Dawn at the Wild Rift (Book IV)

Chapter 38

Summoning his sets of blades, Gusion tightens his grip on the other two weapons he holds with both hands. He did not want for the situation to come for him to hurt Hanabi, to hurt his comrade who pledges loyalty to him. However, with Hanzo critically injured, he realizes that going easy on her is no longer a choice.

"You can still fight, right?" he asks Talon.

"Of course," he replies as he tightens his grip on his sword.

"Then, we will attack her head-on at full force. Do not hesitate to wound her or else, it'll be our end."

Talon knows that as well. And what more, he feels more guilty seeing what Hanabi had become after the ritual. However, what happened could no longer be undone. As a result of saving Runeterra, he might have to carry that guilt with him for the rest of his life.

The two of them prepare and awaits for Hanabi to strike. That way, they could at least predict what she is about to do and would strike her at her vulnerable moment. Rakshesha raises her arms and the Higanbana as well as Sivir's cross-blade return to her grip. The two pairs of hands return behind her and in a blink of an eye, she immediately appears right before Gusion's front.

Her Higanbana and the cross-blade are no longer with her but her poisonous kunais almost scratch him if only he did not bend backward.

Talon, on the other hand, appears behind her and swings his sword. However, with the hands behind Hanabi seemingly having consciousness on their own, they block the attack from him.

Rakshesha vanishes from sight, only leaving black smoke behind. However, when she thinks that she could take another attack, she did not notice the shadow portal that opened underneath her.

Sensing the power of the Akuma ninja, she turns her head in his direction and before she could even take one step away from her original position, the ground opens up and swallows her.

"I thought you're a goner, how's your wound?" Gusion asks as he approached Hanzo.

He stands with both feet and shows that his wound is closing on its own.

"How'd you do that? Are you an immortal perhaps?" the assassin asks.

"No, just demonic power that a mage like you won't understand," Hanzo replies.

"Mage?" Talon intervenes. With the way Gusion fights with his blades, he is sure that he is an assassin and his techniques are far from that of a mage.

But seeing the contorted expression of Gusion at Hanzo, he becomes more confused because the word mage seems to have triggered him.

"An assassin and a mage, for you to know, demon," Gusion hisses. "Anyway, where's Hanabi now?"

The next thing that happened is that the three men find themselves falling into a seemingly endless pit. But before one of them could ask where they are, they all hit the ground with loud thuds, except for Hanzo who already expected that to happen.

"Fighting Rakshesha in my territory would increase our chance of taking her down."

Looking around, the place is a wide cavern lit up by the flowing hot lava below them. It may look like a cavern with only a pool of boiling lava, however, it is reeking with the demonic energy of Hanekage, the demon who owns the cavern.

"You really dared step into this sacred place, you fool." Hanekage's voice resounds in the cavern. His voice even triggered slight tremors, giving the three men the fear that the ground they are stepping on might break into pieces.

"This is our only choice, you ungrateful demon. If you don't want your ass to get defeated, then cooperate," Hanzo taunts him.

He knew too well that defeat is the most hated thing that Hanekage wants to happen to him. And so, using that to his advantage, Hanzo manages to get the cooperation of the demon.