"Right this way!"
We can currently observe Haishi leading a group of warriors and both of the classes 1AB and 1AR to the pinnacle of Ryakudatsu–Montgomery Church. With Akushon, Oshieru, and Haishi successfully reuniting with the first-year students, they are now traversing to where they think is the safest area in the village. With the murder of the guards at the entrance, leading to the lockdown of the village, along with the most recent but sudden attack that has yet to be subdued, staying out, especially with the transition to the time of night, wouldn't be ideal for the students.
As they were all running, Haishi and the instructors couldn't help but notice the lack of villagers inhabiting the pathways of the village. Every building they passed was locked up, with all the doors shut and the windows blocked with either wooden boards or some type of protective sheet. It all ultimately conceals the interior of the buildings and homes.
"Wait, where is the white-haired warrior you all had with you?" Oshieru questioned Haishi, prompting the man to look around and see that Oshieru was on to something. Where was Kaminari Nozomu?
'Damn it, of course!' Haishi grunted. "We'll find him later, we have to worry about getting these students somewhere safe for the time being!"
As they were continually running toward the Montgomery Church, Kou spotted a huddled figure in an alley. "Everyone halt!" Kou called out to her group of warriors and students, quickly sprinting over to the alley to identify the figure.
Arriving at the alley, the figure could be seen as a middle-aged man, shaking in fear. With Kou's feet scraping the ground when she stopped, the middle-aged man glanced up and spotted the female warrior. Relief seems to spread across his face, prompting him to say, "Oh, thank the gods! Someone has arrived!"
Kou nodded hastily, only to question the man even faster, "Do you know the reason why every place is boarded up?" If Kou could voice her opinion, she'd assume that it was the sudden attacks at the entrance and the explosion within the village.
The man's original fearful expression returned, his breath becoming slightly ragged as he spoke up, "Have you not heard? The Montgomery Church is being taken over! We do not know what is going on, but it certainly isn't good!"
A sudden wave of shock had filled Kou's eyes as they widened exponentially. The Montgomery Church is currently being taken over? That's impossible. It would've been reported if it actually was. Besides, the church is the most guarded place in the village. However, something still must've happened to strike these villagers with such a dramatic fear.
"Kou! Are you coming!?"
The female warrior could hear her colleagues calling for her return. She had to make haste. But, first; this villager needs to get somewhere safe. "We'll check out the situation, sir. But I need you to get somewhere safer than here."
The man shook his head frantically. "Alright! But before I go, please promise that you'll protect us all! We have too much to lose in this village!" A desperate call for hope is what most would do in a situation like this.
Kou smiled reassuringly, saying, "I, and the warriors present, all promise to keep you and this entire village safe!"
XXX
*BOOM*
'This is getting repetitive.'
Yuso could be seen both hopping and transporting all around the wooden terrain on top of the destroyed roof of Montgomery Church, constantly dodging incoming blasts of an absurdly green blast. The green-haired man with the ring from earlier has been pestering Yuso, preventing him from executing his plan to obtain Mizuki.
Eventually, Yuso decided to fight back, forming miniature crimson-red pentagrams and launching them at the green-haired man. However, annoyingly enough, the incoming pentagrams were intercepted by one of the wooden roots, followed up by a man with oddly similar green hair. Yuso could notably observe that this man was also a member of the group of men who were wearing the cloaks, which Yuso could identify by the black cloak covering his torso. But this man carried a wooden staff instead of a ring. 'Could he be the one behind the root attack?' It was certainly a possibility for Yuso.
"You're taking too long, brother," Itami said with an arrogant tone. "Lord Regashi expects the brats back soon, so don't hold him up with this nuisance!"
Suddenly, a sharp blade protruded out of the bottom of the wooden staff. Does the man intend to attack as well? Fine. There are only more impediments to contend with.
"Doryoku," The man with the wooden staff spoke out to his brother. "I'll go in first, I expect you to use that ring of yours to facilitate my odds." Confident was he?
Doryoku looked over at the staff wielder, replying, "You know the odds are in your favor, Itami?" It seemed to be a genuine question to Doryoku.
Itami twirled his staff in his only hand, saying, "He may have been able to avoid being burnt to a crisp by the Fiery Butler, but I have control of the area. Just make sure nothing fucks up!" And with those words, Itami dived toward Yuso, swinging his staff at the redhead.
Yuso ducked under the swing, causing Itami to land right behind him. Yuso may have preferred to use pentagrams the majority of his assaults, but hand-to-hand combat was not a foreign concept to the redheaded male.
Itami balanced himself, proceeding to dash at Yuso once more. As Itami was charging at Yuso, small wooden roots emerged from the bigger and more solid roots from before, wrapping and entangling themselves around Yuso's arms. With Yuso restrained, Itami flipped his staff, pointing a protruding blade at Yuso as he went for a jab. As the blade was about to connect with Yuso, a pentagram suddenly appeared, blocking Itami's assault.
Smaller pentagrams formed around Yuso, cutting the roots and disentangling the red-headed male. Once Yuso was free, he looked up at Itami, who of which jumped back after his failed attack. "You may have control of the visible terrain, but my Shirugeto allows me to form pentagrams that remain unseen until needed. So tell me this: can you avoid what you can't see?"
Itami growled. Of course, this guy has some stupidly annoying ability. But Itami will just have to work around it. "If that's how you want to play, then fine! I have tricks up my sleeve as well!"
Suddenly, the roots all around them started rising, all rotating in a spiral formation and encompassing both Yuso and Itami. Without a moment's notice, wood roots shot out from all over, all aimed at Yuso. The redhead formed a pentagram underneath him, allowing the crimson-red circle to consume him entirely and disappear, ultimately avoiding getting impaled by the multiple roots.
"Running away are we!?" Itami called out into the open, looking all around to potentially find the red-headed male.
Eventually, Itami was able to spot Yuso standing on a root above him, launching even more Pentagrams at him. Itami maneuvered around the incoming pentagram attacks, proceeding to lift a root from below and use it as a platform to run upward to the redhead.
As Itami was running toward Yuso, he noticed that the redhead stood still. In response, Yuso launched more root attacks of his own. However, before they could reach Yuso, pentagrams formed all around him, consuming the incoming roots. 'What!?'
Then, above Itami, pentagrams appeared, causing him to gaze up in surprise. The roots that had been devoured before blasted out of the hovering pentagrams, evidently having his own attack redirected at him. 'I see,' That son of a bitch has the ability to move objects from one location to another!' As the roots continued to shoot downward toward Itami, a giant green hand made of magic punched the roots away. Itami shifted his gaze to the source of the big green fist, noticing Doryoku standing atop a higher root, his hand spread wide as his ring created the massive green fist.
Yuso scowled at the fruitlessness of his attack. 'Damnit. I can't go over my limit, especially not fighting these people. I still need to get to the brat.' Yuso had to make a decision, one that the redhead made almost instantly. "Sorry to inform you, but I have to depart. This game of yours was fun, but not enough!"
Itami's expression hardened as he watched Yuso attempt to escape with those wretched pentagrams. "No, you don't!" As a final attack, Itaim used almost every root around, launching them all at Yuso, hoping to prevent him from escaping.
In the end, Yuso managed to escape, causing all of the roots to clash together and ultimately hit nothing.
"Damn it!"
XXX
"W-where am I!?"
Mizuki could be seen on the ground, distanced from Sona and Toshiro. Fear and confusion were the most prominent expressions on the child's face. Mizuki couldn't even begin to think of what was happening, but one thing in his mind was resolute on one idea as to why. 'This is all because of the stupid curse that Father gave me!'
Tears began to leak from Mizuki's eyes. 'I'm the reason that my brother and sister are in danger!'
—FLASHBACK—
"Mizuki!" The two kids yelled simultaneously, extending their arms and reaching out toward Mizuki in hopes of him returning. Sadly, Mizuki was only getting farther and farther away.
—FLASHBACK END—
After revealing his bond with the other two kids, Mizuki broke down and clutched onto his arms tightly. The habit that Mizuki appeared to have every time he was experiencing overwhelming emotion. 'Why! Why did this have to happen!?'
Images of Father Laurence and Gabriel flooded his thoughts, causing more tears to fly out of his eyes.
*CRASH*
'Huh!?' Mizuki snapped his head upward after hearing a thundering crash above him. Mizuki's eyes widened as he instantly spotted a part of the Montgomery Church breaking apart and falling down toward Mizuki. Mizuki was immediately paralyzed in fear, only shaking in his spot and watching the large debris fall from the church.
"Hey, kid! Move out of the way!" An unfamiliar voice called out to Mizuki in his time of fear.
Suddenly, Mizuki could feel arms wrap around him and pick him up, quickly moving him out of the way of the falling debris. Mizuki hesitantly glanced up at his savior. It was a man with white hair that had the occasional black streaks, royal blue eyes, and armor that was both thicker and differently colored from Ryakudatsu's trademark blue to a chalkboard gray. The man who saved Mizuki from certain doom was Kaminari Nozomu.
"Are you alright?" Nozomu asked, letting the kid down gingerly.
Mizuki hiccuped, tears still leaking from his eyes. "M-my siblings! T-they're stuck!"
Nozomu narrowed his eyes. "Stuck where?"
Mizuki slowly raised his right hand, pointing his index finger upward, directing Nozomu's gaze toward the top of the Montgomery Church. 'Oh.' Nozomu mentally realized.
"C-can you h-help me get them back?" Mizuki pleaded softly, looking up to Nozomu hopefully.
Nozomu only looked up at the top of the Montgomery Church, remaining silent for a few moments. If any moment was a moment to drink, now would be that time. But, unfortunately, he had a few problems to deal with.
"We'll see."
XXX
Hey! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Kaminari Nozomu has finally stopped being distracted, returning to the fray of The Village Disciples! What will happen next? Where did Yuso escape to? What will Nozomu do? Stay tuned for more!
Have a Great Day!
Peace - Cr1ticalz_