'Thoughts'
"Talking"
Spells/Other's thoughts/Skills
[Captions]
{Korin's Voice}
Inner Voice
Chapter 17 Beast
KILL
That was the last word that existed in his mind before Korin flashes forward with a sword at hand, slicing it at Dracul's neck. That leads to him simply raising his hand and catching the sword strike; that leads to the teen pointing the gun at his head at point blank, "Animo Fragrante!" He fires the skull-shaped blast at Dracul's head, effectively decapitating him.
"That move…!" Levi cried.
"The Ninth Knight's special attack…" Bel stated.
"Korin…killed him…!" Yamamoto muttered in shock.
"So ruthless…!" Ryohei stuttered.
"My, oh my…" Korin's eyes widen in shock as he saw the smoke around Dracul's face disappears, revealing only half of the man's face was burned off leaving there the facial muscles and his eye ball intact, just as his pale skin grows back on to his face with his hair growing back into place, "So you managed use that technique, huh?"
"But that was too weak."
That was the last thing he heard before a long sword was stabbed into Korin's gut, the teen coughing out blood from the metal blade in his stomach. That wasn't all as dozen of swords were grabbed by Dracul's mantle's black beasts' mouths and all were stabbed into his body hard.
"Korin!" Yamamoto cried.
Korin's body is now like a pin cushion of swords, the blades sticking into his body except for his head as he dropped down onto the floor on his knees. That was sure to kill him, all the swords has pierced through all his vital organs as blood stained his clothes and flowed out of him and onto the field.
"Is he…?" Ryohei muttered.
Fon remained silent.
"Gah!"
They were shocked as Korin's hand raised up with his gun and knocks Dracul's chin hard before landing a kick onto his gut, sending him flying back. This was even shocking for them as Korin stood back up, "That hurts…!" He grunted as he starts to pull out the swords one by one, the bloodied weapons dropped down around him with a metal clink.
"H-Hey… a normal person would be dead by now, right…?" Ryohei stated.
"A…monster…" Gokudera stuttered in shock.
"That was Korin's curse." Fon explained to them, they all turned their attention to him, "Not sure since when, but his body has regenerative abilities unlike any other. All wounds, no matter how severe or life threatening, will be healed."
"I thought so…" Dracul smirked getting back up as he looked at the teen, whose stab wounds are healing almost instantly, "You and I, we are pretty alike, aren't we?"
"Don't put me at the same level as you." Korin growled.
"But it's true, yes?" Dracul smirked, "We both are of the same species, immortal beings that these lesser creatures known as humans seen us as gods!"
"I'm… not you!" Korin shouted.
"You still deny it?" Dracul chuckled, "Fine, so be it." He raised his hand up, a yellow ominous glow appeared around it, "Then maybe this will change your mind."
He fires a dark yellow blast towards Korin, the teen quickly countered with the Third Knight's defence, "Scudo Impeccabile!" The flame shield coming to life in front of him, the blast came short from hitting the shield. What he did not expect was the attack to break through it within a second and blast straight through his chest.
Luckily, he has his enhancement charm activated at that moment so his body is much more tougher than normally so he was only left with second degree burns on the left side of his chest, his red vest completely burned away except for its collar along with the portion around his right shoulder plate.
"So manage to survive that one, huh…?" Dracul chuckled, as Korin's skin starts to regenerate, "But we are not done." He appeared in front of him and punches him in the face, effectively sending him flying. The black haired teen grunted in pain before somersaulting on to his feet and flashes towards Dracul with the force of his step causing a torrent of wind behind him.
He lashes out a fist aimed directly at the immortal in front of him, the man blocking it before Korin aimed his gun at him. That leads to him to backhand the bun's large barrel to the side and knee the teen in the gut hard, Korin coughing out his spit before he stabilized himself and direct a side kick to the man's head hitting him at the side of his temple.
That wasn't enough as Dracul sends a punch to Korin's gut charged with the same yellow glow as before, an explosion of bright light blasts the teen hard as he was pushed to the ground hard, Korin coughed out blood from the crushing impact.
"I'm not done!" Dracul smirked as he grabbed a sword beside him and ram it right through Korin's chest and into his heart, the teen cry out in pain more blood was coughed out of his mouth, "Looks like even if your regenerative powers are amazing, they can't regenerate the vital parts fast enough. Something like a vampire if you ram a stake through its heart."
Korin grabbed into the blade, attempting to pull the blade out of him, only to get Dracul to push it deeper with more twisting into this already life-threatening wound.
"Now, have you heard of the Knight's Prayer?"
"Pray…er…?"
"It is like a code of honour for us Knights, a self-imposed prayer that guide us down our path." Dracul smirked, "But from what I see, you still lack the prayer." He pulls out another blade beside him and stabs into the same wound, Korin crying out in pain again, "Why do think that the golden flames of yours is unable to block mine? Because you lack conviction, a true desire of your own."
"Your resolve is just borrowed, from that little bitch."
Korin really at his breaking point, his current situation is not looking good for him at all, "Damn it…"
"The flames reacted to one's desire, your true resolve." Dracul carried on, "But you have none. All you have done is just been following the path of someone else. That makes you weak. That weakness is unforgiveable."
"Weaklings like you should die!"
That last declaration as Dracul tears the blade through Korin's chest, one long gash sliced on his chest. Korin coughed out blood as his voice is unable to make it out his throat, and the light in his eyes vanishes, his body went numb as his head slumps to the side.
Motoyama Yan Korin… is now dead.
"It is over." Dracul said as he disposed his sword to the side before walking away.
"Korin is…" Yamamoto muttered in shock.
"No way…" Ryohei stuttered.
"Hahahahahaha! Useless trash till the end!" Xanxus laughed, "It is our win."
"Please wait, Dracul-sama." The Cervello tells the man, "You must put the two rings together to mark your victory."
"Oh yeah, forgot about that." Dracul sighed as he rubbed the back of his head in irritation. He turned and walked back towards Korin, the ring still in its chains around his neck.
"I refuse to let this end like this!" Gokudera shouted as he took out his dynamites.
"I EXTREMELY agree!" Ryohei said angrily, Yamamoto nodding in agreement as he prepared to charge in as well.
"Cease your actions." The Cervello tells them, "If you interfere, your rings will be confiscated."
"Damn it!" Gokudera growled.
Inside Korin's soul, the teen is floating around in darkness, his eyes half-lidded as he tries to make note of what happened, 'I died… didn't I…?' He thought, 'Huh… I thought it would be more painful than this… It feels rather peaceful…'
Images of his sisters appeared within the darkness, along with a brown haired girl smiling with a golden pacifier around her neck, and a final picture of Tsunahime floated into his mind.
'No! I can't die yet!' He thought angrily, 'I still have something to do!'
Red-yellow flames surrounded him.
'Power… I need more power…!'
An image of a man in a red trench coat appeared in his mind again.
'To catch up to him…! I need more power…!'
A red dragon's head appeared behind him from within the flames, its jaw widen open before devouring him.
Dracul was about to grab the ring from around his neck, when a red-yellow flames starts to make its appearance around his hand, "The flames are!" He leaped back as the devilish flame erupted and surrounds the body. The image of a dragon makes is mark above the teen, Korin now standing slumped, his eyes now completely white without a single pupil in his eyes.
"Grr…"
"I see…" Dracul muttered, "You are… one of the Five Vessels…"
"GRAWH!-!-!-!" Korin roared out as he charges towards Dracul, his hands clawed at the man, who leaped back to avoid that attack.
That was short-lived as a flaming hand flew out and grabs onto the Dracul, pulling down towards Korin, who lands a sucker punch at his face, sending him flying across the field and crashing to near the audience area, especially near Xanxus.
That did not stop Korin as hundreds flaming hands formed out of the flaming cloak of fire around him, grabbing onto almost half the amount of swords scattered all over the battlefield. With a roar, he sends all the swords flying towards them all, all the bladed weapons crashing down into the ground hard.
"W-What is going on?-!" Yamamoto cried as he tried to run away from the rain of swords, "Why is Korin attacking us all of the sudden?-!"
"Run!" Gokudera cried as they all did that.
Xanxus make a huff in annoyance, before a small smirk make its mark on his face, "About time."
"Bastard…" Dracul growled as he got up, his wounds all healing up, "You knew from the start, didn't you?"
"It is now all in place." Xanxus smirked as he stop up from his leather chair, "HAHAHAHAHA, what tragic accident! Who would have though the Knight would be the very monstrosity that would kill you all?-!"
Fon stopped in his tracks, "Ah! The Mist Guardian!"
At that moment, a rain of swords starts to rain down from above of the Kokuyo gang; the two boys quickly tries to shield Chrome as much as they can as the swords come ever closer.
A small orange flame was seen zipping across the air before forming a large flame barrier in front of them, the blades melted on in soft red hot metal Slurpee. As the flame slowly dissipates, a familiar figure stood in front of them with her gloved hand raised in front of her chest, the orange flame of will ever so burning on her forehead.
"Bossu…"
Tsunahime now stood proudly with her orange eyes staring intensively at the carnage in front of her. As she lays her eyes on the now berserk Korin, a small glimmer of shock appeared in her eyes, "Motoyama-san…"
"H-Hime-sama!" Gokudera cried.
Korin roared out as he pulls out more swords from the battlefield before flinging them straight at her. The brunette narrowed her eyes as her black gloves ignites in orange flames, the burst of fire acting as a booster as she flew up into the sky as the flames divert all the swords off course and away from the Kokuyo gang.
"S-She is flying!-!" Yamamoto cried. The boys are glad that she wore a pair of spandex under her skirt.
Tsuna flew down and punched him in the face, the teen was sent flying back from her fist. That wasn't over as flaming hands grabbed the ground as Korin flipped over onto his feet, his beastly eyes glaring at the brunette. Growling ever more angrily, Tsuna notices the subtle changes in his physic, scales starts to form on his arm and under his eyes, small black horns starts to poke out of his shaggy hair as his canines grew ever sharper and longer.
He gave a loud roar before flashing in front of with a sword on both hands, his swords slashing at Tsuna as the brunette tries to dodge the sword strikes to the best of her abilities, some managing to graze her clothes and skirt. When the swords came, the brunette grabbed both the blades and gave a strong kick to his gut, sending Korin flying across the field and crashing down, hard.
"Motoyama-san, come to your senses!" She cried.
Korin just roared out in anger, "Motoyama-san… I don't want to do this…"
At that moment, Gola Mosca suddenly flew towards her, "Hime-sama!" Gokudera cried.
"Get out of there, Sawada-dono!" Basil cried.
What they did not expect is that Korin suddenly appeared in front of her and crashing his hand into the robot's centre cannon. With a loud roar, he sinks his sharp nails into the robot's exoskeleton armour and effectively tears the thing in two with sheer strength.
From inside, out fell out an elderly man, someone that Reborn and Tsuna know too well, "T-That's… T-The Ninth…?-!"
Korin growled as he raised his hand up, the devilish flame cloak now gathered around his left hand. "Stop, Motoyama-san!" Tsuna cried, "That's the…!" He didn't care as he sinks his hands down towards the old mafia boss, Fon already rushing forward to stop him.
He was stopped when the ring around his left finger glowed; the flame effectively dissipates from its activation. Chains of light starts to formed out of the ring and binds Korin down with his hands by his side, the teen now on his knees as he tries to get out of the chains. A glowing claymore starts to form above him, aiming at his heart.
*SHINK*
*STAP*
And it took the target. The sword now pierced through Korin, the devilish features on his body slowly vanished into steam, the horns disappearing and his nails shrinking to their normal shape. His eyes returned back to normal as he collapsed onto the field, the chains and sword broke and disappeared as he touches the ground.
"Motoyama-san!" Tsuna cried as she kneels down next to him, the teen unconscious but breathing.
Fon arrives at the teen, touching his face to be sure, 'The flames are sealed off… but the effect of it being released so suddenly has a toll on his soul and mind… He won't be awake for a while.'
"W-What is going on…?" Basil muttered, just as Reborn quickly go the unconscious old man with a first aid kit.
"Why…?" Tsuna muttered, her flame sizzles away as she looked over to the old man, "Why… from inside the Mosca…?"
Reborn reached the Ninth, shaking the old man a few times, "Oi, wake up!" He turned to the two broken parts of the robotic weapon, "Tch, I've seen the Mosca's structure once before… It seems the Ninth was used as Gola Mosca's power source."
"P-Power source?-!" Gokudera cried.
"No way!" Basil cried.
"W-Why?-!" Tsuna cried.
"Don't ask me why."
She froze at the voice of the scarred man looming over her, "Your 'Knight' did this to the Ninth."
Reborn looked over at the wounds the Ninth has received, "This is bad. These wounds aren't something that can be treated using first aid."
"No way!"
"Who was it, that punched the old geezer without mercy?"
Tsuna's grips onto Korin's hand unconsciously.
"Who was it that has ripped the old man out of the Mosca before attempting to kill him?"
"No… that's not…" Tsuna muttered in fear, "It's not… Motoyama-san… He didn't mean… to the Ninth…"
"…no…"
They stopped, all their attention now onto the wearily old man, "I'm the one… to blame…"
"N-Ninth!-!" Tsuna cried as she ran to him.
"We finally meet… Tsunahime-kun…" He coughed out, "I apologized… all of this happened because of my weakness… which was… letting Xanxus wake… from his long sleep…"
That fact shocked Tsuna and Reborn especially, "What do you mean, 'sleep'?" The infant asked, "After the Cradle Affair, Xanxus was withdrawn from the family and remained under closed supervision by Vongola."
"Cradle Affair?"
"The fact that the son of the Ninth, Xanxus, masterminded the rebellion was kept secret and only the top members and the Vongola's elite unit along with the Ninth Knight who battled along side with Ninth at the time know about it."
"Xanxus was stopped eight years ago… and he'd been sleeping ever since then…" The Ninth explained, "While his rage and vengeance increased to a terrifying point…"
"Eh…?-! W-What do you mean?-!" Tsuna cried. The Ninth boss coughed out blood from his wounds before, sending the brunette into panic, "Are you all right?-! Hang in there!"
"Tsuna…hime-kun…"
"Don't try too hard!"
"Always…" The old boss said weakly, "I've always heard about you… from Reborn… about your crush on your Knight… about your school life… about your friends… you are just a simple girl who doesn't have the suitable heart to be a mafia boss… I know that you've been battling against your will all this time… your eyebrows are always crinkled… and you swing your fists around as if you are praying…"
"But those are the reasons why…" He weakly raised his finger up to her forehead, "I chose you to be the Tenth boss."
"Eh?" Tsuna blinked, 'He didn't choose Xanxus…?'
The tip of his finger glowed, as a faint dying will flame ignites, 'The Dying Will Flame…?' She thought, 'It's so warm… and nostalgic… nostalgic…?' She then realised, 'I… I know this person…!' Her tears spilled out at her recognition, as the flames starts to dim down, 'The flame is… n-no!'
"I'm sorry… for my selfish desire has caused you great pain…" The Ninth said, "But I'm happy… that it was you…"
The hand that touched her dropped down numbly, "W-Wait!-!" She cried as she clutched the pale wrinkled hand between her own, "No way… please wait! Ninth! Ninth!"
"How could you do this to the Ninth?!" Xanxus bellowed, "What your Knight done to the Ninth is nothing other than a challenge towards me, his own son, Xanxus and the spirit of the honourable Vongola."
"Wha…?"
"The proof is that burn mark on the Ninth's chest!" He added, "Right at the scene of murdering the boss, the Ring Battles has no meaning! For the boss, my father, and for the future of the Vongola,"
"I will kill you and your Knight, and avenge the Ninth's death!"
That declaration echoes throughout the entire field, shocking them all with that bold declare for vengeance, "W-What nonsense is that?-!" Gokudera cried, "First of all, it was Motoyama that is to be blame, not hime-sama!"
"I knew it was too odd." Fon muttered, "I was too naïve to think that his condition was kept secret to him. Xanxus knew about the effect of Korin's berserk state from the start, and pitting Dracul against him so he can force him into that state so that he could be an excuse for this."
"So that is what he was aiming for…" Reborn said, "Even he became the next boss by winning the Ring Battles, those who knew about the Cradle Affair, especially the Ninth Knight, would have opposed Xanxus and forever tried to remove him from power."
"But by forcing one of your closest companions to take the villain's role, and turning this into a battle to avenge the Ninth, things would be different. In that case, he would be able to gain trust from a lot of family members. Also, if he is stronger than you, who was chosen as the Tenth boss, then it would become more convincing that he should be the legitimate successor. And then, it would be easy to eliminate the powers that oppose him."
"So… Xanxus was trying to create a dictatorial position for himself?-!" Basil cried.
"Yeah, the Ring Battles… it doesn't matter if it was an accident or something; he probably thought that as long as either Korin or Gola Mosca killed one of Tsuna's guardians, Tsuna will come." Reborn added.
"No way… only… to do such a thing…!" Tsuna muttered.
"Please refrain from making bold assumption, Arcobaleno." Cervello stated, "All statements are recorded by us."
"Those guys…!" Yamamoto and Gokudera realised, "So the Cervello was on Xanxus' side from the very beginning!"
"Do whatever you want." Reborn said angrily, "I'm already beyond pissed off."
That anger statement causes the two judges to step back a bit in fear, "But I'm going to keep my promise to the Ninth that I will not interfere. But even so, there's no telling as to what my student, who doesn't like to fight, will do…"
Tsuna got up on her two feet, her mitten worn hand gripping in anger, "Xanxus. That ring, I will have you return it to me." She declared, "I won't let the Vongola fall into your hands."
"Well said, Tsuna."
"I'll carve your name into the Vongola history books." Xanxus said smugly, "As the foolish little girl who dared defy Xanxus all by her little self."
"She is not alone!"
All the guardians there all readied their weapons in preparation for battle, "The boss' will is our will!"
"You want some of this, brats?-!" Levi shouted as he reached for his umbrella.
"How about it?" Bel smirked with his knives ready.
"Exterminate the traitors." Xanxus commanded.
"On it." Dracul smirked as he raised his hand, the all ominous yellow glow in response.
"Hold it right there, please." The Cervello tells them, "We will be in charge of the battle for the Ninth boss' revenge."
"What?-!" Ryohei shouted.
"We have a duty to oversee the whereabouts of the Vongola Rings."
"What the hell are you talking about?-!" Gokudera shouted, "You're all Xanxus' bitches!"
"Please watch your mouth. We have an official decree from the Ninth boss himself." They states, showing them said document, "And changing-of-hands of the rings will not be approved without our ratification."
"You've got some nerve!" Basil shouted angrily, "You forced the Ninth to give you that dying will flame seal against his will!"
"The winner of this battle will become the next Vongola boss." The Cervello stated, "So…"
"We declare this the Sky Ring Battle."
"In other words, this will be the last of the eight rings contest battles held over the past week." The Cervello explained, "How does that sound, Xanxus-sama?"
"Not a bad idea." Xanxus smirked.
"Then tomorrow night, will everyone please assemble at Nami Middle?"
"Ushishishi… The fake got a suspended sentence for now." Bel chuckled.
"What?-!" Ryohei shouted angrily.
"Watch it, asshole!" Gokudera shouted.
"Tsuna is exhausted from her training today." Reborn stated, "That's good news for us. Also, we would have some time to get Korin some medical attention."
"Tomorrow will be the final chapter in this happy comedy." Xanxus smirked as he took half of the Sky Vongola Ring off his finger, "Make sure you're up to it." He flicked it towards the brunette, the girl catching it in her mitten hands. His hand glowed a bright reddish orange and blinded all of them in a bright light.
When the light dimmed down, the Varia are nowhere to be seen.
"T-They're gone…" Ryohei muttered.
"N-Ninth Boss!-!" Basil cried as he ran down towards the old unconscious boss.
"Are we too late?-!"
They then heard the voice of a familiar blonde boss, Dino and the rest of his subordinates all behind them, "Everyone! Help the Ninth boss and the injured!" He commanded, his subordinates complying as a pair quickly brought out a stretcher that they put the Ninth boss on. "I've received news from the CEDEF team. I never thought it would come to this…"
"The damage we received is quite substantial…" Reborn said, "But more importantly, we might be in a disadvantage at this point."
Dino knows what his ex-teacher meant, as he looked over at the unconscious teen still lying there on the ground on his chest, Fon looking over his student with worry, "This is worrying…" He muttered, 'He is showing signs of near death. Even if the seal has stopped the flames from going berserk, it shouldn't have cause something like this…'
A small thud was heard, the infant turned around as well as the others turned to the newcomer to the field. Reborn and Dino's eyes widen in shock as they saw who has arrived.
Yan Yong-Kia, in his turtleneck shirt and grey jeans with black leather shoes arrived at the scene next to his son, "This is bad…" He said as he kneel down beside Korin, "Fon, where is the nearest hospital?"
"I can guide you there." Fon stated.
"W-What…? Why is he doing here?" Dino muttered, "Reborn, did you call him?-!"
"No… I have tried but I never been able to reach him." The infant said.
'Even Reborn-san was stunned?' Gokudera muttered, 'Who is this man…?'
"Now…" He lifts Korin up off, catching the brunette's attention as she saw the man lifting her Knight onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"W-Wait!" Tsuna cried, "Who are you, where are you taking him?-!"
"Hm?" Yong-Kia turned to face her, "Oh, you must be the Tenth heir, Sawada Tsunahime. Sorry, but I have treat your Knight before it is too late."
"Too late?"
"Yeah, the burden that the flames unconditioned release was too much for him." He explained, "If he doesn't get treated soon."
"He'll die."
To be continued…
YEAH!-! Another chapter done! I am back,
baby!-! Man, I have been releasing chapter
after chapter quickly! I have my game back
baby!-!
And yeah… cliff hanger!-! I mean, come
on, even Korin has a limit!
I have seen all the reviews on Korin's
pairing to be in the story, and I am quite
surprised with so many wanting a harem
for him! Since you want so… I can think
of some people to put in.
Now, here is thing I let to let you know.
I want you to decide what kind of path of
power you want Korin to walk down for
the Future Arc
You see, I have so many ideas on who
he can power up during that arc so I have
to ask what you viewers might want to see
first! These are the few choices of his development:
1-Knight Flames, developing new flame abilities
2-His magic abilities, mostly his charm spells
3-His mother side's heritance, which will be explained in further chapters even if you didn't choose this
4-The unknown Flame he possessed, again which will be explained further even if you didn't choose this
…Actually, let me make it easier for you:
[Dark or Light, which path should Korin take first?]
Please let me know what you think in the
reviews!
Also, this will not affect the outcome of the
Final Ring Battle. It is just to see what kind
of development you want for him.
With that, I thank you for reading this!