273. Lost within the other's mind.

[Demon's War: Arc 13]

Innerlight City, year 2020, day Friday, time 9:21 am a sudden chaos began.

Suddenly an abnormal number of Demons appeared out of nowhere. People and Duelists were caught unprepared at the potential extinction and were caught in emotion-filled chain. The chaotic appearence in just a short time had already devoured several people and the fear of being killed has grew all around the Innerlight City center and local streets, with already 5% of the Innerlight Human Society killed and devoured an alarm was set at the main agency and Innerlight City's Guild.

Duelists were warned about the abnormal number of Demons' appearances and were split into their yearly level.

Due to sheer-number of so many Demons, Duelists from the Innerlight City's Guild were split into 10 squads, each having different priority and under one of the top tier duelist's leadership.

With the instructions explained by Toyama Shin, they've titled their operation: Innerlight City's Lineup: Innerlight City Retrieval Operation and has just began on its way.

[Planet Earth - Innerlight City - City Center - Friday, 9:42 a.m.]

Sakami and her four squads were already on their way to the middle, with her squad involving:

- Arai Yasuko (The female student from the 5th year)

- Dommen Ryu (The male student from the 5th year)

- Iha Nori (The male student from the 5th year)

- Hori Kimiko (The female student from the 5th year)

"I can't believe it. We're under the leadership of Hashujin Sakami! I can't believe it, it's like the heaven is upon us!" Spoke Yasuko, being in love with how skilled Sakami was. "Shouldn't you be rather focus on our duty and listening to her commands? We're trying to keep Innerlight City in our hands, not under the Demons' feet." With the annoyance that Ryu had showed, Sakami faced around and tried to find or seek the nearest human, but in luck it seemed that there was most of them already gathered at the center. ("I don't understand. Shouldn't there be at least a few number of people around here, it's impossible for the Police Department to gather them at the middle, what's more to be aware about is, that there is no blood or devoured parts of people. Is there something else going on?") Sakami wondered while she was running among the middle. ("Not just that. There's no sign of any Demons either. We were sure we'd see at least one. And sensing them won't do either, if they aren't any or were killed somehow, then it's useless to even try to sense them.") While the squad had turned around the corner, they've noticed a massacre of destroyed cars and teared down walls.

"What the hell?! Don't tell us that we're late!" Kimiko shouted, obsessed in a large worry. "There's no people around them either! It can't be that we were late!" But when Nori spoke so, Sakami claimed. "No. We're not late, if we were late and people were killed, there would be puddles of human blood and ripped appart skin. Demons usually leave marks of killed preys so they we're guaranteed that none of the people had yet died in this area, which concerns me. Shin claimed that there would be a massive number of Demons around them, but while we're almost at the center, there's still none." Explained Sakami, clearly confused by the likes of her. "Huh. So you're telling me that people were able to somehow escape their hunters, like Demons? If that's the case, where and how?" Wondered Nori. "It could be that the Police Department managed to somehow save all of them, or it could be that there is somebody else working with the Police Department and was skilled enough to defeat the Demons." Explained Sakami as she jumped over a broken car, followed by the rest. "So what you're saying is, that Police Department is not alone?" And due to Sakami confirming, the rest had no knowledge about it. "Exactly, yes. We can be all confident enough to say that people would not be able to escape, especially not all of them. What confuses me is that, the cars are broken down and the walls are teared down, but even in those spots, there is no literal blood reflecting." Sakami began to think enlarged of what was going on.

"Then. W-what are we supposed to do?" Yasuko questioned. "The positive solution here is for us to keep moving toward the very center, that's where the Police Department was set and is probably keep a large number of people under their protection." Sakami's squad continued to move over the city's roads and at one point, they finally reached to what their goal was.

[Planet Earth - Innerlight City - City Center - Friday, 9:50 a.m.]

Upon reaching the middle, they spotted a large amount of people staying at the middle. The Police Department seemed to have been in their surroundings and some of the members of it were killed, what surprised Sakami the most was the smiling look on somebody's face. ("What is he doing here?!") In surprise, Sakami stopped with the rest and faced at the person he had noticed, it was Kyou. "Why, look at that. My target once again appears. I'm very thankful for your badge from the exam." Smiled Kyou, somehow still keeping the badge. "W-what is going on here?" Sakami instantly came in front of the Police Captain. "Oh. I suppose you're from the Innerlight City's Guild. I'm very honored for your arrival. However, we have already managed to flee off the Demons, due to that man's performance we have finished our duty with no civilians dying, they're being kept at the middle under our watch and that man's." Explained the Captain. "Unbelivable, that man was able to protect these people and kill so many Demons while just being one? How strong is that guy anyway?" Wondered Nori. "I'm not sure, but it's making me feel noxious." Spoke Ryu, concerned about Kyou's skills. Sakami quickly turned toward Kyou and walked toward him. "W-wait. Squad Leader, you're not actually planning to talk to him, are you?" Wondered Yasuko, gently reaching with her hand forward.

"Hm?" Kyou looked up at Sakami that stood in front of him, while he sat. "How were you able to defeat those Demons all on your own? Not even a skilled Duelist would manage to defeat so many of them at once?" Questioned Sakami, making a very intimidating expression. "I wasn't alone, now was I? Look at the Police Department, they've held up and helped." Smiled Kyou, waving up and down with his card. "Don't be stupid. The Police Department could not be in such a valued help, not even the Captain themselves. You were able to use them as your support and somehow managed to clear out all of the Demons, explain." Sakami claimed, with her both arms dropped near her body. "Ah. Dear Sakami. Who knows, maybe I'm just itching for battle, besides, Demons are like a toy, they appear, they break. Isn't that the safest bet." Smiled Kyou, Sakami and him exchanged looks while she immediately sensed a powerful pressure coming from his inner body, even causing her eyes to be caught widely opened.

("His pressure. It's using heavy Spirituality and a perfect control as well. It feels so dark, but it feels so fresh at the same time. How is that possible?") "Tell me! How did you manage to increase your Spiritual Symbolism so high up? And it only passed a little amount of time. It's impossible to increase one's Spiritual Symbolism, so drastically at once." She questioned. "Well.... Your friend managed to do that as well, didn't he?" Questioned Kyou. "Who or what are you talking about, even?" She wondered, isolated of her mind. "Who or what? I'm talking about Shinkaku's Spiritual Symbolism, it improved so high, just in a short time. I believe something like that, worked for me as well. Or, it could be just that I was hiding my Spiritual Symbolism. Who knows." That made Sakami quite annoyed and reached for his clothes, pulling him up. "I told you to tell me how! Don't make a fool out of me!" She claimed, at once annoyed and giving a confident look. Kyou licked his lips. "You're very cute when you get all heat up. I'd never expect you to become like it." As soon as Kyou spoke so, Sakami immediately pulled him closer. "Stop being an idiot, and tell me! What did you do, do increase it? The evil aura I sense it, it doesn't look like it should be as strong as another's!"

"H-Hey. S-Squad Leader, I think it's better for us to just calm down. Our priority was to clear the Demons and protect the Center. We shouldn't be complaining, he helped us in any case, so let's give him some time to rest." Spoke Yasuko, uncomfortable. As Sakami listened she immediately dropped Kyou's clothes as he sat back down.

[Planet Earth - Innerlight City's outskirts - Hideout - Friday, 9:50 a.m.]

"Die! Die! Die! Die!" Tim's voice was still growling over Maya's dead body. "Tim! You have to clear your mind! Come on! If you continue to act like that! We- We might never see you again! Tim! Come on! This is not how you usually act! Wake up and take control, hurry!" Codey yelled, but Tim's ears just never managed to reach Codey's words. "It's useless. He's gone! I can't do anything about it! I can't even reach into his mind, is killing him the only option to eliminate that 'Inner Fiend'. There's gotta be another solution, right?" Codey was stressing and never managed to get a perfect idea. "Go to hell! Go to hell! Go to hell!" Tim continued to rip out Maya's body while he felt absurdly inhumane. "Miss. Maya.... W-why did you.... Maya!" Tsuneo yelled in sadness and immediately dropped down. "Are you out of your GOD DAMN mind, kid!" Shouted Codey when instantly complaining at Tsuneo who was dashing for her corpse. "Tsunoe! Stop! You gotta run! Tsuneo! If you get near! He'll kill you!" Shouted Ryoko, reaching with her hand forward. "He's not killing the woman on the floor, is he?! He's constantly taking bites of Miss. Maya's body!" Once Tsuneo turned around, his clearly seen tears continued to flow down the face. "No! You don't understand!" Shouted Ryoko, afraid of her brother. "I don't care! We have to get him away from her! Please! Whoever you are! Please, just stop!" Tsuneo shouted while slipping over the rock, and falling. "Tsuneo!" Yelled Ryoko, but Tsuneo stood back up. "Wake up! I thought you were different than what I see! Would that girl on the floor see you as a friend again! Would she consider you as a friend when seeing you like that?! Hey?!" In the instance, Tim's left leg that was stomping onto Maya's body froze.

[Mind - Deepened Reality - Tim's mind - Friday, 9:52 a.m.]

Tim's body was still lost in the pitch black as it was soft and hearing voices. "T-this..... girl...... What are you talking about. W-where am I? Am I still alive? Whose voice is that? Why is it trying to call it out? I don't understand... What's happening?"

[Planet Earth - Innerlight City's outskirts - Hideout - Friday, 9:52 a.m.]

"Isn't that girl your friend! If she is! Then you should understand how I feel! Please, get away from here! I beg of you! I know you're not actually a monster! Earlier... Earlier when you spoke to me! You've promised me that nobody of you would kill Miss. Maya! Please, stop! She's already gone! Come on!"

[Mind - Deepened Reality - Tim's mind - Friday, 9:52 a.m.]

"Promise...? What promise? M-Maya, who is that? I'm sorry, but I don't see anything. Whoever you are... I... I can't help you..."

[Planet Earth - Innerlight City's outskirts - Hideout - Friday, 9:52 a.m.]

"Why did you say that the girl besides you wouldn't kill Miss. Maya! Was it only a lie so that you would receive back that pendant! Please, talk to me! Stop!" For the second that Tim froze stomping on the body, it then began to happen constantly. "P-please, just stop! If you want the pendant! If you want it! It's here! Please! Take it, just stop!" Shouted Tsuneo, dragging out the pendant. "He had the pendant this entire time?" Surprisingly questioned Codey.

[Mind - Deepened Reality - Tim's mind - Friday, 9:53 a.m.]

"A pendant? What are you talking about? The pendant is right here.... it's right around my neck..." Tim opened his eyes extremely slowly when he noticed a light in front of his sight, in front of it was a waving pendant due to the gravity. "I don't understand you. The pendant, is there any other pendants that I intended to have? N-no.... This was given to me... I don't see why are you trying to give me the second." Tim said while the slow waving of the pendant continued to wave in front of his eyes. "Oh.... y-yeah.... Why do I even have this pendant? What's the meaning to it?" Tim questioned.

To be continued...