Chapter III: Mato Disaster

"Fuck me.." said the red haired youth as he got engulfed by the blinding mist and found himself standing in a new location: a desolate land filled with huge pointy rocks, pagodas, and other out of place decorations.

He just got engulfed in a Mato Disaster and right now was standing in the Demonic City, Mato.

"Well, shit," mumbled the youth as he observed his surrounding landscape with less panic than anyone else in his situation would have reacted.

'So do I have to just sit here until someone from the MDF arrives or what?'

The MDF or the Mato Defense Force is an organization solely composed of women who had been blessed with powers by the Mato Peach.

It is their responsibility to guard and monitor the gates leading into Mato. Their job is not just to keep others from entering Mato but to prevent Them from leaving.

Just in time, Akuma heard the ground behind him crack. Turning around, he came to face with one of the residents of Mato: a Yomotsu Shuuki or Shuuki for short.

The creature was half a foot taller than him and was vaguely humanoid in shape with elongated limbs. Its skin tone was dark and somehow resembled muscles. It's face was completely white and resembled some sort of twisted mask.

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Nothing could mask the hunger and menace in its eyes.

From behind it, more of its brethren began rising from the ground like particularly large moles.

Before the first Shuuki could even move a muscle, it was met with a calamitous fist to the face that turned its head into red mist.

The seven feet tall headless body fell anticlimactically on the ground as the two other Shuuki behind it stared at the lifeless body dumbly.

"Hmm," hummed Akuma as he looked at his fist then at his kill, "weaker than expected."

As if forgetting that the human before them had just killed one of them in a single punch, the two other Shuuki's charged at him with wild abandon.

"Not the sharpest tools in the shed are ya?" taunted the youth as he weaved through the monsters' primal attacks as if by instinct.

Sonn enough, he found as opportunity to counterattack. Grasping the arm of the Shuuki that was about to strike him, he held it in a vice grip and in an impressive show of strength, used it as a flail to wail at the other Shuuki.

Unfortunately, the Shuuki flail he had acquired couldn't keep up with his sadistic abuse which resulted in the arm ripping off from the monster's torso. Thankfully by that time, both Shuuki's were more akin to meat paste than living beings.

"Well, that's that I guess," he muttered as he scratched his head with the ripped off Shuuki arm in his hand.

Suddenly, his insticts flared and without hesitating, he quickly turned and punched out. His fist met the body of another Shuuki that had somehow managed to sneak up on him while he was fighitng and turned it into red mist. Although, this one seemed to have some sort of metallic chocker around its neck.

'Weird, do Shuuki have a goth phase or something?' was what he thought before he felt his knee be kicked from under him causing his to kneel before a sharp metallic edge touch his neck. 'What in the-'

"Move and I'll sever your head," a cold commanding voice resounded from behind him. "Who? Or rather what are you?"

"Okay, first, rude," replied Akuma sarcastically. He felt the metallic edge dig deeper into his skin though it strangely didn't cause it to bleed which went unnoticed by whoever had him captive.

"Answer the question," the voice became more irritated.

Akuma let out a sigh of defeat and he felt the blade holding him hostage waver a moment, "Fine, just let me..."

Then, faster his captor could react, the sharp-teethed youth caught the blade that was holding him hostage with his fingers.

Crick! Crack!

Utilizing his inhuman grip strength, Akuma clamped onto the edge, causing it to shatter under the strain.

With his captor having lost their weapon, the youth took this chance to put distance between them.

Having escaped from his temporary captivity, he was able to now clearly see who was threatening him.

It was a girl wearing some sort of military uniform consisting of a black and red buttoned vest with similarly colored miniskirt, military hat and thigh-high socks.

'These clothes can't possibly be practical in combat, can it? Wait a second, is she part of the MDF?' he thought with suspicion as he observed the girl. She was much shorter than him - by about 2 feet - and had long silver hair that reached past her butt.

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Currently, her pink colored irises were staring with confusion riddled over them at the broken blade of the katana held in her hand. However, that confusion was short lived as she returned to her serious mode and glared at the red-headed teenager.

"I don't know what new type of Shuuki you are-" she began to say but was immediately interrupted by Akuma's frantic voice.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! I am no Shuuki, I am human. See?" he tried to give her his best friendly smile.

He didn't know what she saw but whatever it was seemed to make her belief more set in stone, "I must admit that you look more human-like than your other kin but you can't hide your menacing face."

'Rude bitch,' he thought as he wracked his brain for some method to identify himself. Then, a lightbulb lit in his head. "Look! I'm a high school uniform and I have my ID card with me."

"I will avenge the poor guy you took these clothes from," she refused to listen to him, "moreover, no mere human male can shatter a katana blade with only their hands or kill a Shuuki single handedly for that matter."

'Touche,' he admitted with a grimace, 'maybe going hog wild with his strength here was not wisest decision.'

"Look, is there nothing I can do to convince you that I am not one of these monsters."

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Kyouka Uzen's POV:

The two held eye contact for what seamed to be an eternity before the silver haired girl closed her eyes momentarily and sighed. However, when she opened them up again, the red haired boy was nowhere to be seen.

Momentary shock came over her before she heard a blast-like sound come from behind her. Turning back, she saw the guy from before standing over a dead Shuuki that had the top half of its body inexplicably blown away.

Noticing her gaze, the tall male turned towards her with a sheepish expression that ill-fitted his facial features, "Sorry, this Shuuki was about to land a sneak attack on you, so I had to intervene."

She was still looking at him questioningly.

"Okay, I apologize for breaking your weapon. Can we just let bygones be bygones and start over. I'll start first, my name is Akuma Fuzen. What's you-"

The highschooler couldn't finish as he got interrupted by a loud roar that shook the air around them.

"Shit."

"Shit."

Both of them said simultaneously as a horde of more than a hundred Shuuki suddenly emerged from the ground and rushed at them.

Kyouka looked at the charging horde then at the broken katana in her hand. She had lost her main weapon, and her Peach's blessing is a failure of a power even for her. Her power was supposed to bring out the strength of those she enslaved; yet, the Shuuki slave from before was barely stronger than the average Shuuki.

She couldn't rely on her powers to achieve her dream.

"Even if you are strong yourself, Kyouka, your power is, well... Becoming a commander is a dream you'd better give up on," was what her fellow chiefs 'advised' her off.

'Screw that noise!' she yelled mentally. "I'll definitely lead all the other chiefs. I will become the commander of the Mato Defense Force!'

However, to do that, she had to survive the coming horde. Without her katana, that seemed like a fool's errand.

'There was only one way to ensure that we both survive this,' she determined before looking at the red headed male who was looking at the Shuuki horde with an unreadable expression.

She knew that he was not a Shuuki from the start, but the fact that he could defeat Shuuki singe handedly as a male not blessed with the Mato Peach stung her pride as a chief.

'This could've been avoided if I just had put my foolish pride in check,' she admonished herself before sighing, 'no use crying over spilt milk. We have to survive. No, we will survive.'

Looking over at Akuma, she made up her mind, 'I've no choice now. I have not yet verified whether men wouldn't be of use, but I have to make up my mind.'

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Akuma's POV:

'Fucking hell!' thought the youth as he stared at the charging Shuuki horde. There was more than a hundred of those monsters there. He could probably take them on but not without receiving some injuries on his end.

'I could probably outrun them if I were alone,' he gave a side glance to the pink-eyed girl who was looking at her broken katana with a difficult expression. He let out an internal sigh of exasperation, 'I can't just leave her here to fend for herself. Grandpa and grandma taught me better than that.'

Akuma tried to think of a way to ensure that they both survive this disaster, 'I could probably use THAT."

Immediately, he felt the need to throw up and had to try his best to keep the visceral reaction of his body not show externally, 'No, I won't make the same mistake again. I won't use that fucking shit even if I were on the verge of death! It is not worth it.'

His train of thought was interrupted by the formation of a translucent barrier around them. He looked around to find the silver haired girl placing some sort of talisman onto the ground around them.

Noticing his gaze, the girl spoke, "Don't fret. I just formed a simple barrier around us."

Just as she said that, the first Shuuki from that horde reached them and slammed its fist against the barrier causing it to crack.

"It doesn't seem like it will hold them away for long," commented the male with his fiece looking eyes narrowed.

"You said your name was Akuma Fuzen, right?"

"Yep," he replied popping the p.

"I am the chief of the seventh unit of the Mato Defense Force, Kyouka Uzen," she said with practiced ease.

'She must've practiced infront of a mirror alot to perfect that introduction.

"You're the victim of the latest Mato Disaster, correct?" she continued asking as more cracks appeared in the barrier.

Akuma wanted to be an asshole and complain that that's what he's been saying all along. However, he held his tongue as it was not advisable to annoy a commanding officer of one of the most influential organizations in Japan. Especially after breaking her katana.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied with a serious tone. It seemed that Kyouka appreciated his serious attitude if the small node she gave him was anything to go by. 

"Akuma," she said after a moment of silence. "There is a way for us to get out of this, but you're going to have to do your part, too."

"I understand, its the least I can do for being partially at fault for our predicament," the youth affirmed with a nod.

"Well said," he saw Kyouka nod with a small smile. A thought unconsciously flashed through his mind.

'That smile suits her.'

"Then," she declared with finality, "I'll make you my slave."

Before the teenager could even question where that stray thought came from, his chain of thought was snapped by what the seventh unit chief had said.

"Pardon," he unintentionally used a formal way of speech due to his shock.

As if expecting that reaction, the silver haired MDF officer started explaining while ignoring the cracking barrier around them, "My ability draws out the strength of the living beings I enslave."

'What kind of sick ability is this. When is this the 1700s?' thought Akuma while keeping a neutral expression - or as neutral an expression as his face could maintain.

"I have enough strength to handle these guys," he said offhandedly, trying to change the subject of the discussion.

"I noticed, but you won't be able to do so and protect me without getting some injuries and there is no guarantee that I would survive without my main weapon."

'Damn, she's sharp.' Akuma let out a huff in an attempt to bluff his way out of becoming a slave, "You're assuming a whole lot right now, Chief Uzen."

"Then, pray tell, why haven't you already turned tail and fled away?" she asked, a slight smug look on her face.

"That's..." he didn't know what to say. Suddenly, he felt his legs get swept under him and before he knew it, Kyouka was straddling his abdomen.

Her soft, yet muscular thighs helps keep her attached to his body.

'No, begone horny thoughts!' he attempted to keep his mind from turning into a sewer.

 "You said that you are ready to do what is necessary to help us get out of this situation," she said as she took off the glove on her right hand.

"What was it that you said again?" she placed her index finger on her lip in an imitation of a thinking pose, "Ah, yes, you felt partially responsible for us being in this predicament; so, take responsibility."

He had to admit that she had him there but it still was a bit too sudden, "But telling me to become your slave all of a sudden is a bit too much isn't it?"

The sound of the barrier crumbling around them resonated in their ears. Akuma had a panicked expression while Kyouka had a elated one.

"Akuma, it's time to submit," she said with a confident smile as she brought her bare right hand near his face.

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Akuma didn't know what fueled his next action. Maybe it was the adrenaline coursing through his veins, maybe it was the panic from being surrounded by a horde of Shuuki, maybe it was the faint hope of being able to live through this disaster, or maybe it was his raging teenage hormones high jacking his brain.

The only thing he knew was that his tongue knew the taste of Kyouka's finger.

Out of nowhere, he felt a sudden heat permeate his body from his core.