Firestorm – Flame of Recca After War

War of the Ancient World

Kaoru is frozen in his place. It isn't wise to make the first move. He has yet to size up his opponents. If their statements are true, then he'll have to be extremely cautious. He watches as the Paper Shikigami transforms both his arms into what Saicho used to create... the Fuyou sword. The Hair Shikigami pulls out a few dozen hair and turning them into what seems like a pair of spiked knuckles. The only time he saw the Hair Shikigami used was that of Menou. With Genjurou's psychic surgery, the madougu's power was increased many folds. In observing what stands before him, it doesn't look like she carries the same deadly weapon as Menou. Yet, to underestimate the enemy could be his last. He knew that the battle shouldn't drag. The longer it takes, the harder it will be for him. He transformed the Kougan Anki into its second form, Ryu. Of all the five forms, this is the only form that he can effectively use for both offense and defense under such circumstances. With two opponents before him carrying two weapons each, he knew the cards are stacked against him. He's a few meters away from his only hope of defeating Tendou Jigoku. Just behind the madougus, there lay the one item he seeks, Koukai Gyoku.

"Here I come!" The Paper Shikagami jumped forward, almost like a lion pouncing over its prey.

He's fast, but not at the speed impossible for me to handle.

Kaoru crouched, preparing to defend against him. The Hair Shikagami rushes towards him as well, one arm bent in a punching posture, and the other prepared to defend against what Kaoru would send after her.

They had every reason to protect a madougu of Koukai Gyoku's caliber. It seems however that they are not up for any negotiations. Their philosophies are programmed to protect the Koukai Gyoku and nothing else. Good thing they're not humans... I need not hold back.

Kaoru side stepped far enough for the Paper Shikagami to miss his attack. As he moved away, he threw the head of the Kougan Anki to wrap it around one arm of the Paper Shikigami. Before the Paper Shikigami could land his sword to the ground, Kaoru pulled the Kougan Anki. Almost like a puppet master, Kaoru maneuvered the movements of his opponent in mid-air. The arm wrapped by the Kougan Anki sliced off the other arm... and as the Hair Shikigami approaches, she is to have a taste of her partner's sword.

Kaoru jumped in an arc, still with the Kougan Anki wrapped around the arm. In blinding speed, he pulled the hand again while he's in mid-air.

"Damn, I can't avoid it!"

The Paper Shikigami slashed off the body of the Hair Shikigami. Both the madougus' eyes grew wide as they fall to the ground. It was a speed they were not accustomed with. In a few seconds, they were both subdued. The Hair Shikigami fell facedown... and the Paper Shikigami landed with one arm.

Episode 11 - Erased!

Kaoru dropped to the ground, his eyes still focused. Even when he had taken one down and disabled the other, it is not yet time to celebrate. Until he subdues both, he is still in a pinch... in a race against time.

"Not bad..."

The Hair Shikigami stood up and faced Kaoru. "I never expected you to have such speed." She's unharmed? She shouldn't have even been able to stand after my attack! Kaoru's heart began to pound faster. "Confused?" Taunted the Paper Shikigami. "Let me explain. We are not humans like you. We don't feel pain. All that is programmed unto us are power and reason. You can cut us as many times as you want, but check this out." The Paper Shikigami picked up its severed arm and connected it back to where it was. With a few strokes of paper wrapping, he erased the advantage Kaoru seemed to have seconds ago.

He healed himself to full health just like that?

"It seems to me that you're more skilled than we ever thought you'd be. Pardon us for underestimating you."

The Hair Shikigami pointed her knuckles to Kaoru. In a split second, the sharp hair from the knuckles extended to Kaoru's face.

What the-?

Kaoru moved his head by instinct, and the hair cut through his cheek. She could elongate her hair at that speed? She is even more dangerous than Menou!

"Nice dodge. If you hadn't been fast enough, you would've lost your eye."

She's right. Darn it... its good that I didn't bring Raiha. He could've been easily killed by these two.

The Paper Shikigami stepped forward. "Let's see how long you can last." He threw his hands up and from them comes a huge amount of confetti up in the air. The madougu grinned, "I suppose you know what's going to happen, yes?"

Kaoru's couldn't believe what he's seeing. He had seen Saicho use a similar technique before. During his fight with Recca, Saicho used his thousand cranes as his last resort. It was indeed the most spectacular display of paper art he had ever seen. Each crane was hard enough to pierce through one's skin. This time, he found himself in a similar situation. The only difference, is that he didn't have Nadare to set them on fire.

Shit... what am I going to do?

"Confetti Storm!"

Kaoru prepared himself for what's coming... and in a moments time, there was a massive explosion from where he stands.

Hanabi Village... 11:08 A.M.

"Sir, our walls have been broken through!" shouted one soldier.

There was panic in the entire village. The remaining Hokage Ninjas who attempted to escape from their impending doom are on their last stand. Today was the eve of the 150th full moon. What they were facing, was not Nobunaga's army. He had been dead for days. What is up against them is an army of zombies that were once human, much like the pawns in SODOM. Each time one of the ninjas fall, they are raised as walking corpses. How can one kill that which does not live? They were simply holding back to keep themselves alive. Winning is, at this rate, a wishful thinking.

"Hold your ground!" Commanded the leader of the defending party. "Brothers and sisters, what you see around you, are the last of our clan. Let no man, woman, or children stand without a weapon. Let no one sleep or eat or drink until we drive out the enemy. We have betrayed our clan once, we will not do so again."

Raiha... Akai... my sons, when you were growing up, I never had the chance to tell you that I love you. I might never have that chance... The blood of the Hokage clan runs in you. Always remember what I told you... never betray your blood brothers in the same manner we did.

"For Ouka and for Hokage!"

Kaoru was on one knee, holding his shirt on one hand and the Kougan Anki on the other. He had a few confetti pierced through his skin, but most were scattered around the floor from where he stands.

"Splendid. You used your shirt to deflect my confetti..."

Kaoru was breathing heavily. A few seconds ago, he thought he was finished. In the nick of time, he took off his shirt and used it to push the confetti aside before they hit him. "Die!" the Hair Shikigami extended the hair in her knuckles once again. Kaoru jumped towards his attacker, both to avoid the attack and disable her. With her other hand, she extended the other set of hairs. Surprised by her actions, Kaoru tried to dodge mid-air, yet he could only minimize the damage. One strand pierced through Kaoru's side, and he began to bleed. As he dropped to the ground, another set of confetti poured down. He waved his shirt to deflect the barrage of paper. Suddenly, the Hair Shikigami extended her claws once again... now aimed at his throat. Kaoru dodged to the right, but it was too late. The hair pierced the upper left portion of his chest and he was pushed back to the wall, screaming in pain.

Darn it... If I fight from a distance, the Paper Shikigami would wear me down... and I cannot fight close combat... the extension speed of the Hair Shikigami's weapon is too fast for me.

Kaoru sliced off the hair strand connecting to the madougu's knuckle and pulled out the hair that pierced his body. He surveyed the area and where his opponents are standing.

I might have just one chance.

Kaoru jumped up to the air and threw his shirt down to his opponents standing just below him.

"Getting desperate boy?" Taunted the Paper Shikigami.

"You just relinquished your only hope to prolong your life." added the other.

The Hair Shikigami shot her hair claws once again to the direction of the shirt, hoping to pierce what's behind. They watched as the claws pierce the shirt but there wasn't a body behind. The shirt fell to the ground... and Kaoru was missing.

"He disappeared!"

"What the hell? Where did he run to?"

The two madougus looked around from where they stood. Kaoru had used the blind spot to escape their sight. "Get out, kid!" Shouted the Paper Madougu. "If you won't come out, I'll flood this place with confetti."

Before they could speak another word, the second form of Kougan Anki appeared and wrapped itself again on the Paper Shikagami's arm, still holding the Fuyou sword.

"This is...?"

Kaoru pulled the chain again. This time, only with the sufficient amount of force to cut the Hair Shikigami. After pulling, he immediately dropped the weapon. The Hair Shikigami was pierced one more time... but then, she had something else to consider. They failed to notice that the madougu they were guarding was no longer there. Kaoru used the blind spot to grab the Koukai Gyoku and use it against them.

With the handkerchief he used to hide the scar around his wrist, Kaoru tied the Koukai Gyoku with the head of Ryu. He needed a few seconds to keep his opponents occupied while he took the Koukai Gyoku from where it stands. The Koukai Gyoku was certainly an enigmatic madougu. In order to use its power, the user had to lose something of equal value in exchange. The command: to erase whatever it hits. Kaoru wrapped it with Ryu and attached it to the hand of the Paper Shikigami. He dropped the Kougan Anki before the Koukai Gyoku hits the other madougu. The rule: since Kaoru dropped the Kougan Anki, the effectual being to lose an equal exchange would be the Paper Shikagami... for by logic, it was he who made the attack, albeit in reality, it was Kaoru's coercion.

The head of the Koukai Gyoku touched the Hair Shikagami... and she knew it was over.

"You're... really strong, kid." praised the woman as she begins to fade.

The Paper Madougu stared at Kaoru, refusing to speak a word... and they both faded out of existence... one erasing the other. It's over. Good thing it worked as I thought. Kaoru let loose a sigh of relief. "My shirt is ruined..." He cleaned up the last confetti from the shirt and put it on. There are now holes poked into it... but better than nothing. "I wonder what Kougan Anki's human from look like."

As Kaoru exits from the inner sanctum, Raiha was there waiting for him, but something seems strange.

"Raiha?" He had Raijin equipped. His arm pointed at Kaoru. "Raiha? What are you doing?"

"ROLLING THUNDER!"

Raiha shot Kaoru at the chest, and he was blown away.

"Raiha... what? why?"

Raiha murmured something. Then he looked at Kaoru in the eye. "I WANT MY BROTHER BACK!" He pointed his madougu at Kaoru one more time.

"MAD LIGHTNING!"

There was a massive explosion... and in the midst of the dust cloud, Raiha walked away.

Raiha... what are you thinking?

A few moments after Raiha was gone, someone clothed in black entered the cave. Kaoru was still writhing in pain inside... and when his eyes turned to the stranger, he saw someone he didn't expect...

"Finally, I found you."

The person takes out a Shinryo Shintou and sets it on Kaoru's neck, who remains paralyzed by the electric current still surging across his body.

"Now then, you will answer my questions. Lie to me, you will lose your head."

End of Episode 11.

Author's note: if you like this fanfic, please drop a review. I am very busy with other things in life that if I don't find a lot of people are interested in this fic, I get discouraged to continue. Your support is really helpful to me. Hope this fic gives you both the suspense and the thrill that fits your preference. This fanfic is nearing its completion. I have all the ideas in my mind now, it's just that I'm finding the write time to put them in words. I think I still need about four to five chapters tell the entire story. Stay updated. :)