CW: Violence

Teruko and Eden searched through the lower floors, looking for J. "Come on, just where could she be?!" Eden questioned, worried for her friend. Teruko didn't know either. Considering the three had gotten kidnapped, they feared the worst already. Because only God knew what happened to her.

"We just have to keep looking for her while Levi and Charles get Ace, so we have to just hope we find her." Teruko huffed out as she ran, looking around. All the halls looked exactly the same to her. How were they supposed to know where they were going and not get lost?! Scratch that, how do the workers here not get lost?!

Suddenly, her eyes widened as she nearly dodged a knife being thrown at the two. A cut was made on her cheek instead, the knife getting stuck to the wall. Eden squeaked.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the offerings. Having fun, running around like little sheep?" Petra spoke as they slowly walked outside the corner, their heels clicking with each step they took. Teruko frowned, a bead of sweat rolling down her face.

"Who are you?" Eden asked, scared.

"My name? I don't remember. However, you may call me Petra." they spoke, pulling out more knives from their pockets "Your doom." they added, a gein on their face. Teruko grabbed the knife attached to the wall, getting it unstuck and pulling Eden behind her.

"Well, good luck with being our doom, because we don't plan on dying here." the lucky student declared, wiping off the blood from her cheek. Petra grinned.

"Well, good luck with that Tawaki." they chuckled, rushing at her and aiming their knives. They threw a few, making Teruko's instincts kick in. She swung her arm, the knife in her hand making contact with the others and deflecting them.

"Eden, grab one, quick!" she exclaimed as she forced her upper body to bend backwards, dodging a kick. Petra spun on their heel, attempting to roundhouse Teruko. However, the lucky student fell down to the floor, dodging the attack yet again. She rolled on the floor, gaining some distance from Petra.

"Wow, not bad." they chuckled, twirling a knife in their hand as they threw it at Teruko. She thankfully dodged it, breathing heavily.

'Dammit... All that running left me with barely any energy...' she thought, sweat rolling down her face like if it was a river. Petra smirked. They knew. And Teruko knew they knew. Which made this bad.

"Tired already?" they teased, stepping towards her. Teruko gulped, ready to counter the attack however she could.

"LEAVE HER ALONEEEE!" Eden screamed as she ran at Petra, knife aimed at them. Petra turned around, taken aback by the sudden attempt to attack. However, they were quick to kick her in the face, making her fall to the floor.

"You-"

*STAB!*

"...Ah..."

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"If I had to guess... They'd have to be on the highest floor." Teruko suggested "It seems like the most obvious choice, but effective."

"How high even is this..." Charles mumbled.

"We have no time for that. We have to hurry." Levi ushered, running out of the room.

"Levi, wait- Ugh. He's gone..." Teruko sighed, facepalming.

"I'll go with him. You two look for J." Charles told the two girls, ready to follow after Levi. Teruko frowned. He didn't really want to separate from the chemist, but if nothing could be done, then she had to deal with it.

"Charles, wait!" she called. Charles turned his head around, raising a brow. Teruko felt her breath hitch for a moment.

"...You better come back aive." she threatened. Although she didn't want to make it seem like one. Charles stared at her in surprise, not expecting that at all.

"...I will. Don't worry." he promised.

"I hear voices in there!" Charles exclaimed as he and Levi ran up the stairs to the last floor. The brunet hurried, his legs felt like they were burning from how many stairs they had been running. However, he swallowed the pain, as his main priority was finding his boyfriend.

The two ended up in front of a big, big door. Made out of what seemed like iron. "This... This has has be the room, right?" Levi panted, looking at it intensely. Charles nodded.

"It has to be, considering this is the only actual door in this floor." he deadpanned. Levi glared at him for that.

"...Sorry." Charles mumbled, looking away. Sighing, Levi kicked the doors open, ready to fight whatever was inside. Although neither him nor Charles were ready for the sight inside.

Laying on the floor in pain, Ace was hugging himself while a figure stood in front of him, a bat in her hand. She had long, brown hair with blonde fade and bright red eyes, wearing a big black coat that had yellow accents and black boots. Levi's eyes widened, feeling his breath leave his body.

"ACE!" he yelled, getting the girl's attention. She grinned.

"Look! You were right, Acey!" she cooed, kneeling down and forcing the jockey to look at his boyfriend. Ace grunted, his face softening as he saw Levi.

"L-Le-vi-" he coughed out, small tears in his eyes. Levi clenched his fists, his blood boiling, and he could slowly start seeing red. Ace was hurt. He was hurt. That woman had hurt him.

"Well, now the show can finally begin!" she grinned, tossing Ace to the side. He coughed in pain. Charles quickly rushed to his side. The woman didn't seem to notice him—or she did, and just didn't care—instead focusing on Levi.

"Introductions are important, right?" she asked, her hand slowly dragging itself down the bat. Levi noticed the barbed wire wrapped around it, blood splattered over it.

"I don't need to introduce myself to someone like you." he scowled. The woman smiled.

"Oh, I meant about myself! I already know who you are, buddy." she chuckled "My name is Nayoko. Mizuno Nayoko. The leader of Zetsubou." Nayoko introduced herself, slightly bowing forwards. Levi glared at her. He rushed forwards, punching her in the face.

"GAH!"

"You cretin! I won't ever forgive you!" Levi yelled, filled with rage. Nayoko dodged the second punch, her cheek swollen red. She glared at him, reeling her arm back and hitting Levi in the face with her bat. He stepped backwards, his head bleeding. He quickly wiped off the blood, charging at her yet again.

"G-God, s-so much blood." Charles gasped, panicking as he tried his best to clean off the blood on Ace's body. The jockey groaned in pain, looking up at Charles.

"Ngh... C-Charles..?" he asked. The chemist sighed in relief.

"Yes, it's me. I'm glad your memory isn't affected at all, although I'm not surprised considering you easily recognized Levi." he commented, tearing up a sleeve and wrapping it around Ace's head. The jockey just let out a heavy breath, feeling dizzy.

"Everything's... spinning..." he mumbled out. Charles frowned.

"It must be because of the beating. Just let Levi take it from here." the chemist assured him. Ace just nodded, closing his eyes. Charles sighed in relief before turning to look at Levi.

Levi dodged another swing, kicking Nayoko in the gut and pushing her to the floor. She grunted in pain. "H-Heh. Not bad. If you weren't with Markey, I would have recruited you." she chuckled. Levi's gaze hardened at her words.

"Shut your mouth, you scum." he deadpanned, glaring at her. She got up, dodging a kick. However, he grabbed her face, much to both her and Charles' surprise. He wasn't himself. He was letting all the anger out on Nayoko.

He smashed her head agains the floor, her letting out a cry of pain. Ignoring it, he let go of her face and got on top of her, lifting his fist up and hitting her in the face. He did it again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again.

All of the anger he was feeling, he was letting it out in the form of violence. Nayoko had long stopped letting out cries of pain, just feeling numb and letting Levi beat the crap out of her. Charles wanted to look away. He really did. Because this... this wasn't Levi. This wasn't the Levi who became the leader of the group and the emotional and moral support. This was someone different.

"Le...vi..."

Levi stopped when he heard Ace's voice, his head slowly turning to the redhead. The look of raw rage slowly softened as he got up, slowly walking up to the jockey. "Ace..." he whispered. Ace wanted to move his body, but it was painful. Still, he slowly raised his hand, wiping off Nayoko's blood from Levi's face.

"Can we... please leave?" Charles asked, avoiding looking at the bloody Nayoko. Levi nodded, seemingly back to normal.

"Yes. Let's."

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