Lethal Encounter with the Laughing Disaster

[Eugeo POV]

Anxiety coursed through me as Reine's appearance underwent a drastic transformation. Her once calm, blue eyes now blazed with an intense shade of crimson. Her demeanor grew more guarded, and her gaze shifted to each of us, exuding an air of caution and defiance that sent a shiver down my spine.

Captain Bercouli, standing among his knights, seemed to understand the gravity of the situation. He addressed the red-eyed Reine with a calm and measured tone.

"So, you must be the other consciousness the young lady spoke about."

In response, the crimson-eyed Reine furrowed her eyebrows and released an audible huff of defiance. "That's right, and I don't owe any of you an explanation. Now back off."

Upon hearing her rebellious tone, I exchanged worried glances with Leafa. It was clear that we were facing a situation that none of us had expected or fully prepared for.

The knights who were accompanying the captain appeared tense. Their weapons were drawn, ready to react if necessary. Nevertheless, Captain Bercouli's commanding presence managed to keep the situation from escalating further.

"Listen, young lady," he continued, keeping his tone patient and steady, "I understand that this is a complicated matter. But I implore you to cooperate with us under these trying circumstances."

The red-eyed Reine regarded the captain and his words with skepticism. "And what makes you think I'd want to help you people?"

"Because we all share a common threat from those hooded assailants," I interjected, hoping to appeal to her despite her daunting presence. "We need all the help we can get."

Upon hearing my response, Reine's crimson eyes locked onto me. It was unsettling to see the intensity of her gaze, and I could feel the tension in the air.

"Please, miss Reine," Leafa joined our plea, her voice resonating with concern. "My brother is still out there, and you must save him from those hooded figures."

"Huh? Why would I-"

Reine was about to deny Leafa's request when she suddenly stopped mid-sentence. She stared blankly for a few seconds before clicking her tongue in frustration.

"Tch, whatever. Let's get this over with," she grumbled, turning away from us and heading toward the danger zone.

I couldn't help but wonder what had caused this sudden change in her disposition. It looked like the sympathetic Reine had momentarily emerged to convince her defiant counterpart.

"Hold on, young lady," Captain Bercouli called out, prompting Reine to pause and regard him with an irritated expression.

"Now what?" she retorted impatiently.

The captain then threw something in her direction, which she caught effortlessly. Upon closer look, it was a sword that belonged to Reine.

"You might need it to defend yourself from those hooded assailants," the captain explained, wanting to ensure her success in defeating the adversaries. 

In response, Reine accepted the sword without a word and continued on her own path. It was evident that her complex situation had further deepened, and we had no choice but to let her do her own thing.

Meanwhile, Captain Bercouli turned to his knights and told them something important. The knights nodded, and they all ran toward the direction where Reine had gone. After that, he confronted us and prompted, "You two should get to safety. We will take it from here."

"How about you, Captain?" I asked, still concerned about the captain's course of action.

In response, he gave us a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about me, we can handle this situation. Now go."

Reluctantly, Leafa and I retreated as he said, not wanting to hinder the captain and his knights' efforts to deal with the hooded assailants.

"What should we do now, mister Eugeo?" Leafa asked, her voice mixed with worry and anxiety.

I contemplated the question for a moment before responding. "We'll try finding your brother and see if he managed to escape from danger."

"Okay, let's do that," she agreed, complying with my suggestion.

With that in mind, we began our search for our missing friend Cedric, hoping he was safe amidst the current pandemonium.

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[Reine's POV, Blue]

The situation had taken an unexpected turn, as Red, my other self, forcefully seized control of the body, greeting the others with animosity and defiance. Anxiety took over me as I watched, worrying about how she would handle the delicate situation.

Thankfully, I was able to convince her to assist with the crisis, even though she remained somewhat reluctant. Furthermore, Captain Bercouli had returned our rapier, signifying a small act of trust amid the chaotic turmoil.

As we left the party behind, I did my best to establish some ground rules for Red in dealing against the Laughing Coffins.

"Listen, Red," I spoke calmly, my voice mixed with sincerity and compassion. "I understand you're determined in finishing the task, but let's try to avoid any casualties as much as possible, alright?"

"Hrmm...."

Red grumbled in response, leaving me unsure about whether she truly grasped the importance of discretion. Nevertheless, I hoped that she would recognize that my request was for our benefit.

As we reached the heart of the chaos, I saw a group of hooded assailants attacking fleeing villagers. Their appearance was immediately identified as members of the Laughing Coffin.

"Hmm? Look, there she is!"

One of the Laughing Coffin members noticed us and pointed towards our location, alerting the other assailants. They all stopped their activities and turned towards us.

"I think they've spotted us, Red."

"Well duh, I can see that."

Red, sensing the impending danger, rested her hand on the hilt of the sword, preparing herself for any hostile movements. Eventually, one of the hooded assailants rushed towards us and swung their blade with malicious intent.

"Look out, Red. That blade has poison."

Hearing my warning, Red evaded the incoming attack, narrowly avoiding the blade without any hesitation. She then unsheathed our rapier and thrust it at the assailant's side, delivering a precise and crippling blow.

"Gyaaaaah!"

The assailant let out a painful cry as they stumbled back, clutching their wound. This provoked the other Laughing Coffin members, and they swung their weapons at us from all angles.

"Quick, Red! Parry their strikes!"

"No, I got a better idea."

However, Red didn't follow my advice. Instead, she quickly weaved through the assailants and countered with a series of slashes, attacking their backside mercilessly.

"Arrggh!"

"Aaaaahh!!"

"Raaaaaaggh!!"

They all went down, screaming in pain, immobilized and wounded by Red's attacks. She looked at them coldly before redirecting her attention to the remaining Laughing Coffin members.

"Who's next?" Reine said in a cold voice, her gaze firmly fixed on the enemies.

The hooded assailants were hesitant to attack, intimidated by Red's emotionless demeanor. Just then, an odd presence was felt behind us and I instinctively take control of the arm with the rapier.

CLANG!

"Well, well, what do we have here? It seems we meet again, young lady."

A familiar-looking individual appeared behind us, wielding a massive cleaver which I blocked. Yet, Red forcibly took back the control of the arm and drove the person back.

"Who the hell are you?" Red questioned harshly, pointing our rapier firmly in the direction of the person in question. Her boldness seemed to upset him, and he responded in kind.

"Oh my, don't you recognize me, young lady?"

"No."

"It's me, Vassago Casals, the Prince of Hell, leader of the Laughing Coffin."

"Still no."

Red promptly dismissed the man's claims, and her impatience was becoming evident, which was a concerning sign. I, on the other hand, was very apprehensive about seeing Vassago again, especially after witnessing his battle with Fracta.

Given the circumstance, I needed to caution Red about this man.

"Listen Red, I know this guy. He is strong and dangerous. We have to be careful."

"So what, I'm going to confront him anyway."

"Look, I know what you're thinking, but it's best to be cautious and-"

"I don't care! Just let me have this!"

Red's forcefulness was undeniable, and her determination to confront Vassago was clear. I couldn't help but feel a sense of nervousness about this situation, but I knew that convincing her to take a more cautious approach would be futile.

"Alright, Red, you can fight him," I conceded, "but please, just make sure you don't underestimate that man. He's not an ordinary opponent to trifle with."

"Whatever, let's get this over with already," Red responded indifferently as she prepared her combat stance to challenge Vassago and his hooded associates.

The Prince of Hell took note of this and couldn't help but burst into a maniacal laughter. "Oh look, the young lady looks like she's ready to rumble. While it was a shame you couldn't recognize me, I don't mind one bit."

"Just shut up and face me, you blustering buffoon," Red jeered sharply, brandishing the rapier at the enemies. "I will cut you and your pitiful minions with my blade."

In response, Vassago simply dismissed the threat and gestured to his hooded associates. "Oh well, so much for being chatty. Come on, boys. It's showtime."

With the Prince of Hell's command, the remaining hooded assailants began to charge towards us, gripping their bladed weapons tightly in their hands. Seeing this, I promptly warned Red about what's to come.

"Here they come, Red. Be careful of their-"

"Shut up! Don't tell me what to do!"

Unwilling to receive my attempt to help, Red immediately rushes towards the enemies, unaware of the danger lies ahead.

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As Vassago and his hooded associates closed in on us, I braced myself to assist Red, despite her insistence on handling the situation alone. I understood her determination to defeat our enemies, but if her recklessness got the better of her, it could spell the end for both of us.

Nevertheless, I would do my best to keep us both safe. While I couldn't take full control of the body, I could still exert some influence, particularly over the arms if I timed it right.

With that in mind, I focused on helping her handle some of the Laughing Coffin members.

Observing that the enemies were lunging at us from both sides, I subtly took control of the offhand and released a series of stone cannons, knocking some of the hooded assailants back.

This caused them to stagger and temporarily disoriented, which gave Red an opportunity to engage with the other assailants without being overwhelmed. 

"You're welcome."

"Hrmm..."

Red grumbled in response to my effort to help her but she didn't protest. Instead, she took back control of the offhand and remained focused on the enemies.

As the conflict unfolded, Red's fierce strikes and precise movements allowed her to take down some of the Laughing Coffin members. Our rapier danced through the chaos, and the hooded assailants couldn't keep up with her relentless onslaught.

"Stay back, you damn brat!" one of the assailants shouted as he tried to fend off Red's rapid attacks, but it was too late. Her blade found its mark, and he crumpled to the ground.

Amidst the chaos, Vassago continued to watch us with a sinister grin. "Well, well, looks like you've got some new tricks up your sleeves, young lady. But it's time to end this little game of ours."

The Prince of Hell begin to pour mana to his massive cleaver, and a dark aura surrounded him as he readies himself to join the fray. Red, undeterred by his ominous presence, faced him head-on.

"Bring it on, you ugly bastard," she retorted harshly, her eyes locked onto her foe. "Your pathetic cleaver doesn't scare me."

"Oh, how hurtful of you," Vassago scoffed at her insult, responding only with sarcasm. "But let's see if your blade is just as sharp as your tongue."

Just as he said that, the Prince of Hell took a step forward and suddenly vanishes in the blink of an eye. Red and I were surprised by the enemy's disappearance, darting our gaze frantically around the chaotic battlefield.

"He's gone, Red. Be careful, increase your awareness."

"I don't need to hear your chattering, Blue. It's distracting me."

Ignoring my concern, Red scanned the area, ready for any sudden attack. In a split second, I sensed Vassago's presence behind us, swinging his massive cleaver down with deadly precision.

Reacting quickly, I took control of the arms and managed to parry the attack just in time, stopping a potentially fatal blow. Red, realizing the danger, promptly regained the arms' control and countered with a series of piercing strikes, targeting the enemy's vital points.

However, the Prince of Hell skillfully evaded her attacks, showcasing his alarming speed and quick reflexes. The exchange between them was intense, and it was quite obvious that Vassago was more dangerous than before, which is very concerning. Thus, I urged Red to work together to defeat him.

"Red, listen. I need you to cooperate with me in this one."

"Shut up."

"Vassago is stronger than you think, so let's combine our strength and-"

"I said shut up!"

Hearing her deny my request, I couldn't help but feel frustrated. Despite my efforts, it seemed that Red was determined to face Vassago on her terms, potentially putting both of us in greater risk.

"Dammit, Red! Why won't you listen to me?!" 

"Because I want to end this fight my way, Blue! So, do not interfere!"

Frustration and tension escalated between the two of us while the battle raged on. I was basically hopeless in this situation. No matter how much I tried to help Red, she wouldn't cooperate with me.

Just as when things couldn't get any worse, Vassago gradually overwhelmed Red. She couldn't keep up with the Prince of Hell's insane speed and strength, despite her attempts to evade and parry his deadly strikes.

Eventually, both of us were staring at our opponent, who was about to slice us down for sure. Even if I could try taking over our arm and parry his attack, it was pretty much too late. His cleaver was inches away from our neck, and I didn't know if we could make it out alive.