Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume12 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 3===

Haruaki held his breath and concentrated, focusing his eyes on the scene before him.

The tiger-clawed attacks. Millimeter precision in visual judgment, evasion, attack, evasion. Repeated nonstop.

Kotetsu had appeared very suddenly without any warning at all, then started attacking. However, her attacks had not hurt Kururi. Despite possessing a knife, Kururi was unable to switch from defense to offense, but at least she was unharmed so far. No problem. She'll be fine. She'll surely find a way to repel the enemy here. So, during this time, maybe someone might notice something amiss and hurry over&mdash;No, shouldn't I take this opportunity to go call Fear and the others now?

Confronted with the sudden assault, Haruaki's mind was plunged into chaos, but still he desperately racked his brain. At this moment&mdash;

"Truth be told, as a human, your vision is quite extraordinary. Nevertheless&mdash;"

"! Hey, hold on&mdash;!"

Suddenly, Kotetsu changed directions and stopped stepping towards Kururi.

She pretended to continue attacking Kururi but had actually changed her direction and target.

Or perhaps&mdash;She was attacking the target she had chosen from the start.

In other words, Haruaki himself.

"Eh?"

"Stop spacing out, freaking incompetent!"

The instant just as Kotetsu was closing in on him, Haruaki was shoved away forcefully by Kururi. Just before he fell on the ground, entering his view was&mdash;Using the arm that was originally thrust towards Haruaki, Kotetsu turned it towards Kururi in a very straightforward manner.

"No matter how good at seeing through an enemy's movements, the one making these moves is a human. Humans all have hearts. Wavering hearts are precisely the cause of failure!"

The impact of Haruaki's shoulder striking the ground prevented him from getting a clear view of Kotetsu and Kururi for a moment. But in the next second, he looked up in surprise, only to see&mdash;

Knocked out and limp all over, Kururi was already loaded onto Kotetsu's shoulder.

Kururi was not bleeding but her completely relaxed limbs were not moving at all. Had Kotetsu attacked Kururi's vitals with an attack without using a bladed move? Judging from the way Kotetsu had switched targets without hesitation, it was possible that she was aiming for Kururi all along. Haruaki was merely used by her as bait to create openings.

"H-Hey...! What are you trying to do with her!?"

"To perform a show. With that, even if the first plan fails, the second plan will still hasten the key's activation. In other words, a two-part gambit that suffers no loss no matter what. Truth be told, it is most impressive."

"What are... you talking about...!?"

Kotetsu then glanced towards the hotel. She could sense the interior of the building getting noisy. Footsteps also seemed to be approaching.

"Discovered? In any case, a change of location seems necessary."

Kotetsu looked back to glare extremely coldly at Haruaki. Then as though muttering, she continued:

"Where should I pick? A venue known to both your side and mine, suitable for a performance&mdash;Yes, speaking of performances, a 'Stage' comes to mind. I shall wait for you at the Stage. It is also a place you have visited today."

"Y-You mean Kiyomizu-dera...?"

"This is all I have to say. Pass the message along to them."

Still carrying the unconscious Kururi on her shoulder, Kotetsu took a leap and reached the top of the wall. Haruaki frantically stood up. The enemy was escaping. Kururi was being taken away. This absolutely could not be allowed. Clearly until just now, he had been talking to her, still discussing a very maidenly dilemma of what birthday present to give someone.

"W-Wait!"

"I shall not wait&mdash;One is not obliged to adhere to integrity<!--誠 makoto--> when facing the weak. Men, warriors ought to be strong!"

Although Haruaki got a feeling that these words offered a clue to Kotetsu's true identity<!--obsession with weak vs strong: Draconians-->, he did not have the leisure to figure it out right now. He took a step forward, but by this time, the figures of Kotetsu and Kururi ahd already vanished from the top of the wall.

Haruaki clenched his fists but could only stare at the darkness where the two had disappeared.

She was right.

Haruaki cursed his own weakness.