What's up, everyone! This is GKC here bringing you the next chapter of Crimson Edge. In this chapter, Team Remix Heart (plus Kazuya and Nathan) enter the Academy Sports Festival. Along the way, Kazuya has a fateful encounter with a fellow wandering warrior.
The audition for Kazuya's rival is still up for grabs so any of you out there who wish to bring up their OC can PM it or drop it in the Review Box at any time.
Now for the disclaimer: I do not own, except my OC, the BlazBlue series. All rights belong to their respective owners.
Now let's get this party started… BEGIN!
BlazBlue: Crimson Edge
Chapter 6: The Sports Festival and the White Void
Courtyard
Kazuya, dressed in a white t-shirt, light blue sports shorts, and white sneakers, stretched his body to prepare for the annual sports festival. After all, he needed this to rid himself of that terrible image from the Truth Grimoire from several days ago. "Ah, today's a good day to train!"
"Train? We're going to be competing in sporting events." Nathan clarified, dressed in a similar workout attire.
"Really? It's not so bad for me." The Scarlet Swordsman popped his knuckles, ready to get started.
"Of course it isn't for you." The brunette rolled his eyes. "You're a freaking exercise nut."
"Well, let's go. The girls are waiting for us!" Kazuya replied in a cheerful manner.
(Begin 'Unripe Hero' by Minami Kuribayashi)
(Electric Bass Single) The screen opens to a view of the bright blue sky as it overlooks the 13th Hierarchical City "Kagutsuchi"
(Heavy Metal Instrumental) A black and scarlet red figure falls from the sky towards the city until they disappear into the buildings below
(Kizu yori itai basho ga motto oku ni aru tte) Cuts to Kazuya standing upon the edge of a cliff before the camera zooms on his face as an image of the Ars Goetia symbol appears in his pupils
(Kanjite shitta tsumetai yoru) A brief flashback of Kazuya's childhood with his adopted family then changes to his days of training with Rachel and Valkenhayn
(Nani ga shinjitsu nano ka wakaranaku natte iru) Cuts to Ragna walking through the streets of Kagutsuchi as after images of a younger Jin and Saya appear by his side
(Uso de nuri kata merareta sekai de) Cuts to Jin sitting at his office going over files while Noel comes in only to fall to the floor like a clutz in which Jin sighs dejectedly
(Kimi wo mamoritakatta yugami to ai ga) Shifts to a scene where Kazuya is on the ground unmoving; his hair covering his eyes as rain pours onto his body with the many weapons of Ars Goetia embedded all around him in the earth. After images of Mai, Makoto, Tsubaki, Konoe, Kokonoe, and Celica appear in front of the camera
(Kasa natta shunkan ni~) Cuts to Rachel and Terumi staring down each other menacingly
(Oi tsumerarete itta kanashimi) Cuts to Hakumen traveling through a forest before drawing out Ōkami and entering his battle stance
(Kaze ga dakishimeta) A brief showing of Hazama going from his usual calm self to his insane appearance crosses over the camera
(Ano sora ni hibiki tsuzukeru) Cuts to Bullet dashing towards Iron Tager, who brings up a barrier blocking her punch
(Kimi no kodoku na koe wo) Shifts to Arakune unleashing a skeletal arm at Litchi, who cries out to him, stopping the arm just short of hurting her
(Wasurenai yo) Carl looks up with a smirk as Nirvana lunges at the camera
(Inori ga tokete iku ne) Cuts to Valkenhayn and Azrael engaging each other in a fist fight to which Valkenhayn transforms into a werewolf with Azrael grinning like a madman
(Yuki no you nikieru~) Cuts to a brief appearance of Noel until three more figures revealed to be Nu, Lambda, and Mu fade in
(Ikiru imi wo sagashi nagara) Cuts to Ragna, who snarls then brings up his right arm, unleashing the Azure Grimoire as his hand morphs into a glowing hellish black claw then lunges forward
(Kyou mo sokudo wo agete) Kazuya roars as his body is enshrouded in a scarlet red light which dissipates to reveal him in the bio-mechanical armor of his Nox Nyctores's true form: Solomon
(Mada HERO nare naku temo~) Both Ragna and Kazuya engage in a fierce duel to the death as the camera zooms in on their faces; their eyes burning with unbridled rage and hatred
(Kitto) The two fighters threw a punch that collided with the other, engulfing the screen in hellfire
(Closing instrumental) Cuts to a scene with Blood Scythe and Bael crossing over each other while embedded in the earth; Kazuya's scarf flowing on the grip of the sword until it fluttered away in the wind
(End)
Meanwhile…
Mai, Cajun, Noel, Tsubaki, and Makoto are all outside, dressed in the female versions of their own gym clothes (with a few of their shirts squeezing around their busts and their short sports shorts clinging to their curvy hips).
"Wow, what great weather!" Cajun comments with a smile, looking upon the clear blue skies with glee.
"Perfect for the Sports Festival!" Tsubaki added, feeling excited.
"I wonder what the Academy's Sports Festival is like? It seems fun." Mai comments then bring up a wrapped bento box with a joyful look on her face. "And I even have Noel's special lunch." She giggles softly.
"I thought we'd be hungry from all the exercising, so I made lots!" Noel giggles with glee.
"Thanks, Noel!" Mai said to her blonde friend while Cajun had a tormented expression on her face. The bluenette suddenly noticed Makoto stretching, unintentionally showing off her filled-out butt cheeks.
"All right!" The squirrel girl cheered. "Let's go!"
"You're all fired up, Makoto." Mai comments.
"Makoto's physical ability is amazing!" Noel cheered for her best friend.
"I have high expectations." Tsubaki nods in agreement with a grin.
"Leave it to me!" Makoto pumps her fist.
It was at this moment that Kazuya and Nathan arrived. "Um, what'd we miss?" The black-haired boy asked with a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead.
"Nothing much!" The Beastkin replied with a cheerful grin.
"You're a weirdo sometimes…" Nathan deadpans.
"Urusai." Makoto glared at the brown-haired boy.
"No arguing, children." Kazuya scolded the two, who both huff and look away with pouts on their faces.
"So, could it be that you were chosen to be a player in other matches?" Mai asked her Beastkin friend.
"Not really." Makoto droned. "I'm only taking part in one match."
"Eh? Is that so?" Mai said, surprised that the most physically-capable of their group would only be in one match.
""Is that so"?" Cajun repeated. "Really, now." She shook her head at the bluenette's airheaded response. "We're all participating in the same game, you know."
"Because it's a team sport!" Noel added.
"Makoto's the leader, and the five of us together make up a team," Tsubaki explained.
"Ohh… That explains it!" Mai nodded in understand before she realized that they left out two of their numbers. "But what about Kazuya-kun and Nathan-san?"
"We're a two-man team," Kazuya explained. "So, unfortunately, we'll be rivals in this festival."
"Oh," Mai looked down, seemingly upset that she'd be competing against her only two guy friends. "Well, good luck."
"Luck ain't gonna do anything for us. From here on out, it's straight up skill." Nathan stated.
Later…
Fireworks exploded overhead in the skies, lighting it with an array of colors.
On the sporting field, several students watched from the rafters with awe and excitement. It was at this point that a female junior spoke up on an intercom with a happy smile on her face. "Alrighty! The yearly Torifune Sports Festival is starting! What sort of plays will we get to see this year!?" A few cheers erupted from the crowd. "Now then, a word from the members of the Student Council!"
Jin was nervously smiling at the camera while his two friends, Taro and Akane were by his sides, giving the crown peace signs.
"Everyone, remember to abide by the rules and play fair…" Jin spoke up before Taro interrupted him.
"No beating each other up!" The tanned teen added with a happy grin.
"Try not to die." Akane ended.
The announcer sweatdropped at the awkwardness from the three boys. "Er, yes, thank you very much, guys! Anyway, let's move on to the first match without any delay!"
"Well, this should be good." Nathan comments.
"Yeah! Bring on the challenge!" Kazuya pumped his arms, eager to get his game on.
Cajun looked at the crimson-eyed teen with a dry look. "You're just as bad as Makoto."
"Hey!" Said Beastkin exclaimed incredulously by the remark.
The rest of the gang watched as all of the participating students did a 400-meter tag race and a pair-up capture the flag event.
"Wow, wow, wow! Everyone's amazing!" Mai exclaimed with a bright smile.
"Players participating in the obstacle course and borrowed thing race," The female announcer spoke loudly on the intercom. "Please assemble in front of the Torifune Sports Festival's main tent."
Makoto slammed a fist into her open palm with an eager grin. "Awright! You guys ready!?"
"Yeah!" Mai and Noel cheered while Tsubaki and Cajun shook their heads in amusement. Kazuya and Nathan sweatdrop at the boisterous squirrel girl as they idly wondered if she was always this hyperactive.
Main Tent
"Guess this is where we part ways." Nathan comments as the group of friends stop in front of the tent… with a bunch of older, muscular male students who seemed to be showing off their biceps and flexing their bodies without limit (much to the unintentional enjoyment of the girls).
"Wait, what did you two even sign up for?" Tsubaki asked.
"Tag-Team Wrestling!" The two boys said at the same time they gave each other fist-bumps.
"Aww! I wanted to be in that event too, but the guys hosting it wouldn't let me…" Makoto whined with comical tears.
"If it makes you feel better, we'll give you one of our Tag-Team belts." Kazuya patted the brunette Beastkin on the shoulder, only to get smothered in large melons once more as Makoto hugged him excitedly.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She chirped then planted a kiss on his cheek, much to his embarrassment (and the other girls' jealousy).
"And what about you girls?" Nathan inquired.
"We're going to be doing the obstacle course and the borrowed thing race for this year's main event." The lavender-haired Cajun answered with a grin.
"What do you have to do?" Kazuya asked after breaking the hug with Makoto.
Tsubaki decided to explain. "While clearing various obstacles, what's written on the card has to be borrowed and brought to the finish line without fail."
"So it's like a scavenger hunt?" The wielder of the Ars Goetia tilted his head for confirmation.
"Yes, exactly." The redhead nodded with a smile. "The borrowed thing could be hidden anywhere in the academy." Mai and Noel idly thought 'wow' in their heads.
Suddenly, Cajun had this eerie look in her eyes. "Rumors say that the students from last year who went after the borrowed items are still unaccounted for…" She giggled while terrifying the hell out of her more naive companions.
"You guys good? This isn't a game." Makoto suddenly spoke out in a tone that surprised everyone… since they've never seen her so serious before. "We need to be serious about this. This could end up being so long, farewell!"
"Well, good luck, girls. We'll be cheering for you!" Kazuya grinned as he and Nathan waved the five girls goodbye then marched off to enter the tag-team wrestling matches.
"Wait, tag-team wrestling is what they've signed up for, right?" Tsubaki asked.
Makoto suddenly had a rather lewd grin on her face. "Maybe they'll be wearing tight spandex underpants."
The girls blushed heavily at the image of both Nathan and Kazuya in matching rubber underwear.
Torifune Entrance
"So… the child is here," A deep, resolute voice spoke while a walking pile of white armor with a long katana on its back approached the Hierarchical City.
"Excuse me, sir," An NOL guard spoke up, earning him all of the warrior's red eyes on him. "But do you have any papers?"
The warrior gave the man a hard stare, which only made it more terrifying due to his multiple red eyes.
"Uh… Please?" The guard gulped.
Hakumen continued to stare at him.
"Um, on second thought, you can go in." The man quickly shuffled back to his post, hiding under the table and holding himself in a fetal position. For added effect, he started sucking his thumb and crying for his mommy about the 'scary demon samurai'.
With the distraction taken care of, the White Void looked upon the entrance to the city and marched inside. "Now, Tainted Child, let's see how strong you've become these last decades."
Wrestling Ring
A man cries out as he's thrown out of a makeshift wrestling ring and lands roughly on a wooden table, breaking it under his weight.
"And another win for the wrestling duo of Kazuya Mercury and Nathan Phobos!"
"Oh yeah! I'm on a freaking roll!" Nathan smirked, rotating his arm as the joints popped to release a bit of tension.
Kazuya sweatdropped at his partner. "You're taking this a little too seriously."
"What can I say?" The bad boy of the academy shrugged. "I'm a competitive person."
The wandering warrior sighed. "I bet the girls aren't having much trouble than this…"
"Huh? Didn't you know?" Nathan inquired.
"Know about what?" Kazuya blinked in confusion.
"Well, the event is rather… dangerous." He replied. "In fact, the obstacles for the teams are other teams."
"Wait, are you saying they fight each other?" The dark-haired young man raised a brow.
Nathan nodded.
Kazuya groaned. "I know I'm gonna regret this a lot." He left the ring and his partner behind.
"Hey, where the hell are you going?" Nathan wondered.
"To find the girls and keep them out of trouble." The Scarlet Swordsman replied.
"But our title match!" The brunette whined.
Kazuya rolled his eyes. "Quit your bitching. I'll be back in a little while."
"Goddamnit!" Nathan cursed, sitting on a bench with his arms crossed and a pout on his face.
Later…
Kazuya searched high and low for any sign of the girls but so far, he's found nothing that even resembles them. He debated on using his agility to climb at a higher elevation to scout for them but that would just lead to more questions than answers.
Eventually, he managed to get a location from one of the other contestants about the girls' whereabouts. Apparently, they were in some area that resembled a massive desert.
Honestly, he had no idea why a desert would even be in this place... then again there was that weird jungle with the monstrous plant that tried to eat him.
Still, areas like those are bound to carry hidden dangers and Kazuya wasn't about to let his friends be eaten by some messed up monsters with a hankering for flesh. So he followed the trail of the girls as best he could. His quest leading him through the hot, dry desert as sweat excreted from his pores, sticking his clothing to his body in an uncomfortable way.
"God, I fucking hate deserts…" The Crimson Swordsman panted as he traversed the golden sands.
For nearly half an hour, he followed the faint trail of footprints consisting of five separate individuals that he figured were the girls and each step of his own further dehydrated his body.
"I swear to all things good that if I get out of here… I'm taking a long, cold shower…" Kazuya said to himself, wiping away the sweat that dangled over his eyes.
"KYAAAA!"
A feminine scream reached the young man's ears. The fear of losing his friends reinvigorated Kazuya as he utilized his enhanced speed to sprint across the desert sands towards the location of the scream.
After sprinting for a good few seconds, he spotted four figures in the distance… and one sinking in an antlion pit. Kazuya's nose detected the scent of a Beastkin near the mouth of the seithr-altered monster. "Makoto!" He exclaimed, drawing the attention of Tsubaki, Cajun, and Noel while Mai removed her shirt and bra to create a makeshift rope to help the squirrel Beastkin.
"Kazuya!" The three girls cried out while Mai threw the makeshift line to Makoto, who managed to snag it but her bare breasts were pressed against the burning sands, irritating the skin on her bust but she ignored the pain in favor of saving her friend.
Kazuya gritted his teeth. He didn't want to have to reveal his Nox Nyctores to the rest of the girls since only Mai knew, but he had no choice if he wanted to prevent them from being hurt.
Reluctantly, he mentally called upon the power of his Demonic Arsenal. Through his clinging, wet shirt, the tattoos that symbolize his bond with Ars Goetia shined crimson as an alchemical circle with a demonic symbol as he spoke the name of the weapon he desired. "Gremory!" At his call, a black and red hand cannon with an avian-like design, a small talon-like blade at the bottom of the grip, and the iron sights fashioned to look like a curved beak (picture the Hawkmoon from Destiny 1).
Ignoring the looks of surprise from Tsubaki and Cajun, the Heir of Solomon leaped into the air, aiming the Gremory down upon the center of the seithr. He pulled the trigger, firing a bullet comprised of pure demonic energy. It struck the darkened center, giving Mai the chance she needed to grasp Makoto's hand and pull her out of the sand.
Kazuya performed a few mid-air somersaults before landing in the sand with ease. His crimson eyes narrowed at the spot of the antlion pit as his grip on Gremory tightened anxiously. 'Something's not right here. Gremory's bullets should've destroyed that monster, yet it still lives… Why?' He thought to himself while the girls hugged and smiled in relief that their Beastkin friend was alright.
"Mai...your breasts!" Makoto suddenly exclaimed.
"Eh?" The blue-haired girl blinks once then quickly covered her bare chest once she realized she was topless. A heavy tinge of red burned her fair cheeks.
Curiosity got the better of Kazuya as he turned around then gaped in shock that Mai was without a top. "M-Mai!? You're…" He quickly moved his head away to look anywhere but the half-naked girl in front of him.
"I was so absorbed in trying to save you…" Mai said in embarrassment.
Unfortunately, Makoto seemed to take it with a hint of guilt since she felt partially responsible for the burns on her friend's skin. "You got burned up all because of that…" Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "I'm sorry, Mai… Thanks so much!"
Kazuya smiled faintly, feeling proud of his two female friends…
"Wear mine!" The Beastkin exclaimed out of nowhere, preparing to remove her shirt, showing off the underside of her breasts and revealing that she wore no bra. "If it's gotta be like that, I'll go naked this time!"
"You took that way out of context!?" Kazuya exclaimed in comical shock, his face a beet red.
Tsubaki, thankfully, handed her jacket off to Mai to spare further embarrassment for everyone. "Put this on instead."
"Thanks," Mai mumbled, still blushing. 'It smells nice…' She thought to herself.
Suddenly, the center of the pit began to shift, forming a black cloud of seithr that surprised the girls while Kazuya jumped in front of them, aiming the Gremory hand cannon at the smog.
"Is that… the ant lion's true form!?" Tsubaki exclaimed, tensed.
Cajun releases a small grunt. "What could it be…!?"
The black mass began to take shape into a humanoid form with beady white eyes. Kazuya tensed up for a fight when he noticed the being bring its hands up… and clap them together as the fog lifted to reveal the true form behind it.
"BRAVO!" An effeminate, looking man with sparkling eyes, a heavy blush, and comical tears cried out in joy. He had dark blue stripe tattoos on his body, black manicured nails, and seemed to look like some sort of pharaoh judging by his appearance. "Oh, bravo, beautiful ones!"
'What the fuck…?' Kazuya looked at the strange man with one eye twitching and his pupils seemingly gone. Apparently, the girls had similar expressions when staring at the half-naked person with his upper body being the only thing visible from the sand.
"I am the Guardian." The masculine figure introduced himself to the gathered six. "For many years, this antlion pit has seized many prey," A solemn expression morphed the effeminate being's face. "But everyone had only taken priority for their own lives over others. Those who sacrificed their comrades to save themselves. And even those who left behind their lover." The Guardian closed his eyes, seemingly disappointed. "I was sure that this world was filled with only impure beings. I was rightly fed up with it all, and yet…" A thin smile appeared on his face. "Sacrificing yourself to save your friends… I was deeply moved by your actions."
The girls looked at the Guardian curiously while Kazuya sent the Gremory back into his pocket dimension with the rest of his weapons.
"To show my thanks for that moving display, I will grant you one wish." The Guardian offered. "However, there is little I can grant within this desert."
The offer surprised the group of six until Mai spoke up, "Then… could you find the Conversion Grimoire!?"
"Grimoire?" The Guardian thought about then snapped his fingers. "If I am not mistaken, if it is the Grimoire you seek, then there are two…" He twirled both index fingers on his hands, swirls of magical energy gathering until they reconstructed to form two separate intricate vials with colored liquids inside of them. "This is the Conversion Grimoire," He gestured to the vial with a bubbling green liquid. "And the Azure Grimoire." He gestured to the vial with a bubbling blue liquid.
"EHH!?" Mai and Noel exclaimed taken aback.
Kazuya narrowed his eyes at the so-called "Azure Grimoire". 'There's no way that's the real one. Rachel's dog has it for a right arm.' He thought to himself in suspicion.
"Which Grimoire would you like?" The Guardian inquired.
"H-Hold on just a sec! Timeout!" Makoto exclaimed.
The seemingly omnipotent being smiled. "Permission granted."
Kazuya backed away as the five girls gathered up and started thinking over their choices on which Grimoire they wanted. Makoto particularly mischievous for some reason that left a strange shiver down his spine. Then Mai, with a soft smile, stepped towards the Guardian as if she knew her decision.
"I choose the Conversion Grimoire."
"EHH!?" This revelation shocked not only the girls but the Guardian and Kazuya as well.
"You would rather choose it than the Azure Grimoire?" The Guardian inquired.
'Considering it's not even the real one, but still… Why would Mai forgo such an opportunity?' The Scarlet Swordsman wondered that himself.
Apparently, Makoto decided to voice those concerns. "The Conversion Grimoire may be able to fix your super taste, but the Azure Grimoire has a far better chance than it!"
Mai thought over it for a second then grinned. "But… what was written on the obstacle course and borrowed thing race's card was the Conversion Grimoire." She pointed out. "If we borrow that, we can all go back."
"Mai…" The other girls and Kazuya looked at their friend, seemingly proud and touched.
"So… please," Mai said to the Guardian. "The Conversion Grimoire!"
The djinn was silent for a minute then moved his lips until they formed a smile. "An interesting girl." He comments then glances at the vial that was said to be the Azure Grimoire until it shattered into pieces.
"The Azure Grimoire!?" Makoto gaped.
"It broke…!?" Noel seemed equally confused.
The Guardian chuckled. "This is not the Azure Grimoire. It is a fake."
"Ehh!?" Mai exclaimed while her friends' sweatdrop. "Is the Conversion Grimoire also a…!?"
"Do not fret. This is the genuine one." The djinn reassured the girl. "And now, it is yours." He said for the final time as he vanished into motes of light, allowing the vial to drop into the waiting blue-haired girl's hands as she smiled brightly.
"We cleared the obstacle course!" Mai cheered.
"Let's head back to school," Tsubaki added with equal excitement.
Kazuya watched as the five girls walked through the sands for the return trip back to the school. He folded his arms across his chest then smirked once they were out of earshot. "That was all a test for them, wasn't it?"
Behind him, the Guardian, who seemingly vanished, reappeared with a humorous grin. "Quite so, young man."
"Did you know that Mai was going to pick the Conversion Grimoire?" The black-haired teen inquired.
"Honestly, no. I thought she would choose the fake Grimoire rather than the other. That child has quite a gift." The djinn chuckled.
Kazuya nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she's pretty special alright." He rubbed the back of his neck with a guilty expression. "Hey, sorry about shooting you before. I thought you were eating my friend."
The Guardian waved his hand with a good-natured grin. "Think nothing of it, Heir of Solomon. Had I been in your place, I would've reacted the same way. I hold no grudge against those who care deeply about their friends."
This set Kazuya's mind at ease, but a thought still lingered. "Guardian, I have a request to ask of you."
"Speak your mind, Kazuya Mercury," The effeminate djinn crossed his arms over his bare chest.
"It's about my family… my birth family," The young man swallowed hoarsely. "Do you know what's become of them?"
The Guardian shook his head with a solemn look. "I am sorry, but such knowledge escapes me. There are many things I know, but events that happened nearly a century ago are not my part of it."
Kazuya looked visibly disappointed. However, he smiled bitterly. "It's alright… Even if I don't know who my birth parents are," He looked up at the djinn with a thoughtful grin. "There are still those in my life that I value and cherish with all my heart."
The Guardian smiled. "You have such a bright soul, for one so young. I can honestly say that one day, you will find what you are looking for. All you have to do… is keeping moving forward."
Nodding in agreement and bidding the djinn a fond farewell, the crimson-eyed demon hunter followed the footprints of his friends back to the academy… with an unusually bright smile on his face.
Two Hours Later…
After retracing his path back to the academy, he rejoined Nathan in the championship match and managed to win the title belts for him and his rebellious friend. The crowd cheered loudly for their accomplishment, even the girls, who had returned from their obstacle course race and won the title of MVP for the Sports Festival.
Overall, it was a great day to be a winner…
Currently, the group of friends sat outside dressed in their uniforms and a picnic basket filled with small sandwiches, sweets, and cold beverages (along with a few plates of Noel's cooking for Mai). They ate merrily and chatted amongst themselves about their experiences.
"Oh yeah! Tag-Team Champs, right here, baby!" Nathan boasted, patting the golden surface of his wrestling belt with a proud smirk. "I tell ya, this is the greatest day of our lives!"
Kazuya sweatdrops as he sips his melon soda, 'Tone it down, why don't ya…'
"Well, being wrestling champs is great and all, but being an MVP is even better." Makoto gloats, munching on a peanut butter and hazelnut sandwich.
"Please don't eat with your mouth open…" Tsubaki said dryly.
Mai happily ate the delicious food that Noel made especially for her. The others were thankful they didn't have to eat the blonde girl's death-dealing machinations.
Cajun glanced at Kazuya with a look of interest, "Speaking of which," She said with a grin. "Kazuya, why were those tattoos glowing on your body?"
The young man nearly did a spit take as he coughed a few times then looked at the lavender-haired girl with wide eyes. "Uh, well, they're…"
"Yeah, and where'd that gun come from anyways?" Makoto asked.
Now the girls were looking at Kazuya with equal parts curiosity and suspicion. Even Nathan seemed a little curious about what the girls meant.
"Uh… I…" Kazuya gulped audibly. He couldn't find a way to escape or to lie his way out of this situation. Now, what was he supposed to do?
"I finally found you…" A haunting, synthetic voice spoke aloud, drawing the attention of the teenagers as they looked upon an approaching cyborg samurai in white armor with a black bodysuit and hakama pants. On each section of the armor are functional red eyes with slit pupils that directed their gaze towards Kazuya. On the back of the samurai is a sword around as tall as he is with a two-horned helmet with no features or visor, giving the warrior a faceless feature that paralyzed many with fear.
Kazuya and Nathan instinctively stood up in front of the girls, glaring at the newcomer warily. "Who are you?" The crimson-eyed teen demanded.
"I am the White Void, I am the Cold Steel, I am the Just Sword…" The white armored warrior reached for the hilt of the sword on his back and removed it as he entered a combat stance. "...with blade in hand, I will reap the sins of this world and cleanse it in the Fires of Destruction! I am Hakumen." All of Hakumen's eyes landed on the young man. "And I come for you, Tainted Child."
Kazuya scowled at the reminder of his accursed nickname which detailed a past he never wanted to hear. "Nathan, keep the girls back. I'll handle this…"
The brunette gave his friend a look. "You sure about this, buddy?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," The ravenette nodded as he stepped towards Hakumen, eyes narrowed with violent intent.
"Kazuya…?" Mai spoke softly, concern for the boy reaching a new height as she watched her friend approached the dangerous masked warrior.
Kazuya and Hakumen walked a few paces until they were a few feet away from each other. Both combatants' red eyes glaring at the other as they prepared their weapons for battle.
"Just so you know, I have no intention of holding back… even to the famed leader of the Six Heroes." Kazuya remarked as the Ars Goetia tattoos shimmered softly.
"Doing so would be foolish. I do not hold back in any sort of engagement." Hakumen retorted in a calm, yet cold manner.
The black-haired teen scowled then called forth Bael as he entered a relaxed, yet guarded stance.
Rebel 1, ACTION!
Kazuya made the first move by dashing towards Hakumen and swinging his sword at the legendary hero. Unfortunately, Hakumen had already performed Zanshin and used that chance to block the boy's attack then struck back with a powerful knee to his gut.
The young man gagged, nearly vomiting his lunch prior to the fight but held it back in as he quickly recovered and went back on the offensive.
Hakumen slashes with his sword, but Kazuya manages to step over it by controlling his inertial sense of balance. The only thing that managed to touch the White Void's sword was the sole of Kazuya's shoe which met the faceless visage of Hakumen's helm.
The demon hunter vaults over the samurai, landing in a crouch as he sends Bael back then calls upon a pair of tomahawk axes. "Botis!" With his new weapons in hand, he went on the assault, striking and hacking at Hakumen, who could do nothing but defend against the blows.
As the fighting continued, Nathan and the girls watched with bated breath as their friend fought against the powerful white warrior.
"Yeah! Kick his ass, Kazuya!" Makoto cheered.
"I think Kazuya might be able to win this," Noel said with a big grin.
'No, that's not it…' Nathan thought with a bitter frown.
Cajun seemed to agree with him. "Unfortunately, Kazuya's opponent isn't necessarily utilizing his full strength." This earned her several looks from her companions.
"Cajun, are you saying that Hakumen is still holding back?" Tsubaki inquired.
"I'm saying that he is toying with Kazuya," The lavender-haired girl corrected. "I don't know why, but I can sense that man's power and… it isn't even at its highest."
Mai gasped and watched her friend in concern. 'Kazuya…'
"Beelzebub Breaker!" Kazuya roared, throwing a darkness-infused punch at Hakumen.
However, Hakumen expected this and brought his sword up which stopped the powerful blow from even reaching him. Grabbing the boy's arm, he slammed Kazuya down onto the ground, earning a grunt of pain from the Tainted Child.
"You are much too weak," The White Void chided the young man.
Snarling, Kazuya kicked his feet up and struck Hakumen directly in the jaw. The armored man released a grunt as the blow from the boy's kick forced him back.
The Scarlet Swordsman quickly vaulted back onto his feet and glared at Hakumen. "You have no right to belittle me… you old relic!"
"Name calling will not win you this fight, Tainted Child," Hakumen remarked, dashing towards the boy and slashing him with his own Nox Nyctores.
Kazuya quickly summoned the Naberius kite shield to block his opponent's attack… until he gaped in shock when the sword easily sliced through the metal of his shield and scored a deep cut on his chest. A large spurt of blood spilled onto the ground as Kazuya fell to the ground with his eyes blank to the world.
"KAZUYA!" His friends called out for him in sheer horror.
"As I expected," Hakumen comments, taking Okami and sheathing it as he turned to leave. "You've still not grown strong enough."
"Bastard!" Nathan roared, charging at the samurai in a fit of rage. Unfortunately, he was soundly defeated by a quick palm strike that sent the brunette crashing against the trees.
"Nathan!" Noel cried out in horror when she noticed the trail of blood dripping from the delinquent's forehead.
Makoto glared at Hakumen, hatefully, "What the hell is wrong with you!? Why are you doing this?!"
"My reasons are my own. Do not stand in my way, or you will get hurt." Hakumen warned the girls as he walked towards Kazuya's bleeding body.
"No, Kazuya!" Mai tried to run over to her friend to help him, but Cajun held the bluenette back by the arm. "Cajun-san, let go! We have to help him!"
"Mai, we can't!" The lavender-haired girl interjected. "Besides… something's wrong."
"Eh?" The other girls looked at Cajun, save Noel, who was tending to Nathan.
As the leader of the Six Heroes approached the half-dying young man, Hakumen's senses suddenly began to flare as if a dangerous phenomenon was approaching. 'This boy… does he…?'
Suddenly, the tattoo of Ars Goetia shined brightly with a sinister crimson light. The blood surrounding Kazuya stopped flowing… then began to recede back into the boy's body.
Then came the words… a phrase is spoken in a voice filled with demonic corruption…
"Bound by Blood… Bound to Soul…" The words left Kazuya's lips while his dark hair shadowed his eyes.
'Impossible!' Hakumen's many red eyes widened in surprise. 'Does he plan to release it here!?'
Alucard Manor
As Rachel sipped her tea, a terrible image filled her thoughts...
A black and red warrior clad in demonic armor…
A Hierarchical City engulfed in flames…
A street lined with corpses…
...Blood red eyes staring back with malicious intent.
The Observer stood up from her seat with a gasp, her cup of tea clattering onto the ground and spilling its contents.
"No… the Seal on the Ars Goetia…" She muttered with a hint of fear. "It has been broken…!"
Torifune
The very air itself seemed to be corroded in death and darkness, as tendrils of red light and shadowy mist escaped from the tattoo shining on Kazuya's chest.
Hakumen quickly stood in front of the teens, his sword poised for another conflict. "You need to leave." He told them.
"What!?" Makoto exclaimed. "There's no way we're gonna listen to-"
"This is not the time for arguing! Leave!" Hakumen ordered as Kazuya slowly began to stand on his own two feet, but a vicious black and red aura that radiated with bloodlust.
"Kazuya...kun?" Mai spoke to get the young man's attention.
Suddenly, a wide, toothy grin that revealed a set of shark-like incisors that dribbled with saliva as he spoke in a demonic voice. "...Lord of Demons… Exist!"
At his evocation, the tendrils surrounding him clung onto his body then started to form a set of demonic looking black and red armor. The armor itself looked to be based on a humanoid trilobite with a faceless helmet that possessed a tail-like appendage that coiled around the back, razor-sharp claws, blade-like pauldrons, and the Seal of Ars Goetia flaring brightly on the center of the armor's chest piece.
"Wh-what is that!?" Tsubaki exclaimed, feeling her heart is gripped with fear.
"That is the true form of the Nox Nyctores wielded by the Tainted Child," Hakumen answered, keeping his blade poised to strike when needed.
"Wait, Kazuya wields a Nox Nyctores!?" Makoto exclaimed in shock.
"Yes… one that I had hoped he wouldn't wield…" The White Void answered. "What we face before us is no longer human… This is the true form of the Ars Goetia…"
The girls could only look upon the armored form of their friend as he began to chuckle darkly.
"Solomon, the Lord of Demons."
A/N: Cliffhanger! And finally! After almost a year, I have finally finished this bloody chapter.
Truth be told, I kinda forgot about this chapter until I played BlazBlue and got back into it.
Ah, and another thing. After looking over a few things, I realize that Kazuya's move list isn't enough and I'll have to update it. Y'know, make it seem like a proper Blazblue move list.
As for Kazuya's rival in wielding the fourteenth Nox Nyctores, I've decided to make them myself. Can't keep relying on others when I can make the character myself.
Anyways, review and comment on this chapter. Love it, hate it, but just know that you've read it.
Peace out, everyone!