Chapter 28 - "Core Cut"
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Rei stood with her back to the huddled girls, blades dripping purple.
She turned her head slightly.
"Don't worry. Back off a little."
The girls pressed against the wall—crying, shaking.
One small mana monster lunged—claws flashing.
Rei jumped.
Her body twisted mid-air—blades crossed.
SLASH!
The monster split clean in two. Purple blood sprayed.
She landed—slid across concrete—boots sparking.
Another came from the left.
She pivoted.
One blade up, one down.
CUT!
Two halves fell.
A third leaped at her stomach—same spot as before.
Rei blocked—metal clanged against claw.
She spun the blade.
SLASH!
The monster fell in pieces.
Pain flared in her abdomen—sharp, deep.
*It's hurting… that last cut. Stomach's the core. Every jump, every twist—needs power from here.*
She breathed fast—short, ragged.
More small ones skittered forward.
She cut—slash after slash—bodies dropping.
Then the girls screamed behind her.
Rei whipped around.
Small monsters had slipped past—clawing at the civilians.
She leaped—high, blades trailing blue light.
One slash—two monsters bisected.
Another—three more.
She landed between the girls and the horde.
Blood ran down her stomach—warm, sticky.
She gritted her teeth.
*If this continues… I can't win. I have to kill him. Now.*
The human-sized mana monster walked forward—slow, deliberate.
Creepy smile still stretched.
Rei charged.
Blades forward.
She thrust—sword sank deep into its chest.
The monster moved.
It didn't block.
It spun—full 360° rotation—using Rei's own momentum like a pivot.
The force turned against her.
Rei's body was pulled around in a violent arc.
The monster's leg snapped up—perfect counter-kick.
BOOM!
Rei flew—face-first into concrete wall.
CRACK!
She hit hard.
Slid down.
Eyes fluttered—closing.
But she forced them open.
Stood.
Heart hammered—wild, loud in her ears.
She remembered Kaito's voice from the night garden.
*"How long are we going to keep blaming the past…?"*
Rei clenched her blades.
*He's right.*
*How long am I going to blame myself?*
She charged again—faster.
The monster raised its hand to block.
Rei slashed—full power.
The hand flew off—clean cut.
The monster kicked.
Rei ducked—cut upward.
Leg severed at the thigh.
It fell—off-balance.
Rei spun behind it.
The girls watched—silent.
Something burned in Rei's eyes.
Not anger.
Not fear.
Something they couldn't name.
She raised both blades.
Crossed them.
One final slash.
The monster split—top half from bottom.
Purple mana sprayed.
Rei stepped forward.
Saw it—the core—wrapped inside twisted intestine-like tubes, glowing faintly.
She cut once more.
The core shattered.
Purple light died.
Turned into gas.
The monster collapsed—motionless.
Rei gasped—high, sharp.
Hand pressed her stomach.
Blood seeped between fingers.
She turned to the girls.
Voice steady—despite the pain.
"It's safe now."
She sheathed one blade.
Held out her hand.
"Let's go."
The girls stared.
Then—slowly—reached back.
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*End*