85 Exodia 85: Shoot to kill
"Far more terrifying?"
Weissmann ran toward Astoria and stuck her. Due to the effects of Impact Gauntlet, a powerful explosion formed.
Weissmann's arm shook.
"As I expected,"
Weissmann said.
The smoke cleared and Astoria blocked Impact Gauntlet with two fingers. There was not even a scratch on her.
"I'm going to have to ask you to leave. That girl on the ground is one of my favourites. If you do more than you already have, I will kill you."
Weissmann shivered at her words.
"Your goal should be to kill me. To prevent me to get to Altair. But, you're not going to kill me."
The man withdrew his fist.
"There's also the fact that I hurt the girl you favour so much."
Weissmann glared at the woman.
"The reason you're not killing me is because of a future. If you kill me, the worst possible future will happen."
"Do not misunderstand."
Astoria growled.
"I can't kill you, that is true but that does not mean that I can't hurt you. I will force you to withdraw for the sake of the best future."
---
"Altair Marrow Crestfallen."
Shadow enveloped the boy in a shadow cocoon. It was a few seconds later when the cocoon cracked and broke.
Aden-Lada showed a nervous smile.
"You have to fucking be kidding me..."
It was the same boy she saw but his aura was different. It was choking. Perhaps it was the density of his shadows or just the aura of death he omitted. Aden-Lada recognised it instantly.
"Altair..."
The boy opened his eyes.
The shadows, that had danced across his face, disappeared into his dark outfit. He wore something similar to a medieval black trench coat with fur around his neck. It was a somewhat regal outfit.
The boy looked around and groped the air with his hand.
"That's you, isn't it, Altair?"
Aden-Lada asked, getting into a combat stance.
"Let's fight!"
"Kuroha. Please, go before things get dangerous."
The boy told the girl.
Kuroha seemed slightly stiff.
"Shoya--"
"I'm not Shoya right now. I am the Black Emperor. Please, before you get hurt."
The girl nodded and stayed on guard as she passed Aden-Lada and ran outside.
"I'll get help!"
Kuroha shouted before running away.
Surprisingly, Aden-Lada stood frozen. Most likely shocked at the fact that the boy ignored her.
Aden-Lada kicked off the ground with full power.
Her fist was rushing toward the boy's face. With a huge impact, the boy stumbled as Aden-Lada hit his face with full power.
Any normal Streia would have had their head either twisted, broken or detached.
"Hm? Shadows?"
Where Aden-Lada had struck the boy, shadows had converged, as if protecting him from the hit.
"Is it my turn, Rose?"
Twisting his body, the boy hit Aden-Lada. His punch made the same air denting sound as hers.
The Mortal Sin was able to block in time.
(This power... He's not Shoya anymore. He's definitely Altair.)
The boy, Altair, had disappeared from Aden-Lada's sight without her noticing.
"Where is..."
From behind, her head bopped forward as Altair kicked her head, he then punched her back, sending her flying onto the street.
Aden-Lada dug her feet into the ground and stopped herself from flying through the building the same way Shoya did.
The street was empty. It had been taped off.
When she saw Altair, she got back into her attack stance.
"It's been years, Altair! Let's dance!"
"I'm not hoping to have fun with you, Rose. I have other things to do."
Altair put his hand outwards.
"Erebus."
His shadow extended and it rippled like water. From it emerged a katana. Altair grabbed it and unsheathed it. A katana with a black blade which houses the soul of the God of Darkness, Erebus.
(Altair's sword. Erebus. It has two forms, katana and dagger. I should beware of it changing forms.)
Suddenly, the katana changed shape. Altair held it out in front of him.
"No way... That's a..."
A bow.
Erebus turned into a jet-black bow. There were no arrows though. Altair made a gesture as if pulling the string of the bow, and a jet-black flaming arrow formed.
Letting go, it shot itself at Aden-Lada. She barely deflected it, it grazed the skin of the back of her fist.
The Black Emperor ran toward her and the bow changed into two daggers.
The two had a melee confrontation.
(What the?! Why the fuck is he so fast?! Altair was not this fast when we fought in the Emperors' War! So... how?!)
Aden-Lada attempted to keep up with Altair's fast slashes but he outpaced her.
This was the Black Emperor's overwhelming physique.
The Pink Emperor suffered several shallow cuts. Finally, Aden-Lada found an opening and swiped one of his hands away. The other dagger still came right at her. The woman used her knee to knock at Altair's elbow.
A clear opening.
A free hit.
Aden-Lada took the chance but...
"Give up."
Before she knew it, a scythe was at her neck. Altair did not follow through. He knew if he did that he would kill her.
Altair did not want that.
(Erebus wasn't only a katana and daggers but a bow and scythe too?!)
"No."
Aden-Lada knocked the scythe away and jabbed Altair. He switched to the daggers to block, however...
"Hm?"
It was a feint.
She dropped and hook Altair's legs, causing him to lose balance. When she regained her balance, Aden-Lada shot an axe kick at him.
The road beneath her crumbled under the pressure of her kick. She missed Altair.
Instinctively, she turned around, only to find Altair standing.
"How did you get there? You were off balance, there's no way you could've dodged that with your skillset."
"Nightwalker. I can move as or within a shadow."
"Another skill you hid from us?"
"No. One that Shoya Sasaki gained."
Aden-Lada gritted her teeth.
"Fuck you and your bullshit. I'll fuck you up."
The Mortal Sin got into another stance. It was different from her previous one. Her left hand was out in front of her and her right hand was closed and primed at her side.
"One strike. Shoot to kill. Whoever kills, wins."
Erebus changed back into a katana.
Altair sheathed it and bent his legs, twisting his body sideways slightly.
"You couldn't win when we first started. It's impossible for you to win now."
Altair boasted.
"We'll see."
