Rangers Endgame

Chapter 91: Kill Or Be Killed

The three men stared at Yakeru with unease. The kid they thought they knew had a different look in his eyes, an icy detachment in his gaze that was a stark departure from his usual demeanor. Each calm step he took sent a ripple of apprehension through them, disoriented as they seemingly struggled to connect Yakeru to his former self.

Eventually, however, their eyes became more focused and their initial fear began to wear off. 

Daichi's shoulders relaxed. "That's quite the look in your eyes. But if you've been in our business for long enough, you start to see what false resolve looks like." He closed his eyes for only a moment, then lifted his lids to reveal a hollow gaze that swallowed the light, challenging the boy. "So tell me, kid. Have you ever spilled human blood before?"

Yakeru replied with silence. Despite subduing his emotions, he knew they wouldn't stay shackled for long. It would only take a single life for regret to slip from his hold.

Kai smirked. "A kid acting tough is always an amusing sight. It seems improvising the plan won't be too difficult after all."

"Your eyes say you understand what needs to be done, but can you really stomach taking the gloves off?" Daichi opened his arms wide, mocking a welcoming gesture. "I'd like to see you demonstrate your resolve, boy."

Gladly taking his invitation, Yakeru dropped into a low stance with his hand wrapped around his sword's handle. Amber bled through his armor as his legs flared with radiance. As he propelled himself forward, he slid his blade from its sheath in one fluid motion, its sharp edge whistling through the air.

Mentally preparing himself, he aimed for Daichi's stomach but instead of metal cutting through skin and muscles, his sword collided with a near-transparent wall of radiance. He looked over to see Kai with his wand infused.

"You didn't think it'd be that simple, did you?" Daichi cackled as Haruki exploded into battle to protect him. "We've seen your tricks. We know your capabilities."

Haruki pressured Yakeru with a flurry of rapid slashes but he had little trouble keeping up. Haruki swung low but his blade met air when Yakeru's form blurred from his field of view and reappeared to his left. Yakeru retaliated with a slash to his arm but was met with another panel of radiance, allowing Haruki the chance to pivot for a counterattack.

Yakeru angled his sword and deflected the thrust meant for his abdomen. Repositioning himself, the boy used the distortion of the last panel conjured to obscure his movements. Kai realized what he was doing and released the last panel but by that time, Yakeru had already activated Blitz Step.

The hard stone of the cavern stretched before Yakeru as he wound up his katana. His eyes locked onto Haruki's throat as he rapidly closed the distance but the moment he released his attack, his resolve waned.

A sharp explosion reverberated through the cavern as Haruki had barely brought his sword up to graze against Yakeru's blade just enough to veer it off course. What was supposed to be a clean decapitation ended up as a nick on his neck.

As Yakeru skidded to a stop, he let out a heavy breath and his heart slammed against his chest, not from exertion, but from nearly bringing an end to a man's life, even if it was to save his own. He cursed under his breath after allowing the opportunity to turn the tides slip through his fingers.

"This one's smart," Kai noted. "I can see why that royal brat had difficulties dealing with you."

Uninterested in exchanging frivolities, Yakeru tightened his hold on his emotions that threatened to sabotage his survival until he was composed enough to reassess the situation. Now that Kai had a visual on him again, he doubted the conjurer would let the same fluke happen twice.

With a twirl of his sword, Haruki launched himself forward and clashed with Yakeru once again.

The cavern erupted into a cacophony of piercing bangs as blade met blade, accompanied by the occasional distorted hums of radiant panels rippling whenever Yakeru found an opening. For a C-rank, Haruki was fluid and matched Yakeru in terms of swordsmanship but when it came to power, the boy had him beat. The conjurer was the true threat as he reacted accordingly to compensate for the gaps in Haruki's defenses.

'What a nuisance.' He grew more annoyed as the battle raged on.

Blocking another low strike, his eyes flicked to Daichi. If the man had chosen to join the fray, this little skirmish would've already been decided. Fortunately, it seemed like he'd rather spectate comfortably behind the protection of his conjurer than assist Haruki.

Evading a wide swing with ease, Yakeru went to punish the overextension, only to be met with yet another panel that defended Haruki's ribs. As the two continued their deadly exchange, more panels swirled into existence, this time manifesting around Yakeru, catching him off guard.

As he went to swing for Haruki's blind spot, a panel materialized right before his eyes to obstruct his vision. The moment of hesitation in his movements was enough for Haruki to deliver a powerful blast of radiance into the youth's chest, sending him crashing through another panel.

As he recovered to his feet, he sidestepped Haruki's swipe but unintentionally slammed into a panel that shimmered into reality beside him. His jolt of surprise then gave Haruki another free opening, slashing him across the thigh.

Yakeru gnashed his teeth to keep the pain at bay and Blitz Stepped away to avoid a follow-up attack that would've taken off his foot. He didn't have time to writhe as Haruki aggressively pursued the helpless rat, effortlessly weaving through the series of panels tinted red from the surrounding relics.

He didn't know when it happened, but at some point during his struggle, they'd switched up their tactics mid-battle. There was no visual indication, no signal to let the other know that they'd be altering their strategy. They were simply too in sync with one another to have the need to inform each other.

Blurring out of Haruki's range again, he easily evaded a swipe to his legs. Sliding back, he found a narrow path uninhibited by panels that would lead straight to Kai. Redirecting the radiance from his legs to his sword, he quickly fired an arc that soared through the gap. However, the B-rank conjurer had reacted fast enough, flicking his wand to manifest a barrier just as the projectile slammed against his defenses. With another wave of his wand, he disintegrated the barrier to keep a watchful eye over Haruki.

Yakeru boiled with frustration, unable to make any progress as the duo whittled him down. His legs ached from the exertion of self-infusion, slowing him down and accumulating more wounds faster. Daichi's smirk grew more content as time passed.

Yakeru glanced around to examine his surroundings. Kai had been leaving his conjurations suspended in the air, forcing Yakeru into awkward movement. He studied the randomized angles of the panels as he formulated a new plan. Though it would take time.

He defended against Haruki's onslaught as best he could, waiting for the opportune moment to retaliate. If he hesitated again, he wouldn't have another chance to replicate his plan.

Yakeru slammed into a panel while backpedaling, giving Haruki another free injury on him. Yakeru sidestepped another swipe, waiting for the next panel to interrupt his movements. As expected, Kai twirled his wand and conjured a wall to cut Yakeru's steps short but the youth had already anticipated this.

Haruki leapt forward, expecting to injure Yakeru again. "Don't you get it? You're outmatched, ki-" His sword phased through Yakeru's afterimage, slamming into the wall of radiance.

Haruki's panicked eyes darted from one panel to the next as he was encased in a web of amber. Kai struggled to track the boy's movements as his confidence faded. Waving his wand, every panel he'd conjured up until that point fizzled out of existence simultaneously, but Yakeru had already appeared behind him after using his flamboyant display as a diversion.

"Your tricks are annoying." Yakeru said, his voice detached.

Kai went to turn, but Yakeru’s blade had already whipped through his neck. The conjurer tried to curse but only gurgles came out. The next moment, Kai’s eyes were staring up at Yakeru from the floor, shock still etched onto his features, as his body toppled over. Yakeru's hand around his sword trembled and the hold on his emotions slipped, nearly flooding him with remorse.

"Interesting," Daichi commented, unfazed by his ally's corpse. "It seems you weren't all talk after all."

Daichi's words grew muddled amidst Yakeru's internal struggle. It was his first time taking a human life. Although he tried convincing himself that it was kill or be killed, it did nothing to soften what he'd just done.

It was too late to turn back. He clamped down on his emotions once more and buried them deeper, further fortifying his mind.

He turned back, the comfortable frost in the air returning as his gaze landed on Daichi and Haruki. Daichi didn't flinch but remained wary. Haruki held out his sword, the weapon rattling in his trembling grip as if afraid of being pounced on by a predator. He'd lost the only advantage he had, and his leader still showed no signs of intervening.

Figuring Daichi wouldn't be any cause for concern at the moment, Yakeru dropped into a stance. His eyes locked onto Haruki, and this time he wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

Haruki flinched when radiance crawled up the length of Yakeru's legs, but before the man could bring his sword up, Yakeru’s blade had already plunged into his chest. He watched wordlessly as Haruki dropped his sword, staring with surprise at the katana lodged into his sternum. The light in his eyes faded as Haruki suddenly became heavier, and Yakeru allowed his limp form to remove itself from his blade, crumpling to the ground.

Finally, his attention was drawn back to Daichi, whose smile twitched. However, as the young ranger approached, a deafening crash ruptured the air and consumed the cavern in a thick cloud of smoke. Yakeru and Daichi shielded their eyes as a torrent of wind whipped their hair.

When the commotion settled, Yakeru saw a figure there that he hadn't seen since Daichi's betrayal and he relaxed with relief. Daichi, however, clearly wasn't too pleased with his survival and for the first time, his face darkened with anger.

"Itsuki," Yakeru darted to him but stopped when he saw his condition.

Itsuki was pale and bruised but that's not what concerned him. It was his arm...or where it used to be.