Hello everyone! Here is the 27th chapter of Living Things! Hope you enjoy the fanfic-exclusive chapter that covers the beginning portion of the fight. This chapter, and the next one, will be the final chapters for the second act of Living Things. Obviously, the next chapter after 28th will be the start of the third act. Saying it here just to remind you all.

Alright, let's get to reading!

"Mmm… Unnnngghhh…"

Yugiri woke up with a groan escaping her lips, finding herself feeling a little disconcerted for some reason. "Hm? What's this?"

Opening her eyes, the first thing Yugiri noticed is that she's not lying on her futon, but rather, on a ground. She was also lying on her stomach instead of on her side or on her back. What's more, black pine trees surrounded her, telling her that she's not in the mansion anymore.

"W-What? Why am I outside?" She asked this to herself, rising up from her position. No doubt she was bewildered at the change of location that happened during her sleep. Before she can stand up fully and find out the reason why she's in the clearing of a forest, her ears pick up two girls groaning.

She turned to the ones who groaned. If her face didn't show much surprise than before, then it would now because of the two girls who are waking up uncomfortably like her.

Huh? Ai-han? Lily-han?

Yugiri didn't say more as she watched Ai and Lily rise up from their sleep, looking weary and groggy still. With a hand on her forehead, Ai shakes her head in an attempt to ward off a headache that came to her when she stirred from her sleep. "Ugh, my head… why is it throbbing so painfully?" she groaned.

"Hnngh, Lily feels… fatigued," Number Six said with a whine. The amount of lethargy she is feeling has never been this great. "Why do I feel so tired? Didn't we slept early and peacefully? We should've been refreshed this morning."

Understanding her complaint, Ai soon noticed that she and Lily are not in their homes, but are lying on the ground surrounded by black pine trees. "Huh? Trees? Are we in the forest? Why are we here?" She looked around, which she made eye contact with Yugiri, surprising her and Lily that she's here too. "Y-Yugiri-san?"

Despite the odd situation, Yugiri never forgets her manners to her companions, waving her hand at them with a soft smile. "Good morning you two. Are you two alright? It appears you two hadn't gotten a good sleep because you look so tired."

"Well, that is true," Lily didn't deny her, rubbing her eye with a yawn before she stands up quickly and says, "b-but Lily's fine! Maybe I'm not feeling comfy because we were lying, or sleeping, on the ground. Speaking of that, why are we here? Last I remember, we were sleeping back in our home." She scratched her head, her face showing her confusion shared by the other two.

Yugiri's smile vanish, giving Lily a shaking head to say she has no idea. She looks up to the sky as she says, "I'm curious about the sudden change of location. Oh, not just location, but also in time too."

"Time?" repeated Ai.

"The sun is already over the sky," she pointed to the blinding disc sailing between or over the clouds, which blocks the sunlight as long as it hovers over them. "It seems my greeting to you two is wrong. I should have said, 'good afternoon' instead," she fretted over her wrong greeting, ignoring at first the surprised looks on Ai and Lily.

"W-Wait, it's already past noon!?" Number Three exclaimed in disbelief.

"We must have slept so long!" stated obviously by Lily. "And weirdly, I-I think… this is the second time I wake up!"

"Second time Lily-han?"

"I-I'm sure!" insisted Lily, standing up in near-panic. "My memory is a bit hazy, but… I remember myself being carried out of our house. I must have struggled within whoever has their hold on me, but next, I feel myself getting sleepy, so I didn't struggle as I return to sleep…"

After listening to her unanticipated memory recollection, Ai and Yugiri fixate on the part about Lily being carried by someone as she return to sleep. They are confused at first, until a similar memory popped in their head.

Their eyes widen in shock and realization upon discerning a possible explanation regarding waking up in forest during noon. "A-Are you saying that… that we are… k-k-kidnapped!?" spelled out Ai, with her being the last to stand up.

ドドドドドドドド

Naturally, the realization that they got kidnapped and dumped right here in the middle of a forest doesn't bode well for them. Even though many months have passed after the Saga Rock concert, Kotaro, Franchouchou and Rianima could not forget the four Stand fights tied to weather phenomena. One of them Yugiri and Lily may remember is White Album, who made his appearance inside the mansion's living room. Back then, they believe their mansion to be their safe zone, but an enemy Stand appearing inside their supposed safe zone means that there is a possibility another enemy Stand will appear to attack them. Even with Rianima being present all the time when they are practicing or having free time to do something, the fear of getting ambushed by a Stand of any kind they can imagine puts a sense of foreboding over Franchouchou that Rianima and Kotaro (in his own way) had to dispel so they don't get brought down by such thoughts.

But now that they found themselves here, it's safe to say that the girls' fear came true.

For Ai and Lily, it dawned on them instantly that the Stand who kidnapped them in their sleep must be around, probably watching them before they wake up. Out of fear for their lives, the two get close together, with Ai rubbing Lily's head when she whimpered fearfully to help soothe her mind

"T-T-The Stand…" stammered Lily. "T-They must be nearby. We… We must move! W-We must!"

Not liking her whimpering and panicked words coming out her mouth, Yugiri walks near her to hug her, taking over Ai's attempt to calm the youngest member of Franchouchou. The courtesan does a better job in calming Lily, especially because they are close.

"Shhhh, it's okay. It's going to be okay, Lily-han," Yugiri comforted her in a quiet and soothing tone. "Please do not let your fear get into your head. This is no time for panicking. Right now, we must move to get out of the forest. We must be the only ones present, but I'm not sure if the Stand who kidnapped us is nearby. If they are not however, I hope that they will stay out for long until we safely get out."

"…Y-You're right. We shouldn't stay here any longer," Feeling calmed down thanks to Yugiri, Lily let go of her before she took a deep breath to prepare herself for a trek through the trees that the three must undertake if they want to get out of the Stand's range. Showing a determined expression, Lily says, "Let's get moving Yugirin and Ai-san! Lily will not be happy until we are out of here!"

Imitating Lily, Ai can feel her fear slowly vanish, or at least pushed aside, with each breath she took in and let out. She knows panicking will not solve their current problem, as it will only hasten their fate and leave them vulnerable for an enemy Stand to take advantage of. She is scared, yes, but she is more scared about everyone's reactions when they heard they got killed by the Stand.

"Right! We mustn't linger here anymore," Ai agreed with a nod.

Giggling at their show of bravery that contrasted the lingering fear left in them, Yugiri felt roused up by Lily's mini speech to help boost their morale and Ai's remark. While she appears level-headed, she felt worried of their predicament too. But because she is the older figure of the three, she have to act like an older, experienced sister who doesn't want them to get scared over a possible scenario that harms them and wants to protect them with everything she have.

"Well then," Yugiri spoke up. "If there is nothing to say, let us be off. I will help take the lead."

"Are you familiar with this forest, Yugiri?" asked Ai.

Yugiri shakes her head. "No, but I will try my best. I hope you are fine with that, you two?"

"Nope! We'll follow you!" Lily has no objection. "We just have to stay out of people's sight 'cause we didn't apply makeup."

"Ah, right. I must keep that in mind," nodded Yugiri. "Now then, if there isn't anything more to say, let's-"

"You there…"

"Huh!?"

Flinching alarmingly, Yugiri turn around quickly which surprises Ai and Lily due to her fast reflexes that reminds them over her unexpected display of traits she have. With eyes focused and peeled, Yugiri looks around to see who has spoken. It sounds like a male voice, so obviously it couldn't be Ai and Lily. As for the two, they are wondering what made her tensed up.

"Yugirin? Is something wrong?" Lily asked.

"…Someone called us behind," answered Yugiri. "I don't want to instill your fears back after you two calmed down but… ｢there is someone near us｣, I'm sure of it."

Instead of recoiling in fear that an enemy Stand returned, Ai and Lily looked at her in confusion. They didn't hear anyone speak to Yugiri from behind, so they are wondering why she'd make that statement.

"What? But there is no one in front of us," Ai stated, pointing to the sight of no people walking in between the trees. "You could have imagined it, right Yugiri-san?"

Seemingly snapping to reality, Yugiri relaxed her posture after hearing her, saying, "Oh, really? Hmm, how odd… I'm sure I did hear someone." Before she can say more, her eyes are directed to an object lying on the ground, next to a tree. "Huh? Look, there's an object lying on the ground," she pointed it to the two.

"An object? What is it?" Lily inquired.

Deciding to examine it, the three walk close to the object. As soon as they did, they immediately recognize the object to be a sheathed sword, possibly a katana. The scabbard covering the blade is dark brown with three yellow, engraved lines spaced unevenly from the jewel-crusted cross-guard that has golden decorations and a small red jewel. The handle is colored black and overall, the sword looks pretty and impressive. It's possible that the blade itself could be pretty as well, possibly producing a beautiful shine when a light reflects on the surface.

Yugiri crouched down to grab the sword's hilt and pull it up close to examine the sword's intricate decoration. Ai and Lily followed, kneeling down to check the sword as well.

"…What a marvelous scabbard," remarked Yugiri in awe. "What's a sword doing here lying on the ground? Did someone left it here without intending it?"

"Should we try return it to its owner? They could be looking for it after they found out they dropped it," Lily suggested.

"I guess we should, but we haven't put makeup to cover our faces and skin," Ai reminded them that their zombie bodies are exposed. "If we have to send it back, we must not make face-to-face contact so they wouldn't see us as zombies."

Agreeing with her statement, Yugiri was about to reply when the same voice is heard.

Not only to her, but also to Ai and Lily.

"There's no need to return me to my master. I have already found someone who can use me."

! !?

The three recoiled in surprise when someone spoke to them. They would have looked around to see who spoke up, but they didn't. It's because it sounds like the voice is coming from the swordYugiri is holding.

Before they could say something or act, the sword unsheathed by itself, exposing part of its blade that shines radiantly before their stunned eyes.

"…So… shiny…" observed Lily, who appears to be in a trance.

"This sword… it's not like any sword I've seen before…" chimed in Ai, similarly entranced.

"Keh keh keh keh keh keh. I see I have your attention too," the sword said as Yugiri removes the scabbard off the blade, showing the sword in full shining in a purple light. "Yes… I can sense it within this woman. She will be my Stand User. You… will be my body, and I will make you use a sword again, like you must have used too. While I cannot have you two use me, I have already got your attention, so you will assist the woman who will be a sword master again!"

Not realizing they are getting possessed by this talking sword, Yugiri, eyes becoming sharp and filled with killing intent, asks the Stand bounded to the sword of its name. "Who… Who are you…?'

Letting out a chuckle, the Stand decides to answer her so she and the two have knowledge of who it is. "I am the Stand of the god Anubis, god of the underworld, the spirit of death and mummification… As I said, you will be my body, so I will make you a master of the sword. No one, and I mean no one, is stronger than you, especially when you will hold another Stand to complement your skills in swordsmanship… One that will give you a range advantage that even I could not hope to reach even with the speed you will soon have…"

After Yugiri picked up the second object that was lying next to the sword, she stands up straight along with Ai and Lily, who started to mumble incoherently and slumped over as they await Anubis' next order. Expecting this, the courtesan smirked at the thought of getting to kill their bodyguards that will be searching for them after they found out they got kidnapped thanks to its master who possesses a great power that it couldn't hope to surpass, which is how he proceeds to serve under him because of that, as well as gratitude for freeing him from the river of Nile and returning its proper form back from its rusty state.

"Heh heh heh heh heh heh…" 'Yugiri' cackled, holding the sheathed sword beside her hip before they and the other two walk away out of the clearing in search of the Stand Users that they must kill.

"Found anything, Narancia?"

Johnny asked Li'l Bomber for a third time after they stopped moving in the forest to let him use the radar and search either Yugiri's, Ai's or Lily's carbon dioxide within the area they stopped.

So far, Narancia hasn't detected their presence that may show up in his radar. This is the third time, and coupled with having to hear the same question after scouring meters through the forest, he groaned in frustration and irritation. He's thinking on answering Johnny or not, but thankfully for him, he made a guess from his groan alone. "Still nothing? *sigh* Guess they are not in this area too."

"You don't have to state the obvious," the radar vanished as Narancia lets out a sigh. "With how big this forest is, searching for Ai, Lily and Yugiri is not gonna be easy. This is not helped that their location is vague, so we can't know for sure if we are still too far from their location or must have passed them by without us knowing."

"Either way, as much as I don't want to agree with Kotaro, our search and rescue will take long for sure," sighed Johnny. "Even with Slow Dancer and Valkyrie reaching their top speed to go from one place to another quickly, we would take a day to comb the entire forest, maybe even the entire night if we are too slow."

"Let's hope that will not come to pass," Gyro asserted, feeding Valkyrie with hay Kotaro bought for the two equestrians so it can replenish its energy consumed during the gallop in the forest, having weaved through and in between trees under Gyro's command. "I'm sure you are aware Ai and Lily were dreading having to face a hostile Stand that can kill them in an unconventional way. They must be scared after they got kidnapped. As for Yugiri, I'm sure she can tough it out, considering she can stay under pressure and has a nasty slap."

"You're not wrong Gyro. From I have seen from her, she is tough as a nail," Mamezuku commented, the man standing on a branch of a pine tree after swinging towards it using Doggy Style. "But I'm sure she is capable of feeling afraid. She doesn't show it outwardly because she doesn't want us looking at her in worry. Aside from that, I have a degree of respect for her willing to stay calm in spite of the extraordinary circumstances she found herself in."

"Oh, really?" Gyro is interested of his statement, including Johnny and Narancia, though that's probably because Rai choose to perched up on a branch like a bird. Smiling slyly at the thought of a guy who prefers to be alone most of the time as Mamezuku giving praise to someone, let alone a member of Franchouchou, he wondered if he is coming around and sees Franchouchou and Rianima as his friends, possibly a family too. Spurred by this, he says, "Is our cold and slightly rude Rai Mamezuku willing to broaden his interactions to the rest of us aside from me, Johnny and Tae?"

"Hm? What are you saying?" Rai turned to him with a question.

"Come on, you yourself should know that," stated Gyro, still with a smile. "I have a feeling you must be denying it but… everyone, myself included, can see it from you that you do enjoy our company. In fact, now that I think about it, you are close to Tae the most compared to us. Care to tell us why?"

"…That's confidential," he answered, quickly so while he returned being the lookout.

"Nyohohoho! You admit it then!" confidently claimed Gyro.

"Admit what?"

"As I said, you should already know it!" he insinuated further, his smile becoming wide in a mischievous way. "You gravitated to Tae after you woke up from being a shambling corpse. Is there a reason why~? Huh, Mamezuku?"

Though it's hard to see, one can see his composure slightly faltering from Gyro's words. He himself knows why, but he denied such a notion. "I told you before, it's because I want to inspect what it's like being an unawakened zombie while all of us woke up thanks to Kotaro. And before I forget it, I have learned quite a lot from Tae whenever I or Sakura interacted with her."

"Yeah, keep saying that Mamezuku," Gyro is unconvinced, intending to continue messing with him. "But all of us know that you have a-"

"Enough Gyro," Johnny told him. He and Narancia are riding on Slow Dancer and they want to move to a different area and after seeing Gyro is not stopping pestering Mamezuku, he chose to stop him. "We had wasted enough time. We must get moving if we want to rescue Ai, Lily and Yugiri and return home before the middle of afternoon."

Though disappointed Johnny stopped him, Gyro decides to drop it, apologizing to Mamezuku from almost going too far in his insinuation over his relationship with Tae. "Whoops! I almost lost track of our time. Sorry for wasting our time, and to you too Mamezuku. I'm just, y'know… curious."

"Uh huh. Keep telling yourself that," he spin Gyro's earlier statement back to him as a little payback, which he smiled in amusement. He proceeds to move ahead of them by latching his unraveled arms to another branch and then swinging or pulling off the branch he's on.

Once he's gone, Johnny elbowed Gyro for his unneeded prodding. "Gugh! W-What was that for, Johnny?"

"For messing with him and wasting our time?" Johnny said it like he expected him to know it. Gripping the harness, Johnny turned to Narancia and says, "Anyway, hold on tight Narancia. Slow Dancer will be going faster than usual, so the ride's going to be bumpy."

"Understood!" Narancia exclaimed. He turned to Gyro and says, "You should do the same Gyro!"

"Yeah, I heard. Alright, enough talking! Let's move, you three!"

The four Stand Users marched through the forest filled with black pine trees, or as it's known in scientific terms to differentiate the pine trees native to North America Johnny and Gyro knows, the pinus thunbergii. The forest the four are currently in is called Nijinomatsubara, a 360-year-old pine forest located in Karatsu, Saga. Located northeast in Karatsu and is 5.1km apart between their home and the forest, this forest has a width of 400 – 700 meters, a length of about 4 km, containing a total area of 240 hectares of 360-year-old pine trees. It is said that the forest was originally planted by a feudal lord as a counter-measure against the strong winds and tides in Karatsu Bay. While it still serves its original purpose, it is known today as a popular tourist spot and considered as one of the most beautiful places in Japan, a fact that Kotaro takes a shine in with pride.

Under the producer's order, the four Stand Users must scour the forest and find Ai, Yugiri and Lily. The three girls got kidnapped when everyone was sleeping, so when they wake up, they are surprised and aghast to see their empty futons. Panic ensued from the discovery that only Kakyoin, Sakura, Bucciarati and Junko along with Kotaro's assistance could dispel, and even then, the amount of apprehension and fear can be felt within them. As they wonder where did the three go, Kotaro reveals that someone left a note in his desk, which reveals that the three missing members of Franchouchou got kidnapped by their main enemy, who will soon to be attacked and killed by two enemy Stands if they do not hurry and rescue them. Fortunately, the note's contents reveal the purported location, which is the Nijinomatsubara forest, so at least they know where to search. As for the enemy Stands, they are Anubis and Emperor. Kakyoin and Avdol recognized the names, as well as Kotaro, so they impart of what they know about them to everyone.

When the time came for who's going to rescue Franchouchou's missing girls, Johnny and Gyro immediately accepted because Yugiri and Lily got kidnapped and they are worried for their safety. Next, Mamezuku decides to join them because he wants to work together with the Spin users that have taught him how to properly manifest Spin energy and use it in his own way. Lastly, they need someone with a long-ranged Stand, so they considered Kakyoin at first, but Narancia volunteered because he has the radar to detect their carbon dioxide. Also, he sees how worried Junko is about Ai, so he willingly joins up for the rescue.

With the team assembled, they and Kotaro piled in the van and drive off to the direction of the pine forest. Kakyoin, Avdol and Bucciarati are left behind to closely monitor the girls in case an enemy Stand (even if Kotaro now finds it unlikely because the last two remaining Stands will soon be eliminated) tried ambushing them. If it happened, they are prepared to take it on.

After they made it in the forest by parking in a parking lot on the forest's western side, Kotaro proceeds to loudly order them to get a move on and save Ai, Yugiri and Lily from the enemy Stand's clutches. Narancia and Johnny hit him again thanks to his rudeness, and if weren't for Gyro and Mamezuku, they would had given him a bad beating that he sorely deserved.

And so, the four members of Rianima ventured deep in the forest in search for Ai, Yugiri and Lily's whereabouts, hoping and praying that they will find them first before the enemy Stands got to them. Using Aerosmith's radar, Narancia is closely monitoring the screen so he will be the first to detect the girls' presence and inform Johnny, Mamezuku and Gyro as quick as he can. Earlier, Narancia gets to use the radar when they stopped in one area in the forest, but after failing to find them, he decides to use the radar during the entire ride for maximum efficiency and range. Since they are on the move, finding them would make it easier for him to detect any breathing they expel, and thus lead the three to the precise location his radar detected.

Related to this, Johnny, Gyro and Rai decides not to make a stop in one area because they had wasted enough time as it is scouring one area only to come up empty-handed. But with their suggestion melding well with Narancia's own, they hope it will be an effective strategy that makes the best use of their respective strengths, working together like a team.

The next seven minutes are spent constantly moving for possibly one kilometer or more from their starting point. So far, the radar detects not of the girls' breathing, but other people who happen to be in the area they were passing by. Most of them gawked at the sight of one man swinging and jumping across the forest and two weirdly-dressed jockeys and one companion riding on their horses passing through the wide and tight spaces between pine trees without issue. This is helped by them utilizing the Spin to either propel Slow Dancer and Valkyrie up in the air or get any trees out of their way. This is made possible through Gyro's steel balls, which became three because Johnny retrieved the steel ball from Kotaro's possession after giving him permission. The producer gave it back to him without hesitation.

When it appears they are not making progress and two of them are about to lose it out of impatience and worry, three large blips appeared on the radar's screen, prompting Narancia to exclaim, "Ah! Stop! Stop moving! The radar…! The radar detected three blips unlike the ones it detected coming from other people!"

!

Hearing him, Johnny and Gyro pulled the reins, stopping Slow Dancer and Valkyrie from moving after they slide across the ground while Mamezuku descend from the trees by rappelling down. Staring at Narancia, he move close to him as he disembarked out of Slow Dancer as he says, "Did your radar manage to detect their carbon dioxide, Narancia?"

Facing him with a nod, Narancia exclaims, "Yeah! If you want to be sure, take a look to the radar! The same goes for you two!"

"Right! Let us see then…"

With the two jockeys getting off their horses (with Johnny being able to finally walk properly after many months of enduring being a semi-cripple, much to his, Gyro and everyone's delight once they found out), the three look at the beeping radar showing three large blips popping up on the screen when a line passes them.

ピコーン ピコーン

After seeing the proof and that it's coming from northwest from their position, Gyro hollers in delight, clenching his fist before pumping as he says, "Okay! We finally found them! Looks like they must be nearby!"

"Yup, you're right," Narancia nodded, happy to hear it from a man who at first didn't know how a radar works until he told him, Johnny and Yugiri. "With some configurations, the radar will only detect their own breathing so I can recognize them when it comes up on the screen. Heh heh heh, I have a feeling that if I hadn't joined you three, you would be stuck looking around in circles without someone to tell you where they could be."

Unwilling to deny him, Johnny replies, "I can imagine that. Thanks for your help Narancia. We owe you one."

"Save your words you three," Mamezuku suddenly said, his eyes having been focused on the screen the whole time. "The blips are moving towards the center. It seems the one in the middle is coming to our position while the ones on the left and right are moving away in different direction."

"Huh? Why are they moving away?" Gyro cannot help but ask despite Rai's proposal.

"Who knows? Either way, we must go meet them," Mamezuku stated, just as they hear someone's footsteps coming towards them.

ザザザザ

"Uh!?" Johnny, Narancia and Gyro let out in surprise, whipping their heads to the one who's walking toward them. Mamezuku soon followed after the radar disappear, calmly looking at the approaching person.

The approaching person turns out to be Yugiri. Her familiar walk gait and calm expression gave them a bit of relief that she appears unharmed and fine.

However, the only one who isn't relieved is Mamezuku, whose eyes next settled on a sword she was holding. Also of note is the dark red lipstick Yugiri has, even though he is sure she's unable to put makeup when she was kidnapped.

The three doesn't notice the odd details Yugiri have as they huddle up to her, with Johnny saying, "Yugiri! Thank goodness you're okay! Everyone has been so worried for you, Ai and Lily!"

"Well, I'm sure if we tell Kotaro that we found them, he will be immensely relieved!" Gyro remarked. "Hey, speaking of Ai and Lily, where are they Yugiri? Did they split off from you on the off-chance we were looking for you?"

"What he said," added Narancia. "When you three showed up in my radar that detected your breathing, we saw two blips branching out from you in different directions. I think they must be nearby, so can ya call them back so you can go home? If you do, we can take care of the enemy Stands without worrying for your lives."

"…" Yugiri said nothing to the four. During their conversation, she has a distant but sharp look in her eyes as she observed them. Her grip to the sword never wavered and in this moment, she doesn't care about their worries for her and the two. She only waits for a chance to turn up that will certainly surprise them. In an unpleasant way.

ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ

Noticing she was being silent and unheeding of their concern for her safety, Johnny asks, "Yugiri, are you okay? You've been quiet ever since you approached us."

"…" She said nothing still.

"Yo Yugiri! Are you there?" Narancia speaks up, finding her silence to be uncharacteristic, which weirds him out a little.

"…" No response.

Detecting something odd about her silence, Gyro gazes to the sword she was holding the whole time. Intrigued of the object, he inquires her about it. "Hey Yugiri, where did you get that sword? It looks so… pretty well made because of the decorations and handiwork." His statement led Johnny and Narancia to notice it as well. "Say, can I touch it? There's no harm in taking a look of the blade, right?

"…" While Yugiri remained eerily silent, her mouth turned into a smirk. A smirk that sends a chill on anyone's spine.

Then unexpectedly, she shouted, "DIEEEEEEEE!"

! ! !

Almost appearing like she didn't budge an inch, Yugiri drew the sword and swing it towards them. Hearing her yell sends them backing away instinctively that, along with Mamezuku covertly putting his wire ropes on their waists and pulling them upon realizing what will happen when she grabbed the sword's hilt, allowed them to avoid getting slashed on their chests.

"W-W-Whoa!" Johnny shouted in surprise, founding himself stumbling next to Mamezuku who returned the wire ropes to him, forming it back to his arms and hands. He looked at him and says, "M-Mamezuku, did you just…?"

"Pull you three to safety? Yes," Mamezuku replied before he can finish, turning to Yugiri now having pulled the sword out of its sheath, which she toss it to her side for some reason. While she hadn't injured them, branches and leaves got sliced, sending them lying on the ground before her feet.

Showing a serious expression directed at her, he next adds, "I knew something was off about Yugiri. When I took a look at the sword she was carrying, I sensed a foreboding aura emanating from it. Then I remembered Kakyoin, Avdol and Tatsumi's description about Anubis, which has the ability to possess anyone who held its hilt. With this in mind, it appears… Yugiri become the Stand's victim to wield its blade in order to eliminate us."

!?

Narancia, Johnny and Gyro flinched in shock as they turn to the Anubis-possessed Yugiri giving them a glaring frown over them having avoided the sword. It did not take long for them to register that with Yugiri under Anubis' control, ｢they will have to fight her｣. Obviously, the thought of hurting Yugiri isn't what they want to do.

Gritting his teeth in anger and irritation over this situation, Johnny calls out Slow Dancer's name, who lifted him up so he spun his whole body until he sits on the saddle. Pointing his finger, Johnny exclaimed, "Hey! Release Yugiri from your control right this instant!"

Smirking again, 'Yugiri' rotate the sword lightly before responding with this. "If you want this woman to be freed, you have to fight her. Simple, right?"

"Tch! It's not!" countered Johnny, fearing the outcome that he must really fight her. "I don't want to fight her because she would receive injuries from us. You, on the other hand, are just a Stand bounded to an object, meaning that whatever injuries she may got, it will not reflect back to you!"

"Keh keh keh, a clever bastard, you are…" Anubis commented, which come out as Yugiri's voice that the four found bizarre to hear a swear word out of her mouth even if it was Anubis who's actually speaking. "Unfortunately for you four, I will kill you all and send you back to the afterlife. I'm sure you know that I am the god of the death, and I am possessing a female woman who woke up a century and a half after her death… It's ironic, wouldn't you say? Keh keh keh keh keh..."

"Yeah whatever! Just shut up, alright!?" Gyro is getting riled up over Anubis' words. After feeling his steel balls is fully charged, he throws the balls to Anubis and shouting, "Eat this! ORA!"

"An amateurish move!"

カン カン

Anubis swatted the steel balls with the sword, sending them hurling off his side. Believing that leave him vulnerable because he lost his weapon, Anubis sprinted towards Gyro with Yugiri's hands gripping the hilt tightly as she exclaimed, "USHYAAAAAAA!"

"…Dammit!" Johnny pleaded, summoning Tusk ACT4. Narancia does the same with Aerosmith, seething in frustration and anger. Johnny is prepared to catch the blade with Tusk ACT4's hands and break it in half. Shoving Gyro out of the way just as Anubis is close, Johnny moves in to catch the blade…

キィィン

…only to be surprised it moved fast pass Tusk's hands, faster than the Stand itself.

"Huh!? A burst of speed!?" exclaimed Johnny.

"Hahahahaha! I'll take your head!" Anubis gloated as he watched the sword about to strike his head and leave it bloody and messy.

ガシィ

"Ungh-!?"

Anubis looked in surprise when a brown rope wrapped Yugiri's wrists. The rope coiled around her wrists tightly, leaving him unable to move her hands. "W-What? Where did these… rope come from!?"

"Oh? You wanna know?"

That came from Gyro possessing a sly grin directed at Anubis. Having managed to leave him a sitting duck with the sword being only an inch from striking Tusk ACT4's head, he explains where the rope came from. "The steel balls you swatted to the side with your sword happen to hit a trunk of a pine tree, where it continued spinning against the surface. With the energy I imbued in it and the friction of the Spin, it peeled the trunk's skin and extended toward your hands behind you."

Like Gyro said, the steel balls continue spinning against the tree bark, peeling it to a long, spiraling rope-like appendage directed towards 'Yugiri'. The appendage continue coiling around her wrists that have rendered him fully unable to move her hands and arms at all, leaving her a sitting duck.

Blinking in astonishment over his quick planning and execution, Narancia exclaims, "Wow! I did not expect the Spin could do that!"

"I'm impressed. Truly, I am," Mamezuku gives Gyro a nod of approval before he uncoiled his arms and wrapped them around Yugiri's feet when he sees Anubis attempt to escape his predicament with her other free limbs. Like what the rope is doing to her wrists, it coiled around her ankles like a python coiling its prey, tightening it until it fully constricted it.

Smiling at his words and assistance, Gyro turns back to Anubis to have a choice words regarding his earlier mockery of him, "You said that me throwing the steel balls to you is an amateurish move? Sorry to disappoint you, but it's not true. There is a reason why I am an expert of the Spin technique. I wouldn't have gotten here if I haven't applied everything my father taught me about the Spin."

"Grrrr…! Damn you!" Anubis cursed him. He would have threw more insults at him if weren't for Tusk ACT4 looming over him, with Johnny sending a glare to him.

"Now then… what were you saying about taking my head?" he put his hand on his ear, as if wanting to hear him again to confirm it so he will not listen to him spouting nonsense. "Actually no, don't repeat it to me, 'cause now, it's time to snap you like a twig!"

バシィィッ

Anubis (through Yugiri's face) appears to be close to panicking because it looks like he's about to lose. Johnny doesn't care, as Tusk ACT4 starts putting its strength into breaking the sword in half to defeat him and free Yugiri from his possession. Just as when he's about to snap it…

"Keh keh keh keh keh keh…"

Startled by Anubis' cackle coming out as Yugiri's voice, Johnny, Gyro, Mamezuku and Narancia turn to the courtesan's smirking face contrasting with the disadvantage Anubis is in. "Hey, what's so funny?" asked Narancia in an annoyed tone.

Anubis stopped laughing, but never let up 'Yugiri's' smirk. He decides to reply them. "Oh you four… How could you be so naïve?"

"Huuuuuuh? You called us naïve?" Gyro imitated Johnny's act of putting his hand on his ear to make him hear properly. "You got a nerve calling us that when you're the naïve one here!"

"Is that what you think?" she retorted. "Then answer my question. Are you here to rescue this woman, the bandaged girl and the little girl, right?"

Getting angry over his words, Johnny exclaims, "Of course we are! And we wouldn't leave until you let Yugiri go!"

"Letting Yugiri go, you say? Then tell me where the other two is? They have not showed up during the whole altercation."

! !

What Anubis said is right. Ai and Lily isn't seen the whole time. Remembering Narancia's statement earlier, they wonder what's taking the two so long to get here. They're aware the two must have split off from Yugiri when she approached them, back when they thought she was fine. At first, they thought they split up to cover more ground until they found either one of them, but that may have not been the case after they found out Yugiri is possessed by Anubis.

A horrible thought came into their heads. If Yugiri has been possessed by Anubis while Ai and Lily was with her, what became of them? Did she… or he, attacked them?

Pushed by this thought, Johnny angrily asked him about Ai and Lily. "You bastard! What have you done to them!? Did you… Did you kill them!?"

Much to his confusion and relief, Anubis shake his head, telling him he didn't. "No, I didn't."

"T-Then, where are they? Have they found us?" Narancia questioned, glaring daggers at Anubis because he believes he must have done something for sure if he didn't choose to kill them.

"Actually, they already did… a minute ago."

!

"A… a minute ago?" Mamezuku repeated skeptically.

"Yup! In fact, I think they should enter our fight starting riiiiiight… now."

No sooner did he say that came forth the screaming, yelling and gnarling coming behind Johnny and Rai.

"AH! W-What the hell!? Who's… Who's grabbing on my back!?" Narancia exclaimed, trying to reach his arms behind him to stop whoever is latching on him roughly, the added weight almost making him fall to the ground in a heap.

"H-Hey! What gives!? Get off my face! Come on, I can't see, I can't see!" complained Gyro, who goes on to mumble out curse words that the girl grabbing on his face would not like to hear and appreciate.

Johnny and Mamezuku watched them struggle to get the two girls off them, the former forgetting to snap the sword in half, much to Anubis' relief. It wasn't until the latter squinted his eyes to the two figures, one which Gyro managed to pull her off his face and hat, does he found out who they are.

"What!? That's… Ai and Lily!"

"Huh?!" Johnny, Gyro and Narancia turned to him upon hearing who they are.

However, this is the distraction Anubis needed.

With Narancia distracted, the feral Ai sinks her teeth into his left shoulder, drawing up blood and causing immense pain for the boy. "AAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!"

"NARANCIA!"

Thrashing around in pain, Narancia managed to reach his hand on Ai's face, so he tries pushing Ai off him. But the zombie has a tight grip on him, with her teeth biting and chewing through the skin and muscles. If this continues, she would reach to his shoulder bone.

"Ngaaggh! Glaaarrrrggghhhh! Raaaagghh!" Lily's attempt to bite on Gyro failed thanks to the Zeppeli's strong body. That doesn't mean he didn't struggle, but compared to poor Narancia, he got off better of the two.

"Sorry about this Lily, but here! Have a steel ball!"

"Ngogh!"

With Lily occupied of the steel ball in her mouth shoved by Gyro, the man dashed to Narancia's help. Charging up the ball, Gyro aims to pacify Ai by putting the ball behind her. Not letting go of the ball, Gyro can feel the energy flowing from the ball to her body, and eventually, Ai gave up chewing Narancia's shoulder. Her grip on him also loosened, allowing Gyro to get her off Narancia and, just to make sure, shoves the steel ball to her mouth like he did to Lily.

"There! That should do it!" With the two of them freed from Ai and Lily's attempt to feast on their flesh, Gyro moves in to disinfect Narancia's shoulder wound using his first aid kit, before sewing it close using a special thread Kotaro happen to have aptly (or ironically) named Zombie Horse, and bandaging it last.

"Ugh… It hurts… It hurts so bad…" moaned Narancia.

"You'll be alright. Please endure it, okay?" advised Gyro.

At the same time, upon seeing Johnny and Mamezuku got distracted by Ai biting on Narancia, Anubis lets go of the sword and with Tusk ACT4's loosened grip, it simply fell on the ground with a loud clank. This got their attention back to Yugiri.

"Huh? The sword? Why did he-"

"Never thought I would get to use this, but…" Anubis muttered, before 'Yugiri's' smirk return for the third time. With the rope coiled around her wrists gone, Anubis is free to move her arms and hands, meaning he gets to retaliate against Johnny and Rai. "Here's the Emperor in action!"

メギャン

In one swift motion, Yugiri summoned a complicated-looking revolver before aiming it toward Johnny, who could only yell out, "Shit!"

ドキャ ドキャ ドキャ!

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Acting quickly, Johnny deflects the bullets using Tusk ACT4, who is left to linger around, allowing him to command it quickly to shield himself from the bullet.

Remembering Yugiri's feet is still tied up, Johnny turns to Mamezuku and says, "Mamezuku!"

"No need to say what I must do! Doggy Style!"

With as much strength he can muster, Rai pulled Yugiri's feet off the ground, sending her falling backwards. This gives Johnny an opening to get away in order to nurse the wounds on his hands that got there thanks to the bullets grazing Tusk ACT4's hands. Not to be outdone by him however, Anubis catch himself mid-fall before he proceeds to grab the sword. Mamezuku saw this, so he sends out another wire rope in their direction.

"I will not lose twice to your move!"

ドキャ!

"Whoa!"

Surprised of Anubis firing a bullet that grazed his cheek, cutting it open and causing blood to trickle, Rai sees he's unable to stop Anubis from grabbing the sword, who proceeds to slice the rope tying 'Yugiri's' ankle together. Because the rope is part of Mamezuku, this ends up inconveniencing him that she cut off his hand. Expecting she would lash out next, he retracted the rest of his arm back, which is now missing a hand before he retreated back to his companions.

Rising up from the ground, 'Yugiri' glared at the four Stand Users who are still living despite catching them off guard with his surprise attacks. Holding the sword and Emperor in each hand, Anubis just stands still to observe them. He may have caught a glimpse of some of their abilities, which he will not lose twice to it again, but he is not satisfied until he has seen all of their moves. Once he did, he will be invincible.

Keh keh keh keh… As much as the one who brought me out of river Nile thanks to his powerful Stand told me not to kill them, I'm afraid I must disobey him. The thrill of the fight is nothing to sneeze at, especially since this is the first fight in a long time for me. Coupled with this woman's swordsmanship, I will be surely the winner after I send all of you to Hell! But not this woman, no. She has the potential of becoming the greatest swordswoman that ever lived! And with Emperor in her hands, nothing will surely ever beat us!

"Now then… I must continue. This fight won't progress until I made them show all of their moves!" What Anubis said before he has Yugiri run towards the heroes, gun and sword prepared to shoot and slice them. Once she is close, she jumps in the air, the sword hovering over her head.

They are not aware of Anubis attack until he shouted through Yugiri.

"USHYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

To be continued

Stand Analysis:

Anubis

Destructive Power: B
Speed: B
Range: E
Stamina: A
Precision: E
Developmental Potential: C

Based from the Egyptian god of death, embalming, and guide to the afterlife, Anubis is a Stand bounded to a Shamshir-like sword, forged by its former master 500 years ago. Being a rare Stand who exists without a user means Anubis is able to potentially be wielded by many users of his choosing.

Its abilities include possessing anyone who grabbed the sword's handle, no matter how strong their willpower is (it can also possess multiple people but to a lesser extent), which they will wield the sword under Anubis' control, select what objects Anubis will slice, being able to pass through an object blocking its target without directly harming them, and remembers every moves and attacks launched against its possessed user, making Anubis more powerful and faster with every swing and moves learned, no matter how well-planned the same opponent's attack is.

Emperor

Destructive Power: D
Speed: D
Range: B
Stamina: A
Precision: B
Developmental Potential: B

Named after the tarot card symbolizing order and control (and also stubbornness and lack of discipline if reversed), Emperor takes the form of a gun that a user can summon into their hand.

Its simple ability is to shoot out controllable bullets that can change trajectory as the user wishes, being able to control them with enough precision to pass any obstacles, make a U-turn in the air, and home towards the targets.

The main drawback is it's a close-range type Stand, meaning the bullet's effectiveness will lessen quickly once it reaches the limits of its range and its ability is relatively straightforward that any opponents can see it shooting out bullets, so the user must create a distraction or misdirect them to gain an upper hand.

Yup, the final two enemy Stands Franchouchou and Rianima must face before the main antagonist will appear are Emperor, the gun Stand that can change the trajectory of its bullets, and Anubis, a Stand taking the form of the Egyptian god of death materialized in a Shamshir-like sword who can control anyone who touches its hilt.

Thought I include these Stands from Part 3 so that the part was not left out after I included two Stands each from Parts 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Makes it equal in my view.

Like the fight against Limp Bizkit, I decided to have Anubis be the final enemy Stand the heroes must face, albeit through Yugiri. We already know that the Legendary Courtesan is proficient in wielding a sword as shown in her own two-part episode of Zombie Land Saga's second season (or should I refer to it as Zombie Land Saga Revenge?). Having a Stand bounded to a sword to be used by a courtesan with swordfighting skills is a suitable combination to have both the two be this fight's opponent.

Of course, I didn't forget Ai and Lily who got possessed partially by Anubis as an added ability for the Stand. Don't expect them to be in the main fight though, as Yugiri will be the main opponent the four zombies have to face. I also choose to have her be Rianima's current enemy not only because I'm thinking on getting Franchouchou more involved with Stand fights, like I did with Junko biting Blackmore's wounded hand in chapter 18, but also, like Jotaro being forced to fight Polnareff when he got possessed by Anubis, the four Stand Users must fight her, which they obviously don't like. It will encourage them to go easy on her unless they want to hurt her, but Anubis won't and he will make the battle difficult. It will be interesting for sure.

As for Emperor, I thought it would be cool to have Yugiri wield both object-based Stands for the fight. I was inspired to do it based from the Wild Dancer fighting style from Like a Dragon Ishin! I can only hope to have Yugiri go, well, wild swinging Anubis and firing out Emperor omnidirectionally while spinning in circles in the next chapter, possibly before the climax of the entire fight. If not, then it can't be helped. At least I get to feature someone from Japan's feudal period using a sword and gun like Sakamoto did in Ishin.

Side note: I was originally going to have Ringo Roadagain as the main opponent, and Johnny, Gyro and Mamezuku would have faced him without Narancia, which I included in the final version because they need someone to track down Yugiri, Ai and Lily's movements. Ringo would have used Emperor and Mandom in the repeat of the fight between him, Johnny and Gyro. In fact, that is why I named this chapter after his last words to Gyro when he defeated him: "Welcome to the true man's world". I changed one word to reflect that everyone are, obviously, zombies.

Well anyway, the next chapter will be the last chapter for Living Things' second act, before the long third and final act. As always, thank you for reading this chapter. Leave a review if you like so I can know what criticism and mistake I made unknowingly regarding the characters, lore, plot points and other things and do my best to fix them.

Have a good morning/afternoon/evening/night, and please stay safe out there!