9 Keiko and...(v2)

"Damn it! I failed again"

Ian thrown the dust on his hand and took out a core in the bag. He concentrated on the core as black threads came out of his hand and penetrated core. After a minute, he managed to cut the core in half without losing its energy. He put the other half on the side and then controls the threads on his other hand to create the same exact half of the core and he carefully made it to fuse together.

So far, so good he thought as he watch the two to fuse slowly. When it was finished halfway, the core suddenly jolted as it rejects the other half before it turn to dust.

"Another failure..."

He remove the dust on his hand as he grabbed the other half of the core and carefully examined it. He sighs as he put it down since it is turning to dust too and look at the empty bag.

He throughly memorised the cores parts and its characteristics. He even managed to make the same exact core so why didn't it work!?

"I guess I need to go gather some cores..."

Ian grab the empty bag as he look outside and saw it's currently night time. It is perfect to hunt since aragami around here are active in night. 'For the experiment' he thought as he left the place.

______________________

"Hm, I'm hungry..."

Keiko mumbled as she look the desolate village surrounded by snow. It's been 3 hours since they arrive and all she can do was to watch the snow fall on the ground since her partner left her all alone.

"Keiko are you there?"

"Yes I'm here"

"Good I'm here with Kota and I just wanna tell you that we're replacing the transmitter so our communication will be cut temporarily"

"Okay"

"Don't do anything dangerous okay? Soma is kinda hard to deal with but he has his reason okay?"

"Yes ma'am"

"Be careful out there"

After ending her conversation with Sakuya, she decided to explore the village to find Soma since that guy went off on his own.

Fortunately she didn't encounter any large sized aragami and only saw a few ogretails or zygotes here and there.

Rooooar!

She then heard an aragami and saw a group of ogretails that is surrounding a man. Although it is dangerous to rush into a pack of a ogretails alone but she couldn't ignore that the man is in danger right now.

"Close your eyes mister!"

She shouted at the man as she throws a flash bang at them.

Bang!

It exploded and a binding light soon covered their vision making the ogretails. Keiko used this chance to grab the man's hand and run away at the aragamis. She runs as fast as she could and the man caught off guard by her was dragged away on the ground while he thought 'how is this girl is so strong?'

After running around the village, Keiko finally stops running when they are far enough to the ogretails.

"I think... ha, we're ha... safe now... "

She ran out of breath after running, she look at the fainted man on the ground.

Taking a closer look at the man he looks around at his late twenties, the same age of her leader, Lindow. His hair is as white as snow as it blending on their surroundings. The man wears a worn-out bloodstained robe that have seen better days.

Suddenly, she felt a cold barrel pressed against her cheek. The cold feelings made her look at the man who is fully awake.

"Who are you?"

He asked as he glares at Keiko. When she didn't answer, he remove the safety gear of the gun and pressed the it further on her cheek.

"Who are you?"

"I'm K-Keiko"

"Argh... Dammit now of all–"

Thud

The man dropped the gun which left Keiko frightened since the gun was loaded. She look at the man who fainted again. 'he's cold' she thought as she place her palm on his forehead.

"Hello? Anybody there?"

Suddenly the door was opened and another man appeared. Keiko pointed the gun on the man.

"Oh thank goodness, I found you guys instead of an aragami."

The man sighed in relief, he put the bag he was carrying on the ground and raised his hand up to show he has no ill intentions.

"Who are you?"

"Ah... I'm sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Dio, I don't mean no harm so please put the gun down"

Dio look at the man on the ground as he ask worryingly.

"Um, miss... that man over there is he okay?"

"Ah, I forgot! Sir can you help me this man is very cold"