Editing BlazBlue:Phase Shift 1 Chapter 6 (section)

===Part 3===

"Kazuma Kuvaru... isn't it."

Like a sharpened blade, a small shadow spoke in a sharp, cold voice.

A stature about as tall as a child, triangular ears protruding from the top of the head, and two swaying tails behind its back.

The beastkin swordsman, Tomonori.

The other day, his hands had carried a pair of short swords. They were now gripping a large and heavy sword. Stored in jet black sheath, it held a strange pressure.

While focusing on Kazuma, Tomonori unsheathed the sword without any hesitation. The distinct noise of the sword being unleashed echoed coldly. Catching the strange glow of the room which resembled moon light, the silver blade gleamed brightly.

"Well, well. Umm... Tomonori-san, is it? You still give such a vicious greeting."

Raising both hands above his shoulders as if giving up, Kazuma gave an unmotivated smile.

That moment, Tomonori's already sharp eyes shone even more grimly.

"...As I thought."

With bitter regret oozing, Tomonori muttered with hoarse, low voice.

"I should have killed you back then and not feared being discovered..."

"Oh no, killing me? Please don't say such scary things. Even if I look this way, I dislike violence, you see?"

Still raising both hands, Kazuma tried to play innocent. But as if not caring about it, Tomonori displayed his thirst for blood.

"This time I will surely... kill you."

The announcement itself was like a blade.

The ruthlessness would freeze the muscles of any normal person and paralyze their feet with fear. However, Kazuma just looked at Terumi and tilted his neck in puzzlement.

"Whew, he looks fully motivated. What a bother."

"There's other places you can use as your scratching post y'know, lil' cat~?"

Terumi pointed his chin while blatantly provoking him.

But Tomonori didn't waste unnecessary words. Still silent, he measured his reach. Not the reach to intimidate, but the reach to kill.

"Ooh ignoring me, I see. Or maybe you don't understand human language? Hyahhaha."

"It's understandable. After all, it's forbidden to enter this place. And yet he's still hesitating. He's really one confused stray cat."

Agreeing with the sneering Terumi, Kazuma played innocent while making a face like he was truly astonished. A cruel smile showed on his lips.

"This is troubling. If he goes on rampage in this place, the Ten Sages might suspect something. But... well, maybe this is a good way to warm up."

"Hey, don't get carried away. My bad but I'll pass on playing with a cat!"

Toward Terumi's mockery, Tomonori slightly drew his nose. But without saying anything back, he instead pushed off from the cold floor and rushed in like the wind.

He pulled the large sword far behind. As he landed, he made a straight horizontal slash in an attempt to cleave Kazuma's torso.

Kazuma jumped backward.

The slash grazed Kazuma's jacket as it cut through the air.

The cat's piercing eyes followed Kazuma. Pursuing faster than before, he slashed a second time, diagonally.

While still leaping to retreat, Kazuma cast a short spell. Magical wind blew from the ground and weakened the attack. He used that gap to escape from the cold blade.

"Haha... hahaha. I see, I understand it now..."

He was thrilled. The thirst for blood that was pointed toward him felt tremendously pleasant.

He could move his body at will.

The confusion and panic when he previously encountered Tomonori in the city were nowhere to be seen. Rather, this situation was entertaining, enjoyable. Naturally, he burst into a hearty laugh.

"More... You should put more effort in now. Don't you want to kill me? It should be easy. I'm just an incompetent student. I can't wield weapons like you do."

"Don't get carried away... you monster."

Lowering his posture, Tomonori growled.

The hatred lingering in his voice tickled Kazuma's spinal cord again.

"Fuh... hahaha. Monster? Me? A monster? Pardon me, but how can you say I'm a monster?  I'm just pathetic mouse that can only run away, khukuku."

Desires welled up from the bottom of the laughing Kazuma as he jeered. He was thirsting. For joy, pleasure, fear, terror, lament, and hatred.

Each time he looked into the eyes of the beast that held such a chilling murderous intent, his thirst was satisfied by a drop. That feeling was very, very... irresistible.

Tomonori thrust his sword horizontally.

Kazuma twisted his upper body and the sharp assault only grazed him.

At the same time, Terumi jumped from behind. He stretched his long, thin arms and grabbed Tomonori's arm before he could retract his blade.

"Man, you're boring... You're gonna get killed, y'know?"

He whispered the threat while eerily smiling.

The next moment, Terumi pulled Tomonori's arm and kicked his abdomen which was covered by soft fur.

"Guh!"

A painful groan leaked from the cat's mouth. The small figure was blown toward the hall's wall.

Tomonori managed to turn his body in midair and landed on the wall. Using the momentum, he swiftly sprung back at Kazuma with an even faster speed.

A strike. Kazuma dodged as they passed. During the counter attack, the blade slashed Kazuma's arm.

"Ugh...!"

The sudden attack made Kazuma let out a distorted voice of pain. When he held his arm, something dripped from inside the torn clothes. The wound was deep.
	
Again, Tomonori went for a strike. This time the blade was going for a vertical slash.

There was no time to dodge. Kazuma crossed both hands on front of his face and cast a defensive spell while withdrawing with a large jump.

But the barrier was smashed by the blade. A shrill noise echoed like a metal being violently crushed. The broken barrier sent its user, Kazuma, flying backwards.

"Guah...!"

Kazuma was thrown to the hard floor back first. His head hit the floor, hard.

Where the tip of Tomonori's sword had connected, a small wound ran along Kazuma's crossed arm. Red liquid welled at the wound site before finally beginning to drip a bit.

"Tch. Damn cat brute. Now you've done it."

After he landed with a particularly light noise beside Kazuma, Terumi spoke cheerfully though he was also bitter. He grabbed Kazuma's arm and pulled him up as he spoke.

While holding his still dizzy head, Kazuma was somehow able to stand up straight. He felt a numbing pain in his injured arm; and topping that, a burning feeling.

Looking at his arm, Kazuma frowned with a dubious expression.

"What's... with this wound?"

The deep sword cut he received to his arm should have become shallow by the time his barrier had been destroyed. Conversely, the wound wouldn't heal even a bit.

Because of Kazuma's body's self-healing ability, the bleeding of his wounds should have already stopped the moment they started. Without any visible sign of healing, the blood continued to pour like it wouldn't ever heal.

"Looks like you'vee got some interesting tricks going on."

Terumi scowled since he also realized Kazuma's unusual situation.

As if to put down Terumi's voice, Tomonori once again readied his sword.

"It seems to have an effect."

The low, hoarse voice of the cat spoke as if he understood something.

Kazuma and Terumi simultaneously fixed their eyes on the tiny swordsman.

A fearless feeling faintly appeared on Tomonori's calm expression.

"...Hihi'irokane."

The whisper wasn't directed to Kazuma nor Terumi, but to the sword in his hands.

The sword responded to the call. The sword, that was a little larger than the cat-type beastkin, beat once as if pulsing. Next, the shape changed like it had been released from its restraints.

That shape was just like a beast's claws. The main part of the blade, which had multiplied to three, transformed into a rather grotesque shape, unbecoming of a sword.

"Hihi'irokane!?"

The one who raised his voice in shock was Terumi.

"That damn cat... He borrowed a huge toy!"

Beside the screaming Terumi, Kazuma also cautiously put himself on guard.

Hihi'irokane. Beside flesh, the sword would also eventually rip out the dwelling soul.

[[Image:BB_PS1_257.jpg|thumb]]

The sword had directly cut Kazuma's flesh. It also had done the same to Terumi's spirit form.

When further examined, Terumi's arm certainly had a cut wound in the same area as Kazuma's.

A wound to his spirit form wouldn't be easily healed. Furthermore, Kazuma's wound wasn't healing too.
	
"This looks... bad..."

The smile vanished from Kazuma's expression.

Blood flowing out along his thin arm. It dripped to the floor tiles from his fingertips. Red spots were engraved at his feet.

Tomonori raised the giant transformed sword and jumped low like a gale.

He swung it diagonally downward. Accompanied by a thunderous roar which was like the groan of air surge, despite managing to dodge the attack, the shockwave-like wind pressure rocked Kazuma's whole body.

Even though the blade didn't graze him, the sword's pressure made it hard to even breathe. His expression turned to anguish.

"If I got hit directly... Would I die, then?"

Kazuma had fallen over like he had been thrown to the floor. He then tried to hold his bloody arm as he stood up while glancing at Terumi.

With a crooked smile, Terumi clicked his tongue. He glared at Tomonori while snorting.

"Wanna try?"

"Haha, don't joke around."

"...Quite a talkative man."

Tomonori spoke cold and severely. The sword in his hands growled. Even though he only fixed his stance.

"That chattering will also end here."

"Ooh, scary. ... Oh wait, now's not the time to say that, is it?"

Kazuma pulled his lips and made a smile. But frankly, he couldn't afford to laugh. A rough noise resounded as his feet grazed the floor while he stepped back.

At this rate, it would truly be the end. He refused to accept it. Even though it was finally starting.

(Just... what's starting?)

Vaguely, Kazuma questioned himself.

Wrong. Rather than Kazuma, it was Terumi who had something to start.

No, whether it was Terumi or Kazuma, the line was awfully unclear.

The cat ran. Rather than a slash, the large and sharp blade of Hihi'irokane bore down on Kazuma as if to gouge him.

By a hair's breadth, Kazuma avoided the first attack.

But the sword's pressure grazed his thigh. That alone gave him pain like his flesh had been torn.

Following it, Hihi'irokane approached.

Kazuma regained his broken posture while raising his eyes to focus on the gale slash.

It was that moment.

"...!?"

His body shook violently.

From his feet, an irresistible urge quickly rising up.

Lured by instinct, Kazuma dropped his gaze.

There was the room's central part. No, it was the Cauldron's centre.

It was unknown whether what was coming up was the Boundary's power or the dwelling madness within his body.

The hopelessly uplifting feeling whispered.

‘'——Now, kill''.

"Yes, I understand. I've understood everything. I've taken it back. No.. more like it has returned. Isn't that right?"

It was a really serene sensation.

It was supposed to be that way. Because now, at this very moment, the rightful soul went into its rightful place. Completely established, without any hint of error.

"... Hi, haha... haha... hyahhahahahaha."

Aah, can't stop laughing. It's pleasant, really pleasant.

Kazuma faced Tomonori who was coming in straight line. As if reacting to it, he spread out his arms.

"HURRY UP AND DIE ALREADY, YOU SHITTY CAAAAAAT!"

The piercing laughter changed; to a joyful voice full of ecstasy.

"———OUROBOROS!!"

Together with the call, the airspace on both of Terumi's sides warped.

Eating and tearing the space that was supposed to be empty, chains possessing serpent heads appeared.

The serpent chains traveled through the air in a straight line... and diagonally from left and right, they pierced Tomonori's chest while he rushed toward them like the wind.