I took a deep breath, my grip on the blood crimson blade tightening. "Very well."
I took the crimson pocket watch out of my pocket, its ticking filling the air like the beat of a battle drum. "Fine, Let's dance."
As I squared my shoulders and assumed a battle-ready stance, the world seemed to slow down, each moment stretching into eternity.
Adrenaline surged through my veins, sharpening my senses and heightening my focus.
I took a deep breath, the weight of the blood-crimson blade in my hand both comforting and intimidating. My fingers gripped the hilt tightly, feeling the cool metal against my skin.
Youmu took the first step, her Roukanken slashing through the air, sending pink slash projectiles hurtling toward me.
My reflexes kicked in, and I darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the projectiles towards me.
But Youmu wasn't done yet. With incredible speed, she closed the distance between us, her blade coming down in a swift strike.
I managed to evade the worst, but her attack still left a shallow cut on my arm.
"Tch...!"
Ignoring the pain, I regained my footing and prepared for the next assault. Alice, her dolls at her command, sent them rushing towards me.
They came at me from all angles, their tiny blades glinting ominously. I weaved and dodged, my crimson blade moving rapidly to deflect the oncoming attacks.
But the dolls were relentless, and I found myself in a dance of blades, each movement calculated to protect myself from harm.
Amidst the chaos, I caught a glimpse of Sakuya out of the corner of my eye. She moved with elegant grace, her knives a deadly blur in the air.
I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins, my mind in sync with my body. Each movement flowed effortlessly, like a well-choreographed dance.
"Hehe, How fast~" Reisen taunted, forming gun gestures with her hands. From her pointed fingers, lasers shot out like deadly beams of light.
I reacted quickly, my instincts taking over as I dodged the lasers with nimble footwork. However, I made sure not to meet her gaze, knowing full well the dangers of doing so.
"Her eyes are annoying to look at... If I looked at them, it's gonna be a game over," I thought, the memory of her mind-manipulating powers fresh in my mind.
Reisen's red eyes were notorious for inducing insanity and hallucinations in her opponents. I had to stay focused, to keep my mind clear of any distractions.
"I should go for them first...!" I took a battle-ready stance.
("Blood Sign: Tendril Chains")
summoning crimson chains from the ground that snaked their way toward Reisen. The chains wrapped around her, binding her movements.
"Now for the finishing move...!"
With a burst of energy, I leaped into the air, my blade gleaming with crimson radiance.
But in my haste, I made a grave mistake. As I soared toward Reisen, our eyes locked, and for a brief moment, I saw the red glow in her gaze.
"No...!" I tried to break the eye contact, but it was too late. Her powers took hold, and a surge of hallucinations washed over me.
In an instant, the world around me twisted and contorted, morphing into a chaotic nightmare.
The ground beneath my feet seemed to vanish, replaced by an endless abyss. My senses were overwhelmed, and my mind struggled to distinguish reality from illusion.
My mind raced as I struggled to hold on, each moment feeling like an eternity of pain and confusion. The attacks kept coming, and I could barely distinguish reality from illusion. My body was being torn apart, and I felt myself losing grip on the situation.
"If this is just a dream... I wish I should've woken up... But for a dream... this is too much... right?" I questioned, my thoughts filled with despair.
But there was no answer, just the haunting silence of the illusion.
Yeah... This is too much... Even if the friends I knew wanted to kill me... This is just a hellish nightmare.
My mind wandered to the memory of Sakuya's anger, wondering why she was so upset with me.
Time seemed to slow down as I fought to stay conscious, my vision growing hazy, and my body growing weaker.
"This is what I get for being dense," I mumbled, regret weighing heavily on my heart.
"Please... let me wake up..." I whispered, my voice barely audible.
As I closed my eyes and focused on that one thought, a strange sensation washed over me.
The pain seemed to subside, and the illusion started to unravel. Gradually, I felt my mind slipping away from the nightmarish scenario.
And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, I found myself back in the real world, gasping for breath.
"Where am I!?" "You're awake, Shun!" Meiling said, standing by my side with a concerned expression.
"Where am I...?"
"Eientei," Remilia answered, entering the room.
"I was supposed to be at a festival."
"You were, but the Moriya Deity and the Goddess put something in your drink."
Reimu entered the room and gave me a knowing look. "Glad to see you're awake. Are you covered with bad luck or something? Want me to cleanse you?"
I chuckled weakly, "How come, you can still joke around this time, Miss Shrine Maiden."
Remilia and Reimu exchanged glances, and Remilia grinned mischievously. "Don't worry about them," she said cryptically.
"Eh?"
"By the way... Where are the others?"
"Focus on your recovery."
I nodded, "Thank you, Lady Remilia, and I'm sorry for causing trouble."
"Fufu~ it's alright," Remilia reassured me. "Just be prepared for some punishments, though~" With that playful warning, she left the room, and Reimu followed her.
Urgk, I have a bad feeling about this punishment.