---- Chapter 29: Sidestory - Taisho and Hitai's Hometown! Defend Against the Demons ----
=== Fukui, Japan ===
Birds could be heard in the distance, as Taisho sat solemnly in a chair outside of a house. Hitai exited, slapping Taisho on the back.
"Wake up already! You aren't fooling anyone with that sleeping routine."
Taisho fell forward, crashing to the ground. Angrily, he grabbed Hitai by the pant leg and hurled him to the ground. "What the HELL was that for?!" he cried out. Hitai slapped him again, as the two began pummeling each other. "Because I wanted to do it, that's why!" As the two stared each other down, a young girl, clothed in a long black cloak, exited the house and slapped them both. Each of the warriors stared in mute shock, as the girl mused, "Can't leave you two alone for a minute.... This town can't take it if you guys start fighting, so don't do anything rash or I'll just kick both your asses." The girl scoffed, and removed her cloak - to reveal none other than Hazumi. Angrily, Hazumi pulled out her Bo-staff, and pointed it menacingly at Taisho.
"You! Stop being such a lazy-ass, and get to work! This town needs to be rebuilt.... and we need to get to work NOW! A demon attack is Hell to recover from, you know.... So get up, get to work, or you'll be doing the work in stitches!!"
Both muttered a faint, "Yes, ma'am," and started to get back to work - hammering nails in boards to rebuild the houses destroyed by the demon attack. Taisho muttered, "I hope I get to see that jerk again, so I can whip him one for making me go through all this...."
=== Fukui, Japan - Three days ago ===
Demons flew through the sky, tearing through buildings like paper. The citizens of Fukui ran through the streets in terror, but a group of demons surrounded them - it looked like all was lost.
Just as the demons pounced....
.... they were flung back in mid-air. As the demons whirled around to see what had happened, they froze. Standing there, was Hitai and Taisho, looks of pure hatred on their faces. Hitai's fist tightened, and the barrier he'd formed around the humans spread outward, knocking down each and every demon.
"You.... dare to attack OUR families and friends?! What foolish demons! Don't you agree, Taisho?"
Taisho held his fist to his side, and began to flare his aura.
"Very foolish indeed.... Well, time to die, guys!"
With that, Taisho cried out, "Shotgun!!!" and blasted the demons with a huge wave of energy. As the demons fell to the ground, a sinister laugh could be heard in the distance.
"You're the fools...."
Both Hitai and Taisho turned their gazes upwards - to a demon floating in the sky. It had long, flowing black hair, and was wrapped in a tight brown cloak. Holding a long rifle in its hand, it smirked devilishly at the pair of warriors.
"I am Kayaku, a demon bandit. And the last thing you poor humans will ever see...."
The demon floated down to the ground, and raised its rifle to its shoulder. It threw back its cloak, revealing hordes of bullets hidden in various pockets of the cloth. Grabbing one and slamming it into the rifle, it snickered.
"Prepare to meet my 'Inferno Shot!'"
A blast of flame flew from the rifle, as Hitai and Taisho dived out of the way just in time. Drawing another bullet from his cloak, Kayaku slammed it into his rifle again.
"'Spark Shot!!'"
This time, a blast of electricity shot from the rifle, hitting Taisho head-on. The fighter's glasses exploded, as unbelievable pain racked his body. Hitai cried out his friend's name, and rushed Kayaku. Picking another bullet, the demon yelled out, "'Frost Shot!!'" And, in a flash of light, Hitai was frozen in solid ice.
By now, the attack had run its course, leaving Taisho slumped down on the ground in great pain. As the warrior groaned, Kayaku floated back up into the air, another rifle materializing in his other hand.
"I tire of this village.... Time to bid it farewell. 'Inferno Storm!!'"
Blasts of fire shot out from both rifles, burning through the town and lighting buildings on fire every which way. Taisho looked around in horror as his childhood home was razed to the ground. Citizens ran around wildly, trying futilely to put out the fire attacking their homes. Kayaku slammed in another bullet into each rifle, and pointed it at a group of citizens.
And something inside Taisho snapped.
The bullets shot towards the citizens, but were deflected by a blue barrier of Ki. Whirling around, the demon bandit saw Taisho flaring with energy, a wild glare in his eyes.
"You son.... of.... a...."
Aura crackled around Taisho, flaming up in a great mass as the warrior stared up at his enemy. Leaping high into the air, Taisho slammed Kayaku to the ground, and began to revolve quickly.
"Kaiten Reiken Kikan-Ju!!! Revolving Aura Blade Machinegun!!!!!"
From inside of the whirlwind Taisho had created, three blades of energy shot out, and pinned Kayaku to the ground. Stopping his rotating, Taisho clutched his fist to his side for a moment before thrusting it forward, shooting an enormous blast of energy at the opponent. Quickly changing the position of his hand, he fired a Rei Gun, causing a massive explosion that could be seen for miles around. Inside of the crater created by the attack, Kayaku groaned in pain. Swiftly, Taisho flipped down to the bottom of the hole, and began to beat the living hell out of the demon bandit. Not even pausing once, Taisho mercilessly pummeled his enemy, slamming into him with oppressive force.
"Stop, Taisho!!!"
Looking up from the bottom of the crater, Taisho saw a heaving Hitai staring down at him. Shaking his head, he said, "He isn't worth it." Gritting his teeth, Taisho nodded, and threw Kayaku back onto the ground. Struggling to his knees, Kayaku panted heavily, blood flowing freely from his multiple wounds.
"You.... blasted.... human.... I'll get my revenge one day.... !!!"
Vanishing in a flash of light, Kayaku disappeared and has yet to be seen again. Taisho collapsed, his energy spent, as his long-time friend skidded down the crater to help him....
=== The Present ===
With a sigh, Taisho continued his work. And so ends this sidestory.
=== Fukui, Japan ===
Birds could be heard in the distance, as Taisho sat solemnly in a chair outside of a house. Hitai exited, slapping Taisho on the back.
"Wake up already! You aren't fooling anyone with that sleeping routine."
Taisho fell forward, crashing to the ground. Angrily, he grabbed Hitai by the pant leg and hurled him to the ground. "What the HELL was that for?!" he cried out. Hitai slapped him again, as the two began pummeling each other. "Because I wanted to do it, that's why!" As the two stared each other down, a young girl, clothed in a long black cloak, exited the house and slapped them both. Each of the warriors stared in mute shock, as the girl mused, "Can't leave you two alone for a minute.... This town can't take it if you guys start fighting, so don't do anything rash or I'll just kick both your asses." The girl scoffed, and removed her cloak - to reveal none other than Hazumi. Angrily, Hazumi pulled out her Bo-staff, and pointed it menacingly at Taisho.
"You! Stop being such a lazy-ass, and get to work! This town needs to be rebuilt.... and we need to get to work NOW! A demon attack is Hell to recover from, you know.... So get up, get to work, or you'll be doing the work in stitches!!"
Both muttered a faint, "Yes, ma'am," and started to get back to work - hammering nails in boards to rebuild the houses destroyed by the demon attack. Taisho muttered, "I hope I get to see that jerk again, so I can whip him one for making me go through all this...."
=== Fukui, Japan - Three days ago ===
Demons flew through the sky, tearing through buildings like paper. The citizens of Fukui ran through the streets in terror, but a group of demons surrounded them - it looked like all was lost.
Just as the demons pounced....
.... they were flung back in mid-air. As the demons whirled around to see what had happened, they froze. Standing there, was Hitai and Taisho, looks of pure hatred on their faces. Hitai's fist tightened, and the barrier he'd formed around the humans spread outward, knocking down each and every demon.
"You.... dare to attack OUR families and friends?! What foolish demons! Don't you agree, Taisho?"
Taisho held his fist to his side, and began to flare his aura.
"Very foolish indeed.... Well, time to die, guys!"
With that, Taisho cried out, "Shotgun!!!" and blasted the demons with a huge wave of energy. As the demons fell to the ground, a sinister laugh could be heard in the distance.
"You're the fools...."
Both Hitai and Taisho turned their gazes upwards - to a demon floating in the sky. It had long, flowing black hair, and was wrapped in a tight brown cloak. Holding a long rifle in its hand, it smirked devilishly at the pair of warriors.
"I am Kayaku, a demon bandit. And the last thing you poor humans will ever see...."
The demon floated down to the ground, and raised its rifle to its shoulder. It threw back its cloak, revealing hordes of bullets hidden in various pockets of the cloth. Grabbing one and slamming it into the rifle, it snickered.
"Prepare to meet my 'Inferno Shot!'"
A blast of flame flew from the rifle, as Hitai and Taisho dived out of the way just in time. Drawing another bullet from his cloak, Kayaku slammed it into his rifle again.
"'Spark Shot!!'"
This time, a blast of electricity shot from the rifle, hitting Taisho head-on. The fighter's glasses exploded, as unbelievable pain racked his body. Hitai cried out his friend's name, and rushed Kayaku. Picking another bullet, the demon yelled out, "'Frost Shot!!'" And, in a flash of light, Hitai was frozen in solid ice.
By now, the attack had run its course, leaving Taisho slumped down on the ground in great pain. As the warrior groaned, Kayaku floated back up into the air, another rifle materializing in his other hand.
"I tire of this village.... Time to bid it farewell. 'Inferno Storm!!'"
Blasts of fire shot out from both rifles, burning through the town and lighting buildings on fire every which way. Taisho looked around in horror as his childhood home was razed to the ground. Citizens ran around wildly, trying futilely to put out the fire attacking their homes. Kayaku slammed in another bullet into each rifle, and pointed it at a group of citizens.
And something inside Taisho snapped.
The bullets shot towards the citizens, but were deflected by a blue barrier of Ki. Whirling around, the demon bandit saw Taisho flaring with energy, a wild glare in his eyes.
"You son.... of.... a...."
Aura crackled around Taisho, flaming up in a great mass as the warrior stared up at his enemy. Leaping high into the air, Taisho slammed Kayaku to the ground, and began to revolve quickly.
"Kaiten Reiken Kikan-Ju!!! Revolving Aura Blade Machinegun!!!!!"
From inside of the whirlwind Taisho had created, three blades of energy shot out, and pinned Kayaku to the ground. Stopping his rotating, Taisho clutched his fist to his side for a moment before thrusting it forward, shooting an enormous blast of energy at the opponent. Quickly changing the position of his hand, he fired a Rei Gun, causing a massive explosion that could be seen for miles around. Inside of the crater created by the attack, Kayaku groaned in pain. Swiftly, Taisho flipped down to the bottom of the hole, and began to beat the living hell out of the demon bandit. Not even pausing once, Taisho mercilessly pummeled his enemy, slamming into him with oppressive force.
"Stop, Taisho!!!"
Looking up from the bottom of the crater, Taisho saw a heaving Hitai staring down at him. Shaking his head, he said, "He isn't worth it." Gritting his teeth, Taisho nodded, and threw Kayaku back onto the ground. Struggling to his knees, Kayaku panted heavily, blood flowing freely from his multiple wounds.
"You.... blasted.... human.... I'll get my revenge one day.... !!!"
Vanishing in a flash of light, Kayaku disappeared and has yet to be seen again. Taisho collapsed, his energy spent, as his long-time friend skidded down the crater to help him....
=== The Present ===
With a sigh, Taisho continued his work. And so ends this sidestory.