I stared into the shadow casted by that human-ish hand.

Through the gaps between the fingers grasping my skull, I saw Rikuo, landing a kick upon Mouyou's head. A monstrous howl pierced my eardrums. Caught off by surprise of Rikuo's appearance, Mouyou had loosened his grip upon me.

Like a mirage, Rikuo appeared beside me.

He wrapped his arm around me and his other hand grasping Mouyou's wrist. With a pull, he tore Mouyou's grip off my head. I instantly breathed out heavily in relief as my headache ceased.

I watched as Rikuo tightened his grip upon Mouyou. With a tug, Mouyou tumbled forward just as Rikuo's katana flew through the crack upon the wall, stained with Nobuyuki's wind. The blade sliced through Mouyou's wrist, separating his flesh along with his joints.

Dropping Mouyou's hand, Rikuo swiftly grasped the handle of his sword. With a setp forward and a swing of his arm, Mouyou's head flew from his shoulders.

I watched, speechless, at the body that fell onto lifelessly onto the ground. His head rolled, hitting the wall before coming to a stop.

"How…? Why are you…?"

Mouyou's voice came softly from his stiffened lips.

Then…he was motionless.

I leaned against Rikuo, my eyes unable to pull away the head.

A droplet of cold sweat rolled down my face.

When I took a sharp breath, I nearly choked at the rotten stench within the filthy air. This stench…it wasn't right. The smell was stronger by two folds than I remembered.

I could hear my heart pounding faster.

Something was wrong…

My back pushed further against Rikuo. A strange chill ran up my spine and Goosebumps filled the surface of my skin.

"…!" I gasped as I suddenly found my view spun around. The sound of footstep disturbed the silence. The gentle breeze and the wave of movement broke my concentration.

"R…Rikuo…" I whispered softly, snapping out to find Rikuo dashing down the staircase.

Those crimson eyes smiled at me before a gently hand caressed the back of my head. My body unwillingly relaxed to his touch.

"The promise. I won't allow you to break it."

Promise? My eyesight drifted to the staircase beneath Rikuo's feet.

That's right…come to think of it…he found me now–

"The sakura."

I looked up slightly.

"You promise to view it together." I stared at Rikuo for a long while. Sakura? He was talking about the sakura?

"You still want to view sakura with the woman who brought you to hell?" I said mockingly. I didn't know why…but for some reason, I was smiling. I was smiling despite this situation.

"It's because you've brought me here that I love you." Rikuo replied. At his response, I couldn't help but released a chuckle.

This peaceful atmosphere didn't last long when a disturbing howl blasted down the hall.

My eyes widened at the stone that shattered apart behind us, unable to withstand the pressure of the sound wave. As though knowing what was happening behind him, Rikuo quickly drew his sword.

"Miu, can you still use your wind?" Rikuo suddenly asked as my gaze shifted to him.

"Wind…? Wait, you don't mean–!"

With a swift movement, he spun around and with a slash, he sliced apart Mouyou's heavy wave of sound. I felt a blast of air rushing around us, destroying both side of the wall as well as our eardrums.

"Wait, Rikuo–" Perhaps unable to hear me within the wave of noise, Rikuo leaped out of the hole created by the blast of sound wave.

"Miu." Rikuo called as I gritted my teeth. I glared at the ground far below us. A second later, a soft wind slowly began twirling around us.

But it wasn't enough.

I glared harder, my muscles tightening as cold sweat rolled down my face.

Make it in time…

The ground grew closer.

Make it in time!

I held my breath as pain drilled through my body. A burst of wind slammed against us from below and instantly slowed our speed. At the change of speed, Rikuo flipped us around.

By the time the wind disbursed, I was out of breath. Rikuo had his feet planted on the solid ground, a yard away from the crumbling tower.

"You've done well Miu." I felt a wave of heat within my chest when he spoke those words.

I would have snapped his head off if I wasn't so distracted by the burning pain in my body.

"He can still move with his head severed…?" Rikuo asked as another howl erupted from the top of the tower.

"He's just a corpse." I coughed softly. "Fire…unless you burn him to ashes…he can always regenerate."

"You know a lot."

"I accidently burned him once…his finger…it never recovered." I replied, frowning at the punishment I received for that. Suddenly, I felt Rikuo's grip tightening on me. Before I could react, Rikuo quickly leaped back just as something fell from the sky and smashed into where Rikuo once stood.

I quickly looked up, realizing for the first time that the howl had ceased.

A low growl rumbled through the night. Before us, within the rubble of the crumbled tower, stood a shadow. A shadow gradually growing in scale, reaching into the night sky and filling my sight.

"What is that?" Rikuo asked calmly while I felt a shortage to my breath.

"That…that entire body…is created from the number of corpses he devour. He usually shape shift into smaller copy of himself to move for convenience…that thing…is his real body…" I swallowed hard at that form.

I've only seen his real scale once and that was during the time when I escaped.

But he was larger…much larger than I remembered.

Exactly how many bodies did he eat to become this size…I can't imagine.

"Is there anything I should look out for?" I stared at Rikuo, amazed by his ability to remain so calm at the presence of that thing.

"Black sludge…" I whispered softly. "The black sludge…it's made of highly condensed acid…you can't block it. You have to dodge it." I felt a frown tugging on my lips. I didn't know why, but I felt something strange…

An unpleasant feeling…was emitting from Rikuo.

"I see. Miu, you can rest from here."

"What are you–" Just when our eyes met, I felt a blow at the back of my neck.

"You've done enough. Leave the rest to me."

My eyes widened as darkness began filling my eyes. My mind was suddenly shrouded within a layer of fog. I couldn't think of anything. I couldn't think at all…

I stared at those crimson irises that slowly melted into the darkness.

I drifted off into my world, unable to understand what had happened.

My mind went blank.

Before my eyes was a curtain of black.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't feel.

Nothing…

I couldn't do anything.

"Hurry! Load the arrows!"

By the time I came to…

"We're running out of oil!"

The battle field…

"Cut down the trees! Spread it!"

Had been dyed in crimson.

"What…What is this?" I choked softly, slowly letting my gaze drifted over the field of fire. There was Rikuo's clan, running around and cutting down their surroundings before setting them ablaze with flaming arrows.

I stared at the scenery; my mind unable to make out exactly what had happened.

I was dumbfounded for a while…until I remembered, those words I was told of before my memory became a blank.

"Ri–…ugh!"

"No matter how good our regeneration ability is; four hours isn't enough to heal your limbs."

"…! Why are you…?" I quickly bit my lips to swallow back a wince.

I stared at Nobuyuki, then quickly looking down to realize how I was resting in his arms. "…Where's Rikuo?" I was immediately answered, when a loud explosion erupted in the distance.

I turned to the source of the sound, my eyes widening at the figure in the distance.

It was Mouyou.

His tall figure was standing in the distance, within the sea of fire. Flame arrows were shot towards his direction, but a simple howl deflected them all. He was rampaging over the land, stomping and smashing his claws through the ground.

"Honestly…his name is the first thing out of your lips." Nobuyuki sighed.

"He's…there?" I whispered in horror as I watched Mouyou smashed his surroundings apart. Because of the flame that blocked my view, I see anything near ground level.

"He gave you to me to protect you."

"I didn't ask for that! Is he there?" I snapped, my patience growing thin. At my raise of voice, Nobuyuki raised an eyebrow.

"You sure can express emotions now, can't you?" I shot him a deep glare.

"What will you do if you know?" He asked. Our silver eyes locked against each other's.

"With your body like this, what can you do?"

I gritted my teeth.

"Shut up…"

"You'll just get in the way, Miu."

"Shut up!" I snapped. My hand thrust into the air. My wrecked nails hooked onto the fabric as I grasped the collar of his shirt.

"Ah– Ugh!" My scream was muffled through my sealed lips. A crackling sound emitted from my arm.

I could feel it…the bones…the fragile structure that's been keeping my arm together.

It finally shattered.

"You…" Nobuyuki whispered as he stared at my hand.

Instead of loosening my grip, I tightened it upon him. I breathed heavily through the gaps of my teeth. The number of sweat drops upon my forehead increased as a strong current of air pressure slammed against my bruised skin.

I clenched onto him with my broken hand. I held on, not giving in to the pain as I focused my glare upon him.

"Stupid. You knew what will happen if you move like that." He murmured before a smile slowly seeped through his lips.

"But this is a surprise. I didn't think you'd have enough strength to manipulate your broken body with the wind."

He was lying.

He didn't even bother showing a shocked expression when my broken arm moved.

I knew that this is what he wanted to see.

This is what he purposely provoked me for.

"Four hours…" I winced, "is enough to recover that much." At my response, Nobuyuki only smiled more. His wings wrapped over around me, his feathers gently brushing my hand off his shirt.

Then stretching his wings to their full length, he began flapping them. The interval between each flap shortened. I stared at the ground that began to leave me. The other members of the Hyakki Yakou grew smaller as we ascended to the sky.

Flight…

In the past such thing was daily for me. I never realized the different feel in the wind when you fly.

"…Those flames…" I whispered as I stared at the field of flame that burned the place.

"No matter how we cut him, he immediately regenerates so Rikuo ordered his Hyakki Yakou to gather anything that burns." Nobuyuki said before breaking out a chuckle. "They had to run an hour and half to break into human's home for oil. Fortunately, it seemed that the Nura clan's ships were loaded with weapon and a fair numbers of arrows."

"Then Mouyou's…"

"Rikuo has been holding Mouyou off all by himself." Nobuyuki said with a serious face.

'By himself…?' I thought in disbelieve.

What is he saying?

There's no way…

Was he saying that Rikuo and Mouyou's strength…are on par?

"There he is." Nobuyuki said through the roaring wind.

The minute I looked down I immediately spotted him. He wasn't hard to find. Within the large ring of fire, a white figure stood within the shadow.

He was slightly limping with blood trailing down his arm and staining the sword's hilt. Blood covered his right eye. He was slightly panting as he glared at the shadow before him through his only eye.

His body was cracked.

The cloned body of his is reaching its limit.

"Ri–" I was about to call out to him, but I was a second too late.

"Rikuo!" Nobuyuki shouted.

At the sound of his voice, Rikuo quickly glanced up while dodging Mouyou's attacks at the same time.

"A broken up woman looks better in a broken up man's arm." Nobuyuki said as I caught a movement from the corner of my eyes. "Nobuyuki!" I shouted before feeling the arms that were supporting me vanished.

My eyes widened as I felt myself falling into the heated air below.

My jaw fell as I watches Nobuyuki flew back to dodge a pile of black sludge aimed at him. In that split second when he was distracted by the attack, a blackened hand suddenly cut into our view.

It was as though time had slowed. The hand sliced through the air, slamming directly against the Doji and blowing him away.

"Nobuyuki!" I gasped out his name as time revered back to the normal speed. Mouyou's hand disappeared within a blink's time. With my view now cleared, I watched as Nobuyuki fell into the forest in the distance. His feathers were scattered into the air, loosened from that impact.

"My bride." A low voice grumbled heavily within the air as I turned to find that same gigantic hand reaching towards me.

"Hands off my woman." As those words were spoken; a blade ran over the surface of Mouyou's arm. In a blink of an eye, I suddenly found Rikuo appearing before me. With a forceful tug, Rikuo cut open the hardened surface of the rotten skin. Black fluid spilled from the wound, but was put to a stop in a matter of second as the cut vanished from Mouyou's wrist.

Kicking off the large hand, Rikuo quickly grabbed me just before I was able to hit the ground. The instance we landed, I felt a layer of Rikuo's fear surrounded us

"Have you recovered?" As soon as those words were spilled from his lips, the sound of a slap echoed into the air.

Rikuo stared at the hand that was responsible for his reddened cheek. His eyes were fixed, but not on my hand. He was staring at the invisible force wrapped around my skin that was moving my broken arm. I hid the pain behind my mask and forced my gaze on him.

"That was…for the four hours lost." I told him. Unfortunately, my voice trembled when I spoke. My hand hurt more than when I slapped Nobuyuki.

Rikuo stared at me for a while before breaking out a smile.

"I deserved that?"

"Much more than that."

Rikuo smiled.

"I'll listen to your complaints later." He said before suddenly breaking into a dash as his fear around us shattered. A wave of dirt fell over our heads, piling over the fire and extinguishing the flame.

'The fire isn't reaching him.' I thought as I stared at the amount of space Mouyou had made for himself. At every howl, the dirt was pushed away along with the fire, widening his area of movement

"Return to me." Mouyou's voice spoke within my mind just as a howl ran through the air.

I raised my hand as I quickly mold the air within my palm through my fear. Once it was close enough, I fired it out.

My wind clashed with his sound.

"Looks like you've recovered pretty well." Rikuo commented as he dodged pile of black sludge.

"How powerful is your wind?"

"Did that living corpse cracked your skull?" I snapped as I shot out a stream of wind to the burning branch beside us. With a wave of my hand, the branch was lifted from the ground and flew towards Mouyou.

However, the fire was too weak.

Weak enough that he can simply slap it away with the tip of his claw.

"Tch…" I cursed as I stared down at my trembling arm. My eyes quickly scanned around all the fallen trees with flame running across the barks.

If only I can create stronger wind…then I'll be able to lift them as well.

"Miu, I want you."

I blinked, slowly shifting my gaze from the flame. I stared at Rikuo for a good long while. Perhaps the exhaustion has gotten to him.

"What nonsense are you–" I was cut off when Rikuo suddenly embraced my tightly.

"Nurarihyon!" Mouyou howled as I looked up to find Mouyou's feet coming down at us.

"Rikuo!" I shouted at him, who seemed completely oblivious to our situation.

"Miu, become my sword." His voice echoed into my head just as that foot stomped down upon us. The breaking sound of earth ran through my ears as I felt the arms that were embracing me vanished.

I blinked, making sure my eyes were open as I stared into the darkness.

"Rikuo?" I whispered as I looked around in the darkness. I couldn't feel any pain…but I was definitely sure we were crushed. And for some odd reason, I found myself feeling weaker than before…

"Rikuo?" I called again.

My heart strangely stopped for a second when I poke his name. I parted my lips, about to call that name again when my hair suddenly began to flutter.

"I'm here." Rikuo's voice spoke just beside me. My dress began to sway as the wind suddenly grew stronger. It wasn't natural wind. The wind…it was twirling around me. It felt like my wind…but something was off.

It was different.

Before I could understand what had happened, a blast of wind suddenly shot upward. A loud grumble was heard from above. When the darkness was lifted, I found myself staring at Rikuo's back.

"What…is that?" I whispered when I noticed Rikuo's sword.

It wasn't his usual sword.

It was longer. The blade was slightly transparent with pure white hilt. And what's more, the air was moving by itself, as though being sucked towards the glass-like blade.

"Let's go, Miu."

"Go?" I said just as Rikuo jumped out of the crater. I gasped as I felt my body being pulled along. "This is…?" I whispered as I stared at my feet that were lifted from the ground. They weren't moving at all, but I was following Rikuo closely behind him.

I stared at the blade, then to my own body.

It was then when I remembered.

I've heard of it before when I was at the Nura household.

The ability to wear his Hyakki.

"Miu, become my sword."

Matoi.

"Rikuo…from beginning…you…"

"Have you recovered?"

The reason he knocked me out…it wasn't to protect me.

It was so that I could recover some of my strengths.

It was all part of his plan.

The way Nobuyuki acted…he knew as well.

Everything…was for this moment.

Hearing the sound of a howl, I quickly looked up to suddenly find black fluid gushing out of the bottom of Mouyou's feet. It must be made back then when Rikuo sent a blast of wind upward.

"Miu." Rikuo called as I quickly snapped out and turned my attention to Rikuo.

"Watch from behind me."

My eyes were fixed over his face.

That unwavering gaze…I couldn't help but felt drawn into it.

"What's with that confident look…when you're so battered?" I huffed out a soft smile together with Rikuo. Hearing the sound of Mouyou's howl, I quickly look back to see black tentacles emerging from his back. I didn't bother hiding my disgust as I stared at the same black sludge that covered his body.

I slowly looked towards the hole within the ground beside us.

One touch at the black sludge and it will be over.

"He's coming." I whispered, feeling my body tensed as those tentacles shot towards us. However, Rikuo didn't move at all. He stood with his eyes closed. I didn't speak a word as I stared at the blade.

I could feel it.

The air was being drawn in, compressing together and forming an invisible shield around the blade. The minute it was completed, Rikuo snapped his eyes open and swung his sword. The compressed air sliced through the tentacle the black sludge was repelled.

With the wind surrounding his body, the sludge couldn't come in contact with Rikuo.

I could help but watches in awe as Rikuo sliced apart everything Mouyou threw at him.

He made it seem so easy…

With the wind on his side, he has no need to dodge from Mouyou's black sludge anymore. I slowly looked up at Mouyou. My body moved along with Rikuo as he dodged and sliced through Mouyou's right leg.

Mouyou howled in anger, frustrated for unable to land a hit on Rikuo.

'What exactly…?' I thought as I stared at the monster.

Was he always this weak? I glanced back at Rikuo. No, it wasn't Mouyou who's weak. Rikuo was simply stronger. I watched over Rikuo. My brain memorized every single one of his movement. It almost made those fear I held against Mouyou for so long seemed like nothing but a bad dream.

"Nurarihyon!" Mouyou howled in furry as Rikuo swung his sword.

I quickly looked around as the fallen trees and broken wood structure of the mansion began to move. I panted softly, suddenly feeling my strength being drained at a rapid pace.

"Insolent fool!"

Mouyou roared as he thrust out his claw towards us. Instead of dodging, Rikuo charged towards his attack, intending to take him head on.

With another swing of his sword, the burning objects twirled over our heads. The objects crashed into one another, the fire morphing into one through the help of the wind.

The sky had vanished, replaced by a sea of fire in the colour of dusk.

I stared at the flames.

What I saw within those sea of red was fear. This pressure I felt…it was ten times greater than when I was under Mouyou's presence.

'He…lifted them all…' I thought in horror as I carefully swallowed.

The sea of fire stretched into the horizon, eliminating all source of darkness from the land.

I was afraid.

I knew I was afraid of this immense power.

More than Mouyou…more than anything else.

However…

"Let's go, Miu." I stared at Rikuo's back. Since when, I wondered, did he had such board shoulders.

If he's the one…

If he's the one who carries this power…

I slowly moved my hands and gently brushed my fingers over his shoulder blade.

"…Yeah." I murmured softly as a burst of condensed wind shot out from Rikuo's blade. I breathed heavily, feeling my consciousness on the verge of slipping away as the last bit of my fear left my body.

The invisible container that had been holding the sea of flames shattered.

Like a stream of crimson waterfall, the sky began to collapse.