Conquering Ladies With My 10x Rebate System
Chapter 55: Death

Chapter 55: Death

They could only stand in silence, each of them wondering what to do next.

The person they were supposed to meet... was a killer.

Someone who could just as easily be a threat as an ally.

Was that a risk they were truly willing to take?

The group fell quiet, the weight of the situation pressing down on them like a heavy fog.

That’s when Caleb noticed it—the look of quiet resignation on Naya’s face.

"What is it?" he asked gently.

"This is all happening because of me..." she said, her voice thick with guilt. "I don’t even know why you’re helping me so much. I dragged you into this whole mess."

She looked down, her expression tight with pain.

She didn’t like it.

Any of it.

Not the danger. Not the burden.

And definitely not the thought that others were suffering because of her.

’Is she feeling guilty for everything?’ Caleb wondered.

But if anyone should feel guilty, it wasn’t her—it was him.

He had entered her life with the sole intent of using her as a tool.

If he hadn’t experienced the other side of her... the softer, truer part of Naya... his mission would’ve ended there without a second thought.

He stepped closer, his gaze steady.

Then gently, he cupped her face in his palms.

"Don’t say that," he said softly. "You didn’t force me into anything. Don’t feel bad. Everything I’ve done... I did because I wanted to."

Naya looked up into his eyes, nodding slowly, silently.

For a moment, they stood like that—just the two of them—everything else fading into the background.

But from the shadows nearby, something stirred.

The shed skin.

It didn’t just twitch—it moved.

And something ’emerged’ from it.

A small, silvery jelly-like mass slid out from the remains.

It pulsed... then began to shift and shape itself.

Neither Caleb nor Naya noticed.

They were too focused on each other.

’Kill me? Laughable,’ Hakate sneered silently, his crazed eyes locked on Caleb from the corner of the room.

As long as even a sliver of his body remained, he couldn’t truly be killed.

’I’ll make you regret everything...’ he growled inwardly.

Though most of his form was frozen stiff—an icy sculpture created by Caleb’s ability—he wasn’t entirely powerless.

With the last of his strength, he summoned his remaining energy.

A small, dense orb of flame sparked to life in his hand, radiating heat so intense the temperature of the room spiked in seconds.

"Die, you bastard!" Hakate roared as he hurled the fireball toward Caleb.

Caleb’s instincts screamed as he spun around.

But it was already too late.

The ball of fire was fast.

Too fast.

"Naya!" Caleb shouted in warning—

Only to hear her scream instead.

"Caleb!" her voice rang out, full of terror.

’I can’t dodge it!’ he thought in panic.

If he moved, the fireball would hit Naya.

And he couldn’t let that happen.

Time seemed to slow.

The burning orb inched closer, every second stretching into eternity.

Caleb clenched his teeth.

’Damn that disgusting slime...’

He braced himself.

But just before the fireball struck—

Something moved.

A blur of black hair blocked his vision.

And then—

She was there.

Standing in front of him.

Shielding him from the blast.

Everything happened in a flash.

It hit.

And it didn’t stop.

The condensed ball of flame tore through her like she was made of candle wax, melting skin and flesh in an instant.

Julia’s bright brown eyes widened in shock.

She coughed up a thick mouthful of blood.

A sickening sizzle followed.

The scent of scorched flesh and rusted metal filled the air.

She tried to clutch her stomach—only to realize there was nothing left to hold.

A gaping, charred hole had replaced it, smoke rising from within. Thick red mist drifted upward, staining the sky.

Caleb watched, frozen, as she collapsed in slow motion.

His brain stalled. It took seconds—long, aching seconds—for everything to register.

First came the shock.

Then the horror.

Then the truth.

Naya stood beside him, paralyzed, both hands clamped over her mouth.

"JULIA!" Caleb shouted, finally breaking from the trance. He rushed forward and caught her in his arms.

---

"Shit! I missed that bastard!" Hakate seethed, frustration flashing across his warped, jelly-like silver face.

Weakened and furious, he didn’t stick around. His slimy body began slithering away into the shadows.

But Caleb saw him.

"COME BACK HERE!" he roared. "YOU SLIMY BASTARD!"

He was torn—rage urging him to chase, fear chaining him to Julia.

He moved to stand—

But her bloodied fingers grabbed his wrist.

"D-Don’t go..." she whispered, breath ragged, eyes barely open.

"I-It c-could be a trap..."

Each word from Julia’s lips came with visible strain.

Caleb’s gaze snapped toward the path Hatake had taken to flee, his eyes burning with fury.

But then he looked back down—

At the girl bleeding out in his arms.

"Naya! Quick! Use your powers—stop the bleeding! We have to get her to a hospital!" Caleb barked.

Naya didn’t hesitate. She rushed forward and dropped to her knees beside them, immediately placing her hands over the gaping wound.

She knew exactly what Caleb wanted—

To freeze the wound just enough to stop the bleeding, to buy them precious time.

’You can’t leave us like this...’ Naya thought desperately, drawing out every bit of energy she had left.

The air around them grew cold, sharp.

But then—

Just as the frost began to form—

It faded.

The chill vanished.

The energy dispersed before it could take effect.

Caleb looked at her, panic rising in his chest.

"What’s going on?!" he demanded.

"We don’t have time, Naya!"

"I—I don’t know!" Naya stammered. "My powers... they aren’t working!"

Frantically, she dug into her purse and pulled out her card.

She tried again, holding it tightly in her palm—And that’s when she saw it.

The glowing crown usually etched brightly on the card was flickering—Dim one second, glowing faintly the next, like a dying ember.

"I think... my mirror energy is exhausted," she said quietly, staring at the weakening symbol.

"Then use Nathan’s card!" Caleb urged, his voice thick with desperation.

"I can’t," Naya replied quickly. "If I do, my abilities will shift to flame."

Caleb looked down at Julia.

Her skin had turned pale. Her breathing was shallow.

She was fading.

Then—Her lips moved.

"L-Lil bro..." she whispered, a weak smile tugging at her mouth.

"I’m glad... I got to have you as a brother..."

Her voice trembled, barely audible.

’M-Mom... Mom would be so proud of the man you’ve become...’

Her hand twitched slightly, fingers brushing his arm.

’Don’t... disappoint her...’

Slowly, Julia’s eyelids closed.