Big glowing red root-like veins had spread throughout the advanced tier Sarugami's skin making it look entirely different than before. It's eyes were red with rage and it's roar echoed through the forest like the screech of a hundred vultures.
The Sarugami snapped at Wasuren and Tadayori, saliva dripping from the corner of its mouth.
"GO!" Wasuren barked at Tadayori as the beast lunged at them. Tadayori was quick to escape while Wasuren ran out of the line of sight of the beast.
It set it sights on the running Tadayori, but Wasuren wouldn't allow it. He banged his katana on its scabbard loudly while yelling.
"Come at me you foul beast!" The Sarugami stopped and turned abruptly. Wasuren's eyes widened as the beast started running toward him at full speed.
The beast appeared before him before he could escape with its massive fist looming over him. Wasuren kicked of the floor and dodged at the last second. He attempted a slash at the beast but it caught his arm, and threw a punch so hard it knocked the air out of Wasuren. He felt his bones crack from the impact.
The beast pulled its arm back and launched another punch at Wasuren, he brought up his katana and thrust it at the same time the punch was thrown and stabbed through the massive fist of the Sarugami. It wailed in agony and let go of Wasuren's other arm. Wasuren pulled his sword from the wound, provoking another agonizing scream as blood gushed out from the hand like a broken dam.
Wasuren tried to move forward but dropped to a knee and grabbed his gut in pain. His vision got blurry again, he lifted his head to find a huge ape foot right at his face. Flames burst from his body as he hurriedly blocked the hit with his katana. He pushed the foot off him with a grunt, spun round and swung his katana, slashing through the beast's thigh. It attempted to throw a blow but Wasuren ducked under it and thrust his katana through its gut. With a roar Wasuren pushed it in deeper. It grabbed onto Wasuren's arms with both hands and with its superior strength slowly pulled the weapon out of its abdomen. With its free leg it lunched a kick at Wasuren from the side.
Even as he was knocked away, his katana remained firmly gripped in his hands.
Wasuren stood up slowly coughing. He gripped his throat as he coughed up blood. 'Tadayori still hasn't returned with news about Masaki Taisho' he thought to himself. "I can't fall yet." His flames begun to dance about him. His armor was broken, and his clothes were soaked with blood, sweat, and mud, his white hair was brown with dirt and stuck to his face. He watched the Sarugami beat its chest as it slowly closed the distance between them.
He ripped of his broken armor and blood soaked shirt.
As the Sarugami got within a few feet of him, his flames engulfed his entire body. Flames burst from his feet as he propelled himself upward. He spun in the air like chariot wheel and flames danced around his katana. The beast crossed placed its arm above its head and Wasuren landed blade deep into the Sarugami's forearm the Sarugami.
It opened its mouth released a bone shattering screech paralysing Wasuren. But as it tried to pulled Wasuren's blade away, "a deep primal scream broke through Wasuren's lungs and massive flames spread through the beast's body. The Sarugami screamed and threw blows after blows at Wasuren but he continued pushing his blade deeper. With one last push the left arm dropped to the floor with a soft thud.
Both Wasuren and the Sarugami were frozen for a moment. But Wasuren saw that even with the blood loss the red mist around the beast's body grew more visible and the red veins grew thicker. Now he could hear a something like a slow pulse.
DUDUN! DUDUN!
Like a ticking time bomb the Sarugami's heart beat echoed through Wasuren's ears. Wasuren looked at his katana and saw that it had begun to crack.
"GAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" The advanced tier Sarugami's paralysing screech tore through the the wind, and any strength that was left in Wasuren's body gave up. With its remaining arm, it scooped Wasuren up the floor and begun to squeeze him.
Wasuren's grip begun to fail, slowly his eyes closed. But from a distance he heard his name.
"-UREN."
He turned his head to the sound.
"WASUREN! HOSHIGAMI WASUREN, I FOUND MASAKI TAISHO!" Tadayori screamed at the top of his voice.
Wasuren's eyes snapped open. A rush of adrenaline burned through him. His eyes fell on the beast and a wave of flames spread from through his body, he continued expelling the flames until it became unbearable for the Sarugami. It let go and Wasuren dropped to the floor. The beasta came at Wasuren with its burned arm, but he sidestepped then slashed the arm from the side. It brought its heel down on him but he rolled under, got back up and thrust his katana through the foot of the beast. As the beast wailed in agony, he ran round the it, launched himself onto the back and thrust his sword through its back. He tried pushing it in deeper but the katana snapped and broke in half.
The beast flailed around like a mad dog trying to pry the human off its back. Wasuren hopped off its back and fell on his bottom.
DADUN! DADUN!
Wasuren's heart grew heavy as the Sarugami's heart beat got louder.
"HOSHIGAMI WASUREN!" he heard Tadayori yell his name again, he saw that Masaki had awakened and was able to stand on his own slightly. He forced himself up and ran towards them.
"It's about to explode Tadayori!" Wasuren yelled in panic. "Take him and run."
Tadayori's eyes widened in shock, he quickly supported the injured Masaki and picked up the pace. Wasuren had caught up to them when they heard heavy footsteps behind them.
They barely had time to get any farther when suddenly..
BADUN! BADUN!
"Run faste-"
BOOM!
The forest was swallowed by the explosion. The three samurai were lifted from the ground like leaves in the wind and flung across the forest.