Solo Cultivation in The Apocalypse

Kakashi reached the rooftop first, he broke the lock and kicked the door. As expected, he was attacked.

Eya stepped forward and created a shield for Kakashi as he took cover by the side of the staircase wall. Hitori followed her as she blocked the bullets for everyone and took them to the side.

Akira came, at last, he fired a spell at a guard from the three guards. Of course, his spell did no damage to the guard, since he was wearing the battlesuit, but hurting him was not the goal either.

Hitori watched in horror as the pressure from Akira's attack pushed the guard to the edge of the helipad and threw him off the roof. He heard Eya gasp.

The other two guards were pissed, they reloaded their guns with high-caliber bullets and pulled the trigger.

Akira circled his arm and planted a shield, Eya broke the shield and jumped forward. She fired at the guard on the right and threw him off the roof.

"Get away from the edge!" Onogi shouted as he stepped forward with Reon in his hands. Her mouth was tied and her skirt was torn from the side while her top was torn in the middle, under her chest.

Kakashi drew his wand, leaving the cover and Hitori, and cast an explosion spell on the guard before he could move away from the side and save himself.

Onogi, on seeing his defense die, panicked and stepped back to the edge of the roof. He pushed Reon to the side, threatening to throw her the moment they attack him.

Akira and Kakashi held their wands at Onogi and he jerked Reon to the side, she let out a muffled scream, trying to struggle out of Onogi's arms.

Hitori did not want to risk it. He walked out of the cover and to the middle of the helipad. Akira lowered his wand when Hitori crossed him. They glanced at him, but he focused on Onogi.

"So this is your way of honoring our Vendetta, is it?" Hitori said.

Onogi gulped, still holding the knife against Reon's neck, and a gun in his hand over her shoulders. "Who cares about that stupid honor?"

Eya frowned. "Wha is Vendetta?"

"Some sort of blood feud Kakashi said.

She gasped and took a step back. "But why are they in a blood feud! ? Do they even know what it means?"

"Onogi thinks Reon is his girlfriend," Akira said, "so he involved her in this blood feud. Makes sense." He glanced at them.

Hitori rolled his head. "Get away from the edge first. I do not care if you die or not, but if you slip, you will take her down with you."

"That is exactly the point. If you curse at me, I will jump. So stay the hell away from me!" He pulled the knife away from Reon's neck and pointed at Hitori who was standing meters away.

The constant clashing of blade and metal could be heard below them. Even when Onogi was standing right in front of him, he could not attack him.

"Step forward and I will throw her!" He changed his statement. Of course, he wants to live.

Akira clicked his tongue and raised his wand. "You will throw her anyway!"

Onogi tugged around her shoulder and pushed her leg off the edge. She shrieked and Hitori stretched his arm to stop Akira.

"Why? Do it! Fire your curse!"

Hitori felt Akira's eyes on him. He was expecting Hitori to take an action. This was not a matter of strength anymore. Onogi had played so well that now it was a matter of negotiating.

Akira did not have to say it, Hitori got what he wanted to say. He took a deep breath and said, "Drop her if you dare."

Onogi opened and closed his mouth. His arm over her shoulder, the one she was trying to get out of, was trembling.

"Why? Got shit scared, bastard? You know what, drop her. Go ahead."

Onogi hesitated again. He gulped– really going for it was not on the to-do list.

"Why would you stop after killing only two people? You need to kill more before you can rest! Come on!" Hitori drew his wand and pointed at Onogi.

He staggered and glanced down the roof. Reon was screaming at the top of her lungs, she was throwing her legs and struggling with all of her strength. Hitori lifted his wand and threatened to cast a curse.

Eya and Kakashi were tensing at the back. They cared about Kyoryu but feared Hitori might do something reckless. They had no choice but to stay.

"Create a portal or something at the bottom," Eya whispered.

"I can not. I do not know where they will exactly land. And it takes a lot of mana, I am seven to eight floors above the ground– and I can not create a portal in the middle of the air."

"Then let us go down!"

"No, we can't! Can not leave these two alone!" Kakashi raised his hands at Akira and Hitori.

"Kill tens! Become a serial killer. Kill everyone! Only that will calm you. Only that will gain you temporary calmness before you go out killing other innocents."

It was working. Hitori could see the guilt in Onogi's eyes. The guilt from the past was coming back to hunt him.

Hitori jerked his hand and threw the wand he had received from Kamiya on the ground. It slid across the helipad and stopped near Onogi's feet.

"Step on it. Break that wand. Then kill me. Then kill everyone! Wow, you got like, five kills right here!" Hitori glanced at everyone, then looked at Onogi.

He wondered if he was going too far, he wondered if Onogi will really drop Reon, but he had to take action.

Hitori spread his arms and shouted, "Satisfy your thirst for blood!" With courage and no fear, he walked straight toward Onogi.

Guilt and fear and uncertainty had taken over Onogi and Hitori was doing the perfect job of intensifying every emotion in him.

Reon looked at him, he glanced at her, but turned to Onogi and continued, "I still remember how you killed Kamiya and Kuzu."

Onogi lifted his eyes and screamed like a terrified kid whose thievery was about to be exposed, "Kuzu did! I did not—"

Hitori interrupted him. "Kamiya, Kuzu, then them," he pointed at them behind him, "Reon, and then Akemi. Kill them all. Kill us all. Look what blood-thirsty beast you have turned into. Killing your enemy and your best friend."

Kakashi and Eya exchanged glances, then shared a nod. Kakashi placed a hand over Akira, leaned forward, and whispered something in his ear.

Then suddenly came a shout from Onogi. "I did not kill anyone. I did not kill Erabu, and I would not kill—"

"YOU DID!" Hitori shouted back. The tension and realism in his shout made Reon and Akira shudder.

Kakashi moved back and looked at what was going on. Eya's heart just jumped in her chest. Then Akira turned and said:

"That is not the plan. The main goal is to save the girl. He wants her to be saved above anything else. She needs to stay alive without any serious injury., Do you get it?"

Kakashi frowned. "Suppose we get her, but if we do not kill that bastard, history will repeat itself."

"Reon first. Her safety is the priority before attacking him. What good will killing him bring if we can not save her? You sad, I said, and aniki sad." He shrugged. "Just look for the right chance."

Hitori shouted back, "YOU electrocuted him! You electrocuted both of them! You did!" He took another step forward.

Onogi took another back, now his hill was hanging off the edge. "I will—"

"Throw her? Throw her. You die with her too!" Reon widened her eyes and stared at Hitori, trying to believe he was not serious and it was an act.

"Damn you. You have no right to bring the dead from the closet—"

"I have every damn right to bring that topic. And I will bring it up every time."

"You can not blame me… you can not…" Onogi looked down at the wand and Hitori swept it back. Onogi looked at Hitori.

"I can blame you and I will blame you for Kamiya's death. Hear it loud and clear, Onogi, you killed two men that night."

"Enough!" Onogi shouted. "I forgot who I was. I ordered Kuzu to kill Kamiya, and I will kill you, too!"

Hitori's victorious expression faded. He took a step back and grabbed the legendary wand on his right side.

Eya took a step back, fearing Onogi would do it now. Kakashi and Akira raised their wands. "Get your portal ready," Akira said.

Kakashi looked at him and frowned. "He would not—" Then he realized Akira is telepathic. He looked at Reon, she was already off the edge, somehow hanging onto Onogi's arm.

"Bring her to the ground, you bastard," he said. But Onogi was wearing a smile.

Hitori knew he had to take action, so he let go of his wand and leaped forward. He grabbed Onogi's neck and pulled him towards him.

Onogi did not resist at all, he let himself fall over Hitori and roll to the middle of the helipad. Hitori pushed himself off the ground and got up after rolling, but Onogi rested on the pad.

"Reon." Hitori lifted his gaze, but she was missing. He looked around, then he saw Kakashi race against him and reach the edge in an instant. Akira followed him while Eya stood teleported to the edge and dived off the roof.

As light as the chirp of a bird, but deeper than the chirp, came Reon's muffled scream.

Hitori felt his heart sinking deep into his stomach. This could not be happening. He wanted to press the restart button. He wanted to kill himself for letting that happen, but before that, he wanted to kill the person responsible.