "This is nice. Maybe I should keep it instead."
Layla's mouth fell open.
Alex glared at Eden.
Alex: "Don't touch my stuff."
Layla (offended): "'Your stuff'? You literally just refused it two seconds ago!"
Eden chuckled and placed the bracelet back in the box.
Meanwhile, behind them, Butler stood near the counter, sipping coffee like he was watching a drama unfold.
In the far distance, Rafael and Snake weren't close to the scene, but they were clearly watching. Rafael smirked, nudging Snake.
Rafael: "Look at that. Alex actually sat down with Layla without running away."
Snake: "Suspicious."
Back at the table, Alex noticed Butler and Eden exchanging weird glances.
Every few seconds, they'd look at him, then at Layla, then at each other.
And grin.
Alex's eyebrow twitched.
Alex (grumbling): "Why are they looking at us like that?"
Layla (shrugging): "Maybe because you're actually tolerating me for once?"
Eden smirked but didn't say anything.
But in his head—
Eden (thinking): "Crap. I'm stuck. If I ignore Layla, she'll think I'm avoiding her. But if I talk to her, she'll never leave me alone. Either way, I'm doomed."
---
[Flashback: Earlier That Day]
After storming off earlier, Alex found himself pacing back and forth, grumbling under his breath.
He had messed up.
With a sigh, he decided to do something unusual.
He went to find Eden.
When he spotted him, Eden was leaning against a wall, lost in thought.
Alex walked up to him, clearing his throat.
Alex (gruffly): "Oi."
Eden glanced up.
Alex: "Look, about earlier… I might've… been too harsh."
Eden raised an eyebrow.
Was Alex apologizing?
Eden (smirking): "Who are you and what have you done to Alex?"
Alex rolled his eyes.
Alex: "Shut up. I'm being serious."
Eden chuckled.
Eden: "Wow. An actual apology. This is rare. Should I write this down?"
Alex groaned.
Alex: "Forget it. I shouldn't have come."
Eden (grinning): "Relax, relax. Fine. Apology accepted."
Alex nodded.
But then—
A new idea popped into Eden's head.
Eden: "Since you're feeling guilty, how about you help me with something?"
Alex narrowed his eyes.
Alex: "What?"
Eden smirked.
Eden: "Let's make Layla your girlfriend."
Silence.
Alex stared at him.
Eden stared back.
Butler, standing nearby, choked on his drink.
And then—
Alex (deadpan): "I'm leaving."
Eden burst into laughter.
Butler was practically crying from laughing too hard.
---
[Back to Present, Café]
Alex glared at Eden, who was grinning suspiciously.
Alex: "Why do I feel like you're plotting something?"
Eden: "Me? Never."
Layla (suspicious): "Why do I feel like both of you are plotting something?"
Butler, watching from a distance, sipped his coffee dramatically.
Meanwhile, Rafael and Snake continued watching from afar, amused.
Rafael (chuckling): "This is going to be interesting."
Snake: "I'm already enjoying the show."
The chaos was far from over.
Alex was already regretting coming here. Layla was grinning too much. Eden was smirking too much. Butler was… just standing there like a background character, sipping his coffee and watching the disaster unfold.
And then—
Eden (mockingly): "So, Alex…"
Alex's eyebrow twitched.
Eden (grinning): "When's the wedding?"
Layla nearly choked on her drink.
Alex's soul left his body for a solid two seconds.
Alex (deadpan): "What."
Eden (dramatically): "You and Layla, of course! I mean, a little date at a café, exchanging gifts—sounds like the start of a beautiful love story."
Layla coughed, turning slightly red.
Alex, however, slammed his hands on the table.
Alex (harshly): "A DATE DOESN'T MEAN MARRIAGE, FOOL!"
Layla (giggling): "Yeah, yeah… maybe in a year or so~"
Eden's jaw dropped.
Alex's head snapped toward Layla.
Alex (horrified): "EXCUSE ME?!"
Layla (smirking): "What? I mean, since Eden is so curious, why not play along?"
Eden burst into laughter.
Eden (mockingly): "Ohhh, I see how it is! So, Layla, what kind of wedding do you want? Beachside? Fancy ballroom? Oh, oh! Maybe something small and private—just you, Alex, and your future kids—"
Alex (growling): "LAYLA WILL BE DEAD BEFORE THERE ARE KIDS!"
Layla only laughed harder.
Layla (teasing): "Aww, Alex is shy~"
Alex ran a hand down his face, sighing aggressively.
Butler, watching everything, took a slow sip of his coffee and muttered—
Butler: "This is pure entertainment."
---
[Meanwhile: Rafael & Snake – The Silent Spectators]
A little distance away, Rafael and Snake were still watching.
Rafael smirked, shaking his head.
Rafael: "Man, Eden really loves messing with Alex."
Snake: "And Layla just made it worse. I kinda respect that."
They both chuckled, watching as Alex continued to lose his mind inside the café.
Rafael: "Ten bucks says Eden somehow makes them fake date before the week ends."
Snake: "I'm not taking that bet. We both know it's gonna happen."
The café's peaceful atmosphere shattered in an instant.
Layla barely had time to react when—
BAM!
Something—no, someone—struck the back of her head.
She gasped, eyes widening, before her body went limp and collapsed onto the table. The cup in her hand slipped and crashed onto the ground, shattering into pieces.
Blood.
Red pooled beneath her as it trickled down her forehead.
Silence.
For one agonizing second, no one moved.
Then, Alex turned around.
And what he saw made his blood run cold.
A group—no, an army—stood before him.
The Evil Slayer Gang.
At the front, leading 60 men, stood a tall, muscular guy with a sinister grin—one that sent chills through even the toughest fighters in the city.
A 1st-tier captain.
But Alex wasn't looking at them.
He was staring at the unconscious Layla on the floor.
Blood.
Dripping.
His mind blanked.
Something inside him snapped.
And the next moment—
THUD!
Alex moved like a storm.
His fist smashed into the guy closest to him, sending him flying several feet back. A sickening crack echoed as the man hit the pavement, his nose instantly shattered.
Alex (growling): "…Bastards."
The gang hesitated, stepping back for a moment. They hadn't expected Alex to react this violently.
And then—
CRASH!
Alex lunged at the next guy.
A brutal punch to the ribs. A kick to the chest. Blood splattered.
One by one, the attackers fell.
[Scene Shift: Rafael & Snake – Enter the Observers]
From the shadows, Rafael and Snake had been watching.
But now, they could no longer stay back.
The two of them exchanged glances.
Rafael (scoffing): "Tch. Looks like this is getting serious."
Snake (cracking his knuckles): "You joining in?"
Rafael (grinning): "Obviously."
They stepped forward.
---
[Scene: The Duel of Captains]
Alex was in the middle of destroying yet another attacker when suddenly—
BANG!
A fist came out of nowhere.
Alex barely dodged. He twisted his body, the attack grazing past his cheek.
He turned to face his new opponent.
A man stood before him.
Confident. Unshaken.
His piercing gaze locked onto Alex with amusement.
And then—
A smirk.
??? (calmly): "I'm Mario. First-tier captain of Evil Slayer."
Alex's breathing was heavy, but his eyes sharpened.
Mario (tilting his head): "I think I know you, Alex. You're a first-tier captain too, aren't you?"
Alex clenched his fists.
He didn't care.
He didn't care about the titles, the rankings, the rules.
He only had one thought in his mind.
Layla.
She needed to be taken to a hospital. Now.
He couldn't waste time fighting.
His voice rang out—clear, commanding.
Alex (yelling): "Eden! Butler! Take her to the hospital. Now!"
Eden, who had been watching silently, his crimson eyes burning, nodded.
Without hesitation, he moved.
But before he could take another step—
SWOOSH!
More members of the Evil Slayer Gang rushed forward, aiming to stop them.
But before they could even get close—
CLANK!
A blade flashed.
The air grew thick.
Rafael & Snake had arrived.
Mario's smirk faltered for a second.
He wasn't scared.
But he wasn't shocked, either.
Because deep down, he had expected this.
And now—
It was war.
End of chapter 14