Solo Cultivation in The Apocalypse

Tengoku saw the cement beam coming at him. He moved the katana from behind his head to in front of him. On collision, the beam turned a little part of the katana to cement.

Tengoku moved the Katana and saw Hitori run back to the corner. He muttered something under his breath and jumped off the veranda railing, but to his surprise, Reon came running from the hiding spot.

Hitori stretched his hand to grab Reon, but she was gone. "Reon!" he shouted, but to no use.

Reon jumped to the ground, her heart jumped when she saw Tengoku standing in front of her with his katana raised. Yet she lifted her gun and ignored Hitori's call.

His eyes fell on the Katana Tengoku lifted above his head like a javelin. Hitori pushed himself off the ground and jumped at Reon. I should make it. I will reach her before Tengoku's katana does.

The shield was covering him but it would useless as long as it does not save Reon from the attack. He was ready to lick the dirt for that– which he did not.

Hitori held the shield towards the ground as he landed. Then he raised it, turned around, and heard a gunshot.

Hitori ducked, but the bullet was already fired. He saw Reon terrified and assured of her safety at the same time. "Do not shoot!" he shouted as he squatted towards her.

In an instant, Hitori raised the shield in front of him and put a hand over Reon, and tried to pull her. She lowered her gun and submitted her head into Hitori's arms.

He felt his heart churn, he felt like he was having a heart attack, yet he held her and watched the bullet go past Tengoku's ear.

Tengoku jerked his arm and threw the half-petrified katana at them, then turned around to pull a gun tugged behind him.

"We need to go," Hitori whispered as he waited for the katana to strike. He heard Reon hum– or did he feel it? Was it his imagination?

Before he could figure it out, the katana clashed against the shield. He grunted as he was pushed over Reon. To balance, she threw her arms around Hitori's back.

Like a comet forcing its way into the earth's atmosphere, the katana applied max force on the shield. Hitori pushed against the katana and let out a grunt.

Hitori let go of Reon and put his hand on the shield. When he fully turned to the shield, he saw something spread from the katana's tip, like a spider's web.

Behind him, Kakashi moved his finger over his ear. The bullet had taken a little part of his ear, just the useless, external part of the ear.

Hitori realized Tengoku was not under attack, but he was. And if he can not deal with the katana in the next five seconds, Tengoku will greet him.

He heard something crack and saw another web forming on his shield. "Oh, shit," he muttered, "Reon, fire at him. This is our—"

She released him before he could complete it. She brought her gun forward, rose just a little above the shield, and aimed at Tengoku with trembling hands.

When he noticed, he stopped rubbing his ear and raised his cocked gun. She fired two bullets, and Tengoku fired three in return.

One bullet went far away from Tengoku. The other was close but hit the railing instead of Tengoku's head. Although she missed, Tengoku did not.

The bullet went straight on the shield. The pressure was not much, but the impact was. It had formed a crack on the shield. Now Hitori knew what was going to happen.

"Move back!" he shouted.

Reon glanced at him and at the corner. She put a hand under her right to support her trembling hand, then pointed at Tengoku from the side.

"W-What are you… doing?" Now he could see the veins on his forearm popping like a pipeline in a rural area, but the veins on his arm were like a pipeline system. "Move aside, god damn it!"

She stood right where she was and pulled the trigger. Tengoku dodged two bullets, but could not dodge anymore. One took the side of his coat, and the other one just passed by his obliques.

Tengoku furiously pulled the trigger and fired five, or six bullets. Reon had to take cover now, at the worst time.

With the last blow of force from the katana, it pierced through the shield. Hitori had seen it coming. He thrust his wand. "Bakuhastsu." And cast the spell the moment the shield shattered.

Tengoku paused, not to reload, but to stare as his katana flew back to him. He lowered his gun and raised his hand to catch his katana.

Hitori rose and so did Reon. "To the kitchen, right now!" Hitori shouted as he swung his wand and created another defense shield.

Reon was running to the corner. Hitori waited for Tengoku to grab his katana. He walked backward, waiting for Tengoku's next move.

"Bastard…" he chuckled, "you almost got me." Tengoku threw his katana in the sheath and raised his gun. "If it was not for calling out the spell's name, you would have got me."

Tengoku was not going to get this done with his katana. After Hitori confirmed it, he turned to run away. Tengoku pulled the trigger.

Hitori squeezed himself somehow around the turn. He saw the bullet scrap the wall's side and disappear into the woods.

"Hitori!" He heard Reon calling him. Why was she not inside yet?

"Go inside. He is coming. I will do something to close the entry—"

"Where is Kamiya's gun?"

Hitori paused. Then frowned.

"Kamiya's gun? Is it in your room?"

Hitori closed his mouth and nodded. "W-Why? You have your gun. And his is old—"

Hitori heard Tengoku's footsteps. He gulped and prepared to run inside when Reon stopped him.

"Take this!" She threw him her gun. Hitori saw it fall in the dirt and the heap of dry leaves. He looked at her. "Hold him. I have a plan."

Before Hitori could ask anything, she winked and ran inside.

"Re—"

Bam. Hitori raised the shield and blocked a bullet.

He stared at Tengoku's eyes, and his gun that said: 'I have a bullet in me with your name on it.'

Hitori stood straight, took a deep breath, and raised the shield. "This better work, Reon."