Arata ran through dark alley ways and streets to the strange presence. The closer he got, the more the pressure on his body became. The pressure became so heavy, he had to stop running to collect himself or he would have passed out.
Just keep running. You'll find the source soon.
The hitokiri did not even know why he was running to this ominous source. Anyone in his place would be running AWAY from such a thing but with Arata it was different. He always ran toward danger, even before he became a hitokiri. He guessed it was out of curiosity or that this presence could answers the questions in his mind.
He rounded a corner and a little boy knocked into him. The boy reached his hips and wore khaki shorts and a white t-shirt. He had messy black hair underneath his backwards baseball cap and eyes wide in fear. The feature that caught his attention though was the chain on his chest. At it didn't look like it was on his t-shirt but his actual body.
The boy looks up to see an imposing figure. A man with a strong body and a height of 6'7. His head was shaved and showed a large scar near the top of his head. He wore old fashioned Japanese garbs with a long piece of red cloth draping over his left shoulder, with rope bindings for his upper body and limbs. He wore black steel armor on his shins, biceps, and forearms. On both his arms were red dragon tattoos, both leading to his chest and upper back. On his waist was a waist-cloth decorated with puppet heads. The most scary thing about this man was probably his mask. Instead of white wood, it was made of something stronger, like bone. Its facial expression was devoid of emotion and only contained two eye holes and an open horizontal oval mouth. Red markings were underneath each eye and a red circle on forehead. The mask was attached to red rope which was lined with streamers.
(A/N: The Miyoshino helm without the cap in red)
The boy cried out in fear at Arata and shielded his face with his arms.
Arata expected this. He was never good with children but he tried his best to stay patient with them.
"Child, stop your crying". It did the exact opposite. The boy cried more after hearing Arata's raspy, deathly voice.
Before he could tell him to stop again, he felt the presence again and looked in its direction. It was behind the boy and it wascoming quick. From Arata's eyes he saw a simmer at first until a creature started to form. It came in the form of a big dog, the size of a house, but it lacked any fur, instead showing off a grayish-blue skin. It's face was covered with a white mask like him. On its chest was hole. It roared as it neared Arata and the boy.
Arata thought quickly and grabbed the boy and ran. He and the little boy ran through narrow streets and alleys, all the while avoiding the dog creature. But the streets and alleys were a maze for the inexperienced executioner. He ran through to the best of his abilities but eventually ended up in a dead end. After turning around to head out, the dog enter the alley and blocked the two.
The little boy as crying as he held onto the scary man, praying in his mind he won't get hurt. He then felt him being let down as Arata then face the creature. Not only was he scary, he's was irritated too.
"What are you? Answer me"
The dog just growled before pouncing at Arata. The hitokiri barely avoided the dog, dodging to the side and avoiding its claws. The little boy hid behind a nearby trash while watching the dog and scary man eye each other. The dog turned and growled at Arata while Arata did the same. Arata fishes out the pocket knife he took from the teens from earlier and entered a battle stance against the beast.
A knife against a beast like that? Are you crazy?
'I have no other option' and he rushed in to attack. The dog did not avoid Arata's slashes but it barely felt them. They didn't even stretch him. Arata growled in frustration before going for a stab at its leg. The stab was packed with tons of force which would have pierced through the toughest leather armor but that wasn't the case. The tiny knife snapped and fell to the ground.
Seeing his only weapon broken, he throws the useless tool away and he backs away, out the alley and away from the boy. The dog did not forget his last prey though and turned to see the little boy behind the trash can, frightened. The dog took a step towards him until he felt his furless tail get snagged by something. It turns to see Arata gripping his tail and pulling hard. The creature roars in pain, rage, and surprise as it was forcibly pulled out of the alley and into the empty street by the masked man.
Once out in the wider street, the dog and Arata regarded each other again as they circled each other, waiting for the other to engage.
With how you are right now, you can't take that thing on.
'Hmmm...'. Arata pondered the voice's words. He could out run the dog like he did before, probably faster now that he isn't carrying the child, and escape. However...
He looked at the boy and saw that he was staring intently at him. He caught his eyes and even from Arata's distance, saw his fear. It snagged against his heart strings involuntarily.
He sighs. "Whatever" he says and charges against the giant dog.
So we're doing this... okay. Look, I know you said didn't want any help but without me, you will die. Do you understand me?
'I will take care this on my own-'
No! I WILL protect you.
Arata then felt a surge of energy in him. His senses were heighten and his heart evened out more. He and the dog approached each other with fury. Arata struck first against the dog, throwing a punch at its masked nose. The creature neared its head in pain but did not received a moment of reprieve as Arata jumped up higher than he has ever jumped before and landed on its back. The giant dog moved wildly, trying its best to shake off the masked man on it back. It was for not. His grip was too strong.
Arata meanwhile was gripping to its skin and punching at the dog's nape. The creature roared loudly in pain and moved more wildly. The hitokiri punched and punched until the creature's nape started to bruise. The creature was angry and so jumped high up into the sky. The jump caught Arata off guard but held on for dear life as the both of them entered the sky.
They then started to plummet down and Arata gripped the skin in his hands extra tighter. It took only a few seconds to return back to the ground and they landed, causing a large shock-wave to erupt, shaking nearby cars and setting off their alarms.
Arata opened his eyes and looked around. He was still on the dog and his hands were gripping the skin so hard, he thought he was gonna tear it off. Said dog was lying on the ground, motionless. Arata slowly took his hands off the flesh and got off the dog and inspected its face its eyes were opened but it wasn't breathing.
He walked back to the alley way entrance where the boy stood. The boy still regarded him with fear but didn't shy away from the executioner's form.
"It's dead now. You're safe"
The boy nodded his head lightly before he screamed out abruptly. He followed the direction of his eyes and turned quickly but not fast enough.
The dog swiped its claws at Arata's back and it landed true. Even if Arata wore any type of chest armor, it wouldn't have change a thing. It felt like four katana blades had sliced him simultaneously and deep too. He coughed out blood of his mouth and fell to his knees in front of the boy.
The hitokiri wrapped his hands around him and kept him shielded as the boy cried in fear.
Arata felt weak once again today but at a far greater degree. He felt like falling but made himself kneel upright. He looked to the boy and for a second he was reminded of memories from times before. When he was able to cry so freely like the little boy.
"Roar: Zabimaru!"
Just as he was about to accept death from the giant creature, a stranger intervenes. A six-part segmented sword slashed the dog, its fang protrusions dragging in its flesh as it was pulled back. The segmented sword comes back together in a sword where its owner was. It a tall male but the eye catcher to him was his long red hair which was pulled back into a pony tail. He wore a white bandanna that covered some of the many tribal tattoos on his body. He wore a black robe with large sleeves with a white under clothing and white obi, sash.
The beast roars in anger before charging fast at the newcomer. When Arata looks his way, he does not seem scared or concerned. He only remained focus on his enemy. The dog pounces towards him but the man jumped forward and went over the dog. While in midair, he slashes his weapon and extends it, slashing the creatures back. He lands behind it and the creatures whirls around, angered but barely clinging onto his life. The man decides to end things immediately as his eyes drifted to Arata and the little boy and sent on last slash against the dog across its throat, killing it finally, its body disintegrating into black dust.
He sighs as his sword glows red and shifts into a katana. Sorcery, Arata thought. And what an incredible pressure he exuded. It was by far more powerful than the dog. Will he answer his questions?
The man runs up to Arata and the little boy and kneels down next to the boy, facing Arata.
"You still with us?" he asks the weak executioner which was only answered with a groan and a small nod.
"I-Is he going to be okay?" asks the boy. The redheaded man then looks at him before gently putting his hand on the hilt of the sword. Before he could pull it out however, Arata grabs his wrist, stopping him.
"What are you doing?" Arata growls at him.
"I'm not going to hurt him"
"I find that very hard to believe seeing that you are pulling out your sword"
"No, just watch" and he points to kanji on the bottom of his swords pommel. Arata reluctantly releases and watches as he pulls the sword out and faces the boy. The boy of course was scared, thinking he was going to get hurt and backs away from the man in fear. The man is quick though and gently puts his hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently, reassuring him.
"Don't worry kid, I won't hurt you. I'm gonna send you somewhere safe, somewhere you can rest your days" the man says softly. The little boy stills as the man then plant his pommel on his forehead. He takes the pommel off the boy, the kanji glowing on his forehead, who closes his eyes before he started dematerializing until all that was left was a black butterfly.
Arata had little to say. He thought the boy had died but felt that it wasn't the case. The whole scene was too beautiful to be considered a death.
"What happened?" Arata questions. His voice was quiet, a near whisper that the man almost didn't caught but fortunately did.
"Konso but before I tell you more, lets gets you some help"
Arata's eyes begin to flutter and his strength leaves him as he falls on his side before he loses consciousness, leaving his body to the redheaded man.
