The Mid-Air Flight in the Night Sky

Bella Kamazaki held onto Daizen Shizaki's neck tightly as the latter sprinted cautiously with all his might.

One misstep could cause severe damage as he was moving quickly while carrying another person.

"Gyah, you're heavy!"

"H-Hey!!"

"What…?"

"That's like- ack, ow….the last thing you should say when carrying a lady!"

"Eh, is that so? S-Sorry!!"

She is heavy though, he thought. 

Maybe just keep that thought to myself from now on, then…?

Their plan to recover their trail had now been destroyed thanks to the menaces of the night, advancing closer by the second. If they were to somehow lose their attackers, they would be in a completely new territory of the forest with no clues, and they couldn't call loudly in fear of the mysterious, haunting TimberWolves.

Or they would somehow run into their camp, but that was definitely just a pipe dream.

Damn it, this is the worst thing that could possibly happen!! Nothing makes sense anymore!!

Shizaki couldn't stop to look back anymore, he could only rely on his hearing to listen if anything was closely following him. It was best for Kamazaki not to look back either, as she would probably begin to panic and make him struggle for balance while trying to calm her down at the same time.

His stamina was good, but sooner or later, he wouldn't be able to run any longer, and to make it worse, he had to carry the weight of another person while nearing top speed, not to mention trying to whiz past many obstacles ahead of him in the forest.

Spotting a large tree root up ahead that poked out of the ground, he jumped over it with almost perfect agility, and began to listen attentively.

Nothing-

Howls echoed behind him right after he had thought that, as if taunting him.

Seriously!?

They sounded much closer now, and if he could make a guess, they would gain on him in less than a minute.

I-In that case…!

Taking a sharp left, and then a sharp right, Shizaki attempted to lose the chase by taking different quick and alternate routes through the foliage, though he was now well off the trail and heading into taller bushes.

Was this going to work, or was he making a grave mistake?

He was sweating profusely now, and the beating of his heart did not slow down even for a second.

He was a bit confident about his parkour skills, but he couldn't think of much else to throw the wolves off of his trail. Fear gripped him too tightly for him to think clearly. All he could do is just…

Run. Run, and keep on running.

Run until your legs give out. Never…

{"Go and finish that journey with everything you've got. Understand?"}

Remembering those words from the man who looked over him for years, he gnashed his teeth, slowly beginning to feel an increasing load on his arms that were slowly giving up.

"I...haahh…might just run…until…we reach the edge of the Forest!"

"Are…you…"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't…worry about it."

Ah, I'm such a horrible liar.

Kamazaki could feel his hands struggling to keep lifting her up and was fearing that he might soon fall.

Still, he was giving it his all.

"It's alright…everything…will be all…"

Shizaki ran right over a downwards sloping hill of grass. 

A lower section of foliage lay about a metre below. Not expecting this, he had not prepared to slow down and found himself falling downwards. Turning his back towards the low ground and shielding Kamazaki, he bracing for impact.

Kamazaki's heart stopped in that moment as she held on with all her might.

Activating [Turbulence] from his back, a small burst of wind blew against the ground as it cushioned the duo's fall. Still, they had collided with the grassy earth hard after being flung from the air cushion.

Owwww!!!

Shizaki tried to get up but his legs felt weak. Still, using a nearby tree, he hoisted himself up and weakly advanced towards Kamazaki, who had lay on the ground.

"Can…you stand?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"Can you use your Affinity of Spirit Arts?"

Remembering the introduction of her power, he asked this question, but the pained girl shook her head.

"No…I already tried when that wolf was trying to attack you. I can't seem to focus clearly in order to process the output of it while I'm under too much stress or pain."

"Ah, well don't bother. Sorry for asking."

She had tried touching the ground, but she soon clutched her head in pain, and Shizaki held her hand, signalling for her to stop trying. 

He managed to pull her up and instead of continuing, they climbed the small slope and peeked to see if anything was still behind them.

What looked like more than a dozen TimberWolves followed from far away.

They ran at top speed, salivating as they howled in excitement and fury.

Their distance was getting frighteningly close, and without a doubt, they would meet both Shizaki and Kamzaki in less than twenty seconds.

Kamazaki trembled with fear.

"We…We're gonna-!"

She could hardly form sentences, and Shizaki was too frightful to respond.

What do we do!?

Fifteen, tick. Fourteen, tok.

Wait. 

There was still one option left.

….There's no other choice.

Thirteen, tick. Twelve, tok.

Tears welled up in Kamazaki's left eye.

"They'll tear us to shreds!!!"

Eleven, tick. Ten, tok.

Use it to fight, or use it to take flight?

No, if I use it at full power against them, there is still a chance that they might still survive, and I won't be able to protect Kamazaki-san while in drastic pain. Therefore…

"...Hold on tight, and never let go."

"...Huh?"

"Do you trust me, Kamazaki-san?"

A very weak smile followed as he spoke those words, and she bit her soft lips, realizing what he was about to do.

"Yeah."

Six, tick. Five, tok.

The terrors of the night were coming.

The wolves of terror were coming.

And yet, he decided that this was not how he was going to die.

He had lives to save in the future. It will not end here.

Even if he had to further shatter his already fractured Soul Realm to do it.

How can I save others there…if I can't save myself and the woman next to me here!!??

She immediately held onto his neck once more. Turning to the east, Shizaki took a deep breath.

And then…

Three. Two.

His purple eyes lit up into a brilliant silver-white, as he narrowed his eyes and a spectral white wind leaked from his entire body, and the ground cracked under the pressure that was about to follow.

"Forgive me…for using it, Mother."

One.

As all wolves were just inches from ripping them apart…

Shizaki's dark blue hair radiated into a brilliant, scorching white.

…[Turbulence: Completion]. 

Daizen Shizaki activated his full power.

It was only for an instant, but out of a black void behind him, an army of bloodied hands reached out to him-

OPEN THE WAY FOR US, DAIZEN SHIZAKI.

-and the Timberwolves all flew back from the intense wind that emanated through the forest in a flash of white.

The wet soil split and a storm of a transparent pressure bent some trees and terrorized many others. The blast propelled Shizaki and Kamazaki into a speedy flight high above the forest in a split second.

The wind grazed through the small perimeter of that area like a wind current. Soon, they were simply floating above the grandeur of Sekoto Forest.

But-

What felt like intense pain rocketed through Shizaki's head. Screaming out in intense agony, he had nearly let go of Kamazaki mid-flight. Blood leaked out of his nose and his mouth, and the pain didn't stop. A stabbing sensation continuously rippled through his brain as he felt new cracks through his Soul Realm beginning to form.

"Aggghhkk!!! Owwww, it hurts!!!! Pain, pain, pain, pain!!!! Aaahhhh!!!"

Blood was profusely coming out now, and the pain was not diminishing.

And then suddenly, the duo was beginning to descend.

Feeling this falling sensation, Shizaki slowly realized something amidst the hurt.

He had planned how to escape by flight, but he hadn't planned on how to land.

Should he try to cushion the fall like the last time? No, the small burst of air won't be enough from the speed of the fall. Besides, he couldn't use [Turbulence] any time soon after his [Completion]. Despite trying it in a small amount, it would hurt a lot if he activated his Soul Skill right after developing new cracks. He would have to wait a while again.

But there was no time…what should he do? Another [Completion]?

It would surely destroy him if he tried it in succession, be believed.

And I'd…rather…die than face that pain again…but…

As he gritted his teeth and made his final decision, his eyes widened as they caught something.

A small diminishing light surrounded by trees.

They descended just a little way off from it, but they were in view.

The camp site!!!

Shizaki made a last ditch effort.

He screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Alexandriya!!!! King!!!!! Neo-kun!!!! Yukino-kun!!!!!

Right after he said that, the speed had increased, he couldn't tell the time between now and impact, but it was a matter of seconds, maybe just a bit more than five.

Even if they did hear him, they couldn't possibly save him in a situation like this.

Which means, it was now or never.

As the duo fell back towards the earth at an incredible speed…

Shizaki took a deep breath, and stretched his right hand towards the ground that seemed so close to touch, with his eyes turning white once again. 

The timing had to be perfect, and the amount of wind, as well as the angle…

"Three…two…"

…and the landing.

One.

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(Chapter 13: The Mid-Air Flight in the Night Sky.)