【 Stray Ties 】Noragami Yato x Hiyori

19. Battle on the rooftop

An enemy?

But who?

"We need to get up there!" Yukine's shout made me snap out of my thinking state. "Right!" I ran out of the shrine and eyed the scene that was unfolding at the rooftop. Bishamon was sitting on the back of Kuraha who jumped side to side to avoid falling down Kofuku's house in the meantime he was dodging attacks coming from the opponent.
The dust hadn't cleared entirely, which made it hard to see who Bishamon was fighting against. But she said that we have an enemy. As in, me? Am I included in that ruckus? Was it father?

"HYYYAAAAARGH!" A strong female screech was heard and a loud noise made by one sword-like weapon hitting another sword-like weapon was heard at the same time. Bishamon's shinki Yugiha, the great sword, was forced out of Bishamon's hands by a huge dark scythe. Yugiha shouted as he was falling down from the rooftop as a sword.
"CRAP!" Bishamon yelled as stared at the HUGE scythe before her. And when I say huge, then I mean HUGE.
It was a pitch black scythe with purple decorative motifs that almost seemed to glow in contact of the black.
And on the end of the handle was a tall woman with long wild bright purple hair, with messy bangs that had strands of hair all longer and shorter than the other strands of hair, standing. She glared at Bishamon with clear brown eyes, in the color of hot chocolate, smiling, showing her sharp teeth. She was wearing a black cloak and matching leggins, they too, decorated with purple motifs that almost matched the scythe's and black boots. Her left hand had a black glove on it. But not her right hand.

The scythe was obviously a shinki. No normal being could hold such a huge object so easily as if it didn't weigh anything at all. Which made the user a God. But I had never seen a God like her before. Just, who was she? And why was she fighting Bishamon?

The unknown God pointed her scythe at Bishamon, holding her scythe with her right hand. She reached her left hand out, as if she wanted Bishamon to give her something.

"C'mon, hand it over already and we'll leave!" The unknown God said. Bishamon gritted her teeth as Kuraha backed away from the scythe. "Veena, Kuraha is tired and Yugiha was forced away easily with one strong hit from that scythe. There's no doubt about it..." Kazuma began talking as he was thinking nervously. "There's no doubt about what Kazuma?" Bishamon asked while breathing heavily. "That scythe...it's definitely a blessed vessel."
"Huh!?" Bishamon said in shock as a reply to Kazuma's statement. "C'mon! And you're supposed to be a warrior God. C'mon just gimme it already! I don't want to make more destruction than I already have!" The unknown God seemed to be in a hurry, but remained calm.

I couldn't just stand here and watch a battle occur on Kofuku's rooftop. But I did hear Kazuma's statement about the scythe being a blessed vessel. "That one big scythe isn't the only blessed vessel in the realm of Gods. Right Yukine!?" I glanced at the two blades in my hands. "Of course it isn't! And there's Kazuma too!" Yukine replied confidently.
"There isn't much Kazuma can do in this situation. But there's something that we and only we can do!" I said confidently as I began heading towards the battle in full speed.

The God raised the scythe in the air using her both hands, as she was aiming for the final blow. "Then I guess I have no other choice but to access it over your dead body." The God swung the scythe, showing hesitation, but thanks to that, I was able to jump in front of it and block it off using Sekki in a X shape, protecting Bishamon. But the impact Sekki took on was unlike anything we've been through earlier. A crazy strong wind appeared as the scythe hit Sekki, making it hard for me to hold on to him. "GNNGH" I gritted my teeth as I tried to remain my balance on the ground.

The God seemed to be in shock as she saw me appear from nowhere. "...you...blocked it off..." she stared at Sekki in awe. "Dammnit! That was a strong blow!" Yukine said as he panted loudly. "And the shinki was even holding back!" he continued. "Huh!? What do you mean? Wasn't it just the God that hesitated?" I asked confusingly.
"Not only that, but the shinki itself held back!" Yukine had a surprised expression on his face.

"I'm surprised Elkki's hit didn't damage your Shinki there." The God pointed at Sekki as she raised the scythe away from Sekki. "That must be a blessed vessel." She figured out. "Heh, that's right. But who are you, and what do you want?" I asked bravely. "HUH? You don't even remember me? That's a shame...But I guess you can't help it, we only dueled once before after all." The God sighed. Wait what? I've met this God before? When? "Who are you?" I asked again.
"Me?" She pointed at herself and snickered. "Why, I'm the mighty God Chiyo!" Chiyo!? The scene of what I read in the notebook appeared in my head as I read her name. "...Chiyo" I suddenly remembered, a thousand year ago. I was dueling against a woman in a scruffy grey yukata. And she was using a colorful thick spear in battle.
I couldn't however, remember what kind of God she was. Perhaps another God of calamity?

"Oh and while we're at it, why don't I take it away from you too?" The God suddenly said.
"Take what away?" I asked suspiciously. "You know what I'm talking about! I saw you walking around with it earlier!"
Was she talking about the book I bought earlier? Romance for newbies and losers? Or was she talking about the notebook? "So gimme it already!" The God said and struck another blow. I instinctively used Sekki to block the hit.
"Yato! I'll leave this to you. Sorry for the trouble but it's important she doesn't get near me!" Bishamon suddenly said as she jumped off on Kuraha. Dammnit, crazy chick leaving me to fight with this other crazy chick!

But first of all, I should lead her away from Kofuku's rooftop. I took a quick glance down the house and blocked off a hit before I jumped down. "Huh? Where ya going? I'm not done with you yet!" The God- Chiyo jumped down and ran after me.
When I looked back, I realized Chiyo wasn't moving as fast as before. It seemed as if she had problems running with a huge scythe. "Yukine, tell me what's going on while I run." I demanded. I had to keep my eyes on the road so I wouldn't run into something. "It looks like she's talking to her shinki." Yukine said. "What's she planning to do?" I asked myself. "Well...what are you planning to do Yato?" Yukine suddenly asked me. "We left Hiyori with Kofuku and Daikoku, I'm sure that at least she's fine...But I have no idea what WE should do." I stated as I took a quick glance back.
"What is it that she wants from you anyway?" Yukines question surprised me. What should I say? Kazuma said that it had to be a secret.

But Yukine is my blessed vessel after all...I had to tell him or else he'd be sad that I don't trust him. "Hey Yukine, there's something I must sa-" "YATO LOOK!" Yukine interrupted me and I immediately turned my head around to see that Chiyo had reverted the scythe, and now what seemed to be a teenage girl with white hair that reached her shoulders was running next to Chiyo. "They're starting to catch up!" Yukine shouted. "Crap!" I looked around to think of something to do.

"Let's fight her now that her shinki's reverted!" Yukine suggested. "That's a bad idea, she can always call out the shinki's name again." I replied. "No but Yato! That's a long range scythe! She'd be really bad in close combat that we specialize in!" Yukine's words made complete sense to me. "Yukine! You're a genius! But how are we supposed to get close enough before she calls out the shinki's name?" I asked as I tried to think of a solution myself.

When all of a sudden, a girl with long brown hair jumped out of nowhere in a kicking position aiming for Chiyo.

"H-HIYORIIIII!"

A/N: Finally some action...I wanted to add some more action earlier but it somehow didn't work out :')
I hope this was a good chapter though. I added two new made up characters that are going to play a surprisingly big role in Yato's and Hiyori's relationship. Ooops, I don't want to spoil too much! Pardon me.