Translator

Ninja Trouble

"My, oh my!"

A voice like silk lace giggled out from behind him. Copen turned to face the darkness of the warehouse's inner walls. He heard two people walking towards him. One sound was the padded thumps of sneakers, while the other had the two-beat clicks of high heels. Suspicious, the slayer took a step forward, tensing his arms and legs for another attack on his person or the other boy.

Two masked woman stepped out from the shadows. Depicting an owl and a coyote each standing victoriously after having slain a snake. Add in the one with the fox before and the theme is clear.

The owl masked one had red, shoulder length hair that did a cinnamon-roll curl into her cheeks. The part of the mask where the eyes look through covered in black glass that gives the impression of them wearing sunglasses. Finally a long dark robe covers them from shoulder to ankle with the occasional crimson siddham script written on top of some attached talismans. The many feathers (each looking as sharp as a knife) attached to the back and side of the robe giving them a look similar to their chosen animal. The exposed bottom part of their mouth formed a predatory smile.

"What a sight. The hunt, the chase, the rush. Out of all the things I thought would happen today, getting to see this was something I never would have guessed."

The coyote masked one, standing to the other's right, had sandy blonde hair that hung down evenly to the middle of her back. Her clothes were much plainer, consisting of a mix between a black turtleneck sweater covered in light leather armor that was so tight around her body that the words "tactical sneaking suit" came up to Copen's mind. She walked ranter daintily, the impression of an aristocrat clashing with her bland outfit. The back of her left hand showing an iconic blue tattoo.

"Good evening, slayer." she said, voice high pitched and reserved, as if she were taking special care to be polite. "Do you have any idea how hard to catch that boy behind you is? You must be lucky."

Copen didn't spare a glance backwards, still the blue haired boy spoke up to him anyway.

"Slayer! Don't be fooled by their appearances or demeanor! These two are S tier adepts!"

Copen didn't respond while the two masked women exchanged glances. The right one spoke again.

"Quite the obvious thing, really. And while I'd love to introduce myself and my friend here…"

The other continues at her silence, "As warriors in the shadows, anonymity is a necessity."

Copen held out a hand, waving it sharply though the air as if he could cut them in half. "Bah, modern age ninjas you say? You're no more than murdering muts with fancy titles. Fight me for your masters, then, and die for their sins!"

Both women stared at him. His words echoed through the warehouse. The left one's smile grew wider while the other giggled, before turning to other. "What a dramatic guy, do you think the master would let us keep him? We could dress him up and everything. Oh, he'd be such a cute pet."

"Enough of that." the one with the owl mask said seriously. "The truth of the matter is that we were expecting a lucrative client to come in today, right here in this location. We would have made a lot of money off this next deal. But I guess the two of you scared him off. Now we'll just have the both of you repay us with your bodies." from a glance off the surroundings, it is clear she means that literally. Great, is every organization Copen knows off one that deals with human experiments?

Again, the other nodded. Enjoying the banter. "And I'm sure they won't tell a soul. After all, once we're done with them, they won't even remember where they were for the past three weeks."

"Shut up and fight me already." Copen snarled, getting impatient.

This finally gets them to draw their weapons. The cape of the left one suddenly opened, revealing two pairs of owl-like wings while her hands and feet are now covered in crimson claws. The feathers that fell to the ground, piercing straight through it as they remain upright. Her whole appearance turns more transparent by the second until she looks almost invisible. Copen easily deduced it being because of high quality camo, combined with the known fact that an owl can fly silently and her whole battle plan was already laid bare before the Adept Slayer's unimpressed self.

The right one raised one of her hands, and a noise like an industrial sized fan erupted from her. Several steel balls erupted from her pockets while her sneaking suit covered her even more, surrounding her arms and legs with more steel to boost agility and defense. Finally the balls unraveled into medium shaped robot dogs that hover in front of her. Their red eyes lighting up with menace as they stand with their backs raised and sharp teeth exposed in order to intimidate.

"As you wish, agents of the shadows, coming through!"

One circled to his left while the other went for his right. Copen walked backwards to keep from getting surrounded. Before stopping himself, realizing that if he goes any further, one might attack his target who in their state cannot defend themselves. And he cannot let the truth die with him.

"So be it, time to-"

Another voice echoed out from above the warehouse rafters. It was the voice of a familiar man, lower-pitched than usual yet as nauseating to hear as ever. A blue figure swooped down from the ceiling with thunder. Landing straight in between Copen and his two foes, and pointing his gun in one direction and his free hand to the other. Stopping everyone in their track before they can move.

"Nobody hurt my friend without my say so."

Thunder Strikes More Than Two Times

"Gunvolt?" Copen and Xiao said in unison.

Gunvolt gave Xiao a glance, his frown turning into a temporary softer one. "People have announced sounds of gunshots and sightings of a blue haired boy jumping from rooftops while being chased. The moment that news got to me, I got the gist of what's happening and now I'm here to save you."

Xiao let out sigh of relief at that, "Always quick to come to the rescue…" Gunvolt shrugged back.

Before pointing the tip of his glaive blade and gun in the direction of the other three.

"As for you three. What a sorry bunch of criminals. Just being in your presence puts me in a sour mood. Maybe I should take all of you down, depending on your criminal influence, the city will be all the better for it!"
Silence once again grew in the warehouse. Copen held tighter onto his gun as he eyed those in the standstill. Nobody moved. Both Copen and Gunvolt knew if they attacked first, they'd leave themselves open to another combatant. Seeing this dilemma, Xiao gained a ridiculous idea.

"Gunvolt, wait!" he spoke up. "The Slayer saved my life! He's on our side!"

The bold lie made both boys flinch, that is, if Copen wasn't a professional poker face holder. As the azure striker looked him in the eyes to see any sign of falsehood, the adept slayer just shrugged with an energy 'he's-not-wrong-got-a-problem?' and that seemed to be what Gunvolt was looking for.

Not to say Copen wasn't confused by the words, he was, for about a second, before realizing that just going along with the lie for now gives him a bigger advantage than decrying it as false in order to preserve his own pride. He did make a promise to do things differently, dishonestly included.

"...A temporary alliance then." Gunvolt said with hints of disbelief but made no further argument, now pointing both of his weapons towards only the shinobi. "Give me strength! Azure Striker!"

"Smoke bomb." Copen dully said as he pulled out four white pellets from his pocket. Then slammed them into the ground, they exploded with a deafening pop, and in their place a thick, grey smoke cloud spread through the warehouse, catching many off guard. Except the owl ninja who responded automatically by beating her cape-wings, creating gust of wind to blow away the fumes.

"Where's the slayer?" asks her partner.

"Where's Xian?" said Gunvolt.

A startled yelp from above answered the question, showing the Slayer holding onto the other boy (who is completely bound by golden hair) with one hand and creating a blue portal with the other.

"I don't have the time to waste on you all," was Copen's sole reply before he entered it and vanished.

Getting Answers

If anyone shouted his title dramatically in outrage or let out a bitter comment after, he didn't hear it, instead he appeared in an alleyway several blocks ahead where he drops his mark on the ground and starts typing on a virtual keyboard to instruct a ride home to come extract him.

'3 minutes before arriving at LZ' replied a message to him and he clicked his tongue in displeasure, who is to say that isn't enough time for the azure striker to beat his foes and track him down again?

He doesn't know and that's why, "Start talking, now." Copen interrogates Xiao immediately.

"What do you want to kn-" the boy flinches at the slayer's glare, "Hey, that's a fair question!"

"Tell me everything you know."

"That still isn't a he-woah!" the wall nearby his head gains a crack thanks to Copen kicking it. Had it been the boy's head, it would have splattered like a water melon. "Ok! Ok! I'll give it a try!"

"So, uh, the name's Xiao Wu. I'm 12 years old but will be 13 in like 2 weeks. I don't go to-"

Suddenly the world turns upside down, Xiao can feel a rush of ear passing by his ears and before he knows it, he hits the ground with a pained grunt. He'd just been launched seven feet in the air.

"They say humans can survive a fall up to 48 feet. After which it's a 50% chance." Copen spoke calmly as he loomed over his prey. "For every answer I don't like, I'll make it go higher."

"I'm already cooperating!" Xiao shouts in irritation, before taking in a deep breath. "Seriously! If you're not going to ask questions then how am I supposed to know what you even want, huh?"

"Who were those girls and how do they know you?"

"Oh, they're from Shadow Yakumo." At the lack of recognition from Copen, he continues, "You know, the secret sister organization of Sumeragi that deals in the supernatural and spiritual."

"Ridiculous, such a thing doesn't exist." Copen had been studying Sumeragi for years before he even went out to hunt for adepts. To not realize the existence of a hidden country is one thing, but an organization so close to home? That's ridiculous and makes a joke out of him as well.

"Oh, but I'm not lying! Look, perhaps you've heard of Interior Creators? The chain company that helps provide the necessary materials to make Glaives? It's one of the many shell companies they use to work alongside Sumeragi. With the latter shining in the light while they work in the shadow."

Yet another name to look into it later, Copen continues his questioning. "And who do you work for?"

"Nobody at the moment, I mean, I got a part time job at the cafe. And I used to work for the Quill's branch in China until it got taken over by Eden. Afterwards I fled to japan, met the Azure Striker and to this day I'm kind off his mission op and toolmaker. I'm kind of a genius like you, that way."

Copen narrowed his eyes at that, "Then how did you come to this information?"

It could've been a trick of the eye, but it looked like Xiao's eyes gained a knowing glint. "I've got connections. Most people think I'm just a kid who knows their way around a keyboard and cam, so they're more willing to trade info with me than any other shady adult out there."

"State those connections."

"I can't-hold on, let me clarify!" Copen thankfully stops, his hand on the boy's shoulder the only thing preventing him from falling into another Lazy Laser portal. "There's just so many of em, you know? A few friends that are still among Quill, a few info traders willing to talk for a price and-"

"What about ATEMS?"

"W-what?" too late a save, the way Xiao's face turned a paler shade was word enough to confirm it.

"You're the Black Turtle, the one that's been in communication with them about the striker." Copen continues, remembering the little slip a certain firebird let out long ago. "And from what I can tell, you've been involved with pretty much everyone, be it Quill, Sumeragi, Shadow Yakumo, Atems, there's nothing your info network ends up missing. So I've got to ask, what is your end game?"

"Nothing bad." is Xiao's short answer, a fierce glare makes him continue with a longer one, "Really, people tend to underestimate me and my lightning pal always attracts trouble, so I've got to be one step ahead of everyone else. All for the sake of protecting everyone dear to me."

Fancy words, as for the honesty behind them. Copen can't decide if he should believe it, not that it matters as long as the boy genuinely thinks that is his motive. Still, "How noble of you.."

Sarcasm aside, Copen hears the sound of an engine, followed by the skid of wheels as his auto-pilot motorcycle finally stops in front of him. Throwing his prey into the sidecar whose seat belts automatically restrain him, Copen says, "I can't trust anything you're saying just because you say so, let's see what'll come out of you with the help of a truth serum or two."

"Stop!" Xiao does not say, the words belonging to the striker who appears on top of a roof after reassembling himself from a flurry of scattered bolts of lightning. Iconic pose and all.

"See, there's the fun part." Copen dryly repeats the same words he heard before. "How will the Azure Striker stop me…"

"If he can't catch him?" the slayer doesn't wait for an answer, his vehicle driving off.

"Xiao!" Gunvolt immediately moves to chase after, only to be stopped by a sudden barrage of water lasers. The one responsible launching himself on top of the same roof he is on, "Copen! Why?"

"One simple reason," Copen replies as he puts on his iconic combat pose. "You and I have unfinished business, let's see now if you've improved over the year you had, Gunvolt."

Call it a sense of pride, but Copen has to know if the current him has finally surpassed the Azure Striker. That and the fact he's preventing his target's extraction by biding his time against the adept instead of running away from him also counts. No matter how one sees things, the black turtle is a compendium of knowledge he's yet to fully deplete and until he does so, he can't let them go.

"Agh, what was I thinking…" Gunvolt pinches his nose, battling away an incoming headache. "Of course you'd be unreasonable as always….fine then!" He puts on a fighting stance of his own, a circular aura of static electricity gathering around him without visible effort. "Let's do this."

Copen didn't bother replying to Gunvolt now. His eyes narrowed on the adept. Their scowls mirrored each other. Metaphorical electric beams of tension exploded out from between them. Copen and Gunvolt walked toward each other. Their heavy steps reverberated through their private arena. They were six paces ahead from each and raised their guns at the same time. Silence set root between, hearing only a dull wind that makes the striker's cape flutter in its direction. For a moment the world consisted only of the two of them, two gunslingers out to see which one is the better.

A thunderous motion, of lighting striking from the heavens brought their fists down at the same time. As the clouds turn darker and a cascade of rain sets a storm, both boys run circles around each other while shooting darts against plasma bullets. Finally, both of them jump to the air in sync.

"VOLTAIC CHAINS!"

"SHRED STORM!"

Both of their strongest attacks clash against each other. Chains of electricity keep building up as others are cut down by crimson fangs. As both attacks finally come to an end, both opponents are disappointing and glad to see that the other is completely unharmed. Looks like it'll be a real fight.

"I don't know why you came back, but I've got no choice but to make you regret it."

"Even if I told you why, it's not like you would believe me. Nor do I need you to."

Their declarations over, they move to attack each other once more.

"Oversurge, Azure Striker!

"Time to deliver your long due sentence, Gunvolt!"

TBC:

AN: Copen vs Gunvolt: no anthem, no time limit, final destination.

You know the drill, one fight during the midgame and another during the climax. This is the obligatory former one. Look up to it or don't. Also yeah, Shadow Yakumo will definitely be investigated and sooner or later, Kirin will finally appear as well.