Clone Seeker

Ciel first retracted his ear from the window and spent a few seconds assessing its strength through touch of finger. Once satisfied, he climbed a bit further up, twisted his body so that his front faced opposite to the wall. Finally with all that done, and with his hands serving as the anchors of his weight, he took both legs and with as much force as his body could exert, he slammed the window wide open. He was no longer an esper, now only a fifteen year old boy in a slightly better shape than the immediate others around him. For that reason, what his future self could have done with a thought, required this present self to exercise with great effort.

THUMP!

The wooden constitution of the window squealed as its two halves were unable to be kept together by the thin steel lock which promised it unity.

Ciel did not hesitate either, swiftly shifting back and jumping inside the room with an experienced role. The reduced size of his current body made his actions appear somewhat clunky, however such a detail was not what concerned the family of three. Ciel’s green irises watched them coldly. They dawned startled expressions, with the young boy, one even frailer than what someone his age should ever be allowed to be, being the first to show panic.

That was only natural, after all, he was the only one within the room which Ciel was bigger than. His father and mother on the contrary had already abandoned their initial expression and equipped one with hostility instead.

The father was frail, however he had just enough meat in him to prevent the protrusion of his ribs. He had short brown hair with a messy stubble. His chest was bare as he wore a comfortable pair of shorts. He was also two heads taller than Ciel. To his side, the mother stood. She too possessed brown hair and eyes but surprisingly she appeared the chunkiest of them all. Her hands had already reached out to grasp her son as she glared forth.

The father feeds her the best. What a diligent husband.

Ciel thought pointlessly, then his cold glare met that of the father.

The room was simple with only a single round table which stood one meter above the floor. Behind them were three folded futons and sides that were a few basic kitchen supplies. The room was also decorated with hanged clothes, none which could be considered a large amount however.

The only obvious weapon which Ciel could see was the sole kitchen knife. It had been resting in the center of the round table, used to cut pieces of low grade artificial meat which the father had brought. Now that knife was being firmly grasped by the five fingers of the father’s left hand.

“Brat! What the fuck do you think your doing you shit?! Do you know what this place is, and who we are?!”

Ciel did not answer immediately, instead he merely narrowed his vision towards the door, located to the right of where he stood. There a small metallic lamp of sorts laid on the floor. It was thick in the bottom with a cracked rectangular screen providing the user with relevant information. Above it was a cloudy glass frame, keeping a soft orange electrical line glowing. The electricity was concentrated, however it sporadically shot forth smaller currents which were denied escape by the glass encasing. And finally above that, completing the lamp, was a lid with a long handle.

That will do just fine.

Ciel thought simply. He then turned to face the tense company and spoke in a cold matter of fact tone.

“This place is a corporate apartment. That is why I am here. Give me your lamp and I’ll leave without any trouble. However, refuse and I’ll kill you all. Make the choice, you have ten seconds.”

The young boy trembled at such an insidious promise. His mother grasped him tighter as she bared her teeth. The Father’s reaction was no different, his own grip tightening significantly. He was angry, however he seemed hesitant to act.

Not a fool I see.

By just a glance, one might think that the boy was of no threat, merely a slum rat attempting something of pure stupidity out of desperation. And yet, Ciel’s cold demeanor made their hearts waver with hesitation. For a while that’s how they remained. Neither the family nor Ciel made any move. The moment hung for a while longer until Ciel suddenly spoke once more.

“Times up.”

The sound of such a declaration made the father shudder slightly, painfully pulled back into this moment. Ciel did not attack as promised, he merely began to walk calmly towards the lamp’s location. Perhaps that was what finally triggered the father to act at last.

“Shit! Get out of my home!”

With a burst of sudden fury, the father dashed forth, ready to swing his sharp weapon. Ciel’s eyes narrowed coldly towards the incoming attack. With the father attacking it meant that the mother would do the same as well. He could handle one at a time in his current state but two would be difficult. The Fool’s ability was not an option either. Its reversal application was great for provocation and the initiation for an enemy to take reckless action. That primarily resulted in them committing to a foolish attack when they knew better.

It was a boon for when Ciel wanted to initiate an insidious trap, however currently, when he was this weakened, such an action would be pointless. One was already attacking him recklessly after all, and Ciel had no traps to deploy either. Finally the father arrived, slashing the knife forth awkwardly but deadly nonetheless. Ciel reached out his arm, redirected the incoming attack using his opponent’s own momentum against them then swiftly elbowed him with his spare arm.

The sound which it formed was gory, his sharp elbow landing directly on the father’s left eye, mutilating it. Without stalling, Ciel then exploded into action. His left hand, which had redirected the attack, took hold of his opponent’s weapon arm as they were left dizzy by the prior blow. With a simple leg movement after, Ciel had successfully brought the man down.

THUMP!

He fell chin first, its surface of flesh scraped off as a result. Meanwhile, Ciel twisted the weapon arm with all his strength until he heard the popping of joints.

“Rahh!”

The father let out a pained yelp as his hand was snapped. Ciel used that as a signal to finally reach for the knife. He met little resistance as he dislodged it from his opponent’s fingertips. Then with a swift follow up, he thrusted it forth, penetrating the father’s posterior cervical area. He felt flesh, muscle, and bone resist the knife’s invasion, however it was a futile effort and just a moment later, the father stopped all his resistance.

He was dead…

Ciel did not linger. When the kill was confirmed, he swiftly rolled away from the body, his eyes quickly finding the two others within the room. The wife, Rebecca, had forgone any attack. Instead she had risen the short round table and was using it as a shield.

Her son, Ram, was entirely shielded by this with only Rebecca’s head visible. Plastered on her tired face was clear horror and rage, each struggling for dominance within her heart. In truth, Ciel had dealt with the biggest threat in the room already therefore he did not need to further this attack.

And yet.

No witnesses.

That option had disappeared the moment the father chose to attack. A simple theft would not be treated the same as a murdering of their residence by whichever corporation laid claim to this building. Should he allow details of his appearances to be leaked, then a manhunt for him would be initiated.

As he was now, Ciel was incapable of surviving such an altercation with the police force, he was however, very well equipped to handle two slum rats like himself. When he thought of it as such, then the logical answer was obvious.

Ciel remained motionless for a moment. Then with an action either too swift for her to react or too unexpected, he shot the knife forth. It was not one meant for throwing, however Ciel’s rich experience in battles with monsters and humans alike had made him a master at adapting.

For that reason the knife struck true. It embedded itself straight between her eyebrows, killing her as she stood.

Her body lost all strength and she fell down with a thud. Soon the table followed, rolling to a corner for a second or two before tilting over.

“Aaahhhh! Mom! Mom!”

Ram’s shivering self screamed loudly. That reaction, however understandable, Ciel could not allow. He dashed forth, quickly reaching where Ram stood. The young boy had wet himself and his eyes were moistened, overcome with fear. Ciel remained indifferent. Taking hold of Ram in a tight neck lock, snapping it before he could make another sound. Just like that, the third corpse touched the floor.

When it was all over, Ciel spared a moment to watch the scenery, then another to examine himself.

Nothing, I still feel nothing at all.

He had murdered in cold blood, yet his heart remained calm and his mind clear. This once more solidified the difference between his current and old self, a very crucial one indeed. The Ciel of before would have taken measures to not harm these innocent people, his current self however saw them merely as they were: Obstacles.

His two goals remained his focus, and while one involved the saving of humanity, that did not mean he would shy away from taking his fellow human’s lives when necessary. It was for humanity's greater interest that he not be stopped by anything. Even should they themselves be ignorant of that fact, he was not.

That was why his responsibility was a heavy one. Too much was at stake to hesitate over three worthless lives, be them good people or not.

Still this situation had not required force from the start, a simple theft would have been an acceptable result as well. I did give them a choice. In the end, the father was just the right amount of foolish to hesitate but not back down. What a pitiful way to be indeed.

Calmly contemplating his current state, Ciel reached the spot where the lamp stood and took hold of it. Regardless of the methods used, it bore fruit. Ciel had obtained his first tool, the first of many more to come.