Narrator - Recap, Hori is taking on 3 sinners of idolatry!
"No I'm not!" Hori refused adamantly, her voice loud enough to alert the Sinners to their hiding spot.
Haruki's attempt to rally her spirits fell flat. "Come on, I'll step in if things get tough. You can handle it!"
Hori refused again turning this into a stubborn standoff, with Haruki upping the ante. "Fine, if you don't take care of those Sinners, you'll go hungry today," he said, his voice firm.
Hori's eyes widened in terror, but she knew she couldn't win this battle. With a heavy sigh, she dropped the luggage and trudged towards the damaged inn, her eyes fixed on the Sinners.
As she walked, her shoulders squared, and a determined look settled on her face. She was going to face those creatures head-on.
'The truth is, I wanna see if she can tap into that same intensity again,' Haruki thought to himself with excitement, his mind flashing back to the 'Dark Frame' that Hori unlocked when she brutally attacked that NPC, leaving him with a crushed nose.
He was eager to witness that level of ferocity and skill again, and the Sinners presented the perfect opportunity for Hori to showcase her abilities.
Hori was now within the Sinners line of sight, she called out timidly, immediately regretting such decision. "Ehm.. hello there."
Her hands trembled as she waved to the Sinners of Idolatry.
She couldn't believe she was doing this.
"For the wages of sin is deeeeeeaaaathhhh!!!!!!" One screamed after noticing Hori, causing her to flinch. She was scared.
Narrator - This was Hori's 3rd encounter with a Sinner.
1st was a Sinner of Sloth
2nd a Sinner of Addiction
3rd a Sinner of Idolatry.
Considering she has been missing for about 8 days, encountering 3 Sinners was quite rare. Almost as if she attracted them....
'The ominous message isn't helping!' She snared at Narrator, shivering from fear standing face to face with a Sinner.
The creature's twisted form shifted, its shoulders slumping in a grotesque gesture. "For the wages of sin is death," it intoned, with a voice dripping with malevolence.
The other two Sinners moved to flank Hori, their movements surprisingly synchronized despite their lack of intelligence.
Hori tried to ignore her fear, assuming an awkward fighting stance, her fists clenched and arms up in a makeshift guard.
Hori had never fought someone before. The punch against that thug was the first time she did something so brute.
Panic set in as the Sinners closed in. Hori's fear overwhelmed her, and she let out a terrified shriek.
"Ahhh!!!" She turned and sprinted away, the Sinners hot on her heels.
Haruki's frustrated voice followed her. "What are you doing?! Just punch it!" He demonstrated with a clumsy fist, his face scrunched up in annoyance. His words were lost on Hori, who was too busy fleeing for her life.
"This is way too scary!!"
She yelled whilst maneuvering her way past the three Sinners.
They didn't seem to threaten Haruki, perhaps him being a Sin was why.
One of the Sinners jumped! About to strike Hori from above with its hunch back.
"Hori, don't be scared! You wanna become a Priest right?! Well this is what they do!" He tried encouraging.
Narrator - Haruki's words made sense. To speak with her father, Hori would have to perform astonishing feats to get a single meeting. So three human sized
Sinners should be childs play given what she aims for. A Bishop lives up to their name. The best of the best.
As Hori's feet pounded the ground, memories of her first day of disappearance flashed before her eyes - the desperation, the fear, the determination to find answers and reunite with her father.
Haruki's words and Narrator's ominous tone sparked something within her. With a newfound resolve, Hori skidded to a stop, her breathing steady with closed eyes.
The world around her seemed to fade, leaving only the Sinners and herself in stark relief.
The Sinners, sensing their prey had turned, took a step forward, their twisted forms looming large in Hori's vision. The air was charged with tension, the moment of truth had arrived....
Dark Frame
The background suddenly drained of color, the saturation dropped to zero with the only hue coming from Hori's presence and the Sinners positions.
"Yes!" Haruki cheered on! Hori recreated it. Another Dark Frame!
With fear and hesitation now absent, she rapidly swung her fist with precision and force.
The impact was devastating - the Sinner's upper body shattered, ripped apart by her sheer force. The lower half of its torso plummeted to the ground with a sickening plop.
Haruki's eyes widened in awe. "Whoa..." he breathed, his mind racing with the implications. If that had been a human, they wouldn't have stood a chance. The brutal efficiency of Hori's strike sent a shiver down his spine.
The remaining Sinners turned tail and ran, abandoning their sinister intentions in the face of Hori's overwhelming power. "For the wages of sin is death!" they cried out as they fled.
Haruki emerged from the bushes, his eyes fixed on Hori with a mixture of fascination and trepidation. Hori, however, was lost in her own shock.
"Did I...did I just do that?" she stammered, staring at her hand in horror. "I knew I had strong hands, but...this strong?" She couldn't wrap her head around the fact that she'd one-shot a human-sized Sinner with a single punch. The realization sent her mind reeling.
"Well done!" Haruki tapped her shoulder, breaking her mind free.
The Sinner of idolatry's lower half twitched as if still alive, it was. Surprisingly, normal looking blood flowed from its body despite no longer being human.
"Oh no, I couldn't finish it off!"
Hori said with a remorseful face seeing it still struggle in pain.
"Don't worry." Haruki squatted down and quickly devoured the corpse. Hori stared with an uncomfortable expression as he consumed it.
"Burp!" Haruki let out a belch, followed by a disgusted grimace. "Urgh, gross." He thumped his chest, trying to relieve the disgusting taste.
As he stood up, a look of epiphany crossed his face. He raised a finger with excitement in his eyes. "I was right!"
Hori's curiosity was obvious. "What do you mean?" she asked, her brow furrowed.
Haruki's expression turned grave, his earlier excitement replaced by a serious tone. "Your hands aren't normal," he said, pointing at Hori's blood stained fists.
Hori's response was matter-of-fact, as if she'd long since accepted this aspect of herself. She spoke, her voice devoid of surprise or concern. "Yes...I know...they're strong,"
"Yeah no shit, but it's not just ordinary strength. It's almost as if their indestructible or something." Haruki said cleaning his hands on a handkerchief, lending it to Hori to wipe her hands as well.
Hori looked confused from Haruki's observations. What did he mean by not normal. He then dumbed it down by simply saying. "Here, try punching my face!"
"Absolutely not!" Hori staggered back. Her face shocked from his proposal.
Haruki bent down, now the same height as Hori. He tapped his cheek. "It's alright, I'm a Sin, so I can regenerate!"
"I would never hit you Haruki-san!" Hori stated, not after everything he had done for her. She deemed laying hands on a friend extremely wrong, although she had never actually had one until now.
"Ugh! Stop being such a pussy and just hit me!"
"I am no cat!" Hori argued.
"Just do it!" He yelled, Haruki needed to prove his theory of her hard hands and Hori was wasting precious time.
She hesitated for a long minute but eventually obeyed. "...fine, if you say so." She said with a low volume. Hori leaned back clenching her fist.
She closed her eyes, not wanting to see the result.
At last she gave a clean jab to Haruki's face.
As her fist tore through the air, Narrator finally explained the reason for such strength.
Narrator - When Hori decides to inflict harm on an entity, her fists gain 3 properties. Firstly her hands gain the hardness of 10 mohs, the equivalent to actual diamonds....Secondly, because of such density, her fists also become EXTREMELY sharp, piercing through flesh, muscle and bone as easily as a knife cutting cake.
Narrator - Thirdly, also because of such density, her fists gain weight, about that of a medium sized bowling ball, greatly increasing the destructive force of the punch....all the listed factors will end up completely CRUSHING Haruki's skull!
The clean green grass was sullied by black blood that seemed to seep into its blades. Where Haruki's head had been, a grotesque parody had taken its place - a tangled mess of gore and flesh now rested atop his neck, defying the laws of nature.
The scene was one of unadulterated horror, the juxtaposition of the beautiful forest and the gruesome spectacle that had once been Haruki's head created a sense of jarring unease.
Plop.
Haruki's headless body wobbled to the ground, black blood spurting from the ragged stump of his neck. The fluid was dark and viscous, yet strangely, it emitted no discernible odor, strange despite Hori's impressive senses.
Haruki's brains were scattered on the floor, along side pieces of his skull glistening as sunlight teased the scene.
Hori stood there in terror with her heart racing.
The sticky, realistic sensation of his flesh on her hand made her nauseous.
"bleugrrrrhhheggg~~~~~!!!"
Hori threw up whatever food she had eaten, she was still new with seeing such disfigurations. This was far worse than the punch she delivered to the thug.
She could've killed him...
Hori quickly wiped her mouth, still silent. Her fingers tapped against each other with worry.
'He should heal by now!'
Her brain reasoned, Haruki was a Sin, they were immortal to normal human attacks.
"Please...heal!" The words seemed to take on a life of their own, and Haruki's neck began to respond. A gurgling sound emanated from the wound as the bleeding slowed, then finally stopped.
First his skull, then muscle, eventually flesh began to knit itself together.
As Hori watched in awe, Haruki's long, blood-red hair began to regrow as well, its vibrant color a stark contrast to the gruesome injury that had preceded it. Despite his remarkable recovery, Haruki remained unconscious, his body still and silent.
"Narrator! Why isn't he conscious?!" She yelled panicking.
Narrator - Don't ask me.
Hori squatted to check his pulse but remembered.
'Oh that's right, Haruki-san said Sins have no pulse!' She sat properly and placed her arms on her laps.
'...so what do I do now....' She peeked at Haruki's face, a faint blush on her cheeks. Hori's gaze lingered on Haruki's face, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. "...he's so beautiful," she thought.
Narrator - I hope your not going to assault him while he's unconscious right?!
'Wh— what are you saying?!'
She covered her mouth from such a thought.
As she sat there, with Haruki still asleep. Five minutes ticked by, and Hori's stomach began to growl, like an insistent notification.
She realized she was famished, and Haruki's promise of breakfast came flooding back to her mind.
She dismissed her hunger and stood up.
'Okay! I'm a maid for Haruki-san! I should stop thinking about food and carry this luggage inside!'
She did so and as well brought Haruki into the damaged house.
Narrator - Despite healing, Haruki still remained unconscious. When will he wake up... will he wake up?
"Stop saying such negative things! Haruki-san is going to wake up!" Her brows furrowed annoyingly at Narrator as she laid Haruki from her back.
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Hori's eyes widened in relief as Haruki stirred. "H-Haruki-san!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling slightly.
She gently cradled his head in her lap, a makeshift pillow, and smiled tenderly. "Thank goodness...you're finally awake." Her face was filled with a mixture of concern and joy, her eyes locked on Haruki's.
He paused then glanced outside.
"... it's night?!" He yelled seeing the sky through the window.
Haruki slowly rose his head, touching it to see if he regenerated properly.
He was unconscious for a whopping 10 HOURS.
As Haruki shifted, attempting to sit up and turn around, he was suddenly enveloped in a tight hug from behind. Hori's arms wrapped tightly around him.
"I'm so happy," she stammered, her voice muffled against his back. Her face was pressed against his shoulder, and her cheeks were flushed with relief and embarrassment.
"You should have told me you'd take time waking up! I was so worried!" Her grip on him tightened, almost hurting.
"I'm... sorry about that, I didn't think it'll take this long, it's freaking night!" He said trying to lighten up the mood.
Hori released Haruki, and cleaned her tears.
".... here you go." Haruki handed her a new handkerchief, she blew her nose and took a deep breath.
"Better?"
He said trying to look at Hori who hid her face.
She was a little bit angry at him for requesting a punch in the first place.
Hori's stomach chose that moment to interrupt, letting out a loud and I mean LOUD growl. The tension was immediately shattered, and Haruki's eyes widened in surprise.
"You haven't eaten?!" he exclaimed, his hand reaching out to gently touch her face. Hori's response was immediate and honest. "Yes," her eyes facing the floor.
"Why?! It's so late already! That means you haven't eaten throughout today!" He panicked while turning on his flashlight and laying it down.
"That's true, I mean I drank some water I found in your bag but.... I'm really hungry..." Hori said with a lifeless face as if crossing to the other side.
"Oh my God you must be starving!! I'm so sorry!!"
"No, I should be the one to apologize Haruki-san, it must have been painful having your head blown apart."
Hori bowed apologetically, if Haruki were human, he would have been long gone from that blow.
"Screw that! let's get you something to eat!" He stood up and dragged Hori's hand.
She held her stomach trying her best not to pass out, she remembered she often got hungry quickly, something her father said was a fast metabolism.
"It's already late so let's just order pizza." Haruki suggested, apologizing since he initially promised home cooked food.
'Pizza?' Hori thought, she tugged at his sleeve and asked. "Is that a food?"
"Nah, it's more of a wait what?! You've never eaten pizza?!" Haruki pulled back.
"I've never heard of it..."
She said calmly with no strength to fake knowledge of it.
Narrator - That's just...sad...
"Well, Father always cooked for me, so my meals were strictly healthy..." Hori slowly closed her eyes from the hunger.
"Well you're gonna love this! I'm ordering plenty since you eat A LOT!"
'How shameless of me!'
Hori scolded her self.
Haruki quickly placed the order and walked to a hidden spot behind a chair.
He brought out a small case and opened it, revealing some fresh unopened snacks he had hidden for an emergency.
"In the meantime, you can have this, honestly don't know why I hid them since I never get hungry." he said, handing Hori a soft, sweet Anpan. The Japanese pastry was a gentle, comforting treat, and Hori's eyes lit up as she accepted it.
She bowed as usual and took a bite after tearing it open from its transparent nylon.
"This is delicious!" Her eyes brimmed with life.
Haruki checked the time on his phone before setting it down.
"Okay, until the pizza gets here, tell me what happened,"
Hori faced him. "Oh, you must be referring to the punch!" She took another bite of the Anpan, smiling as she was clearly enjoying it.
"Well, at firsch shour head...shcattered, buch it shealed shortly after!" she mumbled, trying to speak with her mouth full.
Haruki chuckled and gently wiped away a crumb from the corner of her mouth. "Don't talk while chewing," he reminded her softly.
"So I healed pretty quick? Then why did it take so long for me to wake up?!" Haruki was confused.
Hori took another bite but chewed before speaking.
"I'm not sure, oh! but Narrator explained why my hands are so tough! Oh my God, This tastes sooo good!" She squealed.
"Narrator?" Haruki furrowed his brows.
"Oh it's some woman that keeps talking in my head." Hori said.
Narrator - How rude!
'Hmmm the hunger must've gotten to her head...' Haruki nodded slowly, pretending to follow what she spoke of.
"Anyway, she said my hands get, hard, sharp and heavy, equivalent to natural diamonds....I think." She took another bite from the Anpan.
"Woah, seriously?!"
Haruki was impressed, was Hori really an ordinary human?
Hori continued.
"I didn't believe it at first but I tried testing it while you were asleep."
She pointed outside to a large tree opposite the inn.
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Outside the inn, Hori and Haruki stood side by side, the darkness around them pierced by the beam of his flashlight. The light fell upon the tree, revealing the extent of the damage. The trunk was battered and broken, its roots torn apart with deep holes that looked eerily like fist marks.
'Freaky....' Haruki thought whilst touching the marks to confirm if they were real.
"I guess that explains everything." He turned off his flashlight as they headed back inside. Hori's hands were deadly weapons, this must have had something to do with why she appeared in Fukui.
First of all her speed shown when avoiding that Sinner of Sloth, now her 'Diamond Hands' the questions kept piling up.
"But wait," Haruki grabbed Hori's hands. She immediately blushed as the nylon for the Anpan fell to the floor.
"Your hands feel normal."
He said, slightly pressing them.
Just like any girl, Hori had soft skin, especially on her palms.
"E—ehmm, Narrator also said it happens only when I want to harm something!" Hori exclaimed, her face growing hotter by the second. Haruki, still holding her hands, began to playfully toy with her fingers.
Hori's embarrassment deepened. "Could you let go of my hands now?" she asked, her cheeks flushing a deep pink.
Haruki's grin only widened. "You're getting embarrassed from just this?" he teased, his grip on her hands gentle but firm.
Hori's eyes darted away with her face burning. "Wah?! Th—th—there's nothing to be embarrassed about! It's not like it's anything inappropriate!" she protested, her voice rising in defense.
Haruki let out a happy smile, Hori was adorable and observing her reactions served as quality entertainment for him.
----------------------
As the pizza delivery man approached the inn, he couldn't help but notice the damaged front, proof to the earlier chaos caused by that Sinner of Addiction. He hesitated for a moment before knocking on the side of the wall to announce his arrival.
Inside, Haruki released Hori's hands and headed towards the sound, calling out to let the delivery man know he was coming.
"Yo." Haruki casually greeted.
"Hello... Did you order this?" The man asked, making sure he got the address for such a secluded place.
Haruki handed over the payment and took the boxes. Immediately shutting the door before he could ask for a tip.
He skipped excitedly, giddy to introduce Hori to pizza.
"What is that smellll??!"
Hori crawled towards Haruki, curiosity written on her face.
She leaned in closer as Haruki arranged the food. 5 packages in total.
"Now I know you're hungry but try not to rush it and choke okay?!" He said with a smile as he opened the first box.
"Wooooow~~" Hori was astonished, it was a Hawaiian-style pizza topped with pineapple.
The aroma wafting from the box was intoxicating, and Hori's eyes closed in reverence. "Dear God, thank you for the food," she said, offering a quick prayer.
Haruki's eyebrow quirked up in surprise. 'God?' He thought to himself. 'I'm the one who paid for it!'
He was also intrigued by Hori's unexpected mention of God, wondering if she was a devout Christian.
She gave Haruki an informative look, saying "Can I really eat this?"
To which Haruki gave a simple smile. Hori carried a slice, and touched it with the tip of her tongue.
The moment the crust cracked, Hori's eyes lit up. She took a big bite, and her muffled voice squealed, "Oh, my... this is amazing!"
The flavors danced on her taste buds, the sweetness of the pineapple, the savory saltiness of the cheese, and a hint of pepper. "Mmm... it's so... so... flavorful!" she tried to explain, her words tumbling out between bites.
Haruki chuckled and gently wiped a strand of sauce from the corner of her mouth. "Yeah, it's pizza. Now stop analyzing and eat," he teased, smiling.
----------------------------
2 minutes later, We see someone crying in pain. A paralysed Hori wailed with a cartoonishly big stomach.
"That's what you get for eating that much! What kind of human eats 5 packs of pizza under 2 minutes?!" Haruki scorned.
"Ahhhh.... I'm sorry...I didn't leave any for you..." Hori said apologetically, almost rolling from her attempt to bow despite her huge belly.
"It's cool, I never actually get hungry." He said arranging the empty cartons.
"Oh, Haruki-san is a Sin..." Hori's words trailed off as a massive belch erupted from her mouth. The sound was deafening, echoing through the inn.
To Haruki's astonishment, Hori's balloon-like stomach suddenly deflated, returning to its normal size. She stood up, looking remarkably more comfortable. "Ah, I feel much better!" she exclaimed.
Haruki's eyes widened in shock as he stared at Hori. "Wait, what just happened? Your stomach was huge just now!"
"Oh, I have really fast metabolism Haruki-san! That's why I get hungry so easily. But don't worry, this food should last me till tomorrow."
Hori said cleaning her hands.
Honestly speaking, how did she last 7 days homeless?
Haruki dismissed her cartoon gag and spoke. "That's good to hear, yeah Hori there's something you should know." He said with a suddenly serious tone.
"What is it?" Hori sat down.
"You can't fight with those hands." He said bluntly.
Hori asked why.
"I'm no expert like you, but I'm sure the Sabbath Exams has a tournament section, where applicants will face each other or something like that."
In other words a 1 v 1 tournament.
"Yes, that makes sense, although only members of SHO actually know what the Exams are like, it should have a tournament section us civilians might not be aware of!"
Hori agreed with Haruki's suggestion.
"So if you use those hands against ordinary people, THEY'LL DIE." His words made Hori shudder.
She would never wish for that to happen, the last thing Hori wanted was becoming a murderer.
Haruki opened a bottle of water to drink while Hori digested the news.
"Then in that case, I'll fight without my hands!" She came to that conclusion.
Haruki figured she'd say that, so he clarified that starting tomorrow, their training on leg based attacks would begin.
Hori yelled in agreement, she was ready.
"Now let's get some sleep, tomorrows a busy day."
Haruki stretched and headed to bring out the futon.
Hori fell silent for a moment before speaking up again. "Haruki-san... thank you," she said, her voice filled with sincerity as she bowed her head to the floor in a deep, respectful gesture.
Haruki's expression softened, and he chuckled lightly. "For what this time? You're thanking me a lot," he said, seeming slightly amused by her frequent display of gratitude.
"For everything thing you've done for me so far." Hori answered with her head still bowed as low as possible.
Haruki's mind froze as a realization dawned on him. He had taken Hori under his wing out of sheer boredom, seeking distraction from the monotony of his life as an assassin.
Killing, ignoring his mother's calls, and sleeping despite hardly getting tired.
His life had become repetitive and meaningless.
But Hori's presence had stirred something within him. For the first time in a long while, he felt a spark of purpose. Perhaps, his kindness towards her wasn't mere coincidence. Maybe she was the reason he felt alive again.
"... I should be the one thanking you Hori. So raise your head already."
He said scratching his head slightly embarrassed.
She complied and they both smiled at each other.
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Haruki unfolded a large futon and spread it out on the floor. Hori's eyes widened as she took in the single sleeping arrangement, remembering how she barely got any sleep back at the hotel.
Panic set in, and she hastily declared, "Well, I'll be sleeping outside."
"No you don't!" He dragged her back. Haruki brought out some pillows and dropped them on the futon.
"You'll catch a cold if you sleep outside."he said with a serious expression, Haruki lay down and patted the space beside him. "So get over here," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Hori sighed, she felt indecent sleeping with him twice, but had no choice.
".....then, please excuse me."
She slowly laid down trying to be as far away from Haruki as possible.
His soft chuckle filled the room as he watched Hori's innocent reaction. As they wished each other a good night, he smiled and began scrolling through his phone. His expression turned neutral as he saw the missed calls from his mom – just another routine call, nothing out of the ordinary. He ignored it and turned off the light.
As the night wore on, Haruki noticed Hori shivering. The cold autumn air seeped in through the broken wall he had covered with a curtain.
And the distance between her and the futon had left her exposed. He could see her tiny trembles, and his gaze lingered on her for a moment.
Haruki shuffled closer to her, their backs against each other.
"H-Haruki-san?" Hori called out, her voice husky from sleep.
"Yeah?" he replied. "You look cold, so I'll warm you up. Hori smiled softly.
They settled into silence, lying down together. After a while, Hori spoke up again, her voice a little louder than before. "I noticed some missed calls on your phone... from your mom."
Haruki's tone turned slightly guarded. "Huh?"
She continued, "I know it's non of my business but I think she might be worried about you."
"If it's non of your business then stop talking." Haruki cut her off with an irritated expression.
She flinched from his sudden change in character, she had never seen Haruki angry. "....my apologies...."
Hori kept quiet and tried to ignore the atmosphere. Her eyes forced shut as she tried to sleep. But despite her exhaustion, she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease.
Narrator - A quick reminder to both readers and characters present. 9 MORE DAYS TILL THE SABBATH EXAMS.