CALAMITY CORE : FREE THE WORLD

CH.60 'TRAILBLAZING FREEDOM'

A fair few days had passed since their arrival in Iwatayama, but ever since that first night, in the alleyway... Andrei hadn't been able to rest. It was an uncomfortable feeling which weighed him down in a way Ra's pestering was never able to, and without a proper weapon to defend himself without going all out, and risking the Chimeric half of him taking control, Andrei couldn't feel any weaker. That was, until today.

Before him stood Dove, the bounty huntress, her wolves, and a whole group of similar, black-clad sellswords, each more than ready to leap on Andrei if he made a move. There was one man though, who wore black, sleeveless leather, and smudged white denim. His muscles were the size of cannons, and his head was smooth, glistening with sweat. His darker skin was warm on the fire of the Bounty Hunter's forge as he had been working on their weapons these past few days. Today, he approached Andrei. All of the group.

"I don't hold grudges. And I won't assume anything, so tell me, 'Nowhere Generation...'" The man's voice was deep, gravelly as he spoke. "... Why are you fighting? What brought you so far? I don't want money for these weapons, for any of this... Just a reason."

From the sideline, as a group began to gather around the tough-looking smith and those of the Nowhere Generation, Dove smiled. Suge, you're a good man. To think you'd go this far for them though... She thought as the man, Suge, looked down on the Nowhere Generation. That was when she understood it. Dove remembered that for a while, he too was an outcast. They were no different, Chimera or not... even if her companions in this sibling guild to her own didn't quite realize it yet.

Saionji and Shimoda stepped up, with Saionji heading the twins. Behind them was Andrei, and Suzuko. Then up came Alpha, Okuri, and Hirano. The latter of the trio was caked in sweat as well, having helped the man, Suge, with the forging process. Baka-Bayashi and Vivian stood beside Inoshishi, while Hattori stood closer to Hirano's group. "We fight...

"For our family," said Saionji, "... and for a home," said Shimoda.

The two twins seemed so sure of themselves, the conviction radiating from their eyes in the light of the Bounty Hunter's headquarters. It caused Andrei to hesitate, and Suzuko stepped up before he could. Between himself and his counterpart in his head... he wasn't sure what he fought for. The girl made up for his slack though, clearing her throat and speaking loudly, even through her wooden mask. "To be as strong as my saviors!" She shouted, suddenly worked up over the question.

Okuri nodded at the girl's words, a smile crossing his lips as he closed his eyes and spoke up himself. "I fight to pay back my debt... and to avenge my old home." The wolf-man said, as calm and collected as he could ever be. It was a serenity which commanded respect for a moment which felt like it could last a lifetime.

"For a promise I intend to hold onto for a friend." Hirano said, his reserved, hermit-like nature shining through for a moment as he found himself in the spotlight. But even still, he couldn't help but turn his lips ever so slightly skyward at the thought of his old companions.

Still, Andrei was silent as his friends had spoken up. What had happened to that bold, chimeric nature of Ra's which had bled into him? He dwelled on it, but his thought was broken as more voices joined in with the usual. Alpha.1 spoke, honest as ever. "To fulfill the duty I have, to all mankind." She said, her voice flat as she brushed hair from in front of her eyepatch.

Bayashi and Vivian looked between one another, and eventually, both managed to speak up. Ever since they had gotten to meet one another when they had arrived, reminiscing over better days in a lighter, airier Iwatayama, the two half-Chimera piped up. "To repay our gratitude to the kids who gave us another chance!" They said, as if it was an obvious fact that had just been sorely missed.