[XW1n5t0nX]

-The Chūbu Region of Japan|1515-

Beneath the moonlit sky rests a small village of only a hundred or so people, ranging in age, size, and gender. The village sits in an area that resides near several mountains, it hidden by a large forest which goes out for miles which eventually opens up to a path that could lead one to bigger and better places. While the area itself is surrounded by both rocky and forestry environments, the village itself is placed inside of a clearing near the middle of the dense greenery with a river not too far off that sits near the base of one of the mountains. To anybody traveling around the area outside of the forest they would never expect that inside of its clutches lives a tribe of people, they living peacefully away from the rest of the world.

The look of this small community is no different than any other. Houses are made of common materials and the inhabitants dress in simple clothing; kimonos that vary in the design but all feature the color blue. All wear simple getas, each and every one dirtied and worn from years of use. One could say that the village and the villagers look impoverished, but while torn and worn they all are simple in appearance. And with the nearest market so far off, getting new and more stylish clothing and supplies to make more appealing homes is not a concern for the people, they only venturing out when they absolutely have to. Simple and easy to the core are these people, for it is what they know and what they desire to stick with.

At the center of the village the residents are gathered around a fire which illuminates the area. Standing closest to the fire is an elderly man who is the village’s shaman, a councilman, and four warriors standing guard for protection. While the villagers themselves are of no threat to the men by the fire or even to each other, the presence of the guards is still needed as tonight is a special occasion in which a threat may very well present itself.

“My children,” begins the shaman “Tonight is a glorious night. For it is on this night that we hope to welcome the great savior back into the world!” He says as the fire illuminates the smiling, gleeful faces of the villagers of which he refers to as his children. “Many of our elder members know of the importance of this night, and thus why I have gathered you all here. However I know some of you younger ones may not be familiar with the reason. So I feel it is only my natural duty to inform you all before we proceed with the evening.”

Once the tribe elder has finished speaking, older members of the village urge the children and young adults to sit up front so that they may hear more clearly of this great tale. It is a story which has been passed down for generations and is the reason the tribe exists. The tribe itself is known as the Iruka, the name coming from the fact that many years ago the people who formed the tribe lived near an ocean and were known for being one of the few people to get dolphin meat from. Since then the tribe has always moved every so often, they doing so only when the habitat of old is no longer suitable for living.

All of the young folk soon sit close to the Shaman, they looking up at the old man awaiting the great story of the Iruka tribe. After clearing his throat the shaman speaks up, his voice hoarse from age but still maintaining a loudness to it that allows those close to him to hear anything he says crystal clear, and those far out to still hear him at a decent level.

“1,000 years ago when our ancestors lived high up in the mountains a great disaster occurred. This was a disaster far worse than any bandits or samurai attacking, or even that of something created by the hand of God such as a whirlwind or a great flood. No, this was something far, far worse.

“On a day like any other the ground began to shake, something not uncommon to those who live in the mountains. However what happened next was not common at all. For the ground split open and from this split rose that of the Oni, demonic creatures that reside in the depths of the Underworld. These hellish beings took advantage of the newly made gateway to the human realm and flooded the earth in great numbers. They spread throughout the lands and caused mass destruction wherever they went.

“Now while most ravage groups such as this simply seek to gain something such as money, food, women, or slaves from attacking people, the Oni found those things of no use. They simply caused chaos for the sake of chaos, it almost as if they wanted to turn our world into an extension of Hell. It was as if these Oni hated human life and anything that was part of it, they thus seeking to destroy it. Why they did this nobody knew and I find myself believing nobody wanted to know. It was much easier to accept this destruction of the world as long as it had no reasoning behind it. After all, if the Oni had a concrete reason for doing it, it would mean that they had planned it which would make the attack on the human world seem so much more personal and cerebral.

“So for whatever reason the Oni attacked us and continued to attack us. Many of the people came to the conclusion that it was the end of the world and soon became almost unaffected by it. Not everybody took on this nihilistic mindset, but a majority seemed to simply give up knowing that it wouldn’t matter what they did. In the simplest terms, all hope was lost.

“But then the sky began to shine brighter than a thousand suns. The humans and the Oni looked up at this now glistening sky, their eyes taking in a sight that would remain with them forever. From the heavens descended a warrior clad in blue and golden armor. This warrior that was followed by the shining light looked down at the people and monsters below him, his eyes hidden behind that of a helmet whose red eyes were unemotional and blank in stare. He soon touched the ground, the Oni turning their attention towards this mysterious new person. They gave a horrible roar and ran up to the man, their arms held back ready to tear him limb from limb with their claws and any weapon they may be holding. The inhabitants of this particular piece of land huddled together, they shielding the eyes of the younglings, they bracing themselves to watch another person brutally taken out of this world.

“However they soon looked in shocked awe, as this newly arrived warrior did not perish. He was not torn to pieces, eaten alive, violated, or made privy to any other horrible fate. He was able to fight against these monstrosities that the humans couldn’t. The warrior was able to easily block and counter any attack an Oni threw at him as well as being able to send an Oni down with the lightest of punches. For what seemed like an eternity the warrior punched, kicked, and slammed his way through the demonic army, he slowly sending each one back down to Hell that he came in contact with. Afraid of this terrible strength the leader of this invasion of Onis retreated back down to the underworld, his fellow Oni following right behind him, the gate to their hellish realm closing.

“The people of the world rejoiced almost immediately, they celebrating from sunrise to sunset at the victory over the Oni. While it was true neither of them had defeated the monsters themselves, they were happy to know that a human was able to finally do so (if only they knew). The hero himself soon vanished though, it being said that he went into the sky again, his work done there was no reason for him to stay any longer.

“After these events passed the people began to rebuild their lives, trying to regain what they had lost in the battle. Our ancestors who witnessed all of this decided to form a tribe right here in the mountains to show their solidarity after going through such an ideal together. In honor of their hero the tribesmen named their clan Iruka. The shaman presented the name, he choosing it as the mysterious hero had the qualities of dolphins as spirit animals, as dolphins in that form were likened to protection and resurrection, just like what the hero did for them. From there on out that of our tribe was born and lived in harmony.

“However, the peace wasn’t to last. A hundred years later the gates to the underworld opened, Oni once again emerging from it to bring about destruction to the world. Fearful of this ever happening the Iruka had warriors set in place to defend the tribe, and warriors from without the land would fight off any Oni they found. But their efforts seemed almost in vain. While they could defeat one or two, they were unable to send them back down to the abyss from which they came. However, miraculously, the warrior appeared again, bursting onto the scene from out of nowhere and once again was able to defeat the Oni into submission, forcing them to retreat once more.

“The tribe’s people were relieved to be graced with his presence again. However they questioned how he could come again as he did not descend from the sky like before. They gossiped to their heart’s content, they believing it to be either the one from before, or that before he left the hero managed to mate with a women within the tribe and impregnated her, giving birth to a new hero whose legacy would continue to live on. Whatever the reasoning behind it, they were simply glad to have the hero return.

“Fearing that these events may potentially keep repeating themselves the tribe constantly prepared for it, it training warriors throughout the ages. Their fears were continually met, for every 100 years the Oni would return and bring about chaos. However with the return of the Oni came the return of the hero who would save them all. Was it the one from the first encounter, or was it the descendant of that one? Nobody knew, but they welcomed the hero every 100 years, the tribe praising every birth that ever happened, they eager to see if a hero would be created.”

The Shaman ended his tale, he taking in a deep breath as he found himself winded from speaking all of what he did. Through the story the young members of the tried watched in awe as their Shaman spoke, their faces illuminated by the fire glowed lighter and darker through the story depending at which point they were at. Now with it concluded their faces continued glow, both from the light of the fire and from the story itself, they finding it fantastic and intriguing. It wasn’t only the children that were invested and thrilled by the story, as many of the adults found themselves coming to have facial expression just like that of the children even if they had hold the story before. It was a story that was the utter essence (the heart and soul if you will) of the tribe, and no matter how many times it was told it always managed to bring about joy (and sometimes fear) to the tribesmen.

The Shaman smiled at his villagers in delight before speaking up again. “This tale continues tonight my children. For while our people have never been sure if the hero comes from our own, we celebrate every birth as if he is. And tonight we are ready to welcome another Iruka to the world.” He then motioned his hand towards a woman standing near the younglings. She walks over to where the Shaman stands, her belly inflated from an obvious pregnancy. The woman smiles as she stands next to the elder, he returning a smile. “Our lovely Kōmyō is slated to give birth to her child tonight. If our praised hero has not been born and among us yet then let us hope that he shall be born tonight!”

All of the village members applaud at these words, Kōmyō blushing from embarrassment at being all spoken up. She looks out in the crowd and while she sees many faces one clearly stands out, that of her lover Geki; the father of the soon to be born child. While the whole village and clan are excited to see the birth of a possible hero, these two were excited the most. Hero or not the human that they created and that has been growing within Kōmyō for nine months was about to arrive, the parents filled to the brim with joy, they being rightfully so.

While the applause carries on, a gust of wind picks up, its touch rocking the trees and blowing the fire in the town center a bit. This wasn’t an uncommon thing as the wind tended to come and go on a daily basis, it simply being a common everyday thing up in the mountains. The wind slowly began to pick up, it seeming to get louder and stronger with each coming breeze. It slowly attracted the attention of the Shaman who now began to watch the trees surrounding the village, they rocking more and more. Then with a sudden gust stronger than anything they had ever felt, the fire was instantly extinguished and thus sending the village into total darkness. Surprised by this the villagers gathered together closely, guards preparing for a possible attack from possible assailants.

Silence fell over the village, not even nearby animals or scared children making a sound. Then they came. In a flood of screaming cries of terror came the Oni, they masked in shadows but still visible, the villagers able to see their demonic attackers. They attacked with no rhyme or reason and struck at anything that moved within their vision. Men, women, children, adults, all of these people were the same to the Oni; prey for them to dispense of. They mostly struck with their clawed hands; however some used weapons such as spears, swords, and the ever so deadly kanabō. No matter what the tool for destruction was it was efficient, they easily slaughtering anybody who their eyes caught a glimpse of.

The village’s guards stepped up to the fight off the sudden army of Oni, they branding weapons ranging from katana blades to naginatas and even a few being armed with gun powdered rifles the tribe acquired at a market. But as the fight carried on the guardsmen grew angry, their weapons not seeming to have an effect on the demonic warriors. As the sounds of guns being fired and blood curdling screams filled the night, a young guard threw down a simple wooden staff he had been using as a weapon. He unsheathed a small knife from his waist and with an energetic cry of battle, charged toward an Oni. Throwing all of his weight and momentum forward, the guard slammed into the Oni and knocked it to the ground, he falling on top of it. He began bringing his blade down repeatedly against its chest, the human screaming all the while. After several strong thrusts he managed to finally pierce the Oni’s chest and continued to do so the Oni’s eyes seemed to fade away and its jaw fell slacked, he seeming to finally take one down.

“I GOT ONE! I GOT ONE!” He cried out feverishly, he amazed at the feat he was able to perform. The young guard looked at his comrades as he said this, they smiling at first but their faces slowly turned to a horrific state. Puzzled by this the guard turned around, he being met with an Oni’s kanabō as it crashed into his face, the force of the blow sending him flying off of the Oni he had slain and rolling on the ground and eventually stopping at the feet of Kōmyō, his head twisted violently to where it looked up at the pregnant woman, his face smashed in and a bloody mess.

“AIEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!” Kōmyō screamed as she looked down at the now dead young warrior. She bent forward and clutched at her mouth, she vomiting into it and producing enough for some to slip through her fingers and onto the ground. Kōmyō then felt the sensation of something leaving her body, something wet. She looked down at her feet to see what the sensation was about, and while it was troublesome to be fully sure due to the dark and the blood splattered ground, she deduced –with great horror- that her water had broken. Kōmyō was about to give birth to her child in the middle of a massacre.

Kōmyō ran from where she was standing, she trying to escape the chaos and find her beloved Geki. While running around Kōmyō took in everything that was happening. She took in bodies being destroyed, buildings on fire, she herself nearly falling victim to a collapsing building until a nearby guard quickly shoved her out of the way and taking the building instead. Kōmyō winced and teared up as she saw this. Just what was she bringing her child into? She looked to her upper left, an Oni wielding an axe like weapon standing above the Shaman, he pleading for his life and crying out “WHERE IS HE!? WHERE IS THE HERO?!” Those became the last words he ever uttered, for a moment later his head became detached from his body.

Amidst all of the insanity Kōmyō failed to notice Geki running up to her, his sister Mayu right behind him. “Kōmyō!” He shouted repeatedly, she finally hearing him. She turned to look at her loved one and hugged him fiercely. “We need to get out of here now!” Geki told the two women.

“As quickly as possible would be preferably!” Mayu chimed in.

“Geki…I’m…the baby, its coming. It’s coming now!” Kōmyō told them both, Geki and Mayu’s face taking on an expression of complete shock.

Geki looked down at her in a fierce stern manner, his eyes then darting around for an escape route. They soon locked on to a trail behind the Shaman’s hut. Geki had walked down the trail before, the trail itself leading to the river. On the other side laid more forest. However beyond it though laid a smaller village at the base of the mount that they could momentarily take refuge in. Seeming to understand her brother’s gaze Mayu quickly grabbed hold of Kōmyō’s right arm and started sprinting for the trail, Kōmyō following behind her while holding her stomach. Geki soon caught up to them, he running on Kōmyō’s left side and taking hold of her hand, squeezing it tightly.

The three made it to the back of the hut and quickly made their way down the trail and leaving behind the now ruins of their village, the sounds of people crying and screaming still ringing in their ears. The sounds slowly faded though as they kept running, Kōmyō moaning in unease from being about to go into birth. After a few minutes they came to the river and stopped running, all three out of breath. Mayu’s instincts kicked in –rightfully so as she was the village’s medicine woman- and got Kōmyō lying down. “It’s going to be okay Kōmyō, you and your baby will be just fine.” Mayu assured her, she forming a smile on her small but full lips.

Kōmyō looked over to Geki, her eyes filled with sorrow and pain. But they also carried joy with them, the person they had created was about to come into this world. They may have just gone through hell, but even that wasn’t enough to steal the happiness from their hearts. She formed a smile and directed it at the soon to be father, he returning the smile. As the two looked at each other Mayu moved to be between Kōmyō’s legs and stared down between them. She then instructed Kōmyō to begin pushing, Kōmyō nodding her head in understanding and doing as told. Geki knelt down to his beloved’s side and took hold of her hand again, squeezing it as the woman pushed in spurts to his little sister’s instruction. The practice carried on for minutes, but it came to an eventual end, Kōmyō giving one final push that brought her baby into this insane world. Mayu took hold of the baby and smiled at it, her eyes glistening with tears. Kōmyō and Geki’s did the same as they took in the sight of their child. Mayu then looked up at her brother, her eyes falling down to his waist. Geki quickly understood what the look was for and unsheathed his knife, handing it to Mayu, she then using it to cut the umbilical cord.

“Welcome to our world little one. Say hi to your mother.” Mayu told the baby with a smile, she then handing it to Kōmyō. “It’s a boy.” She told the parents who were gushing at the baby. All three stared at the newborn with teary smiles, Mayu eventually spoke up again. “Do you have a name picked out?”

Kōmyō’s smile brightened at this, for she and Geki had picked out names last month to go with their baby depending on the gender. She tilted her head up to look at Geki, the two smiling warmly at each other. The moment was soon shattered as a dark blue hand burst through Geki’s face, blood splattering onto Kōmyō, Mayu, and the baby. The hand belonged to an Oni which had snuck up behind Geki. It ripped its hand upwards and out of Geki’s head, the head then falling to pieces due to this.

The women shrieked and cried out “GEKI!” simultaneously. Mayu who still was holding the knife in her left hand grabbed Kōmyō with her right, she pulling the mother of her nephew up to her feet, she then shouting “RUN!” Run they did, the two women taking off across the river and heading towards the nearby village, the Oni in hot pursuit of them. The chase went on and on. They soon saw the entrance to the town, smiles lighting up their faces. Guards standing there as if they were waiting for them, each one armed with a rifle.

It was at the moment she saw the guards that Kōmyō felt a sudden shock. She then slowly began to fall down; the Oni had caught up to them and had just torn out a good chunk of her back, blood spurting out of the giant wound. Mayu who had turned around to speak out to Kōmyō saw the incident, her face becoming pale in shock. As Kōmyō hit the ground sideways Mayu’s face contorted into one of rage. She tackled the Oni down and began bringing her brother’s knife down again and again and again into the forehead of the attacker, she crying in anger and sadness as she did so. She continued doing this until a guard took her aside, another one then standing over the Oni and firing a round point blank into the Oni’s face, it bursting apart.

Covered in the blood of her slain brother and the Oni, Mayu walked over to Kōmyō, she sitting against a kneeling guard, blood falling out of her mouth and down onto her chest. To avoid the baby getting covered in any more fluids Mayu bent down and took the baby, Kōmyō handing it off to her willingly. Mayu and Kōmyō stared at each other, the new mother’s eyes opening and closing slowly, she about to slip away. “Oh Kōmyō…” Mayu said softly, her face becoming flooded with tears, she stuttering as she spoke due to the sobbing.

Kōmyō stared back at the crying Mayu, her son strangely quiet and calm. “Torie.” She spoke softly and muddily due to her condition and the blood in her mouth. Mayu looked down at her brother’s loved one, she not understanding what this outburst meant. Kōmyō picked up on this and spoke again, her speech growing slower. “Torie, that’s his name. It means saving grace. We decided to call him that in case he did become the hero…why didn’t he come…but that’s not important. Torie is. Mayu…ta-take care of him for us. Love him as he was your own. Make sure he lives a good life for Geki and me…” Kōmyō mumbled on, she then exhaling a final breath before her eyes shut halfway and her jaw slacked, her spirit leaving her body. Mayu closed her eyes and continued sobbing, Torie beginning to whimper some, it almost as if he too felt his mother passing on.

As the guards inspected the now dead Oni and Kōmyō, Mayu walked back to the river, her face expressionless, bags already forming under her eyes, her skin now pale. Once at the river she knelt down at the river’s edge and began to clean the baby. When she finished she tore off part of her kimono and wrapped it around Torie. She slowly stood up and looked down sorrowfully at the baby, now calm and sleeping in her arms. Mayu then looked up to the moon, she staring at it intently as if it was another person, even as if Geki and Kōmyō were looking down at them. Mayu then looked down at the baby again, the light of the moon reflecting off the water and almost shining on the sleeping baby. As crickets chirped in the night and guards ran past her Mayu continued to look down at who was now her son. She gave a small smile at Torie at the baby’s almost shining face. Mayu then turned her back to the river and began the walk back towards the other village, she ready to go about life in a new home with her son.

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-Kamen Rider Jōtei-

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Legend I: Revival

-Nagoya, Japan|2015-

Funanori Todo stood in front of the mirror in his bathroom, he adjusting the tie he was wearing. It was morning and it was time for Todo to head off to work. Todo was of average height and build, though his build was more muscular due to working out. His hair was a medium yet long length, it light brown as his mother’s had been. He was dressed in his regular police uniform –the man was 26 and was a highly ranked SAT unit member-, he finding the tie to be crooked. Todo fidgeted with the tie for a couple of minutes before finally getting it straightened properly. Success. Now done with the task of getting dressed Todo smiled at himself in the mirror. Well then, time for another day at the old office.

He exited the bathroom and went into the hallway and then into the living room area. On the couch laid his younger sister, Namiko (age 23). Namiko was slightly taller than Todo, her hair long and wavy, it a darker shade of brown than his, it featuring a few streaks of lighter brown in some parts. She was quite the beautiful young woman, her body slender but featuring some meat on her that made her slightly pudgy, but not a whole lot. She was average looking but had an attractive quality to her, Todo always believing it was her eyes. He was always shocked that she didn’t have a romantic relationship with anybody. In school he always had to fight off a couple of guys who took a liking to her –the typical brotherly protection-. He probably didn’t need to though as Namiko never showed interest in boys. It wasn’t that she was attracted to girls, she simply didn’t care. The best way to describe Namiko was that she was asexual. Regardless of this Todo still considered her to be a beautiful girl, he hoping that one day she’ll find someone to love and live a happy life with.

The two shared a small condo together in the city (it took him a while to be able to afford it, but after being promoted to captain he received higher pay which combined with Namiko’s job at a bookstore allowed them to afford the place). Namiko has always lived with her brother and so when he was about to move into a new place she decided to go with him. Todo didn’t mind though considering what their life has been like. He even liked sharing the condo with his younger sister. He only wished she was more active and outgoing instead of staying shut up in the place –she only venturing out to work, eat, or to shop-.

Namiko looked over at her brother through the corner of her left eye, she then speaking out to him in a quiet voice, the typical tone for her. “Are you heading off?” Todo nodded his head to answer her question. When he stopped she spoke again. “Have a safe journey.”

“You’re going out later right?” Todo asked. Namiko nodded just as he did, she then informing him of her plans to meet a friend at a mall and shop for a bit, probably grabbing a bite to eat too. “Alright then. Be careful; if you need me just call me. I’m going now.” Todo explained to the young female before giving her a smile, he then going out into the small hallway near the front door and then leaving the condo to Noriko, her gaze returning to the floor she was staring at before her brother entered the room.

After leaving the house Todo took his usual route to work where, unless something came up, he’d sit at a desk and do nothing outside of reading a few reports, do any paperwork that needed to be done, and in a state of boredom browse the internet. Such was a daily routine with his job. Being a SAT officer was exciting; it gave him the opportunity to test his skills out to their fullest. He always wanted to be a cop and once he finally became one he quickly proved himself to be brought into the SAT where he quickly rose to being regarded as one of the best officers. He enjoyed his job. He only wished there was more action. True this meant that something terrible was happening, but it gave him a thrill of excitement. It may be responding to an awful situation but it was much better than sitting at a desk doing meaningless things. Despite that though, Todo still enjoyed his job. It was his dream job, something he worked hard to obtain and was very proud to have achieved his dream. He was even prouder of how quickly he rose through the ranks and how highly regarded he was. Yes it could be boring, but Funanori Todo could deal with the boredom knowing he was helping out his fellow man and being touted as one of the best man could offer.

At five till 9:00 Todo arrived at the front of the station, he gazing up and down at the old brick built building. He released a small sigh. Here we go again. Todo walked into the building and greeted the receptionist, he then taking the elevator up to the third floor, his floor. He greeted some more people before sitting down at his desk. A small stack of papers was awaiting him, a sticky note on top of them from a co-worker.

“Dear Todo-san,

I’ll be away for a while with my boyfriend. Please take care of these papers in my absence. I owe you one.

- Sasayaki Kaori ^_^”

Todo shook his head and produced a small grin. Ahhh Kaori-san. You definitely owe me one for this. Todo chuckled a bit before he began looking at the papers, another day of boring old paperwork was about to begin.

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The clock ticked away as Todo stared at it. The time was now a little after 1:00 PM. Todo sat at his desk still, a chicken and egg sandwich laid on his desk with a small can of iced coffee next to it. He nibbled on the sandwich every few minutes as he continued to work on the paperwork Sasayaki Kaori had left him. The stack wasn’t too big but he found it to be fairly difficult. Kaori was one of the desk workers and thus had experience with work such as this. Todo was use to deskwork, but not to this degree. He simply sat around waiting for something to happen, his paperwork history being only simple things –though they came in big piles at times-. It was tiring and boring, but he had to keep going.

Salvation seemed to come –to Todo at least- at about 1:30. Sakurai Yoshi’s – the station’s announcer-voice came over the intercom system. “All SAT unit members are needed immediately. A disturbance has come about at The Sakae Underground Mall. Multiple reports have come in of somebody attacking citizens and that some have been killed. The person is considered to be very dangerous. I repeat, all SAT unit members are needed immediately at The Sakae Underground Mall!”

Todo leapt out of his chair along with a few other SAT members who were doing desk work. They ran out of the office area and down the hallway towards the locker room. As this small group ran, joined in numbers by other SAT squad members, Todo spoke to himself urgently inside his head. Sakae Underground! That’s where Namiko was going I think! I got to get there quickly! Got to protect Namiko! The group burst into the locker room, the walls lined with lockers and their gear. Each man changed as quickly as possible into their black uniforms and putting on bit of armor (the two female members going into the shower area to change). Once fully dressed, each member proceeded to equip themselves with weapons, strapping on sheathed knives, pistols, small bombs, and taking a gun off of the rack. Now fully ready for combat the unit ran out of the locker room –Todo leading them obviously-. They made their way down to the garage section of the station and filed into two vehicles which were like a combo of Humvees and vans. Fully loaded, the two vehicles exited the garage, turned on their respectful sirens and speeded toward the mall.

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It took the unit only about five minutes to reach their destination thanks to speeding through the roads. When the Humvees stopped near the entrance of the mall, the soldiers rushed out of them immediately, a flood of people standing around the entrance in terror and tears. Todo took the lead and brought his men to the main entrance. He looked into it and didn’t see anything that would make it to where they couldn’t proceed. He then gave a command that half of the unit would go around to one of the side entrances so that they could take down the attacker from two sides instead of focusing on one side. Once half of his men left his field of vision Todo led the men still with him down the entrance and into the mall. The small unit proceeded to make their way through the mall, they passing by a variety of stores and people in a panic. Todo stopped a pedestrian and asked where the attacker was, he receiving an answer of straight ahead to the right. Todo nodded his head in thanks and moved into the area with his men.

They soon came to the source of the disturbance, and after passing through a large group of people stopped in their tracks. They were expecting a simple psychotic, something they were use to and had dealt with before. But instead they were greeted with quite the surprise. Todo and his men took in the image of a tall creature that was a mixture of dark purple and bright red, its eyes sunken in and bronze. This thing feature three horns on its head, a simple loincloth around its waist, and was holding a pair of small kodaichi blades that had a distorted and twisted appearance.

“What the hell is that thing?” One of the SAT officers asked his throat dry from the shock of the scene.

“I don’t have a clue…” Todo replied. He scanned the creature up and down multiple times, he finding it hard to believe that something like this existed. The best answer he could come up was –judging from its appearance- that it was an Oni. But that couldn’t be possible. Onis aren’t real. Todo hung onto that thought as much as he could, but he was compelled to believe that this…thing was in fact an Oni. Now he was truly scared for Namiko, who he hadn’t seen inside or outside. She was either in the mall still hiding –Todo dare not think about her possibly being dead- or had escaped to somewhere. Either way, he needed to deal with the Oni first.

The Oni soon turned its attention towards the unit, it taking in the all black and blue appearance of the humans, they holding strange looking weapons in their hands. It stared at them for a while longer before it let out a shriek like roar, many of the people nearby clamping their hands down onto their ears to block the noise out. It stopped doing this and then ran at the group of soldiers. Todo directed the men into different sections, some standing and some kneeling. He then gave the all important order.

“FIRE!”

All of the officers squeezed down on the triggers of their rifles and shotguns as soon as Todo gave the order, the sound of gunfire echoing throughout the area and the mall itself. Bullets flew into the Oni as people watched the scene unfold. They along with the officers became shocked when it became clear their bullets had no effect on their unnatural foe. Even after emptying all the bullets in their guns the Oni did not sport a single wound. Todo stood, his brow furrowed and forehead sweating beads. He along with his men started to reload their weapons, but the Oni didn’t give them a chance to complete the process. It leapt into the air and fell onto two of the officers, it plunging one kodaichi straight through the body armor and directly into the heart of an officer, the officer immediately spitting up blood as he cried out in pain hoarsely. With the other kodaichi the Oni began slashing away at the neck of the second officer it fell on, that one screaming as loud as he could until the Oni cut his vocal chords to shreds.

The second half of the entire unit came charging from around a corner behind the Oni, it turning its head at the noise of feet stomping away. The entire unit poured bullets all over the Oni, but they having no effect just like the others. Seemingly irritated by this the Oni shrieked again, this time it’s shriek so loud that it shattered all of the glass near it. Once more it leapt into the air, landing in the middle of the second unit. Todo and the men with him looked on in horror as the Oni slashed, clawed, and bit their comrades into submission, it leaving not a single one alive. When it finished, the Oni and the floor were covered in crimson, the floor of the mall becoming almost like a small pool of the red liquid.

“We’re fucked! We’re totally fucked!” An officer next to Todo screamed.

Another officer pulled off two small explosives from his utility belt and threw them at the Oni. They were simple ball grenades designed to incapacitate rioters with a fury of small lead balls. Todo hollered for the pedestrians to take cover, they doing as told. The grenades went off with a loud bang, the lead balls flying all over the place, they even hitting a couple of pedestrians. The ones that hit the Oni didn’t even make it flinch, it simply standing there as it was assaulted by the tiny metal objects. Pissed that nothing seemed to have an effect on the Oni, an officer unsheathed his combat knife and ran right up to the creature, he looking to plunge his knife right into the face of the assailant. His crewmates watched in horror though as he was met with both of the Oni’s swords, they cleaving him right in half.

Todo and the remaining officers could not believe their eyes. They were throwing everything at this thing and yet it refused to go down. Bullets didn’t affect it, the grenades didn’t stun it, and it was easy to believe that the combat knife wouldn’t have had an effect at all. What else could they do? They could send out an order to have some of the higher grade weapons brought down, but what were the chances of those working, let alone in some cases not harming the pedestrians. They along with the SAT crew could do nothing but stare at this demonic being as it took out some of the scattered officers and pedestrians. Todo along with everybody else was ready to wave the white flag of defeat and either retreat or simply let them be killed.

“I’ll take care of him.” A voice called out.

Todo’s eyes widened as he heard this. He deduced it was a member in the crowd of people as the voice didn’t match to any of his men. What? Is a civilian going to try and beat this bastard? How? We went at it with weapons and they didn’t do a damn thing. What is a (probably) unarmed civilian going to do?

Still in shock Todo didn’t fully see the person who stepped out of the crowd and walked past him toward the Oni. Before Todo could even focus on this apparent fighter a bright golden light blinded him and everybody around the battlefield. The light slowly faded and when it did Todo, the remaining officers, and the civilians took in an astonishing sight: the man who had volunteered to fight had transformed. He now stood in front of Todo wearing a black leather like undersuit, he wearing blue armor over the torso, shoulders, and on his forearms and legs, the blue having some gold trimming around it. The man turned his head to look at Todo a bit; Todo noticing that the forehead of the helmet the man wore had a gold crest on it. The helmet also featured two big ruby red eyes. This mysterious person then turned his head back towards the Oni, the Oni seeming to recognize him let out not a shriek, but an actual growl like roar. The Oni widened its stance some and then took off like a bullet towards its new opponent.

It (the Oni) raised both of its arms, ready to bring down the kodaichi blades down upon the new foe. The Oni finally threw them down; however instead of ripping into the armored man like it was hoping, the man raised both of his arms up in an X formation, the swords slamming down onto his forearm guards. The Oni put pressure on the blades, attempting to force them through the arms. It forced the armored man back a bit, but had no other effect, he himself sending his arms out to the side, causing the kodaichi blades to fall and slam into the ground some. With the Oni now stunned a bit, the armored man took advantage of the opening and brought his left fist into the left cheek of the Oni, the force of the blow sending the Oni back and forcing it to drop its weapons. Everybody watching the fight found their mouths to open and stay open, Todo and his crew especially. They pumped so much lead into the Oni and it did nothing. But this guy just threw a simple punch and knocked it back some. Just who is this guy Todo thought.

Deciding not to let the demonic creature get back into the swing of things, the man ran right up to it, he striking it’s midsection with a multitude of punches, chops, and slaps, ending this furry by grabbing hold of the Oni’s head with his left hand and then slamming his right elbow right into the Oni’s face, he then jumping back some. The Oni raised its hands and grabbed its face, it staggering about some from the pain it was feeling. When it removed the hand from its face, the Oni narrowed its eyes and stared right into the ruby ones of the foe. Visibly angered by this it released another deafening shriek roar, it then running up to the man. The Oni went to throw a punch, the man instinctively going to block it, however the Oni changed its game and instead brought it’s left knee into the gut. The change worked and the attack was enough to stun the armored man.

Taking a page out of its foe’s book the Oni began to unleash attack after attack on the man, it throwing punches and kicks at every body part. Not everyone hit, but those that did affected the man enough. The Oni then unleashed a savage roundhouse kick to the side of the helmeted head, this blow sending the man down to the ground on his side, clutching at his head. A chuckle sound came out from the demon’s mouth, pedestrians crying out to the man who had stepped up to protect them to get up. But he didn’t, he seemingly dazed and out of it from the vicious blow.

The Oni walked over to where its foe laid, stomping it’s foot into the man’s side repeatedly. It then felt a prickly sensation. When the Oni turned its head to see what this sensation was all about, it took in the image of Todo pointing his automatic pistol at the Oni. Angered by this the Oni began the trek over to Todo, Todo himself already saying goodbye and sorry to everybody important in his life. But this distraction gave the mystery man enough time to get up and take in what was about to happen. He then began to run toward the Oni, he cocking his right arm back and formed a tightly clenched fist. The man then stepped on the brakes, he now sliding to a stop. He threw his arm forward, his fist going square into the middle of the Oni’s back. The creature stopped in its tracks, frozen from the punch. It looked around some as it began to feel a burning sensation through its body. The Oni gave a final roar, it then exploding into nothingness, only a few specks of ash remaining. Everybody stared in shock; this mysterious man had managed to defeat the being they couldn’t.

The armor clad man changed his posture to be standing straight up, Todo and the remaining officers doing the same, they staring at this unknown man. The bright light returned, it shining and falling down onto the man, Todo and the others’ shielding their eyes enough to where they could still see but not be blinded. When the light faded their jaws hung open even more than before. Before them stood an average looking man. He appeared –to Todo at least- to be about Namiko’s age, his hair short though having some length to it in the back, it colored black. He was wearing dark grey jeans and a red and black T-shirt, a necklace with a blue jewel hanging around his neck. The man stared at Todo, blinked a couple of times and then smiled warmly some. Todo once again found himself asking what he had earlier; who is this guy?

...to be continued