Seven Black Dragons scattered across the corridors, sprinting through the underground facility.
Daichi and Haruya rushed together.
Renji and Suguha took another path.
Mizari and Kuroto split off as a pair.
Ayame moved alone.
Four deadly squads. Four different directions. One single objective.
Scene Shift — Raizen
Marshal No. 9 was running up the second floor toward the control room when a shadow stirred behind him.
An arrow made of darkness shot toward his spine— but he sensed it and dodged instantly. Raizen emerged from the wall, smiling.
Raizen: "Not bad, not bad…"
Marshal No. 9: "Attacking from behind? Coward."
(Hayato Kusanagi — Age 33, Male, Marshal No. 9)
Raizen: "Coward? It's called specialization."
Hayato: "Cowardice specialization…"
Hayato didn't waste another second. He unsheathed his sword and slashed— Raizen leaned back, dodging, flipping away with playful ease.
Raizen: "Looks like you're in a hurry."
Hayato: "Yes, I am… R3!"
Green aura burst from Hayato's body—
winds spiraled around him,
His eyes turned green,
His outline glowed bright green,
And the walls around him cracked under the pressure.
Raizen: "Ohh? Straight to R3? Then I suppose it's my turn… R3!"
Blue aura swirled violently around Raizen,
his pupils glowing a cold blue,
a smile curling across his lips.
He conjured three arrows at once and fired— Hayato ducked under them, but the arrows blasted midair. A massive explosion— instantly nullified the next moment by Hayato's green aura. It was as if the blast had never existed.
Raizen: "Oh, right… the green aura can nullify the attack, can't it? Sorry, I forgot."
Hayato rushed forward, attacking relentlessly. Raizen kept dodging every strike with inhuman precision— jumping off walls, sliding under swings, firing shadow-arrows one after another. Hayato kept chasing, blocking, and deflecting arrows, but not a single strike reached Raizen.
Hayato: "Blue aura can predict movements, huh? Tch…"
Raizen: "Ohh? So you do know. Hahahaha!"
Hayato: "Of course I know."
He began charging a massive attack.
"AAAHHHHH!!!"
Raizen tilted his head with a mocking smile.
Raizen: "Stupid…"
A shadow rose behind Hayato— and stabbed him through the side of his stomach.
Hayato: "Gaah—!!"
Raizen: "Too bad. You forgot I'm a Shadow Orb user. I won't kill you now. I will use you. Hahahahaa!"
He leaned in as Hayato dropped to his knees.
"Now… lend me your body for a bit."
Hayato: "Tsk… Don't… come near me… Curse you…"
Raizen laughed as his shadow merged into Hayato's body.
Hayato's body froze— and a twisted smile appeared on his face.
Scene Shift — Daichi & Haruya
Haruya was sitting on Daichi's shoulder while he ran full speed.
Haruya: "Daichi, this way— No, that way— Wait! Break that wall!"
Daichi: "YOU… ARE… CONFUSING… ME—!!"
Haruya (grinning): "Mmhehehehe~"
Daichi: "YOU…ARE DEFINITELY… PLAYING WITH… ME…"
Haruya: "Okay, okay, fine! Straight ahead!"
Suddenly—
A wall above them exploded, and a marshal dropped down, crashing onto the floor. He jumped to his feet dramatically.
Marshal No. 4 (yelling): "I AM MARSHAL NO. 4! THE ONE WHO WILL DEFEAT YOU— NO… KILL YOU!"
Haruya: "What a dramatic entry…"
Daichi (yelling): "AHHH!! WE… CAN… HEAR YOU… DON'T YELL!"
Haruya: "You're yelling too."
Daichi: "WHOSE… SIDE… ARE YOU… ON?"
Marshal No. 4: "Enough talk. Hey, kid—go home. This isn't your place to play. I'll spare you."
Haruya (offended): "Kid…? Did you just call me a kid?"
She pulled out her twin daggers—
But Marshal No. 4 interrupted her.
Marshal No. 4: "Wait, wait, wait— I have a question. THIS GUY IS HUGE! (pointing at Daichi) How tall is he?!"
Haruya (disappointed): "Eight feet."
Marshal: "What—HOW?!"
Haruya: "Why should I tell you?"
Daichi: "YOU… TWO… TALK… TOO MUCH… THIS GUY… IS STRONG ...GEY SERIOUS— R3!!"
Marshal (again interrupting): "Hey, wait! I didn't even say START—!"
From the stairs behind him, a girl came running with a gun in her hand. Around 30 soldiers followed her. The soldiers positioned themselves.
Girl: "Master Hibiki! You should've used the stairs!"
Marshal No. 4 (facepalming): "Yuri?! Why did you reveal my name?! We're top secret soldiers of the Supreme King, idiot! And I HATE STAIRS, you know that!"
(Gintarou Hibiki — Age 46, Male, Marshal No. 4)
Yuri: "You revealed more than me, master. And also, my name."
Hibiki: "…Oh. Right. Sorry then. But don't worry, they won't be able to step outside alive."
(Yuri Tachibana — Age 19, Female, Lieutenant)
Daichi: "ARGHH!! YOU… STOP… TALKING— R3!!!"
Haruya (laughing): "R2!"
Pink aura flared around Haruya,
Her eyes were glowing pink.
Daichi's silver aura swirled violently,
his eyes turning silver. His outline grew bright silver.
Soldier 1: "Master, give us an order to shoot."
Hibiki: "No, Stay behind. You all are no match."
Soldier 1: "But Master…"
Hibiki (smiling): "This is an order."
Those soldiers disappointingly nodded but still didn't let their guard down.
Yuri: "R1!"
(Only her eyes glowed blue.)
Hibiki: "Yuri, you too, stay back. Everyone watch and learn."
Yuri: "But Master… they're two—"
Hibiki: "Don't worry."
Yuri: "…Yes, Master."
Hibiki: "R3!"
Red aura erupted around Hibiki,
eyes glowing blood-red,
a crimson outline blazing around his body.
Haruya: "You don't use any weapons? Hmph! Just like the stupid Daichi…"
Daichi: "DID… YOU… SAY… SOMETHING?"
Haruya: "Nope! Not at all! Okay Daichi—LET'S GO!"
Daichi grabbed Haruya and threw her straight at Hibiki.
Haruya: "AAAAH!!"
She slashed with both daggers— Hibiki blocked them with his bare hand and SNAPPED one dagger in half.
Haruya: "W–What!? My dagger…"
Her eyes filled with tears. She is crying...
Daichi: "HOW… DARE… YOU… MAKE HARUYA… CRY—?! ARGHH!!!"
Daichi charged, each step shaking the hallway. He punched with monstrous strength— Hibiki blocked with both arms, the floor cracking beneath them.
Hibiki (smiling): "You bulky monster…Still nothing compared to ME."
The floor collapsing—
Hibiki: "Oh ohh. AAAAAH!"
And Hibiki and Daichi fell straight to Basement Level 9.
Hibiki: "Ow—OWCH—OWCH!!"
From above:
Yuri: "Master?! Are you alright?!"
Hibiki (standing tall): "What do YOU think?!"
Haruya (rage mode): "How DARE you break my precious dagger?! I'LL KILL EVERYONE!!!"
Hibiki: "YURI! BE CAREFUL! SHE IS NOT YOUR LEAGUE!"
Yuri: "You don't need to worry about me, sir. Focus on yourself." (To Haruya) "I will not let you bother my master."
Yuri opened fire at Haruya. Haruya dodged madly, closing the distance— but Yuri pressed a button on her gun, unfolding a blue energy shield that deflected Haruya's attack.
Haruya (furious):
"Tsk… I'll butcher you all with JUST THIS ONE DAGGER—!!!"
Yuri calmly dodged and countered, firing aura-charged blasts— a massive explosion shook the floor.
BOOOOM!!
Smoke cleared— Haruya stood there, panting, looking absolutely unhinged.
Scene Shift — Hibiki vs Daichi
Hibiki unleashed a rapid barrage of punches— Daichi blocked with his massive shield. Daichi slammed the shield toward Hibiki— Hibiki punched the shield so hard that the aura reinforcement shattered instantly. Then Hibiki kicked Daichi in the head, sending him flying backward. He began charging a massive red attack.
Scene Shift — Renji & Suguha
Renji sprinted through the corridor.
Renji (shouting): "WHERE IS THE FUN HERE?! OIII—SOLDIERS— FIGHT ME!!!"
Suguha: "Let's compete. Whoever finds and kills a marshal first wins."
Renji: "Ohhhhohoho—sounds FUN! (Impatiently) BUT WHERE ARE THEY?! I CAN'T WAIT ANY LONGER!"
Suguha (laughing): "Hahaha! Intel says seven marshals here. Two in the control room. Five roaming here. So someone will show up~"
Renji: "If you're wrong and I don't get ANY fight… I'll kill you."
Suguha (creepy grin): "Aww~ don't be like that."
They turned a corner— and froze.
An old man with closed eyes, a bald head, wearing a kimonos, and a sword in hand, walked toward them slowly and calmly. Around 50 soldiers followed him.
Renji: "I'll kill that geezer—HAHAHA—"
Suguha (suddenly sweating): "Wait… why can I feel this tremendous aura…?"
A cold chill ran through Renji's spine.
Renji: "Oi oi oi… This old geezer is BAD NEWS…"
They glanced at his badge—
Marshal No. 1.
Renji: "Marshal No. 1… He might be as strong as a General… Hehahaha— I'm THRILLED—!!"
Suguha: "You're sweating— Yeah, I'm thrilled too…"
Soldier 1 (to Soldier 2): "I have never seen him in action. Can he really defeat those two?"
Soldier 2: "I don't know, but he is Marshal No. 1, the strongest Marshal in the Astrallis, even the rumors say that he is as strong as a general. Or even stronger."
Soldier 3: "Really? But he is not in his prime anymore. We gotta help him."
Marshal No. 1: "All the soldiers, Stay Back!"
Soldier 3: "But…"
The marshal vanished. Renji and Suguha's eyes widened—
Renji: "Huh—?!"
He appeared between them instantly— they dodged purely on instinct. Suguha's leg was grazed, blood trailing down.
Suguha: "Oii, geezer! Look what you did to a beautiful girl!... R2!"
Renji: "You were careless. R3!"
Red eyes, red aura swirl— Renji's outline glowed red. And Suguha's eyes turned purple, swirling purple aura.
Marshal No. 1: "R4."
(Marshal No. 1, Kazutora Fuyushima, Age 71, Title: Cold Samurai)
Renji: "…What?"
Suguha: "R…4…?!"
Blue light swirled around the marshal.
His eyes burned blue.
His outline blazed.
And glowing energy cracks appeared across his face and limbs,
blue flame-like aura flowing around his hands and legs.
He vanished— reappeared in front of Renji— and slashed. Renji barely blocked with both swords— the force sent him flying like a projectile. The marshal vanished again— appearing behind Suguha, kicking her in the stomach.
Suguha (coughing blood): "FUCK—!!"
Scene Shift — Tetsuo
Tetsuo stood outside the UAA Admission Forest, slamming his fists against the massive barrier. 3 Sector Commanders, Hachi and Kaien, stood behind him— and even the Supreme Ruler watched silently.
Tetsuo punched the barrier repeatedly—
But every strike rebounded back into his own body. He stepped back and then punched a heavy blow to the barrier. But the hit reflected, and the reflected hit tore his hand, blood spilling.
Tetsuo (frustrated): "I feel so damn helpless… Kaito… Please stay alive…"
Hachi stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder— but he couldn't find any words to say.
Tetsuo (voice breaking): "Hachi… What should I do…? Tell me something…"
Hachi: "Sir… you have to stay strong."
Tetsuo: "What good is staying strong… if I can't protect my own family…?"
No one responded.
A call came through, ringing. Hachi answered and handed the phone to Tetsuo.
Tetsuo: "Speak."
Soldier: "Sir, we couldn't contact Sector 0's Vanguard Station… We went there personally and discovered— there's another barrier surrounding the entire station."
Tetsuo: "What?! There too?! A coordinated attack… Damn it… What do I do…? Ryuma is also there…"
Kaien: "Feels like the work of the Black Dragons…"
Supreme Ruler: "Who else would dare? They're trying to kill two birds with one stone— Destroy the future of this nation… And steal every Mystica Orb."
To be continued…