9/21 - Mon - Tartarus - FL: 163 - Dark Hour - Shizuka
After entering the dungeon, we escorted the injured members back to the lobby. Their injuries are not a cause for concern, but their participation in tonight's exploration ended. However, Kazuki wished for us to push on, and with Kirijo's permission, we were allowed to continue our exploration.
Amada, Iori, myself, and Kazuki, push through the final stretch of the dungeon. Through three floors, we've run into battle after battle. Amada shows no problem keeping up with us, despite his age and weapon of choice. Fortunately, the enemies have given us little grief… Although, it's not the enemies that worry me, but Kazuki and Yamagishi.
"Don't rush in! Wait for the–"
"I got this!"
"There's too many enemies for you to handle!"
"It's not a problem!"
"You're taking damage, pull–"
"I'm fine!"
He's dispatching them without trouble, but he's rendering Yamagishi's support pointless. She's practically battling with his out-of-nowhere brash behavior. Without her timely support and Kazuki's one-man rampage through Tartarus, the fractured synchronization is blatant to everyone else, as well.
"Damnit, he's takin' all the kills!"
"But don't you think he's being…reckless?" Amada states, keeping pace behind Iori.
"A bit, but it's not like he ain't reckless."
"But he's usually careful. Shizuka-san, what do you think?"
I'd be hard-pressed to say he isn't careless sometimes, however, there is a logical basis behind it. He's just throwing himself into battle without any thought behind his actions. And there are his quick bursts of Shadow-mogrification. He's using it to wipe out the stronger enemies in his way.
More Shadows swarm us, blocking our path forward and back. Killing them isn't an issue to me, but not so much for the others. They're struggling with the mounting numbers, constantly summoning just to keep their ground.
"Analysis, now," I issued an order to Yamagishi.
"On–"
A Shadow flies overhead, crashing into several enemies. Kazuki leaps into action, doing away with most of the enemies with a single swing of his sword. His movements are faster than before, enough to leave the others dazed by his performance. It's a messy display of swordplay, disregarding everything I taught him so far.
A large Shadow, wearing a chain around its neck and wrists, busts through the walls, bellowing a bestial battle cry. Amada and Iori are caught off guard by its arrival. I'll have to deal with it. Before I could, Kazuki zooms over our heads. He lunges into the minotaur, piercing its head, and drags his sword downward. It melts like the rest of them. He makes quick work of the remaining enemies, wiping them out without a second thought.
"Holy shit…"
Nothing remains except puddles of black liquid.
Kazuki takes in a deep breath before turning to us with an out-of-place smile on his face. "We can keep going now."
"How did you– I mean– You didn't even summon your Persona," Iori oh so eloquently points out.
"Oh, well, guess I just didn't need it."
"And you're braggin' too? Frickin' showoff!"
"That was amazing, Kazuki-san! The way you dispatched all those Shadows was simply incredible."
"No, that was nothing?"
There was never a moment before where it looked like he enjoyed combat. But just now– hell, for most of the climb past the 160th floor, he's been grinning during combat, growing more elated the further we went up. I'd say he's enjoying the thrill of battle, but somehow, that seems…wrong. I don't know why he's acting like this, but perhaps it has to do with Shadow-mogrification. Speaking of, I hope his constant use didn't tip Yamagishi off.
"Support, do you read me?" Dead air. Usually, she gives an immediate response. "Yamagishi!"
"Huh!? Oh! Sorry, I was– um, sorry!"
"Are you okay? Do you read me?"
"Yes, I am."
"Are there any remaining hostiles?"
I already know, but better safe than sorry.
"No, all enemies have been dispatched…good work."
Something's wrong; the energy she puts into providing support is gone. Considering Kazuki didn't give her any room to act out her role, it makes sense. Yamagishi's only sense of confidence comes from fulfilling her duties as support, so with Kazuki's newly found aggression in battle, she's being given little to do. And if he keeps using Shadow-mogrification in battle, her abilities will seem needless…
With Kazuki's abilities, I say it's only inevitable. There's little use for someone like her if Kazuki is capable of just wiping out anything in front of him. It's only logical, nothing to be surprised about in my point of view… I…feel bad for her. Maybe I should say something to him, get him to ease down a bit with Shadow-mogrification.
Though, is it any of my business? If they have a problem, they should be the ones to sort it out. Besides, I doubt I'd be of any assistance. As loathsome as it is to admit, I'm not versed in social relationships, as embarrassing as it is to admit. I'll just allow them to sort this out.
"Alright, let's find the stairs," Kazuki ordered with an overabundance of energy.
Port Island - Iwatodai - midnight
The night sky returned to normal, with the waxing crescent moon hanging over the island city. Cars pass by the teenagers walking back home from Tartarus, although suspicious, they don't pay them any mind; getting to wherever they need to be is more important than random school kids.
The members of SEES talk amongst themselves, recounting what they encountered in the labyrinth. By now, rough explorations just like the one tonight have become commonplace. However, the topic of tonight's venture was not on the Shadow that almost wiped out the first exploration party, but of Kazuki's incredible performance. The speed he cut Shadows down, his relentless behavior and the power he displayed killed guardian Shadow certainly were noticed by his senpai. All of this garnered him praise, which he secretly enthralled himself in.
Kazuki walked behind everyone else, smiling from head to toe, caught in his own world. However, behind him, staring at him with a mix of contempt and jealousy. Even though tonight's mission was a success since they reached the end of the block, her efforts as support were a disaster. She couldn't be of any help with the guardian Shadow, and Kazuki's ruthless slaughter of any Shadows during the rest of the mission Gave her no room to provide support… But what hurt her the most was Kazuki turning down her help, outright even saying he didn't need it.
SEES finally arrived at the dorm. Junpei, running up the steps, shoves open the door.
Everyone makes their way to the stairs. Up on the second floor, the boys head for their rooms and the girls go for the third floor. Kazuki and Fuuka head to their room, carrying entirely different moods. Entering and shutting the door behind them, Kazuki loudly yawns.
"That was rough, but we pulled through today! But did you see me? I was on fire!"
"Yeah."
"Everything felt right with the mission today, and we even made it to the end of the block."
"Yeah."
"...At this rate, maybe you won't even need to give support."
Kazuki, half-heartedly saying that, set off a landmine. Fuuka, even when she was bullied, never got angry. Not because she was a saint, but because she thought whatever was said about her was true, so, she never had a reason to angry, only depressed. However, for the second time in her life, anger got the better of her.
"Does that mean I'm useless?"
"Huh?"
"You just said you wouldn't need me
"That's not–"
"But that's what you're saying, that I'm not needed anymore."
"Hold on, that's not what I meant!" Do you think I'm naive!?
"I know that's what you mean! You just said it!"
"I–"
"You even started ignoring me in Tartarus, and told me you don't need my help!"
"Because I could handle the enemies myself! W-why does it even matter?"
"What?"
"As long as I get rid of all the enemies, it doesn't matter what I have to do, or use, I'm still beating the enemy!"
"Where do I come into the picture? Am I just supposed to do nothing?"
"Come– Damnit, no! I'm just thinking of everyone else."
"You're only thinking of yourself," Fuuka says, blinded by her emotions.
"I'm selfish!? Then what happened to you not wanting to go to Tartarus while I was sick?" Fuuka steps back, shocked that he remembered her saying that. "...Did you think about me when you gave the okay to go?"
"That's…Kirijo-senpai said she wanted to."
"Even then, you could have just said no! You could have waited for me to get better!"
"I just…"
"Were you gonna keep going without me?"
"That's different!"
"No, it isn't! I'm a part of this team, too!"
"Me too! It's my job to be support! It's the only thing I'm good at, the only thing I can do right! No one can take that away from me, not even you!"
Kazuki's temper had begun to boil over as the argument grew more heated. He wants to say something, anything to get his point across and win this argument, even if he says something he'll regret later on.
"Well, it's not my fault if your support is lousy!"
Kazuki's eyes widen, his jaw hanging open. His better judgment left him momentarily, letting him say something unforgivable. Realizing this, he looks back at Fuuka. Tears stream down her face as she covers her mouth, trying to deafen her voice.
He reaches out to her. "Wait, I didn't–"
She jerks away from him, stepping away from him slowly, keeping her eyes off him. She turns to the door. Her words come out jumbled and panicked. "I…I should go!"
She leaves the room, closing the door right as Kazuki tries to stop her… The young girl continues to cry. She wants to let out her pain, scream, and drop to her knees, but with what little will she can muster, her cries remain silent.
Kazuki watches the door, waiting for Fuuka to come back through it, saying that the whole thing didn't matter; a conceited thought, and he knows it. What he said can't be taken back, and the argument is not a small issue, he knows that too. But instead of running after her, he just stands there, replaying his hurtful remark in his head. The one person he never wanted to see hurt, someone he cared about the most, was hurt by his selfishness.
"Shit!"
He punches the wall, making a sizable hole. Regret and loathing fill Kazuki's gut. He plops onto his bed, lying on his back, staring blankly at the ceiling. He wants to scream, curse, and hit himself across the face. Most of all, he wishes he never said anything.
"I'm such an asshole…"
9/27 - Sun - Iwatodai Dormitory - lounge - morning - Kazuki
The TV is on, that much I can tell, but it's all white noise to me. Probably came down here a few hours ago and thought it would clear my head. Time just flies by while I'm stuck on my ass looking at the ceiling. My body feels sluggish, and I barely have the energy to do anything…
"You look as dower as ever." Shizuka takes a seat next to me. "...She's still not–"
"She won't even look at me."
Not to mention that she won't even talk to me. She stopped sleeping in our room and went to crash in Shizuka's room. I thought things would go back to normal after a couple of days. So goddamn stupid for thinking that. That fight did a number on our relationship, no two ways about it.
"...What are you going to do?" Shizuka asks, keeping her eyes on the TV.
"I…have no idea. Not like I can talk to her, it's just too awkward."
"So you're waiting for this to settle down?"
"No…yes…no. I don't know what to do. This whole thing is complicated… Did she say anything?"
"No, but she hasn't said anything bad."
"Nothing good…?"
"...Nothing."
I groan, frustrated with my situation. "She doesn't want to see me, talk to me, or even mention me… Yep, this is awesome…"
"Don't give up just yet."
"Oh yeah, you got any ideas then?"
She nods her head. A resounding "no". Nothing short of direct… This isn't good. I said something inexcusable and I can't even apologize for it. If this keeps up, are we… Damn it!
"You're phone," Shizuka says, pointing to my pocket.
"Huh? Oh." The soft ringtone didn't even register to me until Shizuka brought it up. "Hello?"
"Hey, long time no see, Kei."
"Naoya!?"
"You sound surprised; didn't think I'd call you?"
"N–No, it's just good to hear from you."
"You too."
It's been so long since I've heard from him, it feels like years since we last spoke or saw each other.
"So, how are you doing? How is everything? Are you eating well? Are you–"
"Hey, hey, hey! Settle down, Kei. One question at a time, and I'm doing fine."
"Oh, that's good."
Had so much to say that I just let everything out at once. Just hearing from him is getting me excited.
"Probably wondering why I called out of the blue?"
"Did you burn your apartment down cooking?"
"Nah, but I think I left the stove on, so who knows." I bust a gut. It's a stupid joke but it's the type of thing we both enjoy, and I treasure it greatly. "...But seriously, I wanted to tell you I'm in the city."
My heart skips a beat and the hairs on the back of my neck stand. I shoot up to my feet. "Really!? Where are you!?"
"I'm at the Port Island station right now. I–"
"I'll be there!"
"Wait, hold–"
"See you there! Bye!"
I hang up the phone, forcing it back into my pocket.
"Meeting somebody?" Shizuka asks, indicating a hint of interest.
"Yeah, wanna come with me?"
"...I would be a stranger, would I not?"
"No, you're my friend, so it's all fine. Besides, sitting in here all day isn't good for you."
"I suppose you have a point. Still, would he be okay with it?"
"Course he would be. Come on, go get your shoes! Let's meet him!"
I dash to and up the stairs. My excitement levels are through the freaking roof!
Port Island station - afternoon - Kazuki
The station is lively as usual, with people coming and going through the station. The benches are packed and even the stairs are dense with people. But none of them are Naoya. No matter where I look, I can't spot him. Over there? Maybe he's there, or maybe he's in the bathroom?
"I don't see him," I cry, moaning in frustration.
"What color is his hair?"
"Why?"
"Just tell me."
"He has dark blue hair."
"Got it."
Shizuka looks around before leaping up the guard rail. Her moves are too quick for anyone to casually spot her. Before I know it, she's already in the air. She slowly descends from the sky, spinning around the lamppost near me on her way back to the ground.
"He's sitting over there, near the florist."
Amazing! She did that just to find him in this crowd?
"You're awesome, Shizuka."
She passively brushes her long locks out of the way. "It was nothing noteworthy."
"Are you kidding me?"
"Why would I?"
"Sometimes, I can't tell if you're modest, or just unaware."
A single raised eyebrow tells me everything I need to know.
We head up to Naoya. He's sitting on a bench, watching the florist.
"You know staring is weird, right?" I tell him, anticipating his response.
"Really? But the colors are so vibrant. Kinda makes me want to sit here and stare at them."
Should have seen that coming. He isn't exactly what I would call a guy with average tendencies.
Naoya pushes off the bench to lock me in a tight hug. I squeeze him right back.
"It's been too long, though, Kei."
"Yeah, same here!"
He rustles my hair. "Who's this?"
"I am Shizuka Rin. Kazuki and I are classmates."
"...Don't forget friends."
"...And friends."
"I'm glad to meet a friend of his. Thank you for taking care of him."
"Think nothing of it."
Naoya looks around for a minute before returning his attention to me. "Where's that other girl?"
He just had to mention her. Just when I finally got out of my slump, too…
"She's…busy right now."
"Busy?"
"Yeah, said she had school work to do."
Naoya's discerning eyes always catch my tongue whenever I try to lie to him. It isn't the look he makes, but how his eyes seem to drill through my eyes and into my soul. I rarely lie to Naoya, but when I do, his insightful look meets me.
"...Guess it can't be helped." He rubs the back of his head. "So, Kei, wanna show me around? Or are we gonna stand here all day?"
"Wanna hit up the arcade."
"Does it have Galactic gun?"
"You bet."
"Then lead the way!"
"Yeah!"
…/Kazuki
The arcade is as busy as usual, but when isn't it? Galactic gun sits at the far back of the arcade, showing a demo of the gameplay; an on-rails shooter where you blast aliens with your partner through 10 levels of grueling, heart-pounding action! And if you go without dying for all 10 levels, you can do the bonus stage. Nothing short of awesome.
Two large toy guns are holstered on a stand in front of the large screen. We slot money in the Galactic gun machine. The screen splits, telling each player to press the trigger to start.
"So, how you wanna do this? The usual?" Naoya asks, flashing a confident grin.
"Whoever loses has to buy lunch."
Naoya arrogantly chuckles, aiming the gun at the screen, and presses the trigger. "Better kiss your money goodbye."
I aim at the screen, squeezing the trigger. "You're the one who's gonna be paying the bill."
Several minutes in, and I'm getting my ass handed to me. Even though we're working together, we're given separate point counters. Naoya's arm moves like lightning, locking in and shooting an enemy the moment it comes on screen. I pathetically and desperately shoot everything I see, hoping something pops up in my line of fire. If he wins, my wallet will take critical damage. I can't allow it, I have to win, by any means.
"Shizuka, switch!"
I throw the gun into the air. She snatches it out of the air and looks at me, confused by the sudden tag-in.
"Why do you want me to play?"
"We need to win, so show 'em what you're made of!"
She sighs, then turns back to the screen. "We better get sea urchin after this."
Shizuka's reticle flashes around the screen, training on the enemy's heads. Her score skyrockets with each kill, closing in on Naoya's score. I can tell he's panicked cause he's missing more of his shots scrambling around for targets. Time passes by, and the two blaze through all the stages and make it to the ex-stage. In the end, Shizuka had gotten the final shot in, killing the true final boss.
"No…way… I lost!"
Shizuka absolutely decimated him, leading by a couple of hundred points; Naoya had regained his composure, but it was already too late, Shizuka wiped the floor with him.
I poke Naoya's forearm with a mischievous grin. "Hey, Naoya, I want udon, let's get udon."
"But I was the one who won," Shizuka reminds me, sounding somewhat irritated. "...I want sea urchin."
"You have a fancy taste for sushi. Yeah, let's get that. Naoya, sea urchin."
"Yeah…sea urchin…"
Port Island station - afternoon - Kazuki
With the combined effort of me and Shizuka, we successfully got urchin, and my wallet remains intact! Naoya was still out of it when we left the plaza, but he snapped out of it after a while. The face he made when Shizuka beat him was…priceless. Karaoke was next on the list… Yeah, it didn't go well. These two can't sing for jack; our booth was where music came to die, miserably. Then, we went to see a comedy. Pretty funny, I think I even saw Shizuka laugh, but she just told me she didn't.
The movie ended a while ago. Naoya and I are sitting on a bench, watching people move about.
"I had fun, Kei," Naoya says.
"Me, too. I'm really glad you came here. I am."
"Of course. What, thought I'd forget about you?"
"No…and I'm glad you didn't."
We went back to people-watching. Naoya's expression seems somewhat serious.
"So what's going on with you and that other girl?"
"Shizuka? She's my friend."
"I see… She seems somewhat awkward, especially around me."
"She's not all that social, and she isn't what you would call outgoing, but that doesn't matter to me."
"Is she important to you?"
"Yeah, she is. She helped me when I needed it, and she was always there for me. So I'm grateful to her, and I want to be her friend and be of use to her."
Naoya goes quiet for a moment before moving on to another topic. "So, Kazuki, How is dorm life? Do you share a room with other guys?"
"No, we get our own rooms, and it's co-ed."
"That sounds– Well, not strange, just not that common. Anything else you wanna tell me?"
We fight monsters too, and I can obliterate creatures with the flick of my wrist. Should I tell him that? Nothing's stopping me from spilling it. But maybe he'd think I'm just joking, or going crazy, at worst. But what he did believe me, would he pull me out of school, away from everyone else…
"Nah, it's all great!"
Best to keep it a secret, that way, he won't have to worry about me.
"Kei, earlier, when I asked where your girlfriend was, why did you lie?" Huh? "...You said she was busy with schoolwork, but you hesitated before saying it."
"No, she–"
"I'm not dumb. I can tell when you're lying whenever you force a smile."
The air grows thick, my throat dries up, and the sounds of the crowds fade out.
I…didn't mean to lie, it's just…"
"Did you two break up?"
"No!" Why did that make me angry? It's not like it's a bad assumption to make, but I can't help but get defensive. "We just…hit a rough patch."
"Why?"
"We got into a fight the other day, it was our first one, too. I said something I shouldn't have… I made her cry because of what I said."
"Did you apologize?"
"I didn't. It's…just too awkward right now. Besides–"
"Idiot!" He hits me around the head. "...What the hell is wrong with you!?"
"What?"
"It's too awkward right now!? That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard!"
"But it is! Whenever she sees me, she leaves me in the dust."
"So what!?"
"But…"
I fall silent, facing my feet. Whenever he looks at me with that stern look, I can't face him, out of guilt or shame.
Naoya sighs to himself "...What did you argue about?"
"I…just wanted to help my friends, to be of use to everyone in the dorm, and it kind of spiraled from there."
I can't go into detail, I'll have to keep it vague.
"But did you consider her feelings?"
"I…didn't."
"Kei, I get it, you couldn't consider other people's feelings because it was justified." Naoya's voice is soft, yet still holds a level of bite to it. "But you don't get that excuse anymore; you can't be your own island anymore."
"What does that mean?"
"It means you can't live in a vacuum." Did I live in a vacuum? That makes no sense because I was… "But Kei, you're growing up. Pretty soon, you'll have to make choices that help you in life, and maybe sacrifices. But more importantly, you have to consider what's more important to you."
"...What's important to me… What do you think–"
"Don't ask me, ask yourself. The only one who can ask what Kazuki Kei needs is you."
The crowd has begun to grow in density, turning into a torrent of people leaving wherever they're all going. Chatter from the hordes of people, the cascade of footsteps, and any other sound coming from the station turn into white noise.
"I'm sorry, Naoya."
"Don't apologize, at least not to me." He rubs my hair, rustling through my hair. "I just want you to live a long, happy life. A life where you'll have no regrets. If you leave things the way they are, you'll regret it. So just apologize, admit you're wrong, and do better. Okay?"
There it is, the kindness that carried me through the years. For 13 years, I relied on nothing else in this world besides Naoya, my guiding light through the murky world I lived in. Without that light, his warm hands, and his comforting smile, I'd probably be dead somewhere.
"You're right. I need to apologize, doesn't matter if it's awkward or not, I just need to."
He playfully slaps my back. "That's it! Now I have nothing to worry about. As long as you own up to your mistakes, it'll be alright."
The sun is setting below the horizon of the city.
"You and Shizuka should go home now."
"Huh? But can't we hang out a bit longer?"
"Don't you have school tomorrow?"
"...Yes."
"Then you need to get home before dark. Both of you."
As much as I hate it, he's right. Plus, we have an operation tomorrow. I begrudgingly nod.
"Then let me take you guys back."
"Do you know where the dorm is?"
"Nope."
"...You sure you're not going to need help?"
"I remember where my hotel is!"
"Sure about that? Cause I remember us going to Tokyo, and you had no idea how to get back to our hotel."
"Shut it! That map is too complicated!"
I start giggling at the memory of him struggling with it. He rants on, trying to get me to stop laughing, but I can tell he doesn't really mind. This is just how we are around each other; like we're brothers, enjoying whatever time we have with each other. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world…
Port Island - Dark Hour
The supernatural hour concealed to the masses had arrived. Kazuki Kei and Naoya went their separate ways after a while and arrived at their residences for the night. Silence rules the city once more as coffins litter alleyways, streets, offices, and homes.
However, the concrete jungle of a city is not dead. Above street level, leaping and gliding from rooftop to rooftop, a woman with pale hair keeps moving without a second thought. Wounds covering her body.
"Does anyone read me!? Hello?" Only static plays on her earpiece. "Come, anyone, anybody, pickup! Damnit!"
She had already assumed the worst, but it seemed so unlikely. The woman came to this city with 14 other people, each just as, if not, more capable than she. Yet, nobody picks up. Thoughts run through her mind, distracting her from the next best course of action. She does not feel sad or angry, but rather scared.
The lady stops for a moment, landing on top of a helipad. She brings out a pair of prayer beads, wrapping them around her hand.
"Yatagarasu!" A black bird bursts from one of the beads, swooping around the woman. "Survey the area!"
She does not ask the bird, she commands it with authority to assert dominance. The bird freely glides around the building with its eyes scanning every bit of its master's surroundings. An icicle skewers the crow's tiny body, ripping it apart.
"Shit!"
The one chasing the woman arrives. It is a young man, in his early twenties. Beautiful and youthful, the monk robe he wears compliments his delicate yet mature image. Frost particles gently fall from his fingertips.
The pale-haired woman glares at him, fighting back her fear. It was out of nowhere, but when she was with two of her allies, he attacked, just as the Dark Hour set in. He single-handedly killed them both with little issue. She fought back, but he proved too powerful. Half the demons she stored up in her prayer beads were killed just to fend him off while she fled.
No words are shared. Considering her options, the woman sorts through her mind what demon in her inventory could kill him. She devoted what little time she had to think of a strategy; time she wasted.
The boy makes his move. The female combatant reacted by pulling out her beads. However, her reaction was off by half a second. Ice encases half her body, digging into her skin, inch by inch. She tried screaming, but the ice reached up to half her face.
"Don't kill her, yet."
Without a word, the young man gets on his knee and bows. "Welcome, master."
The man shrouded in darkness walks up to the young man. Light from the green moon illuminates his figure; Nyarlathotep.
"Shiki, is this the last one?"
"Yes. By your order, I have exterminated all the Devil Summoners in this city."
"Excellent. I hope it wasn't difficult."
"No. They were easily dispatched."
"Good, good! Now, as for you…" He walks up to her, wearing a gnarly smirk. "So, this is all they can send? Riff Raff, who barely qualifies as summoner?"
Pain burns on the left side of her body. Although ice is cold, when the human body experiences ice burn, it no longer simulates cold or hot, just the neurons associated with pain firing.
"Do you understand what's going on? Why you are here, or even what you are about to die for? Simply put, this is my playground, and I do not take kindly to rats crawling around."
Despite the summoner's indescribable pain eating away at her mind, she forces herself to say something, anything to this monster.
"M-m-m-more…w-will…co-com-c-c-come!"
"They will be too late. I will have what I need. And even if they do come, I'll just send them to join you and the rest of your ilk."
"Wh-w-w-why…w-w-w-ha- po-po-p-point?
"For research, of course. I need to see something, and you happen to get in my way. So, I deem you and all your comrades' lives forfeit."
Doom sets in for the female summoner. Escape is not an option, neither is fighting, and the pain is frying whatever rational thought remains in her brain. Nyarlathotep can only smile, delighted by her pain.
"Kill her."
Without a word, the young man leaps to his feet. He forms a foot-long razor-thin needle. It shoots at breakneck speed, piercing through her head without a drop in momentum.
"Always so efficient."
"Forgive me, master."
"It's fine. We're pressed for time anyhow. Don't worry about the bodies, just get things ready for tomorrow."
"Yes!"
"...Make sure 'she's' ready."
"Yes!"
"That is all."
Shiki takes his leave, jumping off the building without hesitance. Nyarlathotep simply looks down on the dead summoner, still wrapped in ice.
"Humans, summoners, all are but bugs I will either toy with or kill without prejudice."
He kicks the woman's body, breaking her entrapment. And like flipping on a light, the Dark Hour ends, and the malicious god is nowhere to be seen; only a corpse, cold, covered in cuts, and its face filled with horror.
This night mark with blood signals the beginning of a dark plot and in the epicenter; Kazuki Kei.