Master and Yokai
Okay I figured that I'll be killed at some point XD
Reviews:
Yu-na milan: Don't worry Rihan will come soon. Of course he'd be very angry at the Hundred Tales clan trying to kill his son. Encho's a creepy character that I won't mind killing off. Yes, yes I'll try to update as much as I could before going on hiatus again due to school stuff.
Feuwitch: Hi hi. I'm sorry about the hiatus thing. I'll try to get some done even when I should be doing work. Yeah I when I updated the last one I was like it was only about 2000 words? I'll try my best get this one updated first.
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Chapter 12 Driving Everyone Mad
"What is this absurdity...?" uttered Rihan. He stood on top of a skyscraper in Tokyo, watching the chase below. Every second his anger grew. "Hundred Tales clan is it...? This time, you're going down for sure...!" He leaped down to join the battle. One street to another he beheaded yokai of the enemy clan and raced to find his son as well as the boss.
"Kill Nura Rikuo!" that annoying bird squawked. Rihan looked up with a piercing stare.
"You..." Without further delay, he launched up and slashed the bird to pieces.
"RIKUO-SAMA!" cried a familiar voice north of the Second with glaring headlights shining brightly on the latter.
"Huh?" Rihan squinted in its direction before realizing who and what it is heading straight for him. "Aa-AHHHHHHHHHHH!" He quickly dodged it before he became road kill. "A-Aotabo?" The motorcycle screeched past him then abruptly zoomed backwards nearly hitting Rihan again.
"Eh? Rihan-sama? Need a ride?"
'Should I get a ride from this reckless guy and not having to worry about getting run over or not take my chances of crashing or falling off...? Hmm... This is hard...' He debated in his head for a moment. "N-no... I rather not... What are you doing speeding? How did you get a license?"
"License?"
"... Never mind..." It's like deja vu for Aotabo but he doesn't sense it.
"I must help Rikuo-sama!" Ao started up his motor alarming Rihan.
'I am not going to let him get near Rikuo on that no matter how carefully he will be around him!' "No! You help get rid of these pests. I'll save my son!"
"Yes, sir..." Ao made a U-turn to head back to his area, forcing Rihan to move out of the again.
"Three times? Are you serious?"
"WHAT?" Ao was about to turn around again.
"NOTHING!" he quickly replied. "Huf... I am confiscating that monster bike later..." Rihan hurried to where Rikuo was, saving humans at the same time.
Rikuo fought Raiden without any luck. Tsurara watched in horror and how strong their enemy was as she stood by Kana, both worrying about Rikuo. Gozu and Mezu have even less of a chance of defeating nonetheless damage Raiden. "Ha! My bones are the toughest in the world! No one can beat me!" Raiden proclaimed, flicking his opponents away.
"Ugh... Well, I've been meaning to try this new trick," Rikuo smirked. Raiden then smashed him between his fist and foot. The girls screamed as Raiden laughed.
"AHAHAHA! You were just planning on running away again!" At that moment, Rikuo sliced through with his crumbled blade, broken from earlier attacks, exploding the limbs to bits. "W-what the? My arm! My leg! They're...!"
"What was that you said? Run away? Who would do that, moron? I've been here all along. I'm not running or hiding from you!" When the flying debris lifted, there stood Rikuo, taking on a slightly different appearance.
"Rikuo-sama! That appearance...?" Tsurara noted at Rikuo with his hair let down.
"If you all stay so close to me, you'll get swallowed up by my fear." With that, the four allies back away as Rikuo charged up for his finishing move. Fear ran through Raiden. "You didn't think I wasted my time simply waiting these past six months did you?" Charged and sent his enemy exploding. "You killed too many people..."
"RIKUO!" Rihan jumped down from a building, guided by the blast.
"Dad?"
"Ri- What the heck happened to your hair...? It looks like you just woke up."
"... What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to help you! You have nothing to do with the Hundred Tales clan! Well you do now... But that's not the case! I'll settle this problem once and for all!" Rikuo wasn't even listening anymore; he faced the other four, unintentionally hurting his dad's feelings.
"What's matter? You sure are keeping your distance."
"It's just that you're way too different from how you usually are!" Tsurara exaggerated though the other three agreed. "Like your hairstyle! And you don't give off your usual rustling-whooshing feeling!" The others nodded then stopped in the middle with a puzzled face.
"What the heck is a rustling-whooshing feeling?"
"I don't get it..." Rihan said.
"Me neither... I just switched my fear from 'defense' to 'offense'. So that's why I might look a little more aggressive."
"Aggressive? Like I said, it looks like you just got out of bed."
"... Dad..." Then what seems to be a stick swung out of nowhere towards Rikuo, who caught it. It was a sword and appeared the deliverer.
"You're..." Tsurara inserted. "Itaku!"
"WEASEL!" Rihan was about to attack Itaku, assuming he's an enemy.
"STOP!" Rikuo interfered, causing his dad to fall over from abruptly stopping. "That's my instructor!" To Itaku he said, "What, so you followed me here huh?"
"Hmph. I see the apple doesn't fall far from the tree..." Itaku commented.
"Why are Toono's forces here? I thought they don't leave Toono with the exception of the Kyoto's issue..." Tsurara pondered.
"I was watching. It's good that you beat him, but you get a failing grade... That sword won't last all night." Rikuo looked at his worn out sword.
"It's all worn out? You slashed through Raiden with that? Offensive fear... Just what is that?"
"Ahaha! That's my boy! Beating up yokai like that with a weapon as bad as that!" Rihan was very pleased with his son's strength.
Ignoring his dad again, Rikuo explained, "Ahh. To put simply, in order to 'cut' an opponent, I put my fear into my sword. Taking a hint from the 'hyoui' that Itaku uses, I learned this by going back and forth to Toono over the past six months."
"Hold on... You only came over the first time. After that, I was always the one coming out here!" Itaku corrected.
"No need to say that! If you were watching, you should have helped!"
"I'm not obliged to help you!" Rihan at the moment is hiding out at a pile of rubble, sulking at the fact that he's being ignored.
"Rikuo-sama! I have a report!" Kuromaru stopped the bickering. "A large number of yokai are appearing in the center of Shibuya Station! They are filling the shopping district and attacking humans! Nura clan members said, 'It's as if yokai are being created..' throughout the entire area!"
"Sanmoto...?" Rihan uttered, shocking. He could have sworn that he marked his end three hundred years ago. "This Hundred Tales clan..."
"Dad, go find the other executives of that clan. I'll go to Shibuya!" RIkuo decided. Rihan, who did not want to separate from his son, reluctantly agree and went another direction. "I'm counting on you, Itaku, Kuromaru!"
"WAIT!" Tsurara added. "Before that, what do we do with Ienaga-san? It'll be very dangerous for her!"
"We'll take Kana with us."
"Rikuo-sama!"
"Right now, no matter where we go, it will be dangerous... Stay close to me."
"Oi Yuki-onna, what's with the human?" Itaku asked.
"She's trying act cute..." She replied, not too pleased with the decision. 'But lately, Rikuo-sama's been losing a lot of things important to him... Maybe she's the only human that would understand him...? Isn't there a better way to protect her...?'
"I... I want to go with you too! I said it before, didn't I? I want to know more about you! I'm not going to run away!" Kana declared.
"Alright!" Rikuo said and they headed off, not knowing the Gyuuki kids already went ahead.
Moments before, Kiyotsugu decided to prove his friend's innocence and headed off into the heart of Tokyo to catch the hero on film. He did not care about the dangers of being near yokai, he coolly kept moving forward looking for the master of the night. Video camera in hand, fully charged, he strolled through the panic of the city. He's been trying to contact Kana, who he is aware that is near Rikuo, via his creepy doll walkie talkie. There was no answer. Kiyotsugu only started panicking when a giant spider yokai made its way towards him. He felt a bit faint until Aotabo saved the day by smashing its head into the wall.
"That's the thousandth one... Or was it millionth...? GAH! I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE! THE JUST KEEP COMING BACK!" the hero grew frustrated. Kiyotsugu stared at him for a moment, as his heart calmed down to a considerable level. He then realized that the frustrated man was an ally.
"He's so strong!" one of the humans around told the other. "Maybe he can kill Nura Rikuo!"
"Huh? What was that? I'm not killing my master! He has helped hundreds of humans, and you're treating him as a wanted criminal? Just go home! You humans shouldn't be outside!" The gasping humans hurried on to supposed safety. However, Kiyotsugu remained.
"I think I've seen him before...!" Kiyotsugu thought for a moment, staring at the bllue monk. Then a light bulb went off. "Ah! M-mr! You were the yokai with the Lord of Darkness back then! Can you take me to Rikuo?"
"Eh? Kiyotsugu...? What do you think you're doing looking for him? Are you after his head too?" He grabbed him by the collar.
"No! Right now, he's viewed as a villain. I want to catch him on film and release it to the public! What is real and what is not! They'll see and will know he is nothing like a villain! I want to prove his innocence!" Aotabo looked at the boy for a while; he saw that he was indeed sincere in the cause.
"You... Would do something like that...?" Ao asked to make sure.
"I admire the Lord of Darkness. That he would do something like this is impossible! And if it's Rikuo, then there's definitely no way Rikuo would kill everyone! Besides, Rikuo is my friend and family."
"Heh. You got some guts. I like the way you think, kid. Alright then, get on!" Ao placed him down on his bike and slapped on a helmet for him with the latter completely shocked that a yokai is using a bike. Then the yokai busted out a cell phone and called his comrade, further baffling Kiyotsugu. "Oi, Kuromaru- What? You're taking him to Shibuya? Gotta tell everyone else..." He began dialing quickly causing Kiyo's eyes to budge out at how proficient yokais are with technology. His reactions are priceless. "You may want to hold on 'cause I drive fast! We're going to Shibuya! I'm coming master!" Ao warned. Once ready to go, Ao zoomed through the town, causing Kiyo to slightly regret tagging along with him. Along the way they nearly ran over victim number three, Kappa.
"! AO!" Kappa cried, jumping to a safer area. He couldn't use his power since water would only make it even more dangerous. Kappa could have swore he saw his life flash before his eyes by his own comrade.
"Eh? Kappa?" Ao jerked a stop. Kiyo was getting a bit dizzy.
"Slow down! You might hit one of us!" He thought back to the earlier encounters.
"Uh... A little late for that..."
"? Who did you kill?"
"I only killed the enemy!"
"Who of us did you hit?"
"Er... Well... I guess I hit Shouei 'cause he forced a stop on me... I didn't hit Rihan-sama, but he looked scared..."
"... Ao... That bike is gonna get confiscated..."
"I know... Well, I'm gonna get moving!" He started up his motorcycle and zigzagged away before Kappa could say anymore.
In Shibuya, many girls being changed into yokai by the Arm of the Hundred Tales clan, Kyousai. Screams ripped through the air, with humans powerless to stop it. Nearby, Maki and Torii were aiding the escapes through the building. Unfortunately Kyousai and his yokai caught wind of it and chased after the two. "We never get a break from yokai, huh Torii...?" Maki commented, fending off yokai with her dagger.
"So it's that girl again...?" Kyousai uttered. Torii noticed the leader of the yokai mob and fear and memories surged through her.
"M-Maki!" Torii called to her friend, using the latter as somewhat of a shield. "I know that person..."
"I had such fun back then. Fufu.. You in white.. you in black.. When I look at you, I create and destroy, create and destroy all sorts of girls..."
"Don't tell me... You're the guy who made that fake Torii?" Maki gasped, still pointing her knife towards him and the yokai.
"You are... the girl's friend? Heh, no matter. I think I can make a good picture out of both of you. Capture them." Yokai charged at them, but Maki used the bracelet Mamiru had given her and Torii. From the explosion of the creations, the two were able to make their escape and head towards an exit. While on the escalator, they were once again surrounded by yokai. This time, since she had already used the bracelet, she used the charm Yura had given them, creating a yokai water slide. Almost home free at the door, they were again surrounded, but now Kyousai joined the actually chased and caught Maki by the neck with his whip. "That was interesting. I wonder what kind of yokai I can turn you into..." Torii stood between them.
"S-stop! I'll take her place..." Switching targets, Kyousai used the whip to pull her to him.
"So you intended to get close to use this rosary, huh? I've changed my mind. I'll turn you into a yokai, and you will devour that girl!"
"TORII!" Maki cried. Then, before anything else happened, a man in black clad and a straw hat interrupted, entering through the door.
"You..." Kyousai glared the monk, with memories from Sanmoto flowing through. The man returned the glare.
"Hundred Tales clan..." he began. "This time... We will put an end to you!"
"I-it's the monk...!" Torii uttered with hope. Maki didn't say anything, but she knew someone had come to save them.
"Kurotabo... You've betrayed us and joined the Nura clan... You will pay for that!" Kyousai sent his yokai minions to attack, which the target only slashed away.
"I was never a part of your clan... However, it sickens me that I've helped you when I was under Sanmoto's influence..." Kurotabo attacked, but Kyousai used Torii as a shield.
"AH!" she cried but calmed a bit, trusting her past savior.
"Torii!" Maki cried again, trying to make her way towards her. Kurotabo missed Torii and managed to land a few hits on Kyousai himself. With another strike, the weapons hidden in his sleeves tore off the enemy's arm, falling back, and Kurotabo pulled Torii away from him. He pushed the former hostage to be reunited with her friend.
"Stay back!" he warned. He suspected something was up. No way would an executive be so easily defeated. Right he was. Kyousai stood back up, painting a new arm for himself.
"I... will not be defeated by you!" the enemy roared. Before their battle commenced again, the wall east of them broke and in came Rikuo sporting two swords, ready to fight. "Nura... Rikuo..."
"Young master..."
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I think that's a good end for this chapter. It should be longer than the last chapter at least, but I'm kind of tired... Didn't expect Kurotabo to come save the day huh? He kind of disappeared after the beginning of the chase... And to think he's an important character in that arc, or at least one of the most involved of the two clans. Rihan will be back soon so don't worry. I don't want to crowd one area with all of them, but I want to give a chance to other characters which the mangaka is neglecting while still keeping Rikuo as the main hero.
R&R please. I'll try to get another chapter soon, but I don't promise anything.