Hey guys, I'm so sorry for the long hiatus. I've just been really busy with college and stuff. Before I knew it, time flew by and I just realized that I had neglected my favorite anime. Well, anyway, it was tough picking up the pieces from the previous chapters but I gave it my best. Hope you guys enjoy it.
Chapter 4
Oga raised an eyebrow, rubbed his chin tentatively and then proceeded to throttle Himekawa.
" Why the hell am I in a coma in reality? Did a car fucking run me over or did I finally lose my sanity after years of hanging out with clowns like you guys?" Oga roared but Himekawa just coolly adjusted his spectacles and punched him in the cheek.
Everyone in the room gawked at the pompadour-haired delinquent and Kanzaki said a silent prayer for him. " Are you insane?" Kanzaki whispered to Himekawa but he just shrugged.
" He needed that. Crazy people can't think straight anyway."
Oga just rubbed his cheek and grunted. " I won't waste my time on you for now. Can somebody just explain to me what happened in reality? How did I end up in the hospital? How this whole event became my dream?"
Everyone exchanged glances at each other and shook their heads apologetically but Saotome stepped forward and grinned at the glowering delinquent.
" You're not exactly in a coma, brat. You're in like a state of sleep paralysis. If I remembered correctly, Nasu managed to cast some kind of spell on you, forcing you to envision his post-apocalyptic world, if he succeeds. That's not all, my guess is that If you die in this realm, chances are that you'll die in reality as well."
Oga looked startled and gritted his teeth. " Fuck that bastard. I'll pound him real good….Hold on….Does that mean Hilda and Baby Beel and Natsume and the rest of the infected are dead in reality?" Oga asked shocked.
Saotome looked thoughtfully at him and sighed. " What do you think I am, you fool? A fortune-teller? Honestly, I have no idea about that. For all I know, the whole of Japan could be in the same state as you right now. That's why, right now, you have to find him and stop him."
" The possibility of Hilda and Baby Beel being killed in real life doesn't seem so far away anymore. How could I let my guard down so easily? They were always counting on me to be there for them!" Oga raged silently.
" Saotome, did you say that Nasu is at Ishiyama Hospital?" Oga asked him.
" A likely possibility. For now, that is the only lead we have. If he isn't there, then, chances are, you will be bound to run into him," Saotome replied.
" Fine by me. Wherever that rat is hiding, I'll force him out and show him that it was a big mistake to fuck with me!" Oga muttered vehemently as he cracked his knuckles and headed towards the exit of the building.
" Yo! Aren't you forgetting something?" Kanzaki drawled as he looked irritated at Oga.
Oga stared at him and then he broke out into a grin. " You're damn right I did. My jacket," he said as he walked over to the chair and grabbed it.
Kanzaki and Himekawa looked frustrated at him and gave him respective death glares.
" You forgot us! Without us, you'll be slaughtered like a cattle the moment you step out onto the streets," Kanzaki roared, flailing his arms in anger.
Oga rolled his eyes and sighed. " Fine. Don't expect me to save your sorry asses every time one of those hellhounds mistake them for a steak," Oga snickered which earned him a few profanities from the sherbet-haired delinquent.
Tojo who had been calmly listening to their conversation, stretched his back and flashed his signature grin. " It's about time we get a move on. I'm just dying to snap those akumas like dried twigs," he chortled.
As the four of them were walking towards the exit, Saotome placed a hand on Oga's shoulder and gave him a small smirk.
" As much of an idiot that you are, I'm sure that your lady and kid will be just fine, thanks to you. Just don't do anything stupid like you usually do," he laughed and pushed them out of the door.
Oga couldn't help but feel some newfound respect for his former teacher after his pessimistic words of encouragement.
" Well guys, let's show them the Ishiyama spirit!" Oga grinned and walked back out onto the desolate streets.
The streets were unchanged with abandoned vehicles piled onto each other and trails of dried blood painted onto the white lines.
" Anybody know the directions to the hospital?" Kanzaki whispered to the group and Oga nodded.
" I'll handle the navigation. You just concentrate on making sure none of those ugly creatures approach us," Oga replied.
The group trudged silently through the barren wasteland as none of them were in the mood for their usual banter.
Tojo finally broke the silence after ten minutes as he couldn't help but felt a dint of sympathy for Oga.
" Don't get me wrong. I couldn't care less about you. I just wouldn't want that pretty wife and kid of yours to end up as dog food, if you know what I mean," Tojo said and Oga couldn't help but crack into a small smile.
" Well, I couldn't be happier if somebody kicked your sorry ass for me but I guess that your concern is appreciated," Oga said.
" That was just a one-off thing. You're still my rival and the guy I'm going tobury 100 feet into the ground with," Tojo chuckled as Oga snickered as well.
" Hey now girls, don't leave us out on all the juicy gossip," Himekawa snickered from the front as Kanzaki tried to control his mirth.
" I wouldn't mind….but Himekawa's words were cut off as a large black furry figure tackled him to the other side.
" Get this fucking thing off me!" he yelled as his two hands were struggling to prevent the giant black tiger's jaw from clamping shut on his neck.
" Shit…." Oga cursed as many pairs of glowing red eyes were seen plastered across the dark forest landscape.
" Kanzaki, go and help Himekawa out. Tojo, you and I will deal with these bastards," Oga barked as he rolled up his sleeves and assumed a fighting stance.
" Just leave enough for me and don't try to take them all out by yourself," Tojo grinned as he squared back-to back against Oga with the surrounding circle of infected townspeople becoming smaller with each step forward.
Himekawa winced as the putrid smell of the tiger's breath began making him feel nauseous and soon, his grip began to follow suit.
" I never did like black cats. They always meant trouble," Kanzaki scoffed as he landed a side kick accurately to the beast's cheek, sending it crashing into a broken fire hydrant.
" Not bad at all, for a cockroach," Himekawa mused as Kanzaki helped him up onto his feet.
" Watch it, four eyes. Your head would have been swimming with the fishes in that cat's belly right now if it wasn't for my deadly kick," Kanzaki boasted.
" You know, we've never really had an awesome combination move to pull off or show other people," Himekawa smirked as he pulled out his stun baton which crackled.
" Hm…? I guess you're right four-eyes. I think this tiger is in for a nice surprise," Kanzaki cocked his head and smiled maniacally at the snarling beast.
The sounds of bones cracking and the squirting of blood could be clearly heard throughout the neighborhood as Oga and Tojo annihilated every hostile being that attacked them.
An infected woman pounced on Oga but he just sniffed contemptuously before putting his fist through her forehead. He proceeded to increase the pressure on his hand before his fist perforated through the back of her skull, making her body go limp.
Oga retracted his arm and sent another decapitated man's head flying off his neck with a swift roundhouse kick as crimson red blood began spurting out of his decapitated neck like a water sprinkler.
" You guys are not going to get in my way of finding her!" Oga roared as he began plowing into the advancing horde of infected people and forcing ear-splitting screams every few minutes.
Tojo was also enjoying himself thoroughly. The orange-haired delinquent sent many of the infected sprawling with just a mere punch to the abdomen. He let out a chuckle as a burly infected man tried to catch him by surprise by wrapping his rotting arms around him.
The burly infected man let out a hiss before getting both his arms ripped out by Tojo. Tojo spun around and dealt him a strong uppercut to the jaw which resulted in the snapping of his head backwards.
" Hey Tojo! Watch your back!" Oga yelled as he punched an infected child which was creeping up to him.
" Hmph! I didn't need your help, Oga," Tojo retorted back but his eyes widened and he quickly pushed Oga to the ground before blocking another melee attack from an infected man.
Tojo grunted in pain as the man was holding a broken Bowie knife which was lodged in his arm. " Oga, finish him off now!" Tojo yelled.
Oga rolled to Tojo's side and unleashed a forceful punch to the man's stomach which sent him crashing back first against a concrete wall.
" Thanks for taking the blow for me. I owe you one," Oga muttered as he began to examine Tojo's wound but the burly delinquent just waved him off.
" No problem and stop fussing over me like some pansy. I'm fine and I can still leave their heads with gaping holes," Tojo assured Oga who nodded at him and helped him up.
" Open wide!" Kanzaki cried out in triumph as he landed a third successful drop kick onto the tiger's head. The tiger began swaying momentarily before Himekawa stuck the stun baton into it's mouth and flipped the switch.
" You are definitely buying me a new one after this," he glared at Kanzaki as the tiger began to shake violently before smoke began creeping from out of its nostrils and ears, before its lifeless corpse dropped to the ground.
" Well, that's a wrap," Kanzaki said as he finished off the last infected person with a front kick to the face.
" Oga, you look disgusting. Do you always have to fight with no class and regard for your poor clothes?" Himekawa chided Oga who was covered in dried blood from head to toe with bits of entrails sticking onto his hair and clothes. Even Tojo gagged at the smell.
" Come on, we don't have any time to waste," Oga just calmly replied as he picked the entrails off his hair.
" Well, at least have a wash before you kill us all with that horrible stench," Himekawa groaned as Kanzaki and Tojo nodded their heads vigorously.
Oga took a whiff of himself before his eyes began to water.
" Does anyone here know where I can find a bathroom?"
" Here we are guys. Where it all started and where I am supposed to be now," Oga said as the eerie vibes the dilapidated building emanated earned a few nervous gulps from Kanzaki and Himekawa while Tojo just folded his arms.
" Are you all fucking chickens or what?" Oga glared at the two delinquents.
" Of course not, you bastard so watch your mouth," Kanzaki sneered at him while Himekawa began to relax and run his fingers through his hair.
" I don't think that creep would be operating in this dump. What was Saotome thinking?" Kanzaki mused as he stepped into the abandoned hospital.
A strong gust of wind whipped against their faces as the rustling of trees became violent. Oga narrowed his eyes as the hairs behind his neck began to stand up.
" Nasu is here alright. I can feel his strong demonic energy from down here. He is probably expecting us on the highest floor," Oga told them.
" Then what the hell are we doing here, standing around? Let's take the elevator and whoop his ass and then get some proper answers," Kanzaki whispered to Himekawa who just rolled his eyes in annoyance.
They heard some child-like giggles echo through the halls of the hospital followed by some heavy breathing. Kanzaki and Himekawa's teeth began to chatter as even Tojo began to look uneasy at Oga.
" I didn't know Akumas like to act like ghosts," Tojo whispered.
" They don't. I don't even want to know what is going on in these hallways. I just want to find Nasu ,Hilda and Baby Beel," Oga whispered back.
The four of them slowly walked up the flight of stairs to a higher level but not before receiving a rather ominous welcome gift.
The sentence "What took you so long ?" had been scrawled with fresh blood on the once pristine cream colored doors of the surgery room. On the floor, lay a bloodied glove which Oga began to examine and his heart skipped a beat. It was Hilda's glove.
Tojo could see the look of fright on Oga's face and he stood in front of him.
" When we enter this room, you just focus on getting back you wife and the child. Leave the rest to us. That's what we came here for anyway."
Kanzaki and Himekawa mustered up as much courage as they could and gave Oga the thumbs up sign.
" Then, let's show him that we mean business," Oga clenched his fists and burst through the surgery room doors
He looked around frantically for Yohei Nasu or anything suspicious but to no avail.
" What the fuck…?" Oga cursed under his breath as suddenly, the doors to the room slammed shut and the lights began to flicker.
" Come on! Really? This old horror movie trick?" Himekawa muttered. Suddenly, the room became pitch black.
" Hey! What the…."
" Let me!..."
" I'm going to smash your skull…."
There was a lot of commotion in the dark and movements as Oga swung his punches wildly, hoping to connect with at least something.
Finally, the lights turned on once again and Oga found himself standing alone in the middle of the surgery room.
" Tojo? Kanzaki? Himekawa? Where are you?!" Oga yelled desperately but his efforts were futile.
" It's about time you showed up. I was actually getting really bored of just sitting around and waiting for you to drop by," Yohei Nasu drawled as he sat himself on the medical equipment counter.
" Enough games Nasu! Where is Hilda and Baby Beel?" Oga demanded to know but Nasu just chuckled and waggled his finger.
" Being a douchebag isn't going to help your cause, Oga. But, it doesn't matter since I am going to show where she is," Nasu said innocently before snapping his fingers and revealing the bloodied and bruised blonde maidservant strapped onto the surgical chair.
" Hilda! Can you hear me?" Oga called out joyfully but Nasu erupted into laughter and sped across to him and stabbed him in the stomach with a scalpel.
Nasu grinned evilly at him and sent him sprawling with a punch to the face. " She's under anesthetic but that's not the fun part. Feast your swollen eyes on this!" Nasu roared with laughter as he revealed Himekawa dangling from the ceiling- his legs tied together with a piece of rope.
Below Himekawa was a pit filled with hellhounds which were snapping at the air as they smelt fresh meat. Himekawa wriggled and shook but his hands were tied up as well.
" Alright, alright! You can have a million yen! That's two month's allowance! Just don't drop me into that pit, you son of a bitch!" he yelled but Nasu just ignored him and continued kicking the wounded Oga.
" I'm not going to kill you yet, Oga. I'm going to give you the privilege of saving either Hilda or your friend" he purred as Oga gripped his abdomen which was bleeding profusely.
" You have thirty seconds, starting from now. Once that's over, then I'll finish you off. I really love this game, you know that?" Nasu chuckled before binding Oga's hands with a Zebul spell.
Oga breathed heavily as he was losing quite a lot of blood but he couldn't afford to pass out now. His guilty conscience was the only thing that was stopping him . It was a tough choice to make right now.
Hilda, his beloved woman or Himekawa, his friend who had been indispensable during this whole ordeal?
" Fifteen seconds…."chirped Nasu as his fists began to glow bright red with the Zebul emblem becoming visible on both of them.
Oga looked up sullenly at Nasu just in time to see Himekawa wink at him from behind. Oga could see that he had managed to free his hands by using a pocketknife.
" He chooses the buxom blonde!" Himekawa called from above as Oga looked startled.
Just as Nasu spun around to face him, Himekawa set his stun baton to the maximum voltage and dropped it onto the trail of water which Nasu was standing on.
" Oh….fuck me…."
The whole room flashed a blinding shade of blue and white as Nasu's body shook violently before dropping limply to the floor.
The binds on Oga disappeared and he rushed to free Hilda. " Hilda, you're alive…..I knew that you wouldn't let him kill you," he whispered softly to the sleeping blonde as he broke the chains binding her to the chair.
He gently caressed her blood-stained face as he stroked away her lose fringe covering her emerald eye.
" Himekawa, I guess I really do have to thank you…." Oga smiled but there wasn't any response from the rich delinquent.
Oga turned around to see a petrified look plastered on Himekawa's face and the tip of a bloodied blade protruding from his chest. The charred Nasu chuckled sadistically and twisted the blade slowly like a screwdriver as Himekawa's body arched forward with every push.
" No! You fucking leave him alone!" Oga roared as he set Hilda down and charged at Nasu but the spell user fired a beam of energy at Oga from his free hand, knocking him over.
" This was the price to pay for screwing around with me. People who fuck around with me tend to spend their life in hell," Nasu growled as he gave one final push before releasing the rope that bound him.
Himekawa mustered his remaining energy to give a small nod to Oga before disappearing into the dark pit. Oga could hear the faint screams as his fallen comrade was being torn apart by the hellhounds.
" That little slip was unaccounted for. Now that he's become dog chow, I think it's time we settle the score once and for all," Nasu said as he charged towards Oga and thrust his fist towards his face.
However, Nasu was taken aback as Oga calmly caught his fist with his hand and began crushing it.
" You may be a better Zebul spell user than I am, but don't forget that I am the Demon Lord's father! So, let me ingrain this fact in your empty skull!" Oga roared and sent Nasu crashing into the wall with a strong punch to the forehead.
Nasu spat out a wad of blood as his eyes burned with hatred and animosity towards his arch rival.
" Don't get too cocky just yet!" Nasu shouted and in a blink of an eye, unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks on Oga who had trouble blocking and dodging them all.
Finally, Nasu managed to land two successful kicks on Oga's face which spent the young contractor reeling.
" I hope you like the taste of concrete," Nasu roared with laughter as he buried Oga headfirst into the wall with a three hundred and sixty rotation roundhouse kick.
Oga barely had enough energy to take Nasu on due to the excessive loss of blood from his earlier stab wound but Oga pulled his head out of the wall only to receive an enhanced punch to the stomach once again.
Oga coughed out more blood as he began to sway much to Nasu's delight.
" Don't get up from this," he laughed and used his Raging Storm on Oga. The soul-numbing lassitude and pain which he felt throughout his weary body finally took a toll on him as he lay spread-eagled on the ground, panting.
" After I dispose of you, I'm going to kill your woman and then use Lil Beezy's power all for myself. In fact, I would be able to accomplish what no other person in Behemoth's Pillar Squad has been able to do….kill you in real life! I was hoping for a better challenge from you but you're nothing without that baby. Just another pathetic human," Nasu sneered.
Oga winced and stared defiantly at him. " So that old geezer was right. If Nasu succeeds in killing me now, I'll die in my sleep in reality," he thought.
" Well, enough small talk. Your weakness disgusts me!" Nasu growled before bringing the blade down on Oga's neck.
Suddenly, Nasu grunted in pain as Oga could see the end of Hilda's parasol thrust through his neck.
" Hilda! You're awake?" Oga looked startled but Nasu clenched his fists.
" Of course I am, you foolish man. Do not ever underestimate the abilities of a Demon Lord's maidservant," Hilda sneered at Oga before pulling her parasol back and sending Nasu rolling with a strong kick.
Oga jumped up immediately and glared at her. " Hey, look. The least you could do is show me some gratitude. I just saved your life, plus I have been walking back and forth trying to find you and Baby and Beel. Bitch, you have no fucking idea how worried I was about your safety! I meant…Baby Beel's safety… Hmph," Oga turned away hoping that she did not notice his Freudian slip but she did.
Hilda raised an eyebrow before her hardened expression softened and she couldn't help but wrap her arms around Oga's waist and pulled him into a hug.
" You can add 'good liar' to your list of failures in your life," Hilda chuckled as Oga couldn't help but smile to himself.
" I missed you terribly and I was actually convinced that he had killed you. Since, you're still just a weak human without the Master's powers," Hilda whispered into his ear which made him frown once more.
" Damn it Hilda. You really do know how to spoil the mood. Where is Baby Beel anyway?" Oga asked pulling himself out of her embrace.
" That is none of your business," Nasu growled in a raspy voice as he was engulfed in a red light.
Nasu grinned as he used the Doppelganger technique to create 5 more clones of himself.
" I guess I have to offer my assistance to you now since, I do not think you'll be able to survive on your own," Hilda said coolly as he drew her parasol sword once more.
" Shut up and save it when we get back home," Oga growled as he charged at the first clone.
Elswhere….
" This has to be the room where they are keeping that blonde chick and that green-haired baby," Kanzaki sighed to Tojo as Tojo cracked the neck of the last hellhound.
" We have been though every level and every room, kicking zombie ass left, right and centre for hours. This is the last room on the last level."
" Then, let's grab them and find Oga and Himekawa," Tojo said before kicking open the door.
A tall well-toned male demon with gills stood up from his seat and placed the squirming Baby Beel onto a couch.
" Ooh…I remember you. You're one of those akumas that Oga defeated the last time," Tojo grinned at Hecadoth who gave a look of contempt at them.
" Don't forget the great Hajime Kanzaki who scared away three of your men during Tojo's showdown," Kanzaki puffed up his chest.
" Sorry, but I do not care to remember the names or faces of such weaklings. I'm here on one mission, and that is to kill the demon contractor, Oga Tatsumi" Hecadoth replied stoically before sending the two delinquents flying back with a wave of black demonic energy.
" I'll get the baby. You beat the crap out of this guy," Kanzaki told him and Tojo cracked his knuckles in excitement.
" Fine by me, Kanzaki. I have just been dying to face some worthy opponents again," Tojo bellowed and began to wrestle with Hecadoth.
" Come here, you little squirt," Kanzaki called as he ran towards Baby Beel but Hecadoth slammed his foot into Kanzaki's chest, sending him crashing backwards.
" As much as I want to kill the baby as well, but I have a deal to honor with Yohei Nasu," Hecadoth said and he sent Tojo staggering with a series of blows to the face.
" You're really tough, you know that? I'm going to enjoy our little fight," Tojo grinned as he wiped a blood stain from a bruised lip.
" Sorry that I have to end it quickly but we have a schedule to keep" Hecadoth said and gave Tojo's torso another quaking punch.
To Hecadoth's surprise, Tojo caught his arm after the punch and proceeded to deliver heavy jabs to his face. Hecadoth grimaced in pain as Tojo relentlessly began pounding and bashing at him until Hecadoth blasted him away with another wave of demonic energy.
" You just got lucky mortal. But now, things are going to get ugly for you," Hecadoth said ominously as his whole body began to be engulfed with black flames.
Tojo beckoned Hecadoth to approach him which he did, with unbelievable speed and agility. Tojo soon found that he was getting pounded to a pulp by him with the pillar general evading every counterattack.
Tojo finally dropped to his knees but he gave a loud grunt before head butting Hecadoth which sent him staggering back.
" I must give you credit for your resilience for you have lasted far longer than most humans would have. Plus, you managed to land quite a number of hits on me," Hecadoth commended.
" Why does everyone keep forgetting about me?" Kanzaki drawled before sweeping Hecadoth's legs and causing him to fall flat on his buttocks.
"Da-buh!" Baby Beel squealed in Kanzaki's arms as Kanzaki smirked at the furious demon.
" I'm your opponent now, you bastard. Leave Tojo alone and come face the elite member of the Tohoshinki," Kanzaki chided.
" I'm part of it too, you know," Tojo said in a dead-pan manner which earned a giant sweat drop behind Kanzaki's head.
" I know! You don't need to go and spoil my big introduction," Kanzaki groaned as he began fighting with Hecadoth.
Kanzaki landed one lucky kick to Hecadoth's ribs but that was it as he was beaten soundly in a matter of moments.
" Honestly, why did Nasu have to leave me the task of taking out worthless garbage like you and babysitting that baby? It's a deep scratch on my dignity," Hecadoth said cockily.
Tojo and Kanzaki slowly got up before nodding at each other and grinned.
" Did he just call us trash, Tojo? I think this guy should get his head out of his ass before it gets stuffed in further. Let's teach this guy a lesson for looking down on us Ishiyama delinquents," Kanzaki gave a venomous smile at Hecadoth.
" For once, I actually have to agree with you," Tojo mused and assumed a fighting stance once more.
Back in the surgery room…
" Oga's Barely 15 meters punch!" Oga roared as he sent the a Nasu clone sliding to the corner of the room.
" What a ridiculous name for a simple maneuver," Hilda scoffed as she sent the real Nasu crashing with a wave of demonic energy. The black fibers of underworld magic overwhelming Nasu's Zebul shield.
The clones began to melt and Nasu looked wearily at them. " You are not going to leave this building alive!" Nasu roared as the Zebul symbols began to become visible through is tattered white shirt.
" Sheesh, why do all the bad guys have to end the fight with a big finale like this?" Oga muttered as Hilda cracked a small smile.
A/N Here is chapter 4!. I hope you guys forgive me for the long delay but I'll definitely finish the story. Please review and tell me what you guys think. See you guys soon