Chapter 23: Battling forefront
"Come back here you little piece of shit!"
"F*ck off already you potter freak!"
Within the crowd full of soldiers and demons fighting each other, a boar headed man and a redhead is running through them as they were chased after by a man stuck inside a flower pot decorated in flora patterns all over it. They weren't chased directly by the man, instead flying fishes and land fish with deadly consequences.
"I will get you. Sooner or later." Gyokko smiles with confidence
"I don't want any of your bullshit Potter!"
"Too late now."
"Pottery magic: Water basin of hell."
As Inosuke was weaving through the crowds, he sensed a new danger. He sensed something cold wrapping his feet. He knew he was trapped at that instance. He jumped hoping to get free of it but it's still there. Now he feel it creeping up to his knees inside his armour.
'Crap! This is not good!'
He looked at the tuft of red hair right beside his head thinking about the person on his shoulder. He had no choice but to throw him away from him to dodge the trap. Without hesitation, he threw the unconscious prince into the crowd just ahead of him. He needed to let others deal with him whilst he deals with the new threat. Within an instance after throwing the redhead, he was engulfed inside a pot made purely out of water.
"Getting hard to breathe?" Gyokko chuckle in delight
'Gotta get out of here!' Inosuke panicked
With a desperate attempt, he uses both his swords and thrust them directly into the wall of the basin. But it didn't even leak. He tried again and again trying to get out of the trap but was no use. The other men around them couldn't help him as they were too busy dealing with the deadly aquatic life on land.
"Stabbing swords ain't gonna do you any favour. These are a lot harder to break than steel itself. You can now die knowing that it was useless after all." Gyokko simply laughs at him
Inosuke helplessly clawing for breath as he can't find any. He was submerged under a few centimetres thick water. It somehow felt funny to him that he would die this way. To think that he would die to the very same thing he drank every day. Ironic he thinks to say the least. He began to slow down as his vision is getting worse if not already blur thanks to the water. At that point, he knew that he was doomed with no way out.
"Water magic: Fast flowing current."
As he had already lost hope, a miracle had happened. A person came and cut the basin open releasing the massive amount of water as well as the boar headed man. He coughed out the water that was inside his lung and took a very deep breath regaining himself. He looked up to see a familiar royal who came after seeing what had happened to his falling soldiers.
"Ah, someone else came. Want to play as well are we?" Gyokko rub both his hands together
"I wasn't expecting to get a jackpot today. I guess it's my lucky day." The man simply said
"What did you just called me?!"
"Yeah Potter! Better watch your mouth now!" Inosuke shouted
"That's even worse!" Gyokko was ticked off
"Pottery magic: Glittering scales."
"Water magic: Merciless flood."
"Lets kill this bitch!"
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"Ugh, what is happeni- ing!? Where am I?!"
Meanwhile, the unconscious prince had just regained his consciousness and started to wake up. But upon opening his eyes, he sees the ground, a few hundreds metres down from where he was at. Something had occured during his slumber and he was still confused as to what is happening around him. He felt cold due to the strong cold wind blowing up high in the night sky as he was being entangled in some sort of green vegetation.
"Ah, you woke up finally you majesty." Someone else spoke high in the air
"Wan san?! Where am I?!" He panicked
"Don't worry. But if you please just hang on for a little bit." Wan looked ahead of him. "I have to deal with something urgent at the moment."
"Something you say eh?" Another figure spoke. "I will blow both you and him down six feet into the ground!"
"Here we go again."
The figure he was fighting with has wings of its own requiring no gadgets and paired with a sharp claw, it was definitely a buzzard preying on its prey. Wan calmly looked at him whilst keeping the prince close by to him. Then, the flying figure screams in a really loud and high pitched tone creating a powerful shockwave towards them.
Wan swings one of his arm commanding the giant plant he stood on to grow a branch. The branch took the hit as it was destroyed but leaving the ones behind it still safe. The figure clearly aren't happy by this.
"Argh! Just die already!" He shouted
"For a crazy bird like you, you ain't any threat to me." Wan coldly said
Suddenly, Wan felt something was wrong. He felt tingles beneath him and he knew something was coming.
"Elemental magic: Dense mist."
He summons a group of free floating clouds and forms them into a dense walkable platform. He jumps onto it and brought Tanjiro along with him. Then, right before their eyes, the giant stalk they once stood were burning as it was getting electrified by something. It went crashing down ontop of the soldiers crushing those who aren't able to escape it.
"What just happened?" Tanjiro eyes widens in shock
"Tch! He just missed his chance!" The figure looked down
"So there's more than one of ya huh?" Wan concludes
"Get them already!" A figure from down below shouted
'So they are working together.' Wan thought
'I need to help Wan san somehow.' The redhead thought
"Alright, surely this next blow is gonna finish them off."
"Cover your ears." Wan simply said
With a huff and a puff, the demonic man screamed in a high pitched tone creating a shockwave. Wan quickly withdraw and held onto the puff of cloud as they got blast away high up in the air. The figure began to fly towards them with its sharp claws trying to grab one of them.
"Come here you little shit!"
"This is child's play." Wan simply blurted
"Not after this one I think."
"Down below!" Tanjiro shouted
It was too late. As Tanjiro holds onto his guardian for the time being, they were hit by a powerful vertical winds blowing upwards. Which was weird as winds don't usually go up unless it's hot wind or it was forced. They fall down reaching terminal velocity as the friction between them and the air doesn't allowed them to speed up anymore. But they are coming down quite hot. If not impaled by swords or spears, then it's the hard ground or an unfortunate soldier. Tanjiro in a split second regained his composure and took out the blade he had been carrying all along.
"Sun magic: Dance of the fiery beast!"
He swings his sword mid air creating lines of flames and it all connected into one massive majestic being. A dragon. He fell on top as well as Wan on the back end of it. Not wanting to risk it, he commands the beast as it flew around the demonic winged figure.
"Curse you!"
"Burn in hell!" Tanjiro coldly said
The fiery creature open up its mouth and spits out fire that was close to the temperature of the sun. It burns the demon inside out turning it into crispy charred body with no wings left. The figure fell to the earth below but not smashed like a normal human fallen at this height would. Tanjiro ignores it and began to search for something.
"Your majesty! What are you doing?!" Wan was hanging off the tail of the beast
"I'm looking!" Tanjiro responded
"The royal staff?" Wan asked to confirm
"Yes!"
"Alright, I will go and look for it."
Without hesitation, Wan let go of the tail and fell straight down into the darkness. Tanjiro noticed what he said and leave it to him. He went down to help his troops to fight off the demons. All the meanwhile, the staff is in a certain yellow head hands.
"Come back here you little shit!"
'I need more time!'
In the middle of the chaos, Zenitsu is running almost limping on one leg. All the while two figure are chasing after him for one thing.
"Give us the stick thingy!" A female shouted
"Never!" Zenitsu screamed
"Man, I will cut those legs of your so good, you will never run or walk again." The male threatens him
'Where is Inosuke? He should be back by now.' He thought
He tries his best to keep the distance between them. But judging by the sound, they were gaining on him. He can't use his magic yet and the people around him can't help to stop them.
"Cloth magic: Constricting sash!"
'Oh shoot!'
The female, Daki uses her magic to unleash multiple thin sashes all aiming gor him. One by one, it missed and planted into the ground and some even got through the armour of an unfortunate soldier. Zenitsu doesn't want to be one of those unfortunate souls.
"Looks like we need more casualties eh?" Daki giggled
"This is on you man." The male, Gyutaro smiles creepily
"Cloth magic: Multilayered bending sash!"
"Slash magic: Blood detecting curve."
Both the siblings unleash a deadly form of magic. One making several layers of sharp sash all curvy and wavy making it hard to predict where it's gonna land. Her brother in the other hand unleashed several blood sickle that few towards anything that wasn't a demon. Several heads and limbs had been cut off. The field, if not already is sprayed with a mist of blood in the air. The ear piercing scream of a man slowly fades away by time. Zenitsu can hear it getting closer. His heartbeat is reaching its limit. He's pumping as much blood as possible. Sucking up all of the oxygen in the air as much as possible. All for the smidge off chance that he can survive this one.
Ktak.
'Crap!'
Just when things couldn't get any worse, he had lost his one chance of survival when his foot decided to trip on some dead corpse. He fell flat, face first into the muddy ground as it was watered by the pool of blood nearby. He hears both the sash and the slash coming for him. He can't dodge them in time. He can't use his magic for some reason. Somehow, it took him twice the amount of time to recharge. Is it because of the gem? He thought as he look at the once red gem turned bright yellow for some reason. He soon decided that his fate is sealed and that he would die in this very spot, in this very position. And nobody would remember him.
'Well goodbye shitty world.'
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"Ice magic: Cold fortress!"
With the attacks creeping closer, suddenly the weather got cold and snow had fallen. A fortress made of ice came into view shielding the fallen man. A thousand men screams in pain. But two had escaped the trap unscathed. A man who wore a farmers hat with clothing suited for the dark night sky. Almost invisible yet clear to see against the bright moon. Encapsulated
"Kibō san?" Zenitsu mutters almost as if in disbelief
"I hoped that I'm not too late to the ball." Saisho casually said
"Not at all." Zenitsu stood up. "Why are you here?"
"That's the staff right?" Saisho bluntly asked
"Why? Is there something special about it?" Zenitsu was puzzled
"We need to get out of here and hide it before he gets it."
"Why the rush?"
Suddenly, they felt another presence. It's not a demon and yet, it's not a friendly either. They turn around and see what seems to be a child, a 14 year old child standing there looking a bit lost. His eyes were hazy as if it was filled with mist. He doesn't seem hostile and yet he's not wearing any armour. Is he a mad child they thought.
"Answer me you buffoon." The child asked once more
"I'm sorry. Who are you?" Saisho looks at him closely
"Maybe he's lost perhaps?" Zenitsu tries to come up with an explanation
"I'm neither lost nor a friendly. I need that stick thingy." He blankly said
"So you're one of them as well." Saisho finally gets it
"I ain't talking to a traitor, traitor." He cursed
"Says the one who's a traitor of his own kind first." Saisho retaliated
"Who is this kid?" Zenitsu asked
"Muichiro Tokito."
Suddenly, the ice fortress was cut in half revealing the other two figure from earlier. They were surprised but not shook as they had seen the worse that could happen if they fail to retrieve it.
"Look onii chan. That's our stick." Daki said pointing towards Zenitsu
"Took you long enough Tokito." Gyutaro simply said
'So they're working together eh?'
"You have two option. Give us the staff and die." Muichiro continues. "Or, we take it from you corpse."
"So we die either way."
"Your choice."
"I say I would pick the third option." Zenitsu looked at them
"Which is?"
"Thunder magic: Bolt strike!"
Zenitsu made a sudden move striking the staff into the ground. It got stricken by multiple lightning bolts coming down to earth. He was charged once more and ready to do the one thing he does the best.
"Lets run."
"Wai- what are you doing?!" Saisho shouted
He grabs Saisho and carries him like a bag by his side. The opposition won't let them escape that easily as each and every one of them unleash the magic of their own form. The royal staff stored behind his back and he's ready.
"Thunder breathing, first form: Thunderclap and flash, Godspeed."
The instant the other magic was about to touch his skin, he vanish into thin air. An electrifying arc of lightning was what left of him creating a trail in between the soldiers. As the trail continues to travel through the crowd, demons within would suddenly became frozen which leaves the soldiers some easier time to cut them. Or harder, depending on how they react.
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"We need some help here!"
Meanwhile, somewhere in the back line of the warfare, a group of special people had been working hard to treat some mortally wounded soldiers and death had become the norm for them at this point. A woman in particular is leading the effort using her expertise in herbs and medicine as well as her knowledge of the human body at the time.
"Give him some water."
"Hai."
"We need more bandage here!"
"Bandage coming right up!"
Not far from where the treatment centre lies at, three figures are on duty to guard the place from harm. Two royals and a master servant. It turns out that demons are a lot smarter than expected as many had came with swords and firearms to kill whoever that's healing the soldiers. They fought them off but it was as if they were an endless stream. A river flowing from the mountain. From where the massive amount of water came from? Nobody knows the source. And the same could be said with the demons.
"You will never pass!" The master servant yelled
"Flower magic: Mesmerising garden of angels."
"Flower magic: Rose thorns."
They fought on and had a thought. When do they end? How will it end? They had it under control for now. But the demons kept on coming almost overwhelming them. They prayed for some breaks but there's no such things. That was until, a yellow lightning struck the area and a figure suddenly appears in front of them. Behind the two figures was bodies and frozen statues of the demons. They were shocked when they find out who did this.
"Kibō san?!"
"And I believe you're Zenitsu san yes?"
"Help. Us." Zenitsu said before falling onto the ground
"Ow! What the hell man!" Saisho grunted as he was suddenly released from his grip and fell face first on the ground
"What happened to the both of you?"
"They're coming." Saisho quickly got up
"Who?" The two adults asked the man
"Them."
Right on cue, three figures had came into view in between the trees of the dark forest. Two of them are demons but one looked a lot like an ordinary human. And one of them quickly recognises that one figure.
"Muichiro?" Tatsuo was shocked
"Wait, you know that guy?" Saisho quickly asked
"Who are you again?" Muichiro seems to be clueless
"You're still alive! We thought you're-"
"Blah blah blah. Cut the crap! We're going to get that staff thingy." Daki pulls out her magic
"And there's nothing you can do to stop us." Gyutaro smile in a sinister way
"Kanao sama, Kanae sama. Take this man to Shinobu sama." Tatsuo quickly ordered
"Is it alright to leave you?" Kanae worryingly asked
"He got me by his side. Don't worry about us eh princess?" Saisho joked
"I hope you two know what you're doing." Kanae lift up the man and went back
"Kanao sama?" Tatsuo looked at her
"I will stay."
Tatsuo was pleasantly surprised when she spoke to him without using her coin. He smiled and said to her. "Very well then."
"Objective, protect the staff and the patients. Lets do our best here." Tatsuo announced
"Hai!"
"Well this is going to be interesting."
"What are we waiting for? Get them."
"Don't boss us around Tokito!"
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"It's already an hour past midnight. And they still have the will to fight. Well, just wait until.I get that gem in my hands. I will eradicate each and every one of you." The figure laughs all evil like