Arriving at a spot not far from the battlefield, I looked toward the chaos and raised my hand, palm open.
Seeing my signal, Isadora took out three medals and placed them in my palm. I grabbed my belt and fastened it around my waist; it automatically locked into place.
Sliding the medals in, I ran the scanner across them.
"Henshin!"
[๐๐๐๐]
[๐๐ ๐ฃ๐]
[๐น๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐]
[๐๐-๐๐ -๐น๐! ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐-๐๐ -๐น๐!]
I leapt high into the air and sprinted forward, meeting a swarm of Shuuki head-on. I scowled at them and extended my claws.
"Get out of my way!"
Energy flared around them, and with a sharp motion, I unleashed a blast shaped like a tiger's claw. The attack tore through them in an instant as I bulldozed straight through their ranks. Activating my enhanced vision, I scanned the area. The soldiers were still aliveโbut in their current condition, they wouldn't last much longer.
What caught my attention were three Shuukis wearing masks with different expressions:
Sad.
Happy.
Angry.
Each had a distinct skin toneโthe sad one gray, the happy one white, and the angry one was black. Their builds were lean yet powerfully muscular, far from fragile.
They were gripping members of the Third Unit of the Defense Force by the face. Just as they were about to finish the job, I gritted my teeth and slammed my foot into the ground, launching myself forward at full power.
The three noticed me at the last second and immediately released the battered soldiers, leaping back to dodge my attack.
Like a missile, I crashed down with explosive force, the impact shattering the ground beneath me. Without sparing the trio a glance, I rushed to the members of the Third Unit, who were in terrible condition.
"Are you still breathing?" I asked, worry creeping into my voice as I gently lifted one of them.
The woman in my arms coughed up blood, but she managed a faint nod.
"It's okay. Don't talk," I reassured her softly.
Isadora arrived moments later.
"Let me take care of them," she said, carefully taking the injured woman from me and moving to join the others. "You have other things to focus on."
Yeah, I know. But I can't help worrying.
Still, with Isadora there, I knew they were in good hands for now.
I cracked my neck and took a deep breath, tensing every muscle in my body for what was coming.
Rising to my feet, I turned to face the trio staring back at me. The lesser Shuuki that had surrounded us suddenly halted. The one with the smiling mask pounded its chest.
I was furious.
Right now, I didn't care about strategy or objectives.
I just wanted to beat them down.
Without wasting another second, I vanished from where I stood and reappeared in front of them in a blur, having leapt forward at full speed.
Despite my speed, the smiling Shuuki reacted in time. It raised its arms and blocked my punch but the force still sent it flying backward, crashing into a boulder and reducing it to rubble.
"Not bad for a piece of trash like you," I muttered.
In the next instant, the sad and angry ones threw their fists at me. I sensed it and caught both punches midair. The impact made my arms tremble slightly from the sheer power behind them.
Shifting my weight onto my dominant foot, I bent my knee and released their fists. In the same motion, I drove my elbow forward, snapping my wrist into a tight fist and delivering a precise one-inch punch straight into the angry mask.
The blow sent it hurtling backward.
Seeing the angry one sent flying, the Sad mask reacted instantly. It pivoted on one foot and lashed out with a sharp kick.
The impact slammed into my side and sent me skidding backward. I dug my heel into the broken ground, flipping once before landing in a crouch. The earth cracked beneath me, but I steadied myself and rose without losing balance.
It didn't give me time to breathe.
The Sad mask dashed forward, its figure blurring, and swung a fist straight for my head.
I tilted my body at the last second and parried the strike with perfect timing, redirecting the force past my cheek.
It didn't stop.
A barrage followed.
My shoulder.
My chest.
My face.
My stomach.
Each blow was aimed to damage me badly.
But I moved with it. Arms flowing like water, deflecting, weaving, letting its power slide past me instead of meeting it head-on. Our limbs clashed in a rapid deadly dance carved into the field.
"Taste some of this!!"
Spotting a narrow opening, I hooked its arm outward and stepped inside its guard. My hands came down in twin, crushing chops onto both shoulders.
Extending my claws, I raised my hand to drive it straight through its maskโ
But it read me.
The Shuuki suddenly dropped flat onto its back, one palm bracing against the ground. Using the momentum, it snapped both legs upward in a scissor-like kick aimed at my torso.
I crossed my arms just in time. The force pushed me back a step, feet grinding against shattered stone.
"What the heck is with these guys?" I murmured.
This one was skilled.
Far too skilled.ย
Just like the Armored Shuuki before, they weren't just reacting. They were analyzing. Countering. Predicting.
The Sad mask rolled back to its feet in one fluid motion.
I surged forward first this time.
I lifted my knee and drove a sharp kick into its side, then twisted my hips and snapped another kick toward its head. Before it could recover, I spun with full momentum and unleashed a powerful roundhouse.
The strike connected, sending it staggering sideways but a sudden spike in my senses screamed danger.
I ducked instantly.
Something tore through the air right where my head had been.
I hopped backward, widening the distance, forcing myself to breathe. My focus sharpened to its limit. Activating the hawk's vision, the field shifted in clarity.
All three hostiles were back on their feet.
They began moving really fast.
Circling me.
Like predators sizing up their prey.
"They're already back upโฆ" I clicked my tongue.
I heard their feet slam against the ground and then they were on me.
One lunged straight ahead, fist tearing through the air toward my face. I shifted sideways at the last possible second, letting the attack skim past my shoulder.
The moment I moved, the second one flowed into position. It dropped low and slid across the fractured ground, sweeping a powerful leg toward my ankles to take me off balance.
But I was already airborne.
I planted one foot and flipped backward, the sweeping kick passing just beneath me. I landed lightly, foot skidding an inch before I regained control.
I didn't stay still.
Standing in one place would be asking for trouble.
My footwork shifted constantly. Small pivots, angled steps, controlled slides. Every movement was deliberate, denying them the chance to surround me completely. My head turned sharply, hawk vision tracking their signatures as they repositioned.
They were coordinating.
Testing me.
This wasn't just a clash of force anymore.
It was turning into a battle of endurance.
Three against one.
And they weren't slowing down.
I exhaled slowly through my nose, steadying my breathing despite the tension coiling in my muscles.
"Bring it on, you three!"
I raised my hand and beckoned them forward, fingers curling in challenge.
If they wanted to hunt me.
Then let's see who collapses first.
========
========
Shikoku POV
At this point, I wasn't even surprised by their interference.
In fact, I kinda expected it.
Watching that man in the suit hold his own against Arges, Brontes, and Steropes. Countering them, pushing them back. That was exactly what I wanted to see. There was no way he'd be weak like them. No way he'd be boring.
A slow grin tugged at my lips.
"What are you going to do?" Jouryuu asked.
"What else?" I replied, unable to hide the excitement in my voice.
With them showing up like this, there's only one thing left for me to do.
Payback.
And maybe settle the score for what that woman did to me while I'm at it.
"I'm joining the party. Stay put here, Jouryuu."
I didn't wait for a response from her.
In the next instant, I vanished.
There was nothing else on my mind. No strategy, no restraint.
Just the overwhelming urge to crush him until he's unrecognizable.
And if he happens to die in the process? Even better.