The Strength of the Excluded One

"She is controlling the light reflection of our eyes," Hana blatantly stated.

"What?"

"She isn't turning herself invisible. She's camouflaging in plain sight. She manipulates the reflection of light to create a blind spot." 

"For real? Now that you mention it. That makes sense."

A strong gust of wind came their way. Hana moved her hand, making an even stronger wind. 

"How boring of you," Anna's voice echoed. She appeared from a distance with a scowl. 

"I must say, that's quite clever," Hana said, narrowing her eyes. "However, using that must consume a lot of magical power. I suppose that's why you only use basic offensive spells."

"Well, exactly. But even the basic spells are enough."

Saying that, Anna vanished from sight. The two girls got their guard up.

"Ayumi! Look around! Search for distortion in the image of your eyes!"

"Roger that!"

At Hana's command, Ayumi squinted her eyes. She scanned the place carefully.

She saw a transparent blur in the middle of the room. The blur was slightly colorful, like a soap bubble reflecting the sunlight.

"There!"

Ayumi rushed in with her sword, slicing horizontally. Anna appeared, pointing her wand toward Ayumi's sword to create a barrier. Her face twisted in pain.

"Argh!!"

Anna's barrier stopped the sword in its tracks. She used a wind blow to propel herself backward.

"The light that illuminates the sky: Lightning Strike!"

From across the room, Hana launched a bright lightning bolt in Anna's direction. The bolt zig-zagged, leaving a faint after-image.

Anna shielded herself with another barrier.

At the same time.

"Ayumi!"

Ayumi jumped up high. She launched her massive sword forward, using its weight to rotate herself in the air and accumulate centrifugal force. 

"Hum! Heyaa!"

A sound resembling broken glass resounded.

"What—!?"

Anna used another barrier, but it could not withstand the impact.

The vertical swing hit Anna's shoulder, making a loud cracking sound.

As soon as Ayumi landed on her feet, she placed her right leg forward, bending her knee and extending her left leg. Then she twisted her hip and pulled the sword back. 

"Fifth technique: The Grass Cutter, an illusory blade that severs the string of life."

In a moment, Anna felt tremendous pain in her chest. She looked downward and noticed a large blade piercing her body like a skewer meant for fishing.

"Ah? Aaahhhhhhh!"

But that was just in her eyes. 

In reality, Ayumi had just touched the blade's tip to her chest. The woman, however, felt a whole life of pain raiding her mind, rendering her body useless. Her eyes turned white, and she fell to her knees.

"That should do it," Ayumi said, taking a deep breath.

"Good job, Ayumi. We're done here."

"Yeah. Hmm, I wonder. How it's going on our collaborator's side?"

******

Why was he doing this? Why was he trying so hard? Why was he risking himself? Why? Why? Why? Why? 

Questions flooded his mind, but Ren ignored all of his uncertainty as he rushed toward his opponent. James did the same.

Ren closed in. He knew the man would try to attack him first, so he did not take any initiative. As Ren predicted, James lunged in with a sequence of quick jabs. Ren twisted his body and stepped laterally repeatedly to dodge. However, Ren's body was slow due to his injuries, and he could not keep up.

"Guh!"

A fist that felt more like a hammer ricocheted at Ren's cheeks. Red liquid spilled from his mouth. James rotated his torso in the opposite direction, striking Ren with a left cross punch, then held Ren's head and pulled it against his.

"Gah ah!"

Ren could do nothing.

He lost his strength. His body wavered. James mercilessly struck his knee to Ren's forehead, making him tumble backward. Blood dripped from his head.

"Haha! That's all you got?! I guess that's expected for an ordinary person."

"S-Suzuki-kun!" Otohime tried to extend her arm, but a great pain stopped her movement.

"Hmph. Weak. Indeed, a weakling."

Weak.

Weakling.

Yet again, Ren was not of any help due to his weakness. Pathetic.

I'm so... Naive.

In that position, Ren could only stare at the ceiling.

For what I've been working for? Am I gonna die here, after all?

His breathing got erratic, and his vision clouded. His consciousness was fainting.

Ren's mind emptied.

The only thing left was a lingering thought.

What was it?

Hatred? No. It was something different. It was much more painful. A memory? Unclear. There was a silhouette that Ren could not recognize. It looked like an abstract painting. Suddenly, however, it was submerged in darkness.

And a voice overwrote it all.

Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Stop being so weak.

An unnatural heat passed throughout Ren's body. Covering his organs, arteries, and veins. He felt his blood boiling and the strength returning to his body. It was as if a chain had been broken. He opened his eyes.

He did not feel pain anymore.

Something resonated in his mind.

"Fight...until your last breath," Ren quietly declaimed as he slowly stood up. His lips curled in a thin, smug smile.

"Hmm...? Hahaha! What? A hidden transformation? Interesting. But that means nothing! You still can't defeat me!"

James laughed hysterically and dashed toward Ren. He lifted his hips and tried to go for a high kick. The movement had been so fast that it dispersed the dust on the ground. However, Ren moved his head slightly backward, and the man's shoes briefly grazed his nose.

"Tch!"

The man retracted his knee and kicked at Ren's head height again and again. But Ren was careful enough not to let any of them connect. He was in a dangerous spot, so Ren crouched, pushed the man away to throw him off balance, and backed off.

Then, he wiped the blood dripping from his forehead, almost reaching his eyes. His smile continued.

"Ahahahahahaha! My blood... It's boiling! I feel like my body's being consumed by a blaze! Ahahahahaha!"

Ren laughed loudly. He threw his arms up, splashing blood everywhere. It looked like a gruesome dance. He was ecstatic. A sinister smile appeared on his face.

He had felt this before, in his fight against the man without pupils. A feeling in his mind that chained him to the battle.

"W-what happened to you? Have you gone insane?!"

"Are you not feeling it!? This heat! This excitement!"

"What?!"

"Ahahahaha!"

Ren kicked off the ground running. He exhaled. A translucid mist came out of his mouth. Strength filled his body. He was faster. He closed the distance in a second.

James backed off, but Ren was already facing him again. Ren sent his fist to James' gut. He blocked, but Ren crouched and kicked his ankles. James staggered. Ren rose in an uppercut, knocking James' chin, then pushed him away with a powerful straight kick.

James braced himself but was still sent rolling backward. He recovered in a jump and stared at Ren.

"You're crazy, kid. But you're also tough."

"I appreciate it."

"Hmph."

James squatted. Ren thought he was preparing for an attack, but James reached for something bright on the ground. It was his sword.

"You know what, kid, I sympathize with you."

"Sympathize with me? What do you mean?" 

"I used to be just like you. Running around trying to help people. Risking my life. Fighting for them. Good times."

"..."

"But then I saw that helping people was not worth it. Everyone I once helped turned their backs on me. No one was there to help me when I most needed someone. I fell into a pit of despair until someone finally reached their hand to me. But it was already too late. I was changed."

"..."

"I don't care about other people. She is the only one worth saving."

"You've come to hate the world because you were abandoned?"

"I don't hate the world. She lives there. But not everyone is worthy of living in the same world as her. Not everyone is worth saving." 

James pointed his katana at Ren, then spoke up one final time.

"Kid, my past is a graveyard of good intentions. Helping people brought nothing but pain. She's all that matters now. The rest can burn," he locked eyes with Ren, his face cold and resolute. "But you're different. Don't be like me. Don't fall into the pit."

James launched his sword up into the air. Ren's focus shifted to the spinning blade. It seemed to stall in the air. But when gravity finally began pulling it down.

James was already beside Ren, with his fists raised.

A dull impact came in contact with Ren's face, then another, then another, then another. James extended his hand, and the katana fell perfectly into his grip.

"This is the end."

Ren could not block or evade.

The smooth man swung his body to deliver the finishing blow.

It happened immediately after.

Klak!

A sound resembling metal hitting metal rang out.

The blade should have cut Ren's neck, but he was still alive

"Guh... Do something, Suzuki-kun!"

"Hirawa-san?!"

Otohime stood between Ren and James. She held the katana with her gauntlets. Many sparks danced through the air.

Ren took some moments to realize what was happening. But he soon snapped back to reality, thanks to Otohime's voice. He heeded her advice and prepared for a counter-attack.

This time, simple blows would not do. Ren needed something stronger.

It was of little importance that he was in a bad spot. Ren breathed deeply and closed his eyes. He felt something like an explosion inside his body. A great amount of steam came out of his mouth.

When James felt the danger, it was already too late.

Ren slipped past Otohime.

He recited the Words of Power and threw his fist.

The world seemed to be in slow motion.

"HADEEESSSS' JUDGMEEENNNNT!!"

In an instant, James was sent rolling to a wall. He was motionless, even letting go of his sword.

"Hah... Hahhh..." Ren panted as he stood in the same position. 

"Aah? What was that?"

Otohime gazed at him, eyes wide open. She looked confused but also concerned. Ren exchanged glances with her, then raised his thumb, showing that he was okay.

Otohime sighed in relief. She turned to check over James. He was not moving.

"I don't know how you did that, but it was awesome."

"T-thanks..."

Perhaps Ren had forced too much of his mind because his head hurt badly. No, it was not just his head. His whole body was aching as if hammers were slamming him constantly.

His pressure dropped, and his vision darkened.

His consciousness suddenly went away. His body gave up and dropped.

"Hm? Hey!"

Otohime caught Ren in her arms as he was falling. It was such a swift movement that it looked like they were dancing.

"He passed out."

Otohime caught herself looking at Ren's face for a few moments. She instantly averted her gaze, blushing slightly. Then she gently put his body on the ground.

******

"Hm? Yes. Everything has been dealt with," Hana affirmed as she talked to someone on the phone. "Understood. We're busy here, so I advise you to send another group."

She was reporting her situation. The person on the other side gave some information about their cooperator and soon ended the call.

"It seems our cooperator completed their task successfully."

"Nice. Let's call for reinforcements. There are far too many people to arrest."

"Yes."

"Wait...what's this?"

"What is it, Hana?"

Hana crouched and took something from the ground. It was a picture of Anna and an unknown man, both dressed in wedding clothes and holding hands. The paper was folded multiple times, and it was quite deteriorated. 

"...So even she has a family?"

That made arresting her a bit more complicated.