"Speak"
'Think'
"Move / Inner Moka's voice inside the rosario / Monster Encyclopedia"
For the duration of the day, Kurai didn't pay much attention to the various subjects that followed one another hour by hour. He didn't care of the yokai history or languages. and certainly he did not care at all about the math, science or art. Hell, he wasn't a cursed Porygon or a Smeargle! So he passed whole day to stare out the window the bare trees and the tombstones that surrounded the school mulling the thankless job he had to do. His attitude, however, seemed to affect the rest of the class that constantly turned to look the disturbing boy: if before only his appearance put the class a certain nervousness, now his presence was overwhelming, almost suffocating. The more the frustration of the boy grew, the more the class became dark and cold, although there was not a cloud in sky and Mizore was not doing anything.
The situation didn't change even at lunchtime. When he got to the refectory, he saw what seemed him a scene from a horror movie: monsters of every kind that filled the belly of each type of meat, fish and, worst of all, eggs. Kurai imagined the faces of those monsters while devouring a Miltank steak, a Magikarp fillet or, and here he had to put a hand over her mouth to keep from vomiting, an omelet of Pokémon Eggs . Decided to avert his eyes from that horrible spectacle and those frightening images. He took more fruit as he could and a glass of milk, sat down in an empty table in the corner and began to munch on a fruit. Sure, those fruits aren't the barries that he usually ate and the milk wasn't as good as that of a Miltank, but he had to settle.
'At least one good thing there' he thought to himself hoping for a moment of rest, tranquility and solitude
"Oy, you". Kurai looked up in time to see the boy who called him walking towards him
'Aaah, I spoke too soon' Kurai thought irritably as the boy reached him and looked down on him. He was a boy of about seventeen years with blond hair in a topknot back. He was wearing beige pants, a pair of black gloves , a pair of moccasins and a dark green denim jacket open on the chest showing a necklace with a tooth of some kind of strange animal. But what gave him most trouble to Kurai was the grin that kind addressed to him. He wanted take him by the collar of his jacket, then lift it up and smash him to the ground.
"Hello, my name is Iwa "
"I didn't ask you your name. And anyway, I don't care "Kurai said, looking away and taking another fruit then take it to his mouth moving a little the scarf, not enough for the guy could see his mouth
"You should care instead" the boy replied grinning, quite annoyed by the arrogance of Kurai "I heard a lot about you. A new guy that you do not know anything but that leaves where passes and around himself an aura of fear, although he does absolutely nothing. He isn't arrogant, doesn't threaten anybody, doesn't beat anyone. Put simply, your mere presence terrorizes the minds of all. I must say I'm impressed and I admire you for that "
"Thank you" Kurai murmured little interested to his words as he sipped his milk
"Sure, it's hard to believe these stories looking at you eat only fruits and drink a glass of milk" Iwa added mockingly
"What I eat and drink isn't your business and now go away" Kurai replied acid as he continued unperturbed the meal
"Anyway this thing has to end" Kurai said Iwa looking with contempt, the sneer disappeared from the face "I do not like all this attention towards you. There is enough room for two people like us in this school. So I suggest you disappear before there is a new tombstone with your name on it "
"... Disappear" Kurai murmured standing up and looking into the eyes Iwa "If I could choose, now I wouldn't be in this stupid school. But, unfortunately, I have to inform you that I have been sent here by order of someone much more powerful and scary than you. So I'm ready to face your anger rather that of who sent me here ... supposing you even able to touch me "Kurai said contemptuously looking into hatred
"How dare you" Iwa growled angrily taking off a glove and grabbing her glass of milk. In an instant her glass and the milk turned into stone
'... interesting ...' Kurai thought "I had not finished it yet" Kurai said quietly hiding his interest for the abilities he had just observed
"Damn ... you'll regret it" Iwa growled through clenched teeth throwing glass stone against a wall shattering it then go away
"..."
"First day of school and you have already attracted enough attention to make you a deadly enemy ... I'd say you integrated pretty well" Tsukune said as he approached the table with Kurai Moka, Kurumu and Yukari
"I had myself as the first day of school something like" Tsukune continued thinking back to his first day: the first meeting with Moka, the discovery of study at a school for monsters, the battle with Saizou, the Inner Moka's revival...The first day of school is always the most special and problematic, heheh.
"Mph, fantastic. He sent me here, tells me specifically not to attract attention and what happens? Immediately the whole school is staring at me and there is already someone who want me dead. When he'll come to know, he'll kill me " Kurai grumbled with a sudden desire to smash something.
"Uh someone send you here? Aren't you here to attend classes-desu? "Yukari said some 'surprise.
"The reason I am here is none of your business" Kurai said angry turning a glare to the little witch who frightened her to the point of hiding her face behind the hat, trembling with fear.
"It isn't necessary to be so rude you know?" Kurumu snapped for his tone. "And then I want to know why a monster in a school if not to study?" Kurumu asked angry and curious but receive the same glance of his friend and retreating.
"I'll say it just another time. What I'm here is none of your business "Kurai said darkly and angry as he stood up" And now I would like to be left alone" he muttered before walking away.
"Mph, unsympathetic. And we should make friends with that guy?" Kurumu defiant soon as she recovered from the shock.
"You're right Kurumu. Who is believed to be that-desu?" Yukari agreed with his face still hidden by hat.
"In your opinion Moka, why is he here?" Tsukune looking in the direction where Kurai was directed.
"I don't know. I don't think, however, that he is here to do something bad. He admitted here, in front of us, to have come here for a different purpose who attend classes, who was sent here by someone very powerful and scary who forbids him to leave school and wants Kurai goes unnoticed" Moka said thoughtfully.
"I think I understand what you mean: if I were doing some kind of sinister activity for some evil person, I wouldn't give all this information to the first meeting" Tsukune said still looking at the forest.
"... someone know where Mizore went ?" Yukari asked, his head now stuck out shyly from the hat for looking their friend and to make sure that Kurai was gone.
"I saw her go towards the cliff. I think she wanted to stay a little alone with his thoughts, as sometimes does." Kurumu replied.
"... Sorry me, but the cliff is not in the direction that Kurai walked away?" Moka asked turning their gaze towards the forest.
"And that direction is not the same where Iwa was directed?" Moka continued now very worried.
The cliff had always been the favorite place of Mizore. During the period when she was alone and without friends, she was often in that place because it always managed to comfort her a bit. It was as if the wind always blowing there could drag away her sadness and then let it fall off the cliff, causing them to drown in that sea like blood. Her place of solitude where she could shut herself in order to forget the problems of real life. But now the place became the place where they saved her, the place where she could remember the fact that she has friends who would always supported, helped and protected anytime. So some time she went to the reef to remember and relax happily. Her place of peace.
What she did not expect was that her place of peace had been invaded by someone who she did not expect to find. On the cliff edge, sitting and leaning on his right knee, there was the new guy staring with look serene and calm the red sea, his eyes staring the horizon. Mizore thought that maybe It was not the best time to stay and watch the beautiful landscape. So she slowly turn around.
"The words solitude and tranquility exist in this school or not?" Kurai sighed stopping Mizore.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here. Usually in this place there is no one. It is the right place if you want to be alone, think or relax" Mizore murmured, turning to look the boy and approaching the edge of the cliff.
"Great, now I have the certainty that doesn't exist a place in all of this school where I can rest in peace" Kurai groaned irritated and exhausted.
"Why are you here?" Mizore asked.
"I was looking for a place where I could relax, away from everything and everyone. Vain hope."
"No, why are you here?" Mizore insisted "If you really wanted be alone and, there are a lot of other places where you could stay. Why are you here?" Mizore asked sitting beside him.
"... I wanted to see this sea" Kurai said, his eyes still fixed on the expanse of red water "I had never seen a sea like that.".
"Haven't you ever seen the sea?".
"I mean that I have never seen the sea of the monsters world. I'm used to that of the human world," Kurai reiterated sharp.
"Do you mean that you've always lived in the human world?" Mizore asked surprised. To hide in the human world for yokai is very difficult, but spend their entire lives here is surprising.
"Because of a my ... particularity ... I'm hated by both yokai that humans so I decided to spend my life where I stood better and believe it was the human world" Kurai lied. When he was sent, Father had created for him a false story well made and perfectly credible. Although in fact, that particular was quite true as in his world was really hated by the two factions.
"Hated by all worlds ... are you a witch?" Mizore asked curious remembering the great discrimination of witches in both groups. Because of their powers, they are feared and hated by humans. But not being yokai pure, monsters see them as humans with yokai abilities and then despise them too.
"No" Kurai said simply and monotonously making Mizore a little perplexed. If he was not a witch, what kind of yokai he is?
"You instead, why are you here?" Kurai asked, turning to look at the girl. Now it was his turn to ask questions.
"I come here to remember. To remember the mistakes I did. The time when I believed that worldwide was angry with me. The day when everything changed. And to remind myself that I am not alone" Mizore murmured looking up and staring at the clouds.
"This place is important to you, isn't it?" Kurai murmured, his voice usually gloomy softened a little.
"Yes, it's" Mizore said almost whispering, a gentle smile on his face as the wind passed through her hair.
"... I'd better go. Soon that boring lectures will resume" Kurai said, getting up with a groan and walking toward the forest.
"Wait, I accompany you" Mizore said, rising and reaching Kurai
"I cannot even take a stroll alone. Now I am absolutely sure that the whole school hate me" Kurai groaned through clenched teeth as he continued unperturbed the road trying to ignore the Mizore 's presence. When he came at the school, however, he realized that her presence doesn't irritated him as with all the others. It was actually almost pleasant.
...strange.
Fiuuuu
"Be careful!". Kurai was just in time to take Mizore and drag her away before a large tombstone fall in the exact place where they were a momen ago, breaking and causing a cloud of dust.
"I said you that it would appeared a tombstone with your name." Kurai looked up searching for the source of the voice. Standing on the branch of a tree there was Iwa with a malicious grin on his face and a tombstone shaped like a cross resting on his shoulders.
"You again? What annoying you are" Kurai said scowling look at him.
"You were who said me that you were willing to face my wrath. And if I'm not mistaken, you have also challenged me to hit you, aren't I?" Iwa asked arrogantly ready to throw the stone from one moment to another.
"You didn't say that you would directed your anger even against innocent people" Kurai said watching Mizore out of the corner of the eye to make sure of his health.
"Huh? ... Oh-hoh, look look. Weren't you the one that said you wanted to be alone?" Iwa exclaimed only now realizing the presence of angry Mizore.
"We met up accidentally, she wanted to be alone too." Kurai reiterated.
"Being alone, eh ... wait wait, now I get it! You didn't want to be alone. No, you wanted to be alone" Iwa teased making growling with anger.
"Are you here to teach me a lesson or to mock me?" Kurai provoked narrowing his eyes and crossed his arms warily.
"I apologize. You're right, I'm stalling. Let's pick up where we stopped!" Iwa shouted lunging toward Kurai and rotating the tombstone as a baseball bat with the intention to hit him. Kurai quickly swerved to the left, dodging the joke of Iwa, realizing, however, something coming from behind and he bent his head quickly, allowing some ice kunai to hit the Iwa's arm. Turning around he saw, a little surprised, the figure of Mizore in fighting posing with, instead of hands, long ice claws.
"Excuse me, but since you've attacked me, now the matter is mine too" Mizore said intent to form another kunai.
'A girl monster with the ice power ... is she maybe the yokai version of a Froslass ?' Kurai thought impressed and intrigued despite the situation.
"Damn, I'll get back at you!" Iwa shouted furious taking off the gloves and grabbing a kunai remained to stuck changing it to stone and crumble it.
"Mizore!". Tsukune followed by the girls quickly reached the site of the fighting with the intent to help her friend. "Are you okay Mizore?" Moka asked worried
"Yeah I'm fine. Kurai saved me a tombstone that Iwa has hurled" Mizore said while hurling another volley of ice kunai that Iwa destroyed with his tombstone
"Enough, you have grown tired me!" Iwa said furious and tried to hit it with a stone. Mizore managed to narrowly dodge jumping back. Grinding his teeth, touched the ground with his claws, creating a ice stalagmites wave directed to Iwa but that turned into stone and then crumble as Iwa touched it. Iwa reached her quickly ready to hit from the high direct to the neck.
"Mizore be careful!" Tsukune, Moka, Kurumu and Yukari shouted looking terrified the tombstone now only a few centimeters from her face. With a motion blurred and a wind noise, the figure of Kurai slipped between the girl and the tombstone, grabbing the tombstone with the left hand and hitting him in face with the right, causing him to crash against a tree.
"Am I wrong or was against me that you wanted fight?" Kurai asked monotonous.
"That damn bitch's interfered with our fight" Iwa exclaimed growling to Kurai and Mizore.
"... Ice-girl, keep away and do not meddle more in our fight" Kurai murmured.
"But I can help you" Mizore protested still a little shocked.
"It's my fight and I do not want any help from anyone. Help me one more time and I'll be obliged to to consider you too as an adversary" Kurai declared looking Mizore straight at her, the cold look of one who doesn't accept objections.
"... Okay ... thanks," he added Mizore while cautiously moves away.
"No kind of help? Don't you think you're a little arrogant and presumptuous?" Iwa asked mockingly.
"There isn't honor to defeat an adversary if it is two against one and I am not a coward who needs to ask for help or to attack my enemy off guard as you did. Also ... if your strength and your speed you've shown so far are the best you have to offer ... "Kurai murmured before to break the tombstone pressing a little it with the hand " ... No. I don't think I'm presumptuous, "he concluded bleak projecting to everyone present a fear halo.
"Have you called me a coward?" Iwa growled angrily although he felt within himself nervous for attitude confident but not cocky of the adversary. "So far I restrained myself but now I want to take you that your face and crush its until it becomes dust!" he exclaimed angrily.
A few moments later, the Iwa's body began to tremble, to grow and expand. The green jacket ripped showing his skin replaced by scales, hands turned into reptiles legs, along the arm and forearm grew long blondes feathers. The shoes were destroyed because of the feet become crow's feet while the face was transformed in face of a big lizard with a beak and a crest of rooster.
"So, do you still think you have any chance against me?" Iwa asked chuckling, his voice became much deeper and croaky.
"... can someone explain to me what the hell that is?" Kurai asked unimpressed looking Tsukune and girls who had remained astonished by true form of Iwa.
"Do you still do the witty? Let us see even if this makes you complain" Iwa said running to Kurai, scaly paw outstretched to strike him.
"Be careful! Iwa is a Cockatrice. If he touches you, you'll turn into a stone statue!" Yukari screamed worried trying to warn him.
Monster Encyclopedia
Cockatrice: heraldic mythological monster of the medieval mythology. It is said that he arises from a hen's egg fecundated by a lizard. He belongs to the same family of the wyverns and the Basilisk but, unlike his cousins, doesn't have a corrosive poison or the ability to kill the people with his eyes. On the other hand, he has the ability to petrify the victims through the physical contact and his powerful breath.
"Will I turn into a statue if he touches me? Thank you very much for the information, I would never have discovered it without your help. Because you know, he had never before shown his skills " Kurai said sarcastically while easily dodged the blow by lowering of the monster and then move back quickly looking bored and the hands inside the pockets of his pants.
"Unsympathetic! I try to help you because I fear for your health and you fool me-desu?!" Yukari exclaimed, raising his arms to the sky irritated by his attitude. Over the fight, however, lasted longer and Yukari thought that maybe, in fact, Kurai didn't need his help or that of anyone the group. Every time Iwa try to hit or catch Kurai with his dangerous hands, he backed away or shrunk back at such a distance, and with so quickly, seemed that Iwa trying to touch a mirage when in fact the gloomy boy was to several meters of distance.
"Unbelievable. Kurai moving at amazing speed. And he hasn't shown his true form yet . I wonder what kind of monster he is and what skills he can use" Kurumu said amazed by the speed of the boy who continued to dodge Iwa as if he were seeing them in slow motion.
"You're right. Iwa is furious but Kurai seems almost bored by his attempts and continues to dodge them without showing any sign of tiredness. And then ... with that speed and his look ... if before he looked ghostly now seems truly a ghost "Moka murmured impressed but slightly disquieted.
'Actually ...' Tsukune said to himself as he continued to watch the fight.
The look and clothing of Kurai normally made him look like a spirit. But, with his hands in the pockets, his arms seemed to merge with the rest of the body. And the air caused by his movements did sway the bottom of the coat, hiding the feet and thus giving the idea that was floating on the ground. Iwa was fighting against what looked like a spirit of the night.
"You disappoint me. You disappoint me deeply" Kurai said sorrowfully dodging yet another blow jumping high before landing quietly on the branch of a tree and watching his opponent who had shortness of breath. "You have a very interesting power but all you can do is threaten, growl and try to touch your adversaries without any strategy. You're just a fool who belongs to a kind of yokai with a name and look ridiculous." Kurai concluded looking down Iwa watching him in hatred.
"A stupid-looking ridiculous and without any strategy?" Iwa shouted angrily throwing open the huge beak and giving off a dull green gas cloud in the Kurai direction. Kurai jumped quickly down the tree and moving away quickly from the cloud. When the cloud cleared, the tree was petrified leaving the group of young people in awe. Turning their eyes, they saw, surprised, a Kurai not visibly worried who the tree just watched transfixed with interest.
"Then you're not completely stupid and devoid of strategies" Kurai murmured turning his eyes to Iwa. "If the adversary is near, you attack him with your hands. But if the adversary is distant, you attack him with your breath. A good strategy" Kurai admitted apparently impressed.
"You finally realized that you can not win against me?" Iwa said grinning while he relished his victory.
"I do not understand what you're talking about," Kurai said quietly looking up at the sky, the voice of who has nothing to worry about.
Iwa had reached his limit. He foamed for the rage, incomprehensible words came from the throat stifled by the heat as he closed his hands clawed with such rage as to make them bleed.
"Mgnughisnosamn AAAHH ...!" He shouted with as much voice had sparked from the throat and his petrifying cloud to Kurai who hid behind a tree protecting from the cloud. When Iwa finished to blow the gas, he lunged at him hitting the tree, shattering the trunk petrified and tried to take him by surprise. Kurai dodged the shot quickly and quietly by lowering the torso and the head, hitting him then to the stomach with his right knee and then overcome and hit him again in the back with a kick hurling him against a rock.
"So you are not only fast but also strong" Inner Moka inside the said the rosary, pleased and affected by what she was watching. "And you haven't used your power yet... You have caught my attention, Kurai Dark. Come on, show me what you can do and maybe one day you will fight against me. As long as you survive the battle" Inner Moka thought with a small smile, one of his fangs in prominence and eyes sparkling with enjoyment as she continued to observe the two monsters waiting the outcome of the battle.
"Do you think that is enough to have a pretty impressive power and a decent strategy to win against me? Deluded. You trust too much of your powers, and you do so blinded by anger prevent you to think clearly. That's why you can't win against me regardless by what you do" Kurai said dismissively as he watched the Cockatrice back on his feet, the clawed hand on his stomach and a trail of blood out of the beak.
Iwa was looking at him with all the contempt that his body had as he tried to catch his breath just by the blows received. The arrogant bastard had a force equal if not superior to his speed and he was now exhausted. Another hit like that before and would be defeated. He had to think of something, and fast. It would be enough even just a shot of his cloud. He looked around for a way to be able to cheat him. His gaze stopped on Mizore so far remained aloof a short distance from the battle, ready to intervene in case Kurai had been in danger.
"I can't defeat you, huh?" grinned Iwa still looking Mizore with one eye. Kurai frowned at the yokai, not understanding what he was thinking. But when he noticed which direction the monster was watching, he opened the visible eyes, realizing instantly what his plan was. Iwa raised his head, opened his beak and came out his cloud to Mizore direction. Kurai acted immediately and, before the cloud touched the girl, grabbed Mizore and pushed her away from cloud being invested in her place.
Kurumu and Yukari had their eyes wide open for what had just happened, Moka was covered with his hand to cover a cry of horror as Tsukune, with open-mouthed, couldn't believe what had done Kurai. Mizore was too shocked and confused to figure out what had happened.
A moment ago she was looking her companion to fight against the Cockatrice, hoping that he wouldn't be hurt and in which case help him. And a moment later Kurai the rescued her from the petrifying cloud, pushing her away and being invested in her place by the cloud.
Since he arrived at school, Kurai was always grumpy and obnoxious with everyone and terrorized everyone who tried to approach him. But now he had saved from the tombstone launched by Iwa. Then he had blocked the Iwa attempt to hit her. And now had even sacrificed his life to save the life of a person who had known only a few minutes ago... And the fault was hers alone.
Mizore still looked dangerous cloud slowly thinned, tight throat prevented him from making any sound, his eyes shining with sadness, while Iwa cruelly laughed. "Ahahaha. Oh sorry, I didn't understand what you just said. It was something like " you can't defeat me "? Ahahahah. You got what you deserve bastard. To sacrifice your life to save her, a certain noble gesture, BUT COMPLETELY STUPID. Ah, I can't wait to see how you became. Before I'll tear and crumble that your presumptuous face with enormous satisfaction, then I'll detach that your empty head and I'll use it like a bowling ball and finally I'll take what remains of your body and will plant it in front of the school as scarecr- ".
His voice stopped in his throat when he saw that, the cloud dissipated, Kurai had disappeared without leaving any trace. He couldn't understand: he was one hundred percent sure of he hit him with his technique but then why there wasn't his statue?
"Worm"
The air was sudden dark, heavy and tense. The senses of everyone present tensed making them within moments nervous and frightened. Even inside the Inner Moka rosary felt a chill run down her back. Because that word was whispered, a whisper heard by everyone and the voice that pronounced it was a voice that seemed to come from underground, from the underworld. Iwa looked around searching nervous and trembling with fear, to find the source of the voice when eyes stood trembling on the ground where, a short while ago, he had hit Kurai. At the center of it there was a strange black spot.
A shadow ... without an owner.
The fear turned to terror and his eyes almost came out from his sockets when he saw the shadow flicker and Kurai's head and body come out slowly from it. His appearance now radiated pure fear: the longs and prickly white hair now were moved by a nonexistent wind causing them to look like the flickering flame of a candle. Arms, bust and legs had turned themselves in shadows and united together in one body of darkness. The shoulders were spiky and the lower body fused with the ground. But the scariest feature was the face: unchanged except for the eye, now restricted, radiated the infinite rage he was feeling, giving the sensation to anyone watching him to drown and to sink in the quicksand at the same time.
"Just to hit and beat me, you didn't hesitate to use an innocent as bait. You're nothing more than a miserable, dirty, disgusting coward. "Kurai said with all the contempt he could put into his voice looking an Iwa wide-eyed and terrified. For each word, Iwa thought, or maybe if he was imagining, that, word after word, the figure of Kurai becoming bigger and bigger, darkening the sky and enclosing him in his darkness. Even girls and Tsukune watched the new Kurai with fear.
When they arrived they were going to save Mizore and assist Kurai to defeat the Cockatrice. But now their instinct was screaming to give up the fight and run away. Even into the Inner Moka rosary was feeling a sensation if controlled by fear and nervousness. Which monster can radiate such an aura?
"Until now I didn't want to fight you'd be tired and hoping at the end you would understand that you can't defeat me. But now ... I can not let you go" Kurai said furious. Finished speaking, the lower body attached to the ground expanded, becoming a large stain and then take the form of ten tentacles of darkness. With a sound of cloth torn (the same sound of Gekko Moria when steals a shadow), the tentacles broke away from the ground and began to agitate sinuously around Kurai.
Iwa couldn't take his eyes off what he had just seen, beak wide open from which came out disconnected sounds because of the terror he was feeling. First he thought that the talk of the boy were just stories to bullshitting but now he felt only a desire to kneel and ask forgiveness. Forgiveness however would never come.
The look of Kurai paused a moment on the tentacles of shadow that had just created then watch his new body, the anger he felt a moment interrupted by curiosity. 'This wasn't ... expected. It isn't my pokemon form but also isn't my human form. It would appear an intermediate form ... And these tentacles ... Whether it's because of this place? This world has influenced me and my powers?' Kurai wondered in the head turning back to the scared Cockatrice. 'Well, while we're ... let's see what these little ones can do' thought to himself with a tiny but malicious smile.
"Shadow Sneak"
The ten tentacles tensed immediately and an instant later he hurled against the yokai, crawling on the ground like blacks snakes . Iwa took a second in order to recover from the shock and jumping backwards to dodge whatever those tentacles were. Two of them, however, detached from the ground, managed to grab it and to wrap around his right ankle then lift it up and smash it down violently against the ground, causing him to spit blood. Groaning for the pain, Iwa approached the left hand to the leg hoping to petrify the tentacles but the other two are wrapped around the wrist, removing that with force. Others two wrapped around the right wrist and other two the left ankle. The body was then raised, arms and legs pulled outward to form a star. Sore looking ahead, Iwa saw the face of Kurai who had approached silently, the only visible eye staring at him coldly. Iwa tried to open the beak and reveal his cloud but before he could do the last two tentacles wrapped around the body: first gathered around the bust, then, through his back, they wrapped the neck and then fused to form a muzzle around the beak.
'... ..interesting ...' is all Kurai could think thinking back to what he had just done. He had only thought but every single action of his new tentacles had been ordered and organized by his will. His attack had been altered, modified and upgraded by this dimension and maybe it was not the only change that had suffered ... maybe his stay won't be as boring as he thought.
"You know, where I come from, when two monsters fight, they continue until one of the two can not get up" Kurai murmured turning back his attention to the Cockatrice terrorized. "But you wanted to kill me then, considering that I defeated you, I'd be obliged to kill you." Kurai continued approaching, the Cockatrice eyes bulging and heart ready to explode in his chest so much was terrified. "But I have a better idea ..." Kurai said. His body was surrounded by a flickering red aura and from it came off a shadow that assumed the form of a hand. Seconds later, floating above the palm of his hand, there was a pitch black sphere shrouded by the same eerie red aura.
"Dark Void"
He opened his shadow hand slightly, allowing the sphere to move away from its creator and to float lazily in the direction of the yokai. Iwa followed it constantly with eyes wide open until the sphere touched him gently.
The ball disintegrated instantly, closing the Cockatrice in a swirling bubble crimson and black semi-transparent from which came a faint sound. A scream of terror stifled by the tentacles. The bubble was then absorbed by the Iwa's body leaving him completely unconscious, his body shaken by some convulsions.
"Good night" Kurai said, dropping the yokai to the ground. "And sweet nightmares." He concluded as watched the body of the monster that slowly receded to the human form.
Finished the fight, the tentacles fused with the rest of the body and the shadows solidified by restoring his body as it was before. However something was pinching his senses and felt as if he had forgotten something. Then he turned his head and looked around. 'Ah, that's what I had forgotten' thought grumbling as he continued staring at Tsukune and girls staring at him shocked.
"H-How...w-what..." Kurumu continued to stutter unable to comprehend what she had just seen.
"What did you do? How did you do? What kind of monster are you?" Yukari said almost shouting finishing the sentence of her friend and expressing what they all were asking in their heads.
"Do not you get it? Before I quickly turned into a shadow dodging the cloud petrifying-"
"How ?! How could you ?!"
"Have your parents taught you to not interrupt people when they speak?" he asked irritated staring at the young witch who looked away in shame.
"I became a shadow, then I manipulated the shadows that I made up bringing back my body partially solid. I spread my shadows around me, I jagged them and I also made solid allowing them to break away from the ground . The rest you already know. "
"And that sphere? Did you kill him?" Moka asked fearfully looking for a moment the Cockatrice.
"No, he's just sleeping. He'll sleep for another twenty-four hours. He's lucky that I was asked to use my true form only in situations of real need that shot would have otherwise been able to do fall into a coma." Kurai said watching the yokai with disgust.
"Are you saying that the form in which you had turned isn' your true form?" Tsukune cried aghast.
"It was an intermediate form that allowed me to use my powers without having to completely transform even in that form I can't use them at full power" Kurai said quietly, turning to look at the group in stunned to learn that he had neither used his full powers not had been transformed in his true form. Even inside the Inner Moka rosary was surprised and felt a certain awe at the strange boy in front of her.
But what was more surprised by this strange but pleasant situation was Kurai himself so he could in times of need, which is in his opinion often seen the turn of the advents, to fight without attracting too much attention.
"Why his body shakes like that?" Mizore asked looked away from the boy and looking Iwa who clenched his teeth, sweating and squirming slightly as if he was constantly struck by an electric shock.
"Don't you shake in your bed too when you have got a nightmare ?" Kurai said watching the ice-girl frowning. "The sphere that I used didn't just fall asleep him but locked his mind in a terrible nightmare from which he may wake up until the end of the twenty-four hours." the boy shadow said.
"Nightmares? ... Wait, I understand what you are! You are an incubus!" Kurumu indicating Kurai said, her eyes wide for the discovery she had just done.
Monster Encyclopedia
Incubus: Greek-Roman mythological monster. He's a close relative of the succubus since her male alter ego. In fact there isn't a male succubus as there isn't female incubus. He has, as the succubus, the power to enter the dreams of others and control them, but unlike their sisters, the incubus can neither use illusions not hypnotize people. However, he makes up for his lack with the control of the shadows, own or others'. The most powerful are also able to transform in them allowing them to move at high speed and become intangible. Instead of absorbing the vital energy of the victims by seducing as their sisters, the incubus dropping them into an sleep very often eternal where the prey is constantly forced to suffer terrible nightmares created by their fears. Only when their minds are become weak and their will and desire to live is destroyed the incubus devour the soul.
"My mother told me about you once. She told me that you were a sort of brothers of us succubus but unlike us you felt pleasure to fight and to spread fear." the girl with blue hair continued. "But I don't understand. She also told me that you are extinct several generations ago. How is it possible you're an incubus?" Kurumu said frowning.
"Maybe is survived one...What, maybe you preferred that my kind have been extinct and that I did not exist?" Kurai asked looking at the girl, the close eye who seemed scan his soul to see if there was a fun way to destroy it.
"No No No I did not mean that! I'm just surprised that's all!" He hastened to explain Kurumu hysterically shaking hands in front of him.
Even the shadow boy was rather surprised unexpected turn of events. If what this girl with blue hair say it's true and there are monsters with his powers, he could then use this information to avoid prying questions about his powers and the kind of monster that was ... and he might be able to escape the wrath of Father
"... Okay" the shadow boy murmured turning to the forest. "Now I would like to stay for a few hours alone. And if someone dares to disturb me again, he will end up like that being filthy on the ground." Kurai threatened indicating with a slight nod of the head the trembling body of Iwa.
"Kurai" the boy turned his head slightly to see the Yuki-onna. "... Thank you for saving me. Not only from the cloud but also when you warned me of the tombstone and when he tried to hit me. I owe you" Mizore smiled to the shadow boy thanked.
"You had nothing to do with all that and only an idiot would have allowed you to come involved too" reiterated Kurai surprising the girl who didn't expect so much care from the boy. "But I can't save you every time I have to fight someone. So, you and the rest of your friends, take care far from me if you don't want problems." Kurai said with his deep voice as sank slowly turning into shadow, a last look at the girl and the rest of the group before the head disappeared and the shadow without owner to point to the forest disappearing.
"... I have never seen an exit more incredible and frightening than that" Moka murmured watching the point where Kurai had disappeared, his body shivering cold.
"If they are called incubus there is a reason, isn't there?" said Yukari trembling too.
"I don't understand. If we accurate that he, at least apparently, is good, then why did he threaten us?" Kurumu said perplexed.
"I don't think it was a threat." Tsukune said attracting the attention of girls. "So far he has behaved abruptly trying to ward off the other and seem totally selfless to others, but we have just seen that het can not bear the thought that other people being harmed and he's ready to sacrifice himself for others. I think...that was his way to say "most likely I will have to fight again and I do not want you to come involved or risk because of me" Tsukune said thoughtfully as he looked intensely at the forest with the girls, Mizore more than all of them.
"I agree. And I'll wait anxiously that day because that day I will be your adversary, my dear incubus "Inner Moka thought inside the rosary with a vampire smile on her face thinking joyfully to that, which was sure, will be a memorable battle.
Every time that I'll introduce a new character there could be a filler chapter not connected to the original story but I will try to incorporate them into existing chapters.