I turned back and started to run towards the tunnel.
"Hold up."
I stopped immediately, hearing a voice.
There in the background, near the crater in the wall, was the blondie, even with a lot of difficulty to stay up and holding his arm.
Half of his mask had been broken, revealing the blue eyes of a man in his 40s.
He was panting, with blood visible on his body, speaking with difficulty.
"Y-You understand nothing... absolutely nothing..."
He closed his eyes, determined.
"We are not the bad guys, we're going to save the world!!"
I didn't move, just staring at him.
"Are you ok?"
I think he thought I was mocking him, but I don't want to kill him.
"Layer after layer, until the end of humanity... We are the first part of the layer."
"Dude I... Yeah you're right, I don't know what you're talking about."
"For the sake of my wife, children, and literally everyone I know, I can't let you live!"
"H-Hey dude, it's not that deep..."
He grabbed a knife.
"The third most powerful technique in Raccoon's Secret, only me and the boss can use it..."
He took a deep breath.
"I think I can use it in other ways, but that's the most efficient and easy I know... Even though it's kinda suicidal to use."
He raised the knife.
W-Wait he's going to stab himself?! No!
"D-Dude stop!"
"You really don't understand... I'M GOING TO PROTECT EVERYONE, EVEN YOU!!"
"FROM WHAT?!-"
He stabbed his own right leg.
"Zenketsu."
Suddenly, from the wound he made, a burst of blood, coming out kind of hard in the shape of a root, came out of there at extreme speed in my direction.
I didn't have time to react, as that thing pierced my right clavicle.
That thing kept stretching until it reached the wall behind, making a bang and I think it stopped.
"D-Damn...This thing..."
I punched that blood root near my collarbone, as soon as I did so all that blood started to melt.
"Thank god it didn't hit the neck gaiter... I-It hurts tho."
"It hurts me more, way more!"
The blondie, I could see through half of his mask, he was shaking in pain, I don't even know if he could stay conscious for much longer, but he was standing.
He removed the knife from his leg.
"F-For the greater good... F-For the good of all... I-It's worth it... Zenketsu! AGHHH!"
He stabbed his own body again, now his other leg.
Again, a lightning-fast blast of blood came towards me.
I had kind of expected this, so I quickly opened my hand and placed it in front of me, in the path of the blood spray.
The blood can't penetrate the hardened Sankalpa right? So it came in the direction of my hand and-
"W-WHAT?! AUGHHH!"
Upon reaching my hand, that blood thing simply divided in two, one up and one down, thus dodging my hand and coming towards me.
One hit my leg, and the other my shoulder, both piercing it.
I quickly, knowing how it works, smashed the 2 roots of blood making it instantly melt.
I spat blood.
"Aughhh... W-Why are you doing this?! You're killing yourself too!"
"I-It doesn't matter... It doesn't matter... Zenketsu!"
He did it again, now in his right arm.
But I have a plan.
"Super Wall!"
Using the Sankalpa on my arms, I created a sort of small wall of black, rigid Sankalpa in front of me.
In return, my arms lost some of the black, becoming weaker etc. (since I am using their Sankalpa on the wall), thus allowing me to use even less Sankalpa, at least until I reabsorb the wall through my arms (just need touch and want to)).
The hard blood came, it went right towards the Sankalpa wall, but right before it touched it, the blood divided into multiple parts going up, down to the sides. None hit me.
The blondie was very tired and exhausted, but managed to smile.
"He, I-I can aim this... I-It's not a problem at all."
He took a deep breath.
"Alright... For the good of all... Zen- WHA-"
After he opened his eyes, he saw in his front the Sankalpa wall.
It was coming in his direction, like as if it was sent towards him, no time to react.
The wall hit him in full, sending back towards the wall (which was actually very close)
Even so, it was a shock for him.
"W-What?! H-How did he- oh... He simply gave a punch on that, and since he is strong, it went right through my face... I see."
He barely stood up, leaning against the wall, seriously injured.
But as soon as he looked forward, I was already flying towards him, as I used Super Jump.
My arms were back to 'normal', the wall having already been absorbed by me.
While using the dash, I put both hands behind my back.
"You're the one who understands nothing! I'm going to save everyone!Super..."
I stretched my 2 hands back, and opened them wide, joining my fingers.
The blondie, simply looked at me and accepted his defeat, whispering.
"I hope, I really hope... If you defeat all the layers, also defeat the Raccoon... Please."
"DOUBLE-SMASH SLAP!!!"
When I got close to him, putting the palms of both hands together, with both open, I quickly moved them towards him, hitting him with both at the same time (kind of like a double slap).
The impact was so strong that it completely shattered the wall, brick by brick.
I just saw blood flying, as I went to the outside.
There, I stood, just breathing and observing again the forest on my front, and the rocky terrain I was touching, and the sun.
I looked at my black hands... there was-
"B-Blood... Human blood..."
I'm just staring at it.
"I-Is he dead? I-I killed him... N-No, he must be alive... He must be... I-I wouldn't kill him... But the Raccoon guy, if I had too... I would? I-I-... T-The blondie is alright!"
I don't kill people, I promised.
But it scares me to think that I... I wouldn't do that, no, not even to my worst enemy... I can't, I would never do that, I promised, I promised, I can't, I-
"Muohohoho, look who arrived..."
In that open, there was Clown and the Raccoon fighting.
I saw streaks of blood and knives going towards Clown, cracks in the ground, walls being raised, in short, complete madness.
The clown's face had some cuts, his clothes had a little blood, the same thing for Raccoon, except for his mask which was intact, so probably all that blood was Clown's.
While still dodging the Raccoon's attacks, Clown somehow was able to still be talking to me, even though he was quite far.
"I have to admit, this guy is pretty strong. Also fighting a fight without trying to attack is kind of hard. But what a strange guy, he barely speaks, he looks more like a robot."
And then with a jump, he went to the top of the cave, falling with his toes and arms open.
He then smirked at me.
"He is your target, right Kai?"
Yeah, I'm here to defeat that guy! He is evil, that's why I'm here.
Later I see if the blondie is alright, my goal is the Raccoon!
"Of course!!! That's why I'm here!!"
Looking back, I've already spent quite a bit of Sankalpa. I don't know exactly how much, but it must be pretty close to my maximum.
But it doesn't matter, it has to be enough to defeat him!
The Raccoon made no move, but seemed a little angry or disappointed.
"I already said he's not my opponent. He's weak. You're the one."
Clown took off his coat, revealing a red shirt.
"Muohoho, I'm sorry but this battle is not mine at all."
The Raccoon didn't answer, and in the blink of an eye he just appeared in Clown's front.
But it was already too late.
Clown grabbed the coat and moved it from bottom to top, without touching his body, in front of him.
As the coat passed, the body part simply disappeared, as if it were a magic trick.
But right before the coat reached his mouth, he said with a last smirk.
"I will be observing all."
And he just disappeared.
The Raccoon just stared at nothing for a while, before slowly turning back to me, looking from the top.
"Ok. Your insistence will result in your death."
This guy, he doesn't scare me, not anymore! He just makes me angry... I'm stronger than before, this time-
"I WILL WIN!!!"
I got into my battle stance (my left hand opened and pointed at the Raccoon, while I raised my right hand and also pointed at him, but keeping it behind, closed and stretched, like an arrow.)
"YOU CAN COME!!"
I'm confident, angry and determined!
Without saying a word, he simply appeared at my side, and tried to stab me.
But I managed to put my arm in front, deflecting the knife.
I see an opening!
"Super Punch!!"
While his hand was on the knife in my arm, I threw a punch with my other.
He simply put his other arm in front, using it as a shield.
After a small clash, I applied enough pressure and sent him backwards, but again nothing major, he just floated a few meters and landed on his feet as if nothing had happened.
Dammit! My Sankalpa is almost over, how much I still have!?
Without a word, he simply appeared behind me and hold my arm.
"W-WHAT?! GET OUT-"
I tried to move my arm away, but he quickly gave an giant jump, reaching the clouds.
I could never do that!
"H-HEY! W-WAIT WHAT... AHH!"
He then grabbed my arm with both hands, and put me on his back to give me momentum, then simply threw me down.
When I realized, I was going towards the cave, actually, I was already there.
In the matter of a few seconds, my body crushed against the Raccoon's cave roof, and my body landed in the ground, making a huge creater.
"A-Augh... T-This ahhh, I-I... M-My Sankalpa is still o-on, but I can't barely move..."
I spat blood, extremely breathless and tired, with practically no energy left.
"H-How I will... N-No it can't be I-... What..."
As I looked up through the hole I made in the ceiling, he was there in the sky, going down right towards me.
"O-OH NO, THAT'S NOT GOOD... SUPER WALL!!"
Again, I made that black Sankalpa wall, now on top of me while I was lying down.
"N-No I need to get out of here... I-"
Suddenly, the wall was simply crashed.
I just saw him breaking the wall with his foots, simply as that.
He landed on top of me, but for some reason without hitting me, standing over me, looking at my face.
"Why do you hate me."
I said, as my body started to return to normal, no more black metal like limbs, just a normal guy who can't move.
"B-Because... You're a monster!"
"A monster. I see. Then you're scared of me."
"N-No, not that... I hate you!"
"Then I'm not a monster. Monsters are things that scare. And I know a monster. Because..."
He got on his knees on top of me, and started whispering in my ear.
"I am scared of a monster, the Raccoon... But what scares me the most is thinking about what will happen to humanity if I don't live.
If I die, there is only one more layer left for the end of humanity to begin, the apocalypse.
I molded myself to be who I am, an emotionless beast whose only purpose is to keep the Raccoon under control, but I'm not like that...
I'm capable of doing so much more, but for the sake of humanity I gave up everything just to protect it.
I don't like this, I don't like killing what I intend to protect, but I'm used to it and I need to.
In the beginning I cried every night, and today sometimes I still want to, but it wouldn't change anything, and I know that what I do is for the good of everyone, so I have to do it, even if it hurts a lot.
When I kill someone, do I feel pity and empathy like I did in the beginning? Or do I simply feel nothing anymore? I don't even know how to answer that...
I lied, I'm not the protector of the Raccoon, no, I protect humanity from the Raccoon.
The name of the Raccoon... I get goosebumps just saying that name, it scares me."
He grabbed his knife.
"Take these words to your grave."
As he raised the knife, I simply closed my eyes.
Yes, I'm scared...
But then, I heard the sound of metals touching.
I quickly opened my eyes and-
"R-RED HAIRED?!"
It was Iulius! The red haired guy from the guild.
He was in a clash with the Raccoon, sword against knife, with several red sparks coming out of Iulius' sword.
"Kai, finally found you!..."
And then, after some seconds, the clash ended with the Raccoon stepping back with a leap away.
Iulius pointed his sword forward, je was very serious and confident, not nervous.
"Kai-"
Before he could talk, Amari and Sayuri appeared through the gate.
Amari quickly yelled.
"R-RED HAIRED!? K-KAI!? W-WHY ARE YOU... WHATS GOING ON!?"
Iulius:
"When I heard that you guys had gone to do the Raccoon's Thieves mission, I knew you would have serious problems, and I've also wanted to do that mission for a while. So I simply followed your footsteps and finally arrived."
Without taking his eyes off the Raccoon, he simply waved us away with one hand.
"Go! Take Kai and go! Don't worry, I can handle him!"
Amari and Sayuri were both surprised and very confused, but just decided to agree.
Amari quickly extended one of her chains, which wrapped around me and then she quickly brought it close to her.
"O-Ok Red Haired, we trust you!"
As we 3 started to run away, I yelled.
"R-RED HAIRED!... W-Why are you doing this?!"
He sighed with a smile and said.
"Just like my hero, I'm going to be the hero to as many people as possible!"