TAKUMI TSURUGI
We arrived at one of the entrances to our base which some demons had destroyed.
"Kiyomasa and Ayumi, fix that entrance. Yumi, Takumi, come with me."
I followed Shinji closely when I suddenly noticed a boy, huddled on the ground, covered in bruises, what was he doing in a place like this and who exactly was he? His voice was weak but urgent as he called for help. "Help me, I've lost all my family to the demons, help me please." He begged.
Seeing his suffering, my heart ached with a familiar pain, the pain I felt when I lost my family to Ryujin Kuroba. I approached him, ready to offer assistance, but Shinji's hand shot out to stop me.
"Wait, Takumi," Shinji said sharply. "This boy isn't himself. There's a demon using him."
Before I could react, the boy's face contorted into a sinister grin. In an instant, he transformed into a grotesque demon with a single, menacing eye. The horror of it froze me momentarily, but I quickly snapped back to reality as Kiyomasa, Yumi, and Ayumi joined us.
Kiyomasa, seemingly thrilled at the sight of a real fight, cracked his knuckles. Shinji, taking charge, quickly outlined our strategy. "I and Takumi will take the first lead and I need Kiyomasa and Ayumi to follow instantly, the final cut should come from your blade, Yumi," he organized us into formation, detailing how we should attack. With a nod, the fight began.
The demon was formidable, but we managed to take it down swiftly. Just as we thought it was over, the demon rose again, now with a second form. It touched its horn, and suddenly, two demons appeared. Shocked, we fought them off, only for the same thing to happen again. This time, three demons emerged after the horn touch.
As we prepared to strike again, I noticed a pattern. The demon's multiplication seemed tied to its horn. "Shinji," I called out, "I think it's getting its power from the horn. If we can destroy it, maybe it won't keep multiplying."
Shinji's eyes met mine, and he nodded in agreement. "Let's target the horns. The rest of you, keep these demons subdued."
Yumi, Kiyomasa, and Ayumi worked to hold down the demons, while Shinji and I moved in to strike at the horns. With precise, coordinated attacks, we sliced off the horns. The demon howled in agony, and, finally, it turned to ash, leaving no trace behind.
Our team breathed a collective sigh of relief, happy it was over.
Shinji suddenly clapped me on the back, a grin on his face. "Good call, Takumi. You figured it out just in time."
The praise felt good, lifting my spirits. "It was nothing," I replied.
"Please, it was everything," Ayumi said. "We'd be fighting dozens of demons if you hadn't found out their strategy, you're just best for this mission."
"I agree," Kiyomasa said.
"That's right, Takumi. You're amazing," Yumi said wearing a beautiful smile.
The group continued buzzing with relief and praise when a sharp, agonizing pain hit me.
I cried out instantly, clutching my ears, trying to block out the excruciating sensation.
All eyes moved to me and I hated the way they looked at me, I hated that they were worried about me. However, the world around me seemed to blur as I struggled to understand what was happening to me.
Yumi rushed forward, her face etched with concern. "Takumi, what's wrong?" she asked urgently.
Before I could respond, my hands, driven by a force I couldn't control, shot out and gripped her neck. Her eyes widened in shock and fear. Ayumi reacted instantly, her fist connecting with my face. The blow made me release Yumi, and she stumbled back, gasping for air.
"It's the demon's blade," I heard Shinji whisper. "He's out of control, Kiyomasa now!" Shinji shouted and moved in quickly with Kiyomasa, trying to restrain me. They grabbed me, but the pain and the strange force within me were too overwhelming. I screamed, the sound piercing and uncontrollable. My eyes turned a blood-red hue, and blood began to flow from them.
In an explosion of energy, I sent Shinji and Kiyomasa crashing against the walls, their bodies flying to the far end of the area. Ayumi and Yumi scrambled to take cover from the force of the blast. The sheer power of the release was like nothing I'd ever felt before.
As the chaos subsided, I slumped to the ground, my body too drained to maintain consciousness. I laid there, motionless, my mind sinking into the abyss of unconsciousness as the world faded to black.
I regained consciousness slowly, my surroundings coming into focus. The pain was dulled now, but the memory of what had happened still lingered. I isolated myself from the group, retreating to a quiet corner where I could be alone with my thoughts. The shame and guilt of what I had done weighed heavily on me. How could I have hurt Yumi and nearly killed my friends? The uncontrollable surge of power had made me feel like a monster.
I was lost in my thoughts when I heard footsteps approach. Shinji sat down beside me, his presence calm and steady.
"Why aren't you with the others?" he asked, his voice low.
I looked at him, my expression full of remorse. "Didn't you see what happened? I hurt Yumi and almost killed all of you. I can't control the energy that surged through me. It made me want to kill, to get blood on my hands."
Shinji shook his head. "It was an accident. The team knows that. We're all aware of the risks. You're not to blame."
But I wasn't convinced. "Every time something like this happens, I'm scared of what I might do. If I lose control again and endanger everyone, I need you to promise me—"
Shinji's frown deepened. "Promise you what? That I'll kill you if you go out of control? That's nonsense, Takumi. Nothing will ever make me raise my sword against you."
I looked at him, desperation in my eyes. "Please, Shinji. Just promise me."
"I said no!"
"But I'm dangerous, I'm a threat. I'm out of control."
Shinji opened his mouth to say something but before he could answer, Ayumi appeared. "We're moving out," she said and walked away as quickly as she came.
Shinji stood up, his expression resolute. "Even if the power of the Demon's Blade takes over you tomorrow, I'll never raise my sword against you, Takumi. You have my word."
With that, Shinji walked away to join the others. I remained where I was, trying to understand why he couldn't be reasonable for just once in his life. I would never forgive myself if I hurt anyone again, I wished he could understand. I inhaled deeply and walked over to them, immediately I approached, Kiyomasa threw a hand across my shoulder and starting telling me how cool I was. However, I didn't feel cool, I felt dangerous and nothing was going to change that.