Blades and Sacred Pyre. (Part 2)

"For now, I suggest we regroup with her. She may have proved to be a capable governor, but she sure as hell is an incompetent war officer."

"Wait what?"

Scarlet red dagger pulled from the flesh of our enemies. A dark bent stick with half the size of a halberd swings the blood away to give it a deep purple sheen. Among the numerous hacked and torn, one rat-kin flayed and try to drag itself away with one arm.

"I see... Yes, this kind of makes sense. I think..."

Saya calmly ponders, holding her chin as she observes the burning streets.

"Mind explaining?"

"It seems Tannan is becoming distrustful of you."

"Wait what?"

Remembering how I hesitated to answer her I can't help but accept what Saya said.

"But I suggest this is actually a test. For both you and her."

"Please stop talking like that. I feel really lost."

"Just think of it this way, Yuwei's might is now made out of a coalition from numerous and different types of people with an exceptionally different culture, tradition and not to speak, beliefs. (Not that I know how she manages to unite them in the first place) And there's no better way to prove how much Tannan trusts her by sending you, an exception to all the rules. I bet she knows all of this would happen too, she definitely already knows about this hidden district too."

"I don't really get it. But I hope nothing bad happens to Sis's friend."

I pulled the broken halberd that's supposed to be my primary weapon off the corpse of one of the rat-kin. If it wasn't for the help of my helmet filtering the smell and this burning adrenaline swelling within me. I doubt I could stand now.

"Still..."

Saya speaks softly as she approaches one of the rat-kin she spared and steps on the back of the retreating rat-kin. Unlike the ones I saw back then, the ones here look healthier, bigger, stronger and most of all, better armed. Grinding her heels on the wounded back sent the rat-kin on a frenzied shriek.

"Aariirrrrrghhh!!!"

"What's with you today Sova? You're seriously crazy killing all of the rat-kin with one strike till your weapon broke. What's gotten into you? And without a spirit weapon or qi either. So you're holding back huh?"

"I don't know, I just suddenly felt I need to do something."

"Hehehe, whatever the reason I guess it works for both of us. But try to make sure you don't waste your equipment and..."

Saya points at my other broken weapon to continue saying:

"Make sure you distance that weapon from us okay?"

Feeling like I heard that a thousand times, I can't help but just reply,

"Sure."

I take a look at my broken weapon and remembered how Rana told me that this thing is made out of Owlian Steel. I took my time studying a bit about this weapon to find out why everyone's so afraid of it and found out that this Owlian Steel is not only banned in this frontier but the entire world. I guess Sis was right when she said only the Aologi Empire...

(Wait, if the Aologi empire has it, what about the United States? Do they have it? They are a successor nation of the Aologi Empire... I'll think of this later).

"So where do we enter from?"

I ask Saya as I follow her gaze.

"Oh, hold on."

Saya sticks her finger from behind the helm and pulls it up. Forcefully ejecting the surviving captive's helm revealing the wearer.

(You can remove the armour that easily!?)

Saya yanks his long hair and looks at him from above, seeing such a tiny body dominating someone twice if not thrice as big is weird.

"Hsjdiucbaakakah?"

Saya speaks in an unknown tongue at the captive but the rat-kin spit the excessive blood from his mouth in retaliation. Wiping the blood in her eyes, Saya draws her dagger and slowly place the dagger beside the eyes, pricking the edge I felt my eyes itching.

"Um... Do you need to do that Saya?

"Of course!"

Helpless and limp from the blood loss, the rat-kin can do nothing but watch as Saya continue speaking in an unknown tongue. But the captive speaks a few words before smiling and laugh before saya pulls back her dagger, scarring his face and cutting one of his large ears.

"Arregghh-"

*slam*

The captive's yell was cut short as Saya slams his face to the ground before pulling his har again. Saya places the dagger on the cheek and continues interrogating...

Realizing what she's doing, I prompt myself out saying:

"Saya, I'll be waiting where I can't see what you're doing."

"Oh, okay. I'll be done shortly."

Leaving Saya alone on her own machination. I entered the tunnel where we enter, it's walkways lighten up with the soft glow of a small crystal. Looking at my bloodied hands, I can't help wondering,

(When did I start being so calm when I kill like this? This burning sensation inside of me is making me out of control, but what do I do? Saya said killing is the same no matter who I swing my blade to. But knowing that they are the same means that they would probably suffer or someone around them will- huh?)

A silhouette passes the edge of my sight while I'm still in thought. Thinking that the rat-kin has come again, I ready my weapon for the attack but all I found was a cowering foe. Slowly cowering away as her legs shake yet not moving. Another burning sensation wells up with me like how it was with that powerful rat-kin but...

"Haah..."

(Hold it back! I had enough killing for today... I wonder why did I want to learn to fight again? To prepare me mentally? To kill monsters?)

I sigh and turn around to where Saya is, hoping she's-

"!!!!"

*clang*

Sensing a sudden bloodlust, I unsheathe my weapon and slap the attacker back with my blade. When I turn, I see who was suppose to be the cowering rat-kin but now she dons some kind of powerful-looking gauntlet in her hands. My quick counter-attack repelled her arms back but she smiled and uses the force to spin around and land on the ceiling of the tunnel before jumping back and continue her onslaught with haste. Her speed and reaction are fast, probably faster than the commandant.

(The fact that her weapon didn't shatter with the hit of my stick means that she's using a spirit weapon. In turn, she's easily a powerful foe).

Exchanging blows yet never hitting a vital spot, she attacks with her tiny size, her arms, legs and soon her tail creating some sort of martial art only a beast-kin could use. Not only can't I fight back thanks to her extra limb, but it also seems she's gaining the upper hand. Her gauntlets begin to shine and her attacks become fiercer and hit even harder as she strikes.

(Is that magic?)

From my sides, the tip of my toe, my thighs, the back of the knees, my neck, chin, her attacks just keeps on coming. Realizing this is going nowhere, she uses the tunnels as a stepping stone and jumps around me. Our blows begin to destroy the environment around us, creating little holes and small cracks in the tunnel. With a final push, she jumps back and gathers strength as the ground beneath her caved in and dash ahead. I gather my strength and charge ahead for a huge swing, our weapon clashes in a grand fashion causing a giant wind pressure and destroying all the lights and the floor below us.

(Oh schnitzel!)

Pushed back by each other's attack, I manage to land on a boulder and soon find myself falling headfirst as I lose sight of what's up and down into the spiralling stairs I went up. The rat-kin smashed the boulder I was on causing a cloud of huge dust and debris.

"Hahahahahaha!!!"

Her laughter echoes through the hollow cave. Not wanting to be taken in a disadvantage, I look down to find my face almost hitting another rock. I stretch my arm and adjust the centre of my gravity before jumping back and landing with on my feet on the ladder.

"Phew..."

(If there's one martial art technique that focuses on balance and aerial manoeuvrability is none other than the crane and monkey arts).

Landing with a bang on the ladder ahead, the rat-kin looks at me with an innocent and eager smile as if she's waiting for more. I ready my weapon and took my stance, I crouch over and place one hand on the floor and get on all four. The rat-kin looks at me surprised as her smile grew wider into joy. She raises her fist to taunt me and taking a guard position.

(The rat and monkey arts is one of the few techniques I manage to learn from my sis when fighting in a high environment with many uneven terrains like this).

We stare at each other looking for a chance to strike, my grip on my weapon becomes stronger while I wait for the opportune time. When the fragments fall, covering her from my sight. I jumped ahead as I'm trying to reach the other side, but when the last fragments fall from my eyes, the rat-kin appears before me and our weapon clash once more pushing us back. Not stopping there, I land on the wall and jump back into the fray, whilst she does the same and the battle turns into a vertical duel where we use the walls as a jumping point while the chasm as our bout.

(The only reason Sis Rubeca teaches me how to fight in a situation like this is that once I became a Hunter, all new recruits are tasked with hunting in the forest. The northern forest to be exact, where most of the monster all fight vertically in the gigantic trees and jumping around as they defy gravity... In fact, the rat-kin before me is much easier to deal with. Unlike Sis who can move mid-air as she can fly, she's using the ground to keep propelling herself up, and she probably thinks I'm doing the same... But not for long).

As another clash is about to happen, before my blade could parry her strike, I immediately change the centre of my gravity to my feet and dodge her attack mid-air by going down.

"Uhyyaaa!!!"

I could hear her yell in surprise as I grab her extended tail. I pull her tail before swinging her down to the ground below. Not before she grabs my cape and pulls me together with her. Not wanting to suffer the same fate, I pull out my other broken weapon and use its blade to cut my cape before changing my centre of gravity again making a mid-air wheel kick, thinking,

[Ravaging Monkey Dance: Turning slash kick!]

kicking her off with a wheel kick on her face. I land a few meters away from her while she crash-landed into the rubble that falls from above. With the entrance outside just behind me, I to breathe to relax my body and look outside.

(Huff, huff... Glad that's over).

*bang*

(Why did I even bother).

I look back only to see the whole rubble flying all over the place. In its centre is the rat-kin releasing her qi in an overbearing scale, so much so I could see her being coat in a deep crimson red aura. Unlike before, I could sense the murderous aura unleash in its full glory.

"It seems she's finally being serious."

I check my weapon on each hand and soon I wonder how Saya is holding up if she's not coming here after so long.

(Could she be under attack too? If so, I can't waste my time!)

I ready both my broken weapons and make a huge gamble. I take an offensive stance, placing each weapon on the opposite shoulder making it into a twin wrath stance. Testing out my new found strength, I raise my leg high in preparation. Seeing this opportunity, the rat-kin madly dash at me. But before she could get to me, I stomp my feet to the ground so hard it causes the entire tunnel to quake and sending the rubble beneath me to the air. Disrupting the attacker's focus as she lost sight of me, I take this chance to approach her with a heavy footwork thinking,

(With the help of Sis Yuwei, Sis Fei and granny I was able to train my dragon techniques, let me show you the fruits of my labour!)

[Twin black tyrant technique: quadruple slaying fang assault, churning clouds and clapping rain!]

This attack that is supposed to use qi and create a mighty shockwave to incapacitate the enemy in two was improvised. Instead, I use my footwork to increase the power of my swing. My attack cleaves her body cleanly in two. Blood sprayed on my shoulders as each part of her limbless body flail passes beside me.

"!!!"

Sensing another attack coming from behind me, I forcefully spin around and try to intercept. My eyes couldn't believe what I see, the rat-kin that's supposed to lose her head is now alive and well. With speed faster than before, she tries to grab me but I dash back only to be caught by someone from behind. I easily got off by using the back of my head to hit her and as I feel her loosening up, I continue with an elbow and counter back with a spinning uppercut.

*crack*

I could hear her jaws shatter as my fist smash her chin but two more silhouettes appear from beside me grabbing both my arm. But with my new strength, I easily trash around the new opponents like rag dolls and throw them away as they lose their hold on me. But another one came, not wanting to suffer the same situation, I use my a frontal kick and felt the push in her chest as if I shatter her ribs and swing my black steel weapon to the side and smash two heads of the rat-kin.

Using the tip of my other weapon, I thrust it above my shoulder and pierce the head of another. But no matter how many I dispose of, another one just keeps on coming and coming like an endless horde and unlike the first one I encounter, each coming waves the rat-kin becomes weaker and weaker.

(How many more are there!?)

I can dispose of them easily but I'm running out of breath. Soon, I could feel how my arms starting to get stiff and cramped, my legs become heavy as if it's been chained to a boulder. One of them finally takes hold of my leg but I quickly remove it by striking it with my weapon but another came and grab my arm, and as I was about to use the other arm, another one grabs it and another and another, an endless wave grabs hold of my body no matter where, from my hands, legs, thighs, waist, neck, head, arms, before finally drowning.

Through the gaps, I could see one of them in kicks the ground and soar. Multiplying in two as she seems to dance mid-air...

(Oh, you got to be kidding me).

I struggle around to break free but the attackers in front pull their legs in as I realize she's going for a dropkick.

(Donut! I need to do something, I need to release my power!)

"Urgh!!!"

As I felt my chest tighten, I feel as if a thousand needles has been jabbed right inside me. I could hear cracks echoing from inside my helm and armour too.

(What's going on? Is this the backlash? I mean I didn't get to release it previously before or is there any problem...)

Their legs shine and in place, powerful-looking boots appear with a bright red light before it finishes me off with a heavy dropkick. Not caring about the lump that is holding me back, I was forced to see my own demise.

"Rider Kick!!!!"

*crack* *smash* *boom*

The kick ploughs through the bodies like mashing through ground meat before hitting my chest. The bodies that held me down disappears with a soft glow and blowing wind while I was blown back by their double dropkick. As I felt an explosion ravaging my chest, the armour in front shatters while I felt blood filling up my throat. Landing on my back, I was forced to cough my blood out and felt my ear filling with my own blood. My vision begins to waver as the other pictures in my vision begin to distort. I try to get on my knees and gasp for air but I can't seem to breathe.

"Cough! Cough!"

I retract my helm and see my blood pouring out while my skin falls along as I cough.

(It doesn't hurt as much as I thought but with this kind of damage... Am I done for?)

"Hey, hey, hey, you're, you're, you're, actually, actually, actually, pretty, pretty, cute, cute, such, such, a, a shame I have to take you out. Why didn't you use any magic? Are you underestimating me~?"

Speaking in Eclish, three voices begin to echo in my ear before they combine to one. Her voice is all I can hear as I weaken and wane. My vision blackens for some time as I continue to kneel without being able to reply.

"This is the first time somebody actually able to take my boosted attacks and God's Gift head-on without any magic or qi no less, you're amazing!"

Walking closer as she readies her gauntlets while I felt my insides moving and churning.

"Use healing magic, use items, and we can continue! I wanna show more of my moves!"

"Huff, cough! Khaak!!!"

I tried to respond but all that comes out was blood and pain.

"But if you're going to be like that then... You're fun but goodbye~!"

Standing tall in front of me, She swings her fist down with no mercy and no remorse...

(I... I... Am I that weak?)

*splat*

*************************************

As the city districts burn, flames sweep across the district like a wave hitting the shore. Bodies fell one after another by the swing of their ragged blades while the survivors run. But among the lifeless bodies, one man sits on the pile of hundreds more. It's a site of slaughter for the rat-kin as they saw a brown muscle-bound man double their size slaughtering their kin with without breaking a sweat. The giant man grabs a peculiar looking rat-kin from the ground and threw it up into the sky.

"Uwaaah!"

A rat-kin with a unique set of clothes found himself free-falling with nothing to cushion his blows.

"And, finish!"

"XJAGURH!!!"

The giant man smashes his fist into the falling rat-kin, but multiple multiple barriers soon erected from nowhere, forming some sort of a thick blanket. Only for his fist to smash through like a hammer through a window. Causing the rat-kin to explode in the shape of an O. Its guts and bones fling before the attackers that stands from afar. As he takes a step forth, the attackers step back.

"Well if that's how it is..."

He moves back into the centre where the pile of the attacker's bodies were gathered and sits upon it like a king. What's intriguing is the other dead body wearing special clothes lying about in front of him whose body is smashed from above to make a U shape.

"I think those 2 calls themselves part of the 23 Xuju? Pretty weak if you ask me to deserve a title. But then again, they all died with so little effort, rat-kin standards must be low if their champions are this weak..."

He stares into the depths that leaves above. The crimson light that now shines upon the city seems to blind what is water and blood.

"I will get scolded by my Master if I say this but... I'm bored already! If you're going to kill someone at least have the guts to die yourself!"

He stood up and soar across the sky before stomping just beside the pile, blowing away the bodies and killing the flames with the wind pressure alone into a chaotic mess of steel and flesh.

"That should clean up the field. So who's next?"

The man asks while raising his bloody fist and blood stained apron flutters. The only way forward to the inner district other than through crawling under or beside the district is past him. Standing against a numberless well-equipped attacker, he goes unarmed.

"Pasha!"

A girl screams from above before landing beside him.

"Hmm? Tannan!? Where have you been? And where's Sutra? Isn't she with you?"

Ignoring the horde in front of them Tannan replies:

"She's headed back into the temple before the attack began, so she should be safe. What's the status!?"

"Ah, well... I manage escort quite a lot of people as I made the way here, but seeing their numbers I prompt myself to guard this entrance. For rat-kin, they sure don't act like one. I mean they don't even use the rooftops or the sewage."

"I see, do you think we can win?"

"Win? Maybe, survive? Definitely."

"Great then we'll win this! I'm not going to let my grandfather's legacy be taken by this vermin! Where's Tanwa and Xin? Have you seen them?"

Pasha shakes his head with fatigue saying:

"Nah, I've been killing any rat-kin who passes through here without leaving... Talking about rat-kin, what about our guest? Are they safe?"

Tannan stared at Pasha with widened eyes... In silence, they stared before Pasha extend his arms back to grab the sneaking rat-kin and throw it pass her just a breathe away to smash the rat-kin that was about to ambush her.

"Oy, snap out of it Tannan."

Tannan shakes her head reluctantly replying:

"I'm sorry Pasha, I guess I'm not a good leader after all. I left them at the watcher's cliff to get here immediately. I mean, I can't even trust my own best friend!"

"I see..."

Ignoring the enemies around him, Pasha nods saying:

"It's fine, as long as you learn Tannan. I mean this is not the first time you made mistakes nor do I. If only my talisman skills are better, this district wouldn't even be sliced in 4. Now, collect your mind and think up a plan. I'll be here to hold them back, who knows? Maybe I'll actually defeat them all before you're back."

"Hahaha, yeah, thanks Pas, I'll think of something. And go pick our guest up too. Then again, we have a silencer in our hand, I hope this district doesn't get obliterated."

*************************************

"Mwahahaha! Burn under our righteous flames! o((*^▽^*))o"

Speaking in eclish as her personal language so much so her expression appears in her words. She carries a half shield and scythes in each hand, her gallant figure stands on top what once the tallest building in the district as a conquerer plants their flag on top of their mewling foes. Her long scarlet hair appears like flickering flames in a world of red. While the winds of calamity blow her way, her fully armoured tail with a blade at the end swing left and right as she revels in their death.

"Like when the firstborn first step into the world, he must first step across the red seas and black dessert. War seems to be incurable to all that relates to mankind."

Flickering her goggles, this one seems to be a rat-kin wearing a prim and proper brown Aologi uniform. With trench coat, and medals and all. Her looks from her hair and figure seem to match the Galant rat-kin like their twins if it wasn't for her mature and intelligent demeanour.

"You talk smack but that don't mean shit."

Replying back to her remark is another rat-kin wearing a fancy black armour that seems from legends. His presence exudes discomfort wherever he goes. If death can walk, he would fit the bill perfectly.

"Wait, if you're here that means we lost someone!? (」ﾟﾛﾟ)｣"

Worry burdens the Galant rat-kin at his presence.

"Not just one, but five. Sumire's dead but I can't find her body. Ren and Junpei are KIA by a giant man. Not only that, but we also lost contact with Shana and Unagi. It seems there is someone at least a true martial art expert in this district or stronger."

The uniformed rat-kin folds her arms asking:

"And he's not even wounded or exhausted? And what about the missing ones? Where did they go? or who did chase? And where did Sumire last go?"

"Not a scratch or even sweat from what I see and as for the two, they saw their entire platoon being wipe out and check to see who did it. It seems they're part of the phoenix sector from the symbol in his cape."

"See, Yui? I told you we're not lost...! （＾³＾）～♪"

"Ugh, I keep telling you, Kaoru-nee! That following that item for a map will someday bite us."

"Yea, yea, when the time comes. Now, about Sumire, where did you last saw her? ((っ･ω･)っ"

The black armoured rat-kin shakes his head saying:

"It was in the market district. But I found no trace of her. It's like she disappeared."

"I see... (_　_|||)"

The Galant rat-kin takes a deep breathe as she thinks of a way to succeed. The strength between a martial art master and a true martial art disciple is like the sky and the earth, while a true disciple and a true expert are like heaven and hell. And there are even ranks among each class that separates them even further.

"If two of them whose a true disciple can't even do so much, then all of us attacking him will be a grind of suicide. We'll just have to attack him indirectly. Someone that powerful protecting this place must have something or someone precious here (◕︿◕✦).

Yui, use your personal guard to find them and bring them to me while looking for Sumire's remains, I'll recover Ren and Junpei's body myself so we can revive them while Sora will check for Shana and Unagi, just in case (๑•̀ㅁ•́๑)✧."

"Sure thing, Kaoru-nee."

"Very well, president. It's definitely going to leave a lasting impact after revival. I hope the others are already inside the Phoenix Sector. That way, our job might be done before we get there."

The uniformed rat-kin wear her goggles saying:

"Not to burst the bubble Sora, but I obtained news that the Phoenix Sector is going through a major- no... Gigantic reform right now. I mean, how else are they able to destroy 12 of our 13 crucial settlements there when the previous Phoenix Sec Lords failed to even destroy one?"

"Ahhh~ enough of your pessimism Yui! The first wave of our crusade is being led by Sensei herself and more than half our class, and she ain't normal either. There's nothing to worry about! (ʘ言ʘ╬)"

The Galant Rat-kin sharpens her scythe with her shield and continues saying:

"Worst case scenario is they probably have a once in a hundred-year hero or something. And last I check, that ain't worth shit to me.!!!

|┛*｀Д´|┛┳━┳ ~~ ┻━┻ ~~┳━┳"

"Sheesh, if you're so confident, why don't you just kill that giant man without me finding his weakness."

"Nah~ it's not climactic enough

(ﾉ≧ڡ≦) Teehee~!"

"Ah, kay! 3 of us is already confirmed dead and that's not climactic enough for you!? I'm heading out now! Goodbye!"

The uniformed rat-kin jumped down from the rooftops as she left displeased.

"Sheesh, what's her problem... (๑•̀д•́๑)"

The Galant Rat-kin continues to look at the black armoured one shouting:

"Anyway, off you go, Sora. Bring me good news! ミヽ（.＞＜）ノ"

The Galant rat-kin scurry away into the fray with haste while the black armoured one shakes his head in disappointment replying:

"Very well."

The group separated and went their separate tasks. But little did they know the horror that will soon appear from the depths of the chasm.

*************************************

*shine*

Glimpsing past the great abyss, between the walls of each building. A silhouette walks in the shadow made from the crimson glow. As he reaches out to the light, in his arm are rifle-curve swords connected by some steel and cords like segments of a wooden slip. On the other hand, a lifeless husk of someone with all four limbs cut off was drag along as the silhouette move.

Appearing where the 3 rat-kin was once discussing their plans. He drops the body where he stands while looking at the progress of destruction. With no one around and all the forces now focused in the inner district, he rests and takes in the bloodied air to his lungs.

"It seems everything is going as her majesty's whims... If all goes to plan, I guess the last city settlement will fall following the S.R.F time zone and what awaits their first wave is nothing but a trap."

The sight of seeing his own kind being slaughter brings discomfort. But there are more things that disturb his minds. He takes out a necklace with a carved out blue gem, that has been dyed purple by the crimson glow.

"Why did it shine with him... Her? I mean, is Her Majesty still hiding more secrets? All will be confirmed once I bring it to her... Him? Why must his looks be so elusive! Especially now!"

Discord warps his train of thought while he calms himself down.

"After his awakening, I can't sense his qi anymore. But he was at that cliff last time, so let's start from there. No one will stop me from reviving the Kuroyuri Clan. Not even her Majesty."

*************************************

*splat*

Blood and guts splattered over the blackened dirt. His long golden hair scatters, his head shatters, and his skull splintered. His body blown back by the force of the attack and fall on its back... Safe to say, the knight in glorious mixed armour has lost his head from his small shoulders.

The rat-kin responsible for the result frown from the anticlimactic end to the fight she was having so much fun experiencing.

"Hmph, that's why a martial artist like you never win. Your pride always gets in your train of thought."

She turns her back at the corpse and is about to head out of the entrance.

*bite*

"Ow! What the hell!"

Feeling something biting her neck, she grabs the foreign object and threw it away. What flew was something alien, it has four tiny teeth as it's legs while something akin to a mosquito's tongue for a mouth while a tin piece of pearl white cheek for its body.

"The hell is that creepy thing!"

When it starts to move to the corpse, the rat-kin immediately fired off blasts of qi wave attack destroying the body and everything around him.

"Die, die, die, die! Yuck! Ew! No one told me something like that exists in this world-"

Her mouth freezes when the dust settles and a headless silhouette stands behind the thin dust. Fear grasps her heart as she felt a cold chill rising from her spine.

"Nope, aliens, sure! But a ghost!? I'm getting out of here!"

*bang*

A mighty qi wave blasted the top of the entrance, the blast causes the hollow cliff to quake and more giant debris fell to where the entrance with an endless pile of stones. Dust clouds begin to pile up the empty room.

"Ah, wait! Wait! Wait! WAIT!!! Let's change places with more people yeah!? I'll make sure it will be a duel to remember!"

Being replied with silence, the light begins to vanish beneath the gathering black clouds. Only silence and the sound of cluttering rocks echoes in the cloudy and gloomy passage.

"Fine, be that way!"

Power gathers on her gauntlets and crimson light shines bright in the centre of it all.

"If you're not gonna show yourself, then I'm going to fish you out!"

She swings her hands down like a hammer. Her blow causes the ground to crack in a crimson glow, and soon the floor itself erupted, surging with reddening energy, blowing the dust up the empty chasms above. Yet there's no sign of the headless silhouette nor is the body there anymore.

"Alright, since its gone, I better get out of here-"

*prick*

"Ow! Seriously!?"

A sense of pain jolted once more from her neck as the pain sends a thundering sensation through her whole body.

"Dammit, is it poison?"

Using the overwhelming qi in her body, she purified and cleanse any polluted substance from her body but it seems there was none in the first place.

"Uuuu... I don't like this one bit!"

Using this chance, she jumps high reaching for the stairs when a headless body appears beside her with hands clasp to bring his fist down at her. But the rat-kin manages to raise her arm and block his attack and was blown down to the ground. What she didn't expect was how powerful his attack that it even leaves a huge dent on her gauntlet.

"What the hell!? Those attacks weren't this strong in the previous clash!"

When she looked back up, the one that attacks her seems to disappear. She uses her senses and scan around the perimeter and still couldn't find him.

*drip* *drip*

Water drips onto her shoulders but not sparing any effort, she sends her fist up and unleashes her fury upon the enemy. Her qi attacks were so massive it covers the whole chasm in bright crimson light. Yet...

*grab*

"Huh?"

A hand with only flesh and bone visible grab one of her arms, but she doesn't stop and uses her other one to continue the assault only to be grabbed by another skinless hand. When the crimson light dims, what appears above her can only be described as... Monstrous. The hands that grab her is longer than two meters bending like a cricket's leg. The part where the neck and chest are now split open like a giant gaping mouth with a broken ribcage as its teeth and some long intestine with a bone in the edge wails above her head like it has a mind of its own while its bottom half has around eight tiny legs made out of flesh and bones as it sticks around the walls.

"Iyaaaa!!!!"

Her legs give into her fear while she struggles to break free but the monster above her still hold her tight like a statue and not letting go as it pulls her up and spread her arms wide.

"N-no, let me go! D-dammit, my legs won't move!"

Its tongue finally stops moving and starts positioning itself right above her face.

"No... Stop it... Ah, my mind crystal, I need to use it!"

She tries to move again, but it's still no use. What seems to be a red mucus drips on her face continuously as she was forced to see it all, her conscious starts to falter as the horror in front of her torments the rat-kin.

"M-mother-"

*stab*

"Arggaaahhh!!!"

The monster's tongue plunges its bony parts into her right eye. Yanking it around, forcing her head to move along when it finally pulls itself out along with her eyeball and slurping it down before letting her go.

"Uwaaah!!!"

Both blood and tears flow from the rat kin empty socket. Trashing around the ground as the pain she felt feels like it should have killed her. Her vision blurred and the sensation of pain still new to her, she can only stand with her knees bent and shaking while she holds the wall.

"Someone please kill me already..."

Her mental will shatters as she stops struggling and fall once again.

"Genetic synchronization and adaptation 80%, bone structure reconstruction, blood transfusion and flesh regeneration 80%, need more bio-mass. Body reanimation and brain arrangement restored. Qi usage now possible, and magic output 10% possible."

A cute and soft girl's voice enters her ears while her bloodied and clouded vision still blocks her sight.

"Now then, I have healed myself as per your suggestion. So before we begin round two, let me introduce myself, my name is Mary. And since I'm such a forgiving person, I'm giving you a chance to fight for your life OR escape. So won't you introduce yourself?"

"Wuh?"

(Is that inhuman method her magic? What is that? Why is such a thing even in this world of magic? That God never told me anything of this sort! So what is that thing!? All the monsters I've fought doesn't even resemble that!)

The rat-kin can only question this world she was reincarnated into. When she finally remembered something.

"Right, I came here with Unagi. If I can reach him..."

She reaches for the mind crystal in her pack and activates the appeasement magic inside. As her mind cleared, so did her vision. What greeted her was a very cute girl who is the same age as her, her beauty and looks are comparable to a master-crafted doll.

With long blonde hair reaching to her knees and thanks to only wearing some sort of black rag that only covers her waist and knees, her smooth and silky pearl white skin is visible to the eyes. She's a true beauty to behold if it wasn't for few things. The claw scar under her left eye, those horns growing from her head and... And that hideous right eye that looks like 5 horizontal pupils wiggling around like it's alive in her eye socket.

"Kagura Shana, that's my name. And I'm getting out of here alive."

Shana introduces herself and takes a battle position, raising her fist high and taking a high guard stance. Even with her weakened state, she manages to cover herself with qi and magic enhancements as she finally knows her goal.

"Great, it would be boring if you cower out. Sheesh, Sova, I thought I gave you a clear signs not to get into fights whenever possible but apparently, you just gotta ignore that.

As if talking to herself, she grabs the Owlian steel retractable weapon and projects her qi. Turning it into a black double edge sword. She takes a weird stance where she turns her body to the side to reveal tiny wings on her back. Placing her foot forward, raising her sword high with her right hand and placing her left hand forward to palm.

"And sheesh, if you're going to fight with the dragon techniques you should've used the dragon family stances, to begin with. Now, I'm going to fight with the same technique as the legendary hero from the ancient Golden Dragon Sector. I hope you don't die from the initial combo."