"Move faster Kyoto, we don't have much time!"
"Am moving as fast as I could!"
The streets were chaos. Screams filled the air, and people ran in every direction, their faces pale with terror. Shikaku and Kyoto darted through the stampeding crowd, their sharp eyes scanning the area for the source of the commotion. Smoke and dust billowed out from the auction house, obscuring their view, but the sound of monstrous roars made it clear what was happening.
As they drew closer, they came to a halt at the entrance to the auction house. The scene before them was a nightmare. A massive horde of Terradrakes loomed over the wreckage, their monstrous forms feasting on the remnants of people too slow to escape. Blood pooled on the ground, and the creature's guttural growls reverberated through the air.
Kyoto let out a low whistle, gripping his bio-pistol tightly. "That's... a lot of Terradrakes."
Shikaku stood silent, his sharp gaze assessing the situation. After a moment, he spoke with calm authority. "Stay here."
Kyoto suddenly blinked, surprised. "What? You're going in there alone?"
"They are too dangerous for you," Shikaku said bluntly. "Your job is to make sure no stranglers get close. I'll bring the others out."
Kyoto hesitated for a moment, then eventually nodded, surprising even himself with how easily he agreed. "Fine. Don't die in there, though."
Shikaku smirked faintly as he responded. "I don't plan to."
Kyoto watched as Shikaku stepped forward, his movements deliberate and composed. The older man exuded an air of unshakable confidence, even as he approached the Terradrakes. Kyoto leaned against the wall by the entrance, crossing his arms and muttering under his breath, "Let's see what you've got, old man."
Shikaku continued his slow, calm advance, his five bio-blades already extending from his arms like an extension of his body. The blades gleamed in the dim light, pulsating faintly with energy.
The Terradrakes, noticing his approach, snarled and snapped their jaws, their crimson eyes locking onto him. Several of them crouched low before leaping toward him, their massive bodies crashing down with terrifying speed.
Kyoto watched intently, his breath caught in his throat he muttered. "Here we go..."
But Shikaku didn't flinch. He stood perfectly still, his head slightly tilted as if studying the beasts. The first Terradrake lunged its Jaws wide open, ready to tear him apart.
Then he moved.
It was a blur, a flash of motion so fast it seemed as if he had vanished. Kyoto barely caught it–the way Shikaku twisted his body just enough to evade the attack, his blades slashing upward in a single fluid motion. Blood sprayed through the air as the Terradrake collapsed, it's body cleaved cleanly in two.
Two more Terradrakes lunged at him, their claws swiping through the air, but Shikaku weaved between them with effortless precision. His movements were almost serene, like a dancer's, each step calculated and precise. His bio-blades became a whirlwind of death, carving through the creatures with terrifying efficiency.
"Damn..." Kyoto muttered, his eyes wide. He'd always known Shikaku was skilled, but this was something else entirely. "He's... A blade beast."
Shikaku didn't stop. More Terradrakes turned their attention towards him, drawn by the deaths of their kin. They swarmed, their roars filling the air as they charged him from all sides.
But Shikaku was ready. He spun on his heel, his blades slashing in wide arcs that tore through flesh and shockingly bones. Blood splattered the ground as one by one, the Terradrakes fell. His speed never wavered, his focus unbroken.
Kyoto could only watch in awe as Shikaku continued his onslaught, carving a path through the horde like a man possessed. For a brief moment, he felt a flicker of hope.
"Maybe he really can get them out of there," Kyoto murmured, gripping his dagger tighter. "Good luck, old man."
Shikaku's relentless dance of blades had brought him to the heart of the chaos. His breathing remained steady, and his expression was calm deapite the battlefield around him. The Terradrakes were relentless, but Shikaku's movements were precise, his blades singing as they cleaved through sinew and bone.
Finally, he emerged into the shattered auction hall, where Lady Naga, Ino, Hanabi and Suguru were holding their ground against the onslaught. The blood slick floor was littered with bodies–both human and Kaiju–as survivors cowered behind overturned tables and debris.
"Shikaku!!" Lady Naga exclaimed, relief washing over her face as she saw him.
Shikaku didn't respond with words. Instead, he moved with practiced precision, slicing through the charging Terradrake and clearing a section of the room. His voice cut through the chaos.
"Path's open. Move now!!"
Lady Naga nodded, immediately taking charge. "Everyone, stick together and follow the path! Hanabi, Suguru, cover him as we move!"
"Copy!"
"Roger that!"
Hanabi and Suguru didn't need further prompting. Suguru raised her glowing. High-tech crossbow, it's bolts singing through the air and striking down Terradrakes attempting to close In. Hanabi's bio-cannon hummed as he unleashed precise Burt's of energy, scorching any Kaiju that dared approach Shikaku from a distance.
Ino stayed close to Lady Naga, her twin bio-Katanas gleaming as she swiftly cut down smaller Terradrakes that lunged at their group. The survivors, still trembling in fear, began to rise hesitantly, following Lady Naga's lead as she guided them towards the exit Shikaku had carved.
Shikaku remained at the rear, his blades a whirlwind of death as he fended off the relentless horde. His focus was absolute, his movements efficient as he ensured no Terradrake could get close to the escaping group.
Hanabi suddenly called out from her position, "Shikaku, more on your left!"
Without even looking, Shikaku sidestepped and spun, his blade slicing through a lunging Terradrakes neck. The creature collapsed with a guttural roar, it's massive form crashing to the ground
Suguru suddenly added, "We've got your back, Just keep them off us!!"
The group pressed forward, the survivors moving quickly as they could while Lady Naga and Ino provided additional protection. Shikaku's path, though blood-soaked, was clear enough for them to navigate.
As they reached the exit, the Terradrakes number suddenly seemed endless. They poured into the auction house from the fissures in the ground, their roars shaking the very walls. But despite all that, Lady Naga didn't falter as she exclaimed while taking down a Terradrake that got too close to the group.
"Keep moving!!"