Chapter 48: ???

*With Ayame, ikoma and kurusu*

Before the Lord of Iwato station, Ayame, Ikoma, and Kurusu were seated, engaged in a fruitful and pleasant conversation. The ambiance around them was serene, with the Lord exuding an air of authority tempered by kindness. He adjusted his glasses with a graceful gesture, his pleasant smile a constant companion on his face, while his trusted advisor stood not too far away, nodding agreeably to the conversation unfolding before them.

"I will allow the Koutetsujou through," the Lord declared, his voice carrying a sense of assuredness and benevolence.

Upon hearing the news, Ayame couldn't contain her gratitude. She clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with joy. Ikoma and Kurusu, noticing her elation, wore small smiles that mirrored her happiness, infusing the atmosphere with even more warmth and joy. It was a moment of shared relief and anticipation as the weight of the decision lifted, and the path forward seemed clearer and brighter than before.

Unfortunately, the serene atmosphere was swiftly shattered like an egg dropped on concrete as the sliding doors behind Ayame and her companions swung open abruptly. The expressions on the faces of the Lord and his advisor shifted dramatically, casting a pall of tension over the previously tranquil scene. The trio of Ayame, Ikoma, and Kurusu instinctively turned around, their senses immediately heightened by the sudden change in demeanor.

Ikoma rose to his feet, his tongue almost tasting the name of the man before him as he growled it through clenched teeth, a mixture of anger and disdain coloring his voice.

"Biba..."

"Oh, hello there," was all that escaped Biba's lips as he strode into the room, his presence commanding attention. Behind him trailed a woman with blond hair tied up in a singular ponytail at the back of her head, adorned with two orange hair extensions cascading down either side. She was Horobi, his trusted companion, her demeanor mirroring Biba's cold countenance.

As Biba came to a halt in the room, the atmosphere grew tense. Only two guards remained inside, their hostility palpable as they swiftly aimed their weapons at him, ready to act if he made any sudden moves. Horobi, sensing the imminent threat, positioned herself protectively in front of Biba, drawing her blade crafted from the heart of a Kabaneri. The gleam of the blade reflected the seriousness of the situation, underscoring the precarious balance of power within the room.

"Horobi, relax. We are just here to talk. We won't be able to complete our objective with them here," Biba whispered the last part, his words carrying a weight that only Ikoma's enhanced senses could discern. However, Ikoma found himself unable to respond as Biba turned to leave. Before departing, Biba halted and addressed the Lord with a voice both loud and clear, his words leaving everyone but the Lord and his advisor utterly bewildered.

"What comes next is your fault," Biba declared, his tone carrying a foreboding weight. With those ominous words hanging in the air, Biba departed, his guard trailing behind him. Their crisp footsteps slowly faded into the distance, marking their departure. Ikoma and the others turned to observe the Lord, whose countenance now bore a dark shadow, his expression inscrutable. In a hushed exchange, the Lord whispered something to his advisor, who wasted no time in ushering Ayame and her companions out of the room, signaling the conclusion of their Meeting.

"We need to get back to the train quick," Ayame declared urgently, her tone betraying the gravity of the situation. Without further delay, she set off briskly in the direction of the train, her determination palpable. Kurusu and Ikoma followed closely behind, their instincts urging them to break into a full-blown sprint. However, they restrained themselves, mindful of leaving Ayame behind in their haste.

As they hurried along, their senses heightened by the recent encounter, they remained oblivious to the ominous presence lurking above. Unbeknownst to them, a shadowy figure loomed on the roof of the Lord's home they had just departed. If only they had been a bit slower, they might have detected the subtle signs of impending danger overhead, which was not directed at them.

*Back with owen*

Owen, sensing the impending danger, swiftly positioned himself atop the gate that permitted trains to enter and exit the station. With a sense of anticipation tinged with apprehension, he braced himself for the inevitable confrontation. Time seemed to stretch as he waited, his senses keenly attuned to any sign of movement or disturbance.

As the shadow grew clearer, Owen recognized Mumei running at alarming speed towards his position. His resolve solidified, his mind echoing with the mantra: 'No hesitation.' With each stride, Mumei's figure became more defined, her determined approach signaling the urgency of the situation.

Finally, she came to a halt not far from Owen, her sudden stop betraying a sense of surprise or perhaps hesitation. Owen regarded her with a steady gaze, his stance firm and unwavering despite the tension crackling in the air between them. In that moment, they stood as adversaries, each assessing the other's intentions, aware of the gravity of their encounter.

"I'm glad to see you alive, Daisuke. So please move," Mumei urged, her tone sharp, her hands poised near the guns holstered at her sides. However, Owen remained steadfast, his grip tightening around the spear and shield he held. His gaze bore into Mumei with an intensity that matched her own, his voice cutting through the tension sharper and clearer than hers.

"No," he declared firmly, refusing to yield to Mumei's demand. In that brief exchange of words, the standoff between them intensified, each one unwilling to back down, their conflicting motivations and loyalties poised to collide in the coming moments.

"Your brother is scum. Why help him?" Owen's voice cut through the charged air, his stance adjusting to position the arm holding the shield forward, prepared for whatever might transpire. He observed Mumei, her head initially bowed, her gaze fixed on the ground. But as she raised her head, a determination, unsettling to Owen, flickered in her eyes.

Mumei's response was not in words but in action. Slowly at first, she began to advance towards Owen, her movements deliberate. Each step seemed to carry the weight of her resolve, propelling her forward with increasing speed. A walk turned into a jog, and then into a sprint, as Mumei closed the distance between them with determined purpose.

Owen braced himself, his mind racing with conflicting emotions and the gravity of the situation sinking in. In the clash of wills and ideologies, the confrontation between Owen and Mumei seemed inevitable, with each step bringing them closer to a decisive moment that would shape their fates.

 *Bang*

*Ting*

 *Bang*

*Ting*

As Mumei closed in, she unleashed a rapid flurry of shots from her guns, aiming to overwhelm Owen. Reacting swiftly, Owen raised his shield, the metal deflecting the bullets with resounding clangs. Undeterred, he surged forward, closing the distance between them with determined purpose.

Mumei quickly realized that bullets alone wouldn't suffice against Owen's defenses. With a deft motion, she activated the bayonet functions of her guns, transforming them into deadly melee weapons. Leaping into the air, she descended upon Owen, her blades poised to strike.

Owen anticipated her attack, raising his shield just in time to deflect the slashing blades. The metal rang out as the blades scraped against its surface, but Owen's defense held firm. Seizing the opportunity, Mumei used the momentum to flip away, landing gracefully a short distance from Owen.

Without hesitation, Owen launched his counterattack, his strikes swift and precise. However, Mumei's agility proved to be a formidable defense as she effortlessly evaded his blows, her movements fluid and unsettling.

Yet, Owen had a surprise up his sleeve.

"Shadow binding," Owen whispered, his voice barely audible over the din of the skirmish. With precision, he stomped his foot down onto Mumei's shadow, causing her to freeze momentarily, a brief opening that Owen seized without hesitation.

In a swift motion, Owen raised his other foot, delivering a devastating kick to Mumei's chest. The force of the blow sent her hurtling through the air, her form propelled away from Owen's reach. However, Owen wasted no time in pursuit, his determination unwavering.

Mumei, reacting quickly, flipped mid-air and deployed several smoke grenades, enveloping the area in a dense cloud of obscuring mist. For most combatants, the sudden onset of smoke would induce panic and confusion, rendering them vulnerable to attack. But Owen was different.

With his skill in stealth elevated to new heights, Owen had become adept at navigating through obscured environments, including the use of smoke bombs. With his enhanced ability, now dubbed [One with the Shadows], Owen could pierce through the veil of smoke with clarity, his senses honed to operate seamlessly within the shroud.

As Mumei found herself engulfed in the swirling mist, she unwittingly faced a formidable adversary in Owen, who seamlessly melded with the shadows, turning the very smoke against her in a deadly game of pursuit and evasion.

As the smoke cleared, revealing Mumei standing amidst the aftermath of Owen's relentless assault, Owen couldn't help but marvel at her resilience. Despite the barrage of non-lethal strikes—punches, kicks, shield bashes, and spear attacks—Mumei remained standing, her defiance unwavering.

However, any sense of wonderment dissipated as Mumei's actions took a startling turn. With a swift motion, she removed a piece of cloth from around her neck, revealing dozens of flowing orange lines etched onto her face. In that moment, her eyes gleamed with an eerie red glow, casting a haunting aura around her.

Owen's heart quickened, a chill coursing through him as he faced Mumei's transformed state. He could sense the palpable shift in the air, the atmosphere charged with an unsettling energy. Whatever lay ahead, Owen knew that the encounter had taken a dangerous turn, and that the true test of his resolve was only just beginning.

"I'm sorry," echoed Mumei's voice, a haunting prelude to the blur of motion that followed. In an instant, she dashed towards Owen, her speed seemingly surpassing the limits of human capability. Owen reacted swiftly, deflecting her attempted shots with his shield.

But Mumei was a step ahead. Anticipating his defense, she slid down and under Owen's shield with uncanny agility. As she passed beneath him, she dragged the blade of her weapon up Owen's legs in a swift, calculated move. A less skilled combatant might have crumpled to the ground, but Owen, with a quick adjustment of his weight, managed to remain on his feet. However, the cost was evident as he lost his grip on his spear, causing it to slide down towards the end of the shaft.

This would normally but Owen took advantage of the extented ranged and made a attack towards mumei which landed squarely on her back leaving a massive gash on her back. Despite the massive gash on her back inflicted by Owen's opportunistic strike, Mumei remained undeterred. With an eerie calmness, she turned around to face Owen, a triumphant smile etched across her features.

"Let's see you follow me with a leg like that." The challenge hung in the air, setting the stage for a renewed exchange between the two adversaries.

'Fuck,' echoed Owen's thoughts as he dropped to one knee, watching Mumei walk past him with an air of inevitability. Despite his efforts, he found himself unable to impede her progress as she made her way towards the gate leading out of the station.

As Mumei passed by, she uttered one final statement, laden with an air of resignation and defiance.

"You all will never understand.

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Chapter name: Owen vs mumei

Much longer chapter had fun writing it!