Even with the threat right before him, Lucario hesitated in his judgment.

In his original world, he had barely any opportunity to truly experience mortal peril. A certain lofty existence granted a rather tedious tranquility. Battling alongside Shirona against challengers, even when defeated he only felt frustration - mostly just regret at failing to defend his champion status.

But since coming here, something felt different. He recalled the old man seated atop that black sphere. A lingering sense of dread remained. No matter how many openings he could find, some primal instinct warned him. Every part of him beyond pure reason urged fleeing with Shirona immediately.

He sensed a similar feeling from the woman now approaching. Prioritize your own life. He should have heeded his master's directive first and foremost. This time, he ought to retreat obediently. And yet.

"But y'know, I'm not too confident about this..." She twirled her sword lazily with one hand.

Lucario took a cautious step back.

In contrast, Kimura lightly applauded. "Daaamn, that's brutal. Hardcore stuff right there. Not sure I wanna mess with that."

The other two also brandished their black blades.

"They got swords, huh?"

"Guess it's swords, then."

"Oooh, a sword fight, awesome!"

The sunglasses trio stepped forward. Lucario moved to stop them, then reconsidered. Perhaps he was being overly cautious. If everyone here cooperated, they could mitigate the threat together. Eliminate any danger to Shirona and Anzu.

The beast-eared woman's expression went blank. Tilting her head, she eyed the trio taking their stances. Her gaze had clearly turned icy cold.

"Those will be your final words?"

Kimura raised his blade overhead. "Hah? Here goes nothing. Gotta make it snappy though." Grinning, he tensed his arms as she cocked her head.

In that instant, Lucario leapt forward. Save them all.

Not that he felt compelled to protect them no matter what. They had once been Shirona's adversaries, even injuring her. Yet they had never treated Lucario himself poorly.

He did appreciate any praise. Though frustrated by demands to teach them moves, a little instruction was still tolerable. So until then, he had wanted them to live.

"Secret technique...Tsubame Gaeshi!"

Slash!

Lucario was showered in blood. The blade deftly avoided slicing his paw pads. Despite being far swifter than the Hannya beasts he'd fought earlier, she still held enough restraint to alter its trajectory midway.

"Oh?"

Kimura toppled forward. Just his upper body at first. When his lower half hit the ground, his severed head rolled free.

On reflex, Lucario put distance between them. An overwhelming dread far beyond any thought of vengeance compelled him to retreat.

The woman slurped up Kimura's brain matter, covering her mouth in apparent distaste. Her tongue peeked through parted fingers as she delicately spat out what she'd been trying to chew.

"Can't eat that, I'm afraid." Her eyes seemed to glint.

Sensing killing intent, Lucario instinctively unleashed Psychokinesis. Fundamentally, he considered his teammates as equals. He had built a relationship of mutual striving alongside Garchomp in particular.

Yet there was still one ally and mentor - Mikaruge, who had helped train him against his Psychic-type weakness by teaching him those moves. Using one defensively seemed the wisest choice in that moment.

So the damage was minimal.

Half his vision went dark. With his remaining eye, he watched.

Hara’s  neck twisted and was torn off. The nape of Taira’s exploded, the gash spreading across his back.

Both had their Gantz suit meters shattered, broken as if by some internal impact. A gel-like liquid oozed from the ruptured hollow at their throats, mixing with spreading blood pools in an unnatural hue.

"Mmm...delicious..." The woman licked her lips lewdly, no longer covering her mouth. She placed Lucario's right eye on her moist, fleshy tongue. Then slipped the blond man's index and thumb into her mouth as well. The tails trailing from her kimono's hem had multiplied to four.

***

There were no flashbacks.

Even on the brink of death, he had no rush of memories flitting by. In the end, such rumored experiences lacked basis, the bespectacled man decided as he averted his mind from reality.

Ending. Ended. He was practically dead already. Eyeing the beastly figure with its shoulder-mounted club, he could only weep. How could he defeat such a thing?

The X-Gun he had been holding lay sideways on the ground nearby. He felt utterly drained of strength, uncertain when he'd even dropped it.

Slumped over, he could only gaze upward and await the final moment.

"Kyuuuuuu!"

At the piercing cry, a white blur streaked in from the side, detonating against the Tengu fiend and blasting it away.

"Eh...?"

The bespectacled man blinked, feeling strength return to his legs.

It was a lifeform he had never seen. Clearly some avian species, yet with an appearance unlike any known bird - large round eyes, three red-white-blue crests. White wings motionless despite hovering.

"Kyukyuu!"

It seemed desperately trying to convey something, gesturing with its wing tips towards its back.

His dazed mind snapped alert at the approaching footsteps. The Tengu monster appeared completely unharmed, merely scowling as it charged forward.

"Hiii!"

The bespectacled man cried out, hastily clambering onto the bird's back. It took flight immediately in seeming understanding of his desperation. He gaped in astonishment at the receding horror below.

What was this creature? An alien? But why had it saved him?

Relief at surviving spurred his thoughts onwards. Come to think of it, there had been other non-human beings in that room too. Could this be one of their allies?

But he could ponder no further, for beating wings sounded from behind them.

"Uwaaah!"

"Kyuu!?"

The bespectacled man joined the bird in a terrified scream. The Tengu was also airborne, flapping its massive wings furiously in pursuit.

"Faster! Go faster! It's catching up!"

"Kyukyuu, kyuiiii!"

"No time for squawking, speed up!"

"Kyuuuuu!"

"Gah, won't do any good. I'll have to...try and...hit it somehow!"

"Kyui!"

A sphere of light began forming at the bird's taloned feet. Bluish-white, just like a famous manga technique, the bespectacled man noted with rising hope as he tracked its trajectory, only for it to veer wildly off-target.

"What are you doing damn bird!?"

"Kyuikyui!"

Gritting his teeth, the bespectacled man clung on as the bird bobbed erratically, screeching.

It hadn't unseated him after all. The glowing orb arced in an impossibly tight curve to strike the Tengu squarely on the head.

It paused briefly before accelerating once more.

"Dammit, no effect! Need...a stronger move..."

"Kyuu? Kyuuuuuu!"

"Why're you yelling at me?! Not the time for-"

Another bellow sounded, cutting him off. A sidelong glance showed the Tengu's furious visage drawing inexorably nearer. Its club would soon be in range to batter them.

The bespectacled man’s consciousness wavered. Beaten to death by that weapon, or leap clear to a swifter end? He felt trapped in the ultimate dilemma. Driven to this brink, yet still unable to choose, disgusted at himself for clinging so desperately to life despite achieving nothing.

BOOM!

Then came a thunderous crack. Squinting, he saw the Tengu staggering, one wing scorched black. The hovering bird looked rather smug, sparks still arcing from its talons.

"You...you can do..."

"Kyuu."

It winked back cockily.

The bespectacled man huffed out a disbelieving breath.

"Amazing! Lightning too...you're something else, you know that?" He was seized by curiosity over what other powers it possessed.

The Tengu rapidly descended almost to ground level, very nearly crashing outright. While its torso seemed quite sturdy, its wings were evidently more vulnerable - the bird had precisely targeted them. The bespectacled man felt an urge to pat its head in gratitude as his life's savior.

“Grah!” The Tengu roared in evident pain. Its illuminated necklace beads swayed as it extended its club-free hand, index finger pointed squarely at the bird. Crazed eyes shining bright.

The bespectacled man felt an immense, floating sensation. Straining against the turbulence, he looked left.

"Aah! No, not-"

"Gyu..."

The bird that had rescued him let out a choked cry. Its left wing was bent unnaturally, as if crushed by some invisible force. He was already tumbling from its back as it plummeted helplessly earthward.

Being slammed into the ground from such heights, how agonizing would that be? Perhaps swifter death would be a mercy at this point. Should he angle headfirst?

But before completing that grim thought, the ground filled his vision. He rolled violently across its hard, uneven surface, disoriented by impact sensations from every direction. Once able to register his surroundings again, he realized he had somehow emerged essentially unscathed.

"Heh..."

The hollow areas around his neck and torso were oozing liquid. He felt his suit growing thinner, his body abruptly becoming heavier.

This was definitely not heaven, that much was certain. The bird's presence nearby, struggling to stand, proved that.

He rushed over in a panic. Other than its wing, it didn't seem to have suffered any major injuries.

"What do I do...a hospital, an animal hospital..."

The items it had been carrying were also scattered about. There was even a strange red ball rolling around. But it didn't seem useful. What was needed now were medical supplies.

The bird tried to move, attempting to fold its wings together despite the obvious pain. He wanted it to stop. He couldn't bear to see its pitiful state any longer. Especially after it had saved his life. But he didn't know what to do. His smartphone for making calls was also lost somewhere.

So focused on the bird, he was late to notice they were surrounded.

"Don't move!"

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