"Did you hear about the abandoned industrial park down south?"
"Yeah the factory operations there shutdown a few years ago. It's strange they haven't done anything about it. Rumors have it that there are people lurking there, passers-by have seen shadows of people carrying stuff."
"That's because they have plans to revamp the area. Otherwise they are just going to reclaim it for other projects. As for the suspicious activities you mentioned, indeed there's something going on there. Nothing's been done about it yet."
Douma who was hovering in the sky listened carefully to the group's conversations. More likely than not, Cryptic Sanctuary could be operating at this abandoned location. It was bound to be empty and spacious for the organization.
So it's somewhere along the road over there. At the corner of this part of town there was a narrow road in between the large trees. Douma gazed at the spot for a while and then flew towards it.
The shrine leader glided through the trees before taking one last look behind him.
You're not getting away with this Mr Moikawa. It's over. Quickening his pace, Douma flew down the road, for cars and other vehicles this would probably be a three hour journey from here. At least Douma didn't have to deal with that, he just needed to keep an eye on his surroundings in case anyone from the organization decides to do another surprise like last time when he was with Shinobu in that neighborhood.
Luckily nobody got hurt. Despite trying to stay hidden, Cryptic Sanctuary was still actively keeping watch for who might be aware about them. Sometimes those that try to stay hidden so badly end up sabotaging themselves with their senseless decisions.
I wonder how Shinobu and the others are doing now. Everyone back at the Hasu Mountains must be feeling relieved, though Douma wasn't sure if they were still displeased with his presence there. Things did return to normal but their current impressions of him will very likely remain.
At least both he and Shinobu were a step closer to ending this chaos. Which is something to be proud of, not everyone was supportive of their cooperation. The incident at Sakura Clinic was an example of that and in the end, Eiko didn't even have to get full treatment there. Their advice was taken into consideration.
It's unfortunate to know that Eiko's family reunion remains uncertain. Her older brother, Atashi was working alongside Mr Moikawa. It was as though he had sealed his fate just so he could go undercover with Cryptic Sanctuary's agendas. He should know better than to succumb to his own anger.
Hopefully Shinobu won't get too affected by everything she's gone through. It must be hard witnessing a friend spiral into agony and helplessness. Of all people, it had to be Atashi and here Shinobu was on a vacation that was supposed to be a time for everyone to get together without having to worry about anything.
Sometimes things don't go as planned. Douma has seen tremendous disasters happen because of the unexpected.
And life in the Hasu Mountains was no exception. Douma saw these tragedies unfold even in the shrine, leaving those affected broken apart.
There's no time to think about it now. We have bigger problems to settle. Whilst Shinobu now taking a deserved break was part of this too, never leaving Douma's side, she was better off at home. This was too dangerous, Douma didn't want to put her through this segment that was only going to break her especially if she encounters the worst side of Atashi and the merciless individuals who were waiting to strike in the shadows.
~~~
The organization had to be underground. Most of the infrastructure in this abandoned mess could barely withstand the weight of a bulldozer.
Douma stood in front of the entrance which was located in the deeper part of the abandoned industrial park. This place looked extremely eerie from afar, and Douma could imagine the reactions of those who have passed by these ruins.
Mr Moikawa knew what he was doing when he started these operations. Nobody would suspect any activity going on at a place like this. Now Douma just had to get in without getting caught of course.
There wasn't even a need to worry about that. Douma had it all under control.
Since there weren't any security guards around, Douma slowly pushed the dusty doors open and took in the dark surroundings of presumably one of the higher levels. Storage boxes were everywhere including lanterns and items that were broken.
"For a secret organization, this place has pretty bad security." Douma proceeded to walk towards the stairs leading to the lower levels where Cryptic Sanctuary's activities were most likely taking place.
As he walked down the stairs, Douma summoned spirals of ice that ignited all the surveillance cameras, leaving trails of smoke emerging from their compartments.
Mr Moikawa who was well aware that Douma had broken in, he had taken notice of the sudden change in atmosphere and the misfunctioning surveillance cameras that had shut off all the footage on the screens.
"If the surveillance cameras break down, that means Douma is here." A voice behind him said.
"Oh this is getting interesting. Let's see what other tricks our guest has up his sleeve." Mr Moikawa responded with malice.
Douma got down from the stairs and looked around the desolate level. There was nobody around except him.
The shrine leader continued with his stroll in this ransacked headquarters, stopping by every crevice and corner in case someone was hiding, and that someone would have a lot of information to provide.
When Douma was about to turn invisible, a dog appeared from the corner of one of the rooms on the right and started barking at Douma furiously.
Despite disappearing from the view the canine was still barking in his direction.
A group of armed men leaped from the sides and crates getting ready to pounce on him but they instead they were met with thin air which left them confused.
Until a tall man in a dark coat with shades walked towards the group and told them what had happened.
"He's turn invisible. The dog wouldn't be barking at nothing." He said coldly.
Douma still invisible, took the chance to slam the group towards the wall. One by one, they fell to the ground from the ruthless impact of Douma's war fans.
The tall intimidating man, was the only one left. He seemed unfazed by the sight of his fallen comrades who were just taken out by an invisible force in one blow.
"If you continue hiding you'll be stuck here forever."
He has a point.
The figure of Douma slowly came to view. His iridescent hues glowing in the desolate chambers of the hidden organization.
Doesn't matter what game this guy is playing here. There's not much time left, Mr Moikawa could be planning anything now. This is a mere distraction. Douma narrowed his eyes at the man who grabbed his weapon from behind and unsheathed it, revealing a long blade within the dark carrier.
"I'm Shogo Yasuo, head of the assassins. You have trespassed onto Cryptic Sanctuary's grounds and for that I will have to annihilate you on the spot. There will be no chances, founder of Paradise Shrine, your fate has been decided."
Douma got his fans out and prepared for the upcoming battle. "I can spare your life if you halt this battle with much consideration. The people have suffered enough."
Shogo stayed silent with the same unreadable expression. He didn't seem saddened by that statement, nor did he seem to find joy in what he was doing. The man raised his blade and began walking towards the shrine leader, a sign that he was reluctant to oblige.
"So we're taking the silent route? Got it, this will be quick you won't even have time to say a word." The minute Douma began sprinting towards the approaching man, the senior assassin slashed his blade at the shrine leader's direction, scraping his weapon against the floor that split into pieces upon contact.
Jumping forward in the air, Douma plunged his fan at the man who swiftly moved away and stood in the corner like a statue.
For a human this guy's fast. But not fast enough to escape from my attacks. With the man still standing in the corner, Douma leaped up and swiped his fan at him again.
To the blonde's surprise, Shogo grabbed his fan and threw him into the air. Barreling into position, Douma quickly landed on the floor and looked at the sleek figure appearing in front of him that was about to throw a punch.
Douma leaped away as the floor beneath his feet erupted into cracks and dust from Shogo's punch.
That level of strength. Mr Moikawa sure knows how to build a defense team. Rubbing his wrist, Shogo stood there watching Douma regain his stance.
"One should never lose focus during a battle. It makes you an easy target." Shogo raised his weapon again. "This fight has been rather predictable, I was expecting more of a challenge."
"So now you've decided to talk. Is a rock hanging from your mouth or something? Either way, what you guys have been doing is wrong. You're still going down for your crimes, there's no other option so don't even think of being the victor here."
The carefree attitude of Douma had subsided. The shrine leader was now getting ready for the next phase of the battle which would determine their fates. Shogo held onto his blade tightly. He was still putting up that serious expression which showed that everything Douma said meant nothing to him. The head of assassins was still determined to go through with the task.
"This is new, the founder of Paradise Shrine has got his wires lose. A simple word of advice has gotten him into a seamless rage."
Douma was taken aback by this strange remark of Shogo's. What is he talking about? The man still had time to brag about such unimportant things.
"My observations are correct. Atashi has inherited this exact trait and it had to be from you. The person he or perhaps everyone at Hasu Mountains looks up to." Shogo spun his blade several times charging up his stamina for the next attack. He then threw his fist at the locker beside him leaving a deep dent on its surface and rushed towards the angel.
So he knows Atashi. Who does he think he is, jumping into such ridiculous conclusions. Atashi has always been a brat and everyone knows that. Covering his face with the shimmering golden fan of his, Douma got ready for the ambush closing in.
Shogo could tell that Douma was pondering about what he just said out of the blue. "You wouldn't dare hurt a human would you? I can see it, there's a surge of guilt running through your veins that's causing you to tremble when you least expect. Accept it, you're no different from any other lifeform."
"Oh I'll shut you up!" Douma held his fans firmly. Regardless of the outcome, Shogo had already sealed his fate.
Shogo sped up as if he knew what the blonde was planning, using his nearing presence as a way to provoke him.
The closer he got, the lighter the surroundings felt. Shogo could sense something was out of place but he was still determined to get through with it.
When Shogo was just a step close to where Douma stood, a bright light emitted from the shrine leader's spot sending a wave of glaring force his way. Shogo screamed as everything around him disappeared within the bright surging light that dawned on him.
Douma watched Shogo's limp body fall to the floor. The senior assassin was finally out of the way.
The cold words of Shogo's rang in Douma's head. What did he mean by Atashi inheriting the trait of anger from Douma? The shrine leader could hardly remember the times when he got mad. It was starting to bother him a little. Did others see him differently than how he viewed himself? Was he really no different from other lifeforms? Douma clenched his fists he couldn't figure out the point Shogo was trying to prove, it wasn't making any sense.
Taking one last glance at Shogo lying motionless on the floor, Douma continued forward into the dark lairs of Cryptic Sanctuary. Someone else was probably waiting for him further down the halls.
Mr Moikawa let out a low chuckle. He grabbed the microphone in between the screens on his desk ready to make an announcement.
"Unlock all the cages on the second level. Move out once that's done."
As Douma got to the end of this fear-inducing vicinity, he noticed figures of animal-like creatures approaching him. At every corner there were narrow paths leading to various rooms that were clearly holding something in each one. These creatures were most likely captives they appeared to be huddled altogether.
The light above the ceiling revealed the animals emerging from the shadows; there were wolves, crocodiles, and bears gathered in front of the shrine leader, ready to tear their opponent limb to limb with the ferocious expressions and growls they were putting up with.
"Am I interrupting some savannah party or what? Don't you guys have any other reinforcements give these animals a break."
Douma looked up and noticed a giant figure approaching. It appeared to have large wings and a beak.
This is some insane stuff. Standing behind the group of animals was a towering griffin that was almost touching the ceiling. How on Earth did Cryptic Sanctuary get a hold of a creature that only existed in myths and legends? Douma never expected the sketchy organization to be able to do such a thing without anyone's knowledge.
The animals started growling at him, slowly walking closer towards their target. Instinctively, Douma got into a fighting stance with both of his fans ready to fend them off. He was severely outnumbered but the most these animals could do was pounce at him with a few scratches here and there.
"From fighting bloodthirsty abominations to a pack of captive animals. This is interesting but quite humiliating." Douma said to himself.
The animals in the front row started lunging at him. Douma pushed them away with his fans making sure not to hurt them. They were forced into this.
After one gets knocked away another takes over. The cycle kept on going until Douma decided to take things up a notch.
All the animals tumbled down on him. Douma stood there unaffected by their bites and scratches. He waited for a majority of the ferocious pack to pile up before unleashing his next move.
Douma got them off him with a little more force this time. The animals landed on the floor, exhausted as some of them fell out of consciousness embracing a deep momentary slumber.
The few remaining animals continued lunging at him, getting pushed away once again.
Suddenly a large figure appeared in front of Douma, throwing a fist at him as he jumped out of the way and witnessed the wall crumble into pieces.
A large cat was now looking at him fiercely. It had orange and black spots all over its white fur with yellow eyes that glowed like a hunter's, it was also wearing a red bandana.
Douma had no words, this feline was very confident to barge in and throw a punch. This was unexpected, the other animals were just pouncing on him without any strategies. However, this cat was skillful and perhaps observant given that it waited for the right time to strike.
Clenching its fists, the large cat dashed towards Douma getting ready to throw another punch. The ground was shaking underneath their feet.
In a flash, Douma moved to the side and caught the other oncoming fist, stunning the feline who was shocked by Douma's fast reflexes. It decided to repeat the same action with the other paw but it was futile, Douma caught it easily.
Douma and the feline were stalling each other, throwing fists and catching the other's over and over again. Meanwhile, the griffin at the back was observing the battle intently, thinking of what to do in the midst of it.
The towering feline found this pressurizing. His opponent must be treating this as a jovial battle. There was no sign of urgency or caution in his expression, it was unsettlingly calm.
With another flick of the feline's bushy tail, it threw another punch that landed on the floor causing dust to rise up. Douma used this as an opportunity to push the feline away with his palm. Sending a strong force towards the large cat's side.
Bewildered by the light physical power that Douma had inflicted, the large cat that was now dragged away from his opponent by the force was contemplating on what to do next. It glanced at Douma who stood there unharmed.
"Listen closely here. We don't have time for games so quit the pretentious tactics." The large cat spoke.
"A talking cat huh, is it just me or is this day getting weirder? I'm not playing games buddy try harder next time. The same goes to your friends." Douma replied, his opponent averted his gaze at the slumber party on the floor.
Reinforcements were back at it again as another wave of the remaining animals lunged at the shrine leader who threw them off of him in one blow. The animals landed on the ground, a few admitting defeat with their tiresome growls.
The large cat used this chance to swipe his claws at Douma who dodged them and moved away. Immediately, the feline stomped its feet on the floor, creating a small earthquake that traveled towards the wall and destroyed it.
Douma stared at the impact of the feline's power. This was no ordinary cat.
The griffin stepped forward, taking in the sight of the destructive outcome of the feline's earthquake.
"Our opponent is no human. Be careful." The griffin's voice coursed though the feline's mind. A telepathic communication between them.
"So he's not a human huh." The towering feline unsheathed his claws and showed his fangs threateningly. "I'll turn you into mush!" He warned the shrine leader.
Douma smiled, this cat's intimidation techniques were hilarious. "Even if you had unlimited chances, you wouldn't be able to."
"Oh yeah?! Let's see about that!" Stomping towards Douma, the large cat began swiping his claws in all directions hitting everything else but his opponent.
Claw marks started forming on the walls and floor. Much to Douma's amusement, his opponent had no idea about the blasphemy he was doing. This was just absurd.
"Stop moving around you annoying brat!"
Three of the animals got up and charged at Douma. The shrine leader took notice of their distant movements and pushed all of them, including the overgrown cat away.
A blast of soundwaves headed towards him, the griffin was attacking him too. Douma was really outnumbered here.
The griffin's soundwaves blasted through the wall behind him. When Douma was about to regain his composure from the surprise attack, the griffin appeared in front of him with glowing talons that nearly slashed the shrine leader who quickly got out of the way.
"Yeah go get him guys!"
Douma felt irritated hearing the large cat cheering on for his comrades. This wasn't a fair fight, the audacity of this feline.
Regaining balance, the griffin stood there and summoned a dazzling spiral of golden particles that attached themselves to the sides and floor. Static began forming on the floor that turned into a golden pool of shimmering particles, so did the wall. Whatever the griffin had summoned was practically covering the spot in some kind of forcefield.
Douma had a bad feeling about this. He unleashed the freezing gust of wind at the stationary beast but it went off upon contact with its body. Not a scratch appeared on the surface of its gold-radiating skin.
How could this be? It's not like he's a tough guy. While some opponents tend to be surprising in terms of their strength and durability, it was hard to believe that this griffin was able to withstand Douma's attacks. What was this creature doing here of all places.
The griffin stared at Douma intently. It was giving off a very unsettling vibe. Without hesitation, Douma rushed towards the giant bird and unleashed a rain of icicles above it.
Still standing in the same position, the griffin destroyed all the icicles with a single swipe of its talons. Douma watched the segregated icicles shatter on the floor and melt. He was starting to feel demoralized, his attacks were never this pitiful. What was going on? Was he not putting enough effort? Douma was certain that he put twice as much effort as compared to earlier.
A large shadow enclosed him in darkness as the griffin flew above him and slammed the shrine leader to the ground with a heavy talon, pinning him down.
"Chachamaru, I'll take the rest of it from here." The griffin told the feline.
Nodding, Chachamaru made a run for it, leaving the griffin with the shrine leader who was struggling to get out of the beast's hold.
The griffin pressed down harder, causing Douma to desperately squirm out of the beast's talons.
With all his might, Douma lifted the griffin's talon and flew to the nearest corner in the ceiling. He couldn't fathom what the griffin was stirring up here. Douma has never had any trouble dealing with Earthly creatures, why was this creature a bigger issue than it appeared to be? All it did was stand in one spot and unleash an attack or two. That was it, Douma didn't notice anything abnormal so far.
What's the deal with this griffin? Not even my severe attacks are doing anything to this thing, but for some reason, it can inflict any kind of effect on me. Doesn't matter if it's meant to be offensive or not. Am I really lacking in something here? This shouldn't be a problem for me but for some reason it's starting to be. Douma started trembling at the thought of not being able to put an end to Mr Moikawa's demise. The man knew what he was doing. They had severely underestimated him.
"I've lifted my spirits. Now every power that enters the forcefield will be nimble like a feather for my spirit keeps them under control." The griffin said with much confidence in his voice.
Douma narrowed his eyes at the giant bird. So he's controlling the state of things with his spirit. Any physical damage won't let a scratch on him. There was also a mass of shimmering gold covering the surface of the beast, bringing Douma to his next conclusion. The griffin's spirit was also shielding his physical body from external damages, which is why Douma's earlier attacks didn't do a thing.
"And I've crushed yours. As long as the doubts keep going, your attacks will grow significantly weaker."
That explains it. This wasn't a normal battle anymore, it was a spiritual clash. Douma was in a terrible spot. He had to think of something fast or he'll be trapped in this unforgiving zone for a long time. Something that Mr Moikawa was hoping for while he carries on with his next plans.
With the griffin's spirit in control, every movement and outcome was dictated by him. Douma had never felt so inferior to anyone before, this giant bird had a keen eye, he probably already knew what Douma was capable of. He had been observing his battles with his comrades, paying attention to every movement and attack.
Douma didn't have much time left. He still remembered what Eiko said about the state of their house if Mr Moikawa remains in this hideout of his. Now Douma was stuck here with an immovable force that certainly didn't have the heart of gold to let him save the innocent lives out there.