Ryougi Shiki vs Asagami Fujino (2)

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In the dimly lit room, the moon was the only source of light.

A figure appeared in the darkness. She had pale, almost see-through skin, stretched thin over her bony frame, the blindfold wrapped around her eyes, she looked more like a corpse than a living, breathing being.

The cold floor felt unforgiving beneath girl's feet, while the faint scuttling of rats added to the eerie silence. Trapped in a cage, she was a solitary figure, her silhouette barely discernible against the darkness.

Curled into herself, she seemed to shrink, as if wishing to vanish entirely.

Underneath the blindfold, her once vibrant eyes were now empty voids, robbed of their light and life. They stared into nothingness.

Her hair hung disheveled around her face, her clothes, tattered offered little protection against the biting cold.

'Mama...'

'Papa...'

'Am I a mistake'

This thought had been echoing in Fujino's mind ever since she trapped in this cage. It was a whisper that haunted her during quiet moments, a question that gnawed her sense of self-worth.

"I just want to live like a normal human being," she whispered into the void, her words lost to the empty expanse of the room.

The words heavy with longing and despair.

"Then do you want to come with me"

Voice.

She heard a voice.

Warmth flooded into the room with that voice.

A hand gently stroked her head, a gesture she hadn't felt in what seemed like an eternity.

However, as her fingers traced the outline of his hand, she notices the wet sensation on the hand, not just that but also the unmistakable smell of iron, mixed with the metallic scent that still lingered in the air.

It was unmistakeable—It was the scent of blood.

A shiver ran down her spine, but instead of revulsion, an inexplicable calm washed over her. In that moment, nothing else mattered.

Not the blood staining her skin nor the faint metallic scent in the air. There was only the sensation of his hands.

Overwhelmed with emotion, tears welled up in Fujino's eyes as she slowly uttered her words.

"P-Please... take me away," she whispered, her voice trembling with longing.

And as she closed her eyes, surrendering to the sensation of his hands.

It was Asagami Fujino's one and only wish.

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Shiki looked at her now twisted arm.

"Sigh..." Despite the discomfort, Shiki's smile never disappeared.

Shiki knew she had to be careful, but she couldn't deny the thrill that coursed through her. There was something exhilarating about facing someone with such a unique and powerful ability.

Peeking through the window, Shiki observed Fujino's position.

From her vantage point, she could see that Fujino staggered a bit and appeared to be breathing heavily.

Suddenly, Shiki noticed a line of red liquid running from the edge of Fujino's eye. It was a small detail, but it sparked a realization in Shiki's mind.

Fujino couldn't use her ability freely.

Shiki had to take Fujino out fast before she could get her ability ready. If that happens, she'll lose for sure.

And Shiki knew this very well.

Shiki tore her the sleeve on her kimono, and patch her broken arm to stop the bleeding.

With her remaining arm, she somehow has to managed and take down fujino.

Now then," she muttered, her gaze shifting back to Fujino. It was clear that using her eyes too much was taking its toll on her. But with the demonstration earlier, Shiki concluded one more thing:

Fujino's ability required direct visual contact to work.

'If I can just limit her vision for a period of time, I can kill her. '

'But how do I do it? Shiki thought deeply.

With her working arm now reduced to one, her options were limited.

She carefully placed her katana in the corner of the room, opting instead to wield the blade she had acquired. Her switchblade was now securely sheathed around her leg, easily accessible when needed. This makeshift arrangement would have to do for now.

With nowhere else to run, Shiki steeled her resolve. Slowly, she emerged from the building, her footsteps deliberate and measured. Fujino, with strained eyes, fixed her gaze on shiki, exhaustion evident on her face.

Slowly, Shiki began to approach Fujino, taking small and intentional steps. She could see the tension in Fujino's body increase with each step she took.

With Fujino already tired from using her ability to much, she need to be careful on how to effectively use it as a killing blow.

Shiki's gaze was focused and sharp, her eyes scanning every inch of Fujino's body for any signs of movement or change.

The once empty and lifeless eye of Fujino suddenly flickered with a bright crimson glow.

Shiki tightened her grip on her blade and took a deep breath, readying herself for whatever was to come.

Without hesitation, Shiki darted forward, Fujino seeing shiki coming to her feels the danger activated her ability and distort the space around shiki. But Shiki, with her keen instincts anticipated the attack and dodged using the surronding as a cover to avoid the effects of her ability.

"Tsk" Shiki could hear the frustration in Fujino's breath.

But Shiki didn't respond, her focus solely on Fujino's eye. She could sense the immense power radiating from it and knew that she had to find a way to get around it.

With more blood pouring from Fujino's eyes, it was evident that she was pushing her limits to maintain her ability.

Shiki quickly assessed the situation and realized that fighting in an open area gave Fujino a significant advantage. If She can't neutralize Fujino ability, she needed to at least limit its effectiveness.

Thinking quickly, Shiki used the blade in her hand as a projectile. She throw it towards Fujino, forcing her to either destroy or dodge it. Either way, it would buy Shiki enough time to close the distance between them and engage Fujino in close combat.

The blade sliced through the air like an arrow, its trajectory aimed directly at Fujino's head.

Fujino's eye instinctively followed the movement of the blade, causing the blade to be distotrted and crumble. Using this small amount of time, Shiki closed the distance between them in an instant.

PAK!

With a swift kick, Shiki knocked Fujino's and sent her flying through the air by Shiki's powerful kick. The impact shook the very foundation of the building she crashed into, the debris flying in all directions.

BOOM!

"Cough, cough, cough" The sound of Fujino's coughs echo in the open area, a harsh and guttural noise that breaks the tense silence between the two fighters.

Fujino's face contorted in pain, tears welling in her eyes as she struggled to cover her mouth. Amidst the rubble, she caught a glimpse of the figure approaching her, knife in hand. But it wasn't the weapon that caught her attention—it was the smile on Shiki's face.

It was a smile of pure, predatory satisfaction

Fujino was taken aback by this but before she could do anything, Shiki had already closed the distance between them. Shiki moved with a powerful stride, her grip on the knife was firm, her stance were aggressive.

She was a predator, and Fujino was her prey.

Arriving before her, Shiki stepped on both of Fujino's arms, preventing her from getting up.

Their struggle had left them both disheveled, with haggard breaths escaping their lips in the tense silence between them.

Shiki's mystifying blue eyes stared into Fujino's piercing bloodshot eyes. Unlike Fujino, Shiki's expression wasn't one of exhaustion but rather satisfaction, akin to a predator having successfully hunted its prey and preparing to devour it.

Without wasting any more time, Shiki decided to swing her knife directly into the 'lines' on Fujino's neck. It would be painless, fast, and, most importantly, efficient.

With a swift motion, she swung her knife, her arm poised with lethal precision.

Before Shiki's knife could reach its intended target, she saw a blur of movement out of the corner of her eye, and suddenly, she was sent flying through the air.

The impact jolted her, disorienting her senses for a moment as she struggled to regain her footing.

Usually, Shiki could sense and dodge such attacks with ease, but her focus was now consumed by Fujino, leaving her vulnerable to any unexpected attack.

She caught a glimpse of the culprit, a tall and muscular African man with dark skin. the one who should be fighting gojo right now.

Shiki first thought was gojo losing, but quickly discarded the idea, since there is no way gojo would like by someone like him, so the only conclusion is the man in front of her probably retreated.

"Are you okay, Asagami?" the man asked with concern, his voice a soothing reassurance as he reached out to help her stand. Fujino, still slightly dazed from the unexpected attack, grasped his hand tightly, using it as support to regain her footing.

With a nod, Fujino steadied herself, her breaths coming in slow and deliberate. "We've done our job," he continued, his tone firm yet gentle. "It's time to head back."

Not about to let them retreat, Shiki moved to attack. But before she could close the distance, a large boulder hurtled toward her with alarming speed. Shiki swiftly drew her knife, the blade glinting in the moonlight as she sliced through the stone in half.

Another voice cut through the tension. "Woah, did you seriously lose Fujino?" The source of the voice was the caramel-haired girl from their previous encounter. "What would Geto-sama say later?"

Fujino's eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger igniting within them. "Shut up! Try facing her yourself if you can," she retorted sharply, the tension palpable between them as an invisible spark crackled in their eyes.

Shiki narrowed her eyes. The odds were stacked against her, and she knew that continuing her assault would only escalate the situation. Fujino formidable ability alone posed a significant threat and adding three more adversaries to the mix would tip the scales even further against her.

Though mostly all of her action was based on instinct and gut feeling rather than logical reasoning, and right now her instincts urged her to fight, even she knew that rushing headlong into battle without a clear plan would only lead to disaster. Shiki took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

Suddenly, a piercing scream for help shattered the tense atmosphere. Shiki turned her head to see two figures locked in a desperate struggle against a monstrous creature towering over them. Its four massive legs pounded the pavement as it unleashed ferocious roars.

In a horrifying moment, the creature seized one of the fighters in its jaws, swallowing them whole with a sickening crunch.

"You should probably help him, sorcerer," the only man within the group remarked.

"Tsk," Shiki clicked her tongue in frustration, torn between aiding the helpless victims and facing her enemies.

With no time to waste, Shiki sprang into action, her movements swift and decisive as she dashed towards the creature. As she closed in, Shiki's saw the lines crisscrossing in the creature's body, marking its vulnerable points.

With a swift strike, she slashed through the lines on its four legs, causing the beast to lose its balance and topple to the ground.

The creature's body crashed heavily to the pavement. With lightning reflexes, Shiki capitalized on the moment, using the momentum of the falling head to propel herself upwards towards its neck.

In a blur of motion, her blade sliced cleanly through the air, she decapitated the creature in one fluid motion. With a sickening thud, the creature's head rolled to the ground, its lifeless form collapsing on the ground.

With the creature defeated, Shiki's attention quickly turned to where the four individuals had been standing. However, to her dismay, they were nowhere to be seen

"Sigh... they got away," Shiki muttered in resignation, her disappointment palpable. Despite her best efforts, they had managed to slip through her grasp.

For a moment, Shiki stood amidst the aftermath of the fierce battle. The once busy street was now a scene of destruction, with buildings reduced to rubble and debris strewn across the ground. Fujino's powers had wreaked havoc, leaving behind a trail of destruction, tearing through structures with frightening ease.

In the distance the sounds of struggle echoed faintly through the air, indicating that the battle was far from over.

"Ryougi-kun."

Shiki turned around to see Shoko approaching her, a surprising sight considering she was supposed to be tending to patients at this hour.

"Eh, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be treating patients right now?" Shiki questioned, puzzled by her unexpected appearance.

Shoko offered a simple explanation, mentioning a pressing issue that required her immediate attention. "Well, there's been a bit of a situation in the medical ward, and Gojo told me to come here. He said that you need an urgent treatment," she explained, her gaze briefly flickering to Shiki's injured arm.

Without hesitation, Shiki extended her arm towards Shoko, allowing her to work her healing magic. As Shoko's hands moved over her injured limb, Shiki remained silent, feeling the warmth of the healing energy coursing through her body.

In no time, Shoko's treatment had worked wonders, restoring Shiki's broken arm to its former state. With a sense of amazement, Shiki flexed her fingers, testing the newfound strength in her healed limb.

"Then what are you going to do now?" Shoko inquired.

Despite her stoic exterior, it was clear that she cared for Shiki's well-being.

Shiki turned her gaze from Shoko toward the battlefield. Her heartbeat increased by the second.

With her fight against Fujino, it was nothing strange if she asked for a little rest. It was her first time fighting against another sorcerer in a life-or-death situation.

But...

"I'm going," Shiki stated simply, but Shoko likely understood what it meant.

Shoko sighed softly. "Please, stay safe."

"By the way, thank you," Shiki expressed her gratitude before turning around, leaving Shoko alone.

Shiki ran, but not toward the battle.

She dashed inside one of the buildings and arrived at a corner of the room where her sword lay on the floor. Drawing her sword, she admired its gleaming edge under the moonlight.

Stepping back into the corridor, with one last glance at the room, she turned and made her way back outside

The scent of blood and debris permeated the air.

Her heart beat with anticipation as she dashed toward the ongoing battle.

That night, she exorcised the greatest number of curses in a single night. She took down three special grade cursed spirits and several dozen first grade cursed spirits alone.

The one who witnesses her fights were mesmerized. her movements akin to that of a fairy dancing amidst the chaos.

The one who delivers a certain death.

Ryougi Shiki.

[END]

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