"..." The shadows of the path in front glared at the walking Kuro; his slow steps represented him waiting for the others to finish their showdowns.
"Roi, Kaien, Yoshiru all won...still the path i walk in extends for some reason." He tilted his head to the right, seeing the same writing he had seen 10 times. Someone wants me to get in late..? Is it my enemy who awaits? Kuro thought, raising his arm toward the symbol next to the writing.
He bypassed the Reikonryoku barrier, touching the symbol. "To bypass Reikonryoku, you have to impour Reikonryoku..?" Kuro's discovery relieved him, since he thought some tricks awaited in front.
As he made his other fingers into a circle, touching the symbol with five fingers. "!?" The hall shook when the symbol lit up. "Did i just trigger something?!"
The hall expanded by many studs, transforming its shape. The ground beneath expanded with the walls, leaving Kuro in the midst of a large chamber.
He immediately observed the walls around, seeing nothing but symbols duplicating. Upon staring forward, the devil who lies in him appeared in front of him. He stepped forward toward Kuro at a slow pace.
"You again..." Kuro's impression wasn't as expected, since this scene had happened many times before. "I don't understand your intentions yet...you keep showing with silence."
"Showing me despair and agony every time...what is it you want? Are you an enemy or an ally...what kind of power did you want to lend me in the first place?!" Kuro spilled those words, having no response but silence. The devil stopped, he lifted his head once again at Kuro.
"Heh...HAHA" He laughed, first time showing his real self. Then, he snapped his finger, changing the shape of the area. "What!?" Kuro shook, leaving his leg move backward while observing the changing ground.
A dark room with spilling blood from everywhere, the ground was black blood. The pouring liquid changed into black.
Kuro raised his head...
His eyes widened, staring forward while shaking. "Hey...human" The devil sat on a throne with black blood rushing to the ceiling, and some falling to keep filling the ground.
"What is it that you want from me!?" Kuro clenched his fist while screaming at the demon.
"What is it i want from you..?" The devil smirked, "You accepted me yourself...i never forced you to shake my hands back then." As his words echoed slowly, his shape changed into Kuro's.
The white glowing hair, with long horns, and the purple body. The black eyes with white pupil, his chest showed markings of a circle with lines going through it. The terrifying markings on his face were connected to one line going to the stomach.
Both arms had markings going from the shoulder toward the back of his fist. The line was connected to a corrupted circle in the back of his fists. His hair weaved like Kuro's as he spoke, "Not an enemy nor an ally...i follow my satisfaction." His smile almost tore his face.
"I-.." Kuro was speechless
"My dear...Kuro, don't forget your own words...you're me." The smiling devil continued,
"I was never you...Instead, you are me...representing me in every way possible." His eyes narrowed at the shaking Kuro, "Don't show me your pity face...the time will come. The time when you fully become me..."
The room rotated, showing upside down with blood pouring the opposite way. The sight kept tweaking colors, both black and purple, as he screamed with laughter.
"THE TIME WHEN YOU SHED YOUR OWN FRIENDS BLOOD THE WAY I DID...HAHAHA!" - Devil.
"Now...face the path you've chosen.." He spoke as the room collapsed slowly.
The time was rewinding while Kuro watched, returning to when he touched the symbol.
His fear consumed him, leaving him trembling in his place. His widened eyes returned slowly,
"...Now...i get it..."
Footsteps echoed approaching, showing a shady figure demon coming slowly. Kuro immediately twisted to the path, waiting for the arrival of the demon in front.
Sounds of Katanas unsheathing slowly. Then suddenly, a sound of steel pressing against each other reflected on the wall, sparks and particles spread from the clash. The demon was pressing his sword against Kuro's.
They both exchanged stares, "I see...you're rather an interesting one..." The demon pushed himself backward, landing on the tip of his right foot.
"You think so..." Kuro stood in his place, lowering his katana.
The demon, "I am Rauchi." Afterward, he smiled.
"Kuro Sato." Kuro lifted his katana, ready to clash with Rauchi. "How about we start this instantly?" Rauchi.
"Right."
Kuro and Rauchi vanished, reappearing in a clash of pure metal. They lifted their katanas backward, throwing another swing that forced a clash.
In an instant, clashes came rapidly, as the two individuals kept swinging at each other. The shockwave and sparks hanging out of the clashes were reflected due to the tight hall.
They lunged backward while both unleashed a small amount of Reikonryoku out, flowing energies lit the place up. Kuro emitted a purple hue, with a hint of multiple darkened colors.
On the other hand, Rauchi's Reikonryoku flew shining bright red.
Kuro's Reikonryoku roamed in his fingers as he raised his katana upward, then his Reikonryoku descended beneath his fingers, connecting, moving toward the middle of his palm, drawing a complete purple ball. He then gripped his katana's handle.
The blade shattered, leaving a falling purple crystal particles, "Kagenokami..." The reshaping blade resampled a newborn, darkened purple blade, while the handle was darkened red.
"I still don't understand the concept of my blade...though shattering my enemy with it is my top priority according to Nivor." Kuro muttered, staring at his blade.
The opponent's blade's color changed regularly to a complete dark red. "Shall we really begin.."
Both grounds they stood in broke instantly as they darted against each other. Upon their arrival, Kuro twirled mid-air, flying above his opponent with a swing from above.
Rauchi twisted, facing Kuro's place with a parry, then vanished with an appearance in front of Kuro. He pointed his katana toward Kuro's face, "Damn..." Kuro muttered.
"Paralyzed movement...!" A massive wave came out of the tip of his blade, expanding toward Kuro. When Kuro was in the range of the wave, his movements were paralyzed.
"Op-..." A kick made its way toward Kuro, slamming him on his head, sending him flying to the left. What kind of Ushi is this...?! Kuro thought, then forced his blade toward the wall on his right, stopping himself from flying across the hall.
"My ushi is Physic Breaker.." Rauchi muttered.
Kuro landed on the ground, pulling his katana out of the wall. "Physic breaker...? What could that mean?"
Nivor's voice struck in Kuro's head,
"Physic breaker : A ranged type of Ushi that paralyzes opponents by the owner's commands.
Manipulating the brain and paralyzing the veins, stopping the command from the enemy's brain.
According to my expectations, this Ushi can stop things other than only the enemy. It could be time as well.
The level of your enemy is very low, which gives the chance that he is not able to use his ability to the fullest."
Kuro stood observing the blade of his opponent. There has to be a drawback...but wait Nivor how did you know this?
I analyzed the book in your master's dojo while you're asleep, and absorbed it. It contained all types of known demon Ushis. Nivor replied.
Damn...you can control me while I'm asleep now. Doesn't matter; next time, focus on analyzing my Ushi to tell me its abilities. Kuro closed his eyes, ready for his opponent's next move, calming his Reikonryoku to dodge it.
Suddenly, a sheathing sound echoed through Kuro's ear. "???" Kuro immediately raised his head to see what was happening.
"Sato...the reason I've come here wasn't to fight you, nor to hurt your friends" Rauchi spoke.
"Then what was the purpose of this place...?" Kuro questioned while his blade shattered, returning to normal.
"I have to explain everything then.." He crossed his arms then continued his speech,
"A worldwide disaster is about to confront the person who has made this place an agreement with another devil, i don't know the details of the individuals. He ordered me from the demon world just to serve him for a reward."
Kuro kept listening as Rauchi continued, "This disaster is going to occur somewhere in the core of the earth. The anonymous person after this has a goal, which is opening a gate from the demon world to the human world."
"Why are you telling me that while you're a demon..." Kuro observed the person's appearance, "I'm kind of a demon."
Kuro nodded in confusion, "To explain further, i'm from the Gama family. Each family member has a certain hybrid race, some of us are half-human-demon, and i am one of those people.
Others are dangerous, being the full reincarnation of a devil-demon."
He then lowered his head, "The reason i'm helping you, because i hate despair... no one deserves to see their people die for a childish reason. Such as opening a giant gate from the Demon's world to the humans."
"A-" Kuro was interrupted, "The second reason..." He stepped forward toward Kuro, then put his palm against Kuro's chest. "Their second intention is you..."
"Me..?"
"Yes, they want the devil inside of you." As Rauchi spoke, Kuro lowered his head to the ground. "And i'm completely aware of all of your details..."
"What!?" Kuro raised his head. "You've come from the future to save the world; your people sacrificed themselves to pour hope into you. So, why would i ignore a person who is trusted?"
He turned around, stepping forward. "Also, I'm in the know of your separated friends."
"How do you know all of this..." Kuro questioned as his face was shocked,
"First, don't worry i won't tell anyone. Second, the mysterious, annoying masked man told me this information." When Rauchi spilled those words out, the whole place shook.
"Yeah yeah you're angry right now. You knew I intended to betray you from the beginning...right masked man?" Rauchi smirked while closing his eyes.
Rauchi turned back at the shocked Kuro, "Let us go to your friends, i'll explain further when you all gather...alongside Kaien." He immediately stepped forward, walking back to the exit.
"This guy...knows everything.." Kuro followed in silence.
-
The moonlight completely faded from the darkness, leaving the room with no source of lighting. The sight showed a figure standing in front of a chair.
"I knew all along...though my pawn, you got the idea wrong...the one who wants to open the gates was never me." The masked man's adrenaline pushed higher as his smirk was wider and visible even behind the mask.
Suddenly, two people appeared behind the man. He twisted around and took a small step toward them. "Shall we departer from this time...my master?"
A portal lightened the area, having black purple outlines with a white light in the midst of it.
The two figures stood up, facing each other, then making a way for the masked man to go through the portal.
He stopped mid walking, "I will leave the fate of this world to you...my original pawn..."
The sound of laughter echoed, "I can't wait to see them break...even my new pawn!!!"
Afterward, he stepped forward, calming down, "But...until then." He took a first step into the portal, "Until i return!" He and his fingers vanished from the area.
-
"Yoshiru and Normi...?" Both Kuro and Rauchi entered the main hall, seeing both Normi and Yoshiru lying on the ground.
"Mmmm..." Kuro got closer, then kneeled to see what happened to them.
Suddenly, a strong clash echoed through the hallway from behind Kuro. "Holy.." Kuro twirled around fast to see. "Never thought you'd return...Rauchi..." Kaien, who crossed katanas with Rauchi. "Heh...as stubborn as ever, Kaien..." Rauchi muttered.
"Kaien, wait! He is an ally." Kuro stepped forward, though his eyes caught Roi, filled with blood, lying on the ground, "Holy...just what happened to the mailman...?"
In a moment, they all sheathed their katanas and then shook hands. "Long time no see, friend!" Kaien and Rauchi said in the same moment.
"What!?...Kaien never fails to surprise me..." He sighed. "So, y'all know each other."
Kaien was smiling, "Yes, he is my long-time friend." Then he made his way toward the fallen Yoshiru and Normi, "They all consumed their energies..."
"Yeah, i figured that actually." Kuro stepped toward them, carrying Yoshiru on his left shoulder, and then raised Normi, carrying her in his right arm.
"Rauchi...you never come without any reason, so specify your situation", Kaien spoke while carrying Roi on his back.
"Another chaos is appearing, friend...though i will explain further details in the dojo." Rauchi responded and took a step toward the exit.
"Alright, we shall depart now." Kaien walked alongside them, being followed by Kuro.
Upon leaving the base of despair, they all looked behind. The base was disappearing, turning into Reikonryoku flying particles, and then it started flying in a certain location.
Kaien sighed, "I hate to say this...but we were lured. At least no one has died."
Yoshiru yawned while being on Kuro's shoulder, "This guy is so irritating..." Kuro said while observing the drool of Yoshiru on his clothes. "Close your fucking mouth! That's disgusting..."
Kaien and Rauchi stared and then laughed. Kuro got angrier, "Nothing is funny!"
Chapter End.