Anari
I'd been lying in a hospital room for a few days, and all of a sudden, I hear Kozuna and Nikai awakened fucking curses, and the clan's on the brink of an urgent assault. I guess this is what happens when your squad leader isn't around to keep shit in order.
Kaiten had sent someone to fetch me from the hospital, and they brought me to the underground testing facility, where Kozuna was apparently getting accustomed to his curse. My guide brought me to where Nikai was being held.
Yvira jumped out of her seat to greet me with a giant hug. Her golden eyes lit up when she realized I'd arrived. And right after she pulled away, Yvira introduced me to her new friend, Shin.
"You're all happy to see me now, but ain't come to visit me in the hospital, huh? Oh, whatever."
"Your angry responses never change, huh Anari?"
Kaiten entered the room, not long after I sat down. His arrival was signified with him loudly clearing his throat, followed by him taking a seat.
"Nice to see you up and about, Anari. I need to explain what has happened, Yvira feel free to join in. You've been out of the loop with your squad lately. Get comfortable, this might be a while."
There was quite a bit to speak of regarding the past few days with my squad. They had been through some unusual circumstances that even I didn't expect. Some of which Yvira could speak more of, while in other portions, Kaiten could explain further.
***
It took several minutes of questions and explanations, but soon enough, I was back in the know.
"So, the current plan is to learn about Kozuna and Nikai's curses, right?"
"Yeah, anything you're confused about?"
"One thing. What's your plan for when the enemy attacks again?"
Yvira went silent as Kaiten slowly breathed out.
"They won't attack The Primary. Our defenses are far stronger than whatever they can do. All they seem to want is Kozuna and Nikai. Nazun and Orion won't take unnecessary risks."
"We should still start thinking of one while Kozuna is under testing. With me back in the fold, we'll be able to come up with something."
We were about to begin discussing the next move until Shin's phone started beeping like crazy. Obviously, he turned his attention to it, only for his eyes to nearly pop out of his skull.
"Commander Kaiten! The city's under attack, those cursed people- they're back!"
Kaiten practically jumped out of his seat, his hands slamming against the metallic table. "Any info on what kind of abilities they possess?"
Shin squinted at his screen, zooming in and flicking his fingers repeatedly.
"One person is using energy blasts I think, and destroying buildings. The rest are normal soldiers, it seems. But they're wearing strange outfits with a symbol I've never seen before."
"They won't attack The Primary? Isn't that what you just said, Commander?"
Kaiten ignored my remark, getting straight into business. "Shin, Anari, Yvira, with me. I don't know how our forces are looking out there, we might be stretched thin."
Before we could say anything, Kaiten rushed over to Zara and informed her of the situation and the fact that he'd be borrowing her number one assistant. Then, he brought the three of us outside. One person who was a researcher's assistant, another who was afraid of fighting, and the last who'd just gotten out of the hospital.
We were the ideal team.
The moment the hatch swung open, I could hear thunderous booms and even feel shockwaves, despite being closer to the southern end of The Primary. A helicopter awaited our group outside, complete with weapons and someone to pilot in the cockpit.
"Status report!" Kaiten shouted at our pilot as he entered the helicopter.
"There have been no known casualties so far, sir, but the assailants are pushing in steadily. The people have begun to evacuate and some soldiers are holding the line. However, plenty of buildings and homes have already been destroyed! Vice Commander Helix has been calling for your aid, Commander Kaiten!"
"Alright, thanks soldier. Take us to the battlefield. We've no time to lose!"
While Shin and Yvira were busy gearing up alongside Kaiten, I stood at the open doorway, holding the door handle with one hand and a rifle over my shoulder in the other. Our chopper hovered into the sky high above building level, and from that height, I could see the devastation clearly.
A decent portion of the city's northern side was already reduced to rubble and dust. Furthermore, what must have been hundreds of armed enemy troops were marching in and spreading out. They were headed toward multiple sections of the city.
There's no way Kaiten can coordinate the troops and battle at the same time. If he stays in the air, he can see the entire battlefield and command the troops accordingly. On the other hand, no one has enough skill to defeat Nazun other than him. Or, maybe I do.
Swiftly and suddenly, the pilot took us in the direction of the destruction. Kaiten hopped into the cockpit and onto the radio.
"Helix, where are you?"
Following a short pause, the answer of the annoying vice commander came through. "In the middle of a firefight! Where the hell have you been?"
Kaiten let out a deep breath and slowly rubbed his forehead. "Helix, what's your location? I have a job that only you can do!"
"Tch, where do you think?! The front lines- where the battle started! This fucking ex-Ozukashi dick keeps spouting out nonsensical rambling and sending big-ass, tornado THINGS our way! All we can do is run just to avoid being killed! His other troops have been dispersing to other areas, but I can't cover EVERYWHERE by MYSELF! I-"
There was a loud boom over the radio, and with the sounds of static replacing Helix's voice, our connection to the vice commander was cut entirely.
"Helix? Helix? Answer me! Shit!" With no response, Kaiten growled and clenched his fists.
"Commander, we're getting closer. Where do we land?"
"I need to locate Helix and Nazun. They should be near one another, somewhere in the northmost sector."
Flames erupted across the city. Everywhere there were soldiers, there was a big battle.
What's going on? Are they using explosives? Or is Nazun mixed in with one of these soldier groups?
"Shin, Anari, Yvira. All of you, keep an eye out for Helix. Shout if you see him," Kaiten commanded, staring out the windshield.
"Yes, Sir," Yvira and I answered, though neither of us liked Helix much.
Then again, it wasn't like anyone really did. But there wasn't much choice. When it came to strategic movement and planning, Helix was important. We had to find him.
***
About ten minutes passed of nonstop flight before both Helix and Nazun were spotted. They were in the far north of The Primary, dead center of a wide sandy road leading outside the city. Helix was laid out in the dirt, trying to crawl backward- away from a psychotic-looking man holding a smoking sword.
That's Nazun? And that must be curse energy. He's the guy who was supposed to be our substitute, huh? First the Bahsin water source, and now him?
Kaiten didn't wait for the pilot to bring us to ground level; he simply dove out of the chopper and landed in front of Helix- apparently without hurting himself. Somehow.
"It's alright now, Helix. I'm here."
Nazun smiled and lifted his blade over his shoulder. "Welcome, Commander! Happy to see me? You know, I heard a little from Orion about you! And why you're no normal human, despite not having a curse!"
"Didn't I tell you to stop calling me Commander?" Kaiten glanced back at Helix as the helicopter reached ground level. "Helix, I need you to take to the skies, and command the troops in my place. Coordinate them from above. I'll handle Nazun."
"Terrible idea, Commander. He's too powerful, even for you."
Kaiten returned his gaze to Nazun, his expression remaining stoic. "No. I'm too powerful for him."
Shin and I hopped off the helicopter and dragged Helix inside, though we chose to stay on the ground afterward and help Kaiten fight Nazun. It wasn't much of a surprise that Yvira opted to remain in the aircraft, but I was itching to return to battle. Properly.
Helix let out an enraged sigh as we plopped him in the chopper. "Don't die, Commander."
"You're worrying about the wrong guy, Helix," Kaiten responded with a smile, pulling two of his swords in hand. "Anari, Shin, if you two wanna stay down here, I recommend you stand back. Things might get a bit rough."
Shin listened without an argument, and though I DID want to argue, he gently pulled me away, just as the helicopter blades had risen above our heads.
"So, Kaiten! Where are Kozuna and Nikai? I figured you'd be guarding them with your life!"
"Well now, they're obviously not here. A bit odd you couldn't figure that one out."
"I was being facetious, imbecile. I know where they are, there's no need for you to hide it."
Kaiten's grip intensified noticeably; something about his subtle stance changes signaled that he was preparing to attack. "What reason do you have to assault us? Why are you people after Nikai and Kozuna?"
"First of all, it's not you people, it's the Hanakai. You should learn to respect your fellow Ozukashi, Commander."
The Hanakai? I've heard Yvira tell stories of them. Some fabled inter-clan terrorist syndicate or something. Nazun's really a member?
"Nazun, it hasn't even been a full day! How have you returned already, and with such a large assault force?"
"It's pretty easy when someone like Orion has a really powerful curse. Sadly, his powers have already been used up for a while, so he's sitting this little raid out. In any event, I can take on this accursed city all by myself. Including you, Commander."
"I should have killed you when I had the chance. Not even twenty-four hours ago, I could have ended your life. All this destruction- all the lives lost could have been avoided. I will atone for my sins, by ending you here."
"Well, come on then! I'm at full capacity now, show me what your unnatural, fragile, human body can do, Commander Kaiten!"
With nothing but a wide, open road ahead, the only path for the Commander was forward.
Will Kaiten really be alright? Doesn't he see all the damage around us?
Kaiten squinted and let out a few slow breaths, then rushed in to fight. There, before our eyes, began a kind of sword fight I never imagined. One that was leagues above my own skill level.
***
The instant Nazun and Kaiten crossed blades, the air pressure around them shifted dramatically. Their clashing blades released a resounding vibration that affected adjacent surroundings. The wind blew so fiercely that dust and sand whipped up, my hair flipped back, and even Shin's hood flew down, revealing long, fluttering brown hair.
But neither of them stopped moving, sending sparks flying with every slash and parry. Nazun, however, with only a single blade, was quickly losing the advantage. Not only was Kaiten obviously more experienced in battle, but he seemed to be much stronger than Nazun.
Inevitably, Nazun backed off and leaped away. He swung his blade from a distance and finally showcased the powers of his curse. Up until then, I was in disbelief about the whole situation, but there was no mistaking it anymore.
Curse energy had the same gaseous look as steam, except it didn't just vanish. And Nazun had complete control over its power and direction. Once he backed away, he stopped going so easy on the Commander.
With every swing, his energy took the shape of a contained whirlwind. He hurled each and every one of them straight at Kaiten's face. It was clear Nazun wasn't concerned with Shin and me.
I guess I finally get to see curse powers in person. But, I wanna fight. I wanna contribute!
Kaiten darted from one spot to another, avoiding the tornados like they were nothing. He moved so fast that I almost couldn't keep my eyes on him. But even with all the movement, I didn't catch the Commander even breaking a sweat.
"Come on, Nazun! You shouldn't go easy on your superiors!"
"You want me to NOT go easy on you? Got it, have fun with this next one!"
Nazun placed his palm on the flat side of his blade and mumbled some inaudible words, then held his sword to the sky. His sword started glowing, and from the tip of his blade, translucent black energy swirled around and grew in not only size, but also width.
He'd resized his sword by massively expanding it with energy. It seemed to add no weight to his blade. He maneuvered the weapon with the same grace as earlier, but with much more destruction.
Nazun slashed downward, and the energy-sword followed, while Shin and I darted even FURTHER out of the way. Because when that energy weapon came crashing in the ground and we looked back, we realized just how in over our heads we truly were.
The road was shattered into two large halves, creating a vast, ragged fissure. Black curse energy was venting out like smoke from a crackling fire. The direction Nazun moved his physical sword was the same as his energy-sword. It followed his movements, regardless of what was in the way. His real weapon didn't even need to touch anyone or anything for the energy to do damage.
Another swing was already incoming, giving Kaiten little time to think.
There's no way he can dodge that!
Kaiten sprung over the horizontal slash, which ended up cutting through the buildings at the side of the road instead of him. Nazun gazed up to see Kaiten hurl one of his blades at him, and a flash of blood was no surprise there.
One of Kaiten's swords had run right through Nazun's foot and dug itself deep into the silky sand.
"Graahhh!"
"Come on Nazun, that's all you've got? You're facing the strongest man alive who doesn't wield a curse! It's not shameful to lose to me, you know!"
Kaiten landed gracefully, pulling his third sword into his palm and pointing it at Nazun. He was challenging a Hanakai member and a curse wielder, all while being much older and having no supernatural abilities of his own.
"Don't talk down to me, I'm not even going all out."
Kaiten laughed hysterically. "And what makes you think I am?"
Nazun swiped the blade at the Commander once again, but it was to no avail. Kaiten slid beneath the energy-sword strike and rolled right back to his feet, bolting closer to Nazun. It was clear Kaiten could handle Nazun all by himself. He didn't need us.
Wow. Commander Kaiten is amazing. I wonder if he can train me.
Nazun yanked the sword from his foot and started stepping away gradually, losing his cool and releasing sporadic, uncontrolled energy whirlwinds. And that was the one thing that seemed to throw Kaiten off. At least a little. Kaiten had closed in relatively fast, but with the random energy tornadoes curving his way, he was forced to be a bit more cautious.
"Everyone tries to get close, but they never succeed. Wanna know why?"
Kaiten utterly ignored Nazun's words, preparing to charge right back in.
"It's because I fight as dirty as I want!"
Nazun changed targets on the fly, sending his energy-sword swinging at Shin's neck and mine. We had no time to respond, no superhuman speed to get out of the way. My life felt like it was about to flash before my eyes, even as Kaiten turned and hurried to try and save us. At that moment, my vision went blurry, and I lost the ability to think straight.
I froze.
Yet out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of black and orange come my way. Whatever it was, it grabbed Shin and me by our arms and leaped over the energy-sword, carrying us along with it.
We landed unharmed, and immediately, the feeling of whatever had saved me disappeared. I heard a familiar voice. Shin and I were stuck staring at our savior, though I couldn't make out their face for a few moments.
"Looks like I really am faster than even you, Commander!"
Is that you, Kozuna?