Clyde huffed, just a little. Miles can add up, even for him, but the run wasn't so bad. Sure, he kept them going at a high pace, well, the hellhounds kept the party at a high pace. Yet things seemed easy so far. The forest path somehow made the young man think of a heart. It expanded and contracted. Narrowed and widened. The area felt as if it grew darker.
"Yusuke's scent is close," Ruri told him.
"I'm tired," Natalia whined.
Harumi and Tear smiled at each other.
"Well now," Harumi said.
"Shall we add a few more lazy bums to the runs?" Tear said then looked at Alice. The twin-tailed young woman tried to harrumph but lacked the breath. The hellhounds seemed to enjoy themselves. Ming…well, Seth carried her on Clyde's cruel orders.
"How far are we from the rift?" Clyde asked Neko. He gave himself a mental pat on the back for training on his own.
"Only less than a quarter mile off," Neko said.
Clyde nodded, thankful that this world used miles and not some strange measuring system. Kilometers or leagues didn't bother him—but those were obviously Earth terms.
"Let's slow the pace to a walk before some people pass out," Clyde said. "We won't be effective in battle without the stamina."
His team looked grateful. Seth let Ming down. She angrily marched over to Clyde and gave him a gut punch. A pathetic one, but it still carried some kind of meaning.
"Look, if you're mad about Seth carrying you, you're going to have to get over it," Clyde said. "You were falling behind."
Ming said nothing as she took a place by the other women
"Nyaa, she's mad," Neko said.
Clyde dealt with enough of Natalia's childishness that day and was in no mood for anyone else's, so he looked forward.
"He's such an idiot," Ruri muttered to herself. "Stupid ninja. Witless, reckless, idiotic, prideful, buffoon."
"Clyde, Ming, you really shouldn't be sulking," Toru said. "Now isn't time."
"Do I look sulking to you?" Clyde said.
"Clyde—"
Clyde forestalled Toru.
"Keep focused. We've got a friend, a teammate in real danger. I'm not in the mood for dealing with anyone's shit, do you read me?"
"Dude," Seth said. "You really should communicate with your prophet." He walked up to Clyde and whispered. "I know what you're trying to do, but don't." Seth shot a glare at Natalia. "And don't listen to the kid either. I try to speak with all of our teammates if possible, get them comfortable. Friendliness to strengthen our team. You were isolating her without knowing it. She doesn't know the other women that well and to her, they're probably intimidating as hell. Even sweet Harumi. That leaves just you to look up to."
Clyde said nothing.
"Clyde," Seth's voice had an edge. "Seriously."
Clyde continued in silence for a while longer before speaking.
"Seth, let me ask you something."
"Sure, whatever dude," he said.
"Do you expect me to babysit each one of you?" Clyde said. "Or do you want me to lead the team. You're adults. She's an adult. She must learn to speak of her own accord."
"I get what you're saying, but why not help her out?" Seth said. "And you know what, let's not beat around the real tree here, she clearly likes you. Your usual spell on women has her wrapped too."
Clyde said nothing.
"I don't know if to be content with silence or pissed," Seth said.
Clyde continued to walk in silence, eyes forward, frowning.
"Dude."
"What do you want me to do, Seth?" he said, voice calm. "Offer her random words of comfort. Have I once mistreated anyone on this team?"
"No, but—"
"Do I have mind-reading powers?" Clyde interrupted. Then he spoke aloud, eyes on the team. "If anyone has a problem with me, speak up. You're adults."
No one spoke, but Ming's face darkened. He looked forward again.
"Dude, what the hell. Calling her out?" Seth said.
"Seth, our teammate could be dying," Clyde said. "Is now a good time for this shit? By the way you're defending her dude, I—"
"Clyde cut the shit," Seth snapped. "I'm offering you advice while we're walking. While we're catching our breath."
"Let's pick up the pace again, double-time," Clyde shouted. There were groans. "Let's go, Yusuke may need us."
"You're being a bit unreasonable dude," Seth said. "No need to be a dick."
Clyde shook his head.
"A dick that's focused on the matter at hand. Anything else can wait."
"Even after she saved your life," Seth said.
"What are you talking about?" Clyde held up a hand, forestalling Seth. "That's irrelevant. Now stop bugging me about this shit."
"I'm bugging you because she's your prophet," Seth said. "And I will keep bugging until you realize that she's probably more important than you think. If the Viper's threatening the world, shouldn't you—"
"ENOUGH!" Clyde roared and his roar created winds so strong that every tree in the forest shook, bent. If the party wasn't running, they'd be flying. Seth snarled.
"You can toss your powers back and forth," he said, stubbornly, "but I won't let you forget."
"Seth, just stop," Toru said. "You're not helping. And Clyde has a point. We'll sit them down later."
"It was Ming who flipped out first, nya," Neko said, strolling up beside the three men. "Seth, you should consider how he feels managing an entire team—a position he didn't ask for. Nor did he ask to be the Stone. Every decision he makes could lead to your deaths, nya. A lot of pressure."
Seth shifted his glare to Neko. She stuck her tongue out at him.
Clyde gave them both a glowing-eyed gaze which had the desired effect. The words died off their tongues.
The rest of the trip was in silence. Neko and Ruri both gave their excited warnings of enemies being ahead.
"Look Seth, Ming," Clyde said. "We're going to go in there, kick ass without any deaths. Let's drop all grievances here and do this, alright?"
The duo looked at him for a few seconds, reading the young man, then nodded.
The scene they came upon was not what they expected…
"Holy shit," Seth said. "What in the fuck?"
Ming vomited off to the side. Yuki whistled. Melody shuddered. Neko and the hellhounds growled. Tear held a look of distaste. Natalia hopped over some puddles off blood, carefree, unshaken. She almost fell in one, but righted herself in time.
"Well, how about that," Alice said. "Are you sure Yusuke's human?"
Kitome glared at her. Alice smiled sheepishly. She narrowly avoided a puddle of blood that had a samurai's head in the center of it.
"I suppose that's the rift," Clyde said, pointing at a shimmering blue hole in midair. A portal. He closed his mind off from the surrounding dead bodies. "Can anyone deem it safe? I'm not trying to fall into a pit of lava."
"It's safe," Melody said. "There's destruction on the other side too."
Her eyes were glowing brightly. They flickered back to normal when she nodded as if satisfied with something. "Let's get in there."
**
In the Rift…
Surrounded by massive amounts of swirling orange aura, Yusuke walked through the church, destroying every samurai that stood in his way with a single knife-handed strike. His ninja soul burned, howled, and demanded blood. He punched a hole through the chest of one, hopped on another's head and pull it off, danced through their falling blades and returned fire.
[Yusuke activated Ninja arts- *God* Whirling Slash.]
Both palms out, he swept the approaching twenty samurai guards with wind sharp enough to cut the world in half.
Then he noticed her, naked, and tied to a giant golden cross. Her head sagged. Black aura…no, taint rose from the stage beneath her. It formed into tendrils and entered her mouth. Undine shook.
"What are you doing to her?" Yusuke snapped at the black armored samurai that stepped out of the shadows. "You allowed her to so-called honorably surrender, and this is what she gets in return?"
"Boy, you have no idea who she is, do you?" the samurai said. "Yet you came in here and killed off half my guard. Humble men who did not deserve to die. Had you asked and declared your loyalty to the Great Abyss Lord, I would've let you in. Explained how you're either under her spell or severely mislead."
"You're going to pay for what you did to her," Yusuke said. "I'm going to fucking kill you."
"You are perhaps the most foolish, dimwitted ninja I've ever met," the black samurai said. "I suppose it is not your fault for being untrained. I cannot sense raw evil in you. But…for you to speak in the defense of this creature—and her very surprising surrender…No, you are bewitched or foolish, for she is evil incarnate."
"She's not like that anymore," Yusuke said. "Time and puri—"
"Enough! I will not sit here and let a child speak to me this way," the black samurai snapped. "I personally know Undine. Known her for fifteen thousand years. You are simply human, nothing to us. Untrained, undisciplined—you do not deserve to wield the ninja soul. I am Shaku, greatest servant of the Great Abyss. I will put you to rest—death shall release you from her chains!"
Yusuke's body began to pulse as it continued to grow hotter. He…felt as if he'd burn up at this rate.
[Shaku has invoked Samurai soul!]
[Yusuke has entered a Boss fight!]
Clyde huffed, just a little. Miles can add up, even for him, but the run wasn't so bad. Sure, he kept them going at a high pace, well, the hellhounds kept the party at a high pace. Yet things seemed easy so far. The forest path somehow made the young man think of a heart. It expanded and contracted. Narrowed and widened. The area felt as if it grew darker.
"Yusuke's scent is close," Ruri told him.
"I'm tired," Natalia whined.
Harumi and Tear smiled at each other.
"Well now," Harumi said.
"Shall we add a few more lazy bums to the runs?" Tear said then looked at Alice. The twin-tailed young woman tried to harrumph but lacked the breath. The hellhounds seemed to enjoy themselves. Ming…well, Seth carried her on Clyde's cruel orders.
"How far are we from the rift?" Clyde asked Neko. He gave himself a mental pat on the back for training on his own.
"Only less than a quarter mile off," Neko said.
Clyde nodded, thankful that this world used miles and not some strange measuring system. Kilometers or leagues didn't bother him—but those were obviously Earth terms.
"Let's slow the pace to a walk before some people pass out," Clyde said. "We won't be effective in battle without the stamina."
His team looked grateful. Seth let Ming down. She angrily marched over to Clyde and gave him a gut punch. A pathetic one, but it still carried some kind of meaning.
"Look, if you're mad about Seth carrying you, you're going to have to get over it," Clyde said. "You were falling behind."
Ming said nothing as she took a place by the other women
"Nyaa, she's mad," Neko said.
Clyde dealt with enough of Natalia's childishness that day and was in no mood for anyone else's, so he looked forward.
"He's such an idiot," Ruri muttered to herself. "Stupid ninja. Witless, reckless, idiotic, prideful, buffoon."
"Clyde, Ming, you really shouldn't be sulking," Toru said. "Now isn't time."
"Do I look sulking to you?" Clyde said.
"Clyde—"
Clyde forestalled Toru.
"Keep focused. We've got a friend, a teammate in real danger. I'm not in the mood for dealing with anyone's shit, do you read me?"
"Dude," Seth said. "You really should communicate with your prophet." He walked up to Clyde and whispered. "I know what you're trying to do, but don't." Seth shot a glare at Natalia. "And don't listen to the kid either. I try to speak with all of our teammates if possible, get them comfortable. Friendliness to strengthen our team. You were isolating her without knowing it. She doesn't know the other women that well and to her, they're probably intimidating as hell. Even sweet Harumi. That leaves just you to look up to."
Clyde said nothing.
"Clyde," Seth's voice had an edge. "Seriously."
Clyde continued in silence for a while longer before speaking.
"Seth, let me ask you something."
"Sure, whatever dude," he said.
"Do you expect me to babysit each one of you?" Clyde said. "Or do you want me to lead the team. You're adults. She's an adult. She must learn to speak of her own accord."
"I get what you're saying, but why not help her out?" Seth said. "And you know what, let's not beat around the real tree here, she clearly likes you. Your usual spell on women has her wrapped too."
Clyde said nothing.
"I don't know if to be content with silence or pissed," Seth said.
Clyde continued to walk in silence, eyes forward, frowning.
"Dude."
"What do you want me to do, Seth?" he said, voice calm. "Offer her random words of comfort. Have I once mistreated anyone on this team?"
"No, but—"
"Do I have mind-reading powers?" Clyde interrupted. Then he spoke aloud, eyes on the team. "If anyone has a problem with me, speak up. You're adults."
No one spoke, but Ming's face darkened. He looked forward again.
"Dude, what the hell. Calling her out?" Seth said.
"Seth, our teammate could be dying," Clyde said. "Is now a good time for this shit? By the way you're defending her dude, I—"
"Clyde cut the shit," Seth snapped. "I'm offering you advice while we're walking. While we're catching our breath."
"Let's pick up the pace again, double-time," Clyde shouted. There were groans. "Let's go, Yusuke may need us."
"You're being a bit unreasonable dude," Seth said. "No need to be a dick."
Clyde shook his head.
"A dick that's focused on the matter at hand. Anything else can wait."
"Even after she saved your life," Seth said.
"What are you talking about?" Clyde held up a hand, forestalling Seth. "That's irrelevant. Now stop bugging me about this shit."
"I'm bugging you because she's your prophet," Seth said. "And I will keep bugging until you realize that she's probably more important than you think. If the Viper's threatening the world, shouldn't you—"
"ENOUGH!" Clyde roared and his roar created winds so strong that every tree in the forest shook, bent. If the party wasn't running, they'd be flying. Seth snarled.
"You can toss your powers back and forth," he said, stubbornly, "but I won't let you forget."
"Seth, just stop," Toru said. "You're not helping. And Clyde has a point. We'll sit them down later."
"It was Ming who flipped out first, nya," Neko said, strolling up beside the three men. "Seth, you should consider how he feels managing an entire team—a position he didn't ask for. Nor did he ask to be the Stone. Every decision he makes could lead to your deaths, nya. A lot of pressure."
Seth shifted his glare to Neko. She stuck her tongue out at him.
Clyde gave them both a glowing-eyed gaze which had the desired effect. The words died off their tongues.
The rest of the trip was in silence. Neko and Ruri both gave their excited warnings of enemies being ahead.
"Look Seth, Ming," Clyde said. "We're going to go in there, kick ass without any deaths. Let's drop all grievances here and do this, alright?"
The duo looked at him for a few seconds, reading the young man, then nodded.
The scene they came upon was not what they expected…
"Holy shit," Seth said. "What in the fuck?"
Ming vomited off to the side. Yuki whistled. Melody shuddered. Neko and the hellhounds growled. Tear held a look of distaste. Natalia hopped over some puddles off blood, carefree, unshaken. She almost fell in one, but righted herself in time.
"Well, how about that," Alice said. "Are you sure Yusuke's human?"
Kitome glared at her. Alice smiled sheepishly. She narrowly avoided a puddle of blood that had a samurai's head in the center of it.
"I suppose that's the rift," Clyde said, pointing at a shimmering blue hole in midair. A portal. He closed his mind off from the surrounding dead bodies. "Can anyone deem it safe? I'm not trying to fall into a pit of lava."
"It's safe," Melody said. "There's destruction on the other side too."
Her eyes were glowing brightly. They flickered back to normal when she nodded as if satisfied with something. "Let's get in there."
**
In the Rift…
Surrounded by massive amounts of swirling orange aura, Yusuke walked through the church, destroying every samurai that stood in his way with a single knife-handed strike. His ninja soul burned, howled, and demanded blood. He punched a hole through the chest of one, hopped on another's head and pull it off, danced through their falling blades and returned fire.
[Yusuke activated Ninja arts- *God* Whirling Slash.]
Both palms out, he swept the approaching twenty samurai guards with wind sharp enough to cut the world in half.
Then he noticed her, naked, and tied to a giant golden cross. Her head sagged. Black aura…no, taint rose from the stage beneath her. It formed into tendrils and entered her mouth. Undine shook.
"What are you doing to her?" Yusuke snapped at the black armored samurai that stepped out of the shadows. "You allowed her to so-called honorably surrender, and this is what she gets in return?"
"Boy, you have no idea who she is, do you?" the samurai said. "Yet you came in here and killed off half my guard. Humble men who did not deserve to die. Had you asked and declared your loyalty to the Great Abyss Lord, I would've let you in. Explained how you're either under her spell or severely mislead."
"You're going to pay for what you did to her," Yusuke said. "I'm going to fucking kill you."
"You are perhaps the most foolish, dimwitted ninja I've ever met," the black samurai said. "I suppose it is not your fault for being untrained. I cannot sense raw evil in you. But…for you to speak in the defense of this creature—and her very surprising surrender…No, you are bewitched or foolish, for she is evil incarnate."
"She's not like that anymore," Yusuke said. "Time and puri—"
"Enough! I will not sit here and let a child speak to me this way," the black samurai snapped. "I personally know Undine. Known her for fifteen thousand years. You are simply human, nothing to us. Untrained, undisciplined—you do not deserve to wield the ninja soul. I am Shaku, greatest servant of the Great Abyss. I will put you to rest—death shall release you from her chains!"
Yusuke's body began to pulse as it continued to grow hotter. He…felt as if he'd burn up at this rate.
[Shaku has invoked Samurai soul!]
[Yusuke has entered a Boss fight!]
