As much as I wanted to help Hirota, I was a bit occupied with warding off a woman who very much wanted to gouge my face off. Fortunately for me, the spirit possessing her had rather intelligence of a rabid dog and kept her knife locked against metal stick like a sword trying to saw through a quarterstaff, her teeth bared. "You little brat." She snarled. "You'll regret interfering."
"Been there, done that." I gritted out.
"Nira!"
Naru was behind her, his hand less than a centimeter from her back, and in a flash I understood. Bunching up what arm muscles I had, I shoved her off, and the second her knife left the golf club she stiffened and fell to the floor in a limp pile of murderous intent. Naru rubbed his pink-tinged fingers. "Nice." He said simply.
"THIS BRAT!" He roared, then grunted as Hirota kneed him in the gut, his knife flying out of his hand and landing at my feet. Instantly I kicked it under the couch.
"You okay?" Hirota asked, forcing Sasakura-san to his knees.
Naru dipped his head in a nod. "There is one other person left. Hirota-san, step aside." The second Hirota obeyed, he deftly stepped over Sasakura-san's prone form and zapped him with a spark that lit up the room for a brief second. The older man seized up, then went still.
Hirota's lips parted slightly. "Stun gun...now I get it."
Think he'll start believing in the paranormal now? Gene asked, excited.
I snorted. Don't get your hopes up.
"One person...where is Masaru?" Naru asked.
"Lying in wait somewhere, I suppose." A pause. Then, "Stop going to a mirror every time."
"This is necessary for me to recharge. Hirota-san, Nira, use the extension cords to tie up the Sasakuras."
We obeyed, making sure the knots were tight before Hirota spoke up. "So. What do we do?"
"Head into the corridor. Nira and I will start from the living room."
"Got it."
"Masaru." Kazumi glared at us with crazed hate. "Watch out! He's going over there! Make sure to kill all of them, or else it's all over for us!"
There was a flicker of movement, then a thud that nearly stopped my heart. A tall boy tugged a the cleaver stuck in the doorframe, his face pale and rigid. Naru didn't waste any time and, seizing my hand, dashed out of the room into the hallway. "I dropped my club!" I shrieked.
"Can't do anything about it!" He barked.
I was about to protest when a knife suddenly buried itself in the wall near our hands. Naru let go hurriedly.
Masaru attacked with all he had, which—to be frank—was a lot more than both Naru and I had combined. Sweat poured down Naru's face, and my breathing was ragged and hoarse as we dodged his wild slashing. At one point Masaru got his knife stuck in the wall, and Naru took advantage of the break and tapped a spark to his gut. With a yelp, Masaru fell with a thud.
"You good?" I wheezed.
"I'll live." Naru managed, despite the fact that he was dripping sweat and was puffing as much as I was.
There was a low moan, and to my dismay Masaru was on his knees and pulling a new knife from his belt, his eyes full of hate. Without hesitation Naru rose to his feet, then paled and collapsed to his knees. This time, I heard him in my head rather than out loud.
This isn't good...I'm getting anemic...
Masaru stood over him, and with a howl he reared the knife back and brought it down. Before I could think, I dashed in front of Naru, shielding him as the knife sped down towards my chest.
Nira, no! Gene screamed.