“Intruder alert, intruder alert! Activating preventive measures,” a robotic voice blared all around the very moment Takumi rolled by the closing front door, bright flashes of red following him as he sighed. He found it strange there wasn't anyone there to greet him. Takumi slipped his phone out of his pocket and stared at the photo of Senji hugging the strange looking dog he’d shown him back at the café, ready to find him at all costs.

 Takumi recounted when the Night Stalker had slipped away the last time. “This is where it escaped to… with humans no less,” he whispered to no one in particular. “That prick must be here too,” he added as Jeel’s image appeared in his mind. The smell of corpses filled the empty hall, leading Takumi to cover his nose as he passed the visible gasses.

He glanced at scratches along his arm that one of the Shiki wolves had managed to make. It wasn’t healing. “Are you scared you may die?” he heard an all too familiar voice sing happily. From his shadow, slipped something onto his shoulder. Some sort of purple bat head stared into his eyes suddenly. “Die, without living to see those visions you constantly have. Will you use me this time? Your Enigma?”

 “Buzz off,” Takumi scuffed.

 “In your current conditions, you will have to resort to drinking blood this time. I sense what awaits you, Takumi. You won’t get through this if you don’t.” Takumi didn’t even attempt to reply, though the Enigma laughed. “Stop ignoring me! I’ll keep talking until you answer me! Go back outside, have a taste of that girl. From here, can you smell it? She’s bleeding profusely. It’s a treat that others will take if you don’t. Turn back around and take her. If you do, you can clear this easily. Like back in the day. Be me, we are one – stop rejecting your true self. Become Alessandro.” 

 “You aren’t me,” was all Takumi said in return. Swatting at the bat, it broke apart; disappearing back into the teen’s shadow. “That squirt…” he tried to ignore Hanami crossing his mind.

No noise could be heard other than the crunching of his footsteps over shattered glass and old waning tiles. There was only a dimming light shone at the end of the hallway. Takumi walked, stepping over debris, noting the shattered pieces of furniture laying around. Strangely enough he came across a tattered pizza box, seemingly thrown about out of place. A moment of looking around didn’t reveal anything so he continued onward, though something else caught his attention.

A door nearby was half-open, soft whimpers coming from the inside. He approached with care in case it was a trap, but as he pushed the door aside and peeked at what was on the other side, he felt sick to his stomach: it was like a dungeon where there was only a thin, dirty mattress on the floor and a bucket on one of the corners. A dark form was lying on the mattress and seemed to have some trouble breathing, and he took a step forward only to step on another loose tile, making a noise that alerted the stranger.

“N-no, please…” it was a girl, young from what Takumi could notice. Her voice sounded as frail as she looked, and he kneeled beside her as she tried to sit up but only managed to turn her head to look at him.

Her eyes were watery but her skin looked far too dry, her body emaciated, the skinniest he had ever seen with her clothes hanging off her arms and legs. “I’m… not going to hurt you,” he muttered slowly. He reached out to move her hair out of her face, but she recoiled as he came closer. “My name is Takumi. I’m here looking for… someone. What’s your name?”

She didn’t reply right away, instead taking a second and successful attempt at sitting up; Takumi was quick to put an arm around her back although it just hovered over her skin, respecting her fears. “Nara,” she whispered, “I’m… N-Nara.”

“How did you get here?” 

A moment of silence passed before she said, “They brought me in a car. It was dark… I’m… from Tokyo” Below the almost non-existent light that bathed the room, he could see there was something on her hand – a mark of some sort. “So she was from the Orinyuu’s region…? Then, how could she have… Those bastards” Takumi’s eyes became bloodshot. Taking note of it along with what she had told him, he heard her add, “Am I alive?”

“You are,” he was quick to reply.

“Where’s mom?”

For that he didn’t have an answer, but before he could even say something her body seemed to give up; she fell backwards and into his arm, although she didn’t flinch at that. Cold, he considered her temperature while his mind ran at a hundred miles per hour. “I don’t know,” he admitted, “but I can help you find her. Just stay awake.” 

Looking up, the girl sent him a soft smile as she seemed to get comfortable in his embrace. “Thank you.” Her voice was but a thin line, and he watched as she closed her eyes and let out one last sigh. He felt her go limp, and although he considered himself to be quite tough his eyes welled up a bit as he gently lay her down on the mattress again in a peaceful-looking position. Despite death not being a foreign concept at all to him, seeing it up close always brought his spirits down along with his guard.

As a last goodbye to a girl he had just met, he took off his warm black cape and covered her, images of his first pack experience flashing through his mind and giving him a headache. Every time he remembered what had happened, how he had lost almost all his friends, rage grew stronger inside his heart to the point where he felt nothing else.

As he left the room, he looked back to the end of the hallway only to notice that there was a bright light coming from the opposite end; he ran towards it and walked into a spacious, chilly lobby. Snowflakes twinkled down from above, revealing the light source came from outside like the gust that continued to blow in from the partially shattered glass ceiling. 

Though there wasn’t anyone he could see, Takumi couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched. From a thick shard, he noticed smoke stir about from which slanky shadows then seeped out into the open, taking the form of the same creatures he had encountered earlier.

He counted twelve as they all came at him, prompting him to dash in and engage. The closest one to him found itself to be hacked aside, but he was quickly rushed by a second one, which tackled him against a pillar. As it came in for his head, jaws fully extended, Takumi boosted himself into the air. Then, like a guillotine, Takumi swept down, killing it before its body disappeared. 

Takumi walked towards the rest of the beasts, noting they were now dashing around him. All of them passed him by and, strangely enough, he could have sworn he heard voices coming from them.

“Let me go home!”

“I don’t wanna be here!’ 

“Make it end!” 

“Humans… turned into shiki?” Takumi wondered in sheer surprise. He thought the Night Stalker wasn’t among them. “Each of those things wanted to return home… Could it be...”

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of clapping hands. “My, killing security, busting into a property that is not yours, getting in the way of my plans… it's gratifying to know you Ikigai still have no manners.” The being strolled down the stairwell, stopping halfway. Darkness concealed his shoulders and face like a cloak. “For that means, your same manners will be returned now, you impertinent pests” 

There stood a gentleman in a white coat. He had slick silky hair that seemed to be a pasty grey and visible wrinkles on his face that stood out as he took three steps down. His glasses were fairly small, matching the description of the factory owner that owned the place before Sango. Phil Dredger, Takumi thought – he could still remember the image he found when he’d done research the previous night. Dredger’s footsteps echoed with each step he took until he stopped at the middle of the wittering stairwell.

The crystalline stairs glimmered with the reflection of the ceiling above; it made the man look like an old relic, ghostly in appearance. The stranger turned over and paced slowly, eyeing the metallic Hachi plate on Takumi’s forearm. A churned smile twisted across the left side of his face. He tucked his circular silver glasses back into place and whipped his arm to the side, and in the process his coat flapped back, stirring black particles around him.

Negative Retsu? Takumi only observed as snowflakes landed on the black fur around his neck. “I didn’t think I’d have to deal with intruders myself, but so be it.” The man licked his teeth and in seconds, floated to the centre of the lobby. At the raise of his hand, lights turned on, revealing the expansive space and Takumi holding something up.

“Have you seen this dog?” The random question threw Dredger off. With no response, Dredger folded his arms, grazing his goatee as he took in the photo Takumi showed him half-heartedly. 

“No, I have not. You didn’t come all the way here for just a lost dog?” Phil waited for an answer but the teen only glared grimily. “Have you…? Are you really part of the Ikigai?” Dredger turned away to briefly check the photo he’d been given of the current Rikuto overseeing Osaka. 

“With all the humans you turned into Shiki, I call bullshit” Takumi glared at Dredger. “You must have turned this dog into one of those things. I know it’s ‘round here somewhere” his voice echoed through the emptiness of the room. “Where’s that Night Stalker? Bring it out here!” 

“Night… Stalker? What are you on about?” Dredger held up the Rikuto photograph but it looked nothing like Takumi, who raised his right hand. The young one brought his phone up as they both pointed the images at each other. “Good, it isn’t Alessandro,” Dredger admitted before putting the photo back in his pocket. “I don’t know what you’re speaking of, but if you’re requesting more security, have it your way.”

The man took faint steps back and dug his hand into his coat; within it, he pressed a button that made a wall slide open. From the space poured out the familiar scent of the Night Stalker.

“There you are,” Takumi said under his breath, recognizing the visible floppy ears.

It crept out, only to back away upon spotting him. Chains kept it in place, now forcing it out into the open, though all it wanted to do was hide. It found itself zapped as Dredger shouted an order. “Get out here and dispose of this pest. You’re the only one left! There are more sure to be on their way!”

“That’s one of the things you’ve been using to capture humans and drag them in here,” Takumi growled lowly, shifting his right arm again. The Night Stalker lurched, coming out into the open where fresh scars could be seen all along its shrivelled body, its face shrunken and emaciated unlike the previous night he’d encountered it. Takumi saw a chip was recently implanted into its now visible brain. “You’ve been testing consciousness transference?” 

“You are aware? It’s been useful,” said Dredger with an air of haughtiness. “That’s what my comrades used to bring in ingredients for… well, you don’t have to know about that, seeing as you won’t be here anymore in a few moments.” He waved his hand as he explained while the Night Stalker swayed in place, casting a shadow over Takumi. The kind of expression it had wasn’t menacing at all; rather, it was one of sadness. “What are you standing around for? Strike him already!” Dredger commanded, though his command fell on deaf ears.

The collar wrapped around the Shiki’s neck let out surges that led it to falling on one knee. Seeing the collar made Takumi sympathize, considering something similar was done to him by the Hachi. Despite the object projecting harm onto it, it didn’t dare attack nor bare its fangs at Takumi. He could see a glimmer of innocence in its eyes. “Please… set me free…”

What? It’s coming from… Takumi’s eyes widened at the realization.

“Please…”

He understood now. “I’ll cleanse you first then.” 

Allowing his purple vibes to pour along his lance-like arm, he watched as the Night Stalker pointed to where he’d need to strike, though it already obvious to him. Dredger stood by, speechless. “What are you doing!?”

 In an instant, Takumi plunged his entire arm into it, curving it upwards through the Shiki’s heart gem while gripping the fur on its chest. Its insides roasted as purple flames blared out through every orifice. Its body toppled backwards, exploding into a cluster of fluttering flames that spread out towards Dredger who in turn dashed about, avoiding them until they died down as Takumi stared at a small dog – Senji’s dog. It huffed softly, “You smell very nice, like Mr. Sen.”

“Do I?” Takumi replied, giving the animal a small pat on its ears as the rest of it withered, leaving only skeletal remains. It deliberately let itself die... it must have gone through a lot. “Sorry, Senji.” Takumi stood over it with a gloomy expression. “At least I found that dog of yours.”

It’d been used. They’d turned it against its will. That infuriated him, sending him into vivid thoughts of himself being dragged out of a cell, certain entities forcing a collar onto him. He wanted to destroy the old factory owner, but had to think level headedly. 

“You’re also holding a girl captive, right?” His voice echoed past Dredger.

“A girl?” The man thought back to the office. The kind of look Takumi gave made him feel considerably uncomfortable.

“She has orange hair, big chest,” Takumi added, doing his best to quell the feelings stirring all throughout his body. 

“Well, I know of someone with that description, she’s in my office. I never tried anything on her, by the way,” Dredger tried to clear up any misunderstanding given the warning look he received from the teen.

“Good. Now bring her out here.”

“Wow, so demanding. Why would I do such a thing now? That’s not happening,” Dredger instantly responded. There was a hint of tease in his tone but he was only hiding his anxiety, as Neifer was nowhere to be found and more Ikigai were sure to arrive soon.

His only option, for now, was to hold Takumi back as much as he could.

-

“Finally, I’m free!”

Himari lifted her hands up over her head triumphantly from within Dredger’s office; the rope slipped along her shoulders as she struggled to untangle herself before she fell over.  After a minute, she helped herself up to her feet and ran over to the camera panels where she saw different Setsus all throughout the factory, one of those displaying Takumi downstairs in the main lobby.

“He… came for me! He really came!” Himari felt her knees quiver as a blush spread across her face. “I thought he was a horrible person, but it was all part of his plan – I have to help him somehow…” She searched for the control keypad. “There has to be a way to use the loudspeaker,” she assessed, recognizing the layout. She looked through the dashboard, it was similar to one of a private home studio and pressed the button to turn on the internal microphone. “Takumi!” A familiar voice echoed across the lobby. Both Takumi and Dredger looked around. “You came for me! You didn’t betray me after all!”

I did betray you… for my own convenience, Takumi thought to himself annoyed yet relieved to hear her voice.

“That girl! Damn it, she got free!” Dredger turned around to take off but turned back, sensing that Takumi was rushing towards him. As expected, aiming right for him with his claws out. “Can someone get to the main office!?” he screamed into the device lodged within his ear.

From inside the office Himari smirked, nodding to herself as she rubbed her wrists one at a time, seeing the marks left behind. She threw the rope aside and said aloud, “Whoever tied me up really sucks at knotting.” Just then the door swung open and a Stray stepped into the office, irritatedly rubbing the back of his neck. She looked past her shoulder, freezing in place and let out a short scream. Grabbing a lamp, she tossed it only for it to be slapped aside by the stranger.

“Sheesh, these teenagers are so emotional and brutal,” he said to himself, waving over to her. “I didn’t tie you up as hard before since your wrists seemed frail, but since you’d like to be tied up harder, I’ll do just that…”

 “Konbasa, have you got the girl?”

 “Yes,” Konbasa responded to Dredger before he launched himself at her. Seconds later, the sound of a whistle came down the hall. “I hear ya, I’m doing it better now,” he sighed while tying the girl up. “Shame that I can’t experiment on you, especially since you seem like you can handle a lot of pain. I’d have loved to try out your thighs,” he rubbed his hand between her legs, causing Himari to shriek.

“Let me go, you freak!” Himari shouted, kicking about. She managed to jam her knee up against what felt like his nose, prompting him to coil his left arm unnaturally around her knees.

“Keep still before I twist these off and reattach them later,” the stray warned as he tightened his grip.

 "Konbasa." A voice made him stop his actions and look up, his gaze going towards Ember who was watching from the door frame. "Leave the girl tied, we're taking our leave at Nithilith’s orders.”

"’Kay, I'll stop by the lower dungeons. I heard some pests are headed through there so I have to leave something for them."

Back at the lobby, Dredger gained distance between him and Takumi. There, he proclaimed, “How dare you insects crawl into my factory and make a mockery out of me!”  

A strange darkness slipped out of his sleeves, wrapping around him into a vortex that started whipping violently from side to side. Takumi only watched and, in a single instance, he saw the being change his physique. His pale skin became pasty, scales forming along his cheeks and replacing the wrinkles. The individual slid his right arm out of his coat and whipped it back, causing the black vortex to disperse in all directions.

It wasn’t until a gigantic shadow formed over him that Takumi bothered to look up, seeing that one of the large vents detached and was about to fall on him. He avoided it just in time as its surface shattered over where he had been before. “Mr. Dredger…” Takumi began as he stood, pushing a scrap of metal away. “Your time in this realm has long passed. Now that you’re a corrupt monstrosity, my responsibility is to slay you tonight.”

“Cocky little child, aren't you?” Dredger retorted, a displeased frown forming on his face. His skin boiled, casting white bubbles around him that floated back down onto his skin and formed sharp layers along the parts they touched. “Gisei, first form,” he announced as Takumi went on.

“Those Strays have been using you for their own convenience, they even got you to merge with a Shiki, disgusting,” the teen continued, his words poking themselves under Dredger’s skin. 

“Used? I have not! I’ve been given a second chance! You, a mere boy, cannot speak of me being used, especially when you serve under the indoctrinating Hachi!”

Takumi scoffed at those words, leaning down. He dusted his pants, then his shoulders and swiped his arm to his side, wiping the snowflakes that accumulated along the black fur on his neck. Black claws elongated out of his gloves as the young Setsu stared up at Dredger.

“You... dare pass judgement onto me…” the man paused. “I have justified reasons that you could never possibly understand…  but I shouldn't have to explain myself-”

“To the likes of you,” Takumi finished Dredger’s sentence, upsetting the latter all the more. "I've heard this all before. Hilarious.”

“When we’re finished you’ll be nothing more than an addition to the production pile,” Dredger muttered as he thought back to the different Setsu that had been caught and killed in the lower floors of the factory. His deranged eyes took in Takumi’s stance; the Setsu had adjusted his left arm behind his back and had raised his right arm in a fencing stance. The tips of his black claws came together and crystallized, spreading up his forearm just below the Hachi emblem on his uniform. His arm represented a traditional lance with three sharp branch-like tips. 

Dredger recounted a stance he had been warned of, if he were to ever run into a Setsu of Hachi nobility. It’s the one taught only to the most capable; he is sure to appear if we are to be caught and the most fearsome threat to your plans, be wary. This very stance was one that the Setsu Knights of the Hachi used. Particularly it was the signature stance of the well-known enigma, Alessandro.

Taking such sights, the man attempted to contact Neifer again, but couldn’t get through. “In any case, I’ll handle you myself!” he spouted.

Takumi remained in place but leaned back as Dredger passed over him, creating a fierce wind that blew his bangs upwards uncontrollably. He whipped his arms in front of his face, fighting against the strong gust. Like a speeding bullet, Dredger came straight at the young Setsu, who shifted his hands defensively by keeping his lance-like arm in front of the other. He barely managed to flip over. He knew Dredger was coming back full circle and with such serious speed, he’d be landing a direct strike the moment he turned around. Takumi’s arms shifted over criss-crossed in case Dredger tried to jab into his gut. 

In spite of his attempted defence, Dredger smashed his shoulder into Takumi in a full blown tackle that blew him back against the marble floor. All of the oxygen felt drained out of him as he rolled, crashing. Takumi slammed his lance arm into the ground, in an effort to stop himself, but it only slowed down through grinding, enough for him to see Dredger’s tail slither in for him, coiling around his ankle. The constriction forced him to wince from the slight pain, and he found himself being dragged right into a pillar that shattered upon collision. In an effort to free himself, Takumi tried to slash at the tail but missed, the constant shifting of the tail making it difficult for him to connect any hits.  

Dredger shook Takumi side to side, smashing him into a pile of beasts’ remains. To his own relief, Takumi finally gained the right position to where he could free himself after he was thrown towards the ceiling. He glared at the slimy orange tail that led straight down to Dredger, and with no hesitation stabbed into it as scorching purple flames blew straight through for his opponent.

The pain forced Dredger to scream, as the other end of the severed tail flopped down onto the ground. Takumi spiralled down towards him, who awaited to snatch him up and claw his face off. Reaching for his Incisor gun and when he came down, the Setsu shifted his right hand into his black claws again. Can’t use that right now, he told himself.

The ground below Dredger sank down as the clash’s force released a small wave, and in that moment, random instances of Phil’s memories spread through the young Setsu’s mind. Takumi swiped his free hand down, grabbing a hold of Dredger’s wrist. Not letting up, he spun back and delivered a swift kick to his jaw, causing his head to twist back as he flopped back. As the man caught himself, Takumi back-flipped away out of direct danger, only to see parts of the severed tail flying into his chest. 

He glanced down to where he’d been struck and saw three holes on his chest; Dredger smirked, having thought his surprise attack worked. The flesh refracted back, flapping about until it retreated and merged back with the rest of his tail. Strangely enough, the teen noticed no blood was drawn. Dredger grit his teeth, realizing he had only grazed the sweat from Takumi’s silver Retsu guard he kept underneath his uniform. 

Dredger slid his hand urgently into his pocket, taking out a small grey box with pellets inside of it. “Now is the perfect time to use my ultimate candy! I will grant you a first look at the hard work this facility has produced.” He popped a single red pellet into his mouth, giving Takumi the same deranged smirk. Strange agonized faces formed along Dredger’s own and spread out around him. The white coat’s sleeves spread out, as its texture mixed with his body. “Gisei, second form!”

His soul was twisting over from within as it glowed through his body, his tail shifting to an odd Shikiniki that was within what he had consumed. 

“Now I’m killing you!” The air in the lobby felt hotter despite the strong winds, and Takumi glanced at the shafts and vents high up on the ceiling. Though damaged, there were still pipelines dangling above that seemed like they could come down at any second. 

“You might want to step away from there,” Takumi advised, but Dredger didn’t bother looking up. Rather, he lifted his lengthy arms up to his side, showing off his wingspan. He slanted forward, as if he were preparing to move in. Takumi looked up again but his opponent still didn’t buy into it, unaware that Takumi had sneaked some of his bats up above during their skirmish. 

The creatures shifted into the Setsu’s duplicates and were coming down on Dredger, with their claws ready to take him down. He couldn’t sense them, due to his new form. “I won’t miss this time, boy!” Dredger taunted. As his body erupted towards Takumi, five of the duplicates crashed down right on top of him, destroying the ground completely. Chunks of marble rained everywhere, accompanied with heavy dust.

After seconds, the young Setsu caught a glimpse of the clones. Their lance arms were stabbed all over Dredger’s body, pinning him down completely. “Did give you a warning,” Takumi muttered with a satisfied smile. “Now, to cleanse you.”

“I haven’t seen Sango,” the being whispered, his voice weakening more and more with each word. “I cannot lose here… All of the sacrifices for this cannot be wasted – I used so many lives…” In the distance, within clouds, he envisioned a small girl holding out her hand to him. “Dad’s here… Where are you going?” Though he tried to reach, Dredger couldn’t grab a hold of her, as she was being swept by the smoke. Her form shifted to that of a woman, but he could only see her silhouette. Shadowy arms formed, grabbing her and hauling her away as she screamed out to him to no avail. “Get away from her!” The silhouette faded, as did the visions he was having. In the reflection of his glasses, a pair of boots drew closer.

Takumi stopped in front of Dredger, his fingers bent about with each crack almost done in a taunting manner. He lifted his right hand over his head, and his eyes brightened. A soft flow of purple flames flickered along his irises, fluttering into small bats that tagged themselves along Dredger’s body.

“It’s better this way,” Takumi said softly. The phrase made Dredger remember someone who once said the same. Those words echoed repeatedly throughout his head, enraging him all the more.

You’re allowing it all to slip through your fingers once again, are you not?

The voice became louder and louder in his mind, reminding him of all his mistakes. “I’m not...”

Someone always stands in your way. You couldn’t protect Gekka, you failed your daughter, everything you worked for destroyed because you can't protect anything.

“No! It was because of all of those Rikutos!”

You’re a failure even now, nothing has changed, all of those sacrifices for nothing! It eventually faded as Takumi swiped the tips of his claws for the back of Dredger’s neck, but to his shock something blocked the deadly blow, forcing him to dive backwards in pain. When he glanced down, blood rolled down his fingers as the claws were now missing.

“What…?” The blood flowing out of Takumi’s fingers shifted to black, and his fingertips felt as if they were festering. He swiped his hand aside in an effort to grow them back, but it was futile. From the cleared mist, Geira swooped down, landing on the shell that formed over Dredger before it slipped back into the ground. “What’s she doing here…”

Seeing the enemy Haruna had been fighting only meant one thing. 

Takumi recalled her cheery smile, leading him to sigh. “That squirt actually failed…”

“Sir?” The Stray knelt and put two digits to Dredger’s neck; he was unresponsive though not dead. The flames that were on him forced Geira’s hand away however, as she couldn’t touch without dealing with the incinerating after effects. She watched the skin of her palm boil, before healing. “He’s under some sort of Yaire.” She noticed the corners of the seal on his skin beginning to crumble into black ash. That boy is looking to break the souls seal… if he does that, then the factory will be lost. I can’t let that happen. Geira’s pink dreadlocks swung over her shoulder, the golden locks each split into chattering mouths and chattered pulling the flames in to stop the cleansing.

That bitch... Takumi growled. She’s trying to stop the cleansing process. “Do you really think I’m going to let you do that? I have basketball practice tonight, school tomorrow… don’t waste my time.” He tightened his hand into a fist, causing more blood to pour out. “My bare hands are enough to end you.”

Takumi dashed in for her as he saw her hop in front of the crater Dredger was in. The closer he drew, the stronger Haruna’s scent grew. It was all over Geira, especially hair strands between her fingernails. 

“You killed that girl out there, didn’t you?” Takumi attempted to grab the stray, who moved out of his way. “I’ll need your head as proof I didn’t kill her myself!”

“Hm?” is all she mustered, aiming her claws at him. Suddenly she felt her lower body stop. “When did h-” She saw monstrous bats growing in size as the flames blew her hair up, forcing her to her knees. The sheer force was enough to blow one of her beads right out of her hair as Takumi reached her and jammed his fist across her cheek. Her helmet arched as he followed up with a smack, sending her body across the lobby. 

There’s no telling what’ll happen now. Takumi thought of Haruna earlier that night, as he walked over with the intention of killing Geira at once before he paused. Her head ended up twisted over like a doll, yet she leaned over snapping it back into place. He let out a deep breath in frustration and glanced over to Dredger, but to his annoyance, a new shell harboured over him, clearly eating away at the flames that Takumi cast to break his seal.

Takumi’s thoughts went to Shiro, worrying for a moment before leaving it at the back of his head. He quickly went over what he could do to destroy the Stray. Feltros C… but that’s a trap she won’t fall for again. He swiftly took off for a slanted wall of crates amongst the piles of ceiling chunks that surrounded her, though when he peeked, she simply stood in place.

Slipping his hand to the back of his belt, he felt wires wrap along his finger. Takumi jumped over onto the crate and at that instance Geira ducked low, feeling the slew of wires rotate down as some parted from the original shot. The objects tore into her thighs, while others grazed her arms. She dove around, avoiding the pursuing cables that whipped about; Takumi balanced himself as he jumped from coil to coil above her, gaining momentum.

All I have to do is keep him busy, but this Woshu… She found her movements limiting, thanks to the injury on her thigh – the wires had somehow fed on her blood.

Takumi tried to calculate how to use the Retsu as he spun keeping an eye on her, but every step he took drained those from him. With a final dive from the top, he landed at the centre and held out his hand. Purple flames spread out, taking the form of a variation of screeching bats, yet they resembled ferocious beasts that desperately plummeted right for the owner of the blood they’d just tasted. 

 Seeing such pure destructive forces coming in, Geira slammed her fingers into the ground, forcing chunks to thrash against them; her plan failed however, as she saw the wires around her zipped inward, pinning her to the very rock wall she’d made. She felt them carving into her back, the monstrous entities surrounding her draining more of her blood. Suddenly, they blew away as she dropped to her knees and a sharp shell formed around her. 

“Tch,” Takumi scoffed. Again, she’s using that thing. “Guess there’s no point.” Takumi’s fangs slipped past his lips. Rumbling came from the ground, and then he felt Geira’s fist right to his chin. The shell dome below was shattered by a long rod she’d formed and used to propel herself straight for the young Setsu. On impact, Takumi burst into flames that blinded the stray as she felt something coil along her neck – it had been a duplicate she struck. Though she tried to jump away, she found herself plummeting.

She was hanging mid-air, supporting herself only by pulling herself up towards the wires. Blood trickled from palms the more she struggled.

“For killing that girl, I said I’d be having your head!”