Chapter 6: The Blood Unit and the Blood Power

Kurumi Kuroki was sitting in her bed, staring at the white empty wall of her room for a while. She was thinking about her life from this point forward and what might happen to her in the long run. Kurumi met her captain, Julius, a couple of days ago. He seems capable and trustworthy so far and she really should get to know him more from now on. Mainly because he read everything about her and she feels like she should at least know something about him to get even. Kurumi stands up and gets out of her room. She's been in Friar a couple of days now and she completes her training just a moment ago. It was simple enough, but she knows that in a real fight everything change and Aragamis will be completely unpredictable so she must be on guard at every single moment on the battlefield. Kurumi takes the elevator to the Lobby, once she got out she saw a girl eating a sandwich all by herself. Kurumi ignores her and decides to speak with Fran but then the girl saw Kurumi and wave her hand trying to get her attention. Kurumi doesn't want to talk to her so she keeps walking but then the girl talk to her direction.

"Hey!" She waves her hand. Kurumi could ignore her now so she sighs and walks to her.

"Are you talking to me?"

"Yes! I saw you in the training room. You were so freaking amazing there!" She said with excitement. Kurumi smiles a little and looks away, a little ashamed. She wasn't expecting someone to be watching at all or even praising her.

"Ye-Yeah. Thanks... I try to be amazing... most of the time" She joked.

"Hehehe, I'm new here but I don't see you often. Are you a newbie too? I mean, new to this... Blood... Special Force. You know what I mean"

"Yes, I am. I'm Kurumi Kuroki. I'm from Finland, the Scandinavian Region were Fenrir HQ is"

"Wow! How's Finland?"

"... busy, I suppose" Kurumi didn't know what to say.

"Hehe, Yeah, I suppose. I'm Nana Kozuki. Cadet Second Class. It's so awesome to meet you!"

"You think?" Kurumi asks with concern. "I wouldn't call it awesome. Just... Nice... By the way... How was your training?"

"Hmm... It was... Well... Um... Not great... exactly" Nana didn't want to admit how bad her training was.

"... She's going to die" Kurumi thought. "She's so going to bite the dust as soon she's sent in a mission"

"Well, enough about me. I think that if we stick together we can take on everything!" Nana was excited, but Kurumi was worried. Nana was inexperience, that was obvious.

"Ye-yeah" Kurumi smile nervously. "God help me if she's in my team..." She thought.

"Great!" Nana said and eat her sandwich in second. She eats it so fast that Kurumi couldn't believe what she just saw.

"... Were you that hungry?"

"Hm? No, I just like to eat"

"I-I see..."

"Ah! by the way, as a token of our newfound friendship..." Nana searches in her bag and took out another sandwich. "Ta-da! Sammich!" She gives it to Kurumi. "It's my mom's secret-super-special recipe! An amazing oden sandwich! Give it a try! Betcha love it!" Kurumi grabs it and looks at it strangely before taking a bite.

"..." Kurumi looks at the sandwich and smile. "It's delicious. Wish I had one of these back home"

"I know right?! It's the best!"

"Yes, it is" Before she could even realize it, she and Nana start talking about anything that comes to their mind. Anything at all. In the middle of their conversation, a boy comes out of the elevator. He looks at them, talking to each other.

"Huh?" He stops and looks at them. "Hey! I've never seen you two around before... Hm... Oh! You're the new recruits everyone's been talking about!"

"Yes sir!" Said Nana. "We're both really excited to work with you, sir!"

"Sir? Hahah! That has a nice ring to it" He smile and sit down with them. "The name's Romeo. If there's anything you need to know, I'm your guy. Ask away. I'll tell you one thing, though. Blood is tough! So you'd better be ready to give it your all" Romeo look at both girls. "So... which one of you is Kurumi?" He asks and Nana point at Kurumi, eating the sandwich. Kurumi looks at the boy. "Oh, so you are the one. People have been talking about you and how you beat the simulation"

"Yes, it wasn't that difficult to begin with," Kurumi said softly.

"Are you kidding me? I had troubles with it when I get here" Romeo almost yell. "You are awesome!"

"... Does everybody use the word awesome a lot here? Or is it my imagination?" Kurumi thought.

"Well, Romeo. I do have a question for you" Kurumi finish her sandwich. "I've been hearing people talking about the Blood Unit and the "Blood Power" what's that?"

"Er... Well... Good question! Hmm..." Romeo thinks about it for several minutes. There was an awkward silence before he finally answers the question. "Basically it's this thing and it lets you learn a special skill aaaand yeah. Our Captain's really incredible!"

"You don't know what it is, don't you?" Kurumi asks with disappointment.

"I-I know. It's a skill that only members of Blood have. A unique skill!" He said, convinced this time. Kurumi didn't believe him, but Nana on the other side...

"That's so cool!" She said with excitement. "So can you tell us about your special skill, si, Romeo, sir?"

"H-Hey, come on! Don't ask that kinda thing. I-It's not easy to get a special skill! Kinda personal"

"... You definitely don't know, or you actually know what it is, but you don't even have one" Said Kurumi.

"I-I know! Why don't you take those questions to Dr. Rachel. She's the one who founded Blood" Said Romeo.

"... You are avoiding my questions, don't you?"

"Hehehe, see ya!" Romeo stands up and leaves before Kurumi could even stop him.

"... That's it, I won't rely on Romeo for anything" Kurumi thought. "He looks and sounds like someone useless"

Murasaki open her eyes and look at her left. She looks at Maria sleeping right next to her with the dog, Issac. Murasaki gets up, trying to not wake her up. She walks away and her stomach starts to growl. She places her hands against the wall and calms herself. She didn't notice it, but she was starting to drool. Murasaki then hit the wall and get out of the room. She was still covered in blood from her fight with the Green Hannibal and it wasn't helping. The smell of blood was making her more hungry. She got away as much as she could from Maria and the dog. She walks down the stairs and she saw Adam with blood in his hands and dragging what appears to be the leg of an Ogretail. He looks at Murasaki and let go of the leg.

"Are you hungry?" He asks. "I... found the corpse right outside and... I thought you might be hungry" Murasaki didn't say a word, instead, she grabs the leg and starts eating, desperately. Adam stood there, watching her eating. His eyes didn't look away from her. Murasaki in a matter of seconds leaves nothing, not even blood. She eats the leg quickly, not leaving anything behind. She then look at Adam.

"Thanks... I... was really hungry... but this isn't enough"

"It isn't enough?" He asks in disbelief. "I almost break my back dragging that leg here!"

"And I appreciate your effort, too bad you didn't know"

"I can't believe you. How much can you eat before you are satisfied?"

"... A lot" She said while thinking of all the kind of Aragamis she had killed and eat in the last couple of years. "Just by thinking about it I get more hungry"

"Ugh"

"Don't whine, kid. I'm the one fighting the urge to swallow you whole right now. Be thankful that I still retain my humanity" Murasaki search in her pockets and her eyes widen. "Shit!"

"Wh-What?"

"I lost it! Dammit!"

"What?"

"My walkman! I must've dropped it during the fight... Shit, shit, shit. I have to search for it!" Murasaki runs down the stairs, but Adam stops her.

"Wait! I think I know where it is!"

"Really? Where?" She asks, desperate.

"After the fight... God Eaters appear and... One of them took your walkman" He explains and Murasaki sat in the stairs. She looks down and curses again.

"... Shit. I got a new one and lost it. Is my luck going to get worse than this?"

"Is really that important?" Adam asks and Murasaki gives him a look.

"I like music, alright? It's a good distraction and I really need it. It makes me feel..." Murasaki made a pause. She didn't know how to explain it to Adam. In fact, she didn't know how she feels. "... It makes me feel, okay?. That's all. I don't need to explain to you any of this"

"I know... But you are doing it anyway" Adam sigh. "Listen... I just want you to know that... I..." Adam shakes his head and says it, almost as a whisper. "Thank you"

"... Did my ears deceive me? Did I really hear a "thank you" coming from you?" She asks sarcastically.

"I suggest you take it before I deny it"

"Alright, I accept it, but you better trust me from now on. When I tell you to hide, you do. When I tell you to run, you run. And when I tell you to shut up, you shut up... Did I make myself clear?"

"Yes... I will"

"Good. Now... I'm going to get something else to eat. You go and watch over Maria. I'll be back soon"

Later that same day, Kurumi was called to Doctor Rachel's office. Alongside her were Nana and Romeo. The three of them sat down while Rachel looks at each one of them. Kurumi looks at her surroundings. The Doctor's office looks more like a luxurious bedroom, except for the enormous computer near her. Rachel moves her wheelchair to their direction.

"Welcome, new Cadets of the Blood Unit. I had planned to host an official dinner, however..."

"Huh, You're a Cadet too, Romeo. What a surprise" Said Kurumi sarcastically and interrupting Rachel in the process.

"Shut up, Kurumi. You don't know who she is?! You can't interrupt her like that!"

"I'll apologize later, of course"

"Hehe... I'm glad to see you all getting along so well" Rachel smile. "Today, I'm going to share with you the mission and purpose of the elite Blood Unit"

"Cool! We're all ears, ma'am!" Said Romeo, excited. Kurumi sigh and Nana chuckled.

"Very well, listen closely. Aragami brought mankind to the brink of ruin. Only the God Eaters had the power to hold back the tide. It is our aim to usher in a new era. Blood is the best of the best. Superior to any God Eater"

"Yeah, we are! With Julius and our special powers, nothing can stop us!" Romeo yell and Kurumi was annoyed by his excitement

"Precisely. You are chosen. Your strength of will lies dormant in your veins, but can be awakened" Rachel explains. "When members of our unit undergo this awakening, they will uplift and inspire other God Eaters. Romeo... Nana... Kurumi and Captain Julius. As members of Blood, it is your duty to lead the God Eaters, to teach them of their true potencial. Right now, the Blood Power lies quiet inside you, but I know that you have the will to quicken it. I eagerly await that day"

"I won't let you down, Dr. Rachel!"

"Yeah! I know you'll do great, Romeo"

"... Do you both realize she's talking to all of us? Romeo is not the center of attention here" Short after that, the three of them walk out of the office and Julius was waiting for them. He was standing next to the door with his arms crossed. He looks at them and greets them.

"It's good to see you three together" He smiled.

"Well, we are going to be together at the same time. So we should stick together... I suppose" Said Kurumi.

"I saw the result of your training, Kuroki, very impressive" Julius then look at Nana. "Yours was great too, but you could use more training. You are a little reckless"

"Ye-Yeah, sorry about that haha" Nana was embarrassed.

"I think it's time for the next step for you two"

"... Then what about him?" Kurumi point at Romeo.

"While it's true that he is a Cadet too, he already passed his training and he's very capable in battle, despite what you may think of him"

"I see..."

"Come with me you two. Romeo, you stay here. I'll take care of the new recruits"

"Sir, yes sir!" Julius took Nana and Kurumi with him and as they wait for the elevator, he explains what they were going to do now.

"So, about the next step," He said. "We call it field trip training, but in a way, it's another test. Think of it as a gauge of your abilities. A way to see how you'll measure up as a God Eater"

"So, another test, but this time where the actual danger is... Fine by me" Kurumi shrug.

"Me too. Let's do this!"

"Good, follow me. Grab your God Arcs, we are going now"

After a short trip in the helicopter, Julius, Kurumi and Nana were dropped in the middle of the ruins of an abandoned city, to be more precise, they were near a destroyed museum, completely covered in grass, vegetation and surrounded by water. The place was beautiful, yet haunting, because of the danger that might pop out at any second. Julius walk near the cliff, giving him the perfect view of the ruins. Kurumi and Nana stay near him. Julius then receives a call from Fran. He answers right away.

"Fran, what is it?" He asks, calmly.

"Captain Julius, I was not informed that you would be accompanying the new recruits," She said with a worried tone.

"My apologies, Fran. I simply have a great deal of confidence in them. I wish to see their talents first hand" Julius explain himself.

"Understood, sir. But, in the future, please endeavor to keep me informed... for their sake"

"Yes, of course. It won't happen again, I promise"

"Well, I hope they live up to your expectations, Captain. Good luck" The call ended and Julius look at the new recruits, especially, Kurumi. He had high expectations of her. Kurumi's parents were skilled God Eaters that fight to the very end and made quite the reputation for themselves years back. She has big shoes to fill. "Now, without further ado, let's begin your field training. Look out there. Those are the beast that threaten the future of the human race. The Aragami. How you slay them is of no concern, but do not halt until they stop breathing. Understood?"

"Yes" Said Kurumi, ready to fight.

"Wait," Said Nana, scared. "You mean we... we're fighting Aragami like right now? Like f-for real?"

"Indeed, Cadet" Said Julius. "You would learn little if you never fought on a real battlefield. Simply do all that I know you can, and those monsters will pose no threat. All right?"

"I-I..." Nana seems reluctant. Kurumi could see it, she was scared.

"Captain, as our first test field, I think we both should be together," She said while looking at Nana. "That way we'll be much safer" Julius understood what Kurumi was thinking and smile. Kurumi didn't want to leave Nana on her own, so she'll cover her. Kurumi was confident that this test will be as easy as her training, so she had no trouble in keeping Nana safe. The last thing she wanted is to see her dying in her first mission outside.

"Good choice. Always together, as a team, never leaving your friends behind. That's one of the most important things you need to learn... Humanity has faced enemies since ancient times. Humanity has always prevailed. I know we do not have sharp fangs and rending claws to face off against our foes. But we have gifts they do not possess: strategy, unity, cooperation and, most of all, the strength of will that bind us together. Willpower is the fiercest weapon-our fiercest weapon! Never forget that. Let's go!"

Julius give the order and the three of them jump down to the battlefield. A group of Ogretails were eating what was left of another Aragami. Julius stay behind and let Kurumi and Nana take care of them. He'll help them if they end up surrounded by the Aragami or worst. Kurumi took the lead and change her blade mode to gun mode. She shoot at one of the Ogretails and got everyone's attention. They all look at the group and roar.

"Nana, the Ogretails attack to the sides when they are in group, keep your eyes open for an ambush," Said Kurumi. "Smash them with your hammer. Show no mercy"

"Ye-Yeah!" Nana was nervous. Kurumi sigh and change to blade mode. She wait for the Ogretails to do the first move.

The Ogretails run toward them, some of them in the front and a couple to the side. There were only six of them, four of them in the front and two on the sides, one on each side. Kurumi didn't leave Nana's side. She find it annoying, protecting someone in the middle of battle, but the Ogretails were the simplest and easier to kill Aragami, she knew that and she was confident that she'll take care of most of them. One Ogretail run faster than the rest and take a big jump with its jaw wide open trying to take a bit of Kurumi's head. She saw it coming and, without too much effort, stab the Aragami right in it's mouth. The blade went right inside its jaw. The God Arc enter in devourer mode and swallow the core. She then swings the God Arc and threw that dead body of the Ogretail right on top of group that was running toward her. Nana and Julius look at Kurumi's performance, Julius was really impressed and Nana was gaining more confidence by watching Kurumi taking down an Aragami without effort. She then saw and Ogretail run to her right. Nana then raise her hammer and smash the Ogretail's head before it could even reach her.

"I did it!" She happily yell.

"Don't let your guard down!" Said Kurumi as she run toward the group of Ogretail in front of her. She dashes to their side, taking advantage over them because they couldn't turn their head very quickly. Kurumi dash and stab one of them to the side, she twists her blade inside the monster and take it out in one violent swing. The two remaining Ogretail jump right at Kurumi, but she changes to her gun and shot at one of them right in the mode, forcing it to back off. She couldn't dodge the other Ogretail, so she raise her shield and receives the hit. She felt her whole body shaking for the force of the Ogretail's head impacting against the shield. Kurumi then retaliate, changing her shield immediately and attacking mid-transformation. The sword come out just in time to slash the Ogretail's head. She kicks the Aragami to open up the space between them and change her God Arc again, this time to shot at it. The Ogretail fall. Kurumi took a deep breath and look at Nana. She was taking care of the last Ogretail. The Aragami try to hit Nana with its tail, but Nana dodge every single attack the Aragami throws at her. She then dash to its side and hit it as hard as she could with her hammer. She sends the Aragami flying against a wall.

"Did you see that?! That was awesome!" Said Nana and just now notice the rest of the Aragamis dead. "Di-Did you kill them all that quickly?"

"Yes, they are easy if you attack them to the side. They can't turn, so they have to jump. That's their weakness, don't forget that" Kurumi explains.

"Got it!"

"It seems you two are doing better than expected, especially you, Kurumi. But I see a flaw on you" Said Julius. "Are became reckless in your last assault. You might've got the advantage, but what if there was another Ogretail hiding and took this opportunity to attack you from the back, your blind spot. You focus too much on what's in front of you, take your surroundings more. If you don't, you'll get ambush before you even know it"

"I-I see..." Kurumi sigh. "I'll try to fix that" She said reluctantly.

"And Nana, I see you gain more confidence, but you were doubting with the second Ogretail. Don't hesitate, if you see an opening, attack. If you wait, the Aragami will outsmart you in the blink of an eye"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

"Aside from that, you two are good fighters. With more training, you'll become one of the best in no time" Julius pat Nana in the shoulder. "Good job, both of you"

"Thanks" Said Kurumi. Then, Julius receives an urgent message from Fran.

"Captain, we have an Aragami on our scanners. It's close!" She said

"What breed?" Julius asked.

"An Ogretail" Fran answer right away.

"Very well" He said and talk to both, Kurumi and Nana. "Arcs up! Prepare to defend yourself!" As he gives the order, they got quickly surrounded by Ogretails. Kurumi and Nana raise their God Arcs, prepare to fight, but Julius had another idea. "Cadets, you've done well. I think this is an ideal opportunity to demonstrate the abilities you are to awaken" He said as he take the lead of the group. He swing his God Arc and it start shining. The light then appears in Nana and Kurumi. They both start feeling a sudden increase in their strength.

"Is this...?" Kurumi looks at her hands and at her God Arc. She was glowing yellow.

"Oh, wow! So awesome!" Said Nana.

"I focus that willpower to execute a Blood Art. Stand fast!"

"What's a Blood Art?" Nana asks out of nowhere. Julius didn't lose time to explain it to her while staring right at the Aragamis.

"A talent that can shift the very tide of battle in your favor. Blood Art are innate skills, forged of the fire in your veins" He explain and run to the Ogretails. It took him only one swing of his sword and all the Ogretails in front of him fall to the ground, dead. Nana and Kurumi look, speechless, at Julius' display of power. "That was a Blood Art. This power within us will constantly develop and strengthen as we do. With it, we can face any Aragami. Always remember that this is a part of you. Nothing can stand against it"

Away from the battlefield, Murasaki watch in silence as the God Eaters walk away. Her eyes were focused on Julius, but then turn to Kurumi. Murasaki saw them disappear in the distance and she leave the area as well, not before eating what was left of the Aragamis they killed...