The shot that hit Idoku's hand, could be heard from afar.
Up on the rooftop, two silhouettes stood, they're figures standing in front of the orange light of the sunrise.
"Are we late?" Keisuke shouted towards the others, pushing his glasses up with one finger, the gun in his other hand, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smirk.
His tone was casual, but his eyes were already focused — locked on Idoku's movements below, like a deer in hunters territory.
Right after their battle, they had to find new glasses for Keisuke, otherwise he could not help in the next fight and managed to arrive just in time.
Beside him, Kyouma adjusted his stance, exhaling slowly.
Keisuke grinned. "Of course we are."
The next instant, the quiet was shattered.
BANG!
A bullet tore through the air — grazing Idoku's shoulder and forcing him to stagger.
He glared upward, the final piece of his mask falling down.
"And who are you?" Idoku said, gritting his teeth, but he didn't get an answer.
On the ground, Kouji steadied his stance, gripping his katana tight.
Yumi clung to Kagami's back, eyes locked on Idoku.
Kagami's voice was cold. "We're not letting him escape this time."
Kouji nodded. "Let's finish this."
And then chaos erupted.
Kouji sprinted forward first — pulling blades out of the void mid-run as he reached into the empty air and drew them out one by one. Idoku deflected the first, then the second, each clash sending sparks flying.
Above, Keisuke fired again — every bullet precisely at Idoku, forcing him to twist and shift his stance.
Kyouma followed, closing distance in seconds, time itself seeming to warp around him as he appeared beside Kouji, slashing with his knife to open small windows in Idoku's defense.
Yumi raised her hand.
Idoku stumbled — his body suddenly feeling weightless, gravity slipping from his control.
Kouji used that instant to strike,pulling a spear out of the void and lunging forward, piercing through Idoku's shoulder.
He snarled and spun, swinging his fist.
He took the spear, it dissolved and Idoku's wound slowly closed.
Kouji barely ducked in time.
He's adapting faster, Keisuke thought, reloading his gun. Even five of us barely scratch him.
He fired three times — the first bullet catching Idoku's leg, the second grazing his chest and the third dodged.
Still, Idoku's stance faltered for a second, enough for Kouji to dash in.
His blade clashed again, while Idoku deflected with his gloves.
Kouji gritted his teeth, feeling the vibration in his bones as Idoku's punched him away with unnatural strength.
He slid across the cracked street, digging his sword into the ground to stop himself.
Kouji spit some blood.
Idoku laughed, voice muffled through the mask. "You five against one and still nothing?"
"Should I tell you something about Shinji, out of pity?" Idoku said, with a calm, mocking voice.
Should I let him talk or not? Kouji thought.
Kouji didn't answer. He darted forward again, slashing from the right, then from below — his swords blurring through the air.
Every swing is deflected by gloves, Idoku's blessing eating away at the metal.
Idoku continued, "Shinji divides his people into the values of a poker deck."
And another.
"The cards below jack, are worthless and weak," while deflecting the swing.
Kouji's breathing quickened, as Idoku halted his explanation.
"Hm? Getting out of breath?" Idoku asked, as he was attacked by Kyouma from the side.
Kouji could feel his aura drain— his void inventory almost empty.
Keisuke's voice came from the side, steady but tense, as he rested a hand on Kouji's shoulder. "You're running out, aren't you?"
Kouji didn't respond. He saw it — a faint gap in Idoku's guard, a perfect opening created by Kyouma and Kouji thrust forward.
Now or never.
He surged forward, pulling at the air — expecting another blade to pull out.
But—
Nothing came out.
His hand closed on emptiness.
Before he realized, he had already gone for a swing.
Idoku's grin widened, "Got you."
He lunged forward, his fist directly at Kouji.
But before it hit — something moved between them.
Kyouma.
He slammed into Kouji, pushing him out of the way, the fist punching through Kyouma's arm instead. The bone could clearly be heard cracking.
Kouji rolled across the ground, gasping, and looked up. "You—"
Kyouma cut him off with a small smile, "I'm fine, I can handle."
"That movement of yours… It's not part of your blessing, is it?" Kouji asked.
Kyouma's eyes widened slightly, still catching his breath. "How?"
"I've got an eye for analyzing stuff like this." Kouji replied.
Kyouma tilted his head, why did someone so talented leave the hunters?
Kouji's focus stayed on Idoku, who is being distracted by Keisuke right now.
Kouji asked Kyouma, "I can tell — your blessing isn't about speed. How does it work?"
Kyouma hesitated for a moment, then exhaled and lowered his voice, "It's like... pulling strings. I slow my perception of time, but my body can't keep up. So I imagine invisible strings dragging me where I need to go."
Kouji's gaze sharpened, Strings pulling him, that's a very creative concept...
He closed his eyes for a second.
Everything turned black.
He could feel Keisuke in front of him, Kyouma next to him. It's a rather simple technique that a lot of hunters use, some can even sense people without closing their eyes.
Kouji is one of those—
There's also a girl behind me somewhere, she's shaking an anxious. Does she belong to their group?
—but he isn't looking for a person right now.
In the haze of battle, people surrounded by the faint shimmer of aura, he sharpened his senses — and felt something.
A blade that hadn't yet decayed from Idoku's Blessing.
He reached out his hand towards the sword.
A faint ripple cut through the air — and the sword shot toward his hand.
Kyouma blinked, momentarily surprised. Did he learn it just from hearing?
Kouji opened his eyes, the blade gleaming in his grip.
This is insane. Did this guy develop this technique by himself? Kouji thought.
"That's impressive," Kyouma said.
Kouji smiled faintly, lifting the sword to his shoulder. "I had two pretty good teachers, it's all thanks to them."
The two nodded to each other, silent understanding between them.
Keisuke adjusted his aim above them, whispering, "Alright, you two. Let's end this."
Kyouma and Kouji stood up, side by side.
Kouji held a medieval sword in his left arm that he caught it with and Kyouma an amped knife in his right hand.