Somersaults. Backflips. Even running on their heads. I do everything to advance through those trying to attack me. Their rhime filling the air, blinding me with their auras merging into a rainbow.

Biri! Biri!

While I myself make it through uninjured, my cloak continues to get shredded. Worse still, I'm getting low on rhime! Only about 50 percent left!

I continue to run across the hospital through these people, searching for Tarran. Instinctively, I choose to ascend the nearest flight of stairs, as there are fewer thugs descending than ascending. After a couple minutes of dodging and weaving between the now thinning number of enemies, I reach the rooftop and open the door.

And I see Tarran and Vega-sama, held by their necks in the separate hands...

Of the flame blade wielder from before.

"We really have to stop meeting like this." the man says.

"Let them go!"

"I have my orders, kid. Orders that I have to follow in order to guarantee the safety of my friends."

"At what cost?"

The man remains silent and turns away...

Giving me time to close the gap.

"Third Age: Spinning Axe Kick!"

The man lets go of Tarran and Vega-sama and guards with a cross arm block. Nevertheless, he still gets pushed back about a meter.

"OREN!" Vega-sama yells...as he tosses Clarent to me.

"Thanks!" I say when I grab it.

I unsheathe the blade and go into my fighting stance. The man shakes off the pain.

"You're really becoming a pain in the ass, you know that?" he says.

"Likewise!"

I rush towards him. Before I land a vertical slash, he creates his blades of fire and blocks with them.

"Fourth Age: Oni Spinning Fang!"

I perform a quick clockwise spin attack, knocking the man away.

But he closes the gap almost instantly, forcing me into a defensive stance where I block his two vertical slashes with my blade.

"Give in!" the man yells.

"Over my dead body!"

The two of us jump away from each other.

"You're lucky I've been given orders to keep you alive." the man says.

"And who gave you that order?"

"Hunter. Who else?"

(Huh? I know that she said she wanted me alive, but...)

"Sorry, kid, but there's too much at stake. I have a debt to repay."

"Honestly, I didn't think we could agree on something."

The man scowls.

"I will let you live! But continue to resist, and I won't let you off in one piece."

I go into a sprinting starting position.

"Just try it!"

The man dashes towards me.

(Soul Conversion 10...BEAT!!!)

I sprint forward and make my blade collide with his.

GA!GA!GA!GA!GA!GA!GA!GA!GA!GA!

Horizontal slash blocking vertical slashes. Jumping over sweeping kicks. Advancing while taking the offensive, just to back away, blocking the man's blows. The speed of our attacks becomes so fast that Tarran and Vega-sama, electric tones with analysis based subtones, cannot keep up.

But ultimately, I'm on the defensive more. Even with his injuries, this man still has the upper hand.

What did you expect? You're fighting people without any true rhime skills of your own.

These words... The words of the voice.

(She's...right.)

(An opening!) the man thinks.

Taking advantage of my lack of focus, the man slashes with his left blade...

"AAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!"

And cuts the back of my left hand, causing me to drop Clarent. The searing pain! Pain that doesn't seem to go away! Trying to lessen the pain, I instinctively grip the wound tightly with my other hand while backing away...

Just to back myself into a corner at the edge of the rooftop. I look down, then quickly turn back to the man.

But by then, the man is already next to me.

He grabs me by the neck and holds me over the edge.

"Are we going to have anymore problems? I've heard about your healing prowess, so I doubt a fall like this wound kill you. Although, I'm sure it will definitely hurt."

I try to struggle free despite knowing that I would fall.

"OREN!" a familiar voice yells...

As a liquid arm grabs me away from the man.

Ripperu.

She puts me down, grabs Clarent, and gives it to me.

"Glad to see you're in one piece!" she says.

"Yeah... Somehow."

"Leave this guy to me." she says.

While I don't wish to leave her alone, Tarran, Vega-sama, and I are in no condition to fight.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"...Thanks." I say as I follow Tarran and Vega-sama.

"I won't let you get away!" the man shouts.

"I don't think so!" Ripperu yells, extending her arms apart, creating a thin wall of water. The man's blades collide with the water, creating steam, allowing Ripperu to grab the man before he can notice. She lifts him up...

BATAN!

And slams him into the roof.

"Well, Jericho." Ripperu starts. "Ready for round 2?"

Vega-sama and I follow Tarran down a flight of surprisingly unused emergency stairs.

"Where are we going?" Vega-sama asks.

"I have to find Riva and Sutoria! I have to!"

(As a friend, I will do what I can.) I think.

Tarran takes out a communication crystal.

"SIS! SIS, COME IN!" he yells into it.

"T...Tarran!?" replies Sutoria-sama's voice.

"Sis, where are you!?"

"Don't come for me!" she yells.

In the background, we hear the sound of a generator.

"The backup generator room!" Tarran exclaims. "Sis, hold on!"

"DON'T!"

Tarran cuts the communication and leads us down to the lowest floor.

PASHU-!

Tarran slides the door open...

"SSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Just to get wrapped in the coil of one of Hunter's snakes.

"SSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

To make matters worse, Vega-sama and I also get caught. By the time I reach the highest elevation that I get lifted, the grip of the snake on my wounded hand causes me to wince. I drop Clarent...

And Hunter catches it.

"En vérité, you just don't know when to quit."

Hunter brings her snakes closer to her until the three of us are at eye level.

"Riva! What is the meaning of this!?" I hear Sutoria proclaim. "I thought we were friends!"

I look behind Hunter to see another snake holding Sutoria higher up.

Much to my surprise, the snake ensnaring me lets me go. I fall to the ground and land on my knees...and hands. I once again wince in pain.

"Guess Jericho couldn't control himself." Hunter remarks.

"Why you!!!!!"

I attempt to rush towards her, but I'm stopped by three other snakes, each about my size. Hunter puts her right hand into her pocket and pulls out a remote of some kind with multiple buttons.

Kata.

She presses one, and two large television screens, similar to the ones Dodge and Chates had in New Vegas descend. They turn on and show different things. One is split into multiple screens showing the wherabouts of all the yakuza in the hospital, including Ripperu's fight on the roof. The other shows what I assume is the mining facility where I was previously held...

And I see many of the Keisetsu members in there. Most of them injured, but still pressing on. I see Yamiso and Tamashi reach a sealed-off room and break down the door.

BATAN!

The door flies past Togo-sama, who is chained to the wall of the cell.

"About damn time!" I hear Yamiso growl. "Darkness Drive: Devil's Claw!"

Yamiso slashes through shackles, breaking Togo-sama free. As Togo falls, Tamashi catches him. Yamiso then lifts a communication crystal to his face.

"Hisao! We've rescued Togo! Awaiting further instructions for Oren's rescue!"

"Run..." Togo-sama pleads weakly.

"Hm?"

"Run!"

"What the Hell's your problem? We risked our asses saving you! The least you could fucking do is..."

"We have to get out of here!!!"

Kata.

"."

Pi-po-! Pi-po-! Pi-po-! Pi-po-! Pi-po-! Pi-po-! Pi-po-! Pi-po-!

On the screen, large metal doors seal off all the exits in the mining facility. Almost every few meters is another door.

"What the fuck!?"

Yamiso rushes towards one of the doors and punches it with his Devil's Claw fists. That warps the door a little, but the damage is minimal. He, and the others, will be trapped in there for a while. To make matters worse, they all seem fatigued.

Kata.

Hunter presses another button.

"I must say," Hunter's voice echoes throughout the hospital's loudspeakers, "you Keisetsu folks really do ruin a woman's hard work."

"What the?" asks Claire on the monitor. It seems they all can hear Hunter.

"That snake!" Yamiso yells. "Where the Hell are you, you pussy!"

"Oh my." Hunter rejoins, sarcastically. "Quite the sharp tongue you've got. Perhaps even sharper than mine."

She sticks out her...snake tongue, making a hissing sound.

"Mind your manners though." Hunter continues. "Everyone in that mining facility and here at Wave Medicine can hear you. Oh, and at your home base, too."

"Our what!?" yells Sigka. "How did you!?"

"Jonathan's subtone, no doubt." Katsumi says. Unlike the rest of us, he isn't on any screen. "Well then, Hunter. If nothing else, I can congratulate you for thinking this far ahead."

"Praise from the great 'Winds of Fortune'. I should put that on my resume."

"< VENTILATION ON STANDBY >."

BATAN! BATAN! BATAN!

The sound of the thugs in the mine hitting against the security doors rings throughout the hospital, along with their screams. "Let us out!" "We had a deal!"

"You!..." I hear the man from the roof.

I look to the section of the monitor showing the rooftop. It seems the fight has stopped. Ripperu is still in her usual fighting stance, likely preparing for the next strike, but the man seems to have lost interest.

"You promised you'd give them time to escape!"

"And I kept that promise." Hunter says. "I gave them as much time as they gave me. Don't worry though, I'll take care of them."

"You're going to kill them!"

"I meant I plan to cure them of my poison."

"What!?" Katsumi, Yamiso, Jericho, and Jonathan say simultaneously.

"Indeed. And it's all thanks to Oren."

"What are you talking about!?" demands Katsumi.

...

"So, that's why..." I say.

"Mhm." Hunter nods.

"You wanted me alive...because you knew I'd want to help create the antidote. As I'm the only one...who has survived your poison."

"Bingo."

"But why? How could you benefit from this? I basically helped find a way to counter your trump card!"

"I guess you're still naive after all. I wanted you for three reasons. The first was your blade, for economic reasons. The second reason was that I would hope Tarran would find out how you survived everything I've thrown at you. Why? It's simple really. You're a liability, and I wanted to learn a method to get rid of you for good. Pity Tarran didn't have enough time to learn that much."

"Wait... You were using me!?" Tarran proclaims. "What about all those poisoned!?"

"That's the third reason. I thought Oren would help make a cure. And why allow this? That's also simple... Money."

"What!?" I yell.

"The only cure for my poison. Once the cure is made, it can be mass produced. A monopoly on the hydra antidote. No, the antidote for all snake venom! I really must thank you, Oren, for your contribution to science."

"Soul Conversion 20...BEAT!!!!!!!!"

I dash towards her at full speed.

"You vile snake! I don't care if I'm injured!"

I kick one snake away from me to the left.

"I don't care if I'm unarmed!"

I kick another to the right, making it collide with Sutoria-sama's snake, freeing her.

"I won't be a puppet for your twisted greed!!!"

I circle counterclockwise around her as fast as I can, to the point that I am but a blur. I then begin to attack her snakes with kicks, setting everyone free.

"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"

After the snakes shake off the pain, I am flanked on all sides.

"SOUL CONVERS...WHOA!?!?!?"

BATAN!

Before the snakes collide with me, someone grabs me and pulls me out of the way. When we stop moving, I look at the man.

"FATHER!" Tarran yells.

The man puts me down, then turns to Hunter.

"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!"

GA! GA! GA! GA! GA!

All the snakes charge towards him, but are shot in the forehead with electric shots from his gun.

"Riva! What is the meaning of this!?"

I didn't notice at the time, but on the roof, Ripperu is shocked when she heard that word.

(Riva!?)

"Hello, 'boss'."

"Do you have any idea what you're doing?!"

"Indeed, I do. I've actually planned this for some time. The Keisetsu problems were the only setbacks."

"I thought you and Sutoria were friends!"

"Riva...why?" I hear ask Sutoria-sama weakly.

"You still won't make things easy, will you?" Hunter states. "Very well."

"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

More snakes come out of her arms, again capturing everyone in the room aside from Mr. Wave-sama and myself.

"So how about we strike a deal." she says.

She sends one of her snakes over to a crate.

BATAN!

Her snake breaks it open, then returns to her...

With a vial of the antidote. Hunter tosses the remote from her left hand to her right hand, then her snake drops the vial into her left hand.

"This last button on this remote will disperse my hydra poison into that mining facility. And you of all people know what happens next."

(You snake!)

Hunter orders her snakes to move towards her. Tarran is moved to her left while Vega-sama is moved to her right. She then creates another snake and puts Clarent in its mouth.

"I will give you two options. Or rather, I will give you two chances, as you have to be quick enough to take your 'prizes' from me. The first option is two my right. Pick this option, and save this dwarf, who I know is a friend of yours, and your blade. The money from the antidote should still be sufficient. And on the other hand, you save your other friend, Tarran, who is the lead manufacturer of my antidote, and also try to take this antidote from me. Of course, without your blade, you have no chance of beating me, but without the antidote, your allies in the mine, who I will poison either way, will be without a cure. I doubt your only medic can make a cure in such a state. This is what happens when you rope those you care about into your problems. One of your friends here, at least, is going to die. Which one it is depends on you."

"Oren!" Vega-sama yells. "Forget about me!"

"What!?"

"You think I'd want to live knowing that all your allies are dead!? Save them! They're the only ones who can beat this woman!"

"Quiet, you!" Hunter hisses, tightening her grip.

"Oren!" Katsumi yells. "Do as he says! That's an order! Keisetsu aside, that antidote is needed for all those poisoned! Think about Terraz!"

Clarent or the Cure...

One friend, or the other...

I lose something important to me either way...

(What...what do I do?)

Elsewhere in the hospital, running down the stairs at full speed, is Ripperu.

(If you are who I think you are, please don't do this!) she thinks.

"Riva, stop this!" Mr. Wave-sama exclaims.

"You have no part in this, old man."

"I believe I do." he retorts. "If it's the hospital you want, you can have it."

"Oh?"

"Father! What're you doing!?" Tarran yells.

"So long as you let all the patients go uninjured, the business is yours. The facility. The medicine. Everything. But let them go. Let this boy's friends go. Release...my children."

(Mr. Wave?) Sutoria-sama thinks.

"You really want me to release Sutoria? After how she's treated you all this time? Tarran I can understand, but why her? You'd give up your legacy for a snotty brat like her? Or is this about the money she gets from her idol career?"

"What is with you and money?" retorts Mr. Wave-sama.

"Money makes the world go round. Simple as that. Now answer my question!"

"My answer is just as simple as yours..."

I look to Sutoria-sama. She...actually seems quite interested in his response.

"That's what families do."

...

"BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"

Hunter bursts into laughter.

"Sérieusement!? You'd give up everything for something so trivial!? Family is nothing but an expense!"

(That's not true!) Hunter's kinder side thinks.

"Wake up, old man! Always trying to put the people in this hospital over your own wellbeing. No, the COMPANY'S wellbeing!"

(This isn't how I feel!)

"You know, I always hated that about you! You wanted to help others? Start with your employees! We suffered economically because of your crap!"

(You're wrong! Everyone did what they did because they wanted to!)

You want to make the world a better place!? Learn that money is the best cure! Family? Love? All these do is let others take advantage of you! Live for yourself! Live for the moment!"

PASHU-!

"YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT!!!!"

Ripperu recklessly rushes in.

"Rippere! This isn't you!"

"Rippere?" Hunter chuckles. "And who are you?"

"Riva! Don't you recognize me!? It's me, Mila! Ripperu! Your family! Your team! Remember!?"

(Ripperu!?) Hunter's kinder side thinks.

"OW!" Hunter retracts in pain. "Stop fighting!"

"Mila!" Hunter starts to say, this time in her kinder voice. "Is it really you!?"

"Yes, sis! It's me!"

"Please, get away!!"

"I won't!"

Ripperu rushes towards Hunter, but gets slapped away by a snake. Some more snakes appear, but their movements are random. Ripperu continues to advance.

"Stay away! Stay away!"

"This isn't you! The sister I knew would put others first! She risked everything for her team! No, her FAMILY!!"

"STOP!!!!"

"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The snakes not holding anybody start to go on a rampage. One forces me to jump over it, putting my good hand on my cloak...

Touching what's in my pocket.

!!

As soon as I land...

"Soul Conversion 5...BEAT!!!"

I rush toward...

Towards Vega-sama and Clarent.

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING!?!?" Vega-sama yells.

And all the Keisetsu members put together what I've done.

"YOU DICK!!!" Yamiso yells as I kick the snake with Clarent in its mouth.

"The decision has been made!" Hunter yells...

Kata!

As she presses the button.

"."

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu! Gofu!

With that, the poison fills the mining facility, and immediately everyone feels the effects.

I kick the snake holding Vega-sama, who falls out of its grasp. I quickly catch him, but he pushes me away.

"Let go of me, traitor!"

"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!"

"AAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I turn around and see Ripperu and Mr. Wave-sama captured by other snakes.

"See you, suckers!!!" Hunter yells...

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before her snakes fill the room with venomous vapor.

"OREN!!!" I hear Tarran yell.

Gofu! Gofu!

And Vega-sama is caught in the poison.

Seeing a window leading outside at the top of the room, I grab Vega-sama and hold him tight.

(Sould Conversion 5...BEAT!!)

With one mighty push, I jump towards the window...

BATAN!!!

And break through.

I run away from the hospital as fast as I can. Looking behind me, I see clouds of toxic vapor disperse from the hospital. I put down Vega-sama and look at the scene. The damage wrought by Hunter.

Or rather, by Hunter...and myself.