Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Muma Oni - The Succubus Demon ❯ Kouki ( Chapter 26 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Levante01 
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Comedy / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.06.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 172 | Status: Completed
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Comedy / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.06.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 172 | Status: Completed
Totsa and Risa darted for Ryomaru. Hasu transformed quickly into Ryomaru’s wings and he took off into the air, dodging the phantoms as they struck at him. Ryomaru glanced back as the phantoms continued after him. Sato sat on the sidelines and watched as Ryomaru expertly evaded the phantoms. He swooped around the room, arching his body in strange, contorted ways as ghostly attacks grazed by him.
“Is all you can do is run?” Risa exclaimed.
Ryomaru changed directions in an instant, heading straight at Risa. He balled a fist and struck her hard across the face, putting her in a daze on the ground. Totsa cried out in anger as he released a large burst of spirits at Ryomaru. Again Hasu transformed, becoming a solid shield that blocked the attack heading for Ryomaru.
Ryomaru touched down and Hasu transformed into his sword. He let loose a powerful blade beam toward Totsa. The phantom brother swiftly dodged to the side. Risa charged from behind, but Ryomaru was keen to her movements. He sprang fast into the air, Hasu returning to his wings form, as Risa passed under him, ramming into Totsa who had also made a dive at Ryomaru.
Hasu became the sword once more as Ryomaru flailed through the air. He let out three large blades in hope that they would connected. Debris of dirt and bone kicked into the air as gashes cut into the floor. He landed gently and waited for the dust to settle. His eyes narrowed as he saw the two phantoms emerge from the debris.
“It’ll take more than that,” Totsa said. He took a glance to his sister who had blood running down her nose and over her mouth from when Ryomaru punched her.
“I’m far from finished,” Ryomaru said. He was hoping his bluff would work against them. Fatigue was slowly picking away at him. He was on the verge of incapacitation. If only it could end quickly. He didn’t want to bring Sato into it so that he’d be ready for the fight with Kaiban.
Ryomaru raised his sword. The phantoms approached, smiling ear to ear at him. Totsa raised a hand and spirits rose from the floor. Risa did the same, like a mirror image of her brother as she raised her opposite hand. The entire floor was covered with spirits from wall to wall, circling Ryomaru. Sweat dropped down the side of Ryomaru’s face and his heavy breathing finally showed. The spirits were draining his energy before they struck.
A pink aura shot through the room. The spirits screeched loudly as they returned to their resting. Risa and Totsa were surprised by a large ball of energy shot at them. Risa dodged easily, but Totsa’s cockiness kept him grounded as the ball hit. He cried in pain as he flew backwards and landed hard on the floor, sliding across its rough surface.
Risa turned as she heard her brother’s howl. She saw him on the ground and made for him, but Pinaka intercepted her and pinned her to the ground with the blade of her polearm, stabbing it straight through the phantoms shoulder.
“Pinaka, you’re here?” Ryomaru said in surprise.
“Just in time, too, it seems,” said Pinaka, revealing a smile at Ryomaru.
Sato raced forward. “Where’s Muma? Is she all right?”
Pinaka threw back her hair as she looked over her shoulder at Sato. “Ask her yourself.”
Sato slid to a halt. He turned around slowly and peered at Muma approaching from the observation deck of Tokyo Tower. She was bare-naked. Her wings were retracted into the skin of her back. Her hands were completely reshaped, no longer small as they had been, but long-fingered, and her nails growing out extra long. Her eyes were glowing with her aura.
“Muma, you’re all right,” Sato said, almost choking on his words.
Muma stopped before him. She gritted her teeth as she stared at him. All of her teeth were pointy, and her canines were grown out longer. As Sato studied her, he realized what had happened; she had finally converted completely into her demon self.
“We have to go,” Muma said darkly. “Let them take care of the phantoms. We have to get to Kaiban.”
Sato nodded. He whipped around toward Pinaka and Ryomaru. “Will you be all right?”
“Just go,” said Pinaka. “We can handle things––”
Totsa tackled Pinaka hard. Pinaka’s grip remained firm on her polearm and it ripped from Risa’s shoulder as Pinaka dove to the ground.
Sato looked to Muma quick and together they raced for the stairs.
Risa stood and Totsa came to her side to comfort her. She took a moment to cover her arm with conjured spirits, and her shoulder quickly healed itself. The phantoms turned on the demon hunters. Pinaka was getting to her feet now, standing beside Ryomaru.
“It’s nice of you to join me,” Ryomaru said quietly to Pinaka.
“We demon hunters gotta stick together,” replied Pinaka.
Totsa turned his eyes on the demon hunters. “You’ve made a bad mistake telling your friends to go on. It’ll take all four of you to stop us.”
“That’s what you think,” Ryomaru said. He shouldered his sword. “There’s a skill about demon hunters that you don’t know.”
“You mean your kyoshaku? We know about it,” said Risa. “You’ve been using it a lot lately.”
Ryomaru smirked. “Not that. There’s a second ability of the demon hunter that releases our full potential.”
“Um, Ryomaru,” said Pinaka unsurely, “no demon hunter has achieved that power for a few centuries.”
Totsa and Risa laughed. “You mean that ability?” mocked Totsa. “You expect us to believe a lowly demon hunter like the two of you have achieved the impossible?”
Ryomaru’s eyes narrowed. “Fight us and see.”
The phantom siblings glanced at each other. They returned their gaze on the demon hunters and both began to conjure spirits from the bones around them. This time, though, they were more than just ethereal skulls and wisps. Large monstrosities emerged from their surroundings, ectoplasm drool falling onto the floor. Ten large beasts surrounded the demon hunters, hunched over, long arms dragging the ground. Chains hung from their bodies. Horns stuck from the strangest places all over their bodies. They bared their teeth as they feasted their hollow eyes on the fleshy humans.
Pinaka cowered next to Ryomaru as she looked around at their foes. Ryomaru’s expression remained unchanged as he looked passed the giant monsters at the phantom siblings.
“Is this the best you’ve got?” Ryomaru said cockily. “You think ghosts scare me?”
“These are more than ghosts,” Risa mused. She had a big grin on her face. “Unlike the spirits we normally summon, these can do real physical damage to you. You’ve probably heard of them from your text books at the academy, right?”
“They’re the tenetsukirin,” Pinaka said hoarsely.
Ryomaru waved his sword through the air. “Makes no difference what they are,” he said. He knew what they were and fear was evident on his face, but he hid it from his voice.
“Now, tenetsukirin,” Totsa said casually, “attack.”
The tenetsukirin approached at a slow speed. Suddenly one lunged forward. Ryomaru caught Pinaka under his arm and sprang into the air, barely dodging the attack. He turned midair and gasped as green slime flung toward the two. Ryomaru quickly unleashed his kyoshaku attack, splitting the glob of ectoplasm into two; either side of it shot passed him and Pinaka.
Pinaka let out a loud scream. As she and Ryomaru came back toward the ground, Ryomaru spun in midair again to see a long arm reaching out at them. He dropped Pinaka and guarded against the arm, parrying quickly and whipping up his blade to slice off the arm of the tenetsukirin.
Pinaka landed hard on her stomach on the floor. She gripped her polearm as she stood slowly, rubbing her chin. She felt a presence approaching from behind. She glanced back and froze as two tenetsukirin came at her, her face going completely white.
Ryomaru bounded from his landing point several feet away. He spun fast and slashed down the two monsters. He raced to Pinaka’s side, putting his back against hers, holding up his sword. Pinaka, wanting to be as brave as him, held up her polearm.
“So, are you going to use it?” Pinaka asked.
“Use what?” returned Ryomaru, keeping a good eye on their enemies.
Pinaka glanced back at him. “That ability! Were you bluffing about it?”
Ryomaru didn’t reply. He rushed away from Pinaka into a group of five tenetsukirin. Pinaka was amazed as he fought them, able to counter and dodge their attacks. Sadly, he couldn’t land attacks of his own. For being as big as they were, the tenetsukirin were fast.
Pinaka put her eyes forward. The five tenetsukirin that Ryomaru didn’t preoccupy were upon her. She let out a loud scream as she was caught up by one of them and thrown across the room. Jira transformed fast into Pinaka’s wings and easily set her master on the ground. Just as Jira began to transform back into the polearm, a glob of ectoplasm shot at them and hit Jira. She let out a loud cry of pain as the ectoplasm absorbed her and put her to the ground, electricity surrounding the glob.
Ryomaru sprang backwards. A tenetsukirin grabbed his left leg and flung him against the wall. He fell to the floor in a heap, his sword clanging to the ground several feet from him. The floor below him shook fiercely and the last thing he heard was Pinaka screaming just as he blacked out.
***
Pinaka came to, a sharp pain in her chest. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Risa in front of her, a hand placed directly on her breasts. A yellow light flowed around Risa’s hand. Pinaka glanced to the side where Ryomaru was also suspended in midair, and Totsa was absorbing his energy it seemed as well.
“Pathetic,” Risa said in disgust. “For a demon hunter, you have very little spiritual pressure. You’re a mockery of all that the demon hunters stand for.”
A loud crunch sounded through the castle. Totsa and Risa looked up at the ceiling. “Sounds interesting upstairs,” Totsa said. “I bet Kaiban is having the time of his life.”
“It’s too bad,” Risa said. “That boy was kinda cute. I would’ve loved to have the pleasure of absorbing his strength.”
Risa returned her eyes on Pinaka. A burst of saliva suddenly hit her face and she moved away from Pinaka, cursing loudly as she rubbed her face on her cloak.
The energy suspending Pinaka released from her and she dropped to the floor. She held up a hand and called Jira to her. She began to sweat in fear as her hand remained empty.
“You little bitch!” Risa cried. “How dare you spit in my beautiful face! I’ll make you pay!”
Risa threw up a hand, commanding the tenetsukirin that still remained to charge at Pinaka. Totsa let out a cry of pain suddenly as Ryomaru had found a way to attack. Ryomaru dropped to the ground and called Hasu to his hand, who actually came to him. He rushed quickly between Pinaka and the tenetsukirin.
“How come Hasu came to you?” Pinaka asked.
Ryomaru pointed a thumb over to the observation deck. “Jira’s still out of it from that attack,” he answered. “It’s okay, just let me fight. Everything will be all right.”
Totsa had called back the tenetsukirin as he landed on the ground and approached Ryomaru. “You’re pretty spunky,” he said. “You’ve really pissed me off, you know that? I’ll let our creations stay back so that I can finish you off myself!”
Ryomaru gripped the handle of his sword. “So be it,” he said. “I know there’s only one way to beat you, so here it goes! Kouki!”
Totsa’s eyes widened. “Kouki?” he repeated. “Don’t be absurd! You can’t––”
White energy began to slowly form around Ryomaru, emanating from the tip of his sword. In an instant he was engulfed by the energy. The aura slowly began to grow wider. His eyes went as white as the aura. The sword began to grow and change to an odd shape. The guard became demonic spikes that swirled in energy and guarded Ryomaru’s hands.
Totsa took a step back. “Impossible,” he choked. “Only one person has ever ascended. It can’t be!”
“You’re the first to ever see me do this,” Ryomaru said as he relaxed, standing predominantly. “Not even the academy knows I can do this. Now, prepare.”
Ryomaru shot at Totsa with lightning fast speed. Totsa dodged fast to the side and watched as Ryomaru struck down all ten tenetsukirin with a single strike. They shrieked in agony as they spilled their ectoplasm blood across the floor. Ryomaru floated above the ground to avoid the harmful goo. He turned in midair and stared at both Risa and Totsa.
Ryomaru held up a hand and gestured for both to come at him. The phantoms didn’t hesitate. They charged Ryomaru fast. The ascended demon hunter waved his sword fast, sending out large bursts of energy from the blade. Risa and Totsa blocked fast. The energy sliced at their arms and bodies, tearing their cloaks. Ryomaru focused on Risa and charged at her, attempting to slice her across the chest. She moved in time and the blade only cut open her cloak, revealing the tight attire she wore beneath that formed perfectly over her delicately shaped body.
Ryomaru spun back around and targeted Totsa. The brother threw up a quick energy shield that Ryomaru collided with. Ryomaru cried out as a shock of energy was sent through his blade and his body, but he quickly shook it off and bounded back at Risa. The sister was unable to defend herself in such a manner and suffered a large gash on her side. She dropped to the ground, throwing off her cloak and grasping herself in pain.
Ryomaru stopped in midair and turned back around to face Totsa. Totsa held out a palm and summoned energy from the castle around. The energy formed in front of him like a long sword. Now the fields were even.
Totsa and Ryomaru charged at each other. They clashed their weapons together fiercely. Wisps sprang from Totsa’s weapon at each blow and the weapon weakened. Totsa wasted no time to summon more to his aid to keep up his weapon’s strength. Ryomaru came down fast with Hasu, and Totsa parried. Five wisps left the weapon, and five more instantly replaced them.
Totsa dropped to the ground and flipped backwards as Ryomaru came at him. Ryomaru’s feet remained above the floor as he continued his onslaught of attacks. Totsa dodged to the side and gnashed Ryomaru’s leg. The demon hunter ignored the slight pain and swept his sword across the floor, releasing energy that took Totsa off his feet.
Ryomaru came down fast, but found himself being guarded by Risa who carried two ethereal kama. Blood dripped down her side, but she disregarded it as she protected her brother. Ryomaru twisted his sword around, putting the hilt between Risa’s breasts and throwing her into the air.
Risa executed a perfect backflip as she tossed a kama at Ryomaru. Ryomaru swiftly dodged and Risa pulled it back on the white chain that connected it to the other kama. Risa landed and charged at Ryomaru. She placed both hands on the chain and began swinging the kama around like nunchaku. Ryomaru swiftly shifted to the side to dodge one and brought his sword up to knock the other back.
Totsa approached from behind. Ryomaru let out a burst of energy to throw Totsa back. A kama came from Ryomaru’s blind spot and stuck into his left shoulder. Ryomaru instinctively turned back around and sliced through the chain. The kama in his shoulder disappeared. Risa came at him with the other kama she held. He reversed the grip on his sword. He caught Risa’s wrist as she came at him and hit her elbow hard with the hilt of his sword. The bone snapped and Risa cried in horrible pain. Ryomaru flipped her over his shoulder, putting her on her back, and stuck the blade of his sword through her left breast, exactly where her demonic heart was.
Ryomaru looked up as mist covered the ground where Risa once was. Totsa stared at Ryomaru, shock and rage flowing through his facial expression. He came completely to his feet, gripping the otherworldly sword tight in his hand.
“You bastard,” he said barely audibly. He gritted his teeth. “You killed my sister. You bastard!”
Ryomaru straightened and waited for Totsa to charge him. Totsa came at him fast. Ryomaru parried with his sword. He spun fast and caught another of Totsa’s attacks. Totsa released a large flurry of attacks, wisps shooting into the air. Ryomaru brought his sword up fast, connecting once again with Totsa’s blade, and the weapon disappeared. Totsa stood before Ryomaru, shock spread on his face.
Ryomaru held his sword to Totsa’s chest. “You lose,” he said. “Look on the bright side: at least you’ll be seeing you sister soon.”
Totsa placed a hand easily on Ryomaru’s blade. The gesture took Ryomaru off guard. Totsa smiled and said, “I think it’s better this way. Risa and I … all we were, were just lapdogs for Kaiban. We thought that if we revived him, we’d all be equals in global conquest. But all he wanted was to send us out while he just watched. All he did was order us around. I know that Risa’s happy now. I want … I want that happiness too.”
“You despise Kaiban?” asked Ryomaru, almost shocked. “Then why do you fight against us? Why not work with us?”
Totsa smiled. “It was because of Risa. She had high hopes of one day being treated like Kaiban’s equal, once we had dominated Japan. I followed for her happiness. But now we know that it won’t happen, because you guys are so powerful. You’ll beat Kaiban for sure.”
“I’m glad I’m an only child,” Ryomaru said, “the way siblings act together is so weird. Well, you want to be happy, right? Then rest in peace.”
Totsa released the sword as Ryomaru lifted it. Totsa slowly closed his eyes and Ryomaru struck him across the chest. Totsa fell backwards and hit the floor. Mist rose from where he lay and his body melded into the floor.
The aura around Ryomaru disappeared, and Hasu returned to his normal wolf form. Ryomaru looked around at Pinaka as she tended to Jira. He and Hasu walked over to their friends and stood beside them.
“This portion is over now,” Ryomaru said. “All that’s left is to defeat Kaiban so we can go home.”
Pinaka stood with Jira in her arms. “I should probably go now,” she said. “I’m of no use with Jira in this condition. Really, I’m no use at all.”
Ryomaru smirked, placing a hand on Pinaka’s shoulder. “Once we’re done here, we’ll begin your training. For now, we’ll still need you here. We never know what’s ahead and we could use all the help we can get.”
“Good thing,” Pinaka said. “We have a surprise guest heading upstairs to help out now.”
“Is all you can do is run?” Risa exclaimed.
Ryomaru changed directions in an instant, heading straight at Risa. He balled a fist and struck her hard across the face, putting her in a daze on the ground. Totsa cried out in anger as he released a large burst of spirits at Ryomaru. Again Hasu transformed, becoming a solid shield that blocked the attack heading for Ryomaru.
Ryomaru touched down and Hasu transformed into his sword. He let loose a powerful blade beam toward Totsa. The phantom brother swiftly dodged to the side. Risa charged from behind, but Ryomaru was keen to her movements. He sprang fast into the air, Hasu returning to his wings form, as Risa passed under him, ramming into Totsa who had also made a dive at Ryomaru.
Hasu became the sword once more as Ryomaru flailed through the air. He let out three large blades in hope that they would connected. Debris of dirt and bone kicked into the air as gashes cut into the floor. He landed gently and waited for the dust to settle. His eyes narrowed as he saw the two phantoms emerge from the debris.
“It’ll take more than that,” Totsa said. He took a glance to his sister who had blood running down her nose and over her mouth from when Ryomaru punched her.
“I’m far from finished,” Ryomaru said. He was hoping his bluff would work against them. Fatigue was slowly picking away at him. He was on the verge of incapacitation. If only it could end quickly. He didn’t want to bring Sato into it so that he’d be ready for the fight with Kaiban.
Ryomaru raised his sword. The phantoms approached, smiling ear to ear at him. Totsa raised a hand and spirits rose from the floor. Risa did the same, like a mirror image of her brother as she raised her opposite hand. The entire floor was covered with spirits from wall to wall, circling Ryomaru. Sweat dropped down the side of Ryomaru’s face and his heavy breathing finally showed. The spirits were draining his energy before they struck.
A pink aura shot through the room. The spirits screeched loudly as they returned to their resting. Risa and Totsa were surprised by a large ball of energy shot at them. Risa dodged easily, but Totsa’s cockiness kept him grounded as the ball hit. He cried in pain as he flew backwards and landed hard on the floor, sliding across its rough surface.
Risa turned as she heard her brother’s howl. She saw him on the ground and made for him, but Pinaka intercepted her and pinned her to the ground with the blade of her polearm, stabbing it straight through the phantoms shoulder.
“Pinaka, you’re here?” Ryomaru said in surprise.
“Just in time, too, it seems,” said Pinaka, revealing a smile at Ryomaru.
Sato raced forward. “Where’s Muma? Is she all right?”
Pinaka threw back her hair as she looked over her shoulder at Sato. “Ask her yourself.”
Sato slid to a halt. He turned around slowly and peered at Muma approaching from the observation deck of Tokyo Tower. She was bare-naked. Her wings were retracted into the skin of her back. Her hands were completely reshaped, no longer small as they had been, but long-fingered, and her nails growing out extra long. Her eyes were glowing with her aura.
“Muma, you’re all right,” Sato said, almost choking on his words.
Muma stopped before him. She gritted her teeth as she stared at him. All of her teeth were pointy, and her canines were grown out longer. As Sato studied her, he realized what had happened; she had finally converted completely into her demon self.
“We have to go,” Muma said darkly. “Let them take care of the phantoms. We have to get to Kaiban.”
Sato nodded. He whipped around toward Pinaka and Ryomaru. “Will you be all right?”
“Just go,” said Pinaka. “We can handle things––”
Totsa tackled Pinaka hard. Pinaka’s grip remained firm on her polearm and it ripped from Risa’s shoulder as Pinaka dove to the ground.
Sato looked to Muma quick and together they raced for the stairs.
Risa stood and Totsa came to her side to comfort her. She took a moment to cover her arm with conjured spirits, and her shoulder quickly healed itself. The phantoms turned on the demon hunters. Pinaka was getting to her feet now, standing beside Ryomaru.
“It’s nice of you to join me,” Ryomaru said quietly to Pinaka.
“We demon hunters gotta stick together,” replied Pinaka.
Totsa turned his eyes on the demon hunters. “You’ve made a bad mistake telling your friends to go on. It’ll take all four of you to stop us.”
“That’s what you think,” Ryomaru said. He shouldered his sword. “There’s a skill about demon hunters that you don’t know.”
“You mean your kyoshaku? We know about it,” said Risa. “You’ve been using it a lot lately.”
Ryomaru smirked. “Not that. There’s a second ability of the demon hunter that releases our full potential.”
“Um, Ryomaru,” said Pinaka unsurely, “no demon hunter has achieved that power for a few centuries.”
Totsa and Risa laughed. “You mean that ability?” mocked Totsa. “You expect us to believe a lowly demon hunter like the two of you have achieved the impossible?”
Ryomaru’s eyes narrowed. “Fight us and see.”
The phantom siblings glanced at each other. They returned their gaze on the demon hunters and both began to conjure spirits from the bones around them. This time, though, they were more than just ethereal skulls and wisps. Large monstrosities emerged from their surroundings, ectoplasm drool falling onto the floor. Ten large beasts surrounded the demon hunters, hunched over, long arms dragging the ground. Chains hung from their bodies. Horns stuck from the strangest places all over their bodies. They bared their teeth as they feasted their hollow eyes on the fleshy humans.
Pinaka cowered next to Ryomaru as she looked around at their foes. Ryomaru’s expression remained unchanged as he looked passed the giant monsters at the phantom siblings.
“Is this the best you’ve got?” Ryomaru said cockily. “You think ghosts scare me?”
“These are more than ghosts,” Risa mused. She had a big grin on her face. “Unlike the spirits we normally summon, these can do real physical damage to you. You’ve probably heard of them from your text books at the academy, right?”
“They’re the tenetsukirin,” Pinaka said hoarsely.
Ryomaru waved his sword through the air. “Makes no difference what they are,” he said. He knew what they were and fear was evident on his face, but he hid it from his voice.
“Now, tenetsukirin,” Totsa said casually, “attack.”
The tenetsukirin approached at a slow speed. Suddenly one lunged forward. Ryomaru caught Pinaka under his arm and sprang into the air, barely dodging the attack. He turned midair and gasped as green slime flung toward the two. Ryomaru quickly unleashed his kyoshaku attack, splitting the glob of ectoplasm into two; either side of it shot passed him and Pinaka.
Pinaka let out a loud scream. As she and Ryomaru came back toward the ground, Ryomaru spun in midair again to see a long arm reaching out at them. He dropped Pinaka and guarded against the arm, parrying quickly and whipping up his blade to slice off the arm of the tenetsukirin.
Pinaka landed hard on her stomach on the floor. She gripped her polearm as she stood slowly, rubbing her chin. She felt a presence approaching from behind. She glanced back and froze as two tenetsukirin came at her, her face going completely white.
Ryomaru bounded from his landing point several feet away. He spun fast and slashed down the two monsters. He raced to Pinaka’s side, putting his back against hers, holding up his sword. Pinaka, wanting to be as brave as him, held up her polearm.
“So, are you going to use it?” Pinaka asked.
“Use what?” returned Ryomaru, keeping a good eye on their enemies.
Pinaka glanced back at him. “That ability! Were you bluffing about it?”
Ryomaru didn’t reply. He rushed away from Pinaka into a group of five tenetsukirin. Pinaka was amazed as he fought them, able to counter and dodge their attacks. Sadly, he couldn’t land attacks of his own. For being as big as they were, the tenetsukirin were fast.
Pinaka put her eyes forward. The five tenetsukirin that Ryomaru didn’t preoccupy were upon her. She let out a loud scream as she was caught up by one of them and thrown across the room. Jira transformed fast into Pinaka’s wings and easily set her master on the ground. Just as Jira began to transform back into the polearm, a glob of ectoplasm shot at them and hit Jira. She let out a loud cry of pain as the ectoplasm absorbed her and put her to the ground, electricity surrounding the glob.
Ryomaru sprang backwards. A tenetsukirin grabbed his left leg and flung him against the wall. He fell to the floor in a heap, his sword clanging to the ground several feet from him. The floor below him shook fiercely and the last thing he heard was Pinaka screaming just as he blacked out.
***
Pinaka came to, a sharp pain in her chest. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Risa in front of her, a hand placed directly on her breasts. A yellow light flowed around Risa’s hand. Pinaka glanced to the side where Ryomaru was also suspended in midair, and Totsa was absorbing his energy it seemed as well.
“Pathetic,” Risa said in disgust. “For a demon hunter, you have very little spiritual pressure. You’re a mockery of all that the demon hunters stand for.”
A loud crunch sounded through the castle. Totsa and Risa looked up at the ceiling. “Sounds interesting upstairs,” Totsa said. “I bet Kaiban is having the time of his life.”
“It’s too bad,” Risa said. “That boy was kinda cute. I would’ve loved to have the pleasure of absorbing his strength.”
Risa returned her eyes on Pinaka. A burst of saliva suddenly hit her face and she moved away from Pinaka, cursing loudly as she rubbed her face on her cloak.
The energy suspending Pinaka released from her and she dropped to the floor. She held up a hand and called Jira to her. She began to sweat in fear as her hand remained empty.
“You little bitch!” Risa cried. “How dare you spit in my beautiful face! I’ll make you pay!”
Risa threw up a hand, commanding the tenetsukirin that still remained to charge at Pinaka. Totsa let out a cry of pain suddenly as Ryomaru had found a way to attack. Ryomaru dropped to the ground and called Hasu to his hand, who actually came to him. He rushed quickly between Pinaka and the tenetsukirin.
“How come Hasu came to you?” Pinaka asked.
Ryomaru pointed a thumb over to the observation deck. “Jira’s still out of it from that attack,” he answered. “It’s okay, just let me fight. Everything will be all right.”
Totsa had called back the tenetsukirin as he landed on the ground and approached Ryomaru. “You’re pretty spunky,” he said. “You’ve really pissed me off, you know that? I’ll let our creations stay back so that I can finish you off myself!”
Ryomaru gripped the handle of his sword. “So be it,” he said. “I know there’s only one way to beat you, so here it goes! Kouki!”
Totsa’s eyes widened. “Kouki?” he repeated. “Don’t be absurd! You can’t––”
White energy began to slowly form around Ryomaru, emanating from the tip of his sword. In an instant he was engulfed by the energy. The aura slowly began to grow wider. His eyes went as white as the aura. The sword began to grow and change to an odd shape. The guard became demonic spikes that swirled in energy and guarded Ryomaru’s hands.
Totsa took a step back. “Impossible,” he choked. “Only one person has ever ascended. It can’t be!”
“You’re the first to ever see me do this,” Ryomaru said as he relaxed, standing predominantly. “Not even the academy knows I can do this. Now, prepare.”
Ryomaru shot at Totsa with lightning fast speed. Totsa dodged fast to the side and watched as Ryomaru struck down all ten tenetsukirin with a single strike. They shrieked in agony as they spilled their ectoplasm blood across the floor. Ryomaru floated above the ground to avoid the harmful goo. He turned in midair and stared at both Risa and Totsa.
Ryomaru held up a hand and gestured for both to come at him. The phantoms didn’t hesitate. They charged Ryomaru fast. The ascended demon hunter waved his sword fast, sending out large bursts of energy from the blade. Risa and Totsa blocked fast. The energy sliced at their arms and bodies, tearing their cloaks. Ryomaru focused on Risa and charged at her, attempting to slice her across the chest. She moved in time and the blade only cut open her cloak, revealing the tight attire she wore beneath that formed perfectly over her delicately shaped body.
Ryomaru spun back around and targeted Totsa. The brother threw up a quick energy shield that Ryomaru collided with. Ryomaru cried out as a shock of energy was sent through his blade and his body, but he quickly shook it off and bounded back at Risa. The sister was unable to defend herself in such a manner and suffered a large gash on her side. She dropped to the ground, throwing off her cloak and grasping herself in pain.
Ryomaru stopped in midair and turned back around to face Totsa. Totsa held out a palm and summoned energy from the castle around. The energy formed in front of him like a long sword. Now the fields were even.
Totsa and Ryomaru charged at each other. They clashed their weapons together fiercely. Wisps sprang from Totsa’s weapon at each blow and the weapon weakened. Totsa wasted no time to summon more to his aid to keep up his weapon’s strength. Ryomaru came down fast with Hasu, and Totsa parried. Five wisps left the weapon, and five more instantly replaced them.
Totsa dropped to the ground and flipped backwards as Ryomaru came at him. Ryomaru’s feet remained above the floor as he continued his onslaught of attacks. Totsa dodged to the side and gnashed Ryomaru’s leg. The demon hunter ignored the slight pain and swept his sword across the floor, releasing energy that took Totsa off his feet.
Ryomaru came down fast, but found himself being guarded by Risa who carried two ethereal kama. Blood dripped down her side, but she disregarded it as she protected her brother. Ryomaru twisted his sword around, putting the hilt between Risa’s breasts and throwing her into the air.
Risa executed a perfect backflip as she tossed a kama at Ryomaru. Ryomaru swiftly dodged and Risa pulled it back on the white chain that connected it to the other kama. Risa landed and charged at Ryomaru. She placed both hands on the chain and began swinging the kama around like nunchaku. Ryomaru swiftly shifted to the side to dodge one and brought his sword up to knock the other back.
Totsa approached from behind. Ryomaru let out a burst of energy to throw Totsa back. A kama came from Ryomaru’s blind spot and stuck into his left shoulder. Ryomaru instinctively turned back around and sliced through the chain. The kama in his shoulder disappeared. Risa came at him with the other kama she held. He reversed the grip on his sword. He caught Risa’s wrist as she came at him and hit her elbow hard with the hilt of his sword. The bone snapped and Risa cried in horrible pain. Ryomaru flipped her over his shoulder, putting her on her back, and stuck the blade of his sword through her left breast, exactly where her demonic heart was.
Ryomaru looked up as mist covered the ground where Risa once was. Totsa stared at Ryomaru, shock and rage flowing through his facial expression. He came completely to his feet, gripping the otherworldly sword tight in his hand.
“You bastard,” he said barely audibly. He gritted his teeth. “You killed my sister. You bastard!”
Ryomaru straightened and waited for Totsa to charge him. Totsa came at him fast. Ryomaru parried with his sword. He spun fast and caught another of Totsa’s attacks. Totsa released a large flurry of attacks, wisps shooting into the air. Ryomaru brought his sword up fast, connecting once again with Totsa’s blade, and the weapon disappeared. Totsa stood before Ryomaru, shock spread on his face.
Ryomaru held his sword to Totsa’s chest. “You lose,” he said. “Look on the bright side: at least you’ll be seeing you sister soon.”
Totsa placed a hand easily on Ryomaru’s blade. The gesture took Ryomaru off guard. Totsa smiled and said, “I think it’s better this way. Risa and I … all we were, were just lapdogs for Kaiban. We thought that if we revived him, we’d all be equals in global conquest. But all he wanted was to send us out while he just watched. All he did was order us around. I know that Risa’s happy now. I want … I want that happiness too.”
“You despise Kaiban?” asked Ryomaru, almost shocked. “Then why do you fight against us? Why not work with us?”
Totsa smiled. “It was because of Risa. She had high hopes of one day being treated like Kaiban’s equal, once we had dominated Japan. I followed for her happiness. But now we know that it won’t happen, because you guys are so powerful. You’ll beat Kaiban for sure.”
“I’m glad I’m an only child,” Ryomaru said, “the way siblings act together is so weird. Well, you want to be happy, right? Then rest in peace.”
Totsa released the sword as Ryomaru lifted it. Totsa slowly closed his eyes and Ryomaru struck him across the chest. Totsa fell backwards and hit the floor. Mist rose from where he lay and his body melded into the floor.
The aura around Ryomaru disappeared, and Hasu returned to his normal wolf form. Ryomaru looked around at Pinaka as she tended to Jira. He and Hasu walked over to their friends and stood beside them.
“This portion is over now,” Ryomaru said. “All that’s left is to defeat Kaiban so we can go home.”
Pinaka stood with Jira in her arms. “I should probably go now,” she said. “I’m of no use with Jira in this condition. Really, I’m no use at all.”
Ryomaru smirked, placing a hand on Pinaka’s shoulder. “Once we’re done here, we’ll begin your training. For now, we’ll still need you here. We never know what’s ahead and we could use all the help we can get.”
“Good thing,” Pinaka said. “We have a surprise guest heading upstairs to help out now.”