The lobby of Tartarus, Dark Hour

"I see you got the letter I sent you."

"Yeah, it had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who sent it."

"You thought Masaru sent it?"

"Kind of, but judging from how aggressive he is, he would've fought me directly."

That's an idea he would've done. But enough about him, are you ready?"

"I don't know for what, but yeah, I am!"

"Good, then follow me." M.G. moves towards the labyrinth entrance. "The girl has to stay here though."

"Like hell I am! I'm going with Kei-chan!"

"Minako, it's fine, I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?"

"It's nothing, this is my round two, and I plan on returning the favor."

Minako lets out a frustrated grunt and then slumps her shoulders in defeat. "Fine, but just be careful! Because if you die in there you'll make Fuu-chan cry!"

"I won't die, so just hang 10 until I come back."

I walk towards the labyrinth. My heart is beating faster and faster. I'm a bit scared, yet, excited.

"Kazuki Kei, you're going to need this." M.G. hands me a cloth-wrapped weapon.

I begin to take off the cloth from the object. It's a simple layer of cloth, and under it is my sword! "Why are you giving me this?"

"Because I want to see something."

"Does this involve fighting?"

"But of course, did you expect anything else?"

"Not really, but I guess it doesn't matter. I'm ready whenever you are."

"Then let us be on our way."

I put my hand on the door to Tartarus' labyrinth. The door opens, M.G. walks in without wasting a second. No sense in stalling either, I'll go and I'll win!

...

I see Kei-chan and the masked person enter the labyrinth. "You better come back alive, you hear me..."

Suddenly, a sharp, dark sensation looms over me. I can't help but feel as if moving would result in my death, despite my brain telling me to run as fast as I could. It's suffocating, it has a grasp on my neck! What is it, what is it, what is it, what is it, what is it!? All of a sudden, it disappears; the choaking feeling on my neck, the sharp, dark, and terrifying sensation is gone. Where did it go? As a matter of fact, where did it come from? Whatever it was, it wasn't human!

second block Arqa, FL: 27

We arrive at the second block of the tower. It's a purple-lit floor with a stronger sense of danger.

M.G. swiftly moves at me with a different sword this time; it's a Tanto sword!

"Shit!" I roll out of the way. "Hey, you didn't tell me we would start fighting!"

"Fool, this is a fight to the death, if you are killed with something like that, then you deserve to die."

He comes at me, thrusting his sword at me when he gets in range. I pull out my sword from the scabbard. I'm able to block the attack in time. I push back M.G.'s blade and I run away as soon as I get the chance.

Running for my dear life turns out to be a lot different from just running in general. My heart is pumping with all its might, my legs are by no means, reaching their limit, but they're not going to be able to continue forward. I stop for a moment to catch my breath. As I sit down to catch my breath, he appeared in front of me. My mind goes white the minute I see her.

"You can't escape me."

"Crap!" I force my body to jump out of the way to dodge his slash attack. He's coming in for seconds, dodging it isn't going to help. I lift my leg to hit M.G.'s wrist. I redirect the attack. Despite the surprise attack, he didn't let go of his weapon, not that I was counting on it.

"Check it!" While on the ground, I turn my body around and I press both my hands on the floor, I push off against the floor. "Take it!" I hit M.G.'s chest with both of my feet. Hmm, that's odd, I feel something. It's a bit...hard, yet, something...soft?

"Nice use of your legs, although..."

"Huh!?"

He has a hand on one of my legs and throws me towards a wall. My back meets the brunt of the force of meeting the wall. The throw alone did plenty of damage.

"I'm much sturdier than I look. Such a pitiful attack won't do anything to me."

Damn it! As soon as I get up from the ground I continue to run away.

second block: Arqa, FL: 30

I keep running away from M.G. He's much stronger than me. For some reason, he's always able to find me, even when I did my best to hide.

"Damn, screw this, I'm getting out of here!"

I go around to find a transporter without getting jumped by M.G.

"Found it!"

I run towards it, but to my surprise, M.G. finds me again

"You aren't running away from this."

"Whoa!"

I back away from the transporter.

"Why are you trying to run away?"

"Why wouldn't I! I'll get killed if I don't!"

"So why did you come here?"

"I-"

M.G. hits the side of my arms with her sword.

"Did you come here based on a whim, thinking you would win just because you lived the first time, or do have a some-sort-of death wish, answer me, Kazuki Kei?"

Damn, I can't do anything, he's just too powerful. He continues to follow after me; floor-to-floor, he chases me. I tried to sneak attack him multiple times, but it was all in vain, he's always able to block my attacks no matter how much strength I put into it. After the attack fails, I continue to run away and try to do another sneak attack. It's just an endless, pointless struggle against someone weaker vs someone stronger.

Second block: Arqa - floor: ?

Run, that's all I can do, run. Nothing works against him, nothing I do never works against him. He nearly did me in on the last floor, but I was able to get away.

"Why am I doing this, there's nothing I can do against him, nothing!"

This is it, the final floor I can go up. Nowhere left to run.

"This is it, you can't run anywhere else." M.G. slowly approaches me, his sword in hand. That's the sword that's going to take my life. My limbs feel like jelly. If I can push my body one last time, then I can jump into the transporter.

"Stop running, it's pointless." She calls out my tactic as if she read my mind. "...Even if you run to the dorm, I'll just go there and fight you. But I'm curious, would you run away from there as well.

" No, I-" I bite down on my lip as if a part of me surrenders to the idea that I would. I wouldn't want to run away if he did but look at me now.

"You're clearly scared of me. You know the difference in strength between us. You know you'll be killed if you fight me. You know that it is pointless if you do; you know you're weak."

I drop my sword out of disbelief, I sink to my knees. He sees right through me, he's right, I'm weaker than him. Since the beginning, there was a part of me that told me to run, and I listened to it. I came in here confident that I could hold my own this time. But I realized something while running away: I'm scared of this person! The fear that I feel whenever I see this person only magnifies the more I look at him. It's ridiculous, it's nonsensical. . Why wasn't I this scared when I face the Reaper, why wasn't I scared when I faced the shadow in the monorail? This is no different when I faced my first shadow. I'm scared, I'm scared to die, I don't wanna die.

"Don't worry, I won't die." The memory of me saying that comes to mind. Why now, why did it come to me now? "...If you die, Fuu-chan will cry!" Minako's voice comes to me now. Why, why is this coming to me now? Is it, to save me, to keep me going? But how, when there's someone of insurmountable strength? Damn it, this is so pathetic, I'm pathetic! I'm nearly pissing myself. I said I wouldn't die, I said I would come back alive, so why am I on my knees, just whimpering like a coward! I don't want to die, and I certainly want to die like this! I lift my body, picking up up my sword as I rise.

"So you decided to rise back up?"

My body does its best to stay up. My grip on my sword has tightened. I can't let him push me down, I can't stand down now. No one is going to save me, I have to fight!

You have the courage to still fight, I'll give you credit for gathering some."

This isn't courage, this isn't bravery. All of this is a desperate act! I'm still scared, I'm terrified beyond belief, but I'll use it, for a desperate struggle! All the energy in my body swirls around me, circling me as if it was a raging ocean. I focus all of it on my sword. This isn't something I'm doing consciously, I have no idea what my body is doing, but I'm not objecting to it. In fact, something in me is telling me to just use it to destroy this person in front of me. It all swirls around my sword until it is covered in a bright glow. Now, launch it! My arms go for a swing. All the accumulated energy is released as a projectile attack that hurls its way towards M.G., who attempts to block the attack. It's an attack that severs the ground below it, that cuts the air in its wake, and one that will eviscerate him. The attack hits its mark, causes a blowback in power, it's enough to send me off my feet. I let out a sigh of relief a minute after the attack landed As the dust settles, however, something unexpected catches my eye.

"What a display of strength. To think you'd be able to turn the tables so easily."

M.G. Picks up his- No, her mask from the floor.

"You're a girl?"

"Is that a problem?"

Her voice is much feminine than it was a moment ago. It has a level of maturity behind it if that makes sense.

"No, I'm just surprised."

Holy crap, she was the one that kicked my ass!

"More importantly, what was that attack."

"That was...an almighty attack, at least that's what I feel like that's what it is."

"What will you call it?"

"...I'll call it, Ocean's stream."

"I see, striking name. Now, shall we continue?"

"Actually, M.G...My body...I can't feel it!" I fall to the floor. "What the...I can't move my body?"

"You must've used all your Spirit energy using that attack."

"Crap, really!"

"It seems so..." M.G. walks over to me. "Hmm, it seems like you were able to manipulate all the Spirit energy inside your body and you put most of it into that sword. Lastly, you released it at me as a projectile. Impressive..."

"What are gonna do to me now?"

"I think killing you would be a waste."

"Really?"

"Yes, you get to live for another day."

"Sweet!" M.G. picks me up from the floor. as if I was just a bag full of clothes. "Damn your strong lady."

"It's nothing at all, you weigh like nothing."

"But still..."

M.G. moves into the transporter and we get absorbed into a bright light...

The lobby of Tartarus, Dark Hour

We have returned to the lobby, Minako sits on the stairs, with her weapon being pointed towards M.G. as soon as we make our entrance.

"Kei-chan, is he okay!?"

"Yes, he's all right, but..."

"Hey, Minako-chan."

"What happened to you?"

"I used too much energy, so I can't move my body."

"Seriously!?"

"Yeah, so can help me?"

"Um, yeah, sure. I'll get you."

M.G. puts me down with one hand as Minako lowers me down. "Easy, I got you Kei-chan."

"Thanks."

Minako leads us to the exit.

"A moment before you leave..."

"What is it?"

"I'll be taking the black blade now," M.G. requests.

"Don't give your weapon to her Kei-chan."

"Why should I give it to you?"

"If you do, I promise to help you grow stronger."

"Really?"

"If you so desire?"

"She's just trying to trick you, so-"

"Here you go."

I give her my sword.

"What are you doing!?"

"Giving her my weapon. But M.G., you better make me stronger."

"You have my word, I shall make you stronger."

"Sweet, when do we start?"

"When you're at full strength."

"Fine by me. When I get back at full strength, I'll show you what I got!"

"We'll see..."

On route to the dormitory, Midnight

The Dark Hour has disappeared into the night. Barely anyone is out here. Some cars would pass by us as we make our way home. I can walk on my own now, but my escort insists on helping me.

"Kei-chan," Minako whispers.

"What's up?"

"Are you really going to train with that girl?"

"I need to."

"But she might be tricking you."

"That is a possibility, but I want to. No, I have to do this!"

"Why?"

"So I can protect the people I care for, simple."

"Is it that simple?"

"Yeah, since she's offering me some help, I'm gonna take it."

Minako stops walking.

"What if your life is put into danger?"

"I'll still do it. I want to protect the person I care about, so even if I lose my life, then so be it."

"Is it that easy?"

"Hm, I guess it is. Why are you so curious?"

"Cause...I wish I had that kind of strength."

"How come?"

"For most of my life, Makoto has been protecting me, guiding me through life. He's done so much for me. Even if it's only one time, I want to be able to protect him, even if it's only once."

I can feel the emotion in her words. I think I'm able to understand where she's coming from.

"Oh well, we should get going. If we take too long, someone will notice that we left."

"Yeah, let's head home."

We continue to head back to the dorm... This girl - Minako Arisato - despite my first impressions about her, she and I really do seem similar.

Old message down here.

Hello everybody, Proxy's saga here, and I hope you guys enjoyed the way this chapter went. I had a hard time deciding what to call the almighty attack Kazuki-chan used, but in the end, I called it "Ocean's stream." If anyone thinks the name is lame, then leave a review, and I'll try to change it to something better. Also, M.G. is a girl, why is that surprising to Kazuki? Well...do any of you remember the time when, Naoto tried to act like a boy, yeah, it's like that. I know this chapter was short, but I have my reasons (That are not too major, but eh.) Without a further a due, until the next chapter; See ya.