Lina wanted to deliver the letter... but someone who seemed to work for the Hunters suddenly stood in front of the door. It was The Skeleton, wearing a gentleman's suit with glowing purple hair and eyes.
The Skeleton: "There is no need to worry... my lady."
Lina: "Mmm!"
She reached for her weapon.
The Skeleton: "I would not recommend that... Do you really think you can kill an undead? I would rather avoid unnecessary bloodshed... please be so kind."
Lina: "What do you want?!"
The Skeleton: "Very simple... We ask that you stay out of our business and hand me the letter."
Lina: "Ugh..."
The Skeleton: "And... I advise you to give it to me. I am being polite because I do not wish to involve you. It would be much better to deal with me than with someone like The Undertaker. Please... give it to me."
Lina: "I'm not risking my life for four thousand Coil. Here."
She handed him the letter.
The Skeleton: "...Hmm. This is indeed the one. Thank you very much, my lady. I wish you a wonderful day among the living."
He turned and walked away. Then a door suddenly appeared where there had been none before. He tipped his hat and stepped inside.
Lina: "Hah... hah... He may be polite... but that evil aura..."
Pump!
Lina: "That guy is one of the High Ones... I'm sure of it. Maybe as strong as The Finger or The Joker... I have to get to the others."
She hurried away.
Lina: "Huh!"
Skeleton: "Excuse me... my lady."
Lina: "What is it now?"
Half an hour later.
Sophie: "Where is she?"
Fiona: "Hmm..."
Rosika: "Fiona... I'm worried."
Fiona: "So am I."
Crash!
The library window suddenly shattered.
Sophie: "Whoa!"
Fiona: "What's going on?!"
Someone landed on the table. She was still alive.
It was Lina.
Lina: "Urk..."
Sophie: "Lina!"
Fiona: "Damn it!"
They looked around.
Fiona: "Evacuate the entire library! Now!"
Sophie: "Quick! Everyone get out!"
The building was evacuated.
Lina: "Ugh..."
Sophie: "Lina... are you alright? What happened?"
Lina: "He... he's here."
Step. Step.
The Skeleton: "As I can see... I must do this myself."
Sophie: "Ugh."
Fiona: "What... a Hunter?"
The Skeleton: "Greetings, esteemed members of Dark Umbrella. I have a message from the Hunters. Whether you find the Keys or not... you cannot stop us. Stay out of our way. Oh, and by the way... I did not kill that lady... but she has lost her arm."
Lina groaned.
Sophie: "You bastard! You'll pay for that!"
Fiona: "No, Sophie."
She stopped her.
Fiona: "Wait... That man... he's a monster. He's even worse than The Joker. Look around."
Sophie looked.
Bodies of the people who had been inside the library were everywhere.
Sophie: "They're... dead. He killed them."
Fiona: "The Joker would rather leave quietly. This one... pretends to be polite while murdering everyone."
The Skeleton: "I apologize. They were in my way. Their screams were unpleasant."
He grabbed one surviving student by the face and lifted her into the air.
Student: "Mmm...!"
A glowing purple light flowed out of her head. Her skin turned pale before her body went limp.
Splash!
Sophie: "Ugh!"
Fiona: "Damn it! She was only a student! Why would you do that?!"
The Skeleton: "Age is only a number when it comes to killing, my ladies. In fact... the weaker the person... the more enjoyable it is to torture them. Eat or be eaten. Kill or be killed."
He tossed the body aside.
The Skeleton: "These poor people are finally at peace. You think death is something terrible... look at me. I am half dead and cannot even rest. Death is better than becoming an undead who can neither age nor die."
Sophie: "He's really... worse than The Joker or The Finger."
The Skeleton: "Now then... I shall be on my way."
He turned around.
Siegfried was suddenly standing behind him.
Siegfried: "Hmm."
The Skeleton: "(Since when was he behind me?)"
Siegfried's hand glowed green as he slammed his fist into Skeleton's face.
Crash!
The Skeleton was launched several meters away.
Siegfried: "You think you can kill an innocent student and simply walk away... You murderer of children."
The Skeleton: "Strange... My energy should have affected you as well."
Siegfried: "I'm like you in that regard. Your light is poison... and I carry poison myself."
The Skeleton: "That is rather unfortunate, sir. Even so... I must leave. If you let me go, the student behind me lives. If you come any closer... she dies."
Siegfried clenched his fists.
The Skeleton: "Just as I thought."
He continued walking, opened another mysterious door, tipped his hat, and smiled.
The Skeleton: "It was a pleasure meeting you... ladies and gentlemen."
He stepped through and disappeared.
Hours later.
Lina was taken to the hospital.
Rosika: "Huh?!"
Fiona: "Well?"
Sophie: "Don't worry. They managed to save her arm. There was still enough bone and tissue attached for surgery."
Siegfried: "Sophie. Fiona. Take this."
He handed them the letter.
Sophie: "How did you get it?"
Siegfried: "While I was behind Skeleton."
Fiona: "Good work, Siegfried."
Siegfried: "Just what are these Hunters? Every one of them is different. More brutal... or more cunning."
Sophie: "That man wasn't like Joker. Joker is evil, but she avoids attention. Skeleton had no problem causing chaos."
Meanwhile.
The Skeleton: "Ugh... I lost the letter."
The Finger: "What?"
The Joker: "Skeleton... the Master specifically told us to avoid drawing attention."
The Skeleton: "Yes... I know."
The Joker slammed her fist onto the table.
The Joker: "Then why did you do it? Do you want to anger the Boss? The Finger and I are the ones who have to deal with the consequences, you brainless idiot!"
The Finger: "And you even lost the letter. At least if you had kept it, this would not have been for nothing."
The Skeleton: "Please... let me go again. This time I'll do it rig..."
Crash!
His head fell to the floor.
The Joker sighed.
The Finger: "Looks like you're finally here... Musician."
The Musician: "Sorry. Took me a while. What trouble did Skeleton cause this time?"
The Skeleton picked up his own head and stood again.
The Skeleton: "Good to see you... Musician."
The Musician: "The Boss sent me here."
The Joker: "Good. Musician, keep an eye on Skeleton. I will never send you alone again, Skeleton."
The Skeleton: "Really?"
The Joker glared at him.
The Joker: "Really. You're one of the strongest Hunters and one of the Daggers, just like The Finger and me. But control your temper... or I'll make sure you regret it forever."
She stepped closer.
The Joker: "The Finger and I were placed in command by the Boss. I'm not like The Finger. Anyone who ruins my plans through stupidity is in my way... and everyone in my way dies."
The Musician: "The Finger... I heard something. A little girl saw you while following Dark Umbrella, yet you spared her. Why?"
The Joker: "Is that true?"
The Finger: "Yes."
The Skeleton: "Is he getting punished too?"
The Joker: "Quiet. The Finger made the correct decision. His mission was to follow Sophie, Fiona, and Dark Umbrella. He had his reasons."
The Musician: "Really? I once got punished just for sparing an animal."
He walked up to The Finger.
The Musician: "You may be the Boss's right hand... but don't forget that I'm just as strong as you. Unlike you... I'm almost immortal, just like The Joker."
The Joker grabbed both of them.
The Joker: "Enough. We have a mission. Musician, don't forget that while The Finger can die, his regeneration is extraordinary. Killing him isn't easy. And stop arguing over a child. If it makes you feel better... kill the child."
The Finger handed him the address.
The Musician: "Thank you. One question... Joker. May I kill her however I like?"
Meanwhile.
The child woke up in the middle of the night.
Child: "I'm thirsty."
She walked toward the kitchen.
Child: "Huh?"
The Musician: "Hello... young lady."
Child: "Who are..."
The Musician: "Shh. We don't want to wake your parents. Would you like to hear some music?"
Child: "Yes."
Dong... Dong...
Ghosts appeared and began singing.
Blue, green, and red musical notes flowed from the Musician's staff.
The chorus grew louder.
The Musician: "Now."
More ghosts appeared, humming softly.
The Musician laughed.
The Musician: "Well? Did you enjoy it?"
Child: "Yes."
The glowing notes entered her ears.
Child: "Hehehe... hehehe..."
One hour later.
The Musician: "Finished."
The Finger: "What did you do?"
The Musician: "See for yourself."
The Finger opened the door.
The child was holding a knife.
Her parents lay dead on the bed.
Child: "Hehehe..."
The Finger: "You monster."
The Musician: "Come on. Everyone will think she's insane. If she tells people she saw monsters, no one will believe her. I didn't even kill the child."
The Finger remained silent.
They left.
The Musician: "Within twenty four hours she'll recover. But she'll remember killing her parents. Even if she remembers us... no one will believe her."
The Finger: "I told you to make it painless."
The Musician: "I never killed her."
The Finger: "But she'll live with that trauma. Your music is terrifying."
The Musician: "I only do it so I can win the woman I like. By the way... are there any beautiful women in Dark Umbrella?"
The Finger looked at him.
The Musician: "How wonderful it would be... to take the innocence of one of them. I'll choose the prettiest virgin..."
The Finger grabbed him by the throat.
The Finger: "Focus on the mission, Musician. Not your desires or your twisted behavior."
The Musician: "You're foolish, Finger. Keep acting like this and Noe will replace you."
The Finger: "I kill only when necessary."
The Musician: "Then kill more innocents. You'll learn that it's always necessary."
The Finger: "If Noe had ordered it, I would have. But the mission came first."
The Musician: "Fine. Let go."
The Finger released him.
The Finger: "You forgot someone."
The Musician froze.
The Musician: "Damn... That's right. Joker might be angry."
A few minutes later.
The Joker: "Well?"
The Finger: "He didn't kill the child. He made her kill her own parents. Everyone will think she's insane."
The Joker: "You forgot one thing, Musician. If Dark Umbrella discovers her, they could question her."
The Musician stayed quiet.
The Joker: "Forget it. If we kill her now, it will only make things more suspicious. I'll let it slide this time. Still... good work."
The Musician: "Oh... The Joker praised me."
The Finger: "You still want to date her?"
The Musician: "Of course. Look how gorgeous she is."
The Joker: "Enough. Two Keys remain. Next stop... San Marino. Finger, you stay here and watch Dark Umbrella. Musician, Skeleton, you're coming with me. The next lead on a Key is supposedly there."
The Musician: "Got it."
The Finger: "What about Skeleton?"
The Joker: "He's coming too. I'd rather bring you, Finger, but someone has to watch what Dark Umbrella does here. Skeleton changes personalities too easily, and the Musician listens to his urges too much. You're the one I trust. Is that alright? After all, you're the Boss's right hand, just like me."
The Finger: "Fine by me."