Mihara gasped and looked around wildly.
"An ambush! I knew it! This is a trap! We should have never come here!"
"Shut up!" Shin barked. "We didn't expect to come here and NOT be noticed, eventually! Iashkawa-san, if Mihara keeps shouting—"
"I underssstand," the demon hissed, partially pulling out of the body of its Contractor.
Mihara paled. "Are you turning against me, too?"
"Nobody is turning againssst you. Remember our plan. An alarm will jussst make humans panic and drive our target out of his hiding."
Shin nodded. "So keep going! To the underground floors!"
Now they ran instead of walking, aiming straight for the heart of the cult, for their place of ceremonies.
This was where the cult leader would go to protect his treasures. This was where the treasures were.
Items of power made with knowledge gifted by The Horned King himself! Vessels for souls that the cultists were going to sacrifice for him.
If Shin got his hands on those, Tetsu would have a grand feast.
Soon after Shin and Mihara began running, they met two more people coming out of a room. This unexpected meeting ended as quickly as the previous one, with Tetsu and Iashkawa killing the pair before they could even scream.
But the next group in Shin's way didn't belong to some panicked civilians. There were four people this time. Two of them were wearing security guard uniforms, and had guns; the other two wielded knives with magical runes etched on the metal.
"Kill them! Kill the traitors!" a guard shouted right before firing the first bullet.
He aimed for Shin's torso. From only five meters of distance, he wasn't going to miss. With his demon-enhanced reaction, Shin could even see the bullet as it flew to him.
Tetsu emerged out of him a split second before the piece of lead hit its mark. She didn't even flinch when the bullet struck her stomach instead, but Shin felt her sharp pain like his own.
She turned to him just for a moment and sent Shin an assuring smile.
'Shhh. The pain will pass soon, my friend.'
Shin grit his teeth and nodded, but instead of assured, he felt confused. Why would Tetsu care about his pain more than hers, when SHE was the one wounded? She made so little sense sometimes. Oftentimes. Most of the time.
Murai screamed, more shots sounded, and the moment passed. There was no time for introspection.
Tetsu dashed forward, close enough to reach the knives of the enemies with her power. Shin ran behind, using her body as a cover from bullets, pulling out his own knife. Iashkawa was slithering near as well, holding hands with his Contractor like a strange couple. Bullets passed right through them both.
As soon as they reached the cultists, it was a bloodbath. The pair of demons was faster than the humans, and their enchanted knives only slit their own throats. In the heat of battle, Shin wasn't even sure if the man he stabbed was still alive by that point.
Tetsu ate another heart, and the wound on her leg disappeared. It wasn't deep to begin with—her metallic carapace wasn't just for show.
"We are close," Shin said, wiping droplets of blood off his face. "And those guns were loud. Let's move before we are swarmed."
"Oh, finally, actual weapons," Mihara said, picking up a gun from a limp hand and wiping it with a sleeve. "This will be so much better. Kugutsu-san, you should take one, too! Where do you think they kept their ammunition?"
Shin frowned. Guns didn't seem like a good idea to him. He had no idea how to shoot—he would more easily hit Tetsu or Iashkawa by accident than an enemy. Same went for Mihara. But the man looked much calmer with a gun in his hand.
Shin picked another, searched for the safety lock, and switched it on. Then he put the gun in his pocket and made several steps into the hallway ahead. He turned back.
"We don't have time to search their bodies, Mihara-san. Just go!"
Mihara stood up with visible reluctance, but followed.
'Thankfully. I don't want him to have any more ammo than he already has.' Shin thought. Loudly enough for Tetsu to pick up.
'Although I can't control the bullets, the guns themselves are made of metal that's iron enough. If you don't want this human to shoot, I can break it a little… He won't even notice, boss.'
Shin smiled inwardly. 'Great idea, Tetsu. You are doing an excellent job today.'
Like always after the words of praise, she lit up with such joy that Shin could feel it in the pit of his stomach. It was a sensation he was beginning to long for. Almost like an addiction.
Of course, Shin could stop at any moment, but it was counterproductive.
No more enemies found Shin and Mihara before they reached a stairway leading down. The twin doors blocking it from the rest of the building were open, and Shin heard voices and footsteps from both below and from behind them.
The dim lighting on the lower floor didn't let him see what was ahead, but he already knew. Nothing that he couldn't deal with. Even if it was the entire cult at once, really. He wasn't alone, after all.
"We are surrounded… We are already surrounded," Mihara muttered, clutching his—now useless—gun.
Yes, Shin brought Iashkawa with him. Who was attached to Mihara, sadly.
"No. We are almost there," Shin said, taking the first step down.