Shadow.

Can't really found a way to connect my previous sequence with the next one to make an cool peom whatsoever thing. I'll blame that on my writing skill.

[Alter]

change in character or composition, typically in a comparatively small but significant way.

The synonym of [Adapt]

———

'Stats Breaker.' Kuro have read about it in the book. It meant to go over your stats limit and bring out a strength more than what your stats is showing.

Mostly, the lower one's stats is, the easier it is to 'Stats Break', and it made sense. Think of it, if someone who can run at the speed of sound suddenly surpassed the speed of lightning.

Although what Ayame demonstrated wasn't as exaggerated, it was like that.

.

.

.

Ayame poked her arm on the lying person unbeknownst on what to do.

However although not fully—have healed a little bit, at least he can open his eyes with struggle.

Afterward he opened his eyes, foreign emotions overwhelmed her even more as she embraced tight of his body.

…whilst her expression unchanged.

"…turn, back… right now…" With difficulties, Kuro said to her.

"…?" In contrast, she just tilted her hair.

"Your hair… I prefer it white." Kuro's worldly desire.

In case you haven't noticed, The Oni's hair turned black, while her face stopped showing emotions.

Kuro may have preferred white hair but that wasn't all the reason. Her lack of emotions made him feel bad. It's as if he is talking to the 2nd him.

The combination between jet-black hair and the crimson eyes plus her expressionless face made her feel really out of character. 'Is this her Oni Trait?'

Nodding to him, her hair started to returned to white as her expressions began to be even free.

As her faces turned childish, she cried loudly while hugging him.

"Uwaaah! I thought *sobs* you died…*sobs*"

Kuro comforted the children while patting her back despite his body still hurting. If it wasn't for his last second adjustment, he would've split into two.. no… 5 by the numbers of claws.

If that happened, even the passive healing inferno dragon king gave to Kuro wouldn't save him.

Kueo and Ayame stayed in the same forest for the next three days, mostly spent on to Kuro's recovery. Although not fully recovered, Kuro were at the state of being able to fight while in pain.

As for Ayame, she could actually fight against the Dire Wolves with much difficulties. Just at that moment, the debuff of not using her Asura made her movement freezes.

And if she transformed into her black form, causing stats breaker, she could deal with the wolves with ease.

"Ayame-chan, Ayame-chan. Don't you think it's about time to name that transformations of yours?" Seeing the hunts going well, Kuro finally asked her.

It has been like… 3 days! Yet, the name of her transformations haven't yet decided.

"Now that you says it…" Her sequences teased Kuro's desire for chuunibyou name as he soon thought of an cool name.

"How about Phantom Abyss Crimson Fo-…" however, before he finished his naming, Ayame opened her mouth, interrupting him.

"Kuro Mode it is."

'Ah… I forgot that Nakiri Languages and Japanese is really similar…' so basically, translating her words to english, 'Black Mode…'

It's so simple.

Yet, this is the first time Ayame actually opened out her opinion. So Kuro didn't complain despite the strangeness.

'Well simple name can also be good. Like 'Super' Saiyan… 'Super' Saiyan '2'… 'Super' Saiyan '3'…' or so.

Well anyway, since Kuro were at the state that he could fight while in pain, he decided to join in Ayame…

"No! Kuro is still injured! Watch me behind my back while I protect you!"

She atacc… she protecc…

"I'm already healed up… alright how about this. The moment the wolf touches me, I'll get out from the fight?"

"But you may die the moment the wolves touches you…" Well she wasn't wrong.

"It's okay. Believe in me. I'll be your shadow."

Here it appeared again. That strange feeling of trust.

Unconsciously, she went soft on Kuro as she nodded her head.

"Let's go." Her tone calmed down as her hairs turned black.

It seemed as if a crimson flower, Higanbana trailed wherever she travelled past that, the darkness overwhelmed the flowers.

*slash*

The sounds of flesh being slit. Upon the recognise, the Dire Wolves' body were split into two. However, it didn't end there.

'Damn it! Is this some online game monsters with special conditions?' It seems like Ayame has also noticed it.

Just after she slit the Dire Wolves' body in two, tens if not, a hundreds of Dire Wolves has picked up his Ki Sense.

"Let's run away from he-… okay."

'Hm? I didn't even speak yet.' Despite the confusions on how quick she was on understanding, Kuro nodded to her.

That's right. Kuro was becoming cocky and actually thought of testing out his power(and rune writing) on these Dire Wolves which is 1 level higher than him in terms of every attributes except Technique.

And soon enough, a group Dire Wolves surrounded the two.

"48? Okay."

Suddenly, Ayame said at the exact moment Kuro ended counting… This is getting strange. So as a test, he looked directly to Ayame's eyes.

'Do you have the power to read a person's mind?' This felt even stranger as Kuro asked to her without opening his mouth.

"Yesn't." It was more weirder for her to uses Kuro's joke with that cold expressions… meanwhile Kuro was complaining, she swung her crimson blade to Kuro's behind which the wolf was trying to sneak attack.

'That's unfair.' Kuro didn't bother with the wolf behind him as he already knew that Ayame will protect him.

The wolves from all around suddenly attacked at once as they have figured out a single-wolf offensive wouldn't work.

While Kuro have already read that behaviour as the magic circle below him was completed.

[Black Spike]

The black magic circles expanded faster than what the Dire Wolves travelled—from the ground black spike shot up… each one piercing the wolves' throat.

7 months of training weren't spent in futile as his mastery over the Ki made him able to keep with the battle against a level higher than him.

And as long as he can keep up, he can think of a way to fight.

The black spikes wasn't only targeted on the wolves but also Ayame. Reading his intention, she jump above and riding it—kicking it to bounce out in direction where it popped out to.

To this direction—although she haven't spotted it, Kuro have spotted it.

The commander leading this Dire Wolves.

"This is what you meant by shadow…" Saying in low voice, she calmly flew to the Dire Wolf Leader as she swung her crimson swords in horizontal as it was blocked as multiples wolves jumped up to block her sword path.

Despite her calmness, she couldn't help but feel uneasy right now. Kuro dies first or the commander dies. It was a race of time.