Draconis: Anyway
Kenshin: Whoa jobber boy, don't you think you're getting started a little too soon?
Draconis: Dude I work part time to start for one. Two I put off the last chapter long enough as it was Besides this took over two fucking months to get out. (Bashes head against desk)
Kenshin: Fair enough.
Dragon of the Elements
Chapter 96
The Crimson Wings.
Draconis: Begin!
(start)
As they were charging dark mana into the seal a communication circle opened next to Kenshin's right ear. "What is it Alice?" Kenshin asked with his eyes closed.
"What the hell is that power we all just felt?" Alice asked.
"Nagi's finally starting to take this a little more seriously." Kenshin said.
"A little? ! I've only felt this amount of power from you!" Alice balked.
"Heh, well Nagi always was a bit crazy." Kenshin said with a wry smirk.
"Tch, no kidding. I see where you get it from." Alice sniped as the connection cut out.
"Hn!" Miyuki meanwhile dodged multiple Iaiken blasts and sent a propelled fist at Takamichi's face.
"!" Takamichi's head drifted out of the way and punched the youngest Tsuki in the stomach.
"Guh!" Miyuki gasped out as she was sent flying by Takamichi's Iaiken blast firing from his fist. "Gh!" She extended her hand toward her broken pieces of weaponry she had discarded and used Aerokinesis to send them flying at Takamichi.
"Hrm!" Takamichi used shots of air from his Iaiken technique, not blasts of Kanka to bat these away. "? !" He looked up and saw two red lightning dragon heads baring down on him. "She baited me!" He thought.
"Heh." Miyuki smirked as her attack made contact. She flew down at the dust cloud, using wind magic to clear it and her fists met Takamichi's.
"Hahahaha." Takamichi laughed, his blazer destroyed and his dress shirt tattered and ruined. "You always were the smartest out of your siblings."
"Well thanks." Miyuki said as earth surrounded her right leg, making a boot. "But flattery gets you nowhere Takahata-Sensei!" She said leaping upward, wind shooting out of the bottom of the boot, sending her knee crashing into his chin. Takamichi staggered backward as the propulsion carried Miyuki into a back flip and as faced Takamichi again she extended her fists outward, propelling herself forward, both fists crashing into his chest, sending Takamichi tumbling across the ground.
"Grrhh..." Takamichi grunted as he coughed up a bit of blood. "Damn...I think you might have bruised a few ribs there..." He said, his body twitching every time he took a breath. "..." He looked over at Miyuki who was panting herself. "I see...this fighting style carries some manner of heavy cost." He thought.
"Damn..." Miyuki thought. "I see why Onii-Chan didn't use this very long in his fight against Issei and Saji...it's freakin' exhausting. I have to end this soon." She thought. "A prolonged battle plays to my disadvantage, and Takamichi probably already sees this."
"You know, that muscled fellow fighting Nagi really has his work cut out for him." Takamichi said.
"Stating the obvious there Takamichi." Miyuki snorted.
"Evangeline didn't really fight him as much as Nagi just baited her into a trap of garlic and whatnots, and she was also blinded by her own infatuation with him." Takamichi said. "Meanwhile Kenshin and Yukari didn't really know Nagi in his prime. They knew him before he really hit it in the Schismatic War and Kenshin only knew him in his prime as a child...and Nagi may be kind of...OK a total idiot, but he's not going to show his full strength to a child and your father's power was already on the decline by the time Kenshin and Yukari were born."
"So you're saying there's power in Nagi that not even Evangeline, Onee-Chan and Onii-Chan know about?" Miyuki asked.
"That's exactly what I'm saying." Takamichi said. "That's why Hottan Ialda was so hard to take down when he possessed Nagi."
"Well, Sairaorg's not using all his power either." Miyuki said. "You'll see what I mean, if I don't send you back first."
"Hahaha, really I'd welcome that." Takamichi said as he got to his feet. "At least Ialda Baoth wouldn't be using me to her own nefarious ends."
"Then why not just stand back and let me do you in?" Miyuki said as they traded punches with each other.
"Well, it's never been in me to walk away from a fight." Takamichi said. "Besides I'd like to see first hand how far you all have come anyway."
"I see." Miyuki said.
Meanwhile Granberia stabbed Ares into the ground broadside and knelt behind it as Gateau shot his Gousatsu Iaiken at her.
"..." Gateau watched as a barrier faded away around Granberia.
"..." Granberia glanced at her sword for a moment before taking off at Gateau again.
"Look, I get wanting a thrilling fight, trust me I do." She recalled Vali saying to her during one of their training sessions. "But you have to know when not to take unnecessary damage."
"I do." She recalled saying back to him.
"With your blade sure, but you should at least know a barrier spell for ranged or magic attacks that are too strong to cut in half."
Granberia swung her sword downward. "Demon Skull Beheading!"
(crack!)
The ground fractured beneath Gateau and Granberia the former using a Kanka enhanced fist to hold back Granberia's Ares. "You know I gotta say. It's odd fighting a hand to hand expert who isn't trying to cop a feel." Granberia said.
"That bad huh?" Gateau asked with a small smirk, exhaling smoke out of the left corner of his lips.
"You have no idea." Granberia said as she stepped forward, driving Gateau backward.
"Hrh!" Gateau dug his heels into the earth and punched the broadside of Ares and knocked it off him before grabbing Granberia by the throat and slamming her onto the ground.
"Guah!" Granberia gasped out in pain, but smirked immediately and grabbed his wrist, kicking both her legs up and wrapping them around his arm. "An insufferable flirting succubus though she is, I have to hand it to Alma, her hand to hand and grappling style is top notch!" Granberia said, her feet locked behind his neck as she pulled back on his arm.
"G-Ggghh!" Gateau grunted and growled in pain. "Damn it! She's got me! She'll break my arm or rip it off completely!" Gateau said.
"Huh?" Alma looked over after getting away from Granberia. "Whoa! No way! Granby's using one of my holds!"
"Focus on your fight Alma!" Granberia snapped.
"R-R-Right Sorry it's just I've always wanted to be able to share something with you!" Alma said in an excited tone.
"...Heh..." Kenshin, Tamamo and Alice all let out a short laugh at this.
"Tch!" Gateau cocked his left fist back, Kanka surrounding it.
"Oh? Are you sure you want to do that?" Granberia asked. "This close a range, you'll get caught in the blast too."
"Tch..." Gateau growled as the pain running through his right arm got worse.
"? !" Takamichi rounded on this. "Master!" He moved to try and assist.
"Sorry Takamichi, but no." Miyuki said kicking him into the dirt, stamping her foot onto his back.
"Guah!" Takamichi gasped out.
"Oi! Gateau what's the hold up over there! Pull her damn legs apart!" Nagi shouts as he traded punches with Sairaorg.
"Hrm!" Sairaorg used Nagi's distraction to punch at his stomach.
"Nice try!" Nagi said batting Sairaorg's fist away with his own and drove his knee into Sairaorg's gut.
"Guh!" Sairaorg groaned. "Damn, the more I power up the more he powers up!" Sairaorg thought.
"Grh!" Gataeu grabbed Granberia's left leg and started pulling the lock apart.
"I don't think so!" Granberia said releasing his arm and using both her legs to drive Gateau face first into the ground. She tucked said arm between her legs and began pulling it against herself.
"G-Graahh...!" Gateau hissed in pain.
"!" Eishun threw Alma off him and made a beeline toward the two.
"Granby, heads up!" Alma said giving chase after the swordsman.
"? !" Granberia glanced behind her.
"Ryuhazan!" Eishun shouts, baring down on her, slashing his nodachi vertically downward.
"Hrmn!" Granberia pulled on Gateau's arm and fell back, putting Gateau into an armbar. She grabbed her nearby Ares and held it horizontally as Eishun slashed down at her, the Ryuhazan technique still active. "Grhhh!"
"You really think you can keep both of us tangled up for long?"
"No, I don't actually." Granberia said as she raised her left leg and kicked Eishun in the back, knocking him over her, releasing Gateau's arm as she rolled to her feet, rushing Eishun.
"You foolishly turn your back on me!" Gateau said cocking his uninjured arm back, ready to launch an Iaiken blast at Granberia's back.
"Violent Stomp!"
"Grhh!" Gateau tumbled painfully across the ground as Alma's foot slammed into the side of his head.
"Sorry old timer, but I'm not gonna let you get the drop on my Granby." Alma said.
"Tch.." Gateau's injured right arm twitched painfully.
"Yes...but what if I got the drop on you?"
"Huh? !" Alma said just before a fist buried itself into her back, sending her tumbling across the ground. When she got to a knee she saw Takamichi standing where she was. "You..."
"Gah..." Miyuki appeared next to Alma. "S-Sorry, he caught me off guard with a kanka kick to the back of the head. I thought he could only launch those blasts of energy from his fists."
"A costly mistake." Gateau said. "Grhh..Takamichi do you mind?"
Takamichi grabbed his master's right arm. "Deep Breath." He said.
"Fuuu...Aagh..!" Gateau hissed in pain as Takamichi reset his dislocated shoulder. "Fuck that always sucks to have done." He said reaching into his pocket and taking out a pack of cigarettes and lighting up. "Fuuu..." He exhaled the smoke.
"You sure you should be lighting up in the middle of battle?" Miyuki said with an arched brow. "It's not good at your age old man."
"This coming from the sibling of the boy who at the height of his stay in Mahora was smoking a pack a day." Takamichi drawled.
"One, Onii-Chan's a demon with an insane regeneration ability that negated the drawbacks, two those weren't tobacco cigarettes." Miyuki said with an eye roll.
"I figured." Takamichi shrugged.
"So what can you tell me about this purple haired girl you're having so much trouble with?" Gateau said.
"I could ask the same of you Master." Takamichi said.
"Actually I was having problems when the red head with green scales pulled grapples out of nowhere." Gateau said.
"Whatever. I suppose you two haven't formally met, but this is Ryuushin and Hikari's youngest child Miyuki." Takamichi said.
"Oh?" Gateau said looking over at her. "I see, she does have Hikari's build from when she was her age."
"Oh? You mean Hikari-Chan was flat chested as a teenager?" Alma asked.
"..." Miyuki's bangs overshadowed her eyes as a tick mark began to form on her left temple.
"Well yes, it's not like I was looking all that much." Gateau said as he exhaled more smoke.
"But she was bigger than her?" Alma asked gesturing toward Miyuki.
"..." The tick mark on Miyuki's temple grew bigger.
"I'm not answering that." Gateau said with a furrowed brow. "This conversation is making me feel very uncomfortable."
"OK, well there's hope for the rest of your body to grow into itself yet Miyuki-Ch-AN? !" Alma yelped as she had to jump back as Miyuki sent a wind propelled backhand at the Succubus Queen.
"Enough with the jabs at my figure you huge chested whore!" Miyuki seethed, scowling at Alma.
"O-OK, jeez." Alma said. "Man that sure is a sore issue for her."
A magic circle appeared next to Alma's ear. "What do you expect? Look at the people she has to spend time around, yourself included." She heard Yukari drawl out. "A good deal of them interested in the same guy as her, she's obviously got an inferiority complex about it."
"I don't see why, she's got one of the cutest butts I've ever seen." Alma giggled before the connection cut out. "Ok Miyuki-Chan I'm sorry for bringing it up."
"Hmph." Miyuki responded as she turned to Gateau and Takamichi. "Answer a couple of questions for me." She said.
"What is it?" Takamichi asked.
"Are your lives tied to Nagi's?" Miyuki asked.
"Yes, you could say that defeating him defeats all of us..." Gateau said.
"Tch!" Miyuki growled.
"That's why your friend is in trouble...Nagi is stronger than any of us." Takamichi said.
"He did fight and defeat the LifeMaker at his strongest, that would suggest his strength level." Gateau said. "This was after a fight against Primum, the first Averruncus who was no slouch himself."
"I see...Onii-Chan did you hear that?" Miyuki said into a communication.
"I copy." Kenshin said. "Tell Sairaorg he can end this if he takes this fight a little more seriously."
"Rig-Shit!" Miyuki and Alma dodged out of the way as Gateau fired multiple kanka blasts at them both.
"Sorry Miyuki-San, but we won't let you deliver that message so easily." Takamichi said as his fists met hers.
"Krh!" Miyuki growled as she was being forced back. "Your fists are stronger." She said as she started trading blows with him.
"Don't get me wrong your punches still do damage, I'm merely trying to keep up in that department." Takamichi said.
"I see!" Miyuki said as her gauntlets sped her forward toward Takamichi who launched a kanka blast at her.
"Haaaaa!" Miyuki sped through it, increasing the output of wind magic. "Grhh!"
"Hrmn!" Takamichi grabbed her fist with the other hand and twisted, throwing the younger Tsuki to the ground.
"Kenshin, you'll have to deliver that message yourself!" Miyuki said as she landed hard and punched upward, sending a blast of wind at Takamichi.
"On it." Kenshin said opening communications with Sairaorg. "Sairaorg, if you defeat Nagi, the entirety of the Ala Rubra will go back to the afterlife."
"I'm working on it!" Sairaorg said as he was batted back by Nagi, digging his heels in the ground to stop himself.
"You wanna take this more seriously?" Nagi said as he swung his halberd around casually
"Hn? !" Sairaorg said as he looked over at Nagi.
"Honestly if you don't I'm gonna wipe the floor with you when I finally get bored." Nagi said.
"What?" Sairaorg said.
"Is this guy that arrogant?" Regulus said.
"Eh, don't feel too bad though, only one guy's brought out my full power and he's gone now." Nagi said looking up at the sky. "I didn't even use it against Hottan Ialda."
"!" Kenshin glanced back at him.
"You're kidding me..." Evangeline and Yukari said.
"Not because I didn't have to...but because I hate using it." Nagi said.
"What are you talking about?" Yukari said. "Even when we were in the past, you never showed any secret power."
"Because I didn't want anyone to see it." Nagi said. "It was something Hottan Ialda did to me when I was a brat."
"What?" Evangeline said with narrowed eyes.
"He infected me with his toxic mana, basically making part of it permanently dark." Nagi said. (A/N: For the Negima fans reading this, this is canon to MY stories, not to Negima itself)
"? !" Evangeline's, Kenshin's and Yukari's eyes widened in shock.
"I never used it because Zect and Al told me I might be mistaken for a demon, and you got a guy over there who's proof of why that was a bad idea here way back then." Nagi said pointing at Kenshin. "Except for one time..when I fought their father." Nagi pointed at Yukari and Kenshin.
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "It was when Dad was on the manhunt for me wasn't it?"
"Yeah. I tried to talk him out of it, but it didn't work. Eh, worked out for the best in the end." Nagi said.
"So you're holding back too then." Sairaorg said.
"Don't get me wrong, I'll take you seriously when it's called for, but I won't use that magic unless I absolutely fuckin' have to." Nagi said with his eyes closed. "Because I never want to use the power he cursed me with."
"Hmph, then I'll just have to make it necessary." Sairaorg said.
"Hrmn?" Nagi grunted as a small figure appeared next to Sairaorg.
"Is it time?" Regulus asked.
"Yes..." Sairaorg said closing his eyes. "It's like Kenshin said, Ialda Baoth has to be stopped, if she isn't...she will become a threat to the Underworld as will anyone associated with her."
"Forcibly associated, but you're not wrong." Nagi said crossing his arms. "That chibi there supposed to be your power up or something."
"Something like that..." Sairaorg said.
"G-Grrrrhhhh! !" Regulus growled as his form expanded, as he switched to his lion form.
"Whoa! That's a big kitty cat!" Nagi said with a smirk, feeling the power rolling off of Regulus. "Alright Sairaorg, was it? I'll wait for you to power up!"
"Reeeggguulllluuusssss! !" Sairaorg shouted out.
"Yes!" Regulus shouted back.
"My Lion! King of Nemea! Answer my howl and become my armor!" Sairaorg shouted out.
"Balance Break!" Regulus roared out.
"Balance Breakeeeerrrrrr! !" Sairaorg yelled out as the golden armor clad over his body.
"!" Nagi's eyes widened with a wide smirk. "See that's what the fuck I'm talking about!"
"Come on then, Thousand Master!" Sairaorg said taking a stance.
Nagi appeared above him via Shundou and punched down at him. "Grh!" Sairaorg met his fist with his own.
"Haaaaaa!" Sairaorg stepped forward and pushed Nagi backward, he starts charging forward, shoving Nagi back with just his fist. "Hrmn!" He used a burst of Touki to send Nagi flying, crashing into the seal next to Kenshin.
"Heheheh." Kenshin chuckled a bit. "Not so free now is he birdbrain? Yukari, throw him back into the fight."
"With pleasure." Yukari said grabbing Nagi's arm, throwing him forward before kicking him in the back, sending Nagi back toward Sairaorg, who leaped and kicked at his head.
"!" Nagi used Shundou to avoid this and appeared to Sairaorg's right, driving his knee toward Sairaorg's face.
"Hrm!" Sairaorg used both hands to block this.
"Grh!" Nagi coated his fist in mana and punched Sairaorg in the chest.
"Grh!" Sairaorg groaned from the hit. "Amazing, even in this form your strikes still get through."
"Well I'm not the strongest without a reason." Nagi said as the two traded blows.
"Grh!" Sairaorg grunted as Nagi punched him in the chest. "The strongest...I wonder about that, I really do."
"What do you mean?" Nagi said with narrowed eyes.
"In this form, Kenshin has defeated me, it took going into a secret form that does damage to himself, but he still pulled it off." Sairaorg said as he threw Nagi to the left and lunged after him. "Lion's Pounce!"
"Grh!" Nagi held him back with a barrier. "So what?"
"Kenshin's only improved since then. So have I, but if Kenshin and I fought today, he'd beat me without question. It'd take time, but he'd win and that's without that secret form." Sairaorg said.
"Tch!" Nagi grunted as he was driven backward. "You're still using that energy in that form?"
"Yes, I'm no longer holding back at all." Sairaorg said.
"Hrm!" Nagi punched Sairaorg backward and leaped in the air. "Dios Tukuos!"
An ax made of lightning swung down at Sairaorg. "Hrmh!" Sairaorg grunted and punched at it, a massive burst of air pressure obliterating it.
"..." Nagi stared as Sairaorg looked up at him.
"Shall we keep going?" Sairaorg said.
"...Heh." Nagi smirked. "I like you."
(break)
Meanwhile
In an undisclosed building. Negi Ialda watched the fights from a screen. "Nagi's drawing this out, he could take that one out if he wanted." Negi Ialda said with an annoyed grunt. "But I guess it all works out in the end. Kenshin needs his body back before he can fight the Thousand Master. Then he'll show his true power. The power to save or destroy the world." She said with a smirk.
"You're insane..." Negi said. "Why do you do what you do? With your power you could locate and ease suffering across all existence!"
"I'd like a job that has an end girl." Negi Ialda said.
"Talking to ourselves are we? My you really have lost it."
"!" Negi Ialda turned, immediately scowling, seeing the grayed hair and black robes of the Shinigami Yama. "You..." She said with a growl.
"Oh relax, I'm not here to put you back under my thumb." Yama said nonchalantly. "I find you're much more entertaining and useful when left to your own devices."
"Krh, then what do you want. It's obvious we can't kill each other." Negi Ialda said. "You kill me, I possess you, while I can't control you, the Resonance would just get annoying to deal with when it truly binded to you."
"And you can't kill me, because you're just not strong enough." Yama said.
"Yes, it'd be near impossible to defeat someone who went toe to toe with the Almighty himself and lived to tell the tale." Negi Ialda said.
"Well going toe to toe with him is a little generous." Yama said with a bored look. "Hard to know how strong he really was when he wasn't trying to kill me."
"Oh, is that right?" Negi Ialda drawled. "I must say I'm surprised you're working with that cad Rizevim. You know that seal is set to fail on it's own, right?"
"Of course, but where's the fun in waiting?" Yama asked.
"For an old codger, you're oddly impatient." Negi Ialda said.
"HA! Coming from you? !" Yama balked. "Anyway. On to business."
"Yes, what did you come here for?" Negi Ialda said as she raised her hand, calling the Ala Alba off and sending them away."
"I couldn't help overhearing your monologue." Yama said. "You want to break Kenshin, but at the same time you want to see his full power?"
"Well yes. I must know what kind of power he wields and how much if I'm to possess him." Negi Ialda said.
"Well there's only one way to do that then." Yama said. "You need to incite his rage."
"Isn't that the point of having him face off against Nagi Springfield?" Negi Ialda drawled.
"Sure, but that won't be enough. As it stands now, Kenshin wants to put him down to free him from your control." Yama said. "Plus he could free that girl from you, he just doesn't know he has the means to do it yet."
"No...please don't tell me he knows!" Negi thought
"What do you mean?" Negi Ialda said with narrowed eyes.
"Well, I think I'll let you figure that out on your own. Hopefully you do before Kenshin figures it out for himself." Yama said. "That said, you might be biting off more than you can chew here O' Possessive One."
"How do you mean?" Negi Ialda said crossing her arms.
"Before I called you to Makai, something happened to our mutual enemy that unnerved me." Yama said. "It led to my scythe being damaged and the Dark Goddess escaping from me. It only lasted a second however."
"Excuse me while I quake in my shoes." Negi Ialda scoffed.
"For a second, Kenshin's power skyrocketed beyond anything I'd ever expected...and I'm certain aside from me, Ilias was the only one who felt it." Yama said. "It wasn't just the power of his remade body, no..."
"Get to the point before I cast you out of here." Negi Ialda said with a scowl.
"I'm not sure what caused it, could it have been anger, Ilias' or God's presence in the sword...or was it his own power." Yama said. "Whatever the case...his power felt...Divine."
"Divine?" Negi Ialda said. "Are you trying to compliment his power or something?"
"No you idiot, I'm saying his power felt comparable to a God's power." Yama said. "For that one singular moment, he ascended."
"...Hmph, say I believe you. Any particular tells?" Negi Ialda asked. "Only a fool would discount what you've said completely."
"Both the irises will be gold." Yama said, pointing at his eyes. "That's all I have for you."
"Alright, so how goes your other plans. I hear you're trying to organize the other Death Gods." Negi Ialda said.
"Well all I got to so far is Hades, and he was...less than cordial. That and I still need to find a way to jailbreak Hel so that I can have a little chit chat with Hela." Yama said.
"All that power just to take out one man." Negi Ialda mused.
"..." Yama glowered at her. "I'd be a fool not to expect Kenshin to gather the other Primordials sooner or later. Despite her situation, Ilias could transfer her title and power as Primordial of Light. He and they will come for my head to take my power and title and give it to that redheaded devil."
"Hrmh." Negi Ialda turned away. "Well in any case, if I have my way, you won't have to worry about Kenshin, it will be Kenshin Ialda you'll have to worry about." Negi Ialda said.
"About that." Yama said. "You don't exactly have to possess him to gain the Primordial of Life title."
"Hrm?" Negi Ialda turned back to him. "Explain, now."
"Sure, I've got a few minutes to kill." Yama shrugged.
(break)
Back at the peak of Olympus Mons, Zect and Saji traded shots of mana and black fire. "I got a question."
"Asking questions in the middle of a fight? You must be really confident in your abilities." Zect said as he appeared behind him.
"Hrm!" Saji's fist shot back, striking Zect in the face.
"..." Zect was undeterred by this and started trading punches with him.
"This place is supposed to be called Riot Peak, yet we ran into NO ONE during the trek up here." Saji said.
"Ah right, that was our doing. Can't have any bystanders in the area." Zect said as several explosions of power from Nagi, Sairaorg, Eishun, Gateau, Takamichi, Miyuki and Granberia went off around them. "Not with all this action."
"Ah, I suppose you got a point." Saji said. "There is a lot of high level power getting tossed around here."
"Yes...and that's without a few heavy hitters in and of themselves." Zect said as he punched Saji back.
"Gah!" Saji grunted as he was driven back. "Having fought one of those heavy hitter recently, I'd have to agree with you."
"..." Zect watched as Saji flew in at him.
"Delete Field!" Saji said casting off Zect's barrier.
"..." Zect remained calm as Saji inched closer and closer to him.
"? !" Saji's eyes widened behind his helmet as he was grabbed and blasted back with a fierce outburst of mana.
"..." Zect flashed forward and slammed his palm into Saji's chest. "Hrm!" He stepped forward and slammed Saji into the ground.
"Ghh!" Saji groaned. "What the hell? !" He said as he kicked his leg up, making Zect leap away.
"Having problems?" Zect said as he walked toward Saji.
"..." Saji narrowed his eyes as he gazed at Zect. "What the hell happened just now?"
"..." Zect turned and looked around only to feel one of Saji's tentacle's wrap around his foot. Zect flew directly upward, ripping the tentacle out of the earth.
"What the hell? !" Saji said as he was suddenly yanked skyward. "Tch!" His fist met Zect's as they traded blows. "I'm cursing him, but it's like he's not affected!" Saji thought "Is he like that Heinrich guy? !"
"Hrm!" Zect grunted as he kicked Saji to the ground. He flew right at Saji. "Cantus Bellax!" Zect intoned as he landed in front of Saji and slammed his fist into Saji's chest.
"Guah? ! !" Saji gasped and spit out blood as he was sent on a painful tumble. He got to a knee and held his chest, coughing up more blood. "Wh-What the hell was that?"
"I'll give you a freebie here young dragon. That spell just now was called Cantus Bellax, or Battle Hymn. It's a reinforcement spell that increases muscle tension as well as generating a long lasting anti physical barrier. It increased muscle tension makes it possible for increased strength, speed and endurance. To counteract this, it also allows for greater flexibility in the muscles to prevent the user from damaging themselves."
"...That sounds like a watered down version of Kenshin's power of the Elements." Saji muttered.
"Indeed." Zect said. "Except it doesn't improve the senses like Serene Mind does." He looked out at Nagi who was fighting Sairaorg to a standstill. "Nagi's using the technique himself right now, but not to it's full potential."
"? !" Saji's eyes widened behind his helmet. "He's STILL holding back? !"
"That lion tamer lad isn't the one Nagi wants to fight." Zect said. "Therefore, Nagi's treating this like a marathon, not a sprint. I also sense that the lion tamer himself isn't going off at a full clip."
"..." Saji narrowed his eyes in thought. "These guys, just how strong are they?" He glanced over and saw Granberia and Eishun fighting to a standstill, while Alma and Miyuki were just barely holding the edge over Takamichi and Gateau. "And how strong is that Nagi dude that he can still hold back against Sairaorg-San in that form?"
"There's a reason the last war only turned in favor of the Confederacy when we joined the fray..." Zect said as he calmly walked toward Saji.
"!" Saji felt unnerved at the feeling rolling off the former Demon King.
"And that was BEFORE Ryuushin, Hikari and the two time travelers over there joined the party." Zect said.
"!" Saji's eyes widened as Zect disappeared.
"Your Delete Field is a pretty interesting ability. I've never had my Kiriste Aegis outright taken from me. However..."
"? !" Saji rounded to find Zect behind him.
"Hrmn!" Zect buried his fist into Saji's stomach. 'There seems to be a limit to what you can delete...after all if you could take my defensive barrier away? What's stopping you from taking Cantus Bellax or my other forms of counterattack magic away?" He said as he started to barrage Saji with a series of blindingly fast punches and kick.
"Grrhhh!" Saji growled as he managed to defend himself against Zect who now had him on the back foot.
"You try to delete something else and my barrier magic is back and we're back at square one, so what's the plan then?" Zect asked as he knocked Saji skyward.
"Krh!" Saji stopped his momentum and sent his tentacles at Zect.
"...Pointless." Zect said as he batted them all away with shots of air pressure off his fist. "You might be around Shin Tatsu's level of strength, but you have none of his battle prowess.
"Tch! Black Blaze Flare!" Saji shouted shooting a wide swath of flame at Zect.
"? !" Zect felt something come back to him. "Heh, bad move...Kiriste Aegis!" The black flames engulfed Zect, who exploded out of them unharmed. "You give me my barrier back as you're launching a powerful attack? I really don't see the bright side for you."
"Oh you will!" Saji shouts. "Shadow Prison!"
"Grh? !" Zect grunted as shadows wrapped around him, restraining his arms and legs.
"Heh!" Saji rushed in, his fist coated in black flames.
"Tch! Have to defend!" Zect thought. "Kiriste Aegis!"
"Delete Field!" Saji shouts.
"? !" Zect's eyes widened as his Kiriste Aegis vanished. "..." He bowed his head before smirking a bit. "You got me..." He thought.
"Haaaa! !" Saji said as he punched Zect in the chest, driving him toward the ground, where his fist finally tore through Zect's chest.
"? !" Nagi looked over and saw this. "Master!" He said throwing Sairaorg off him and charging Saji.
"No." Sairaorg said using Shundou to appear in front of Nagi and buried his knee into Nagi's sternum.
"Gah!" Nagi gasped out and scowled at Sairaorg.
"Your opponent is me!" Sairaorg said as they started trading blows again.
"Damn it." Nagi grunted.
Saji opened up communications with Kenshin. "Yo Kuroshi, the Fourteenth Demon King is taken care of."
"Huh?" Kenshin looked over at him. "Oh shit? Damn good on ya Saji!"
"What?" Yukari said.
"Saji took out Zect." Kenshin said. "Alright Saji get moving and help out someone else. It's your choice to choose who to assist."
"Got ya." Saji said. "!"
Zect's hands gripped Saji's arm, before one of the slugged Saji backward, removing his arm from the Demon King's chest.
"What the hell? !" Saji said with wide eyes.
"..." Zect looked down at the gaping chest wound with despondent eyes. "...So that's what that was..."
"What do you mean?" Saji said.
"Ialda couldn't completely control me, even with an apparatus, I mean she can't completely control Nagi either, but she has Negi as a kicker to make him submit...this body has been modified..."
"Modified?" Saji asked.
"Yes, by a woman named La Croix. She smelled of death...so she must have been a necromancer from the Artiste family." Zect said.
"So you're a zombie?" Saji said with a wary tone.
"I would gather that is the case, a special sort of zombie that retains both thoughts and feelings." Zect said. "It's the only way I could still be alive after having one or two of the chambers of my heart ripped out. Seems you must destroy me entirely to do me in."
"? !" Kenshin and Nagi who managed to get some distance from Sairaorg turned to Zect with wide eyes.
"A zombie? !" Nagi shouts.
"...That bitch..." Kenshin growled. "She even went as far as to desecrate someone's body to ensure subservience...?"
"Stay back Nagi, I can't promise I won't try to attack you either." Zect said as his wound regenerated. "Che..."
"Black Blaze Flare!" Saji yelled as he showered Zect in black flames.
"I won't let that work." Zect said cutting through the flames and punching at Saji.
"Shit!" Saji cursed as he dodged out of the way. "Well, now I know why Vritra's curses weren't working on you...they curse someone to death...and you're already dead."
"Indeed." Zect said as they continued to trade blows. "Still, I wonder how long you can hold that form up." He said as he punched Saji back.
(Crack! Crack!)
"Shit..." Saji grunted as his armor began to fracture.
"My other self...this isn't good. He's dealt so much damage to us in such quick order and it's not like you've mastered this form. You're burning through power. Even when you've defended the armor takes damage that I have to repair."
"Haa..haa..I...I know.." Saji grunted.
"Hmn, that voice. You're the dragon that was butchered by Indra of Mount Sumeru aren't you?" Zect asked.
"..." Vritra let out a low growl. "And just how do you know of that, Former Maou?"
Zect shrugged. "You said it, I was a former Demon King, we did keep tabs on the world you Devils and Dragons hail from. We just never did much, but I digress...that's enough talking."
"? !" Saji looked around. "Where is he? ! I can't sense him? !" He thought.
A fist tore through the earth below Saji's feet as he was uppercutted into the air.
"Krh? !" Saji caught himself again, but Zect didn't rely on tricks this time, flying right at Saji who crossed his arms to defend.
"Hrmn!" Zect punched right them, his fist tearing through the armor.
(snap!)
"? ! !" Saji's left arm which had taken the punch physically hung limply at his side. "A...AAagghhh! !" He let out a pained cry.
"Kenshin!" Yukari said.
"Right! Go Yuka-!" Kenshin was cut off.
"NO!" Saji yelled out, his left arm twitching painfully, it swinging lazily back and forth from the middle of the forearm downward. "I...can do this!"
"Saji, your arm is broken!" Yukari said.
"Heh..heh..heh...please...this shit tickles compared to those purple flames." Saji said.
"..." Zect stared at him.
"You think...just because you can break a bone means you've won?" Saji said. "I was entrusted to take you out...and I will!"
"..." Zect leaned out of the way and punched Saji in the face.
"G..Ggghhh..." Saji's helmet broke apart. "This isn't over yet..." He growled. "Haaaa!" He flew forward, stabbing his tentacles at Zect, but the former Demon King evaded them and kicked Saji in the chest, breaking off more armor. "Tch!" Saji was undeterred and punched at him, but Zect blocked it with his forearm and kneed Saji in the side, his blow striking flush against Saji's kidney. "Kuoh? !" Saji spat up blood and saliva.
"This is senseless!" Kenshin said lowering his hands and beginning to fly toward the fight as Zect began to brutalize Saji with a series of powerful blows. Yukari grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Let go Yukari!"
"Kenshin, in your current state you can't fight him." Yukari said. "You'll need more than five minutes to figure out how to destroy him."
"His...punches are so heavy! Despite his size I feel like my body is breaking apart!" Saji thought.
"Hrmn!" Zect drove his knee into Saji's stomach and watched as he fell to his knees. "Boy, you can't win."
"S...So what...if I...can't win myself..." Saji said. "It doesn't matter as long as the end result is that Ialda woman's defeat..." He slowly got to his feet. "BLACK BLAZE FLLLLAAAAAARREEEE!"
(boom!)
Zect was engulfed in an explosion of black flames. "...D-Damn it..." Saji growled as Zect emerged unharmed.
"Hrm!" Zect kicked Saji's left shin, breaking it.
"Aaagghh! !" Saji cried out in agony as his back hit the ground.
"...You have my respect boy..." Zect with his eyes closed as he started to fly upward. "Despite your body breaking from each of my blows just now, you came at me with no less tenacity...but it's over." He opened his eyes as his mana welled around him.
"Come, Darkness of the Abyss, Burning Sword. And Conflagration of Misery, Shadow, Enmity, Destruction, and Vengeance. Set He and I aflame, burning to our very foundation!"
"No...!" Kenshin said with wide eyes as he heard this chant. "With his mana tapped out, Saji will...!"
"Yukari! On me!"
"Right!"
"Hellfire Conflagration!" Zect shouts, launching a dark storm of flames at the downed Saji.
However...this burst of dark hellfire was blocked by a burst of flames, pale red, almost white flames. "Ghhh!" Zect grunted as his own spell was sent flying past him. "..." Zect looked down to see both Tamamo and Yukari, the latter holding Saji in her arms.
"Get him out of here, he can't be here if I'm to fight him." Tamamo said.
"Right." Yukari said.
"Che..." Saji growled in frustration as he was taken back to where Kenshin was. "Damn it...I did everything I could and it still didn't matter..."
"It mattered." Kenshin said. "You bought us time, we're getting close to breaking this barrier."
"You trusted me with him and I couldn't hack it." Saji said.
"Saji, you've been training with your powers for about half a year now...Zect has been this strong for over twenty six hundred years." Yukari said. "There's a huge disparity between your levels of experience. Zect has perfect control over his power. You only recently got that form."
"Right, Yukari, there's a vial of Phenex Tears in my right pocket." Kenshin said.
"On it." Yukari said taking it out and pouring a bit on Saji's left forearm, then his left shin.
"G-Grrh..." Saji grunted as his broken bones healed.
"Hold still, I'll heal what I can." Yukari said as she cast a healing spell on Saji and channeled it.
"Don't think this means you can get back up and fight. You're done for the day." Kenshin said.
"Don't you think with you here, that barrier will take longer to break?" Zect said as he landed across from Tamamo.
"It might, but still..you're a Makai issue...and I'm taking care of you once and for all." Tamamo said as she opened her fan.
"You know, I'm feeling a little nostalgic right now." Zect said. "The way that boy stood against me reminded me a lot of how Shin Tatsu stood against me the first time we fought. He knew the situation he was in was hopeless, but he still persevered."
"..." Tamamo glowered. "You were trying to kill his sister just because you could."
"Yes, I admit I was in a dark place. Losing your beloved will do that to you. " Zect said.
"This again? Is that your only excuse for what you did?" Tamamo scowled. "Alipheese the Fourteenth would have never wanted you to do that Filius and you fucking know it!"
"That's the thing about madness...in the moment..it doesn't have to make sense." Zect said.
"Yes well...let's move this elsewhere." Tamamo said swiping her fan outward, flinging a powerful burst of wind at Zect, forcing him skyward.
Tamamo took his back and drove her fist into his back sending him flying to the north. "Heh." Zect closed his eyes with a small smirk. "Good, I'd like a little privacy so we can talk anyway."
"Talk? What makes you think I have anything to say to you." Tamamo said as she flung Zect off her fist
"Come on Tamamo, twenty six hundred years have passed since I left Makai. I've finally gained clarity and would at least like the chance to tell my story before I leave." Zect said.
"Talk as you fight then!" Tamamo said flexing her hands and fingers. "Dance of Death!" She said as slashed her claws furiously at Zect.
"Ggghh!" Zect used his barrier to defend, but it broke on the last hit, opening him up to being batted to the side by one of Tamamo's tails. "Damn...I didn't think it was possible, but you're stronger than before."
"What you fought before was my sealed state." Tamamo said.
"Aahh, so you're THAT Tamamo..." Zect said wiping his face. "I thought you were her descendant or something, I should have known."
"Right..." Tamamo said in disinterest. "So, you say you're a reanimated corpse, brought back by a nercomancer from the Artiste line."
"Yes..." Zect said. "That's right."
"That's not possible." Tamamo said. "There's only one Artiste left and her name is Chrome, not La Croix."
"I know what I heard Tamamo." Zect said. "Maybe one of them isn't as dead as you thought."
"Tch." Tamamo growled. "Fine, after I send you back to the afterlife, I'll find and deal with them as well."
Meanwhile Eishun leaped backward as Granberia's Ares cratered the ground where he once stood. "Heh, you're pretty good!" Eishun said with a smirk.
"Ha! Thanks for the kind words, but it won't earn you any mercy!" Granberia said.
"I prefer it that way!" Eishun said as they clashed blades again, trading slash after slash as they tried to break through one another's guard. He slipped Yuunagi downward and slashed upward forcing Granberia to jump to the sky.
As she came back down she lifted Ares overhead, flames wrapping around the blade. "Demon Skull Beheading! Blaze!"
"Shinmeiryuu Hiken! Zankuusen Kai!" Eishun shouted, slashing his nodachi at her flaming blade.
(Boom!)
"Haha! Incredible!" Granberia said with a laugh as Eishun held her back.
"Heh, I gotta admit, you're the best challenge I've gotten with a sword since the Schismatic war!" Eishun said.
"And you're quite a bit stronger than you look!" Granberia said as she turned her Ares broadside and let Eishun's attack carry her away. She landed on the ground and shot right at the Shinmeiryuu swordsman. "Vaporizing Rebellion Sword!"
"Hrn!" Eishun slashed his sword downward. "Hyakka Ryouran!" A straight line burst of ki and sakura petals fired off at Granberia.
"Grrhh!" Granberia growled as she slashed through it with with her own attack. The final slash of the Vaporizing Rebellion Sword landing her right in front of Eishun. "!"
"Ryuuhazan!" Eishun said turning Yuunagi's edge upward and slashing as he shot by her.
"G..Grhh..." Granberia growled as blood trickled down her left arm.
"Hrn..." Eishun grabbed his right flank and pulled his hand back, seeing blood as well. "You have keen instincts."
"Ghh..." Granberia groaned as her wound started to slowly close. "I could say the same about you. Connecting that attack after the last one on the fly, as if you planned for my attack to end right in front of you."
"You've got quite the pain threshold as well. Attacking me while I wounded you with a technique meant specifically to deal with Dragons and all manner of reptiles." Eishun said as he started striding up to her.
"I won't be taken down by a single attack." Granberia said.
"Neither will I." Eishun said as they suddenly disappeared and reappeared, clashing blades. Eishun threw their swords out to their sides and cocked his fist back. "Oro Gekka!"
"Grhhh!" Granberia growled as she took the punch flush to her left cheek, but was undeterred. "Lightning Sword Flash!"
"!" Eishun barely avoided getting impaled on Granberia's Ares, but was cut on his sword arm for his troubles. He slashed Yuunagi outward in a half circle. "Shinmeiryuu Ougi! Hyakuretsu Okazan!"
"Tch!" Granberia felt like she was being struck one hundred times over as Eishun's ki and sakura petals stormed around her. "Where are those blasted things coming from?"
Granberia charged through the storm and leaped into the air. "Earth Rumbling Decapitation!" Granberia yelled out as she slashed down at him.
"? !" Eishun's arms moved on their own as lightning crackled around Yuunagi. "Shinmeiryuu Ougi! Kyokudai Raimeiken!"
"Hhrrrgghh!" Granberia growled as Eishun's lightning enhanced sword held hers back. "Haaaaaa! !" She let out a roar as flames encased Ares, empowering her blade.
"G-Gaaahhh!" Eishun groaned from the force shooting down on him. "This is my only...chance!" Eishun said as he pushed forward, the lightning around his sword growing in strength. "Shinmeiryuu Kessen Ougi! Shin Raikouken!"
(Boom!)
The area around them exploded as they both flew out of the resulting smoke, spiraling to the ground. They both flipped and landed on their feet, but both also gasped for breath as they knelt. "Damn..." Granberia cursed, her arms twitching uncontrollably."
"Tch..." Eishun groaned as he felt blood trickling down his right flank. "You almost lopped off my arm there."
"Am I supposed to feel bad? That lightning's making it hard to move my arms." Granberia said as she got to her feet. "Hrgh!" Granberia grunted as she flexed both her arms.
"Fine...let's end this." Eishun said as he lifted up his Yuunagi.
"I agree." Granberia said as they both moved their blades into an iai position.
Seconds passed, feeling like hours as they both waited for the other to make the first move. Finally the two shot toward each other.
"Serene Demon Sword!/Zanmaken! Ni no Tachi!" Granberia and Eishun both yell out as they shot by each other.
"...U...Unngh..." Eishun groaned as a deep gash tore open down his torso as he collapse.
"..." Granberia was silent as blood shot out of her left shoulder, around the collarbone area. "Haa...haa...haa..." She fell to a knee as she opened a communication circle. "Kenshin...Eishun Konoe is down...but...I cannot continue." Granberia said. "Using the Phoenix Tear is one thing, but it's like I have no energy..."
"It's the Shinmeiryuu Ni no Tachi attacks. They deal damage directly to the souls of beings like us." Kenshin said. "Heal your wound and rest. You're done for the day."
"Tch...Fine..." Granberia growled as she poured the Phoenix Tear on her wound, but as soon as it healed her eyes rolled upward and she passed out.
Meanwhile Miyuki and Alma were still fighting off Takamichi and Gateau. "Hnn!" Alma groaned as she shielded herself with wind as Gateau fired numerous volleys of his Gosatsu Iaiken at her. "Damn, these blasts of energy are so powerful. I have to get in close and take him down or I'm done for."
"Damn it." Miyuki thought as she was stalemated by Takamichi at every turn. "Takamichi is strong, but he's also smart...he was routinely sent out to deal with the Cosmo Entelecheia by himself. I have to be careful, but I don't think I'm fast enough to catch him off guard..."
A magic circle opened up next to Alma's ear. "Alma, regroup with me. I have an idea."
"On it." Alma said as she rushed over and took Miyuki's back as Gateau tried to pepper her with Iaiken punches. "What is it?"
"Alright look." Miyuki said covering her mouth so Takamichi couldn't read her lips. "Cover your mouth too so we can talk."
"Right." Alma said. "So what's the plan Strategy Sennin."
"...Huh, I actually like that name." Miyuki said. "Anyway Takamichi is the faster of the two of them, while Gateau is almost peerless in his ability to mold Kanka and use it in his attacks."
"Yeah I know. I have to use your brother's Wind Shell technique every time he hits me with those blasts." Alma said.
"Yes, but his advanced age has to have made him slower, also his arm still has to be hurting from that hold Granberia got off on him." Miyuki said.
"So what are you suggesting? I need to get another hold off on him?" Alma asked. "I'm better than Granby by far at least."
"No." Miyuki said. "Just listen...I promise this will all make sense at the end."
"OK?" Alma said.
"If you try and get a hold on Gateau, Takamichi will break away from me and force you apart. He used to train with my Dad and Onii-Chan when he was in the past so he knows how to deal with the power of the spirits." Miyuki said.
"I see...so what do you suggest? Do you want me to take on the younger one then?" Alma asked.
"No. Tch...I hate to admit it, but I'm the weak link here." Miyuki said with a scowl. "Gateau also knows how to deal with the elements because he used to spar with my Dad in his prime...and unlike Onii-Chan and Onee-Chan I don't have the benefit of having gone into the past to get more experience. Their powers went down because they aged back down to their original ages when they came back, but I can't do the things Onii-Chan and Onee-Chan can do with the elements."
"Just play with it." Alma said.
"Huh?" Miyuki said.
"I can't say much for the other elements, but wind...it just wants to play." Alma said. "Don't try to force it. I think your brother and sister both realized this and tried to do just that. Though it was harder for them at times. Just learn to get it's fickleness to work to your advantage."
"Huh..." Miyuki said. "Alright, anyway...here's my idea. I have this skill I use that allows me to swap places with someone, but only if they're quite a bit weaker than I am."
"OK?" Alma said. "How does that help here?"
"You don't use that much power to go as fast as you do, do you?" Miyuki asked.
"So lower my power then?" Alma asked. "Well then you better go all out yourself just to make sure this works."
"I plan on using that." Miyuki said.
"Then couldn't you take out Takamichi yourself then?" Alma asked.
"Yes, but Gateau's not gonna let you get close to him. We need to catch him by surprise." Miyuki said. "Sure you could take him out yourself, but to do that you need to get in close."
"I see." Alma said. "That's quite a plan you came up with Miyuki-Chan." Alma said. "And for what it's worth, I'm sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to make you feel bad about your body...I mean, you're pretty sexy in your own right."
"U-Uhh...Th-Thanks?" Miyuki said with a blush.
"So anyway, we're ready right?" Alma asked.
"Right, when the switch happens get Takamichi in a hold or incapacitate him, your call." Miyuki said.
"Right." Alma said.
"Break!" Miyuki as they kicked off each other and toward their opponents.
"!" Takamichi's eyes widened as Miyuki's armor broke apart.
"Vessel of the Elements!"
"Krrh!" Takamichi growled in strain as Miyuki's left fist soared toward his face, making him block. "Such power!"
"Gotta act! Can't let him think!" Miyuki thought. "Haaaaaaa!" Miyuki yelled out barraging Takamichi with a vicious series of punches.
"She's gotten so much faster! I can't keep up!" Takamichi shouts.
"Sorry Takamichi, but I have to beat you!" Miyuki said.
"I know! Don't hold back Miyuki-kun!" Takamichi said. "Gah!" He gasped out in pain as his fist recoiled in pain. "What is this technique? !"
"Something Onii-Chan came up with that absorbs the ultimate power of the Elements into ones own body, but it has a heavy price."
"I would imagine! It's usually the case with power like that!" Takamichi said leaping backward, launching several quick strikes at her. "Shichijou Taisou! Muonken!"
"Not gonna work this time Takamichi!" Miyuki said powering through them all and laying her fist flush into Takamichi's face.
"Takamichi!" Gateau said before being smacked backward by Alma.
"Sorry, but you're not going anywhere." Alma said.
"Out of my way!" Gateau said blasting off barrage of Gousatsu Iaiken shots at her. "!" His eyes widened after he was finished, feeling Alma's presence behind her.
"You can shoot those off at me all you like cowboy, you're never going to hit me." She whispered sensually into his ear.
"We'll see about that!" Gateau said turning to punch Alma, only to find her gone.
"My speed is only matched by Kenshin-Chan in his Balance Breaker." Alma said. "He's different than the Kenshin-Chan you remember."
"Tch! You think speed alone will beat me succubus? !" Gateau said punching back at her without turning around.
"...I know it will." Alma said with a giggle from his side.
"Tch!" Gateau grunted and turned only to find her gone. "Stop avoiding me and fight already!"
"Nah, violence really isn't my thing." Alma said.
"Then why are you here?" Gateau said blasting her again.
"It may not be my thing, but Kenshin-Chan's counting on me to do this, yet you're not fast enough to hit me, so I don't have to fight." Alma said flying over his head. "Besides, it'd be a shame to bully the elderly."
"Not fast enough hm?" Gateau said before disappearing.
"!" Alma rounded and blocked Gateau's fist with her arm. "That Shundou ability...right.."
"Hmn." Gateau smirked as his free fist buried itself into Alma's stomach before she could block it.
"Guu...ooohh..." Alma hunched over, the punch seeming to rock her to the core.
"!" Miyuki watched as Alma started to plummet to the ground. "Gotta do it now!"
"Gousatsu Iaiken!" Gateau shouts blasting a massive Kanka blast at Alma.
"Replacement!" Miyuki thought as she and Alma swapped places.
"Hmhm...that hurt quite a bit, but it was worth it." Alma said.
"Wha? !" Takamichi said as Alma grabbed his arm and locked it in a painful vice like hold twisting it painfully, locking it behind his back with one hand while her other hand wrapped around his neck, her tail restraining his other hand. "G-Gaahhh!" Takamichi hissed in pain.
"You like this? This is one of my various holds. I'm not just a talented hand to hand fighter, I'm also quite the grappler." Alma said as she kept forcing Takamichi's arm where it shouldn't go. "Your arms seem to be vital to your fighting style, so I wonder how bad it'd be to lose one of them?"
"G-Gghhhh!" Takamichi growled. "Wait if you're here then...?"
"? !" Gateau stopped channeling his blast to see Miyuki charging him. "You? !"
"Yes, Me!" Miyuki said as she punched him square in the face.
"Grh!" Gateau grunted. "Guoh? !" He gasped out as Miyuki drove her knee into his stomach.
"I'm sorry about this, but it has to be done." Miyuki said.
"Don't..ghhh!" Gateau paused to groan in pain as Miyuki grabbed the arm Granberia had in a lock earlier and twisted it after he punched at her. "w-worry about it." Gateau groaned. "I feel it bares saying to one of you before I go back, but I'm sorry for what my people did to your brother."
"..." Miyuki slugged him backward. "It doesn't matter...it can't be taken back."
"Yes...I just felt it bared saying, as a friend of your parents." Gateau said with a regretful sigh. "Hrmn!" A powerful wave of Kanka wrapped around his uninjured arm. "I know this probably won't be enough, but I have my pride as a man to consider, I can't just let you roll over me."
"I understand." Miyuki said as the elements coated her arm. "I typically don't like to fight, but sometimes I can't help myself...and I have my own pride to consider as Onii-Chan's sister and Rook."
"Yes...well then...let's go!" Gateau shouts out as he punches his fist forward, launching a massive blast of kanka energy at the youngest Tsuki.
"..." Miyuki remained calm as the energy around her arm intensified, closing her eyes. "Onii-Chan told me about helping Dad with this skill during his time in the past...he also mentioned that it carries a ton of risk of injury...well, let's see what it can do for real..."
"Grrhh! Miyuki-kun, what are you doing? !" Takamichi shouts. "If that hits you, you won't survive! Even in that form! Ullgh!" Alma silenced him by wrapping her arms around his neck in a choke hold.
"!" Miyuki's eyes snapped open. "Crimson Dragon's Fist! !"
"This is? !" Gateau said as a large burst of elemental magic, shaped like a dragon's head. "Hmn." Gateau closed his eyes with a smile as it roared toward him. "Ryuushin, you raised some splendid children...I tell you a bit about them soon..." He said as he was engulfed in the blast.
"..." Takamichi closed his eyes, tears rolling down his cheeks as the blast died down, and his master was no longer there."
"? !" Kenshin's eyes widened and he turned his head to witness this. "Miyuki...you're using that? When did you...even." He paused for a moment before turning back to the seal with a smile. "Of course. From the moment I told you about it, you were probably already breaking it down in your mind...heh, I'll tell you how proud I am of you later."
"Ghh..." Miyuki groaned as her punching arm hung limply at her side. She flew over to Takamichi. "I'm sorry Takamichi..." She said with a solemn look.
"This was going to happen anyway." Takamichi said, noticing Alma lightening her hold. "It hurts to see him go, but...I'll see him again shortly."
"Yes..." Miyuki said as she raised her uninjured right arm. "Ensis Exsequens."
"Gulh!" Blood filled Takamichi's mouth as the tip of a sword of mana stabbed him in the chest.
"I'll give you a painless death...out of respect for you." Miyuki said closing her eyes. "Farewell Takamichi."
"Farewell...and live long Miyuki-kun." Takamichi said as the sword vanished.
Alma and Miyuki landed on the ground and Alma set Takamichi down. "Were you two close?" Alma asked.
"Not necessarily...but he was a friend of Dad's...and one of my friends in Mahora had a crush on him...and he was a kind man." Miyuki said. "After having to make him watch his master, who was like a father to him die again...I just didn't want him to suffer anymore."
"I understand...Miyuki-Chan? !" Alma said as Miyuki fell backward, landing on her backside.
"Don't worry, it's just backlash from using the Vessel...and the Crimson Dragon's Fist...I've got no energy left. The only thing in pain is my left arm...it's like all the bones are broken. Go check on Granberia. I noticed her go down when I was charging the attack."
"Right, but here." Alma said grabbing Miyuki's shoulder and Takamichi's corpse. They all disappeared and reappeared next to Yukari.
"Whoa!" Yukari said. "Miyuki, you killed Takamichi?"
"...Yes...I killed them both." Miyuki said. "They aren't...suffering anymore."
"..." Yukari and Kenshin both gazed at Miyuki sympathetically. "...I'm proud of you for figuring out the Crimson Dragon's Fist...and for what it's worth Miyuki...the first time is always the hardest." Kenshin said.
"Yeah...Onii-Chan...can I..have one of your smokes?" Miyuki asked.
"They'll be dropping out of my left arm." Kenshin said as a case dropped out out his body.
Miyuki reached over and caught them, opening the case up and taking a smoke out lighting it up. "Haa..." She exhaled the smoke after inhaling it for a bit.
"Miyuki-San..." Saji said making her look over at him. "I don't know what it feels like...losing a friend...or even an acquaintance, yes I thought I lost Hyoudou and Kuroshi, but...well I'm sorry."
"Thank you." Miyuki said closing her eyes.
"Granby!" Alma said as she approached the dragon knight. "Oh god! All this blood, just hang on!"
"Hnn...?" Granberia groaned as Alma healed her. "Alma?"
"Are you OK?" Alma said.
"I'm tired...but I think I'll live now that you're here." Granberia said looking up at the sky.
"Here." Alma said tipping Granberia's head up. "It's one of Kenshin-Chan's blood pills."
"I...I have nothing to swallow this with." Granberia said.
"Oh...well then." Alma put the pill between her lips and pressed them against Granberia's.
"Mmh? !" Granberia's eyes widened at the feeling as Alma shoved her tongue down the dragonkin's throat, stuffing the pill down as well. She sent her fist upward making Alma break the kiss to dodge. "Don't...do that...again..." Granberia said with an angry glare.
"No promises." Alma giggled as she resumed her healing.
(break)
With Nagi and Sairaorg.
"Tch..." Nagi grunted as he realized he was alone. "All this...and I'm probably not going to get to even fight Kenshin." He thought with a glare. "Damn it...he's surrounded himself with powerful allies."
"Hrmn!" Sairaorg punched Nagi in the face sending him back.
Nagi backflipped and landed on his feet. Sairaorg cracked his knuckles. "You're by yourself now. We can call a stop to this now if you want."
"You think you're going to beat me Lion brat?" Nagi asked.
"You've been coasting for awhile now. If you don't want to use that hidden power I understand, but..."
"Because I don't want to kill anyone you idiot." Nagi said.
"Hmn, I understand." Sairaorg said. "I try to avoid it myself if I can help it. That's why I wanted to avoid using this armor, but it's clear you can take it."
"I know...unlike someone around here." Nagi said glancing back at Kenshin. "What happened to him to make him like that?"
"A lot of things that I don't know about." Sairaorg said with his eyes closed.
"..." Nagi closed his eyes. "I see...!" His eyes widened as he hunched over.
"? !" Sairaorg's eyes widened. "Hey! What's going on? !"
"G-Get out of my head! !" Nagi shouted grabbing his temples.
"? !" Kenshin, Yukari, Evangeline and Miyuki all turned their heads to him. "Nagi! What's wrong? !" Evangeline shouts.
"G-Guuuaaahh!" Nagi let out a pained roar as mana exploded out of his body.
"Nagi Springfield, it is time to stop holding yourself back. I need you to bring forth the fury of Kenshin."
"G-Ggghhhh!" Nagi groaned out.
"Kill his friends...kill his family." Ialda's voice whispered. "Let him feel the resentment you feel for him...because he let your daughter die..."
"No...I...I can't...he...they're...Ryuu's...!" Nagi strained out.
"!" Kenshin's head bowed as he heard this, gritting his teeth, finally he shouted. "Sairaorg! !"
"!" Sairaorg's eyes widened hearing the alert in Kenshin's voice.
"End it! Ialda's trying to control Nagi!" Kenshin shouts. "Trust me, you're doing him a kindness by killing him right now!"
"D-Do...iiittt...!" Nagi said to Sairaorg. "Don't...let her...turn me into her...puppet...!"
"...Forgive me." Sairaorg said with his eyes closed before he rushed forward.
However...it was too late...as Sairaorg's fist sailed toward Nagi's face, Nagi reached up and gripped his wrist...halting it's advance entirely. "..." Nagi said, burying his fist into Sairaorg's stomach, through the armor.
"G-Guuoohh? !" Sairaorg groaned from the strike as it drove him backward.
"..." Nagi appears in front of him and starts to brutalize him with blistering barrage of punches.
"Sairaorg-Sama you can't keep taking this abuse!" Regulus shouted.
"Gh!" Sairaorg dodged and leaped away from Nagi.
"You won't get away." Nagi said lunging toward him, continuing his assault.
"N..Nnn..." Sairaorg's armor shattered more and more with each punch. Finally he stood still, his legs wobbly and shaking. "This...man was...still...holding back?" Sairaorg thought as his vision blurred.
"Sairaorg-Sama! You have to move now!" Regulus roared in desperation.
"!" Nagi, who was about to punch him again with a mana empowered fist turned his head to see his arm being held back by strings." He turned to find Evangeline with her arm raised up.
"Are you really the Nagi I knew once before?" Evangeline asked. "Because he wouldn't let someone control him like a puppet. I don't care how miserable he was."
"...Uhhnnn..." Sairaorg fell backwards, slipping into unconsciousness.
"Yukari, go." Kenshin said.
"Kenshin what are you doing?" Evangeline said. "I don't need help."
"Evangeline the last time you fought Nagi he beat without even so much as touching you." Kenshin said. "Then you ended up in Mahora for fifteen years. Besides Yukari's done healing Saji."
"Yeah." Yukari said approaching Nagi, unsheathing her swords.
"You two aren't going to be able to beat me." Nagi said as he gathered mana in his palm. "...Ten Thousand Arrows of Light!"
"!" Evangeline and Yukari both leaped off the ground and flew, desperately trying to avoid
"God damn." Miyuki said watching this with wide eyes.
"What..is this? !" Yukari said as she sliced through one arrow that was coming right at her, before having to pivot out of the way of at least fifty more, congealing together.
"Shit, he's serious this time. Just ten thousand magic arrows is one thing, but to put light magic in them, if we get hit by too many of them, we're screwed." Evangeline said.
"Is that all you two plan to do, is to dodge?" Nagi said. "You'll find I have more than enough mana to outlast you. One of the things that was done to my body was to connect it to Ialda's near infinite mana, because I used to hold her Resonance. Whatever I use will be restored."
"What?" Evangeline said as she created a shield of ice to block the arrows.
Yukari shot toward the ground and started running at Nagi. "If that's true, how are you even vertical? !" She shouted as she slashed at Nagi with blinding speed.
(clang!)
Nagi blocked with his halberd. "If it keeps her safe, I'll bare any anguish." He said with a dull smile.
"That include killing us? Your best friend's children?" Yukari asked.
"..." Nagi went silent for a moment. "I no longer have any choice in the matter." He sent a mana empowered fist at Yukari's chest only for her to counter with a punch of her own.
(boom!)
The resulting energy surge blew the two away from each other. She landed near Sairaorg's unconscious body and quickly looked him over. "Damn...Nagi really fucked him up." She put her hand on Sairaorg's chest and flashed over to where Kenshin and Miyuki were. "Regulus, get out here and try to help Miyuki heal him.
"Right!" Regulus said coming out of Sairaorg's body in his human form.
"Damn, it looks there's a lot of bone fractures." Miyuki cursed. "I wouldn't be surprised if there's some internal bleeding."
"There is." Regulus said. "I'll handle it."
At the same time, the light magic arrows all shot off into the sky and Evangeline flew over to Nagi. "This won't end like last time."
"Of course not. I don't have any garlic on me this time." Nagi said with an amused smirk.
"Tch!" Evangeline growled. "Gelidus Capulus!"
"Hu-?" Nagi was encased in a pillar of ice with a puzzled look on his face.
"If you know what's good for you, you'll stay in there." Evangeline said. "Last time I didn't seriously fight you because of my affinity for you, but that's gone now Nagi."
"Really...that's a shame. If I weren't already married when we met, we could have had something."
"? !" Evangeline's eyes widened, gritting her teeth as the ice pillar started to break apart. "Ungh!" She doubled over as Nagi appeared in front of her, burying his fist in her stomach.
"But I guess we'll never know." Nagi said. (1 )
"That is a shame, but I found someone better." Evangeline said driving her palm toward Nagi's face, knocking him to the ground, then lifted him up with her strings. She began focusing her magic and chanting under her breath. "Nivis Tempestas Obscurans!" She said as she blasted Nagi at point black range with a twisting spiraling snowstorm of darkness.
"...Ensis Exsequens." Evangeline said as a pillar of magic extended from her hand and was shaped like a sword.
"Whew!" Nagi said walking out of the dust of her attack, wiping himself off. "That really packed a punch Eva-Chan."
"Hrmph. Why am I not surprised?" Evangeline said. "Oh well, let's contin-? !" As she was about to step forward, she froze.
"Well?" Nagi said with a calm smile.
"Wh...What is this...?" Evangeline said looking down at her sweaty, shaking hand.
"I should probably mention, that Ryuu taught me all his tricks...and I mastered them." Nagi said.
"..." Evangeline looked up at him. "So that's it, he's using Ryuushin's Serene Conqueror on me..." She thought. "Tch!"
"Heavenly Demon Revival!"
"..." Nagi looked up, raising his halberd to block Yukari's downward slash. "You know, shouting out the name of your attack kind of defeats the purpose of getting the drop on me."
"Please, like you didn't sense me coming." Yukari said stabbing Ryuuga at Nagi. "Hellfire Flash!"
"Hahaha, you use your Dad's blades pretty well!" Nagi said as he was engulfed by the blaze. "He'd be proud I'm sure!"
"Shippuzan!" Yukari said slashing Kazeken horizontally. "Burning Twister!"
When the twisting blaze dissipated, Nagi was flung from a great height. Yukari took off right at him. "!" Evangeline watched this rushed in, attaching strings to Yukari's back and yanking her out of the way as a large ax of lightning chopped down at where she was. "Don't charge in blindly idiot!"
"I wasn't!" Yukari snapped back."I was going to tank that attack with Earth Guard!"
"We don't need to be taking unneeded damage, remember he's not going to run out of mana." Evangeline said.
"Hrm..." Yukari said. "Remember, I can sense his attacks. I can feel his...or rather Ialda's blood lust."
"One of us needs to distract him while the other gets a deathblow on him." Evangeline said.
"Right...I think that second one should be you." Yukari said. "I'll hide you under an illusion." She whispered
"Sounds good." Evangeline said.
"Done scheming?" Nagi asked.
"!" Yukari used Shundou to appear in front of Nagi, her right fist covered in elemental magic. "Elemental Spica!"
"..." Nagi let the punch connect right to his left cheek, but it didn't budge him. "Heh." Nagi smirked. "A nice hit there girly, but as Jack would say...it lacks weight."
"!" Yukari leaped backward as Nagi slashed his halberd upward. "That's because I didn't put my back into it!" She said.
"Well let me show you how it's done." Nagi said cocking his left fist backward, surrounded in white mana. "Haa!"
"!" Yukari launched another Elemental Spica to block the fist shaped column of light screamed toward her. "Hrnghh!" She groaned from the strain. "D-Damn...! This is the power Negi had to defeat in the past, when Kenshin vanished...? !"
"Come on Yukari! You can do better than that!" Nagi shouts as he pours more mana into his attack.
"S-Shut...UP!" Yukari said adding Touki into her attack.
"Whoahoho! That's more like it!" Nagi said with a smirk.
"..." Yukari turns her head to Evangeline and nods.
Evangeline nodded as she felt herself surrounded in Yukari's mana. "I gotta be careful about this." She said as she started making her way toward Nagi.
Sweat began rolling off Yukari as she focused on her attack and keeping Evangeline hidden. "Damn, this is burning through my mana so fast! Hurry Evangeline!"
"Well so much for that. Yukari's beginning to slip!" Evangeline thought as she flew right at Nagi. "Magia Erebea!" Her body was encased in dark mana. "Queen of Ice!"
"? !" Nagi's eyes widened as he felt Evangeline behind him.
"Iaculatio Grandinis!" Evangeline shouted.
"Shit!" Nagi thought putting up a barrier.
"!" Yukari felt Nagi's attack weaken slightly. "Evangeline must be putting pressure on him! Now's my chance!" She shouts. "Haaaaa!"
"Tch!" Nagi grunted as he felt pressure from Yukari. "What the? !" He said as a magic circle appear underneath him before he disappeared.
"What? ! Shit!" Evangeline said shielding herself as Yukari's empowered Elemental Spica roared toward her.
"? !" Yukari saw this and stopped channeling the attack. "Evangeline!" She said flying over to her.
"G-Grhh..." Evangeline said. "What the...hell happened there?"
"Damn it Ialda! I'm doing your fucking dirty work, stay the hell out of my fight!" They turned to hear Nagi shout.
"Ialda?" Evangeline said with narrowed eyes. "Tch, of course, Relocate."
"Shit..." Yukari said, panting a bit.
"Are you OK?" Evangeline said.
"I could ask you the same...getting into that struggle with Nagi and hiding you really sapped my mana." Yukari said.
"We have to finish this quickly, but..." Evangeline said.
"I don't think we can..." Yukari grunted.
"Yeah, if his mana's going to be continually replenished...then we're facing an uphill battle." Evangeline said.
"..." Nagi bowed his head. "I'm...sorry about this you two...I really am."
"? !" Yukari's and Evangeline's eyes widened as Nagi flew above them.
"Dios Tukuos!"
Yukari and Evangeline split apart as a massive ax of lightning tore between them. "Shit!" Evangeline said looking around for Nagi.
"Behind you! !" Yukari shouts flying at Evangeline.
"? !" Evangeline turned only to receive Nagi's fist to her chest, which proceeded to launch a massive pillar of light at her, sending her crashing to the ground.
(Boom!)
"? !" Kenshin's head turned to see this.
"G-Ghhh..." Evangeline struggled to so much as sit up, her body badly burned and bleeding.
"Iovis Tempestas Fulgriens..." Nagi said blasting her with a twisting, spiraling thunderstorm.
When the dust settled, Evangeline laid prone, unconscious. "Bastard!" Yukari shouted.
"..." Nagi ducked her sword slash which unconsciously launched a Katensho
(squelch!)
"!...!" Yukari's eyes widened as Nagi's Halberd stabbed through her stomach.
(crash!)
Then he drove Yukari to the ground. "G-Ghhuuhhhh...!" Yukari tried to pull the weapon out when Nagi's lightning magic zapped her.
"I'm sorry...but...I have to do this." Nagi said. "You..haven't seen what I've seen that Ialda's been doing to her. I...I have to find a way to save her...even if it means doing something unforgivable."
He flew upward. "Man Man Terro Terro: Heed the contract and serve me, O King of the Skies!Come forth, Titan-slaying blazing thunder.Hurl down lightning one hundred times and even one thousand times!" Nagi hesitated to finish his incantation.
(Vrrrrroooommm!)
"!" Nagi was sent flying, losing his concentration on the spell, when he turned he expected to find Miyuki, but instead was greeted with Kenshin himself a stone gauntlet around his right fist. "The seal's still there..." He said.
"You think I don't know that?" Kenshin said with a glare. "But I'm the only fresh fighter left...and you were about to kill her..." He growled. "You really are a piece of fuckin' work Nagi."
"I'm just trying to do what you can't." Nagi said. "I'm trying to save my daughter."
"And you think I'm not? !" Kenshin yelled. "Nagi, I love her! It's been tearing me apart inside, knowing she got possessed by Ialda because of me."
"..." Nagi closed his eyes. "Enough...you jumped into the fight, I assume you're ready?"
"Che...as ready as I'll ever be." Kenshin grunted as he unsheathed Kuroi Jigoku. "You know...if I had reburied Dad, he'd probably be rolling in his grave right now." Kenshin said.
"I know, but if you're ready...then let's go..." Nagi said as he called for his halberd.
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "I say I'm ready...but...even when I get my power back...can...I really beat him?" He thought.
(chapter end)
Rias: How is he doing?
Kenshin: (Opens Draconis' door.)
Draconis: (slamming head against desk.) Almost...Three...fucking months! Why are you so damn slow? !
Rias: (Winces) It's rough that he got a job during an original arc.
Kenshin: Yeah...anyway sorry for the wait everyone, but this is just how it's going to be. It shouldn't be this long of a wait for the next one though.
Draconis: Ugh...yeah... (bleeding from the head) I'll try to be faster. I was also trying to give everyone adequate time in the limelight. Also.
Footnote
(1 ) Draconis: Actually Nagi look at this. (brings up UQ Holder chapter 140)
Nagi: Wha? Wait...then what happened to Arika?
Evangeline: Seriously, I appreciate the sentiment, but I can't help feeling this is fanservice for fans of mine.
Draconis: It still hasn't been fully explained. Maybe you're divorced...or maybe she died? My money's on the second, Nagi doesn't seem like the kinda dude who would just leave his wife for another woman. Anyway
Draconis678 out.