Editing BlazBlue:Bloodedge Experience Part 1 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 1===

"Is this really my home?" Naoto couldn't help but wonder, feeling a cold sweat break out on his forehead. The familiar layout, the walls, the floor, the ceiling—everything was just as he'd left it that morning. Yet, this place now felt completely different, dominated by the presence of an uninvited guest. The once warm and cozy atmosphere had turned cold and tense. At the center of it all, sitting on the sofa, was the hauntingly beautiful black-haired man, Clavis Alucard, who was sipping from a teacup.

"I'm enjoying this. It's quite a good tea leaf," he remarked. The delicate clinking of the cup against its saucer made Naoto gasp. It was a teacup, not a mug—one of the special ones they used for guests. Someone had taken it from the cupboard and made Clavis a cup of tea. The only person who would do that was Haruka. But Haruka was nowhere to be seen. 

Clavis seemed to sense Naoto's anxiety and turned his gaze towards the back of the room. "Don't worry. I haven't harmed Haruka. She's just asleep in the other room."
He was probably referring to the Japanese-style room connected to the living room. Naoto wanted to turn around and check if Haruka was really there and if she was safe. But he couldn't move. Clavis's eyes were on him, watching his every move. As long as their eyes met, Naoto felt paralyzed. It was as if if he looked away for even a moment, his head would roll off his shoulders.

(Damn it…) 

What kind of monster was this man? Without even touching him, Clavis had managed to instill a deep-seated fear in Naoto. It wasn't the fear of being hurt; it was a fear of the unknown, of the inexplicable.

Clavis was clearly not normal. He was something else entirely. Naoto could see it in the numbers above Clavis's head. They were a jumble of symbols, meaningless to Naoto. It was a clear indication that Clavis was a being beyond his comprehension. It was then that Naoto felt something soft touch his trembling hand. Regaining his composure, he glanced sideways. Raquel's hand was gently wrapped around his fist.

"It's okay. Haruka is fine," she whispered quickly, her voice tense but reassuring. If Raquel said so, then it must be true. The cold of her hand against his helped to calm his nerves. Naoto exhaled and turned his gaze back to Clavis.

"Don't be so tense. I'm not going to eat you. I'm just here to talk," Clavis said, his voice oddly menacing despite his claim of harmlessness. He gestured with the hand that was resting on his knee. "Sit down. Or would you prefer I stand?"

Startled by the sudden, almost playful tone in Clavis's voice, Naoto blurted out, "N-no..." His voice trembled, and he felt a pang of self-derision. How pathetic he sounded.
Before Naoto could move, Raquel acted. She sat down on the floor opposite the sofa, across the coffee table. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but given the circumstances, she didn't seem to mind.

Naoto followed her and sat down beside her. As he faced Clavis directly, he felt a wave of oppressive dread wash over him. Even without doing anything, Clavis seemed to exude an aura of cold, detached menace. It was as if he was holding a blade to Naoto's throat, not with a physical weapon, but with his gaze.

"Now then..." Clavis began, his voice smooth and measured. Raquel flinched. Naoto noticed and felt a pang of protectiveness. Even though she had faced off against the 'Immortal Breaker' Relius with such confidence, she seemed intimidated by Clavis. 

As if sensing Naoto's concern, Raquel spoke up. "What do you want, Father?" she asked, her chin tilted slightly. Her voice trembled just a little.

Clavis exhaled slowly. "What do I want…? That's quite a question for a daughter to ask her father who has come to take her home." His youthful appearance made the word 'father' seem out of place, and he said it with a detached coldness that made it even more unsettling. He glanced around the room. "... And I never thought you'd return here." 

It was as if he'd muttered to himself, but Naoto heard it clearly. What did that mean? Naoto wanted to ask for an explanation for why Raquel had left home and what Clavis meant by "here." But before he could speak, Clavis's gaze returned.

"I see my daughter has been well cared for. Thank you for that... and my apologies for any inconvenience I may have caused."

"No, it wasn't an inconvenience at all," Naoto replied, though it wasn't entirely true. He'd felt more helped than anything. Besides, he hesitated to say anything negative about Raquel to this man.

Clavis let out a soft breath and smiled. "You're a kind young man. Very human," he said, but the words sounded condescending to Naoto. Clavis elegantly steepled his fingers. "As for Raquel, I would like to take her back if you don't mind. What do you think?"

"What? I... I don't know..." Naoto hesitated. He couldn't understand why Clavis was asking him. It was as if he needed Naoto's permission to take Raquel back.  

Raquel seemed to have the same thought. She clasped her hands together and leaned forward slightly. "Father, I have no intention of returning," she said firmly.

But her words seemed to extinguish the soft smile on Clavis's face. His red eyes narrowed as he looked at her. The atmosphere grew tense. "Raquel," he said calmly, "I'm speaking to Naoto now." It wasn't a shout, nor was it a threat. It was simply a statement. Yet, it was enough to silence Raquel. She shrank back, looking like a scolded child.

"I'm sorry, Father," she said. Even Naoto was surprised by Raquel's reaction. And when Clavis turned his gaze back to Naoto, Naoto found himself speechless. The quiet intensity in Clavis's eyes was overwhelming. 

(Damn, this guy is scary.) 

"Naoto," Clavis said.

"Y-yes!" Naoto jumped, forcing himself to speak calmly.

"I understand the situation. I know you must be worried about Raquel coming back with me, but don't worry. I'll take responsibility for your life."

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Naoto's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he leaned forward slightly. Clavis's statement, delivered so casually, was completely out of the ordinary.
Clavis's pale hand, perfect in its beauty, moved towards his chest. 

"From now on, use my life. Even if you die hundreds of times, I will restore you immediately. I will also handle the changes brought on by vampirism."

"Handle? What do you mean by that...?"

"Raquel said she would too, right? I'll get the Azure as well. Is there a problem with that?"

"Wait!" Raquel's voice cut through the air, interrupting Clavis's seemingly gentle but forceful words. It was a strong, assertive voice. Naoto turned to look at her in surprise. Clavis followed suit with a minimal movement. Raquel was leaning forward on the coffee table. "Father, I..."

"You will return home and behave yourself. I can't afford to lose you."

"No! We'll find the Azure ourselves. I won't obey you..." Before Raquel could finish her sentence, the atmosphere changed. It happened in an instant.

"Be careful what you say," Clavis warned, his voice sweet yet sharp. Raquel was speechless. As she opened her mouth to protest, Clavis's cold fingers reached for her neck. He had stood up and leaned forward, his hand extended as if to grasp her throat. But…

"I’m surprised... a good reaction." Clavis said, a smile spreading across his face. It was not the elegant, cold smile he usually wore, but a seductive and almost cruel smile that hinted at something inhuman. Clavis's hand stopped just short of reaching Raquel. Naoto's hand had grabbed it. It was an entirely unconscious act, but it wasn't without intention. Clavis's movement, though seemingly slight, had felt incredibly violent and arrogant. And in that moment, Naoto had acted instinctively. With a strong grip, Naoto held Clavis's wrist and glared into his crimson eyes, suppressing the tremor in his body.

"Wait... I'm sorry. As much as I appreciate it, I don't want you to take Raquel back, and I don't plan on relying on you. And can you please stop barging in and doing whatever you want?" Naoto had to muster all his courage to say those words. He felt like his heart was about to burst as he met Clavis's menacing crimson gaze. Clavis shook his head slightly.

"Is that so? So I'm being presumptuous... I suppose you're right," Clavis said slowly. Naoto thought he was going to die. This was clearly a bad situation. But instead of trying to shake off Naoto's grip, Clavis looked apologetic. "I apologize for my forwardness. I meant to offer a proper introduction. And another thing... I got carried away."

"What?" Before Naoto could ask what he meant, Raquel gasped. Naoto was speechless as well. His right arm, which had been holding onto Clavis, had suddenly fallen to his lap. As easily as pulling a doll's arm out of its socket, Clavis detached Naoto's arm without any resistance. Before it hit the floor, Clavis caught it with the hand that had been held captive. It was definitely Naoto's arm. But it hung limply, and it didn't look human. In fact, it didn't look like any living creature. The arm was severed at the middle of the upper arm and had a smooth, dark red cut. There was no flesh, bone, or nerves visible, just a perfectly smooth, red surface.

"Wh-what is that...?" Naoto managed to stammer. He felt no pain where his arm had been, and there was no blood.

Raquel explained, "I made it with my blood. It was necessary to regenerate your arm."

"So, that's a blood clot?" 

"Yes. I think it should function as a normal arm, though," Raquel said, looking a little embarrassed as she glanced at the stump of Naoto's arm. Naoto turned his gaze back to Clavis. 

Clavis sat back on the sofa, examining the blood-made arm. "It's not bad, but it's not perfect," he said. Naoto didn't understand how he had reached that conclusion, but Raquel seemed to. She sat down beside Naoto, imitating Clavis. Raquel stepped forward. Clavis, his face turned towards his arm, glanced at her without saying a word.

"Raquel, why did you choose 'him'?" 

(Choose?) Naoto was the only one who seemed puzzled. Raquel, who seemed to understand what Clavis was implying, said nothing and simply glared at her father. Realizing that his daughter wasn't going to answer, Clavis gave a small, whispered laugh and gestured for Naoto to come closer.

"Come here. Extend your arm."

"...Yes." How could he refuse a man like that? Although he felt a sense of unease at this soft pressure, Naoto did as he was told and went to Clavis, offering his right arm—or rather, the shoulder where his right arm had been. Clavis took the stump of Naoto's arm, which was slightly protruding from the sleeve of Naoto's T-shirt, and perfectly aligned it with the severed end of the arm. Then he muttered some strange words. Instantly, the two ends fused together seamlessly, forming a complete arm.

"Wow... that's amazing."

“How does it feel?” Surprised by the unexpected phenomenon, Naoto followed Clavis's instructions and bent and straightened his elbow. He made a fist and opened his hand. It moved smoothly.  Although he hadn't felt any particular problems the last time, he realized that the arm felt somewhat heavier and stiffer after Clavis had reattached it. Now, it moved even more naturally than his original arm.

"Don't meddle in this," Raquel said, her voice filled with resentment. Her blood-red eyes turned a pale, cold color.

“Don’t deceive me. And this is not for you; it’s a token of apology and gratitude to him.”

"Naoto is my servant. Don't touch him without my permission."

"And what are you to me?" Scoffing, Clavis stood up from the sofa. Remembering how Clavis had reached out to Raquel earlier, Naoto instinctively tensed. But with a look that seemed to dismiss such childish bravado, Clavis walked past Naoto towards the living room entrance.

"If you wish, you can keep Raquel for a while. You can do whatever you want with the Azure as well. I won't interfere. She's a spoiled girl, but please take care of her."

"R-really?" Just a moment ago, Clavis had said he was taking her back. Now, he was just as easily giving her up. It was puzzling. His attitude towards his daughter Raquel and his attitude towards Naoto, who could be considered his subordinate in vampire terms, didn't seem appropriate. Normally, Raquel should be treated with more respect.

"And shouldn't I be treated even more harshly?" Ignoring Naoto's question, Clavis turned his head towards the entrance, as if he had heard a sound. 

"I must apologize for one more thing. It's going to be a bit noisy." As if timing it perfectly—and it was indeed Clavis who timed it perfectly—a loud, almost explosive sound echoed from the entrance.