《Kyouka (強化)》


 Chapter 1 - Past Connections Part 1

    A bright light is seen, blinding the many who have seemingly entered unto it. Words are muttered and whispered, their swift movements are sent across time and space as they instantaneously zip towards their destination.


    Their eyes can only discern what are... flashes of memories, names of people, and places are heard. Visions are seen, a burning and decimated city, corpses littered all around. Black smoke permeates the once blue sky, a ringing and unbearable amalgamation of human-like voices reverberating and surrounding their ears.


    Overwhelming sensations are felt all throughout their bodies, as not only are their figures withstanding all of this. But also are their minds, sudden rushes of information overload their psyche as they fight to keep their memories intact, to even remember who they are.


    "Rushiko! Remember your training, and don''t give in!" a determined voice is heard as he finally sees the light fading, he closes his eyes once more. Taking a sharp and deep breath, he prepares himself for the eventual comedown because once he lands, he won''t have enough time to hesitate and falter any longer.


    - Kyouka (����) -


    The very moment the light fades away from his eyes, he instantly sees himself falling from a great height, down below is a familiar-looking city all covered up by fog, its surroundings are all grayed out though, and both their exteriors and interiors have no color, it''s like the very life that this city once had was sucked away, only leaving the memories of its once lively form.


    Rushiko holds his breath and dives deeper, his body emanating light as he falls further below to the ground, his body overflowing with this light, he grabs his blade from his holster, and he endues it with his aura. He swims towards a bunch of clouds, with the tip of a skyscraper poking out, as he falls faster, he violently stabs the walls and the windows of the building as his blade shakes from the force of his aura slicing downwards to the concrete ground, he grips both of his hands on the blade''s handle tightly.


    He sighs in relief as he gets closer to the ground, to the point where the fog has cleared out and he is seeing the buildings of the city more prominently and up close. But this relieving silence is broken, when bullets zip towards his position, he quickly drops his other hand from the blade to look at the multiple directions of where they are all coming from.


    He discovers multiple enemies waiting for his position! from the many windows and balconies of the buildings encompassing the city to the huge amount of them down below his feet, he slouches his back and strengthens the aura around him, as he kicks back unto the walls on his back and jumps away from the skyscraper, the bullets coming towards his position simply being disintegrating before they even reach him.


    He lands on the ground, cracking the asphalt floor and creating a crater around his feet at the same time, numerous enemies converging at his location, he quickly sprints towards them and charges the aura on the blade and slides under the enemy''s legs, he jumps to a great height and grabs his other blade, he tightens his grip on their hilts, as both of the blades shake from the overwhelming aura contained within.


    He slams both of them towards one of the enemy''s heads and completely obliterates his body, crushing him like he were a can, his blades have not only severed the enemy''s figure but it has also struck the ground, sparks of light form as the after-effect spread towards all of the surrounding enemies, blowing most of their body parts up in the process.


    He moves faster as he finishes all of them off, his hands swiftly moving in an elegant yet frantic motion while all of their limbs and organs fly out with fresh blood gushing from all around them, he suddenly stops and takes many small breaths, wiping the blood from his hands along with the stain on his blades.


    "Ru-" *bzzt* "Shi-" *bzzt*


    "Rushiko! Do you copy?" a familiar voice is heard through his comms, he keeps breathing frantically while he grabs his knees.


    "Yeah-- I copy... I''m inside now" he replies, snapping to the next building near him, looking for any more tangos around the vicinity.


    "Good, remember your objectives. Firstly, Eliminate any adversaries that get in your way, Secondly, buy enough time for the "Reckoner " to arrive and most important of all, Thirdly, Survive... no matter the cost. Please... you may know how strong he was, but you don''t know what level he is now... don''t be reckless" the person said, while he deeply sighs.


    "Himura, I got this. Don''t worry about me, just make sure Suzu-Senpai gets here in time. I think I can only buy him at most, 5 minutes max" he says.


    She hesitates for a moment as silence fills the air... and then she responds.


    "Alright, I trust you. See you outside after you''re done" she replies, he smirks as he puts both his blades back into their holsters. He squats downwards and grabs the weapons of the enemies, he gets hold of an MP5 SMG, a pair of Walther PPK Pistols, a few grenades, flashbangs, and smoke canisters, and all of the corresponding ammo needed for his Primary and Side Arms.


    He grabs one of the better vests since most of them are blown up and tattered in pieces, he sees one of the faces of the soldiers, both of their eyes edging to the top of his eyelids. Rushiko grasps his face and slowly closes the enemies'' eyes.


    "Kuroke-San..." he quietly mutters, as he puts on the vest and puts all of his equipment and ammo in their respective places, he straps on his MP5 and sprints forward towards the center of the city, where his main destination is: The Morishita Park and specifically the Ferris Wheel alongside it.


    He gets closer to one of the buildings in front of him, which is this massive theater. He busts the main doors open, as he sees over 30 enemies inside the main lobby, he aims with his iron sights and burst fires on each of them, and not only does he have better precision in doing so but he is also saving ammo in the process.


    He swiftly snaps to the ticket counters for cover, as he pulls the pins of two grenades and throws them overhead, but at the same time, both the front and back ends of the counters are suddenly brimming with enemies. He drops his MP5 as it bounces from the strap and quickly plucks both his PPKs out of their holsters, and blindly fires both ends of the ticket booths.


    As the grenades implode at the enemies at the front of his location, he then uses a little aura on his boots and jumps from the walls of the back of the counters, towards the revolving staircase, and in the process, he grabs one of the gas canisters and sets them off to the pursuing enemies.


    The white smoke covers him, as bullets whirl all around the air, he climbs the spinning staircase and by each floor. Rushiko blindly fires on the enemies on each of the floors as he continues to scale these stairs leading to the roof of the theater.


    He finds out that the roof also has a cinema with a projector running, he looks at his back and he sees all of the enemies scrambling to his position, he hurls another grenade as he runs to the front of the screen, and just as the grenade is about to explode, the screen shows a man riding an atomic bomb as it erupts on film. He jumps out at the silver screen, creating a torn hole at the center.


    Rushiko then rolls to the roof of the next building and finds more enemies surrounding him, from multiple ones climbing the stairs connecting to their corresponding buildings'' ceilings to others bursting out from the doors of the stairs to their roofs.


    He shoots at the sky, as he looks at them with a determined face. He then coats his whole body with his glowing aura and leaps many tremendous rooftops, he looks over and sees the gigantic Ferris Wheel of the park, he nods and goes even faster, skipping through the roofs in slight flashes, as the breeze gets thinner the faster he gets.


    He forcefully lands and rolls on the ground, he raises his eyes and sees the park in all its glory, though what beauty it once had, is all gone. People were once all over this park, enjoying a nice picnic, many others exercising and playing. Countless meaningful relationships and bonds were formed and maintained through this park and this city before. But it''s all gone now, and the only thing left is a shell of its former self, its former glory... as the memories of the past linger on, never letting go especially with what had happened.


    The overbearing noise of the rushing enemies reverberates into his skull, he sprints towards the edges of the forest up ahead, he patiently waits behind a tree as he gropes at his vest, grabbing both pairs of the smoke canisters and flashbangs inside his pockets.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    As the noise gets louder and closer, the very moment he sees a glimpse of the crowd coming for him, he plucks both the pins of the smoke grenades and tosses them forward while he does the same for the flashbangs. The enemies grunt at the detonation of the stun grenades, he grabs his MP5 and sharply aims and fires at them.


    He takes out the enemies on the ground, to the ones on balconies. But many enemy snipers take shelter on the rooftops in front of him, he infuses his SMG with a dash of his aura, as he burst fires at them, the bullets traveling further distances because of their increased speed by the aura.


    The enemy snipers are taken out like flies, he shoots down the remaining enemies recovering from the smoke cover and the flashbangs, as he uses all of his grenades to finish the enemies on the balconies. An enemy suddenly gets near him, he is taken aback by this as the enemy jumps at him, holding Rushiko in place, he chokes him while being on top.


    Rushiko struggles, his eyes getting redder, he tries to get the enemy''s hands away from him, he powers both his fists and breaks the enemy''s restraint of him. He slams both his knuckles at the enemy''s head and crushes it. The blood splatters all over his face, he quickly crawls and then stands up as more of the enemies got closer and nearer, he rushes deeper into the forest, blindly firing behind him.


    But as he pulls on the trigger of his MP5, only to find out, he''s out of ammo. He drops it and switches to his secondary weapons, as he reaches the main road to the Ferris Wheel. He drops the last remaining flashbang he has left behind him and dashes away.


    He has no more ammo for his primary, he doesn''t have any grenades, smoke canisters, or even flashbangs and he only has two more magazines left for his Walther PPKs, perfect for one more reload.


    "I''m getting closer to him, and yet the enemies keep multiplying faster than I can kill them! At this point, I have no choice but to use my aura to finish all of them off, but if I do. I won''t even be able to hold him off for 1 minute! But I don''t think I have any other choice" he says this as he proceeds to rush forward, the Ferris Wheel getting bigger, taller, and wider from his vicinity.


    Then he suddenly he feels something slowing him down, it is wet and overflowing, it''s water! He looks behind him and sees the enemies slowly being taken down. A lot of them are bursting into pieces, some are getting burned alive, and many are being cut into little bits. Much more dying by other aura powers, he sees more enemies in front of him.


    He fires on them with his Dual Wielded Pistols, his bullets soaring straight forward to their targets as he spreads his arms apart to fire at the many more at his left and right sides. From the ones on top of trees to the ones running straight at him. He drops both of PPKs'' magazines and reloads them for one final time. Cocking both of their slides, he proceeds to run faster to the area of the Ferris Wheel.


    Rushiko is finally here, the gigantic frame of the Ferris Wheel in view, he continues to keep shooting at the enemies near the area, he shoots at the ones taking cover at the snack booths, the ticket counter of the Ferris Wheel itself, and the ones behind it. He pulls the trigger one more time and puts away his pistols.


    But just as he begins to grasp his blades, all of them suddenly burst and implode with their guts flying out, confused by this. He looks all over the area until instantly, he sees a flash appear as the figure suddenly embraces him, he feels the warmth of this figure and instantly recognizes the person.


    "Rushi-Kun!" the figure tightly holds him in their arms, he smiles and hugs them back.


    "Himura! What are you doing here? I thought they kept you as a reserve and you were waiting for me outside!" he replies in a confused state, she lightly giggles.


    "It turns out, that they''re more enemies than we thought here, so they sent all the reserves too! It''s perfect timing since you were about to use your aura on them, weren''t you?" she points out, he scratches his head and then hangs his on her shoulder in defeat.


    "Oh shut up, humph!" he states as he proceeds to hide his face, she grins and continues to hold him... she then lets him go and looks at Rushiko.


    "Don''t worry! We got your back! Just hold him long enough for Suzu-San to get here!" she said, he nods as she flashes out of the area, he then gets closer to the Ferris Wheel, ready to fight him. He takes off the MP5 strapped to his shoulder and then tightly clenches his fists, breathing deeply as he spreads his aura all around his form.


    A blade is suddenly near his neck, his eyes widen, his body shakes and his palms get sweatier while his vision gets blurrier and his frame feels heavier. He looks up and he sees a tall black-haired samurai with an emanating red aura swelling around him, his staring eyes looking deep into his soul, he quickly looks downwards.


    "Hirotsu... I finally found you.." the samurai states as he strongly throws him towards the tree, the boy powers up his body using the tree as he kicks onto it and lands on the grass, sliding with his knife in his fist.


    "Kuroke-san..." He mutters as he breathes in and out, drawing his fighting stance with his arm protecting him with his knife sticking out of his hand, the samurai draws more blades one by one until six of them appear in his hands. He draws his stance with both of his hands wielding his swords as he steps onto his left side, his blades getting brighter, as he slouches and bends his knees, ready for the blow.


    Their distance is just a few meters from one another, the wind getting stronger, the grass and leaves blowing everywhere, the sound of guns and screaming getting louder, their eyes intensifying.


    "You know... after all this time, Suzushii still hasn''t taught you any of his signature techniques? you''re still the same kid from back then..." He asks as he powers up his blades, the light around him nothing compared to the energy building upon his blades, as they burn up and get hotter and fiercer.


    "I want to know how you''ve changed after all these years, show me... your power! Rushiko!!" He shouts and uses the ground to propel himself upwards to strike Hirotsu.


    He quickly parries and powers his knife to withstand the impact of his attack, he shouts as he increases the aura contained in his small blade, he throws the body of the samurai, Kuroke slides on the grass as his boots clash with the dirt as he stops his momentum with his 6 blades, he quickly jumps from multiple trees and creates slash attacks at Hirotsu, Rushiko gasps as he ducks and slides from Kuroke''s increasing slashes.


    He jumps and kicks from multiple trees to move in from different directions, cutting leaves and creating illusions of himself, increasing the impact of his feet to increase his speed to distract the samurai, but the samurai sees him through all of this and jumps in and grabs his whole body to slam him towards multiple trees and finally kicking him towards a wall of a cafeteria, breaking in and crashing towards many shelves.


    Rushiko all covered in food, wounded and battered, he coughs up blood from the huge counter from his enemy, he quickly gets up and grabs his second blade as he stabilizes his body''s status from the attack, his aura flowing in him. He breathes in and out as he runs from the cafeteria as it is completely destroyed by the samurai''s burning blades.


    The burning debris raining down from the obliteration of the building as Hirotsu slides on the grass and charges his blades, their aura shining a bright white light, the samurai jumps in from his position and throws his burning blades at him, each of them landing all at once creating an emanating white smoke, Rushiko quickly dodges this and gets in behind his position.


    He slashes Kuroke''s back, he quickly grunts as he swiftly moves to Rushiko''s right, the samurai creates a large bastard sword that quickly chips and creates a large straight open rift of burning fire at the ground, Rushiko is almost directly hit by this. Rushiko falls towards the huge crevice as he creates a metal wire between his blades and spins one of them, directly throwing it upwards and chipping it on the wall. He lifts his body upwards and falls downwards away from the huge crevice, Kuroke flashing towards him mid-air and slashing the wire between his blades, his arms spreading reacting to this, he falls further towards the burnt grass and rolls on it.


    He desperately sprints away as the samurai quickly attacks him, Rushiko parrying the bastard sword with his blades, he spins his blade on his hand as he continues to run and throws it against Kuroke, the blade spinning faster and faster as it flashes and continues to spark until it is infused with fast lightning, the samurai tries to hold the spinning blade with his sword, it electrocuting his body; his hands tightening around his hilt, he destroys it with a hint of blackness in his sword coating it with his fiery aura.


    Rushiko flashes to his position and charges his last remaining blade and goes all out, with his body flashing a whitish blue, his blade with the most concentrated electricity he can muster, he slashes Kuroke with all of his aura while shouting . Kuroke quickly blocks this with his blade burning black, his aura overwhelming Rushiko''s blade as it shatters right before his eyes. He throws away Rushiko towards the Ferris Wheel, as he powers and squats his legs to jump an enormous height, he charges and holds his black burning blade''s aura.


    He completely slices the Ferris wheel in half, its debris hitting Rushiko''s body as the samurai flashes on his position mid-air deconstructing his blade, he punches Rushiko with his black burning fist towards the ground, Rushiko struggling to survive from the burning impact. He uses his remaining aura to cover his body, as he is sent hurtling towards the burning debris-filled grass, he coughs out more blood, his body weak and battered, his state on the verge of death.


    A flash is seen, a step is heard; the samurai walks up to him as he creates and augments his bastard sword into one shorter and more refined Wakizashi, standing directly in front of him menacingly.


    "Looks like you''re no match for me, Rushiko... guess Senpai got rusty at teaching, your skills are shaky at best and weak at worse, your movements are slow and your attacks have no impact, tell me why would Suzushii take in such a weak little brat as his student? you''re not even a fraction of what he''s capable of! " He rants.


    Rushiko struggling to speak; coughs more blood as he shouts out: "How could you know anything, especially when you''re with them!!"


    "I should be asking you the same thing since you don''t anything of what Senpai''s done and is capable of doing, why do you think I left?" He coldly states.


    "Wh- what do you mean by that?" Hirotsu asks confused.


    The samurai scoffs at him, violently slamming his foot on his body, Rushiko screams in pain.


    "I don''t have time for you and your pathetic attempts at distracting me, I know why you came here-" He states.


    "Senpai" He quickly turns around as he sees a sudden flash, the wind blowing uncontrollably as the leaves and ashes fly all over, the sharp gaze is felt by Kuroke as the brown-haired officer wearing a heavy-duty jacket stands in front of him stepping closer, he adjusts his cap with his eyes determined.


    "Mutsu-kun" he quietly mutters as he stands face to face against the black-haired samurai, Kuroke lets go of his foot from Rushiko''s body, facing Suzushii directly. He grips his Wakizashi tightly, enduing it with his aura. His blade swelling a black fire, its intense heat causing it to smoke upwards and all around, its trail spreading around his position as he continues to glare at his former mentor and comrade...


    - To Be Continued -


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/J1_Cf55cS8I</a> / Thin Thing - The Smile

 Chapter 2 - Past Connections Part 2

    "Mutsu-kun..." Suzushii quietly mumbles as he drops his hand from his pocket, both of his hands emitting a white light.


    "Suzu-san!" Rushiko raised his voice, Suzushii seeing his student''s battered and bloodied state, his eyes widen as he instantly rushes to his position, but before Suzushii could even reach Rushiko. Kuroke flashes to Rushiko''s spot and wraps his arm around him, raising his blade to his neck, Rushiko''s face growing pale as he tries to struggle against Rushiko''s grasp.


    "Mutsu-kun! Let him go!" Suzushii says, trying to grab Kuroke''s sleeve. He proceeds to swing his Wakizashi against him, Suzushii instantly dodges it. His feet sliding on the grass, he glares at Kuroke, his fists shaking as he continues to coat it with his aura.


    "You want him? Come and get him" Kuroke coldly states, throwing Rushiko away, his body violently rolling on the ground along with blades of grass spreading all across the air, Kuroke feeling his Wakizashi swelling with his fiery aura. He gradually covers his area with a 6-meter radius of smoke. Suzushii flashes to his position, blowing the smoke out of the way with his fist, his fists both releasing gusts of wind, Kuroke dodges his attacks as he creates aura waves all around him with Suzushii destroying all of them one by one.


    Suzushii flashes toward Rushiko with Kuroke in pursuit as Suzushii forcefully slams his foot on the ground, multiple projections of him circling around them, many deep holes seemingly on all sides. All of his projections drop a small drop of aura beneath the holes, however, the very moment each of them hit the very bottom-


    Strong currents of wind gush upwards as each of his projections are flung towards the sky, all of them falling downwards towards Rushiko. Kuroke instantly flashes above, with his arms spread out. He dives towards the projections, his arms suddenly expanding and widening as his number of arms increases, both of them multiplying into eight.


    All of his arms each grasping his blade, he slashes Suzushii''s projections as some of them vanish into thin air. The other projections powered all of their aura on their fists, all of them colliding onto Kuroke, feeling the impact of the wind from all of their fists, he grits his teeth as his blades take all of the hits, he slashes the remaining projections around him. He suddenly senses a presence, it''s above him!


    Suzushii clenching his fist full of his surging aura dives toward Kuroke while he tries to block the overwhelming hit, the brunette soldier crushes all of his blades, the shards spreading around them, Kuroke merges them together and augments a more durable Wakizashi. He takes hold of the new Wakizashi and swiftly throws the blade upwards at Suzushii while he quickly flashes behind him and punches him with all of the strength of his arms, Suzushii grunting as his arm is fully penetrated by the rushing blade, he is sent falling downwards towards Rushiko. The gushes of wind disappearing, he lands on the ash-filled ground, creating a huge crater at the same time.


    He quickly gets up and forcefully rips the blade out of his arm, his breathing maintaining his condition and stopping his bleeding, he coats his aura around his body, Kuroke instantly flashing near him. He rams his blade on the ground, releasing an aura wave directly at Suzushii.


    Suzushii pulls his arm back, and hits the aura wave, extinguishing it with his fist full of water. Kuroke flashes towards Suzushii, raising his blade while tightly gripping it, he cuts Suzushii''s arm off with blood spilling out from his upper arm.


    "Suzu-san!!!" Rushiko shouts in disbelief seeing his mentor''s arm being chopped off, he slowly crawls over to Kuroke''s position with his fingers digging in the soil as he desperately tries to reach him, Suzushii''s forearm dropping to the burnt ground.


    "Now!" a loud voice is heard, Kuroke''s eyes widen as Suzushii''s figure suddenly disappears along with any traces of his "sliced arm", sensing another figure in the vicinity, he quickly looks at Rushiko, the swift flash of the figure vanishing along with Rushiko in the blink of an eye.


    However, the very moment he laid his eyes on Rushiko, he feels the sudden immense amount of aura crashing towards his face, as he is sent flying downwards on the ash-filled ground. His body is currently being burnt, shocked, crushed, and drowned thanks to the overwhelming amount of water entering inside his lungs, he screams in extreme agony, his multiple arms reverting back to their original state since he is unable to maintain the aura needed for them.


    He looks up, seeing a figure obscured by the building fog.


    "Why would you join them... after everything we''ve been through, after everything I''ve done for you! Why would join those murdering bastards!!!" Suzushii shouts at his former student.


    "Why..." he asks, hanging his head low, he snaps his fingers. The overwhelming pressure of his aura being imposed on Kuroke dissipates, he gets on top of him. Holding both of his shoulders and slamming it towards the ground, Kuroke coughs up bloodied water while struggling to speak, he tries to maintain his body''s stability, breathing constantly to recover his lost aura.


    "L- Like you''re any different! I told you to stop, I begged you to!" Kuroke replied as he struggled against Suzushii''s control over him, his aura slowly building around his body.


    "Yet... you did it anyway, you fucking killed them all!" he shouts, pulling his arms out and reaching to hit Suzushii''s face. Suzushii forcefully grabs both of his wrists and slams them downwards. He lets out his aura on Rushiko, nullifying it from spreading any further. Suzushii looks away, his face tensing up.


    "I had to... if I didn''t, they would''ve lived to kill even more! I wanted to protect you both from them... I don''t want to lose anyone anymore!" he says, then looking back at Rushiko. His eyes watering, his tears dropping downwards, he clenches his fist while gritting his teeth.


    "I couldn''t bear to see them live, after everything they''ve done, after everything they''ve taken from me. I can''t take losing any of you! I just can''t!" he sobs, he lets go of Kuroke''s wrists and grabs hold of his face, rubbing his hand on his cheek.


    "Please... don''t make me kill you..." Suzushii pleads, he gets off of Kuroke, still lying there. Kuroke looks up to the grey empty sky of this familiar city, all of the life that he''s seen in this city. Gone and erased from ever existing.


    " Senpai... "-


    - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - --


    A vast blue sky is covered with many clear clouds glistening, though some of the clouds are thick in their shade of gray, small droplets of rain cover the city. Many noises can be heard; of multiple birds chirping, of people talking, the sound of their footsteps gradually getting louder and louder. The sound of engines revving and the sound of vehicles moving. Multiple leaves are flowing and scattering all over the city, but between the clouds in the sky, not a single ray of sunlight peers through.


    A door is heard creaking, a young man steps out, he stretches his arm forward with his hand grasping at the light pouring rain, he breathes in the atmosphere and sighs out. Stepping down the staircase, he feels the ground beneath him shaking violently. The huge buildings and skyscrapers around him being shaken to their very core, small cracks form beneath the pavement.


    His breathing getting more frantic and his body sweating all over, he turns around and sees the same old street leading to the paths of the places he''s always known. His footsteps splashing on the wet asphalt, he moves away from all of the people in his way.


    He overhears their voices as the amount of the crowd around him gradually gets bigger and denser. He struggles to push through all of them, their voices getting louder and more panicked.


    "It''s all gone! like all of it never existed!"


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Where do we go now?! that''s where we lived! where they lived!"


    "What do we do!!!"


    His heart pounding harder inside of him, he runs faster, pushing through the intense amount of people. The rain suddenly starts pouring faster and harder, overwhelming everyone, but just then. A loud ringing noise is heard, a robotic and monotone voice speaks.


    "This message is being disseminated by the Japanese Government and the ICA, multiple Grade S or higher threats have been detected in this area, all residents should evacuate this area immediately." the announcement is seemingly put on loop.


    He looks up to the sky and sees multiple helicopters and aircraft entering and leaving the city, but as he blinked. Multiple flashes of light illuminate the whole city, and just then. All of the aircraft explode before their very eyes, the crowd of people around him screaming and scrambling all over.


    He forcefully jumps towards the walls of the buildings, his body glowing a white light, he flashes on the walls, running sideways on the shattering glass of the skyscrapers, his body progressively gets faster and faster and faster and faster and-


    He jumps and propels himself downwards, his eyes not believing the sight before him, both of them widen seeing half of the city gone, all of it! is gone!


    He lands below the ground, making a huge crater. Kneeling before the death and destruction before his very eyes, he crashes his fist on the ground, the hole he made filling up with water, his very position filling up to the brim.


    "Mom... Dad..." he mutters, as his whole body shakes and twitches.


    He raises his head and sees three indiscernible figures in the sky and a very familiar face. The person''s hands glowing an intense but extremely refined darkish blue aura, this person suddenly looks straight at him. His eyes filled with desperation, the young man glares at him.


    He grabs hold of his head and bashes it on the cold floor of the earth, he uncontrollably sobs, his tears mixing in with the rainwater, he whimpers and tightens his grip on his head. He loudly shouts from the top of his lungs.


    " WHYYYYYYY!!! "


    - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - --


    "Senpai..." Kuroke silently mutters while his arm twitches, a black aura slowly spreading from the tip of his finger to all across his arm. Suzushii looks back at him as Kuroke stares deep into his eyes, his cold gaze never-ending.


    " I''ll never forgive you "


    Kuroke suddenly raises his top half and his arm coated with a black fiery aura, physically burning him. He doesn''t fidget, he launches a huge mass of aura towards Suzushii, and without a moment''s notice.


    Suzushii raises both his arms crossed over, his whole frame being shaken by the pure amount of all that dense aura against his fingertips. He is slowly being pushed by it, his feet sliding on the ashes of the ground.


    His hands steadily charged a concentrated, glowing blue aura. He grits his teeth and bends his fingers. Then suddenly, a huge force of water surges through his fingertips, its pressure breaking through the dark aura. The water currents turn into long icy rods, breaking into smaller shards as it pummels Kuroke''s body, each of them breaking apart into tinier pieces. But Kuroke''s body vanishes into thick smoke.


    Suzushii''s eyes drift all over the place, trying to find Kuroke''s next position, the smoke getting even thicker by the second. He holds his breath and bends downwards; he suddenly stretches both of his arms and releases a vast gust of wind. The great amount of wind dissipates the smoke in the area. But then under his feet, a blade flashes to meet him. He swings his head backward along with his body, dodging the blade by only a hair''s breadth; the Wakizashi grazes his cheek and only narrowly avoids cutting his eye open.


    A figure flashes in front of him. He grasps his wound, leaving a gap with his fingers. A clear white smoke is seen coming out of his wound, the bleeding stops as he exhales.


    He lifts his fists up, the familiar glow of his aura expands but he minimizes the waste of his excess aura, focusing on the edges of his hands, the extremely refined light coating his clenched fists.


    "Kuroke... don''t make me do this..." Suzushii begs him as Kuroke''s frame is filled with murky trails of smoke, his fiery dark aura mixing in with the white fumes, his skin turning red as the grass beneath him is burned almost instantly, only leaving the dirt covered in ashes.


    "Senpai..." he mumbles, the black smog around him intensifies.


    "Why don''t you just kill me already?! The same way you killed all of them!" he raises his burning fist, turning black from all of the anger he harbors.


    "The same way you killed mom and dad..." he lowers his hand downwards.


    "It''s over! Senpai... I''m already dead..." he says, lowering his head. His eyes watched the ash-filled ground.


    "Just..." he sighs.


    "Take care of Rushiko... don''t lose him this time... like you did with me..." he lightly pleads, his face hidden from Suzushii''s eyes, the smoke around him clearing if only for just a moment.


    "It''s really over... now, it''s gone". He coldly states, his figure slowly deforming into smoke.


    Suzushii quickly lands his hands on the ground, all of the aura on his hands swelling and forming a huge mass of water, a tsunami!


    He forcibly exerts his aura all around the bottom of his feet and jumps a great height falling towards the tsunami, the aura on his feet making him hover above the tsunami. He creates multiple projections of himself, all of them powering up their fists.


    The stream of smoke moves upwards, a figure is seen forming from within the haze. Kuroke arms expand once more, each of them molding and holding black orbs, he shouts as he hurls them towards the giant tidal wave.


    " Black Void ! ! ! "


    The orbs start sucking up the space of the massive wave, all of the projections lash out at Kuroke, who sends more of the orbs against them. The projections all vanish one by one, as Suzushii keeps making more of them, all of them overwhelming Kuroke. Hitting him with all of their strength, Suzushii and them scream out.


    " Cluster Surge ! ! ! "


    A huge blast of blue light fills the empty city, and in the fallout. An eyeball drops from beneath the sky.


    Then suddenly, Suzushii is stabbed in the chest by multiple hands coming out of the orbs that were still in place on the giant wave. Suzushii coughs up blood, he grasps the blades. And on each end of all of them, ice is formed as it turns into mere water.


    Clear smoke is leaking out of his multiple wounds, he takes a deep breath and disperses all of the water as he falls to the ground along with the orbs. He stretches his arms, covering both him and the orbs with a titanic and vast stone wall. All of the spheres bend and form the stature of Kuroke.


    A large amount of blood drops from the hole that used to be Kuroke''s right eye. He exerts a huge amount of dark aura, amplifying it further beyond his limits, his cries ringing in Suzushii''s ears. Suzushii then clasps both of his hands together, as multiple points of aura form from halfway across the circular wall around them.


    " Elemental Surge ! ! ! "


    Numerous spikes of ice are sent dashing towards Kuroke''s position, he forms a katana and slices all of them up with his black burning aura causing the little pieces to melt. But the water underneath his feet form into sharp stone spikes, penetrating both of his feet. He screams in pure agony as he is held in place by the large spikes.


    Suzushii simply waves his hand as both of Kuroke''s arms are chopped off by the high pressured water points on the walls. He joins both of his hands, moving the walls closer and closer toward Kuroke, his eyes giving him a look of fear, of regret.


    He halts the movement of the walls on his left and right sides, his hands forming a sideways V pose, with both of his index fingers'' gap on each other''s side. He gives one final glimpse of Kuroke, his limbless and eyeless body hanging on his mind, he mutters his final words to his former student, someone... he considered as a son.


    " I''m so sorry... for everything... "


    " Surged... Domain... "


    Multiple flashes of blue light cover Suzushii''s and Kuroke''s eyes. Their eyes bid farewell to each other, as all of Suzushii''s aura collides with Kuroke''s helpless body, he releases both of his hands and clenches his raised fist, releasing all of that energy within that enclosed space.


    All of that pent-up aura implodes on itself, crushing and bursting Kuroke''s body into a bloodied pulp, his bloody remains (atleast what is left of him) are sprayed on the ash-filled grass and on Suzushii''s face and body.


    He drops to the ground, kneeling as Kuroke did in front of him on that fateful day.


    The same words ringing in his ear, the same moment flashing before his eyes again, of what he said.


    - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - --


    "Remember this, Kakomi" the undiscernible figure said, the other two behind him didn''t say a word.


    "If any of you didn''t leave, if you didn''t leave"


    "We wouldn''t make you suffer like this"


    "None of this would''ve ever happened!"


    "Kakomi..."


    " An eye for an eye "


    "We''re not done with you yet..." the figure said as Suzushii looked towards a kneeling and sobbing Kuroke.


    - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - --


    Suzushii quietly sobs covered in blood, he covers his mouth, shaking and breaking down.


    Over what he''s done...


    Among Kuroke''s remains, the only part of his that was left intact was his... other eyeball...


    A black orb silently rolls beside him as a white light covers the entirety of the hollow city of...


    Fukushima...


    - To Be Continued -


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/CXbncoiKLn8</a> / Free in the Knowledge - The Smile

 Chapter 3 - Uncertain Future Part 1

    Flashes of light are seen, A young girl carrying a certain wounded boy, panting over the tremendous distance they have travelled, escaping certain doom.


    The same visions are seen, the same abhorrent ringing is heard, of multiple voices surrounding their ears, her ears. She remembers her training to not give in, to not focus on the horrible things she sees and hears.


    To remember who she is, and her purpose in living, the things that motivate her, that keeps her going. This was all of what they taught her, what they taught young Ishiins. Yet some of them always give in, and they are lost never to be found.


    Every time she blinks she always sees multiple moments from across time, that are related to this place, that is related to the people inside of this city, to the people gone, and to the people still here, fighting.


    She sees a young boy standing outside of a balcony, his hands rubbing against one another as he puts them against his mouth, trying to warm himself from the cold, he stares at the beautiful moon. Its light shining over the cold dark night, as he asks himself.


    "Who... am I?" He softly murmurs.


    She sees another person, this time a young girl, surrounded by the neon lights of the city, of Tokyo. The light glimmering from a distance, the cold and dark alleyway rings with the shouts of multiple men, begging her... for mercy... She hangs her head low, her knuckles bruised, her clothes wet from the pouring rain.


    Her face is empty. There is nothing on it, she feels nothing. Even in beating up stronger and taller men than she is. It brings her no joy, it brings her no satisfaction, it brings her nothing.


    Another young girl is seen, beating up a lamppost, painting it... with her blood. Her screams and weeping filled the sky, the red sun falling on her, burning her. She lost someone who was dear to her because she didn''t think it''d last, she thought... it was too good to be true...


    She didn''t know any of these people, but she had a feeling... she soon will.


    These visions of these moments back in time and also ahead of it, are no coincidence. Traversing through this plain may be painful, but certain people are shown certain things... For a reason.


    She looked at the injured boy she was carrying and whispered unto his ear.


    "Rushi-kun... we''re almost out of here, and I feel... we have some new faces to meet..." she grasps his hair, rubbing it and patting him. She lightly smiles as her eyes finally see the blinding light, fading away.


    "Shihei-san?"


    - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - --


    - A Few Minutes Ago -


    Himura flashes out, with Rushiko getting ready to... face him.


    All of the soldiers keep huddling together, no matter how many times you crush them. Like ants, they keep gathering and multiplying all over the park. The wind brushing the leaves, the wind brushing her hair.


    She elbows one of the soldiers in the chest, puncturing a hole in him. All of them surround her by the trees, she powers up her whole body and starts beating all of them up. She jumps midair and flips, kicking and snapping someone''s jaw.


    She carries one of the soldiers and spins him around, tossing him aside towards the others like a plaything, the force mushing them like little insects. She keeps getting faster and faster- snapping their body parts like nothing, collecting all of their limbs and heads. Throwing them with such impact, the body parts slam unto the enemies, creating holes in them, but also around them.


    Multiple craters are formed, multiple trees and broken and snapped from the ever-growing amount of thrown pieces of these so-called "soldiers". It''s like they''re not even human, from the sheer amount of how many there are, the Insurgents couldn''t just throw all of their forces at just a single Grade S Ishiin Agent and his unremarkable and expendable Ishiins (compared to him that is).


    As much as she''d hate to admit it, they are all expendable... useless compared to Kuroke''s strength, compared to most of their high-ranking Insurgents. That must mean, there is someone else in here helping Kuroke. The person that made this sick version of the past Fukushima!


    Another Insurgent leader... capable of not only replicating and molding this hollow city but also its inhabitants as well, arming them and controlling them. Leaving their souls to forever aid the Insurgents, torturing them... and leaving them to torture and kill more... like how they were killed on that fateful day...


    If this was unleashed on Tokyo, who knows how many casua-


    A loud sound is heard, the shifting of the earth, of the ground.


    She stops her onslaught of the bug-like soldiers, the mess evident everywhere. Blood is spilled on every part of the park, on the grey and lifeless grass, painting it red. On the corpses filling each of the numerous craters and on the trees, broken or not. There are guts everywhere, even on her. She gags because of the disgusting scent, not only everywhere but on her clothes too.


    Another loud sound is heard, this time she swiftly looks at the giant Ferris Wheel being cut in half, she squints her eyes and sees two figures, one of them pummeling the other to the ground with his burning fist.


    "Rushiko!" she screamed.


    But as this was all happening, she is suddenly surrounded to the brim by more of the "soldiers", they huddle together on top of her, filling her vision with the faces of the long gone, forgotten by history, forgotten and moved on by their loved ones, a sea of faces overwhelm her as the light fades from her eyes.


    "I can''t just... I can''t just give up now... I still have to find her... I still have to find Mo-"


    She screams, raising her hands up, sending all of the insects all over her to their impending deaths, only to be revived once again for the cycle to repeat. The bodies closest to her, fully covering her in their blood and guts.


    She endures and ignores this, no matter how uncomfortable and degrading it may be, she flashes out of there and back to where she left Rushiko.


    Her mind filled with many scenarios of what could''ve happened to him... she lost... her


    She couldn''t lose another, she couldn''t lose Rushiko...


    She moves faster, the wind intensifying and the leaves scattering over the bloodied bodies. She finally arrives at where the giant Ferris Wheel used to be, she powers up to enter the area, only to be interrupted by the fight happening in front of her.


    A certain brunette man fighting a samurai... it''s them.


    "Suzu-san and Kuroke-san..." she muttered under her breath, she minimizes her aura consumption to not interrupt the fight so Kuroke won''t notice her, so she can find an opening to save Rushiko.


    Suzushii flashes towards Rushiko with Kuroke in pursuit, smashing the ground below him, creating not only multiple craters but also multiple versions of himself all around his student alongside adding a bit of aura beneath the holes. Great surges of wind propel upwards, as both of them clash.


    Caught up in all of this, she sees a wounded Rushiko lying on the ground. She fights the urge to not go up and rescue him right there and then, Suzushii is then pierced by the Wakizashi and is pummeled to the ground beside Rushiko.


    Suzushii rips the blade out of his arm, breathing and maintaining his condition. Kuroke flashes to his position, stabbing the ground, creating a burning aura surge. Suzushii punches it with the full force of his fist full of water, extinguishing it.


    Kuroke is suddenly gone from his past position, he gets closer to Suzushii and raises his blade up, fully slicing off Suzushii''s arm, the blood spilling uncontrollably on the ground. Himura gasps as she covered her mouth, a worrying Rushiko shouts in disbelief, with him crawling over to Suzushii, his fingernails digging in the dirt.


    But as Suzushii''s slashed arm drops to the burnt ground, she had a... feeling... an opening would present itself, and that moment was n-


    "Now!" A loud voice shouts, Himura doesn''t know why... but at that moment, her body moved on its own, she may want to save Rushiko... but all of this happened in such a short amount of time, even her brain couldn''t process it that fast... the realization of what Suzushii was doing... all happened... in just 20 seconds...


    She suddenly flashes in towards the scene, rescuing and grabbing Rushiko just as "Suzushii" disappears along with his "sliced arm", her swift speed even surprising her. She was gone from her position to carrying Rushiko, to escaping Kuroke in just the blink of an eye.


    She passes all over the trees, passing all of the dead "ants" she crushed, and leaves the park entirely. She looks at Rushiko, who looks at her in return, he is bruised all over with multiple lacerations covering his body due to the debris cutting him when hit the ground from Kuroke''s massive attack of throwing him at the giant Ferris Wheel and beating him up. The debris came from when he destroyed the "cafeteria".


    She notices the black eye on his face as she caresses his cheeks.


    "Rushi-kun" she whispers...


    "Himura-san?... thank y-"


    He is immediately interrupted by the bullets whirring towards them fired by the evergrowing amount of forgotten faces, these ant-like puppets controlled by the one who made this entire city in the first place.


    The fog obscures most of their positions, she can''t afford to stop and hold a defence position, when even she was overwhelmed by such forces just a moment ago. Now, it''ll be a lot worse, especially when she has a wounded friend in her arms. Trying to attack them would slow her down, but if she doesn''t, she may be overwhelmed once more if she gets careless with them.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    She clicks her tongue and bites her lip, zipping all over the city, her feet attached to the glass walls of the gigantic buildings as they are all punctured and shattered by the sheer amount of ammunition being hurled at her.


    The skyscraper is seen from this distance, she is getting closer but as she looks backwards. Her eyes get larger and wider at the horrifying sight. All of the faces are collected together, the amount so massive that it''s almost comparable to seeing a giant tidal wave coming at her.


    She gets faster, wall running and jumping from wall to wall of each of the buildings, avoiding the soldiers being hurled at her. She finally gets on the skyscraper and she starts to scale its massive stature. Climbing it downwards may be easy, but trying to climb the damn monolith is very difficult, especially with the ghost horde behind and coming after her.


    The horde has so many of them, that they are even capable of scaling a skyscraper like it was nothing! All of them overwhelming the giant monolith of a tower, to the point of where they are able to basically bend it! Himura panics after noticing this, she can''t get much faster than she already is!


    Will she make it in time? to reach the exit of this fever dream of a city? She shakes her head and shrugs it off, focusing on the situation at hand.


    The clouds are in view, the atmosphere and air are getting hard to breathe into, she holds her breath. Knowing they are so close to getting out of this mess! And just as it looks like the skyscrapers'' length won''t get them far enough to reach the sky, she propels herself upwards. Narrowly avoiding the reaching hands of the damned, she sees the light, the blinding light.


    Both of them are sucked open by the overwhelming presence of this blinding light, this white light...


    - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - --


    "Suzu-san!" Rushiko screams, seemingly waking up from the insanity of everything that had happened, he looks around. Noticing that he-- they are in some parking lot of a mall, and from how empty the streets look, it is pretty early in the morning...


    He looks right beside him, a quiet and bloodied Himura sits close to him, her eyes fixated on his. He grasps his cheek and looks downwards at his arms, his chest and his legs. They are all bandaged up, though they are all covered in smears of blood from her hands, she did a quick fix on him. But he is still in no condition to fight just yet.


    He looks down at the pavement, remembering everything up until when they left the empty city. The last thing he saw of Suzushii fighting Kuroke was his arm being cut off and the blood spilling all over the lifeless shrubbery.


    He worries over what had happened with Suzushii, his Senpai... he knows that Suzushii is powerful but with how much Kuroke beat him up, especially with the signs of that black fire... he can''t help but still worry for him... if only he was-


    "If only... I was stronger..." he mutters under his breath, the coldness of the winter surrounding them, his breathing showing signs of visible warmth from his mouth, he shivers and tries to rub himself.


    He suddenly feels a warm sensation from behind him, covering him... calming him...


    "Rushi-kun..." she whispered.


    "If only I could stop him sooner! before he kills anyone else... before he kills Suzu-san..." he states in clear frustration, the bandages on his hands and around his knuckles didn''t matter to him, he wanted to let out his anger on something... anything...


    He pulls his arm back and proceeds to punch the pavement regardless of his wounds.


    He is immediately stopped by her hand, his hand shaking in pure crushing bitterness. The stress in his head intensifies, he breaks down in front of her, his tears falling on snow-covered asphalt, melting a little bit of it.


    "Why?! After all of what I''ve been through! Why can''t I still come close to being as strong as he is?! Why can''t I protect Suzu-san!!!" he cried from the top of his lungs, he turns around and embraces Himura, her foul smell not mattering to him at all. His tears cleaned a bit of the blood on her chest.


    She grasps his hair and plays with it, her sweet voice calming him. Her warmth surrounded him.


    "I''m here for you... remember when you were there for me when she disappeared? how you promised you''d not only help me find her, but also you wanted to help make me stronger too? this time... I want to return the favor! I want to... help you get stronger too! with me..." she strongly said to him, his eyes clearing and his tears stopping.


    "It may be hard... but you showed me... that you cared for me! even if you could''ve just left me to suffer on my own... you didn''t! you helped me, you comforted me... you were there with me..." she says as she lets go of him, grabbing both of his hands, her smile melting him.


    "I want to show you... I''d do the same for you! No matter what happens... I''ll be here! Just as you were for me... back then..." her eyes staring at his, digging deep into his soul, at his core. He lightly smiles, his eyes still sore and wet. He rubs both of them as Himura rubs his back.


    A bright blue light fills both of their eyes, a figure suddenly appears in front of them.


    It was Suzushii!


    Rushiko quickly gets up to embrace him, but he unexpectedly stops.


    Suzushii looks at Rushiko with an extremely depressed look, his eyes sucked out of their once warm and inviting allure. His eyes full of desperation, his body and clothes full of blood and guts... his face was covered in it.


    "I- I- I- killed... him" he mutters shaking in pure dread and regret... the look in his eyes... were like black holes in the sky... Rushiko couldn''t approach him, as much as he wanted to comfort him... to tell him that it was alright... that he was here for him...


    He couldn''t... not like this.


    This was too much even for him, he doesn''t know how Suzushii feels... not yet atleast...


    The wind blowing over them, the snow falling harder... their breaths visible... not a single one of the Ishiin Agents they sent survived... they were all overwhelmed by the sheer impossible and insurmountable amount of those "soldiers", some of them couldn''t even pass through the entrance, let alone escape it...


    No one won that day... not the Insurgents and certainly not the Ishiins...


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    - End of Fake Fukushima Arc -


    - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - --


    A breath is made, the coldness all around the figure coating their jacket with falling snow, his body shivering; he rubs his hands and covers his mouth as he breathes, trying to warm himself. His eyes see the shimmering twilight of the moon, his face calm but his mind races.


    "Who... am I?" He gently whispers as he asks himself, he grabs a stool and seats down in front of the end of his balcony, as he remembers the one memory... the one moment he can''t get out of his head.


    - 2 Weeks Ago -


    "Even though we don''t get to see each other often, I know you still care about us and your mother, but you''re about to graduate now... Jisei... What do you want? Do you want to follow in my footsteps to protect others... to protect... us... from "them"? Or do you take another path and live an ordinary life?" the tall man states, his back facing Jisei, his foot on the other side of the door.


    "Who do you want to be? An Ishiin? Or someone else entirely?" He asks as he grabs his coat from the rack and his military cap on top of it. He puts both of them on, the massive coat covering his formal uniform, his cap covering his short and sleek military cut.


    "I don''t know who you are... son... and I''m afraid... I won''t have any more time to know you better..." he sadly says, putting his hands inside the pocket of his coat, and in opening the doorknob, he replies with one last statement.


    "I''m going away for a while, this might be the last meeting we''ll have... I''m sorry if I''m dumping all of this responsibility on you... but you have to protect both Natsuno and Inari..." he declares, and in sighing, he says-


    "I might die..." He mumbles, with his other foot about to step outside the door. His sleeve is suddenly pulled by Jisei''s hand.


    "What do you mean you might die?" He bluntly asks, his hand tightening around his coat, his dad''s face tensing up. The snow entered, covering both of them and the insides of their home.


    "I have to fight them, no matter what; even if I''ll die for it... I''ll do it for all of you... for what they''ve done..." He replies, embracing his son, his arms tightening against him. Jisei''s breath warmed his chest... their embrace lasted for a long time, the snow continuing to fall...


    "Both of us never really knew each other well... I was too busy fighting them off... too focused on all of them. I won''t be there for you... when you need me the most... I didn''t mean to ignore you, I didn''t mean to... ignore your mother and your little sister..." he lets go of Jisei, with both of his feet outside the door, he faces Jisei and looks him straight in his eyes.


    "Remember what I thought you... I may have only shown you how to exert your aura, and not to harness it. But you need to be ready for the worst. I''ll have a fellow friend teach you in my stead, I won''t know whether you want to follow me and become an Ishiin Agent... or just live a normal life. Just know that... whatever path you choose. Protect your family, protect both Inari and Natsuno for me..." he says, putting his hand on Jisei''s forehead and making a mess out of it. He turns away from him, his back facing him once again.


    "I''m sorry it had to end this way..." he states, walking away from Jisei, his figure fading into the dark and cold wind, the blizzard swallowing him whole. The last thing Jisei saw of his father, was his arm raised upwards and then the same arm settling downwards to nestle inside his pocket.


    "Dad..." he softly says, his eyes continuing to stare into the blowing wind and snow that swallowed his dad whole. He loudly shuts the door closed, his facing face facing downwards, his tears dropping into the snow-covered floor.


    .


    .


    .


    "Why?!?"


    .


    .


    .


    With the wind continuing to blow harder, Jisei''s dad plows through all of it, his lower half, knee-deep in all of the gathering snow. He grabs the sleeve of his uniform and reaches for his phone inside of it. He dials a familiar number, a number he hasn''t called in a long long time. The dialling rings out of the speaker, his ear pressed against it.


    It keeps ringing and ringing until a voice is heard.


    "Huh- is this Atsushi? Sup!" the cheerful voice replies, the man smirks at hearing his old comrade''s voice once more.


    "Yeah... I have one last favor to ask you... Kakomi" he says, reaching for another item contained in his coat''s pocket, a crumpled and wrinkled packet of cigarettes. He grabs it and looks inside, only a single bent cigarette remains. He puts it between his lips, unlit and then between his fingers.


    "Look after Jisei for me... the higher-ups have given me their hardest mission yet. I don''t think I''ll survive this one... if I don''t contact any of you in 3 weeks. I''m likely dead, don''t come for me... I''ve got some unfinished business with them... it''s just like the old times, with you at my side. And when you weren''t as well" he states, walking in the street of their neighborhood, both lanes filled with all sorts of cars, he gets closer to a black car, his car. He grabs a lighter in the same pocket he took his "cigarette" from and lights it.


    The smoke trailing upwards from the end of his cigarette, with its bent form in the middle of it, he puts his fingers in between this spot and takes it out of his lips, exhaling the fumes.


    "Support Jisei in any way you can, but when he is willing to fight. Teach him to use his power when I can''t... protect my family... Suzushii, I trust you. I know you won''t let me down... you never have..." he says, unlocking his car, its lights blinking as he opens the door and starts the engine.


    "Atsu-kun... you have my word!" Suzushii reassured him, Atsushi smirks once again as he puts the cigarette in between in lips once more, the smoke circling around the car, he opens the windows, with him stepping on the gas.


    "Goodbye... Suzu-san..." he whispers into his phone with Suzushii bidding him farewell as well, Atsushi currently heading for his death bed, his funeral... to the infamous crater that decimated its entire populace.


    *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep*


    .


    .


    .


    The call ends...


    .


    .


    .


    - 3 Weeks Later -


    - Present Day -


    - Graduation Day, Early Morning -


    "Is this the place?... Senpai?" the voice asks, fixing his messy hair, he waits for the reply. The warmth exiting out of his mouth; clearly visible. The sun covered by the cloudy mist of the coldness... another voice replies.


    "Kaizen Academy... yeah that''s it. That''s where he studies and is currently about to graduate from. I''m dealing with all of the infected schools one by one, our forces are spread too thin! For now, you''re the only support Kaizen Academy gets. So do your best! And if necessary, you are authorized to use the "Modified" Protocol... but don''t forget your main objective! Find Jisei Suzuto! And if he complies and is willing, use the protocol on him!"


    "Copy that!" Rushiko says as he looks at the school, its two large white buildings separated and connected by the small bridges contained inside of them, the trees all stripped of their leaves as they survive the cold winter. The snow falling on his hair, he shakes it off, approaching the icy school grounds, murmuring.


    "I guess this Jisei guy is here?"


    - To Be Continued -


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/pyTY6Z-Fqzw</a> / Where I End and You Begin - Radiohead

 Chapter 4 - Uncertain Future Part 2

    A clock is heard ticking, its resonance is felt all across the room, a young boy looks at the windows on the left side of the room, the frost sticking on their frame. He holds his face with his hand, slouching his form forward.


    The room is filled with the noise is chatting students... their classmates. Their bored adviser sits at the front, distracted in using his phone. He sighs and whispers to the person in front of him, getting the attention of the person he knows he can trust... the most...


    "Psst!" he murmurs, the person tilts their head around, their braids moving along with them.


    The girl looks at him confused and curious. Her hands are holding some kind of gum, she fiddles with the packaging, making a rustling sound as she hands a single piece of it.


    "Yeah, Jisei?... Want some?" she asked. Her gentle and calm demeanor... soothes him. He softly nods, grabbing the gum from her hands, feeling her warmth if only for just a second. He twiddles the gum between his thumbs, his eyes averting from her gaze. She brushes her bangs away from her eyes along with playing with her braids, waiting for him to speak...


    "Umm... well... both of us already know that we want to... follow each other no matter what. That we''d support each other in whatever path we want to pursue right?" he asked, his eyes drifting more and more to the ground. She shifts her seat, making a creaking sound, she gets closer to him, his cheeks flushing.


    "I mean... yeah? what''s your point though?" she bluntly says, questioning him. She suddenly grabs his face by the chin, rubbing her hand unto his cheek, she stares right at him. He tries to look away but... he hesitates and looks back in return.


    "I- I wanna be an Ishiin!" he firmly states. She jerks her head backward, stunned by what she heard him say.


    "Really? Damn..." she scratches her head and taps her foot.


    "Not that I wouldn''t follow you all the way! It''s just... what made you decide to want to become one? Is it because you want to follow in your dad''s footsteps?" she asks him, genuinely wanting to know his answer... she shifts in her seat and sits with her legs crossed over.


    "I haven''t... seen him... for 3 weeks now, my mom says that this has happened many times before but... he said... that he might die..." his body shakes and trembles, his face covered in complete agony, he raises both of his hands and rustles his hair in frustration. She watches over him, wanting to say something... anything... to comfort him. But no words leave her lips at this moment.


    "I haven''t told mom about this... all I said was that I saw him leave as he said goodbye to me. But he said a whole lot more! He told me... that he didn''t mean to ignore us... that he won''t be there when I need him the most... that he wants me to protect mom and sis, that I need to be ready... for the worst..." he looks at his hand and curls his fingers, its form trembling. He forcefully closes and tightens his grip, forming a fist. She only stares at him, her gaze frozen as she processes all of it.


    She desperately wants to console him, to help him... But her body refuses to listen to her, she is suspended on her seat, her hands trembling trying to move closer to Jisei. Her lips are parched and her tongue is at the tip of her teeth, getting ready and about to say something...


    "Jise-"


    "Manaka-san! That''s why I want to be an Ishiin! To be ready for whoever dad''s fighting... to be able to save him!" Jisei states with a strong resolve, with such determination! He immediately grabs both of her hands and clasps them together with his, he looks at her with his eyes all lit up with such willpower. She looks away at first, her face turning red, taken aback by his sudden movement.


    But she glances over at him, his eyes familiar to the look he gave her when he... saved her... back then. She turns her head to look back at him, her eyes warming up to him, she remembers all of the times they were together, all of what he did for her, all of what they''ve been through.


    How much he believed in her... how much he knew she could change!


    She lightly gives Jisei a small smile, which causes him to give her a small grin of his own.


    .


    .


    .


    "I- I don''t want him to die..." he mutters under his breath, the warmth in his face disappearing and turning into cold sorrow.


    "Please Manaka... please help me... I know it''s irresponsible for me to ask this from you... but-" he is suddenly embraced by her, her warmth filling and covering his entire body. Her swift gesture gave him his answer.


    "Of course, I''ll help you! Even if being an Ishiin means we''ll have to go through hell and back, I don''t care! I want to be with you no matter what, you gave me something I never thought I could ever feel in my entire life... you love me... you actually care for me... you made me feel genuinely loved! ...and I want you to know! that I''ll always do the same for you..." she says this while giving Jisei the most beautiful smile he has ever seen, he raises his arms and wraps them around her, he tightens his grip on her as she also does the same for him.


    They are frozen in place, their embrace lasting for what seemed like an eternity...


    They let each other go and went back to their proper seats.


    "I won''t let us down... Manaka-san..." he gently says to her, her lips curling for another sweet smile.


    "I know you won''t..." she remarks back at him, forming a cheeky grin, one that he can''t see... but can instead feel.


    He forms his own, their joy in each other apparent... though their love... will be tested...


    .


    .


    "Uhh, Manaka?" Jisei asked her while tapping her shoulder, she turns over to his position, confused.


    "Yeah?" she asks as his eyes are fixated on her hands, on a certain something she was holding onto earlier.


    "Do you have any more gum? I think I dropped the one you gave me after all of that..." she giggles in hearing him say that he wanted more, he looks away while scratching his head. She rustles the packaging of the wrapper, only to find out that there is only one more piece left.


    "Well... I''ll give you the last piece! Even though I accidentally swallowed my gum after all of that! It''s all yours..." she states, sliding the gum in between his lips, she presses her thumb onto his lips. His face turns an almost scorching red, they both stare at each other once more as he starts to chew on the piece of gum.


    She leans in closer, sitting on his lap, she grabs his face by his jawlines as she gently raises it towards her. Her face is centimeters away from his, she brushes the side of her hair by her ears while giving him a playful smirk.


    "I''m all yours..." she whispers into his ear, her words sending a vibrating and ever-ringing impact on him.


    .


    .


    The bell suddenly rings...


    The ringing is felt by all of the people in the classroom, their adviser stands up, the whole class watches his movements. He raises his wrist and pulls the end of his sleeve to look at his watch, the bell continues to ring.


    "Homeroom is over! Lineup everyone! We''re moving to the auditorium now!" their male adviser exclaims, the students all get up and leave the classroom, they all walk out the door chatting to one another, one by one. The classroom is left completely empty, a hand reaches for the switch and pushes it, closing the lights in the room.


    In the stark darkness and the shivering condition of the room, from beneath its cold floors. A hand reaches outwards, it grabs hold of the tiles of the floor and pulls itself upwards, its feet connecting to the ground.


    A lone figure stands in between the desks of the class, its eyes drift all across the room, searching for something. It pulls its hand out, feeling the warmth of the students that just sat there earlier, it keeps walking and walking, tracing its hand on the end of the desks... till it suddenly stops.


    The figure inspects the school desk, it rubs its hands all over the seat of the desk, its hands immediately glow, the white light covering its face and blinding its eyes. The silhouette smirks and extracts all of the aura of the student that once sat on that desk, it molds the aura and shapes it into a ball of bleached light.


    She giggles...


    Her laughter echoes all across the hollow room, she raises the white orb that is wrapped around her hand and proceeds to suck on it, her lips opening slightly to completely absorb all of the aura in her hand.


    Her hand suddenly starts to form veins all over, from the back of her hand to her wrist and all across her arm. Yellow marks start appearing on her arm, she covers her mouth and proceeds to giggle even more, her laughter getting louder and more intense. She opens her arms wide as all of the aura from their desks is drawn out, the light flashes through the whole room, overwhelming her eyes. The light is then absorbed into her, the yellow marks start emerging all throughout her body, from her arms up until her neck.


    The yellow marks are similar to what bleeding ink would look like on paper. She looks upon her marked body and nods in approval, she lowers her legs and puts her hand through the floor, her hands grabbing onto something. She raises her hands, for what seems to be, a polo and suit.


    She pulls her arm and puts on the polo first, then the suit second. She walks up to the door, looking down at her hand as she turns it around, to see the marks on the back of it. She charges the aura from the marks, her hands glowing a yellow tint. She snaps her fingers, making a clicking sound.


    "Perfect~ this makes this the final school... time for the real show~" the woman muttered under her breath, she reaches for the doorknob as she slams the door shut. She continues to walk down the empty hallway, the clicking of her high heels filling the hollow landscape of the hall.


    "I can''t wait..." she lets out a satisfied sigh, her lips curling upwards for a smirk.


    She hops and jumps towards the nearest wall near the staircase, her form slipping through the insides of it, she is slowly sucked away, her overjoyed face passing through it. A female student at the end of the hallway catches a glimpse of her, her eyes squinting at the lady''s figure, the very moment she blinked, the lady disappears...


    The confused student quickly runs up to the wall where she last saw her, slowly reaching for it, she grasps the cold texture of the concrete... but her hand won''t go through it.


    "What the hell was that?" the student asks confused, she shrugs it off as she went down the staircase, a yellow mark glows faintly on her hands.


    .


    .


    .


    The flashing lustre of the spotlights covers the entirety of the black stage, the red seats surround and are directly in front of the humungous platform, multiple whispers are heard as they are drowned out by the PA system.


    The auditorium is brimming with the many loud voices of teachers, each of them handling the many segments of their planned graduation ceremony, and just as the current speaker proceeds to leave the podium, a man in a white suit comes nearer, he messes with the microphone and then in tapping it, causing a little screeching noise to come out, he speaks.


    "Today, is a very important day for all of the students here, more specifically... for all of the senior high students who have now graduated! From all of the endeavors that they have endured to the tremendous responsibility that they now carry on their way to college!" he proudly states with a respectful and humbling showcase of his pride towards his students.


    "I as your principal, am very proud for all of you present here today! From the beautiful families of our seniors to the great support that each of our students has for each other, no matter what grade level they may be! You have taken all of your hardships and efforts to finally achieve your goals and-" the principal continues on, raising his hand and placing it on his chest, with his loud voice booming on the speakers across the chamber.


    But just as the ceremony was going so well... a few of the students notice an overwhelming sensation on the back of their hands, they raise it closer to their eyes, a glowing yellow light fills their vision. The pain is too much to handle for some, some shift in their seats uncontrollably, some start to scream, and some... start to shake... uncontrollably...


    The teachers closest to their corresponding sections rush out to their seats... and in doing so... they see the horrifying sight in front of them... most of the students were feeling tremendous pain, the glowing yellow lights on their hands were starting to cover the other parts of their bodies... A large surge suddenly coats their figures, they... were having seizures as if they were having epileptic attacks! Their screaming starts to rise up and swell... The principal quickly gets off the stage and talks to his assistant and the people nearest to him on the stage.


    Should they call the police? or... the ICA?


    In seeing the tragic incident spiral out of control before their very eyes, both Jisei and Manaka got up from their seats as they both faced each other and shouted-


    "We''ve got to get out of here!"


    They quickly get on top of the tip of the seats and ran across all of them to the centermost point of the staircase leading to the exit, they only narrowly avoid the immense gathering crowd of students, teachers and families trying to help and calm their fellow seniors out.


    They sprinted faster, as they continued to avoid the collecting horde of people rushing out to the exits, the same way they are.


    "Why is this happening? And why are we not affected... like at all?" Manaka genuinely asks him, He starts to breathe in and out, focusing on his control... his body starts to glow with a blinding light surrounding his entire frame, Manaka''s eyes widen in seeing this.


    "I don''t know why any of this is happening... but as to why we''re not affected though... it must be because our families have backgrounds that include the complete control of aura... not everyone can just handle aura, let alone someone else''s... especially when it''s this strong..." he states as he forcefully kicks the main doors wide open, the swinging of the doors revealing an even worse sight than what was inside the auditorium.


    "Not only are the seniors affected! but even the rest of the school is!" Jisei exclaimed as both of their eyes drifted all across the hallways leading to the auditorium... multiple juniors are feeling the same effects as the seniors, even the grade schoolers are! The teachers and the parents run over to the children while trying to help each other. Then suddenly... the blaring ringing of the bell starts to reverberate all across the whole school! As each of the sprinklers starts to rain pouring wet water onto the poor students.


    Jisei starts to grit his teeth and tightly clench his fists, he holds the aura that is overflowing out of him, as he proceeds to strengthen and refine it, the air around him gets thicker and the visibility of his aura starts to sharpen into a much harsher and rugged shape.


    It all dissipates out of him... he drops to the ground, trying to catch his breath.


    "I still can''t do it... I''m not ready yet!" he shamefully admits this... he quickly gets up and tries to muster his strength once more, his body is covered in soaking cold water, the ground under his feet slightly cracks and the air around him thinning out... his aura disappears once again, he falls to the ground, kneeling in defeat...


    "Jisei..." Manaka worryingly mutters to him... she squats down towards him, her hand grasping his hair.


    "WHY NOW?!? Why did this have to be the time when I can''t use it!" he frustratingly shouts, slamming his fist on the cracked floor beneath him. Manaka rustles his hair, gently rubbing her hand unto it.


    Jisei sighs over his crushing and overwhelming feeling of exasperation...


    A certain young man in a suit starts to enter from the hallway in front of them, his suit all soaked just like everyone around him, he twitches his head and grabs the back of his neck, rubbing it. He squints his eyes at the both of them...then he sudde- he instantaneously flashes near Jisei in a squatting position with his arms all around his legs.


    He continues to stare him right in his eyes, Manaka proceeds to glare at him, her eyes are like sharp pins and needles to the oblivious young man, who doesn''t seem to notice her glaring at all...


    .


    .


    "Are you Jisei Suzuto?" Rushiko bluntly asks him...


    .


    .


    "Uhh... yeah... I am Jisei Suzuto... and who are you? by the way?" he asks him while scratching the back of his head, his hand lightly touching Manaka''s hand, who is still giving him headpats. Rushiko slightly coughs, he unbuttons his trench coat and puts his hand inside, grabbing what seems to be a rectangular plastic case that is holding something inside.


    He stretches his arm towards Jisei and gives it to him, Jisei hesitates for a moment as he looks into Rushiko''s eyes, his eyes are filled with determination and will, his eyes... they''ve seen things that both Jisei and Manaka have never experienced before...


    They''ve been through hell and back...


    Jisei slightly flinches and looks away, suddenly raising the plastic case towards his face. He sees the same face, but it''s... he looks younger... like about 2-3 years younger than he is now, his face is more inviting in the picture, filled with more warmth and... innocence... his cheeky grin is burned into Jisei''s eyes and into his memory bank...


    "The name''s Rushiko Hirotsu! I am currently a Grade "B" Ishiin! and from how I''ve evaluated the situation... so far... you two are the only ones who aren''t just unaffected by the foreign aura affecting most of the students here... but it seems that the two of you are familiar with aura as a whole, especially you... Jisei Suzuto..." he gets closer to him, scooching over to Jisei, his face is right up close to his, he shows him the same grin from the picture... except... let''s say... it''s more...


    Unsettling...


    "UH WHAT?!?" both Jisei and Manaka exclaimed out loud, Rushiko chuckles a bit, covering his mouth with his gloves, the same warmth from the picture is radiating out of him... his eyes are less threatening now too...


    "Calm down! I''m just playing you both!" he says, grabbing his Jisei''s hands and helping him to stand up alongside him, Manaka continues to glare at him. He notices this and laughs once again, he grabs his ID from Jisei''s hand and tucks it in the insides of his trench coat.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "I mean it was obvious that you know how to exert your aura properly! I could even feel it from the main entrance! Letting it all out is the easy part, controlling it... isn''t. I haven''t told you this yet, but I am the student of "the" Suzushii Kakomi! or so it''d be a lot more familiar for you... Suzu-san is the lifelong old friend and comrade of your dad! "the" Atsushi Suzuto! both of them have fought together in many multiple missions together... including in the infamous "Osaka Conflict"..." Rushiko states all of this, while Jisei just stands there... frozen in place...


    "My point is-"


    "Do you know where my dad is?!? Is he still alive?!? Please tell me!" Jisei instantly interrupts him, grabbing Rushiko by the collar, violently shaking him. Jisei''s face is distressed... Rushiko sees this and silently nods, as a sign of knowing what he''s feeling... atleast he understands what he is feeling...


    He knows what he''s going through...


    "I don''t know much... but from how Suzu-san has been acting... I feel that he knows where your dad is... and he desperately wants to save him... just like you..." Rushiko reassures him, Jisei lets go of his collar and sighs in relief, he shamefully looks away from Rushiko, of what he just did. Rushiko shrugs it off and grasps his back, rubbing it.


    "Don''t feel ashamed of yourself! You just wanted to know what happened to your dad! That''s all!" he coughs once more, clearing his throat and preparing his mind for what he is about to do to Jisei... he takes off the both of his gloves from his hands and places them on the outer pockets of his coat.


    "Getting back to the point... I''m here because of the final request that Atsushi-san asked from Suzu-san... your dad wants you to be supported by Suzu-san, no matter what you may choose now, we''ll accept it... my point is..." Rushiko places his hand on Jisei''s shoulder, and he firmly tightens his grip on it, never really hurting him... but it is also still felt by Jisei... the overflowing aura surging out of Rushiko''s hand... that is...


    "Are you willing to fight? to protect those closest to you, when they can''t? are you willing to become an Ishiin? to help those in need at this very moment? I have seen and felt all of the presences in this entire school, and only you are able to exert your aura out of everyone here... I can feel the presence of the Insurgent... the perpetrator that caused all of this pain... but if I fight her right now and not get rid of her aura on the ones most affected by all of this... some of these students will surely die... if you are willing to fight, I am authorized to use "the" Modified Protocol on you..." Rushiko waits in anticipation to the answer of Jisei... will he choose to help those that he holds dear? even those people that he doesn''t know? To follow in his father''s footsteps... to one day... save him? Or will he falter in the weight of all the responsibility that he now carries?


    His answer... will decide his fate... it will... decide... his destiny.


    "I''m willing... I''m willing to become an Ishiin just like my dad! To find and to save him... to protect all those closest to me... and those affected by the Insurgents... I- I won''t let any of them die on me! I... I can''t let them die... I can''t let him die... I won''t let you die! Manaka!" Jisei sighs out and exerts his aura once more, the aura flowing out of him is overwhelming, causing the cracked floor beneath him to sink even further below, his aura starts to chip in the walls, the ceiling and the very small radius around him, multiple particles of grinding concrete, glass and steel from the lockers, the windows and the walls start to surround him and Rushiko.


    The people nearest to him stare in awe and wonder, but they are also terrified of him... His shouting reverberates all across the school, he looks at Rushiko. While Rushiko nods in return, he lets all of his aura into Jisei, his shouting intensifies as it shatters all of the windows on the left and right hallways of their position. Manaka gasps as she covers her mouth, she is completely wary of what is happening to Jisei... scared that she might lose him right there and then...


    Her tears are dripping on the floor, mixing in with the still pouring water from the sprinklers...


    Jisei''s body is completely covered with a whitish blue tint, he holds all of the aura in and focuses on strengthening it... reinforcing it... using it...


    .


    .


    Controlling it...


    He tightly clenches both of his fists while gritting his teeth, his shouting ever growing... it''s growing out of control! Rushiko is sent flying all across the hallway just as a huge shockwave is sent through the ground, causing the gathering crowd that is watching him to all back away, the multiple grinded and gathering particles are surrounding him, his aura is overwhelming to all those who look at him, his aura is blinding them... but just as Jisei was about to go... berserk...


    A hand gets through all of the chaos...


    Rushiko places his other hand on his shoulder, he looks at Jisei and gives him another nod, his eyes reminding him of... he doesn''t remember who it reminds him of... but all he feels is complete trust and control emanating out of Rushiko. Jisei''s overswelling and harsh aura is contained thanks to Rushiko, but this time... Rushiko didn''t even let any of his aura into Jisei... All Rushiko did... was calm him down, letting him know that he''s not alone in his suffering. In the overwhelming feeling of the weight of the world being pushed on his shoulders, Jisei once again sighs out, controlling his aura, shaping it into a much smaller area surrounding his body, though his aura is sharper and more concentrated than ever before!


    It didn''t dissipate...


    Jisei just stands there, his entire body emanating the whitish blue tint from Rushiko''s aura, Jisei looks unto Rushiko''s whole form, multiple parts of his clothes are ripped off and grinded by the gathering particles encircling Jisei. Multiple wounds cover his body as he is bleeding all over the floor, Rushiko breathes in and out, stabilizing his condition and slowing the constant rush of blood flowing from his wounds.


    "Don''t worry about me! this is nothing compared to what I''ve been through! Just be glad that I got close to you in time, or else you would''ve gone berserk on us all! But... you did it! You now have complete control over the aura that you''ve not only strengthened but also contained inside and out of you! Now summon your Ishii!" Rushiko exclaims as he pulls out his blade from his holster beneath his tattered clothes, he proceeds to spin it in such a fast manner, that it can''t be seen by the average naked eye, he continues to twirl it around to the point where the blade starts to spark and turn into lightning.


    "Try to do something like that, release whatever concept you have in mind, it can be "whatever" comes to mind first, just summon it using your hands! You can make up whatever you want later on! For now, think of something that is very practical and useful right now! We don''t have much time left!" Jisei nods, and with his eyes and mind completely focused on one thing alone, a concept so simple, that it''s perfect for the very type of situation they''re in, his hands start to glow as he summons the weapon he has in mind.


    The frame of a gun starts to appear... his hands and his mind are both grasping it...


    .


    .


    A shining semi-automatic M1911 appears in his hands, he touches it and feels the surging of his aura coming out of the pistol while at the same time he can still feel the cold steel as he caresses it, he holds it with both of his hands with it pointed at the floor, he turns over to look at Rushiko.


    "Woah... I made a gun... Hmm... how do I use it? Do I just use it like a normal gun?" he asks him, with his finger on the trigger, about to pull it. Rushiko immediately blocks his finger with his hand, his head twitching and his face giving him an unapproved look.


    "Don''t waste your energy... your ammunition depends on how much aura and energy you have in you, you may have lots right now... but you shouldn''t shoot so hastily! Also to answer your question, it''s a yes, use it as you would a gun!" Rushiko states, tossing his spinning blade on the ground, cracking the floor''s tiles. He stretches his hands out, releasing and manipulating the aura from the blade, his blue lightning-like aura spreading to the auditorium and to all the hallways from their vicinity, it sends multiple shockwaves spreading and hitting all of the affected. The yellow aura and the consecutive marks that appeared on their bodies are destroyed and cleansed, the many people looked at Rushiko with both relief and amazement.


    "All you have to do is shoot your gun at the affected students, you won''t hurt them just as long as you don''t want to! Remember... that in using your Ishii, control is essential. In whatever you may intend to do, your Ishii is deeply rooted in what your mind is set out to do! You have to control your willpower and your emotions, never let it get the best out of you! (just like earlier...) but never lose sight of what you''re fighting for, because... the very moment that you not only lose faith in the people and the reasons that you are fighting for... the very moment you lose faith in yourself... your Ishii will control you instead, manipulating you... corrupting you..." Jisei nods, he slides the pistol''s slide and cocks the hammer of the pistol, Rushiko then grabs both of his shoulders as he shifts him closer to him.


    "One more thing... "the" Modified Protocol can only be used once on any person who has the ability to exert their aura, all the protocol entails is that, whoever may the Ishiin be, they are responsible for whatever happens to the person they are giving a temporary boost to... I am responsible for you... your Ishii right now? It isn''t permanent yet... all I gave you was one little push to awaken whatever ability you had in you, you''ll have to properly learn how to awaken it on your own next time! Though since I did show you some semblance of how, it''ll be a lot easier next time... you won''t lose control... don''t worry! Me and Suzu-san will be the ones teaching the both of you, and yes, Jisei-san. She is also a suitable candidate for becoming an Ishiin! She may not know how to exert her aura yet, but she also isn''t affected at all by the foreign aura of the Insurgent at all! She is able to fight... just as long as she wants to... if you two accept�� you��ll become Assistant Ishiins! From this very moment on! These are the conditions�� if you two want to help�� if you two want to become�� Ishiins��" he says this while looking at Manaka, who rubs both of her eyes, giving him a determined look and nod.


    "We accept! The name''s Manaka Yukinari! And I am willing to fight alongside Jisei-kun! Please let me help!" Manaka says this with an absolute adamant look on her face, she''s seen how much Rushiko has helped Jisei in the past few minutes alone! She knows that she can trust him... that the both of them can trust him... that he is their key to becoming Ishiins together!


    "Alright then, though I can''t use the protocol on anyone who can''t exert their aura, I can only strengthen someone else''s aura and therefore only temporarily awakening their Ishii abilities... I can''t make you release your aura, no one can... but you... Hmm..." Rushiko states, grabbing his chin as he thought of something, someway that Manaka can help out... his eyes widen and enlargen as he gets a sudden idea! He lifts his tattered coat once more, grabbing the other blade from his holster, he raises its hilt towards Manaka, his hands coating it with the same whitish blue aura that is surging and sparking in front of her.


    "I can give you this blade instead! It has my aura embedded into it so it''s perfect for someone who can''t use Ishii yet... though for the both of you, Jisei''s Ishii abilities aren''t permanent at all! At this very moment, his aura is being consumed by the temporary boost I gave him, my aura is letting his Ishii flow out of him, the problem is... that it''s burning all of his aura as we speak, if you''re gonna fight, do it fast and efficiently! Or else you''ll just waste your aura for nothing, by the time your Ishii runs out, you won''t be able to move anymore!" he says looking at Jisei, he turns his head to look at Manaka again.


    "As for you, Manaka-san... my blade only has a limited amount of my aura, even if I did fill it to the brim, it isn''t much aura to begin with... so use it wisely, as this is the only way you are going to be able to destroy the foreign aura of the infected here! The both of you can only fight for a limited amount of time! So you''ve got to act now..." Rushiko meticulously explained to them both, the both of them nod as Manaka grabs the sparking blade from Rushiko''s hand, she wields it, spinning and flipping it around until it stopped at the back of her fist.


    "We can handle the rest! Hirotsu-kun! You don''t need to teach me how to fight, Senpai! I can handle the fighting on my own~ We can handle all of the infected here! Please go find the perpetrator of all this! I''ll take care of Jisei-kun!" she confidently says, grabbing Jisei''s hand and pulling him away. Jisei gives Rushiko a thumbs up as he is dragged by Manaka, the both of them move towards the front hallway in front of them making their way to the main hall from which the main entrance is located at.


    "Got it! I''ll find you two when I''ve dealt with the Insurgent!" Rushiko brought up his hands and placed them on his lips, shouting at them so they could hear him. He turns his back on them, making his way to the exit, outside... to the school grounds... many of the parents, teachers and fellow students thank him, he raises his hand and he waves it at them as he heads to the right corridor, he follows and feels the presence of the Insurgent that caused all of this turmoil... this pain... and yet... he can''t shake off the feeling that this person... may be someone he once knew...


    Someone she once knew... and still loves...


    He forcefully bashes the doors with his arm as the both of them are sent flying all across the campus. The cold wind rushes in and chills him to the bone, the snow covering his ripped and wounded body, he makes a hissing sound due to the overwhelming pain of the icy flakes coating his still healing grazes.


    Rushiko steps forward, making little footsteps on the frost-covered ground, he charges his aura and lets it all out, the snow under his feet is pushed back by the radius of his aura, coating his entire body. The sun is completely covered by shivering mist surrounding him and the campus, he scans the area with his eyes, totally focused on making up the slightest figure that can come up from within the fog... his eyes never blinking...


    "I know you''re here! Show yourself! Stella!" he shouted as he continues to refine and sharpen his aura, he grabs his blade and he spins it around, the familiar blue lightning sparking from the tip of the blade to the very bottom of the hilt.


    He suddenly senses the presence of the Insurgent by his right near the certain classroom window of one of the buildings, he instantly strikes it with his blade, the flash of blinding blue light is sent towards the shadow.


    A hand pops out from within the shadow... from within the wall beside the window, his lightning-like aura still sparking from the blade... is caught by a single mere bare hand! The hand breaks it into tiny little pieces, shattering it... and from how easily it broke... she didn''t even need to try...


    His aura didn''t even seem to faze her... at all...


    She instantly flashes from behind him, grabbing his shoulder as she wraps her lips around his ear... whispering something...


    "Oh~ You don''t need to be so formal! Calling me by my old callsign! Wouldn''t it hurt? to call me like how you always did? Rushi-san?" she mutters into his ear, sending chills down his spine. She suddenly punches a hole right through him, her hand coming out of it... she rips it out as his blood is sent spilling all over the ground...


    He loudly groans... coughing up blood... spilling it on the snow...


    "You''re still as weak as I remember you... ahaha~" she lightly giggles, her gradual laughter echoing all over the empty and freezing campus. Rushiko flashes away from her, his hands on the giant hole by his chest, her hands just narrowly avoiding bursting his heart open... but it did hit his right lung... he proceeds to glare at her, with his breathing being more frantic because of what happened, he desperately tries to stabilize his condition, knowing that this fight... is going to be a relatively quick one...


    "Come on! You know I wouldn''t just let the fun end that quickly! What''s the point of breaking you? If I can''t enjoy it slowly? Hmm?~" she sadistically looks at him with a perverted sense of pleasure, she licks her lips while snapping her fingers... the same yellow marks are seen from her wrists, the same yellow aura seen from the infected... is surging from her hands...


    The very moment she snapped her fingers... multiple students jumped from the windows of the upper floors!


    Rushiko continued to glare at her, his eyes twitching in disbelief... over what she''s done... and has become...


    She looks at the few students whose bones broke from jumping at such a height, and she brutally places her foot on one of the guy''s heads. She mercifully beats his head in, her high heel digging straight into his skull, his blood covering her suit and face... she licks up the blood from her lips and moans in doing so.


    "These pathetic little slaves can''t even handle my simple orders... tell me? What use do they have? Besides being my playtoys... my food... my pleasure? ufufu~" She coldly states, laughing hysterically... his ears started to ring from her deranged laughter... Rushiko just stood there... beyond belief... this woman... someone that he used to know, someone who was capable of doing so much good... and she did!


    But not anymore... she''s turned into this sadistic piece of trash... someone who doesn''t even see the value of a single life... let alone how many? she''s turned into the very thing, they- no... she was fighting against...


    What would she think of her? Seeing her like this? What have they done? To her... ?


    .


    .


    What would Shi-


    Most of the students that survived the fall, started to rush in after Rushiko. He grabs his last remaining blade and he powers it up, while still trying to stop the bleeding from his chest, he loudly screams in agony as his aura sharpens around him, but his last remaining lung can''t handle his usual average output of his aura... he''s becoming weaker... by the minute...


    The very moment the infected students were getting closer to Rushiko... encircling him...


    He launches himself unto the air and towards the nearby wall behind him, kicking unto it. He drops downwards and he spins his entire form, slashing all of the foreign aura of the affected in one fell swoop! He slides on the snow-covered ground, now painted by the red tint of his falling insides... All of the students drop to the ground, the aura being forcibly ripped out of them, causing them to instantly faint.


    He knows he doesn''t have much time left... he can''t stabilize and stop his bleeding, and with every move, he makes... trying to fight against her... he is losing blood! And if he continues to do so...


    He''s going to die soon...


    He decides... to give it his all... to use up all of his aura...


    .


    .


    No matter what... she''s going down...


    He immediately gets up and rushes towards her position, spinning his blade faster than ever, the same sparks emanating out of it. He throws it unto her, the lightning flashing before her very eyes, she lets out a playful scoff as she raises her hand, confident of the same outcome as earlier.


    She couldn��t be more wrong...


    Rushiko stretches out his hands and turns the blade into little pieces... into... smaller spikes! It pummels onto her bare hands and spreads to the rest of her body, the little pieces stinging her because of his aura.


    She looks at her bleeding hand... at her bleeding body... and she relishes in it!


    She giggles mischievously, releasing all of the yellow aura from her body and onto her hands, she makes the same defeaning sound as she clicks both of her fingers together... calling out most of the infected students!


    "Finally! You get to give me some more fun! And just right before... you die!" she laughs at his pathetic attempt of ever defying her, his eyes widen at the inconceivable sight before him... even more of the affected students are jumping to their deaths, only some survived�� and are coming after him.


    Beneath all of the poor corpses of the victims... were grade schoolers... children...


    Rushiko loudly screams at the horrific sight in front of him... because of him...


    He lets out all of his aura, no matter how painful it may be! No matter how close he is to dying! He won''t let himself die before he kills her! The area of his aura gradually expands wider and bigger, it is more refined and sharper than ever before! The pain in his chest... the pain in his lung suddenly hits him like a train... but he ignores this as the adrenaline rushes inside of him, his blood is pumping so fast... and yet it''s pouring so quickly out of him too...


    His hands start glowing the form of a blade on each finger gap until he had 8 blades in both of his hands, he throws the first 4 at the massive crowd of the affected running after him, and just before it hits them... he retracts them, creating multiple small wires from his fingertips connecting them with the other 4 on his other hand.


    He grabs the first 4 blades once more and pulls both of his arms backward, aiming them towards the vast amount of the infected before him. He spreads both of his arms and crosses them together, he overwhelmingly sends all 8 of them flying towards the gathering crowd, the instant speed imitating the flash of a lightning strike... but none of the blades ever hit any of the students, all 8 of them hit the ground beneath their feet, sending an immense and huge shockwave, destroying the foreign aura affecting them... cleansing the manipulation of her from them.


    He instantly flashes beneath her as he powers up his fist in that very instant, and he collides it with her jaw, she is sent flying upwards, blood spilling out from her mouth, her jaw snapping from the force.


    She immediately flashes away from him, her feet slipping from beneath the ground, he waves both of his arms, making the same pose as earlier, the same 8 blades forming on his hands. He lets go of the first 4 as he starts to spin it around, grabbing them by the small wires attached to them, charging them in the process.


    He proceeds to throw all 4 of them, one by one with left to right motions at her position, manipulating the blades by their wires, she instantly dodges all of them by slipping into the ground with a smirk on her face�� using her portals. Each of the blades only misses by margins in hitting her by her portals, he clenches his fist and releases the lightning contained from within his blades.


    She is hit by the enormous shock radius of the blades stabbed on the ground, the lightning being fueled from not only the aura embedded within but also by the constant supply of his aura surging from his fingertips all the way to the wires and to the hilts attached on the blades.


    Her stark figure is loosened from the portal, her body is severely electrocuted from the massive amount of lightning being pumped into her, she is sent flying in midair. He sends the last 4 blades after her, all of them stabbing her by each of her limbs, the blades connecting into her body, he raises her further, carrying her and throwing her body like a ragdoll.


    He loudly shouts one last time, releasing all of his aura, its wide area of coverage causing the snow to float and the mist around him to surround his entire body, he summons more of the blades as they float on his back, all of them connected by the same metallic wires with the same sparks traveling through them. Their vast numbers reaching all the way across the campus, he manipulates the blades on his back, their wires curling and bending towards her.


    All of the blades hit her, surrounding her with all of the pain that she��s caused and was reveling in earlier, but�� even in this moment of pure suffering, her face hasn��t changed, the look on her face�� hasn��t changed��


    She still has the same gleeful and perverted look she��s always had�� ever since he first saw her�� like this��


    She is completely surrounded and covered by the wires of the blades, with all of them stabbing her, wrapping her, and electrocuting her, her blood is sent spilling all over the blistering ground, completely painting it red. The whole campus is filled by the enormous flash of lightning rushing into her, filling her�� pleasuring her��


    �� Bleeding Storm! ! ! �� he screamed as his surging aura sends a gigantic shockwave, shaking half of the entire academy! The blue flashes of light blinded both Rushiko��s and Stella��s eyes�� A loud moan is heard from within the enormous metallic ball that is currently imprisoning her�� it instantly falls downwards towards the mortally exhausted Rushiko, its gigantic form rolling in front of him, he catches it with his foot, curling his back and panting from all of the chaos that just ensued.


    He coughs up a large amount of blood as he looks onto his hands and his chest, his blood continuing to spill uncontrollably from the wounds and the giant hole in his ruptured lung�� the light from his eyes fading, he curls up a light smile, knowing that this is it��


    He��s done for��


    He passes out and falls straight on the red and freezing ground, his hands shaking and trembling, his breathing rampant but also fleeting�� his eyes slowly shut close for the last time��


    Or so he thought��


    - To Be Continued -


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/_nmutqhuWFE</a> / Skrting on the Surface - The Smile

 Chapter 5 - Secluded Part 1

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/PiNdcBg3xC8</a> / Tomorrow Comes Today - Gorillaz


    A single footstep is made, the dirt and the grime beneath it mixing in with the snow it''s already walked through... with all of the blood all over the area along with it... creating this cluttered and messy look, panting is heard from what sounds like one man, but then suddenly in an instant-


    Multiple footsteps are heard, the snow being stepped on creating this somewhat muffled but still discernible sound because of the quantity of the numerous people this man brought, Rushiko''s eyes slowly open but with a blurred smear in his vision...


    Multiple lights are all turned on one by one, with all of them surrounding both Rushiko and the Insurgent''s current positions after the aftermath of the devastating but equally just as fast clash they had, his eyes are blinded as he slowly covers them with his trembling arm. The figure in front of him slowly squats downwards as he gives out a reaching hand to Rushiko, after squinting for a bit and feeling the figure''s aura, he finally recognizes who this was... The somewhat lightish blue hue and the familiar warmth of his aura calmed him...


    It''s Suzushii!


    "Rushiko! ...are yo-" Suzushii quickly sees the giant hole in his chest, his eyes widening, Rushiko faltering in his current state, quickly falls to the ground as Suzushii holds him around his arms. Rushiko still losing a lot of blood and in turn, coughs up copious amounts of it, his blood splattered on Suzushii''s face and all over his suit.


    Suzushii''s face growing paler by the second...


    "Get somebody here! We''re about to lose him! Now! Medic!!!" Suzushii shouts as he applies his aura unto him, it only stops the bleeding but Rushiko doesn''t have enough blood in him for him to be able to breathe, let alone maintain his body''s condition along with his aura. Another agent gets nearer to him checking his body''s status, he mutters into Suzushii''s ear about the situation.


    "He''s lost a lot of blood sir... if we don''t do a blood transfusion in here right now, he won''t even make it to the ER! He''ll be dead on arrival for sure (!) by then..."


    "But like can''t we give him my blood? is there anyone here that''s his blood type?" he mentions this as he pulls out his sleeve, raising his forearm.


    "I''m really sorry sir... but you''re not his blood type... and if check him here-" the medic searches around him for something... the medic searches for-


    "If I check here clearly on his ID''s information, he''s an AB... he''s got a pretty rare blood type... and checking if everybody''s got his blood type might take some time... he needs the blood transfusion now! And if he doesn''t get it in the next 5 minutes or less... he''ll surely die!" the medic warns him, with the time running and it clearly running out of it, he clicks his tongue and bites his lip, but then suddenly-


    He gets an idea! A surely easy way out of this! but not for Suzushii... not for him... the big question is... whether he''s willing to or n-


    "Alright... good god alright... this is the fastest way to get him to tip-top shape..."


    "Umm... what is it sir?"


    "I have to do it... I have to do THE sacrifice..."


    "Wait you don''t mean?!?-" The medic looks at him shocked, with Suzushii giving out a determined but also somewhat reluctant and nervous look towards the medic and then Rushiko who is wrapped around his arms, his voice weak as his lips slowly move, forming these words-


    "Don''t do it " Rushiko faintly says, but Suzushii in turn shakes his head multiple times


    "I''ve got to... I''m willing to do it for you... I''m not ready to lose you yet... or ever... just let me do this (for you)...-"


    "Son " he firmly and proudly says this while his body faintly glows by and is growing by the second, both Rushiko and the medic are shaken by this, the medic looks directly at Suzushii as he slowly nods, Rushiko in disbelief over this, looks downwards towards his feet, clearly upset but deep down inside... he''s moved by him and his actions... especially with what he called him... he lightly smiles...


    The medic slowly backs away as the other agents around them stare in awe over what Suzushii is doing for him... what THE Reckoner is doing for him... The light of his aura gradually becomes a lot brighter until it completely blinds everyone, with all of them covering their eyes with their respective forearms.


    And then... there is only silence... the thick fog covering everyone everywhere, they struggle to see what exactly happened... until the fog slowly clears up and they finally see him-


    Suzushii looks downwards with blood coming out of his face, it is then smeared all over Rushiko''s face, with his vision finally coming back to him, and Suzushii''s arms still supplying the needed aura for him to still stay in a relatively stable condition. But as the picture of his eyesight clears up... he sees a terrifying sight before his very eyes...


    Suzushii''s left eye is completely gone...


    And all that is left is nothing... but a black void filling in its place... and as the blood of where his eye that was once there before leaks before him... Suzushii is unfazed by this... atleast from the looks of it... Suzushii still continues to smile even though he literally sacrificed half of his eyesight for him... he is happy and completely overjoyed to see Rushiko, alive and breathing and not dying instead...


    Rushiko is all he has left...


    So he continues to smile even at his own expense...


    "Medic! Come on over here and patch him up! He still has a giant hole in his chest after all!" The medic nods in return, grabbing his kit and bandaging up Rushiko, Suzushii looks at Rushiko and embraces him even tighter than before, his warmth continuing to spread all over Rushiko''s body


    "Don''t worry! My aura has been settling inside you for a bit now! You''ll be alright! It''ll be slow but atleast my aura will slightly boost up your aura and your body''s regenerative skills, though you still can''t move after all of that... so you''ll need to hold onto me still... but hey! Atleast you''re not dying anymore! Good god! I was literally almost about to lose you there!" he says all of this as he sighs in relief afterwards, Rushiko continuing to stare at his eyeless socket with it still bleeding all over and looking (like) as if he were crying red tears...


    "Ummm yeah... Uhh, Medic! Can you please patch up Senpai''s eye over here? Ummm- literally?" Rushiko says out of concern for Suzushii


    "What were you thinking?!? I know you wanted and needed to save me there... but you literally used the riskiest technique and sacrificed your eye for me! And I''m really grateful for what you did... but still! How are you gonna fight now? You''re literally down on one eyeball left''s worth of eyesight!" he says in an understanding but still upset manner with Suzushii giving a look of desperation in turn, the medic finishes up patching up Rushiko''s injuries and just as he is about to get nearer to Suzushii, Suzushii raises his hand and the medic stops dead in his tracks...


    "I know... I knew the risks... but I couldn''t just watch you die like that! Especially around my arms Rushiko! I had to do something... you''re all I have left... please don''t leave me... please... just like how all of them did... when I''ve done all I could for all of them..., especially for him..." Suzushii pleads explaining his reason for doing it in the first place... Rushiko shocked at this, looks downwards at his feet once more before facing Suzushii once again


    "Suzu-Senpai... D-Dad... you know I won''t leave you... I didn''t mean it like that... I really don''t actually want to die... I''m sorry... I still love you... you know?" Rushiko replies, sympathizing with him, he runs over to Suzushii, grunting in pain in doing so... but not caring about it anyways and just embracing him regardless, Suzushii looks surprised but relieved once more, he hugs him back... glad he hasn''t failed Rushiko as his mentor... as his father (figure)... well just yet that is... (?)


    "But you need to take better care of yourself too! Senpai! Uhh, Medic- I think you can patch his eye up now" Rushiko says as the medic nods and comes closer to finally close up the black hole that''s been out in the open in front of them, surprised that Suzushii isn''t reacting badly in losing one of his eyes at all!


    As Suzushii slowly stands up, with the fog getting thicker once again, he stares at the mist-filled sky, with the eye patch of where his left eye once was, being colored black instead of red, the strange black liquid slowly filling in the once white patch until the black blots have completely filled in the white space. He continues to gaze upwards, his melancholic look filling in an empty silence that seems to last for decades... lasted decades... the black liquid slowly dripping downwards from where his current injury is.


    Suzushii sighed.


    "Anyways! Let''s get back to work! Secure everyone inside the school and have all of them be evacuated, have forensics collect the bodies and identify them! And most importantly of all!-" he says this as he looks at Rushiko-


    "Arrest this woman right here! Since this is the escaped fugitive and traitor of the ICA and the nation of Japan!- Kokko Yano! A former comrade of ours!" Suzushii shouts out, with all of the agents here gasping or are in shock at hearing this news, Rushiko shakes his head several times and looks away from Suzushii... Ko-San was someone they could trust back then... but now-


    "Rushiko! You know we can''t trust her anymore... after all this time... she shows up like this! Torturing small children and young students! Killing them in the process! Stealing all their aura and energy to take for and as her own! After all this time... after who she was and had stood for... she was taken from us... from her... and now... she has turned into the enemy! She has betrayed us all, and joined the Insurgents! I know that the both of you were looking for her for years now... but this is what happened to her... this is who she''s become and is now... truly fucking disappointing!" Suzushii scoffs, breathing deeply to sigh even more... Rushiko continues to look away... ashamed and disappointed... but most of all worried... at how she would react...


    "Use a dimension to transport her! But only the higher-ranked agents will handle her! Anyone weak to not be able to enter a dimension, let alone a captain of the Insurgents... are better suited to help around here! Got that?!? Move!" Suzushii shouted once more, all of the agents replied in unison saying "Yes sir!" while saluting him, they started doing their assigned tasks, Suzushii comes closer to Rushiko, hooking him with his arm and grabbing his shoulder


    They started to walk away from the school campus: full of corpses, destruction and blood and into the school building


    And what they say when they came in... it was such a horrible sight...


    Crying people mourning the casualties of her sadistic and murderous onslaught, and those who had died out that couldn''t handle her aura being pressured inside their bodies, let alone having her aura leech off of theirs... there was blood everywhere... Multiple agents performed first aid on those badly injured, as cracked glass filled the empty and sterile floor: full of snow, blood and trash...


    The once peaceful and momentous day of joy and celebration... their graduation day... was ruined because of her... and because of her... many lives were lost... many were injured... and now many are traumatized for life... The Insurgents were moving quickly... their actions have started to increasingly target more of the civilian populace... And now they have started making their moves here in Tokyo... the Capital...


    Both of them knew it... the Final War is nearing close... whether the Ishiins were prepared or not...


    "Ko-Chan is gone... Rushiko... they took her humanity and replaced it with nothing but just an unsatiable lust for power... for control... a friend we once knew... the Senpai you once knew, who had taught you... who saw the preservation of future generations... of teaching them... of nurturing them... of protecting them... as important and her very duty to uphold, just like many others in the ICA... the Insurgents have perverted her very essence! And now... I don''t even know who she is- no! Who that is even anymore... she''s no person... she isn''t one of us anymore, that''s for sure!" Suzushii ranted, showing his great dismay at seeing her like that... especially for how Rushiko and how ------ must feel about this...


    "So how''s Jisei so far? Did he agree to becoming an Ishiin? And if he did... Did you use the Modified Protocol on him? But from the looks of it... He was either about to turn Berserk and you were able to stop him from losing himself... Or he didn''t have any problem accepting your aura at all!" Suzushii exclaimed as they passed through the main hall and towards the hallway leading to the staircases, the likehood of Jisei and Manaka fighting through here apparent over how little the casualties are here, if they were any at all!


    "Well... The former was what happened, he was close to turning Berserk until I was able to stop him from almost turning, by calming him down and all that... He''s a nice kid! He really is determined to not only protect his family and friends... to protect others... But to also find his dad as well... In fact... As soon as I mentioned you and Atsushi-San, he instantly grabbed me! And asked me if I knew where was! He definitely seeks to become an Ishiin! He has the innate instinct and great potential to become one! He was even able to turn back even in the verge of almost just becoming Berserk! He was able to accept my aura, and in turn was also able to awaken his Ishii Abilities right there and then! He has the true spirit of what an Ishiin should be! But it wasn''t just him who I was able to recruit... A sort of friend of his (?), Manaka Yukinari! Also wanted to become an Ishiin! and even though she had no Ishii Abilities and wasn''t even able to exert any aura at all... She took one of my blades and was willing to help fight off the foreign aura of Ko-San being forced upon most of the students here! I am convinced they have what it takes to become great Ishiin Agents sometime in the future! ...They''re definitely still somewhere around here... They''re probably mostly done at this point... Though I fear what might''ve happened to them... Since they''re still newly appointed Assistant Ishiins... and are still rookies after all..." Rushiko said, worrying over both Jisei and Manaka''s current whereabouts and states... He had a bad feeling about what had happened to them... In seeing this, Suzushii pats his back as Rushiko looks at him in response, they continued to search each floor in this specific building for the both of them... Until they reached the top floor, with the bridge leading into the second building in sight.


    Suzushii spoke.


    "I''m sure they''re both fine! Besides... If anything happened to them... they have a Grade S Agent (which is me) here to help them right now if need be... I mean all they''re mostly fighting are literally immobilized infected young students who can''t even do anything to them... They''re probably fine! ... unless..." Suzushii hesitated to continue further into his statement... Rushiko taken aback with this... Replied saying-


    "Unless?" Rushiko asked him... Suzushii kept staying silent as they walked further and nearer into the hallway of the bridge... The unnerving and instant awkward silence filling in, as Suzushii kept walking with Rushiko somewhat behind him, still confused at what''s gotten him so tensed up.


    And as they neared the end of the bridge''s hallway...They saw multiple cracks on the walls and lots of debris and shattered glass all over the ground... the floor is mostly covered in multiple pools of blood... a fight definitely took place here... They saw more students on the ground... But they were extremely injured... Like someone abused and beat them up really badly... And from looks of it... All of the are Senior Students! It is likely that... Another Senior assaulted them, because of a grudge... Most likely a long-held grudge... Because of how badly their current states are... Well it''s either that or it was done as a whim... Or even both...


    "Shit... It''s definitely her..." Suzushii muttered under his breath... He grabbed the cord of his Comms clipped on the front pocket of his coat, speaking unto it...


    "Attention everyone! There are (also) a lot of casualties here on the top floor of the second building! Please get over here immediately to tend to all of the injured here! They are in dying conditions as we speak!" Suzushii ordered all of the Agents gathered here all around the school, including the newly arrived EMTs and Police force just a few minutes ago... Rushiko, worried over the current predicament... Looked further into the distance, and saw... what he feared to be true...


    A young female student that looks old enough to be the suspected senior that caused all of this turmoil over here, she crawls slowly all across the messed up floor, avoiding all of the cracks, debris and broken glass on the floor, with her movements moving ever closer to both Suzushii and Rushiko''s positions.


    But...


    She''s also dragging two other students behind her, one of them is groaning in pain, for what seems to be a female voice, and for Rushiko... It was a very familiar voice... It was Manaka Yukinari! And on the other unconscious student, who had the worst injuries out of all of them... Was Jisei Suzuto!


    He had an absolute fatal wound by his stomach, which looks to be stabbed over and then pulled out... Manaka also had a lot of moderate injuries, which included a lot of seeping and open wounds all across her body... But from the looks of it... Manaka has finally learned how to exert her aura! As she is sustaining its output to continue to stop the constant bleeding from all over her wounds, all across her figure... Jisei also had the same moderate injuries, deep and seeping cuts which looks like stabs of thrown sharp objects, but Jisei is completely unconscious! Which means the clothes they put over as temporary coverings for his wounds are only absorbing the blood... But not all of it...


    The senior female student had the least amount of injuries, as they are only bruises, though there are a lot of them. Definitely from the fight that the three of them had...


    She''s the result of why Kokko Yano even did any of this in first place...


    "Senpai! Over here!" Rushiko exclaimed, pointing to the senior pulling what once were her enemies...


    "What do you think happened here... Suzu-San?" Rushiko asked as the both of them went closer to assist them further, Suzushii bending over to carry Jisei and Rushiko for Manaka... The senior student sighs in relief over seeing the both of them...


    Until...


    She suddenly collapses on the floor... She fainted...


    "Rushiko you carry her! Just put umm... Manaka! Yeah... Manaka on top of her since she has the least amount of injuries anyways!" Suzushii says, Rushiko nods in response... Complying with his orders... They proceeded to carry all of them towards the main emergency response area filled with temporary medical tents by the front of the school itself


    "I think the senior was convinced to stop from killing the both of them... Since she doesn''t have that many injuries to begin with... She was just too much for them to handle... She kicked their asses... But it wasn''t the senior herself who did it... It was her... She did this... And if this is what it looks like... They''re trying to make super soldiers out of the populace... They''re trying to cause pandemonium... They''re not making them to use as their own... They''re making them to use them against us... To make us more vulnerable... When they finally start their assault... This is it... I know you''ve also already suspected it... The Final War is nearing us..." Suzushii stated, with Rushiko looking over the frost covered windows of the hanging and haunting bridge. His look indicating his feelings of complete and absolute despair... But also hope... He- no they finally have a team! If the senior that is, agrees to join them... It''s his job to be their senior... To guide them... To lead them... Especially the one with the most potential out of all of them... With his near to death condition and experience staying with him...


    "Jisei Suzuto... He has it... He has the potential to surpass Atsu-San... Don''t you think? Suzu-Senpai?" Rushiko muttered, with Suzushii looking over the same horizon as Rushiko, the orange hue beaming and pushing through the clouds and the mist, the light warming their eyes


    "Yeah... He does... And with this team... And many others... It''s our generation''s duty and responsibility... To finally stop this age-old conflict of ours... To finally end this once and for all... For our sakes... And the following generations before us..." Suzushii said, their footsteps ringing all across the bridge leading to the end...


    The end of all times... The end filled with certain death and pain... They push forwards...


    Fighting to finally end it all...


    .


    .


    -A Few Minutes Ago-


    The blood continues to drip... Her blood... The multiple blades that are all around her body, still connecting to the holes they''ve punctured in her... The wires of the blades creating this gigantic metallic ball, along with the smaller spikes still stinging the front parts of her body...


    But she doesn''t feel any pain... At all...


    In fact...


    She relishes in this supposed "pain" she''s supposed to feel...


    She''s finally found a worthy opponent... He''s finally grew up to be a capable plaything for her to have lots of fun with...


    "I can''t wait to see the looks on their faces... Especially his and her faces..." Kokko said while licking her lips full of her dripping blood... Her right eye with a blade right in her socket... She slants the both of them... Giggling mischievously and uncontrollably... Her constant laughter ringing over the vast and hollow space of the humongous steel ball she''s in... Her deadly cage and prison... But that''s what they think...


    The sides of her lips curling up for confident smirk... Her weak and defeated body not shaking even once... She murmurs...


    "They don''t even know what''s going to happen next! It''s fucking hilarious! To think they''ve caught on... this late... To think this is our first attempt at trying to do this... Oh how na?ve of them! Oh how pathetic! Oh how... Delicious!" She exclaims... Her eyes widening in the continuous pleasure he''s given her... Her eyes fixated on her thoughts... On what will definitely happen...


    "All of these pathetic slaves were at least useful for something... since she''s all mine now... She''s so far... The most promising subject I''ve found... So far... She''s the most... Broken... And the easiest to manipulate..."


    "Perfect..." She giggles more intensely with her hands breaking off from the blades and the wires trying to trap her... She makes a clicking sound... Disappointed over how easily it was to break apart his so-called "deadly trap"... Yeah sure thing...


    "Oh Rushi-kun... You''ve still got a lot to learn haven''t you? I can''t wait to rip you wide open and fully apart... When the right moment comes round... But that''s surely near... Isn''t that right? Mutsu-kun?" she laughs hysterically as her voice is muffled by the vast volume of the huge metallic ball. The sirens of the police cars and the private vehicles of the Ishiins blaring; as they arrived to assess the incident... The fully capable Ishiin Agents have arrived... They''re the best of the best... Under the Grade S Agents, of course... The top of the "Grade A Agents"... They better put up a better fight... Cause they sure look like it... But they always break in the end...


    "Don''t disappoint me now..." She murmurs one last time... Before they shipped her off to where they keep their Insurgent POWs and Captives...


    Tsutomu Saidai Penitentiary... an aging facade of an institution... because this is where no prisoner ever comes back... Alive... Ever...


    Only the most important Insurgent POWs are "kept alive"... for... only "negotiation" purposes of course... That''s because mercy is a word that doesn''t exist in there... and nobody ever seeks to change that since its inception for the many decades, it''s been in existence...


    But not for long... That''s for sure...


    .


    .


    -A Few (?) Moments ago-


    Multiple loud footsteps can be heard, with the flashing whitish blue tint emanating from all over Jisei''s body, especially all around his hand... The somewhat lightish and glowing transparent 1911 is in clear view and his power is in his very hands... Manaka looks at him as the both of them nod together at each other...


    He''s definitely ready... but...


    Is she?


    With each footstep and the closer they get to the main entrance hall... she takes a long deep breath... with her heart pouncing with each passing second... she hasn''t done this for a very long... and she means- a REALLY LONG TIME...


    The whitish and surely blindingly strong currents of lightish almost azure-like aura in its appearance, Rushiko''s aura... emanates from the very tip down to the very bottom of the blade, her neck twitches instinctively... with the power of something she''s only ever seen in screens and only ever heard about... and now it''s in her very fingertips...


    This power... this excitement...


    This insurmountable amount of responsibility...


    She suddenly smirks... this rush... this feeling... it overwhelms her...


    She never knew it... but after living a whole life of nothing happening to her...


    She knew it now... she felt it building from the very bottom of her bones...


    She was always meant to be an Ishiin...


    And now... she''s enjoying it... realizing it...


    Finally... it overtakes her... like a rush... like... like how...


    Like how a fix would...


    Her heart sinks in these newfound feelings and realizations... it''s like a forbidden pleasure for her...


    She knows... how much the consequences of the lenghts she would go to... once she''s completely addicted... in this rush... of considerable and overwhelmingly dangerous emotions...


    But all it does... is just make it all the more desirable for her...


    She shakes her head, and with the both of their shoes about to take the final step... they''re finally here...


    From this moment on... they''re involved in this... no matter what...


    Jisei snaps his fingers at Manaka''s face... her spacing out moment all put out to a halt... her body was moving on its own... without her input... since for a moment there... she was gone... she wasn''t in control of her body...


    Nothing was...


    "Uh... You ok? Yuki-San?" Jisei asks her worryingly, her entranced look and her face showing him all these feelings of bliss she''s most definitely feeling at the moment...


    "hmm hmmph-" she shakes her head once more, her lips making a sort of humming sound. She looks at him and says-


    "It''s nothing..." she replies-


    "Well... it is something... but... let''s talk about it later..." Manaka says retracting her previous spoken words... she stares at Jisei... Jisei then looks away for a bit... and then he looks back and nods...


    And with that...


    Jisei cocks his pistol and holds back the slide and in releasing it, he aims the pistol right at the Infected Students, just as Manaka squints her eyes... her vision and focus coming back to her... the main hall coming into clear view...


    There are lots of Infected Students everywhere, with just a few (if any) Ishiin Agents present, with all of them preoccupied with dealing with the overwhelming amount of casualties currently present and also the ever increasing droves of them also arriving with the a lot of them being escorted to the main and front campus of the whole school.


    The both of them look at each other once again, and in nodding-


    They proceed to shout out the next following words:


    "We''re both Assistant Ishiins! We got this!" they both exclaim loudly, with Jisei powering up his aura output, he fires his first shot just as Manaka bends her right knee forwards, with Rushiko''s blade surging right in front of her face.


    She slahes the first infected she sees, the current Ishiin Agents present communicating to each other and saying:


    "The Modified Protocol is a go! Repeat! The Modified Protocol is a go!" they all said to each other... to all of the Ishiin Agents on comms... this phrase means... anybody who accepts the offer given to them to aid others by an Ishiin... will always stay involved... no matter what...


    No matter what... they stay as Ishiins... no matt-


    The second shot is fired, the yellow and foreign aura from the Infected shot, surely and most definitely dissipating, Manaka continues to sprint all over the area, her movements being just as agile as the electrifying streams she is wielding, she slashes all of the Infected Students in the main hall, one by one, the yellow aura being imposed on them exploding and being completely obliterated by the blade of its original owner, its surging aura flowing freely but also surely being depleted even when not being used let alone being inflicted on others...


    Her limber movements being so impressive, a certain someone would be most definitely proud... and she isn''t even using any aura to enhance her bodily motions... it''s all in her... her impressive actions... her aching will... to k-


    Jisei keeps shooting from a distance, consecutively firing his aimed at targets one by one, with the people around them staring in wonder and at relief at the newly arrived "suppport" dealing with the current crisis...


    And as he fires his last round, he releases the magazine as it falls to the ground making a clacking sound, just as it disappears... he forms another one with his right hand, sliding it in, and cocking the pistol in the process, completing the reload...


    He aims with his pistol''s iron sight, firing his last shot at the final affected student as it seems, the aura bullet completely shattering the yellow and constricting aura surrounding and painfully being inflicted on his body...


    Jisei lowers his pistol from the Infected Student, with Manaka sprinting right next to him, also seemingly having and being finished, as well with her... "rush"...


    They both face each other and just as they had their backs on each other-


    "Al-" Jisei says-


    "Alright! That''s the main hall done!" Manaka said, finishing his sentence as she spun the blade with its electrical currents flowing less (if even noticeable) strongly than before... she notices... The both of them look at the hallway in front of them... knowing they''re job isn''t done quite yet...


    Little did they know... will it ever?


    Jisei looks at Manaka, with her hands shaking... but he looks up at her face... and they''re not shaking because of fear or nervousness... she''s... she''s fully smirking...


    She''s completely enjoying it!


    Jisei stares at her for a moment, while the both of them space out in their "newfound" emotions... he then shakes his head multiple times and forcefully grabs her hand... she then suddenly snaps out of it once again... her face looking surprised at his face full of concern...


    "You sure you''re fine?" Jisei asks her, his face clearly disturbed and uneasy over her "newfound pleasures" over the sudden happening a few minutes ago... she quickly loses her smirk and therefore her feelings of bliss... realizing how much Jisei feels... so distressed over it...


    "Well... umm... you know how I was like before... I was trying all sorts of things... to feel somewhat of a... something? ... I''m alright! Just give us time to process everything... with you... err... I mean us! ...just deciding to become Ishiins and all!" Manaka reassures him, with her also still new to it all... except for the... "fighting"... Jisei gives her a look of understanding... with also a hint of hesitation... with the both of them understanding where events might lead to... if they do it... in a certain way...


    "Well then! Umm... let''s then deal with the rest of the floors here! And then let''s move on to the second building! Since we still have a lot of hallways and rooms to check up on... And we still have to make sure we''re doing our jobs right here! Because we are not only helping our fellow school mates but even our fellow and dear friends too! ... Don''t look at me like that! I can''t help but to be... polite! When I''m nervous! Alright?!?" Jisei states, with Manaka giggling along at his state, Jisei smiles at being able to atleast somewhat lighten up the mood... unaware of the... "future" events they''re about to transpire into...


    "But before that... I''d say you''ve gotten better in both your movements and your... umm... "blade wielding" skills! Even though... I don''t think you should have ever needed to when we were together... umm... anymore that is... was..." Jisei observes this, she nods in return and says:


    "Yeah well even if we did fought back then... at each other... and then together... You haven''t seen the rest of what I can do! I''ve been practicing whenever you weren''t with me... just in case... it ever happened all over again! ... But enough about all that! I never really saw you as the sharpshooter type! Like I mean- you clearly knew how to shoot! And you did it pretty well, not gonna lie! (it was pretty smooth hehe)" she remarked at him, he nods and smirks at this... as the both of them moved on and went about doing and continuing their so-called "new positions" as Assistant Ishiins... so far... for now?


    They both held their weapons up, moving from hallway to hallway. Checking up on in every room in the current building they were on, shooting and slashing their way through the affected students they found (when they did)


    As the both of them went about from the ground floor, slowly making their way up till to the upper most floor of the bulding, they both stop to catch their breaths beside the windows... near the bridge leading to the next building... with the atmosphere ahead of them slowly choking them up inside... clearly there was something most definitely wrong up ahead of them...


    And the both of them were right...


    Multiple distant screams are heard just up past the bridge all the way to the next set of hallways and rooms at the end of the connecting bridge... followed by what sounded like... a sudden and loud thump... and then... hysterical laughter...


    Both Jisei and Manaka looked worryingly and in distress over what they had just heard... they both look at each other whether to keep going... if at al- they both nod with multiple senses of alertedness and precautions firing up inside their minds and bodies like warning signs... with the both of their hearts pumping nervous exhilarated energies all over...


    They both ran towards and beyond the bridge... connecting them to where their lives will finally be truly changed... forever...


    They went in...


    An affected student is thrown right in front of them as Manaka caught the girl gasping and whimpering with her hands... Manaka feels something wet all over the girl''s body... With the dim shading and lighting all over the hallway... she can barely see what it is... she squints right at the weird unknown liquid... she gasps herself... and then she looks right at the ground... there is a whole huge pool beneath the girl... she''s completely covered in it...


    Or should she say... it''s hers...


    It''s her blood!


    Jisei squints his eyes at what seems to look like a distant walking silhouette... but because of the very dim lighting... he can barely make up what it is... who it is... But then the distant silhouette walks right underneath the spotlight of a broken bulb''s blinking light... the broken bulb suddenly explodes... with the face of the silhouette being slightly shown if only for just a few seconds... Jisei widens his eyes at the prospect of who- no- what he just saw...


    He then instinctively twitches his arm to aim at the "person" he just saw... the blood on her face... her creepy eyes and smirk, tinged in it... it''s full of violent lust... she''s clearly enjoying this... he looks all around... seeing multiple Infected Students all around them, covered in the seeping and gathering mist and fog... but he can hear all of them groaning in pain... and with how sticky the floor is... it might as well just be their blood he thought...


    He aims his pistol right at her... with Manaka doing the same as she held Rushiko''s blade on the back of her palm... Jisei not believing in what he just saw... his hands shaking at the possiblity of it really being her... he should have never left her at that state... no matter what... considering how she was and still is right now... it''s gotten worse... she''s turning into what he never wanted her to become... ever...


    The intensifying and flickering sparks of Rushiko''s blade illuminating the figure as she didn''t stop laughing hysterically... her putried and sadistic laughing ringing in all of their eardrums... Manaka not believing what her eyes were seeing either... she recognized who this girl was... Jisei talked about her a lot back then... the mysterious girl who always had thoughts full of resentment growing inside of her... he said... until her bottled up feelings just blew up right in front of his face... her face...


    It was...


    It was...


    It was Koyo Nayumi!


    Jisei''s old friend from a long long time ago... years ago... his ex-girlfriend... the girl- the person he failed to save... to understand... to fix...


    She was dragging another female student as she tosses her aside forcefully right up against the wall, the girl coughing up tons of blood... Koyo steps right at the girl''s face, licking up the blood completely covering her face... she spits it right at the bruised and battered face of the girl beneath her...


    Both Jisei and Manaka recognized her face... and in finally taking all of this in... all of the faces all around them... they both knew all of them! They all were in the same grade as them... as Koyo... They were all Grade 12 students! Koyo is beating up all of them and enjoying it... because all of her bottled up feelings of... bitterness... she did all of this!


    Koyo then shifts her head and her eyes stare at Jisei''s... with eyes of unrelenting pain... cruelty... with not even a bit or hint of sympathy for any of her victims... not even for what she''s about to do to the both of them... to Manaka...


    To Jisei...


    Her eyes digging in right into his soul... her slowly forming grin of pleasure in seeing him... sending chills down his spine...


    "Miss me? Oh, love~ ... Do you miss not being able to see me after all of this time? ... Cause you failed so spectacularly! In trying to fix me! But admit it... Jisei... you''ve always been mine... your life is mine... your soul is mine... you''ve always been mine... the very day you decided you wanted to be my friend... my lover..." her quiet unsettling voice asks him, her disturbing words brushing up against up his fear... of what he always knew to be the truth...


    His mind is shook... up to his very core...


    He clenches the hand grasping his pistol... tightening his grip on it... his hands still quivering and shaking...


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    The deepest fears he''s been hiding for years... finally coming... to knock up on his front door...


    Ready to take him... ready... to claim him whole...


    Jisei gulps, Manaka looking over at him... knowing... but not understanding the repercussions... of Koyo coming back for him... to have him again...


    He looks straight at the aura emanating all over her body... it''s the same aggressive and thick yellow aura that all of the affected students had... but there was one thing, that kept on bugging him... Because she spoke in a way that could not be anyone else but her... she still had "some" of her consciousness intact! Because the other Infected Students never even spoke a single word to anyone... they were all either groaning and screaming in pain... or already long gone... none of them could handle it...


    Except for her... apparently...


    There must be something about her... that makes her special from any of the affected around here...


    "Jisei-Kun! Watch out!" Manaka screams at him, as the both of his eyes were fixated and staring right into her space... her empty space... -?


    He then suddenly snaps out of it, his blinking eyes seeing a blade sparking right in front of him, moving in such a slow motion, at that moment... he might as well have been watching it all play out frame by frame... Manaka flashes right into his position, raising her blade, parrying the sudden attacks of Koyo as she slides on the ground, her aura glowing a deeper and more intense yellow...


    She laughs at their pathetic attempts at fighting her off... somewhere down and deep inside her... she knows that she''s stronger than the both of them combined... she stretches the both of her arms wide open, right as multiple forms of familiar items started to materialize in front of them...


    Koyo starts to drool while grinning maniacally, with multiple school supplies starting to show up on each of the gaps of her fingers... numerous sharp pens, scissors, precision blades, and metal rulers are curled up in between her fingers, she points them at Jisei.... with her back faced at them, she bends it backwards, her face staring right into his soul...


    Koyo licks her lips as she powers her leg to propel herself to Jisei''s current position... Jisei then fires multiple bullets, she swiftly cuts the aura bullets in mid-air with her sharp school "items", Jisei sweeps his feet instantly to dodge Koyo''s multiple slashes, his feet and her hands slashing right at him, locked in a sort of hypnotic movement... like as a sort of abnormal dance... Koyo continues to keep her forceful advances at him, with his defensive movements being the only thing keeping him alive... He runs faster trying to keep his distance away from her, but she just won''t let up


    Manaka backs him up with her blade interrupting her non-stop slashing, the both of their weapons clashing intensely, causing visible sparks to form in front of them... Manaka grits her teeth as Koyo hacks at her parrying, she then catches Koyo off guard by slashing her using the lightning charged up inside the blade, the powerful currents meet her yellow aura of a barrier... it completely cracks and breaks it cleanly... like butter with a bread knife...


    But Manaka missed her attempt at slashing her, as Koyo instinctively dodges her blade... her mind not thinking... but her body moving on its own...


    With Koyo''s eyes widening and realizing the current situation, she instantly cuts her; nearly cutting Manaka''s right eye wide open... just missing the mark nearly by a few centimetres... she instead just cuts and inflicts a large wound by her cheek... and with the electricity from Rushiko''s blade travelling downwards... towards the pools of blood on the floor...


    Jisei then flashes to her position, grabbing her and tossing the both of their bodies right into the windows of the nearest classroom... with the glass shattering.. the both of them hit multiple desks and chairs at the same time because of their... sudden landing... the electrical currents escaping from the blade''s tip, hitting the pools of blood beneath Koyo... it then hits and electrocutes her entire body... the intense energies causing a huge flash of light to reflect from its direct impact on Koyo...


    Jisei and Manaka then cough and groan in pain from the suddenness of the landing of that defensive and instant reaction... of his... they both look at each other and then on and at where Koyo was when they heard and saw what the impact supposedly did on her...


    Manaka then suddenly carries Jisei by his back (just like a bri-)


    And dodges the instantaneous appearance of Koyo''s presence right at their (former now) positions, her aura-enhanced weapons, causing the floor to completely crack down causing a crater to form beneath her... she bends her neck instantly, to look at their current positions. With Jisei blushing at what Manaka just did to him, Manaka winks at him and then runs past him, and right towards Koyo''s position. With Rushiko''s blade still emitting a lot of lightning, Jisei covers her by attempting to shoot and blast through Koyo''s newly formed aura barrier, but... his bullets are easily sent ricocheting all around the classroom, and in turn, creating multiple dents and bullet holes all over the walls and the windows all around them... he sighs as this...-


    Manaka jumps right in front of Koyo''s position, with her blade being grasped by the both of her hands, she directly shoves it on her aura barrier, the lightning struggling to go through at all... the blade then completely shatters into smaller shards... Manaka''s neck is grabbed by Koyo''s hands... with her hands tightening as she stares right into her eyes...


    And from the looks of it... with the fight halted up to a standstill... with both Jisei and Manaka finally processing the extremely fast and sudden intricacies of what had just happened... Koyo is unaffected... the aura barrier supposedly broken by Manaka earlier? It''s already been formed in just a few seconds... and the lightning of Rushiko''s blade travelling through the pools of blood all over the floor earlier... supposedly electrocuting her? The aura barrier already deemed that move insignificant...


    Koyo''s hunches were right... she is stronger than the both of them... together even...


    Manaka tries to squirm and resist her choking, resulting in her punching Koyo... but... her attacks deal no damage whatsoever to her aura barrier... Jisei then instantly flashes towards their positions, he powers up his fist, the aura gathering up in one place... all in his fist... but it then completely dissipates... his eyes widen at the shock of it not working... all over again... just when he was able to connect it to her aura barrier...


    Koyo scoffs at this... throwing Manaka right up at Jisei, as the both of them are sent hurling towards the blackboard of the classroom behind them... they both start to look for her frantically, with their very beings panicking over this... with their very souls... fearing how drastically this bad situation could turn for the very worst...


    They both fear her... and rightfully so-


    She then suddenly flashes right next to him, blocking and pinning him towards the blackboard... her hands clearly glowing as the gaps in between are filled in with her "weapons"... she looks at him with a clear look of hostility and pleasure... she came closer to him... their foreheads basically connecting because of this... she said-


    "You think I forgave you? Did you think I could forget what you did to me? Suzuto?!?" she shouted at Jisei, his face completely drenched and full of her spit... he gave her a look of total fear... delicious fear for her to gobble up... completely... with Manaka punching and continuing to assault Koyo''s aura... her hands bleeding because of her repeated attempts, but she still doesn''t give up... even though there might be no point in trying to break her barrier... if at all, at this point... she just won''t let herself let up... for her sake... and for his... for Jisei''s... Koyo starts to smirk at Jisei, she starts to laugh frantically-


    "Are you scared, little boy? Are you finally regretting what did? hmm??? Well... too bad~ I don''t care about "getting you back", quite frankly...! I don''t care about your life!... I just want you to feel what I felt... when you let me slowly... slip right out of your life... when I didn''t matter anymore to you!... Oh, don''t give me that look! You knew just exactly what you did to me... what all of you did to me... and now... you''re life is mine for the taking!" she coldly whispers with her sweet and aching voice filling his ear... the voice he''s missed for sooo long... the memories of her voice speaking those last few words, when she left him... all alone... was all that he had left from her... and yet he''s already moved on from her...


    But she hasn''t...


    She suddenly stabs him in the stomach, her sharp weapons breaking down his flimsy "aura barrier", his eyes drooping and becoming mistier... he looks down at the hand that did him in... the consequences that led him here... at this- his moment... of being sent by the winds... Koyo smiles at him, but the look she''s giving him... doesn''t look quite satisfied... it looks like-


    It looks like-


    It looks like she''s crying...


    Her tears falling by her bloodied face, her drops of an unexpected sadness mixing in with the life force that was somebody else''s... at this moment... he understood what was happening... she didn''t want this... she never did...


    This isn''t her speaking... it''s somebody else...


    They are her words... but not her intentions... no...


    This is what she felt deep down inside... but she didn''t have the nerve to ever do this, in her whole entire lifetime!


    Somebody is pushing her over the edge... somebody is pushing her to-


    no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no


    It''s not just somebody- well it might be too, but... but it''s her!


    It''s her other self...


    It''s her other self that''s doing this! It''s-


    She grabs him by his cheek, and... and...


    She kisses him... her lips impacting upon his... their blood mixing in with his... she stares right at his eyes... but her eyes... it''s not the same cold ones he''s seen so far today... no... it''s her! It is her! Her gentle eyes, if only for just a short notice... he gets to see the eyes he''s loved for so long from such a long long time ago now... the last thing he saw before she left him... her gentle eyes... conflicted with her ever-growing and apparent misery and coldness... she lets him go... with her hand still grasping the reminders of what he didn''t and wasn''t able to for her... back then...


    She forcefully rips it out of him, his mouth coughing up tons and tons of blood especially his giant and gaping open hole and wound by his stomach, the suddenness of it all... reminding him of what she wanted him to feel... it isn''t gradual and as painful as what she felt- no no...


    It''s done purposefully to just give a smidge, a little peek of what she had felt back then... and what she''s still facing to this day... if he was brave enough to truly stop her from breaking them off and insisting that she meant the world to him... maybe just maybe... it wouldn''t have had to end like this...


    "I''m sorry... Jisei-kun... I''m sorry... my darling... I''m sorry it had to end this way..." she just plainly states sadly... implicating... she didn''t want this... neither of them wanted any of this... but this is where it led them to... uncompromised and unsuspecting ruin... their undoing... just beneath their noses this whole time...


    As everything began to blur and turn and meld into one... Manaka came crashing to the ground, breaking down in disbelief over what had just definitely happened... her screaming beginning to haunt him... her eyes so full of rage towards Koyo... he didn''t want to see Koyo hurt... let alone die... despite what she''s done to him right now... but even so... he says... not Koyo...


    Anyone but Koyo... he thought...


    Manaka proceeds to crash and bang her head onto the floor, the air around them proceeding to get more dense and packed... visible gushes of wind coming and moving all around her... visible bright lights of an orange hue begin to flash before their very eyes... she''s emanating aura! And she''s exerting an overwhelming amount of it too! And pretty soon, she will be-


    Jisei then screams in extreme agony, his tears flowing like endless waterfalls from his eye sockets... his blood gushing in exorbitant amounts by the seconds... all of his painful memories and regrets started to flood his mind... in his eventual time of...


    Possible passing...


    His mind started to break, with the both of his hands grasping it, tightening all over it... wishing for the pain to end... wishing he could just forget... wishing... he never let her get away in the first place... wishing he wasn''t one of- or THE reason... Koyo started to fade away from this world...


    His life had just started to flash right before his very eyes...


    Multiple voices had started to leak one by one into his mind, as the screaming continued to ring and reverberate all around his brain... but it wasn''t just their screaming... no... it was the screams of an entire city... an entire nation... a likely probability of future events still yet to happen...


    And it is an inevitable outcome... because of the many mistakes and decisions made... that led all of the people involved in one way or another... to intersect at this point... where everything is swallowed whole by the consequences of those who were either unaware or very much aware of their actions... either way... everyone intersects here...


    In the Final War... to end all wars...


    "I''m sorry it had to end this way..." Atsushi sadly states, fading into the great unknown depths of facing what he should''ve confronted and finished a long long time ago... his stature and figure slowly becoming tinier, being completely swallowed by the cold, harsh and neverending winds of-


    "I..."


    "I''m all yours..." Manaka softly whispers unto his ear, her reassuring words... of her staying for him... no matter what... ringing true... and is held close to his heart... and also near to his sleeves...


    "I... don''t-"


    He lies there silent... he couldn''t stop it from happening... no matter how hard he tried... it was inevitable... he kneels beneath the floor... where he left him... his tears still falling... reminding him of how he''ll always fail... he failed to save her... and now he failed to-


    It doesn''t really matter now... does it?


    .


    The whole house is illuminated by their laughter... but nothing can fill an empty space left behind... quite like getting it all back... he has barely, if ever home... what he thought was the bare minimum, was the extent of all of what they''ll ever get... you can''t miss something that wasn''t there in the first place... but you can yearn for and mourn the loss of the possibility of having said thing even ever happen... at all...


    A lone figure stands wobbly with a child holding its hand... the figure slowly starts to be swept by the winds of-


    A bright white light shines above them, forever present... forever left lingering... forever left hanging...


    .


    "I-"


    "I won''t let us down..." Jisei says gently... just standing there in an infinite white and open space... his words echoing and leaving him by the considerable and neverending distances present... with no end in sight...


    "I know you won''t..." a voice replies to his spoken words... but it''s unclear whose it is... it''s unclear where it came from-


    Jisei is then suddenly embraced from behind... the warmth of the figure lingering all around his body... the figure slowly dissipates into a thick and gradually filling fog, the mist chilling him... the figure then embraces him in front, the face was Manaka''s... and then Koyo''s... and then-


    A bloodied lamppost appears in front of him, and then a dark alleyway... but the walls suddenly reach unfathomable heights, with every direction Jisei faces... he was completely trapped... he looks downwards beneath his feet... it looks like blood! And it''s rapidly flowing and filling in the cramped little space that Jisei is in currently...


    He tries to climb the walls... but there is no possible way out, because of the smoothness of it all... the bloody waters rise upwards, his whole body being submerged in it... he tries to swim upwards... but he loses the energy to do so, seeing the gigantic hole in his stomach... he tries to scream underwater, but nobody can hear him... and nobody can save him... he raises his head, multiple bubbles rising and coming out from his mouth, he struggles in sheer vain... until he runs out of breath and drowns in his well-hidden sorrows and conflictions...


    He then ends up on the shores of Odabai Beach... of Tokyo Bay...


    He gets up weary and fragile... his eyes dilating at the panoramic view of this... of this...


    Huge battlefield all over him... Tokyo has been decimated to bits... skyscrapers have fallen... buildings are barely left standing... he looks at his surroundings near him... gigantic chunks of destroyed debris litter the beach, multiple dead corpses are filling the shores near him and reach an unspeakable amount of distance... as far as his eyes could see...


    But the most unsettling thing about all of this was... the screaming stopped...


    There was this unexplainable empty silence all over the air... no life could be found in the entire city... only death and destruction... there is no salvation at the prospect of this finally ending... this "Final War" is nothing but a ruse, an excuse to have both sides give it their all... to leave nothing and to take... EVERYTHING, in return... the chances were always soo low... it''s just nothing but a pipe dream... all of this will never end... it''s stupid to think anybody''s got a fighting chance to survive any of this...


    Nobody wins... and nobody loses... it doesn''t really matter...-


    When you''re all DEAD...


    .


    "I-"


    "I-"


    "I DON''T WANT HIM TO DIE!" Jisei loudly shouts, shattering his mind''s mental breakdown... his screaming echoing and travelling into nothingness... his heart still hating the truth he''s always known all along...


    His dad is never coming back... no matter how hard he tries to change that... he''ll never get what he wants most in his entire life... for his father to always be a constant in his life... and not be an anomaly whenever he does get back home...


    To have him be a part of his life... their lives... their family...


    And not having it when whenever he does come returning... always be a miracle... always...


    .


    he''s gone he''s gone he''s gone he''s gone he''s gone he''s gone he''s gone he''s gone-


    .


    "I DON''T WANT TO DIE!!!!!!!!!" Jisei screams at the top of his lungs, as the blood from his huge gaping wound started to leak faster, with his guts falling alongside even more pools of his blood rushing outwards, he desperately tries to cover it completely... with his hands shaking and trembling in absolute distress... Manaka raises her head slowly, her raging brows etching a never leaving and burning look straight at Koyo... who looks back at her, giving her a playful smirk... she opens her school jacket, revealing even more school supplies including paper clips, staplers, pencils and sharp compasses...


    Manaka proceeds to charge her aura, with its spread and radius only growing in size, with the thickness of the air getting denser by the second... her hatred for Koyo is overflowing... and Koyo is just eating it all up, getting off from it...


    Loving it...


    But this isn''t her... it''s somebody else she''s been able to suppress for all these years... until now...


    Jisei sits by the blackboard, trembling and quivering... with his hands still covering his exposed insides... his eyes start to wane... and his vision begins to blur out... with the last thing, he remembers seeing... is the both of them clashing it out against each other...


    His droopy and misty eyes finally gave him some sort of closure... from seeing all of this pain...


    He loses consciousness... with his head facing downwards... with his current fate left hanging on purpose...


    .


    .


    -5 Years Ago-


    In an empty classroom... when everybody has left for lunch... lies a certain loner...


    With the ringing of her constant everyday soundtrack filling her ears...


    The quiet and silent room covers her emotions...


    With her head on her desk... a pool of tears formed...


    Her eyes were all tired and misty... her gradually lingering headache constantly pestering her...


    She kept her head down for the rest of the day...


    With her eyes and face all hidden... she kept it that way...


    There''s nothing she can do now to change anything anymore...


    After all... she made the worst decision of her life... a few days ago...


    And now she''s all alone yet again...


    Forever suffering... forever with the burdens of her mistakes and regrets...


    He.... wanted to help her... but she was too impatient...


    And now... she''s left alone in fear once again...


    Oh, who was she kidding? She''ll always be lonely... no matter how much she tried to change for the better...


    In her mind... she deserves this... she deserves to stay like this...


    Cause in her whole life... nobody had stayed for her... and now that somebody had... she let him go...


    She let her happiness go...


    And now he''s left, to haunt her till the day she died...


    Now she''s left to die alone...


    Now...


    .


    They finally came back from their "lunch dates"...


    Koyo''s whole body was trembling from her continuous sobbing...


    But...


    She kept her voice down...


    She didn''t want let them to hear her...


    Not that it would matter...


    All of their voices started to gradually merge into one blob of noise... of pain...


    Of what she''ll never ever have...


    In her entire life...


    Consistent peace of mind... consistent happiness...


    A place to belong... a place to finally be accepted...


    Was all she wanted...


    Like she always knew... she knew it wouldn''t last...


    And how he''s been lately...


    Why would it last?!?...


    Just when she thought she could finally start getting used to all of this...


    Something... something always goes wrong...


    Their giggling and laughter were starting to break her open...


    The trembling in her hands was getting worse...


    She had started to scream regardless of whether they could hear her...


    Her voice ever ringing... her voice... starting to fade...


    She finally snapped...


    .


    Multiple footsteps can be heard... Koyo walks by the hallways leading to the main entrance, with her hands on her jacket''s pockets... her ears still covered by the music she so desperately loves... she keeps her head down... not wanting to see the people she''s come to loathe and hate for the rest of her life here...


    She walks out from the main entrance hall leading to the front campus of the school...


    With her figure slowly being swallowed and becoming obscured by the many crowds of students, teachers and families heading out... the same as her...


    She raises her head up, her nonchalant way of walking, fitting in with the crowd all around her... she goes by doing the same routine as usual for the day...


    She was on her way to see her...


    Her mom...


    Her school shoes'' heels clacked on the sidewalk she was currently on...


    .


    And then... it was clacking on the floors...


    It was clacking... on the sterile and white plain floors... of a hospital...


    .


    She slowly opened the door to her assigned room... the same room she''s been dying on... for so many months now...


    She never liked seeing her in this state... she instantly grabbed her phone to pause off her playing music... and for the first time today... she took off her earphones and left them hanging on her neck... she grabs a seat near her mom''s bed... with Koyo placing her palm on her chin, bending her body and arching her back...


    She tried to do it again today... just as usual...


    She tried to talk to her... with her parched lips and her barely speaking voice opening up...


    She said-


    "M-mom... c-can you hear me?" she says hesitatingly to her... her shaking lips and her trembling voice overtaking her... she keeps persists onwards-


    "Well... as usual... today was terrible! B-but... I guess you could say I''m doing fine... atleast better than you are... I''ve been listening to the music you gave me... y''know? ...y-your taste... I''m really surprised I really like all of them! ... Tame Impala... Slowdive... Joy Division... a-and New Order... Interpol... and for some reason... you like Car Seat Headrest?!? hahahaha..." she stated, softly giggling and covering her mouth in the process


    "Hmmm... y-you... you said you wouldn''t leave me alone... ever... we still have a lot to do... remember? l-like... going to that Pink Floyd cover band concert... or watching that new Sherlock TV special that''s on cinemas right now... Or just going out, and eating shawarmas again... like I miss eating them a lot! D-do you?" she asks her, knowing she won''t get an answer... but she tried to anyways... as usual...


    "I-I just miss you a lot! I just want everything to be normal again! I just want Jisei back... I just want to be talked to again..."


    She looks at her, with her lifeless eyes having not moved an inch... let alone blinked... despite of this indication of her literally looking dead... she isn''t dead, but she really is dying...


    The last time she saw her as her usual cheery and joyful self... loving and caring... which was what she needed the most... right now... was months ago... they both didn''t know... that this mission would be her last... and because of that mission... she''s turned into this... because of those Insurgent assholes!


    Because of this goddamn war...


    And even though she was literally one of the strongest in the country...


    Even fighting with the Omega Grades and the Grade S Agents in the infamous Osaka Conflict...


    But even she... even she couldn''t survive for long... and with this illness... which even the doctors didn''t even know how to treat... let alone cure... they said something was eating away at her aura... that they couldn''t cure it as they didn''t know where or what was taking her aura away...


    Reduced to an empty husk of herself, she couldn''t even think... she didn''t even feel the pain as her body slowly deteriorated...


    As she laid there on her back... having not moved an inch from the exact position from when she was put there by her nurse...


    Koyo grabbed her hair and stroked it... brushing it... her scent was still on her... but...


    She really was gone...


    It''s only a matter of time... before-


    She touches her face... with her dying mom''s apathetic and empty look staring back at her... her eyes still staring right at the ceiling...


    Koyo''s eyes watered up...


    Her vision blurring...


    She put her face on her chest... sobbing... and breaking down... all over again...


    "Please... don''t leave me... you promised me... you wouldn''t ever abandon me... that you wouldn''t die on me!!! that... you wouldn''t leave me... all alone..." she cried onto her chest... which was what she usually did as a kid... and her mom... would calm her down... she would reassure her... that even if she didn''t make any friends... ever...


    That she''d stay for her... till the very end...


    But this was too sudden! ...she thought...


    They still had a lot she wanted them to do... they still had a whole life ahead of them to live...


    That this... this was too unfair...


    Just... just when she thought her life was looking up on the brighter side, a few months ago...


    And now... now it''s all falling apart... right before her very eyes...


    With her mom''s face... still surely empty... with nothing but a filling void... taking her life from her...


    Taking her mom''s life... from her...


    She continued to sob onto her chest... cause deep down inside of her...


    She had a rather terrible nagging feeling... that this... this would be the last time she''d ever even see mom... forever...


    She knew it...


    And that... that made her sick to her stomach...


    She couldn''t leave her chest... in fear of losing her... in fear of truly being alone...


    Forever...


    She had stayed there... But even she knew... that this wouldn''t last...


    That this... this is it...


    One way or another... she''s fucking losing her mom...


    Whether she liked it... or not...


    She looks at her mom one final time... and sees... someone who truly cared for her... someone who was the first and probably the only person to ever truly understand her... if Jisei didn''t back then...


    But... he did...


    And now... all she sees now... is an empty body... her soul isn''t there, and if it was... it isn''t being shown... if she was still there, if at all!


    She was losing the fight... to regain consciousness...


    And in Koyo''s eyes... to regain and get her mom back...


    She sits back down again in her seat... and she put all of her weight on her back... arching it backwards...


    And staring unto the ceiling...


    Her tired and overflowing eyes, still spilling her true emotions...


    Her tears leaked from her sockets all the way to her cheeks and chin...


    She closes her eyes... hoping to be saved...


    Even though she knows...


    She doesn''t deserve it...


    That all of this suffering... was always meant for her...


    From the day she was born... until the day she dies...


    That all her thoughts, were always meant for her detriment... and for nobody else is to ever hear of it...


    Because the only person who''d ever insist on staying with and for her is dying... right before her very eyes...


    Why would she ever bother to try...


    When even her mother is being taken from her...


    When she is all Koyo has left...


    She wondered... what else is even possible to be taken from her...


    When all she knew... is being taken...


    She thought... there''s nothing left!


    And in a way... she''s right...


    Because... she literally is dying...


    It didn''t matter if it was her... or her mom...


    Because she might as well just be like her...


    Except...


    She''s stuck with all of these emotions and feelings...


    She thought it was a strength for her not to keep lying to herself... to ever suppress her feelings...


    But if all it does was remind her... of how truly alone she is in this world...


    If all it does is keep haunting her...


    Why would she bother? in continuing to keep living...


    If this pain... is all she had left in the end...


    If this pain... is all she''d ever truly know in this world...


    Why bother?


    Why bother living?


    .


    She didn''t know it...


    But she couldn''t suppress her true self from crying...


    Not when it actually happens...


    Even when she tried so hard to deny it...


    It''s all she is and will ever be in the end...


    A lonely broken soul... whose mother couldn''t even save her...


    She''s truly gone...


    And there''s nothing she can do to save her in return...


    To show her how grateful she was for her... in the end...


    And now...


    And now...


    .


    Her beating heart... finally stops...


    And her lifeline... her life... is put to a halt...


    She''s...


    She''s...


    She''s now dead...


    .


    She pushes the call button to summon the nurses and doctors to the room... but... she knows it''s too late...


    As they flood into the room... she is coerced to wait outside, as their loud noises of checking her status and also trying to restart her heart... lasted for minutes on end... with her heart falling deeper and deeper, hoping... even though it''s low...


    That maybe she might still be alive...


    That...


    A miracle would happen... today...


    But alas...


    "Ma''am?" she hears two deep voices... with her defeated eyes, she looks up, and sees two older male Ishiin agents... they look like they''re about the same age as her mom''s... but... she already knows what they''re about to say...


    And that is-


    "Omoi Nayumi... your... mom... has sadly passed away today..." one of the agents said, with both of their faces, already mourning her loss...


    "If... it brings you any solace... she was among the greats! (but even she couldn''t become one of the Grade S agents just yet...) And without her... I wouldn''t be alive today! ... just know that... she''s cared for all of us, and she''s even made sure that we Ishiins would have and because of her... we do! ... have better working conditions and-" the other agent was interrupted by the first one... shaking his head in protest, as they both look at Koyo who hasn''t changed her look since... with her empty silent eyes still lingering...


    "Sorry about him... he''s too obsessed with his job, to even try and be considerate towards... umm... we''ll leave you now... we''re both sorry..." the first agent said, with the both of them walking away... she finally bursts into tears, she grabs her eyes and pushes them strongly, covering her face and grasping her temples...


    She breaks down and in bending her neck backwards... stares into the blinding white light of the fluorescent lights, being tranced... and feeling emptier because of it... but her depression still stands...


    It will never leave her...


    It will never stop haunting her...


    .


    A bell chime is heard, as both of the doors of an elevator open up...


    The orange and relaxing hue of the apartment hallways fills her eyes... with her music still blasting around her ears...


    Koyo slowly walks up to her apartment door and fumbles around with her keys, till she finally opens it...


    Hoping yet again... to atleast see her... dad...


    But alas...


    https://youtu.be/VpLXxFhy7s4 / It is Not Meant to Be - Tame Impala


    "It is not meant to be..." she muttered under her breath, grasping her phone and reading the current track''s title playing, with the slow and lumbering distorted guitar and wandering bass playing... along with the beats of the drums, swaying her heart... causing it to fall deeper... and deeper...


    And deeper...


    And deeper...


    And deeper...


    And-


    She just stands there, as Kevin Parker''s psychedelic and reverb-drenched vocals drown her in so many defeated and bittersweet emotions... her tears instantly started to keep flowing... soiling the carpet of their hotel-like apartment...


    With her music... she is never alone... but...


    But...


    She is always reminded of what she doesn''t have... and what she lost...


    ...


    She hangs her head lower and lower and-


    Downwards... her clenching fist shaking... as if she crushing her own heart...


    She changes the song...


    To something more... her mood...


    https://youtu.be/FRbDkPsj0wk / Keep on Lying - Tame Impala


    She slams open their balcony, moving forward... but looking downwards... at the streets below her... even at this height... she''s always reminded... of how fucking alone she is in this world... and even in her time of mourning... of losing her own mom...


    There''s nobody here to comfort her and to stay by her side...


    She''s... she''ll...


    Always be alone... and lonely...


    With the trancing synths luring her in, making her... it describes her feelings... better than she could ever describe... nor express...


    Her curse... her fate and destiny... is to be stuck in this looming and looping depression of hers...


    She wants to change it all... and yet...


    She keeps failing...


    She keeps... on lying...


    To herself... and others...


    As the voices in the song, capture what her place in this world is...


    To be choked up...


    To be thrown aside...


    To be useless...


    To be unwanted...


    ...


    To be left alone...


    To be... so fucking lonely...


    All of the time...


    The voices in the song get louder... the distorted lead guitar whose playing was wandering earlier... suddenly bursts into this aggressive and fast-paced solo...


    Koyo grasps her heart by the fingertips... tightening her grip on it...


    Her neck and foot slightly twitch... she moves forwards...


    But before she knew it...


    She instantly wakes up from her trance...


    And in looking downwards...


    She sees how easy it would be to finally disappear from this world...


    With the strong wind consuming her... blowing and swaying her...


    A familiar faint voice speaks to her... in the very back of her mind... it- no-


    She says-


    "Why did you let go too early? ... and now... now... you''re left all alone..."


    She shakes her head... and closes her eyes...


    Placing her right foot in mid-air...


    She falls...


    Deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper-


    .


    .


    - A Few Weeks Ago-


    In an empty classroom, with the hue of the afternoon sunlight over their heads...


    Two figures are laughing... and having a good time...


    This was before she ruined it... this was when she still thought... she could handle it...


    Koyo giggles along with Jisei...


    Her best friend for a few years now... and only recently... have they started to date...


    But she knows deep inside... that this will not last... that...


    That...


    She looks over her seat...


    And she sees a reflection of herself... from the past...


    Her head facing downwards on her desk, with her face pressed on it... a pool of tears drenches and forms all around her...


    Her clear tears slowly turned into blood...


    She is shaken by this... staring right into her seat and spacing out because of this...


    But she shakes it off and looks straight at Jisei, who notices this...


    "You ok? Nayumi-San?" Jisei softly asked her, trying to figure out what was suddenly on her mind...


    "hmm hmm... it''s nothing..." she says while shaking her head in the process... reassuring him she''s fine...


    "Are you really sure? cause you know, you can just open up to me you know?" Jisei insisted, trying to see, if he could pester her about it... but her melancholic look... wandering over to the distance... her delayed response...


    Made him doubt if he could even get her to open all of herself up... if at all...


    If he can get her to trust her...


    Koyo looks right back at him... her eyes... her face... giving it all away...


    If he can''t let her trust him... to reveal what''s troubling her... what''s always on her mind...


    What''s... always haunting her...


    They wouldn''t last... atleast...


    Not like this...


    "Yeah... I''ll keep that in mind... alright? ... Jisei-kun..." she replies aloofly... Jisei nods weakly...


    This awkward silence... is slowly choking up the both of them...


    Even though they have so much they want to say to each other...


    Even though... they love each other... so much...


    They just can''t seem to push themselves to trust each other...


    Even though...


    Deep down...


    She wants him to pester her about it...


    She wants him... to show her how much he cares...


    .


    Time moves on...


    Koyo does her usual everyday routines... without her dad... without her...


    She wakes up... staring at the ceiling... moving to her side... without no one to wake up to...


    Without anyone... to wake her up... to...


    Motivate her... to keep going...


    She prepares herself for the day... taking a bath... preparing breakfast... along with her packed lunch and snacks... with nobody to eat them with...


    She brushes her teeth... and changes into her school uniform...


    She grabs her phone and puts her earbuds in...


    And in putting her school shoes on... she looks up towards the door...


    She sighs...


    Not wanting to go to school...


    To suffer...


    And to be reminded... of just how much she''ll be so lonely... and how little she matters...


    To anyone...


    Not even Jisei...


    Has any time for her...


    She opens the door... knowing just how much she''ll cry for the day...


    And just how much... she will always be pushed over to the edge...


    She doesn''t really have any reason to live... to keep going...


    But her mom might be nearing her mission''s end... hopefully, it''s her last...


    Hopefully...


    She doesn''t have to be so alone and lonely in this world...


    Cause she thought... just how much can be taken from her? ...


    ...


    She goes on with her day...


    Seeing her classmates talking with each other... having banter with each other... having drama and most of all... having soo much fun...


    While she just sits there... so silent and so awkward...


    Nobody ever gets close to talking to her about anything!


    Anything!


    Nobody trusts her...


    Nobody wants her...


    And from how little she even sees Jisei... these days...


    He says he''s busy... it''s been like that for so many weeks now...


    But she knows... he''s lying to her...


    He doesn''t trust her... he doesn''t want her...


    Has he ever even loved her at all?


    She wonders... and ponders...


    She''s starting to forget just what it felt like to be so happy before...


    And if her memory serves her right...


    It''s never been a constant for her...


    And in seeing so many people living their lives to the fullest... right in front of her...


    She just can''t help... but be reminded... always...


    Of just how much she doesn''t have it... and just how much she''s been so happy before too...


    Of just how much it hurts to compare and contrast both experiences and feelings from each other...


    Of just how much... it hurts...


    To see herself in such a state... to be so self-aware about it...


    But not having the strength to change it... to trust others... to let them fix her...


    If they''ll just hurt her in the end anyways...


    What''s the point of trying?


    If she''ll just be more hurt in the process...


    There is no point in trying... she muttered inside herself...


    "That''s right... there is no point... in pretending..." her other voice says and whispers inside her ear...


    It rings and rings and rings and rings and rings and rings and rings and rings and rings-


    She starts to think...


    She started to think...


    Just how much Jisei and everyone around her... just sees her as a liability... as an outsider... as useless... as...


    As...


    "That''s right..."


    "You''re nothing to them..."


    "You''re useless"


    "You''re undesirable"


    "You''re boring..."


    "You''re so fucking anti-social!"


    "You''re unattractive and ugly as hell! No wonder nobody wants to talk to you... let alone even attempt to be your lover for longer..."


    "You''re so damn pathetic..."


    "It''s hilarious! Honestly! HAHAHA!" the voice in her multiplies, more and more and more and more and more and more and more and more and more that...


    That...


    She''s starting to believe it... no-


    She always believed all of this...


    "Well, you should... because it is the truth!"


    "Cause your whole life... from your birth... all the way to your death..." the voice coldly whispers sweet nothings into her ear...


    It faces her... face to face...


    Then it kisses her... with her lips glistening from this... the voice stares right into her...


    Just like the black abyss... always forming inside of her...


    This is her true self...


    This is who she is...


    So broken and...


    And-


    "You''ll always be alone... and lonely... forever... you might as well just accept it..." the voice states... just as it smiles... just as he smiles...


    "My love~..."


    ...


    Was the love she even got from Jisei... even real?


    And even if it was...


    What if it... was just a fluke...


    A cruel joke from fate...


    And now... that he''s starting to see her true self... in how hesitant she is to open herself up... to him...


    Or to anybody for that matter... in that manner...


    Maybe... maybe... he''s starting to secretly hate her...


    Cause it sure as hell makes sense if he "didn''t have any time" and is "too busy" for her anymore...


    She''s...


    She''s all alone again... all over again...


    Just when she thought she could love...


    Will she ever be able to again?


    Does she deserve to be loved?


    Even though she can''t even trust the person who''s willing to literally fix her...


    That''s willing to literally stay by her side... if she did...


    But she just can''t...


    She''s just too much of an introverted coward to do so...


    It''s in her nature to be like this...


    It''s in her nature to-


    To...


    Always be cursed... and be so messed up inside...


    Who can even love her... truly?


    Who?


    Who?


    Who?


    Who?


    Who?


    Who?


    Who?


    Who?


    Who?


    Cause she always avoids everyone who does... no wonder... no wonder nobody even tries to anymore...


    And when she wants to speak... she always chokes on her words...


    Nobody can even hear her... let alone... let alone...


    Be with her...


    She grips her head and tightens her fingertips all around it...


    As the darkness worsens and gets more relentless all around her... because of them...


    Because... of her...


    Everyone leaves the classroom... for lunch break yet again...


    Until... she''s all... left alone...


    All over again...


    She breaks down and sobs, placing her forehead and face on her desk yet again... forming a pool of tears...


    She proceeds to punch her head over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over-


    Until...


    Until-


    The day is finally over...


    And she goes back to bed...


    To do it all over again tomorrow...


    No wonder she hates it...


    No wonder she''ll always be cursed...


    As she lives and breathes... until the day...


    Until the day...


    "She" died...


    .


    A tall figure stands before her...


    It seems... that she''s crying here...


    It seems... that...


    This was when she was younger...


    And that tall person... was...


    Was her mom...


    "It''s gonna be ok, alright? ... Koyo-Chan..." she gently said to her younger self... with her face sobbing on her mom''s chest, as she squats downwards, to her smaller height compared to hers


    "Even if you feel lonely... I''ll always stay here for you, no matter what... I''ll be always here for you, I promise..."


    Young Koyo cries out, whimpering on her chest... clinging to her mom''s words...


    Hanging on to it... even till now...


    These words meant so much to her then... and now...


    Even after everything that''s happened to her... she still believes, deep down...


    She can still be loved, and she herself... is capable of loving someone else...


    This is evident, because of her mom''s love and care for her...


    Too bad she''s... she''s...


    Her mom''s figure slowly disappears as Young Koyo falls to the ground, hurting her precious head...


    She wipes her eyes and face, trying to look for her... calling out her name...


    She willingly waits for her return... in this white limbo of an empty space...


    Inside her pretty head...


    She finally hears something!


    She hears the rolling of little wheels, scooching over to her position... she gets up and looks all over the place...


    And what she saw...


    Made her heart stop and skip a beat- no-


    It made her die inside...


    It was her mom, on a hospital bed... dying and lying there... motionless...


    Emotionless...


    That isn''t her mom... it can''t be!


    "It can''t be..."


    "Mom!"


    She tries to reach her, but... the further she tries to get closer to her mom...


    The more distant she is from her... the more she realizes...


    The more she realizes she really is gone...


    She forcibly kneels on the floor, turning into her current, older self...


    She screams in a regurgitated voice... that she never knew, that she was capable of doing...


    She never knew... just how much she''s been suffering truly... deep inside of her...


    She coughs up blood, and in falling down towards the floor... with her face flat upon it...


    She sobs intensely... her face covered in her own pool of tears, she screams out:


    "LIAR!!!!!!!!!"


    While her tears start to flood her empty space... inside her own mind... inside her own soul...


    She is completely and suddenly submerged in her own fluids...


    She sees a light above her... blinding... but comforting at the same time...


    It sends her into a deep trance...


    But just as she tries to swim upwards... towards it...


    She completely falters and fails to do... drowning in her own tears... in her own sadness...


    In her own cursed and overwhelming depression...


    With her curled hand and fingertips slowly losing life...


    She doesn''t wake up from this dream... or whatever you may call it- a nightmare...


    She''s...


    She''s finally decided...


    To let go...


    To let go...


    To let go...


    To let go...


    To let go...


    To let go...


    To let go...


    To let go...


    To let go...


    ...


    To finally let go... of her...


    And him...


    But deep down she knows she''ll never ever get over them... but she''s tired of fighting it...


    Her longing for more is dying...


    Just as she''s finally giving up- given up...


    She''s finally changing... or is she really?


    ...


    .


    A movie reel is flashing right before her eyes... seeing what she has had before... seeing... just how much... she doesn''t trust anybody anymore...


    And just how much... Jisei... really doesn''t want to stick around and wait for her to open up anymore...


    Their laughing voices... having fun... they were so young then... they were so peaceful...


    But now the only silence left... is their distrust for each other...


    Whether or not they could even last as just friends... let alone actually still being in a relationship together...


    They- no-


    She couldn''t take it anymore...


    Remembering it all... it''s all too much for her...


    How much she did confide in him... and just how much she could just take one step forward... even if she was hesitant and wary of what might hurt her... if she messes it up...


    But she knows... she knows just how much she could throw it all away, all of her insecurities, her worries, her negative thoughts... and finally open up to him... to finally confide in him truly...


    To finally trust him...


    To be vulnerable towards him... and maybe even others...


    But the prospect, even if it''s so minuscule compared to how much she could succeed. If she just took one step forwards, towards the abyss, of not knowing the outcome...


    Of finally taking a chance...


    But she''s too tired to try anymore... to live in fear of what might happen to her...


    She''s too hurt to try anymore...


    Their colourful memories start to slowly become 35 mm black and white film...


    All of their time spent together is captured into smaller snapshots... as it''s slowly caught on fire...


    Burning up and fading out...


    And finally...


    Turning into ashes and being blown by such strong winds...


    She''s made up her mind...


    She''s-


    She''s letting go of-


    .


    "Jisei-kun... I''m sorry... but- I want to-" she hesitates in trying to say it, Jisei looking confused, gives her the benefit of the doubt in hearing her out... not aware... of just how much her next few words... would hurt him... and especially her... for years on end to come...


    "I''m letting go of you now... I- I''m done!"


    "I''m tired of you! I''m tired... so tired..."


    "Of living like this..." she said.


    But before he could even say anything to her...


    She rushes out from the scene, her heels clacking on the school corridor''s floor... her tears silent...


    Her body language... apparent...


    While she finally leaves him behind... she grips her head once again and rustles it... sobbing in the hallway, not giving a damn whether anyone could see her crying at all... because this time... even though someone was willing to stand by her... and hear her out...


    She closed the door on them, one final time...


    Closing off her heart and soul for years to come...


    She''s... she''ll...


    Always be broken...


    And even though, she''s always had many chances and opportunities to change that...


    Her sense of self just won''t allow her... to ever be happy...


    To ever finally be... free...


    Jisei just stood there... left alone just like her...


    She isn''t aware of this...


    But he''s suffering just like her... he needs her... just as much as she needs him...


    But now...


    But now...


    It''s all over...


    She willingly killed their relationship right there and then... right in front of him...


    And now... he''s left to suffer too... because of it... because of... her...


    He sobs silently, walking away from the scene, hoping to find a corner... just like she had...


    This darkness is killing the both of them...


    Even though they could''ve been so much more together...


    It just... isn''t meant to be...


    Not like this...


    Not anymore...


    She had failed him... and he had failed her...


    .


    She left the school building... and walks near the park of the main campus...


    The scorching sun burning brighter than ever... she kneels on the hot afternoon pavement...


    With her knees burning up, her tears fall and simmer as it drops towards the pavement... causing them to slightly steam up...


    She sobs loudly, as she starts to punch the lamppost in front of her repeatedly...


    Until both of her knuckles bled out, and the lamppost''s base is coloured red...


    With her regrets and disappointment... in doing what she just did...


    In making the worst mistake of her life...


    She thought it would free her... but all it did was hurt her even more than she was expecting...


    If she was tired before this... now... she''s all spent and sucked dry...


    She might as well just be a ghost, who nobody cares about or can see...


    She muttered: "Why the fuck did I just do that?" as the hot and humid wind consumes her...


    She looks at her bloodied knuckles... and in finally being freed from the numbness of her solitary pain... in calming down...


    The sharp pain rushes towards her being... in literally fucking up her hands...


    Her scream cracks under the sun turned orange...


    Her blood spilt over her kneeling position... she falters on the ground... laying on her own pool of crimson fluids...


    She calms down after a few minutes... and just sighs in utter shame and defeat...


    This isn''t anything new for her... it''s just another day... of long-lasting pain and weight for her to bear...


    She grabs her phone and earphones... and in wearing them... she plays the song that the both of them always enjoyed together... she and Jisei...


    And Jisei and her...


    He gave her this song...


    And now...


    It''s all she has left... from him...


    Now...


    He''ll always be in her mind, haunting her... reminding her...


    Of just what she did to her... and to him...


    ...


    She walks home... in solitary shame...


    Her shadow, looming and bigger than her...


    But what she doesn''t know...


    Is just how much things can change in 5 years...


    Even she...


    Even she can change...


    She just doesn''t know it yet...


    How could she?


    ...


    https://youtu.be/Pnd0yk0SW0k / Under Supervision - late night drive home


    -To Be Continued-


    Ending Song/s:


    https://youtu.be/sHhZcL-FwUs / Maud Gone - Car Seat Headrest


    https://youtu.be/PD1REpFsivg / The Piano Knows Something I Don''t Know (Alternate Version) - Panic! At the Disco

 Chapter 6 - Secluded Part 2

    Intro song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyq-YwrUJhw</a> / Open the Floodgates by The Smile


    Style


    You gotta have style


    You wanna be noticed?


    Heh?


    Huh?


    What kind of question is that?


    Of course I do!


    Isn''t it obvious enough?


    Good old telecaster


    With my short skirt


    And my stuffy hoody


    Hmmmmmmmmmmmm


    You''ll never get noticed... You oaf-


    What do you mean?-


    You know exactly what I mean!


    You stupid loner!


    Pushing everybody out of your life-


    Hah!


    You deserve this!


    You and your shitty decisions!


    I-


    I-


    That''s not true!


    There''s no way that is!


    You know it is...


    But like what some guy has said...


    Why bother?


    Yeah, he''s right...


    Why bother?


    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!


    No way...


    There''s no way...


    That I- I-


    I did any of that!


    I...


    I...


    I suck don''t I?


    Yeah you do, real me...


    We both do...


    Don''t we?


    She looks over... beneath her... her hands filled with sticky goo, her senses dulled, her consciousness muddled


    She... She doesn''t what she''s doing, nor where she is...


    Her vision is darkened, she can''t see anything... her hearing is muffled, her body is numb to the touch...


    "What is happening?" She ponders


    Sudden flashes of light fill her eyes, it''s overwhelmingly bright and white


    But she wonders, why is the light sudden?


    Why can''t she still see anything?


    .


    .


    .


    "KOYOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" a loud scream blares through her ears, this harsh noise floods her very being as she suddenly feels some sort of sense rushing all throughout her body, but...


    "But what?" her other voice calls out, life is sent coursing, she finally regains consciousness


    She finally opens her eyes...


    To see...


    Multiple strings wrapping her entire body as she is sent flying all across the room, her aura protecting her from causing any sort of REAL damage, and yet...


    She feels the pain, every single bit of it


    Her dizzying vision and perspective causes her to only see a part of her assaulter


    She doesn''t even remember much of how she got here... in this very present moment


    All she knew is that... she didn''t want to live anymore...


    "Oh I wonder why... ohhhh me" the voice snickers at her current situation


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Who is this?


    Who the hell is beating me up?


    The more she realizes what she''s doing, what she''s capable of...


    The more she is disassociated from what her body is even doing


    Her body breaks from the strings, moving and dodging attacks from her enemy at such swift motion, she couldn''t believe what is happening, hell! that the one with such swift motion is even her in the first place!


    The classroom as she finally sees in all its clarity, with its destroyed and frankly, bloody state... is sent into even more of a frenzy, as many desks and chairs are sent flying, both of their bodies clash into one another


    They both trade blows and defensive blocks, but she... Koyo... she is just a spectator in this fight


    She isn''t willfully moving out of her pure intention, this...


    This is somebody else, she wonders... it must be...


    I woke up... I went to school...


    Despairing of graduating...


    Despairing of letting the cycle repeat... only for it to be harder for me...


    Harsher and more unrelentless...


    I was supposed to go to college... wasn''t I?


    So...


    What in god''s name is happening here?!?


    Why am I-


    She takes a huge blow to the head


    And then to the face


    Over and


    Over


    Over and


    Over


    Over and


    Over


    Over and


    Over


    "AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" a voice cries out, Koyo is sent into disarray as she is sent closer and closer to the exposed windows, her bruised body filled with dirt and grime, her clothes filled with blood and glass shards, the fists of her enemy connecting with her face without fail, her face is bruised badly, her spit and saliva is sent scattering all over her position


    "TAKE THIS AND THIS AND THIS-"


    "AND THIS!!!!" Koyo is propelled into the air, her enemy''s fist ever getting closer and larger in her eyes, her body falling ever so slowly towards the windows


    Her eyes widen, her arms all spread out, with multiple sharp school objects floating across her, she sends them charging into her enemy''s direction, most of them pummeling her all across the other side of the room


    Koyo''s body smirks, she giggles in delight and in clear clarity, her aura flowing like an electricity current, as it powers her up, she''s raring to go


    She bends her knee, jumping as she attempts to stab her enemy over and over again


    But...


    Her scissors are soon gone from her grasp, she looks all over the room


    Where did it go? she wondered


    A little whirring sound is heard, it cuts through her aura, blasting many cuts all across her force field, her eyes watching every cut, her eyes following every sense of movement


    Wait a second...


    Where is she?


    A punch punctures a huge gaping hole through her aura field, her enemy position revealed, she finds out, none of her projectiles hit her, in fact... they were completely obliterated, by something...


    She has an aura field too?!? she exclaims in her mind


    The both of them stare each other down, she sees her enemy with clarity, she''s seen her before...


    It''s Manaka Yukinari! Jisei''s one and only lover...


    She clicks her tongue, she scoffs, her aura sharpening and slowly patching up the cuts and holes from her force field


    "I swear... Koyo..." Manaka''s voice cuts through her, Koyo slightly shaken by this, loses her bearing


    What am I doing again?


    Am I getting into this fight?


    Am I? ....


    Do I want to KILL her?


    "WHY WON''T YOU JUST FUCKING DIE ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST LEAVE ME AND JISEI ALONE!!!!" she screams loudly right at her, her sharp strings whirring and surrounding Koyo''s position


    It overwhelms Koyo, the sheer number and volume of the strings get larger and thicker, it traps her


    The whirring sound gets louder, the grinding sound becoming deafening


    Koyo thoughts are running


    What am I doing?


    Did I really wanna kill her?


    If I was that close, hell I''m pretty sure I''m willing to kill her...


    What else have I done before I... I came here?


    What have I done?


    What have I done... to the others...?


    God...


    Oh god...


    She falls to her knees, the grinding strings like a human-sized blender gets closer and closer to her position


    I deserve this... don''t I?


    I deserve to... die...


    She silently sobs...


    The weight of her actions, causing her to sink newer lows...


    Is she responsible for this?


    Or is it somebody else''s fault?


    It''s mine...


    Isn''t it?


    ISN''T IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    .


    .


    .


    A sudden silence fills the air


    The whirring strings instantly vanish into thin air


    Koyo looks over at Manaka, her face absolutely filled with terror and blood-curdling tears


    Manaka looks dumbfounded, she feels a hand grasping the ankle of her foot


    It''s...


    "JISEI!!!" she calls out, her face all bloodied and mellowed out, bursting into a sorrow


    Jisei crawled slowly nearer while Manaka got Koyo cornered, seeing the situation...


    He didn''t want Koyo to die...


    He didn''t... want Manaka to be a murderer...


    Even though he knows... with them sealing their fate as Ishiin agents...


    Hell! They might as well be soldiers at this point...


    It''s just a matter of time... before they''re forced to kill...


    Over and over and over again...


    "Y- Yuki-san... Don''t... D-Don''t kill her" his damaged voice all familiar but unrecognizable at the same time


    "BUT WHY??? SHE DID THIS TO YOU!!!! I MEAN- YOU''RE GONNA DIE!!!" she yells out, Jisei stares at her with his eyes, looking different...


    His eyes...


    His look...


    Looks very similar to a certain agent...


    Him...


    Rushiko...


    "Yuki-san... just let go... this... this isn''t her... The Koyo I know would never do this..." he looks at Koyo, who looks back at shock, the look of her face, so palpable


    "She would never consider doing this... she would just run away... she''s too scared... to do... any of this..." his calm but battered voice soothes both their ears, the adrenaline coursing through their veins wear off


    Manaka drops to her knees to hold Jisei... his gaping wound rushing blood out of it, his guts all spread across the floor...


    Koyo holds her head in absolute shame... she did this... she did this to him...


    I- I can''t take this anymore...


    Why?


    Why did this have to happen? she mutters to herself


    Manaka sobs, embracing Jisei, his hand on hers, his touch grasping her face and head, brushing it, calming her down... despite his worse state, he''s the collected one...


    "J-Jisei..." Koyo''s voice fills the room, her kneeling stance prevalent, as his eyes meet hers, Manaka looks over with spite and pure hatred...


    The both of them lie in wait...


    Anticipating her words...


    She notices this, her spirit wanting to hide in her shell


    She shakes this off...


    "I''m- I''m sorry... for everything..." she admits her faults, her regrets, her actions, her decisions... what she did to him...


    "You think that''s enough, you fu-" she is immediately interrupted by Jisei, who looks at her shaking his head, his hand covering her front, as if to say-


    That''s enough...


    "Nayu-san... it''s ok..." he smiles with pure kindness tinged with a bit of melancholic sweetness


    "Every- Everything''s... gonna be alright... you hear me?" he continues, his voice slow and soft, his words carefully picked and considered


    She whimpers while nodding, she looks ashamed but somewhat glad...


    She knows she shouldn''t feel relief... at all...


    But he...


    Despite everything...


    He still cares...


    He still cares?!?


    "Yeah..." she softly says...


    .


    .


    .


    "Yeah"


    .


    .


    .


    - End of Kaizen Incident Arc -


    - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - --


    -To Be Continued-


    Ending Song:


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnhKaCjCIqM</a> / If You Say the Word �C Radiohead


    ��


    Why Bother? is:


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9cOmtP5wxg</a> / Why Bother? - Weezer

 Chapter 7 - The Plan Part 1

    Intro song: https://youtu.be/MXkZ-eeGs6A</a> / Borderline (Single Version) by Tame Impala


    The trails of warmth leave marks on the otherwise overwhelming coldness covering everyone on that tragic day...


    The sirens blaring out, the crowded noise both inside the school buildings and outside the school campus...


    This fateful day upon which many have spent so much effort on, so they can progress in their lives, as they mature as responsible individuals...


    It''s...


    It''s been ruined...


    A day that was supposed to be fulfilling and a celebration of such young brilliant minds-


    It''s now been contorted to a day full of trauma, death, and bitter pain...


    No day has ever been more empty for this academy''s history...


    To think, this was only the start-


    Of something more cruel and gruesome...


    "Peace... is often taken for granted... it is the status quo, the bare minimum for life..." a voice mutters out into the void


    "This is only the start, of more... senseless suffering..." he clenches his pain in forceful rage


    "We took too long! and now... we don''t pay the price, these people do..." he says looking over to his side


    Rushiko stares at the absolutely devastating state of the main campus, filled with first aid huts, worried and broken-hearted parents and family... and the worst of all... dead children... dead students... being lifted outside of the campus...


    This weight... being the heaviest it''s ever been.


    "Rushiko... you know- we all do... we have been preparing for this possibility... for so long... it looks- feels disgusting..." Suzushii repelled at the state everything is leading into


    "Come on... let''s go" Suzushii pats his back as he grabs his arm, dragging him to his parked SUV


    "Senpai..." Rushiko calls out, Suzushii reaching for the car door, opening it slightly


    "Yeah?"


    "Are those three going to be alright?" Rushiko clearly worried, he stands there waiting for a response


    "Don''t worry Rushi-kun, they will be... but we have more important pressing matters to attend to" Suzushii calmly states, opening the door fully, strapping in for the drive


    "Remember... you... you have the power to do something about all of this... never forget that..." Suzushii says, looking straight into Rushiko''s distraught eyes, he looks away nodding slightly


    He gets in...


    .


    .


    The repetitive mechanical sound of the wipers moving-


    left and right


    left and right


    The snow filling the windshield, being wiped away from side to side


    A silence fills the air


    "Senpai?"


    "Hmmm?"


    "Where are we going?" Rushiko asks him, unaware of their current objective/s


    "Oh right! I didn''t tell you! Haha!" Suzushii chuckles a bit


    "We''re going to all three of their houses, to inform... their families about what happened..."


    "Oh"


    "They have a right to know, and in this case... face to face... this is the least we owe them... but I will help them personally... since we are intending them for OUR team" Suzushii blasts through the snow-covered pavement, he flicks on the turn signal


    "Whether they agree or not... that isn''t up to us... but we... we are responsible for them... Ishiin agent or not" Suzushii turns the car around, closer to their destination


    Suzushii looks at Rushiko, his quiet state looking outside the window, he sighs


    Brushing his hair, he slowly turns his head


    With a frown on his face, he lightly punches his shoulder


    "Jeez, what are you doing?" he says in a disgruntled irritated manner


    "Heh"


    "Nothing"


    Suzushii slightly smirks while reaching out to pat Rushiko''s back... Rushiko pouts


    "Rushiko..."


    "Hmmm"


    "She... she can''t be saved... you know that right?"


    Rushiko doesn''t answer


    "She''s long gone now..."


    "She probably isn''t even the only one..."


    "We''ll find out... sooner or later"


    The car stops, the snow being felt right beneath their feet, they both get out


    They have arrived...


    .


    .


    The wind continues to swerve about, a few knocks are heard on the door


    A few rustling noises are discerned as a hand swipes the other one to reach for the door bell


    "Natsuno! Someone''s at the door, can you please get that for me darling?"


    "Coming!"


    The door creaks as it reveals the insides of the cozy little home


    A small little girl is seen, Rushiko and Suzushii tower over her


    Rushiko with his hands inside his pockets, looks under with a weak awkward smile while Suzushii gleefully waves and smiles sweetly, crouching over to meet her gaze


    "Hey Natsuno!~ Long time no see! Wait actually-"


    "I don''t think you remember your uncle here that much, do you?"


    "Umm n-no I don''t t-think so mister, u-ummm-" the little girl stammers, intimidated by both of their presences, she loses her footing


    Falls on her back, she calls out-


    "M-mom! Can you please come over here?" she loudly says


    "Hmmmm? Alright, what''s wrong?" her mother says as her footsteps are heard getting closer and closer towards the main door


    Suzushii scratches his head slightly chuckling over his clumsiness, Rushiko in seeing her mother, bows fully to apologize for his mentor''s predicament


    "H-hey Inari-san! Sorry about this!" Suzushii joins in Rushiko, he bows as well, Inari picks up Natsuno on her feet, brushing her hair and patting her head, embracing her


    "Oh no! Don''t worry, it was just an accident!" she looks over at Natsuno, asking


    "Are you ok? Natsuno-chan?"


    "I am! I was j-just a bit clumsy is all!" she politely replies


    "Alright then, this is Suzushii-san, your father''s comrade and long-time friend! Won''t you say hello to him?"


    "U-umm hello mister Suzushii! err- Uncle Suzushii-san!" she stammers on her words


    "That''s a good girl, just let me talk to Uncle Suzushii and his friend, go to your room, ok?"


    "Yes mommmm" she says lazily prolonging her wording, she goes up the staircase


    "Anyways, is there something wrong? What happened?-"


    "Actually, I need to ask you about Atsushi-san" she says worryingly, her calm voice is wringed with a hint of shakiness


    "Kaizen Academy has just been... infiltrated by Insurgent forces... Jisei is... severely wounded..." Suzushii said bluntly, the look in his face, tinged with stress


    Inari quivers at hearing this... news


    "Ummm, please! Make yourselves at home! I''ll go and make some tea" she says, turning her back on the both of them, her face hidden


    Rushiko looks at Suzushii, his face clearly affected by this, he feels as powerless as ever...


    Just like when Kuroke died...


    He wants to help...


    But...


    He can''t...


    He follows the awfully silent Suzushii to their living room, the way he just casually walks to it-


    He''s been here... soooo many times before


    They both sit down as they hear the kettle boiling, making this loud whistling noise


    Making the tension of such silence, all the more...


    Palpable...


    Suzushii stares into the distance, with many thoughts swirling around his head


    A few taps on his shoulder are felt


    "Senpai? Should we even mention wanting to recruit Jisei at all? We don''t even know where Atsushi-san is..." Rushiko silently mentions into his ear


    "Don''t worry, I''ve got this... Besides... I know Jisei doesn''t want to just sit around, knowing he has the capability to find his father! And she... Inari deserves to hear all of this..." Suzushii reassures him, he pats Rushiko''s hand, Rushiko slightly nods


    Inari comes into the living room, with a tray filled with cups of tea


    She lays all of them down on the table, giving the both of them each cup along with a plate full of cookies


    She sits down with them


    "Suzushii... can you please tell me?" she softly says


    "Where is my husband? What happened to my son?" she looks at him straight, waiting for his answers


    He stammers a little before revealing all before her


    "Inari-san, I''ll say it clearly"


    "Jisei is in critical condition, he- willingly volunteered to fight the infected students, and one student... who unclearly, went berserk... she was manipulated by the perpetrator... he fought the girl along with Manaka Yukinari, I assume you''ve heard of her?"


    Inari slowly nods, the look in her face awaiting despair


    "Well... the both of them suffered critical injuries, the worst of which is Jisei... he had the injury on his stomach... he lost a lot of blood..."


    Inari suddenly stands, her eyes glaring at him, full of sorrow and anguish


    She grabs him by the collar, grasping it strongly


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Please tell me... Jisei''s gonna be alright... I don''t even know where my husband has gone! Don''t tell me I''m about to lose my son as well!" she shouts at him, his shocked look filled with worry


    She lets go of him, kneeling on the floor...


    She sobs, grasping her head


    "Inari-san... I''m sorry..." Suzushii calmly states, he goes lower to pat her back, her sobbing continues


    "Jisei is in the hospital along with the other two girls, they are currently undergoing surgery at the moment, we''ll be able to see them later this evening" he reassures her, she looks up at him, her sore glassy eyes filled with flowing tears


    Her voice shakes


    "I don''t want to lose my family... they''re all I have left!" she replied, breaking down further


    Rushiko''s face tenses as he squats down along with Suzushii to rub her back


    "Please don''t let them die!!!" she screamed right at Suzushii, pleading


    His hand shakes, grabbing her face softly, he wipes her tears


    She looks at him, her quivering lips twitching while she closed her eyes, her tears pouring downwards upon his hands


    "I won''t let Jisei die... and I will... find Atsushi..."


    "I have a promise... I don''t intend to break it..."


    "But... I sense something in Jisei, Rushiko here has felt- seen it with his own eyes"


    "Jisei... wants to become an Ishiin agent..."


    "He wants to find his father..."


    Her shocked reaction is filled with her wide-opened eyes


    She embraces Suzushii tightly


    "Promise me... you''ll take care of Jisei... my son..."


    "Promise me... you''ll find Atsushi-san..."


    "My love..."


    "Please... he meant a lot to you... please... protect our family..." she softly says, tightening her embrace of him further


    He embraces her back


    "I will... he''s one of my best mates after all..."


    "And Jisei? He''s a good kid... Rushiko here will take care of him too"


    "Right?"


    Rushiko stands up and salutes her


    "Yes sir!"


    "Yes ma''am!"


    She smiles weakly but sweetly at Rushiko and then at Suzushii


    "Thank you..."


    Natsuno is seen peeking over by the staircase, Inari calms down and sits on her seat by the couch, she calls Natsuno over to her side as she sits close right beside her mother''s side


    Natsuno hugs her mother tight, Inari smiles at her, gladly doing the same


    All three of them bond for the next few minutes, enjoying each other''s company, refreshing themselves with the tea and delicious sweets


    "Inari-san... you can talk to us, if you ever need our help just give us a call or a message! We''ll be there for you!" Suzushii says while Inari pats Natsuno''s head, her hair getting messy


    Inari nods


    "Thanks... I will, I hope this will all end soon... so we can have our families back, so we can stop all of this madness..." she said as she hugged Natsuno, Rushiko sipped his tea and grabbed a few pieces of the cookies, and in eating them.


    His face changed as he reacted with the largest smile Suzushii''s seen, his mouth shaking from its sweetness, he gobbled all of them up.


    Suzushii chuckled as the both of Inari and Natsuno giggled.


    "I''m glad you like them! We''ve been working on that recipe for days now! It''s pretty satisfying seeing that kind of response!" she says this, clearly full of gratefulness and satisfaction, she sips her tea


    Suzushii arches his back on the end of the couch


    He crosses his arms


    "The Insurgents have started their attack... that''s why all of us have been scrambling on missions, trying to gather intel and also secure the locations affected by their assaults. Atsushi-san was sent on a mission to deal with one of their high ranking leaders, we haven''t heard from him in 4 weeks now... or that''s what they keep telling us, they keep saying most of the details are classified... that''s where my suspicion comes in..." Suzushii states while opening his crossed arms, he holds a finger upwards


    "They did it on purpose... they wanted to use Atsushi as bait for the stronger leaders who had grudges on him, so they can focus on all the weaker fodder... so that they don''t use up of all our grade A and S Ishiins on them... yet... I do have an idea of where he is, but I''ll have to go alone. I can''t have inexperienced Ishiins go up against possibly grade A or S Insurgents..."


    "Suzushii-san... why are you telling us this?" Inari asks, all of them waiting for his response


    "Because the type of situation he''s up against... is impossible for both him and me, we only have a slight chance to fight that many enemies with that type of caliber. And even then... I''ll still need help. I''m telling you this because you need to know what your husband is facing, and let me say... he''s not gonna last for any longer, that''s why by tomorrow. I''ll leave and find his whereabouts!" Inari started to fidget as she tightly embraced Natsuno, she stays quiet


    Rushiko replies


    "Suzushii-san... I can''t train them all for too long... I''m not that powerful yet, I won''t be able to teach them that many techniques or principles, we need you Sensei!" he said


    Suzushii gets up and stood in front of him


    "Remember, these are the same Insurgents that caused not only the beginning of this war, but multiple ones like the Osaka Conflict and the most infamous event... the Fukushima Incident, where they completely decimated not only all of the populace there but left a huge crater with nothing but dust and bones... you know what "we" had to face don''t you? Rushiko, I''m about to face these overwhelming forces... So please don''t rely on me for too long, I want to you to grow on your own..." Suzushii forcefully says, he grabs Rushiko''s hand, tightening it, Rushiko painfully exerts his frustration on his hand


    "But if you know anything about me... I''ll obliterate them, no matter what..." Suzushii coldly says, Rushiko''s skin getting chills all over


    "I won''t leave you Rushiko, just promise me... that you''ll train your new comrades for me... that you''ll show them what I''ve taught you..." he soothes his worries, Rushiko slightly jerks his head


    The both of them got up, facing Inari


    "Inari-san, unfortunately... we''ll have to leave now. We''ve got to inform both Manaka and Koyo''s parents now too, but you should go to Kenko Private Hospital later this evening. Just mention Jisei, and they''ll let you see him"


    Inari and Natusno both get up as well


    Inari replied


    "Thank you Suzushii-san... for sacrificing so much for us all... please don''t die!" she says sadly, Suzushii grabbed her hand and clasped it


    "Don''t worry about me! I''ll get Atsushi-san back! just... please watch over Rushiko and the others for me!" Suzushii spouts out, smiling at her


    All of them bowed at each other''s presence, Rushiko and Suzushii thanking them for their kind hospitality


    The both of them left


    "Goodbye Uncle Suzushii! Rushiko-kun!"


    Suzushii carries his promises and their trust on his back


    The weight, heavy


    But he is willing to protect them...


    To find his best mate...


    No matter the cost...


    .


    .


    Multiple rustling noises are heard, a bump here, a bump there


    Weird gasping sounds, multiple voices scattered and spread all over the house


    The door is blown wide open


    A middle-aged man with messy hair and messy, well everything! is seen holding multiple papers, he isn''t even paying attention to answering the door properly with how busy he looks


    "Ummm wait a second, I''ll get to you in a moment" he mutters under his breath


    Rushiko looks dumbfounded by this, while Suzushii just shakes his head repeatedly, snickering


    "Oh yeah, forgot about this"


    "He''s usually always this busy" he whispers to Rushiko, he looks at him with the same look of astonishment


    A clear contrast of Jisei''s home


    The insides of the house are a mess! Papers scattered all over, another person is seen by the distant vicinity helping out by cleaning the mess, the man however seems to keep making the mess


    It was chaos!


    "There, and there, and there, and-" the man clicked his tongue, waving his pen and scribbling over his papers, too busy to even acknowledge those in front of him


    "Jeez dad! Can''t you even clean up your mess after making them?!?" the voice of a young girl berated him for, sounding more in authority and control than he does, their supposed "father"


    He chuckled


    "Heh sorry about that, everything''s a mess at HQ! Something about-" he says this while turning his head to see-


    Suzushii, one of the officers / agents he worked with and an unfamiliar boy who seems to be his accomplice, an Ishiin agent as well


    "Oh! Agent Reckoner! Sorry it took me this long to realize you were here!" he laughed, scratching his head


    "I''m just such a clutz today! My work is overflowing! You''ve heard about it? Yes?" he asked


    "Ummm well all I know is that the Insurgents have started infiltrating Tokyo! They''ve even attacked- Well it is the main reason why we are here today" Suzushii sadly stated


    "Oh? What happened" the man curious, unaware of the situation


    "It''d be better to tell you inside"


    "Ah yes! sorry about that once again, please come in!" he invited them in their home, the girls inside still cleaning up his mess as the printer by his work area keeps printing more and more papers, the girls on the brink of getting fed up


    Another girl whimpered in seeing the Ishiin agents, opened the fridge and filled multiple glasses with water, laying them down upon the coffee table


    All three of them sat down in the living room


    "Oh thank you very much dear" the girl nodded as she made her way out, clearly startled by Suzushii and Rushiko


    "So? Why are you agents here? Something related to work? Anything I need to correct?" he says, arranging his papers one by one


    "Kaizen Academy has been attacked by the Insurgents" Suzushii bluntly cut to the chase


    "Your daughter is among the casualties" the man dropped his papers in shock, his calm, casual, collected demeanour is shattered into pieces, his hands shook


    "Wait- don''t tell me"


    "No, gladly she isn''t THAT kind of casualty, don''t worry Fuyu-kun" Suzushii reassured him


    "But is she ok?!? please tell me Suzushii!" Fuyu clearly still in shock, separated his working personality for his true side


    "Tell me my daughter is alright!" the girls hearing this, stopped dead in their tracks, their worlds shaken to their very core


    "She''s gonna be ok Fuyu-san, she''s undergoing surgeries as we speak, along with Jisei and the girl who was controlled by the Insurgent, who inflicted their injuries"


    "Good god, and here I thought we were as far from the danger possible, but here they are!"


    "Knocking on our front door!" Fuyu raised his voice, clearly concerned


    "No wonder HQ is sent into a frenzy, Suzushii, this isn''t the only attack in Tokyo!''


    Suzushii dumbfounded by this, thinking he knew the current state of the situation


    "They''ve been infiltrating hospitals, malls, office spaces, and I''m sure you knew earlier, the other academies you''ve been to"


    "But I never thought they''d even reach Manaka''s school! Good lord..." Fuyu covered his mouth


    "But those attacked... do they share the same characteristics and symptoms as the infected students?" Suzushii asked


    "They do actually"


    "Even to the casualties who were sadistically killed, like... someone enjoyed doing it... the sites were absolutely bloodied!"


    "It''s her... tell HQ it''s her..."


    "It''s Kokko Yano"


    "Wait THAT Kokko Yano?"


    "But she''s been MIA for years!"


    "Yes, THAT Kokko Yano"


    Fuyu stayed quiet for a bit before continuing further


    "HQ is on lockdown, they sent us all assistant Ishiin agents and the other officers to work at home, hence the mess right here"


    "Tokyo is on lockdown, hell multiple cities are joining too, the government is getting paranoid, they''ve turned jumpy..."


    "Shit..." Suzushii clicked his tongue multiple times


    "I know this sounds crazy, but..."


    "Yeah?"


    "I have a plan to search for Atsushi"


    "I don''t think that''s such a great idea with how the entirety of the cities are locking down, travelling is gonna be hard, even for a high-ranking officer / agent like you" Fuyu stated


    "But you''re an operator too, can you call in a CSAR request?"


    "I''ll see what I can do-"


    Suzushii grabbed his shoulder, his face more humbled than ever


    By what he was going to ask for next


    "Fuyu-san, you know where this is heading right?"


    "I do Suzushii, but what''s the matter?" Fuyu asked


    "Well... it ain''t a surprise Jisei can exert aura and being able to awaken abilities as he has history with his father exposing him to it, for years on end"


    "But Manaka, she... she had aura residues all over her body, it is likely... she was able to not only exert aura, but to even use it!" Suzushii said, Fuyu''s face contorting, knowing what comes next


    "You want Manaka to be an agent, don''t you?" Fuyu said outright


    Rushiko jolted his head in hearing this


    Suzushii nods


    He crossed his fingers, bringing it up closer towards his lips


    He opened them, grasping his head


    His thoughts swirling all over his head


    The young girl intervened


    "But dad! I don''t think-" she got closer and shouted, but the father raised his hand. The girl saw this and instantly stayed silent, He replied.


    "I know the factors and conditions of being an Ishiin agent... and of the dangers, it imposes... but I, no "we" can''t force her to be what she wants to become... only Manaka can decide what she wants... all we can do is support her..." he grabbed his glass of water and drank it, filling it back up with a pitcher, he grabbed his glass once more, raising it


    He continues


    "The thing is... Manaka isn''t exactly inexperienced in fighting... she probably has more than both Jisei and the other girl''s combined... well I don''t want to delve into all of the details. Let''s just say, she wanted to feel... what she couldn''t... She''s made decisions, that she isn''t proud of. But after what Jisei''s done for her, for what he''s taught her. For what I couldn''t do... I just want her to choose her own path..." he said this as he gulped it all down, slamming the glass at the coffee table. The young girl was looking away as he continued on.


    "Me and her... we''re not exactly on intimate terms, she resents me... and... I can''t blame her for it. I just want you to know if she does want to become an Ishiin. Please take care of her, because I wasn''t able to... I just don''t know... if I even know what''s best for her." he got up and stood right in front of Suzushii, his face strained and his eyes looking straight at his.


    "Just take care of her... like how I couldn''t... I''ve tried, and I still love her... but she doesn''t love me back... I want to see her... I want to tell her..."


    "That I''m sorry... for neglecting her..."


    "I''m a terrible father..." he sadly said


    "No you''re aren''t" Suzushii calmly replied, grabbing Fuyu''s shoulder


    "You''ve tried, hell you still are trying! Show her how much you care, despite how she feels about you"


    "See her yourself, tell her yourself"


    "Your her father after all..." Suzushii pats his shoulder


    Fuyu nods a few times


    "She''s at Kenko Private Hospital, see her later this evening"


    "Yeah... I will"


    "Thanks..."


    Suzushii smiled at him, Fuyu looks at his daughters


    The both of them nodding at him


    "Anyways, let me get request in for you! Wait here a bit" Fuyu said, going to his work area, the next room over to use his telephone


    The young girl instantly stormed towards Suzushii, she grasped his jacket by the collar, tightly


    Repeatedly shaking in frustration


    "I know you''re the one and only "Reckoner", but i don''t trust you, I never did! And now you''re here to make Manaka into an agent?!?" she raised her voice at him, Fuyu in hearing this, rushed over to the living room to stop her, carrying the telephone with him


    "Enough!"


    "That''s enough!" Fuyu stopped her, she scoffs at him


    "Whatever! Hmph!"


    She stormed off to her room by the hallway


    "I''m sorry about that Suzushii... forgive Kana... I get her, but she shouldn''t snap at you like that"


    "It''s alright, I''m used to it..."


    "I''ll protect her... Rushiko will too"


    Rushiko looked at Fuyu, who nods at him


    The telephone starts ringing


    Fuyu picks it up and leaves it on speaker mode


    "Operator Yukinaki, please state your request to HQ" the other operator stated


    "Ah yes, Request for CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) operation, spearheaded by a one "Reckoner""


    "Affirmative, and where is our "Reckoner"?"


    Suzushii speaks out


    "Right here!"


    "The main objective is: to find Atsushi Suzuto, and the other objectives are: to relieve of the Insurgent threats in his area and to protect and evacuate the civilians affected in the said area." the voice took a minute to respond, with him confirming his request over with the higher-ups.


    All of them anxiously waited for the response... because they were the ones that sent and made him "bait" in the first place! Surely they wouldn''t want to rescu-


    "They have greenlit the operation! however, you will only get two other ICA agents as backup for the said CSAR operation, they''ll contact you by tomorrow please regroup at the ICA Headquarters on the next day... good luck Reckoner" All of them sighed relief, their determination finally pulled through!


    The call ended


    "Thank you Fuyu-kun"


    "Thank you so much"


    "Don''t mention it, getting there will be the hard part, hell!"


    "Getting him out will be the hardest"


    Suzushii nods


    The mission ahead of him will be arduous


    "We''ll be there at the hospital later, see you later this evening" All of them got up and in bowing each other, they started walking towards the front door, the other girl bowed at them


    "Farewell Agent Reckoner and good luck tomorrow"


    Fuyuki Yukinari, an assistant Ishiin; and associate. His work is extremely beneficial to the conflict, as they don''t get a lot of these types of Ishii abilities anymore... without his intel and many others like him, they''d be at a very strong disadvantage...


    .


    .


    The car door is shut


    The SUV drove past their neighborhood, and across all the snow covered roads


    Finally stopping at the Hospital of where THEY were at


    Rushiko looked at Suzushii with confusion.


    "Senpai, why are we at the hospital? isn''t it a bit too early to check on them?" he concernedly asked me.


    "I know, but I want you to not only keep them company. But to wait here, since I''ll be making preparations for the operation today. Though I''ll be there later this evening... you''ll have to get closer and know them, since you''ll be mostly training them while I''m gone. Don''t worry you''ll have a fellow Ishiin you know personally to help you out... and umm-" Suzushii paused as Rushiko was about to reach for the car door


    "You shouldn''t worry about me... I won''t end up like Kuroke, I won''t let any of that happen ever again... just trust me..." Suzushii said as Rushiko nodded, tightly embracing him, he lightly groans on his chest


    He lets go...


    "I will Senpai, I always have... see you" he softly said as Suzushii patted his back


    He left the SUV facing the huge mass of white concrete that was the hospital, its height casting a shadow over them as the clouds cleared up with the sun clearly showing. He walked over to the main entrance over his position, the revolving doors in the middle slowly spinning as he and many others went in.


    Suzushii left the hospital, going straight towards the ICA Headquarters, to plan out what should happen and how to deal with tomorrow''s ordeal.


    To extract Atsushi Suzuto out of Sendai...


    Which is near... Fukushima...


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending song: https://youtu.be/FY5CAz6S9kE</a> / There��d Better be a Mirrorball by Arctic Monkeys

 Chapter 8 - The Plan Part 2

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/dpKOvGB0gHE?feature=shared</a> / Crests of Waves By Coldplay


    "You''re not welcome here anymore..."


    "Get out of here!"


    "But- You know I had to do it! or else-"


    "More people would''ve died! I- I-!"


    "Shut the fuck up..."


    "Get out of here..."


    "Before I kill you myself..."


    .


    .


    .


    A figure jolts his head in pain, its footsteps clacking on the marble floor


    The orange hue lighting the long hallway leading to an almost uncountable number of corridors beyond it


    Anyone...


    Anyone would get lost here


    But to him...


    It''s just another visit


    It''s just work


    It''s just protocol


    As usual


    But not today...


    Today...


    It starts...


    The Final War...


    Is set into motion...


    He steps into multiple empty rooms, an almost dizzying amount of random directions that acts as some sort of code


    The final door opens up


    A sort of rectangular glowing floating portal


    He raises his legs upwards to meet it


    He steps in


    A blinding light flashes before his eyes


    Every time he checks in


    A certain report of recent events is flashed before his very eyes


    "Welcome back Agent Reckoner"


    He''s in...


    He''s in the ICA...


    "Please report to the reception area for your current mission briefing"


    .


    Multiple loud noises are heard, an electronic droning sound, a PA system blaring, multiple people bustling inside, rushing to deal with the current situation


    "Protocol 999,999,999 is set into motion! I repeat Protocol 999,999,999 is set into motion! Please report to your respective stations and act accordingly!"


    "Protocol-"


    The futuristic almost indistinguishable structure inside looks like it''s straight up from a sci-fi or cyberpunk film!


    Multiple crowds bump and fill the main hub before Suzushii


    A gigantic reception that has the same design as an airport check-in desk, that reaches for almost about half a kilometer is filled with lines upon lines of people


    Multiple telephones ringing and people talking


    It might as well be white noise to those involved, for what they have to be facing...


    The day they have been warned about for so long...


    Today, is that very day...


    Suzushii cuts the line in the absolute main reception, multiple agents aggravated by this, shout at him, but then look shocked as they see who it is


    "Uke-san, where is my team?"


    "Oh Agent Reckoner, it''s you!"


    "Right about time, as usual"


    "They''re prepping up at your office, every other station in the entire ICA is crowded!"


    "Ok ok, tell me what "agents" do I have on me?"


    "Checking..."


    The man clacks on his keyboard, Suzushii pities upon his sore eyes and trembling hands


    "It says here, you have two Assistant Ishiins, a medic and an analyst"


    "Damn, we''re that short on agents?"


    "You know we are, you know what day this is, your mission may be difficult, but we can''t use any manpower for you"


    "I''m sorry... get going!"


    Suzushii nods as he cuts through crowds upon crowds of people


    With him feeling like a fish inside a pack of sardines


    A flock of people all rush towards the same portal he saw earlier, the line behind it never stopping


    He cuts through to the start, the same white flash filling his eyes


    .


    He''s in his office


    Two of the aforementioned assistants are seen prepping up by the couches facing his mini library of documents and books


    A panoramic and gorgeous view of Tokyo is seen behind his desk


    A terrifying drop can be seen, when looking downwards


    A familiar stern-looking man in a suit, holds a magazine in his hands, filling it up with bullets


    His entire body filled to the brim with all sorts of ammo and communication equipment


    Something Suzushii has never seen this man ever have on his person


    Likewise the girl is seen fixing her bag of medical equipment, she is also wearing a suit


    She is also armed well, but not as much as the man


    "Are you two ready?"


    The two of them suddenly stood up facing him, with their straightened backs and their salutes literally being reflexes every time they come into contact by a superior officer


    Which is mostly everyone


    They are only assistant Ishiins after all


    "We are about to be, sir!" the man exclaimed


    "Agent Reckoner!" the girl said, acknowledging his presence


    Suzushii nods


    "Good"


    "You must be aware, this mission is far above your capabilities"


    "Hell!"


    "It is far above what ranked B to even A agents can imagine to handle!"


    "Yes we are sir!" the man said in attention


    "Alright at ease you two, don''t be so tense"


    "Though I understand why two would be" Suzushii goes up to his desk and boots up his desktop, to brief them for their mission


    The both of them loosen up and return to preparing their equipment


    "So, Musen-kun"


    "It''s nice to see you once again"


    "It is! Agent Reckoner!"


    "Jeez just call me what you do usually, you don''t have to be so formal!"


    "Umm it is Kakomi-kun"


    "Much better"


    "So, who''s the girl?"


    "U-umm! My name is Keikou Haruki! At your service!"


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Okkkk, what are your abilities?"


    "I can only simple augmentation and healing, sir!"


    "That will do, have you two got to know each other?"


    "Just a bit Kakomi-kun, in fact we only just arrived a few minutes ago" he says this while he inputs the last bullet on his magazine, inserting in into his AR, cocking it


    "Alright, we have the whole journey to do that then!" he types in his desktop, the keys clacking


    "We have a long trip ahead of us, not to mention"


    "Every city is locking down and on high alert after the events of today"


    "Reaching Fukushima will be hard, we have to assume it is a battlefield there right now"


    "Musen!"


    "Yes sir?!"


    "What information do we have on the situation there?"


    Musen uses his abilities, multiple lines of text and UI pop up right before everyone''s eyes


    A sort of hologram ability is projected everywhere all across the office


    "Not much, strangely enough, for the past two weeks, there hasn''t been any sort of way to know what is happening there, all my information is from months ago, the latest just a few weeks before... it''s like-"


    "There is somebody blocking- jamming all possible coms to reach out from the inside and outside!"


    "It''s them, it''s definitely them"


    "I knew it"


    "You did sir?"


    "I do, Atsushi..." Suzushii mutters


    "SHIT!"


    He forcefully slams his hand on his desk


    The girl suddenly fidgets in reaction to this


    "Umm Kakomi-san?"


    "We might be too late..."


    "There is still a chance though... a slight one..."


    "Hear me... this mission is personal, as much as Atsushi is important to us all, with his valuable abilities and all, no wonder he''s been sent to kill 3 birds with one stone"


    "This is your final chance to back out now, as much as I need your help, your lives are at severe risk, getting out of this alive, the chances are slim..."


    "Not to mention, getting there, we will surely be attacked on the way..."


    "By one of them..."


    "Are you two sure you want to come with?"


    "Of course we are! We are at war! We need every possible help or outcome of stopping them to be acted upon!" the man said righteously


    The girl however stayed silent


    "Keiko-san?"


    The girl whimpered


    "I don''t want to die..." she muttered


    The both of them looked at her with concern


    "I DON''T WANT TO DIE!" she screamed in panic, her voice echoing all across the room


    "Calm down!" Musen went closer to grab her back, her body was trembling massively, her whimpers get louder by the second


    "This mission was given to us by of higher-ranked intelligence, I know you''re scared, but this specific mission..."


    "You know the consequences of it... don''t you?" Musen looked at her straight, her eyes wandering, her thoughts swirling


    "You know what they''ll do to you- no!"


    "What they''ll do to your family..." Keiko repeatedly shakes her head, about to scream in pain


    "Please... DON''T EVER SAY THAT TO ME!!!" she snaps at Musen, he backs away, with her anger about to break him in half


    "That''s enough!" Suzushii''s voice booms right through her, she whimpers in fear


    "Musen, you''re right, but I have the authority to protect her, I''m special grade" he states, Musen bows to him in shame


    "Keiko-san, you don''t have to come with us... you don''t have to at all"


    "I''ll make sure of that, your family will be safe" Keiko tears up, Musen looks over in guilt


    "Y-you''ll do that for me?" she muttered under her weary breath


    "I will" Suzushii nods


    "I''ll keep my word"


    "So what is it? Will you come? or will you stay?"


    Keiko caught in this ultimatum, shakes her head, grabbing her head in pain, sobbing


    "I''LL COME WITH!" she screamed


    "I''ll come with..."


    "Just promise me, my family will be safe" Keiko stared at him


    Suzushii pats her back


    "They will be"


    "And you two will be safe too"


    "In fact-" Suzushii opens his closet to grab two black jackets with an ICA insignia plastered on the back


    His hands glow as the both of the jackets absorb his aura


    He hands them over to them


    "Wear this at all times, it''ll protect you, it may not be the most formidable defense, but it''ll most certainly help"


    Musen and Keiko nod repeatedly, they both put them on


    "From this very moment, Operation Atsushi Retreival starts, you got that?"


    "Yes sir!"


    "Good"


    "Musen, before going to the inevitable battlefield that is Fukushima, we''ll have to survey it from Sendai"


    "But why that far, Kakomi-san?"


    "That''s cause the crater is that large... you''ve heard of it, yes?"


    "I have, the Fukushima Incident..."


    "In fact... it was you who did it..."


    "That''s correct, in this war we''ve been raging for decades now, that day was a huge blow to them..."


    "The Insurgents..."


    "Since you two will be going with me on this likely suicide mission, you deserve to know what we''ll be fighting against"


    "I was one of them, you see?"


    "Me and Atsushi... we were both once Insurgents, we ratted them out"


    Musen and Keiko both stare at him blankly, not sure how to process that information


    "Do you know understand why Atsushi is so important?"


    "With his knowledge of the Insurgents, some I don''t even know, he is a huge asset for us, hell"


    "He knows all about the all of the omega grades and the next alpha grade..."


    "W-What''s that?"


    "Those are Ishiins who have lived for more than a century, and the other one is an anomaly... something with enough power that can be used to obliterate either one of our sides, and yes"


    "Those do exist"


    "Why are you telling us of this?"


    "That''s because this mission is that important..."


    Suzushii then opens his desk drawer, sticks in a USB in his desktop


    "Aaaand- There we go" he takes out his USB and grabs his laptop case


    "Got everything you need?"


    The both of them nod


    "Our mission is to retrieve Atsushi Suzuto from Fukushima, relieve the Insurgent forces against him and evacuate the civilians near that area"


    "We''re going to Sendai to ask for any backup from an ICA branch there, and to survey the situation in Fukushima from there"


    "Got that?"


    They both nod once again


    "Then let''s go"


    His phone rings, he picks it up


    "Hello?"


    "Nayumi-san has been informed of what happened to her daughter, he said he will be coming over later this evening" the operator stated


    "Good, I would also want to call in another, personal request... place Assistant Ishiin Keikou Haruki''s family in my protection"


    "Done, is that all Agent Reckoner?"


    "Yup"


    "Ok then, good luck on your mission"


    The call ends


    "Come on, before we go, we''ve got one more matter to attend with"


    Suzushii walks off the office, with the two right alongside his back


    The door glows, all of them step right into it


    .


    .


    The electric hum of the fluorescent lights fills his ears


    He walks up upon hallway upon hallway


    Filled to the brim with the wounded


    Fuyu-san said multiple citizens not just students were affected, any number of civilian structures are compromised, not just anywhere...


    But Tokyo!


    The capital...


    The world... is gonna learn of this...


    They''re gonna soon learn...


    The existence of Ishii, and how everybody has this ability...


    Rushiko shakes his head, sighing


    He steps inside the escalator, pressing the 17th floor


    He''s nervous to see them...


    To let them know of how they''re gonna be Ishiin agents...


    If they''ll even accept...


    But considering how the final war has been set into motion...


    It''s either they join Rushiko and Suzushii, or the ICA when they get desperate-


    Will have to forcefully draft new soldiers...


    Preferably younger soldiers...


    He steps out the escalator, a huge corridor leading to many possible directions is right before him


    He has to go to Room No. 209...


    With bated breath, he grasps the door knob of the room


    And in exhaling, he slowly opens the room


    Slowly revealing the state of all three of them...


    All three of them are facing the wall, with the window to their sides


    They are lying down, except for Koyo, who seemed to be gazing out the window


    Jisei which is right next to Rushiko, is strapped to a ventilator, his wounds covered with multiple bandages, somewhat hidden by his hospital clothing


    He is in bad shape, just barely holding


    Unconscious, but living


    Manaka around the middle of the two also had multiple bandages all across her body, she seemed better off


    Also was unconscious...


    Koyo with the least to no amount of injuries looks at him silently


    Her face clearly shocked by him, she looks at his jacket''s side


    Gigantic letters with clear bright yellow saying: ICA


    She grows scared of him


    "It''s ok, I''m not here to hurt you" Rushiko calmly said


    She however starts to back away from him further, she drops to the floor, crawling desperately, being trapped by the corner near the windows, like a cornered cat


    Her eyes stare at him with a vengeance, her hand gripping and shaking into a fist


    "I want nothing to do with you people!" she loudly said


    Rushiko holds his hand up, urging her to calm down


    She''s having none of it


    "I want to go home!"


    "I don''t want to see any of you bastards near me!"


    "Actually..."


    "That''s gonna be difficult..."


    Koyo being confused, stands up and get closer to him


    He grabs his jacket and shakes him repeatedly


    "What do you mean "that''s gonna be difficult"?!?!?"


    "The attack on your school isn''t the only one, every civilian structure with densely populated people have been attacked..."


    "Tokyo is in lockdown-"


    "I mean christ! The entirety of Japan is in lockdown!" Rushiko exclaimed, Koyo lets go of him, looks towards the window


    "What happens now?"


    "You''ll soon know, you''ve just got to calm down"


    "They''re gonna soon be here"


    "Who''s they?"


    "You''ll find out soon enough"


    Koyo sits on her mattress, with Rushiko sitting beside her


    "You do know what I''ve done right?"


    "I do..."


    "I''ve hurt all of them... so many of them..."


    "I almost killed Manaka!"


    "And some part of me, wanted it!"


    "I didn''t feel like that was me... I would never do that!"


    "Or would I have?"


    "Koyo-san, it wasn''t you, it was an insurgent that did it, she did all of this!" Rushiko raised his hands towards the windows


    Koyo shakes her head


    "No, atleast for me... some part of me could''ve done it, she just acted upon it..."


    "I might as well have done... she just pushed me over the edge..."


    "Hey-"


    "Hey!"


    Koyo looks at him


    "You couldnt''ve have done it, believe me, I know what wanting to kill is like"


    "If you have doubts like that... you still haven''t been "over the edge""


    "It''s when you forget the boundaries of what''s right and wrong..."


    "That''s when you would''ve definitely done it..."


    "Tell me..."


    "How is it working for people like them? Making you kill?" she bluntly said


    "I know even if it''s for the greater good, it''s still taking many lives..."


    "But I''m too far in to stop now... this is what my life is..."


    "He told me, my senpai..."


    "That I have the power to do something about all of this..."


    "I''ve gotta believe that-"


    "No, I do believe that!" he stood up


    "Without people like me, who knows how many more would they have killed?"


    Koyo stammers trying to speak


    "M-my..."


    "My mom"


    "She was an agent..."


    "She died fighting them..."


    Rushiko looked at her, her eyes staring down at the floor


    Her tears soiling up the cold hospital floor by her feet


    Rushiko grabs her by the shoulder, pushing her closer to him


    "I''m sorry..."


    "I-it''s alright"


    "I''m sorry for snapping at you earlier... you''re just trying to help..."


    "I should''ve seen that"


    "Hey, don''t worry "


    "Koyo-san, what would you do if I told you"


    "We know who killed Omoi"


    Koyo''s eyes widen, her entire world opening


    Rushiko continues on


    "The Scar-Giver of Osaka as she''s been called"


    "She''s a legend... she went up and even defeated one of the Insurgent leaders"


    "She stopped the final war early, years before it would happen this very day"


    She instantly gets closer to his face, he reacts backing


    "You know how to find her killer?"


    "We do..."


    "I''m in"


    "W-what?"


    "I said I''m in, you want me to join you, don''t you?"


    "And how would you know that?"


    "I don''t, it''s just feeling... my heart knowing what this is supposed to be"


    "I see..."


    Rushiko checks his phone, reading a text message


    "They''re close"


    "You should tell your dad first... that you''ll be an Ishiin..."


    "He''s coming?"


    "He is..."


    "But for now, let''s cool off a bit" Rushiko sighs


    "This is just the start, of something more..."


    Koyo nods


    "Thank you..."


    "Thank you for giving me this..."


    The both of them stare outside, the deep orange hue right before their eyes, seeping through the windows


    Seeping through the Tokyo skyline...


    "Don''t overdo it"


    "Don''t overdo your revenge"


    "Trust me"


    "We''re on the same page about that"


    "About what we both really want..."


    She looks at him confused, about what he really means


    She''ll soon know enough...


    They''ll soon know enough...


    .


    .


    .


    The door busts open, a rushing little girl goes to Jisei''s side, and a middle aged concerned woman walks slowly in dismay to see her poor son...


    She looks at him and immediately embraces him, the little girl joins her


    The three of them united after today''s tragic events


    Both Rushiko and Koyo look over to them, Koyo hangs her head in shame, looking downwards in the floor to hide her face from her


    Rushiko stands up and grabs Koyo''s hand, pulling her towards Jisei''s side


    Inari notices both of their presence, Natsuno looks over in curiosity


    "Hello Inari-san, I''m glad you''re able to be here today" Rushiko politely said


    "Why hello there Hirotsu-kun!"


    "May I ask where is Suzushii-kun?"


    "Oh Senpai''s on his way!"


    "Umm I would like to-"


    Koyo rushes in front of Rushiko, bowing instantly to both Inari and Natsuno, her breaths bated and her figure trembling


    Inari covers her mouth in shock


    "Koyo-san! What are you doing?"


    "I''m sorry!" she said out loud


    "I''m sorry for hurting Jisei-kun!"


    "I don''t expect to be forgiven..."


    She stays with her back shown to them, Inari sighed and hugged her


    "Koyo-san... I know you somewhat had a hand in what happened today... But that... That wasn''t you!"


    "You''re a kind girl! I believe you are... Jisei cared for you so much!"


    "I''m not... I''m not kind... I''m not-"


    "But you are dear..."


    "Why would you go out of your way to apologize to me, to his little sister here" Inari says, patting Natsuno''s hair


    Koyo tears up silently, Inari coos her slowly


    The door busts open once again


    A middled aged man in glasses wearing an expensive and extravagant but generic looking suit grasps the door knob


    In seeing the scene, he calls out


    "Koyo!"


    Inari and Koyo let go of each other, Koyo looks in shock, her eyes in disbelief, not knowing what feeling to show in this situation


    "D-dad?"


    "God... I- I-" he stammered


    He comes nearer, holding Koyo close


    Her face still in shock, in not having seen this side of him, ever since... They were still together... All happy...


    "I thought-"


    "I thought you were dead!" He loudly said, his voice all broken and full of emotion


    "I saw the news... Seeing your school in the news... And then receiving a call from the ICA themselves!"


    "I swear!" He tears up, holding Koyo tighter


    Her eyes wide open, her mind all shaken


    "I love you... Koyo..."


    "I''m sorry..."


    "For everything..."


    "After Omoi- your mom passed..."


    "I couldn''t bring myself to face you..."


    "I''m a terrible father... Surely I''ve disappointed her... And you..."


    Koyo''s face tenses up, frowning, remembering all the times of neglect, all the times of her deep descent into madness


    But she realizes something...


    Right now I''m this very moment...


    She has what she''s always wanted...


    This intimacy... This care... This connection...


    Her father...


    "Dad!!!!!!" She breaks down, crying her heart out


    Both father and daughter share in their pain together


    After all these years of loss...


    They''re finally together...


    They''re finally family...


    "Hello?"


    "helloooo?"


    A knocking is heard as multiple people come flooding into the room


    A man with his two daughters, and an agent with his team of two


    Fuyu rushes to see his unconscious daughter, as Fuu grasps her hand, holding it tight, she shakes her head in disbelief


    Kana looks at her, her eyes unchanging


    "Manaka..."


    "m-manaka!"


    "Manaka-chan..."


    Suzushii looks at everyone, seeing them all reunited with their loved ones, he slightly smiles and sighs


    He needs to protect them...


    No matter what...


    At all costs...


    Both Musen and Keiko stay at the edge of the door, knowing that this isn''t their business, but still looking all the more concerned about all these families


    "Everyone!" Suzushii, exclaiming for the room''s attention


    "I am very sorry for what had happened to your loved ones in this very tragedy that is today"


    He shows and leads his hand to his team


    "Later... Me and my team will be going into the frontlines to save... Not only a valuable asset to the ICA... To all of us..."


    "But to save a dear friend..."


    Inari looks at him, nodding


    He looks at her, determined


    "I just wanted to say that, Jisei, Manaka and Koyo... Have all agreed to become Ishiin agents..."


    Yanou''s eyes widen as he turns his head over to Koyo, who looks at him with a fiery look that reminds him...


    Of her...


    His beloved...


    "I... I won''t be here to train all three of them"


    "But my well trusted... My son..."


    Rushiko warmly smirks at this


    "Rushiko will"


    "Your children now know him, they can trust him, he will take good care of them"


    "On this very day, this is the day all of us agents have been fearing..."


    "The final war we dub it... To bring and end the fight to them..."


    "Our enemy..."


    "Tokyo is in lockdown with the rest of Japan following suit"


    "I can''t stay here for longer..."


    "I know it''s abrupt but-"


    "Please put your trust in us..."


    "We need to put a stop to them..."


    "To all of this"


    Everyone ponders over their uncertain future, their fates left in the dark


    With everything and everyone they know held at stake


    Rushiko went closer to Suzushii


    "The process of becoming an agent isn''t easy... But with their experience..."


    He held his head down


    "They can do it''!"


    "We''ll start once Jisei and Manaka have been fully healed, but in the current state of Japan..."


    "We''ll have to rush their training... They''ll have to work harder than they have ever have in their life..."


    "This... Is for our future..."


    "This... Was inevitable..."


    Suzushii continued one last time


    "We''ll have to go now..."


    "Inari, we''ll save him... No matter what"


    "Please tell me when Jisei and Manaka will be awake Rushi-kun"


    "And Yanou-san"


    "We''re sorry... About Koyo..."


    "But she needs to learn the truth... About Omoi..."


    Yanou''s eyes left the room, understanding the situation but still traumatized


    Koyo held his hand tight


    "Dad... I''ve got to avenge her... For us..."


    "I know..."


    "I know"


    Suzushii and his team left the room as everyone stood and sat there in silence, taking everything in


    The cold wind chilling their bones, their souls seeking for warmth


    In this calm... Before the storm...


    .


    .


    The tires screech before the snow covered asphalt, ploughing through it all


    Their trajectory clear...


    Towards Sendai they go...


    Towards the unknown...


    And pain...


    Do they face it all...


    "Atsushi... Please..."


    "Hold on..."


    "I''m coming..."


    .


    .


    .


    -End of Aftermath I Arc-


    - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - --


    -To Be Continued-


    Ending Song/s: https://youtu.be/QjoJ3iuM48I?feature=shared</a> / Spies (Early Version) By Coldplay


    https://youtu.be/WPApiFhKFsg?feature=shared / Souvlaki Space Station By Slowdive

 Chapter 9 - The Change Part 1

    Intro Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqgbR7uXXpU</a> / Writing in Reverse by Spoon


    A cold wind blows, and that strong mist swallows all that enters upon it...


    Squinted eyes and warm breathing masked...


    Nothing can be seen nor discerned...


    It''s as if that very mist makes an entire existence... well... be wistfully vanished out of existence...


    A deadly silence fills the air... A strong white unclear veil shrouds all vision...


    A figure dripping... tries to get out... walking slowly, hand in hole, mind in the out


    He ponders...


    "I remember there''s this telephone in freeways... an emer- emergency..."


    His thought is cut off as he bumps into something...


    His mind rushing, his blood running


    Squinted eyes fail him...


    It''s...


    It''s...


    It''s just some car...


    But it looks wrong...


    Like something not of this world...


    The car...


    The car...


    Has a giant lollipop sticking out of it...


    "Huh?"


    He looks all over the area, the mist still as strong as ever


    He keeps bumping into more cars, motorcycles and vehicles


    All of them...


    Have some sort of candy sticking out, where once was just a normal part of the vehicle...


    There''s all sorts of candy replacing that very part...


    "This just... seems random... w-what?"


    The man shakes his head, trying to shift focus on his main objective...


    "Now where is tha-"


    "U- u-hh"


    The emergency telephone booth stands in the middle, sticking out


    "It... looks normal enough but..."


    "What exactly is happening right now?"


    He moves closer, slowly... alert as he can be... as handicapped he is...


    He has no memory of what transpired here, maybe he really is somewhere else...


    In the middle of nowhere?


    He enters the phone booth, his footsteps careful and silent-


    The phone suddenly rings, breaking the silence-


    The man stands in shock


    He just stands there, paralyzed


    His hands tremble, and upon grasping the telephone-


    The line is empty, it just rings out


    The call has ended?


    "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"


    The man screams, his body contorting into something


    The telephone drops and hangs by


    The man''s body bursting at the seams-


    It explodes into a red mist...


    His body is obliterated... it really is as if...


    He didn''t exist... at all...


    .


    .


    .


    -A Few Weeks Ago-


    A fuse is lit, two fingers pressed upon the roll


    Smoke blending together, this time...


    It''s time to call...


    "Yeah... I knew it''d come sooner or later..."


    "This is it..."


    He sighs, inhaling lots


    "I ain''t getting out of here... am I?"


    He breathes out, stepping out into the unknown


    Or rather...


    The familiar...


    "Heh"


    He cracks his knuckles one by one, dropping his cigarette-


    He smothers it-


    Killing its fuse, its flame, its light...


    He looks over...


    "They''re here..."


    Clashes of light flash over the mist, indescribable forces of speed colliding into each other, one the naked eye can''t even grasp...


    "Took you long enough!" the figure stands in the distance, hard to see, as it blends into the mist


    "I see... it''s you three..." Atsushi mutters under his breath


    "Calm down there! Everyone gets a share!!! Remember?!?" another figure says, waving its hands flowing with the wind


    "Tch! Sure thing! How about... if it were literal... hehehehe-" the other figure snickers, the fog all thick, only a portion of his clothes can be seen, a roughed up and tattered haori over an indistinguishable dark kimono underneath-


    And...


    A finger pointed at him?


    It looks like... it''s-


    Words form up on Atsushi''s sleeve, he instantly takes off his thick coat as it explodes in the air-


    He is then frozen into place, his eyes as transparent as it is pale


    His neck is held tight


    "Yeah... I always wondered... what you''d taste l-like"


    "Atsu-chan..."


    The figure''s breath is spread all over his neck, as Atsushi''s spirit can only watch on


    Its teeth might as well be shimmering, it grins, watering in delight


    As the figure''s teeth open up to claim it''s meal-


    "Stop!" the other figure said


    "What???"


    "Come on... don''t make it so easy!"


    "Let''s savor it... shouldn''t we all have a taste of him?"


    "I see you have quite the exquisite taste my dear... sure thing..."


    "let''s... play with our food then..."


    All of them stare into his frozen form, slowly licking their lips


    Atsushi scoffs, his weary body slowly starting to take control of his form once more


    "Looks like all of you are still this weird... after all this time"


    "well..."


    "You want a fight? You''ll get it!"


    They all collide, making new marks and dents on the crater...


    It''s a battle of endurance now... that''s the name of the game...


    That''s... the start...


    Of the final war...


    .


    .


    .


    -Present Day-


    The tires struggle to plow down on the thick snow


    The three agents sit in silence, the window wipers being the only things creating a sound...


    Keiko looks on, absolutely petrified in the mission ahead...


    What will they find?


    How can they go up against THREE INSURGENT LEADERS?!?Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Her mind races, in all the possible scenarios they''ll find themselves in...


    But... Ishii abilities... are hard to guess...


    There could be so many that the human mind could think of...


    Imagination is a mighty thing to go up against...


    The snow falls slowly, its a beautiful thing to get lost in


    To escape what horrors might come up their way...


    Musen uses his ability to the best of his capabilities...


    His aura UI still shining all over the car windows, but still... no matter how closer they get to their destination-


    Nothing...


    "This jammer sure is something..."


    "It''s what to expect with an Insurgent Leader..." Musen says as he keeps his aura flowing


    "Kakomi-san... we''ll have to take the Tohoku expressway, by the seaside... heading toward Iwaki... its the only route to Sendai, avoiding the Fukushima crater..." Musen says while pondering


    "Who knows what''s happening in the crater... the jammer is strongest there after all... is Suzuto-san... even... alive at all?"


    Suzushii quietly looks at them both, his mind silently focused...


    Are you still alive? he thinks...


    Please still be alive...


    We...


    Wanted a better life...


    Hah!


    Look where that got us...


    Here...


    And now...


    They''ll tear us apart...


    Oh brother...


    Family huh?


    It''s something...


    You can''t run from...


    The car ride goes on for hours on end, the silence building...


    The destination slowly getting closer and closer...


    But as they seemingly get closer to Sendai itself, the seaside and its many cities and structures...


    Are all missing... people...


    It''s like they set foot in silent hill...


    If silent hill was spread out across an entire prefecture that is...


    The closer Sendai is... the mist is so thick, the car''s headlights can only reach so few meters before...


    It''s almost impossible to drive without...


    The car suddenly curves sideways, the snow is...


    Slippery???


    They''re... they''re on... what exactly?


    W- where are they?


    A loud thump is heard as everything is brought to...


    A CRASH


    .


    .


    .


    Multiple coughs break through the fog...


    The car was turned tip side...


    A hand peers through the car window... breaking it


    "ugh..."


    Suzushiii weakily crawls out, he sees the two agents all huddled inside, still in the car


    "Musen-san, Keiko-san! are you two alright?"


    "I-I''m f-fine..." the weak voice is barely heard


    "Come on Keiko, let''s get out of here..." Suzushii pulls the both of them out, Musen still holding Keiko''s hand to help her up


    "Wherever this is..." Musen says as his wrist glows, trying to discern where they are...


    His aura is full of static, barely working-


    But it does say one thing clearly...


    Their location:


    "We''re... we''re in Iwanuma! We''re close to the Sendai airport!" Musen says out loud


    "In fact... we can start our search- err, our reconnaissance! of the area!"


    Suzushii nods but his lips part-


    "It''s wise to be stick together, even with my aura... this mist... its not normal... its too thick... its patterns... is too controlled..."


    "We... should start heading to the crater on foot now... it''ll take long... but..."


    "We''re in the lion''s den now..."


    The girl whimpers, shivering in response


    Musen reaches towards the car''s trunk, to grab all of the firearms: an AR, a couple handguns, grenades, stun and smoke grenades...


    The standard equipment for any intelligence agency... but for the ICA


    It shows how little they are willing... to use on this operation


    Musen sets up his weapon, inserting the magazine, and he charges the chamber up


    "Actually... they know we were coming... expecting it... almost a bit surprised... of how few we are... how... little chance we have..."


    Keiko checks her kit and supplies, she is also handed a handgun by Musen, her fingers tremble at the weapon, firmly grasping it but... her hands shake at its weight


    "They''re... mocking us..."


    "Aren''t they?" the two of them look at Suzushii, all ready


    "They could''ve taken us out if they wanted to, a long long time ago on the trip..."


    "But they... didn''t"


    "Is it... because I''m here?"


    Suddenly-


    Suzushii shifts his eyes at multiple locations in their vicinity, he locates-


    "RUN!!!!!!" he shouts, the two agents nod, as they run-


    Multiple explosions all rage at their positions, they run hysterically forward towards all of the wrecked cars and other vehicles through the expressway, mostly if not all of them-


    Looking a bit off...


    "It''s him, isn''t it?"


    "This is gonna be tough... even for me..."


    "Shit..." Suzushii curses under his breath, he uses his aura to protect both Musen and Keiko-


    They both look at him, the explosions drowning out everything, all the large candy shards flying all over, threatening and imposing-


    "We''re not gonna make it like this... they''ll just blow us all up at this rate!"


    Suzushii lifts his arm upwards, the wind following his gestures


    "Hold on you two!"


    "This is gonna be a tough ride!" he shouts


    "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I- I-"


    "WE''RE FLYING???????? OH GOD HELP MEEEEE" Keiko screams, her body flailing like a fish out of water-


    Musen is the opposite but the shock on his face... He''s wide-eyed look...


    Says it all-


    The mist doesn''t get any less thicker the higher the altitude they go...


    "Atleast we have a better chance up here..."


    "Kakomi-san?"


    "Yeah?"


    "Why didn''t we just fly all the way to the crater, if you could just fly this entire time?"


    "Well let''s just say... it takes a lot out of me to do so..."


    "If we''re flying already... then well... it''s that serious..."


    Musen nods, Keiko still screaming, gulps comically


    They move at a brisk pace, Suzushii conserving his energy for the... proper fighting...


    "He''s just playing with us... he''s testing me... especially"


    Suzushii''s head instantly moves to the left-


    His eyes as wide as ever, only just seeing what just flew them by-


    An entire building!


    It was so fast, even something of that mass just flew that beside them like it was just some bird or something!


    Keiko stops screaming... her face possessed, she instantly grasps the situation, as Musen looks at her nodding...


    "Kakomi-san..."


    "What''s the plan?"


    Their entire form flies by as they pass through the city ruins, it looks like its been like this for weeks now... surely has been...


    "Agent Reckoner, there are no signs of life here..." Keiko reports, Musen aims his AR scope using his aura to search for any forms of heat signatures


    "No heat signs either..."


    "Damn it!"


    "This must mean... it''s her..."


    "It''s the reason why most of this part of the coast has no signs of people at all..."


    "What do you mean sir?" Keiko asked


    "It''s... hard to explain right now..."


    "The Insurgents... or rather... as classified information would entail"


    Suzushii hesitates


    "Also known as The Great Empire... each leader... has a purpose... to well..."


    Multiple explosions hit them from each direction, each of them groan, as Suzushii exerts more aura to protect them and to fly...


    He bites his lip, as their whole flying form descends


    Keiko breaks her stoic look, with the fear rushing back in her


    Musen, determined, grits his teeth


    "Preapare for impact!!!!!" Suzushii screams


    More and more debris hit them, explosions all over


    THEY CRASH INTO THE CITY, THE AURA SLOWLY STARTING TO DWINDLE DOWN


    A HUGE EXPLOSION HITS THEM AS THEY FINALLY REACH THE GROUND


    THE SMOKE SETTLING...


    They awake to a huge crater, all of them are bruised and bleeding a little, but just before they have the time to breath...


    A figure stand in front of them, above the crater by the city''s center near the west exit of Sendai station...


    He chuckles lightly, clicking his tongue as the mist swallows him whole, he disappears into the haze


    The three of them start to look for him, their forms ready for any surprise attack


    "Y''know Suzu-kun?"


    "You might as well be too late! God! You''re such an idiot!"


    "Why d''you think we lured you in with that dimension?" he teased, his voice slowly coming from all directions, the mist getting thicker and thicker


    It''s hard to breathe... if at all...


    "Playing with you is too much fun!"


    "You fucking traitor!!!!!"


    A pipe is suddenly thrown their way, as Suzushii crushes it with his bare hand


    "YOU THINK YOU TWO COULD ALWAYS ESCAPE THE FAMILY??? YOUR HOME???"


    Multiple pipes all come rushing in, one by one, they are trapped closer to each other in the crater


    It suddenly stops-


    As a hand comes out of the pipe, choking all three of them


    "God... I thought I envied you when you two got out... thinking I could do the same!"


    "But... I was soooo wrong..."


    "No one can escape the great empire... remember that..."


    The hand''s force on their necks, tightens more and more


    Suzushii''s face is turning blue, he grits his teeth...


    HE SCREAMS SOOO LOUD, A STRONG GUST OF WIND SENDS THE PIPES FLYING, INSTANTLY SETTING THEM ON FIRE WITH HIS AURA


    "YES FINALLY!!!! I FUCKING MISSED PLAYING WITH YOU ONII-CHAN!!!!!! AHAHAHAAHAHAH" the man laughs hysterically


    Suzushii sets his hand on both of the agents'' jackets with an aura so thick, you could see it, a thick flowing blue flame...


    Like the both of them were on fire...


    "GET OUT OF HERE AND RENDEVOUS WITH ME ON THE CRATER, JUST FOLLOW THE TOHOKU MAIN LINE, AND HEAD SOUTHWEST!!!!! I''LL DISTRACT THEM ALL!!!!"


    "B-buut!!!!" Keiko protested, Musen grabs her shoulder... and shakes his head...


    "You... two... will just get in my way..." Suzushii coldy says, turning his head directly at them


    "Keiko-san... let''s go... we''ll see him there..."


    "Our mission''s objectives are now forfeit... well only one objective... remains..."


    "Retrieve Atushi Suzuto..."


    "Well not really... there''s still one more" Keiko says...


    "Relieve the Insurgent forces... in the area"


    The both of them suddenly sprint out, as the man grins, waving his hand


    "YOU TWO!!!! HIS ABILITY IS HE CAN WRITE ANYTHING AND MAKE IT HAPPEN, LOOK OUT FOR ANYTHING WITH WRITING!!!!"


    "BUT HOW DO WE EVEN FIND THAT OUT??? EVERYTHING HAS WRITING!!!!" SHE SCREAMED AT HIM


    At her feet... traditional Japanese calligraphy forms beneath the concrete pavement...


    It says...


    Explode...


    "LOOK OUT!!!!!!" MUSEN SCREAMS, THROWING HER BODY TO THE SIDE, HIS ENTIRE BODY TAKING THE HIT


    SHE LOOKS IN SHOCK AS THE HUGE SMOKE SENDS SHOCKWAVES ALL OVER THE CITY CENTER


    The city lights and billboards still lit up through the thick fog, momentarily stopping for a few seconds before lighting back up...


    "MUSEN-SAN!!!!!"


    His body stands with black burning smoke, as the jacket full of aura protected him from the blast-


    Still full of the blue fiery aura... but noticeably lesser in its amount-


    "Miss..."


    "Let''s... get out of here..."


    She nods with tears in her eyes, thinking he had really killed him...


    They run off continuing to dodge more explosions, using their aura to detect the calligraphy writing infused with the insurgent''s aura


    .


    .


    .


    The explosions stopped... and a deadly silence filled the air...


    "shhhh!" the girl whispers, Musen just nods, aiming his AR, covering their moving positions


    They moved through the entire Sendai city center area, the scenery the same...


    Wrecked cars with gigantic candies in them...


    Occasionally...


    It would change briefly...


    The cars had something else other than giant candy pieces in between them...


    They were giant household objects or entire streetlights...


    But... the entire city block reveals the truth more clearly...


    Pools of dried blood... cover their feet...


    The concrete, is painted red... with...


    Body parts... dismembered limbs and heads and destroyed organs and bodies...


    Cover the lanes...


    "EEEP- HMMMMMMMMPH!" just as Keiko was about to scream, her mouth is covered by Musen''s hand...


    "sssssh!!!!" he bluntly whispers, she nods, tearing up all over his hand, as she grabs his pistol by her suit


    He nods as if to calm her but still focused on the situation, they wander the crimson streets, wondering...


    If the dead were this destroyed... how would the living...fare any better?


    If there... were any at all?


    A creeping atmosphere chokes them by the minute...


    Their minds racing at...


    What would break the silence next?


    As they get nearer and nearer to the crater... which was soooo big, it spreads across multiple kilometers, hitting other cities as well...


    Fully decimating them... like they were never on the map...


    At all...


    It spanned from Fukushima proper all the way to Sendai''s outskirts... from Koori all the way to Ogawara, just near the coast... to Iwanuma...


    "Are we near... senpai?"


    "We''re near... to Ogawara..."


    "Tell me senpai... how do you know this area?"


    "Well... my family loves going to the coast... you know with all the beaches and all that... and with us city folk..."


    "We love being out of the busy life... now and then..."


    "Well this was before the Fukushima Incident hit... before the coast basically became too much of a bad omen to go to... well this side atleast..."


    "The delicacies of the east coast... it''s to die for... sooo much seafood... it''s pretty much heaven..." Musen says with complete satisfaction, Keiko smiles cutely, her eyes imagining it all with clear delight


    "The Kaisen-don! The oysters! The Katuso! My favourite!"


    The both of them reminisce, escaping the horrors of their situation...


    A hand grasps Keiko''s ankle-


    She screams as the entire road is suddenly flooded with multiple aura presences-


    "These... things..."


    "They''re not in my heat scope... W- What are they???"


    "F-fire!!!!" the both of them shouted, their guns lighting up the entire radius filled with what looks like people...


    Mindless... zombies???


    Like... the ones...


    In the dimension???


    As their aims shift from position to position to position to position-


    The bodies fall to the ground... and they...


    Get back up again...


    "HOLY SHIT IT AIN''T WORKIN''!!!!!" Keiko suddenly cursed with her provincial accent


    "W- we''ve got to retreat!!!!" Musen screams


    "BUT TO WHERE???"


    "Anywhere but here!" they both keep firing trying to clear a way out


    "I''M OUT!!!! RELOADING!!!!!"


    "COVER ME!!!!"


    Keiko covers him but too many of the zombies keep coming to their position... like... ants...


    They are overwhelmed... their bodies trampled and smothered, their jackets protect them from the crowds...


    But for how long? exactly?


    "I- I..."


    "I don''t want to die..." Keiko whimpers, with Musen protecting her from the crowd of zombies, his back turned, facing her...


    Face to face...


    "You won''t" he exclaims


    "We''ll make it out of here..."


    "B-but how?" she bawls


    He gives her a reassuring look... his hand grasping her face


    "We... have to..."


    "For our families... waiting for us... for our mission..."


    He embraces her, she holds him in return


    Their hope futile... their light fading...


    If they''re to die here... might as well die with hope...


    Instead of the opposite...


    The... zombies all drop lifeless across them...


    "H-huh?"


    "W-what?" they both exclaimed in confusion, and upon climbing the mountain of lifeless bodies of citizens that were on top of them, the aura on their jacket just about to crack...


    They see their savior...


    A beautiful woman with a flowing all white kimono and matching white hair...


    Her eyes gaze at them both, their color like the sky...


    The clouds opening up to their position, so blue, so clear


    The sunlight peering and blinding their eyes...


    "Tell... Suzushii..."


    "I''m..."


    "I''m on your side... now..." she says softly, her words like a soothing melody, a contrast to the bloody and ghastly remains of the east coast around here...


    And as the fog lifts around them...


    The view says it all...


    They''re here...


    The Fukushima Crater... in all its glory...


    Or rather... in all its entirety...


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W3oXDNTuJ4&list=LL&index=3</a> / Don��t You Evah By Spoon

 Chapter 10 - The Change Part 2

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/HzYrZoALCCA /</a> I Can��t Handle Change by ROAR


    You look over the window...


    Waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting...


    For what exactly?


    ...


    ...


    ...


    What''s missing?


    What''s...?


    Empty?


    Is it me?


    You?


    Your life?


    Your longing?


    The sky?


    The sea?


    The people?


    Your people?


    Your...


    Family?


    .


    .


    There''s nothing left...


    For both me and you...


    Atsushi...


    My beloved...


    Come back...


    Soon...


    The woman looks over the city lights... Her head down...


    Her silent tears pouring over...


    Her breath ragged and held back...


    And then...


    It all washes over...


    All of these years... Of brief glimpses...


    Why won''t it last...


    Why won''t it last...


    Why... Won''t it last...


    and now...


    It all washes over-


    WHY WON''T IT LAST?!?!?!?


    ATSUSHI!!!!!


    WHY!!!!!!!


    FUCK!!!!!!!!


    She smashes the glass right through the window pane, the glass shards slowly falling over, her fragile eyes look over, her heart swells, she knows... Why...


    And yet...


    And yet...


    She still waits...


    She still longs...


    She still hopes...


    For him...


    For their time...


    If there even is any left...


    At all...


    .


    .


    I know... Inari...


    The man coughs up blood...


    His hand barely visible to him...


    I''ll come home... soon...


    To you...


    To you all...


    Wait for me...


    Wait for me...


    W-wait...


    For m-me...


    The man collapses...


    The ground all barren and rough and cold and... is all he''ll ever feel...


    Last...


    .


    .


    .


    -So Long Ago-


    Ever since...


    I could remember...


    Everything... everywhere...


    All I could do, breathe...


    And be...


    Was for them...


    For us...


    For...


    The Great Empire...


    I...


    Wanted...


    To escape ever since...


    Did I?


    D-did we?


    Did... we...?


    .


    .


    Rows of crowds of people line up and are spread all over the barely spacious tunnels we called home...


    I-


    Most of us never saw the sunlight...


    All we ever ate was canned food and the exotic vegetables and fruits... in the islands...


    We didn''t know it at that time...


    We...


    "PAY CLOSER ATTENTION!" the senior officer screamed at the hundreds of children all lined up, dressed in military clothing, all armed up to the teeth, all of them... inexperienced...


    All of them... obedient...


    All their lives...


    "Atsu!" the young boy shaked him over and over again till he stopped his spacing out


    "You''re gonna get us both shot!"


    "Oh! ... right..." the younger Atsushi pressed both of his palms together on his cheeks, and slapped them hard till they were red


    "I''m s-sorry... Suzu-nii" he muttered


    "Yeah well... you can do me a solid later-!"


    "He''s about to be here!"


    The senior officer checked every single child, shooting every single one who didn''t comply... the child who wasn''t paying attention... who wasn''t prepared...


    "BANG!" the senior said as he aimed his pistol directly at Atsushi''s head, loading its chamber for the next round


    "You..."


    Atsushi stays silent... his eyes drifting... in disbelief...


    "YES YOU!!!!!"


    "YOU BASTARD" he slaps his face hard with the pistol, the young boy''s face all bleeding and purple


    "Heh"


    "You got a death wish?"


    "Where''s..."


    Suzushii can''t intervene.. lest...


    He wants to die too...


    "Where''s your rifle... soldier?"


    Atsushi''s world of escapism shatters...


    With the barrel in between his eyes...


    "L-lieutenant!"


    "I- I!"


    He can only stutter and stammer...


    His death...


    Imminent...


    His mistake...


    Is on him...


    The trigger is pulled!


    Each and every child around watches on, some with their eyes closed, some stare...


    Desensitised...


    The...


    The chamber is empty...


    "You''re lucky soldier...!" the senior exclaims as he beats him senseless, over and over again to the stomach, until he passes out


    "Tch!"This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "What a fucking pathetic piece of shit..."


    "You!"


    Suzushii''s eyes widen at being called, he gulps halfway...


    "Yes sir?!?"


    "Get him out of here!"


    "Consider this mercy on behalf of the emperor himself!"


    "Hah!"


    "As if" he scoffs, spitting at the passed out Atsushi


    "Thank you sir!" Suzushii salutes him, as every child in the room does the same


    "As you were!"


    "NOW LEAVE!" he screams, Suzushii nods, leaving in a formal military courtesy, carrying and limping under the weight as Atsushi on his arms...


    "Atsushi..."


    "I''m sorry... I couldn''t..."


    "Do anything..." he sobs while leaving the hanger, with the senior officer still screaming and shooting his way through the lines of children...


    .


    .


    "Suzu-nii... I''m sorry... I almost got you killed" he lays on the hundreds upon hundreds of bunk beds around them, Suzushii nods... his eyes still red...


    "Don''t worry... Atsu..."


    "We''ll...be out of here..."


    "Someday..."


    He embraces him, the bruised and tucked in Atsushi, his arms warm and strong...


    "Suzu-nii..."


    "Promise...?"


    "Promise..."


    .


    .


    The days... the years... all pass...


    I... can''t...


    I can''t be weak...


    I can''t show...


    Any weakness...


    I can''t show... any... emotions...


    Unless...


    BANG!


    He aims his rifle as it shakes rapidly, his arms struggling from supporting it...


    He fires a shot...


    His shoulders bolt upwards, unable to withstand the firepower


    And yet...


    His eyes...


    Are as focused as ever...


    His spirit...


    Colder than ever...


    I can''t die here...


    I can''t die here...


    I can''t...


    He reloads the chamber of the bolt-action rifle


    He holds his breath and aims it at the target, right at the center...


    His body reacts accordingly... with a sweaty forehead and slippery hands


    BANG!


    He missed... by just a few places...


    I can''t die here.


    His eyes glare at the target...


    Determined...


    To be the perfect... killing machine...


    I won''t die here.


    "Atsu? you alright? come on let''s play!"


    I won''t die here.


    "THE GREAT EMPIRE HAS NO DESIRE FOR USELESS FODDER! TODAY TILL YOU''RE ALL READY, WE''LL WEED OUT THE UNWANTED!"


    His ears ring from the gun shot close to his ear...


    The blood dripping and spilling...


    All across the floor and flowing... right beneath his feet...


    I won''t die here.


    BANG!


    BANG!


    BANG!


    BANG!


    I WON''T DIE HERE!!!


    His eyes look only ahead...


    Every target...


    Is his...


    His survival...


    Is his...


    His freedom...


    Is...


    Isn''t just his...


    ...


    Suzu-nii...


    When...


    Will this ever end?


    .


    .


    .


    "THE WORLD... HAS BEEN ROTTING FOR THE PAST CENTURY..." the voice rings out through the entire hall, the walls decorated with propaganda of imperial japanese greatness and superiority, the old imperial japanese flag is everywhere from where you may look...


    It watches everyone...


    "WESTERN INFLUENCE AND DOMINANCE... IS A PLAGUE TO THE ENTIRE NATION... LET ALONE THE ENITIRE WORLD!"


    "THE GREAT EMPIRE... WE... CANNOT LET THIS PERSIST ANY LONGER..."


    "FOR WE... HAVE THE RIGHT! TO RULE THE WORLD!"


    "TO LET THE SUPERIOR JAPANESE PEOPLE! BE THE LIGHT FOR ALL THE PEOPLE!"


    "OUR WAY IS THE BEST! OUR LANGUAGE! OUR CULTURE!"


    Roars of chanting echo through out the halls of the bunker... who knows how many bunkers there may be...


    "WE HAVE NOT LOST!"


    "THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE SURRENDERED OUR WILL! BUT WE! WILL NEVER SURRENDER!"


    "HOORAH!"


    "THEY REJECTED THE NATURAL COURSE OF THE HUMAN RACE... ISHII... OUR ABILITIES..."


    "OUR NATURAL EVOLUTION..."


    "OUR RIGHTS..."


    "NO LONGER!"


    "NO LONGER WILL WE HIDE!"


    "WE WILL SHOW THE WORLD!"


    "WE WILL EDUCATE THEM ALL!"


    "THE GREAT EMPIRE RULES SUPREME!"


    "HAIL! HAIL! HAIL! HAIL!" the great voice booms, the man with the golden robes stands firm, his kitsune mask stares at all of his royal subjects...


    He takes it off...


    His beautiful and handsome face, undiscernible and androgynous form towers above all...


    The chants get louder and louder...


    And yet two soldiers stay silent and firm... unmoving


    "Suzu-nii, is this it?"


    "We''re close, Atsu... so very close"


    "The plan..."


    "Starts tomorrow..."


    Their whispers and drowned out by the hundreds upon hundreds of the soldiers all huddled up like sardines in a tin can, chanting...


    In blind belief...


    .


    .


    In a great circle, all those with power sit...


    Among those are...


    Suzushii...


    Atsushi...


    "Today we are all gathered here... to discuss..."


    "The great plan..."


    The one who sees all as they would call him, all dressed in black, with a mask of a demon...


    He stands as all sit, he commands as he sees fit...


    "Each of you have been chosen... with a specific role in mind..."


    "We all know the great plan... the great salvation... no?"


    Every person nods around the table...


    "Every single one of you will carry the great salvation..."


    "The eight leaders of salvation..." he opens his arms welcomingly and spreads them out and upwards towards everyone


    "The leader of destruction!"


    "The leader of surveillance!"


    "The leader of espionage!"


    "The leader of reclamation!"


    "The leader of malaise!"


    "The leader of cultivation!"


    "The leader of supervision!"


    "And lastly our General- the leader of heritage!"


    They all look at each other, acknowledging each other''s presence, especially for the important matter in their hands...


    "Today is the day, all of us have been preparing for the past 5 or more years for..."


    "Your mission-"


    "Is to find the next anomaly"


    "Your target will be disclosed to you on your transport..."


    "Your destination: Hokkaido,  specifically... Furano..."


    "Only 3 leaders will be needed: surveillance, espionage and lastly, cultivation"


    "You three will carry out your duty in taking out your target"


    "Any failure will result in immediate termination..."


    "Is that understood?" the masked man questioned them, his voice absolute and detached


    "Understood!" all three leaders exclaimed as they stood and saluted, all eyes on them... especially the leader of destruction on the leader of surveillance


    "Then this meeting is dismissed, all remaining leaders... prepare for the next step... of the great salvation in... motion"


    All get up, the old chairs creaking, the dim light surrounding the circular table remaining, the leader of surveillance''s shoulder is then grabbed-


    "Hey Atsu-chan? Are you ready to finally to do this? The great salvation!"


    The young man in the dark kimono excitedly exclaimed, he repeatedly shakes Atsushi over and over again


    "Ever since we were young, they kept mentioning to this over and over, pestering rather!"


    "Hah!" he laughs


    "But don''t tell anyone I said that-"


    "It''s treason!"


    Atsushi nods in response


    "God! You''re always like this!"


    "I gotta shake your boat a little! From time to time!"


    He stares deep into his cold eyes, the warmth underneath visible in his look, he snickers


    "Oh atsu-chan! Wake up won''t you?"


    "Well I like you for being different!"


    "Too bad you''re older brother won''t be with us!"


    "Guess I''m babysitting you for the mean time-"


    He elbows his arm hard, Atsushi breaks his stoic presence a bit, as the man leads his eyes to the girls next to the other edge of the table


    "I know you''ve got an eye on her... our precious leader of cultivation!" he giggles, as Atsushi turns red, looking downwards


    You don''t even know why I got my eye on her... Mikoto... he says in his mind-


    "I''ll let you and her get alone!"


    "Consider it... my treat!"


    "AHAHAHAH" his laugh bellows through the room, capturing the attention of the girls, the leader of cultivation stares at him, specifically... at Atsushi...


    I... can''t surely do this... can I?


    But I''ve got to...


    Right? Suzu-nii?


    The leader of cultivation subtly checks him out, winking in response...


    Atsushi''s heart swells... in hesitation of "the plan"


    Err... rather...


    "Their plan"


    "Well anyways Atsu-chan! See you at the chopper!" Mikoto laughs once more, elbowing him one more time, Atsushi grabbing his stomach in reponse to the pain


    Oh Mikoto...


    I''m sorry...


    For what I''m... about to do...


    Suzushii notices Atsushi, rushing to him, grabbing his shoulder, wrapping him close


    "You alright? Did Mikoto hurt you again?"


    "It''s f-fine..."


    "Heh, he always breaks your coldness well!"


    "Too well..." he says darkly...


    "Suzu-nii... should we do this...?"


    "They... they''re only following orders..."


    "I... I care about them all..."


    Suzushii''s face softens...


    "We... we''ve got to..."


    "Unless... you want another world war..."


    "I... don''t want to do this..."


    "Everyone here... is my family..."


    "But... we can''t tell them what we''re about to do"


    "We''ll die before we change their mind..."


    "Our family..."


    "Is evil..."


    "Don''t forget that..."


    Atsushi nods in response, his face vulnerable... only visible to a few... like Suzushii and Mikoto...


    This mission...


    is the turning point...


    We have to stop it...


    We... have no choice but to...


    Atsushi walks to the hangar with heavy shoulders, his hand on his hand cannon, all loaded and itching...


    But his heart... swells... and aches...


    .


    .


    "So... you ready?"


    "Atsu-chan?"


    He nods with his gear ready in tow, The leader of cultivation stares at him once more, Mikoto grabs the both of their shoulders, laughing


    "Today- blah blah blah" he says, mocking the emperor and the one who sees all, the both of them used to this respond appropriately-


    Atsushi unfazed, stares off into the distance


    "Oh come on! Akari! Don''t be like that!" Akari rolls her eyes, but she doesn''t move away, knowing how Mikoto acts, he''ll just become more obnoxious


    "Oh whatever!" he grabs his specs, and now shouts excitedly


    "Let''s go pilot!!!!! Time for the great salvation to commence!"


    "Or whateverrrrrr!" He mocks Akari, rolling his eyes too, smiling and smirking like an idiot


    The chopper''s blades start to rev up, the wind all around spinning to lift them upwards, Mikoto says all sorts of non-sense, his presence takes the spotlight, a great distraction...


    For the real plan...


    Atsushi ponders, just as the chopper leads them away from the island they were just in...


    They''ve seen all sorts of places...


    And yet...


    Freedom is up to the eye of the beholder...


    Heh...


    Freedom...


    What a joke...


    We can''t just escape... with the great empire running around...


    Scheming all sorts of plans...


    Especially with all of their Ishii abilities...


    Who knows...


    What am I kidding?


    We already know...


    What they''re planning...


    What will happen next...


    They pass fields upon fields of farms, the wind chilling to the bone, the clouds foreboding, the sky dim, the climate changes as they get closer to the north


    The snow falls all over, everywhere they look


    The blizzard hits harder than ever, their gear is thick and layered, and still-


    The coldness is still felt regardless...


    He looks over at Akari, his face hiding his true intentions, Mikoto stops talking and lets the overtones fill the air


    He pushes Atsushi right towards Akari''s arms, he looks right up at her...


    Her face a bit red, she smiles a little, shocked at Mikoto''s antics


    Who gleefully smiles and lets them interact gladly...


    "H-hey there"


    "U-uuh" he stammers...


    She holds his face and rubs it a few times... her face still blushing...


    The curves of her mouth, moves in a strange direction...


    It quivers...


    She kisses him...


    Atushi overwhelmed... cries, with tears down his face... He... He doesn''t want to do it...


    She doesn''t stop, but slowly notices his wet face...


    In letting go...


    She sees him for the first time...


    All vulnerable, like a scared little boy...


    "W-why?" she asks, confused and baffled, with Mikoto turning his head in how the conversation isn''t what he expected...


    "Why? Are you crying?"


    "Are you alright? Atsu-chan?" she wipes his tears, waiting for a response...


    His body shakes in fear and in pain...


    She embraces him, her warmth scaring him...


    So much warmth...


    For something so cold as...


    "I- I- I- I-"


    "I''m sorry..."


    "Akari-nee..."


    "I- l-love you..."


    Her eyes widen in shock and in happiness... she smiles deeply...


    Too bad...


    It''s all gone...


    BANG!


    Just like that...


    "A- Atsu-chan..." Mikoto watches in disbelief...


    "W- what did you just do?" Mikoto hesitates as his whole world is shook, Atsushi''s face full of tears, shock, dread, sorrow, grief and lastly...


    Blood...


    Her blood...


    My love...


    I''m sorry...


    I can''t turn back time...


    I''ll... see you...


    In hell...


    A sudden force hits the helicopter, the chopper loses all control, Atsushi''s body moves on its own, choking out Mikoto


    His breath in sparse bursts, his specs, fall away from the chopper, broken and shattered...


    Mikoto''s eyes glare right up at Atsushi, whose face has turned colder, to hide from the absolute worst thing... he''s ever had to do...


    Or is it?


    Mikoto''s hands shake, grasping, trying to move his finger-


    To write... something...


    Atsushi notices this, he increases his chokehold on Mikoto, the sudden increase of augmented aura on his hands, getting closer and closer...


    To finishing the job...


    "A-atsu-chan..."


    Mikoto mutters...


    His consciousness begins to wane...


    A sudden bolt of energy bolts through him, his last aura reserves kick in-


    He writes the words on the ceiling of the chopper...


    He chuckles...


    Atsushi''s eyes widen, with only just a split second to build up his aura...


    BOOM!


    The chopper goes up in flames, a bright light in the dark blizzard, the remains come crashing down...


    With the fire spreading on the fields...


    A figure comes unfazed but battered inside...


    He prepares his form, ready for any resistance, his eyes search the entire area-


    Endless fields of flower-covered snow, he clicks his tongue...


    This must be it...


    Our source told us about it at the hangar before we departed...


    This must be... the town of Nakafurano...


    A few clicks from here, in a house near patches of lavender and lilies, will lie...


    A humble family...


    W-with...


    With...


    "A- ATSUSHI!!!" the blood-curdled voice reaches through and spreads out, but just as Atsushi''s head turns around-


    A punch sends him flying towards the lit-up house, definitely hearing all of the commotion


    Mikoto pants over and over, his fist filled with Atsushi''s spit and blood, in gritting his teeth


    He spreads his heel and flies towards him, punching him over and over and over again


    Atsushi unable to protect himself, takes it...


    Maybe as a reminder... of the consequences... of what he''s done...


    And is still going to have to do...


    His body is sent everywhere, from trees to the fields, tasting dirt and snow, his spit and blood sent spilling the whole trail over...


    No amount of hits is enough to atone for what he''s done...


    He knows this...


    But he...


    He''s still got a mission to complete...


    He grabs Mikoto''s flurry of fists, and he activates it...


    His true ability-


    His eyes glow blue and with his aura spilling like a tear gas-


    The field goes quiet, and the chopper''s remains disappear, the evidence of commotion?


    Gone.


    The door of the house?


    Opened.


    His figure walks slowly, one step at a time, his form spilling aura as if a strong gust of wind were blowing directly at him-


    He searches the rooms one at a time, multiple siblings it looks like, hiding scared in the corners.


    The father and mother, still confused search outside the home for what noise awoke them...


    And his heart races...


    He found it...


    Rather...


    The kid...


    The... baby?


    The infant...


    In the baby''s room, alone, crying, in the cradle...


    This... this is it...


    I don''t care anymore...


    I-


    I want this to be all over...


    His cold look spreads, hiding his true feelings...


    Is it even true anymore?


    What does he even feel?


    After all this?


    Is this really for the sake of the world?


    Or did they just kill innocent people for the sake of it?


    BANG!


    He does it...


    And yet...


    It''s done...


    He doesn''t even want to look at it...


    He leaves the room...


    Never to return...


    "Suzu-nii..."


    "It''s done..."


    "Let''s..."


    "Let''s..."


    "Let''s finally leave..."


    The cold look however breaks, his tears flow...


    He sobs silently...


    Breaking the illusion...


    And in this...


    The commotion...


    Still remains...


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/3oeQleJ77fU /</a> Christmas Kids by ROAR

 Chapter 11 - Dying of the Stars / The Change Part 3

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/a-8AalVm09Y /</a> Too Much, Too Much by Puma Blue


    "Hey!"


    "Why''re you feeling down?"


    "You ok?"


    The tallest and eldest boy of the whole group stood there, all worried and concerned, he grasps the small boy''s ruffled hair, sensing his melancholic tinge of a feeling spreading all over the entire room...


    Their bunkers...


    Each and every one of the other boys are either with their own friend groups, having fun and talking and some others are sleeping...


    The boy looks... distressed...


    Tired...


    In despair...


    "H-hey?" the older boy kept pestering him, shaking him but to no avail


    The sad boy kept staring off into the distance...


    Like...


    He was longing for something...


    "Soooooo Suzushii isn''t here?" he asked


    "He''s usually always with you, and when you''re with him, you always seem to open up like a book!"


    "y''know? you have so much more to you!" he insisted, smiling softly


    "I know it!"


    "If Suzushii of all people can make you open up!"


    "I''m sure I can!"


    He grabs Atsushi''s hand and pulls him forcefully, his eyes realizing what''s happening, it gives open to life and he struggles to pull back to his bed


    "N-no! I don''t want to go anywhere!"


    "Yukki-san!" Atsushi looks downward, the both of them stop... pausing...


    Yukki shakes his head, his face all the more worried for him


    "You can''t always be down!"


    "I''m taking you to my friends, hell even Suzushii hangs out with us..."


    "Errrr... in his own weird way..."


    "Well whatever!"


    "Come on already!" his face frowns as Atsushi keeps looking downwards


    "I''m still taking you to our ''secret place'' whether you like it or not!" he demanded, pulling him forwards once more... but this time...


    Atsushi doesn''t fight back, he lets him be taken to wherever... he thinks...


    Not like I was doing anything important anyways...


    They pass all the way to the far end of the massive open hall filled with endless bunker beds of where it was once full of children like them, until...


    They were decided to...


    Not be "needed" anymore...


    In the far corner, stood and sat a likely misfits of other older children, seems...


    Atsushi was the smallest, shortest, and youngest among them...


    The corner was loud and brimming with life, contrasting with the empty beds all around them, Mikoto was up to his no good antics once more, laughing like an idiot and pestering the others...


    A girl looking bored, just keeps her hand on the steps of the ladder of the bunk bed... nodding her head as if she was interested in what Mikoto was saying...


    The other boy sitting next to her was conversing with Mikoto, liking his energy, his mature attitude able to keep up with Mikoto''s chaotic outbursts


    In another part of the group lay where Atsushi would not be out of place...


    The quiet cool kids...


    Another girl was there, reading her book in peace, flipping and devouring every page with attention, whereas a familiar face was sleeping there...


    Suzushii!


    Atsushi''s face suddenly burst to life, acting like his normal self, he runs up to him, and before trying to talk to him, realizes he shouldn''t pester his sleep...


    He chuckles softly...


    Yukki proud to see this sudden short moment of life from Atsushi, comes nearer to him, grasping his shoulder


    "Told''ya you would fit in here no problem!" he chuckled in return, Atsushi looking shy suddenly, turning red at his sudden burst of energy


    A clacking sound is heard from the floor below, as somebody is coming nearer to them


    "So who''s the new kid?" Another girl stood there, hand on her hips


    "And why is he so cute?" she grinned, complementing jokingly at Atsushi''s extremely red face


    "Ohh he''s our newest member now!"


    "Not like he was in any other group or doing anything important" Yukki nudged Atsushi''s arm playfully, Atsushi says "Hey that hurt!", comically grasping his arm as if he was shot


    "And finally! With us, we''re complete!"


    "And he''s also to his normal self!"


    "He was looking sooo down earlier..."


    "So why don''t we cool older kids?"


    "Show him a good time"


    The others going on with their business started to listen, nodding and smiling, Atsushi not used to the attention, hides his face, overwhelmed


    The bored girl, Akari notices this


    "Good god! Is he cute!"


    "Finally! A decent boy around here!"


    She glares at Mikoto and the recently just awakening Suzushii, who looks bored too but is surprised to see Atsushi


    Both Akari and Suzushii come nearer to Atsushi, embracing him


    "H-hey!" the both of them said all at once


    "Get off of him!"


    "Sooo Atsu already getting off with the girls?" Suzushii''s usually bored and lazy attitude towards the others is contrasted with him as close as ever to Atsushi


    "Who knew all they wanted was a shy boy!"


    "Maybe I should try it too!"


    Akari rolls her eyes in annoyance, hitting Suzushii by the back


    "Shut up! You lazy pile of bones!"


    "Unlike you who''s a tryhard, ''Atsu-chan'' over here doesn''t even know his charm!"


    "That''s what makes him alluring!"


    "Not you! Good god!" she screamed at Suzushii, he slumps back, his hands on his pockets, mocking her word for wordUnauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "Oh whatever!"


    Mikoto laughs hysterically, shaking the both of them, them looking even more annoyed at their common enemy


    "Oh you two! Always fighting over nothing!"


    "Atsu-chan over here isn''t used to this much attention"


    "Pretty sure he''s already having so much fun with this much interaction!" he laughs, grinning


    Yukki intervenes, "Well what do we do then?"


    "We''re now complete..."


    "We... can do THAT..."


    The others instantly heard him say it, some looking worried, the insane ones looking excited


    "Oh come on! Let''s just do it already! I WANNA FINALLY GET OUT OF THIS DUMP, I''M-"


    "MMMM MMMMHHH!!!!" the loud girl''s mouth is covered, by the girl reading the book


    "Maybe don''t be so loud, you''ll get us all in trouble" the girl coldly, as a matter of fact like said


    "Ughhhh... you''re soooo boring Shionnnn!"


    "UGHHHH" the loud girl groaned


    "Guess we''re doing it then" Yukki stated


    "Everyone, gather in a circle"


    All of them comply, as one by one, they filled the circle of their group, ready to listen to their de facto leader


    "Later at night, wait for my signal" he shows off the signal, the flickering deep red light of his aura, marked like a cross


    "And then we''ll all use the secret passageway"


    "I know only me and Aoki were able to survey the outside, but trust me..."


    "It''s safe and you''ll love it!"


    "If it''s anyone here that should get to see the outside"


    "It''s us!"


    "The future... leaders..." he says with importance...


    "That''s why I said you were the final person we needed... to complete the group"


    "The group that will be the future leaders... of The Great Empire..."


    "Our dreams..."


    Each and every one of them nod in unison, even Suzushii who whispers to Atsushi


    "Just go along"


    Atsushi nods in return


    Yukki smiles


    "Well! It''s just harmless fun to finally see the outside world y''know?"


    "This time we''ll protect you Atsushi... you won''t be killed by that insane instructor or whatshisname"


    Yukki points to each and every person, formally introducing them to Atsushi


    "Here''s Aoki, my right man, and the second eldest of the group, the most experienced, having been so disciplined to be ignored by the instructor himself" Aoki nods and says "Nice to meet you, Atsushi-kun"


    "Right here is his sister, Akari! The sarcastic and easily bored! but not as much as your Suzushii!" Akari winks at him, his response is to hide his face, she swoons over this


    "Cutie..."


    "Contrasted by this is, Tei Satsujin! She''s fun and pretty much just like Mikoto in how insane they both are" the both of them giggle and hit Yukki, who just shakes his head


    "Oh jeez haha"


    "And of course, Shion! Our brains in the group! I may be the leader, but she''s better at planning than I am! She found the secret passageway to the outside after all! Not me nor anyone!" Shion nods, her form straight, her face neutral, acknowledging being mentioned


    "And of course! I am your leader, well nobody wanted to be, so here I am, the leader! Yukki!" he laughs it off


    "Soo Atsushi, get some rest, cause we''ll be moving out later midnight!"


    Suzushii wraps his shoulder around him


    "And well don''t sleep at your designated bunk beds, with us, the instructor doesn''t even bat an eye to us anymore!"


    "Just keep try to keep with us!"


    Suzushii buts in


    "You rookie!" Suzushii nudges his head and ruins his hair, Atsushi struggles


    "Ughhh stop it Suzu-nii!!!"


    The others see how close they are, surprised to see the lazy Suzushii actually give off energy to anything at all


    "Well that''s that!"


    "See ya midnight!"


    "Gotta get ready on our part to check the coast, if its clear"


    "Come on Aoki!" he nods, the both of them leaving


    With everyone together and determined to see the outside world, to be the future leaders...


    The future is bright, and filled with thrill and a rush!


    But it won''t last...


    Nothing does...


    Atsushi smiles softly, feeling his heart wave... feeling... connected...


    A part of... something... finally!


    He thought...


    He... finally belongs...


    Somewhere... with people...


    Who are his true friends...


    .


    .


    .


    -Later that Evening-


    -Midnight-


    As the night swells and the coldness shatters


    All of them got up, silently


    Even both Mikoto and Tei suddenly actually took it seriously...


    They must''ve seen this for how serious it is... and for the challenge and risk it imposes...


    They all took the corners of the left and right flanks of the entire hall, footsteps silent, with all of their peers fast asleep


    They stopped...


    Right near the exit, the only exit...


    Right in front of them...


    They could feel the presence... of them both...


    The signal... was all that was left... simple enough...


    They saw it, blinking...


    The red cross...


    Just like Yukki said...


    "Its time!" Suzushii said


    Shion spoke up, "The secret passageway isn''t really well guarded, as it is on the way to the only real exit of this bunker..."


    "But there still are guards however... strong ones too... but... we can''t oppose them, nor ambush them..."


    "Our reputation for obedience with the instructor will all but be destroyed... getting us all killed..." despite her words, she still says it with a cold demeanor, the others are worried, but she clearly isn''t...


    She has trust... in them all...


    "We have to use... stealth... our training to get through..."


    "Understood?" she commanded, all of them got the message


    Mikoto, the best in the espionage tests, despite his loud demeanor, took lead...


    He watched the halls, all grey and barely lit up with faulty and old lights, haven''t been replaced since probably WW2 itself...


    The guards, are not so many, probably cocky in thinking of how strong they were...


    He positions himself outside the hall, and watches their movements


    In using his aura, he sees the trajectory of their movements and where they would lead next


    "Heh, these guards must be getting dusty, letting them know where their aura leads to next!" he muttered


    He signals the others to follow suit, they then zig-zag from each position, dodging light sources and in turn dodging the guards


    Atsushi was practically being carried by the others in how slow he was...


    He needed better training...


    Shion''s eyes lit up, they''re here!


    The secret passageway, an invisible wall of aura that masks the real secret exit of this place...


    But there is no light in using this passageway...


    "Track each other with your aura" Shion said


    "We can''t emit even a single light source"


    "This passageway was designed to immediately showcase where a certain light source was even from afar..."


    The others looked very sweaty and in distress, their... dreams... aren''t so easy...


    They... have to get through this somehow!


    Atsushi took the first step, surprising everyone...


    Including Suzushii...


    Who stares in awe at his sudden movements and decision making


    A bit reckless... he thought...


    But certainly... interesting...


    He... has potential...


    They followed the secret passageway forward, with its weird infrastructure of weird tights and turns through its corridors...


    They see it!


    The light... from the sky...


    The moonlight!


    They all slowly start to move towards it, in awestruck


    Having only seen light from fluorescent bulbs all their life...


    They were...


    About to witness the real world...!


    .


    .


    It all spread before them, their worlds having been changed


    The beauty of the island before them, the cool and clear wind, the fresh air, the beautiful sky and stars...


    The moon! As its beauty stirs before them


    Akari, actually changes expression


    Her face, different


    Her face, full of joy and disbelief!


    Suzushii''s eyes widen, he takes off his hands from his pockets to raise his hands...


    As if to grab the sky...


    Shion... breaks character, her face in disbelief as well, with her shocked and excited look


    Mikoto suddenly shouts! and so does Tei who followed suit!


    "I DON''T CARE!!! IF THEY HEAR USS!!!! CAUSE RIGHT NOW!!!"


    "WE''RE FREE!!!!!!!!" Mikoto screamed from the bottom of his lungs, spreading his arms to embrace the view and their newfound freedom... for now...


    "WOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" Tei screamed too! Moving hysterically, the both of them did...


    "Oh boy, should''ve known you all would react like that"


    A sudden voice surprises them...


    It''s just Yukki... who looks happy but a bit well...


    Y''know... haha!


    "It''s a wonder we haven''t been caught yet!" Yukki stated with him chuckling so hard, his whole body shook, within the shadows behind him was also of course, Aoki who was just nodding at their situation, smirking


    "Hehe, come on Yukki, we were also like this when we first saw this magnificent view!"


    "The outside world!"


    "Yeah well-"


    "Oh!" Yukki looks at Atsushi who just stares at the moon, spacing out, he chuckles once more, patting his head, ruffling his hair


    "Well look at Atsu-chan over here! Someone''s mesmerised!" Atsushi realizes his predicament, he just laughs it off, scratching his head


    "Well well! If you''re already opening up this much! I''m excited to see what you''ll be like in a few more years!" Mikoto butted in, grabbing Atsushi by the waist and lifting him as if he were a child


    "Oh please! Put him down! Don''t let this perfectly fine and precious boy into another devoted follower of yours truly!" Akari scoffed, picking up Atsushi and hugging him to comfort him, checking if Mikoto hurt him or whatever


    Suzushii rolls his eyes and just leaves them be with Atsushi....


    A faint smile appearing on his lips, curving slightly, seeing young Atsushi be involved in anything, makes him a bit happy for him...


    "Oh Atsu!" he smiles melancholically


    "You better... cherish all of this... before it''s all too late..." he muttered under his breath, his gaze shifting to the horizon, its endless, seemingly...


    Terrifying...


    He shudders because of the cool wind... standing apart from everyone else...


    Atsushi smiles gleefully, having be part of something bigger than him... and yet he still feels a part of it... truly...


    Makes his heart swell...


    Makes it... feel like home...


    Like...


    Family...


    For once...


    .


    .


    .


    W-what... have I done...


    A-akari...


    My love...


    Atsushi falls to his knees, the illusion breaks apart, the burning of the helicopter remains spreads over to the fields, an unconscious Mikoto lays still under his spell, the blood... of his... love...


    Of the infant anomaly...


    The source of great power...


    To turn the tide against the ICA...


    For The Great Empire...


    All destroyed...


    But for w-what...


    "BUT FOR WHATTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" MIKOTO SCREAMED FROM THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS, HE BEATS THE GROUND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, HIS BLOOD SOAKED HANDS ALL COVERED WITH DIRT, BLEEDING FROM HIS FRUSTRATION...


    And heartache...


    A familiar presence lingers and comes closer...


    It''s...


    "It''s been done..."


    "But... f-for what?"


    "Suzu-nii?" He turns his head, showing his extreme regret, the shadows blending in with his expression, having fully embraced the death and despair around them... sacrifices made for the world''s sake...


    And the world will go on, having not known of any of it...


    Suzushii dares not come closer, he... speaks up... muttering...


    "I''m sorry Atsu..." he puts his head in shame for Atsushi''s feelings... ashamed of hurting him... and those he had loved...


    "But it had to be done..." he coldly said, his words blending in with the wind...


    Atsushi''s head breaks apart...


    And with this death...


    Of him...


    He is reborn...


    Again...


    "I know..."


    "I know..."


    He doesn''t glare at Suzushii... he doesn''t blame him nor even himself for any of this...


    This...


    Was inevitable...


    "See you in hell..."


    "Akari-san"


    A cigarette is lit, as he blows it into the air... his eyes all cold and distant... his heart locked up...


    Suzushii sees his transformation... into somebody... something more...


    Like him...


    Their betrayal...


    Is complete...


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/Y-5uE0fu9ys /</a> O, The Blood! By Puma Blue

 Chapter 12 - The Change Part 4

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/IdFRt_7lv0A /</a> Specialist by Interpol


    Closed eye lids...


    A journey to the abyss...


    Unspeakable horrors... Leveled houses...


    Those are our orders...


    For the glory of the The Great Empire...


    We...


    Every single one of us...


    This is our dream?


    To destroy...?


    To remind them...?


    Of our ancient and rustic history?


    Of killing? Of wars? Of violence?


    Of our... so-called glory?


    I...


    Us...


    Both me and him...


    We can''t do this anymore... Surely...


    We...


    It''s time...


    For us... to open the gates of hell...


    And surely...


    We did...


    The final war...


    Is inevitable...


    We didn''t stop it...


    We only halted it...


    The years are all a blur, defected spirits and domestic life bliss


    All for it to blow over...


    You can''t outlive your past...


    Suzu-nii...


    See you...


    Never...


    R-right?


    I-inari...


    I''m sorry-


    For everything...


    .


    .


    .


    The haze is thick, laiden with the mist of the forgotten, a figure wanders around the open place


    Conserving the most amount of aura...


    He knows...


    That this might be the hardest fight of his life...


    He has to stand his ground...


    But really...


    Why did he come here?


    His orders?


    Bleh!


    He knows deep down why he came here...


    Willingly...


    Alone...


    It''s unfinished business...


    All his life...


    He''s been running away from...


    Them...


    But now...


    He has to face them...


    What''s left of them...


    Suzu-nii...


    You did everything by yourself...


    You sacrificed yourself...


    Just so I could taste what it could be like...


    True happiness...


    A real life...


    But that doesn''t absolve anything...


    My hands... Are still covered in it...


    Covered... by all of t-them...


    He shudders... by this coldness...


    He lights... another cigarette...


    And in blowing it...


    This thick fog...


    Might be it...


    He suddenly blocks attacks from every direction, right in his position, sparks of light emit as his body moves on its own


    His hearing is muffled, his vision is smeared like a windshield that''s been smudged


    He can''t truly perceive anything...


    Yet his body relies... On instinct...


    On what''s there!


    He raises his right arm, his arm collecting so many objects, Mikoto''s speciality!


    Though...


    It''s all just random household objects...


    A clothes hanger... A coffee mug... An extension cord... A rug...


    And yet...


    It''s all attached to his aura...


    W-WAIT!


    SHIT!


    ALL OF THEM EXPLODE ALL AT ONCE AS ALL 3 THEM RUSH AT ATSUSHI


    The mist still covering their tracks, and yet...


    All their blows are still perfectly pin pointed at Atsushi, who manages to dodge every single one and or deflect it with his thick aura...


    His specialty...


    Which is aura enhancement...Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Since his abilities involve... trickery...


    Deceiving the perception of reality...


    Something not so easy to inflict...


    With this much mist!


    "Tch! I totally keep forgetting Mikoto''s ability and how he can keep transforming objects with the tip of his finger... as long as he writes it-"


    Multiple ribbons suddenly restrict his form, hundreds upon hundreds of the "forgotten" rush at him, chomping and ripping his flesh...


    All sides of his position are raided by massive walls of concrete, crushing and smothering whatever was there before, all of the zombies are smushed into red paste, being spilled onto the rocky grounds of the Fukushima crater


    Like a garbage compactor, his whole position is absolutely demolished from existence...


    And yet...


    Faint areas of Atsushi''s aura is still found right beneath the monolithic cube now before...


    "Yeah... we thought that was his real body... but it wasn''t..." the figure stated


    His fingernails get longer... his teeth...


    His fangs...


    Get longer...


    He hisses...


    "He''s just around here somewhere!" he shouted


    "If we let him play with us! We might as well be here forever!" the other two leaders constantly start to search for the real body of Atsushi...


    Who''s gone missing...


    Multiple zombies roaming and searching around the area, through the craters...


    Below and above...


    A hand is felt, moving all across the area, his fingertips swaying and moving...


    Writing...


    Pebbles rise from the ground up, as they spread all over the area into multiple even smaller pieces...


    Searching for any sign of Atsushi...


    Yukki... uses his eyes to search for Atsushi''s heat signature...


    His eyes gleaming...


    His heat signature is found!


    But...


    Its...


    They''re...


    Everywhere!


    And no matter how many and no matter how hard they hit any of his clones...


    None of them seem to be the real deal...


    "We''re fucked now..." Yukki cursed, clicking his tongue...


    "He knows... we can obliterate him... the second we find his real form..."


    "So now... he''s hiding..."


    "He''s-!"


    "Buying time..."


    "He''s coming... isn''t he?" Mikoto came closer to Yukki''s position... his rage indescribable... uncontrollable...


    He clenched his fist so tight, it started to injure his own tendon muscles...


    "He''s... mine..." Mikoto said coldly... how oddly fitting...


    "As much as we both want him... me and Shion..." Yukki looks at Mikoto''s face with an air of understanding...


    A sort of "it can''t be helped now... can it?"


    "He''s yours then..." Yukki licks his lips, cracking all of his fingers one by one...


    "Make it good... Mikoto..." Yukki said with almost an air of... sadness...


    Like he didn''t want any of this happening...


    And yet... how ironic...


    Coming from the leaders who believed...


    In the Great Empire''s supremacy... and...


    Superiority...


    Who did and obeyed... with no questions asked...


    Was the means... justifiable for the end?


    Yes... yes is the answer...


    As he would say...


    If it weren''t for them two...


    The Great Empire would''ve won...


    A long long... time ago...


    Shion hides in the shadows... knowing... her resolve...


    Her choice...


    And later...


    Her decision...


    "Suzushii... get here... quick..." she muttered, her form blending in and being sucked in by abyss behind her...


    Knowing this game of cat and mouse...


    Will surely last weeks...


    Best save your aura...


    Till then...


    Till the moment...


    He loses every single ounce...


    Of aura...


    In him...


    Why was he here?


    He''s here...


    Because he can''t... decide...


    To kill the remnants of his past...


    Or to be consumed by it fully...


    .


    .


    .


    -Present Day-


    Through the city square...


    The rubble falls down...


    The neon lights flicker and shine the way...


    Trails of blood lead to the...


    Where the real fight...


    Will be...


    The speakers all playing one song...


    From a certain somewhere...


    A certain song is playing...


    The vinyl crackles and spins...


    The voice wails...


    "Come on, come on... you think you''ll drive me crazy?"


    https://youtu.be/MswujC7pvco /</a> You and Whose Army? By Radiohead


    "You and whose army?"


    "You and your cronies?"


    Suzushii scoffs and raises his hand and arm right across his face...


    Right across the city square... stood...


    His former comrade...


    And yet...


    Were they ever really comrades?


    Mikoto grits his teeth, hysterically laughing, raising his hands right above the air


    Always the one to find humor in anything, despite the more morbid situations as of late...


    As of... their nature


    As The Great Leaders...


    "Mikoto... how???"


    Suzushii grips his fists hard, strengthening his aura with a coat blue flame


    "HOW DID YOU SURVIVE? YOU FUCKING RAT!!!!" he screamed


    "Oh?" Mikoto chuckled chillingly


    "I''m the rat?"


    "After all this time... you dare... say something like that..." Mikoto''s voice is strangely calm...


    It''s creepy


    His fingers all crack and twist in multiple different ways... directions...


    It''s clear...


    It''s going to happen...


    "Y''know..." Mikoto continues on


    "I''ve been waiting for this... for soooo long... you killed..."


    "Aoki..."


    "You... betrayed us... you and your little brat!"


    "Atsu-chan~~" he says mockingly


    "Hell! I''m pretty sure you egged him on!"


    "YOU MADE HIM KILL AKARI!" he snaps, his fingers ready...


    "Even if he never wanted to..."


    Suzushii just stands there... in silence...


    Remembering that... fateful day...


    The mist gets thicker, the music intensifies...


    The clouds... above them...


    Pelt them with rain...


    The rain is thick... heavy...


    Everywhere...


    "Come on if you think, come if you think"


    "You can take us all on..."


    "You can take us all on..."


    "You and whose army?"


    "You and your cronies?"


    The music trancends to a crescendo!


    Both of their bodies are sent flying, as the both of the get closer and closer


    Their eyes never leaving each other''s


    Suzushii lands a fist full into Mikoto''s entire chest, ripping a hole into him


    But he just laughs!


    "AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH THIS IS FUN!!!! SO MUCH FUN!!!!!"


    He grabs Suzushii''s neck and grips hard on it, choking him hard


    His fingers emitting a purple light, it crushes it entirely!


    Suzushii just clicks his tongue sarcastically, scoffing at his attempts


    "Oh we both thought it''d be that easy huh?"


    "Let''s actually go all out now? YOU FUCKING FREAK!" Suzushii screamed, the force on his neck didn''t crush anything, instead... it completely burns Mikoto''s hands, he just smirks and grins, leaving his position near him


    Jumping from different directions, he uses his fingers, writing rapidly all over the place


    From the metro trains, to the stations, to the concrete beneath them, to the buildings


    Suzushii spreads his arms and sudden surges of water flood the city square, all of the cars are then moved by the waves, they are sent everwhere, from the ground below all the way to the skyscrapers around them


    Sent crashing into Mikoto, who dodges them one by one, the buildings are all being destroyed one by one, explosions of the cars, to debris falling down, and yet...


    Mikoto stands firm... in his conviction...


    To finally avenge them...


    His comrades...


    H-his... family


    Everything from construction wide steel cables, to giant dental flosses, to ropes, to laces of sour candy are coming after Suzushii


    Who just grips the air with his hand and in crushing it, gigantic tornadoes are willed into existence, along with the ground beneath them being used by Suzushii, who crushes the rock and turns them into even more debris


    And with his control...


    He completely demolishes the city square, basically...


    Self-destructing it...


    He flies and shields himself with layer upon layer upon layer of his flaming blue aura...


    THE CITY SQUARE IMPLODES INTO ITSELF!!!!


    And with the remains...


    "BOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!" Mikoto jumps Suzushii, who...


    Is inside his barrier!


    They both struggle as Mikoto writes EXPLOSION into every part of his body, Suzushii''s eyes widen, trying to grip free of Mikoto''s chokehold


    He sends his barrier, and basically them flying all the way to where Suzushii had to go...


    "If I can''t finish you here!" Suzushii bites his lip...


    "THEN I''LL CRUSH YOU BENEATH MY HEEL!!!!"


    "WHERE I SHOULD''VE HAD!!! A LONG LONG TIME AGO!!!!!!"


    "JUST LIKE YOUR PRECIOUS "AOKI"" he taunts and mocks Mikoto, who snaps, igniting every single one of the writings on Atsushi


    He doesn''t care if he dies here right now


    His rage... his impulses...


    Control him now...


    And always have...


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    The explosions are all set off at once, their impacts hitting their bodies with the force of an atom bomb


    It is ignited onto the sky of the once Fukushima, the skies are all opened wide, the twilight sky right underneath them


    The rain however... doesn''t stop...


    It keeps going...


    Regardless...


    .


    .


    Right across the valley of the crater, right in front of it all...


    Right above...


    The two agents stand there, awaiting...


    Suzushii...


    And trying to find Atsushi...


    The woman in white majestic robes gets closer to them...


    "You won''t be able to grasp where he is... but he is there..." she said, her voice chilling to the bone


    Keiko shudders, freezing due to the mist


    Musen turns his head, to see Shion


    "That''s his ability after all... to deceive..."


    "The former leader of surveillance..."


    Both of the agents look at her... surprised...


    In shock...


    "Atsushi was a former leader... of us... the great empire..."


    "And so was Suzushii..." her face almost changing... with emotion... nostalgia... longing... loss...


    All three of them stand in wait...


    The fog around them spreads... of their emotions...


    Fear... anger... wallow...


    Death...


    Their own mortality...


    Shion sighs... her eyes as cold and distant than ever...


    "I... after what we have done..."


    "As leaders... I thought... we were doing the right thing..."


    "For the longest time..."


    "But the moment, both Suzushii and Atsushi defected..."


    "Something in me had snapped..."


    "It''s like... I knew... deep down..."


    "I was just following... enjoying my friends... all of them..."


    "M-my family..." she smiled softly, revealing a part of her that no one else had seen, Keiko warms up to her, despite her being the enemy... she gets it..


    Maybe they were... just like them...


    They''re just like us...


    People... on the other side...


    Keiko thought...


    "Whatever happens... now... know that..." she says with a rougher voice


    "I''m not following them anymore!" she said with resolve, grabbing both of their shoulders...


    "I- I-"


    "I''M NOT A LEADER ANYMORE!" she screamed for the first time in her life, showing her true locked up and bottled emotions...


    The explosion of Suzushii and Mikoto breaks the silence, just as she had...


    The shockwaves are sent all over them, all over the valley, wiping away the mist, and with this...


    Atsushi''s true position is found... Right above the valley as well...


    Near...


    -REDACTED-


    His aura...


    Had run out...


    "THERE YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" YUKKI SCREAMED, JUMPING AT HIS POSITION, HIS FANGS AND FINGERNAILS HISSING, READY TO STRIKE


    Atsushi all vulnerable, is too tired to move...


    "Is this it?" he muttered...


    He closes his eyes once more...


    Not resisting...


    But...


    Accepting...


    "I''m so sorry... Inari... Jisei... Natsuno..."


    "For everything..." he sobs...


    He didn''t come here to do his mission...


    He came here to...


    -REDACTED-


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/HfXYtnZ-L-E /</a> Song Seven by Interpol

 Chapter 13 - The Change Part 5

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/xXvtoUBMB_k /</a> Leave by Whirr


    I can see it...


    All the way from down here...


    The light...


    I can see the light...


    Maybe that night...


    I really did die...


    Maybe that night...


    My life was over the moment...


    I pulled...


    That trigger...


    I''m sorry... really...


    I''m going to leave you...


    Inari...


    Jise...


    Natsuno...


    I never really got to see her...


    Grow up...


    Jisei...


    Protect them for me huh?


    I...


    Can''t live anymore...


    Not with their eyes...


    Still on me...


    I-


    I-


    I...


    I can still feel her on my shoulder...


    Her teasing...


    Her longing...


    I should''ve been hers...


    A long long time ago...


    It''s cold down here...


    So cold...


    Please...


    My long lost love...


    Warm me up...


    Warm...


    Us... both...


    Atsushi closes his eyes, his aura all spent, his body all fatigued...


    Most importantly...


    His spirit... all broken...


    He never really could escape them...


    Her...


    And now...


    It all ends...


    He reckoned...


    .


    .


    A whole dome of bodies pile themselves high to protect Atsushi, whose body just shakes and whimpers from the extreme exertion of aura...


    Yukki''s eyes widen, his shock so palpable, an opening so huge and wide is seen...


    A white flame is lit...


    His arm is sent flying several meters away...


    Musen... did it...


    And in using Shion''s aura as a source...


    Yukki jumps multiple spots away from his newfound enemies...


    Especially her...


    Shion!


    He coughs up blood... hand on wound...


    Gaping...


    Rushing...


    Flowing...


    Running out...


    "Shit.. shit... shit... SHIT!!!!!!!" Yukki screamed so loud it send shockwaves right across the valley, Shion snaps her fingers... the thick mist reverts back...


    As hundreds upon hundreds of the forgotten flood Yukki''s position, he constantly hacks away each and every zombie in his sight, and yet...


    He isn''t fast enough...


    They all chomp away at his form, he generates a make-shift aura barrier...


    But at this rate... it won''t last...


    Even half a minute''s worth...


    "It''s time..."


    "To use it..."


    He chuckles...


    "The sacrifice..."


    A white veil covers the entire valley, a strong gust of wind threatens to scatter Shion and the others, and with her help... the hands of the forgotten grab their ankles...


    Musen pants... tired from augmenting such a strong amount of aura... his entire body drops from his exhaustion...


    Keiko tries to get closer to Atsushi...


    Knowing...


    If she could just heal him-


    They''d have a better advantage against Yukki... and possibly Mikoto...


    Her feet slowly gather up momentum, traversing the little distance but because of the wind, it feels like she''s slowly trekking up mount everest...This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The hands follow her movements... holding her place...


    Lest she be flying...


    She was getting closer...


    A little bit more and-


    She''d be-


    She gasped...


    A rush of blood streamed down towards a part of her...


    But what was it?


    ...


    She coughed up so much blood, it was entire litres of her own liquids...


    She looked down...


    She didn''t believe it...


    She couldn''t ever...


    A giant gaping wound on her chest...


    A part of her...


    Gone just like that...


    She screamed into the void, thrashing about!


    And yet...


    It was no use...


    It''s like...


    "I never existed... at all..." she whispered... her hands on her hole... in the middle...


    She drops to the ground...


    Extinguished... just like a bug...


    Crushed... smothered...


    "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Musen let out a blood-curdling scream, and by the distance...


    Stood Yukki, his right arm was cleaned right off, so he decided... to also sacrifice his right eye... and ear...


    For what?


    "Just enough aura... to obliterate your whole army..." Yukki muttered... his rage was put into a slow boil...


    "SHION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" HE SCREAMED, LAUNCHING RIGHT AT HER, WHOSE BODY GLOWS TRANSLUCENT AND CLEAR, HIS BLADE-LIKE HAND GOES RIGHT THROUGH HER...


    As if she was like...


    A ghost...


    She grasps it with her hand, fully breaking it...


    He screams in extreme agony, but he licks his lips, smirking slightly despite his pain...


    Shion clicks her tongue...


    His body leaks this black goop... it spreads all over himself...


    "Shion... oh shion... to think you were also..."


    "A FUCKING RAT AS WELL!!!!!!!!!!!" He clenches his mangled-up hands on hers, his black goop clearly affecting her, despite her... spiritual-like attributes...


    This black goop...


    It stays on her...


    Regardless...


    "You know what happens now... and no..."


    "There is no going back..." his voice swirls all over her mind...


    Her real body drops to the ground... all lifeless and...


    Spent...


    Musen just stands on his position...


    Not knowing what to do...


    Both his comrades were just made short work of...


    He guessed...


    This is it...


    His final mission...


    And he...


    Wasn''t going to live to tell the tale...


    Yukki''s body implodes into itself, before erupting all over, covering Musen in the goop, his whole body coated in it...


    He starts to feel...


    The symptoms...


    Dizziness...


    Instant pneumonia...


    Like he was burning into the very depths of...


    Hell itself...


    His body loses all sense, all... mobility...


    And lastly...


    The final symptom...


    His mind starts to leave him... like... his body isn''t his own anymore...


    It just lies there... lifeless...


    That''s because it...


    Is...


    The black goop all gather in one place, swirving and swirling all over the area, forming his form...


    Like none of this...


    Had ever happened...


    Yukki tries to stand but he falls to his knees... the blood having been stopped from seeping out...


    And yet...


    The sacrifice still remains...


    A panting can be heard...


    Breaking the silence the valley had found itself with...


    Right across, the bodies of the forgotten fall to the ground...


    Revealing...


    A very much so vulnerable Atsushi...


    Yukki smirks... limping out to finish his job...


    The blinking light flickers once more...


    The device...


    Ready... to do its real job...


    To capture...


    To gather...


    To forcefully take what is ours... Yukki thought...


    "You lot... won''t have any more trump cards left..." his footsteps get closer and closer to Atsushi, just before he stands above his lying form... towering over him...


    "And with this..." he slowly whispered...


    "WE WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!" Yukki exclaimed excitedly, raising his arm to complete it...


    The... strike...


    Goes right through?


    A ghastly hand stops him...


    Yukki''s eyes widen... and with this...


    His neck is snapped...


    Shion hovers over him, separating his head from his body...


    Strong gushes of crimson spread all over the ground, his neck still spilling...


    Endlessly...


    "Since w-when?" Yukki''s head speaks, his words carefully thought up, he knows his time is up...


    "Since when were you a rat?"


    Shion holds his head, her face the same as ever...


    And yet a feeling... this feeling...


    Washes over her...


    A hidden sorrow...


    For what had to happen...


    It risks being spilled out of her...


    She...


    She keeps it in...


    "Since Atsushi killed Akari..." she coldly said, almost not surprised at the outcome they''ve reached


    "And that infant..."


    "Our anomaly..." she says with a slight pang in her tone...


    "Y''know? The ICA is no different from us..." he spoke up


    "They also kill and sacrifice even their own people..."


    "You think you''re any better?" he scoffed


    "Hah!"


    "You hypocrites... tch!"


    "This final war... it''s a battle of beliefs... once more..."


    "And just like any other conflict..." his eyes start to droop, the blood in his head running out...


    "The winners... they write history... they shape reality... not losers..."


    "The axis powers... the soviet union... they''re all losers..."


    "But not us..."


    "NOT THE GREAT EMPIRE!!!!!!!!!!!" He screamed one more act of defiance, Shion crushes and smothers his head with her bare hands, her eyelashes having not moved an inch


    "Shut the fuck up..."


    "Leader..." She sheds a confused tear for the man she used to look up to... but in seeing his final moments... of clinging... like a pathetic piece of trash...


    "Oh how far you''ve fallen..." she muttered under her breath, her figure disappearing into the mist...


    The blinking device lies there...


    Flickering...


    Still...


    .


    .


    The dust clears...


    The explosion... leaves huge trails of smoke...


    All around the atmosphere...


    The rain pelts hard onto the valley...


    Multiple footsteps are heard...


    The puddles splashing...


    The figure... however...


    Behind all this...


    Isn''t...


    Suzushii lays on the ground... his aura having protected him... but his entire body is battered... his aura is almost spent...


    He coughs... waking up...


    His eyes slowly opening... to see the grey twilight sky...


    The foreboding... of death...


    Permeates the valley... once more...


    This is where it all had started...


    Where... he lost Kuroke to them...


    Where he annihilated the whole city from the face of the earth...


    He gets up...


    Wandering through the thick mist... like a lost child...


    Trying to sense any sort of aura...


    He raises his guard, and focuses his aura on his body...


    Knowing a likely strike could come from anywhere...


    "Shion is most likely here... I can feel her presence..." he muttered, not knowing her side just yet...


    His footsteps splash onto the many many craters of the valley...


    "I''ve got to save him... I can''t just... let him..." he loses his thought...


    And remembers what Mikoto told him...


    "YOU MADE HIM KILL AKARI!"


    "Even if he never wanted to..."


    His words swirl around his head...


    He had to do it... surely...


    For the good of the world... right?


    If not... the anomaly would''ve been raised so strong...


    To be able to kill everyone in the ICA...


    To be able...


    To start another world war...


    And yet...


    He remembers their olden days together...


    As unlikely friends... comrades...


    He never really got it...


    But he did...


    Didn''t he?


    Atsu...


    You looked so happy...


    You looked so complete...


    But if you hadn''t done all those things...


    You wouldn''t be here... by my side...


    You would be on the other side of the fence...


    Against me...


    Would you really be a good person then?


    Am I...


    Did I...


    Do the right thing?


    He shudders...


    Due to the combined chill of the rain, the mist, and the wind...


    He...


    Bumped into something...


    A limp body... he sensed...


    It was...


    Familiar...


    "No..."


    "No..."


    "nonononononononoonononononononononono-"


    "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He dropped to his knees... screaming... hand in head...


    Heart... in sleeve...


    He looks at it directly...


    A shrivelled-up body...


    Like his life was sucked out of him...


    It''s...


    It can''t be...


    "It''s not you! It can''t be you!" Suzushii says in denial, he pummels the ground next to the body over and over and over again...


    His knuckles all bent out of shape...


    Unable to keep on...


    Yet he doesn''t stop...


    No pain could ever compare to this...


    To losing...


    So much...


    I tried to do the right thing...


    And yet...


    I lost Kuroke...


    And now...


    "My brother..." he silently weeps, his head on Atsushi''s chest...


    His tears indistinguishable from what surrounds them...


    It must be part of it all...


    "I failed you... I didn''t know how you felt... all this time..."


    "We were so focused on stopping them... all..."


    "That I... maybe you did die that day..."


    "I... I... I should''ve done it myself..."


    "Not you..."


    "NOT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!" He screams so hard, his voice turns course... it cracks... he lets a whimper...


    "But maybe... I would''ve had to kill you... as well..."


    "If I left you..."


    "To them..."


    He just lies there... on Atsushi''s unmoving body...


    Lifeless...


    His regret is so heavy...


    It''s heavier than this entire valley...


    Of the lives he had to take...


    The device that did this... blinks...


    Flickering...


    Right above the temple of Atsushi''s...


    The deed is done...


    The debt is paid...


    There he now lies peacefully...


    Having been extinguished...


    Like a candle being smothered...


    Oh how he longed for it...


    The sweet release of death...


    And yet his regrets... his pangs... his pain...


    Remains...


    And now it''s been passed over...


    To the one who tried too much...


    His death...


    Is on his hands...


    His blood...


    Coats his spirit...


    A chill runs up his spine...


    A ghastly presence...


    Is...


    ...


    She''s here...


    Suzushii turns his head to face her...


    His face so empty... long gone...


    Long done...


    "Just do it already... you all win..." he whispered, his voice barely discernable...


    "Just kill me already..."


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/iozTfcOPNTw /</a> Ghost by Whirr

 Chapter 14 - The Change Part 6

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/XmulpCAiw4s /</a> Blvd. Nights by Team Sleep


    "Just kill me already..." Suzushii blurted out, kneeling before her...


    In closing his eyes...


    He accepts his fate...


    I don''t even have the aura to fight her...


    She''s... too much...


    With my state...


    Shion just sighs and bends forward grasping his cheeks... her warmth surprising him...


    How is he not dead yet?


    "W-what- what are you doing?" Suzushii asks with a confused tone...


    "Showing you... I mean no harm..." she said softly, his mind spins even more...


    What?


    "I- I''ve decided... to join you..." she reveals... but her voice still tries to hide it


    "I''ve realized... I never really believed in it... in them..."


    "In the great empire and all that..." Suzushii opens his eyes, facing her, she looks at him straight


    "I only really cared... for you all... my... friends..."


    "But look where time has gotten us... against each other... this war..."


    "Has ruined us..."


    For the first time, he saw her true self


    She... had real emotion on her face...


    It looked like...


    Anguish...


    "I... I couldn''t save him... by the time I was... going to pick him up after... killing Yukki..." Suzushii looks shocked at this...


    She killed... Yukki?


    "He was already long gone..." she muttered... her voice flowing and spreading all over them


    "Mikoto... he did this..."


    "That sly bastard!" Suzushii exclaimed, pummeling the ground beneath him once again, with his bent knuckles, but...


    Shion grabs it, slowly shaking her head


    "Don''t do it Suzushii... you''ve... had enough..."


    "You''ve faced... enough..." she said calmly... Suzushii looks at her, still not used to this side of her... for all the years they worked as leaders for the great empire...


    This side of her...


    Was never let out...


    "It''s all my fault... I... instructed him... to kill Akari... to kill the baby..." he confessed, grabbing the temples of his head, rubbing them


    His headache rings...


    "I should''ve done that... but I guess he would''ve blamed me instead... for her death..."Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "He really loved her... a bit too much..." she added, he picks up Suzushii back on his feet


    "Don''t blame yourself... I know I''m not one to tell you this... but..." she paused


    "You''ve sacrificed so much... to fight the great empire... I''ve seen your efforts..."


    "I admire it... you care about them all... those you care about now and those you didn''t know back then... when you were with us..."


    "Despite everything... you''re still willing to sacrifice more... and more..."


    "You saw a crucial moment to prevent... WW3..."


    "I''m glad you did... with our... unfortunate circumstances..." Suzushii listens intently


    "You''re a good man... Suzushii..." she embraces him, and his tears start rolling...


    And yet... he weeps silently...


    "I''m not a good man... I try to be..."


    "But I don''t care about all that..."


    "We have to stop them..."


    "Or all of this... would''ve been for nothing..." the rain keeps pelting them hard... it gathers round their feet, on the crater they''re on...


    "I know..."


    "I know..." she whispered...


    Suzushii looks at her... smiling softly...


    Knowing at least... one of them... was on our side... he thought


    "With the knowledge that Mikoto has... The omega grades will surely be in danger... and most importantly..." Suzushii states, wrapping bandages around his bent knuckles...


    "They''ll now know about our secret hideouts... our security measures... our... defensive precautions..."


    "It''s only a matter of time... before..."


    "Tokyo becomes a battlefield..." Suzushii''s voice strains in saying this...


    They both get up... ready for the journey ahead of them...


    A race against time... to stop them...


    To stop the great empire from truly wiping out the capital... the base of operations for all Ishiins...


    Their last hope...


    And now...


    The Final War...


    Truly commences...


    .


    .


    .


    The silence fills the house...


    With empty rooms and unoccupied seats...


    Such a sight is common...


    A woman does the housework all around...


    Her heart longing...


    For his return...


    Each and every day...


    "Atsu-kun... my dear..." she whispered, parching her lips...


    Her body is cold...


    Lacking his warmth...


    "Please come home... soon..." she holds her chest, spreading her hand around it...


    She embraces herself...


    Holding both her shoulders..


    She weeps...


    Shaking...


    Breaking...


    This is common for her too...


    And with Jisei training... to be just like his father...


    And Natsuno still in school...


    She spends her days alone at home...


    Longing...


    That maybe...


    Just maybe...


    He''ll come home...


    To where he truly belongs...


    She reckons...


    She...


    Reckoned...


    .


    .


    .


    -A Few Years Ago-


    "My dear!!!!"  Inari called out, holding a packed lunch bento box...


    "Don''t forget your lunch!"


    Her voice is loud as it echoes through their comfy little humble home...


    Atsushi turns his head, smiling softly, cigarette in hand...


    "Hey!!!!! You promised me that you wouldn''t smoke anymore!" she pestered him, slightly hitting his arm


    "Oh jeez! yeah yeah yeah! I''m sorry ok!" he chuckled, she pouts, turning her head away from him, in disappointment...


    He just shakes his head, and takes his packed lunch...


    She catches a glimpse, as she assaults his back, hugging him


    "Don''t be long ok? Atsu-kun..." she spreads her warmth to him, he reaches to grab her hands, those wrapping his waist


    "I won''t be~ It''s just paperworkkkk, alright?" he says lazily, she just giggles


    "Yeah alright Mr. Suzuto~ Come home soon~ In time for our special time~ Alright?" she winked at him, he just shakes his head once again, sighing


    "You really are needy, aren''t you?" he then lets go of her hands, and proceeds to open the front door


    "I''m off honey! See you soon!" he kisses her goodbye, she returns it, blushing...


    She watches him leave...


    Her eyes mixed with bittersweet pangs...


    She looks down...


    He dropped his cigarette...


    She picks it up and stares at it...


    Clicking her tongue...


    "He just never learns... does he?" she shakes her head and crumples the cigarette, throwing it away


    .


    .


    .


    -Present Day-


    Goodbye old friend...


    I''m sorry... I didn''t know how you felt...


    I didn''t know you carried your guilt that far...


    That you longed for her...


    Still...


    I...


    I love you... my brother...


    And with this...


    I''ll always protect both Jisei and Natsuno...


    Especially Inari...


    For you...


    For you...


    Atsu...


    The only one who really got me...


    Cheers...


    We never really had a last drink...


    Did we...?


    This is for you...


    Take this drink...


    From the other side...


    Goodbye...


    Old friend...


    I hope you''re with her...


    With your love...


    The one I made you snuff out...


    Akari...


    Suzushii raises his flask into the grey twilight sky, he drinks it all the way...


    His tears running up his cheek...


    His memory...


    Never leaving him...


    His presence... always with him...


    Haunting him...


    Reminding him...


    Of just what kind of man he is...


    And always was...


    .


    .


    .


    -End of Atsushi Retrieval Arc-


    - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - --


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/X8ztd3UJpRA /</a> Ever (Foreign Flag) by Team Sleep

 Chapter 15 - Memento Mori

    Intro song: https://youtu.be/kZD5kPBBPN4 /</a> Crying Lightning by Arctic Monkeys


    The smoke trails are the only thing to be perceived...


    The darkness of the tunnel is so prevalent...


    Touch... sense...


    What''s to be felt...


    That''s the name of the game...


    Or rather...


    He turns his head aiming his pistol at the presence...


    That''s where they found themselves in...


    A lighter is lit...


    A slash is sent...


    Gushes of blood fly all over...


    But like what is happening...


    Nothing can be seen...


    But every presence in that very tunnel...


    Knows the rules...


    Use the darkness to your advantage...


    Whoever caves in...


    Whoever makes a move... a sound...


    Rustling noises of a hand trying to pry open a...


    Flask... of rum...


    Are heard...


    Slash!


    The blade effortlessly slices through flesh as if it were like paper...


    All precise...


    No room for error...


    His power...


    He''s deliberately holding it all back...


    The blade starts to spark...


    "Heh! This is the real fun..." he chuckles, preparing his stance...


    Knowing... that he also...


    Broke the silence...


    The darkness...


    They all came from every direction, with all sorts of abilities...


    But...


    His entire blade was lit aflame...


    And it was...


    Black...


    Black fire...


    It rend through them like nothing...


    It was...


    "Too easy..." he scoffed, shaking his head, clicking his tongue as his entire body moved with inhuman speeds, it glowed...


    A transparent... gust like property...


    Each and every strike...


    Absolutely burned and obliterated the bodies of those unfortunate enough to cross paths with him...


    "Tch! Every one of these geezers... they were spared and locked up here..."


    "FOR WHAT EXACTLY?!?!?!?!?" he shouted, breaking the tunnel wide... making it collapse and crush everything in its path... and in grabbing one of them...


    He shoves and smothers the puny figure...


    Using it to dig a whole new tunnel...


    He stares at his newfound victim...


    Well whatever was left...


    The body of this... thing...


    Was absolutely smushed to paste... all that was left was...


    Bones...


    It crumbles under his hand...


    ...


    A hand grabs his shoulder...


    His reflexes do the talking for him, pointing it directly at the assailant...


    At their neck...


    Causing it to leave a small mark... that bleeds...


    "Ugh! Could you be any more out of hand?" the voice complained at the mess he made, he shoves the blade away, rolling her eyes...


    "Oh hey... it''s you..." he says not expecting to see her...


    So soon...


    "Well yeah I''m here... and you!"


    "You didn''t even leave any alive!"


    "And how are we supposed to interrogate them now? Or to extract any of their abilities? Hmmm?" she loudly proclaims getting closer to him, her words basically spitting at him


    He takes it...


    Just staring at her frankly...


    "You''re too powerful... who knew..."


    "The old generations... they don''t stand a chance..."


    "Against you..." she turns her back on him, inspecting the crumbled bones of his last victim


    "Our anomaly..."


    "Our one and only..."


    She looks back at him, grabbing his hand, leading him out...


    "Kuroke Mutsu... Oh you..." she pinches his cheek hard, he grits his teeth looking like a child before her...


    Despite his...


    Most superior ability...


    "Come on Tei-san! You said we had to assassinate them all!" he tried to bargain with her...


    But to no avail...


    "YEAH BUT ATLEAST HAVE THE COMMON SENSE TO LEAVE ONE!"


    "GOD!" she snapped at him, pinching his cheek even harder, in which a red mark starts to form because of this...


    "Oh no matter! What''s done is done..."


    "Atleast they don''t have any more..."


    "Cards left..."


    "This so-called secret of theirs... and with all of their abilities..."


    "Who knows what they would''ve been able to do..."


    "Being able to predict the future, abilities that pertain to resources and formation..."


    "This was the generation who won... against us..."


    "But now... they don''t even have their anomaly anymore..."


    "Now... they''ve made all the wrong moves..."


    "And with you..." she grabs his chin, grinning widely


    "We''ll win this war..." but her face shifts to a look of... seeping...


    Warped confusion...


    "You... Kuroke... you have to deal with him..." she looks at him closely, almost like she was about to snap him in half


    "Suzushii..." her hand grabs Kuroke''s collar, her hands shaking...


    "Me... you... Ko-chan... Mikoto..."


    "We''re all that''s left..."


    "Shion... that little bitch!" she curses under her teeth, her rage seeps through it...


    She lets go of him...


    He looks at the ground...


    His mind set on one thing...


    Him...


    "Mikoto-san... can kill Suzushii... for all I care!" he raises his eyes, directly looking at her eyes, with a defiance that might just take her life...


    "Rushiko..."


    His fist clenches hard, his black flame lighting around it...


    "That''s who I want to kill..."


    She just sighs at this...


    "You''ll get that much..." she reassures him


    "Just a few more to endure..."


    "Just a few more..."


    Her eyes flicker, wandering all over...


    Who...


    Who are these?


    Multiple footsteps settle onto the ground...


    Awaiting them...


    "Looks like our jobs here..."


    "Have been generously done for us..." the figure mocked them, waving their hands at their comrades


    "Guess we should just call it a day? Grab a cold one... and some ramen?"


    "YEAH NOT!" one of them snaps, rushing towards the both of them-


    Tei raises her hand, and the other on her hip...


    It glows...


    Kuroke smirks, not expecting any more...


    Practice... to be had...


    "Yoo kid!"


    "Don''t expect me to babysit you!"


    "These... won''t be like those geezers..."This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    He just nods...


    Too focused...


    Too...


    "That''s good... all the better for me..."


    "ANYWAYS!!!!!!" he shouts, as all of them clash with one another...


    The tunnel quakes...


    Hungry...


    For its fill of more...


    Flesh...


    And death...


    .


    .


    .


    Glasses clink...


    Seats are shifted...


    Ice cubes are passed-


    With the people waiting...


    For their supreme leader...


    Multiple noises of people arguing and debating are all lined up throughout the long, black and opaque table...


    "Ahem..." the man clears his throat, ominously walking nearer and nearer to the front chair...


    His face is covered...


    With a kitsune mask...


    The whole room goes silent...


    His footsteps, heavy


    His hands, clenching


    He rubs his nose and his temple...


    Before settling...


    Where he rightfully belongs...


    "That''s good, that''s good" he instructs his assistant to fill his glass, he doesn''t even speak, and yet his orders are already known...


    He raises his ochoku... full of the finest sake...


    As each and every person in the room does so too


    "Glory..." he pauses, eyeing every person...


    His look... is all it took...


    To ensure complete submission


    He smiles politely...


    Scoffing...


    "GLORY TO THE GREAT EMPIRE!!!!!!!" he raises his voice, it bellows all across the room


    The crowd just follows what he does, their faces turning into mush...


    Like they were melting due to the heat...


    But there was no heat...


    He gulps down the ochoku, smashing it to the ground...


    The shards shimmering...


    Underneath his figure...


    His assistant kneels before him, cleaning it with her bare hands...


    He kicks her head in...


    Spitting...


    "You absolute idiot!" she sobs softly, her hands bleeding upon picking the shards up


    "And did you think this would please me?" he scoffs, grabbing her chin and kneeling down to her form


    "And look what you made me do..."


    "Making me sully my hands and eyes..."


    "Upon you... you absolute trash!" he increases the pressure on her cheeks, her face contorting to this...


    He takes off his mask...


    His face... one of true royalty...


    "Be grateful... you''re eye candy..." he kisses her hard, her face is bruised up and yet...


    She gives in to this... blushing hard... hiding her bruises...


    "All you''re good for..."


    "Don''t think..."


    "Just submit~" he hums, rising up once again


    His hands signal to clean her up and her mess...


    His other assistants rushed to the front, complying in a fashioned manner...


    "What a waste of my time..."


    "Let''s begin the meeting already..." he pats his elegant and chromatic kimono, straightening it out, and upon settling in his rightful place...


    He snaps his fingers...


    The rest only follow...


    "Ladies and gentlemen..."


    "My needy servants..."


    "The time of reckoning is at hand!"


    "For we have sacrificed so much... for The Great Salvation..."


    "They have resisted us!" he looks at the table...


    Knocking his fist at it...


    Causing a great crack upon the fixture to show...


    "Our great leaders have been whittled down... to a measly four..."


    "A deadly number..." he muttered... his hands shaking, he grabbed bottles upon bottles of sake...


    Drowning his liver with them...


    His eyes focus on the just arriving...


    Mikoto...


    Who is completely covered in blood, a beautiful crimson red...


    Accompanied by another...


    A black-robed figure...


    Adorning a demon mask...


    "Ah..."


    "You two..." he waves his hand to serve them drinks


    The two are handed some, they sit close to him...


    Those whose seats were taken...


    Were just shoved to the side...


    This crowd isn''t of any worth...


    They''re all just...


    His puppets...


    Pretty little puppets...


    "As I was saying..."


    "We only have so few... leaders left..."


    "So many died..."


    "Killed by our beloved rats... trained and raised by our own..."


    "Suzushii..."


    "And now... Shion..."


    "Oh my sons and daughters... oh how you have disappointed me so..."


    Mikoto just stays silent, staring at his drink...


    The demon-masked figure just nods...


    "But your... supreme leader..."


    "Your emperor..."


    "Your father..."


    "Gives you so much redemption..."


    "But not enough to pass around... no?"


    He grits his teeth, smothering Mikoto''s hand, who just closes his eyes


    "Now we''ve lost the most important leaders... the leader of cultivation... for harvest... the leader reclamation... for... separation... the leader of destruction... for instilling fear... the pair... the leader of malaise and supervision... for ''guidance''... and lastly... the leader of surveillance... for complete control... and total allegiance... to the great empire..."


    "Without these... the great salvation is no longer possible..."


    "Which means..."


    "We have to take their throne by force..."


    "My rightful throne..." he then gently pats the shoulders of the demon-masked figure


    "With you by my side... my rightful heir..."


    "Prince Yoku..." he smiles at him, slowly taking off his mask, to reveal an uncanny resemblance...


    "You will take your New Guard and you will raid Tokyo itself... our holy city... ransacked by such blasphemous foreign influence..."


    The boy only nods, bowing...


    "It will be done... father..."


    "Our glorious anomaly... and general will sabotage all of their secrets..."


    "And lastly... you... my failure of a son..."


    "The greatest failure of them all..." he grabs Mikoto by the chin forcefully pulling him closer...


    He just winces...


    "Oh relax my boy... you will be given the most important mission of all..."


    "YOU WILL ASSASSINATE SUZUSHII"


    "NO FAILURES WILL BE TOLERATED..."


    "SHOULD YOU... DO THE SAME AGAIN..." he just brushes the hair of the terrified Mikoto, turning his head...


    "KILL HIM..."


    "Yoku..."


    He lets go of Mikoto...


    "That is all..." he pauses... breathing in...


    The inevitability...


    He rises from his seat, turning his back on them all


    "The Great Empire will prevail..."


    "The Japanese people will rule supreme..."


    "Our will... is paramount above all..."


    "Your Emperor demands it..." and in turning back to them... most of the crowd all melt away like candle wax...


    The assistants can only watch in horror, wishing they don''t become like that...


    Both Mikoto and the prince get up...


    Bowing before him...


    "Your will be done!" they both exclaimed


    The emperor smiles bittersweetly... looking at his rightful son...


    "If only your mother could see you now..."


    "You''re too much for words..."


    .


    .


    .


    The constant whirring of the machinery, the clacking of the keyboards...


    Surrounded the entire room...


    Every operator is heard talking to each city, town and what may have you...


    About evacuation... to all of the hideouts... the bunkers, the ICA has prepared and built...


    Just for this very day...


    The most likely time...


    For a strike...


    An ambush...


    For The Final War...


    To happen...


    "So, has every settlement been evacuated in the nearest vicinities of circa here?" the man with the suit asked, his is identical to every suit in the room...


    With the exception...


    Of his power...


    His...


    Role...


    He raises his specs with his palm...


    As his secretary gives him his rep...


    "Director... with the exceptions of a few cities due to their dense population... every mass-populated area and or settlements have been evacuated..." she paused... but the director watched the screens of the info flashing before them, being handed his cup of joe while doing so


    "And?" he asks, taking a sip of his mug


    "A bit too sweet..."


    "Well whatever"


    "How about... a sit rep on the Red Right Hand?"


    "About that... sir..."


    He raises his eyebrows as if to say: go on... spit it out


    "Well... the omega grades were already... err..."


    "Dealt with beforehand..."


    "What?" he slightly raises his voice, his mug tips over, causing a small mess to accumulate on the floor


    "It turns out... Kuroke Mutsu..."


    "Is alive and well..."


    Every head in that room turned towards her words, the attention was unsettling


    "Jesus..."


    "I thought he was already ''dealt with'' by Suzushii?"


    "I''m sorry... I don''t... really have the knowledge to answer that question... err... sir" she stammered before his presence...


    His face said it all...


    His mind raced with how to deal with this sudden revelation, his eyes moving in every direction to accentuate this....


    "Oh..."


    "It''s simple... really..." he said coldly, his eyes relaxing, sighing


    "He did it... how could I forget this possibility..." he snapped his fingers in frustration


    "He used the sacrifice..."


    "T-the... what? sir?"


    "This technique... you can sacrifice any body part of yours... to gain an upperhand in combat... with the extremities of losing such a vital part of yourself... if you time it just right... you can even evade death itself..." he bit his lip


    "Lucky bastard..." he muttered.... realizing he still had his coffee, he gulps it all down...


    "It''s gone cold..."


    "Sir..." she raised her voice to grab his attention, tip toeing to wave her hands at his sights


    "Yes?"


    "One more thing..."


    "We also not only saw him with Tei Satsujin... a leader... but also..."


    "We overheard her say..."


    "He''s an anomaly"


    The whole room goes silent...


    The shock on his face... isn''t just his...


    It''s shared by everyone...


    A palpable tone lingers in the air...


    He proceeds to pace around the room, the stress absolutely getting to him...


    His age... isn''t making it any better...


    "Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok ok ok"


    "Have all bunkers be accompanied and supervised by a Grade A or S agent or more..."


    "Lockdown Tokyo and the flights in and out of here"


    "Barricade and have every entry and exit here fortified to the brim..."


    "I... I''ve made too many bad moves now..."


    "We need to eviscerate them now... once and for all..."


    "I underestimated them... sending Atsushi to deal with three of them at once..."


    He knocks his head, hitting it hard


    "I''m an idiot!" he raised his voice, causing his secretary to hold his hand to stop him further


    "He''s most likely dead now... and..."


    "They know all of our bunkers locations... all of our security measures..."


    "All of our backup plans... all rendered to nothing!"


    "That''s why they beat us to the omega grades..."


    "It makes sense now..."


    He clenches his fist so hard, it bleeds... and his aura is so thick, it ominously cuts through the air of the room, whirring and cutting through the tiles of the floor


    "There''s only one thing we can do now..."


    "Brace for impact..."


    "Alert every Ishiin... tell them"


    "Brace for impact... is in order..."


    "I... I have to fix this mess"


    "I... have to kill him... once and for all"


    "Ishigami..."


    The secretary salutes him, nodding


    "Sir yes sir!"


    The secretary gets closer... embracing him...


    "Thank you... I thought you''d be long gone... once I told you... about the anomaly..."


    "Yotsu..."


    "Don''t worry..."


    "They''re hitting us hard..." he brushes the bangs of her hair...


    "But I won''t let them destroy our nation... Ino..." she just nods... taking in his warmth...


    She rushes to alert the operators...


    And he...


    Broods... over everything...


    That got them to this moment...


    Ishigami... you''re still alive... after all this time...


    We...


    We both don''t have surnames...


    It''s a tradition...


    For the emperor...


    After all this time...


    All the lives we''ve both taken...


    And reaped...


    He chuckled... looking at his feet...


    Still remembering the deep mud...


    Of the trenches...


    We may have won back then...


    But you... you never resisted...


    You still believed...


    In your shitty ass ideals...


    Look where that got you...


    Just a bunch of insurgents...


    Threatening the entirety of Japan!


    But I won''t let you destroy us...


    You found your own anomaly?


    Bah!


    I''ll just have to kill you all...


    By my own hands...


    Over...


    And over...


    Again...


    A whole century and more of this...


    Heh...


    I''ll never get rest...


    Until I see you fall over...


    Once... and for all...


    He stands over this mountain...


    Of every person he knew...


    Of every person he sent...


    To die...


    Is it worth it?


    Has any of this been...


    Worth it?


    .


    .


    .


    Blades are clashed, blood is sent


    Blows trade, sudden movement


    Kuroke''s eyes scan the room...


    There are 5 of them...


    Two of us...


    They seem formidable...


    Enough...


    He grits his teeth, his blade struggling against the weight of the other''s blade


    Sparks fly, eyes all glare


    His enemy smirks, making a clicking sound


    "You are dead... Mutsu..."


    "BY ORDER OF THE RED RIGHT HAND!!!!!!!!" he screamed, as all of them started to corner Kuroke, their teamwork and coordination started to build up


    Kuroke''s feet slide against the blood-soaked rubble, dodging every single strike, his flames creating a trail


    A figure vaults the tunnel''s curves, spinning all over


    Planting multiple aura-based traps...


    They look like...


    Transparent mirrorballs...


    Her figure is elegant and precise, no room for mistakes


    Every single embedded area...


    Is with purpose...


    The enemies notice this, thinking...


    We can''t counter this...


    We''re too focused on Kuroke...


    Their anomaly...


    One of them breaks formation and decides to deal with Tei


    He opens his jacket to reveal...


    All sorts of firearms... from pistols to ARs, RPGs to LMGs, hand grenades to incendiary round filled shotguns, and with this...


    He fires them all at once, his hand moving so fast to fire every single firearm at his disposal to destroy the obviously placed traps...


    But they''re not just any other aura traps...


    They''re...


    They''re like black holes!


    Sucking up each and every bullet and explosive sent at it, and...


    Everything else in this entire tunnel...


    The one with the guns, scoffs...


    Pulling up his combat knives, completely clashing with Tei, whose body is so agile


    She stops each and every attack with most of her body parts, from so many directions...


    Sideways, upside down, lying down-


    The enemy spins around to combat her contact movements, a guarantee hit...


    And yet she-


    Backflips completely.... dodging it all...


    And with a swift opening-


    His throat is slashed...


    And with the slight touch of her palm...


    Poof!


    His body was completely gone!


    Sucked up...


    And now just an extra snack...


    For her... ''aura reserves''


    All of the enemies suddenly start to divert, all of them forming a circle-


    One of them forms a round steel dome that surrounds their position


    Another forms a water current that floats and fortifies this


    The other one grows so many vines, it completely covers the tunnel to the brim, crushing everything that comes across its path


    Spewing out so much poison, it bursts all throughout


    It''s impossible to avoid...


    But...


    "Heh..."


    "DO ITTT!!!!!!!!!!! KUROKE!!!!!!!!" Tei screamed, her orbs completely nullify the poison, sucking up all of it including the water currents...


    Her body drops from the ceiling, she slides with her hand to stop her movement


    Slouched over


    ...


    A sudden burst of light flashes through


    Black flames left over...


    Cut through the metallic dome...


    All three of the enemies'' heads start rolling...


    Kuroke''s stance determines his slash...


    And from beneath him...


    The soaked bricks are sent flying, and with him in the air...


    "EAT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" the last enemy screamed bloody murder!


    Creating a thick aura slash, enough to cut open a mountain!


    And yet...


    His burning wakizashi blocks the slash, its flames thicker than the slash itself...


    It breaks the small blade...


    The enemy can only look on before this...


    His last sight...


    Just before...


    "Yum!!!!!!" Tei placed her palm onto his back... catching him in mid-air


    Savoring the taste...


    Just another snack...


    Both of them drop to the ground...


    Head face in...


    Their bodies spent...


    But...


    "We''re not done yet here..." Tei coughed, struggling to get back on her feet...


    Kuroke looks at his chest...


    That slash was so thick, it cut his skin...


    Scarring him... due to the sheer force of such a strong attack...


    "H-hey! You alright kid?" Tei crawls to the wounded Kuroke, who can only admire such an attack...


    "I- I''m alright..."


    "Most importantly..."


    "We just killed actual Grade S agents..." he snickered at the possibility of such a feat...


    Tei wraps him with her ripped up jacket... treating to his wounds...


    He just shakes his head at this...


    "You didn''t need to do that..." she hears this, giving him a disappointed look


    "Yeah sure thing..."


    "We''ve..."


    "We''ve got more on our plate still...."


    "Oh Mr. Anomaly!" she nudges his arm strongly, he just takes it


    Shaking his head once more, rolling his eyes


    "Alright then..."


    The both of them get up... limping away from their recent fight...


    "Let''s get to the real business..." he walks over their handiwork, smirking at his own destructive power...


    "Just you wait..."


    "You two will see just how much..."


    "Vengeance comes knocking..."


    "It''s pay is due..."


    "And how arrogance breeds complacency..."


    "Your downfall..."


    "Was already predetermined..."


    Their footsteps weigh heavily upon the bricked ground they find themselves on...


    They''re about to do the unspeakable...


    And yet...


    All he could think about was...


    Revenge...


    She...


    Of all people...


    Understood this the most...


    If there were anyone to supervise him...


    It should be her...


    If there were anyone to stop him...


    ...


    It wouldn''t be her...


    ...


    Not even close...


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/hcvGOUuDGXc /</a> Red Right Hand by Arctic Monkeys

 Chapter 16 - No Answers

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/yVdgzw1dUSk /</a> LAX to O��Hare by The Academy Is��


    Today...


    The conflict pertaining Ishii use and legibility is being debated all around Osaka, as the outroar of those who are against it, seems to be causing multiple issues and riots all over the city!


    We have no direct reporters on the scene, as it shows how dangerous the entire city has become!


    The ICA has yet to address the issue publicly, but from what we see right now with our live feed...


    Multiple Ishiins are being sent to deal with the conflict directly...


    We''ll be back to you, for a regular update on the situation here!


    And to other news-


    .


    .


    .


    "Koyo... don''t worry!"


    "I know it sounds really scary in the news and whatnot!"


    "But!"


    "Your mom here is strong!"


    "Super strong!"


    "I''ll be back! Alright?"


    "So please stop crying my sweet darling~"


    "Be brave for me..."


    "I know it will be hard to live alone, especially since your father is always soooo busy!"


    "But Koyo-chan"


    "I know you can do it!"


    "I''ll be back soon alright?"


    "We''ll still catch the new Sherlock special in cinemas before it goes away alright?"


    "That''s a promise! Hihi!"


    "I love you my dear..."


    "See ya later!"


    "And be a good girl alright?"


    "Hihi!"


    I still remember...


    Our last interaction...


    Just before she came back...


    All different...


    An empty husk of herself...


    Like a shrivelled-up flower...


    All I have now...


    Are her words...


    Are our memories...


    I don''t even remember...


    How it really happened...


    All I''ll ever remember...


    Is how much I missed her warmth...


    That feeling...


    At that very moment...


    I trusted her...


    I knew she could do it...


    And yet...


    AND YET!


    She was taken from me...


    I...


    I couldn''t even say goodbye then...


    From just how much I bawled my eyes out...


    I regret that...


    The most...


    I wanted to hug her...


    One last time...


    I wanted to say I love you...


    To her...


    One last time...


    And now...


    I won''t rest...


    Until I kill that insurgent that did this...


    The one that ruined my life...


    Just you wait...


    Oh just you wait!


    Just...


    You wait...


    .


    .


    .


    "Himura!"


    "Himura! Listen to me!"


    Rushiko shook her repeatedly, his words were ringing inside her ear...


    But her vision was blurring...


    Her eyes, full of it...


    Fluid...


    Streaming downwards...


    "NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "SHE''S NOT GONE RUSHI !!!!!!!"


    "SHE''S NOT FUCKING GONE!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed in disbelief, her cracking voice echoing through the empty ballroom...


    She falls to her knees, grabbing her shoulders...


    As if to embrace her...


    Kokko... Yanou...


    "M-mom..."


    "Why?"


    "WHY???????????????" she sobs so hard, leaving a puddle over the pristine glowing tiles, the illumination of the lit chandelier shining through...


    But not for her...


    "You promised me..."


    "You promised me you''d find her..."


    Rushiko felt his heart shrivel up... the pangs choking him...


    His throat dried up...


    With nothing to say...


    "You promised... you''d save her..."


    "You''d save... mom..." she looked at him with a clear defiance... one that can''t truly blame him...


    But amidst the confusion...


    She might as well blame him...


    Rushiko just looks on the floor... the same as her...


    He can''t...


    Dare say anything anymore...


    What does he know?


    All he did was beat her up and lock her in a prison...


    Even if she was already long gone...


    Despite what Suzushii said...


    He can''t help but blame himself...


    If only he knew where she''d gone...


    The day she went away...


    "She... couldn''t have done all those things..."


    "That''s not her..."


    "That''s not mom..."


    He can only look at her... a vulnerable little girl...


    Asking for her mother...


    She...


    Didn''t have any parents...


    Kokko...


    Ko-san... was all she had...


    Despite her feelings...


    She rushed to Rushiko''s legs, sobbing and embracing him...


    "H-himura?"


    "Rushi-kun..." she looked up at him... her teary eyes breaking him apart...


    "You''re all I have left..."


    Rushiko''s face started to break... his face broke down...


    He fell down...


    Embracing her back...


    "I know..."


    "I know what it''s like..."


    "To not have anybody..."


    "Sometimes... it feels like senpai is slowly fading from me..."


    "I''m sorry... if only I could do better..."


    "If only..."


    She silenced him...


    With her lips...


    "That''s enough..."


    "Rushi-kun..."


    "Let''s just stay like this..."


    "Don''t ever let me go..."


    "Promise me..." she said, knowing that promises are feeble...


    And yet... she wanted to say it... she wanted to hear him say it...


    "I promise... Himura..."


    "I''ll never let you go..." he held her so tight... his warmth spreading...


    Their sadness lulling them...


    Like a drug...


    Like... morphine...


    It spreads towards their system...


    ...


    Their bodies intertwined...


    They...


    Were one...


    .


    .


    .


    -A Few Years Ago-


    https://youtu.be/djSkQnPgq9o /</a> Teleharmonic by The Smile


    What is this feeling?


    Why...


    Can''t I feel...


    Anything...?


    All they see me as is this...


    Some polite little girl...


    To be ordered around...


    To be...


    Their obedient little slave...


    I don''t want to be that!


    I want to be...


    Just like Suzushii...


    Confident...


    Sure of himself...


    I want to be...


    Sure...


    Of myself...


    .


    .


    Himura...


    I''m sorry...


    Omoi-san...


    I''m sorry...


    I couldn''t stop h-him...


    She sobbed silently...


    Knowing...


    Her time...


    Was on borrowed time...


    Her hands released... it...


    Shaking slowly...


    Gasping...


    Slowly...


    Choking...


    The blood...


    Leaving from her...


    She lies there... lifeless..


    Her eyes... leaving the light...


    Their positions are ambushed...


    By the rubble...


    By the screaming and shouting...


    With death...


    Imminent...


    On their door...


    Waiting...


    She...


    Screamed back...


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"


    The explosion was so massive, that it collapsed the entire building and its vicinities


    It was a trap!


    But it didn''t solve everything...


    She was just another one of those...


    Taken by this war...


    This century-old war...


    Of senseless killing and disagreements...


    .


    .


    Am I really dead?


    Am I really gone?


    Did I really die?


    With my life...


    All gone...


    I feel...


    So empty...


    I feel...


    Nothing...


    I don''t exist...


    I never did...


    ...


    I can feel him...


    Breathing down my neck...


    I can feel the pinprick...


    My life draining...


    Into somebody else...


    Somebody else...


    Somebody else...


    ...


    ...


    SOMEBODY ELSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    AHAHAHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!!!!!!!!


    Hello you...


    Hello me...


    Isn''t it time...


    To have your payback...


    Paid in spades?


    .


    .


    .


    Her head jolted...


    Her back... cracked...


    Her fingers twitched in excitement...


    Her lips parched...


    Thristy...


    For crimson liquid...


    ...


    ...


    https://youtu.be/U6W0iWy52tw /</a> Bending Hectic by The Smile


    She broke out of her shackles, once punctured blades and metallic wires...


    From her little favourite play toy...


    "Oh my little Rushi-kun~~" she whispered sweet nothings, her body free from her constraints


    She jumps gleefully, in contrast to her surroundings, the grey and narrow space of a prison...


    "Tch! HOW BORING!!!!!!!!!!! COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!! BRING IT ON!!!!!!!!!!"


    "AHAHQAHQHAAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH!!!!!" she laughed maniacally, her disfigured body still full of holes, leaking from every pore of hers, spreading all throughout the clean dull floors...


    It''s now colored, she thought


    "OH HOW FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she jumped with such energy, it sparked everywhere, every guard was hit by this, her volatile energy...


    Yellow aura...


    They all dropped to the ground one by one...


    Their eyes leaving them...


    Leaving only...


    TOTAL OBEDIENCE IN ITS WAKE


    They all marched behind her as she continued her onslaught throughout the entire prison, cleaning every single cell clean...


    Adding every...


    In her own words...


    Slave...


    To her harem-


    Err...


    ''Roster''


    "Such young hot studs!!!!!!!!!"


    "GOD!!!!!!!!!!! I''M GONNA HAVE SO MUCH FUN TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!" she giggled, licking her lips, hopping around like a bunny


    No guard could stop her...


    All they had was augmentation...


    "Such weak little brats..."


    Her figure loomed on one of the guards, his mind still to himself...


    She grabbed his chin, staring into his very soul


    He...


    Couldn''t say a word...


    It''s like he was staring at the very void...


    Nothing to see...


    Nor...


    Struggle against...


    "Good boy..."


    "Hihi~"


    She chomped his chin off, his screams exuding this hot feeling inside of her...


    "YESSSSS!!!!!!!! SCREAM FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!! YOU FUCKING SLUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she loudly said with delight


    "This is all too easy, to be honest with you... you little pig!" she stepped on his face, making him bow down to her, his back forcefully arching for her


    "Sooooooo obedient..."


    "What a turn on!!!!!!"


    "Now..."


    "Clean my heels..."


    "With your tongue..."


    He didn''t resist...


    How could he?


    How could he deny this blessing...


    From his goddess?


    "SOOOOOO PATHETIC FOR ME ALREADY!!!!!!!!!"


    "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!"


    She didn''t even need to do much anymore...


    Her ''servants'' did all the work for her


    All she had to do was sit around on her throne of broken bones, dreams and disfigured men...


    Moulded...


    Just for her...


    Pleasure...


    She smirked...


    Her lips curving...


    Licking...


    A sweet taste in her mouth...


    Dripping from her plump openings...


    She adjusted her seat...


    Crossing her legs...


    Her arrogant gaze... looking down...


    They''ve reached the entrance...


    Overlooking the massive snow-covered garden...


    Was...


    "Kyoto huh?" the wind flowing...


    Blowing and howling...


    A large distorted grin forms...


    Her massive teeth rubbing against each other...


    Clenching...


    Grinding...


    The snow is hard...


    The winter bellows...


    The city below them was all lit up...


    Untouched...


    Fresh and ripe...


    For the taking...


    Her neck turned over...


    To find...


    "Why hello there..."


    "You piece of shit..."


    Her shadow bent and twisted shape...


    This wasn''t her doing...


    It was the one who gave her power...


    In the first place....


    "Is it ready?" the shadow asked her, its voice was familiar...


    A certain someone who was disgraced...


    A certain someone who...


    Finished the job...


    "Of course it is... YOUR MAJESTYYYYYY!!!!!" she raised her voice, snapping at the figure


    Mocking it...


    Him...


    "Soon... you''ll have your fill"


    "Leader of Chaos..." the shadow muttered into her ear...


    "I SURE WILL, WON''T I?"


    "I SURE FUCKING WILL"


    "I CAN''T WAIT!!!!! JUST TO SEE EVERYTHING BURN DOWN!!!!!!!!!!"


    "TO HAVE MY ENDLESS MEALS, ORGIES, AND ENTERTAINMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "AHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!" her laugh echoed ominously as if it blew entire trees surrounding them...


    Her slaves whimpered and were shaken by this


    She might as well be the wind that howls...


    Right now...


    Haunting their dreams...


    The one that takes and takes and takes and takes-


    ...


    The shadow separated from her...


    Its form and finger waving...


    "And we''ll have to put you down..."


    "Kokko Yanou..."


    He marked invisible blemishes on her back...


    It said...


    "When the oceans are filled by crimson red... when the shores are filled by flesh and bone..."


    "It''ll all be over for you..."


    "You... whose on borrowed time..."


    "So turn..."


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/CQNWzS-tBnc /</a> We��ve Got A Big Mess On Our Hands by The Academy Is��

 Chapter 17 - Passing (I)

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/v29I0srhPwg /</a> I Follow You by Melody��s Echo Chamber


    Full circle...


    Going back to the start...


    I''m the next one to decide it all...


    Where Japan heads next...


    The Future...


    Is in my hands...


    Just out of reach...


    Right for the taking...


    The alpha grade...


    The anomaly...


    The one to bring about great change...


    Wasn''t on our side...


    TRAITORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    All of them...


    The Great War that enveloped the entire world...


    A whole century ago...


    They won...


    And Ishii was locked away...


    Never to be used...


    Our potential as the great rulers...


    The rightful rulers...


    Of the entire world...


    Was taken from us...


    But they lost...


    In the second great war...


    They are the false ones!!!!!!


    They have only led the once great empire of Japan...


    To ruin...


    Well...


    No longer...


    Will we be the losers...


    As Ishiins...


    As the Japanese...


    We will prevail...


    The Great Empire...


    Will rule supreme...


    Senpai...


    You will know...


    Greater pain...


    You will know...


    MY PAIN....


    How dare you...


    You arrogant bastard!


    How dare you resist...


    Our heritage...


    And kill so much...


    In the name of your false beliefs...


    My own parents...


    My own family...


    You will...


    PAY


    Tonight...


    Tokyo will fall...


    Tonight...


    The third great war...


    WILL BEGIN...


    Tonight...


    YOU WILL DIE...


    Senpai...


    .


    .


    .


    Multiple surges of aura whirl all over the ballroom, the intense energy causing the entire floor to shake


    "Their body movements aren''t bad..."


    "But I will admit..."


    "They could be improved upon..."


    "Don''t you think?"


    Rushiko turned his head to face her


    Himura...


    She nods in return


    Her eyes acknowledging his presence


    "That''s right!"


    "But this Yukinari girl..."


    "She ain''t half bad..."


    "I think she''s the most experienced one out of them..."


    Ther eyes follow their movements, enhanced by their aura


    They pass through like flashes of light or like the trading of blows between blades


    Manaka grins, her hands arching and crossing each other


    She makes short work of her strings


    Completely scattering it all over by a few metre intervals-


    She slides and dodges her own traps, the both of them are caught in her web


    Unable to move


    Jisei''s eyes never leave her, his concentration absolute


    His hands forming-


    A dragunov rifle!


    He sends multiple shots directly at the ceiling, the floor, the walls


    His aura...


    Is connected by this!


    His eyes widen, with each shot affected by this


    They all explode one by one, creating a thick smoke


    Dismantling of Manaka''s traps


    "Not bad... heh!"


    Rushiko chuckled


    "Jisei-kun..."


    He and Himura watch attentively...


    Impressed by his transformation of the properties of an aura projectile...


    Into something more...


    Dual purpose...


    And with this...


    Jisei emerges out of the smoke, his form glowing giving away his positionIf you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    And yet...


    Manaka is backed into a corner


    Jisei''s hands are obscured...


    And with the sudden blow...


    Her thick-stringed defense is cut into half


    Her strings almost mimicking the properties of steel cables...


    And yet...


    They were cut...


    By...


    Rushiko''s blade...


    Manaka pants uncontrollably...


    She grasps her thigh to find...


    Indeed it was gone...


    And yet she hasn''t smirked this much since...


    Since...


    Their first encounter...


    "Jisei..."


    "You''re a great strategist..."


    "Since when did you-"


    Jisei looks at her with such determination...


    He swipes the blade over to her, the lightning properties of Rushiko''s specialty aura


    Still flickering by the smoke enveloping the massive ballroom


    "Since when you slid over to my position..."


    "You told me to never let your guard down..."


    "And yet..."


    "You completely ignored Koyo..."


    He points over to her, still stuck in her position...


    But in her extreme bated breaths...


    In her hands was a thick aura...


    Of black...


    In the ground beneath her...


    A growing and shrinking form of a shadow portal emerges...


    Koyo grits her teeth unable to control it...


    "At the last minute, she used all her might to grab your blade..."


    "What an oversight on your part..." he said coldly, but his face chuckled right afterwards


    "Jeez Jisei! You always get too serious when training!" she grabbed her neck, running her mouth off


    "Well you know why..." he suddenly looked at the floor, his voice showing no signs of humor or divided attention


    "I''ve got to find him..."


    "No matter what"


    He grits his teeth, clenching his fist, shaking...


    Manaka sighs, looking at him...


    With concern...


    "Alright you three!"


    "That''s all for today!"


    Rushiko and Himura both applauded them


    Clearly showing their signs of approval...


    They all huddled up together, with Koyo staying a little behind them...


    Her demeanor...


    Is all silent and non-expressive...


    She puts her hands on her pockets...


    "I couldn''t even use my abilities constantly..."


    "What a bad joke..." she muttered, biting her lip


    "Jisei... what an astounding showcase of thinking outside the box!"


    "Even though you are a long-range fighter... you not only found a way to corner Manaka even with other superior movements and abilities, but also you worked with your teammate to gain an upper hand!"


    Jisei nods, his look giving Rushiko the chills...


    His eyes glint at saying this...


    Jisei''s face... is a spitting image...


    Of Atsushi-san...


    Brilliant at strategy...


    Despite such an inflexible ability...


    As their gifts...


    "Manaka! You also did great! Your movements are far superior to everyone! You clearly have had past experience in combat! The way you planted such traps on such short notice! That is necessary when coming up against powerful, smart and most of all... more enemies than you yourself..."


    "Could surely handle!"


    "Just... work on the smaller details in the fight!"


    "You are very promising..." Himura applauded Manaka... and with her own encounters of how such quick action is paramount in a fight...


    "For someone like me... who is the fastest in the entire ICA!"


    "You sure are gifted!"


    Manaka just laughs it off, not used to the compliments...


    At what she has always been good at...


    Miss juvenile delinquent...


    Huh...


    Koyo just stares at them both, her eyes fixated on them...


    Her mind...


    Drifting...


    Disassociating...


    Tch!


    She taps her foot repeatedly on the floor...


    When can I leave...


    TCH!


    "Koyo..."


    "Koyo!"


    Her attention is then shifted to Rushiko, who woke her up...


    From her...


    Umm...


    "You alone have the most interesting power..."


    "Similar to a former mentor of ours... Ko-san..."


    "Kokko Yanou... your assailant..."


    Koyo hides her gaze from him, ashamed of herself...


    "I heard from both Jisei and Manaka... you didn''t have this ability when you fought them..."


    "But I..."


    Rushiko looks at his hand...


    "I remember her ability vividly..."


    He clenches it rough...


    "I almost died to it after all..."


    "And many have fallen to her..."


    "And who knows how many more will fall to her..."


    "She... gave you this power..."


    "As a memento? As a souvenir?"


    "As an oversight?"


    Koyo shakes her head, still looking away from his gaze...


    And theirs...


    "I don''t know..."


    "I still can''t grasp it further..."


    Rushiko seeing her like this, decides to lay off


    "I see... take all the time you need to train..."


    "But remember this..."


    "Without proper Ishii exertion and augmentation..."


    "Let alone an incomplete and half-usable ability..."


    "You cannot be an Ishiin!"


    "You cannot..."


    "Avenge Omoi-san..."


    Koyo suddenly jerks her head to his look


    Her eyes streaming...


    "That''s not true!"


    "I will avenge her!"


    "NO MATTER WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!" her voice straining... she grabs both her arms, tightly grabbing them...


    She instantly leaves the ballroom, her tears...


    Silent...


    But infectious...


    Manaka just scoffs but hidden inside of that...


    Is a sort of sympathy?


    Pity?


    But just as Jisei was about to chase Koyo...


    Himura raises her hand to his chest...


    Shaking her head...


    "Let her... on her own..."


    "She needs it..."


    Jisei''s eyes slant ever so slightly...


    The pangs hitting his heart...


    To see his former lover...


    In such a state...


    ...


    "Everyone... that''s all for today..."


    "You''re dismissed..."


    "Take a rest..."


    Rushiko stated, both Jisei and Manaka nodded, their hands intertwined together


    Tightly...


    They left the room...


    Rushiko faces Himura...


    His look still affected by Koyo''s state...


    He decides...


    ...


    "It''s time... Himura..."


    "Hmmm?"


    "Yeah?"


    "It''s time I tell you..."


    "About Ko-san..."


    .


    .


    It was past midnight...


    Colder than ever...


    And yet...


    Her steps clack and echo through the empty ballroom...


    She sits over to her position from earlier...


    Slight signs of her aura residue still beneath her...


    She punches the ground...


    Failing to crack the floor tile...


    She closes her eyes...


    Breathing in closer...


    And out...


    Breathing in closer...


    "And out..."


    "Breathe in closer..."


    Her body starts to grow potent... full of it...


    The same black aura from earlier...


    "I''ve just got to concentrate..."


    "Just like..."


    Her eyes suddenly were split open...


    She stares at her reflection, on the floor...


    It''s all muddled...


    All wet...


    Filled with her heat... and sweat...


    In sighing...


    "Just like..."


    "J-Jisei-kun..."


    The aura in her fist grows larger and larger...


    The nerves and muscles around it...


    Shake...


    And shake...


    "FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    She smashes the tiles so effortlessly...


    But that''s not all...


    It shatters beneath her...


    There...


    There was a hole...


    Clean right off...


    She gasps, falling right across to the lower floors-


    Her mind in a rush


    Her mind in a panic


    What do I do?


    What do I do?


    WHAT DO I D-


    The shadow looms beneath her...


    It floats...


    In thin air...


    She is sent...


    Right where she was...


    She falls and rolls harshly, causing more cracks beneath the floor tiles-


    She hits her head on the wall...


    ...


    ...


    "Koyo?"


    "Koyo?"


    "KOYO!"


    She gasps for air as if she was underwater...


    Coughing constantly...


    She''s where she landed earlier...


    In raising her head


    Rushiko''s figure looms over her...


    She averts her gaze once again...


    Closing her eyes...


    Forcefully...


    But...


    Rushiko...


    Grabs her jaw, and with this... she resists...


    Further...


    "What do you want?"


    He lowers himself to her level...


    She scoffs at this...


    "Tch!"


    Rushiko''s expression lightens up a bit...


    "Koyo..."


    "Hmmm?"


    "Would you get your hands off me!"


    "Koyo" he said straight up, her eyes don''t leave him...


    She...


    Bites her lip...


    "You don''t know it... you always think you''re always the lowest of the low..."


    "I know what that''s like-"


    "No you don''t!"


    "HOW COULD YOU!" she raised her voice, practically spitting at him


    He doesn''t budge an inch...


    "How could you understand how I feel..." she averts herself once more...


    Her eyes...


    Expecting the same...


    Even from him...


    "You think I don''t know how it feels to not have anything left?" Rushiko said in a biting manner, Koyo taken aback by this, doesn''t budge either


    She just glares at him...


    "You think I don''t know how it feels to be so small? To be so powerless..."


    He grabs her jacket firmly, pulling her towards him...


    Closer...


    "To want vengeance... and nothing else?"


    "To obsess over it so much..."


    "I may not look like it..."


    "BUT I''LL NEVER FORGIVE HIM!!!!!!!" Koyo''s chest falls in response to his loud voice, it almost awakens something in her...


    "Suzu-senpai... entrusted so much to him..."


    "Only for him to throw it all away..."


    "Why?"


    "WHY?"


    "Simply because... he couldn''t accept it..."


    "And move on..."


    "He just had to ruin everything... to make things worse..."


    "And now... he''s one of them..."


    "That bastard... Kuroke!"


    "Just because he couldn''t accept anything..."


    "He''s here to make us feel... just like him...!"


    "What a fucking joke!"


    "And a bad one at that!"


    He gets so close to Koyo, they''re basically touching each other''s noses with their faces...


    "Listen to me..."


    "Never underestimate yourself..."


    "You''re not the lowest of the low..."


    "You''re so much more than that..."


    "I can see so much in you..."


    "I''ll believe in you... even if you can''t believe in yourself..."


    "And you know why?"


    "Nobody believed in me then..."


    "Not even myself..."


    "But that changes..."


    "I don''t want you to end up like me..."


    Koyo...


    Begins to break down...


    Having been seen for who she is...


    Being confronted face to face...


    Like that...


    It...


    Was just all too much for her...


    To handle...


    And with such conflicting feelings...


    A sudden jerk of the head...


    Both of them collided...


    A sweet tinge...


    A feeling...


    So soft...


    So...


    So irresistible...


    "W-why?"


    Rushiko stammered, not knowing how to react with what she just did...


    "I d-don''t know..."


    "Why I j-just did t-that..."


    She blushed hard...


    Her face so hot...


    And enveloping...


    "I''m..."


    "I''m so lonely..."


    "Even now..."


    Rushiko looks at her...


    A small petite fragile frame...


    That is her...


    He embraces her...


    But his heart...


    Swells...


    With understanding...


    But from a distance...


    "I don''t want to be like everyone who treated you... to turn you into who you are now..."


    "But I''m sorry..."


    "Koyo-san..."


    "This is something..."


    "You have to face on your own..."


    Koyo''s face then contorts into her usual state...


    One of enormous...


    Crushing...


    Disappointment...


    "Then just hold me..."


    "Like this..."


    "For just a little bit longer..." Koyo pleaded...


    "Before you have to go..."


    Rushiko nods...


    His warmth spreading...


    She softly smiles at this...


    Sharing in this short moment...


    Of bliss...


    If only...


    It were eternal...


    If only...


    It wasn''t like this...


    If only she didn''t just take and take...


    If only...


    She had anything to give...


    At all...


    .


    .


    .


    "This is it..."


    The doors creak as both figures'' steps spread all over the empty room...


    "What happened here?" the coldness expanded all around them...


    But they were both used to this...


    It didn''t faze them...


    Not when they...


    Had business to attend to...


    "Guess they''ve been busy for the past 4 days..."


    "I wonder..."


    "If they''re ready..."


    "I wonder..."


    "How... Jisei..."


    He sniffled...


    The weight around his hands...


    Being even heavier than ever...


    Then it was...


    The whole trip...


    "Jisei..."


    "Natsuno..."


    "Inari..."


    "I''m sorry..."


    I failed you...


    Just like always...


    A hand grasps his back...


    It''s as freezing as ever...


    But...


    It''s the thought that counts...


    "Huh? Shion?"


    "Don''t... Suzushii..."


    "That''s enough..."


    He nods...


    Still feeling it...


    That crushing feeling...


    That...


    Responsiblity...


    And now Jisei...


    What will he fight for?


    I wonder...


    I really wonder...


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/VGfDg7wju6M /</a> Champagne Supernova by Oasis

 Chapter 18 - (Never) Forgetting (II)

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/AzsiE44Lz_w /</a> Late Goodbye by Poets of the Fall


    With bated breath...


    The strong mist spread, all throughout the entire room...


    Eyes of disbelief...


    The effects of conflict...


    Before their very eyes...


    But more importantly...


    He stood there, wondering...


    Dropping...


    Losing...


    Is this reality?


    Or was he still dreaming?


    In a nightmare...


    Like the one he had...


    When Koyo struck him...


    Pools of blood that spread across... all of Tokyo Bay...


    Corpses littered...


    As if human life...


    Was just another commodity...


    In this "world" we all live in...


    "It can''t be..." Manaka muttered...


    Himura and Rushiko just like Jisei...


    Just stood there...


    With nothing left to say...


    Was it out of shock?


    Disappointment?


    Sorrow?


    Grief?


    And in Jisei''s case...


    Everything...


    All at once?


    The mist muddied the gigantic panoramic windows that dwarfed over them...


    The blizzard raging outside, swallowed all of Tokyo alive...


    An omen?


    Of things to come?


    A weird calm...


    If you can even call it that...


    The calm before the storm...


    Koyo saw it again...


    Another dead person...


    Just like her...


    Jisei lost his parent...


    His...


    Dad...


    Koyo stared at the elaborate floor tile''s design...


    Staring at her reflection...


    Clenching her fist...


    Knowing...


    What it must be like...


    For Jisei...


    Hell...


    What must it be like for Jisei?


    Right now?


    "I have failed you... Jisei..." Suzushii said bluntly, but with much ache in his voice...


    "And Inari... Natsuno-chan too..."


    His figure was obscured to everyone, and so was Shion...


    But Atsushi''s wasn''t...


    It''s as if the mist didn''t exist...


    He lies there...


    Unmoving...


    Colder than the weather itself...


    But Jisei didn''t show any emotion...


    Suzushii just stared at him...


    A splitting image...


    Just like Atsu''s... he thought


    His eyes were so cold and familiar...


    Just like his...


    But I''m sure...


    Deep inside...


    He''s overflowing...


    A silence so defeating...


    So defeating...


    So encompassing...


    Suzushii dropped to his knees, bowing...


    Sobbing...


    "I''m sorry Jisei..."


    "I''m sorry... Atsu-kun..."


    He just couldn''t bear to see Jisei like that...


    The same as Atsushi...


    With pain all hidden...


    Only to swallow him whole...


    Soon enough...


    That moment...


    Everybody left without having said any more words...


    They knew this really was it...


    The real effects...


    Of The Final War...


    .


    .


    "Jisei-kun-"


    They kept wandering about the hallways...


    Dimly lit with an orange hue...


    It''s supposed to be comforting...


    But this light...


    Just seems to cause their vision...


    To droop further...


    Like it wasn''t real...


    "None of this is real..." Jisei whispered...


    His hands gripping his arm...


    Tightly squeezing...


    Manaka kept holding his hand...


    But Jisei was...


    Understandably shaken...


    To his very core...


    This was the side...


    He hid well from everyone...


    This was what he felt...


    Whenever his dad left for his numerous missions...


    Just like his mom...


    Wistful aching...


    A quiet nature...


    That seems to seep from him...Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    It feels unnatural for Manaka...


    To see him like this...


    He looks just like...


    ...


    Behind them...


    Followed the one who understood this specific feeling the most...


    But she kept a distance...


    Conflicting feelings began to simmer...


    Swirling thoughts...


    Lulling her...


    She couldn''t shake it off...


    Should she comfort him?


    Try to be by his side?


    But...


    "B-but..." she bit her fingernails...


    But...


    Won''t I be taking advantage of him right now?


    Just because he''s so vulnerable...


    Just like what Rushiko-senpai said...


    This is something...


    I''ve got to face on my own...


    Isn''t this...


    What you feel too?


    "Jisei-kun..." she thought she had muttered it silently...


    But with the current situation...


    Her voice was louder than the silence...


    Both their heads turned as their movements came to a stop


    And without even realizing it...


    She was face to face...


    With a similar look she thought...


    She''d ever see from him...


    One that looks just like her sleepless nights...


    One look...


    That just screams from within...


    Manaka just looks at them both...


    Jisei''s eyes pierce through Koyo''s bewildered expression, right through her truest intentions...


    She just twiddles her thumbs...


    But...


    She knows...


    He needs this as well...


    "Isn''t this..."


    "Something you have to deal with..."


    "On your own?"


    Her words cut deep within him...


    His former lover...


    And in this very moment...


    The only one who can really understand him...


    Yet...


    The same applies for her too...


    You can''t turn back time...


    It''s too late now...


    Koyo...


    He doesn''t address this...


    He doesn''t address her...


    The both of them just turn their heads forward, continuing their march...


    To wherever...


    But suddenly...


    Words were exchanged further...


    "Koyo-san..."


    "The same can be said for you too..."


    "I-I..."


    He proceeded to revert his gaze towards her once more...


    Unable to not acknowledge her influence on him...


    "I''ve always noticed... the way you handled your pain..."


    "And now..."


    "We''re both the same..."


    He smiled with a bittersweet shaking in his curves...


    Struggling to hold it further...


    Yet he still tries...


    To get it across...


    They both really leave...


    This time...


    With Koyo just standing there...


    Pondering...


    If only he understood her back then...


    How they really were perfect for each other...


    But it''s all come to pass...


    With her...


    Still waiting...


    Just like always...


    "You''re right..."


    "It''s all too late... me..."


    She smirked...


    With pangs striking at her once more...


    "We''ve got to face all of this..."


    "On our own..."


    "We''ve got to..."


    "We''ve got to..."


    "No doubt..."


    A single tear is shed...


    With the rest to follow...


    As usual...


    She thought...


    ...


    God do I hate all of this!


    .


    .


    "Senpai..."


    "Is this really true?"


    "Yeah..."


    "Atsu..."


    "Atsu''s in peace now..."


    "Along with Akari-chan..."


    "Isn''t that right?"


    "Shion?"


    Rushiko and Himura gasped in hearing this...


    Shion?


    One of the great leaders?


    What is she doing here?


    Lightning struck as he said this...


    The critical moment...


    IS NOW...


    This must mean...


    Rushiko thought...


    She''s...


    Just like them...


    Atsu-senpai...


    Her voice swirls all around them like it''s enveloping their spirits...


    "That''s right..."


    The blizzard outside...


    Was joined by the thunderstorms...


    Whirling around...


    By the tip of Tokyo''s skyline...


    The whole city shook and beckoned


    This feeling...


    Was inevitable...


    "Rushiko! Himura!"


    Both of them stood in attention, their hands raised-


    Ready


    "Take care of Atsu''s body for me!"


    "Put him in the morgue here..."


    "We''ll all mourn him..."


    "After all of this is..."


    "Over..."


    "Should we survive..."


    "Yes sir!" they both said in unison


    "But what will you two do?"


    "Senpai?"


    "Our secrets have been revealed to the enemy..."


    "They all know of our security measures..."


    "Our people... citizens..."


    "Innocents..."


    "Are in grave danger..."


    "We will stop them..."


    Suzushii''s body is then filled with such a thick ominous aura...


    Blue flames...


    Swirling around like liquid...


    It''s just like that...


    That day...


    Rushiko gulped...


    This is it...


    He''s in...


    Full power now...


    The mist around the hallway haunts all of their spirits...


    Himura shivers at this...


    "Well then..."


    "We''re off..."


    They instantly vanished...


    Into the foggy entrails of the hallway...


    "Be careful..."


    He grits his teeth...


    "We''ll join you..."


    "Soon after..."


    .


    .


    The clouds above...


    That governs the skies...


    Their black residue...


    Softly flickers...


    Signs of...


    The enemy...


    "Today..."


    "We will win this war..."


    "ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!!!!!"


    And with the sudden thunderclap of the storm...


    They have entered...


    Multiple figures attach themselves to the instant surge of energy...


    Riding it...


    All of them wearing armor...


    Befitting...


    Samurai...


    It jingles and rustles...


    With the man in front...


    Wearing...


    The demon mask...


    .


    .


    https://youtu.be/JTn0mJb9o9A /</a> Ilaw sa Daan by IV Of Spades


    The endless tunnels lead to...


    The grey concrete...


    The watery depths...


    The rocky roughness of it all...


    Dimly lit...


    To save...


    Energy...


    "RELEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    Each and every one of the tunnels shifts and contorts irregularly...


    Unnaturally...


    "Tunnels 1 - 9, those of the titles: megane! mokuzai! gutai! shokubutsu! seishin! boei! hikari! jinsei! and lastly!-"


    "Shibo!"


    They twist and expand further-


    Revealing...


    Their truest forms...


    Each one of them is covered with seals and barriers...


    "Heh..."


    "Tei-san!"


    She just pouts, crossing her arms...


    Nodding...


    "Yeah yeah kid!"


    "I know!!!!!"


    "No need to show off-"


    "Just cause you''re the one and only "anomaly""


    Kuroke grins, taking out his precious...


    Newest blade...


    The longest one of them all...


    An odachi...


    It only curls and struggles to get out of its scabbard...


    It''s tip only meeting...


    The black flames...


    His arm stretches out forward...


    Reaching for...


    A flash is seen...


    All of the barriers and seals...


    Are broken...


    "GREAT KEY!!!!!!!!!!!"


    He kneels to the ground...


    Sealing his blade further...


    Struggling under its weight...


    "Why d''you even get that thing anyways?"


    As all of the security measures of the bunkers are opened and revealed...


    They are both surrounded...


    From every direction possible...


    By Grade A and S agents...


    They don''t even acknowledge this...


    They back up against each other...


    Facing what they deemed...


    To be pests...


    Underneath their heels...


    "Well its useful to get trained to all sorts of blades y''know?"


    "Yeah and get to underpower yourself in the process?"


    "Jeez you''re too reckless!"


    "You absolute dumbass!"


    "Kid!!!!!"


    "Yeah well..."


    "Like it matters..."


    "We''ll win anyways..."


    And as the screams of the citizens filled their ears, with the many ishii abilities approaching their way, many in mid-air, halfway through their attack, getting closer and closer to their positions...


    "DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "TEI-SAN!!!!!!!!!"


    He gets ready to attack, bending his knees forward, with his stance formed...


    With his hand on his back, where his blade currently lies...


    "NO NEED TO SCREAM AT ME!!!!!!!!"


    "KID!!!!!!!!!!"


    She pouts once more...


    With her hands planting...


    Her numerous spheres all around his scabbard...


    "PLANETARY TWIST!!!!!!!!!!" they both screamed in unison, her spheres being attracted to his long blade, with the eternal black flames of his


    They obliterate everything in its path...


    A dangerous combo, one that inflicts great damage...


    And the other one takes it away...


    Sealing it...


    As if whoever was there...


    Wasn''t there to begin with...


    "Sis!!!!!!!!!"


    "NOW!!!!!!!!!"


    "Yeah yeah!!!! Got it!!!!!!!"


    They...


    Flashed forward...


    And went in...


    For the kill...


    Each and every one of the bunkers fell...


    Collapsing and spewing...


    With the crushed remains...


    Of those who were unlucky to be in there...


    In the first place...


    Wait actually...


    One...


    Stood firm...


    With the black flames extinguished...


    With an unusual weather phenomenon that arose...


    Around here...


    "That can''t be..."


    "H-how?"


    "H-how are you still alive?!?!?!?!?"


    Another two figures lay in wait in front of them...


    The final bunker stood tall...


    Unscathed...


    "Kuroke?"


    His blue flames gave him away...


    So thick and potent...


    He hadn''t seen them...


    In a long long long time...


    Rushiko proceeds to glare at the blue aura...


    Vehemently...


    And with great scorn...


    The source of his worst pain...


    And anguish...


    "You bastard..."


    "It''s you..."


    "You piece of garbage..."


    "Tch!"


    Kuroke proceeds to wield his great blade right over his front...


    Covering him...


    With the black flames...


    All around his blade...


    And strangely...


    His entire body as well...


    "So you did it too huh?"


    "So you used the sacrifice..."


    "And it turns out..."


    "Those black flames aren''t just your unique property... and ability..."


    "You''re proof..."


    "You''re the one and only anomaly..."


    "To escape death itself just like that..."


    The mist covered their entire surroundings...


    Once again...


    Tei raised her eyebrows...


    Recognizing this chill...


    "The sacrifice..."


    "Can''t be used to evade such..."


    "But not if you''re..."


    "An anomaly... an exception..."


    "The laws of Ishii itself..."


    "To think you were one this entire time..."


    He raised his blade...


    Aiming for his neck...


    Gritting his teeth...


    His hands sweating on the grip...


    "That''s enough talking..."


    "I will show you..."


    "Real pain..."


    "You chose the wrong side..."


    "You and Shion..."


    "Especially that fool... that coward..."


    "Atsushi..."


    "What a pathetic death..."


    "AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    Suzushii suddenly lunges at him, his fist ever more potent...


    It connects...


    Sending his body flying...


    Creating newer tunnels, with his form being painted with the entrails of those who he had slain...


    "DON''T YOU EVER MENTION ATSU!!!!!!!!!!"


    "EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO EVER SPEAK LIKE THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    In the kilometer long, freshly created tunnel...


    Stood Kuroke, with a huge crater by his back...


    But his look...


    He...


    Wasn''t affected nor inflicted...


    In the slightest...


    "YEAH?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!"


    "AND WHAT GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "YOU''RE NO LONGER MY SENSEI NOR SENPAI!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "YOU''RE JUST A PIECE OF GARBAGE WHO KILLED AND DESTROYED EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE I HAD EVER LOVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "AND AS YOUR PUNISHMENT FROM THE GREAT EMPIRE ITSELF!!!!!!!!!"


    "I SENTENCE YOU TO A PENANCE OF DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    They both meet each other, with their blows striking at each other...


    His blade is no match for his blue flames...


    But his aura is no match...


    For his eternal black flames...


    They both negate each other''s attacks over and over and over and over and over and over and over again


    Multiple blades are spawned and are sent flying to Suzushii, who just-


    Dodges them one by one in a spiral direction, readying for his counter...


    "ANCIENT CRUSHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    He causes the entire ceiling above them to literally just open up...


    Like the stone that was there-


    Yeah well you get it...


    The night sky is revealed to them...


    The blizzard swallows them, with the lightning around them flashing...


    Right at their positions...


    He covers up where they just came from with more thicker rocks...


    "AND NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "FLOWING WATERFALLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    The huge space around them is suddenly filled to the brim with enormous amounts of gushing water...


    Spewing out from the very tips of the huge open space before them...


    They chase each other, trading blows...


    Sticking to the walls of the space, being chased by the water at the same time...


    Knowing whoever gets left...


    Is done for...


    By that lightning...


    Whoever controls it first...


    Whoever reaches the top of this space...


    Wins...


    "I guess it''s time..."


    Suzushii''s eyes widen...


    Something is holding him in place...


    A transparent mirror ball?


    Wait...


    W-WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!


    "TOO LATE SUZUSHII!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    Kuroke proceeds to step on his face, using it like a springboard-


    He finally reaches the top...


    An entire circle of the same orbs surround him...


    But they are...


    All now black...


    With the same flames... he endues...


    And they are sent...


    To his position...


    "BLACK VOID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    ...


    I didn''t want to use this so early on...


    In the war...


    But!


    It seems I''ve got no choice...


    "CLUSTER SURGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    All 4 of the elements he possesses, create this weird sphere that keeps forming and spinning...


    Getting larger and larger...


    It collides with Kuroke''s attack...


    And the both of them...


    Are suddenly hit...


    BY LIGHTNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    ...


    Smoke rises from the space below...


    With their presence...


    All gone...


    Erased...


    It''s safe to say...


    It''s only just starting to begin...


    All of this is...


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/d8_YZ7QVQlQ /</a> TEARS by HEALTH

 Chapter 19 - Moving (III)

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/fZcAQ0kuw1s /</a> Rosemary by Deftones


    The pellets all rain down from the heavens...


    It''s chill sending the message...


    Flashing lights of the Tokyo skyline...


    Fill the eyes of everyone amongst the crowds...


    Unaware...


    Of such conflicts...


    Sure...


    It''s been on the news...


    But all the events leading to this very crucial and...


    Devastating moment...


    Are of no awareness to the general public...


    A peaceful and very busy city...


    One of the most packed business centers in the entire world...


    Full of technological prowess... global importance...


    Tourist attractions...


    But today...


    It is susceptible...


    To the inevitable...


    What is the such?


    ...


    ...


    ...


    WAR...


    THE FINAL WAR...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    Lightning struck!


    A gigantic cloud forms from the very center of the city...


    The surges of intense and...


    Malice aura...


    Fill the air...


    Every single person can feel it...


    The impact is like an earthquake...


    In the very hands of mankind...


    Its destruction potential...


    Is like...


    An atom bomb...


    Incarnate...


    Living and breathing...


    Surging through the fingertips...


    Of those...


    Who seek to rule...


    Oppress...


    Take their rightful place...


    As humanity''s top race...


    More worthy than even the Germans thought they were...


    In the previous world war...


    "AND SCATTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    The booming voice spread, and multiple figures all instantly flashed causing enormous damage...


    Their abilities, destroying entire buildings, slaughtering all that stand in their way...


    The scene...


    Was like a real warzone...


    Blood filled the streets...


    Smoke and fire ravaged all those night lights...


    Replacing what was...


    Destroying the peace...


    From within...


    The man in the demon mask crouched dramatically...


    Marks and evidence of the impact all around him...


    Surging through him...


    Like...


    Lightning...


    It coursed through his veins...


    It appears...


    They are at the very famous...


    Crossing of...


    Shinjuku itself...


    All those people that were once there...


    All pulverized and turned into ashes...


    Just like ants to a flame...


    He lifts his head to find...


    He''s surrounded by most of the ICA forces situated naturally...


    At Japan''s capital...


    Like running into the lion''s den...


    Except...


    He was...


    LIKE A DRAGON...


    "Your highness... don''t sully yourself with these-"


    One of his royal guard spoke...


    The famed (only in The Great Empire''s ranks) New Guard...


    Whose descendants were...


    Those that fought in the Ishiin Civil War...


    An entire century and more ago...


    During the war to end all wars...


    Or so they thought...


    Prince Yoku raises his hand, just like his father...


    His every action dictates weight and obedience...


    To those who serve The Great Empire...


    "I can handle this..."


    "Deal with the rest of the entire city..."


    "Cause great disturbance and show them..."


    "What we have been preparing for..."


    "FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!" he screamed from the top of his lungs, his words echoing and amplified by his flashing aura...


    White lightning...


    He...


    Is left alone...


    A dragon amongst insects...


    Naturally...


    Death was spread...


    The center of Tokyo...


    Fell tonight...


    He waved his hand, and the action followed...


    Just his finger alone, can kill most of the forces here...


    Buildings quaked and cracked under his heel...


    Under his presence...


    "Father..."


    "You are right..."


    He laughs with dignity, a madness controlled...


    The sight is sickening, almost too comical to comprehend...


    "YOUR WILL BE DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    All those...


    Who thought they even stood a chance...


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Crushed...


    Without even effort exerted...


    All gone...


    In just seconds...


    .


    .


    The sudden awakening...


    Hidden in their wrists and necks...


    All over their body...


    Yellow marks of aura...


    The same...


    As...


    That day...


    The attack...


    On Kaizen Academy...


    "WHAT IS HAPPENING?"


    "WHY ARE ALL OUR BARRIERS SLOWLY BEING LOWERED?"


    "ONE BY ONE?!?!?!?"


    "AND WHY..."


    "ARE MOST OF THE BUNKERS ALSO LOSING CONTACT?!?!?!?"


    Screamed by one...


    After another...


    "NUMEROUS REPORTS OF HEAVY CASUALTIES ON SHINJUKU!!!!!!"


    "ALL OF OUR STATIONED ISHIINS THERE WERE..."


    "OBLITERATED WITH ONE BLOW!!!!!!!!"


    "MORE AND MORE CASUALTIES... AND COUNTING!!!!!!!!!!"


    Each and every person in the control room was such in a hectic state...


    The floors covered to the brim...


    With trampled papers, broken shards of mugs and glasses and whatmore...


    The man with the rustled suit...


    Stood there observing...


    "Assume all of our security measures as null..."


    "Our Brace for Impact Protocol might be pretty much useless..."


    "At this rate..."


    He bit his fingernail so bad...


    Its crimson liquids...


    Already numbed...


    The stress of the situation...


    Was more than some mere finger...


    "Fortifying each and every ward with most of our force..."


    "It ain''t enough..."


    "Evacuating our citizens..."


    "They even knew about our codes on how to reveal them..."


    "This is..."


    "Worse than my worst nightmare..."


    The shadow of his failures loomed over him...


    The weight...


    It crushed him...


    Still crushes him...


    "I will..."


    "Deal with them myself..."


    His assistant grabbed him by the collar...


    Grasping it tight...


    "Yotsu..."


    "You can''t..."


    "We can''t lose you t-"


    He shut her mouth...


    Her words muffled...


    Her eyes screaming what they really meant...


    Underneath...


    "This is all my fault..."


    "Who knew..."


    "One small mistake..."


    "In letting Atsushi fall to the enemy''s hands..."


    "Could lead us here..."


    "And now..."


    "So many are dead..."


    "Thanks to me..."


    He hung his head so low...


    It could snap in any second...


    "This is..."


    "My fight..."


    "Tell everyone..."


    "To only help evacuate what is left of our citizens..."


    "And to let them gather around here..."


    "In HQ..."


    "But how could we even fit that many-"


    He shook his head...


    Words...


    Aren''t enough anymore...


    Actions...


    Are what will determine...


    Success...


    Survival...


    And lastly...


    What little compassion...


    He had left...


    He thought...


    "Just do it..."


    Ino''s face stared blankly...


    In the face of...


    Certain death...


    "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    A rogue-


    No multiple rogue agents went about killing everyone in the room...


    Blood sprayed and with consoles malfunctioning-


    With one grab of her back-


    She felt it...


    The release of...


    She blinked her eyes...


    Looking at her hands...


    Her feet...


    Her chest...


    Her body...


    "H-huh?"


    She''s not dead yet...?


    A crackling sound filled the room...


    The hand above her...


    Just crushed the windpipes of their former colleagues...


    "It can''t be..."


    "W-why...?"


    "WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!?!?!?!?!?" She screamed a bloody curl, falling to her knees...


    Closing her eyes in disbelief...


    Rustles and noises...


    Of blades clashing-


    No...


    Of a blade slashing...


    Screams...


    And glass breaking...


    And in opening her eyes...


    There he stood...


    With the shadow all curled up on his wrists...


    Materialized into...


    Become weapons...


    Blood spilled and dripped from it...


    A surreal sight to behold...


    Blood covered in the shadows itself...


    His opposite...


    The light...


    Was with him...


    The enemy...


    ...


    Emperor Ishigami...


    Of The Great Empire...


    "It''s alright now..."


    "Ino..."


    He carried and embraced her...


    Whispering sweet nothings into her ear...


    They exited the room...


    "Take care of things here..."


    "I will gather our best of the best..."


    She nodded and sobbed into his chest...


    The wet marks of her tears...


    He didn''t mind...


    Her whimpers filled the empty hallways...


    Illuminated by the orange hue...


    Of HQ itself...


    A whole other...


    Dimension...


    Hidden in the ground...


    Hidden in the sky...


    There was no discernable location of such a place...


    It kept on moving in between...


    The ideal hiding place...


    A transitionary plane of existence...


    "I will get him..."


    "Ishigami..."


    He set her down...


    Readying his portal...


    In frustration...


    He punched the walls so hard-


    They just came right off...


    Like scissors right through paper...


    It stood no chance...


    Why would it?


    "You will pay..."


    ...


    "Brother..."


    He stepped forth in the blinding white light...


    With Ino praying...


    "You''ll make it out alive..."


    "And come back to me..."


    "I know it..."


    Her eyes closed ever so slightly...


    Right in between the edge of living in reality...


    And spacing out in...


    Fantasy...


    .


    .


    Explosions filled the sky...


    One by one...


    They were set off...


    Gusts of smoke paint the very atmosphere...


    Riots filled the streets...


    Of insane mayhem...


    Those awakened by...


    Her...


    Went on rampages-


    Fanning the flames...


    Everyone was considered to be a worthy...


    Pawn for her...


    From women to children to seniors...


    They made sure nobody...


    Came back alive...


    If ever...


    She licked her lips knowing what''s currently happening...


    "By the time I get there..."


    "There''d better be some left..."


    "OR ELSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "AHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    Her wildest dreams...


    Came to fruition...


    Chaos so disturbing...


    It wasn''t passe...


    As she thought all things...


    "Get to work boys!"


    "If you do..."


    "You might even a reward from me..."


    "YOUR GODDESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA"


    She laughed maniacally, her walking human carriage of broken bones and spirits-


    Roamed the path...


    Nearing what she craved most...


    ...


    That surge of feeling...


    Of taking another life...


    Just for her amusement...


    "HOW EXCITING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    Of getting...


    ...


    WHAT SHE WANTED MOST IN THIS LIFE


    And that''s more and more pleasure...


    That she can wring out...


    From any other pathetic toy...


    Who wishes to be hers...


    "Typical!"


    "Tch!"


    And in rolling her eyes...


    She watched the distant skyline of Tokyo...


    Being bombarded still-


    What a...


    TREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHHAAHAHHAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH


    .


    .


    A lone horn plays...


    As the rain pelts and joins the blood spilled...


    Of those seperated...


    From this earthly realm...


    Tear drops of the aching and bleeding hearts...


    The smog and vapor of the air gets thicker and gets hard to breathe in...


    The only thing that could be perceived...


    Are the flickering city lights of the night sky...


    With flashes of orange and likewise later-


    The smouldering...


    Of those so misfortunate...


    It is chaos incarnate...


    Loud booms and thumps of the air filled the soundwaves...


    An oppressive atmosphere of death and hate...


    The flashes of white light filled the sky-


    And those eyes that stared unto it...


    Blinded instantly...


    If they weren''t already lucky enough to not be striked upon impact...


    If you weren''t already a puppet...


    Of hers...


    Or struck by vast explosions that terrorised the entire capital...


    You were barely just holding on, just by the breadth of a thin thread...


    From certain deliverance...


    This was...


    As far as those taking such lives were...


    Divine retribution, divine seperation...


    And judgement...


    From the heavens...


    This is what you get for believing in such weak leaders...


    In those who can''t even protect you...


    Save you...


    For such belittling of the Great Empire of Japan...


    This is what you get...


    ...


    CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE WINDOWS COVERING THE FLOOR WERE TAKEN RIGHT OFF


    With just the blink of the eye-


    Air rushed in, the extremely crushing scent of smoke contrasted with the sweet and numbing allure of the rain itself...


    The wind was blowing...


    And despite this...


    Despite everything...


    It was still snowing...


    Calmly...


    In the middle of the storm...


    His mind was fixated on this...


    H-he...


    Felt...


    So cold...


    So numb...


    There...


    Wasn''t really anything he could do now...


    What could he...


    Barely even a real Ishiin...


    Possibly do?


    When he couldn''t even save his own father?


    Slanted eyes, glanced over at the beautiful mess that ransaked the outside world...


    It almost doesn''t feel real...


    As if it was just another lucid dream...


    Or...


    This was it...


    The visions...


    Of his near death experience...


    Blood will fill the oceans...


    Bodies will litter the beaches...


    ...


    And yet...


    He felt so still...


    Like he was barely just keeping it together...


    Barely just holding on...


    "Jisei..."


    "Jisei..."


    "JISEI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    The sudden realization hit him...


    He didn''t perceive it...


    But it felt like he was falling...


    His senses were almost shut off...


    Spreading his arms and legs-


    Flapping madly...


    The tall drop of the skyscraper met his eyes-


    The panoramic and sweeping view of everything that was before him...


    The city that he grew up in and loved so dearly...


    Crumbling and withering right before his sights...


    Maybe...


    This was it...?


    Maybe...


    It was time to give up?


    To...


    Shortly meet...


    His father...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    A blood curdling scream escaped his lips, his body erratically moved about-


    Destroying all it could see...


    Desperately grabbing unto the glassy form of the structure before him


    Multiple bodies came rushing at him, scratching his arms and face...


    His crimson insides filled their sharp fingernails...


    But this...


    Was almost nothing...


    Such adrenaline coursed in his veins...


    His body twisted and contorted, such aura...


    Was so thick...


    It was transparent...


    Invisible like it wasn''t even there...


    At all...


    It manipulated the air around them, causing it to crush their insides in return...


    Like a miniaturized black hole...?


    SUCH RAGE FILLED HIS PSYCHE


    IT WAS UNFOUNDED


    ALMOST ALL CONSUMING


    And with the twist of his wrist-


    He sent so many falling and crashing-


    Dying...


    The curling of his fingertips, he created so many abilities, his potential unleashed...


    An aura that gathered physical elements to create a sphere that caused enormous and certain...


    ANNIHILATION


    SO MUCH SNOW AND SHATTERED GLASS FORMED AROUND HIS HAND-


    IT LOOKED LIKE A GIGANTIC BOULDER BY THE TIME IT WAS FINISHED ACCUMULATING


    IN JUST A FEW SECONDS


    "DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????????????????"


    HE SCREAMED AND BROKE HIS VOICE


    SENDING THE GLOBE CRASHING


    DEMOLISHING THE ENTIRE BUILDING IN AN INSTANT


    HIS WEEPING FILLED THE AIR


    SUCH SORROW ENOUGH TO DESTROY...


    AN ENTIRE CITY BLOCK...


    HIS PSYCHE AND UNSTABLE STATE


    ALMOST LIKE A WEAPON...


    ...


    He loses consciousness...


    ...


    "Jisei..."


    "What have you done?"


    A sudden gasp, air returning to him...


    He...


    Blacked out...


    W-what happened?


    He...


    Is down in the ground now...


    Wasn''t he falling just earlier...?


    A hand rubbed his back...


    But something felt off...


    His sight took a while to return to him...


    But whatever he saw...


    Was...


    Was...


    Something he couldn''t comprehend...


    Nor understand...


    That is because...


    "You did this..."


    "Jisei..."


    Her face...


    He hasn''t seen her so shook up...


    Since...


    That fateful day...


    Of their clash...


    But this time...


    It was different...


    Her look said it all...


    She was honestly...


    Terrified of him...


    He didn''t notice it immediately...


    But...


    His hands...


    They were filled to the brim...


    Leaking...


    Of crimson blood...


    It wasn''t his...


    He didn''t even know whose it was...


    His- No...


    Their surroundings...


    It was like hell on earth...


    Bodies littered the streets...


    Disfigured body limbs and parts...


    Crushed and smushed people underneath the debris of falling buildings...


    And crashing cars...


    The white and bulky ground they were on...


    Snow...


    Most of it...


    Was bloodied...


    His eyes widen and instantly looks away...


    Such sights...


    Were too much for the feeble mind...


    Especially when they weren''t raised to be so close to such conflicts...


    Until now...


    "Jisei..."


    Despite this...


    Being so scared for her own life...


    She still clings on to Jisei...


    No matter what...


    Embracing him, her warmth only on his back...


    He falls to the ground...


    Everything nauseated him...


    He couldn''t take it anymore...


    ...


    He puked immensely...


    Drooping eyes...


    He...


    Felt so low...


    None of this could be happening...


    Right?


    H-he...


    He couldn''t be...


    H-he...


    Isn''t a murderer...


    Right?


    He...


    Didn''t do this...


    Willfully...


    Right?


    He...


    Broke down crying...


    Grovelling...


    Even with his lover at his side...


    Even she couldn''t calm him down...


    He didn''t want to believe it...


    This...


    This wasn''t real...


    This isn''t real...


    Surely?


    Right?


    ...


    RIGHT?


    ��


    ��D-dad����


    ��I��m����


    ��S-sorry����


    .


    .


    .


    -End of Aftermath II Arc-


    - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - --


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/9tmPBuSpmfA /</a> Digital Bath by Deftones

 Chapter 20 - Underlying Secrets

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/1tWFk8ojF4M /</a> Do I Wanna Know? �C Arctic Monkeys


    I always saw it in her...


    That...


    Darkness...


    Eating away at her...


    The way she jokes around...


    The way she...


    Holds me close...


    And yet...


    And yet-


    She always has this solemn look whenever she looks away into the distance...


    Like...


    She...


    Has too much to hold...


    Whatever weight she must be holding...


    She doesn''t ever tell me...


    Koyo...


    Why...


    Why do you still not trust me?


    ...


    Am I...


    Am I not to be trusted...?


    Am I...


    Just somebody for you to love...


    When you''re only lonely...?


    Am I...


    Not IT yet...?


    For you?


    Do you...


    Still believe that you''re not worthy of true love?


    You can''t hide anything from me...


    You are...


    My love...


    After all...


    So please...


    Koyo...


    For us...


    Please...


    Let go of that pain...


    And confide in me...


    Let''s be one...


    Let me...


    Save you...


    .


    .


    I never imagined...


    I''d ever get with you...


    You''re so full of sunshine...


    Being with you is like walking with nature itself...


    So peaceful and...


    And...


    And yet...


    I can''t shake this feeling...


    That...


    I''m not...


    Enough for you...


    No matter how funny I am...


    No matter...


    How much I try to be...


    The woman you need me to be...


    I...


    I''m not...


    I feel like an impostor...


    L-like...


    I-I''m...


    "I''m not supposed to be here..."


    "With you..."


    Her figure shivered...


    Her feet covered in the cool air...


    Of the lonely twilight...


    They could be together...


    And yet...


    They somehow...


    Shouldn''t be together...


    In the first place...


    "Why is that?"


    "W-why..."


    Her face twitched, her shaking hands and little form underneath her comfy sheets...


    With the streetlight peering through her windows...


    She stared at that very light...


    It was fleeting...


    Artificial...


    It was...


    Her love...


    ...


    She sobbed for what seemed like an eternity...


    Shaking and breaking...


    All in her bedroom...


    "Why..."


    "Why am I..."


    "Like this...?"


    She shivered till the end...


    Her sheets weren''t enough for the coldness...


    That slowly crept up to her...


    It pierced her...


    But it didn''t change her...


    At all...


    All it did...


    Was...


    ...


    Make everything worse...


    "I need you..."


    "Just come here already..."


    "My medicine..."


    Her little voice sung with such graceful but shattering and fragile beauty...


    Her voice would enchant any man...


    And yet...


    She chooses... to...


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Hide this...


    Up to this day...


    She doesn''t know why...


    She doesn''t know-


    "I don''t know why..."


    ...


    Her eyes continued to stare at his...


    His pics...


    Their pics...


    His eyes...


    Behind her phone''s screen...


    Out of reach...


    ....


    So out of reach...


    .


    .


    https://youtu.be/VQOFcQabzBo /</a> Arabella - Arctic Monkeys


    "You''re... sooo..."


    "Cute..."


    "M-my..."


    "L-love..."


    Koyo smiled shyly...


    Her eyes ever so slightly looking to the side...


    With Jisei''s strong form...


    Never leaving her side...


    His eyes...


    Never leaving hers...


    She blushed madly...


    Her red cheeks spreading to her entire face...


    She hid her face from him, her cute alluring voice teasing him-


    "You really are a wooer, aren''t you?"


    "My strong prince?"


    She winked confidently, her other side revealing herself right before him-


    "That''s right-"


    He pinned her to the wall-


    "You''re mine..."


    "From now on..."


    "Got it?" his stare got even more intense, his hands and chest so near to her...


    She bit her lip...


    Smirking but blushing madly as well


    "I''m all yours..."


    "So protect me..."


    "My darling~~"


    They got so close...


    They could just undress right here and-


    They were immediately interrupted from making out-


    They forgot...


    They were in public...


    "Ahahahahhaahhaha, that''s what happens!" she laughed awkwardly, her rage slowly building


    "You pervert!!!!!!"


    She punched his arm as hard as she could


    But...


    He just smiled softly


    "That''s the best you can do?"


    "Ughhhhhhh shut up!!!!!!!"


    She giggled so loud, that he just shook his head, rolling his eyes playfully


    They walked together through the city block...


    Their hips in sync...


    Their hands intertwined...


    Their lips...


    Waiting...


    To press...


    To be...


    As one...


    To be...


    Forever...


    Together...


    If ever...


    That was to be...


    At all...


    ...


    "J-jisei-k-kun..."


    "Hmmm?"


    Koyo could feel his hands so intertwined with him...


    The afternoon heat and cool breeze gave her chills... as they walked by the beautiful cherry blossom-filled streets...


    And lanes...


    She...


    Smiled so softly...


    "I''ve got to let you hear t-this..."


    She handed him her lone earbud...


    With her fingers twiddling with hers...


    Her lips trembled...


    Her cheeks flushed...


    Her eyes...


    "Your eyes..."


    "Are my entire world..."


    Jisei grabbed her earbud...


    And wore it...


    Koyo couldn''t bring herself to look at her...


    Inspiration...


    Her eyes welled up with hot tears...


    And in closing her eyes...


    She felt big, strong hands wiping away all her doubts and fears...


    Her eyes fluttered...


    Blinking over and over again...


    Her heart...


    Swooned over this...


    Her smile was so wide...


    Jisei was taken aback by this...


    "Well come on then!"


    "Let''s get going!"


    "Hmm hmm~"


    Koyo''s hum filled his ears with such melodic and feminine allure-


    "This song..."


    "Is how I really feel about you..."


    "My prince..."


    Koyo smiled and looked up at him...


    His height was both terrifying but comforting at the same time...


    She knew...


    She could feel safe near him...


    Her one and only saviour...


    "Oh really?"


    "This is too touching and cute..."


    "My cute little princess..."


    https://youtu.be/Z6nzdtuHi0Y /</a> Lia - Zild


    They walked and fluttered by the pink-covered streets...


    The wind so cool and gentle...


    The heat so connected to their memories...


    From everything they did...


    From those mid-afternoon strolls...


    Holding hands...


    To eating their cute little picnics by the riverside...


    Their breezy and exhilarating karaoke sessions-


    Crying their hearts out...


    To their romantic candle-lit dinners...


    That they dreamt of-


    As they were eating their humble little fast food meals-


    All that really mattered...


    Was each other...


    Their presence...


    Made them grew ever so closer to each other...


    Their cute movie dates...


    Their heat so connected...


    Their hands never letting go...


    As they window-shopped through the districts of their most favorite places...


    That they shared together...


    Awaiting lips...


    And bodys...


    His hand moved closer to hers-


    "Say ahhhhhhh~"


    The spoonful of their shared sundae, the atmosphere of the mid-afternoon haze and heat, partnered with the wide-angle view of Shibuya''s main district-


    The slight chilling breeze of the soft air-conditioned ventilation of this ice cream parlor shop-


    She rolled her eyes-


    Pretending her hardest to resist-


    "God you''re so corny!!!!!!"


    His sweet little giggles made her hide away in flustered frustration-


    Catching glimpses of what she always loved about him-


    Her emotions always bent and was molded into so many shapes-


    Whenever they were together...


    His sunlit personality and care...


    It all felt too...


    Too good to be real...


    This very moment...


    All her feelings from the deep


    Swelled from within, a bittersweet recollection-


    Of everything they''ve been together...


    All the smiles, all the cuddles...


    All the...


    T-the...


    Their k-kisses together...


    She bit her lip over this...


    She...


    Didn''t know whatever this feeling was...?


    What was it?


    Her eyes once more-


    So blue and deep, just like the depths of the ocean that hid her-


    Truest feelings...


    Was all of what she did...


    With him...


    I don''t want to even think about that right now!


    Aren''t I happy right now????


    What do I have to be so unhappy about?!?!?!


    ANSWER ME!!!!!!!!!


    ...


    OTHER ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    A part of her smirked at this...


    A shadow warping so much, it looked like ink blots that were swerving and molding i-into...


    It dwarfed her entire being...


    From within her mind...


    What was it turning into...?


    I-it...


    It''s gigantic hand grabbed her whole form, its colors flickering and turning into her own shade of skin...


    I-it...


    Was her?


    Her own eyes stared into her minuscule form...


    It''s like she was only a millimetre tall...


    Compared to this giantess of...


    She did what she always had done before...


    She arched her back so far into the front...


    You could swear she was forcefully trying to break it...


    And in crouching downwards...


    She hid her face from all of it...


    From ever facing it...


    And yet it was here...


    Staring and towering over her...


    Her own self...


    Her deepest feelings?


    "You already know..."


    Her massive voice echoed and reverberated all across her cerebral cortex-


    "You already know what this feeling is..."


    "NO I DON''T!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!"


    The huge figure bellowed and laughed so hard, it caused earthquakes from the palm of the hand that Koyo was standing on


    "You know I won''t"


    "And do you know why that is?"


    In her own curiosity-


    She lifted her head up...


    Pretending it was Jisei''s, who was helping her face whatever she needed to-


    But this...


    All of that...


    Wasn''t enough for her...


    To face...


    THE TRUTH


    "Tell me..."


    "Who took care of you?"


    "Hmmm?"


    "Who let you cry into their arms?"


    "Who paid for all those dates you seem so proud to have had gone on?"


    "HMMM?????"


    As much as she wanted to avert her eyes from this...


    Just like always...


    This time...


    She just couldn''t bring herself to...


    She felt deep inside of her...


    She needed to hear this...


    And who else but herself...?


    Was suited to relay such...


    Bitter pills for her to swallow and ponder upon...


    "It was all because of him..."


    "Your prince..."


    "Your knight in shining armor..."


    "And tell me..."


    ...


    "What do you think he feels?"


    "Not getting the same treatment from you?"


    Her eyes...


    As if it were made of glass...


    Shattered...


    Right before her...


    Cracks and nothing but that...


    All formed in her very lenses...


    "Aren''t you..."


    "A SELFISH LITTLE SPOILED BRAT AFTER ALL?"


    "His cute little princess, who couldn''t even reciprocate- let alone be his true equal and partner-"


    "SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    Her vocal cords strained-


    Screaming bloody murder at the very thought-


    Of such things...


    "Shut up..."


    She...


    Couldn''t take much more...


    All it took...


    Was just one more push...


    For her to float in the air-


    To turn into smaller little pieces-


    Like a vase that was pushed off of the shelf... it belonged on...


    "YOU KNOW IT''S TRUE"


    "YOU''RE A FAILURE EVEN AFTER EVERYTHING"


    "YOU THINK HE''D UNDERSTAND YOU?"


    "MAYBE HE WAS JUST HIDING HIS OWN DISGUST OF YOU"


    "YOU CHRONIC FEMCEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    Koyo broke her voice...


    Her broken eyes spilling out waterfalls of the stuff...


    Of her own melancholic liquids...


    Losing her own will to resist anymore...


    A grave mistake...


    Because she knew...


    She believed everything she had said to her...


    She...


    After all...


    ...


    Was her...


    ...


    The spoon hovered for about an entire minute...


    Jisei...


    Didn''t register this at first but...


    Koyo''s face was so unrecognizable...


    It warped in the span of that very minute...


    It...


    Was colder than the spoon and glass that contained their sweetness...


    Colder than the very ventilation protecting them from the heat outside...


    Colder than...


    Winter itself...


    It scared him...


    It...


    Didn''t feel real...


    It...


    The spoon that was held by him, dripped of the melted sweetness that was for her...


    It made a huge mess on their table...


    She hid her eyes...


    Unable to look him in the eye...s


    Unable to open up truly...


    To let go...


    Of what deemed her to be...


    Such a failure...


    In her eyes...


    "Uhhh-"


    "Are you alright?"


    "Koyo?"


    "My dear?"


    Her eyes snapped out of it, but this time...


    Her own smile, still the same on the outside...


    Unsettled Jisei...


    For whatever reason...


    Something had changed between them...


    And as much as Jisei pestered her about it...


    She wouldn''t budge...


    An inch at all...


    She always had the same response for such things...


    For such questions about her own well-being


    "I''m alright Jisei-kun..."


    "Don''t worry about me, ok?"


    And then she would smile sweetly, keeping it all in


    Mistaking such inner strength...


    To be the right thing to do in such situations...


    This...


    Would hurt Jisei more than she could ever fathom...


    But the thing is...


    She didn''t know any better...


    She couldn''t have realized this at the time...


    And by now she has...


    It''s all...


    TOO LATE


    .


    .


    .


    https://youtu.be/VwBGx3F6pxM /</a> Medisina - Zild


    In the end...


    I couldn''t even save her...


    I knew she had such insecurities inside of her...


    Such dark feelings that just crept up and caught up to her...


    By the time we were together...


    But no matter how much I shook her and forcefully asked her...


    What was wrong...?


    She would never ever...


    Budge...


    She...


    Broke us off...


    Like cutting the only lifeline that kept her sane...


    I...


    I could never stop thinking about her...


    I must have been so special to her...


    Even though I...


    Really found my true love...


    Right afterwards...


    Koyo...


    Why did you have to do all that?


    Why do you continue to torture yourself?


    When you know you deserve...


    Everything we had...


    Cutting us off...


    Must''ve been the worst thing you ever had to feel...


    Right?


    One day...


    I will save you...


    One day...


    We will meet again...


    I know it...


    I can''t let you keep doing this to yourself...


    My...


    One and long lost love...


    ...


    And with that...


    She sent me one last message...


    It...


    Wasn''t even really one...


    All it was...


    Was a link to a song...


    It was:


    Medisina - Zild


    ...


    My depression started and ended that very week...


    When I...


    Met her...


    I didn''t just change her...


    She changed me...


    Instead...


    To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/Enli95qjMkQ /</a> Why��d You Only Call Me When You��re High? �C Arctic Monkeys

 Chapter 21 - Walk in the Park

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/g1RWEcARUF4</a> / Walk in the Park - Beach House


    That day...


    I walked like...


    There was no tomorrow...


    How could there be?


    How could...


    There be...


    I...


    I let her...


    Break us up...


    I let her...


    Break herself...


    I let her...


    ...


    I stopped in my tracks...


    The wind in the air was turning cool...


    The bittersweet orange and red hue all in the distance filled my eyes...


    And just as the dead leaves were dancing and swerving all around-


    I sighed...


    "Maybe you and I..."


    "Are one of the same..."


    "Huh...?"


    "Koyo-san..."


    I lifted my eyes upwards, my neck cracking in the process...


    The sky was turning into the familiar violet we all know it would be...


    "It''s getting late..."


    "I''ve got to pick her up-"


    "Oh right..."


    "That''s over now..."


    My footsteps trampled on the autumn-leaf-covered streets...


    The rustling of the such beneath me-


    Didn''t bother me that much...


    My lips quivered at the thought-


    What was I thinking?


    That I could be your savior?!?!?


    I can''t even...


    I couldn''t even save you...


    And now...


    "I always loved your music taste..."


    "Guess even after everything..."


    "You''re still with me..."


    "Nayumi-chan..."


    https://youtu.be/AHHMC9g4ffY</a> / Bahala Ka Na - Zild


    Can I even save myself?


    ...


    Her earphones were still with me...


    She said she''d get it back from me...


    The next time we''d meet...


    But wasn''t that-


    Yeah...


    I know...


    "They''re mine now..."


    "Aren''t they?"


    I drilled them into my ears-


    And filled myself with her own mindset-


    Post-punk and indie rock galore...


    I bit my lip...


    Clicking it...


    "I miss you so much..."


    "How was it lost?"


    "Whatever..."


    "It''s up to you..."


    I sang with my feeble little voice...


    The illumination and the sensory overload was all I could focus on-


    Muscle memory was how I got home at all...


    For the first time...


    I couldn''t even think straight...


    I always had so much time to introspect...


    But this time...


    It''s like-


    The rug was pulled from underneath me...


    So suddenly-


    There was no time to react...


    And before I knew it...


    "IT''S UP TO YOU!" THE MUSIC SWELLED AND THE SINGER SCREAMED AS HIS VOICE FADED INTO THE VERY DEPTHS THAT STARED BACK-


    THE GUITAR WAILED-


    And I...


    I...


    I was sobbing on the way home...


    My face twitching...


    My tears warping...


    I didn''t know I felt such things...


    I really was right about it...


    "You and I..."


    "We''re one in the same..."


    "And that''s why..."


    "We can never be together"


    ...


    I couldn''t really fathom it all-


    All of our memories would bleed in...


    Those...


    Of the such...


    Became my own thoughts...


    I didn''t really know...


    What this feeling was...


    Sure...


    I''ve been sad before...


    But this...


    This is something else...


    Each and every day...


    Didn''t really compare to like before...


    None of what I did...


    Could''ve ever compared...


    To what we were...


    And yet...


    I wasn''t really lamenting my own grief...


    As much as I was with hers...


    But I know I would be lying...


    If I...


    If I...


    If I didn''t say that...


    I didn''t feel hurt...


    I mean...


    How couldn''t I be hurt?


    ��


    https://youtu.be/dNqG1IUGWpI</a> / Duwag - Zild


    Everyday really was the same...


    The same old thing-


    Was this what she felt?


    Wake up


    Eat breakfast


    Go to school


    Get through class


    Eat during lunch breaks


    Laugh around with your friends and lie to their faces saying-


    "I''m fine, don''t worry about me"


    "Besides all that-"


    "Didn''t you hear about-!"


    Go home


    Slack off and do your piles of homework


    Eat dinner


    Go to sleep


    And...


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    A-and...


    Repeat...


    No wonder...


    You felt that way...


    No wonder...


    You always looked over to the horizon...


    And yet...


    I...


    I still have friends...


    I may be hurt...


    But you...


    You don''t really have anything nor anybody else...


    Do you?


    If only...


    I could bear your own weight for you...


    Get rid of it-


    Make it mine...


    Just to make you happy...


    If only...


    If only...


    IF... ONLY...


    Huh...?


    My love...


    But after all this time...


    I should''ve forced my way into helping her...


    I shouldn''t have let her break us up...


    I should''ve been more forceful...


    I should''ve been less of a...


    ...


    Aren''t I the...


    The real coward...


    Out of the both of us?


    ...


    "Hey!"


    "Watch where you''re going!!!!!!"


    Eh...?


    "Hey!!!!"


    "Answer me!!!"


    ...


    "ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A FIGHT?!?!?!?"


    "YOU FUCKING RUNT!!!!!!!!"


    ...


    EHHHHHHHHHH??????????????


    I wasn''t actually paying attention to my surroundings-


    Everything was on autopilot for me...


    Just another day I thought...


    One day...


    I''ll move on from her...


    Koyo-chan...


    But I didn''t imagine that this would''ve ever happened to me...


    I would be able to help...


    To save...


    Another person...


    Just as I couldn''t with Koyo...


    But this person...


    Our meeting...


    I didn''t think-


    It''d happen like this...


    And by the time my mind was coming to...


    ...


    I was dodging left and right-


    Up and down-


    So swiftly...


    It was like I was...


    Possessed or something...


    Whoever was trying to hit me...


    Was really good at it...


    Sure...


    An experienced fighter or soldier would call this person''s movements sloppy-


    ...


    My dad would certainly say so...


    But compared to what I''m capable of...


    Even when he...


    Tried to train me in anything...


    I couldn''t have compared to the people who have a natural knack for fighting...


    It wasn''t that you couldn''t train hard enough to be...


    As good as them...


    As good as an Ishiin...


    But I really thought at the time...


    Reflecting upon this...


    How could I have gone face to face with such a brawler...


    Like...


    Her...?


    It''s like we were performing some weird interpretative dance....


    With how hard she was trying to beat me-


    For her hits to even connect-


    My body was dodging so gracefully-


    You would''ve taught I was some professional dancer or even a ballet dancer!


    We...


    We were right in the middle of the park-


    Just as the sun was sinking...


    The leaves were still swaying-


    The wind was cheering us on-


    There wasn''t much people on the side where we were fighting (...?) from...


    I gritted my teeth, trying to catch up with my own body, my own movements had a mind of its own


    Sliding on the wet sprinkled grassy terrain, her own arms and stances were heavy in the way she moved


    She kept shouting at me:


    "STAY STILL YOU LITTLE BASTARD!!!!!"


    "WHO SENT YOU!?!?!?!?!"


    "CAN''T YOU BASTARDS EVER GIVE ME A BREAK!?!?!?!?"


    "I KNOW I JUST KICKED YOUR ASSES A DAY AGO, BUT JEEZ!!!!!!"


    "STAY IN LINE AND WAIT FOR YOUR TURN!!!!!"


    "UGHHHH!!!!!!!!"


    She groaned and wailed in frustration as I avoided every single one of her attacks with such ease-


    It''s like I turned into water incarnate-


    I whispered to myself:


    "Is this what dad was talking about...?"


    "Moving so fluidly, it should be effortless?"


    The last thing I ever noticed was...


    The wind wasn''t just blowing around us...


    It was coming from me...


    From within...


    How...?


    Is this...?


    "Is this?"


    She suddenly kicked me from beneath, my own thoughts distracting from the present moment-


    And as just she was going to hit me hard...


    For good...


    ...


    Her clenched fist getting ever so closer to my face, risking the biggest and only black eye I''ll ever get-


    To think my first fight ever...


    Was from a girl...


    Let alone a juvenile girl....!


    ...


    My eyes and spirit were suddenly shook to the core, seeing such a feat and sight...


    Right before my eyes-


    Her figure was sent flying so many meters away from me, her crash landing-


    On a nearby bench, whose entire exterior was shredded by the sheer force of my whatever had made her fly to such a degree!


    She coughed up blood and gasped-


    Her head low...


    Her very first defeat...


    Not by any of the enemies she''s made in the past years of her transgressions-


    But...


    By a scrawny inexperienced kid...


    Like me...


    The very moment was humorous...


    But even this...


    Made her so mad...


    She gritted her teeth loudly...


    Her breaths were filled with such rage...


    Steam was raging out of her gaping mouth...


    In shock and disbelief at what had just happened-


    "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "YOURE GETTING IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "YOU FUCKER!!!!!!!!!!"


    But she struggled to even move a single muscle-


    Let alone her own body...


    Her words couldn''t match what she wanted to do to me...


    She didn''t completely open her eyes...


    Or rather her view-


    Cause what calmed her down was seeing me-


    An extremely potent white aura raged on right before her...


    The winds were swirling from me, the dent of such power that protected me from her


    Created powerful dents in the concrete pavement of the park below me-


    "This is just a big misunderstanding!" I tried to reason with her, and yet-


    My own form was pretty much a contrast to what I had just said-


    Even if was in earnest...


    "OH YEAH?????"


    "THEN WHY DID YOU BEAT ME SO BADLY???"


    "I''M COUGHING UP BLOOD HUHH?????????"


    I shook my head, sniffling my nose and rubbing it


    I groaned in reply


    "I don''t even know how I got her in the first place!!!!"


    "YOU BUMPED INTO ME!!!!!!"


    "AND THEN YOU DIDN''T EVEN APOLOGIZE!!!!!"


    "YOU MUST BE ONE OF THEM THEN!!!!!!"


    "STARTING A FIGHT!!!!!!"


    "UGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"


    She complained and roughly spoke with such vigor, you''d think she could own up to her words-


    "Calm down! Calm down!"


    "I''m sorry alright!!!!!"


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about!!!!!"


    "I don''t even know who you are!!!!!"


    "HUHHHHHH?-"


    "Huh....."


    Her voice dropped and so did her energy-


    Judging a change in her demeanor, I got closer to make amends-


    But my guard never did lower because of her actions against me...


    In noticing my figure getting closer, she starts to look up at me, her eyes squinting-


    "Oh wait..."


    "You''re not one of them..."


    "Man..."


    "I''m sorry ''bout that"


    "BUT THAT DOESN''T MEAN YOU COULD BREAK ME IN HALF NOW DID IT????"


    I shook my head once again-


    "Yeah yeah I''m apologizing to you now alright????"


    I whispered softly-


    "I''m really sorry..."


    She sighs, signalling that I should at least come help her up


    I nod, my arms grasping her own


    My shoulders were as welcoming as they could ever be


    "Apology accepted"


    "But tell me..."


    "How come a little runt like you, has such abilities like that?"


    There was a slight pause, I sensed she was searching deep in her mind to recall something


    "How come... you have ishii?"


    "You''re familiar with ishii?"


    "I mean... my dad works with Ishiins, sometimes some would get on him- their aura y''know?"


    "Some would even come home, to discuss with him"


    "I see..."


    "My dad is also-"


    "Well he''s an Ishiin"


    "His name is Atsushi"


    "Oh??? That name sounds familiar"


    "Maybe my dad did work with him after all!"


    "I was always so curious on how Ishii works..."


    "I just found him... my dad..."


    "To be so weak!"


    "Ugh..."


    Her breath was on my neck, I didn''t really know how to feel...


    But...


    This was certainly...


    An interesting meeting...


    That was for sure...


    "He''s not an Ishiin, I mean sure he can sorta use it..."


    "But it''s only just for intel..."


    "He''s so awkward! He doesn''t even know how to deal with me..."


    "It''s like he always avoids me because of that..."


    "My other sisters... they get along better with him..."


    "I''m not even sure he even loves me..."


    "Unlike them..."


    I reached to grab her hair and patted it-


    I didn''t realize I had done this-


    It was just something I used to do with Koyo-


    Whenever she felt insecure about something...


    A slight touch would always calm her down...


    The girl...


    Didn''t know how to react to this sensation-


    She stayed silent-


    "I''m sure he loves you... y''know?"


    "And how do you know that?"


    "My dad... is a big shot Ishiin..."


    "I barely get to see him at all..."


    "But whenever I do... just his presence and smile..."


    "Would make my day..."


    "If you want to feel love from him..."


    "Isn''t him trying... even if he avoids you because of that"


    "Proof that he does love you after all?"


    "Proof that he''s trying to understand you?"


    I glanced over right at her face-


    What I saw...


    Was something I had never seen from Koyo...


    It was...


    She was...


    Crying ever so silently...


    ...


    I made us stop walking...


    She...


    She looked straight at me...


    "I never taught about it like that..."


    "This is weird but..."


    "Do you think us meeting right now..."


    "Has some sort of special meaning...?"


    "You think so?" I replied grasping her in place, unknowingly-


    I was giving her my own aura, restoring her ability and energy ever so slightly-


    "I do..."


    "I do... y''know?"


    "I..."


    "I always felt so alone..."


    The wind around us gave us the chills, and so did this moment-


    But such warmth emanated from the both of us...


    Something...


    So special...


    "I know how that feels..."


    "My name''s Jisei..."


    "What''s yours?"


    She stared at me deeply, her glassy eyes such a huge contrast from...


    Hers...


    "It''s Manaka..."


    "Tell me..."


    "Can we..."


    "Keep hanging out starting from today?"


    I nodded slowly


    In wiping her tears, she suddenly hugged me-


    I...


    I felt something I hadn''t felt in a long time...


    I suddenly felt like I was alive again...


    I...


    To think...


    I''d fall for a girl like her...


    I gave my own vulnerabilities to her...


    In return...


    My eyes...


    Were breaking apart and realising the tension I was bottling up for so long...


    She notices this...


    "It might be too soon..."


    "I never really felt this way for boys..."


    "But let''s just see where it takes us..."


    "Alright?"


    "Yeah..."


    "Yeah..."


    ...


    "Manaka-san..."


    ...


    "I''m glad I met you..."


    "Jisei-kun..."


    ...


    "Likewise..."


    "Let''s get home now..."


    She hummed ever so prettily...


    From that moment on...


    It...


    It felt like��


    She was THE ONE...


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/6YzGOq42zLk</a> / Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye

 Chapter 22 - You and Me, Till the End

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/xKk655CDFn8</a> / Mundo - IV OF SPADES


    I''d...


    I''d never thought...


    I''d ever fall for a boy...


    ...


    Just like you...


    Jisei...


    ...


    I...


    Would never have thought...


    T-that...


    ...


    I''d...


    Feel...


    S-so...


    ...


    So happy...


    In my entire life...


    ...


    It''s thanks to you...


    Nobody...


    But you...


    .


    .


    .


    Such breathtaking colors swallowed the sky...


    The sweat dripped from brows...


    Knuckles...


    Cracked...


    And bled unto the pavement...


    The lone figure stood there...


    Struggling to keep moving...


    Struggling to even...


    Walk a single more step...


    Forward...


    But such rush of the wind-


    Warmth spread all over...


    Her face twitched...


    Seeing his eyes-


    It was more than words-


    Could ever say...


    She...


    Understood from that moment on...


    ...


    That she didn''t need to keep fighting...


    Alone...


    Anymore...


    The breeze was chilling-


    To her...


    This moment...


    Was a turning point...


    For her...


    And she hoped...


    Deep inside of her heart...


    "J-jisei...?"


    "Hmm?"


    Their embrace kept on for minutes on end-


    Her heart longed for this...


    For so long...


    Too long...


    She laid bare-


    Her gaze into his...


    The atmosphere was something else-


    Something else she hadn''t felt in her entire life...


    ...


    In my whole life...


    I always had to...


    Keep on a tough act-


    Such reality of this world...


    Made it so...


    Like that...


    Nobody really understood what I felt-


    Why I felt so...


    So...


    Empty...


    Deep inside...


    For so long now...


    Everything in this world...


    Just felt so shallow to me...


    Everything was just one goal after another-


    One dream that lasts for only so long-


    Until it''s time to find another...


    What is the use of such meaning?


    Of such effort?


    ...


    Only for it to go away?


    I don''t really know why I felt this way...


    Maybe-


    After all of the gossip-


    Girls my age kept on obsessing over-


    Kept on...


    Blabbering about -


    As if that''s the only thing their measly lives could ever center around on...


    I kept looking deep inside of myself...


    What did I really want?


    ...


    I...


    I-I...


    Didn''t really know...


    I kept on searching for it...


    Unironically...


    What this feeling-


    Of such emptiness...


    Would lead me to...


    Who knew?


    ...


    Heh...


    I''d turn into this...


    My hands...


    Filled with so much blood...


    The very rush of blood to the head-


    Adrenaline...


    It was the only thing I looked forward to-


    Everyday where I would go and prove myself-


    To some useless bastards who think they were so much better than me-


    So tough?


    So rough?


    HAH!


    I showed them what real strength was like!


    Or...


    So I thought...


    At the time...


    I baid arms and beat up so many-


    I couldn''t even count how many they were anymore...


    ...


    A punch there


    A lunge there


    A kick there


    A snap


    A crack


    A dodge


    A curse


    A mark


    A BLOW TO THE HEAD


    GOD!


    IT FELT SO EXHILARATING TO KEEP DOING


    OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN!


    I FUCKING LOVED IT!


    WHAT A BUNCH OF WEAK LITTLE MEN!


    MEN!


    BWA!


    MERE ELEMENTARY KIDS!


    COMPARED TO ME!


    AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAHA!


    ...


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    And yet...


    And yet...


    I looked around...


    Every nook and cranny...


    This feeling...


    Of superiority...


    Never really did last...


    And then it hit me-


    ...


    I just stood there on the dark alleyways of Shinjuku-


    Such drunk dumbasses that I kicked to the stomach too hard...


    I guess?


    I didn''t even need to try that hard anymore...


    But I really didn''t know why...


    With a clasped can of beer in my hands-


    I drank it all in one go-


    The fizziness of the refreshment filled my throat-


    But just like that drink-


    Just like the brawl I just had...


    I really didn''t know why...


    But...


    But...


    I was...


    ...


    I was sobbing so hard...


    I could''ve died right there and then...


    ...


    I stared at the blinking lights of the bar signs and clubs-


    The ringing music of city pop from the glory days-


    Of aging millennials past their prime who sang their heart out that very night-


    ...


    My head was glued to the moon-


    A longing that felt so familiar-


    All too familiar-


    My heart...


    Throbbed so hard...


    I grabbed my chest-


    I...


    Always hated this feeling-


    I wanted to rip my heart out-


    Right there and then...


    The stars shined so clearly-


    Unlike my watery vision-


    All blurred...


    And...


    Unsure...


    Right there and then-


    I questioned myself-


    If I was so much better than those I ridiculed in my own head for so long-


    Such gossip-driven women-


    Such hedonistic men-


    And their pathetic practices to prove their-


    "Manhood"


    UGH!!!!!!!!!


    And yet...


    And yet...


    ...


    I was-


    No...


    I am no different from any of them...


    Am I?


    ...


    The rain started to pour down-


    As if it was on cue-


    To follow the mood of my ever-shrinking heart...


    My eyes-


    My head-


    My gaze...


    Never left upon the moon...


    The rain...


    Showered me...


    My sorrow of such a realization...


    I thought...


    Wasn''t it too late?


    Isn''t it too late?


    ...


    To realize this...


    When I''ve done so much wrong...


    Just to feel something...


    Just to be able to...


    Somebody...


    And now...


    Look at me now...


    My head finally dropped ever so low-


    Turning to my heads-


    Filled to the brim with the mixed fluids of blood that wasn''t mine-


    Of the remnants of my drinking spree-


    Of...


    The rain that felt...


    I don''t even know anymore...


    From that moment on...


    I...


    I...


    I even hid my own morality and humanity behind...


    Why?


    ...


    Even that I wouldn''t know...


    I just did...


    I guess...


    That''s...


    That''s why��


    https://youtu.be/0YJgBeYyk5I</a> / Huminga - Zild


    "That''s why..."


    "Jisei..."


    "Who knew...?"


    "You were the missing puzzle piece in my whole life..."


    "Who knew..."


    "All I ever needed was..."


    She went in and kept close to him-


    Their faces and noses grasping and touching-


    Their breath on each other''s skin-


    "Was a boy like you-"


    She went in...


    ...


    For the kiss...


    Their lips parched and intertwined-


    They shared both their heat and breath-


    Taking and giving...


    All at the same time...


    Her heart fluttered-


    Along with his...


    The current washed all over them-


    Sharing in the moment-


    Basking in it-


    She-


    She let go...


    And upon staring at him once more...


    It was sealed...


    "Oh Jisei-kun"


    "You''re mine now..."


    "And I''m all yours..."


    "Never forget this..."


    "All right?"


    Jisei hadn''t felt this either-


    This was something else-


    It felt like...


    True love...


    ...


    How could either of them tell?


    It was a feeling...


    It...


    Was love after all...


    A love...


    That will surely last forever...


    And so...


    ...


    It did...


    ��


    https://youtu.be/C9WitA0n5Uo</a> / Dilim - Zild


    I didn''t even count all the weeks-


    We just kept on going-


    As if we knew each other-


    All our lives...


    Through thick and thin...


    Everywhere we went...


    Through wide-angled streets I used to walk through alone-


    To footbridges high enough to show a huge portion of the city-


    It...


    It was shared between us...


    I...


    I know I keep saying this...


    But...


    "I never knew this was..."


    "What it was like..."


    "I didn''t know..."


    I went closer...


    To his side...


    Putting my arm in between his...


    Whispering in his ear-


    Sweet nothings-


    "Jisei-kun~"


    He smiled so sweetly-


    It could melt the ice caps of any mountain top...


    Jisei just hummed and grasped my hand tightly...


    Rubbing it-


    Ahhh...


    It made my heart throb...


    Is this what it''s like...?


    ...


    To be in love?


    Even...


    Small moments like these...


    Where all we did was walk and walk and walk on...


    To wherever our hearts desired...


    It...


    Was all I could ever dream of...


    I never even knew...


    This was what I wanted in the first place...


    And all it took...


    Was him to change everything...


    I looked over to the side of the bridge-


    The view-


    Forever changing...


    With this new perspective...


    It...


    It never looked this beautiful and lively before...


    What is this feeling...?


    Is this...


    What it''s like...


    ...


    To be alive?


    ...


    "Finally..." I muttered under the coming coldness of the night approaching us


    "Finally what?" Jisei asked, his voice still like music to my ears


    Sheesh!


    I''m turning into more of a girl...


    Thanks to you...


    "Nothing..." I said with a smile


    His eyebrows raised slightly-


    And with his own gleeful look


    "Yeah yeahhhh"


    "Come on now, let''s go get something to eat!"


    I hummed in return, my body surging with a weird amount of newly found energy


    The sun had set around us-


    And as we went on walking to the nearest place for some grub-


    The city lights slowly all went flickering on


    In response to the ever coming night-


    The moon in plain view


    I stared at it once again


    With my heart also in tandem with my thoughts...


    I sighed...


    In relief...


    In gladness...


    ...


    It''s thanks to you...


    For hearing my prayers...


    Thank you...


    For everything...


    ...


    Moon...


    ...


    "Manaka-san"


    "Yeah?"


    We had suddenly stopped in our tracks


    We were right in front of the Shibuya crossing


    Waiting to cross over to the other side


    Lots of people gathered all around us


    All busy with their own lives-


    But that didn''t matter...


    All that ever did...


    Was him...


    And me...


    "Please promise to me..."


    "You won''t ever fight..."


    "Got it?"


    His face...


    Was for the first time...


    For me at least...


    So serious...


    My throat had suddenly gone dry...


    And so did my lips...


    I licked them...


    And gulped upon hearing this...


    And for the first time...


    Ever...


    I...


    Feared a man...


    Not because of their pure brute strength...


    But because...


    This one man...


    ...


    Him...


    Jisei...


    ...


    Had tamed me to the point...


    Of fearing his lack of presence...


    Of him...


    Getting upset with me...


    Of him...


    Disapproving...


    Of my old ways...


    I...


    I never really thought they were right anyways...


    But for him...


    I''d...


    I''d do anything!


    ...


    Anything...


    ...


    "I promise..."


    "So please Jisei-kun..."


    "Don''t be mad at me anymore"


    And for the first time...


    Once more...


    My voice cracked in front of him...


    Showing signs of my own vulnerability...


    Showing signs...


    Of my own true self...


    I whimpered...


    But he...


    He just shushed me...


    His...


    Oh sweet sweet voice...


    Was my favorite sound in this entire world...


    To bask over...


    And...


    To be with...


    Forever...


    "Of course I''m not mad at you"


    "I''m just worried"


    "For you..."


    "My love..."


    ...


    Time...


    Had frozen still that one moment...


    And I...


    Didn''t really care where we were...


    I...


    Just had to do it...


    I...


    He suddenly grabbed my waist-


    And kissed me so well-


    My eyes were raising on top of my head-


    Like I was possessed from the pleasure-


    Of his sweet sweet lips...


    Even if it was only for just a few seconds-


    I knew...


    Deep down in my heart-


    It felt like it lasted for an eternity...


    "My love..."


    "My true love..."


    "Jisei-kun..."


    I didn''t realize it-


    I was crying in front of him so clearly


    ...


    And...


    So did he...


    "I love you too!"


    "Manaka!"


    He raised his voice with such a desperate tone-


    He embraced each other


    As the stoplight went green, people all around us went by their usual routine-


    But for me...


    This was the most special moment of my entire life!


    ...


    My true love...


    Forever and ever...


    By my side...


    I''ll never be alone...


    Ever again...


    ...


    I realized at that one moment...


    I didn''t need to save anybody...


    To love them...


    All I had to do...


    Was to be with them...


    No matter what...


    And so I will...


    Manaka...


    And so you will too...


    ...


    "There''s nothing for you to fear"


    "As long as you stay right here"


    "There''s nothing for you to fear"


    "As long as you stay right here"


    The song blasted in the earphones...


    Shared by both-


    Who have swore an oath-


    Of eternal love...


    Forever and ever...


    ...


    And ever...


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/s32cDa5WFiI</a> / Dulo ng Hangganan - IV OF SPADES

 Chapter 23 - The Past is The Past

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/y4rkpURujes</a> / Ang Pinagmulan - IV OF SPADES


    https://youtu.be/fMw5vUBEHNk</a> / CRAB - Zild


    Why...


    Can''t I...


    Forget him...


    Why...


    Did I d-do t-that...?


    Why...


    Was I so stupid...


    So stupid enough...


    ...


    To throw away everything we had...?


    Maybe...


    After all...


    I wasn''t meant to get close to anyone...


    In the first place...


    That must be it!


    ...


    That...


    Must be it...


    I will...


    Never get any rest...


    I will...


    Never have...


    Peace...


    Nor happiness...


    ...


    As much as I try to avoid it...


    His very presence...


    Is always on my mind...


    Every time I try to keep it in...


    To shove it aside...


    I keep clinging on to his every move...


    And memory...


    Every time...


    I see...


    T-them...


    T-together...


    I can''t help but...


    But...


    ...


    I CAN''T HELP BUT WANT TO WRING OUT THEIR NECKS...


    This feeling...


    What is it...?


    Why...


    Is every day even harder to get through...?


    Why...


    Does it feel like...


    ...


    My life has ended...


    A long long time ago...?


    ...


    I wander through endless sceneries...


    Unable to share any of them...


    With anyone...


    I keep my ears shut...


    Screaming in my own head...


    "They''re getting closer and closer..."


    "They''re getting to know each other better and better..."


    "They''ll pull you downwards... ever so slightly..."


    "Leaving you wondering... wondering..."


    I sang with a bitter aftertaste... clicking my tongue...


    IN PURE DISGUST-


    All I can ever focus on...


    Is my own mind and body...


    The weight of my footsteps...


    The way I look towards others...


    Do I look ok?


    Do I look attractive?


    Do I look like an idiot?


    Aren''t I the biggest one of them all?


    Laughing couples and groups of friends gather around me-


    The faint pop music of the blown-out mall speakers-


    The chilling breeze of the blasting air-conditioned overhead-


    I can only lower my head...


    In shame...


    Of what I am...


    I''m sooo young...


    In the prime of my life...


    Supposedly...


    And yet...


    Why��


    Am I always left alone��?


    Why��


    Am I always left behind?


    ��


    I bit my lower lip...


    Fiercely...


    Causing it to bleed...


    The sweet taste of my own flesh and blood...


    The closest I''ll ever get to any fluids shared with me...


    Why...


    Does it feel like...


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ...


    I''m slowly rotting away...


    Each and every day I''m "alive"?


    I may pass people by...


    They may acknowledge me by the most superficial and shallowest of excuses-


    Or not at all...


    I can just about say the most random shit and be replied in return...


    But that-


    RIght there-?


    I turned my eyes to...


    Him and her...


    Sharing a meal t-together...


    It''s what him and me used to d-do...


    Hell...!


    That''s-


    ...


    The same sundae he was feeding me-


    No...


    I let it spill onto the table...


    Didn''t I?


    ...


    And now...


    He has another...


    A more beautiful girl...


    More cute...


    More attractive...


    Than I''ll ever...


    Could be...


    ...


    And it seems...


    They even have better chemistry together...


    Unlike us...


    Where it feels like he was grasping at straws just to get me to say anything at all...


    That right there...


    That''s what I''ll never get...


    Something so real...


    Something so... genuine...


    It''s...


    It''s...


    I stopped in my tracks...


    And as my phone played the next track in the queue:


    https://youtu.be/4hnETay2Lxo</a> / SA HULI ANG PAGSISISI - BLASTER


    I just stood there...


    In the middle of the crowd...


    With bated breath...


    Being passed through...


    Like I wasn''t even standing in anybody''s way...


    At all...


    "It''s not f-fake..."


    ...


    And silent tears falling...


    I felt my soul slowly leaving my body...


    Ever so...


    Slightly...


    My face twitched uncontrollably-


    I tried to let out a scream...


    But...


    Even that...


    I couldn''t even do that...


    I hunched my back further...


    To hide my truest of feelings...


    To hide my real self...


    My pathetic piece of garbage self...


    From the rest of the world and its prying eyes-


    Every footstep was in beat to the song...


    It was played on repeat...


    OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER-


    ...


    Again...


    ...


    What am I even living for anyways?


    What am I fighting for...?


    ...


    I''ve...


    I''ve got nobody...


    Nothing...


    Everything...


    Everything...


    ...


    EVERYTHING BORES ME TO NO END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    Why am I even alive...


    In the first place...


    ...


    Why couldn''t I...


    From that day...


    ...


    HAVE THE GODDAMN GUTS TO JUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    ...


    To join her...


    Mom...


    Why...?


    Why can''t I seem to ever wake up from this endless nightmare?


    Am I torturing myself...


    ...


    On purpose...?


    ...


    I took every vice imaginable...


    From alcohol...


    To vaping...


    But nothing could ever get rid of this pain...


    ...


    Of letting you go...


    ...


    Jisei-kun...


    ...


    I stood on the same rooftop...


    From when I should''ve joined her...


    With my vape clutched so tightly...


    The only thing that could calm my nerves was the twilight sky and the city lights blending together...


    Top that off with a good smoke...


    I blew such substances off, that which emanated from the mouth-


    It''s tough and sweet deadly toxicity-


    Which filled my lungs and brain...


    With the false sense of satisfaction...


    One such as an alcoholic and chronic smoker like me-


    That...


    Was all that was left for me to believe in...


    That one day...


    Someday...


    All of this could stop...


    That somebody...


    Like him...


    Will come to save me...


    From the very depths of myself...


    That is which...


    That is which...


    Is eating away at me...


    I bent and hunched my form ever so closer to the railings that protected me from such thoughts-


    Which would save me...


    Maybe...


    Even I...


    Am not worthy...


    Of even meeting mom...


    Ever...


    ...


    If she would ever see me in such a state...


    ...


    Like this...


    What would she think...?


    Would she disown me...?


    Even in the afterlife?


    ...


    I stared blankly at the stars...


    They�� reminded me of the phrase:


    "Dead stars..."


    "Huh..."


    "How fitting..."


    "For such an elusive phantom..."


    "Like myself..."


    I filled the night sky with my own clouds-


    More deadly than thunderstorms-


    Atleast those killed you in a flash...


    Unlike mine...


    Which killed the person...


    Ever so slowly-


    Would there be any left...?


    To go to heaven?


    ...


    Right?


    ...


    Mom...?


    ...


    The song blasts and whispered into my ear lobes-


    "Is it right to hide it?"


    "Even if it kills me?"


    "I hope I wake up soon"


    "Before the night takes me"


    "I pray..."


    "You''ll notice me..."


    ...


    "BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    I screamed and beckoned to the heavens above-


    The wind taking me and embracing me-


    No sign of warmth would ever reach me...


    I spread my arms so wide-


    Accepting my ultimate fate...


    As such...


    ...


    I don''t deserve love...


    I don''t deserve happiness...


    I don''t deserve peace...


    I don''t deserve to dream...


    I''m not a living person...


    All I am...


    And all I ever will be...


    Is a wandering phantom...


    Forgotten by time...


    ...


    And before I knew it...


    Years passed so fast...


    My endless tears will never stop falling from me...


    What use is such proof of my humanity?


    If I''ll always be the person I am today...?


    So lonely��


    So so lonely��


    ...


    So keep purging my thoughts...


    Along with my elusive heart...


    Keep smothering my soul and taking all of its essence-


    ...


    All I have is our memories...


    Even if the past is the past...


    ...


    I don''t mind...


    ...


    I don''t mind...


    ...


    I don''t mind...


    ...


    So keep...


    ...


    Haunting me...


    ...


    Each and every day...


    ...


    My true love...


    ...


    Jisei...


    ...


    I don''t think I''ll ever mind...


    ...


    Kissing you in my memories...


    ...


    And embracing you...


    ...


    This is the only way I can be with you...


    ...


    Forever and ever...


    ...


    You''re mine...


    To do as I please...


    Jisei-kun...


    .


    .


    .


    -End of Haunt You Every Day Arc-


    - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - --


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/yaFf6RfAZz0</a> / Sariling Multo (Sa Panaginip) - IV OF SPADES

 Chapter 24 - Those Enraged...

    Intro Song: https://youtu.be/kqezZK67Yus</a> / PDA - Interpol


    The sky was filled with smoke...


    By those enraged...


    And who felt...


    Cheated...


    And by those parched lips...


    Which parted those separated...


    Why do all these terrible things happen?


    Those wondered...


    She wondered...


    Standing in between oblivion and reality...


    Little did she know...


    What happens next...


    Will change the course of history...


    Forever...


    ...


    Static filled the room...


    The light coming from a single place was all she could see...


    Flashing images...


    And overlapping voices...


    Her heart longed...


    To see her again...


    Her soul wished...


    To see her again...


    And yet...


    And yet...


    ...


    And yet...


    ...


    And for today''s news...


    The infamous Osaka Conflict worsens as relations between those with an outcry of ishii use being outright forbidden, and the ICA itself trying to scale down the controversy and growing opposition, still splitting apart the city of Osaka-


    Many injuries and even deaths are being reported by the police force there working with the ICA, with rumors of the JSDF joining in to stop such commotion, it is no wonder this modern national crisis has all eyes of not only Japan but also the entire world on its frays-


    With those concerned fearing the possibility of a civil war arising over this heated conflict-


    All eyes are on the ICA-


    On how such a disaster-


    Will be managed...


    And with other news-


    ...


    Her eyes were just glued onto the screen-


    Never leaving-


    Her lips were dry-


    And so was her throat...


    And with images of her...


    Mother... on screen...


    She...


    Had the worst feeling inside her gut...


    She didn''t want to feed into this...


    But...


    Deep down inside of her...


    There was something clearly wrong...


    She could feel it...


    Coming...


    And she just stayed there...


    Unmoving...


    Starving...


    Thirsty...


    Restless...


    And most of all...


    ...


    Her eyes were split open...


    With the only fluids coming out of her body-


    Over there...


    For so long...


    She...


    Kept silent...


    And so still...


    ...


    How can the ICA still be an organization???


    Our national budget is being distributed with a bunch of hacks!


    Who can''t even protect us from those insurgent bastards-


    We have to live every day with the prospect of possible terrorist attacks!


    With no guarantee of any sort of safety!


    It''s no wonder this Osaka Conflict is happening!


    We are sick and tired of feeling oppressed by our own security organization! Whose main job is to ensure no national disasters would ever happen!


    And yet...


    A city square is attacked!


    A mall!


    A city block!


    What''s next?!?!?


    A school!


    Of our own children!?!?


    We have to live every day!


    Knowing our own children are endangered and might have to feel such fears that make us fully grown adults cover and quiver!


    Bullshit!


    I call bullshit!


    These worthless Ishiins!


    Are all useless!


    They might be insurgents themselves!


    What''s to say we can trust the ICA themselves!


    We scream against any use of ishii!


    Which have caused turmoil in our country!


    <ol>


    <li> MORE. ISHII!</li>


    <li> MORE. ISHII!</li>


    <li> MORE. ISHII!</li>


    </ol>


    ...


    <ol>


    <li> MORE. ISHII!</li>


    </ol>


    ...


    SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    She screamed and bellowed so hard-


    She threw the remote right through the TV screen...


    Causing a huge hole-


    Right in between...


    And with the prostestor''s distorted image and voice still ringing in her head...


    She proceeds to pick it up-


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    And to throw it right towards the awaiting twilight sky!


    ...


    With the remains of the television set sprayed open on the balcony''s floor-


    She just panted...


    Hard...


    Bellowing and screaming right into the night and the stars-


    And yet...


    No one heard her...


    "Mom..."


    "Please..."


    "Please be ok..."


    "P-please..."


    She dropped to her knees...


    Almost pleading and...


    Begging...


    "PLEASE BE OK!!!!!!!!"


    Her heated tears filled her ankles and thighs...


    ...


    "Please be ok..."


    "Mom..."


    ...


    .


    .


    .


    Her heels clacked through the orange-hue-filled corridors...


    Her shoulders heavy...


    Her eyes had this furrow with them-


    Her aura was so potent-


    It leaked out of her like boiling steam from a pot


    Each and every person there could only look in awe...


    It was her!


    The legend...


    All of them whispered and beckoned amongst themselves-


    "To think she''s been sent too?"


    "I know, right?"


    "This must be it!"


    "Isn''t this the Final War itself?"


    "Well..."


    "With everything... happening..."


    "All at once..."


    "This might as well the one and only time for it..."


    "GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!"


    "SCAR-GIVER!!!!!!!!!!"


    All she could do was roll her eyes-


    Clicking her tongue-


    With a smirk on her face-


    Raising her hand in acknowledgement of those who called out to her-


    "Scar-giver huh..."


    "That name never really did suit me..."


    "AHAHAHAHA!"


    A frail-looking person is also seen beside her-


    Clinging as if her life really did depend on it...


    "Nayumi-san..."


    She kept whimpering and raising her glasses with her little fragile fingers-


    This woman towered over her-


    "Jeez! Come on Ko-chan!"


    "Just call me Omoi instead!"


    "You don''t have to be so formal!"


    Kokko barely registered this, nodding slowly as her small footsteps struggled to keep up with her


    "Umm yes! Nayumi-"


    "Err! Omoi-san!"


    "HAHA! Good enough!"


    She patted her back so hard, it let Kokko gain a bit of distance in front of Omoi


    Omoi couldn''t help but smirk harder


    "Y''know? For some one like a Grade A agent like you-"


    "You''d think you were just a Grade B or C no less!"


    "So come on Ko-chan!"


    "Have some confidence in yourself!"


    She couldn''t do much of such compliments and advice but to only nod and bow ever so many-


    Omoi gained that bit of distance almost instantly-


    Kokko just stood there, bowing-


    "Ughhhh there you go again!"


    Omoi starts to pull her, grabbing her soft hand and dragging her towards their destination-


    A glowing... yellow hue...


    That simultaneously blended in but also contrasted with the corridors-


    It was...


    Weird for sure...


    "Let''s get going already!"


    "This..."


    "Will be our most important mission yet..."


    "And with how things are going..."


    "Well..."


    "You never know what could happen out there!"


    Kokko only whimpered and kept her comments to herself-


    But her body language was pretty much saying a lot already-


    Omoi stood in front of the rectangular, almost sun-like rays of such a hue that was emanating in front of them-


    A... portal...


    "This is it..."


    "Ready? Ko-chan?"


    She only barely nodded, quivering in fear


    "And also..."


    "Try to keep up?"


    "Hmm?"


    ...


    They went in...


    And soon after...


    They were met...


    By such a contrast of environments-


    A black and terrible smoke filled their lungs-


    The smell of gunpowder and war filled the air-


    The once-peaceful state that Osaka was once in-


    Was now completely shattered...


    It was like they were sent back in time to a time when Japan was completely in shambles, thanks to the Second World War...


    And yet...


    Her mind was only thinking of one thing...


    She bit her lip...


    Fearing the worst to come...


    "Koyo..."


    "I promise I''ll soon be back..."


    ...


    Kokko could only scream in horror seeing...


    For the first time in her life...


    ...


    Charred bodies all lined up in front of them...


    All unrecognizable...


    And yet...


    Omoi knew what this sight was...


    A message...


    These weren''t just some random bodies...


    They all had a little bit of their aura signatures implanted...


    On purpose...


    She...


    Knew...


    What this was...


    "This..."


    "This isn''t right..."


    "They already know how we''re dealing with the situation directly"


    "So why have such an elaborate message?"


    "Umm what?"


    "Omoi-san?"


    Kokko just kept looking at Omoi, she couldn''t bear to see such a sight-


    It...


    Was too much for the feeble...


    It...


    Was too much of a shock to the senses...


    The destroyed remains of buildings and bodies and blood and rubble and bullet casings and glass shards and-


    Kokko had her hands on her temples-


    An aneurysm-like headache started to grow, rushing all to her head-


    Omoi just kept her hands to herself-


    But never letting her guard down, her aura was sent to Kokko as well-


    To strengthen her defense as well...


    Her intuition was ringing already so quick-


    She wondered...


    "This is how bad it''s gotten???"


    Her mind rushed-


    And then...


    Her eyes widened so hard-


    "This must only mean one thing!"


    "IT''S A TRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "JUMP KOKKO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    "Wha-"


    A HUGE EXPLOSION OVER CAME THEM, DIRECTLY HITTING THEM


    THEIR BODIES WERE SENT FLYING SO HIGH-


    Omoi recovered the very moment she was already mid-air-


    Time started to crawl slowly-


    Each and every piece of rubble that was sent, thanks to the shockwaves carried over by the massive trap...


    Was able to be seen by Omoi...


    She reached her hand forward to Kokko''s


    Desperately stretching it to grasp even just a finger-


    "That''s all I need... SO COME ON ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    And yet-


    Their positions were instantly filled by the presences of what she''s always been so accustomed to recognizing-


    "SHIT!!!!!!"


    "INSURGENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    SHE SCREAMED BLODDY MURDER


    HER FOOT CAUSING FRICTION IN THE AIR, HER AURA WAS THAT THICK


    TO GRAB KOKKO''S UNCONSCIOUS BODY, WRAPPING HER ARMS ALL AROUND HER


    SHE LANDS TO THE GROUND


    WITH MULTIPLE INSURGENTS ON HER BACK


    HER FEET START TO CAUSE DUST CLOUDS, HER LANDING IMPACTING THE TERRAIN HEAVILY


    CAUSING MASSIVE ALTERATIONS TO THE CONCRETE BELOW


    OMOI GRITS HER TEETH BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF THE SPEED SHE''S GOING THROUGH


    AND WITH THE SHOCKWAVES OF HER AURA-


    STARTING TO PULL IN ALL THE REMAINING AURA FROM THE INSURGENTS


    THEY STARTED TO REACH HER CLOSER AND CLOSER AND CLOSER AND-


    THEY WERE IN EVERY DIRECTION


    AND AS THEY WERE NEARING THE VERY CENTRE OF THE CITY-


    THE KITA AND UMEDA AREAS-


    WHICH WERE FAR FROM THEIR PAST GLORY NOW


    THE INSURGENTS HANDS KEPT GAINING DISTANCE TO THEIR EVER GROWING AND MOVING POSITION


    OMOI THEN SHOUTED SO LOUD


    THE AURA THAT WAS BEING PULLED IN BY HER


    ...


    IMPLODED IN AND ON OF ITSELF


    CAUSING A SHOCKWAVE EVEN MORE MASSIVE THAN THE EXPLOSION FROM EARLIER!


    THE WIND ALL AROUND THEM STARTED TO RUSH OUTWARDS LIKE A TORNADO HIT THE ENTIRE AREA


    CAUSING ENTIRE VEHICLES AND BUS STOPS AND TRAFFIC SIGNS AND GLASS FROM THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS TO SHATTER-


    And there...


    They stood in the eye of the storm that she just created all safe-


    And sound...


    Or so...


    They thought...


    "ARE YOU ALRIGHT? KO-CHAN???"


    She looked at her small petite body, her glasses were gone, her body was bruised-


    Despite Omoi''s best efforts to protect her from danger-


    She sighed


    "You''re supposed to help me out here!"


    "Not be protected by me!"


    "O-o-o-o-omoi-san..."


    Her voice was so feeble, she couldn''t hear it clearly


    But she saw her lips twitch ever so slightly


    Parting together-


    "YES? KO-CHAN?"


    She raised her voice because of the gushing wind that surrounded and protected them from the growing approaching insurgents that were sent flying-


    By the artificially made tornado-


    "I''m sorry I couldn''t catch u-u-u-up... w-w-w-w-w-with you..."


    Her voice kept having cracks-


    And she kept stuttering...


    Omoi couldn''t help but smile sweetly despite the situation-


    "Ughhh... I guess I can''t help but want to protect you huh?"


    "Ko-chan..."


    "Now..."


    "Let''s find a way out of here..."


    "Before we get swept up by another kind of storm..."


    "Sooner or later..."


    Kokko nodded weakly-


    Omoi then embraced her and carried her...


    And just like that-


    ...


    They instantly flashed out of the eye of the storm...


    ...


    But shadows followed them everywhere-


    The mid-afternoon heat-


    And more importantly-


    The sun itself...


    Caused a certain someone...


    A great advantage...


    ...


    "That must be her..."


    "This..."


    "Is all going according to plan..."


    "Your highness..."


    "I won''t fail you now..."


    -To Be Continued-


    ...


    Ending Song: https://youtu.be/ygsrQhSvLTo</a> / Say Hello to the Angels - Interpol