Conquering Ladies With My 10x Rebate System
Chapter 70: What is he?

Chapter 70: What is he?

’Damn it—not now,’ Caleb thought sharply, casting a quick glance over his shoulder.

It was Martin—still dressed in his sharp brown suit, his expression calm, polite, and utterly unaware of the storm brewing just a breath away.

Caleb barely offered him a nod before snapping his gaze forward again. He didn’t slow. He couldn’t.

’I don’t have time for this.’

Quickening his pace, he caught up to Naya as they burst through the exit into the open car park. Sophia didn’t waste a second—she broke into a sprint, her heels clicking sharply on the pavement as she raced toward a sleek black car.

She pressed her finger to the door handle. A soft ting sounded, and the car lights blinked as the lock disengaged. Without hesitation, she tossed the keys to Caleb.

"You drive—I’ll be—"

Her words froze mid-sentence.

Her breath hitched. Her face drained of color.

Her eyes shot upward toward the second-floor glass wall of the building.

The others followed her gaze.

And there he stood.

A man dressed head to toe in pristine white, hands resting casually in his pockets. His curly black hair was immaculately styled, his features sharp, composed, and disturbingly serene—like someone watching a familiar scene play out for the hundredth time.

He observed them in utter silence, his expression as calm as a parent eyeing misbehaving children.

But there was nothing comforting about the oppressive chill that slithered into their bones.

The air changed.

Without warning, the cards in their pockets began to tremble violently.

A low, unnatural hum pulsed through their clothes, vibrating against their skin like a muted alarm—one their hearts instantly responded to.

There was no mistaking it.

Diego De Bonez.

A member of X.

Caleb’s jaw tightened.

His breath came faster as rage boiled under his skin—raw, uncontrollable anger that made his hands curl into fists at his sides. Every instinct screamed at him to turn around, to charge back inside, to wipe that smug, serene expression off Diego’s face.

But before he could move, Sophia’s voice shattered the moment like glass.

"Caleb—we need to go. Now!" she snapped, already sliding into the car.

Caleb’s eyes remained locked on Diego’s, neither of them blinking, neither looking away. The tension between them crackled in the air like static.

Diego tilted his head slightly, raising a curious brow at Caleb. For a moment, confusion flashed across his face—then realization dawned.

’Oh... I nearly forgot. He was her brother, wasn’t he?’ Diego mused inwardly, the corners of his lips curling into a slow, wicked smile. His silver eyes glinted coldly behind his sunglasses as he held Caleb’s gaze, his expression dripping with mockery.

The sight of that smug grin made Caleb’s blood burn. His foot shifted instinctively—ready to spring forward.

But a soft hand caught his wrist.

"Caleb," Naya said firmly, her voice low but urgent.

He looked at her, her dark eyes sharp and clear.

"Not now," she whispered. "Julia wouldn’t want you to rush in without a plan. You’re the one who said it yourself—no more blind moves. Not this time."

She stepped closer, holding his gaze.

"Look at the cards," she added softly, her voice edged with unease. "If they’re reacting like this... Diego isn’t just any member of X. He’s something worse."

Caleb’s breath caught in his throat.

The cards in their pockets still trembled, the vibrations growing even stronger the longer they stayed.

Slowly, painfully, Caleb unclenched his fists.

Even Naya could feel the fury boiling beneath Caleb’s skin.

His green eyes blazed with barely restrained rage, the weight of his emotions crashing down in waves.

To him, Julia hadn’t been just a sister—she’d been something more. A mother figure. The only family that reminded him of the warmth he’d once known in another life. Losing her carved a hole deeper than anyone could see.

"Please," Naya whispered, her hands gently pressing over his, her voice soft but urgent.

Caleb exhaled sharply, the tension in his chest easing—if only slightly.

"Right," he muttered, his voice low but steady. "Not now."

He turned without a word and climbed into the car. Naya quickly followed, sliding into the seat beside him.

"Start the engine—immediately! I’ll handle the enchantment!" Sophia commanded the moment they were inside.

She moved fast, her hands yanking up the floor mat to reveal a pentacle etched directly onto the car’s floorboard. From the door pocket, she pulled out a small candle and set it carefully at the center of the symbol.

Her eyes darted to the rear window.

There—Diego still stood, motionless.

But his silver eyes were no longer human. They gleamed unnaturally, a chilling glow radiating from their depths.

"Shit! He’s trying to use it!" Sophia cursed under her breath.

Her hands worked quickly as she began chanting in rapid Latin, her tongue moving so fast the words blurred into what sounded like nonsense gibberish to untrained ears.

"Mirror Transport—he’s about to jump! Start the car!" she shouted, panic rising.

Caleb didn’t hesitate.

His foot slammed the accelerator. The engine roared as the car jolted into motion.

In one smooth movement, he shoved the gear into reverse, tires screeching as the vehicle shot backward at high speed.

’Mirror Travel...’ Caleb’s mind flashed to a memory—the other monster: Hakate. The way he’d appeared from the mirror without warning. His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

His eyes flicked to the rearview mirror—

And for a split second, he saw him.

Diego.

Still standing calmly on the second floor, his hand slowly lowering with an irritated frown.

It hit Caleb instantly.

’He tried to teleport directly into the car. But it didn’t work.’

The pentacle. Diego’s silver eyes narrowed, realization dawning on his face as well. He shifted—then, in a blink, vanished.

"Watch it!" Sophia barked.

Caleb’s eyes snapped forward just in time to see another car nearby—its side mirror rippling unnaturally.

From the reflective surface, Diego’s image began to emerge.

Silver gleam. Polished white suit. Cold smirk.

But before Diego’s form could fully materialize—

Caleb didn’t even flinch.

"Fuck off."

With a savage grin, he yanked the wheel, swerving the car hard.

The vehicle roared forward—straight at Diego’s half-formed figure.

The front fender clipped the side mirror with a sharp crack!—shattering glass as the mirror fractured, sending Diego’s figure scrambling, his body sinking back into the warped reflection with a snarl.

"Bastard!" Diego hissed, his voice distorted between worlds.

But Caleb didn’t stop.

His eyes burned with determination as he floored the gas.

From another car nearby, Diego’s reflection began to appear again—but the only thing he caught this time was the sight of Caleb’s middle finger sticking out the window as the car sped out of the parking lot, tires screeching in defiance.

The sleek black vehicle tore down the road, leaving shattered glass, burning rubber, and Diego’s infuriated glare behind.

The car raced through the city streets, the engine growling like a living beast under Caleb’s hands.

Inside the vehicle, the tension was palpable—no one spoke for a moment, the lingering weight of what they’d just faced pressing on their chests.

Only the sound of the wind and the hum of tires filled the silence.

Then—

"Are you crazy?!" Sophia finally snapped, her voice a mix of panic and exasperation. "You rammed into him! Are you actually insane?! Do you even know who that was?!"

Caleb’s lips curled into a half-smirk as he kept his eyes on the road. "Yeah. I know exactly who that was."

Sophia blinked, caught off guard by the calmness in his voice. "That wasn’t some street thug or cardholder wannabe. That was Diego de Bonez. A high-ranking member of X, and you just—just—" She threw her hands up. "—you attacked him!"

"And we’re still alive," Caleb shot back casually. "So I’d say it worked."

Sophia groaned, dragging a hand down her face in disbelief. "Gods... you’re completely mental."

Naya, seated beside Caleb, tried and failed to hide the small smile tugging at her lips. She cleared her throat, glancing sideways at him. "I hate to admit it... but that was kind of cool."

Caleb grinned wider. "See? Someone appreciates good driving."

"You’re lucky I stopped you," Naya added, her voice softening. "That man... there’s something seriously wrong with him. He didn’t even blink when you charged at him. That’s not normal."

Helene, quiet all this time, clutched her seatbelt tightly, her pale face still visibly shaken. "H-He was going to come through the mirror... I-I’ve seen that before. They don’t need to walk—they just appear."

Sophia nodded grimly, her hands still trembling slightly. "We were lucky. The pentacle blocked the mirror transport, but he won’t fall for the same trick twice. That man—Diego—he’s not just a normal member of X. He’s something else entirely."

Caleb’s expression sobered.

"Yeah," he muttered under his breath, his knuckles whitening around the wheel. "I felt it. That wasn’t just some lackey.... What is he?"