Chapter 62: Twins
While Zephyr punched one Zanna who turned out to be Rosso in disguise, the duplicate Zephyr socked the real Zanna with "Gemini* Punch (Multiple Fist Barrage)!"
Zanna hit the side of a building in the courtyard with a thud but Zephyr wasn't finished and attacked him once more.
"Say hello to my twin brother Favon (Ukon)," Zephyr said as the squiggly lines covered him and his duplicate self. "Normally, he's asleep behind me. But occasionally, he'll come to my aid. He can appear out of any part of my body and add a little 'oomph' to my punches!"
Barking, Rosso came charging toward Zephyr, though Favon spotted him first.
"Gemini Kick (Multiple Kick Barrage)!" Zephyr shouted as he kicked Zanna into Rosso and the two tumbled backwards. "How does it feel to have three legs kicked into your—
Before Zephyr had the chance to finish, an extra hand covered his mouth.
"Enough talk, brother," Favon interrupted as the marks thickened on his face. "We need to finish this as soon as possible."
"Right," Zephyr nodded as he head changed too.
As Zanna watched in horror, Zephyr's skin changed to a blood red color while his and Favon's white hair grew longer. Their heads were now demon-like with one horn on each head, yellow eyes, and razor sharp teeth.
S**t, Zanna flinched. Now we're really screwed!
Rosso suddenly yipped, getting Zanna's attention.
"Wait, you want us to use that spell (Jutsu)?" Zanna shook his head. "No, it's too dangerous. We'll use up all our remaining nature energy (chakra) and there's no one around to back us up if this fails!"
Angered, Rosso bit Zanna's hand and stood in front of him as Zephyr and Favon came charging at them.
Huh, some lousy master I am, Zanna thought as he looked at his bitten hand and proceeded to clench it, All right, let's do it!
As Zanna got gut-punched by Zephyr and Favon, Rosso leaped up and twirled midair.
"What kind of a lame move is that?" Zephyr asked.
"Good boy, Rosso!" Zanna cried as he jumped up while Rosso landed on top of his head. "Man Beast Transformation: Capitoline Wolf** (Human Beast Combination: Double-Headed Wolf)!"
There was a cloud of smoke, followed by the appearance of a large white wolf with two heads.
Favon and Zephyr chuckled. "So the two dogs combined into one. How cute!"
In response, the two-headed wolf roared and spun rapidly toward the two brothers.
That should take care of them, Zanna thought inside one of the wolf heads as the creature stopped charging. Hellhound Hunt of the Wolf (Wolf Fang Passing Fang) is a lot deadlier than the regular Hellhound Hunt, even though it's not entirely accurate.
When the debris cleared, it was revealed that Zephyr's body had been cut in half. But as Zanna watched, the two halves grew second limbs that were metallic and stood up looking unharmed.
What the hell? Zanna's eyes widened.
"Congratulations, kid," Zephyr smirked.
"You just gave us an excuse to separate," Favon finished.
Gritting their teeth, Zanna and Rosso attempted to do another Hellhound Hunt of the Wolf but the two brothers dodged them. They then leaped on top of one building and bit their thumbs. Together, they placed their hands on the ground shouting "Symplegades***, I summon thee (Summoning: Rashoumon)!"
This caused a pair of giant boulders with eyes to appear on either side of the two-headed wolf and crush it between them. Yet Zanna and Rosso managed to block the boulders from completely crushing them with their limbs before they reverted back to their human and dog forms. As the boulders disappeared as well, Zephyr and Favon attempted to finish the two off when Rosso suddenly urinated in Zephyr's eyes causing him to scream and fall flat on his back.
"Ah, what was in that piss?" Zephyr questioned, holding his hands over his eyes. "It's some kind of burning acid!"
Zanna scuffed. "That's why you shouldn't underestimate dogs."
"Nor should you forget about me."
Surprised, Zanna looked to his right shoulder and saw Favon's head popping out.
"Go wash your eyes in that fountain, brother, or whatever's left of it," Favon ordered Zephyr. "I'll take care of the rest."
Obediently, Zephyr went to the courtyard fountain that got destroyed when Zanna and Rosso used the first Hellhound Hunt of the Wolf attack. Meanwhile, Rosso barked at Favon's head and leaped at him only to get slapped away by a phantom hand that came out of Zanna's side.
"Rosso!" Zanna shouted as the dog hit a tree and was knocked out.
"Cry all you want, but it won't make a difference," Favon grinned. "As we speak, my body is fusing with yours on a molecular level so we'll become inseparable once the process is complete. And when that happens, I'll kill you from the inside out leaving myself in charge."
"I see." Zanna took out a throwing knife and stabbed himself in the gut. "What if I do this?"
"Are you crazy?" Favon exclaimed as blood came from his mouth and Zanna's.
"If we really share the same body, then my pain…is also yours," Zanna murmured as he picked up the knife again.
This time, he went for his shoulder where Favon was. Favon gasped and immediately separated himself from Zanna after the knife went in. Next, Zanna threw a couple of smoke bombs and got away taking Rosso with him. They ran out of the courtyard down the street and rested on a bench next to the river-like body of water which separated the district the Foglia family controlled from the one Typhonragazzo ran. But as Zanna looked down, he noticed a trail of blood leading from his jacket all the way down the street.
"Looks like I got a little cocky in my escape," Zanna remarked, and gripped his unconscious dog tightly. "Hold on, Rosso."
After removing his jacket, Zanna jumped into the river holding Rosso.
End of Chapter 62
*Gemini is the constellation named after the twins Castor and Pollux who were the sons of Zeus though one was immortal and the other wasn't
**The Capitoline Wolf is a famous bronze statue depicting the she-wolf who raised twins Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome
***The Symplegades, or Clashing Rocks, were a pair of mythical boulders that crashed together when something passed through them