Solo Cultivation in The Apocalypse

Hitori held his breath as Kyoryu guided him to stand on his knees and be alert. He glance don his right and saw Kakashi making the effort to stand.

Tengoku had commanded his men to cock their guns. Kyoryu had told Eya to do whatever she was going to do.

Hitori held his hands forward, then rested them over the sofa. The darkness had faded to an extent, he could see the men on the front lines and the assault rifles they were holding.

"Set your guns, boys!" Tengoku shouted, "and blow this fucking house!"

His men cheered in response– they were like angry beasts ready to let loose.

"Fi—" Then his voice faded– no, it was not fading. His voice came to a sudden stop, like applying brakes.

Hitori raised his head from the sofa's cover and saw what had stopped Tengoku. He saw something gleaming, then glowing, and now shining in the dark. That bright shine seemed to be everywhere.

Through the formation, Tengoku came forward. Hitori saw his open mouth and the frozen stiff body. "What the…" He raised his eyes where Hitori could not follow anywhere.

But he could see the shining defense shield. He watched as the shield crossed over the veranda railings, then closed onto the door frames, and finally stopped in front of Kyo's defense layers.

Kyoryu smiled when he saw how confused Tengoku was. He glanced at Hitori and said, "One chance. Tengoku is in the open, you know what you got to do."

He could not tell them every time for two reasons– they understood even if they were presented with hints. Second. Kyo knew Tengoku's reaction was not going to last long. Fifteen seconds more at max before he snaps out of it and opens fire.

"Eya will open a gate, a slot for us to throw our spells. But for only five seconds. So make the most out of it."

Tengoku closed his mouth and lowered his katana from his shoulder. Hitori glanced half at Kyo, half at Tengoku.

"Akira, aim at Tengoku and burn him to shreds. Hitori, you cast the storm along with him," he said, then rose to his feet. "Kakashi, use Cloudkill, then I will raise the dead."

Hitori's heart jumped, he saw Akira's eyes go wide the same way his own eyes did. "The dead?"

"Finger of Death, that hinted that much, boy," Kakashi said.

Hitori threw him a glance, but then Kyo shouted, "Now!"

He spun his head and raised his wand. Akira jumped in front of him and jerked his wand forward.

The shield that was protecting them for so long suddenly disappeared with it shine. Hitori noticed that it had just moved to the side to create an opening.

Tengoku jumped back to take cover again. His men took the lead, but before they could fire, Akira's blazing fire ate them.

Hitori conjured a green color ball of fog on the tip of his wand. He could feel the surge of power from the legendary wand, then he fired the ball at the screaming men.

"Cloudkill!" he shouted, and at the same moment, Kyoryu turned with wide eyes.

Hitori ignored him and continued spreading the light-green color fog wide around the front yard. The fire was infused with smoke and produced even more smoke.

Two seconds had passed by now, yet Kyo wanted to scold Hitori, but he could not, thanks to Kakashi who rose with his wand in the air.

Hitori jumped to his knees. Black clouds formed on Kakashi's wand, then he started moving his wand in circles above his head.

Kyo was like a kid no one listening to when he said, "But it is my—"

Kakashi used the circling momentum to throw the cloud out of the door frame, and into the sky outside. With lightning bolts already manifesting in it, the storm touched the clouds and turned everything darker than it was.

After giving the Storm of Vengeance, Kakashi collapsed on the dining table, then landed on his back.

Hitori grabbed the table from colliding. He pulled it back, then went to Kakashi. He loomed over him and saw Kakashi's closing eyes.

"Damn. Tell me you are alive, at least!" Hitori grabbed Kakashi's arm– he saw the inevitable.

His eyes went wide when nobody thought about the pain Kakashi would have to go through due to the side effects of their spells.

Akira's fire had reached the woods and now the dry leaves were burning. Hitori's fog was corrupting the air in the woods, and the storm Kakashi had summoned was striking the woods with lightning bolts.

With a delay, Kyoryu cast the spell at the last second. "Shi no Yubi!" Which translates to Finger of Death.

Kakashi's mouth moved. Hitori leaned closer to him and gave him his ear which Kakashi muttered, "Tell that old man… I had to do it before the trees start hurting me—" He choked on his words.

He grunted as he clutched his forearm and leaned forward before banging his back on the floor. "Oh god, why didn't you just tell us?!"

Kakashi smiled. "Make me sleep… before I die from this pain, make me sleep."

"No. I-I will heal you. I—"

"Make me sleep, Hitori," he said, "use Mushinki."

Hitori's hand came forward, he tried to push it, but he could not. "Y-You bastard," he said before his body went out of his control.

Hitori cast the spell and made Kakashi lose consciousness. Hitori's body fell loose right after Kakashi was under the spell.

He spread his hands on the floor and somehow kept himself from falling over Kakashi. If Kakashi was conscious, Hitori knew his breath would be touching Kakashi's face.

Eya joined the opening in the shield and Kyoryu jumped over the sofa. He landed on the floor beside Hitori and stared at Kakashi.

Hitori knew Kyo was saying something– perhaps scolding him– but he could not hear it. Even the noise of people dying outside– faded for him.

For me, he thought, he did that for me. Knowing the pain he would have to suffer…

Hitori clenched his wand and pushed himself away from Kakashi's body. With his legs folded under his butt, he sat there staring at the ceiling with anger building in his heart.