Ikuse leapt forward, energy coursing through out his entire body. Pumping through his legs and back as he swung with all his might, his arms a near blur as they slashed through the air. Silently cursing himself, he tried to imbue every cascading blade of inky blackness with that same potential to cut. To slice through concepts and hopefully block whatever the old monster had in store.
That string, once taught went slack and suddenly a flash of something came streaking his way. Dancing along the edges of his quickly formed blades, just barely of grazing reach. That sparkling tip, grew ever larger in his vision. Verdant in color, bright and glowing ominously. It looked beautiful...and it also sent every one of his hairs to stand erect. Goose flesh forming and sweat dripping down his spine.
That lone arrow, spelled death in bold lettering. Elegant and fine, written in fine ink made to last forever. Momentarily, all he could feel was that near animalistic desire to flee. To duck out of the way of the sliver of death streaking silently his way. So, who was he to deny those instincts? Instincts that had worked plenty of times in the past to keep him alive at that?
SLASH!
A tendril of shadows came whipping out, wrapping around his body before ripping him violently out of the way. Just in the nick of time too, as the sudden boom whipped ineffectually against him. A whip-stream left in it's wake, soon followed by a near ripple across the ground itself. Snapping his head back, he could only watch on with some confusion as the arrow slipping through nearby shrubbery before dispersing into a series of bright green bubbles.
And maybe that curiosity was a mistake on his part, as when he looked back to try and locate the archer, the man was nowhere to be seen. In one instance, the Heavenly Demon stood perched on a branch and in the next, it was like he was nothing more than a mere trick of the eye.
Maybe Ikuse would've believed that to be the case...if only it wasn't for the still relatively fresh bloodstains coating patches of grass, or the still cooling corpses from the monsters rampage or showing. If only that sensation of having his own arm ripped off wasn't so damn vivid. The feeling of skin stretching, muscles tearing and humeral head being popped out of it's socket. No, that was no dream or illusion.
He also didn't think the 'old' man actually took this moment to flee either, leaving only a single answer.
Death loomed in that forest and as quick as lightning, Ikuse dropped down low. Eyes catching a single arrow slipping through the ground to disperse harmlessly into the environment around him. Cursing more fervently, he crouched and leapt between the trees. Trying to use them as a sort of covering from the unseen archer, the sensation of pins and needles following him with every step. As he frantically searched, his body, through the use of the occasional tendril bailing him out, dodged through the near constant hail of arrows. Each coming from a different angle and direction but their shooter nowhere in sight.
'JIN!' He silently called out to his weirdly silent partner, feeling along that mental link as he SLASH through another arrow. This one probably nothing more than a harassing shot as it's composition seemed a bit hazier, like fog or steam forced into an arrow like shape. 'Get me eyes on him!'
'Trying!' Jin's annoyed and nearly feral voice snapped, the growl even to that thought plain for all to hear. And from in the distance, a massive blur could be seen dancing through the seemingly endless forest as well. That giant form crashing through trees and snapping through low hanging branches. 'He's slippery! Get rid of his cover!'
'On it!'
Standing still for but a moment, he drew in on the nearby shadows. These massive trees…trees that felt off. Felt different than he remembered from even just a few minutes ago. They seemed, larger, fuller and more vibrant. Bark healthier looking and leaves shimmering an almost unnatural verdant green. Going from a normal forest commonly found in the countrysides of Japan, to something only spoken of in fairy tales. When had they gotten to this size? Was this why the Heavenly Demon was drenching the forest in his energy?
A sudden change in the air made him duck once more, shattering his revelry as yet another arrow flew overhead. It's form barely holding together before it dispersed and flowed into the nearby trees. Which greedily devoured the scraps like a dehydrated man getting their first laps of water.
He suddenly slashed out at a nearby tree, his claws swiping through cleanly like a hot knife through butter. A frown tugged at his snout as he looked down at the damage. There had been some resistance present, not a lot. Barely enough to notice but even that minute change sent a shiver down his spine. Which only grew to genuine concern as that torn surface began to visibly close before his eyes.
Yeah, this forest had to go. As standing in the middle of what felt like a Druid's Grove or Witches Domain didn't sound like a good idea, at all.
Falling low, he pulled on the ambient darkness. Drawing up the near continuous shadows provided by the monstrous trees and molding them like clay. Encircling himself in that comforting embrace, he put a little extra effort into reinforcing his makeshift barrier but most of his attention was centered solely on the scythe in hand. Particularly, the black blade. Like folding an infinite number of sheets, the blade gleamed. Growing more 'real', losing that smoky appearance. Hands gripped firmly on the long handle, Ikuse hunched low. Collecting and focusing more of his own enhanced stretch into the movement. All the while, he could hear the pings of those arrows bouncing off his shell.
Could hear crashing in the distance, but all of that fell away in that instance.
He could see the scene vividly, this scythe, imbued with the intent to SLASH to cut down this burgeoning magical grove down before that massive hand could have to opportunity to close around them. Combined with his monstrous strength, the scythe, handle and blade would both expand as one. Treating this forest like nothing more than a stalk of wheat to be harvested. Working in tandem to get rid of this technique or spell while also finally revealing the elusive archer.
It should've been perfect, anytime else things would've worked out just them to allow him to snatch this victory and finally be allowed to just go home. Maybe that take that voucher to have that famed Saint clear up his hidden injuries, to maybe do something to help repair that bucket leaking his lifespan away in droves. He didn't expect miracles with that, but just being able to recover even a few more years was more than enough for him.
A flash of danger struck at him just then, the cold certainty of death just barely out of sight. And without a second thought, he swung with all his might in the direction in question. Shield falling away as the abyssal blade met the verdant green arrow tip.
A force, like none of other fought against his blow. Sparks bright enough to blind a mundane human filled the forest. Shock-waves slamming into nearby trees, that emerald glow about them glowing in intensity as they broke and healed in rapid succession. But no matter how powerful that shot might've been, it was still supernatural in nature. Taking only a few breathe for the godslaying portion of his Sacred Gear to shin, splitting the arrow in twain. Cutting through something solid, slowly at first but rapidly growing in speed as he continued his swing. And the now two half's of the arrow split off to pierce into ground from either side of him.
Breaking down into twin massive cloud verdant bubbles, he ignored that phenomenon and continued to swipe with the remainder of his swing. Haft expanding and blade growing in size, more shadows from the forest floor reaching up to add to the attack. One tree fell, cut clean with not even enough time for the wind to come knock it down before the weapon cleaved through another. And another, and another. Facing not even sliver of resistance as he turned. Spinning in place, reaping these trees like a farmer during a harvest.
Ending arc low, air filled his lungs as he exhaled. That lone breath acting as the lone catalyst for the forest to come tumbling down from his felling. Exposing a lone figure standing proud in the distance, that makeshift bow still in hand. But, instead of pointing the bow in Ikuse's direction, instead it was held aloft. Pulled taught with no arrow in sight.
Even from his far away, he could tell the man was smiling. Completely unconcerned at the mountain of muscle barreling his way. Jaws open wide, crimson eyes mad with fury.
"One Arrow, One Key. Open the Verdant Gates."
Just as those words left his lips, the whole world erupted into green.