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Japan, Forest behind the Ozunu Orphanage
Lucian ran through the forest, eyes closed, his senses focused as he followed the symphony of footsteps.
The ground thrummed with the impact of their running, a constant, ominous rhythm. The forest floor seemed to vibrate beneath his feet as the unseen force closed in.
He slowed down as the sound of the footsteps faded as he neared their source.
His eyes, accustomed to the darkness, opened, scanning the area. He frowned. 'Where are they?' he thought, his mind was struggling to grasp the situation.
His enhanced vision, sharper than a human's, pierced the darkness, yet he saw no one. He took a step forward, but Cortana's voice stopped him.
"On the branches above the trees," she said, her voice a mixture of urgency and warning. Her gaze was a mix of concern and worry as she pointed upwards.
Lucian followed her finger and saw them, a group of ninjas, clad in black, silhouetted against the moonlight, their features hidden by masks. 'Who are these guys? Another ninja clan?' he thought, remembering that the Arashikage ninjas didn't wear those kinds of outfits.
The ninjas, with coordinated movements, started jumping down from the branches. They landed gracefully, their movements swift and silent.
Others leaped towards the branches of nearby trees, moving quickly as they jumped from branch to branch.
As the ninjas fell to the ground, Lucian had a moment to get a closer look.
The ninjas, their features concealed by masks, wore full black ninja suits, and their coordinated movements made them feel somehow inhuman.
'They are…,' Lucian thought, a sense of unease creeping into his mind. The feeling was strange, a mixture of familiarity and unease, like recognizing something from a dream, something buried deep within his past memories.
But before he could delve deeper, the ninjas rushed forward towards him, their movements like a wave a relentless, unstoppable force as they sprinted towards him, their weapons raised and full of unwavering determination.
Lucian remained calm. 'What world are they from?' he asked Cortana as he focused on the ninjas rushing towards him, his body tense and ready, his mind clear and focused, preparing to fight. 'They're surrounding me,' he thought.
The first ninja leaped from a tree branch, his weapon, a sharp curved blade, raised high, aimed for Lucian's throat.
Lucian ducked, evading the attack, his movements swift and precise.
He raised his katana, its blade slicing through the air, cutting the ninja's arm, severing it completely.
When the ninja landed, his arm fell to the ground. He didn't even cry out, he simply picked up the weapon he'd dropped, as he turned around with emotionless resolve and charged at Lucian again.
Lucian frowned. 'Is this guy stupid?' He thought, struggling to comprehend the ninja's actions. The ninja, not deterred by the loss of his arm, charged at Lucian, his movements fueled by relentless determination.
Lucian just dodged as he took a sidestep with precise timing, easily cutting off his remaining arm. But the ninja, ignoring his missing limbs, jumped at Lucian, using his body as a weapon.
Lucian, his movements almost casual, sliced through the air with his katana, separating the ninja's head from his body.
Lucian frowned, looking at the body before he turned, his gaze fixed on the approaching ninjas.
He kicked out, his foot connecting with the chest of a ninja who had rolled onto the ground.
The ninja stumbled back but immediately rose to his feet, as he continued to charge towards Lucian.
Lucian blocked the attack with his katana, deflecting the ninja's axe with a resounding clang. He then raised his blade, and with a swift movement, he cut off the ninja's other arm.
But the ninja, like the first one, showed no signs of pain, no sign of hesitation. He lunged towards Lucian, his movements relentless, as he continued to rush towards him.
"Kuroko. Gyeongseong Creatures," Cortana said, her voice tinged with a hint of fear.
"They don't feel pain. They only follow orders. Cutting off their limbs won't stop them. You have to kill them completely. Cut off their heads, or destroy their hearts," Cortana continued worriedly, her knowledge of these creatures, gleaned from Lucian's past memories, was clear they were a terrifying threat.
'Shit,' Lucian thought, a wave of frustration washing over him as he cut off another Kuroko's head. He knew the best way to kill these creatures was with fire or a nitrogen-based weapon, but he wasn't going to find those in the middle of the forest.
He focused on cutting off their heads as the other Kurokos rushed towards him, making his movements faster, his katana a whirlwind of steel, his focus laser-sharp. Lucian, who was killing, couldn't help but notice these Kuroko were unlike those in the series.
They weren't just mindless creatures, driven only by primal instinct. These Kurokos fought like trained ninjas, their movements fluid and unexpected.
Lucian frowned. 'Are they trained ninjas before being infected by the Najin? What the hell?' he thought, his mind was struggling to comprehend the situation because, in his memories, they were simply superhumans. But he had to adapt. He knew he couldn't rely on brute force alone.
The Kuroko, their movements almost supernatural, dodged his attacks, their bodies weaving through the air with unnatural agility. They blocked his attacks, deflecting his blade with surprising skill.
He couldn't afford to make mistakes. He was outnumbered and outmatched, but he was more skilled, and he wasn't going to give up.
He couldn't let them reach the children.
He had to buy them time. He kept moving, cutting, slicing, his katana a blur of motion.
One by one, he separated their heads from their bodies as blood drenched the ground.
His movements became a dance of death, each strike swift and deadly, each victory fleeting.
He pushed himself to the limit, his focus intense, his killings a testament to his years of training.
When Lucian finally stopped, his breath ragged, his body aching, he looked around. The ground was drenched in blood, and the clearing was littered with Kuroko bodies.
As he looked towards the Kurokos from a distance, they stopped attacking him, surrounding him in a circle, their numbers seemingly endless. But Lucian remained calm.
He pulled out his tanto, its sharp blade gleaming in the dim light. He knew that if he couldn't cut off their heads, he would have to destroy their hearts.
He stood, his katana in one hand, his tanto in the other a warrior braced against the darkness, facing a tide of creatures that refused to die.
"They're more than just one hundred, Lucian. What are your plans? You can't kill them all," Cortana said, her voice trembling, her tone laced with worry, her concern evident.
"I know. I'm not going to kill them all. I'm just going to buy some time, then run away," Lucian said, his voice steady, his mind clear. Despite the overwhelming odds, he knew his goal was to buy time and survive.
He knew Cortana was worried about him. This was the most dangerous situation he had ever been in.
But then Lucian's eyes widened. He realized that the Kuroko weren't all focused on him. Some of them were rushing towards another direction.
"Looks like their target was always the children." Cortana said, her voice calmer now, her analytical mind piecing together the situation.
"Now that they know you're not easy to deal with, they're trying to keep you here."
"Fuck," Lucian cursed, his anger rising. He rushed towards the Kuroko, cutting down another one, but these creatures' objectives were different.
They weren't trying to incapacitate him anymore, they were defending themselves, dodging his attacks.
'These guys are going to tire me out,' Lucian thought, realizing their mission was to keep him busy. A wave of concern washed over him.
They were playing a game of attrition, trying to tire him out so they could reach the children with him chasing them.
He had to break free, he had to get to the children, he had to protect them. He had to make sure they were safe. But his eyes lit with anger as his determination hardened. 'Let's see if I tire out before killing you all,' he thought, his face blank, his movements faster, his techniques deadlier, his killing intent stronger.
He knew he couldn't give up, or he would regret it.
Cortana watched him, her heart filled with both admiration and fear. She knew him as someone who didn't care about other people, now seeing his resolve, his strength, his dedication.
She knew he wouldn't stop until he had achieved his goal, until he had ensured the children's safety. But she also knew the danger he was facing, the overwhelming odds stacked against him.
Cortana watched as Lucian's movements became more fluid, more precise, more deadly, turning the battle into a carnage.
Lucian's katana became an extension of his will, his strikes a symphony of destruction. He moved with an intensity that was both frightening and captivating.
His black fierce eyes, blazed with determination. His muscles, flexing with power, were a testament to him pushing to his limit.
From a nobody, he had become a warrior, a warrior in a desperate fight, a warrior who would not yield.
He was a force of nature, unleashed.
The Kuroko, their bodies a tangle of limbs and blood, fell before him, their attacks failing to penetrate his defenses.
He was unstoppable as he wielded his katana and tanto, cutting, slashing, striking, his movements a ballet of death. But even as he fought with a ferocity that was almost terrifying, a knot of worry remained in Cortana's gut.
These creatures were relentless. They didn't tire. They didn't feel pain. They wouldn't stop until they achieved their objective, until they had captured the children.
Cortana couldn't help him. She couldn't fight. She was a voice, a guide, a connection to his soul. She could only hope that he would be strong enough, quick enough, skilled enough to outlast the relentless onslaught.
Her eyes, their golden glow intensified, were fixed in the forest, in the direction of the children, hoping for their safety. She prayed that they were still safe, still running, still alive.
"I hope you guys are safe," she whispered, her voice a prayer against the backdrop of the growing battle.
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Next Chapter 40: Ozunu Part 1
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