Solo Cultivation in The Apocalypse

Hitori's heart was pounding against his chest. He placed a hand over his chest and tried to calm himself by taking deep breaths. He wondered why he was nervous. He had done this before too, then why?

Or perhaps it was not because of nervousness, it was because of excitement. He had never imagined teaming up and attacking an army with your friends would be so exciting.

But he knew now. He knew that he had people to keep his back even if they did not listen to him or tell him about the plan– which Kyo did, but after making him wait.

Hitori was doing this calm-myself ritual when he felt someone poking his obliques. He frowned, then opened his eyes and saw a wand on his obliques. He raised his eyes at Kakashi with a crease on his forehead.

"Come closer," he said, "listen to me."

Hitori frowned harder. "W-What are you doing?" he asked, being unable to process. "W-What do you want?"

"It is hard for me to move, so can you freaking sit here?" He moved down his wand and pointed it on the floor beside him.

Hitori glanced at the space in front of the coffee table, then at Kakashi. Hitori decided to just get over with whatever it was, so he slid across to Kakashi.

He heard Tengoku talking to his men in a low voice instead of his alarming voice. He said something that made the men cheer in anger. He was conspiring with his men maybe.

Hitori wanted to study the enemy formation, but his excited heart made him think again about that decision. He was planning to wait till his heart calms before studying Tengoku's formation.

He placed himself a foot away from Kakashi, to avoid an incoming awkward vibe. Kakashi dropped his head Hitori found him staring at the one-foot space between them.

Hitori shook his head, staring at Kakashi. "No. No. Just say—"

Kakashi placed his hands on the floor and shifted his butt into the one-foot gap between Hitori and him.

"Oh god! What are you trying to do really?" he groaned. Hitori pressed his hands on the floor to move away from Kakashi when he felt a tight grip over his wrist.

"Just stay for a minute." Then he heard Kakashi's weak whisper.

"Damn! Why are you—"

Kakashi kept his wand on Hitori's mouth. "Stay quiet. Do not let them hear you," he said. Even Hitori could hear his voice somehow.

Kakashi removed the wand but Hitori stayed quiet. He glanced over the table and saw Kyo and Akira studying the enemy formation. Then he lowered his head back to Kakashi.

They were at a kissing distance, but he saw Kakashi was not bothered by the distance. Hitori tried to stop, but he could not stop worrying about the distance.

Then Kakashi said, "I need you to hear me. I know I can trust you, so listen to me."

Trust? Hitori cringed. It only sounds good coming from Eya-nee or Reon's mouth, but from yours– it is simply gross.

"Sure, what is it?"

"I can not believe he told me to use a weak spell."

Hitori understood where it was leading, but he stayed silent and let him continue.

"I want you to cast Cloudkill while I cast the Storm of Vengeance."

Hitori stayed still. He could not see why he should not let Kakashi cast the high-level spell. He was good as useless right now, at least he will do some good before he goes off.

He could only imagine Kyo's anger when he knows Hitori let him– wait, why should he know what happened? He made Hitori wait, it was his turn now.

Hitori nodded. "Just do not die."

"I will be as good as dead by the time I am done casting the spell."

"Exhausted to death is better than being dead," he said. "Do us some good before falling unconscious, is that what you plan to do?"

Kakashi leaned back against the table and held his head down. Hitori tilted his head, he wanted to see what face Kakashi was making.

"I would have done better," he said, "if it was not for this Protector's Bond." He moved his hand over his forearm. Hitori saw the men fighting the woods at the end, Tengoku in the middle, and a half at the front.

"You will sleep, but your spell will not. Do something big before you fall," Hitori said, even though he did not know where those words came from.

Hitori could have never done it, but seeing Kakashi upset and feeling powerless, he placed a hand over his shoulder. Kakashi looked at Hitori. "Make sure I see the sun tomorrow."

Hitori closed his eyes and nodded. He tightened his grip over Kakashi's shoulder and looked into his eyes. "What does Cloudkill do, by the way?"

Kakashi took time to process that question. He blinked his wide eyes at Hitori. "Cloudkill?" he asked.

Hitori nodded. "I want to know what it does before I use it."

Kakashi sighed. "It creates a fog, a poisonous fog that will suffocate and kill the targets. So make sure you do not let it on inside."

Hitori removed his hand. "I see."

They stared at each other for a moment till Kyo broke the silence. "What are you two talking about? Can you not see they are ready for an assault."

Hitori turned and went back to sit under his sofa. He picked his wand off the floor. He was expecting the thud, thud sound, but he realized he was not excited or nervous anymore.

He was ready for Kyo's sign when Tengoku shouted, "You fucked with the wrong person. This is not a mission anymore, Hitori. You have killed my men brutally, this is personal now."

Hitori cared only less about it. "It was always a person for me, bastard," Hitori muttered.

Then he heard Kyo mutter, "Eya, are you ready?"

To which she must have replied: 'Yes, Kyo-san.'

Hitori turned to the right side and peeked at Kyoryu. "Do it then," he said as he lowered his wand.

"Boys," Tengoku said, "ready!"

They cocked their guns. Hitori turned back and Kyo said, "To your knees. We have got this."

Hitori jumped to his knees and put his wand over the sofa. Then he heard Tengoku say, "Set your guns and blow the fucking house!"

"Only one chance…" Kyoryu said, "only one."

"Fi—" Tengoku swalloed his words.