Hello there!
Yep! A new chapter...just a month before it could've been one year late. Sorry about that. Check out the end of this chapter to know more. I got a special announcement.
This fanfic will stay alive!
DISCLAIMER: I NEVER OWNED FAIRY TAIL OR AKAME GA KILL! I THINK THAT SHOULD'VE BEEN OBVIOUS.
Now on to the chapter!
Chapter 13: Ur vs Gyaku
Beating Gyaku was the only solution Ur could foresee. However, she wasn't stupid to underestimate the enemy that stood before her eyes. For some reason, he was radiating an odd aura of magic that she wasn't familiar with. It only confirmed to her that he wasn't human, even though he resembled one.
Other thoughts Ur possibly had was put aside. Once Gyaku rushed at her, she stretched her arms apart while the palms faced downward.
"Ice Make: Ice stream!" she shouted.
In an instant, Ur's palms released a stream of ice from her palms. Her palms made more, thus allowing her to propel herself forward to confront the enemy.
Gyaku cut the gap between them by jumping forward. With his left arm, he shapeshift it into an axe and swung it down on Ur. The ice mage would've been a goner, if not for her quick reaction. She made it out the way through the same method of her ice. She then amplified her speed, especially when Gyaku closed the gap between them again.
The reincarnated Teigu reshaped both arms into big axes. With them, he swung them sporadically at Ur. The ice mage predicted the movements, though, and dodged them flawlessly. Whenever she needed to, she would swerve, jump, duck, and even bend her body. These movements made it impossible for him to hit her.
That didn't discourage Gyaku, however. Ur's dodges only motivated him to stay on the offense. This included stepping on the ice left behind by Ur. Thus, the right leg of the reincarnated Teigu slipped, interrupting the flow of his attacks.
The literal slip-up gave Ur an open. The ice mage leaped forward while circling her arms in front of herself. Then, once she planted her palms on Gyaku's chest, she released a blast of ice and frost that shot Gyaku back with great force.
Most ordinary men would've died on the spot, but not Gyaku. He recovered while his body was flung back. He even did a back flip that returned his feet to the snowy ground again. The force of Ur's attack was still in effect, thus his feet dragged across the blood-covered snow until he came to a stop.
Ur sneered a little before shooting another stream of ice from her palms. Like before, it propelled her forward while leaving a trail of ice on the ground. Gyaku took notice as he stood up straight again. The approach made by Ur was the same as before, thus he had a plan. He only acted on it once the ice mage was close to him. He then swung both his arm-like axes to closely meet at his front.
Such a move by Gyaku would've cut Ur into three. Fortunately, the ice mage foresaw it and even leaped over him via the creation of a human-size ice pillar. Gyaku ended up slashing that ice pillar instead before turning to his backside so he could swing his left arm-like axe at Ur.
Ur ducked when Gyaku made the move, but he didn't stop there. Gyaku swung his right arm-like axe downward on her in an attempt to cut her in half. He failed in that too as Ur moved to the other side to dodge it. The ice mage then shot a stream of ice from her palms, this time to launch her off the ground. The move allowed her to execute two fast punches at Gyaku's face.
Ur didn't end with two punches, though. While she was still in the air, she kicked him right in the chest and followed it with a spin. The spin was followed by a back-kick in the same area, with the force to knock him off his feet.
Gyaku reacted with a grin, having felt no pain from it. He corrected his body so his legs could drag across the snowy floor again. However, Ur had learned from the last time. As such, she placed both hands on the ground and released another flow of magic.
"Ice Make: Ice Pillar!" she bellowed.
The ground in front of Gyaku split open, unleashing a huge pillar made of ice. Gyaku was launched upward with the ice, with the sharp point seemingly piercing him. Unfortunately, the attack wasn't enough to subdue him. A closer look at the reincarnated Teigu, while he was in the air, revealed he blocked the attack by having his arm-like arms crossed over his chest.
"Impressive trick," said Gyaku with a chuckle. "Now it's my turn. Absolute Shatter!"
Gyaku had successfully blocked the attack before it could penetrate his chest. He chuckled a little with a hint of intrigue and uncrossed his arm. The result was a shockwave that tore apart the ice. Ur was a little fazed, but not undeterred. She maintained her position as Gyaku stomped down on the snowy ground underneath him.
"Thanks to the fusion of Teigu that created me, I possess an incredible array of powers. Both old...and new," Gyaku revealed, grinning at the last word. He raised both arm-like axes above his head and bellowed. "Subterrean Breaker!"
Following the name, Gyaku brought both arm-like down on the ground strongly. The result of it was a powerful shockwave that shook the ground violently and split it into many chunks. Ur was taken aback by it as it affected her area too. She almost lost her footing because of it.
Ur quickly jumped out of the area. Of course, the same couldn't be said about the dismembered corpses that lay about. The ice mage landed on the outskirts of the affected area. The experience made her realize something.
I have to end this fight quickly. This has gone on for too long, she thought.
"We're not done yet!" shouted Gyaku.
Ur looked up hurriedly, just in time to spot the reincarnated Teigu. The guy had leaped up and now had both arm-like axes drawn back. The latter didn't last long, though. Gyaku let out a battle cry before hailing his arm-like axes at Ur with the aid of his elastic ability.
Ur responded by repeatedly dodging them. At the same time, Gyaku kept trying to strike at her. The result of each missed attack was the creation of a small crater on the ground. Gyaku still couldn't hit her, near the end. The ice mage was moving so fast that she was almost a blur.
Impressive as she was, Gyaku saw a weakness in Ur's tactic. The ice mage was constantly dodging his attack. This made her vulnerable to a surprise attack, so the reincarnated Teigu made his move.
Gyaku stopped his assault and stomped down on the ground in front of Ur. He caught Ur at a bad moment since she had jumped back to dodge another of his earlier attack. Her situation wasn't helped either by his close proximity and the shakiness of the ground he caused.
Both instances were exactly the outcome Gyaku wanted. Since there was no way of escaping, he slashed his right arm-like axe at her stomach.
Ur reacted in the best way she could. Gyaku's attack struck her, but not in the way he intended. The ice mage narrowly made a shield on her right forearm to block the attack. Thus, the ice mage was saved as the shield protected her, though not without the axe almost shattering it.
Ur was fine. The ice mage even got an idea, despite her current predicament. She turned the whole thing in her favor by creating a big ice sword in her right hand. Then, she slashed it upward, cutting through Gyaku's crotch and eventually his head.
"Ice Make: Cold Excalibur!" Ur cried out.
Like that, Ur cut Gyaku in two in a near blink of an eye. The battle was over once both sides of him crashed onto the snowy ground. Ur was the winner.
The ice mage breathed a sigh of relief, releasing a puff of frost. Gyaku had been a tough opponent, but nothing that she couldn't handle with time. Her years of battle experience had paid off again, even in her second life. With that, she went past Gyaku's split corpse to begin her journey in the direction that Chouri's carriage had gone off to.
"Oh, that's not good," said a voice. It didn't come from Ur's mouth. "It's not wise to turn your back on an opponent."
Ur halted with a mild goosebump. The voice was no doubt from Gyaku, but it shouldn't be impossible. The reincarnated Teigu should've been dead. The ice mage was certain of it until her instincts kicked in. She moved her upper body to the left, just in time to avoid an axe as it flew past her.
Ur corrected her posture before turning halfway to the cause of the attack. She was shocked to see Gyaku standing again. There wasn't an indication that he had been cut in two. Even the guy's clothes were intact as if nothing had happened.
"Good reflexes," complimented Gyaku. "Even if I had stayed quiet, I'm sure you would've avoided it, yes?"
Ur couldn't answer. The ice mage's reaction heightened when she saw an exact copy of Gyaku get off the ground. His presence made sense of the Gyaku's so-called resurrection. Ur had indeed cut Gyaku in two, but doing so also brought him back and made a copy of him.
So, this must be one of his abilities. Just how many does he have? Ur thought.
The ice mage couldn't lie to herself. She may have underestimated Gyaku. The fact he could regenerate from a devastating attack troubled her a little. She may need to take a more direct approach than relying on overwhelming magic power. There was no telling if her next big attack would spring up another unknown ability.
Before Ur could inquire, her instincts kicked in again. The axe came back, spinning as fast as it could. Fortunately, Ur jumped out of the way without getting harmed. But the same couldn't be said about the original Gyaku.
He stood in one place and let the axe chop his head off. The dismembered head hit the snow below and sprouted a large chunk of flesh from its missing neck. The flesh somehow recreated a perfect copy of Gyaku and stood up. Meanwhile, the head's original body grew a new one that shared the same grin as the others.
The dismembered head hit the snow below, but that wasn't the end of him. The dismembered body part sprouted a large chunk of flesh that somehow recreated a perfect copy of Gyaku. As for the head's original body, it grew a new head.
The scene made Ur feel a little uneasy. The woman had faced some monsters in her life, but none possessed such incredible regeneration as Gyaku. The situation wasn't helped when the original Gyaku and his copies reshaped their arms into axes and began chopping random parts of their bodies.
It was crazy to witness. Gyaku and his copies relentlessly cut up their body parts and let them either hit the snow or throw them away. Those parts would regenerate and form exact copies of them before doing the same thing, thus continuing the cycle.
The cycle only ended once Gyaku and his copies numbered more than a hundred. At that point, they surrounded Ur in a small circle.
"Your resistance so far is commendable," said one clone at her north-east.
"But this is as far as you go," added another clone located at her south-west.
"No," Ur replied solemnly. "That's where you're wrong."
She probably sounded stupid to Gyaku and his copies. An aerial view would confirm the numerical advantage they possessed. But none of that mattered to Ur, even though she was in the dead center of over a hundred copies. The woman's past life was packed with years of battle experience. She was already stronger than she was in her past life. With her current self, she could even beat about a hundred Delioras.
Of course, Gyaku and his copies weren't aware of this fact. They couldn't have known of the powerful demon that led to her first death. They didn't even waste a second for several of them to jump her. The mission was to kill Chirou. Anything that stood in their way was to be eliminated.
She probably sounded stupid to Gyaku and his copies. An aerial view would confirm the numerical advantage they possessed. But none of that mattered to Ur, even though she was in the dead center of over a hundred copies. The woman's past life was packed with years of battle experience. She was already stronger than she was in her past life. With her current self, she could even beat about a hundred Delioras.
The fight began when a bunch of Gyaku copies tried to jump Ur from every direction. They were fast as they left no time for Ur to escape. Fortunately, the ice mage was one step ahead of them the second they moved. The Gyaku copy in front of her found out when she jumped and kicked him in the forehead.
The force of the kick sent him flying back. Two Gyaku copies replaced him in the blink of an eye by jumping Ur from both sides. They were aiming for her legs with big grins on their faces. Thus, they swung their arm-like axes at them, intending to make it quick. However, Ur pulled her legs up in time to dodge the attack. She surprised them further by stepping on their axes just to then launch herself higher into the air.
Both Gyaku copies got knocked down. Other Gyaku copies went after Ur, but most of them didn't make it. The ice mage was too high to reach because of their poorly timed jumps. The copies that managed to reach her were a little luckier.
One Gyaku copy approached her from the front and swung his arm-like axe down. He missed, however, as Ur swerve to the right, just narrowly dodging his blade. The copy responded by turning to face her, but any further attack was nullified. The ice mage marched on his chest, launching him back to the ground and her to a higher and other direction in the air.
Another Gyaku copy got in her way, believing his surprise attack was a success. The copy even slashed his left arm-like axe to the right to cut her in half. But he became the surprised one instead as the ice mage pulled her legs to her chest and made a backflip. Before he knew it, she planted both legs on his back and launched herself away from him with enough force to send him plummeting like his recent comrade.
Ur could've been on her way again, if not for one more interruption. Two more Gyaku copies were in her way but with a mild difference. Besides their numbers, one copy was slightly higher than the other, thus with their arm-like axes, they could easily cut the ice mage in three because of the speed she was heading in their direction.
Ur could see her doom, but she wasn't worried. The moment the Gyaku copies swung their arm-like axes at her, she swiftly straightened her body and narrowly passed through the gap between their weapons, The copies were surprised, but any further action was too late. The ice mage was out of their range and the range of other Gyaku copies. She even did a side flip so she could land on the snowy ground again. Now, she was on the outskirt of the large group of copies she just escaped from.
The Gyaku copies noticed her location and immediately ran after her. Ur responded by turning around and running away from them. Each Gyaku copy was probably as strong as the original copy, so a direct confrontation wasn't a good thing. The ice mage needed a plan. Luckily, she had one from the start.
There was no time to waste. The gap between Ur and the over hundred Gyaku copies was steadily closing. The ice mage made her move once she turned back at them. Then she bent down and placed both hands on the ground, summoning another spell.
"Ice Make: Great Wall!" she bellowed.
Suddenly, a giant ice wall shot out of the ground between Ur and the Gyaku copies. It happened so fast that many of the copies slammed into it. This put a halt to their chase and gave Ur a moment to breathe a little. But she knew better than to be calm.
Though the ice wall was tall and covered a mile, it didn't mean the Gyaku copies were entirely contained. That much was obvious when several of them leaped over the wall and swung their right arm-like axes down on the ice mage at the same time.
Ur reacted in the best way she could. She lifted her arms above her head and crossed them, initiating another spell. It activated with just a few milliseconds left to block the Gyaku copies' arm-like axes. But even that didn't compensate for the brute strength that they possessed.
Ur gritted her teeth as her knees staggered. Most people would've fallen because of the sheer weight of these powerful copies. Even the ice mage found it a little hard to breathe with their weights upon her, so she retaliated.
Ur let out a battle cry and summoned her inner strength. With one upward thrust of her arm, she pushed the Gyaku copies back and straightened her backside again. But time was still of the essence. The Gyaku copies were already running toward her from her left, right, and front sides. So, she placed the top of her right fist against her left open palm before pulling both away, creating a giant hammer made of ice.
"Ice Make: Great Hammer!" she bellowed as she spun.
Like the ice wall, Ur's new attack was sudden and unexpected. She spun and took on the whole Gyaku copy around her with one blow. Then she sent them and her hammer flying away, possibly killing them.
Ur couldn't confirm it, though. Her focus went back to the ice wall she created, specifically the Gyaku copies on the other side of it. The ice wall was huge, but not impossible for some of Gyaku's clones to overcome. Ur could see it for herself as many of them were pressed against the ice wall.
The action was probably deliberate. Ur already noticed many of them climbing on top of each other just to get to the stop. The scene was a little creepy to witness. Then there were the Gyaku copies that jumped to the top of the ice wall.
Ur readied herself for the inevitable fight that awaited her. She cupped both hands and placed them on top of each other. Then she summoned a spell and swiftly pulled her arms apart. Now, the ice mage possessed two huge baseball bats made of ice.
The timing couldn't have been any better. Three Gyaku copies jumped down from the top of the ice wall, aiming to land on Ur directly. Fortunately, the ice mage foresaw the latter and jumped back to avoid them. The enemy, thus, landed in front of her before encountering a surprise.
Ur had gone on the offense, with her ice bats clenched tightly. The woman moved so fast that none of the Gyaku copies could've foreseen her. Maybe it was because a few seconds had passed since she avoided them. But none of that would matter to them. With one swing for each copy, the woman clobbered their faces with her ice bats, with enough force that sent each of them flying in different directions.
Those Gyaku copies were dealt with, but the fight wasn't over yet. More copies got to the top of the ice wall before jumping down to confront. Ur responded by charging toward them, not wanting to let their numbers grow again and overwhelm her.
Another Gyaku copy happened to be the closest to approach Ur. The moment the distance between them closed, he swung his right arm-like axe to cut the ice mage in two. But he missed, as the woman had foreseen it, and jumped over his blade before it struck the ground. Thus, the copy was open to a swift swing kick in the face. The move was even followed by a body spin that resulted in both ice bats slamming into the side of his head.
Ur wasn't allowed the chance to land properly. One Gyaku copy chose that moment to rush at her from behind. He even swung both arms in a deadly form of a hug. But he missed, as the ice mage pulled herself to the ground to avoid his blades. Then she stood up fast, which was followed by her slamming the bottom of her ice bat against his chin.
The force of the hit pushed him back, but not enough to finish him off. Ur saw that for herself when the copy swung his arm-like axe down on her. Fortunately, she moved to his right side to avoid the blade. She then brought both ice bats together in the shape of an X and slammed them against him.
The force of the hit sent the copy flying. He was even joined by a couple of his comrades when he slammed into them. One copy got out of the way, thus avoiding a similar fate. But he made the mistake of turning his eyes, which was enough for Ur to jump and swing both ice bats down on his head.
The hit was powerful as it led to the copy lying on his front side. There was a big crater underneath him, with much of his head cracked open. The brutality of the scene was the reason Ur chose a pair of ice bats. They amplified her hits more than she could do on average.
Further analysis of the ice bats was delayed because of another Gyaku copy. The moment Ur's feet touched the ground, he showed up from her right side in an attempted surprise attack. The copy even had his right arm-like axe stretched forward to cut her.
Ur moved backward, just in time to avoid the blade. But this had been foreseen by the Gyaku copy. He still had his left arm-like axe, thus he swung it in her direction to get her for sure. Fortunately for Ur, her instincts kicked her by making her bend backward to avoid it. The woman's body even went a step forward by doing a couple of backflips.
Ur could've been in the clear, if not for another Gyaku copy. He landed behind her and swung his blade as he turned to face her. But he missed as the ice mage's second backflip allowed her to leap over the blade and march both feet against his chest.
The move surprised the Gyaku copy and left no time to properly react. Ur leaped off his chest with an sadditional boost from her ice bats hitting the copy. The Gyaku copy was, thus, sent flying while she was launched forward toward the Gyaku copy she dodged, as well as another one that showed up.
Both copies were on their feet with the assumption they could get Ur. Unfortunately for them, they couldn't have been further from the truth. The ice mage moved so fast that their blades couldn't touch her. Worse for them, as she moved past the gap in their middle, she swung and slammed her bats against their heads.
Both Gyaku copies were flung apart from each other by the powerful brute force. Ur landed on the snowy ground a second later in a squat position. The fight had been in her favor, but that changed when she diverted her attention to the ice wall she made. She had heard cracking from that direction, and now she could see the reason behind it.
Ur's ice wall was sturdy, but it wasn't invincible. The huge number of Gyaku copies on the other side of it was on the brink of breaking through it. Much of it was obvious by the dozens of cracks that spread across a specific section of the wall. But Ur could do nothing about it. The Gyaku copies broke through that section of the wall at that moment.
Many among the Gyaku copies cheered while others charged toward Ur. They had been waiting for this moment, and now they were going to overwhelm the ice mage with their numbers.
Ur wasn't about to let it happen, however.
Time for a different tactic, she thought.
It had been a good run, but Ur had to abandon her ice bats. She made that clear when she threw them aside to the floor and squatted. Then, with her hands on the ground, she summoned another spell.
"Ice Make: Great Pillar!" she bellowed.
The ground shook violently, not that it mattered to the Gyaku copies. They closed in on the ice mage very quickly, with a few of them already in the air as they had leaped straight for her. Fortunately, none of their attacks would reach her. The ground underneath Ur split open and created a massive ice pillar that launched her off the ground.
I've delayed them, but for how long? Ur pondered.
Looking down, she saw the result of her ice spell. Several Gyaku copies had been thrown away by her attack, with a few of them either dead or injured. The last part immediately caught Ur's attention.
The reason she resorted to a pair of bats was to avoid Gyaku's regeneration and cloning ability. But the sign of injured Gyaku clones made her reconsider her previous thought. It even brought her mind back to the close-up fight she had with the copies. None of the ones she took down revived, despite the blunt attacks she delivered.
Perhaps I've been going about this the wrong way, the ice mage thought.
With that, Ur chose to take a risky gamble. If she was wrong, she would have to deal with twice the number she was currently facing. But the ice mage took the risk anyway as she separated her fingers from each other.
"Ice Make..." Ur paused as both ends of her hands met. The activation of the specific spell created a blue orb of magic before her palms. "Freeze Lancer!"
With that, several ice lancers spawned out of the blue orb. Each lancer went their separate way, but that didn't reduce their effectiveness. The Gyaku copies may hold the numbers advantage, but these ice lancers made up for it with their speed, maneuverability, and brutality.
Left and right, up and down, front and back, Gyaku copies were being decimated. No copy could combat the speed of these ice lancers, not when they were hurdled so close to each other. Even some that tried to jump away were immediately struck down. In short, the scene was nothing short of a massacre.
Of course, Ur was unfazed by the scene. Even their screams meant nothing to her as she studied the effect. The ice lancers cut through vital parts of their bodies, such as their heads and parts of their abdomens. But none rose from the ground like she previously feared.
"Huh?" Ur gasped as she looked above her.
Though brief, the ice mage caught a bunch of silhuoette past her. The source of it became clear when she looked up. Somehow, about six Gyaku copies had escaped the onslaught she initiated. Now, they were above her with their arm-like axes ready to strike down on her.
There was barely any time to react. The Gyaku copies were quick when gravity brought them down on Ur. They swung their weapons down on her, with the result sending the mage crashing to the snowy ground hard. Therefore, there was a loud thud, followed by a brief blast of frost in that specific area. Fortunately, the ice mage was alright.
If it had been anybody else, they probably would've been dead. Even Ur, as tough as she was, gasped and coughed a few pints of blood as she sat up. She went off easy, but the same couldn't be said about the ice shield across her forearms. They shattered in pieces a moment later.
Ur was fortunate she had turned and created the shield in that split second. Any second after would've led to her immediate death. But that didn't mean the Gyaku copies were done with her. They were back again, having landed at the outskirts of Ur's crater.
Things only grew worse from that moment. Ur's attack had been disrupted, thus they were survivors of her onslaught. So, though their numbers were greatly diminished, more Gyaku copies rushed towards her to join their comrades.
Ur gritted her teeth in frustration. So much time and effort had been wasted on them. Her patience had run thin, thus she slammed her palms against the ground and summoned another spell.
"Enough of this!" she shouted. "Ice Make: Frozen Subterranean shift!"
Everything within fifty meters shook violently, excluding Ur herself. The Gyaku copies were taken aback, especially as the ground underneath broke apart. Many of them lost their footing, and soon their lives.
Within seconds, they were impaled by countless ice spikes from the ground. None of them could escape it, not even the closest ones to Ur. Other Gyaku copies were subjected to it too, such as the ones that she injured or killed.
Once the attack was over, the aftermath was clearer. The Gyaku copies were dead, with their bodies hanging awkwardly in the air by dozens of ice spikes.
Ur was mildly disturbed by the gory scene. The ice spell was something she never thought she would use in such a situation. But the Gyaku copies had forced her to make that choice. If only she knew sooner that a perfect cut created more Gyaku copies, she might've been less pressured to make such a move.
Well, it's not like they didn't deserve it, Ur thought, reminding herself of the Empire's army she had taken out some days ago.
Now her mind was at ease. Ur could see that the Gyaku copies were indeed dead. It gave her a moment to pause and reflect on the battle. However, this calmness was immediately overtaken by an unsettling feeling.
Where's Gyaku himself?! Ur thought with widened eyes.
A realization dawned on her. With so many identical copies, it was easy for the original Gyaku to slip away. After all, he had emphasized previously that he would complete his mission. Hence, it only made sense to leave his copies to her while he completed his mission.
"Oh no! Spear! Chirou!" Ur screamed worriedly.
Summoning strength into her legs, the ice mage leaped out of the icy plain she created and headed in the direction that she knew their carriage had gone off to.
Please! Please, hold on! I'm on my way! Ur thought urgently.
Spear grunted in pain as her body was flung back. She had just received one of several injuries within a short time. But it couldn't be helped. The situation was beyond good, both for herself and her father. The original Gyaku was in their presence and not long ago destroyed their carriage. Even the guinea pig that drove it had been killed.
How the reincarnated Teigu caught up to them was a mystery. Based on the daughter and father's memory, it happened so fast. Now, the shattered remains of carriages were scattered across the snowy ground, with the gutted guinea pig's blood soaking an area.
None of that mattered now, though. Her large hat hit the snow while her backside hit the ground. Fortunately, the snow had cushioned the impact, but not enough to receive her thanks. Spear was already attempting to get up, with no immediate success.
The daughter was in a losing battle against Gyaku. He was too strong and able to counter her attacks with ease. He could kill her without a second, but his sadistic side was in the way. Thus, he always left Spear with big cuts and bruises, with the amount of blood loss soaking parts of her winter coat.
"Spear! Run!" cried Chirou.
With his bodyguards gone, and Ur nowhere in sight, Gyaku picked him off the ground by grabbing his collar. Spear was his last line of protection, but he didn't want that. His main priority was being a father and that was to urge her to flee.
"Truly, you are an admirable man," remarked Gyaku with a calm smile. "I once knew someone who was a great admirer of your political works."
"I don't need to hear that from you," Chirou sneered at him. "Just leave my daughter alone. It's me you want, yes?"
"That is–"
"Father, no!" interjected Spear strongly.
She wasn't about to let her father give his life away. In her mind, he shouldn't give up because of her. There was still a lot that he needed to do. Thus, the daughter felt invigorated to get off the ground, despite her injuries, and rushed toward her spear.
The seventeen-year-old didn't slow down, not even for a second. Spear grabbed her weapon off the snowy ground and made a huge leap at Gyaku, letting out a battle cry.
"Impressive," commented Gyaku calmly. "Your effort is at least commendable."
With that, he grabbed the sharp blade of Spear's weapon. Spear was shocked, but her reaction was short-lived. Gyaku shattered the blade with a twitch of his fingers, showing no damage to his palm or his glove.
"But you're still weak," he added. He followed that with a strong punch at Spear's face.
Her body was about to fly back, but it was stopped by Gyaku. He grabbed the collar of Spear's winter top and pulled her back. Then he kicked her in the guts with a swing of his right leg.
"GAH!" Spear grunted, releasing pints of saliva. Her body was then sent flying back.
"Stop! Stop it!" pleaded Gyaku frantically. "Don't hurt Spear any further! You want me, right?! Then leave her be! She has nothing to do with my political life!"
Spear's body hit the ground, this time lying on her side. Despite her condition, she heard her father's plea and remained defiant.
"Father, please..." croaked Spear. "Do-Don't give up."
Both men turned their attention to the girl. To Chirou's dismay, she was struggling to get on her arms and knees.
"Fo-Forget about me..." muttered Spear with a weakened voice. "So many people...are counting on you. You...You can't give up on them."
Chirou was speechless and heartbroken. Never could he have imagined that his daughter's commitment to him was this strong. He couldn't appreciate it, not even for a second. She was so badly beaten that even her arms and legs staggered as she forced them to get her up again.
"Besides, I told you before...I'll protect you," Spear said, breathing heavily.
She was back on her feet, but her stance was pitiful. She couldn't even stand straight anymore. Her back was hunched and her left hand was placed over a wide bloody cut on her stomach. There was also the messy state of her blonde. But none of that seemed to matter to her as stood on the brink of losing consciousness.
"So, yes, I'm not part of your life, but..." Spear paused. She gulped a good portion of air and cried out. "But I am a part of you, Dad! Always was! Always will be! So wait for me! I'll get you out of this! I-I promise!"
Spear, my daughter, Chirou thought downheartedly.
Seeing her in such a bad state ached his heart. It made him reflect on key moments he had with her, before arriving at a feeling. He held no regret.
He always treasured every moment he had with her, from the day he carried her as a baby in his arms and the moment he granted her request to train under the Imperial Fist. Most noble fathers wouldn't have done what he did. It was common for a father to send their only daughter off to marriage. But Churou had rejected those norms, believing that his daughter should be able to pave her own path.
Naturally, Chirou should be feeling regretful about the present outcome. If he had given her off to marriage, she wouldn't be in the current predicament. But the old man didn't regret it, for he had seen her enthusiasm for fighting from the days she was a kid and teenager.
No, Spear. This old man can't protect you anymore. But you...you still have so much potential, Chirou thought with a saddened heart.
There was nothing he could do now. Spear let out a strong, exhausted cry and ran toward them with the last muster of her strength.
"Fine," Gyaku said resolutely. "If death is your final wish, then I shall grant it. So, rest easy, as I shall remember your name, Spear."
With that, he created an axe from the skin of his left palm and raised it above his head.
No! Chirou thought horrifically.
Every second brought Spear closer to her death. The girl hadn't even heard Gyaku, nor did she seem to notice his intention. She was too clouded by her emotions and physical condition to pay attention. If there was something Chirou needed to do, he would need to do it fast. Spear was closing the gap between them with each passing second.
Chirou looked back at Gyaku. Even if it seemed futile, he hoped that he might persuade the reincarnated Teigu to spare his daughter's life. But the old man froze at the last second, due to a figure he noticed past the reincarnated Teigu's shoulder.
Chirou recognized the person right away. It was Ur and she wasn't far away from them. The woman was running so fast that she would definitely catch up to them. The problem, however, was how she would do it when the time came.
Deep down, Chirou appreciated her return. But it was quite obvious that she would be too late to save them both. Gyaku's axe was already coming down close to Spear's head. If even a second was wasted on saving his life, she would be split in two. As a father, he couldn't that happen.
"UR!" Chirou cried out at the top of his lungs. "GRANT THIS OLD MAN'S DYING WISH! SAVE SPEAR INSTEAD! PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU!"
With that, the former prime minister's fate was sealed. Gyaku's axe reached Spear, but it didn't make contact. Ur caught Spear at the last second, thanks to a boost in her jump.
Th...Thank you, Ur. You have my eternal gratitude, Chirou thought with a relieved smile.
The old man became a little emotional. Though his fate was certain death, not one tear that ran down his cheek was because of him. It was because he was happy that his daughter would live and become the woman she was destined to be.
Oh, how I wish I could be around longer, my daughter. But...fate has other plans, he thought further.
"Fa...Father?" Spear called weakly.
Due to the circumstance of her rescue, the girl was being carried on Ur's right shoulder. Of course, that fact wasn't on her mind. The girl's attention was on her father, who was still within Gyaku's grasp.
"Sa...Save my father," she muttered weakly.
Her plea was heard by Ur, but she didn't comply. The ice mage was carrying enough guilt than she probably deserved.
A part of her did want to turn back and confront Gyaku. But she held that part of her back, knowing it would make matters worse. Gyaku was an unpredictable, powerful foe with possibly other abilities that he was yet to show. A confrontation with him would only put Spear in danger and even lead to both Spear and Chirou dying.
So, she clung onto Spear's waist, gritting her head tightly. It pained her that she failed in keeping Spear's father safe. Once again, she had failed to prevent another child from becoming an orphan.
Ur, I have only known you for a short while. But...I trust you will watch over my precious girl in my stead. Thank you...for everything, Chirou thought thankfully.
"Fa-Father...!" Spear mumbled. Weakly, she stretched her right arm in his direction. "No...!"
So much distress was in her voice, but none of it was conveyed properly due to her weakened state. There was barely any strength in her now. Even then, the remaining was going away as her eyelids grew heavier.
Gyaku remained unfazed, even as he watched Ur and Spear escape. The reincarnated Teigu's main target had always been Chirou, so there was no real incentive to follow them. Thus, Gyaku raised the same axe he had intended to use on Spear and shifted his target to Chirou.
"My master's orders are absolute!" he stated firmly.
Then the worse moment happened before Spear's eyes. Gyaku chopped Chirou's head off from the rest of his body without hesitation. It was a gruesome death and a moment that demanded a stronger reaction. But the girl was too weak to even utter a word. She still reacted, with a weak horrified look on her face. Then she lost consciousness as the shock of the scene depleted the rest of her strength. The last image she had of her father was now his head flailing aimlessly in the air as his blood splattered the area.
One look at his face, however, may downplay the sadness of it. Though Chirou was dead, a relieved smile seemed plastered on his face as his eyes were closed. This was different from his prime timeline counterpart, who died with a horrified, pained look on his face.
Another new shift in the canon timeline had been born, and with it a new story awaited Spear. But where this new fate of hers leads was a mystery filled with uncertainty.
_(CHAPTER END)_
Damn, Chirou died...again. I think this is the second time I've done this. The first was with my Ben 10 crossover with Akame ga kill.
This chapter was supposed to end with 7,000 words. However, a huge change in Ur's fight with the Gyaku copies increased it. But I still hope to release new chapters for this and other fanfics within 3,000 - 5,000 words. This way, more updates may be consistent. So, let's see how that goes.
Anyway, there was an original ending to this scene. It was darker and actually had Spear accidentally kill her father by throwing her Spear. Gyaku would move Chirou's body in the way of the spear, which would do the deed. But I decided to go with a more dramatic ending and not include a second match between Gyaku and Ur. It felt unnecessary, after much thought.
So, what do you guys think? I would love to know your thoughts in the reviews.
Now to my replies to the previous chapter's reviews.
(By Guest) Bro I love all your stories they are can you do this request. An Acnologia into black clover fanfic please?
Reply (By Me): Thanks for loving my fanfics. Sorry, but I can't do a crossover with Black Clover.
(By Guest): I want to know did you red fairy tail 100 years quest of you didn't go read it. You will enjoy it.
Reply (By Me): I've heard of it. But I have read the manga. I prefer waiting for a possible anime adaptation.
(By Wacko12) Are we going to see August?
Reply (By Me): No. I'm limiting the Fairy Tail characters to just the three we know (Acnologia, Irene, and Ur). There was criticism about adding too many FT characters in the AGK world, which I agree with. That is why I got rid of God Serena.
(By kasrkinsquadtrooper) Welcome back anyway I can't wait for CMR I waiting it for so long now
Reply (By Me): Thank you. I don't know when I'll get to CMR. But I'm hoping to work on CMR: Special Story. I want to conclude that one first before returning to the main story.
-)
With that said, let's get to the special announcement I mentioned earlier.
My indie comic now has an official manga/comic cover!
In the previous chapter, I mentioned that I've been working on an original webcomic. Well, I am proud to say that I've gotten a talented illustrator and some artwork done. One of them is even my current FF bio picture (which you can see by accessing the computer version of the website).
So, why do I bring this up?
Because getting this webcomic done is partly why I've been absent from work on fanfics.
Because I would love it if you guys could support it in any way you could.
Doing the second part is, obviously, voluntary as I don't plan on holding this fanfic (or any other one) hostage. But your support would lessen the workload I have to deal with and help me to drop my chapters sooner. Plus, this indie comic is manga-inspired, so you can expect the usual black and white, as well as similar comedic, dramatic, and action-packed scenes like in my this and other fanfics.
So, if you're at least intrigued, then please check out the Twitter page. There's a tone of artwork already done, and I think you'll be pleased with what you see. Follow me on GFS2023, or search "Craft ur Destiny". Just don't use this Twitter page to ask or talk about this fanfic. Someone did that and I was not happy. I'm still active on this site ( ), so PM me on this site for any inquiries about my fanfics.
By October or November, I hope to officially launch a Kickstarter campaign on the first volume of the indie webcomic. I may even launch a before that to fund more art samples for this Kickstarter campaign. Of course, there will be rewards for those who participate. I just want this indie comic to be perfect for my readers like I have done for you guys with my fanfics.
So, what do you say? Would you want to get involved with or without included?
-)
With that, I reach my conclusion.
Thank you for your time. Thank you for reading this chapter. Please let me know your thoughts on it, including any questions you might have (regarding the fanfic or my indie comic).
Until next time, see ya!