Yandere Levelling in Her World Chapter 193 194: Children of Judith

Darkness greeted Silver as her eyelids slowly opened. A throbbing ache persisted in her head, and the metallic tang of blood coated her tongue. Her limbs felt unnaturally heavy, as if manacles had been attached to each joint.

An attempt to shift revealed thick ropes constricting her wrists and ankles, tethering her to a rigid wooden chair. The rough fibers chafed her skin with every fruitless struggle.

A low, mechanical hum resonated within the chamber. Glancing down, Silver observed a slender tube extending from her inner elbow, linked to a compact, ominous machine situated on a metal stand nearby.

With soft clicks and whirs, the apparatus began drawing dark crimson blood from her vein in measured, rhythmic pulses. A transparent collection bag hung below, already attaining a half-full state. Silver gazed upon the scene in utter disbelief, her breath catching in her throat. She strained against the bindings, but the ropes held fast.

Just as apprehension threatened to overwhelm her, a figure emerged from the shadows opposite her. A woman sat upon a low stool, legs crossed, elbows resting on her knees.

She leaned forward, observing Silver with an intense, unwavering gaze. Short black hair framed a sharp countenance. The same leather jacket from the alley adorned her slim form. Drain.

The woman inclined her head, offering a slow, almost tender smile.

"Welcome back, sister," Drain's voice was soft and smooth, laced with a hint of amusement. "I hadn't anticipated that gas affecting you so profoundly. It's typically used to subdue disaster-level monsters. Perhaps that's why it struck you with such force. Overkill, but effective."

Silver's throat felt parched. She managed to force out a word. "Drain..."

Drain acknowledged with a single, small, deliberate nod. "Indeed, sister. I'm heartened you recall me, even after our mother's exile."

Silver's voice sharpened, rising despite her enveloping weakness. "She exiled you for attempting to steal from her."

Drain's smile broadened, yet her eyes remained devoid of warmth. She rose gracefully from the stool, closing the distance in two deliberate strides. Leaning down, her face hovered mere inches from Silver's. Their breaths mingled in the stale atmosphere.

Silver glared upward. "And how did that endeavor fare for you?"

Drain's gaze briefly fell to Silver's lips before returning upward. She spoke in a hushed tone, her words like a shared confidence. "It proved most advantageous, unlike your own path. Now, I no longer require reliance on others' blood to sustain my power."

A bitter laugh escaped Silver, dissolving into a cough. "Wonderful. So treachery served you well. If that's the case, why the persistent pursuit? Why am I here?"

Drain stood straighter, turning slightly to observe the blood collection bag. The crimson fluid swirled gently within as the machine continued its steady operation. A fleeting, unexpected flicker of pity crossed her features.

"I object to Judith's actions concerning you girls," Drain stated, her tone shifting from playful to serious. "I intend to make her reconsider."

She ambled in a slow circle around the chair, her fingers lightly brushing the backrest. Silver tracked her movements, muscles taut despite the restraints.

"I am well aware of Judith's character," Drain continued. "She is no savior, contrary to her pretense. Her motivations are undoubtedly self-serving." Drain paused behind Silver, leaning close once more, her lips near her ear. "And you likely know them yourself. Is that not why you were observing the Liberator building?"

"I wasn't observing the building. I merely happened to be present," Silver responded weakly.

Drain paused, then stepped back into view, crouching to bring their eyes level. "Then what were you observing?"

Silver pressed her lips together, staring straight ahead, refusing to yield an answer.

Drain studied her for a prolonged moment before shrugging, as if the silence held no significance. "I shall obtain my answers. However, for the present, surrender the blood Judith provided you. I shall reveal something intriguing."

She reached for the collection bag, detaching it from the machine with practiced efficiency and sealing the tube. The bag dangled from her grasp, heavy with Silver's blood. Drain lifted it, allowing the dim light from a high, barred window to illuminate the contents. The liquid glowed faintly, shimmering with a dark hue.

Without further remark, Drain turned and proceeded towards the room's sole exit—a solid steel door, scarred and handle-less from this side. She knocked twice. The door swung open from the exterior, admitting a sliver of brighter light that silhouetted Drain's form.

She cast one final glance back at Silver. "Rest, sister. All will become clear shortly."

The door slammed shut behind her, the heavy thud of the engaged lock echoing in the chamber.

A profound quiet descended upon the chamber, punctuated only by the faint, rhythmic drip of condensation from unseen crevices and the occasional groan of the aged structure. Silver remained immobilized, her wrists and ankles secured to the chair, an empty IV tube still affixed to her arm. A minuscule droplet of crimson welled at the puncture site, tracing a slow path down her forearm.

She inhaled deeply, a shaky, deliberate act, coaxing the remnants of the anesthetic gas from her system, leaving in its wake a profound weariness and an ache that settled deep within her bones. Her thoughts immediately sought out Ren.

He had been with Anna upstairs when the concussions ripped through the air. She had witnessed the smoke, heard the sounds of conflict. Had he managed to escape? Was he injured?

Silver's fingers tightened into fists against the restraints, her knuckles pressing into the rough fibers. She tested the bindings once more, probing for any sign of slack. None was found. The knots were expertly tied, undoubtedly crafted to subdue someone with far greater strength than she currently possessed.

"Ren," she breathed into the oppressive darkness. "Don't you dare die."

***

Ren seized Anna's hand, his pull urgent as he guided her towards the fire escape. Thick, acrid smoke billowed from the fractured windows below. Flames, voracious and bright, already climbed the facade of the old liberator house, transforming the night into a lurid, flickering canvas of orange. They descended the corroded metal stairs, each step protesting under their combined weight.

Midway down, Anna abruptly halted, her gaze snapping back towards the structure. The entire lower floor was ablaze from within. Windows blew outward in explosive bursts of glass. Dark plumes of smoke ascended into the heavens like a wrathful tempest.

She slammed her foot down hard on the metal landing. The impact produced a sharp, ringing sound. "Damn it! Who the hell are they?"

Ren reached her side, his grip on her hand unwavering. The golden threads that had emanated from him had receded, yet faint, shimmering particles still drifted from his skin, akin to the final embers of a dying fire. He, too, fixed his gaze upon the inferno. Silhouettes of figures moved within the depths of the building – some in flight, some engaged in combat, some succumbing to unseen forces.

"Appears to be a contingent of hired mercenaries," Ren stated in a low tone. "Their assault was precise, targeting key areas. And judging by their conversation, they believe your mother, Victoria, will offer a substantial ransom for your return. This implies she possesses leverage with them, or at least knows those responsible. She might have even orchestrated this herself."

Anna's jaw muscles spasmed, her teeth grinding together with an audible ache. She spat a trickle of blood onto the grated floor, her lip still split and bleeding. "That self-righteous hag."

Ren turned his attention to her, his face streaked with soot, but his eyes remained remarkably placid. "What course of action do you propose? Shall we file a report with the authorities?"

Anna emitted a sharp, mirthless laugh, more of a guttural snarl. "It would be futile. We're already viewed with suspicion. Two runaways with extraordinary abilities? They'd likely detain us immediately, with questioning a distant afterthought. No assistance will be forthcoming from that quarter."

Her gaze drifted back to the conflagration. A section of the roof gave way with a devastating roar. Fiery debris shot skyward. From somewhere within the inferno, a scream erupted, only to be abruptly silenced.

"It seems Judith isn't entirely committed to our shared objectives either," Anna murmured, her voice lowering to a near whisper, as if confessing to herself. "She speaks grandly of liberation and resisting the established order, yet she guards her secrets too closely. Too many hidden agendas. She permits these influential families to act as they please, provided they align with her interests."

Ren inclined his shoulders in a slight shrug. The movement appeared almost nonchalant. "That much was already apparent to me."

Anna slanted a sharp glance his way. "You knew?"

He gave a single, decisive nod. "From the outset. Her smile widens excessively when she deceives. A classic political maneuver."

They stood in shared silence for a prolonged moment, observing the relentless advance of the flames consuming the refuge they had occupied for several months. Distant sirens grew steadily louder, their wails signaling an approaching presence. Soon, the street would undoubtedly be swarmed by flashing lights and authoritative shouts.

Ren's lips curved into a subtle smile. It began slowly, then expanded, eventually reaching his eyes. The expression seemed incongruous on his soot-darkened features, possessing an almost playful quality.

Anna noticed it instantly, tilting her head. "What's amusing you, my love? Why that particular smile?"

Ren's smile broadened. He tightened his grip on her hand. "An idea has occurred to me. Why don't we pay your mother a visit? I have something I wish to present to her."

Anna's eyes widened slightly. For a fleeting instant, she appeared poised to object. Then, a faint smile touched her own lips, and a dangerous glint ignited within her eyes. "You suggest we march directly into Mother's residence? After all of this?"

"Precisely," Ren confirmed. "They initiated hostilities. They torched our sanctuary. They inflicted harm upon you. I deem it only equitable that we reciprocate the gesture. Personally."

Anna studied him intently. The Ren she had known prior to the explosion had been reserved, cautious, always contemplating multiple steps ahead. This current iteration of Ren felt... altered. Sharper. As though the golden threads coursing within him had instigated a transformation extending beyond mere enhancements to his power.

"Are you truly set on this course of action?" she inquired.

Ren met her gaze unflinchingly. "I want them to witness the consequences of interfering with what is mine. And I want you to witness it as well. You shall witness something quite remarkable today!"