Kurisutarumajishan Chapter V: Concentration, Reconstruction

"Is everyone okay?!" Natsuki exclaimed as her crystal shield slowly broke apart, crumbling into dust. Everyone that was under her protection were left unscathed but had tinnitus, and or, shell shocked, leaving most of the men incapacitated until they can recover themselves. Natsuki knows that they won't recover instantly from their concussions, and had called for Haruko, who was followed by the other mages and Sir Talius.

"Ana! Natsuki-kun!" He yelled as he reached them, a canvas of familiarity was his expression as he looked around.

"This tells me this is what happened earlier before we arrive" Natsuki remarked as she coughed, she shook her right arm free of the crystals she produced to create that shield, the small, magnificently grey coloured and black cored crystals crumbling as they fell to the ground.

"What is-" Sir Talius was about to ask, as he pointed at Natsuki's arm.

"We don't know as of now and we're trying" Anahana intervened as she held her superior's shoulder tightly "Natsuki might have a plan"

Natsuki butted in a hurry. "Sorry but we don't have time to explain the plan, but do make the backup ready when we fire the signal!" She said aloud, Anahana was quite confused as well.

"What's the signal?!" Sir Talius shouted as he watched Natsuki pull Anahana away, running towards the gates of the wall.

"YOU'LL KNOW WHEN YOU HEAR IT!" She shouted in reply as she ushered Anahana to follow quick.

Natsuki heard the whistling of shells once more, and threw Anahana towards the guard's inspection room, collapsing the door as she colliding with it, rolling inside. Natsuki slid through just as the shells hit the Staglia walls directly, managing to go inside with Anahana who sat up from her collision, she pointed behind Natsuki who brushed off the dust off her.

"Doors blocked, what now?" She said as she stood up, she watched as Natsuki opened the door, and looked outside. "Any plans Missy?"

"Don't call me that" Natsuki coldly replied as she observed the plains outside, she was quite revolted on what she had smelled. She finally noticed a glint from somewhere the dark green leaves that danced on the plains, it was quite far, she went back and rummaged through the drawers in the room, looking for something as simple as a binoculars, but were instead, given a spyglass.

She returned to the door and extending it, focusing on the glint. She found the Demon General, who held all eight of her weapons high in the air as the Tank Demons reloaded the artillery again. The glint came from the Demon General's Spear, which the sun had shone as it passed through the clouds.

"I knew it… That's not even possible- How-" Natsuki muttered to herself, drowning in her thoughts as she rummaged through her brain for answers "What is this… Why do they have an SPG…"

"What's an SPG? Hey! Nats!" Anahana asked as she patted her on the shoulder "Hey! Tell me what's going on!"

"We know why they can accurately shoot their barrage now, and I was right about it" She replied "All we have to do is stop them"

"How can we-? Are those-"

"She's sent in infantry, that last barrage was preparing to fully break the wall then…" Natsuki mutters more as she looked at the company of demons running across the field. She looked around the damages from the doorway, and saw that it was severely cracking and giving in. "We don't have much time, I want you to keep those Demons away from the entrance, understood?"

Anahana was dumfounded with her sudden order, and hears a faint que of trust from her words. She nodded and readied herself. "Whatever you're going to do, I hope it goes well"

"Just keep them away from me and we'll be fine" Natsuki replied as she nodded at her partner.

Anahana nodded as well in response and held her swords by their handles, before rushing out in a burst, spiraling down on the demonic infantry and slicing them clean off their hips and their necks.

"Woah…" Natsuki muttered in awe as she watched her dance in battle, swinging and slashing gracefully at the Demons, who struggled to catch up with the warrior. She snapped out of her trance and stood up, eyeing the cannon brigade some distance from her.

The world slowed drastically around her as she took a deep breath. Swallowed in her thoughts, she swam through a steady stream of water, and slowly exhaled… A small winding draft had circled her and paused before dissipating suddenly, she had took a step forward and vanished, a burst of air leaving in her wake as she ran through Anahana's battlefield.

As Anahana sliced through one of the Ogre Demons she was pulled to her left even though the weight of her Sword Maces had enough momentum to throw her to her right. She recoiled and managed to regain her footing before she blocked an incoming hit from another behind her.

"A lone warrior girl? Something not right" Muttered the Demon General as she looked around. Natsuki had reached the last demon of the infantry brigade the Demon General had sent, it was a large Ogre Demon, she charged toward it without any weapons on hand and leapt, as the Demon marched slowly in Natsuki's pocket, everything started to transition back to movement, the Demon had now noticed Natsuki's physical presence, startled at this, it recoiled back as Natsuki was about to miss it's body a sword flew from behind her, penetrating the torso.

It was Anahana who threw it, and it was enough to keep Natsuki's flow from breaking as she lands on it with one foot and sprang, spiraling into the air. The General had been late in realizing this and had lately ordered the tanks to aim at her, which they slowly did given that they were merely prototypes. The General noticed a weapon being held by the girl, and threw her spear which collided with Natsuki's crystallized left arm but had done nothing but ricochet off it and restarting Natsuki's aim.

She lands on both of her feet on the grass, crouched on the ground as the second wave erupted from the cannons. She looked behind her to see the shells landing once more to the walls, chunks of it had launched all over the place as it exploded on impact, the Demons scuttled to load the next shells nervously as they kept glancing on Natsuki, watched the impact unfold before her.

"You have guts to have your back against your opponent human" The Demon General bellowed to her from her vantage point.

Natsuki slowly looked at her as she turned around slowly. There was a hint of wonder and awe behind her eyes as she inspected the tanks.

The Demon General hopped off her viewpoint and raised her large sword towards Natsuki, who took a step back.

"Smart move human" The General remarked, but was skeptical at best, she eyed her crystallized arm, and returned her gaze to Natsuki's eyes. "I've met silent warriors in my time, and they all fell by my glory one by one. I hope you won't be the same"

"Well.. I've just started becoming one just now" Natsuki replied, but before she could add anything the Demon General was already in a stance, her arms raised at different heights and her right leg raised and curved in front of the left leg's knee. Natsuki was shortly reminded of the Indian Gods and Goddesses, before she hopped some few steps back to make distance.

"Mmm~ Remarkable~" Remarked the Demon General, she struck another stance, more aggressively poised at Natsuki, her weapons circling around her form. Natsuki readied herself partially holding her cannon up as she raised her right arm in front of her and crystallized it in a shield, it took a specific design before she held it in front of her directly.

The Demon General was perplexed and interested at her at this point, watching as Natsuki materialized her shield to form a specific shape. She chuckled as she poised to move forward. Natsuki crouched in alert, watching her opponent's actions as she prepared to pounce.

"Interesting opponent" Kalliope bellowed once more "Honour must've gifted me her best warrior to summon you as my enemy"

"What makes you think honour respects someone like me?" Natsuki remarked as she slowly circled to the left, making Kalliope move to the right.

"My my! You're are but gifted with such an ability! Yet you don't know what it is?" She taunted as her weapons clanked each step. "No one shall interrupt me and my opponent! Not one shall fire a single shell at the wall until I am done with my duel!"

The tanks revved backwards, giving the General space, as well as distance as to not get crossed in the duel. What's left were the Demon General Kalliope and Natsuki, who had once again poised to attack, their stances were aggressive, and the Demon army that remained with them had shook in fear, recoiled back a few more steps as the uneasiness filled the air, emanating from these two women. Anahana had finished on her side, slaughtering the Demon army that was sent to infiltrate the Staglia, doused in blood, she glanced at Natsuki and the Demon General who had been in lock for several minutes now, reading each other's next move.

"That's a Demon General?!" She exclaimed to herself "Natsuki! Be careful! She's the Demon Army's best warrior!"

Natsuki, distracted from Anahana's call had looked towards her, to which the General charged at her swinging her spear which collided with Natsuki's shield, emanating a loud metallic ring as the staff it the body of the shield. The Demon followed with a flurry of attacks alternating her arms and hitting her opponent who blocked the hits almost perfectly, getting some minor injury here and there.

She held back and didn't budge as the General unleashed a relentless flurry of swings and thrusts, slightly chipping the crystal away as the Demon dug into the shield, trying to wear the user down.

"KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME GIRL!" She exclaimed as she swung down on Natsuki's shield. She was starting to break through, chipping away large chunks of the shield apart from itself and Natsuki had started to falter, unable to break through the flurry of attacks relentlessly thrown at her.

"FIGHT GIRL! FIGHT! SHOW ME WHAT HONOUR HAS GIFTED ME TO DEVOUR!" Kalliope shouted as her large axe had broken through and got jammed in tightly in the cut it had made. The Demon General grunted as she tried pulling it back, dragging Natsuki a bit with her until she started to swing her around, carrying Natsuki and the shield with her as she tried letting the axe loose from the gap. Natsuki grunted as she tried to pull her shield away but were unable to as she was flayed left and right until she had managed to cut off the shield from the crystalline growth on her right arm.

She was thrown away as Kalliope got hold of her axe back, she held the ax and took it off the shield from it. As she held it with one of her hands, planting her spear on the ground next her and inspected the shield before it slowly turned into dust.

"Interesting, you really are what you show" Remarked Kalliope as she took the spear again and spun it before holding it in front of her "Impressive.. Interesting…"

She looked at her and stomped her staff to the ground, a silent boom as if the air muttered an explosion in a whisper billowed from Kalliope. "You show potential girl, I may have underestimated to you too soon"

"I'm flattered" Natsuki replied coldly.

"Will you be so inclined to join the Demon Army? I can guarantee your evolution to be strong and swift-" Kalliope was interrupted as Natsuki launched a crystalline spike from her right arm.

"I refuse your offer" She replied sternly as her crystallized right arm shifted, and its crystals slowly growing spikes that then grew into forward facing spike. She swung her right arm swiftly and retracted it back as it regrew its weaponry, the attack was ineffective at best as Kalliope had blocked with her axe head.

"You don't know what you are, you don't know what you're capable of child, you're nothing but a young girl who seeks whatever it may to garner something in return for yourself" Kalliope stated to her, pointing her sword at Natsuki who kept growing her spikes. "Join me, and in honour I shall teach you what's necessary to make you powerful!"

Natsuki threw another wave of crystal spikes, some not being able to shoot out from her arm. The wave was simply swiped out of the air. She chuckled maniacally as she watched Natsuki start to get quite impatient with her duel.

"NATSUKI!" Anahana shouted as she launched herself down towards the general, but was thrown back as Kalliope thrusted the blunt edge of her mace towards Anahana's stomach, rendering her incapacitated as she landed roughly at the slope.

"ANA!" Natsuki shouted as she watched Anahana get launched away from Kalliope. She steadied herself and brought her left arm up, readying her cannon as Kalliope charged towards her.

There was no other option Natsuki can think of, and so she charged as well and using her small figure to pass under the succession of swings from Kalliope's right side region of arms, she then took distance again and swung to her right, launching a flurry of spikes that penetrated the back of Kalliope's thick skin. She roared in pain as she swung to face Natsuki and charged at her to close distance, she was faced with another volley of spikes and was distracted as the spikes exploded like small grenades, shattering into shrapnels, momentarily blinding Kalliope, who retreated a few steps back.

"AGHH!!" She growled as she protected her eyes from the dust and the shrapnel "Well done human girl! NOW FEEL MY POWE-"

A beam of energy was shot from Natsuki's crystalized left arm, decapitating two of Kalliopes left arms in the process. The Demon General roared in pain as she held the decapitated stumps of her arms. Shouting at the minions she had brought over to incur a blow into Fuhrenheim's defense..

"MY MEN! SIEZE HER!" She shouted "TAKE HER ALIVE AND BRING HER BACK ALIVE!"

The Demons started to rush Natsuki who turned to fire another beam towards them. The shot was powerful enough to create a trail of burned grass and the smoked remains of their innards, Natsuki retreated beside Anahana and picked her up, carrying her on her shoulder. She fired a few more shots that obliterated the Demons as soon as it collided with their being, she ran back as she fired and hit more of the enemy, obliterating their bodies upon impact. She stood at a mildly high slope and laid Anahana softly before shooting her spikes at the enemy, penetrating their thick hide besides her shots with her beam cannon.

In the distance, Kalliope was preparing to leave, ordering the tanks and motioning for them to move back. The Demons shouted to protect the leave of the General followed by roars of agreement and a charge running up to Natsuki.

"Shit! Anahana!?" She glanced at the injured Ana on the ground and back at the incoming horde, she shot once more killing the larger drones before settling the smaller ones with her sword. As the first three came close she dashed in between them, her sword dancing in the air as she waved at them, slicing them to pieces before uncontrollably sliding down the mild slope. She barely swung hard enough at the incoming infantry, resulting in her katana getting lodged in the enemy's abdomen before kicking it down and properly stabbing it through its heart.

Natsuki sidestepped to her right as another swung it's mace but failing to do so before its head was cut off from its body from a swift swipe and lunge of Natsuki's sword. The remaining units have splintered off and as Natsuki ran away from where Anahana was she grew larger, more defined spikes from her right arm and swung at them, the spikes whirred in the air as they seemingly tracked the demons and penetrating them, providing minor damage, however as it dissolved they started to bleed black and crystalline growths had started to form around the wound. This gave Natsuki the chance to shoot them down in a faster rate than before.

"Shit… She got away…" Natsuki muttered as she collapsed on the ground panting "I guess using the cannon takes a lot of my energy.."

She inspected herself as she panted on the ground, she then raised her cannon and fired a firework's shot, the beam reached the sky at high speeds penetrating the clouds before it explodes like fireworks in the sky and showers the plains outside the inner ring by the Staglia cell, in a beautiful sparkling of purple particles that slowly fell down.

"GENERAL!" Shouted one of the knights as he pointed to the sky, everyone else looked too, as well as the mages, who were in awe at the beautiful spectacle.

"Is that Natsuki-chan?" Junko said, her jaw dropping.

"Sir Talius! That's Natsuki-chan!!" Reagan shouted at Sir Talius, who was perplexed at the firework.

Sir Talius shot a glance at Reagan, still in shock and surprise. He soon scrambled the able soldiers to go outside in formation to retrieve the warriors outside.

"Commanding Officer Talliel! Bring about your men and retrieve our soldiers! NOW!" He ordered worryingly as he tended to one of the wounded soldiers that got wounded by the artillery, he looked as the commander had rushed off with a rag-tag team that he had simply called over as he ran, they followed suite into the direction of the large gate.

"Hurry! Pick your weight up you bumbling morons!" He shouted at his ragged team, running way ahead of them.

"YES SIR!" They replied, going slightly faster but not more than that.

Outside, Natsuki had stumbled her way back to Anahana who had been resting, and was just starting to wake up. The noon had come, it's bright orange haze filling the sky in a beautiful crown of yellow and orange, she collapsed again, kneeling beside Anahana who had then noticed her.

"Wha…" Anahana mutters as she tried to stand up, Natsuki shook her head as Anahana moaned in pain, trying to sit up.

"I missed the General.. I didn't get to shoot the tanks and... I forgot to fire the signal.. I just did now and I think they'll be here soon…" Natsuki explained, despaired as she didn't get the job done properly. Anahana inspected her as she can, chuckling at her.

"Don't worry Natsuki.. You did well.. You did a good job" She said, patting her shoulder.

"You're not… Dying are you..?" Natsuki asked, in the brink of crying.

"Mmm..? Where'd the fuck you get that from?" Anahana asked as she coughed a bit "I'm still alive y'know? I've had worse injuries than this"

"Are you sure?" Natsuki said softly.

"Mhm.. Yeah, I just need rest and Haruko's healing and I'm all okay after a few days" Anahana replied as she sat up finally, slouching a bit forward and clutching Natsuki's shoulder as she nodded, saying that she understood, before crying on Anahana's shoulder.

"Shhh.. You did well Natsuki, it's fine" Anahana comforted "We'll get her the next time, don't worry about it"

Natsuki nodded, as she cried, clutching Anahana tightly. The knights had arrived as the sun sunk into the earth and the moon arose in the brilliant night sky, they aided with helping Anahana up, as well as Natsuki, who didn't leave her side. They were then taken back to the camp where they were then, treated by the medics and Haruko.

Tangkagare Rouheri Demon Base | Nightfall

The small brigade had returned to their base of operations, it was a fortress built and reinforced on the remains of a former human kingdom, reinforced by the Demon Army to further their position in the war.

The castle fortress was situated in a burnt landscape, the trees were cut and ashen black, the ground was cracked with a red light emanating from them. The fortress housed a large beating machine in the center of its interior, it was a large, tall pillar like structure that was seemingly connected to two large generators that had large cables ran from it to the tall pillar structure.

The large metal gates slid open outwards as the tanks had rolled in, chugging along as the General had bandaged her mutilated arms, they followed the main road down into the structure and stopped there, dropping Kalliope off, she hopped down and inspected the tower that had a slow beating pace. She turned to the half-human demons who wore white cloaks and called to them.

"You there!" She roared, calling to one of the demons inspecting the machinery placed around the bottom of the structure. These were Itellach Demons, Demons that wee genetically modified artificially to proceed with the creation of a demon with a higher level in intellect and brain processing power, this has resulted with the lack of strength these demons have, along with a high hunger rate which required them to eat about five times the nutrients and calories humans eat to provide their brain and body with enough energy to work properly.

The Itellach walked hurriedly over to the General, holding a bundle of papers tied by a styled rope with a beautiful gold braid.

"Yes General?" She asked nervously, she saw the mutilated arms and gasped "General!"

"It's nothing, what's the progress on the machine?" She asked, grunting as she did holding her left arms that were cut off.

"The machine is working as the Queen intended, it's been siphoning the magma and bringing it up to the surface" The Itellach replied as she checked the papers she had carrying "She's right too, the Demons in our unit have been high in morale than they were in our previous incursions"

"A machine that extends the hellscape of our world huh…" Kalliope mutters "You have a point, I do feel different, I feel like I'm back in my home town"

The General nodded as she breathed in deeply, then exhaling as she looked up at the machine then her men. She then patted her shoulder before she walks away to the destroyed castle which was now, save for a spot that was cleared out of rubble with a large tent that stood in it. She marched towards it and passed her Demon Guards that stood at the tent's entrance, they were clad in blood red armour and held large spears decorated in gold and black intricacies, that shone in the now evening sky.

The soldiers held the flaps open for her as she entered, and closed as she disappeared, they looked at each other seemingly to confirm something, but no motion was given to either as the General shouted at the top of her lungs, crashing of wood also echoed quite loudly

"General!" The guards called as they entered alarmed.

"I'm fine… Stand down" She replied "Get back to your posts"

They did so, leaving the frustrated General behind to her business. She dropped her weapons to the floor as she slowly spiraled to her thoughts.

"I lost…?" She mutters "I lost… Two arms… From a Human?"

"I lost…? I lost…?" She continues, she soon fixed herself, and picked up an object from the ground by the splintered table. It was a small prismic object, red in colour with intricate designs that swirled along the flat faces of the object, it slowly floats on her palm and the topside of the diamond prism opens up, and from it were embers and sparks flying out, forming a hooded figure which sat on a throne.

"Status report Kalliope" It ordered.

"My Lord…" She muttered, but steadied herself "We've met minor complications.. with our incursion…"

"What do you mean?" It said, it's voice somewhat booming and echoing.

"We've met… A warrior.. She had managed to stop our operations rather quickly… We did not expect a retaliation from the Humans, nor have we assessed that this may have been an outcome…"

"How many retaliators have assaulted the operation?" It continued, asking in a curious tone.

"…" There was silence from Kalliope for a moment "Two… My Lord"

There was eerie silence, none of them spoke. Kalliope gulped as she then proceeded to report more.

"The… The Human girl that attacked me… She can control crystals sprouting from her body… I was wounded slightly from the battle… I had not one loss from my artillery brigade, as I had the need to unfortunately retreat…"

The figure stood slowly and looked down at her. She felt as if she can feel the figure's gaze penetrate the back of her head as she hung down on her head.

"A Human who can control crystals?" The figure said as it loomed over her, her tone seemingly aggressive and hostile now.

"Y-yes My Lord" Kalliope replied as she starts to sweat bullets. "She was not adept at it… But she knows how to throw general projectiles… And…"

"And?" It repeated.

"She was able to form a powerful cannon like weapon on her left arm… It is the weapon which wounded me…"

Again, there was silence as Kalliope closed her eyes, the figure looming over her stomped her feet, which echoed aloud causing Kalliope to flinch in fear.

"YOU WERE DEFEATED BY AN AMATEUR?!" It shouted, it's voice was quite feminine, matured and strong in tone. "YOU WERE THE DEMON ARMY'S GREATEST AND YOU WERE DEFEATED BY A MERE HUMAN WHO HAD LITTLE TO NO IDEA OF WHAT HER AURA IS?!"

Kalliope shivered in place as she listened to her.

"SHE WAS INEXPERIENCED KALLIOPE! HOW COULD YOU LOSE TO SUCH A LOWLY FIGURE?!" She shouted as she stomped once again. "You have proven yourself to be the Demon Army's best leader since my coronation as well as the first incursions we have done and now. You failed to keep two arms from a Human who barely understood her Aura?"

"My Lord… She had slaughtered my best men and crystallized them… Despite her inexperience… She was able to deliver much firepower in mere moments…"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR EXCUSES! ESPECIALLY FROM YOU KALLIOPE TAURTURIA! THE SLAUGHTERER OF KNIGHTS!" The Demon Lord had shouted to her, stomping her feet once more. "You have the strongest armour, the strongest hide in this army above even the best Ogre Demons and Bruisers we have had over the course of this incursion, Kalliope, fail to kill this girl one more time, I'll make sure you and your men will die in the fire back in the kingdom for treason"

"My Lord… Please… Not my men…" She begged on her knees, as she bowed deeply into the ground, practically kissing the floor.

"You have so much care for your men but even you have failed to slaughter one amateur human being" The Demon Lord said as she sat back on her throne. "I will give you this one chance to slaughter this Human Girl, and bring her head to me so I can feast on it. Must you FAIL, to kill this girl, I will personally oversee you thrown into the pits, along with your men. Must you return at the kingdom, I shall personally see to it that you are hung on the cross and be displayed in the courtyard of the castle"

"Y-yes My Lord… Thank you My Lord…" She replied nervously, peeking up at the robed Demon Lord.

"I adjourn this meeting, Kalliope, give me results" The Demon Lord said as her figure disappeared entirely. The sparks slowly fell apart the form and retreated back to the prismic object, to which Kalliope kept in her waist pouch.

Unlike the stoic female Demon she was earlier, she was nervous, cracking sweat as well as shivering. Her muscular build was covered in sweat as she slowly stood and turned to the outside of the tent. She walked out, her guards having a confused, scared expression on their faces, as if worried for her and not to themselves.

In front of her was the Itellach Demon from earlier, she had overheard the conversation, and had looked down.

"What's going to happen to us if we fail..?" She asked softly.

"…" Kalliope was silent "We all die.."

They were quite surprised, but unfazed. The guards fixed their position and tapped the floor loudly.

"We will not let you fail General Kalliope!" They shouted "We shall provide a show of force to our enemy! And bestow the honour of death in the hands of General Kalliope Taurturia! The Slaughterer Of Knights!"

"…" She was speechless, the Itellach Demon looked at her and smiled.

"We can do this General.. I believe in you.. We believe in you-" She was interrupted by clapping hands, the Itellach looked back swiftly, whilst the guards had their weapons trained on the girl that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"HAHAHAHA~" She laughed maniacally "Such a heartfelt speech there Mr. Demon Guard~"

"YOU!" One of them erupted "You are not supposed to be here Human! What are you doing here?!"

"You were supposed to be by the eastern region you filth! State your business to the Slaughterhouse Regiment!" Growled the other, aggressively training their spears at the girl.

She was dressed formally like a European performer, a swallow tail coat, and her hair stylized to the back and tied to a clean side pony to the right. The girl was smiling maniacally, her eyes were that of a crazed, delusional psychopath that had a lust for killing, this girl exceeds that of the craziest man alive.

"Oh don't be so rascist now~ We're in the same team remember~? Team Eisen Hollentruppe~?" She teased, showing a pin on her coat. Kalliope glanced at hers, which was tied to her belt.

"What is it that you want Trix? To go so far as to come here out of your own volition without our Lord knowing of this" Kalliope demanded.

"Weeeeell~ I did finish my job to the East, I was bored so I ate my army instead and went here to watch you~" Trix replied giggling.

"How long have you been in the Central Region Trix?" Kalliope has started to become quiet hostile towards her.

"Ohhh nothinggg~ Just about when you finished that small incursion before this new onee~" She replied playfully "I've murdered this cute ass girl and and I took her form and spied on them~!"

"Spied on them?" Kalliope repeated, clutching her fists "What did you find out?"

"S-E-C-R-E-T~ I WON'T BE TELLING A-" She was abruptly interrupted as Kalliope grabbed her throat in lightning speed "AGGHHKK-"

"Tell me or I'll have to crush your neck just like the other Humans I've tortured!" Kalliope shouted "Now tell me what you found out! OR ELSE"

She tightened her grip on her neck, Trix was already choking and wriggling around as she tried to free herself. She was squirming and turning purple before she patted Kalliope's arm to signal her to stop, she didn't follow and continued to choke her until she started to gag violently before throwing back.

"GAAAAAHHHHHH!!" Trix gasped for air and coughed, she sat up weakly holding her neck as she recovered slowly. She glanced up to see Kalliope looming over her and kneeling, she then grabbed her hair and raised her a bit, to her eye level.

"Tell me, what did you find out there?" Kalliope demanded again, she then brandished a knife and slid the topside around Trix's neck.

"Tell me what you find, and you keep your neck" She threatened, pressing the cold knife on her neck, blood then slowly trickled down the blade.

"F-Fine~" Trix said, trying not to break character "I'll tell you everything~"

Kalliope receded back, and kept her knife to her sheath. She then motioned for the guards to pick her up and bring her to the tent. They followed so and the debriefing began as night came and the Demons soon set out to hunt for prey.

Staglia Noitha, Glenn's Inn

"AGHH!!" Anahana groaned as Natsuki wrapped a bandage around her, Haruko was with them and was chanting spells softly.

"Hey now, don't squirm" Natsuki said as she finished the final wrap.

"Thanks for helping me back there.." Anahana thanked as she was slowly lowered to her bed, lying flat on her back. "Sorry if I just stood there"

"It's fine, I would've asked you to anyways.. well.. for now" Natsuki comforted "I just wanted to test something out.. Sorry if you got hurt from all of it.."

"Hahaha~ It's fine Nats" She pats her shoulder, groaning a bit "You did good, not gonna lie it was sloppy heh~"

Natsuki pouted a bit, looking away blushing faintly.

"I'm sorry.. I'm sorry I got you hurt.." Natsuki apologized as she slowly got disappointed by herself, but Anahana disagreed on and comforted her.

"It's fine, I told you it's fine Nats, you did good" She comforted as she held Natsuki's

"Natsuki, let's have Anahana rest for now, she'll be okay soon" Haruko said, worried "You did your best, let's give her some time to heal"

"Sure sure…" Natsuki replied, glancing at a now asleep Anahana, she took her hand on her shoulder and placed it beside her as she slept like a baby.

"I heard Anahana's story, you were so cool Natsuki-san!" Haruko said amazed.

"I-I guess I am.." Natsuki said, flushed "I'm not good at fighting yet, but I'll learn soon"

"I'm sure you'll be a powerful Aura Natsuki-san! I wanna be there when you reach that point!" Haruko jumped in excitement. "Hehe~"

"Thank you.. Haruko-chan.." Natsuki thanked, giving her a sweet smile, soon looking down on the floor as they exited the room.

They greeted Natsuki outside, Reagan, Junko and Tanjirou were greeting her and celebrating her first battle. a

"Natsuki you're so cool! Are you sure you haven't at all?!" Reagan asked as she pulled Natsuki's arm.

"How were you able to make your arm do it like that?!" Junko asked herself as she pulled at her too.

"A-ahh wait-" Natsuki muttered helplessly as she got pulled on either side.

"I asked her first so let her answer mine!" Reagan whined as she pulled on Natsuki's arm.

"Well so what?? Come on Natsuki! Answer mine!" Junko whined too.

As they bickered, Natsuki looked around and noticed something.

"Where's Fretzer? I just saw him earlier today" Natsuki asked.

"Mmm? Fretzer is out helping the wounded" Reagan replied, scratching her head.

"Yeah, wasn't Haruko supposed to be out too?" Junko said, looking at an asleep Haruko.

"Eh" The two muttered as they looked at her sleeping on the couch.

"Let her rest for now I guess then" Natsuki suggested "Reagan-san, do we have food? Let's make some for them"

"Mm? Sure sure~!" Reagan agreed, before motioning for Junko to come with to take the food and cook some.

Natsuki took some blankets and covered Haruko, he then told Reagan that she'll be by Anahana's room and enters so. She then sat at the chair she was before, and watched over her, humming a sweet tune as she wore her earphones and listened to the song. She was hesitant at first, but had finally decided to hold Anahana's hand, and she smiled sweetly, she smiled like she never had before.

Natsuki felt as if she had become warm that she had felt a bit more human, knowing the warmth that had washed over her. It was cold all the time in her world, it was always raining, it was always gray, there was not a time a loud voice can't be heard, it was the norm, it was the standard. It was something that she was used to, and now everything was different but it didn't felt so. It all felt the same, it all felt familiar, it all felt like nothing has changed.

Natsuki felt as if she was never transported to another world.