"We're not falling for that again!" Miu screeched.
"That only makes it more fun," Hachi told them from the corner of his smile.
"Let him get his warmup in," Nanae told Hisako.
Hachi strode forward evenly, and the Trapdoorers jumped to race towards him after a moment. They weren't keen on playing around anymore.
Hachi hadn't pulled the katana from his back yet, and he was only meters from his opponents. He was well within Miu's range—
"Miu—the one with wings—her blades have poison on them!" Hisako cried.
She stepped forward to hurry to his side, but her leg gave out, and she nearly fell. Nanae's hand snapped out and caught her.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly.
Hisako finally let out a wretched noise of pain, stifled from a sob. "Serizawa-san."
Nanae followed her eyes to his crumpled form. "Oh, Hisako… He did good, Hisako. You two saved that salaryman; he's safe."
"But Serizawa-san—I—"
Nanae reached out and squeezed Hisako's shoulder. "Focus, Hisako. Focus on now."
Hisako nodded slowly, adjusting her grip on Toraichi.
"Good," Nanae breathed.
She summoned her gauntlets, soothing them with a short, cool breeze while her moon gate door was briefly open. The golden metal glowed like fire in the baleful sunlight. Hisako eyed the keyhole designs, dull and empty. There were no elemental attacks around to absorb, so she would have to go without.
Hisako shifted her attention back to the Trapdoorers. Hachi was indeed warming up.
Noboru and Kotone were both engaging him, forcing Miu to simply hover out of their way, unable to throw her blades.
Hachi was toying with the two of them, though, making Miu grit her teeth and jerk in the air, eager to capitalize on any openings. He blocked Noboru's attacks single-handedly with his sword and was quick enough to grab Kotone's rapier as she attempted to stab him.
In a move almost too quick for Hisako to track, he pushed his hand down Kotone's rapier, grabbed her by her wrists, and spun, throwing her into his door.
She flew into it, eyes wide, and it swallowed her up as she tried to grab the frame. The door slammed shut the second she slipped through, but it didn't disappear. In fact, it reopened, but Kotone didn't emerge.
Miu dove.
Hisako threw Toraichi at Noboru as he moved to advance. Nanae moved as well, following Toraichi a few steps behind.
Noboru was halted by the blade planting itself before him, nearly shaving his boots, then Nanae stole his attention away from Hachi. Hisako threw herself forward, hurtling toward Hachi to hopefully tackle them away from Miu's range.
Miu's wings sprayed. Hisako wasn't close enough. She changed her velocity, aiming to just take Miu out of the sky instead, and hoped that Hachi would dodge.
He didn't dodge, though; he did something far more impressive: he blocked each attack with his katana, drawn so quickly that Hisako missed it.
The blade became a smear of silver flashing in the sun, like Fujioka's attacks, but far more impossible. Not even the world's greatest athletes could move so quickly or perceive the attacks so flawlessly.
Was this his ability? Superhuman traits?
Hisako slammed into Miu, sending them both sprawling down into the ground below. Hisako slowed her descent and kicked Miu's back, pushing her towards where Nanae was waiting.
Nanae spun as Miu neared, throwing out a wicked spinning kick. Miu, unexpecting, wheezed upon impact and flew into Hachi's door, which snapped her up before slamming shut and reopening once more.
Hachi spun his sword aggressively, sluicing off a bit of the poison from Miu's blades. "I had her," he grumbled.
"First-come, first-served!" Nanae called back.
They both broke into a sprint toward Noboru, whose eyes widened. He attempted to flee, but Hachi cast aside his katana to reach him first.
Hachi's hand closed around Noboru's jacket and snagged him by the hood. The Trapdoorer swung his spear, but Hachi snapped his other hand around it, catching the attack before it could gain momentum. The weapon blurred as its ability kicked in, and Hachi's hand pinched as the duplicates wavered.
Hisako sucked in a sharp breath as blood splashed, and Hachi winced angrily. His fingers were crushed in the solid motion-blur of the weapon, but he held tight anyway.
Nanae hesitated to move forward, but Hisako didn't. She rushed to Hachi's side, but he had it.
He headbutted Noboru hard enough to momentarily knock him unconscious, and it was enough time for him to shove the Trapdoorer into his door.
After he had them all inside, he leaned against the doorframe for a moment, taking deep breaths.
Nanae led Hisako to his side. Hisako could see the weariness in his eyes, as if he'd suddenly blown through a good amount of his energy. He clenched his hands, and his fingers popped as bones returned to where they were meant to be.
His ability wasn't a superhuman constitution; it was the ability to overexert himself and hold off the repercussions of exhaustion. Hisako chewed on her lip; it was a dangerous ability, and one she wouldn't exchange her own for.
"You good?" Nanae asked.
He sniffed. "I'm fine. Ready to go again."
"Alright then."
Nanae took his word for it, so Hisako did too.
"What about Kumagai-san?" Hisako asked.
Hachi readied his hand on the doorknob. "I'll leave the door here and make it easier to enter than to leave."
Before Hisako could ask how that would work, Nanae explained.
"Hachi specializes in hunting rogue Awakened. His world has evolved to help with that. You'll understand once we cross through."
Hisako nodded. Nanae went first, then Hisako, followed by Hachi, who closed the door behind him.
Hisako immediately understood what Nanae had meant.
Hachi's world was quickly recognizable as a smaller Japanese castle. The door had appeared on a hilltop in a walled area separate from the main castle. Above them, a massive sakura bathed them in pink-filtered sunlight and snowed them in delicate flowers. The two areas were separated by a beautiful, bubbling stream flowing over rounded stones.
It was gorgeous—a small, scenic location hiding in a thick forest kept at bay by the historic, grand walls.
What kept the Trapdoorers from getting back out, however, was the sheer number of doors. Doors were sprouting from between trees, against walls, and all around. One could not walk three meters without running into a door.
"Is there a trick to all the doors?" Hisako asked quietly. "Where are the Trapdoorers?"
"They're randomized," Nanae said. "The doors will randomly take you to another door on the estate, but they'll never let you exit without Hachi's permission, so long as he's conscious."
Hisako nodded. "That's incredible. Is that something you control in your door?"
"It's a built-in feature," Nanae replied. "The perfect annoyance for his stubborn ability."
Hachi snorted and moved to the nearest door. "Well, this is the exit door, but they'll never get here. None of the doors open to this garden. They've split up, it seems. I can make it more likely that they don't meet up again for a while, but if they open enough doors, they'll break free of the loops."
"Are we splitting up, too, then?" Hisako asked.
"At least partially," Hachi said. "You two stick together."
"That leaves one loose," Hisako said. "Is that okay?"
"Kumagai's, then," Hachi decided. "Which one do you want to take?"
"I'm most familiar with Miu," Hisako replied. "I think with Nanae's short-range skills and my movement capabilities, we can give her trouble."
"The poisoner, right?" Hachi asked.
Hisako nodded.
"Then I'll take the other woman. That man is boring."
"She controls plants," Hisako warned.
The world was full of plants. From the forest, to the gardens, to the little window-planters, potted flowers, and bonsai that Hisako could see in the windows, halls, and rooms from the hilltop.
"That's fine," Hachi said. "Sounds like a good challenge."
"Whatever. Don't let your head get too big, Hachi," Nanae joked.
Hachi snorted and opened the door. It didn't emit light like proper doors did, but they looked otherwise identical to his shabby wooden door. Hisako imagined the Trapdoorers were fuming.
Through the door was an orchard of ancient persimmon trees and a simple structure to store things for tending to the trees. The trees themselves swayed unnaturally, and roots wound themselves through the air, searching like snakes.
"Kotone is in there?" Hisako asked warily.
"Don't die," Nanae said.
Hachi jabbed his thumb at the next door, resting between a small gaggle of black pines being carefully shaped. "Your poisoner is through that door."
Before he could be questioned further, he left them for the orchard. The door clicked shut behind him and then faded away. A few meters away, another door faded in.
"I bet clearing this door was a mind-bender," Hisako joked. "I hope the keeper had backup."
Nanae's face darkened. "A Sasaki always clears their own door. Alone."
Hisako's face fell. "I'm sorry. I wish I could've helped you with your door, like you did with mine."
Nanae's eyes softened, then hardened as her determination returned. "It's fine. Let's get this done, okay?"
Hisako hesitated, then nodded. Nanae pulled the other door open and held it open for Hisako.
Hisako ducked through and found herself in a large dojo with high, vaulted ceilings supported by grand wooden crossbeams. There were no windows, but on three sides of the expansive room were sliding exterior doors, so it had to be an isolated area of the castle.
Before Hisako could take in the minimal decor of the room, Miu dropped from a shadowed area of the rafters, lunging at Hisako.
The door whooshed shut behind her, and Hisako ducked. She had to swing Toraichi out not to fall and pin the blade, but it worked to help Nanae, too.
As soon as Toraichi was vertical, Hisako felt Nanae step on the blade. She pushed up, surging her power through Toraichi, and boosted Nanae into the air.
Miu ended up slicing between them, blades raking with a shriek against the flat of Toraichi. Hisako glanced up, ready to follow up on whatever Nanae did.
Nanae landed before Miu could fly off again, and she spun on her toes to deliver another spinning kick, this time hooking downward and slamming Miu into the tatami floors.
Miu recovered quicker than Hisako gave her credit for—maybe the beatings were getting to her.
The Trapdoorer spun on her back, sending little knives everywhere.
Hisako spun Toraichi up, using her ability to lighten the effort. The blades shattered against the flat, sending shards blowing past Hisako.
Nanae hit the deck, diving next to Miu to duck under the wide cone of the attack. Before she could initiate another attack from the ground, Miu launched herself up and into the air again.
"Crap," Nanae hissed, rising.
Hisako spun Toraichi back into her two-handed grip. "I can follow her up, but—"
The entire building shook, loosing dust and making the old structure moan in discomfort. The tatami mats trembled as little green shoots snaked up between them, then bristled with small needle-like leaves.
Little black pines, maples, and other trees from around the estate.
Hachi panted as the adrenaline cooled off in his blood. His heart thumped erratically, and he had to keep his burning legs moving as piercing branches chased him.
"Should've left us in that desert door, keeper!" Kotone crowed.
She stood on a rolling throne of persimmon branches woven into a holy nest. Her rapier was at her side, and her hands were flying about, commanding her floral attacks. The entire estate was alive, writhing from the ground and seeking Hachi.
Hachi ducked around a stone shrine meant for blessing the orchard, and snapped the shaft of an all-wooden arrow from his hip.
He regarded it after pulling it out. It was simply a thin, solid line of wood twisted to reinforce itself, forming a skewer small enough to fire from a bow. The bow, of course, was a thin wooden creation spawned from the persimmon throne.
He snapped the other arrow, just below his knee, and took a deep breath to collect himself. A large, searching branch slid past, and he took his window.
Rampage burned through his body, like a welcome surge of pain, and he jumped up onto the branch. Even as it writhed wildly, he ran fast enough to find footing along the grooves and the bases of the offshoot branches.
Kotone saw him coming, of course, and sent another wall of arrows. He grit his teeth and leaned even harder against his ability.
If he pushed enough, and he did, he could see the arrows and knock the ones that would hit him aside barehanded.
Kotone wouldn't fall for the same counter twice, though. The branch erupted in spikes, skewering his feet and ankles. Breaking past them tore at his feet and splattered blood against the wood, but the spikes couldn't stop him at this speed.
The wall did.
Before he could reach her, she surrounded herself in a bristling shell of tree-matter. He scrabbled up the side rabidly, but the dome sealed before he got in. Even clawing at the weakest part, he couldn't break through.
As soon as he gave up, he needed to retreat as the overclock began to hit again, harder than before, to punish how much he'd pushed.
The wounds bled freely, and his body burned out with a bone-numbing exhaustion. The roots snagged at him, feeling him out for the Trapdoorer like a spider's web.
He hissed, staggering as quickly as he could toward the stone shed. He reached it and clawed his way up, running his already busted fingers ragged, but even there, the moss and weeds growing out of the cracks in the stone arched their leafy faces toward him, ever watching.
Having Kotone crawling around in his world, shifting everything around, made his skin crawl. He almost didn't notice the exit door open and spit out an individual.
He hesitated before crawling atop the shed and pausing to confirm. He closed his eyes and focused on the world beneath his hands.
Two.
Two individuals.