Chapter 02A: The Betrothed's Respective Fights – Yuichi Vs Van I

I've just seperated from Alicia and Lilicia-chan and standing at the end of an awfully long queue. “Can I have a chocolate mint...no wait make it a coffee mint...oh scrap that blueberry mint...oh no...” The person at the front is being as indecisive as can be as everyone glares in annoyance.

I certainly wouldn't want to go shopping with them, and does blueberry mint even exist?

“Hahh,” I let out a sigh as I gaze at myself in my portable mirror, looks like I'm going to be here for a bit so this is as good as time as any to admire myself. Suddenly, a feeling I've felt before embraces me, “Jeez, give me a break, can't a guy look at himself in peace.” I've been involved in incident after incident lately, so I've recently been lax at hitting my daily target of admiring myself for at least five hours a day.

I gaze around the created dark dimension aka Reaper Technique: Coliseum.

Using something like this in a crowded area, won't people notice that I suddenly disappeared?

I'm seperated from Alicia and Lilicia-chan, were they also dragged into this dimension, or am I their only target?

“Anyway, whoever you are come on out, I was in the middle of something like a triangle date, so I'm going to box your ears for interrupting!!” I call out and a shadowy silhouette casually waltzes into view.

“Although I actually only have one ear that you can box,” He says with a self cynical smile. He is a man who looks to be in his late thirties with short ginger hair, with a moustache and beard of the same colour. He's wearing dirty grey overalls with an equally dirty apron and has a pencil and small paint brush on top of his ear and some sort of board under his arm. “I am the number six of the Hex Class, please call me Van, Yuichi Shiro-kun.” He introduces himself with a light bow. Well considering he knows my name I'll skip the formalities and jump straight to the point.

“Hex Class? Sorry, but am I suppose to know what that is? What do you want?” I bombard the questions that I want answering.

Van smiles "My soul is that of an artist."

Those words! I'm momentarily shocked. Soul ID Lyrics, he's a Human Anomaly?

"My soul is one that is of self confidence." I quickly begin my own incantation, if he's a Human Anomaly then I can't be taking any chances.

"Inspirational, influential and revolutionary." Van continues with the second line

"Beautiful, intelligent and kind." And I counter with mine

"Complete dedication to the paint and canvas!" He increases his voice almost to drown out my own.

"Absolute belief in myself, and those that surround me!" I won't be beat. No one will be forgiven for interrupting my (sort of) date.

"And my brush shall give life, to my still life!!"

"And a will that never dulls, bends or breaks!!” We both scream our last lines in sync and our bodies glow. I quickly manifest my silver sword and take it into my hand.

“Oh, the Hex Class are Disturb-sama's six top fighters, and I'm here to delay you.” He says almost like it's an after thought.

“You completely missed the timing for answering.” I reply as I swing my sword and point it towards my enemy.

“I guess this is what people call being 'artistically late', right?” He asks with a smile as he takes the board from under his arm.

“No,” I shake my head in disgust at that pun, “just, no.” Wait a sec, delay?

“Delay me for what!?” I ask when I realise I'm still seperated.

“Delay you, so Disturb-sama can claim the youngest Pandemonium girl as his new toy.” He readily admits. My eyes widen in shock as I process his words.

“Lilicia-chan!!” I shout on the realisation that she's in danger.

“Disturb-sama has chosen that lucky girl to become his, so we came here to escort her.” Van continues with a voice full of passion that to me only sounds like something akin to a murderer bragging about his kill count.

I materialise a second silver sword into my other hand and create several silver javelins and launch them at the still boasting Van. However, he quickly jumps and dodges my attack and throws his board towards the ground. I notice that there is a picture of a huge tree on it. When the board hits the ground it brightly flashes, and then, a tree, just like in the picture appears, except in real life.

Suddenly the huge tree's branch tries to swat at me, I quickly dive back.

“What!? The painting came to life?” I exclaim in shock as I dodge another branch.

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“Silver Rain!!” I shout whilst launching innumerable amounts of silver towards Van, who pulls out another board and throws it to the ground.

“It's useless,” He says. The board turns into a huge brick wall that blocks my attack. “I've created more pieces of art than anyone in history.” He states as the wall breaks down into several bricks that all fly towards me at high velocity. I quickly manifest a wall of silver to protect myself from the attack.

Bang bang bang!! - My silver wall receives several dents from the attack.

“What?” I yelp in shock as a branch wraps itself around my waist.

Damn, I forgot about that tree because of the previous crisis.

“Shit!” The branch lifts me into the air as the bricks surround me from all directions. They all shoot towards me, I quickly brandish my blades and swipe at the branch holding me. I succeed and let gravity pull me to the ground, dodging the bricks.

The bricks realign themselves and shoot at me again, although this time one at a time. When I dodge one attack, another one flies right at me. Whilst dodging the bricks the tree tries to slam me with another of its branches, I avoid the attack and run up along the branch. The tree tries to attack me with more branches, but I slice at them with my two silver swords whilst continuing up to the tree's centre and avoiding the bricks. Once I reach the centre. “Circle Guillotine!!” I manifest intense amounts of silver directly overhead and bring it down with all my might. The closer I am to my silver the stronger my control and influence. My Circle Guillotine slices right through all the branches like they are butter.

The tree, that has no branches left to attack me, stumbles. Using this chance, I raise the Circle Guillotine a little and then “Contract!!” I shout as the Circle Guillotine shrinks in size around the tree's thick bark and slices right through.

“Timber!!” I shout as I jump off the falling treetop. The bricks try to shoot me as I fall, but I create a more silver and have it take the shape of an egg, with myself in its centre.

Bang bang bang!! - The bricks continue their relentless attacks despite my defence. When I land on solid ground again, I release the technique and dodge the incoming brick whilst glaring at Van.

“You're just as good as I heard you are, Yuichi Shiro-kun. Such an artistic display of power and technique.” Van says as he claps his hands together.

“Not artistic, just smart.” I am a genius after all.

“But is it all right for you to be playing with me for so long? Right now, Disturb-sama could be having his way with the girl. Lilicia-sama crying your name in vain as he slowly but surely breaks her spirit and turns her into a cute doll for his collection. How artistic!!” Hearing Van's words I can feel my rage gathering in me as I glare at the man before me. If this was a shounen manga, it would be right now I would gain a deus ex machina power up after hearing that someone dear to me was being tormented. Unfortunately, this is reality, and the only thing increasing is my anger.

Oh deus ex machina power up, why won't you come to me?

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Chapter 02B: The Betrothed's Respective Fights – Strength Of The Wolf Girl (Perspective: Alicia)

I swipe my scythe at Lycan, but I feel no resistance. “An after image?”

Just how fast is this girl? I find her standing over twenty metres away from me, her red eyes glow.

Lycan charges towards me and I shoot a stream of electricity, the attack just goes right through her. Another after image.

Feeling a sudden brush of air from my side I enter a defensive stance with my scythe.

Chich!! - A huge crack appears just below my scythe's blade as it collides with Lycan's claws.

“What...” My scythe has always been well maintained, it's not like she found a weak point in it, her attack is just too powerful. “Are her claws sharper than Muramasa-Masamune?” I ask myself rhetorically.

“Urgghhh!!” I feel a sharp pain in my back as the image of Lycan before me disappears again and blood shoots out of my back. I quickly use my scythe as a support to prevent myself from falling.

“Onee-sama...” Lilicia suddenly shakes out of her trance, “Onee-sama!!” She screams as her shaking body forces its way to its feet. With shaking hands she draws her scythe. “Curse you...” She stammers forward as her slow feet soon begin to gain strength and she charges towards us.

But Disturb quickly blocks her way and looks into her eyes. Lilicia's fear is rekindled as she tightly grasps her scythe trying to control her shaking. “You're no match for Lycan, my love. You'll only be hurt in vain.” He says with a smile.

“I....I....I won't let you hurt Onee-sama right in front of me!!” Lilicia swings her scythe at Disturb, who blocks the attack with his own.

“Is this a new kind of foreplay or display of affection?” He asks himself.

“I hate you, Disturb!!” Lilicia shouts.

“I see,” Disturb nods to himself in thought, “You've been blinded to your true feelings because of your father and sister. You've been corrupted, but don't worry my dear, I'll ensure you see the light.” He shouts whilst raising his arms into the sky with a huge smile on his face. I already knew it but, Disturb is disturbed. Lilicia takes a huge step back from hearing his last declaration. Disturb turns his head towards Lycan.

“Do it thoroughly.” He orders.

“No, don't!!” Lilicia shouts whilst she tries to run towards me only to be grabbed by Disturb. “Let go of me!!” Lilicia struggles as Disturb just merely smiles whilst holding her.

Unfortunately, I can't worry about Disturb right now. I refocus my gaze back to Lycan who is charging at me head on, like a wild beast out for blood. I too, charge towards her as I swing my scythe in a wide angle, expecting it to be nothing more than another after image and getting ready to redirect my attack. However, this time I feel an impact through my scythe, and then....

My scythe cracks through the sheer force of Lycan's attack and my scythe's blade separates from the handle.

“Urgghhh!!” I grunt as Lycan's attack continued down and slashes through me.

“Onee-sama!!” Lilicia shouts whilst still being held back by Disturb, who is still smiling with a refreshing grin.

I feel my legs grow weak as my vision grows hazy from blood loss. “Onee-sama!!” I force my conscience awake and regain my footing. I drop my broken scythe and gather electric balls in both my hands.

Even without my weapon, I still have my Reaper Techniques. What kind of sister would I be if I were to leave Lilicia with that man? I know I can't win, my only hope is that Yuichi returns.

“He'll be too late,” Disturb says as if he read my thoughts, “I left him a Hex Class as a playmate. I won't let anyone keep me from my one true love.” As I thought Yuichi must have his own opponent. And your one true love as you called her, wants to be kept away from you.

“No matter what you say, do you think my fiancé will lose to one of your pawns!?” I shout, “We'll never let you have Lilicia.”

“Nothing can keep apart two lovers, not you, not your foolish boy, no one.” Disturb smiles confidently, “Lycan!!” He commands as the girl licks my blood off of her claws causing her eyes to glow brighter.

“Why don't you tell me that same line after you get past Lycan,” Disturb's smile grows thinner, “If you can get past Lycan.” He corrects himself.