Solo Cultivation in The Apocalypse

Sweet lies. Lost conversations. Stupid songs.

Hitori kept staring at the burning fort. 'I was there for you, in your darkest time.' He could feel Kakashi's body saying that to him. 'I protected you, now you must avenge my death. I kept the promise.'

"Are you ready, Hitori-san?" Eya's voice was weak, but she was doing her best to get back on the plan.

Hitori nodded. He slid his wand into the slot on the left and checked Kamiya's wand on the right. "Contact, Kyo-san. And tell me about Atama-sensei's situation. Try Akira, if you can, please."

Eya nodded, he could not see, then lifted her wand as she walked into the woods that lead to the border. Hitori glanced at the fire last one time, then turned around to follow her.

Reon was waiting for him at the point where the woods darkened and allowed them to see less in the dark.

Eya told Kyo-san about Onogi's trap and Kakashi's death. Kyo remained quiet, then in a whisper, he asked, "Do you have his body?"

Eya glanced over her shoulder, Hitori was lost in his world and Reon was trying to cheer him up. "It burned him. We found nothing – we did not even get the chance to find anything."

He hung up. Then she called Atama-sensei. When he picked up, he was panting, as if out of breath. "Tamashi has grown strong. Please do not disturb me."

"I am sorry. Where are you right now? Where is this fight—"

"Far away. Do not worry. Come back if you want to." Then he hung up too.

Eya sighed and continued walking. She was controlling her pain well since she had not cried after her last breakdown – when the pain was just the same. She had to do it as the elder sister.

"What did they say?" Hitori's voice startled her.

"We are going back. Atama-sensei is away, and Kyo-san is coming back without Drace now that the deed is done."

Draco, yes, that dragon. Would things have been different if Kyo-san was with them? Would Kakashi be alive? No way that seemed like a possible option.

It took them long enough to reach back that the fights were concluded. When they reached, everyone was heavily injured.

Hitori advised watching from the woods, without disturbing the two fighting teams. Eya gasped when she saw Akira's condition, but she did not rise to help him.

Blood had covered his face, and Saiko had created a few holes in Akira's legs and arms, and one in the back. He must have used the potions to stand and fight. His body was full of scratches and fight marks, bleeding from everywhere.

Saiko's right eye was closed, and blood had dried under his eye like a melting dark circle, but red in color. It was thanks to Akira. His body was drenched with sweat, water, and blood. His hair was missing, burned by Akira. His clothes had patches, blood was leaking from them.

Tengoku and Migi were still at it. Migi had taken the advantage of Tengoku's injury. The bandage on his shoulder was slid to the side, the bullet hole was torn open, and blood ran down his chest. The DNA tattoo finally had blood flowing through it. His arms had scratches of branches and his abdomen had a hole in it, Migi had stabbed him. He was slowing down but still fighting.

Migi's shape was still as tight as before. He was hurt all over his body, with cuts, scratches, and punching bruises all over his chest and face. But he was not tired. He could still swing his Branch Katana like nothing.

Then the time came for them to land the final blow. They have been fighting for long enough, this was the time for them to end it.

Akira punched Saiko in the chin, throwing him on his butt. Then he raised his wand and shouted without wasting any time, "Koros!"

A brown beam struck Saiko when he tried to dodge it. He broke into a scream and struggled like a reptile, clutching his heart, then his throat. But it was his heart that gave up – killing him in an instant of a few seconds.

Akira bent, panting, then dropped his body. His face fell into the dirt and mixed with blood and sweat. He did not even twitch after falling on his face.

"Is he dead?" Reon asked.

Hitori's eyes raised and he rose from the woods. "No. Not another death. Eya-nee, heal him please—"

"Shut up!" She grabbed Hitori and pulled him down. Then she whispered, "He is not dead. If you look closely, his chest is still pushing his back up and down. But it is faint. We might need to give him a potion."

Hitori narrowed his eyes and concentrated on Akira's chest. And he noticed the movement. Yes, he was still breathing. Hitori sat down and turned to Tengoku.

He dodged a punch from Tengoku, then blocked his blade. From the ground, he rose a root that grabbed Tengoku's leg – his agility did not help, as he was exhausted – and pulled him onto the ground.

Tengoku lost his balance. His arm jerked backward and his katana flew from his hand, falling meters away. His head banged on the ground, he cried in pain.

Then without thinking twice, Migi bestowed his katana onto Tengoku's chest. Blood sprouted from his chest, leaving him crying in pain. Migi pulled out the branch and stabbed his other chest, the left chest.

This time, Tengoku's scream did not last enough. Like piercing a vampire's chest, the blood poured on the branch and Migi's face, Tengoku reached out his hands, but it was to no use.

After a few seconds, his arms fell back on the ground and the amount of blood decreased. Migi still waited. He waited till nothing was coming from his heart.

He pulled out his weapon, swinging blood in the air. He stared at Tengoku, as everyone did, without moving. Then he leaned down, roots spread from his side, racing towards Tengoku's katana.

Migi pulled Tengoku's arms close to him, then put them on each hole in his chest, hiding the hideous hole. He pulled the Katana and blacked it in between his hands. Like a mummy with a katana in its hands.

Migi rose from Tengoku's body. The vines and roots from the ground erupted, cladding Tengoku's body like the tapes of a mummy. When he was done, he looked over his shoulder – at the people hidden behind him.

"I will take his body with me. Do whatever you want to do with that boy's body. My work is done."

The ground opened and sucked Tengoku's body. Migi threw his weapon into the woods, then ran deep into the woods.