Once Upon An Assassination Attempt || Kamisato Ayato

Chapter 9 | A familiar face

UNEDITED

"That's him right there." I glared murderously at the back of the brunet while viciously pointing my sword at him.

"You look like you'll kill him, Kurimiya-san," Ayato noted from where he was squinting behind the bushes next to me.

"I could do that right now." I admired the way my blade shone in the light.

"It doesn't sound like a joke when you say that."

"Who said it was a joke?"

Ayato looked at me in exparation and I sighed, sheathing my sword. "Fine, but I can do it later, right?"

"Do what-"

"Torture him."

"I'm sure it'll be quite a sight to watch his face contourt." He smirked, and I nodded with a grin.

"That's what I'm talking about."

We kept trailing him from a distance, and watched him disappear into a creak between a waterfall.

"A domain?"

"Most likely."

"Let's go in then. Wait, what's that in your hands?" Ayato asked and I looked at him like I was in on a universal secret he had no idea about.

"This is the rice balls and egg rolls Thoma made for me." I held it up like a trophy.

"I see. Good for you. But you really are treating this like a picnic."

"Huh? What's a picnic?"

Ayato shook his head. "it's what people do where they take food and eat it outside..I guess?"

"Oh. We are going on a picnic then."

"That's not..you know what.. let's just go."

After making sure we weren't being trailed, I went on inside after him.

"Commissioner, why did you hire me?"

Ayato stopped in his tracks, his lips curving upwards the slightest bit. He turned around to face me, the sleeves of his kimono swaying as he did so. "A number of reasons. I believe I've told you some of them."

"Yes, but, I'm an assassin. An assassin that was hired to kill you. Why would you..how can you let me stay at your estate, and trust me enough to come with me here all alone even without your Shuumatsuban?"

"Hm.. that's an interesting point."

"Commissioner." I glared at him, and he chuckled.

"Ever since I became the head of Kamisato clan, it was hard to trust anyone around me. I certainly had my share of betrayals, and it was normal routine to doubt anyone's intentions." He looked away before continuing, "There's few people I trust. I don't let anyone get close so I won't be at a disadvantage. But it's.. different for my sister Ayaka. I didn't want her to be like me in that aspect. I wanted her to be able to make friends. And it's surprising, but Ayaka has a keen eye for people. Whoever she trusts, I put my trust in that person too."

"Even if that person may end up betraying you both?"

"If that time comes, I still wouldn't regret my decision."

"What if.."

"What if you end up killing me? Betraying me?" He smiled. "Hmm...in that case.." he trailed off, a finger on his chin. Like he was done thinking about it, he directed a smile my way.

"I'll trust you anyway."

My heart skipped a beat.

Shut up dumb organ.

The first place we entered was a dark platform. There was a cubic mechanism on the right, and after Ayato fiddled with it, a blue staircase formed, leading up to another platform above.

I stepped on with him, and when we reached there, a lot of hilichurls and slimes appeared. We fought them back to back, and when we were done, a new stairway opened up to another platform.

Just how many were there?

As soon as we stepped on the next one, a ruin grader appeared along with a ruin guard. Avoiding the missiles, I jumped up and stabbed it's core, successfully stopping its movements for a while. Ayato then used his vision to make it rain over the area. Small droplets came down and as it touched the ground, camilia seemed to bloom from the ripples. Almost awestruck at the sight, I forgot about the ruin grader who started to move. I jumped up and flung down using my vision this time, freezing it and shattering it's core.

I sighed as I landed, and Ayato smiled. "Good job."

"This much is nothing."

We went deeper inside, and the puzzles were actually fun to solve.

As soon as we solved one, a door appeared, which led downward. I nodded to Ayato, and we both jumped down. At first glance, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary.

Then there was a slow clap. And another.

"I truly do commend you for coming this far," a man clad in black said, slowly walking a little closer. I backed away into Ayato, muttering an apology.

"To think that even the head of the Kamisato clan would come. It is a surprise indeed." He had a mask on his face, and it was obvious that he was using a delusion, from the look of it, it was hydro. Fatui.

"Do enjoy the surprise I have for you," there was a mocking laughter in his tone, and I glared at him.

"What surprise?"

He didn't answer, snapping his fingers instead. The small action sent off the strings he was holding, and that led to a mechanism going off which leaked gas into the room.

"Commissioner, go up right now."

"Kurimiya-san-"

"Go up. Now."

"Now, now, why are you trying to go when you've just arrived? Let's have some fun, shall we?" The man then pulled another string, and the small opening we came through closed.

"Dammit." I searched frantically for a way out, and the only way I could see was by snatching the controls from the fatui Infront of us.

"Shit."

"Kurimiya-san, calm down. Why are you getting so worked up?"

"That." I pointed at the gas leaking through the gaps. "What do you think that is?"

"A strong immobilizer perhaps."

I shook my head. "Its poison. And not the kind you can play with. So I need you to try and inhale as little as possible."

"Oh." He looked as unbothered as someone talking about the weather.

"What do you mean 'oh'? Have you built up a immunity or something?"

"No. I'd most likely get poisoned. And it looks like it's already.." he trailed off, and swayed.

I caught him, but since I wasn't expecting him to fall, both of us fell to the ground.

The situation was bad. Hell, it was worse than what I had imagined. Ayato was out, and considering how the enemy knows that he is the yashiro commissioner, he won't be able to leave so easily.

As Ayato's eyes closed slowly, the harbinger smirked.

"It's been a while, assassin. Or should I say..former lieutenant?"

*************

Dun dun duuuun..
Cliffhanger
Ehe