Chapter 104: Nothing Personal

There weren't many things left that made me think I had any luck. Apart from Retsu, everyone I'd met had died eventually. 'Apart from her wanting to die by Zaraki.' I kept my expression impassive as I unexpectedly found myself facing the group Tobio had been with. The young blonde woman, blue-eyed, slim and curvy in a witch's robe and pointed hat yelled at me in distress.

"Where's Tobi?!"

'She looks familiar.' I thought, tilting my head slightly while keeping the same expression. "I killed him."

Their eyes widened, and the only male in the group stepped forward, his expression contorted with anger. "Why?!" he shouted, the others echoing his sentiment with glares of shock and fury. The blonde witch's expression darkened as I felt her channeling magic. Raising an eyebrow, I casually scratched my cheek with the regular dagger I'd used on Tobio and replied. "Why?" I let out a low hum. "I got paid to kill him. Nothing personal." I shrugged as their anger deepened.

The guy, Kouki let out a yell, a small white cat appearing on his shoulder and wrapping its long tail around his right arm. "I'm going to kill you!"

I snorted, making sure Gáe Dearg was tucked away, and gestured for him to come at me. A cold breeze passed over us, and suddenly a massive 9'8 ice doll appeared behind the blonde witch. It wore a dress, its left face-half lined with six eyes, thorny roses crawling up its right side, with four long spindly arms. 'That's-' I mused but Kouki lunged at me, a spear forming from the cat's tail around his arm.

"Don't get distracted, bastard!" he shouted, I heard the air cut through. I tilted my body to the side, watching a bullet fly past from the other girl in the group, a light brown haired girl with her hair tied up and a gun in her hand. 'It's faster than a regular gun.'

"Die!" Kouki behind me yelled again, but I merely leaned back, then snapped my leg in a back kick that cracked his ribs and sent him crashing into a nearby house. Another bullet whipped by as I took a quick step dodging it, but then I felt an intense cold as ice began forming over my legs. 'Cold.' Just as I registered it, ice encased the rest of my body.

"Lavinia, you did it!" a female voice called out faintly. 'Probably the brown-haired girl.'

"Kouki-kun what are you doing?! Come back here!" I heard footsteps pounding on the other side of the ice, followed by the crackling of electricity. Through the ice, I saw Kouki's blurred figure as he raised his arm, his Sacred Gear's tail-formed spear in hand ready to strike.

"DIE!" he screamed, lunging for my chest. I snorted, then broke the ice with a flex of my muscles, grabbing his spear with my left hand. As the last ice shattered, I looked down at Kouki. "Looks like your ribs are healed." I observed, noting the lack of wheezing or strain. From his expression, I could tell I was right.

"Kouki!" another voice cried out as I pulled a handgun from my waistband with my right hand after dropping the dagger, pulling out a 1911A1 and fired twice into his chest. Before he could react, I grabbed his face and hurled him back toward the brown haired girl. She caught him instinctively, and I blitzed forward closing in on the blonde witch and drove my fist into her liver. She crumpled around my hand and passed out, I shook her off and turned to face the ice doll.

Grabbing Gáe Dearg then it's cloth, I swung it at the creature, shattering it in one blow.

"Y-you monster!" came a shaky voice from behind. I looked over to see the brown-haired girl cradling Kouki while aiming her gun at me. Turning fully toward her, I watched her fire, dodging slightly to the side. "Monster? Maybe." I raised my gun, watching as she froze. I smirked, and then fired grazing her ear and blasting her with a wave of bloodlust. She collapsed, unconscious.

I scratched my cheek, surveying the wrecked area, and let out a yawn. 'Was that too much? Nah, they'll probably be fine.'

~Scene Change~

I made my way back to where I'd left Tobio's body, realizing I'd need proof that I killed him. 'Nurarihyon probably already knows.' I thought arriving at the spot. But as I scanned the area I frowned, his body wasn't there. Scratching my chin, I looked down at the spot where I'd driven the blade into his skull.

"I did leave him here, didn't I?" I muttered, then sighed, rubbing the back of my head. 'This is gonna be a pain to explain to Nurarihyon.'

Just then, my senses flared, and I jumped back as a massive black arc sliced through the air, carving the spot where I'd just stood. I turned to face the attacker, raising an eyebrow. It was Canis Lykaon.

'Two scents. One's the mutt, the other's the kid.' I realized, and snorted as I called out, "Achieved Balance Breaker, huh? Good for you, kid."

A growl sounded as Tobio stepped forward. He was different now, towering at 6'8, black fur that almost seemed like shadows given form, with six long tails and glowing red eyes, like a hound given humanoid form. From the shadows behind him, Canis Lykaon emerged, larger and radiating an aura even stronger than before.

Grinning I drew Gáe Dearg, gripping the cloth and started to swing it in a circle, creating gusts of wind. Tobio's voice rumbled with a growl. "That blood on your shirt... it smells like Kouki's. Why?"

My grin widened, flashing teeth. "Did you think you were the only one with a price on your head? I k—"

But Tobio was already lunging toward me at a speed that took me off-guard. I barely raised Gáe Dearg in time to meet his claws, but to my shock they began slicing through the blade.

Acting on instinct, I kicked forward, my foot connecting with his thigh. He buckled just enough for me to slip back with a quick shundō. But as I moved, I felt another presence. Spinning around, I saw Canis Lykaon leaping from my shadow, jaws open wide.

In a flash, I summoned Muramasa into my left hand, slashing toward the mutt. It faded into the shadows just before I could connect. I turned back to Tobio, who was already charging. Swapping Gáe Dearg to my left hand and Muramasa to my right, I dropped my cloaked presence and pushed cursed magic through me. 'Twenty five percent should be enough for this.'

Using shundō I launched toward him, meeting his next strike head on. Muramasa met his claws and this time the blade held firm, stopping him cold. Tobio's eyes widened with surprise before narrowing in frustration.

"Don't worry, kid." I taunted. "I'll send you back to your friends soon enough."

He only snarled, enraged. Shadows thickened around us, casting the sky into near darkness as the fight started in full force.