Chapter 26: The Two Spears

The wind blew through the city, its draft emitting an unsettling air as the two parties met. Through her mask, the Gessen shinobi spoke in an imposing voice. "Who are you, and just what are you doing out here?"

"I would ask the same of you. Nice costume but you're awfully far from the convention. And from what I hear, citizens are supposed to be evacuating this area." Vert replied.

"Exactly the reason I ask why YOU are out here. More importantly, what are you doing to this man?" Murakumo folded her arms.

"Oh, don't be fooled, miss. This man is a kidnapper and I am simply teaching him a harsh lesson." Vert smiled.

"Is that so?" Murakumo looked down at the man.

"It's not true! Yeah, I made a sarcastic and possibly rude remark about her outfit that I shouldn't have, but she said she'd HAVE MY HEAD FOR IT!" Anonydeath began to sob.

"I WILL have your head, YOU BIG LIAR!" Ram rushed up, aiming to strike Anonydeath in the face with her staff, the hacker letting out a yell. A sudden clang of metal and Ram recoiled back, looking up to see the brown-haired, pig tailed girl glaring at her.

"Bad girl. No hurting unarmed person!" while Minori's grimace made Vert smile, it made Ram boil inside.

"What's with this idiot?" Ram then pointed at Murakumo. "You with the mask. You should get out of here while you can, it's not safe bringing children along."

"You smaller than meee!" Minori whined.

"At least I sound more grown up than you!" Ram snapped back.

"Nuh uh!" Minori retorted.

"Ya huh!"

"NUH UH!"
"Ya. Huuuh!"

"Ram, is that any way for a goddess to be acting?" Vert sighed before turning towards Murakumo. "I'm sorry, clearly there's been a misunderstanding. This man kidnapped Ram here and is a public enemy of Gamindustri. Now if you'll excuse us ladies, we've a criminal to apprehend."

Murakumo watched as a nervous Anonydeath frantically scooted over to where his helmet was, his trembling blue eyes reflecting similar heart-pounding insecurities she often saw in herself. "Do I look like the kind of guy who'd enact a kidnapping? I told her I was sorry, but she came at me with that scary spear!"

"Don't listen to him! He's lying!" Ram shouted.

"Minori think it's better not to listen to rude, hothead little girl!" Minori's lips curled up into a huffy frown.

"Says the little girl who can't speak or act her age!" Ram retorted, sass coating her tone.

Minori, already steaming began to yell, "I am NOT LITTLE!" Tackling Ram to the ground, the two rolled as Minori began to pummel Ram with her bucket. In retaliation, Ram began using her staff as a battering weapon. Murakumo called out for Minori to stop, but to no avail as Ram had now rolled Minori underneath her, forcing the latter to grapple her staff in defense as the two girls growled, an aggressive spark going off as they made eye contact.

Vert then pulled Ram off Minori. "That's enough, Ram!"

"But she started it!" Ram rebutted.

Murakumo walked up behind Minori, backhanding her in the head. "That is no way to be acting, Minori! I'm afraid I'll have to report this."

"N-no, Murakumo! Don't tell Yumi!" Minori looked back, teary eyed.

Anonydeath had begun to sneak away when Vert pointed her spear his direction. "Hold it! You don't think I'm actually going to let you off easy, do you?" Vert stopped suddenly when Murakumo stepped in front of her, pointing her hooked spear right at Vert's nose.

"You say there's been a misunderstanding. To me your intentions have been made quite clear, villain. Now, tell me what really happened." Murakumo said.

"We are not your enemies. I am telling you; this man is a criminal! His act is a ruse!" Vert pleaded.

"I saw the fear in his eyes, heard the tone of his voice. As opposed to someone who appears to take pleasure in such antagonistic actions." Murakumo replied.

"Ah! I am normally a patient woman, but your interference is beginning to irk me." Vert felt a slight vein popping in her head as she stared down Murakumo's mask.

"Yeah, you attacked first! How do we know you're not with them?" Ram said.

"Cause we don't know him! Meanie!" Minori blurted.

"Dummy!" Ram called back, the spark between their eyes ready to ignite once more.

"If you are truly not as you claim, then let the blades of our spears determine who is in the right." Murakumo pulled out her cleaver. "You may call me Murakumo. Might I have your name, stranger?"

"I am Vert. Vert of Leanbox." The goddess now positioned her spear against Murakumo's.

"Now then, Vert of Leanbox; Prepare yourself!" Murakumo rushed forward taking rapid jabs at Vert, who swung her spear like chopper blades in front of her, deflecting Murakumo's strikes. As Murakumo and Vert began to duel, Ram, noticing as Minori cheered her friend on, sent a small lightning spell her direction, zapping the Gessen shinobi.

Minori's hair puffed of static, as she looked towards Ram. "What? I didn't do anything!" Ram turned her head and folded her arms when a magic burst sent her flying backwards, ripping the ends of her dress. Getting up, Ram screamed, charging at Minori who also followed suit.

Murakumo kept on Vert with a fast flurry of jabs and slashes, pushing her back slowly, but unable to break her guard. A swing to the right, a jab to the left, a fake out into a cleaver strike from the side, it did not matter. Vert met her attempts at seemingly every angle. "Not bad, Vert of Leanbox. But why will you not attack? Show me what you are made of!"

"My, I thought I already had been." Vert shoved aside Murakumo's spear, spinning her own spear to then counter the incoming cleaver. "But I agree. I will show you just what a goddess can do! Sylhet Spear!" Murakumo leapt aside, just barely dodging a green energy spear which appeared from an aethereal circle of the same color. But as she dodged aside, Vert was now on top of her.

"It is finally my turn. Rainy Ratnapura!" with a rapid series of jabs, Vert took Murakumo by surprise. Finding herself on the defensive, she desperately blocked Vert's onslaught, as now it was she who began to get pushed back.

Minori jumped and sidestepped, Ram sending all manners of fire, ice, lightning, and wind elements her direction. A miniature twister sent Minori upward, ripping the sleeves near her arms and sending her dress flying up to reveal her striped panties. Ram, following up with a fireball, witnessed as Minori's frying pan sent her own attack back at her. As Ram leapt to the right, the blast pressure from the fireball knocked her down on her stomach.

"Rrrgh! You eat pancakes and get fat, fat, FAT!" Minori shouted. Ram looked down on the ground as a large shadow enveloped where she lay. Aiming her wand upward, she launched an ice spell followed by a fire spell, shattering and dissipating the pancakes. But as burning pancake pieces fell so did a large, iron weight held by Minori.

Just missing Ram, the young CPU Candidate found herself on the ground once more, proceeding to kick Minori back, the Gessen Shinobi storing the big weight into her odd hamster backpack. Ram got up just in time, Minori jumping back to strike her bucket against Ram's staff, the two engaging in their own duel.

Vert's continuous barrage kept Murakumo on her toes, barely blocking the CPU's strikes as Vert's spear tore at her lower waist cloth, exposing her smooth thighs and ripping the left half of her red haori almost completely off. Her right gauntlet and some cloth underneath were the only thing covering her naked arm and shoulder. "Now where was all that energy you had just a moment ago?" Vert chuckled. You can do this, Murakumo. You are the Mask of the South! Murakumo rapidly looked for an opening. "Give up, you cannot win."

"Do not. Be so sure!" A swift parry from Murakumo's cleaver sent both herself and Vert staggering backwards, enough to regain her composure.

Vert, taken aback by the counter, also caught her breath. "Most impressive indeed. I would ask where you hail from."

"I'm afraid that is top secret." Murakumo took a stance, but it was clear to her that Vert was not intimidated.

"Very well, then how about you tell me when we finish this!?"

"I Agree! HAAAAH!" leaping into the air, Murakumo lunged at Vert who dashed forwards under her, Murakumo making out the words 'Kinestra Slash' as a series of green energy slices tore apart her outfit.

A plastic clunk could be heard as Vert turned to see tattered fabrics decorating the ground, beside it, the white Hanya mask of her opponent. A high-pitched scream followed as Murakumo clenched her legs up. Left only in her chest armor, the wind chilled the skin up her back and across her shoulders and onto her bare ass. Vert slowly came around to see Murakumo covering her closed eyes with one hand as she felt around for her mask in a trembling voice. "Oh, no no no no no no no. Not here, not here not again why?!"

"You are… much different sounding without your mask." Vert walked over, picking up the Hanya mask. "Is this some kind of magic or… technology?"

"EEH! Nonono, please give it back! You can't… you can't take my mask from me, I'll die!" Murakumo crawled over towards Vert, only to look up to see Vert wearing her Hanya mask. "EH!?"

"Hmm. I don't feel any different. Wait, I get it, it must be an equipment piece that raises your stats. That must explain why your clothes just exploded when I knocked your mask off." Vert said.

"Wh-wh-what!? N-n-n-n-nO! I-I don't think. NO! I know that's not how it works!" Murakumo stuttered, bewilderment mixing into her embarrassment.

"Oh? Well it does make for a good costume piece. Hmm. Do you think it looks good on me? I know the outfit doesn't match, but I have some great costumes back home that would look splendid with this accessory." Vert's carefree tone baffled Murakumo, whose cartoon-white pupils of shock and incomprehensive stammering left her unable to move. "Oh, but maybe this mask is cursed. And if I destroy it, you will be set free and back to your normal self."

Murakumo let out a gasping scream, "Destroy it?!"

"Don't worry, dear. This should only take a second." Vert began to take the mask off when Murakumo lunged for it screaming 'NO!'.

Snatching it back, Murakumo quickly put her mask back on, panting as her voice returned to the deep tone she once had. "You… are the most lackadaisical, infuriating foe I've EVER FACED! You're not the first to steal my mask or threaten to destroy my belongings but how DARE YOU SAY IT WITH SUCH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE!"

"My, did I strike a nerve? No need to be a sore loser." Vert looked surprised.

"NO, YOU LISTEN HERE!" Murakumo began shouting, going into a raging rant. Vert folded her arms, unsure of what to do when she noticed a growing shadow on the ground. In a rushing lunge, Vert tackled Murakumo out of the way as a large lifting electromagnet dropped down where they once were. The loud crash got the attention of Ram and Minori, who stopped fighting to see Vert and Murakumo on their backs. "You… saved me? Why?"

"I told you. We are not your enemies." Vert replied.

"Oh, give me a break!" came the voice of Anonydeath, who stood above them on a construction catwalk, right beside a crane with a detached hook.

"You… you tried to kill us." Murakumo said.

"This ain't what it looks like, girlfriend, I swear it!" Anonydeath called down.

"You… rat bastard!" Murakumo yelled, Minori and Ram soon running up beside their friends to hear Murakumo shout louder. "You TRIED TO KILL US!"

"Very good, I mean-… Wait, that's not what I meant to say!" Anonydeath held his head.

"I trust this proof will suffice?" Vert asked.

Murakumo gave light grunt while nodding slowly, clearly embarrassed. "Minori, can you hand me the extra clothes?"

"They might not fit cause they mine, but okay." Minori quickly handed her the clothing items, Murakumo donning a pair of pink kitty underwear which barely snapped over her hipline and a small, blue furisode with gold kanji lining the outside trims.

Vert held her hand to her mouth, trying not to stare. "Oh my, how lewd." When asked by Murakumo if she had said something, Vert immediately sweatdropped. "Why yes. Let us go after him!"

Quickly following Vert and Ram, Murakumo and Minori began dashing up stairs and the sides of old buildings in pursuit of Anonydeath. Flights of stairs adorned scattered glass and furniture and beams of steel and wood obstructed the pathways until the four girls jumped from a broken window, onto a construction catwalk, trailing Anonydeath to the roof. "Hold it!" Murakumo pointed her spear at Anony, but the hacker ran forward and leapt off the roof onto the next nearby building.

Without warning, Murakumo leapt after Anonydeath followed by Minori. Ram sweatdropped, scratching the back of her head. "Yeah, those weirdos can go after him if they want, but I don't wanna get him that badly, right VEEEEERT!?" before she could finish, Vert grabbed Ram by the hand as she performed a running dash, jumping over to the next roof. Ram clung onto Vert as the roof of the next building rushed up at her, closing her eyes before they landed.

Ram opened her eyes to Vert's voice, "Are you alright, Ram? Oh look, our newfound allies have just cornered the hacker. How wonderful. Come on, Ram." Vert walked off, leaving Ram, who said nothing but simply looked straight, breathing heavily before Vert came back, dragging her along.

"I admit that I lied about the whole insulting her outfit thing, that never happened! Her outfit's kinda cute actually, but I swear I did not drop that magnet! I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time is all!" Anonydeath pleaded.

"You expect us to believe that!?" Murakumo flared.

"I suppose not." Anonydeath sighed, "But just so ya know, if anything happens to me, I have auto-bombers on radar, ready to level the area at my command."

"What does that mean?" Minori tilted her head.

"It means he plans to blow us all up if we touch him!" Murakumo frantically took a step back.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous. I know even you have no such power." Vert folded her arms.

"How do you know this?" Murakumo turned her head towards Vert.

"We have dealt with this fiend in the past. And he is an expert bluffer. He's smart and resourceful, but his threats are about as empty as promises from a CEO from a game studio in Rockville, Maryland." Awkward silence followed. "Oh, never mind. The point is you have nothing to fear of this man." Vert began walking closer towards Anonydeath with her weapon out, the others following suit shortly.

"A-are you sure about that, Lady Vert?" Anonydeath began to take slow steps back, opening a small panel on his arm. "Don't be so sure… I've… got resources you may not know about!"

"My, is that trembling I detect, my dear Anonydeath? Play around on your toys all you like, but I suggest you come quietly before we force you to quiet down." Vert's ominous words meshed with a calm tone and a sweet smile.

"Yeah! Quiet you down! You try to kill Murakumo!" Minori pointed at Anonydeath.

Anonydeath sighed, "Alright, I give up. But I swear I did not unhinge that magnet."

"Then who did, Creepy? Tell us! Tell us now!" Ram demanded.

The evening clouds began to darken further than they were as rain began falling. Murakumo looked and around. "What is that?"

"It's just a bit of rain. Surely you know what that is, don't you?" Vert raised an eyebrow.

"No, not that, but I… sense something." Murakumo said.

"Something smell funny." Minori scrunched her nose as she sniffed.

"You smelt it first. Must be you." Ram remarked, Minori protesting as the two started another childish argument, which Vert was quick to shut down, noticing the rain slowly heightening by the second.

"It does smell strange, though. Reminds me of when we were at the beach with all the… salt water." Murakumo suddenly grabbed Anonydeath, shoving him against the wall with her cleaver at his neck. "WHAT DID YOU DO!?"

"Nothing! It's like your Lady Vert said, I'm a bluffer! I was just pretending to push buttons!" Anonydeath's voice trembled as he put his hands up.

"Murakumo. You sense that don't you?" Minori asked, holding her nose from the intensifying smell. The rushing sounds of water could be heard below as though a river had flooded the city streets. Vibrations came through the ground, crawling up the building rooftop and into their legs as a slimy crackling echoed into their ears. Murakumo stuttered, "A yoma?!"

From around the corner of a nearby city block, emerged the swollen shape of a creature, almost 100 feet tall. It's off-white tentacles reeked of a stinging, salty smell, which complemented three grotesque masses of bulging flesh. The two on the front, which each seemed to house a black, oozing eye in the center, pulsated as it came around. It's final bulge, which was by far the largest, was marked with terrible blue and purple markings, the likes of which formed the shapes of human faces. Finally, stubby but tubular black arms with outer, parasitic teeth on the end jutted from the sides of the creature as it let out an echoing, eerie moan.

"This is bad, we have to get out here!" Murakumo murmured when she noticed Vert standing on the edge of the building. "What are you doing!?"

"Sylhet Spear!" a green energy spear launched from an aethereal circle behind Vert, piercing the yoma's right bulge of flesh. Emitting a deafening roar, the yoma retaliated by spewing ink-like shots which almost hit Murakumo and Minori. The creature then used its massive tentacles to strike at the base of the building, destabilizing it. Anonydeath used the opportunity to shove a staggering Minori and Murakumo down as he fled.

"ARE YOU MAD!? We can't take on a yoma of that size!" Murakumo shouted.

"Then stay behind and watch after Ram for me. I'll OHKO this boss in two turns!" Vert said. Keeping her balance, she leapt downwards onto a nearby catwalk, proceeding down the building acrobatically, and gaining the attention of the giant yoma.

"That's not how OHKOs wo-... Oh, what is that idiot thinking!?" Murakumo growled, getting up. "We can't stay here, Minori! Let's go. You too!" She nodded towards Ram, before running down through the slowly tipping building.

"HEY! Don't leave me here!" Ram cried, running after the shinobi.

With very minor flooding in the city streets, Vert landed on the roof of an abandoned bus. Drenched by the heavy rain, Vert now stood perfectly adjacent from the yoma, it's imposing ugliness flashed in its fullest via bolts of lightning in the background. A smirk carved upon the Leanbox Goddesses mouth. "Now then, show me what you can do."