Bam!
The giant fist of Anger Kamen plunged deep into the slope.
Mako tiptoed on his forearm and jumped higher onto the slope with a backward flip in mid-air.
"Stop running!"
Anger Kamen jumped up the slopes and landed another punch on the ground; Mako dodged it with a backflip.
The giant gorilla-hands pounded on the ground furiously as Anger Kamen tried to shorten the distance between Mako.
Bang Bang Bang Bang!
Huge holes were left in his trail as he charged rampantly.
Left and right, right and then left, yet every single pound missed.
Mako repeatedly tumble backwards gracefully, dodging the pounds in the nick of time and the nimble dodging fueled Anger Kamen's rage even more.
"STOP RUNNING!"
Anger Kamen put its fists together and swung it down from the air with more force but before it even came down, Mako jumped up, tiptoed on the mask with the two long tusks and pushed herself further away.
BAM!
The heavy impact from both Anger Kamen's fist punched a huge hole on the path, debris of the concrete path flew forward but nothing hit Mako for she had retreated far enough.
"You pesky little girl! Why don't you fight me like our first meeting? Exchanging punches! It's more fun that way and I'll be able to kill you easier!!"
Anger Kamen roared loudly and smashed the broken path again with both its fists, thus further shattering the broken path.
Mako did not reply.
A part of her really wanted to land her fury on this disrespectful bastard but she knew after its transformation, she could no longer afford to withstand punches from that ridiculously big arms.
She could take a few hits in exchange to land some attacks but she wasn't sure how thick Anger Kamen's skin had gotten, if she couldn't deal enough damage, she would suffer a great deal in exchange.
If she wasn't able to go with brute force like the last time, it would be best for her to alter her mindset: calming herself down to look for a window to strike while taking minimal damage.
As she quickly scanned Anger Kamen and analyzed its movements, she had a quick glance over Akira and the other Kamen farther away.
When the fight broke out, Anger Kamen jumped on her, pulling her away from Akira. Mako knew what the bastard wanted to do: try to lower Akira's guard with Domon's presence.
She hate to admit it but Anger Kamen did a pretty darn good job from keeping her away from Akira. Mako was worried about Akira but she has to deal with the Yoma in front of her first before she could spare extra attention.
Bang!
Anger Kamen launched another punch at Mako, it missed and landed on the ground again.
Mako jumped up high into the air and had a clearer view of Akira and the other Kamen.
Don't do anything stupid, wait for me!
...
Six tendrils flew towards Akira furiously, but Akira managed to deflect each and everyone of them and moved forward with a thrust from his Bladestaff.
The sharp tip of the staff moved closer towards Sorrow Kamen but before it could do any damage, the tendrils flew back, merged into a barrier and blocked the thrust with a heavy clank.
The rebounding force sent Akira sliding backwards.
He spun his Bladestaff around his waist and then performed another thrusting lunge again.
Clank!
Akira was quick, the sharp tip of his Bladestaff landed a second time on the black barrier and it was just the start of a barrage of thrust.
Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang!
Sparks flew out upon every hit that landed on the black barrier.
The black barrier moved like liquid but harder than iron.
Despite Akira's furious thrusting, there wasn't even a dent on the flat surface.
"Hehehehe, your little stick cannot hurt me anymore!!" Sorrow Kamen sneered.
The barrier then clumped up into a ball, with the tendrils connected to its back, sharp and black spines burst out like a giant sea urchin, forcing Akira to back off with a backward spin.
Several sharp spines grazed his jacket and hair as he backed off, cutting pieces of cloth and strands of hair off.
"Oh, so that's how you want to play! What about this then?"
Akira landed on his feet and slid back almost a meter, he then entered a defensive stance with his Bladestaff in front of him.
White spiritual energy then emanated from his body, the energy went through his hands and was infused into his Bladestaff, creating a ball of swirling light in the empty circle of the khakkhara staff.
The reason why he specially requested from his grandfather to forge him this Bladestaff, a combination of a khakkhara staff and a spear, was because Akira planned to master ranged and melee combats, defensive and offensive.
Though after almost a decade and a half worth of training, his melee combat slightly trumped his range, which was the spell casting part.
The Bladestaff was glowing in white after his spiritual energy was infused in it, he pointed the sharp end at Sorrow Kamen and said, "Let's have another go!"
"Petty tricks!"
Sorrow Kamen growled.
The clump of spikes returned to its tendrils form and this time, the sharp end were in spiral shape.
Six spiral tendrils blasted out at Akira again, it was faster and deadlier than the last, but with the spiritual energy infused Bladestaff, Akira deflected the spinning tendrils one after another.
He swung his Bladestaff in a circle, deflecting the first two spinning tendrils; the third and fourth went for his lower body, and the fifth and sixth went up, preventing him from jumping up.
However, to Sorrow Kamen's surprise, the initial spinning move from Akira evolved into a full frontal spin. As though Akira was holding a giant light fan with both his hands, the Bladestaff spun rapidly, blocking the consecutive spinning tendrils. He did not even move from his spot.
The spin whipped up a gale, it blew towards Sorrow Kamen strongly and while its tendrils were deflected, Akira grabbed his Bladestaff in the midst of the spinning and then threw it towards Sorrow Kamen.
The throw was so strong that a ring of air blasted out vertically when it left Akira's hand.
The Bladestaff, infused with white spiritual energy, flew quick towards Sorrow Kamen's mask, as if it was a javelin.
Sorrow Kamen remained calm, it didn't even flinch even if the Bladestaff was a meter away from piercing its face, and right before the sharper end touched the mask, six more tendrils sprung out from its front and formed the black barrier right in front of its mask.
Crank!
Bazzzzt!
The barrier formed in just the nick of time and blocked the flying Bladestaff, but unlike the first time which was just sparks upon impact, bolt of white lightning flew everywhere when the sharp tip touched the black barrier.
The black barrier managed to stop the stronger Bladestaff throw, but the sudden white light blocked Sorrow Kamen's sight for a bit, its hearing was also disrupted by the heavy whistle.
"The same trick won't work twice!" Sorrow Kamen mocked Akira after blocking the strike, it continued as it slowly regained its sight, "Let me tell you…Huh?!"
Bangzt!
Before it could even finish, it saw Akira jumped up and launched a fly kick at the other end of the Bladestaff, hammering it deeper into the barrier.
Bigger bolt of lightning sprayed everywhere, the powerful impact pushed Sorrow Kamen backwards for almost 2 meters, but it held on.
"You little!"
The other six tendrils flew back and merged with the black barrier, forming a bigger, thicker one right in front of Sorrow Kamen.
"Hehehe, stop wasting your energy, it won't… WHAT!?"
Sorrow Kamen saw a grin on Akira's face. Akiran then flipped backward, land on both his feet before he performed a roundhouse kick, landing a second kick at the end of his Bladestaff again.
The second kick was infused with much more spiritual energy, hence it delivered more power into the Bladestaff and pushed Sorrow Kamen back further away with the Bladestaff embedded in the center of the black barrier.
The barrier even started to crack after two heavy blows.
Graaaaaar!
A heavy sad growl came from the mask with the long tongue. Sorrow Kamen concentrated its malevolence into the barrier and caused it to burst like a sea urchin again, but stronger and sharper this time.
The Bladestaff was flung away, but because it concentrated its defense to block the powerful blow, the clump of black ball burst and reverted into its tendrils form, leaving its mask defenseless.
Sorrow Kamen had thought of the risk of opening its mask to attack, but it also considered after the second kick, Akira was further away from it, so it thought it will have enough time to get back on its feet and go back into the fight again, but it seemed like it has underestimated Akira's speed.
Right after the Bladestaff was flung up into the air, Akira was already in the air to catch it and he threw himself towards the temporarily defenseless mask.
Akira channeled more spiritual energy into his Bladestaff as he fell towards Sorrow Kamen, he was determined to settle this once and for all, for the sake of his teacher.
"Amaterasu Descend, Kouissen!"
Both his hands gripped his Bladestaff tight, the sharp end of the staff pierced through even air as it moved like a mini comet.
Sorrow Kamen looked up at the seemingly bleak scene, it was riled up but it wasn't the end yet.
Among the 2 masks of Kamen which it already showed, other than Anger which excelled in brute strength, Sorrow was good at manipulation. Its forte was never combat, it was more of an assassin than a warrior.
Since Kamen has the ability to read memories of the targets it possessed, Sorrow would use it to its advantage.
Right before the bright and sharp Bladestaff cut through Sorrow Kamen's mask, the mask disassembled into many black threads and revealed the face underneath.
"Akira!"
Akira widened his eyes at the face of a human, he immediately, and forcefully, altered the direction of this staff to avoid cutting the face.
He grazed Sorrow Kamen and crash landed on the ground behind Sorrow Kamen.
Kaboom!
He sprained his right wrist upon crashing, he even lost hold of his Bladestaff but he managed to cut several tendrils off Sorrow Kamen's body.
Dirt and dust cloud lingered around Akira as he slowly got back on his feet.
Sorrow Kamen also turned around to Akira, with the moonlight shedding light over the face it revealed, Akira furrowed his brows and smiled bitterly after a better look.
"You… are really cheap and dirty, you ass!" Akira held his right wrist with his left hand as he stood up.
The face that Sorrow Kamen showed was Domon-sensei!
"A-Akira! H-Help me!"
Domon's head until his neck was revealed under the layers of black strips.
His face was paler and thinner than how Akira remembered but the voice was indeed Domon's.
"Hi sensei, never expect to run into you here." The bitter smile on Akira grew heavier.
"Akira, help me! I am in pain, I am drowned in sadness!"
Domon looked weak but his voice came out clear and crisp.
"Hey tentacle asshole, what have you done with my sensei?" Akira stood properly and looked at Sorrow Kamen with confusion.
"It's not this that torments me, I was already suffering before meeting you!" Domon said.
"Suffer? Before meeting me" Akira frowned, he thought he could brush this little trick off quickly but it seemed like something else was going on.
"A few years ago, after I retired from teaching, me and my wife decided to retire back to her hometown, so we agreed to go back after I sell the house here in Tokyo."
"However, when we were driving back to Shizuoka, something bad happened."
"It was evening, the rain was big and my old car's wiper wasn't working well, that's why I didn't notice when I went off the road and when I realized it, it was too late."
"The crash didn't kill my wife, she was still breathing when we crashed into the tree! I-It was me! I killed my wife because I was too stubborn to get a mobile phone! There were already less cars when we approach the rural area and then there was the big rain, we are stuck in the car for more than 2 hours! I watch my wife died in front of my eyes! I-I can't do anything to save her and I don't even remember what was her last words!"
"I thought I was dead after everything went dark but when I opened my eyes, that's when the suffering truly starts. I survived but the crash left my crippled and damaged my brain, my brain would hurt whenever I think of my sin! After I got back up on my feet with the crutch, I drowned myself in alcohol and tears, I cannot forgive myself for my stubbornness, but I am too cowardly to die!" Tears rolled down Domon's face as he confessed.
Akira listened everything patiently and furrowed his brows, his feet was subtly moving apart from each other so that he could lower his body.
His lips were moving but no words came out.
"The reason why I came back to meet you and Taka is to make myself feel better! I've devoted my life into teaching but I barely did anything for my wife. I tried many ways to get myself back up, free myself from the sorrow, but even after meeting you and Taka, it isn't useful! I am still tormented by the sorrow!"
Domon sobbed, his pale face looked terrible.
"Sensei, I have no idea that such a tragedy happened to you, but it's in the past now! You still have me, Taka and all the students you ever taught! You helped me in the past and for that I am grateful, now let me help you back!"
Akira let go of his right wrist and reached out his left hand at Domon with a warm smile.
"You will help me?" Domon looked at Akira in surprise.
"Of course, there is no reason that I won't help you but first you need to let me!" Akira smiled brighter.
"H-help me...Help me…" Domon looked down, more tears wet the ground but his sobs suddenly changed. "YOU CAN HELP ME WHEN YOU ARE DEAD!"
Domon looked up at Akira with a frantic face and frenzied smile.
In that particular moment, a single thought ran through Akira's mind: Shit!
Akira quickly moved his hand to his Bladestaff on the ground but failed and was too late.
Three tendrils flew out from the shadow behind him and punctured his shoulder and chest.
"UGH!"
The tendrils held him up in the air, causing his body to arch backwards.
"NOW YOU WILL DIE"
The strips around Domon's face enveloped him whole and Sorrow Kamen's mask came back on but right after it shouted at Akira frantically, something happened.
"Huh?!"
BANG!
A magical formation swirled out from Akira's back, and then an explosion of light went off.
Little golden glimmers emanated from the blinding light before a source of energy erupted, it burned off the tendrils that pierced Akira's body, blinded and engulfed Sorrow Kamen whole, like it was showering in strong acid.
"W-What is this?! Aaaaargh!"
The light caused Sorrow Kamen immense pain, it retracted its broken tendrils and looked away.
The bright light faded off after more than 10 seconds, but the blindness lingered and the light energy continued to burn Sorrow Kamen black floating body. It struggled violently by bending over its body back and forth but it couldn't stop the sizzle at all.
"Aaaaaaargh!!"
Sorrow Kamen launched its tendrils and whipped around furiously and blindly, yet none of its tendrils hit anything other than the river and ground.
It was in pain, the light energy didn't just burn its surface, it somehow seeped into its core and damaged it. Excruciating pain further erupted, it forced Sorrow Kamen down on its knees, it started to pant heavily as smoke rose from its body.
Sorrow Kamen didn't know what happened, it did not expect such explosive energy would erupt from Akira. As things suddenly took a sharp turn, it had the thought of temporarily retreating but the burns and damage to its core robbed its floating ability—it couldn't run now, so it placed its hope on its other self, the Anger mask.
It continued to endure the pain and wailed painfully on the ground while trying to recover its sight, its tendrils weakly surrounded itself for a temporary protection.
Surprisingly, the finishing blow that it expected from Akira did not arrive, it did not arrive even after it started to regain its sight.
Sorrow Kamen looked around anxiously, trying to locate Akira as pain continued to spread on its body.
However, it didn't locate Akira anywhere, not even the Bladestaff that he dropped on the ground.
Unknowingly, it heaved a breath of relief, Sorrow Kamen thought Akira had also retreated, so all it has to do was slowly recover and let its Anger mask handle the rest.
A premonition suddenly arose in its mind though, it looked up to direction where its Anger mask should be and then it saw a shocking scene—an orange energy explosion went off.
Kamen did not operate in a hive mind between its masks, the masks shared a special link that allowed them to know each other's location and presence, but not thoughts.
Sorrow Kamen clearly felt that its Anger self had vanished from its senses, it panicked, it has to do something, escaping or what not but the lingering pain doubled as it tried to move.
It turned around on its knees and tried to crawl to the river, hoping it could reach it's trump card that it hid inside, but before it could reach the waters, a voice sounded behind it and froze its body.
"We are not done yet, sensei! Where are you going?"