The deafening sound of the explosion echoed through the narrow alley, sending debris flying in all directions. Shizuka was caught in the midst of it, struggling to catch her breath as the dust settled around her. Her eyes watered and her throat burned as she coughed, trying to clear her lungs of the acrid smoke that filled the air. The once-isolated alley was now a scene of chaos and destruction, with debris littering the ground and the smell of explosives still lingering in the air.
Amidst the chaos caused by Ayashiro's attack, a thick smog engulfed the surroundings, reducing the visibility to zero. Shizuka, feeling lost and disoriented, frantically searched for her childhood friend, calling out in a worried voice, "Shi...Shiro sempai?" The dust and debris thrown up by the attack added to the confusion, making it even harder to find any trace of her friend.
As the minute ticked by, the thick smog that had previously obstructed everyone's view began to dissipate. Shizuka's heart sank at the thought that her friend had already been captured, but to her surprise, she soon realized that she was wrong.
"You gotta be kidding me."
Shizuka's eyes widen in surprise as she notices Kyoshiro gripping Ayashiro's right forearm tightly. Ayashiro's face contorts with visible exertion as he struggles to break free from Kyoshiro's unyielding clutch. The fireball that he had been holding just moments ago is now nowhere to be seen in his palm.
Actually, Kyoshiro swiftly reacted to Ayashiro's aggressive move and managed to block it by grabbing his forearm downwards. However, Ayashiro's fireball was so powerful that it hit the ground with tremendous force, shattering and damaging the very ground they were standing on. The impact of the attack was so intense that the surrounding area was left completely wrecked.
Ayashiro let out a scream of pain as Kyoshiro tightened his grip on his forearm, nearly breaking his bones.
As the blazing fireball of Ayashiro hit the ground, the impact was so severe that Hakken stumbled and fell on one knee. He felt helpless as he watched his partner, Ayashiro, being held captive by Kyoshiro. Despite his best efforts, there was nothing he could do to free Ayashiro from his captor's grasp. All he could do was stand by and watch in frustration, hoping that somehow he would be able to come up with a plan to save his partner from harm.
Kyoshiro, with a firm grip on Ayashiro's forearm, spoke in a menacing tone towards the two students in front of him. "I must say, I'm quite impressed by the two of you," he said, his voice laced with an air of superiority. "However, I'm not in the best of moods today since I had to confront the two of you on my supposed day off." As he spoke, Kyoshiro's eyes narrowed, intensifying the already palpable sense of fear and intimidation that filled the air.
"Let him go!"
Hakken was yelling nervously while Ayashiro was screaming in pain.
Kyoshiro's contemptuous laughter echoed through the room as he addressed the Divine Knights, who had clearly overstepped their bounds. "And then what? Let him hit me?" he jeered, his voice dripping with disdain. "You, students, should learn this lesson. You should have stayed in your lane and behaved." His words were laced with arrogance as if he considered himself superior to those around him.
Sakaki Kyoshiro, the notorious S-ranked criminal, was a force to be reckoned with. Even skilled students like Ayashiro and Hakken were no match for him, and even professional law enforcement officers like the infamous "Lost Mjolnir" struggled to restrain him. Despite only using a hand-to-hand fighting style and barely tapping into his ki, he had yet to unleash his full power. His swift and cunning movements left his opponents in awe and fear of what he was truly capable of.
The question arises - what is the source of his true power that has enabled him to evade a proficient guild not once, not twice, but a staggering fifteen times? Certainly, mere physical agility cannot account for his repeated success. However, dwelling on this query will not prove fruitful for either party in their current predicament. Rather, they ought to concentrate their efforts on devising a strategy to survive this imminent confrontation.
Shit! I have no ki left!
Ayashiro found himself unable to articulate any coherent words in that moment of distress. Instead, his anguished cries pierced the air.
If only I were stronger. . .
Hakken's face contorted with anguish as he bit down on his lip, consumed by a sense of guilt that he couldn't shake off. As he pondered his next move, he realized that his current skills were not enough to save Ayashiro from the danger that lay ahead. He knew that he needed to master a new type of power to overcome the obstacles in his path. But with only one other skill besides throwing needles, he faced a daunting challenge.
As Shizuka saw Shiro's unemotional and indifferent behavior, her heart sank. It was as if she was looking at a completely different person. She couldn't believe that the same gentle and compassionate Shiro could be so cruel and merciless. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized the true extent of the evil that they were up against.
Kyoshiro's face twisted into a nasty scowl, his eyes shining with a dangerous intensity as he stood facing Ayashiro. It was clear that he was ready to end this once and for all, his hand twitching at his side as if itching to reach for his knuckle blades. "Let's put an end to this, shall we?" he growled, the threat in his voice unmistakable.
"Shi. . . Shiro sempai! Stop it already!"
Shizuka's voice rose to a piercing yell, and tears began to gush from her eyes. Kyoshiro's attention was momentarily diverted as he turned to look at her. At that exact moment, a gigantic twister materialized out of nowhere, appearing right between him and Ayashiro. The violent wind separated the two, pulling Ayashiro away from the notorious criminal.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Kyoshiro leaped back, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp wind-slashes of the massive twister that quickly appeared before him. The deafening roar of the swirling vortex filled his ears as he stumbled backward, struggling to maintain his balance on the ground.
"You really make things difficult, you ungrateful brat."
From the roofs of the building, a voice could be heard - one that sounded like that of an elderly woman who might be familiar to those who knew her.
Shizuka's eyes wandered around in confusion until they finally reached the top. There, she spotted a figure that seemed familiar to her.
"G.. . Granny??!" Shizuka uttered in disbelief.
"Fujino. . . Takiko," Kyoshiro uttered his breath, while his eyebrows furrowed in a show of deep thought. The smile that was typically on his face vanished abruptly, leaving behind a sense of solemnity.
"What are you doing here, old hag?" Shizuka wore a perplexed expression as she opened her mouth to speak, indicating that she was deeply confused.
"Quit calling me an old hag, you disgraceful brat. I just saved you." Shizuka's grandmother uttered, showing no signs of fear.
As the massive twister dissipated, Ayashiro fell to his knees, tightly gripping his right forearm in agony. His partner, Hakken, rushed over to him as he groaned in pain.
Hakken was left in awe and bewilderment as he watched Kyoshiro expertly block Ayashiro's lethal fireball attack. This move was known to be one of Ayashiro's best skills, which involved inflicting massive damage on his opponents by setting them on fire and delivering a deadly blow with the explosion that followed. It was a technique that required extensive training to master. Despite Ayashiro's young age, he was already a skilled fighter. However, it was evident that he lacked the experience and exposure to real battles, which Kyoshiro seemed to have in abundance.
As Hakken's eyes darted towards the top of the building, he noticed an old lady who had conjured up a massive twister, which had just saved them from Kyoshiro's wrath. With the danger now averted, they could finally take a deep breath and feel at ease.
"Thanks for saving us, Takiko-sensei," Hakken's face visibly relaxed, and he let out a long and audible sigh of relief as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
"Sensei? What? Don't tell me you're a wizard too, old hag?!" Shizuka, taken aback by the situation at hand and feeling disoriented, spoke out abruptly without thinking things through.
"Not wizards. We're Divine Knights from Eden Land." The elderly woman responded calmly and without any apparent concern, despite the unexpected turn of events.
"Divine Knights? Eden Land?"
Takiko's swift movements brought her to a silent landing between Hakken and Ayashiro. With a composed demeanor, she inspected Ayashiro's injuries and retrieved a bandage from her equipment.
"Did Arashi tell you to fight this guy?" As Takiko tended to Ayashiro's wounds, she gently wrapped the bandage around his injured arm with a delicate touch.
"Actually, no. He just told us to bring Shizuka to Eden Land." Hakken appeared to be feeling embarrassed as he awkwardly replied to his sensei.
Takiko let out a long and heavy sigh as she realized the gravity of the situation they were currently in.
Kyoshiro stood just a few meters away from them, his jaw tightly clenched and his hands balled up into fists.
"I know what you are up to, Fujino Takiko," Kyoshiro furrowed his brow and spoke.
Takiko appeared to be in a state of calm composure, unfazed by any potential obstacles, as she continued to administer treatment to Ayashiro in a composed and effortless manner.
"Whatever you're planning, stop it." Without even glancing at Kyoshiro, she spoke in a composed and collected tone.
Kyoshiro reacted with a disdainful expression and chose to remain silent, refraining from expressing his emotions.
With great speed, Kyoshiro teleported behind Shizuka and held her, aiming his knuckle blade at her neck.
"Shizuka!"
In the midst of a chaotic scene, Hakken's voice rose above the rest, filled with worry and concern. Meanwhile, Takiko remained calm and composed, her eyes closed as if in deep concentration. Ayashiro, on the other hand, was unable to scream, having lost a significant amount of ki after unleashing a powerful fireball.
Shizuka appeared shocked, her eyes widened and pupils dilated.
"Shiro sempai?" Shizuka felt a bead of sweat trickle down her face, a sign of her confusion and inability to grasp the situation unfolding.
"I'll kill her if necessary." Kyoshiro's face contorted into a scowl as he pressed his knuckleblade dangerously close to Shizuka's delicate neck. The old lady appeared visibly unintimidated by his aggressive demeanor.
Shizuka's heart pounded in her chest. The weight of betrayal hung heavy in the air, as she struggled to come to terms with the fact that her childhood friend had brought her to this moment. With a deep gulp, she steeled herself for what was to come, her hand trembling slightly as she felt the sharp blade on her neck.
Hakken and Ayashiro were both filled with a sense of apprehension and shock, while, Takiko remained composed and collected, rising to her feet with a sense of quiet determination.
"Let her go, or you'll suffer even more," Takiko shot a warning look at Kyoshiro, her sharp glare communicating her message loud and clear.
Kyoshiro seemed to be taken aback by Takiko's words, his face tensed up as he gritted his teeth. He appeared to be in a state of shock, before finally exhaling deeply and trying to regain his composure.
"You're right." With great poise and control, Kyoshiro released his captive from his grasp, his movements calculated and deliberate. His unwavering composure was a testament to his discipline and training, as he carefully let go of his hostage without causing any harm or alarm.
"Well then . . ."
Kyoshiro slowly withdrew his knuckle blade from Shizuka's neck. "I have to do this," he murmured, grinning.
Shizuka was taken aback by Kyoshiro's sudden words, causing her to quickly turn around. Before she could even react, Kyoshiro caught her off-guard with a surprise kiss, pressing his soft lips against hers with great intensity. Shizuka was bewildered, unable to process the sudden and unexpected long insisted kiss. She blushed a deep shade of red and was too shocked to even close her eyes, just standing there frozen in the moment.
What the. . .
Despite her resistance, Shizuka found herself unable to break free from Kyoshiro's grip. He firmly held onto both of her shoulders, preventing her from pushing him away or escaping his grasp. Despite her struggles, she was powerless against his strength and had no choice but to endure his unwelcome kiss.
After a few seconds of that steaming-hot moment, Kyoshiro finally lets her go, leaving some wet spittle all over her lips.
Ayashiro muttered incredulously, his eyes still fixed on the scene that had just unfolded before them. "Did that really happen?" he asked, turning to Hakken for confirmation. Hakken, equally baffled, nodded in agreement. They both blinked rapidly, trying to process the strange turn of events that had left them bewildered and unsure of what to do next.
"This is your punishment for not running away when I told you to." Kyoshiro whispered.
Shizuka stood there, completely dumbfounded, as Kyoshiro's mouth twisted into its usual malevolent grin and he slipped out of their line of sight, disappearing into the shadows.
"Tha. . .. That pervert!!"
Shizuka's face turned a deep shade of red as she let out a piercing scream that shattered the otherwise eerie silence around her. She was overwhelmed with a sense of embarrassment and shame, as she replayed the unfortunate incident that had just occurred in her mind.