The tower, FL:3,?

Shizuka charged ahead of me. It looked as if M was going to get in the way but he just let her run past him without any problem. Me on the other hand, he sent a black ball my way. I jumped over and was going to go over him but he knocked me back with gravity magic.

"Sorry, you're mine, Kazuki-chan," he playfully claimed. "Fine then, I don't mind going for round two, but just you and me." "Fine by me, ya hear that? No interruptions from the peanut gallery." He started out by throwing two black balls at me. Dodging them was considerably easy. He launched a few more but they were just as easy to evade, they weren't fast enough to keep up with me. I was close enough to knock his lights out, but my arm was repealed back. My shoulders got heavier all of a sudden.

"Come on, you gotta do better than that, Kazuki-chan." Oh, just shut up! With all the power I can muster, I kicked upward, missing him by a hair. The gravity spell was gone and I was free to move in for another attack. "...!" I canceled my attack and got away from him.

"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong? Do I smell or something?" There was something there, something in front of him. It was like a gray orb, floating in front of him. "Kazuki-kun, what's the hold up here? Come and fight me." The gray orb just disappeared. It can't be my imagination, there was definitely something there.

"I'm getting sick of this, get over here!" With a snap of a finger, an orb spawned in front of me. It pulled me forward. M had another orb on his fist, it was forwarding his hand towards me. I blocked the punch, it most definitely broke a bone in my arm, but I gotta say that it was worth it, I was able to figure out his magic from the attack alone. The hit flung me back, I stood up with my left arm gone limp.

"Bro, your arm! Let me-" "No, not now..." My arm was hurting like hell but I need to focus on this fight right now, besides, it's between me and him. "Hey, M, I think I got you figured out." "And what would that be, would it be my handsome face under this hoodie?" "Like hell, I'd care about that. No, something else." I wasn't going to waste this opportunity to get a hit in. Even with a broken arm, I should be able to do this. "Here we go!" I started running straight towards him. He snapped his fingers and three grey orbs were in front of me. "...!" This was it, I knew it! With my best footwork, I evaded the grey orbs and was up in M's face. "What!?" My right fist found its mark against his stomach. M coughed out saliva, puffing out some air, that proved my attack went through. However, I wasn't done. I grabbed his jacket and threw him towards the walls. Dry coughs came out and then some giggling.

"So that's what you figured out, huh? You can see my gravity magic now." "I can, they're as clear as day to me." "Shit, I guess my advantage went away. I'm guessing that I used it too much... No, that wouldn't do... Maybe your abilities are growing? ...Oh my, how fruitful." "What abilities?" "Oh man, oh man, kid, you gotta really keep up. You gotta know these things. You're a growing young man, you should know that." He's just screwing with me right now, he's trying to come up with something to retaliate. I won't let him get the chance. Swiftly rushing to him, I grabbed him by the neck and held him up.

"I talk, you listen, understand," I asked with a tight squeeze on his neck. "Aye...sir," He barely said. "First, is Fuuka safe?" "Well, I mean..." "Answer the question!" "Yeah, sure, she's fine, I got home by 11 P.M." "You're not lying, right?" "Why would I need to? If you didn't have a goal to go straight to the top, then it wouldn't be much fun, would it?" Bastard, he sees this all as a game. Whatever, as long as she's safe I don't care what he thinks of this.

"Alright then, my next question: how long do I have until she's-?" "Axed? 7 hours at most." That much! I had three days before, but now...

"I don't have time for a clown-like you anymore. Sorry, but I'm putting you to sleep." "Now that is what I'm talking about, but not now." A grey ball was near my arm. On instinct, I pulled away from him. M went over to Hifumi who was fighting Shizuka. She was holding her own just fine until Hifumi unleashed a quick attack that got both of her legs. I went over to support her.

"Shizuka, you alright?" "Yeah, I'm fine, what about you?" "Broke an arm." "Let me heal it," she requested in a panic. "After this!" M was standing next to Hifumi, the latter who was looking unnerved.

"What's the matter, Kimono, you look shaken," I pointed out. "I didn't know you could feel fear? I thought that was a trait of weakness," Shizuka pointed out. "Wouldn't that mean you fear something? I wonder what it would be," She was intentionally tempering Hifumi. His confusion turned anger was visible to me.

"Hey now guys, bullying isn't fine. Especially poor Hifumi," M interrupted as a joke. "We're retreating," Hifumi quietly said as he took out a small ball... Wait, that's a teleport orb! "Shizuka!" We both knew what he was about to do, he was going to port out of here. It was too late though, they were both gone with the flash of light.

"Shit, they got away!" "They aren't off this floor, that wasn't a Goho-M," Shizuka pointed out. "Then where did they go?" "They must be back at the exit of the floor." Then we'll have to fight them no matter what anyway. Doesn't matter, we'll fight them when the time comes anyway. I plan on it, however, we need to get going now.

"Shizuka, you okay?" "Yes, I'm fine, but what about your arm." Right, my arm, I kind of forgot that it was broken. "Yeah, can you heal it?" "Of course," she kindly complied. The process was quick, in two seconds flat I was able to move my arm properly. "Damn, that feels good! Thanks." "Any time." Seeing her back in action like this was pretty great, I'm glad she's back. "Who's that climbing on your back?" I reached for Ko, who looked incredibly upset. "What's the matter Ko?" "You're supposed to let me heal you!" "That's why you're mad?" A response wasn't met with my inquire, just him pouting. "Oh, come on, you're still my personal healer! I'll let you heal me next time, come on."

Ko pointed to my hood. I placed him in it. "It's okay, I forgive you, but you'll let me heal you next time, right?" "Yeah, you'll get your shot next time. Also, do you have the box?" "I do, I tied with some bandages that Hisoka gave me." "I only did because you wouldn't be shut up about it." Hisoka was behind me with his hand covered with ice particles. "Hisoka, what are you-" "Shut up, we can't trust her, not after everything that has happened." Well, I can't fault him, but didn't he see her fighting against Hifumi and M?

"So, you're Shizuka?" Ryota came up from behind us. "I am." "It is a pleasure, I heard a bit about you from Kazuki. You have such a feral fighting style, truly amazing how you're able to move place to place in the blink of an eye. Even I couldn't follow some of your movements, right Hisoka?" "...I guess, moving like an animal is generally favorable for speed." "Exactly, I always tried to, but it never worked out for me."

Ryota gushing over Shizuka's fighting style seemed to have calmed Hisoka enough to dispel his magic.

"I usually don't fight like that, I generally use swords or any other weapon on me." "So you're the versatile type?" "I guess, as long it's a blade I can use it to maximum efficiency." "Is that so? How would you say you go into using different blades?" "I took reference on how they usually used." "I see, thank you for the information. As I said before, a pleasure to meet you." "Thank you, and I'm sorry about attacking you all!" Shizuka gave an apologetic bow. "No harm, no foul. It takes a lot more to kill a Desert Hound!" Ryota laughted it off Junpei came over and slung his arm over Shizuka's shoulders.

"Glad you're okay now, Shizu-chan. Had me worried there for a sec. When you were going berserk I thought I was going to die," Junpei said as he was waving his hat around. "We almost did, " Yukari added. "But fortunately, I was here to defend us." "Yeah, that's a load of crap," Yuka-chan cursed. "Yikes, Ya didn't have to pull out the claws on me." "Now, guys, don't fight, we..." Makoto fell to his knees and began coughing. Junpei, Yukari, and I jumped up in shock.

"Makoto!" I got down to the ground, Ko went to work on healing him.

"Makoto, are you okay?" "I'm fine... I just used my Persona too much is all." "You shouldn't summon in the first place, it's too much for you." We have to get out of here as soon as possible.

"Guys, let's get going, the exit isn't too far off now, let's go there and get this over with." "I concure, no point on stalling any further," Hisoka agreed. "Then let's get going everyone! Oh, Kazuki, does your friend need any help, I'll carry him if I need to," Ryota offered. "Yeah, I think you should." "All right, leave him to me."

Ryota carried him, piggyback style. Our party began to move on to the gate. I noticed Shizuka and Ichirou weren't following us.

"Shizuka, aren't you coming?" "We'll catch up, me and Ichirou need to talk about something, in private." Ichirou was starting down, not making the slightest movement. Shizuka probably wanted to talk about something that retains to what I saw in her memories. "Okay, just catch up as quickly as you can."

I ran off ahead of them. I peered back at the two of them. I couldn't wait for them, we needed to get going, but I know she'll catch up to us in no time.

...

Hifumi was on his hands and knees. His demeanor was a hell of a lot different than his cool demeanor; now he was on the brink of despair.

"How could she break free from its grip, it should be impossible," Hifumi asked himself. "From what, pray tell," I asked. "From the parasite inside of her. It should have a firm grip on her by now since I activated it." I see, so he put a demonic parasite in her? If so, those bad boys would've taken hold of her. They're meant to take over a host over time while buffing their physical attributes well beyond a humans. Though, activation on command is something that doesn't sound like the parasites nature; must've been specially made worms. My attention went over to the container on our left.

"So, what's with this container?" I flipped open the curtain on it...

"What the!?" I instinctivly tool a step back. "I was going to use that on her, to finally complete my life's work, but now my chance is lost! My chance to make a being above humans is gone!"

Inside the liquid green-filled jar was not just any parasite. No, it was far beyond a parasite... It was a Magatam parasite.

"DAMNIT!" Hifumi screamed out in a pathetic fashion. Come on man, have more class. But besides that...

"Hey, Hifumi, how did you come across this?" "I found it in my journey into the expanse." The Expanse, huh? There aren't many ways to get in there except by a few only gods would know. There's only one for humans.

"Hifumi, by any chance are you a-" "I no longer am! I was excommunicated for illegal experimentation." Well, well, touchy subject, but it at least confirms my suspicions.

"I came to Nyarlethnoteps' side because I was allowed to continue my experiments uninterrupt. Spending my time here, as well as my life, I perfected my plan to create a being that goes from being a human to something beyond. But despite all the time I wasted it was all for naught; it was because of that boy! He ruined it all! I should've killed him when I had the chance! Why didn't I!?"

That's what happens when you think your plan is fool-proof. Guys like Kazuki can truly throw a wrench in the cogs of a plan, or however the hell you say the phrase.

"What about your other kid?" "Ichirou is only able to be enhanced to a certain degree. Shizuka is a child who has the physical threshold to handle body augmentation more so than Ichirou can."

Make sense, the human body is built differently from person to person, that fact is a factor in body augmentation, especially when it comes to thinks like the soul or state of mind. Hifumi was hopeless, he had a worthless disciple who wasn't able to fulfill his dream, and a project that failed him in the end. A truly sad sight. But, an entertaining idea was able to surface from it all...

"I gotta say, your dream must not be that important to you if you're acting like this," I casually declared, scratching my nails "What!?" "I'm just saying." Hifumi got up and grabbed me by the jacket.

"Do not insult my dedication," He barked at me. "It's hard not to, considering that it's weak." "How dare you!? I sacrificed many in order to get this far." "Sure, but any half-wit who's dipping their foot into human experimentation already has. What does that speak of about your dedication..." "Wha... It's." Ohoho, I got this one in the bag. "You wanna know what I think you should do? You should just take a gamble," I suggested, quietly murmured. "What do you mean?"

Hehehe, here we go. "Yeah, take a gamble. Obviously, the Magatama is meant to alter a person's body and bring them from one side of existence to another. You were going to use it on Shizuka in order to make the perfect being, but that fell over. So, why not use it on yourself?" I went over to the canister and pulled out the worm with my gravity magic.

"This is not an ordinary Magatama either. This one is a very rare bread, one that alters the body of a person that can mesh with it. It would make what you're looking for more than possible, regardless of how many worms you might or might not have in you. It could make you, Demi-fiend!"

Hell, I wasn't even lying, with this thing, he could become a powerful entity. I placed the Magatama in his hands, it was wriggling around in his hand as he stared down at it...

"So, why not unleash some hell in this place?" Hifumi swallowed heavily, I could even see sweat rolling down his face, but not from hesitation. Hehe, this was going to become a show to remember, I can feel it in my bones...

...

Ichirou and Shizuka were left behind so the two of them may speak freely. The girl's feelings for each other are quite complicated, Shizuka felt guilt, shame, and sorrow. Ichirou on the other hand was feeling all types of emotion, mostly aggression towards her once called sister in arms.

"Ichirou, this needs to end, once and for all. We need to settle our differences," Shizuka started off. "I have nothing to say to you, scum," Ichirou venomously responded. "..." "What, did I hit a nerve, did I hurt your feelings, eh?" "A bit... But I understand why you have such hate for me." "Huh?" "You hate me because I abandoned you, is that right?" "No, I could care less, I hate you cause you betrayed our master's trust." "You're lying. You don't respect him in the slightest... You hate him, just like me." "Shut up, that isn't true!"

Shizuka realized the young girl was scared for her life at this point, not knowing what Hifumi will do to her after all this scared Ichirou in truth "I know you're scared of him overhearing us, but don't worry." Shizuka quickly raised a finger to the air, lightning shot out of it and hit an avian out of the air. The bird was cooked, smoke rising up from its body.

"Ichirou, you can't trick me. I know you hate him because you tried to kill him after the massacre." "That was..." "You remember, don't you? I know he altered your memories like mine were, however, yours was instant while mine was but it was gradual. He performed similar operations on us, both of them gave us beyond human strength, but robbed our humanity and the truth of the matter and what really happened." "Shut up, I don't want to hear it!" "When I caught up with you after you went to go kill Hifumi you were fighting against him but you weren't able to beat him and neither was I. He was going to kill you and I knew I couldn't stop him with force, so I made an alternative choice." "Yeah, you tried to kill me! You cut my chest open!" "I didn't cut too deep, and it was the only way to save you." "What in the hell are you talking about?" "It was the only way I could save you at the time. I cut you in front of him to show him who was stronger. In the end, I made him take me as his pet project in exchange for your life." "No, that's a lie." "I endured days of physical pain as the parasites inside my body we're altering it. It got to the point where I wanted to die, but I hung on for your sake." "That's a lie." "I took all that pain just for you, so you can be free, but I guess it didn't matter since Hifumi used you as an experiment anyway... I was truly stupid to think him using me would save you."

Shizuka got down on her knees, bowing in front of Ichirou. "I am truly sorry for everything that happened to you... I failed to protect you back then and I ignored you for so long due to false memories. Even if they were changed to a degree, I still should've talked to you. I am so sorry..." Ichirou looked down at Shizuka, watching her bow to her feet. Her rage had gotten to its boiling point, it could no longer be contained by her anymore, she needed a release.

"STOP!" Ichirou picked up Shizuka by the arm and hit her square in the stomach. Shizuka dryly coughed. Another punch would land in her face. The force of the punch was enough to break a wall but Shizuka's face was stronger than a steel wall. "JUST STOP DAMN YOU, I TOLD YOU TO STOP! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANY MORE OF YOUR CRAP! YOU'RE SORRY, YOU REGRET WHAT YOU DID!? BULLSHIT, YOU ABANDONED ME, LEFT ME HERE WITH THAT MONSTER, YOU LEFT ME ALL ALONE WITH NO ONE ELSE!"

The barrage of punches continued as Shizuka didn't block, deflect, or even try to dodge, she simply took the attacks while still keeping her eyes on Ichirou. "I THOUGHT YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE ME BEHIND, I THOUGHT WE WOULD BE TOGETHER FOREVER..." Ichirou's punches decreased in power but still packed a punch. "But you just betrayed me and left me behind, I hate you for it, I loathed you, I despise you, but I..."

Another punch was coming, it was more powerful than the last punches. It would surely hurt like none other, however, it wasn't aimed for Shizuka's head, it instead hit the wall behind her. She felt the destructive force behind the punch, it was powerful enough to create a 3 meter crack in it.

"...But I... I can't do it, I can't kill you no matter what I try or think to do. Because I... I still love you! You're a sister to me, I hate you, but respect you and love you! So tell me, what should I do with all these emotions?"

The truth was out, Ichirou's feels laid bare. The contempt for Shizuka was matched by her love for the person she considered a sister. Shizuka watched as the person she cared for was bawling her eyes out. There was nothing she could say to stop the waterworks, let alone to make her forgive her. All Shizuka could do was mimic Kazuki by embracing Ichirou. Quietly wrapping herself around the girl as she cried on and on.

"It's okay, I'm here now, and I shall not leave you again," Shizuka thought to herself. There was no insurance for Shizuka to keep the promise, so she didn't say it aloud, but it didn't mean she would break it either way. However right now, what's done is done, I cannot take back what I've done. All I can do is hope she forgives me for what I've done. No, I shouldn't expect her to.

"Ichirou, would you like to come with me?"

"Where to?"

"Out of this place? I'm not leaving without you, this time."

"Are...are you sure?"

"Yes, so let us go, together."

It was the first time in years that Shizuka held Ichirou's hand. After a long battle, she would drag her by the hand to make sure the two of them were together. After all these years, the two of them held hands together again, but not to retreat, but to fight for their lives!

...

I could see the gate far up ahead, the tall metallic door was in reach. However, there were no demons around here to defend it.

"Ko, you smell something," I asked for a heads up. "No demons, just one person up ahead," He laid out. "Can you tell who it is," Yukari questioned. "No, I just know it's odorless for a human." "That's more than enough. If our opponent is human then it'll be as simple as going all out against them," Hisoka summed up. "Sounds pretty roundabout, but I have to agree, if we go all out at the start then we'll be all right," Ryota shared the same thought as he agreeded with Hisoka. But I don't know, it doesn't sound as easy as everyone is making it out to be. Call me skeptical, but I just know it's not going to be simple.

"Big bro, can I ask you something?" "What?" "Is big sis Shizuka gonna be okay with that boy looking girl?" "Yeah, she'll be fine... That's just what I'm hoping for of course. I don't know if she's shaken off her fears or her problems just yet. I think some light came to herself. What happens next is up to her." "Oh." "But I'll still be there to help her when she needs it." "And so will I!"

To be honest, I still feel uneasy about the whole thing but I did the best I could, I just need to hope that it was enough.

"Someone's up ahead." Ko's warning put us on full alert. Someone walked over to us from uphead in this narrow pathway. Their movement sloppy as they slumped one way to the next. It was Hifumi, there was something different about him this time, it felt as if he let go of his calm aura and opted out for something else, something darker.

"You come, good," He shouted, as if speaking to a singular person. "Out of the way or, we'll cut you in halves!" "Hisoka, something is different about him," I pointed out. "I don't particularly care, he's still just a human in the end of the day." Hisoka moved in with his arm straight out. Hifumi effortlessly dodged his attack.

"...I used to think that making my life's work involved evolving a human being past normal conventions, but then it donned on me, that wasn't it. I needed to go beyond the scoop of my understanding and turn them into demons then evolve that demon. But I needed a fitting subject, but none were willing to see my vision through, most of my subjects died on me as soon as I started on them, so that's why I trained kids, to help them reach their peak. Shizuka was going to reach that point, but then you ruined all of that." His scorn was whot at me like a tidal wave.

"I was so close, after these long years of patience, I was in reach and it was taken from me before I could achieve it; all from an unforeseen action... But that taught me something: I shouldn't put all my hopes into something else or someone else other than myself, because in the end, your own self is all that you can rely on." "Quit talking, you deluded madman!"

Hisoka tried to freeze him over but the attack was instantly destroyed and Hisoka received a blow to the head, sending him crashing back to us. Ryota caught him.

"So now, I realize that it falls on to me to carry out my own dream, I shall use my own body to bring about a new creation!"

I turn on Shadow-mog to get a better look at him. There was something in his hand, a worm. But it was a weird type of worm, it was like a comma-shaped worm, it also had a silver shell. He put it up towards his eye. The worm woke up, it start scwurm around in his index and thumb.

"Stop him!" Ryota charged off towards him with a conjured weapon in hand. Hifumi dropped the worm on his eye, it began to go inside his eye. The sight was gut-wrenching, it squeezed its way through his eye socket. His body began to violently convulse as he manically laughed, his body was changing right in front of us as we speak, markings were beginning to form on his body as well.

"GRAAAAAHHHH!" Hifumi let out defining, painful scream as Ryota closed. He stabbed him with his sword but that was no good, he was only blown back with the force created from Hifumi. It was strong enough to reach us. I grabbed Ko and kept Junpei and Yukari from being blow away.

"What the hell is goin' on!?" "Kazuki, what's..." "I don't know, but it's not good!" As I said many times over, I lack Fuuka's analytical skills, but I can tell, at this moment, a monster was born...

YAHHOOO BOIS, NOCTURNE HD, SMT V, YAHHHOOO! Just in time too, as I was beginning to go into Demi-fiend stuff, ain't the world just a funny thing. Also, not much to say this time other than shit is going to get awesome in the next chapter and until then, see ya.

Now for another episode of Kazuki and Shizuka explain

Kazuki and Shizuka: Welcome!Kazuki: We're excited to welcome you all to another episode of Shizuka explain

Shizuka: Why just me?

Kazuki: I mean, you know more than me, so why not?

Shizuka: I know, but don't give up before even trying.

Kazuki: You think? I don't know.

Shizuka: Just try to explain our topic for today.

Kazuki: Okay, I'll try. So for today, we'll be talking about Gekkoukan High's history.

Shizuka: Ah, good topic.

Kazuki: Now, you all might be wondering "Kazuki that's a pretty lazy topic". Not necessarily. Before the school was made, there was a research facility made there in order to examine shadows, however, to the public it was just a pharmaceutical research facility.

Shizuka: Right, but what was being worked over there was closed off towards the public.

Kazuki: Naturally, it drew people in, mainly journalist looking for scoop. However, they were reported missing after a while. Any lead that would trance back to the facility would be hit by a brick wall.

Shizuka: The police wouldn't investigate the missing people reports either. I theorized that they were paid off.

Kazuki: After a while though, journalist stopped investigating the place and dropped it altogether. That was until the explosion, news of that picked up quickly and investigation behind what happened in the facility picked up again. In the end, they weren't able to sort out the truth of the matter, so they came to the conclusion of a gas leak which lead into a chemical combustion, destroying the whole facility. In an act to cover it up, Gekkoukan was made and here we are. So, what do you think Shizuka?

Shizuka: That was an excellent summary good job.

Kazuki: Alright, I'm the best!

Shizuka: Yeah, now you'll be ready for the homework you messed.

Kazuki: Oh crap, I forgot about that!

Shizuka: Then again, so do I, but I'm not too concerned...

Kazuki: Damn smarty pants!

Shizuka: Don't cry, look, I'll help you.

Kazuki: Really?

Shizuka: Really.

Kazuki: Alright! Then let's finish this up!

Shizuka: Okay. Thank you all for reading, next time will be an intense battle between Kazuki and Hifumi, who will assume a new form.

Kazuki: And as always, until the next chapter; see ya.