CHAPTER 12: 3 CONTINUED

Shrouding smoke, fierce flames are burning a village down, and all around. Everything is crumbling. Rank 1,2, and 3 are fearfully watching the disaster.

Rank 2 falls to the floor and begins to cry.

Rank 2: Why!? What did we do to deserve this!? Why did they do it!?

The fire has ravaged the village. But Unexpectedly, Yutsu walks out of whatever is left of it. He stops right in front of weeping Rank 2.

Yutsu: It hurts a lot, doesn't it? You've lost everything… You know who caused this tragedy, right? Wouldn't you like to find them? And get rid of them?

Rank 2 looks up to see who is talking, Yutsu is smiling.

Rank 2: Who are you?

…

Yutsu and the three ranks are upright in a bland red hallway.

Yutsu: So, are you three joining?

They respond in unison.

"Yes!"

Yutsu: Okay, well, go get your revenge, or feel free to live a normal life. I'm not gonna bother you or force you to do anything.

Rank 1: We'll get our revenge! After that, we won't kill anyone and instead live a normal life!

Yutsu: Sounds good.

…

Rank 1 impales someone with his bone sword and blood goes everywhere, Rank 2 uses his ax to cut someone's head open, blood splatters, and Rank 3 repeatedly beats someone's head with her pole, causing a blood puddle to form.

Rank 3: That's all of them. We're done.

Rank 2: We got our revenge!

…

Returning to the present, the darkness enveloping Rinka and Rank 2 disappears as he pulls his katana out of his opponent's chest and leaps away, and whatever injury Rank 2 had received due to the stab was gone, and also Rinka's blade is clean.

He's lost in thought.

"What was that? His past? Why'd I see it?"

Rank 2 touches where he was pierced.

Rank 2: … So you're the other Black Blood Bearer.

Rinka is solemn.

"Edged Darkness."

The technique activates and the two sprint to each other. Rinka swings his blade around and manages to slice Rank 2's ax in half and a little bit of his face.

Quickly, Rank 2 reacts by spawning a giant bone spear, grasping it, and thrusting it for Rinka, who evades it. Next, various serrated and huge skeleton arms magically come out of Rank 2's back, and they advance to Rinka. He rapidly cuts some up, then hops onto one and runs on it, eventually getting to Rank 2's face. Where he lunges and kicks it, spit goes far and near.

After the thwack, Rank 2 just grins.

"Ultimate Skill, Bone Cage."

A staggering amount of skeleton arms instantly generate, shadowing the area. Rinka looks a little troubled.

"... Okay, this idea is really random… But maybe it'll work."

He unhurriedly and delicately taps his katana.

"Void Attack 4, Chain Of Dark."

The big void on the saber starts to change size and shape, converting into an extensive, hazy, and middle-sized, black chain. Rinka is elated.

"... I think I'm really getting a hang of this technique stuff!"

The chain jolts, and in one quick movement binds all the bones together. Then, Rinka aggressively upswings his weapon, the chain heaves all it holds into the air, Rank 2 being the best part. He's upside down, flailing.

Next, Rinka aggressively downswings the weapon, the chain yanks all it holds down to the earth, and Rank 2 yells horrifyingly as he falls.

He hits the ground hard, Rinka pops up next to him and punches him multiple times until he's unconscious. After that, he takes a breather.

"... There we go. I beat him."

…

Maya gently wraps strings around Doa and lifts her. She heads for Rank 3 while holding Doa high, who is directing her gun.

Rank 3 persistently attacks Maya with her pole, she's able to avert the strikes, even parry some. Doa launches into firing continuous shots from above, Maya sways her around.

Pronto, Rank 3 rams her pole into the floor, which creates a large gust of wind that blows the bullets, and surprisingly, Maya away. As she flies far, numerous strings come out of her, they're heading to Rank 3.

Imma-Ite is on the move.

"If our plan is to overwhelm this hoe, I should probably use my Ultimate Skill."

He takes his sword and stabs the floor. The ground cracks a little.

"Ultimate Skill, Tsunami of Rocks."

The ground beneath his blade splits more. Several large fissures are created, and tons of large rocks shift and are jutting out. They move again, quickly surging towards Rank 3 like a seismic sea wave. And, from overheard, Doa continues briskly firing bullets.

Rank 3 is now very worried. Many firm strings, inordinate rocks, and deadly lead is coming for her all at once.

"... Should I make wind again?... No, I should run. This is a lot to handle."

...

Going back to where the memory left off, Rank 3 watches Yutsu closely.

Rank 3: Hey, boss, we can't kill 'em no matter what?

Yutsu: Yup.

Rank 3: What if we're going to die?

Yutsu: Then run away.

…

Minaro powerfully punches Rank 1's spine and breaks it. He screams in anguish as he's blasted to the ground. He tries to stand but just crumbles and panics. Minaro steadily and scarily walks towards him.

"Ah! No! He's gonna kill me! I'm gonna die!"

Minaro looms beside Rank 1.

"I don't wanna die yet!"

He places his hand on his head.

"Bone Creation. Bone Creation."

Rank 1 trembles intensely as he awaits his fate.

…

Rank 3 quickly throws her pole aside and puts her hands together like she's praying.

…

Rank 1 and 2 suddenly melt, turning into a fully beige liquid, shocking Minaro and Rinka. The fluid flows to Rank 3, where she absorbs it. And, instantaneously, a mighty bone shield forms in front of her which impedes everything that was going to reach her. However, it breaks after the damage.

Rank 3 has way longer hair now, and her eyes are a nice mix of brown, red, and purple. She's upright, arms crossed, and is able to hear both of her brother's thoughts.

"... We fused. Should we run or keep fighting?"

"We're running… I'm gonna use my Ultimate Skill. It'll distract them."

Rank 3 promptly sprints off. Everyone's agape.

Imma-Ite: Hey! She's running away!

The gang quickly follows, then Rinka and Minaro arrive, entering the chase also. Rank 3 glances back, snickering slightly.

"Ultimate Skill, Reflecting Walls, Skill Barrage."

The gang is abruptly enclosed by 4 titanic mirrors that spawn out of nowhere.

Imma-Ite: What the hell!?

And all at once, large titanium crates, bones of all shapes and sizes, hundreds of axes, millions of glass shards, gallons of ink, vast vines, and several tiny bombs wondrously come out of the 4 mirrors and are coming up on the now, very worried, gang. Even so, they react fast.

"Edged Darkness."

The dark sparks on Rinka's katana and he uses it to slice as many things as he can. Maya uses her strings to catch smaller stuff like the axes and bones and to hold bigger things in place like the crates and vines. Imma-Ite scurries around ineptly using his sword to deflect objects. Doa is just, by a very small margin, evading all the stuff coming. Finally, Minaro takes the mantle by running and jumping around, he leaps from falling crate to falling crate, and he's vaguely hurt all over by the glass and other things plunging.

Next, he leaps off a crate one last time and destroys a mirror with his fist, then keeps moving forward.

…

Rank 3 is still running, and her brother's hold a conversation.

"... You think they'll die?

"Eh. I don't know. Probably not. They're strong."

Suddenly, a purple flash appears in front of her and Minaro materializes. He dynamically socks Rank 3 and knocks her down.

"Yuma!"

"Oh shit!"

She smashes into the floor, and looks very distressed after. Additionally, she feels a chill overtake her body, and she quickly tries to stand but can't. Minaro has submerged and restricted her limbs with ice.

Severe panic ensues from her and the brothers, crying next and hyperventilating last.

"Yuma! Break out!"

"I-I can't! I can't!"

"Why!?"

"Hurry!"

'I CAN'T!"

Their thoughts start to horribly blend.

Rank 3: … PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I'M SORRY!

Minaro looms over her.

Rank 3: Please… Don't kill me.

He intensely lifts his leg and a large icicle forms at the bottom of his shoe. He then gores and destroys Rank 3's head by stomping on it. And what's left is bits of ice and flesh, pools of blood and tainted water.

Following, Minaro gazes off into the distance for a few seconds then looks back at the slaying.

"Fuck, I didn't get the mirror Skill… Whatever."

…

The mirrors and items surrounding the gang vanish, they're all bleeding a little but very relieved, and happy.

Minaro walks up, catching everyone's attention.

Rinka: … Did you kill 'em?

He nods his head.

Rinka: … I guess we're done here then.

Next, Bukkaru shows up, and Doa promptly pets his head.

Doa: Bukkaru, please take us back home.

The gang is immediately cloaked in purple and a few moments later, they're magically back home.

TO BE CONTINUED...