The Cursed Bounty Hunter - Part 3

**Earlier**

Takuto curses as he watches Maki get pulled away to another part of the park. He turns his attention to the man who ambushed them. The man is shirtless, his torso covered with stitches and his left hand seems to be made of the same black tendrils that dragged Maki away.

Takuto: Is that his technique? I could see what seemed like a clone of himself made from those black tendrils when Maki was dragged away. So he can make a clone of himself? The question is how many or can he just handle one clone at a time? Doesn't matter anyway. I'll kill him and then get to Maki.

Kuroshu: Now that, that's out of--

Takuto teleports right in front of him with his foot cocked back in a vicious roundhouse kick cutting him off. Kuroshu dodges the kick, dodges the follow-up heel kick and blocks a front kick to the chest. Kuroshu pushes him back creating distance between the two. Takuto easily lands in a fighting stance, smirking mockingly.

Takuto: What? Did you really think I would stand here and wait for you to give your reasons for why you ambushed us?

Takuto laughs sardonically and then abruptly stops staring him down coldly.

Takuto: I don't care. You're trying to hurt someone I care about. So just shut up and die.

Kuroshu chuckles amused at Takuto's coldness. He also gets into a fighting stance.

Kuroshu: You youngsters ha--

He is cut off again by Takuto abruptly appearing above him with an axe kick which he blocks and glares at Takuto.

Kuroshu: You're starting to piss me off.

Takuto: Eat shit patchwork.

Takuto snarls back as he backs off, making himself intangible as the barrage of black tendrils phases through him. Takuto rushes him again trying to end the fight as quickly as possible. Takuto sends a combination of punches and jabs which Kuroshu easily blocks or dodges. They both continue fighting evenly matched both easily dodging and blocking the other's attacks.

Takuto: We're evenly matched

Takuto blocks a straight kick to his chest and uses the moment to create distance between them. 

Takuto:  Cursed Lightning: Swift Thunder.

Purple crackling lightning gathers on Takuto's right hand slowly forming a blade. Kuroshu watches in amazed and alert at the technique. The next moment Takuto disappears from sight leaving only behind a trail of purple lighting in his wake. Kuroshu's eyes widen and he tenses up in full alert trying to predict where Takuto will attack from.

Kuroshu: Where are... There!

Takuto appears by the left side of Kuroshu who had guessed wrong and fired a barrage of black tendril spikes to the right side. Takuto stabs his lightning blade into Kuroshu's chest but is ineffective because just before it pierces him, Kuroshu's skin releases a current of lightning and completely nullifies his technique.

Takuto: What!?

Takuto's shock is short-lived as Kuroshu grabs him by the arm, slams him to the ground, stabs a black tendril through his shoulder and siphons his cursed energy. Takuto merely grunts from the pain and goes for a sweep kick which Kuroshu dodges and releases him. Takuto teleports away a safe distance glaring at him while wincing from the pain of his shoulder.

Takuto: What the fuck did you do to me?!

Kuroshu smirks at the intensity of Takuto's glare. He flexes his muscles to get rid of the discomfort of using that lightning technique of his.

Kuroshu: Oh? I thought you didn't care what I had to say.

Takuto's eyes narrow coldly at the mocking tone from Kuroshu. He opens his mouth to cuss him out when he freezes a pit in his stomach at Maki's scream of pain sounding through the park.

Takuto: Maki!

He immediately tries to teleport toward the sound of her scream but Kuroshu stops him by firing a black tendril towards Takuto's other shoulder. Takuto expects the tendril to phase through him but gasps in surprise and pain when he is pierced by the tendril.

Takuto: How did you...?

Takuto grunts in pain as another tendril is pierced through his other shoulder and stumbles forward. Kuroshu walks towards him with the tendrils connecting to his left arm and slowly siphoning his cursed energy.

Kuroshu: Why don't you come and find out?

Kuroshu taunts as he shoots another black tendril through his thigh, making him fall to a knee. Takuto grits his teeth through the pain and tries to stand up, only to receive another black tendril through his other thigh sending him to his hands and knees.

Kuroshu: Your struggling is pointless. She's already dead.

Takuto: F-fuck off.

Takuto grunts as he once more tries to stand up. Kuroshu shakes his head in disappointment, sends another tendril that wraps around his neck and lifts him up.

Kuroshu: Is this what the Takanashi clan has come to? I'm disappointed.

Takuto chokes as the tendril tightens around his throat. He weakly brings a hand up to try and pull off the tendril. As he is struggling he suddenly goes still when he can't sense Maki's cursed energy anymore.

Takuto: no maki...

Takuto's body hangs limply from the black tendril as he stares blankly with unseeing eyes with tears streaming down his cheeks. His mind is completely blank except for two words sounding on repeat.

Takuto: she's dead she's dead she's dead she's dead she's dead she's dead...

Kuroshu watches the fight completely leave Takuto and can't help but shake his head in pity.

Kuroshu: Only the strong can survive this Cursed World. The weak have no place here.

Kuroshu shoots another black tendril, this time at Takuto's heart to kill him. But just before the tendril hits its mark, Kuroshu is suddenly assaulted by immense pain throughout his entire body. Pain so unbearable he drops Takuto to the ground and falls to his hands and knees panting. His entire body shakes with the intensity of it.

Kuroshu: W-w-what t-the f-f-fuck??

After a moment the pain abruptly stops as if it was nothing but a mere illusion as if he hadn't felt his body getting torn to pieces from the inside out. He pants heavily, looking down at his perfectly intact body with not even a hint of blood anywhere to warrant the feeling of his stitches getting torn off.

Kuroshu: What was that?

Kuroshu is so lost in his thoughts he doesn't notice Takuto slowly getting to his feet. Kuroshu is jolted from his thoughts by the rapidly increasing sinister and ominous cursed energy a few metres away from him. He gets up frightened and jumps away at a safe distance.

Kuroshu watches for the second time ever, feeling true fear as Takuto slowly turns around and stares at him with a crazed look in his bleeding Awakened Heaven's Eyes, which has a unique design of a four-point pinwheel. Takuto with a manic grin, cracks his knuckles with an audible pop as he clenches them into fists.

Takuto: Do you want to dance?