Chapter 189: Twin Torch
Chapter 189: Twin Torch
“What… what happened here?”
Amasue Suetora murmured. “Why are there so many bodies…”
After wandering in the thick mist for some time with Takami Fuyumi, the two had faced attacks from Douki’s “Evil Colt Army”. Luckily, their swordsmanship was decent enough, so they managed to get through without serious trouble.
Later, both of them heard the sounds of fighting in the fog. Following the noise, they somehow emerged from the sea of trees surrounded by white mist, stepping onto open ground.
Not far away, they could see a pure white building – the main structure of the Aobanuma Research Institute, the goal of their trip.
But now, at their feet, blood, severed limbs, and corpses were everywhere, littered with signs of battle.
Most of the bodies were comrades from the Fang Hunter Organization.
There were also patches of the unique gray ash left behind when a Corpse Hound died.
It was easy to imagine this place had been attacked, and a fierce battle had taken place.
Oooo—!
Howls of wolves and strange roars came from unclear directions. In an instant, nearly a hundred pitch-black beasts charged towards the pair from both sides of the road.
“Inferior grade Corpse Hounds?”
Amasue Suetora gave them a sideways glance. She and Takami took a stance, moving in perfect coordination. Relying on their great teamwork, they cut down the beasts as easily as slicing through melons and chopping vegetables.
Dealing with part of the Inferior grade Corpse Hounds, the two paused for a moment afterward.
“So it seems Aobanuma really was attacked, and we’re too late.”
Takami Fuyumi forced a bitter, helpless smile onto her lips.
They circled the nearby area and heard a faint sound.
They discovered a shattered lamp post lying on the ground. Beneath it, a person was collapsed. He wore combat fatigues covered in wounds. His face was deathly pale, apparently unable to move at all.
His wrist was severed, but his other hand clenched an Exorcism Blade tightly, the knuckles turning white from the strain.
“Are… are you reinforcements? Darn it… that monster is far too powerful. Don’t stay here… leave… quickly leave…”
His breath was shallow, his eyes listless – seemingly on the brink of death. Yet, with a final effort, as if gathering the last radiance of sunset, he composed himself.
“I’m from the Special Operations Team… You shouldn’t be here… The Corpse Hounds are watching us… this is a trap… none of us will escape death.”
The man struggled to sit up.
“Don’t move. Let me help you.”
Without thinking much, Takami Fuyumi stepped closer. At that very moment, bullets struck his chest like pouring rain. A submachine gun roared to life, riddling his body with holes in the blink of an eye.
“Don’t relax. This thing isn’t human.”
A woman’s voice rang out, cautioning the pair.
“ROAR!”
Despite being riddled with bullets, the man’s face morphed into a beastly visage. He lunged, aiming to bite the nearest Takami Fuyumi.
“Swish!”
Seizing the moment, Amasue Suetora’s Exorcism Blade flashed. It cleanly severed the man’s head, causing his fur-covered body to dissolve into a pile of ash.
“…Miss Tatsumiya Marie! Are you here too?!”
Both turned to see a familiar figure – Tatsumiya Marie, holding a submachine gun in one hand.
“That’s right. I’m here on a mission.”
As usual, her face wore an expression as cold and unfeeling as ice, devoid of any human warmth.
“Also, why are both of you here?”
But they froze. Both Amasue and Takami noticed she held the gun with one hand – the other sleeve hung empty.
“Miss Marie… your arm…”
“…”
She narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Encountered something strong. It was taken… along with ‘Boqi’.”
Hearing her words, Amasue Suetora and Takami Fuyumi stiffened. They understood the gravity of what she said.
Just seeing the horribly chaotic scene around them told them how fierce the repeated battles had been. Even a powerhouse like Tatsumiya had suffered heavy wounds, even losing her Exorcism Blade.
“I lost… badly. The other squad members… used their lives to cover my escape. Me still breathing… feels like cheating death.“
Tatsumiya Marie sighed. “I don’t know why you came here. But just the two of you showing up… is practically suicide.”
“Well said. Everyone who comes here will die.”
A voice declared.
The strange sound made the three adopt ready stances. Amasue and Takami scanned their surroundings warily. Tatsumiya Marie raised her gun, standing with them.
The jingle of bells echoed. A short figure emerged slowly from the mist-shrouded darkness. In its right hand, it held a metal staff adorned with several bells at its tip.
“Time’s about up. If much longer passes… the Fang Hunter Organization might actually react… send reinforcements…”
This Elder Class Corpse Hound named “Douki” decided to intervene to settle matters early.
“Better arrange your funerals now!”
BOOM!
Part of the research institute building seemed to explode. A black shadow shot out like a cannonball, following a perfect parabolic arc for over forty meters. It slammed into the concrete ground, blasting chunks of debris into the air. Finally, under the immense impact, the shadow left a long smear of dark red blood on the earth.
“Cough! Cough!”
The Corpse Hound “Ju” kept spurting blood, not a single patch of skin whole. It crawled on the ground, struggling to stand.
“‘Ju’? Wait… why is it like this?“
Douki’s mouth hung open, gaping silently. It couldn’t comprehend what had happened.
WHOOSH!
A fierce whistling sound came from above the group. A dark silhouette leaped up and crashed down onto the ground nearby with a tremendous thud.
Douki felt the hairs on its back stand up. It stared fixedly at the figure, sensing an overwhelming danger radiating from it unlike anything before.
“Arrogant, proud, stupid… Corpse Hounds prove worthless. Just full of impurities.”
The figure’s body swelled bit by bit. Bulging muscles had long since burst through its coat, revealing gray skin underneath. After opening the second stage of the Inner Ghost Gate, Fang Jing had transformed into a three-meter-tall giant.
“Show me your true fighting power! Phantom Jaw’s ‘Clan Heir’… I know this isn’t your full strength yet…”
As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the pale gold-haired girl standing beside the Corpse Hound “Ju.”
This thing… only he should be able to see it. Their first contact left Fang Jing utterly unable to grasp what she truly was.
Because of her, he hadn’t gone all out.
〈Not a ‘Corpse Hound’… nor the aura of a living person… like a ‘Spirit’ from the Apartment… but different… extremely unique essence… One thing seemed clear: she must have some connection to this Corpse Hound.〉
Uncertain what tricks this thing might play, he had stayed vigilant, carefully observing her reaction.
Until now. The thing finally made a strange move.
“Well, pitiful Ah Ju… finally learned your lesson?”
The pale gold-haired girl wore a smile. She stepped with elegant grace, appearing as if dancing. This “creature” seemed to move unpredictably, leaving no trace of her presence. Even Fang Jing couldn’t tell when she appeared or vanished.
“So pitiful! Look what happened to you.”
She rested her snow-white chin in her hands, crouching beside the huge, dark beast.
“Now you should realize, without your big sister, you can do absolutely nothing…”
Ju the Corpse Hound simply responded with a low growl, almost like an acknowledgment.
“Can’t hear you… What? ‘Give your strength to me’? Do you really want it that badly?”
She stood up and nudged the Corpse Hound’s face with the tip of her shoe.
The creature howled desperately. The girl tilted her head, wearing a mocking smile.
“Got it. Take it!”
The bloodied, mangled Corpse Hound swayed its way to its feet. Its body was covered in bloody, infant-mouth-like gashes. But for a Corpse Hound’s regeneration, these were hardly serious.
The truly devastating wounds were psychological: being defeated, toyed with, and crushed by a human. The crushing blow to his pride.
To reclaim his dignity and overcome that vicious foe, he had only one choice: to beg her for power.
“Please, Odette… give me the power.”
He forced the words through gritted teeth.
In the end, he still had to speak those humiliating lines.
Everything was circling back to the old days.
He hadn’t truly become stronger. He remained lowly, bowing and scraping. Begging his sister again, knowing she would just laugh with that evil gleam in her eyes while kicking him in the gut.
“Fine! Ah Ju can’t do anything without me after all…”
The shame kept welling up.
Compared to weak, indecisive him, everyone preferred the dazzling older sister. Twins, yet the spotlight always shone on her. She’d cleverly play the perfect student in front of others, revealing only her sadistic nature to him.
Finally. Finally. Finally. She was finally eaten that day by that vicious beast that attacked their home.
She kept crying and screaming. Still, they bit her to death. I… I was freed. After the Ritual converted me, I had become powerful! Why should I submit to this humiliation?
Memories flooded him – rage, regret. An immense power began to flow within him.
…
The transformation began.
“This is…”
Innumerable fine hairs stirred. They seemed to swallow part of the golden-haired girl’s form. Jet-black beast fur gradually enveloped her body. Her face and parts of her chest still showed off her original snowy skin.
Before Fang Jing’s eyes, the Corpse Hound “Ju” merged with the girl Odette. Its massive frame fused with her body, radiating an near-insane, menacing aura. Odette’s face set in the middle of the beast’s chest. Her limbs and parts of her torso vanished into the black fur. Her tender skin seemed to glimmer faintly.
“I am the true newborn Clan Heir of Phantom Jaw! I am ‘Twin Torch’, the meaning: ‘Twin-born Children, Blazing Torches’.”
The huge beast lifted its head, revealing horns sprouting from its brow as it unleashed a long, mournful howl at the sky.
The air around its body wavered and shimmered as if distorted.
An instant later, everyone nearby felt a sudden, immense weight—a crushing pressure like the deepest ocean trench bearing down.
“Mortal. To challenge me in this state now… you shall fall only to kneel upon the abyss’ floor.”
“Stop blabbing on. Shut the hell up already.” A flicker of impatience crossed Fang Jing’s eyes. “Save your words for after I’ve beaten you to death!”
His eyes snapped wide open. Muscles bulged and writhed across his form. Abruptly, his hands ignited with pitch-black flames.