Disclaimer: I don not own Flame of Recca. I am just a fan.(",)
Previous Chapter:
Last chapter, the fight between Recca and Shigure has started. The battle began when Shigure challenge Domon first. Domon showed Shigure what Team Hokage did in Kurei's tournament but it seemed that Shigure's Psychic Device, the [Kagami no Yume], and Ayame's [Oni no Kage] proved much more powerful Devices than Domon's. After Domon's defeat, Shigure now challenges the two sword masters of Team Hokage, Tokiya and Koganei, in a two-on-one battle… Everything seems to be heating up… I hope you enjoy it!!! (",)
Chapter 3: Mind over Mastery
"I challenge you! Tokiya and Kaoru!" declared Shigure.
"Hey Tokiya… what's he up to?" asked Koganei to Tokiya.
"I don't know… but let's be alert…" replied Tokiya.
After Tokiya's answer, he then got his [Ensui] and struck it on the ground.
"Please sister… help me…" prayed Tokiya in silence.
Tokiya remembered the tragedy that his sister met. He prayed that his sister would help him fight and help protect Yanagi.
"Sister… please help me…" Tokiya prayed again.
Mysteriously, the orb of his [Ensui] glowed to its light blue color and then the symbol of "Water" appeared.
"Tokiya… you will protect your friends…" replied a woman's voice coming from his [Ensui].
Tokiya recognized the voice. It was his sister. Tokiya pulled his [Ensui] from the ground and its ice blade formed from the water moisture found in the soil. It looks like the [Oni no Kage] failed to cancel the [Ensui]'s main ability.
"Very good… It seems that you have mastered you're [Ensui]'s ability…" Shigure applauded Tokiya.
"Don't be quite excited…Kaoru, how's your device?" Tokiya asked Koganei, somewhat feeling uneasy.
"Um… I think that it doesn't work… um wait a sec…" answered Koganei, as he tried to transform his device.
"I think I got it…" added Koganei, smiling with excitement.
"Um… nope… It can't transform…" concluded Koganei as he sat on the ground, trying to at least fix his device, he looked like a small kid playing with a toy.
"Hey Tokiya! I've got a plan… why don't we both attack… I'll attack his lefts side… my [Kougan Anki (1)] won't penetrate his Iron body… so it's all up to you to use your [Ensui]'s ice blade to injure him a bit… I'll be attacking that Ayame… get it?" whispered Koganei to Tokiya.
"I don't know… Shigure is quite smarter than he looks... he's at least one step before us…" doubted Tokiya.
"Let's attack alternately… when Shigure becomes occupied with one of us… the other goes for the girl…" said Tokiya to Koganei.
"Okay, but just be ready… we don't know what Psychic Devices or moves that Shigure will show next…" reminded Koganei to Tokiya.
Tokiya and Koganei both prepared for their strategic assault. Tokiya held his [Ensui], Koganei his [Kougan Anki]. They both waited for the right time that they would start their barrage. As Shigure, placed himself into his fighting position, holding his device below his waist, Tokiya and Koganei simultaneously ran towards Shigure.
Tokiya and Koganei's speed was astounding that at the moment they began to charge, in a span of a few seconds, they had already reached Shigure. Koganei started the attack by jumping to the air then handling his [Kougan Anki] like a giant knife, used the gravity to bring down and deliver a powerful blow.
"Here! Heads up!" yelled Koganei from above, as he dived to Shigure.
Koganei's dive attack with his [Kougan Anki] caught Shigure, so Shigure used his [Kagami no Yume ~ Ensui] to block Koganei's attack from the sky. Out of the speeding air that rushed the grassland, came Tokiya, running towards Shigure with great agility, holding his [Ensui], ready to slash Shigure's undefended body.
"Nice strategy…" complemented Shigure.
"But you're not that fast…" added Shigure, using his strength to toss Koganei away.
Shigure's move blew Koganei away. But Koganei saw Tokiya and he knew that their plan would work, so as he landed from the last attack, he immediatly charged Shigure once more.
"Not fast enough? Watch this…" dared Tokiya to Shigure, as he rushed faster towards Shigure.
Tokiya charged Shigure, slashing as fast as possible. When Tokiya came pretty near to Shigure, he slashed his [Ensui] horizontally, targeting Shigure's Iron abdomen, knowing that his crystal, ice blade can pierce through the steel skin. But as Tokiya was about to execute his move, Shigure's [Kagami no Yume] transformed into the [Kougan Anki]'s third form, the [Pole].
"Your useless blade wouldn't do much now…" said Shigure to Tokiya as he prepared to block Tokiya's strike.
Tokiya released his attack but Shigure's scissors [Pole] successfully blocked Tokiya's [Ensui].
"Darn…" cursed Tokiya.
"Hey! I'm coming girlie!" shouted a voice running from behind Tokiya.
It was Koganei. He was running really fast, charging the standing Ayame, following the plan.
"Pretty nice strategy… but like I said… you two lack speed and device abilities…" reminded Shigure to Tokiya, now running towards Koganei to stop his assault. Shigure rushed to prevent Koganei from destroying the [Oni no Kage].
"Hey Ayame! Here comes Koaru!" declared Kaoru, then he jumped in the air, concentrating his power again to deliver a final blow on the sealing device of Ayame.
"Don't count on it!" said a voice behind Kaoru.
Kaoru looked back and saw Shigure speeding up to him. Koganei also noticed that Shigure's [Kagami no Yume ~ Kougan Anki] transformed back to [Kagami no Yume ~ Ensui]. Shigure ran to Koganei, then jumped in the air, gliding above Kaoru. When Shigure reached behind Koganei's head, he executed a summersault strike with his weapon, aiming for a clear and deadly blow on Koganei's head. Koganei saw his move and he canceled his primary objective and shifted to defending himself.
"Darn!" said Koganei as he made a mid-air back flip, until he reached a "lying" position, then placing his [Kougan Anki] on his chest to block and absorb Shigure's attack.
Shigure's blow was executed and as his blade struck Koganei's device, it delivered a very powerful blow that Koganei quickly slammed to the ground, lucky to have survived that dangerous attack.
"Darn…" Koganei cursed Shigure as he lied down on the ground.
After Shigure's attack, he landed down on the ground, then getting ready to attack Tokiya again.
"Come and get me…" challenged Shigure to Tokiya once again.
"…"replied Tokiya in silence, displaying a calm face, as he once again charged Shigure.
"Don't expect me to fall for the same strategy…" said Shigure.
Tokiya ran again towards Shigure.
"Ayame…" Shigure nodded at his sister.
Ayame understood her brother and got another [Constrictor] and gave it to Shigure.
"What?!" remarked Tokiya.
"What's he going to do?" thought Tokiya, preparing for any surprise that Shigure might pull.
"No!" shouted Koganei, standing up, then running to stop Shigure.
Koganei saw Shigure's move. He thought that Shigure was planning of throwing the [Constrictor] at Tokiya. Koganei knew that if Tokiya would be trapped, no one can pierce through Shigure's armor anymore.
"Got you!" shouted Shigure as he threw the [Constrictor] at Koganei.
"Huh?! No way! I was his target?!" asked Koganei in shock and surprise, as the [Constrictor] cut through the air really fast.
The [Constrictor] opened its spider-like legs and it slammed against Koganei. Koganei wasn't able to dodge Shigure's throw. The [Constrictor] grasped Koganei and Koganei fell on the ground. He tried to use his all his power to get out of the binding trap but to no avail, Koganei was helpless.
When Tokiya saw what happened to Koganei, he paused and ran to save Koganei. As Tokiya rushed to his fallen comrade, Shigure charged towards Tokiya.
"Darn! He's fast…" whispered Tokiya to himself.
Shigure's running finally lead him near Tokiya.
"Don't turn your back when fighting an opponent!" shouted Shigure as he executed a slash behind Tokiya.
But Tokiya was able to dodge Shigure's attack by jumping to his right. After his escape, he ran behind Shigure and tried to slash his opponent. But still, Shigure's speed is much more superior to Tokiya's and he was able to evade Tokiya's move. After his attack, Tokiya ran away from Shigure to plan another offesive attack.
"I can see that neither of us can injure each other…" concluded Shigure.
"I think that I'll use my device's alternate ability…" said Shigure as he held his [Kagami no Yume ~ Ensui], and striking it on the ground.
"!" Tokiya said in great surprise.
"I guess you already know what I'm going to do…" Shigure smiled to Tokiya.
Immediately, Tokiya searched for Koganei and Domon. He knew that Shigure's move would SURELY kill anyone.
"…Let's see…" Shigure thought to himself, still smiling.
Tokiya, upon hearing this, ran as fast as he could to save Koganei and Domon.
"ABSOLUTE ZERO!" declared Shigure.
"Tokiya was right! He knew that Shigure was going to use the [Absolute Zero] technique.This technique uses the killing and supeirior capabilities of the [Ensui] and creates a circling nova of frigid ice. This technique would freeze everything that it touches.
Tokiya kept on running until he reached Koganei. He then put Koganei on his shoulders.
"! Got you!" shouted Shigure as he ran towards Tokiya and slashing him on his right side.
It seemed that Shigure was rather a superior fighter than Tokiya nd Koganei combined. When Shigure had struck Tokiya, that was the only time Tokiya realized that Recca and the others will be in real trouble. No one can stop him, no one. After Tokiya was struck by Shigure's blade, he fell on the ground as though everything was lost.
"Sister…" Shigure said to Ayame.
Again, Ayame took out another [Constrictor] and handing it to Shigure. Shigure then threw it to Tokiya, who soon became helpless like Koganei and Domon.
"Finally, two of the possible threats to me are now gone…" Shigure apologized sarcastically, laughing.
"Darn!" Recca cursed Shigure.
"Ah… Fuko Kirisawa... the master of the [Fujin]! Let me say that we have great interest in YOUR Psychic device…" explained Shigure.
"What do you mean?" asked Fuko in confusion.
Behind Recca and Fuko came a voice.
"Recca! Yanagi is hidden in your school!" shouted the woman's voice.
Recca and Fuko looked behind them and saw a black portal form. And out of the portal came out Kageru, Recca's mother.
"Mother!" shouted Recca happily.
"!" Kageru stared at Shigure and Ayame's device with great surprise.
"Why? What's with their device?" Recca asked in curiosity.
"They are the [Twin Device of Energy]!" explained Kageru.
Then Kageru saw Fuko with her [Fujin] and felt relieved.
"Thank God they did not get Fuko…" Kageru said in relief.
"Why is that?" asked Fuko.
"Your [Fujin], when combined with the [Oni no Kage]'s orb, will create an energy that has the capability to disrupt or permanently shut down all the energy sources of a large area!" Kageru explained.
"But they challenge me next…" said Fuko, with her heart pounding.
"! No! Don't fight!" exclaimed Kageru.
"But if I don't fight, Yanagi will be hurt!" explained Fuko.
"We have no choice… just be careful, Fuko!" said Kageru in fear.
"Oh yeah! The [Kagami no Yume]'s weakness is its chain link! If you are able to destroy it, the it would loose its abilities." explained Kageru.
"Yes, I'll keep that in mind…" Fuko took note.
So now, the battle begins. Fuko is challenged by Shigure and Shigure also revealed a part of his plan. As Recca and Kageru watch Fuko step forward, they both have a bad feeling for Shigure will do anything just to get what he wants. Only three members left in team Hokage, one will be fighting a crucial battle that will decided Yanagi and the world's safety or end.
To be continued…
Devices:
1. Kougan Anki – pole – one of the Kougan Anki forms. It resembles a giant pair on scissors.