Chapter 2: The Mission

As Shimodo Rou savored his coffee, the weight of the mission he entrusted to Gakushin Gakure and Shikari Gakure lingered in his thoughts. Alone in his head office, the room pulsated with an atmosphere woven with curiosity, fear, and hope. The solemnity and confusion were palpable, mingling with the aroma of the brewing coffee. The success of the mission rested heavily on the shoulders of these two skilled swordsmen.

Amidst the rubble, Gakushin Gakure's eyes widened at the sight of a colossal crate that had obliterated a significant portion of the forest. Coughing, he tightened his grip on his sword, a lone figure in the aftermath of a mysterious and destructive event. The absence of Shikari heightened the tension, leaving Gakushin to grapple with the unknown and the unfolding chaos.

Gakushin Gakure thought furiously, "What the hell happened here?" He turned around, scanning the dark forest. In the middle of the night, he couldn't sense Shikari's presence. Suddenly, a scythe emerged from the forest, chain attached.

With a swift and practiced motion, Gakushin Gakure raised his sword upward, intercepting the scythe. Crouching low, he slid forward, gripping the scythe's handle with his left hand. He thrust it into the ground and stepped onto the chain with his left foot. The chain, now anchored, pulled taut from the distant forest.

In a sudden and decisive move, Gakushin Gakure raised his sword with his right hand, unleashing a powerful swing that created a wind slash. The slash soared through the air, slicing a giant tree in half. As the tree fell, an unknown person emerged, holding a chain.

"A woman? She's wearing a hood and a dark cloak. I can't see her properly, but she must be pretty skilled. Now what?" Gakushin Gakure thought, his attention momentarily drawn to the mysterious figure.

Suddenly, a distant giant explosion erupted behind him, compelling him to turn around and glance at the chaos unfolding. A giant mushroom cloud, flames ascending to the sky, and sword slashes cutting through the air painted a picture of escalating turmoil.

"Shikari! We need to leave! We can't stay here any longer! The mission! We need to complete it as soon as possible or else—" Gakushin's urgent thoughts echoed as he turned around to locate the mysterious woman. Glancing into the distance, he realized she had vanished. Quickly shifting his gaze to the left, he caught sight of her swiftly running.

Suddenly, the unknown woman appeared above him. Gakushin reacted swiftly, raising his right arm with the sword, but she kicked him forcefully, sending him tumbling across the floor. Feeling the impact, he quickly regained his feet, now at least fifty feet away from her. The woman retrieved her scythe, sighing, and positioned it above her right shoulder as she fixed her gaze upon him.

"You're gonna help your friend, swordsman? You're vulnerable and skilled, I wonder how long you will last," she said menacingly. With a forceful step, she shattered the ground beneath her, creating a zigzag line racing towards Gakushin. Swiftly, he leaped to his right, evading the destructive path, and closed the distance, sprinting towards her with great speed.

On the other hand, Shikari landed on the ground, smoking and grunting. Abruptly, he kneeled on his right knee, coughing out smoke. As he raised his head, he observed someone flying in the air, holding two lightning balls on top of his palms, an electrifying display of power against the backdrop of the unfolding chaos.

"You endured those thunder-lightning explosions? You're just a normal human, how could you accomplish such a feat?" An unknown man inquired, hovering in the air with an expression of curiosity. Shikari, undeterred, stood firm, his resilience in the face of extraordinary challenges defying the expectations of the mysterious figure.

"That damn hurt!" Shikari exclaimed, his resilience echoing through the aftermath. The unknown man in the air maintained an expressionless face, observing as Shikari stood undeterred, casually stroking his sword in his right hand, fully prepared for the impending battle. 

"I admire you for a human, that kind of training you have at such a young age is unbelievable," the unknown said menacingly. With a flick of his left hand, another giant lightning ball hurtled toward Shikari.

Shikari's blade began to glow, turning yellow as lightning surged across its length. With both hands gripping the sword, he swung it upward just as the lightning ball reached him. In a stunning display of skill, the ball split in half, leaving the unknown figure airborne and shocked. As the divided lightning ball streaked in opposite directions, devastation ensued, with two simultaneous explosions tearing through different parts of the forest.

"Oh my! Those lightning-energized balls are twice bigger than a human, and you split it in half? That deadly precision and focus! That's very admirable! You're very impressive!" exclaimed the unknown, who descended to the ground, still holding the other giant lightning ball on top of his palm in his right hand.

"I've got a mission to do. So I may suggest, let's end it here," Shikari remarked menacingly, raising his sword with both hands and pointing it towards the unknown.

"Hmm? End it here? My apologies, but I'm a Deity. You can't just simply kill a deity. In fact, I know what you're trying to accomplish. And that's not happening," the unknown Deity asserted. Shikari took a step back, sensing a formidable aura that sent a chill down his spine. 

"You're trying to stop him from escaping. That seal is cracking, and now is the time for our return, but are you fixing it? Oh, no no, that is a no-no, Sir," the Deity smiled at Shikari. Suddenly, the giant lightning ball in his right hand transformed into a colossal lightning spear, illuminating Shikari's surroundings in the darkness. Though frightened, Shikari stood tall, resolute in the face of the looming threat.

"You talk too much, you know that very well, right?" Shikari asked confidently as he resheathed his blade. Comfortable and at ease, he started walking towards the unknown Deity, who seemed confused, thinking Shikari had accepted defeat. The deity smiled, grabbed the lightning spear with his right hand, and hurled it towards Shikari.

The thrown lightning spear grew into a bright light, striking the ground where Shikari stood. A blinding flash illuminated the area, accompanied by a colossal thunder strike that shattered the entire ground. The mountain trembled, as did the surrounding forest, leaving a massive crater in its wake. The force of the explosion threw Gakushin Gakure away, teetering on the edge of a cliff.

Amidst the lingering echoes of thunder and lightning, the unknown Deity continued to smile and giggle. Glancing around, he saw only the scattered lightning particles on the ground, failing to detect anybody nearby. Assuming victory, he smiled brightly, sighed in relief, and shook his head from side to side, convinced that his opponent had been reduced to ashes by the formidable attack.

"What a foolish man, I don't know what he's thinking but okay," the Deity said out loud as he turned around. Suddenly, he saw Shikari standing, poised to decapitate him with his glowing sword. Shikari swung his sword towards the Deity's neck, but before the strike landed, another thunder strike occurred, hitting Shikari in the arm and electrocuting him. The Deity stared, eyes widened, his right hand raised in front of him with two fingers twisted together.

Despite the continuous strikes of thunder, Shikari knelt under the relentless assault. In a sudden twist, he vanished from where he was kneeling, reappearing behind the Deity at the speed of light.

As Shikari prepared to thrust his sword towards the Deity's face, a sudden turn of events unfolded. The Deity, struck by his own thunder, vanished abruptly. Another thunder echoed in the distance, and magically, the Deity reappeared at a new location.

Shikari kneeled on the ground with both of his knees coughing out blood and catching his breath. He immediately wiped the blood in the corner of his mouth and stood. He struggles to stand properly as he glances and sees that the Deity is shocked that he is still alive. 

"A human that can use teleportation, hmn. The seems new," the Deity said. His right hand began smoking and his right eye began glowing bright yellow. He began to walk towards Shikari while smiling thinking his coming to his end.

"Die peacefully, admirable human!" The unknown Deity shouted. Suddenly, a bow crafted from lightning and thunder materialized in his left hand. In his right hand, a white lightning arrow appeared. He equipped the arrow to his bow, aiming with intent as he pulled the string, composed of crackling lightning. 

Shikari's eyes widened, and his life flashed before his eyes. Acting on instinct, he drew his sword without a second thought and thrust it into the ground in front of him. A half-demon mask materialized on the right side of his face, and his right eye glowed bright white. The Deity, observing this transformation, showed concern in his widened eyes. Despite this, he released the string of the bow, sending the lightning arrow hurtling towards Shikari at incredible speed, breaking the sound barrier. 

A colossal lightning strike illuminated the entire mountain, casting an eerie glow on the surroundings. The trees and the ambiance fell into sudden silence. Gakushin, startled by the abrupt stillness, felt a chill down his spine. Frozen in the moment, both he and his enemy shared a pause.

The lightning arrow was on the verge of striking Shikari directly in the chest when, unexpectedly, his sword was thrust into the ground. Instantaneously, a giant, bright white barrier materialized, emanating from the sword. Despite the formidable defense, the lightning arrow pierced through the barrier. 

Reacting swiftly, Shikari raised both of his hands towards the path of the incoming arrow. Forming a circle in front of his chest, a white-darkening blue portal materialized in thin air precisely where the arrow was headed. 

Another white-darkening blue portal materialized behind Shikari. Through this mystical gateway, the lightning arrow, originally targeted at Shikari, was mysteriously redirected. Emerging from the second portal, the arrow charted a new course, hurtling towards the vicinity where Gakushin Gakure and his adversary stood. 

Gakushin swiftly dashed to his right, narrowly avoiding the trajectory of the lightning arrow. However, in the haste to evade the electrifying projectile, he collided with a tree, the impact resonating with the fear of the impending strike. Meanwhile, the lightning arrow continued its course, catching the other unknown enemy off guard. Unaware of the imminent danger, the arrow struck her directly in the face, delivering a fatal blow that went unnoticed in the chaos of the battleground.

Her violent scream echoed through the air as she transformed into a bright white figure, erupting into a violent explosion that illuminated the surroundings. Gakushin, quick on his feet, ran away and sought refuge behind a colossal tree, distancing himself from the impending blast. Prior to the explosion, another moment of eerie silence enveloped the area, only to be shattered by a deafening noise as the explosion not only reverberated through the mountain but also sent shockwaves through its surroundings. 

Shikari Gakure kneeled on the ground coughing out blood. Both of his hands turned red and the half-demon mask on his face vanished all of a sudden. He suddenly lost consciousness falling forward to his sword. His head leaned forward to the sword while the unknown Deity can be heard clapping. 

The wind and shockwave were still going. A few giant trees were removed from the ground same as the giant tree that Gakushin Gakure is hiding on. He didn't have a choice but to move into another but as he moved he got a glance of Shikari who had lost consciousness and a Deity approaching him. 

"Shikari! No! Wake up! Shikari!" Gakushin exclaimed as he ran towards him. Suddenly, he tripped and fell. He hit his face on the ground as he realized he couldn't make it because of how far he was from them. 

He immediately stood and saw the reason why he tripped. It was because of the scythe. He immediately grabbed the scythe's handle cut the chain with his blade and threw it towards the Deity in the far distance. 

"Good thing I didn't get to taste my own medicine. You made me kill one of my allies. Ugh, this is painful, wait no. I shouldn't kill you but use you," the Deity stated as he grabbed Shikari's neck and lifted him with his left hand. He then pointed his right hand to his right and a dark spiral portal began opening. 

He was about to walk in when all of a sudden, his right arm was cut by a scythe. That made him turn to his left and see Gakushin screaming running like hell towards him. He smirked at Gakushin's angry face and walked into the portal. He then saw his right arm healed immediately. 

Then the Deity waved at Gakushin with his right hand and vanished along the portal. Gakushin threw his sword towards the portal but the portal closed and his sword didn't reach it. He reached the portal and his sword that he threw and kneeled to the ground.

"NOO!" He screamed violently while grabbing his sword with both of his hands and swinging it to the dirt in front of him where they vanished. He screamed and screamed while tears started coming into his eyes. Then his own sword accidentally hit his left hand making it bleed. That made him stop as he screamed one more time violently and let go of his sword and bowed his head to the ground.

Tears kept flowing down in his eyes as the mood in his surroundings changed into silence and agony. He grabbed the dirt and punched it with both of his hands while keeping his head in touch with the earth. 

"I-i'm. Sorry. I was. Weak," he whispered while in pain losing his friend Shikari. He screamed again and punched the dirt in front of him as he cried. 

In the morning. Shimodo Rou kept going back in forth in the side of his round table unease. Hiruki Rou was there, a young head of the east and the fifth General of the army. They were both sitting in their chair. They stare at Shimodo Rou also unease because of his actions. Suddenly, the fifth General stood and spoke. 

"Do you mind sitting on your chair, Mr. Shido? Your every action since you arrived here is so uncomfortable! This is not helping!" exclaimed the General as he resumed his seat. Shimodo Rou promptly sat back down in silence, and Hiruki Rou observed the tense tableau, playing with a pen in his right hand. 

"General, this is all wrong. Seems wrong, they haven't teleported a message or sent a bird since last night! I don't know what's going on and what's next! If they are lost, we've lost three groups! Three groups! Remember that!" Shimodo Rou exclaimed as he cleared his throat and compressed his hands together unease and trembling.

"Well, we can't do anything, can we? You should've sent scouts instead of them so they know what they're fighting," Hiruki Rou remarked as he sighed in frustration and took a nap. He leaned his head forward to the table and began to snore. 

Shimodo Rou and the General stare at Hiruki Rou in silence. They both seemed to be pissed but he was right. Shimodo Rou then shakes his head left and right realizing his wrong actions that could cost their lives. 

"Look, Shido. You know second opinion is also sometimes important. You can't just ignore it," the General remarked as he sighed. Shimodo Rou stood from his chair and turned around. He approached the window and looked out. He saw the light of the sun and the blue sky same as the birds flying in the sky freely. 

"We can't send scouts in that area, General. It's too far risky. Shikari and Gakushin know what to do, they know they need to scout the area first before advancing. Gakushin Gakure has senses that it's on a different level yet he couldn't sense powerful beings far stronger than him. While Shikari, is also powerful his senses are dull because of the last fight, his current advantage is teleportation, a sorcerer's ability," Shimodo Rou replied worriedly. He sighed once more. He looked into the sky and saw that the clouds were covering the sky.

At a Dark dimension. Shikari Gakure was being dragged by the Deity he fought. He still doesn't have consciousness and the Deity is nearing him in a wall that has chains. As soon as he reached it, he tied Shikari's hands and feet and his upper body making him unable to move. 

The Deity then smiled as he turned around smiling. He sees five unknowns staring at him menacingly in the shadow. He glared at them as each of them opened a Darkening Portal and left the dimension they were on. The dimension they were on was weird, it had spiral dark energy all over the place flying.

The Deity began to walk while everywhere he looked there were hundreds more swordsmen tied up in a chain like Shikari. They were scattered all over the dimension as the Deity stopped and heard Shikari grunting behind him.