The Next Day—Azura Station.
"Ugh, it was so hot in there," Nara groaned, shoving a hand over his face as he stepped off the train.
"Blame the weather," Hina replied, pulling out a sweet stick that jutted from her mouth. A sheathed katana-length sword hung at her waist.
"Aww," Van yawned lazily while Code followed beside him.
Code's eyes darted about awkwardly as he raised a finger to adjust his collar. He wore the guild's uniform: a black high-collared tunic that hung past his waist over loose black pants gathered at the ankles, the same as Nara's.
"Hehe." Nara chuckled, slinging an arm over Code's shoulder. "We match, bro. That's what I call looking sharp."
"Meh," Code muttered, trying to free himself.
"You don't like it?" Hina asked, noticing the sour expression on his face.
"Nah, it's not that," Code muttered, finally slipping free. "It just feels like we're college students in school uniforms."
"Neh?!" Nara blurted, shocked.
"Arrgh, you know who to blame," Hina said with a shrug. "Van's fashion sense is a whole lot of nothing."
"Oi, I heard that!" Van snapped.
Hina rolled her eyes. "Anyway, where's Ken? Shouldn't he be here already?"
"Hmm, yeah," Van replied, brows furrowing. "Look around. Do you see anything strange?"
"Eh..." Hina spun, scanning the street. "There's nothing strange—" She stopped mid-sentence. "There's someone smoking next to a no-smoking stand, and Rowen's next to him."
"Yeah, that's Ken," Van said, already walking away.
"Huh?!" Code blurted in surprise. "Why would anyone smoke next to a no-smoking stand?!"
"Ken's pretty unhinged, y'know," Nara replied.
"Um, excuse me, sir, you're not allowed to smoke in this area!" a waiter cautioned.
"Uh... why? I'll smoke wherever I want," Ken replied flatly, puffing a cloud of smoke into the man's face.
"But you're disturbing our customers," the waiter pleaded, waving the smoke away.
"Really, Ken, there are plenty of other places to smoke. Why next to a no-smoking stand?" Rowen exclaimed.
"Simple. Rules are made for breaking," Ken said bluntly, puffing another cloud into Rowen's face.
"Ugh!" Rowen grunted, shoving his hands to clear the smoke.
"Woah," Code muttered as they reached the pair.
"Believe me now?" Nara replied.
"Oi, Ken, over here," Van boomed.
"Van Ackerman," Rowen exclaimed, eyes widening as he straightened.
"Arrgh, looks like the only thing you gained in the months we haven't seen each other are more scars," Van teased.
"Uh?" Ken's eyes rolled left, locking onto him. "At least I gained something," he replied, bumping fists with him.
"Aw, Ken, it's been a while," Hina said, stepping forward, her tone filled with mock anticipation.
"Yo," Nara waved.
"You guys aren't dead yet? Tuff!" Ken chuckled.
"Tch, asshole, you asking for it?!" Hina snapped.
"Blegh." Ken stuck out his tongue in mockery.
"Tsk," Hina clicked her tongue. "Must be really tough traveling with him," she said, turning to Rowen.
"Argh," Rowen exhaled grimly.
"Anyway, who's the new kid?" Ken asked, turning back to Van. "Lemme guess, his heart would fetch a crazy price." His lips curled into a creepy grin.
"We could buy a mansion in Centralis if we threw in his spleen."
"What the fuck!" Code exclaimed, eyes wide.
"Please, kindly lower your voice, sir," the waiter pleaded.
"Haha, just kidding," Ken chuckled, stretching out a hand. "Name's Ken. Don't forget."
Code grabbed it hesitantly. "Code Weber."
"Code?" Ken repeated.
"What's with it?" Code asked.
"Nothing. Just sounds weird," Ken replied.
"Yeah, it's weird," Code shrugged.
"So, where are we going after this? A beer parlor to celebrate my arrival wouldn't hurt," Ken asked.
"You know we're minors, right?!" Hina shouted.
"Please, lower your voice, ma'am," the waiter begged.
"Nah, it's not time for celebration yet," Van said. "Demonic signals have been concentrating around the town outskirts. I get the feeling it's mid-class."
"Oh?" Nara's eyes brightened. "I haven't fought a demon in weeks," he said, cracking his knuckles.
"Hmm, I haven't grasped my powers well yet, so maybe I can learn more after beating a demon to pulp," Code muttered.
"Arr... c-calm down, guys. We just got back. I think we need to rest," Rowen cut in.
"What are you talking about?" Hina replied. "It's not like you're going to do anything. Navigators have it easy."
"Yeah, that still doesn't mean I don't deserve rest," Rowen shot back.
"Navigators?" Code asked, brows knitting.
"Yeah, they're sorcerers who don't fight. They just help find and classify demons," Nara explained.
"Arrgh, since you guys are so enthusiastic," Van cut in, and everyone turned to him. "Why don't you take the mission while Ken and I discuss some important matters?"
"Yeah, very important matters," Ken nodded.
"Tch, lazy bastards! You're trying to run, aren't you?" Hina shouted, but the two men had already disappeared.
"Arrgh," Hina sighed, turning back to the group. "Guess it's down to us."
"I really need to rest for real!!!" Rowen screamed, his voice echoing everywhere.
"Please, you're disturbing our customers, sir," the waiter cautioned again.
...
Marrowfen.
"So this is the house?" Hina said, her gaze rising to the three-storey building standing metres away.
"Woah, it's pretty huge," Code marvelled.
"So, Rowen, what's with this place?" Nara asked.
"Arrgh, guess I can't get out of this," Rowen shook his head grimly and lowered himself to the ground.
He placed a hand on the floor, shut his eyes, and focused.
"What's he doing?" Code asked.
"Shh!" Hina whispered. "He's scanning the area for demonic signals."
"Oh," Code nodded.
Rowen's eyes opened, and he rose to his feet.
"So, what's the result?" Hina asked.
"Low-class demons, maximum A.T.R minus twelve point one, and one mid-class with A.T.R minus twenty-four point two."
"Hehe, sounds like fun," Nara said, stretching.
Hina grabbed her sword's hilt, gaze narrowing. "Let's get this over with."
...
Inside the building.
"Sometimes I feel like demons like me," Nara said as the group walked down the stairs.
"Cool! But why would they?" Code muttered.
"What kind of feeling is that?!" Rowen exclaimed, eyes darting around in fear while he stuck close to Code.
"I don't know. It's just a feeling," Nara replied.
"Oi, shut your yapping. It's near!" Hina announced.
"Huh?" Code tensed, eyes narrowing.
Sharp... shrrp...
"Ugh!" Rowen's eyes went wide as he felt a touch on his back.
"Ahhh!" He screamed, and—
BLASSH!!
Blood and gore suddenly splattered about, as the floor cratered.
"Eh?" Rowen breathed, eyes shifting from the pulverized mass of flesh on the floor to Code's bloodied fist that had just destroyed the demon.
"Don't cling to me," Code said coolly.
"Woah," Nara said, eyes widening. "Totally cool, man." He flashed a thumbs-up.
"No time to marvel, guys. There's more," Hina said, locking onto the horde of demons thudding toward them.
"Hehe, here they come," Nara grinned, his pupils reddening as he bent low.
The demons were identical creatures with bodies splitted into proportions. Some had their heads far larger than other parts of their bodies, some—their arms, some—legs, and others—stomachs.
"Let's go!" Hina announced, and the trio burst ahead, leaving Rowen and a cloud of dust behind.
"Might as well watch from here," Rowen whispered.
SHIUUUUN!
A sickening metallic sound rang out as Hina unsheathed her sword.
"Arrgh..." She exhaled, releasing a gust of compressed air.
"Sword Art..." she whispered, dark tenzen emanating from her body and engulfing her sword.
"...Air Splitter!!"
All the demons saw were silver gleams until—
SPULUURT!!
Their heads erupted into the air in a bloody spray. They all had the same "huh?" expression on their faces.
SWISSH!
She connected with the next demon, tearing her sword into its neck and unleashing a surge of dark tenzen that reduced it to nothing.
FWOOOSH!!.
A trail of flames lined the air as Nara burst forward.
THUD!
He landed, cratering the floor in radial spirals.
"Uh... lemme see, one, two, three..." he whispered, counting the demons lunging toward him.
"Nine!" He finished, locking into stance.
Crackle! Crackle!
Sparks flared on his hand, and then—
FWOOOM!!
A gust of flames boomed out, quickly covering his arms.
"Arrgh," he exhaled, stretching one foot backward.
"Fire Sorcery: Explosive Fist!"
THWOOOMPH!!
His fist connected with a demon's jaw, dislocating it before exploding.
"SHRAA!!" Another demon hissed as it leapt toward him.
Nara spun rapidly, raising his arm to the demon's forehead and flicking his finger.
Tap!
It connected...
BOOOOOOM!
An overwhelming force erupted, sending the demon crashing into a wall where its remains burned to crisp.
"I can't lose either," Code muttered, gaze shifting from to the two onto the approaching horde.
'Let's see how strong I'll get after defeating these ones.'
***
To Be Continued...