Sayuri stands resolute, unwavering in her determination, as she navigates the treacherous path before her. Instead of relying on mere speed and agility, she harnesses the power of her shadow hands, using them to propel herself forward with astonishing swiftness. In her pursuit of the road that Kaeya once treads, she ventures deeper into the darkened tunnel, a wide crack in the floor serving as her guide.
Suddenly, from the depths of the earth, a grotesque monstrosity emerges, its malformed figure lurching towards her with a gaping maw poised to devour. Time seems to slow as the monstrous jaws close in, threatening to consume our courageous heroine. Yet, with a quick exclamation of "Yikes!" escaping her lips, Sayuri swiftly reacts, conjuring two other shadow hands to snatch her body and suspend her mid-air, narrowly evading the beast's voracious hunger as she hangs on the roof.
As she dangles there, her senses heightened, Sayuri becomes acutely aware of a discordant chorus of voices emanating from the colossal entity, comprised of dozens of fused ghouls. Words of despair, desperation, and longing reverberate through the air, assaulting Sayuri's ears with their haunting pleas. "Help," they cry. "Save me." "Kill me." "I want to die." A cacophony of fragmented and tortured thoughts intertwines, echoing through the depths of her being.
Sayuri's heart aches with empathy for the tormented souls within the monstrous amalgamation. The weight of their suffering bears down upon her, fueling her resolve to bring an end to their anguish. With a renewed determination, she steadies herself, silencing her own fears, and reaches deep within to draw upon her inner strength.
"All the Ghouls that fell there merged huh..." She mutters, raising her hands toward the huge Ghoul as she settles on trying to ease their suffering, "I'm sorry, everybody... It appears that I can't help while you're like that..."
"Shadow Magic: Insanity," she utters, her voice laced with determination. A surge of unstable, purplish shadows materializes between her palms, taking on a form that defies stability, constantly shifting and warping. The shadowy manifestation forms a maw-like shape and launches forward, engulfing the ghoul in a relentless vortex of dark energy.
The ghoul convulses in agony, its form writhing and contorting as it futilely struggles against the overwhelming force of Sayuri's spell. Its cries and screams echo throughout the chamber, a haunting chorus of despair. The struggle is short-lived, for the ghoul succumbs to the inexorable grip of the dark energy, falling motionless into the abyss from whence it emerged.
Regret etches itself into Sayuri's features as she gracefully lands on the ground, her hands coming together in a prayer-like gesture. Closing her eyes, she offers her sincere apologies to the fallen souls, her words carrying a deep sense of remorse.
"I'm sorry," she murmurs, her voice tinged with sorrow. "If only I had known about the plight you endured, I would have answered your calls without hesitation. I would have fought to free you from the clutches of torment and grant you the peace you deserve."
However, her peace is short-lived, for the demonic ghouls are pressing in around Sayuri, their numbers increasing with every passing moment. Undeterred, she unleashes a barrage of Demolishing Shadows and Insanity, each strike hitting its mark with deadly precision. In a display of agility and cunning, she utilizes her teleportation ability to appear from the ghouls' shadows, swiftly dispatching them with well-placed stabs to their vulnerable backs.
But despite her valiant efforts, the horde proves relentless. Their anguished cries fill the air, mingling with the sound of clashing blades. Even as Sayuri presses forward, her Dreadblade slashing through the ghouls' twisted forms, they refuse to yield. Their grotesque bodies continue to stand, fueled by a haunting determination to tear her apart.
Unbeknownst to Sayuri, a monstrous entity emerges from the shadows, looming just behind her. Its immense form is a grotesque amalgamation of faces and limbs, each one contorted with malice. As the monster raises its hand, the appendages writhed and twisted, forming a grotesque weapon ready to deliver a devastating blow.
Before the colossal Ghoul's arm can budge an inch, its head is swiftly sliced off. The severed head falls to the ground, bouncing and rolling until it settles in front of Sayuri. Startled, she turns her gaze away from the gruesome sight, only to witness the headless beast looming behind her, its cries of pain still echoing through the air.
"What in the world..." Sayuri's bewildered voice trembles as she scans her surroundings, her eyes darting in every direction. She clutches the hilt of her dagger tightly against her chest, her heart racing at every moment.
In an instant, a brilliant blue flash erupts, slicing through dozens of monsters that stand before the girl. The attack is so swift that it appears as a mirage—a fleeting glimpse of ethereal beauty. It is nothing short of a miracle that Sayuri manages to catch even the briefest glimpse of that dazzling blue streak.
As quickly as it had appeared, the attack ceases, and a boy materializes before Sayuri, causing her to startle once more. He stands there, holding two dark twin daggers, a mischievous grin on his face as his tongue playfully slips out of his mouth.
"Who... Who are you?" Sayuri's voice quivers, her curiosity mingling with apprehension.
The boy turns toward Sayuri, his tongue retracting as he speaks. "Oh, thank goodness I didn't accidentally slice you along with those ghouls," he chimes, his eyes captivating—a striking combination of a green right eye and a blue left eye, each adorned with a sharp black pupil.
A monstrous creature lunges directly at him, intent on ending his life. But it was a futile attempt. In the blink of an eye, the boy slices the beast in two, emerging unscathed from behind its dismembered form. He nonchalantly returns both of his daggers to their respective scabbards strapped behind his back.
Sayuri stands frozen, her eyes wide with awe as she bears witness to the boy's astonishing strength. However, despite his incredible power, the relentless ghouls seem to have an endless number.
"Ah..." The boy sighs, leaning forward and extending his right arm behind him. His hand curls as if cradling an invisible sphere. "Her Majesty wasn't exaggerating when she said this wouldn't end."
"Lightning Magic: Blue Hand," he incants, his right forearm engulfed in a blinding flash of intensely condensed blue lightning. And once again, he astounds Sayuri as he vanishes from sight, leaving only a trail of electric brilliance in his wake. Countless ghouls fall prey to his incomparable speed, sliced into oblivion in mere moments.
"He... disappeared?" Sayuri wonders to herself, her eyes struggling to keep pace with the fleeting blue streak. "No... No, he didn't vanish. It's just his... His speed."
"This individual is the fastest I have ever seen in my entire life..." Sayuri marvels silently, her words lost amidst the chaos of battle.
"Oh... By the way..." Once again, the boy materializes right beside Sayuri, causing her to startle yet again. He nonchalantly brushes the back of his long white hair with strands of blue using his left hand, while cradling the still-crying head of a ghoul in his right.
"You asked about my identity earlier, right?" he remarks, grinning wider as he turns his back to her, tossing the ghoul's head away. "I'm Raiden... Raiden Irie," he introduces himself, his name hanging in the air with an air of confidence. "Pleased to make your acquaintance!"
In an instant, he vanishes once more, effortlessly slicing through the demonic ghouls with his bare hands. Sayuri finds herself in awe of Raiden's prowess, captivated by his skill and efficiency. "This boy..." she mutters, barely audible, as determination courses through her veins. "He's... He's literally a killing machine."
With her Dreadblade held high, emanating shadow energy in threatening wisps, Sayuri begins to sink into her own shadow. She speaks softly, her voice laced with resolve. "What can I say... Everyone has a rival in our team... Nobu and Reina, Ash and Katsu..."
Teleporting into the shadow of a monster that stands behind Raiden, Sayuri swiftly strikes it down with precise slashes from her Dreadblade, dismantling it into several smaller pieces. As she follows up her attack with a whispered "Rest in peace," Raiden stands astonished, witnessing her impressive display.
"This girl..." he muses to himself, "Did she just use a teleportation skill? Such abilities are incredibly rare..."
"Raiden! Raiden!" Suddenly, Sayuri reverts to her childlike demeanor, walking closer to the boy with innocent enthusiasm. Her eyes sparkle with curiosity as she speaks. "Who is your rival? Do you have a rival? Can I be your rival? I really want to be your rival!"
Perplexed by the sudden shift in conversation, Raiden asks, "Huh? What's with all this talk about rivals?" Even the ghouls seem momentarily taken aback by their lighthearted banter.
"I don't really have a rival," Raiden responds, a proud smile playing on his lips. "No one has yet appeared who can keep up with the goals I have set for myself."
"And what goals have you set for yourself?" Sayuri inquires, her silver eyes shimmering with innocence.
"I want to become the world's strongest soldier!" Raiden declares, his eyes shining with the intensity of his dreams. "And to achieve that, I must defeat Zariel, the king of Demon Hunters!"
Silence descends upon the scene, enveloping Sayuri and even the ghouls in a strange sense of disbelief, as if they are collectively conveying a resounding "Bruh..."
"Um... You do realize that Zariel appeared around 12,000 years ago, right?" Sayuri asks, her voice tinged with confusion at Raiden's statement.
"Yeah, I'm well aware," he simply nods in response.
"And you do know that he might very well be dead?" Sayuri presses further, narrowing her eyes and tilting her head, studying Raiden intently.
"I'm aware of that too," Raiden replies with another nod, his right hand placed beneath his chin, his right elbow supported by his left hand, "What's your point?"
"That's the point, you're the one who seems to have something amiss..." Sayuri explains, her nonchalant demeanor catching Raiden off guard. "What?" he exclaims, only to find the ghouls around him nodding in agreement, seemingly comprehending the subtleties of Sayuri's words.
"Even they think there's something off about me?" Raiden turns his head toward the ghouls, his confusion mounting as they continue nodding, affirming Sayuri's observation. "Alright then, what's your goal, pretty girl?" he demands, a hint of annoyance lacing his words as he glances at his peculiar surroundings.
"Well... I'm Sayuri Violra," she introduces herself, pointing to her chest with both thumbs, "And I'll be the one to lay my hands on the Symbol of Harmony..."
A sense of déjà vu washes over the scene, mirrored by the "Bruh" expressions worn by both the ghouls and Raiden. He can't help but interject, "You do realize that the Symbol of Harmony might just be a legend, right?"
"Oh, yes, I'm fully aware," Sayuri responds with an adorable innocent nod, "And I'm also aware that I might not even make it to the World's Fury Realm."
Raiden finds himself at a loss for words, his surroundings echoing his incredulity. "Um... I'm sorry, but I think you're even stranger than me," he replies, shifting his gaze away from Sayuri as a mocking smile tugs at the corners of his lips.
"What? Me?" Sayuri exclaims, her cheeks puffed up as she playfully strikes Raiden with her tiny hand. "That was mean! That was really mean!" Her childish retaliation gradually ceases, and as their eyes meet, a shared moment of understanding passes between them, leading to a heartwarming bout of laughter.
"So it seems that both of us are pursuing something that appears almost impossible," Raiden remarks, aligning himself with Sayuri as their laughter subsides.
"I know, right?" Sayuri agrees, placing a hand over her waist as she regains her composure. She raises her fist toward Raiden, and her shadow begins emanating energy in the form of whip-like tendrils. "So, it's settled then?"
"It is," Raiden nods, a badass smile etched across his face as he enthusiastically pumps his fist with Sayuri's. "From this day forward, we shall be rivals!"
"Then, what if we make it even more interesting?" Raiden chimes in once again, leaning forward with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. Gripping both of his daggers tightly, he envelops them in crackling lightning, an electrifying display of his power. "What if we challenge ourselves to finish our path before the others? Sounds like a plan?"
A spark of excitement ignites within Sayuri as she wholeheartedly embraces the idea. She grasps her Dreadblade firmly, feeling its familiar weight in her hand as she prepares to impress her newly minted rival. "Sounds good to me!" she exclaims, her voice filled with determination, and they embark on their shared journey, wishing to reach the light at the end of their tunnel as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, in the left tunnel, Nobu displays his formidable skills, his speed unmatched as the eye on his sword opens, granting him access to Kamaitachi's extraordinary power. With each swing of his blade, the ghouls stand no chance, their feeble attempts to defend themselves falling short as Nobu's strikes cut through them effortlessly.
However, a flying ghoul, armed with three menacing claws, seizes the opportunity to catch the seemingly off-guard Nobu. Sensing the imminent threat, Nobu reacts with lightning-quick reflexes. He raises his right hand, his fingers sinking deep into the ghoul's flesh, and holds on tightly as the creature continues its flight, its agonizing screams filling the air.
"You're annoying..." Nobu utters in a low, menacing voice, his grip on the ghoul tightening. In a stunning display of strength, he swiftly embeds his left leg into the tunnel's wall, anchoring himself in place. The combined force of his grip and his raw power halts the ghoul's movement, leaving it trapped in Nobu's vice-like grip.
"All For One," Summons Nobu, his expression staying cold as ice. With a deliberate motion, he stretches his right hand backward, channeling the energy of All For One through his arm. As he releases his hold on the ghoul, he launches it forcefully toward a swarm of other ghouls, its trajectory implying the full might of his power.
The ghoul crashes into its brethren with a resounding impact, creating a ripple of destruction in its wake. Ghouls scatter and tumble, their anguished cries filling the tunnel. Nobu stands there, a beacon of strength and determination, as the dust settles around him after gaining his foothold on the floor.
As the presence draws nearer, Nobu's anxiety intensifies, his eyes maintaining their fierce purple glow. Without warning, colossal roots burst forth from the floor, attempting to ensnare him and shatter the ground beneath his feet. Reacting swiftly, Nobu skillfully evades the treacherous onslaught, defying gravity as he leaps into the air, descending towards the towering roots with his Soul-Edge in hand, cleaving through them as if they are mere nuisances.
Amidst the chaos, Nobu's mind races, recognizing that the presence he senses is undoubtedly connected to the cloaked figure before him, the person behind the latter root attack.
"Hello there, Nobu," The figure, concealed within the depths of their cloak, taunts Nobu with their words, while summoning more roots to assail him. Undeterred, Nobu gracefully dodges each impending strike, his body contorting with agility and precision. With one hand firmly planted atop a root, his entire body inverts in mid-air, he strains to catch even a glimpse of the enigmatic figure's face, seeking to unravel the mystery behind their knowledge of his name.
Yet, the cloaked figure remains shrouded, their features hidden beneath the depths of their hood. Undeterred, they extend their right hand toward Nobu, conjuring yet another razor-sharp root, aimed directly at the young warrior.
In a split-second decision, Nobu summons his power, uttering a single word, "Absorb." With a flick of his wrist, he absorbs the incoming attack into the palm of his right hand, causing it to dissipate into nothingness, a testament to his remarkable technique.
Seizing the opportunity, Nobu swiftly switches behind the cloaked figure, his grip on the Soul-Edge tightening as he prepares to strike. However, his task won't be so easily accomplished. From the man's very body, additional roots emerge, ensnaring Nobu tightly and hurling him away with forceful strength. The unexpected counterattack sends him hurtling through the air, his body twisting and turning in a display of raw power.
"As usual," the cloaked figure continues, drawing nearer to the kneeling Nobu, their words laced with a hint of admiration, "Your ability to switch is truly remarkable, Nobu."
Bristling with caution, Nobu maintains his guarded stance, his gaze unwavering as he watches the figure approach. A sense of familiarity tugs at the corners of his mind, though the identity of this mysterious person eludes him.
"Who the heck are you?" Nobu questions, his voice laced with suspicion, "We may have crossed paths before, but I can't really recall who you are."
The figure's tone shifts, taking on a mocking quality that betrays a hint of disappointment at Nobu's failure to recognize them. They taunt him, hinting at a connection that Nobu struggles to recall. "Don't you remember me?" they jeer, their voice tinged with a mix of hurt and feigned indignation, "And here I thought we were family, dear Nobu..."
"Am I the only one who cares about our precious bond?" Raising their hands slowly, the figure begins to peel away the cloak concealing their face. As Nobu's eyes fall upon the revealed countenance, his reaction is a mixture of astonishment and disbelief. His grip on his sword falters, the weapon clattering to the floor as his mouth gapes.
"It's... It's you..." Nobu mutters, his eyes shifting rapidly between swirling hues of black, orange, and dark blue, struggling to comprehend the impossible, "But... but how? How can you still be alive?"
The name escapes Nobu's lips, his voice trembling with a mix of nostalgia and shock, "K... Kira..."
The figure, now identified as Kira, his first friend, bears a scar that crosses his right cheek. Nobu's emotions churn, torn between a flood of memories and the bewildering presence of someone he believes to be long gone.
"So, you do remember me," Kira speaks, his eyes void of warmth as he attempts to mask his true intentions with a manufactured smile, "I'm so happy to hear that..."
"So happy that I can't even contain my excitement anymore," A disconcerting aura emanates from Kira, his smile dissipating in an instant, revealing a hidden well of resentment and bloodlust. Nobu senses the shift in his friend's demeanor, realizing that the reunion will be far from the heartwarming encounter he dreams of.
"Long time no see, Little Brother!"