"Save Beni!"
Ouka frantically searched for Benimaru's trail of fire in the sky, instantly spotted a big flame arrow heading toward him. The brief connection she felt with Konro and Shinra was truly bizarre, but there's no room for thinking when her comrade is in danger. Both Shinra and her rushed toward the flame arrow simultaneously, except she was running on the ground while he soared upward with his 3rd Generation ability that dwelled in his feet.
I could use 'Suzaku no Mai' to crush the arrow completely, she thought to herself.
She experienced a flashback from when she had a conversation with Benimaru and Konro one year ago.
Asakusa, Tokyo, Solar Year 197
"The people from Haijima are aware of your hybrid ability, which means that they got their eyes on you all the time," Konro warned Benimaru.
"Huh, those cowards probably afraid of me throwing a rampage on their turfs with my power." Benimaru scowled. "Look at us now... Entitled to a forced friendship whatsoever with Haijima."
Konro averted his sight from Benimaru to Ouka. "Your hybrid ability is artificial, and apart from us in Company 7, no one else knows about this." He caught a quick frown from the latter, perhaps of worry.
"It'll be fine, Ouka. As long as you don't use your 3rd Generation ability frequently, nobody will find out the nature of your power," he added with a smile.
A long sigh from Ouka. "Well, we can rest easy on that. My hybrid ability doesn't come in handy like Waka's. I can't use it for a long period."
"That's because your body isn't strong enough to withstand your new power," Benimaru commented. "You weren't born with 3rd Generation ability, thus your body wasn't prepared when you gained that power. Fret not, there's always room for improvement. Just don't push yourself to exceed your limits."
He slanted a concerned look at Ouka. "Or else you'll break."
"Yes, yes, I know," she muttered.
Konro took a chance to speak again. "Anyway, keeping Ouka's hybrid ability a secret is the most appropriate action. There must be a reason why you were granted 3rd Generation ability, and I have a hunch that it's for a bad purpose. If the perpetrator learns of this, he might return to Asakusa."
"Besides, I wouldn't want Haijima to set a leash on you like how they did to Beni." This time he got a frown from Benimaru, but it was of protest.
Benimaru crossed his hands over his chest. "Heh, who says leashed dogs can't go feral and bite their owners? I'll do whatever I want. Haijima be damned."
Konro and Ouka merely grinned at their captain's obstinacy.
Asakusa, Tokyo, Solar Year 198
"I don't give a shit at enemies learning my circumstances right now," Ouka murmured to herself as she leapt from roofs to roofs. "If my comrades are in danger, I'm giving it my all to save them!"
Just then, Garo appeared in front of her with her kagura suzu in his mouth. She'd conjured him when she was putting away fires with the 7th earlier, ordered him to fetch her kagura suzu at the HQ.
"Nice job, Garo." she acclaimed as the wolf vanished into thin air.
Ouka held her kagura suzu with her mouth, then twirled her three-section staff for several seconds before shifting her stance into a standby state.
"Suzaku no Mai: Amenonuhoko."
Angry blue flame blazed through her three-section staff and growing rapidly until it took the shape of a double-sided blade twice the size of the staff.
Meanwhile up in the sky, Benimaru stole a downward glance to see Shinra catching up to a flame arrow that was heading at him. He also noticed a familiar flicker of blue moving in the distance.
Ouka and Shinra, huh? I'm counting on you two. His gaze reverted to the Demon Infernal above him. He entrusted his back to both of them because he had to restrain his opponent from running away.
Shinra kicked the flame arrow, struggling to deflect it with all his might.
Ouka ran and leapt from roofs to roofs, building up speed before she used her weapon to thrust herself upward like a pole vault athlete. Her blue flame worked in a manner of a rocket launching straight up after ignition. When she was halfway up in the air where Shinra is, her free hand grabbed the kagura suzu in her mouth. She was aware of the time limit she can use her artificial 3rd Generation ability. Therefore, she had to be quick in doing her special moves.
She froze and shut her eyes to concentrate.
"Shirasagi no Mai: Aizome."
Ouka reopened her eyes, once again gleaming in emerald green, to get his attention.
"Shinra!" She howled at the top of her lungs.
"Homare-san?"
She swung her kagura suzu with all her strength, so that the sound could reach Shinra.
Right after Shinra listened to the bells, he felt an indescribable new force gushing through his veins. He felt strangely revitalized and his body seemed to cool down a bit. He took this chance to boost his firepower without having to worry of reaching his limit.
"Crush that damn arrow, Shinra Kusakabe!" Ouka implored as her blue flame began to fade out.
"I'm going to be a hero that saves everyone with my flames!" Shinra yelled, as if sending a message to someone. "I'm going to prove that now!"
"I'm Kick-This-Away-Whatever-It-Takes Man!" Mustering every ounce of his strength, he successfully deflected the flame arrow with vigor.
Ouka let out a relieved smile as she outstretched her body, letting gravity pulled her back to Earth. Her blue flame had vanished completely, and the massive double-sided blade shrunk into a three-section staff.
She was saved by one of Benimaru's flying matoi though, which the latter summoned to help him finished the Demon Infernal off. As if realizing that his matoi reached her, Benimaru released his control on it, letting Ouka took over it with her 2nd Generation ability. He then flung the rest of his matoi at the Demon Infernal, followed by his special move.
"Iai Chop, Form Seven: Sun Wheel!"
The Demon Infernal was unfortunately an unyielding foe. Benimaru's attack didn't even leave a tiny scar on its body. Nonetheless, the citizens of Asakusa and Company 8 kept on cheering for him.
Ouka was also a witness of the incident. Yet, she didn't dwell on it for long because her mind started to wander somewhere else.
Where are our enemies hiding at? She skimmed her surroundings warily.
Suddenly a flame arrow darted at her faster than she could detect where it came from. She didn't even get to react as the arrow hit her. The impact of it sent her flailing in the air but Konro caught up to her before she landed on the ground.
He crouched down on one leg, holding Ouka in his arms. "Oi, Ouka. Ouka!" He called out several times but no answer.
Meanwhile, Benimaru delivered his finishing blow by imitating Konro's technique. It was the same technique used by Konro to defeat a Demon Infernal two years ago. Konro's head shot up at the sky to see what was going on.
From where Benimaru strikes the Demon Infernal, small cracks slowly appeared on its body until it exploded and turned into ashes. The tremendous explosion caused the night sky to be dyed in crimson red briefly.
The final boss had been annihilated by the Demolishing King of Asakusa.
"That move," Konro uttered. "The Crimson Moon..."
"Konro?"
Konro looked down upon hearing a weak voice calling his name.
"Ouka! Are you alright?"
"What? Of course I'm not," Ouka grumbled weakly.
"You're heavily wounded, Ouka. Hang in there!" He stood up and immediately brought her to the HQ to look after her injuries.
She forced her eyes to open a slit, and she saw Benimaru being carried around by Shinra.
"Ah, so Beni overexerts himself."
Konro gave her a smile. "With that kind of explosion, of course he does."
"Everyone did a good job protecting this town, don't they?" Ouka asked.
"Yes. We'll have to thank the folks from the 8th too. Particularly Shinra."
Somewhere in a place not far from all the chaos, two white-clad figures were observing Asakusa smothered in crimson red.
"We confirmed that a second demon was born in the same spot. This is a bonanza." One of them said.
The other one was the guy who encountered Ouka earlier. "An Adolla Burst wielder is also identified here," he chirped with satisfaction.
"Haran, your life wasn't for naught." The first person stated before they make their exit.