They were just gazing at each other with serious, fierce look. Eijiro, on the other hand, still bleeds on the floor.

Shoto whispered to Toki, "I'll distract them and keep them busy. Take your chances and leave. Never look back. Ok?"

Toki sighed deeply, "I'm against this, Shoto... They'll kill you. And even if they only captured you, they will torture you."

"Better than all of us getting tortured. I could just shoulder it all."

She looked at Shoto and shook her head, "Shoto... Don't play hero..."

Shoto smiled, "I know... But there is no other way... It's alright. I know I'll see you all again."

Toki continued to shook her head, "I doubt that..."

Shoto sighed, but then they prepared themselves as one of the hoarders moved. The female hoarder, positioned herself like a spider as if she is preparing to jump. The Executioner, on the other hand, was just standing, motionlessly.

They paused for a moment, to stare and glare at one another, when suddenly, Shoto quickly charged and attempt to slash the female hoarder. However, the Executioner parried it, and at the same time, the female hoarder didn't jump, but instead, she swiftly ran to the side and slashes Shoto's left leg.

Shoto shouted, "Go, now!"

Toki, seized the moment and quickly carried Eijiro through a piggy back, and ran as fast as she can.

Toki and Eiji was looking back as they both watch Shoto fights the hoarders. Shoto smirked at the hoarders, "Hah! They got away... Now all you have is me..."

But the female hoarder smirked back, "Hmm... I don't know that new boy I stabbed, but whoever he is, he'll be our next target."

Shoto makes a confused face, "Target? What do you mean?"

"You are our target. That is why I let them go. I'll come for them, once I'm finished with you..."

Shoto was dumbfounded for a second, "You won't capture me?" He then, shook his head and gnashed, "Never mind. Let's end this!"

Shoto, followed it with a spinning move. The Executioner, pulled himself back. But the female hoarder with a claw weapon, just jumped.

Shoto, stopped and stood with his knee. He prepared himself, when suddenly, the female hoarder chanted, "Thousand cuts..."

Shoto, opened his eyes widely in surprise. He gulped, 'Never heard of that skill... Just who is she?'

The female hoarder, swiftly slashed Shoto seconds by seconds. Cutting Shoto's body multiple times within just 10 seconds.

He tried to block her attacks, but she kept banishing, and at the same time, kept cutting him. He couldn't do a thing.

Shoto fell on his knees and gnashed, "Tsk! That's a thousand cut in just 10 seconds... But, how..?"

The female hoarder, rolled her eyes down, "Simple. I cut you every centisecond."

Shoto is about to lose conscious as he loses a lot of blood. Toki and Eiji, saw everything that happened as they run, since they haven't gone too far from their fight.

Shoto saw them and was about to say his last words, "I-" When suddenly, his heart stopped and eventually, died.

Blood continued to soar around his dead body on the ground, leaving only his eyes wide open.

Toki and Eiji looked away as they saw Shoto die. Tears were about to burst from Toki's eyes. Eiji, on the other hand, is losing conscious.

Toki couldn't resist crying for what she just saw. After all, she just lost a person who is as precious as her family.

After running so far, they finally made it back to the shop. Toki, dropped Eiji to his bed, and at the same time, calling Shiro multiple times.

She texted Shiro, "It's urgent!"

Toki almost don't know what to do as if she is panicking. But then, she suddenly remembered that Eiji was wounded, that is why she immediately took some bandages to wrap it around Eiji's severed leg.

As she wraps the bandage on his leg, she muttered, "You're lucky it's not poisoned." She suddenly gnashed and clenched her fist, "That girl... I'll make sure she will pay! I'll make sure I will murder her just as she murdered Shoto!"

Toki was moving a lot as she expresses her anger in front of Eiji. She was so angry that she accidentally land a hit on Eiji's head.

Eiji felt the pain and immediately reacted, "Ow! Why??"

She raised her hand with a clenched fist, "That better be her reaction once I cut her!"

Eiji was just bewildering, "Why do you have to practice that to me..?"

Toki suddenly snapped back to reality, "Oh, you're awake. Did I hit you?"

Eiji, stared blankly at her for a second before he even replied, "Yes! Thanks for asking!"

She gasped, "You'll be ok. It's better that you're awake. We have to get going."

He sighed in disappointment, "Ugh... So you did it on purpose. Huh?"

"Enough talking. Pack up your things."

"Yes, mam..."

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

Eiji, immediately stand up and prepared his bag.

Eijiro is still wounded, but managed to pack his things up. As he packed up, Eiji suddenly remembered Shoto as if everything flashes back.

(He remembered how Shoto was so happy when he picked to live with them. He remembered Shoto whenever he gets drunk and how heavy he was. He remembered how caring Shoto was to everything and to everyone.

But most importantly, he remembered Shoto saying, "Live your life. You don't need to live a vengeful nor a justful life. Life is short, just enjoy it.")

Eijiro couldn't resist his tears to come out off of his eyes. He tried to calm himself down, but then again, it's still a pain in the chest for him. After all, Shoto was already like a family to him.

As Eijiro finished packing, he then went out to see Toki in her room. But what he saw was a very sad, crying Toki. It surprised him, because he never saw Toki being so emotional. It makes sense, after all, Toki lived with Shoto longer than him. That is why he understands her pain. After all, she is still a girl.

Eijiro thought of comforting Toki, but as soon as he enters the room, Toki's sword was suddenly summoned and was thrown at the door like a dart.

Eijiro was shocked. He shouted, "Just why!? And how could you throw so straight in that situation?"

She sniffled, "Stupid! Did you see anything!? If you do, I'll kill you!"

Eijiro shivered and replied hastily, "N-No! I didn't see anything. I just got here! I'm leaving now, K bye!"

Eijiro quickly closed the door and took a deep breath, "That was close..."

Eijiro waited for Toki. As he waits, he looked inside the shop and saw a figure of a motorcycle, covered. He removed the cover and saw a dark custom 'Kawasaki Vulcan' motorcycle.

As he unveiled the motorcycle, he was then amazed by its beauty. He touched the motorcycle and caressed his hand around it. It may be old, but it is still smooth and not even rusty. It still looks new as if it has never been ridden.

Toki suddenly showed up, "The key is over there." She pointed the key on top of a shelf. "If you want it, go have it. You have my permission. Besides, Shoto thought of you as a family too, so you better take care of it." She followed it with narrowed eyes.

Eijiro felt excited. He immediately took the key and turned on its motor. As it turns on, a roar of a beast was heard, coming from its motor. It was like a monstrous beast as it turns on.

They opened the garage and Eijiro rode the motorcycle, out.

Eiji suddenly winked at Toki, "Let's ride?"

Toki smiled and sat behind him. Then, she suddenly smacked his head.

Eiji felt that pain and eventually reacted, "Ow! What was that for??"

"Stupid! I didn't tell you to ride the motor and go flirt with girls."

"What? It makes me feel like a bad boy now. Besides, I didn't flirt with 'girls', I only flirted at you..."

Toki blushed, "Stupid! I am a girl! It's almost the same thing!"

"No it's not! It's like what you meant by 'girls' is that you mean I will flirt with other girls. This is my first time winking at someone..."

Toki blushed again, "You fool! You know what? Just drive..."

Eijiro laughed, but at the same time, got hit in the head, again. After all of that, he started driving and headed to where Shiro is.

As they left Shoto's shop. Eijiro took a glimpse at Toki, 'I guess that did the work to cheer her up, but I'm sure she will still mourn for Shoto...'

As they head to Shiro's place, Toki called Shiro and even texted him multiple times that they are coming. However, Shiro doesn't answer, nor even a call back. So instead, she left a voice call for Shiro's telephone.

"Head there to the left. A little bit more and we're close to his apartment." Toki said to Eiji.

Eiji followed her command. After a little while, they parked outside the building and started calling Shiro once again, but this time, Toki will call directly on his telephone.

"Ugh... Why is he not answering..? 'The number you are calling is not available, please leave a message.' Shiro? We are down the building. Please, come out."

As Toki look up at the building, she saw a window, leading to a room with an opened light. She remembered which floor is Shiro's room, that is why she easily recognized whose room was that.

Toki's eyebrows began to furrow, "If his lights were open, why isn't he responding to us, then?"

Eiji shrugged, "Maybe he is taking a bath..?"

"Just how long is he taking a bath? And why does he not reply? I've been texting him, several times..."

"Maybe something's wrong... Oh no..."

Both of their eyes began to open widely as they realize, Shiro might be in trouble.

But Toki shook her head in disbelief, "No! No way! That can't be... We have to hurry to his room, then!"

"But how can we enter without his permission? I mean, the apartment building looks like it has a security. I'm pretty sure securities will block us..."

Toki hastily replied, "Enough talking and let's just see!"

Toki and Eiji hurried inside the building. The apartment building is unlike any apartment building. It has CCTVs and has its own parking lot inside. They thought they'll be blocked by securities in the entrance, but no, they instead saw gruesome dead bodies lying on the ground.

Eiji gulped with mouth agape, "Wha-What happened here!?"

Toki gnashed, "I knew it! He is in trouble. We have to get going now!"

As they were about to take the fire exit's stairs, they saw a hoarder, guarding near the exit.

Toki glared at the hoarder, "Get ready, Eiji!"

"Got it!"

The hoarder saw them and prepared his shield along with an attached sword in it.

Eiji was amazed, "That's new! I didn't know you can summon two weapons at a time."

Toki shook her head, "No... It's just a one summoned weapon. The only reason it looks like two, is because that sword is attached to that shield. Which is why it looks like he summoned two weapons at the same time. Normally, weapons like that are known as 'rare' just like mine..."

Eiji clenches his fist, "Awesome. I must have it..."

Toki smiled, "Then we should beat him first."

As they were about to charge to the hoarder with their weapons summoned. The hoarder suddenly smirked. Another hoarder from the stair, summoned a crossbow and targeted them.

However, Toki saw it, "Eiji! Take cover!"

Toki pushed Eiji to the other side and parried the incoming arrow. After that, she took cover on the other side of the exit.

"We need a plan!" She shouted.

Eiji is remembering a spell that Ryu used, the 'Flicker' spell in daggers. However, he just remembered that he doesn't have a dagger keychain in his pocket and all he have is a sword. But that ain't gonna stop him.

"I've got an idea! But it will be risky..."

"What is it!?"

"I'm gonna flicker my sword to that archer, but first, you're gonna have to parry his attacks."

"You're insane! Too bad I don't have any daggers, either!"

"There is no other way! We have to try this!"

"Ugh! Fine! Here goes nothing..."

Toki showed herself and prepared a defensive stance. The archer shoots her, but she parried it all.

"Now!" She shouted.

Eijiro, quickly showed himself and threw his sword at the hoarder who's wielding a crossbow.

Both of the hoarders were shocked, because they haven't seen anyone throwing a sword at someone from afar.

Eijiro threw the sword and chanted, "Flicker!"

The sword, quickly blinked into the archer's chest, eventually killing the man.

Toki was surprised with eyes opened widely, "Impossible..."

But then she followed it with a quick charge at the shielded hoarder.

The shielded hoarder guarded himself with his shield. However, Toki jumped behind him and slashes him, after.

Toki sighed, "There is probably more. We have to prepare..."

Eiji, took the sword and shield keychain, "Understood. At least I got a new weapon to use." He grinned.

Eiji also took his sword back from the dead archer's chest.

They fought and fought the guarding hoarders in each stairs as they head to Shiro's room.

But Eiji curiously asked Toki, "Why didn't we use an elevator?"

"Because the hoarders may have hacked it already. I'm pretty sure we'll be trapped there."

Eiji agreed through a nod.

As they climb through the stairs, they finally found Shiro's room.

Toki looked at Eiji with a fierce look as she opens the door, "Prepare your shield. I'm pretty sure they are preparing a long-range weapon."

Eiji nodded, "Got it!"

Eiji prepared his shield, but as they enter, Shiro was sitting in a wooden chair.

The brushed hair woman with a claw keychain was standing right next to him. The Executioner on the other hand, had his halberd summoned, ready to slice Shiro's head.

The brushed hair woman smirked and says, "Welcome. We've been waiting for both of you..."