Chapter 42 - An Unstoppable Threat

It was very apparent that something dreadful was ahead of them, as the fiery torches and lanterns that illuminated every step of the way stopped about a stone's throw from where they were. From that point on, there were no lanterns and torches, and one could guess that if there were more creatures ahead, they would be (most certainly) the worst of the worst. 

Kazuya waited until the rest had caught up with him before he resumed his movement, but all of a sudden, the old woman called out his name again.

"Kazuya!" she called out.

"What is it now, old woman?" he asked, turning around in obvious frustration.

"I sense a presence," she said, "Something sinister... Something evil... "We need to get out of here now!"

"Not with you, I'm not!" Kazuya protested. "If all of you want to cower away because of some intuitive paranoia, then suit yourselves." But I am not leaving here until I slay every last sentient in this cave!

"Do not be blinded by vengeance, Kazuya!" warned Shizu, "Please adhere to common sense, for your own sake!"

"What is up with you, old woman?" asked Orihime, not getting where her sudden change of mind was coming from. "What is this "sinister presence" you speak of?"

"The magical energy emanating from the darker depth of the cave feels too much for us to take on," Shizu explained. "Whatever it is that lies beyond this illuminated part of the cave is like something I haven't encountered in a long time."

"Look, old woman, like I said, if you want to leave, that is entirely up to you," Kazuya said, and then looked at the rest of them. "And that applies to all of you as well. If you all want to leave me alone here, I don't mind." I wasn't counting on all of you being here anyway.

"I am only going to say this one more time, Kazuya," Shizu said to him, "Come with us; we have to leave now!"

"Not until I have my revenge!" Kazuya suddenly yelled at her, startling Genta into a slight shock. "If any of you want to leave, then go. But I won't have you preaching to me about doing the same thing!

"What "revenge" do you speak of?" asked Orihime, now unable to hold herself back any longer. "What exactly do you mean by that?" You slayed the goblins that devoured your family the same night it happened, and just today, you have slain over a hundred. If that isn't more than revenge, then I don't know what is. You have become obsessed—too obsessed—with these green idiots. How many green corpses will be enough to satisfy you, Kazuya? When will your senseless obsession come to an end?"

"When all goblins are wiped out from the face of the earth, the same way everything I knew and loved was wiped out before my very eyes that night," Kazuya replied with a genuine outlook that amazed her. 

"Are you even listening to yourself right now?" asked Orihime. "I also lost everything I had." My sister was raped and eaten alive by those same goblins you despise so much! "Do you think you are the only one who suffered because of those bastards?"

"I thought you understood my cause, Orihime. "I thought you shared my convictions," Kazuya said to her with a tone that was nearly regretful. 

"I still do, big man—trust me on that," Orihime replied, "but I am not willing to throw my life away while doing so." I hate those green bastards as much as you do, but I would never throw my life away on purpose simply because I hate them. "My sister would never approve of such a lifestyle, and neither would your dead wife or child."

Kazuya frowned angrily. "What did you say?" he asked, dropping his sword as he walked over to her. "How dare you?" 

She dropped her weapons as well, folding her arms with her head held high, unintimidated, as Kazuya walked closer. 

Kazuya got less than a foot closer to her and brought his face even closer. "You might want to reconsider your choice of words, woman."

"Or what? You'll kill me the same way you plan on getting yourself killed right now? "Again, are you listening to yourself?" asked Orihime, staring at him in the eyes, unfazed by his intimidating gaze. 

The way they both faced each other was so disturbing that Genta had to come between them, fearing they would get physical with each other any moment from now. 

"Will you two please just cut it out?" she asked. "Seriously, it's embarrassing to watch the both of you like this!"

Though they were separated by Genta, their eyes were still locked on the other's, and the sudden enmity between them was as obvious as night and day. 

Genta noticed this and sighed heavily, looking back at the Master, who shook her head in slight disappointment. This wasn't how she had expected this mission to go, and the current moment felt uncalled for. Maybe she was wrong to think Genta would fare well with those two... Maybe she overestimated them. 

The duo's venomous gaze suddenly came to a halt when they all heard a growling noise. one that sounded so deep and evil that it sent chills down their spines at least for a second. It was then that they noticed two fiery orbs glowing from within the darkness of the hollow, dark cave. 

What followed next was the sensation of approaching steps, which they could not only hear but also feel coming from the ground beneath them. 

Whatever was coming for them felt so dangerous, yet so dangerously mysterious—so much so that they remained frozen where they were at the time, even though they knew that something sinister was coming at them. 

Slowly but surely, as the growls became louder, so did the footsteps, which became more apparent as the little rocks on the ground began to bounce with every tremor. 

The rhythmic movement of the two fiery orbs showed that they weren't orbs but rather the bright, blazing eyes of a monster approaching, shining from within the darkness. 

Then, the heart came into the illumination from the lanterns and torches. The squad gasped in sudden fright at the mere sight of it. 

It had the green skin of a goblin but the mane of a lion around its head and the refined muscular build of a strong man, but with six fingers and six toes on each hand and foot, respectively. It stood at almost twenty feet tall, with a large club in its left hand and a shield in the other. It had a protruding mouth that nearly resembled that of a crocodile, and they could see its wings arched up behind its shoulders. 

Even Master Shizu had never seen a chimaera as terrifying as this one was, and she was almost as terrified as the rest of them. Kazuya, on the other hand, tried to remain strong, even though at the first glance of the beast, he already knew that he was way in over his head. 

When the monster came within thirty feet of them, unexpectedly, it suddenly stopped, looking down at them like a frozen statue and making deep growls come from behind every breath. It resembled a breathing monument, looking down at them intensely but not doing anything. 

They all stood in awe of the beast, petrified. 

At that very point, Kazuya heard the sudden voice of Gaichu coming from within.

"Beelzebub," it said. 

"What?" asked Kazuya, not knowing what Gaichu had just said, but it was worth a warning: "Kazuya! "Confrontation with this creature will prove to be very fatal; I advise an urgent retreat immediately!" it said out loud in an urgent manner. The last time Kazuya had heard it talk like that was during his first encounter with a ghoul. 

But who was Giachu kidding? Kazuya couldn't move! This was the deepest level of fear he had ever felt in his life; he had never been scared to the point of paralysis, but it was close to what he was experiencing at the moment. 

"Move, Kazuya. Move!" Gaichu screamed from within his mind, but to no avail. 

Then the monster, who had been frozen for a while, looking down at them without movement, suddenly sprinted into action, running at them with agility considered impossible for something of its size. This prompted everyone to get moving, as they couldn't stop themselves, all turning away from the beast as it came for them. 

To the dismay of everyone, it swung down its massive sword at them. It was primarily aimed at Kazuya, who was ahead of them, but he jumped out of the way, and the giant's sword lodged deep into the ground, missing the intended target. 

Kazuya wasn't with his sword, as he had dropped it earlier during his pointless confrontation with Orihime. The sword was now right behind the monster, and Kazuya had to get it. 

Meanwhile, Genta had picked up her witch's broom, ready to leave the area at once with everyone. "Come on, everyone!" she yelled at Kazuya, Shizu, and Orihime. 

The latter had answered the call without hesitation, picking up her weapons, but to Genta's dismay, Kazuya and her master were still facing the beast, neither of them willing to leave just yet.