Not long after that, we were alerted by another division from the edge of the region, "Demons and hunters coming from the east!!" he shouted. All of the Jaegers prepared their blades to fight, while the Oras secured the victim first, before joining the defense.
Flock of demons as well as a horde of hunters approached with a variety of weapons, the demons were faster than before, snatching some of our men as well as some of the already purified bodies of victims. Today they are more organized than before.
"Kyuuto behind you!" Yato yelled as I dodged some of the hunters' attacks, when I glanced over, huge talons kicked and managed to scratch my chest. I was able to withstand the attack, by rolling to the side.
When I saw the demon right in the face, it was Kotetsu. His appearance was changed, his wings have gotten darker, sharp horns grew from his forehead, and his talons have gotten sturdier.
My chest was mildly bleeding from his attack, I pressed it in an effort to endure the pain.
"Still haven't given up yet?" he asked with a crooked smile and twitching eyes, "I thought you stopped being a warrior after about a month of not coming back,"
"You... have changed," I replied while still holding my chest.
"Of course!! Instead of being caged in that island without any courage to go out, now I understand how it feels to be free!" Kotetsu flapped his wings, creating a small vortex on the ground.
"This is not you, Kotetsu... fight back..." I tried to talk him down, persuading him to be aware of his own well-being.
Instead of listening, he laughed uncontrollably, "Fight back you said?!" he then turned into aggression, "after gaining this power you want me to fight back?! Are you out of your mind?!" he looked upwards, then continued to ramble while staring at the scorching sun, "this... is heaven... I am stronger here, without that puny magical blades of yours..." I saw the twisted look in his eyes, the darkness has seriously altered his way of thinking.
After seeing him change into a berserk, I tried to persuade him even more, "Kotetsu!! Remember when we first met! You're one of our best! Come back to us!!"
Kotetsu then bent his body forward, gazing at me with his pulsating eyes, "Come back...? Why? This is my choice... and it made me stronger than ever before... why should I go back?"
I was stumped, no one on my team can actually reply to that, even Kentarou.
"See... the problem here is that Yamato was right about you, Kyuuto. You just don't understand what people are thinking and feeling right now, do you?" he continues to trigger me, "This thing you went for... becoming warriors and avenging the darkness to take back the city is just a common thing we HAVE to do... not because we fight willingly,
people just fight alongside you so that they can get to their goals, whatever it may be... you are not their savior, Kyuuto. Isn't that right, Kazuki?"
Kazuki, who was in the middle of fighting a demon, listened and made his enemy flee with a bloody slash. He then turned his head to us and replied, "What the hell are you talking about?!"
"Oh you know right?" Kotetsu waltzes around with his demonic wings up in the air, "if Kyuuto didn't chase Ishigaki far beyond the sector boundaries back then, you wouldn't have those scratches on your arms right?"
Kazuki was stunned, then looked down.
Kotetsu laughed again, I was also frozen at that moment, unable to actually stop him from talking or even initiate a fight with him.
"Not to mention even the decreased strength of your overall body!! This kid is a bad omen, Kazuki!!"