Chapter 61: Muramasa Automaton

The ambush had failed, Hypnos was on the run and was moving away from his shop as fast as possible. Despite his human form, he ran faster than a horse at full speed. He was also as agile as an athlete, climbing walls, practically jumping walls and fences 4 to 5 meters high. Despite his extraordinary ability to move, he was being followed. A small group of Zell's men had chased him. Hypnos accosted one of them, broke his torac with a punch, stabbed the second one several times so quickly that he died before hitting the ground. He noticed a group of snipers and made a bow and arrows appear, which he used to decimate them. He noticed two others posted on a floor.

-It's a real infection, they're everywhere like cockroaches.

He leapt from his position to them. The first shot grazed his ribs, the second hit him in the shoulder. Despite this he landed at the window of the building and smashed their heads into the ground with his palms. In the corridor ahead, a submachine gun immediately went off, the ring on his finger lit up and his shield activated.

When the man ran out of ammunition the other ring lit up, it made a Roman sword appear and sliced ​​off the soldier's arm before thrusting the blade into his throat.

-No matter the world, it seems that humans still don't know their place. 

-You couldn't be more right.

Hypnos was taken aback and turned when suddenly he took a buckshot in the face. The ten or so balls from the shotgun were stopped by the shield, unfortunately the newcomer entered his safety zone and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the god. The knife made 2 cuts on his arm and one on his forehead. Taken aback, he tried to grab his hooded assailant who dove like a boxer, dodging his hand and shot him in the knee with the shotgun. Hypnos screamed in pain and punched the assailant with his fist.

-Dirty mongrel. He cursed

But the man avoided him once again. Having managed to annoy him made him predictable now, moreover the shield was only activated under a certain safety zone, in other words once in this zone it becomes possible to hit the divine. The shotgun lacks the power to go through Hypnos' skin but the power of the shots is enough to cause him terrible pain. Worse, the enemy was targeting the joints, namely the knees, the ankle, the elbow.

-who is this warrior? He fights like a devil. Thought Hypnos. Moreover, he stays inside my zone to be able to attack me with his sword. I have to get out of there.

Another blow from the blade made him bleed.

-And his blade manages to wound me. Wait, I recognize this sword. It's the one with which Diomedes managed to stab Ares during the Trojan conflict. His gaze twisted with anger. Now I know who is responsible for my misfortunes.

He pulled himself together and tried to grab the enemy by the collar but he blew his hand off with a shotgun, that didn't stop him and he grabbed him with the other hand.

-I've got you.

The enemy stabbed the knife into his wrist, but Hypnos, furious, threw him through the wall of the room. He then turned toward the window and leapt into the air.

-Athena old witch. You use humans to get to me. Wait until I go back to my chamber, I will take a body fitfor combat and then....

He didn't have time to finish thinking before he was shot in mid-air. It was a sniper shot and a good one. The bullet went through his stomach and he collapsed on the roof of a house.

-what... it's impossible... First Athena... And now you... No, I must have dreamed.

This time Hypnos was in a panic. He was breathing heavily and felt himself losing more and more strength. He had underestimated Zell and his men for sure but at no time had he thought that he would have weapons capable of hurting a god.

-For a moment I thought I felt the aura of my brother Thanatos.

Meanwhile in the building across the street, the hooded man came out of the room where Hypnos had thrown him. He had a few scratches but nothing irreparable.

-Bloodhound this is Leader. Do you have a visual on the target?

The voice on the other end of the line was that of a young woman.

-Do we really have to use fake code names? She pouted.

-Her Majesty's intelligence service is most certainly listening to us right now. Come on, answer.

-At your command, leader. I shot him and he collapsed on the roof of the building opposite.

The man then climbed onto the roof at full speed and jumped over the void to reach the building opposite. He grabbed a ladder which he climbed to take him to the top. Once there he found only a pool of blood.

-She managed to hurt him with a regular bullet? He thought. Bloodhound the mission is to capture, not eliminate him.

-I got him in the stomach, he won't die so easily.

-Let's hope you're telling the truth. We need him alive. The rest of the team just surrounded the building. He said as he looked down at the street. Reposition yourself to get a better angle.

-Copy that. She said. Oh, one last thing, Quincy.

-What ?

-Please don't get yourself killed.

Meanwhile in the backyard of the antique store, a violent battle was taking place. Blades were clanking, then gunshots, explosions, then blades again. Zell alternated between different weapons but Agiko had finally figured out his way of fighting and was now preventing him from fighting, forcing him to use only melee weapons.

-Lord C. He's starting to get tired.

-And we can't do anything to help him.

-We have no choice, the bullets have no effect on him. Damn, when is the support section arriving? Asked the team leader.

-We hadn't planned to use them, they are 10, no 15 minutes away....

"That's not true." He growled, punching the wall with his fist. "There's got to be something we can do to help."

-What are you thinking about?

A final exchange of blows had propelled Cailum half a dozen meters back. Taking advantage of this moment of respite, he tried to analyze his situation. The thing in front of him does not get tired, does not hesitate. However, it seems to have a survival instinct because it dodges Zell's attacks despite everything. He who had always neglected fencing lessons now felt stupid for not having taken an interest in them sooner. Moreover, his gift allowing him to predict the movements of his target did not work as if it had been blocked.

-If I switch to a ranged weapon he gets as close as possible to prevent me from using it, forcing me to switch back to a bladed weapon. He dodges my attacks and ignores those of others. An automaton with a survival instinct huh.

Zell looked at the automaton. He had many cracks in his armor but nothing that prevented him from continuing the fight. On his side although with minor injuries he was exhausted.

-It's time to end this.

Zell once again put himself on guard and the armor did the same with its two Katanas. He closed his eyes for a moment to regain his concentration, then charged. The two opponents charged at each other at full speed. The blades clashed... Or not. Zell's weapon struck the enemy in the throat before he was even within range.

-How is this possible? Said one of the guard.

-It's like... The blade had lengthened...

-If I can't attack from a distance, I'll just go for longer weapons.

Agiko retreated and a rumbling sound could be heard coming from the armor. The weapon Zell had manifested was a Katana, no it was a weapon with the same specificities but with a longer reach. The Nodachi.

-NOW.

The armor's roar grew louder, suddenly it lunged at Zell with a fearsome roar and struck out with its arm raised. But Zell wasn't stupid.

"Tsubame Gaeshi."

The technique of the legendary swordsman Sasaki Kojiro. It consists first of a downward swing, a feint movement used to fool the enemy into thinking that one has missed his gesture, but suddenly by brutally changing his course and striking with all his strength upwards. In the case of Zell the first movement served to cut Agiko's arm thus preventing him from hurting his men and the second went up at full speed to his head. Agiko used her second Katana to stop the attack... But it was a feint.

-I've got you.

At the last minute Zell changed his weapon to a double-barreled pistol. The gunfired and obliterated Agiko's Oni helmet. This time the rumbling was even louder and this time resembled a howl of pain. The automaton collapsed to the ground under the shocked gaze of the squad.

While he was on one knee the men had brought back a gatling gun on the back of a cart.

-Lord C MOVE OUT.

They activated the machine gun then and a deluge of bullets poured on the automaton. But Agiko "the samurai had not said his last word". He straightened up abruptly, holding his katana with one hand he began to accelerate and deflecting the bullets of the machine gun by swinging his saber.

-Fuck even Neo wouldn't dared. Zell said, totally shocked.

-This is crazy. The machine gunner shouted. Just die already

The Gatling continued until it finally ran out of ammo. Zell and his men stared at Agiko in shock.

-This is crazy.

Despite the exceptional movements of the armor, several blows hit the target, damaging it. But Agiko, Muramasa's automaton, stood still, ready to fight.

-We... We're dead, he's going to... He's going to kill us all.

-Pull yourself together Seth. He probably has a weak point.

-But which one?

Agiko had only one arm left, but he was still threatening nonetheless. Using the earth stance, he put himself on guard, with a quick step he rushed towards Cailum and his men. Zell who had put himself on guard knew that he was not going to get out of it unscathed in the face of such an attack. Suddenly the wall next to him collapsed.

-What is....

A new armor came out in turn. This one had more "modern" and mechanical features. It had gone through the wall like butter and continued its course by pushing the automaton with a ballistic shield. The shield blow quickly smashed it against the wall of the building opposite. Seeing it arrive, Zell had an amused smile.

-Better late than sorry.

-Special support team? Seth yelled. Were you polishing your handles or something?

The armor was black in color with a grayish emblem on the shoulder containing the coat of arms of the Cailum. These coats of arms were represented by: a globe and a pair of cutlass sabers crossing in the center as well as a pair of laurels located below the globe.

-This coat of arms. It's...

The armor was not a medieval model no. Its movements were fluid. A compartment at the back of the hip kept a sword as a knife.

-Back off. From now on, the "Alfar group"* will take care of the rest. Said the soldier in the armor. My apologies, Master Cailum, it took us a while to get around the intelligence police checkpoints.

NDT: Zell personal elite among the CSS

Reinforcements arrived, a troop of new soldiers armed with shields and protected by steel plates. Two armors similar to the previous one appeared, one holding two kukuri knives in hand and the other holding a heavy machine gun.

-Apology accepted. Zell said. I'll leave the rest to you.

Cailum headed towards the alley but Agiko let out another huge roar as she reached out in his direction. He only had half a face left but it seemed like there was a mixture of anger and frustration in his cry.

-Sorry but I suck at Kenjutsu*. Zell said smiling.

Ndt: the art of handling the saber.

-Lord Cailum. The Hound team has surrounded the target, we can go there now. One of his men told him.

-Roger that. Tell them to hold their position, I'll go alone. But first I want you to take care of the wounded and the dead.

-At your command.

-I'm taking 3 men with me, the rest I want you to know what you're dealing with.

-Sir, only 3 men? That's not prudent. *said one of his men*.

-You've done enough and the human relations team will have a hard time justifying all of this.

-Well received Lord Commander.

Zell smirked and headed towards the street. He grabbed one of the katana that Agiko held in his other hand and handed it to the armor holding the rifle.

-With this it will be much more effective.

-O.... Yes. Sorry.

The guard put down the rifle and grabbed the katana. Zell walked to his vehicle and then turned to his men one last time.

-One last thing. Make sure to keep it as intact as possible. Losing such talent would be a waste.

"Yes My Lord".

End of chapter.