Return of the Fallen Volume 2 Chapter 40
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Author: Blue_Rat
ch40
*Clang*
Kazuki’s movements had been swift but as he swung out with his sword, it collided with a metallic-like black wing.
Abah had made her move. The Black Stone Tablet in her hand alight with a glow caused the Limiter tattoo’s on Chief Atoh and the other villagers to be activated. However, instead of suppressing their strength, the altered tattoos forced their Mangshi transformations.
“So this is what you were relying on?”
As Kazuki added strength to his sword he pushed the black wing slightly back. Usually, it would take a Mangshi at least 1-2 seconds to fully transform when they wanted to but Chief Atoh and the villagers had transformed before Kazuki had gotten to them. With his speed, Kazuki was upon them in a flash but Abah’s magic had worked quicker.
In front of him, there were now 8 fully transformed Mangshi including the chief. Chief Atoh’s voice echoed out from his beak, now though his voice hardly resembled a human and was more akin to a mix between a high pitch screech and a low reverberated roar. The sound this gave off was quite odd and creepy.
“Ryu…Ta…I had…warned…you…now…DIE!”
A clawed foot came forward and nearly kicked Kazuki in his chest. With a twist of his body, Kazuki dodged before leaping several feet back.
“Danny, Nunully, Kimi, stay in the back and provide support. Sam, Asuna, Shen, you’re with me. They are fast in the sky so be prepared for their dive bombs. On the ground though we have the advantage in movement. Watch for their openings, Attack!”
Tsura called out in a panic.
“Ryuta, what should we do?”
“Don’t ask dumb questions, this is for your freedom, right? Attack!”
Mother and daughter exchanged a look.
“Mei, we have to fight, let’s go.”
Mei nodded along with her mom and prepared to transform before a sudden shout from Abah stopped them.
“Oh no. you don’t! Ancient Jiaqin Codex, drain my life, in exchange lend me your powers!”
The Black Stone Tablet glowed with dark light and Abah’s grey hair whitened to an extent. A power descended upon Tsura and Mei and their transformations were suppressed and reverted in an instant. Mei and Tsura’s eyes widened in shock.
“Mommy, I…I can’t change.”
*Cough cough hack cough*
Abah’s breathing became labored after coughing violently.
“You have forced this, young Mei. You have given us little choice. These brave warriors will die and you will come back to us no matter the cost. With a bit of my life, the Jiaqin Codex will suppress you and your mother for the time being. One day you will thank us for this.”
(So that’s what it is. The old bat is giving up life force and feeding that black tablet to hold Mei and her mom back. So we just need to kill her.)
“Everyone, Abah’s the target. If we take her out, Mei will be able to transform. We kill Abah and it’s our win.”
Kazuki told the others before he changed targets.
“I won’t let you!”
Aboh’s mouth widened and row after row of sharp teeth snapped at Kazuki’s shoulder.
With a sidestep, Kazuki avoided a dangerous situation and raced forward toward Abah. Abah was the only villager who hadn’t transformed as she fed the Ancient Tablet her life. However, next to her stood two of the Mangshi villagers. They already knew Kazuki and the others would go for them and had prepared themselves long ago. The Mangshi by her sides grabbed her with their feet and ascended high into the sky, out of Kazuki and the others’ reach.
Kimi fired a laser-focused beam of light at Abah but the two Mangshi working with perfect coordination flew out of the way. To hit them so far up and moving at such speed was more than difficult, it was almost impossible.
Following their trajectory, Nunully fired a spear of ice where the mangshi were going to be.
*Clank*
The ice landed but shattered upon contact with the hard black feathers.
“Two can play at that game. Men, attack their support.”
Atoh had 8 Mangshi on his side including himself. 2 were in the air with Abah protecting her, which left 6 on the ground. Mei and Tsura currently couldn’t transform and fight and Danny, Kimi, and Nunully were the most vulnerable.
“Danny, Kimi, get Mei and Tsura in the trees now!”
Kazuki barked out his orders and the two didn’t hesitate. The 6 free Mangshi flew forward but kept low to the ground so as to not get sniped by Kimi and Nunully.
Asuna ran forward and intercepted one of them. Dodging a swipe towards her face she leaped on its back and tried to stab into its neck. With a quick jerking motion it threw her off and she somersaulted onto the ground before re-engaging once again.
Shin skillfully dodged attack after attack using little movement. With a pivot here or a small tilt of his body, he easily avoided the Mangshi’s strikes. It seems although there were many of them, they were lacking compared to Mei’s father when it came to capabilities.
It seems the Mangshi strength was not set in stone and varied from one another like people. Some would be stronger than others while some were weaker.
Sam raced forward and rammed his shoulder into one of the Mangshi knocking it into a nearby tree before jumping on another one and putting its large beak in something similar to a headlock to keep its dangerous mouth shut.
Kazuki as well faced off with the Chief. With a swing from his sword, he cut a small wound on the Chief’s chest.
(Tch, not deep enough.)
The Chief flapped his wings and backed off a little but Kazuki chased. At the same time, there was still a free Mangshi headed directly toward Danny and the others.
Danny grabbed Tsura and tossed her onto his shoulder before running like a mad man and leaping into the tree. Kimi grabbed Mei under her arm and grabbed Nunully as well. With two people weighing her down though, Kimi’s speed was drastically reduced allowing the Mangshi to catch up.
With its mouth opened wide, it prepared to snap down on Kimi’s head.
Sam desperately called out to her.
“Kimi watch out!”
Kimi fired a focused laser behind her without looking and actually managed to pierce a small hole in its chest but that only barely slowed it down.
“Ice Spear!”
Nunully followed up with an ice attack and with precise aiming, she nailed the demonic bird in the same hole Kimi had just opened up.
*CRraaaaaaa*
The Mangshi let out a pitiful cry and fell over. It flailed on the ground in agony and desperately tried to pull the shard of ice from its chest but the more it struggled the more blood that began to spill out from its wound.
Kimi leaped into the tree and she climbed higher and higher taking cover with Nunully and Mei. The three watched as the Mangshi struggled on death’s door before it could take no more and keeled over.
“Nooo!”
Atoh roared in anguish.
Kazuki, on the other hand, shook his head.
“This is merely the opening. You may all be Mangshi but your strengths diverge greatly. If this is all you can do, your path only leads to your own destruction. I know when it’s time for death and when it’s time for mercy. This is it, stop now, and no else has to die.”
If Chief Atoh had eyes, right now they would have warped in anger.
*SCREeeeeeeeeeeee*
Atoh released a powerful Screech and the world grew silent.
(Trying to take away our communication is admirable but it will not be enough.)
Chief Atoh continued to screech out and Abah bit down on her lip in bitterness.
(Brother, you really intend to go all the way. Fine, brother, we share in life what we share in death. Look at my resolve.)
Abah slammed her eyes shut and began to chant something ominous. The dark black glow around the Jiaqin codex began to darken and grow. It’s darkness stretched out further and further. Abah’s skin began to wrinkle at an alarming rate and her already thin body grew thinner.
The darkness from the Black Stone Tablet extended all the way to the ground and formed a dome covering the entire area. Darkness began to encompass the entire surroundings. Darker, darker, darker, the air itself seemed to become black.
(No sight, no sound, only darkness all around. This is for my people, for their futures, no one will put my village in danger. Young Ryuta, you chose the wrong side, you chose this death.)
Atoh felt no guilt. This was not a day of sadness but instead, a glorious moment that would be recounted as the day the chief slew the enemies of all Mangshi and became an everlasting hero that generations would speak of and tell tales of his heroic deeds with respect and fervor. Or, so he thought.
Kimi lifted her hand high into the sky and roared out.
“SOLAR FLARE!!!”
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