Chapter 34: Discovery
"Dr. Douma."
"What is it now?"
Inside his white and pristine lab, Douma who were in charge of the lab had his hands full as he's conducting a transfer of the human consciousness back into its hosts. As he was busy crunching some numbers, a colleague of his just ran up to him with urgent matter written all over his face.
"I have good news and a bad news. Which do you prefer?" The male quickly spoke
"Give me the good ones first." Douma joyfully said
"The um, young agent is at 99 percent. His old man is at 80." He sputter
"That's good news indeed. Then what are the bad ones?"
"The bad news is-"
Boom!
"Well looky here." Two female entered the room
"We've got intruders."
Douma looked towards the hidden entrance that was meant to conceal his experiments, especially the ones as big and ambitious as the ones he's currently running. Though he didn't frown, nor panicked. He'd only smile as he sees the two intruders are only some pretty young women.
"Oh? What a surprise. Some women came to see me I supposed-"
"There, Rose! It's them right?!" Aki yelled as she points at the subjects inside the giant cylindrical test tube
"We've found them." Kanao confirms it completely ignoring Douma
"That's rude you know?" Douma quickly took off his lab coat
"Oh it's you. I'm sorry, we didn't get an invitation." Aki immediately recognises the male and so does Kanao
"You're always invited as long as you're pretty." Douma gave a courtesus bow. "By the way, seems like you've met me before, but I don't."
"Go figure huh?"
"Gentleman. Show these two the way out would you?"
"Will do!"
Upon his commands, the scientists that were busy just a few moments ago suddenly stopped and turned their attention to the two agents. Once again both of them are confronted with dealing over a dozens of angry scientists, but they already experienced worse.
"Devil."
"You got it boss!"
Aki took out her actual gun and started to shoot at seemingly random places inside the facility. Not a single bullets went towards the angry scientists that are trying to climb up the stairs to reach them.
"Hah! You missed!" One of them shouted
"Did I now?"
Her face shows a grin as she fire her last bullet towards the already loosen bolt that holds the entire place together. It hits and one of the large beam began to fall crushing many of them at once. Kanao dealt with the remaining stragglers as they made their way down towards the only man standing in their way.
"You two are skilled, I'll give you that." Douma compliments them
"Shut your mouth already. We've dealt with you before and we will do it again." Aki confidently said
"I see. Then there's no reason for me to go easy on you." He reached out behind him. "Prepare for an autopsy."
Douma pulls out four golden war fan similar to the ones his other selves had wielded. These fans are sharpened to cut through bones easily. It gleams so brightly under the white light, but both Aki and Kanao aren't fazed by it.
"Like I've said before." Aki took out the blade she carries. "We've dealt with you before."
"And history will repeat again." Kanao finishes the sentence
"Haven't you heard the saying before? Lightning doesn't strike twice!"
Without warning he threw two of his fans in air slicing through lab equipment with ease. Kanao shot the bladed fans with her final bullet and it altered the trajectory just enough to miss her. Within split second Douma appears behind her but she had already prepared for this situation. A blade sprung out from her sleeves and she swings towards the male. He dodged the sharpened blade and retreat to a safe location, or so he thought.
"You fool!"
Aki pressed a button from her palm and it activates the devices on the floor from which she had planted earlier. Douma received a large jolt of electricity as his muscle tensed up unable to move. Kanao didn't waste any time and leaps in for the kill. Her blade reached the speed of sound as it was mere inches away from his neck. Then suddenly she hits an obstacle. A fan blade blocks her blade from reaching its destination. A determined look coming from the man had her quickly retreat as the said fan almost sliced her arm off.
"Tch! That was close." Aki said in disappointment
"This is getting nowhere." Douma is getting pissed off. "You're nothing like him."
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"Where are we going Thunder?"
Meanwhile right outside of the facility, two men who had just arrived at the scene gears up. They both worn a black suit fit for a CEO and within it countless of weapons they could utilise, for both lethal and non lethal purpose.
"Didn't you hear them? They've found him and our job is to find him." Zenitsu quickly explains. "I've suspected this place as much judging from the evidence we've gathered."
"Bet there'll be a lot of guys down there." Inosuke is raring to go
"Oh there sure are. Considering how well hidden this place is."
Without further delay, Zenitsu went down the stairs that was once concealed by a patch of garden and Inosuke follows through. They expected to fight someone inside but to their surprise, they were already taken care of. Dozens suffered as they groan on the ground in pain. Evidently most had been defeated not ling ago.
Their steps echoes along the hallway as they descend further down. Like a dungeon where treasure lies far in the deepest hole. They took their steps and fought some already badly wounded men who still refuses to stay down. At last with little to no effort, they made it to the deepest level underground.
"Wait." Zenitsu halted his steps. "I hear two- no three. They're fighting. And two more heartbeat contained within liquid or something."
"What are we waiting for?" Inosuke is getting impatient
"We have the element if surprise. If those three are attacking each other, most likely one of them are the ones who defeated all of those scientists and guards." Zenitsu deduced. "We're the third party who are late to the game. Best if our existence are unknown to them and get him out."
"....You have a good point. Lets go."
After having to agree with the man in charge, Inosuke follows Zenitsu's lead into the room. Their footsteps are concealed with the loud crashing noise coming from the fight. It was evident that the two women that are fighting against the male are one of them, but they didn't know that. Once they tread over the bodies scattered all over the place, they finally reached the tube where the body of two agents are contained.
"What do we do now?" Inosuke whispered
"Looking at the percentage bar, 99 percent till transfer is complete." Zenitsu snatched one of the keyboards on the desk. "As I suspected. This lines up with the evidence. We have to wait until the transfer is complete."
"Can't you make it go faster?"
"I'm not familiar with these kind of tech. Heck I'm not even qualified." Zenitsu stared at the tube. "He's almost complete, but his old man still has 18 more percent to go. Either way, we need to wake him up."
"Alright Beast. I need you to go and help those two ladies." Zenitsu ordered
"Huh? But you said-"
"It won't take him that long to wipe them out. Make sure that they aren't heading towards here."
"Got it." Inosuke cracks his own knuckles. "Lets get this dealt with."
With light steps, he advanced in silence as he analyze the current situation. With the one male wielding four fan, two women holding a sword each. The only optimal way to enter the battle is from above. He sees an overhead pipeline and began to climb for it. Once he stood directly above them, he took out the two katana strapped to his back. Cloth used to cover them loosened revealing the shiny silver gleam of the steel. The edge were jagged as if it had already gone through a beating, but it was these edge that he inflicted himself and a source of pride to have them.
"Time to go old school." He readies himself. "Hurrah! Coming through!"
Without hesitation he screamed at the top of his lung and dived head first into battle. With his own blades, he intersect the already flying golden war fan from reaching the two ladies. All three were stunned seeing his appearance.
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Kanao's POV
This guy, no doubt about it.
"Getting tired already?"
He's the original of the copies. Otherwise, he wouldn't go through the length protect his neck from earlier. If he dies, he would be dead for good.
"Not until you fell down dead." I replied
Teaming up with Devil-san, we managed to get him distracted for as long as we did. He's a scientist and yet he's well verse in the art of fighting. Not once I spot an opening from him, even if he did slip up he would quickly recover from it. His war fan are a nuisance as he can throw them in various angles and come back to him. How did he do it? The fan actually dodges us when we tried to cut it. If only we could disarm him.
"Watch out!"
Oh no. I was focusing too much to my thought I didn't realized three of them were coming my way. I see, he wants to eliminate one of us, but why me? Without thinking much I responded by parrying one away and were ready to parry the other two, that was until...
"Hurrah! Coming through!"
A loud voice interrupted our fight. A figure dropped from heaven or something came down and even managed to pierce the two fans on his way down. As he landed, I noticed that the fan sparks and the smell of burnt electronic were present. I see, these fans can be controlled by him. That's why we can't destroy it before.
"Sorry. Did I just ruin the fun?" The man taunted as he removes the fan from his jagged blades
"Oh, it's the contrary rude man." Seems like Dr. Douma is angry. "It has just begun."
"Bring it on."
Not wanting to think any further, both me and Devil had the same thought. Our blades moves in sync trying to cut this living garbage up. I'm uncertain of whose side this other male are, but it was evident enough by the fact that his blades aren't pointed at us.
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Three against one, at first glance it would've be seen as unfair. But considering the man they're up against are not just a mere scientist, he's also a martial artist perfecting in the ancient lost art of the blade of elegance. A war fan symbolises the elegance of the fighter while remain lethal towards the enemy.
"Dance. Dance till you die!" Douma shouted
"Bitch, you first!"
Out of the three, Aki possessed the highest IQ. She view the fight in a different manners than most. In her mind she ran simulations, testing theories and analysing the outcome all within a split second. Paired with fighters like Kanao, she can predict and lay down the foundation towards victory. Every movement Douma makes, she knew what comes next. For that is how she survived in her line of work for so long.
Without them knowing, Aki had them already dancing to her rhythm. Douma strikes her blade while Kanao took on the other one. With Inosuke helping them even without her knowing if he will help them or not, but she's confident about the man wanting to take Douma down. Inosuke strikes but Douma dodged just in time and he's moving closer towards the tube.
'Damnit! I couldn't fight them on my own.' He thought. 'But I don't have to.'
Suddenly Douma rushed towards the tube and Kanao were the first to react. She and Aki started to chase him while Inosuke throws his sword on an impulse. The blades shone as it pass through both women and one landed right into Douma's shoulder. The sudden sharp pain caused him to trip with both Kanao and Aki closing in. In a last ditch effort, he throws his fan towards one of the large cable and it cut it right in half. Electricity crackles and sparks flew. He held the other fan against yet another large cable right by his side.
"Don't come any closer! Or I will cut the main power source that have kept them alive!" Douma threaten
"Devil, wait." Kanao stopped
"You wouldn't." Aki glared
"I would. In fact, I was supposed to kill them."
"No you will not." Inosuke pulls out a gun
"Oh I will."
Douma cuts one of the two cables lying there and for some reason he wasn't electrocuted by the sheer amount of electricity flowing through it. Immediately Kanao snatched the gun away from Inosuke.
"That's right. One more cable and your mission will all for naught." Douma grinned
"Hey, give me that back!" Inosuke tried to reach for his gun but failed
"What do we do now?" Aki whispered
"Put down the gun and slide it over." Douma instructed
"Don't you dare woman." Inosuke threatens her
"We have no choice."
Kanao slowly and gently set the gun down and slide it over towards Douma. With haste, he grabs the gun and stood up. He made sure the chamber was loaded before pointing the barrel towards her.
"Thank tou dear. That was quite an experience." Douma looked exhausted. "Unfortunately you did killed all of my comrades. So you three will have to die."
"Reinforcement are on their way. If we die, you wouldn't stand a chance." Aki boasted
"Oh before they arrive, I'll be long gone. This is where we depart." He put his finger on the trigger. "Sayona-"
Bang!
Right before he could finish his sentence, suddenly a hole appeared right in the middle of his forehead. His eyes turned lifeless as the body kneels down before collapsing on the floor. A pool of blood formed around his head. Both women had their guards up for another fight but, it turns out that the man behind them knew who shot them.
"What took you so long?" Zenitsu joked
"The colour yellow sure does make you look ugly." Inosuke walks pasts the women
"What is going on?" Aki became confused
"Didn't want to steal your thunder, but who are you exactly?" Kanao simply asked
"Ah, pardon me. My codename are Thunder. This here is my partner, Beast. We've been assigned to track down this man here." Zenitsu calmly explains
"From which agency were you from?"
"I'm sure you've already made acquaintance with our agency." Zenitsu spoke with confidence. "We're from the Rising Sun Agency."
"The Rising Sun- So you're one of us." Kanao deduced
"Right ladies. I'd love to continue our conversation but we still have two people here needing to be resurrected."
"Right." Aki steps forward. "Lets see here."
Aki went over to the control panel where the scientists used it to monitor the condition of the two subjects. As the number counts up towards 100 percent, she hacks into the system to find whatever information she could find on Muzan. Finally after what felt like forever, one of them has finally reached the hundred mark and the data transfer are complete.
"Looks like he's finally ready to be awakened." Aki pointed at the younger redhead
"Then, what are we waiting for?" Inosuke got impatient
"Nothing."
Aki activates the sub routine in which enables a series of sequence to revitalise what essentially a living corpse. They witness as electrical current shocks the body from within the tube. The man screamed but the noise were drowned in the liquid he was suspended in. The device on his head detached from him along with his mask which allowed him to breathe. His eyes open wide and immediately he founds himself drowning. Gasping for air, he frantically tried to swim up whilst his body is still weak.
"He needs help!"
"Wargh!"
Inosuke jumps onto the tube with his sword. With great force he tried to break it open but it was futile. The seemingly fragile glass were in fact acrylic which is resistant to fracture and pressure. Soon Zenitsu joined in using his own sword trying to slice the damn thing open but it was still futile. All of them are trying to break it open watching the man slowly drowning. Kanao were stunned for a few seconds before come to realisation of the situation.
'Oh crap! What should I do?!'
Her eyes wanders around trying to find anything that could help them. She stopped when a glimmering golden fan shone right besides the body. She ran and grab it quickly before throwing it towards the tube. The fan sliced the acrylic halfway and Inosuke noticed it. He uses the butt of his swords to pummel it in and the acrylic began to crack. It spreads out and with one final hit, it shatters releasing massive amount of liquid washing away everyone near it.
"*Cough! Cough!* Is everyone alright?!" Zenitsu shouted
"Yeah, we're good." Aki answered
"The hell was that?!" Inosuke roared
"I-I'm sorry." Kanao apologizes. "It was on impulse."
"*Cough. Cough.* What are you, *Cough.* apologizing for?"
"!?" They were all shocked
"I should be the one- *Cough.* Apologizing to you."
From amidst the chaos, they all had momentarily forgotten why they were washed away in the first place. As a man wearing nothing but a pants got up using a chair as his crutch wore a gentle smile. His red orbs slowly wanders around identifying the faces but he stopped the moment he saw her. Stunned by her beauty, he had completely forgotten that he's half naked in front of her. That was until a man besides him tapped his shoulder.
"Maybe you should suit up first." Zenitsu handed over a dry black suit
"Ah, yes." The redhead took it. "Thank you, Zen- I mean Thunder."
As he began to change, the women in the room quickly look away. Within a flash, he's done in his matching black suit with red tie. It goes well to his codename Red Sun. The man Kamado Tanjiro is ready for action. Though a frown is not present, Zenitsu could feel his sadness just from the sound of his heartbeat.
"Are you alright?" He asks the redhead
"Yeah. Seeing that was how I was in, I wonder how much trouble did I caused to everyone." Tanjiro stared at his father. "When will he be awakened?"
"Soon, hopefully. Like you his data is being transferred."
"I see." Tanjiro walks up to the other tube. 'Just a little bit longer.'
"Guys!"
Just as things were just about to calm down, a distressed voice had broken the peace. As Kanao and Aki recognises the voice whilst the men didn't hear it since they aren't on the same comms.
"Flora, what's going on?"
"He's here! Come qui-" Suddenly the comms got cut off
"Flora? Flora!" Aki shouted hoping for a response
"Something has happened. We need to go." Kanao dashed towards the door
"Wait, what's going on? Where are you going?!" Inosuke noticed that they're in a rush
"Thunder, Beast. You both go help them." Tanjiro instructed
"But what about you?" Zenitsu is worried
"I'll be fine. I need to keep an eye on him." He looked at his father. "Now go."
Zenitsu was about to protest but he saw a determined look in his friend's eye. Knowing his ability, he decided that it would be fine to leave him for now.
"Alright then bud. Watch yourself. Don't want to add another body to the pile." Zenitsu joked. "Come on Beast. We've got some guys to beat."
"Now you're speaking my language." Inosuke readies himself
With spirits up on high, both men nodded to each other and ran towards the exit leaving the redhead alone. They couldn't see it, but a sorrowful look were present though it was just a faint one. For he knew what was coming for them and even he wished to not meet.
"Be safe out there. Zenitsu. Inosuke."
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"Devil. Rose."