A single corpse, a man's body, took the place of the executed captives. It flickered in and out of view like a glitch in the world's grim reality. Then, it slowly raised its head and stared directly at him.
"Danto…" The hoarse whisper was a gentle breeze, a sound that should have been comforting, but it felt like the cold, suffocating air of the grave.
"...!" Danto stumbled back, his free hand flying instinctively to his tachi's hilt.
No… Not you.
His breath hitched, his whole body shaking in violent denial.
Why… Why am I seeing you? After all this time…
The figure slowly crawled forward, dragging itself with one arm, its dead eyes locked on Danto. He recognized the slope of the shoulder, the way the collar was torn----a sight he had spent years trying to excise from his memory.
C'mon! It isn't over yet.
He squinted his eyes, violently clapping his palms against his cheeks.
The sharp, physical pain was a lifeline, a brutal anchor in reality. The figure shuddered, then slowly began to wane.
The vision vanished as quickly as it came, leaving him alone with the silent, cold reality of the six fresh corpses. Danto huffed, his breathing heavy and ragged, forcing himself to regain some semblance of composure.
He stared down, the crushing weight of the five lost lives settling on his chest. He clasped his hands together and lowered his head, his voice a soft, strained whisper.
"Oh, let their souls not face damnation, for it wasn't yet their time to die. If they have done wrong, then forgive them and accept them into the great afterlife."
He slowly opened his eyes. Nothing had changed. The corpses were still there, silent and cold, the blood darkening the floor.
What did you expect? This isn't some fairytale. A prayer isn't going to turn their bodies into flower petals. You should know that better than anyone.
The cynical voice in his head---his own survival mechanism---scourged him.
Danto ignored it and offered a small, formal bow to the bodies. "Don't worry. The Cabonari will hold proper burials and inform all your relatives." He stood and turned to face Mugi's headless corpse.
Well, the hostages are gone but there's Mugi…
He muttered, glancing at the fallen body.
Maybe I should just run. It'll be better if someone higher ranked than me handles this.
He stared at the neck wound. The bleeding had stopped; the tissue was a dark, coagulated mess. That was the signal that regeneration was imminent. Danto had to move.
He bolted across the bodega toward the metal shutter, which Michael's explosive death had thankfully ripped wide open.
As he made his way, Mugi's eyes began to twitch.
Then a grotesque, spinal-like extension erupted from the bottom of the severed head, burrowing into the beheaded body, which immediately began to spasm. The extension pulled the head down,
rearticulating it with the rest of the body.
The slash wounds were instantly covered in new, fast-growing tissue. In a matter of seconds, Mugi was healed as if nothing had happened. Only his tattered clothing and the carnage on the floor remained.
Hearing the sickening wet crunch of the rejoining spine, Danto froze mid-stride, unable to turn his head. A wave of ice-cold dread washed over him.
Loyal Swarm is still active, never removed it.
An aura around his body flickered.
Unmoving Mountain… the effects are starting to wane just a bit.
He frantically concentrated, feeling his protective charyū muscles gradually turn to mush.
Mugi let out a wheezing grunt, his neck creaking as he stretched it. Danto stood there, terror and tactical focus warring in his mind.
"...Now…" Mugi groaned, his voice heavy with wet satisfaction.
"Seems that I actually don't regret it… Being a Beast Art User is freaking awesome!" He grinned, a monstrous expression that was both horrifying and gleeful.
His body poised for attack. Danto was in full alert, mind a mix of focus and raw, animal terror. Mugi let out a low, guttural chuckle and shot forward in a blur of motion.
He was suddenly right in front of Danto, clenching his fist and delivering a brutal punch to the boy's gut. Loyal Swarm held, but only just.
The full force of the strike was mitigated, but Danto still felt a sharp, gut-wrenching pain.
He was flung back, his body slamming into the crusty bodega wall.
Mugi slowly brought his hand closer to his face and stared at his bloodied knuckles with a predatory grin, admiring the effect of his new strength.
[NOW EAT HIM! EAT HIM! EAT HIM! EAT HIM!]
The voice in his head grew louder, a hungry, ravenous chorus.
*Cough* *Cough*
Danto gasped for air as he pushed himself to his feet. He hadn't even seen the man move; his mind simply couldn't comprehend such a blinding strike. He just didn't expect it.
Without enough time to fully catch his breath, Danto rolled under a wild swipe from Mugi's newly sharpened claws, a faint red aura in its wake.
Mugi roared in frustration and grabbed Danto by the collar of his inner shirt, flinging him violently over the counter.
Danto's body hit the crusty wall on the other side and broke through it, crashing into the dark storeroom beyond. A few rats scurried away from the commotion.
I don't even have enough time to breathe, Danto frantically thought.
C'mon! Move!
He tried to reach for his tachi, but it had been flung further back into the absolute darkness.
Danto was now defenseless, and the man vaulted over the counter, leaping into the storeroom after him.
Shit!
Mugi ran toward Danto, brandishing both hands in the air, his claws ready to dig in.
...Bushi Arts... Number two (2)…
Just in time, Danto brought his hands together, creating a quick and loud clap.
"Elliptic Barrier!" A flat, almost glass-like circle instantly appeared in the air, hovering between Danto and Mugi.
DANG!
Mugi crashed into it like a bird smacking itself against a freshly cleaned window.
Using this short reprieve, Danto rolled deeper into the darkness. As expected, it was pitch black. He couldn't even see his own hand if he held it up to his face. More importantly, Mugi couldn't see him either.
Hmm.
Danto's mind raced.
I need a source of light. I need my tachi.
An idea came to him. He got to his feet, dusting himself off, and held one hand in the air.
Bushi Arts Number Seven (7), Variation Two: Orb of Light.
Sparks began to form over his palm, gathering together to create a luminous orb. He let out a slight chuckle as the soft light illuminated the small storeroom.
After a few quick steps, he spotted his tachi.
But then…
"Was already smelling your scent." Mugi's voice rasped from right behind him.
"But thanks for just making it easier to find you!" The claws flashed with a faint red aura as Mugi swiped directly at Danto's head.
The claws struck, but Loyal Swarm held. Danto's head just jerked back from the recoil, tiny red sparks flaring in the air.
Tch! I may be alright for now.
But it still hurts like hell!
Danto gritted his teeth, bearing the pain. He knew he couldn't keep Loyal Swarm active much longer against this brute force.
He stood back up, clenching his free hand into a fist, ready to fight for his life without his blade.
---The End of Chapter 10---