THE ONI TIDE (3): SHAKING THE LANDS

[Sydney's POV]

I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up. My armor is damaged and torn, my gloves charred and destroyed. My purple hair is now stained with blood, and my face, neck, and hands are dyed with the crimson liquid - both mine and the Oni's. I can feel my weakness spreading through my body like a cold, dark mist. I wish for strength, for the power to keep fighting, to keep pushing forward.

But one wrong move, one misstep, and I could be spiraling down into eternal slumber. The thought sends a shiver down my spine, and I grit my teeth, determination burning within me. I've seen so many of my comrades fall today, their bodies broken and battered, their eyes frozen in death. The pain and heartbreak are almost too much to bear.

My eyes feel red with brutality, my intent sharp with a bloody aura around me. My body is weak with fatigue, but I'm still fighting, still moving forward on instinct alone. I'm not even sure how I'm still standing.

I force myself to move, to push through the fatigue and pain. I see Hitler, my friend and teammate, struggling to hold off the Oni. I grit my teeth and make my way towards him, my body screaming in protest. I know I have to keep fighting, to buy more time for the Spirit Canon to charge up.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what's to come.

||• Boom!! Roar!!! •||

The battlefield was set ablaze as Jeremy Flint-hook, a seasoned warrior, clashed with an intelligent Oni at the third stage sub rank division 2 of evolution. The Oni, an olive green skinned elephant-like beast, stood at an intimidating height of around 13-14 feet tall, its body a massive combination of an adult elephant and a juvenile elephant. Its distinctive pair of sharp horns on its forehead gleamed in the fading light. Red glowing eyes seemed to pierce through the darkness, while curved branch-like horn marks on its forehead and arm indicated its rank.

Jeremy a little surprised by the tattoo mark on the oni's forehead as he knew if compared to human ranks this Oni was at the Star Rank 5 -on equal footing with himself. Surprised yet undaunted by the Oni's formidable appearance, he charged forward with a fierce battle cry. His pyrokinetic abilities ignited the air around him, as he gripped his battle sword tightly, his orange colored spirit chi dyed the blade in its hue, and with continuous swings he unleashed a flurry of slashing attacks that seemed to be infused with flames.

The Oni, however, was no pushover. With a wave of its trunk-like arm, it summoned a colossal wall of earth to protect itself before slapping its palm on the wall's surface thereby unleashing a torrent of earthen spikes each as thick as a human adult's finger to keep Jeremy occupied as its glabella lit up summoning a swirling vortex of illusions, attempting to disorient Jeremy, creating a dizzying display of colors and lights that seemed to shift and writhe like living serpents.

Jeremy, however, was not easily fooled."Flame Shield!" With a swift motion, he conjured a wall of flames that seemed to solidify into a tangible barrier, protecting him from the Oni's earthen Spike attack. The technique,allowed Jeremy to maintain his footing and retreat to quite a distance to evade the range of the mental attack.

The Oni continued the onslaught with a blast of psychic energy, attempting to crush Jeremy's mind beneath its mental grasp. The technique, seemed to reach out with invisible tendrils, seeking to ensnare Jeremy's thoughts and render him helpless.

Jeremy, however, was able to resist the Oni's mental assault, his own mental fortitude honed from years of battle and training. With a swift motion of his sword, he launched a wave of flames that seemed to take on a life of their own, striking the Oni with a series of swift, precise blows. The attack seemed to slice through the air with deadly precision, striking the Oni with a series of swift, precise blows.

"You mental attributes Oni sure are troublesome, but you're not worthy to defeat me"

He pressed on with a flaming tornado. The Oni bombarded by the fire blades and now targeted by a flaming tornado roared as it tensed its body summoning on its skin a thick layer of rock scaled armour which limited its speed and agility but boosted with greater strength and defence.

°ROAR°

Came an anger filled bellow from the Oni, Jeremy eyes twinkled as he had achieved a part of plans, he knew that the Oni summoning this earth armour would force it to concentrate it's mental strength on keeping the armour active and constantly replenished with more earth particles thus forcing it to engage in a full blown physical combat with him. But yet Jeremy's face was solemn as the limiting of the oni's mental fortitude and speed meant crazy increase in strength, one misstep from him and he could be pounded to paste by the raging oni's fist.

°CRACKLE, CRACKLE, BUZZZZZZZ°

The air was electric with anticipation as the Spirit Canons hummed to life, their buzzing growing louder and more intense until it became a deafening °ZZZZZZZZ!° The technicians screamed "ALL SET!" as the Canons reached full charge.

In an instant, the Spirit Beam Canon fired, shooting highly compressed energy beams straight towards the horde of Oni like a bolt of divine retribution. The beams sliced through the air with a piercing °WHOOSH!°, leaving a trail of ionized air in its wake.

As the beam struck the Oni horde, the impact was catastrophic. The Oni were decimated, their twisted bodies vaporized by the sheer energy of the beam. The ground beneath them was scorched and blackened, deep gullies and ravines carved out by the destructive impact of the spirit beams.

The Spirit Meteorite Canons shot out flaming Balls composed of alchemical liquids filled with spirit energy undergoing rapid particle fission. The Meteorite Balls flew through the air with a visual impact of meteorites from outer space crashing through the Earth's atmosphere.

°BOOM!!°

Flames erupted from the impact, shooting high into the air as the fission process erupted with a tidal wave of radioactive energy which continued to emit corrosive energy into the Oni horde. The sound was deafening, a booming "KA-BOOM!" with "SIZZLE" sounds that shook the very foundations of the earth.

The ground trembled beneath the feet of the warriors as they watched in awe as the Spirit Canons unleashed their fury upon the Oni. The vibration of the Canons as they fired was like a living thing, a pulsating °ZZZZZZZZ!° that seemed to shake the air itself. "Hurry! Slay those you can and retreat!!" A voice snapped them out of their reverie as the eyes of the exorcists lit up, quickly swinging their weapons and slaying the monsters nearer to them before strategically retreating with speed.

As the battle raged on, the spirit canons fired their spirit beams and Destructive Orbs, illuminating the darkening landscape with a brilliant flash of light. The Olive skinned Oni battling it out with Jeremy looked into the further parts of the battlefield in shock 'what kind of destructive sorcery is this!!!' it screamed in its juvenile mind, for it knew only more higher ranked Oni had this capability but in that moment, Jeremy saw his chance. With a swift motion, he conjured a massive inferno that seemed to erupt from the very earth itself, engulfing the Oni in a wave of flames that seemed to mutilate its very form "Magma burst!". The spontaneous appearance of the inferno surprised the Oni flustering it as it tried to defend itself and escape from within it's confines, the attack seemingly melting the Oni's earthen defenses. "Heaven's Pyre Slash!" Gripping his sword with both hands, Jeremy charged into it a massive amount of his spirit chi causing the sword to the enveloped in a flaming aura so intense the air seemed to boil from its presence °Bang° his feet striking against the ground as he shot into the air, for an aerial advantage he moved closer to the Oni bringing down his sword with precise and deadly aim. °Roar° the oni's instinct warned it the coming attack was enough to endanger it to a point of near death, it swung it's trunk like arms to defend and counter but Jeremy's attack connected first setting off an explosion.

°HOWL!!!°

The Oni screamed in agony, it's eyes filled with pain and hatred, half its body obliterated, losing an arm and a leg from its body. The Oni let out a deafening roar, its body stumbling backwards as it struggled to maintain its footing but not before using it's one good arm to rip out a chunk of flesh from Jeremy's right shoulder, leaving a gaping wound enough to threaten his life by blood loss.

"Hmph" jeremy grunted but took advantage of the Oni's momentary weakness, retreating back to the HQ as the spirit canons continued to launch attacks, illuminating the darkening landscape with a brilliant flash of light. The Oni, its body mangled and broken, it's eyes blazing with overwhelming fury 'the insolent ant injured it critically ' the hatred so overwhelming it let out a final, defeated roar before retreating to the rear back to the forest to recuperate it swore to kill that human afterwards, its form disappearing into the darkness.

As the canon attacks continued, the warriors began a strategic but massive retreat back to HQ. Some supported their injured comrades, helping them to stumble back to safety. Others brought back the corpses of their friends, their faces grim and determined.

The sound of the retreat was a somber °TRUDGE, TRUDGE, TRUDGE°, the warriors' footsteps echoing through the din of chaos.

The explosion had left the Oni horde in shambles. The blast had torn through their ranks, leaving a trail of destruction and death in its wake. The ground was scorched and blackened, the air thick with the acrid smell of smoke and ozone.

As the destruction continued, the higher level Oni emerged from the chaos, their eyes blazing with fury. They let out a mighty roar, their voices like thunder as they commanded the weaker and more injured Oni to intercept the flying spirit beams.

"GRAAAAH! KAKETE KURO!!" they bellowed, their voices echoing across the battlefield. ("BUY US TIME! HOLD OFF THE EXORCISTS!")

The weaker and more fatally injured Oni, driven by a maddening desire to obey their leaders, stumbled forward to intercept the spirit beams. They were met with a hail of energy blasts, their bodies vaporizing as they tried to absorb the impact.

The higher level Oni, meanwhile, began to retreat alongside the lower level Oni that still had enough fighting strength to safety. They moved with a swift, deadly precision, their eyes fixed on the Exorcists as they vowed to exact their revenge.

The damage done to the horde was catastrophic. The explosion had torn through their ranks, leaving hundreds of Oni dead or dying. The survivors were left shaken and enraged, their fury and madness driving them to even greater heights of violence.

As they retreated, the Oni let out a madness-filled roar, their voices echoing across the battlefield like a chorus of the damned.

"GRAAAAH! KOROSU! KOROSU!" they screamed, their voices rising to a fever pitch. ("WE WILL KILL THEM ALL! WE WILL ANNIHILATE THEM!")

The sound of their roar was like a living thing, a palpable force that shook the air and sent shivers down the spines of the Exorcists. It was a promise of vengeance, a vow of destruction that would not be silenced.

The Oni's retreat was marked by the sound of their footsteps, a steady "RUMBLE, RUMBLE, RUMBLE" that echoed across the battlefield. The Exorcists watched them go, their eyes fixed on the retreating horde as they wondered what new horrors lay in store for them.

The only sounds on the scorched battlefield were the distant °CRACKLE° of flames, the °RUMBLE° of the earth settling, and the occasional °GROAN° of the mortally wounded.

As the warriors disappeared into the safety of HQ, the battlefield lay silent and still, the only movement the flickering flames and the slowly settling dust. The Spirit Canons stood quiet, their work done, but the memory of their fury would linger on. But the Exorcists knew that the silence was temporary, that the Oni would return, hungrier and more vengeful than ever.

[Exorcist HQ]

The Exorcists gathered once again in the war room, their faces haggard and worn down from the day's battles. The atmosphere was grim, the air thick with the weight of their losses. The dim lighting in the room seemed to reflect the dim but determined light in their eyes.

As they took their seats, the creaking of the chairs echoed through the room, a somber °CREAK, CREAK°. The Exorcists exchanged weary glances, their faces etched with fatigue and concern.

Jeremy Flint-hook, his eyes sunken and his jaw set, wounds bandaged began the meeting. "We all know what's coming. The Oni horde won't retreat that easily unless their true leader is killed. We're certain they'll return within the next few hours."

The room fell silent, the only sound was the soft breathing of everyone in the room

"We need to come up with a new war plan," Jeremy continued. "We've lost good people today, and we can't afford to lose any more. We need to take into account the effect of those who have died, and those who are injured."

The Exorcists nodded in agreement, their faces set with determination.

"What about Chairman Mathew Jean?" one of the higher rank warriors asked, his voice low and concerned. "Has he been informed of the situation?"

Jeremy nodded. "Yes, he has. And he's on his way with reinforcements from other branches."

The room fell silent once more, but this time, it was a silence of relief. A subtle ray of hope flickered to life in the eyes of the higher ups.

"Thank God," one of them whispered, his voice barely audible over the soft "SIGH" of relief that echoed through the room.

"We can hold on until he arrives," another Exorcist said, his voice filled with determination. "We just need to keep the Oni at bay until then."

The meeting continued, the Exorcists discussing their new war plan, their strategies and tactics.

As the meeting continued, the Exorcists delved deeper into the details of their next move. Jeremy Flint-hook nodded to one of the higher rank warriors, who stepped forward to deliver the status report on the warriors.

"Currently, we have hundreds of warriors injured, quarter of whom are critically wounded," the warrior reported, his voice steady and clear. "We've lost 2000 warriors in total, including 80 Star Rank 4 warriors."

The room fell silent, a grim silence.

"Moving on to the new war plan," Jeremy said, his eyes scanning the room. "We'll be focusing on holding our ground and waiting for Chairman Mathew Jean's reinforcements to arrive. We'll be using the spirit canons to hold off the Oni horde, but we need to be careful not to exhaust our resources."

One of the technicians spoke up, his voice filled with concern. "The spirit canons are currently down for maintenance. We used up a lot of energy firing them earlier, and we need to recharge them before we can use them again."

Jeremy nodded thoughtfully. "How long will it take to recharge them?"

The technician hesitated before responding. "At least 2 hours, sir. Maybe more, depending on the damage."

The room fell silent once more, the Exorcists exchanging worried glances.

"What's our current stock of war equipment?" Jeremy asked, his eyes scanning the room.

One of the logistics officers spoke up, his voice steady and clear. "We have enough equipment to last us for a few more hours, sir. But we're running low on spirit pills. We only have about 300 batches left."

The room fell silent again, the Exorcists' faces set with concern.

"What about the magna shield?" Jeremy asked, his eyes narrowing. "Is it still holding up?"

One of the engineers nodded. "Yes, sir. The magna shield is still intact, but we're not sure how much longer it can hold up. The Oni horde is relentless, and they're bound to find a way to breach it eventually."

The meeting continued, the Exorcists discussing their strategy and making plans for the next phase of battle. The room was filled with the sound of scribbling pens, the occasional °RUSTLE° of papers, and the murmur of voices.

As the meeting drew to a close, Jeremy stood up, his eyes scanning the room. "Alright, let's get to work. We have a lot to do before the Oni horde returns. Let's make sure we're ready for them."

The room erupted into a flurry of activity, the Exorcists scrambling to prepare for the next phase of battle. The sound of footsteps echoed through the room, the "THUD" of chairs being pushed back, and the determined, solemn march of the Exorcists as they left the war room.

[Ivan's medical ward]

The room was well lit, the only sound the soft beeping of the medical equipment surrounding Ivan's bed. Ivan himself was still in critical condition, his ribs fixed but his left arm still missing. He was unconscious, his chest rising and falling with a slow, steady rhythm.

Kelly sat beside him, her eyes fixed on his face. She looked worn down, her face haggard and her eyes sunken. She had lost her twin brother Kane in the earlier Oni Ambush, and the pain and depression still lingered.

Hitler, his thick burly body now fatigued and covered in scars and wounds, sat on the other side of the bed. His wounds had stopped bleeding and were starting to scab, but he still looked like he had been through a war.

Sydney, her purple hair dyed partly in blood, which had darkened, parts of her face covered in blood, her clothes scorched, blackened, and torn, her eyes slightly dim but not lost its determination. She looked like she had been through hell, but she still stood tall, her shoulders squared and her head held high.

"Hey, how's Ivan doing?" Hitler asked, his voice low and gravelly.

Kelly shook her head. "He's still in critical condition. But the doctors say he'll make it."

Kelly looked up, her eyes red-rimmed. "I'm glad," she whispered.

Sydney turned to Kelly, her eyes filled with concern. "Hey, Kelly, how are you doing? Have you...gotten over the loss of your brother?"

Kelly's demeanor suggested otherwise, but she nodded bravely. "I'm fine," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sydney's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing. Instead, she turned to Hitler. "What's the latest on the warfare?"

Hitler's face was grim. "It's not good. The Oni horde is going to return, and next time, they'll be even stronger and more numerous."

Sydney's eyes widened in fear. "We can't let that happen," she whispered.

Hitler nodded. "I know. The higher ups are working on a new war plan. We'll be ready for them next time."

The three of them sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts.

Finally, Sydney stood up. "Kelly, you need to rest more and take care of Ivan. He needs you right now."

Kelly nodded, her eyes welling up with tears.

Sydney turned to Hitler. "You need to rest well and heal, too. We'll need you at full strength for the next battle."

Hitler nodded, his face set in a determined expression.

Sydney smiled, a small, fierce smile. "We'll get through this, guys. We'll make it through, together."

With that, she turned and left the room, leaving Kelly and Hitler to their thoughts. The sound of her footsteps echoed down the hallway, a steady "THUD, THUD" that seemed to say, "We'll be okay. We'll make it through." Hitler also got up, after a few words with Kelly he also left to rest, leaving Kelly with her reddened eyes filled with anger and grief as she looked at Ivan and bit her lower lips so hard that it bled.... HATRED, THIS WAS HATRED

//OI KELLY U KEEP THAT HATRED UP U GONNA HEAD TO THE WARFRONT \\

As Sydney walked down the corridor leading to the infirmary, she was stopped by a familiar figure. Jeremy Flint-hook, the vice chairman of the Ashwood Province Exorcist HQ, stood in front of her, a warm smile on his face.

Sydney's eyes widened in surprise, and she took a step back. She hadn't expected to see the vice chairman himself standing in front of her.

But as she looked into Jeremy's eyes, she saw the warmth and kindness there, and her surprise gave way to a smile. "Uncle Jeremy!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with affection.

Jeremy's smile grew wider, and he let out a hearty laugh, the sound echoing off the walls with a deep "HAHAHA". "Ah, Sydney, it's good to see you safe and sound," he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

Sydney's smile faltered for a moment, and she looked down, her eyes welling up with tears. But Jeremy's next words brought her back to the present.

"How are you doing, Niece?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Sydney took a deep breath, and her smile returned, albeit a bit more subdued. "I'm fine, Uncle Jeremy. Just a few injuries, and my spirit chi is empty. But I'm more worried about the others. We lost so many good people today."

Jeremy's expression turned solemn, and he nodded. "I know. Loses are part of a warrior's life, Sydney. But we can't let it get us down. We have to keep moving forward."

Sydney nodded, her eyes locked on Jeremy's. "What's the plan, Uncle Jeremy? What's the next step?"

Jeremy's expression turned grave, and he hesitated for a moment before speaking. "The higher ups have decided to regroup and recharge. We'll be preparing for the next battle, which will likely be even tougher than the last. We may lose even more warriors, including some of the Fifth Star Rank and Fourth Star Rank."

Sydney's face fell, and she felt a cold dread creeping up her spine. But she steeled herself, and her expression turned solemn. "I understand, Uncle Jeremy. I'll be ready."

Jeremy's eyes locked on hers, and he nodded. "I know you will, Niece. Just be careful, okay?"

Sydney nodded, and she reached out to hug Jeremy, the sound of their movement echoing off the walls with a soft "SHUFFLE, SHUFFLE", the nauseating smell of blood on Jeremy's clothes didn't seem bad instead it offered a rare comforting feeling for Sydney. "I will, Uncle Jeremy. Thank you."

As they pulled back, Jeremy smiled, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. "Anytime, Niece. Now get some rest, okay? You need it."

Sydney nodded, and she smiled, a small, determined smile. "I will, Uncle Jeremy. I'll be ready for the next battle."

As she turned to leave, Jeremy watched her go, a slight smile on his lips. He sighed, and he shook his head, his eyes clouding with concern. "I hope she can survive this battle," he muttered to himself. "Mathew, come back quick. I fear a DOKI ranked Oni equivalent to a Star Rank 6 warrior is behind this."

With a solemn expression, Jeremy turned and headed towards the HQ's infirmary to check on his injured comrades, the sound of his footsteps echoing off the walls with a soft "CLICK, CLICK".

[Eerie Forest]

The retreated Oni horde had regrouped at the periphery of the eerie forest, their outlines still visible like eerie shadows with their glowing demon red eyes. The majority of the lower, unintelligible Oni were stationed at the edge of the forest, sometimes moving out into the now-abandoned but still-smoking and scorched battlefield that was, just a few minutes ago, the ground where many fell.

These Oni went into the battlefield to pull back carcasses of both Oni and human alike to feed on. Some even had skirmishes amongst themselves regarding who got to eat the corpse. The air was thick with the stench of death and decay.

Meanwhile, the higher-level Oni, those with intelligence, gathered around a towering shadow over 10 meters tall. Its glaring, violent crimson eyes seemed to pierce through the darkness, giving the feeling of being present but not present at the same time. The baleful aura of slaughter and madness surrounding it was so palpable and nigh tangible that even the air seemed squeezed by it.

The intelligent Oni, numbering over a hundred, roared sometimes simultaneously, sometimes civilly, and at times chaotically, like they disagreed with one another. They were having their very own 'makeshift' war meeting, deciding and plotting their next line of action.

"Brothers, we have suffered a great defeat at the hands of the Exorcists," said one of the Oni, its voice like a low growl. "We must regroup and plan our next move carefully."

"I agree," said another Oni, its eyes glowing with an eerie red light. "But we cannot afford to wait too long. The Exorcists will only grow stronger, and our window of opportunity will close."

"We should attack the Exorcist HQ directly," suggested a third Oni, its voice dripping with malice. "We can catch them off guard and destroy their stronghold."

Each Oni gave a suggestion, some countered, and some agreed. Some gave another feasible plan. The discussion was chaotic, with the Oni arguing and shouting over one another.

Just as it seemed like the meeting was going to descend into chaos, the towering Oni gave a low-sounding roar that was filled with power. The sound was enough to force the other intelligent Oni around it sprawling on the floor in sheer terror. Their eyes, previously filled with madness, were now filled with fear.

The towering Oni's voice was like thunder, shaking the very foundations of the forest. "We will attack the Exorcist HQ of Ashwood Province," it declared. "We will take it down, and then we will proceed to Ashwood city"

"But what about the Chairman, Matthew Jean?" asked a fourth Oni, its brow furrowed in concern. "He is a formidable opponent, and his powers are not to be underestimated."

"We will deal with him when the time comes," said the towering Oni, its voice like thunder. "For now, let us focus on taking down the Exorcist HQ. We will show them no mercy."

"But what about the humans in Ashwood city?" asked the first Oni. "Should we not prioritize devouring them? They are, after all, our primary source of sustenance."

"We will get to them in due time," said the towering Oni. "First, we must take care of the Exorcists. They are the only ones who can stand in our way."

The intelligent Oni nodded in agreement, their eyes glowing with an eerie red light as they began to make plans for their next move.

One intelligent Oni spoke up, "But should we not follow the others, those people who—"

The towering Oni silenced it with a low growl filled with command and power. The Oni was sent flying more than 20 meters backward, crashing into many sturdy ancient trees in its wake.

The towering Oni explained, "Those behind the scenes are far more powerful than I am. Even the Chairman of the Ashwood Province, Matthew Jean, is no more than an ant to them."

The explanation shifted to the power ranking amongst the Oni race. "Every Oni, upon their corruption and transformation from a yurei, gains the same skin color, which is violet, the beast shape body, towering height above humans, red eyes with no pupils, and they have zero intelligence. Their mind is only filled with avarice, slaughter, and destruction. Even mere animals are smarter than them."

As the explanation continued, the towering Oni revealed that as Oni continued to feed upon souls, their skin began to change color, their sizes grew, and their shapes differed. In this stage, each Oni gained different skin colors and unique marks/tattoos based on their evolution stage and sub-rank divisions.

The six major evolution stages of an Oni and their human warrior equivalent were:

- Mutated Oni (zero intelligence) -> Hunter Apprentices

- Second Stage Oni -> Beginner Star Warrior

- Third Stage Oni -> Intermediate Star Warrior

- Fourth Stage Oni -> Advanced Star Warrior

- Fifth Stage Oni -> Lord Star Warrior

- Sixth Stage Oni -> Emperor Star Warrior

The towering Oni was revealed to be a Third Evolution Stage Oni at the third rank division, equivalent to an Intermediate Star Warrior Rank 6.

Its eerie, glowing eyes shone with raw desire and desperation for the higher realms of power.

The towering Oni retracted its greed, showing in its eyes, and with a commanding voice, told its subordinates to prepare to attack the Exorcist HQ once again. "This time, it will be the final tide that destroys the Ashwood Headquarters. Then, we can proceed to Ashwood city and devour all the humans, those lowly creatures."