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Fire Hunter 3 - Fangs of Fire - Part 6 Chapter 5 - Graves

Fire Hunter Series 3: Fangs of Fire

Author: Hinata Rieko
Illustrator: Akihiro Yamada
 
Part 6: Little Star

Chapter 5: Graves

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The air smelled like it was burning. The ominous black smoke Koushi had seen before billowed into the sky, rising like thunderclouds. Fire swept through the industrial area. There was no telling how much longer it would be safe here.

Kun stood motionless in the middle of the street, his eyes half-closed. Koushi picked him up. “We have to be careful,” Koushi said. “If the fire catches up to us, we’ll both combust.”

The Guardian God from the Water Clan glared at Hibari. “You started the fire, didn’t you?”

Hibari grinned impishly. “If that’s what you want to think, I won’t contradict you.” She started walking away, putting distance between herself and the other Guardian God.

“Wait,” the Millennium Comet called out. She was walking barefoot and she wasn’t designed for it. She’d only traveled a short distance and the soles of her feet were already torn up. She pointed in the opposite direction that the person who’d combusted had run from.

“That child, the one with the dog, is over there. Right now, the Tree People are protecting them,” the Millennium Comet said.

Koushi knew the dog’s name without having to ask. He swallowed a lump in his throat. He was glad that Touko and Kanata were safe.

“I can show you the way. A path where you won’t have to go near the fire. Follow me,” the Millennium Comet said.

Koushi nodded. He didn’t understand the Millennium Comet’s appearance. She was supposed to be something fearsome. She could bring about the end of the Guardian Gods and contained natural fire within her body. And yet, he sensed no threat. She appeared to be nothing more than a young and terribly neglected child.

“Sister, please stop,” Hibari said to the Millennium Comet. “Right now, the Water Clan are going around putting out the fires. My spies are watching, but there might still be Spiders somewhere. If you’re found, they’ll hunt you. Please wait until the Spiders are exterminated.”

The Millennium Comet tilted her head at Hibari’s warning.

“Even if I’m not caught by the Spiders, the others are preparing a vessel for me at the shrine, aren’t they? No matter where I am, someone will capture me. There are even Fire Hunters planning to hunt me, aren’t there?”

“Did you see them?”

The Millennium Comet shook her head. “A Fire Hunter’s dog came to help.” She pointed behind Koushi with her bony fingers. “The dog and the child are there.”

Koushi glanced in that direction to check, tightening his grip on Kun. He had no intention of relying on the Millennium Comet for guidance. He appreciated knowing which direction Touko and Kanata were located. He could use the smell of smoke to avoid the places where the flames were rising and join up with Touko and the others safely.

Hibari had said in no uncertain terms that she intended to keep him and Touko alive, but only so that they could save the Millennium Comet from being hunted. Koushi looked at the unmoving, collapsed body of someone who had been walking while on fire. Why had Hibari decided to save him and Touko when she was willing to let so many others die?

“What is a vessel?” Koushi asked.

Hibari’s face suddenly broke into a sharp smile. She narrowed her almond-shaped eyes in amusement. “A human who becomes a conduit for the Millennium Comet.”

“A conduit? You mean someone who can channel the Millennium Comet’s power? Who is it?”

When Koushi frowned, Hibari’s smile grew even sharper. “The daughter of your foster parents. A wealthy person untainted by waste, close in age to the physical body of the Millennium Comet. Members of the Earth Clan have been monitoring several candidates since childhood. They chose that girl.”

Kira would be the vessel for the Millennium Comet? Who had been spying on her? There were only a few people from outside the house that Kira saw frequently.

“You know the spy from the Earth Clan,” Hibari said lightly. “One of your tutors, I think. Kohachi is his fake name.”

Koushi reacted like he’d been slapped and missed a step. As he stumbled, his thoughts shifted in his mind. The Guardian Gods and humans were not the same at all. He’d always known they were different, but not in such fundamental ways. The Guardian Gods had experimented on people and had locked away their failed experiments in an underground prison. Koushi never would have known if he hadn’t met the Tree People that lived beneath the city. To the Guardian Gods, humans were nothing but disposable test subjects. Human existence was insignificant to them.

Directing his attention away from Hibari, Koushi noticed that the Millennium Comet appeared nervous. The only physical resemblance she shared with the star that had blazed across the night sky was the color of her hair. He still wasn’t sure if she was truly the Millennium Comet or not, but even if she was the real thing, he couldn’t trust her. She was perilously indecisive. If she had the power to save or damn the world, then why hadn’t she already chosen to save it? She shouldn’t be here right now.

Koushi checked to make sure Kun wasn’t moving. He had to escape from Hibari and the Millennium Comet and get to Touko as quickly as possible. Koushi slammed his bottle of lightning fuel into the ground, hoping that the flash would blind the Millennium Comet temporarily. Koushi held Kun tighter, closed one eye as Roroku had taught him, and ran.

The flash of light caused by the exposed lightning fuel lingered for a few seconds. Koushi didn’t think he was being followed. If he ran into trouble, he’d call for Kanata.

Unfortunately, Koushi hadn’t considered that creating a bright light would draw notice. Several of Hibari’s spies used their bodies to block the blindingly bright light, but they were too slow. Several humanoid figures gathered around the light, their shadows stretching impossibly long as they spread out.

The Millennium Comet snapped backward as she was grabbed from behind. Her hair fell limply around her body.

“So this is what the Spiders and Fire Hunters want, is it?” Yuoshichi said with a sneer. He walked up behind the man who was holding the Millennium Comet hostage. The man nodded to Yuoshichi in deference.

Yuoshichi’s overcoat and clothes were stained with blood.

Yuoshichi had workers from the steel factory with him—four or more; Koushi wasn’t sure he’d seen all of them yet. Most of them wore bloody clothes, though Koushi saw no obvious injuries. The blood on their clothes was not their own. Only one man appeared entirely unscathed and clean. One of the steel workers had apprehended the Millennium Comet.

The men from the steel factory each carried a large box on their backs. Their appearance was as gruesome as the person Koushi had seen combust earlier.

Hibari dispatched as many spies as there were enemies. Five black shadows surrounded the blood-soaked men, aiming their blades at vital points. However, only one blade reached its mark—a single one to the neck.

The blade landed on the one man who was not covered in blood. He’d placed himself to shield Yuoshichi from attack. The spy cut his throat; he went reeling backward a step before falling. He died without making a sound.

Yuoshichi grabbed the dead man’s back and swung the body around, spraying blood in a radial pattern. The worker holding the Millennium Comet was drenched in blood.

The moment the blood touched the spies, they instantly turned into paper dolls and fell to the ground. The other men were protected by the blood on their clothes and skin. Hibari’s spies could not touch them.

“You lowly human scum! Let go of my sister,” Hibari said through gritted teeth.

The Millennium Comet choked out a painful breath. She was restrained by Yuoshichi’s workers. The overpowering smell of blood made her gag.

Yuoshichi’s mouth twisted into a mocking grin. He didn’t so much as glance at the paper dolls on the ground. “Rest assured. As compensation for this work, your family will be provided with enough money to live on for the rest of their natural lives,” he said to the dead worker. He let the man go.

The worker collapsed onto the ground with a thud. Another worker moved to pick the man up. They weren’t concerned for him—he was dead—but the precious cargo he carried on his back was fragile.

Koushi’s eyes widened as he understood what was happening here. These workers were carrying lightning fuel, just like he was. A sudden impact could make the lightning fuel explode.

But why were these workers carrying lightning fuel? Protection? Some other reason?

Two more of Hibari’s spies emerged from the shadows. They stood between Koushi and the workers in threatening poses. Their short swords were drawn and extended toward Yuoshichi. They also blocked Koushi from running.

“Is the capital going to burn again, just for the sake of this long-lost child?” Yuoshichi asked with a sneer.

The Millennium Comet swayed on her feet. Her silver hair was darkened and weighed down with blood. Her breathing was ragged.

“Let her go,” Koushi said. “Please.” The Millennium Comet couldn’t endure such rough treatment. She might die. She was as weak as Hinako had been for most of her life.

The blood drained from Koushi’s face as shock set in. He’d witnessed a murder. Could the man whose throat had been slit still be saved? Maybe, but not if everyone kept ignoring him. Koushi couldn’t help that man—not if he wanted to help the Millennium Comet.

Yuoshichi shifted his gaze to Koushi. “What are you babbling about?” he asked. “Be silent.” His presence was as imposing as his girth.

Koushi flinched, terrified. He’d never been a match for Yuoshichi. There was no compassion at all in Yuoshichi’s eyes. His eyes moved slick as oil on his blood-soaked face.

“This isn’t your concern,” Yuoshichi said. “Let us make the Guardian Gods feel the anger of humans. I’ve been trying to strike back against them since I survived the last great fire.”

Yuoshichi elbowed the worker holding the Millennium Comet hostage to the side and took over restraining her.

“Unhand her,” Hibari said.

“Why?” Yuoshichi asked, mock-innocent. “Is it because if I crush her, your rule will end?”

The Millennium Comet swayed unsteadily on her feet. She was still breathing shallowly.

Yuoshichi looked Hibari directly in the eyes. “You can’t stop me. Your spies turn to dolls in the presence of blood. I used to think that Guardian Gods were powerful. Pah.” He shrugged. “You are limited even more than we are. Your family forces you to do jobs you’re unsuited for. You act like our betters, but you’re more bogged down by bureaucracy and rule-following than humans are. I’ve reported your negligence to the Wind Clan. It looks like they’ve responded by giving you even more rewarding assignments.” He stressed the word ‘rewarding’ to make it insulting. He seemed to enjoy berating Hibari.

“The Wind Clan abominates your power, even though it is useful. They claim such abilities are not a true power of the Guardian Gods, but mere sorcery and tricks. I would make full use of such heretical powers if I possessed them. Those who stray from the Guardian Gods’ orthodoxy are compelled to do the work everyone else despises. They use their own people poorly. They use humans poorly. Calling them rulers is inaccurate. They are useless puppets, like those dolls there.”

Hibari set her jaw, but said nothing in reply.

“The Guardian Gods’ survival depends on this weak little thing here,” Yuoshichi said.

The Millennium Comet stopped moving. Koushi tightened his grip on Kun. There was nothing he could do to save the Millennium Comet. If she died, that would mean that the rule of the Guardian Gods would be at an end.

Someone had to stop this… but how?

The air behind Hibari distorted. A blade of wind shot toward Yuoshichi, taking off part of his ear. The worker who’d restrained the Millennium Comet took a deep slash across the torso and fell with a cry, gurgling blood. The wind blade moved like a warrior’s weapon, sweeping everyone near the Millennium Comet to the side.

Yuoshichi’s eyes widened in surprise as he dodged the wind blade’s recurring strikes. He was like a wounded animal faced with a ferocious enemy: trapped and vulnerable, but he also had nothing to lose.

Hibari’s spies vanished into thin air as the wind blade cut through them. The screams of Yuoshichi’s servants were swallowed by a widening gyre that followed behind the wind blade.

The Millennium Comet fell to earth, her hair spreading out around her like a puddle of stagnant water.

“Sister!” Hibari called out. “Come here!”

But the Millennium Comet didn’t move. She had fallen face-up and her eyes were open. “I do not wish to see any more killing,” she said quietly.

Hibari’s face twisted in a snarl. She had a paper doll in her hand that she was getting ready to deploy as a spy, but the Millennium Comet’s words made her hesitate. She placed the paper doll into a pocket sleeve.

Yuoshichi was wounded. His own blood and that of many other people stained his clothes. “Why don’t you want to see any more killing?” he asked. He chuckled nastily. “Does our blood disgust you? Or is it just that we’re human?” His eyes gleamed. The veins in his temples bulged. He appeared utterly insane.

The workers that Yuoshichi had brought with him were all incapacitated and on the ground. Only Yuoshichi remained on his feet. “We can’t entrust our fate to someone who loathes human blood so much,” he said.

The Millennium Comet looked up at him as he spoke. She still hadn’t moved. She looked so much like Hinako lying down to rest when she was unwell. Hinako would look up at Koushi or their mother just like that whenever she was too sick and weak to move.

Slowly, deliberately, the Millennium Comet got her elbows under her and used their support to sit up. She got to her feet with the same care, as if she were afraid of falling. “Is it my turn to be the seed of slaughter this time?” she asked. “I should not have returned.” She floated into the air, standing on nothing. As she brushed past Hibari, she whispered something in her sister’s ear.

The Millennium Comet’s eyes swept the gory scene, taking in every detail. “We must be careful,” she said. “We must choose a path so that you will not come into contact with fire. We must get to that poor girl who has been selected as my vessel. Before it’s too late.” She beckoned to Koushi with one hand, indicating that he should follow her.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Yuoshichi asked in an undertone.

A paper doll flashed into Hibari’s hand. She stood between Yuoshichi and the Millennium Comet, blocking the way.

The Millennium Comet’s silver hair spread out behind her as she flew away. Koushi ran after her before she could move out of sight, still holding onto Kun.

Despite her frailty, the Millennium Comet shone with brilliant radiance. She was an otherworldly being. Even if she’d been made on this planet, she looked like she belonged elsewhere.

Guided by the Millennium Comet, Koushi and Kun came to the western edge of the industrial area. The Guardian Gods’ shrine was very near. They paused in the shadow of a tall building just before an open space. Directly beneath the shrine, there was a gaping void where there had once been buildings and vegetation. The sky loomed over the empty space, cloudy and unseeing.

The billowing black smoke Koushi had seen before had thinned considerably. None of the factories were operating at the moment. There was no sound. Behind them, countless machines were clustered together, but none moved. All had been rendered inoperable by reckless destruction. Corpses littered the landscape, as dead as the machines were. Koushi didn’t see a single living soul nearby, save for Kun. The sun pierced the clouds, making the black Fire Fiend fur that the Spiders wore shine like the feathers of black birds.

The cliff that supported the Guardian Gods’ shrine rose steeply upward from the hole in the ground. There were large cracks in the cliff; it was unstable and might collapse at any moment. Rows of Spider corpses lay fallen around the shrine and below it.

The ground where a bottle of lightning fuel had been buried was gouged out in a funnel shape. Broken glass and lightning fuel residue lined the hole. The ancient tree, the largest in the capital, was burning to death. Many old branches lay charred and scattered among the Spiders.

The Spiders had been killed when the buried lightning fuel had exploded on them. It was possible that the explosion had lit the tree on fire. If not that explosion, then another nearby one must have done it.

The scent of the dead and dying was offensive to Koushi’s nose. The sickly-sweet rotting smell of the Black Forest intermingled with blood, gore and split wood. The faces of the Spiders—those that still had faces—were blank: there was nothing of the rage and fear on their faces that Koushi had seen when Wonne had died.

These Spiders had died without warning.

Kun shifted his weight on Koushi’s hip. Koushi set Kun down so that he wouldn’t drop him. Touko and Kanata weren’t here. They were surrounded by the dead. The bodies were the record of what had happened here.

The shrine stood proud atop the scarred cliff, undamaged and unmoved. It was immune to the devastation that surrounded it.

Koushi had caused all these deaths. He couldn’t find the words to describe it, to apologize, to reconsider. There was nothing he could do or say that would undo any of this carnage.

The Millennium Comet had flown here, but now she landed, her bare feet resting on the battlefield. Her silver hair swirled protectively around her body. Her emotionless gaze fixed on Koushi. She glanced briefly at Kun, tilting her head curiously. Then she pointed to a place on the ground.

The Millennium Comet disappeared in a flash of light. Koushi wondered if she’d vanished because she couldn’t bear the sight of this place. Maybe she’d chosen to go because this was the place she’d meant to lead Koushi to.

There was a silence, broken by the faint sound of scratching and scrabbling. The sound was coming from the direction the Millennium Comet had indicated. Koushi raised his head and looked around, but he didn’t see anyone there. He walked cautiously among the corpses, searching for signs of life. The sound grew louder as he approached, giving Koushi hope. There were survivors here—at least one person still lived. He quickened his pace, forgetting about Kun momentarily.

As Koushi passed by dead Spiders, he noticed that many had died with their fingers curled. They’d been grasping at something—a rope, a lifeline, a tool, a weapon. Some of the fingers had nails attached, but more didn’t. Their faces were obscured by dirt. Their teeth were yellow and shattered from the shock of the explosion that had killed them. Most still wore their black masks. The ground was muddy and soft. Many of the corpses had been partially buried by last night’s storm.

Koushi’s blood rushed to his head, making him feel far too warm. The sound was very close, but he still didn’t see anyone. Under other circumstances, Koushi might have thrown up or collapsed in a nervous heap, but his steps were steady. He had an important task. He had to find the source of the scratching.

The sound was coming from below Koushi. He lifted the remains of a shattered sapling off the ground and lay them to the side. Underneath, he found a metal lid. The lid didn’t look like it was part of the sewer system—it didn’t have holes to let water in and out. The lid was perfectly round and had a slight indent that looked like it was shaped for a specific tool.

Koushi didn’t have a tool. He pulled up the lid by its edges with all his strength. The lid was heavy, but it came loose a little at a time, revealing the entrance to an underground passage.

The scratching sound stopped. Whoever or whatever was making it had heard Koushi coming. A moment later, Koushi heard a dog barking, high and shrill and panicked. That wasn’t Kanata’s bark. It didn’t sound like a Fire Hunter dog’s bark at all. Could that be a pet dog?

Koushi entered the underground passage. The entranceway was almost completely square. The floor was smooth and level. He descended a ladder and came face-to-face with a small white dog. The dog barked and jumped around him, waving her tail excitedly.

It was Temari, Akira’s hunting dog.

Koushi made sure that Kun hadn’t moved. Then he picked up Temari, shushing the dog. Her fur was dirty, but soft. There was no sign of her master anywhere. Koushi traced his way back through the corpses to where Kun was, still carrying Temari.

“That’s Akira’s dog,” Kun said. He reached out to touch Temari’s nose. Temari sniffed his hand, then snorted and turned away, hiding her face in the crook of Koushi’s arm.

“Do you know where Akira is now?” Koushi asked Kun. “Is your messenger insect still with her?”

Kun shook his head. “She went into the building on top of the cliff. And then the messenger insect stopped moving. Just a little while ago.”

A building on the cliff. That meant Akira had made it to the shrine. He hadn’t expected her to take so long to reach it, but she’d probably needed to avoid the Spiders and the thick of battle because she was injured. She would also need to avoid coming into contact with natural fire. Was Roroku with her? Even wounded as he was, Roroku should be able to help her somewhat.

But Akira would never have chosen to leave her hunting dog behind, right? Koushi scratched Temari’s ears, lost in thought. The soiled cloth around her neck served as a collar. It was spattered with blood, but otherwise unchanged from when Koushi had last seen it.

Temari growled, then started barking again. Koushi heard fast footsteps and clutched the dog tighter. Someone was running toward them—two someones: one on four legs and one on two. He recognized Kanata immediately, even in the half-darkness, and felt the same sense of relief he’d always felt after his father returned from hunting in the Black Forest.

Kanata barked excitedly and ran faster to greet him. Touko struggled to match the dog and fell behind, gasping.

“Touko!” Kun cried out.

“Kanata!” Koushi sprinted forward to pet Kanata’s gray fur and assist Touko. She’d been badly hurt earlier and probably shouldn’t be running yet. At least she and Kanata were here and safe.

Kanata wagged his tail and made a self-satisfied sound low in his throat.

Temari sniffed in Kanata’s general direction, and then sneezed violently.

Kanata cocked his head in concern. He seemed unbothered by all the corpses and carnage around him. He’d always been a practical beast, shepherding the living because there was nothing to be done for the dead.

“Thank goodness you’re safe,” Touko said. She grimaced at the sight of all the dead Spiders around them.

Touko pulled Kun close and covered his eyes so that he wouldn’t see the grisly scene around them. Koushi winced. Kun had already seen all of this. It was too late to spare Kun from anything.

Koushi had caused all this. That understanding provoked a sense of disconnection in him. Like Kureha, he’d been changed by Yuoshichi into something that was no longer human. “I’m sorry,” Koushi said. “I never meant for things to happen this way.” If only he could disappear on this battlefield, like all the lives that had been lost. Popped like soap bubbles. Erased from the living world.

Touko reached out one hand tentatively, perhaps to reassure him.

Koushi stepped back to avoid her touch. He didn’t want to contaminate her. What if she became something inhuman because of him?

Koushi was an instrument of pure destruction. Lightning fuel had ripped open the earth and sky, leaving only the dead in its wake. Fallen Beasts—the source of lightning fuel—had never caused such a calamity when left to their own devices. But Koushi had done this for a reason. He’d done it on purpose. He’d been arrogant enough to believe that he could save those he cared about. And he’d been wrong.

Yuoshichi’s voice echoed in the underground passage. He’d nearly caught up to Koushi and the others. He had only a single servant accompanying him now. Koushi watched him approach, a blood-soaked giant stomping across a field of corpses.

This couldn’t be real.

But it was.

Touko screamed. Yuoshichi was terrifying enough to cause that reaction.

Koushi couldn’t see Yuoshichi’s face perfectly in the dim light of the passage, but he was fairly sure that the huge man was smiling. Yuoshichi was happy because of the ruin Koushi had wreaked.

Koushi was no better than Yuoshichi was, but at least he felt remorse.

Where were Yuoshichi’s other servants? Were they dead? Or had Yuoshichi left them behind to deal with Hibari? What could human servants really do to hold back a Guardian God? Koushi knew they were carrying lightning fuel, but using it against Hibari wouldn’t be safe for them. They’d kill themselves in the attempt to kill Hibari.

Yuoshichi shook his head. “The lightning fuel works splendidly against the Spiders. It’s a shame that it’s less effective against Guardian Gods,” he said.

Touko hugged Kun tightly.

“It’s just like during the great fire in the past. The corpses lying around, the smell in the air—it’s the same,” Yuoshichi said. He wasn’t speaking to Touko or Koushi or Kun. He was speaking to himself and his bitter memories of the past.

Koushi remembered that Hibari had hurt Yuoshichi. The wind blade had sliced the man’s head. But Yuoshichi was covered in blood from head to toe, so it was impossible to tell how injured he truly was.

“The Guardian Gods have never changed. They’ve always thought of humans as inferior beings. My mother burned to death back then. She tried to escape by following the canals and died from spontaneous human combustion. The smell of burned flesh lingered in the city for days… no, weeks. There was nothing to eat. Homeless children scavenged and ate whatever they could find.”

Yuoshichi turned his attention to the dead Spiders. He crouched down, still speaking only to himself. “The only reason I survived is because I ate them. The flesh of the dead. There was nothing else.”

Temari growled, showing her fangs.

Koushi’s concern for Akira’s whereabouts was growing. She had reached the shrine, but had she accomplished her mission? Had the Guardian Gods received her petition? Would the Fire Hunter who slew the Millennium Comet become the King of the Fire Hunters?

“Since that time, I have never been alone. I have always been found by Hibari’s ridiculous spies. The Guardian Gods infiltrated our factories, but we were able to repel the spies. Isn’t it strange that blood is their weakness? How can the Guardian Gods rule over humans if bleeding on their puppets renders them immobile? To them, we humans are nothing more than labor, tools used to keep the factories running. I cannot forgive that. I have devoted my life to destroying the Guardian Gods.”

Shadows moved down the underground passage. They were all dressed differently in various colors. None of them were injured. Their attire was spotless.

More Guardian Gods? Here? Why?

The Guardian Gods walked down the underground passage, bowing their heads at the sight of all of the dead Spiders. Koushi counted seven Guardian Gods moving among the dead.

“I will finally fulfill my life’s purpose.” Yuoshichi snapped out of his soliloquy and faced Koushi. “Hide. Or die.”

Koushi gripped Temari tight, then fled down the tunnel toward the entrance.

“Hide down there,” Yuoshichi said, gesturing vaguely in the direction Koushi had gone. “I have no more need of your assistance.”

The servant ran after Koushi and soon caught up. The servant reached out for Temari, dislodging the dog from Koushi’s hold. She fell to the ground with a yelp.

“Temari!” Koushi cried out.

“Stop!” Touko yelled. She had also managed to catch up. The servant moved to trip her, but Kanata bit him in the leg.

The servant screamed as Kanata’s fangs dug in. He flailed about wildly, coming up with a dagger that one of the dead Spiders had carried. He slashed at Kanata.

Touko cried out.

Koushi loomed over the dog, glaring at both the servant and Yuoshichi, who was still visible. His leg brushed one of the Spider corpses. The servant was pinned by Kanata and had lost his grip on his stolen weapon.

“Kanata, let go.”

Kanata grunted, but obeyed.

Yuoshichi twisted his mustache and laughed. “Try to survive, children—just as I once did.” His blood-slick clothes clung to his portly frame. He carried a belt that had bottles of lightning fuel attached to it.

They had to get out of here. They were too close to the explosion that Yuoshichi could cause at any time. Koushi picked up Kun and Touko picked up Temari. They reached the ladder that Koushi had used to descend into this passage and climbed up with difficulty. Kanata could climb, but slowly.

Above their heads, a sagging, fleshy face appeared.

Before they could reach the top of the ladder, an iron lid landed with a heavy thud over the opening that led into the passage. They were trapped.


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