As Raijin and Ayuna hurried away from the area, the sound of Niko's screams echoed in Raijin's mind like a haunting melody. Despite his conflicted feelings about Niko, Raijin couldn't shake the guilt that gnawed at him. He knew he had played a part in luring the monster towards him, even if it was for their survival.
As they moved further away from the chaos, Raijin's thoughts turned to their next course of action. They needed to find a safe place to regroup and tend to Sapenta's injuries. The nurse's office was out of the question now that it had collapsed, but perhaps they could seek refuge elsewhere in the school.
"Ayuna," Raijin said, his voice strained with concern as he glanced at her. "Do you have any idea where we can go? We can't stay out in the open like this."
Ayuna shook her head. "I don't know. We can't go back to the school, and we don't know if there are any more of those monsters out here"
Raijin's mind raced as he considered their options. They couldn't stay out in the open, exposed and vulnerable to whatever dangers lurked in the shadows. But finding a safe haven in the midst of chaos would be no easy feat.
Suddenly, a flicker of hope sparked in Raijin's mind as a memory resurfaced. "Wait," he said, his voice tinged with a tiny bit of excitement. "I remember something. There's an old abandoned house not too far from here. It's been empty for years, but it might still have some shelter we can use."
Ayuna's eyes widened with surprise and relief. "That could work," she said, a note of cautious optimism in her voice. "But how do we get there? It could be dangerous to venture out into the unknown like this."
Raijin's gaze hardened with determination as he met Ayuna's eyes. "We don't have a choice," he said firmly. "We can't stay here, and we can't go back. We have to take the risk."
With their decision made, Raijin and Ayuna set off, their footsteps echoing in the empty streets as they made their way towards the abandoned house. Every shadow seemed to conceal a potential threat, every rustle of leaves sending a shiver down their spines.
Raijin and Ayuna, both still holding Sapenta, kept peeking around every corner before walking further. After a couple of minutes of walking, they finally reached the abandoned building. Raijin and Ayuna exchanged a nervous glance, their apprehension palpable as they approached the crumbling structure.
"We need to be careful," Raijin whispered, his voice barely above a breath as they drew closer to the building. "There's no telling what dangers might be lurking inside."
Ayuna nodded, her eyes scanning the dilapidated facade for any signs of movement. "Agreed," she replied, her voice tight with tension. "Let's stick together and stay alert."
With cautious steps, Raijin and Ayuna entered the abandoned house, their senses on high alert for any sign of danger. The interior was dark and musty, the air thick with dust and decay. Every creak of the floorboards echoed like a thunderclap in the silence, sending a chill down their spines.
As they ventured deeper into the building, Raijin's heart pounded in his chest with a mixture of fear and anticipation. Every shadow seemed to conceal a potential threat, every corner held the promise of danger.
But despite the looming sense of unease, Raijin and Ayuna pressed on, their determination unwavering as they searched for a safe place to rest. After what felt like an eternity of navigating the labyrinthine corridors, they finally came upon a small room tucked away in the corner of the building.
"It's not much," Raijin said, his voice tinged with relief as they entered the room. "But it's better than nothing."
Ayuna nodded in agreement, her eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger. "Let's rest here for now," she said, her voice weary but determined. "We can tend to Sapenta's injuries and figure out our next move in the morning."
With a sense of cautious optimism, Raijin and Ayuna sat down in the small room and set Sapenta down. They couldn't do anything about Sapenta's missing fingers but they could try to patch up the cut on his belly.
Well, Raijin could as he was a bit versed in first aid. Ayuna didn't know first aid, so she volunteered to be look-out while Raijin was treating Sapenta's wound. Raijin picked Sapenta up and set him on a high desk that seemed like it was ready to collapse at any moment. Raijin did that in order to reach the wound better.
But, there was one issue. Raijin had no first aid kit to help Sapenta and their was most definitely no medical items in this abandoned house. But, he decided to try and search anyway.
As Raijin searched the abandoned house, his heart sank deeper with each empty shelf and barren corner he encountered. There were no medical supplies to be found, no bandages or antiseptic to aid in treating Sapenta's wound. Despair threatened to overwhelm him as he realized the gravity of their situation.
With a heavy heart, Raijin returned to the room where Ayuna and Sapenta were, his expression filled with regret. "I couldn't find anything," he admitted, his voice laced with frustration. "We're going to have to make do with what we have."
Ayuna's face fell, mirroring Raijin's disappointment. But before either of them could dwell on their predicament any further, a sudden noise from above caused them both to freeze in terror.
Footsteps echoed ominously through the decrepit halls of the abandoned building, growing louder with each passing second. Raijin's heart pounded in his chest as he exchanged a panicked glance with Ayuna. They were not alone.
Without a word, Raijin and Ayuna moved quickly to hide in the shadows, their hearts racing with fear as they braced themselves for whatever danger lay ahead. They listened intently as the footsteps drew closer and closer, until finally, they stopped just outside the room where Raijin and Ayuna were hiding.
A moment of tense silence followed, broken only by the sound of their own ragged breaths. Then, without warning, the door burst open with a deafening crash, revealing a hulking figure silhouetted against the dim light of the hallway.
Raijin's blood ran cold as he caught sight of the monstrous creature standing before them. Its twisted form loomed menacingly in the doorway, its eyes gleaming with malice as it fixed its gaze on Raijin and Ayuna.
With a guttural growl, the creature lunged forward, its claws outstretched and its fangs bared in a snarl of rage. Raijin and Ayuna barely had time to react before the monster was upon them, its monstrous form filling the room with an aura of dread and despair.
Ayuna let out a scream as the monsters thick, sharp claws reached her neck. Raijin couldn't react that quickly. He couldn't push Ayuna out of the way. She was going to die.
"You shouldn't have come so far away, Raijin"
A warm, womanly voice came from behind the monster as it stopped, it's claws only a centimeter away from slitting Ayuna's throat.
Raijin instantly recognized the voice. He managed to stop shaking and got over his shock and peeked behind the monster.
There was a black sword piercing it's heart. Raijin looked up at the person who was holding the sword. A warm smile and black eyes met his gaze. It was-
"Shirogane-San!"
Raijin's heart pounded with a mixture of relief and disbelief at the sight of Shirogane Yoru, the black sword still protruding from the monster's chest. His breath caught in his throat as he watched her step forward, her presence commanding and authoritative.
"Shirogane-San!" Raijin stammered, his voice a mixture of astonishment and gratitude. "You... you saved us."
Yoru offered Raijin a reassuring smile, her black eyes gleaming with warmth. "It's good to see you're both safe," she said, her voice calm and steady despite the chaos surrounding them. "But we don't have much time. We need to get out of here before more of those creatures show up."
Raijin wanted his questions answered. About what these monsters truly were, about why they had attacked now and about her true identity, but Raijin new Yoru was right and that they should leave. Sapenta still wasn't healed and Ayuna had nearly just died.
The moment Raijin went to move, the monster exploded, with blood going everywhere. Raijin was so shocked that he completely fell over.
As Raijin fell to the ground, his mind reeling from the sudden explosion, he struggled to make sense of what had just happened. The shock of the blast reverberated through his body, leaving him dazed and disoriented.
Through the haze of confusion, Raijin could hear Ayuna's voice calling out to him, her tone filled with concern. He blinked, trying to clear his vision as he pushed himself up from the ground, his muscles protesting with every movement.
"What... what just happened?" Raijin muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as he glanced around the debris-strewn room. The remnants of the monster lay scattered across the floor, a gruesome reminder of the danger they had narrowly escaped.
Yoru knelt beside Raijin, her expression still warm despite the situation, "That's what happens when a monster dies, Raijin. They explode."
Raijin looked around the room again before finally getting up. He looked towards Ayuna and saw that she was still breathing heavily from her near death experience.
"Are you okay, Ayuna?" Raijin asked, his voice filled with genuine concern as he approached her. He crouched down beside her, offering her a reassuring smile despite the chaos surrounding them.
Ayuna nodded weakly, her eyes reflecting a mixture of relief and exhaustion. "I-I think so," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just... shaken up."
Raijin reached out to gently squeeze her hand, silently offering her what comfort he could. "We should probably get out of here"
Ayuna nodded and Raijin helped her up. They turned towards Yoru who was patiently wating for them. Raijin nodded to Yoru as if to say "Lead the way", to which Yoru responded with another smile and started walking away before she stopped. Raijin didn't know why she had stopped but he quickly realized why soon.
Yoru bent over where Sapenta was lying down and she easily picked him up and princess carried him out the door. Raijin couldn't help but think of how much he would tease Sapenta about this when he woke up.
But, that would have to wait. For now, they needed to get out of here.
As they walked out of the abandoned house, Raijin asked, "So uh...Shirogane-San, where exactly are we headed to?"
Without looking back, Yoru replied, "We're heading to the Monster Killer Base. From their, we'll decide on how to proceed with this situation."
Raijin still wanted to ask about how no one had ever heard of these monsters before or the monster killers, but he decided that it could wait.
As they walked, Raijin couldn't help but steal glances at Yoru, his curiosity piqued by her enigmatic demeanor. She moved with a grace and confidence that spoke of years of experience, her every step calculated and purposeful. Yet beneath her composed exterior, Raijin sensed a depth of emotion that belied her stoic facade. Anger? Sadness? Maybe a little bit of both?
An awkward silence overcame the 3 of them. Raijin couldn't bear it after a while so he decided to ask at least one question.
"Shirogane-San," Raijin began, his voice hesitant as he sought to break the silence that hung between them. "What exactly is the Monster Killer Base? And... who are the Monster Killers?"
Yoru glanced back at Raijin, her expression unreadable. Her usual warm smile was nowhere to be seen. It was as if Raijin's question annoyed her or made her angry. Or maybe she just didn't want to talk about it. "The Monster Killer Base is a safe haven for those who fight against the creatures that threaten our world," she explained, her voice tinged with a hint of solemnity. "As for the Monster Killers, we are... warriors who's main task is to eradicate all of these monsters"
Raijin nodded, absorbing her words with a sense of reverence. So, the monster killers are heroes?"
The moment Raijin asked that, he knew he had made a mistake. Yoru's warm aura instantly disappeared and her blank face changed to an expression of anger. But, that only lasted for a moment as she instantly composed herself. But, it was still long enough for Raijin to notice the change. What had brought it on?
Yoru faced in front of her again and answered in a voice devoid of any emotion, "We are not heroes. There is no such thing as heroes in this world. You're either pure evil or neutral. There is no such thing as nice people"
With that, their conversation came to an end.
The atmosphere grew tense as Yoru's words hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over their surroundings. Raijin felt a pang of regret for having sparked such a reaction from her, his curiosity momentarily eclipsed by the gravity of her words.
As they continued on their journey towards the Monster Killer Base, Raijin couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air. Yoru's sudden shift in demeanor had caught him off guard, leaving him to ponder the deeper implications of her words.
What had she meant by "there is no such thing as heroes"? And why had she reacted so strongly to his question? Raijin couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding creeping into his mind. He thought back to earlier that day when she had reacted strongly to his family name. Or, his real family name. What had brought that reaction?
Wait...
"Shirogane-San?"
Yoru didn't turn back but she responded with a "what?"
"Are these monster's all over the city?"
Yoru just nodded.
Raijin's heart sank.
What about his parents? Were they facing something similar to him and Ayuna?
He could only hope that a Monster Killer had reached their office building too.