[A/N: sorry for the short chap during the time creating this chap light went away so i decided to focus on the next chapter but anyways here
edit: turns out this was not a short chap]
In such a tense situation, Rikuo's mind began to spin with ideas. He knew from the very moment he saw the man destroy the wooden parts of the house that they could not defeat him. Even though his gramps was a former yakuza, he was now old and gray, and even though he had the mind of a 32-year-old, his body was still that of a 12-year-old.
It was basically a fight between a hydrogen bomb and a coughing baby, with the aid of an old man.
But that did not matter. If they could not fight him themselves, then all they needed to do was call for backup.
"HELP! ANYONE! THERE'S A MURDERER WHO'S TRYING TO KILL US! CALL 911! HELP!"
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"huh a child is crying for help"
A figure with a bamboo hat who was at the outskirts of the city near the abandon temple look towards the right side of city. As if by nature they felt the cry for help by a child and stepped out on the temple.
*****************************
Rikuo screamed at the top of his lungs so that anyone in the neighborhood could hear and call for help.
"Great idea, kid! HELP! THERE'S SOMEONE TRYING TO KILL US!"
Now, with Gramps shouting alongside him, all they had to do was stall until the police arrived, and they would be alri—
"Do you think I'm stupid or something?"
Hachihei now stood in the yard, bathed in moonlight as he stared down at Rikuo and Gramps, who tried to hide Rikuo behind himself.
"I already set up a sound barrier the moment you ran out. Even if you scream until your throat tears apart, no one will hear you."
'Bomboclaat.'
Hearing what Hachihei said, Rikuo's heart dropped, and he cursed in his mind. But in a situation like this, he could not stay down, so his mind spun once more. Yet he was not alone.
"Hey, why are you doing this? If you want money, I can give you as much as you want."
Rikuo was not the only one thinking. After hearing that calling for help would not work, Gramps searched for other ways to resolve or escape this situation. He knew that in his old age, he was no match for that monster. Maybe in his prime he could have fought him, but now he had back pain and someone to protect.
So only one option remained in his mind: negotiation.
And he had plenty of money.
"Old man, I don't need your human money. It serves no purpose to my lord. However, that kid's life, on the other hand, will."
'Why my life? Can't it be someone else? Like our neighbor Tatsuki '
As he thought that, Rikuo's eyes drifted toward Hachihei's pocket. An object protruded from it.
It was the scroll KK had given him a day ago.
'So that scroll really was cursed after all!'
Turning his eyes toward Gramps, he saw that his hands were still trembling from the first strike.
"Hey... why are you doing this? If money isn't what you want, but that—" he pointed at the scroll in Hachihei's pocket, "—then you can have it. It's not like it was mine to begin with."
"Kid, even if you willingly gave it to me now, you are already bonded with it. My lord won't be able to use it unless you die first."
[You cannot negotiate with a tiger when your head is in its mouth.]
Without waiting for another response, Hachihei rushed forward and swung his hand down at them. Gramps, already prepared, raised the sword to guard the attack.
[Shirasaya: a traditional, unadorned wooden mounting used to store Japanese sword blades.]
But just as the praying mantis claw was about to meet the shirasaya, Hachihei's movement changed. Using the momentum of his dash, he twisted his body and sent out a roundhouse kick instead.
Caught off guard by such a quick change in action, Gramps' side was left completely unguarded.
The kick landed with so much force that it sent him flying into the pond, separating him from Rikuo.
*SPLASH*
Not even a moment later, Hachihei rushed forward again, this time toward Rikuo, who was stunned by what he had just seen happen to his gramps.
'Shit.'
The distance between them shrank at a rapid rate, and a second later, Hachihei was right in front of Rikuo, swinging his claw toward his head.
Time seemed to slow as the claw descended, and Rikuo's heart pounded rapidly as if trying to escape his chest.
Without even having time to think of a new plan, Rikuo's body moved on its own, desperate to survive.
Using his short stature, Rikuo rolled forward, allowing the attack to do nothing more than graze his hair and cut off a few strands. While still rolling, his left hand grabbed a handful of dirt and grass from the ground beneath him as he passed under Hachihei.
Seeing his attack miss and Rikuo rolling away, Hachihei quickly turned around to launch another lethal strike just as Rikuo was getting back to his feet.
Without thinking of his next move, Rikuo threw the dirt and grass straight into Hachihei's face.
The attack was not stopped, but it was redirected in midair, changing its target from Rikuo's head to his shoulder.
*SPSSS*
"Gah—!"
"AH!"
As the dirt and grass entered his eyes, Hachihei was temporarily blinded, while blood sprayed from Rikuo's left shoulder, causing him to howl in pain. Even so, he did not take his eyes off Hachihei.
Unable to see, Hachihei tried to clear the dirt from his eyes, leaving himself open for a brief moment.
Seizing the opportunity and putting all the strength he could into his right arm, Rikuo swung the sword at Hachihei's chest.
However, even though Hachihei was temporarily blinded, he could still sense danger and jumped back, attempting to avoid the follow-up attack.
This time, he was not fast enough.
The sword cut through his clothes and left a deep gash across his body as he retreated and landed on one knee.
Still unable to see anything in front of him, his eyes filled with dirt and grass, Hachihei lifted his claws into a defensive stance, preparing to counter any follow-up attack immediately.
But Rikuo, instead of charging forward like a true warrior, ran in the opposite direction toward his gramps, who was near the gate and had only just begun getting back to his feet.
'While he's still blind, we need to leave!'
"GRAMPS, RUN! RUN TO THE GATE!"
As Gramps stood back up, he let out a strained breath. The moment he took a step, pain was clearly visible on his face.
"Haa... ha...!"
Something was wrong.
Rikuo rushed over and grabbed Gramps' arm, supporting him with his shoulder.
"Gramps?!"
Gramps gritted his teeth, breathing in short, ragged breaths.
"...Rikuo... my legs feel broken, and my ribs..."
He coughed once, sharp and painful.
Cough cough
"...I think one of them might've punctured my lung. Go on without me. Get out of here..."
Rikuo's eyes widened at what Gramps had said, but there was no time to stop. If they did, Hachihei would recover, and with the speed he had already shown, he would reach them in mere seconds.
Hachihei, hearing Rikuo's shout that they were trying to escape, knew he could not allow them to leave.
He slowly rose from one knee.
His sharp claws began to stretch longer as his arms became whip-like, increasing the range of his attacks. Drawing back his shoulders, he focused all his strength into his transformed arms.
Then—
He swung them wildly in Rikuo and Gramps' direction.
*Whistle*
The claws cut through the air, making the wind whistle as they passed by. They uprooted the ground in their path as they extended toward them at terrifying speed.
Just as the randomly swaying claws were about to reach them, a shadow with two tails shot from the roof toward Hachihei.
TOMA.
The cat leapt directly at Hachihei's face, clawing at him and redirecting the attack aimed at Rikuo causing the claw that was going for his neck to leave a large cut on his face going from his chin to his ears immediately bleeding.
However, Gramps was not so lucky.
One of Hachihei's claws tore through his side, causing blood to spray across the ground, with some of it spilling into the pond.
"GGGGRRRRAAAAHHHH!"
Gramps could not endure the pain of his side being torn open and collapsed to one knee while Rikuo still supported him.
"Gramps!" Rikuo shouted as he saw him fall.
Blood and dirt now covered Hachihei's face as he staggered backward, instinctively retracting his claws to attack the creature that had appeared out of nowhere.
But Toma would not simply stand there and take it.
The cat jumped over the retracting claw and landed between Hachihei and Rikuo, staring him down as he recovered, anger burning in his eyes.
For a moment, silence fell over the yard.
Toma, who stood between them, was now as large as a panther. Its multi coloured fur stood on end as it shined in the moonlight, while old wounds beneath it begining to reopen across its body due to it increased size.
'Holy shit is that is that Toma how did she get so big'
Looking at the Toma who was now protecting them Rikuo was now even more confused of the situation what next will happen will a beautiful lady fall from the sky
A low growl escaped Toma's throat, its gaze never leaving the man before it.
"Gramps, can you still walk? We need to get out of here while Toma holds that guy off."
"I'm lucky that I can still breathe."
Trying to make light of his situation, Gramps held the side that had been torn by Hachihei's claw. Taking off his shirt, he ripped it apart and wrapped the cloth around his wound, slowing the bleeding.
"Rikuo, leave me and get out of here. I can't move. One of my legs is broken, and my lungs feel punctured."
'You think I never thought of that? I want to run more than anyone here. But leaving you behind, knowing I might have left you to your death... that's too much pressure for me.'
Placing one of Gramps' arms over his shoulders, Rikuo lifted him up.
'But I've decided that I won't give up on both of us escaping until... until I really have to.'
"Gramps, don't worry about that. Besides, didn't you hear it yourself? He said he only blocked the sound around the house. If we just get through the gate, we can call for help."
Lifting Gramps with all his strength, Rikuo began walking toward the gate with determination in his eyes.
It was only ten steps away.
'That's right. As long as we leave, both of us can no will survive.'
However, Hachihei, even from the opposite side of the battlefield, could still hear everything they were saying.
Hearing their plan to escape and call for help, his resolve to kill them both solidified.
Even if another youkai stood in his way, it did not matter.
He slowly turned his head toward them.
Then he laughed.
"Kid, do you think I work alone? Outside my barrier, there are also a few of my lord's followers. You're not escaping—you're just leaving the frying pan and jumping into the fire."
'I just have to slow them down while I deal with this youkai.'
Saying that, Hachihei rushed at Toma, who blocked his path.
Rikuo froze for a moment after hearing what he said, If what he said was true then he would be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.
"He's bluffing. I didn't see anyone outside when I came back. Just run!"
Hearing an unfamiliar, high-pitched voice shout at them to continue running, Rikuo immediately realized it was Toma who was still blocking incoming attack who spoke.
Breaking out of his moment of shock, Rikuo resumed carrying Gramps toward the gate.
1 step
Hachihei moved first.
His arm snapped outward in a wide sweep, claws tearing through the air with a violent whistle.
Toma dropped low instantly, dodging the claw aimed at its head. Using all four paws, it pushed off the ground with full force, dashing at Hachihei with claws drawn.
2 steps
Toma's claw descended as Hachihei raised his own claw and blocked the attack. The clash echoed through the surroundings—one clash became three, then seven, then fourteen as their strikes met and separated repeatedly, yet both remained ready for the next exchange.
3 steps
Hachihei swung his claws once more, but not at Toma. Instead, he struck the ground between them. Dirt and grass exploded upward, forming a curtain that blocked vision.
A heartbeat later, something burst from behind the falling debris.
A jagged piece of wood spun through the air toward Rikuo and Gramps.
Without hesitation, Toma leapt into its path and shattered it midair.
But in that same instant, a crimson arc flashed from beneath the dust.
The claw strike skimmed low across Toma's hind legs, carving through flesh and drawing blood. By the time the dust settled, Hachihei had already withdrawn.
Without giving Toma time to recover, he pressed the attack.
4 steps
Hachihei lunged forward, his right claw cutting through the air in a savage downward strike aimed directly at Toma. The attack was fast and heavy.
Toma's own claw moved to meet it.
But the killing intent behind the strike vanished the moment Toma committed.
The attack was never meant to land. It was a feint to distract Toma.
At the same time, Hachihei's other arm snapped outward from an unnatural angle, sending a second claw slash racing toward Gramps, who was still being carried by a strained Rikuo.
Hachihei's claw was aimed directly at Gramps as Rikuo carried him.
Even with his back partially turned, Rikuo still kept one eye on the Hachihei, watching for any stray attack.
Seeing the claw come their way Rikuo reacted instantly.
He shoved Gramps out of the way, but in doing so, exposed himself to the attack instead.
Using the sword in his hands, he raised it to block the incoming claw.
*BOOM*
Even though Rikuo managed to stop it, the force behind the strike sent him crashing into the storage room, destroying pottery before his head slammed against the shrine within. The bottle on top toppled over, spilling its contents onto him—some of it soaking into his wounds and the rest running over his face.
Groaning, Rikuo struggled to open his eyes.
Through blurred vision, he saw the whole he created in the storage room wall which allowing moonlight to pour in Rikuo could still hear the fight between Toma and Hachihei which grew louder each passing second.
And all Rikuo could do was lay there in pain as disgusting stench overwhelmed him and the taste of decay filled his mouth which he was forced to swallow
[A/N:
edit: i am having issue re editing the chapter after this one and the chapter after that since it is dialouge heavy and important to the story so you guys might not get daily.
if you see any error tell me so i can fix it
i do not like writing foolish character especially opponents that will fight the mc. I could never understand how some villian who are foolish can still be alive their luck must be insane, in a world of the supernatural you have to be careful looks can be diceving that little girl thats lost could be a ancient monster waiting for prey in such a world i don't believe foolish people can exist or at least for long the only time i will ever write such a character is if they don't have a key information, such the action they took may seem foolish or the character has mental issues. However don't think everyone is smart and a genius am just saying i will make sure the characters have atleast some common sense and would do the logical thing if they are not emotional but sadly not everyone is smart and logical there are always idiot who will go through an abandon house because they hear a sound or a dumbass who tried fucking around with demons ]