Bungou Stray Dogs: Tainted Future [HIATUS]

Reason 26: Ensnared by Blood

The feeling of fresh blood on her hands was never new to her. In fact, it was a constant reminder of who and what they were. The cold steel of the katana shone in the moonlight as she heaved out a silent sigh. Her companions had disposed of their targets at inhuman speed. Their partner for tonight, the Special Ability Division, stood silently as they watched the three in motion. It was a realization for them, that the people they worked with not so long ago, were killers.

Hinatsuri wiped the blood off her katana and turned to them. Her bloodshot blue-green eyes stared back at them and asked Ango if that was all they had to accomplish for the day. He nodded and thanked them for assisting on the case. Chief Taneda will contact them soon for the information she requested a week ago. She nodded and left with her companions.

Once they were far from the SAD, Hinatsuri ordered her companions to return back to their base. Felicia and Ramz bowed their heads and disappeared into the night. It left her alone to do some thinking. Their mission tonight left her feeling empty, finding it suddenly difficult to understand how she was going to trudged on the path she laid out ahead. There were thoughts of going forward, not minding sacrificing her comrades, but the feeling of letting another person die for the sake of something was stomach-wrenching.

'But, why am I not tired of human foolishness? Since when did I learn to sympathize with them? What idiotic thoughts of mine.' She chuckled madly. The emptiness crept in her mind, slowly consuming her humanity, but it came to a stop when she heard a battle cry not far from her. It snapped the darkness back as it hid from the light.

"Director?!" Hinatsuri exclaimed, finding the Agency's director, Fukuzawa, fighting a cloaked assassin. Cutting her forearm, she activated her ability and coated her katana with black lightning. The assassin, whom she believed was a male one, turned to her, tilted his head then attacked. She blocked the incoming dagger with her weapon before rounding up a kick to his chin. The assassin growled before unleashing a barrage of needles. Fukuzawa, finally finding his stance, dashed in front of the girl and deflected every needle. It turned into a puddle of blood. Just when he thought it was over, the puddle gurgled and formed a spike. Hinatsuri pulled him backwards and used her ability to shield them. She thanked the strength of her ability to withstand the sharpness of the ability.

The assassin sighed and took out another dagger, ready to engage his targets once more. Hinatsuri and Fukuzawa also braced theirselves for his attack. However, the attack did not come in front. The director was hit by the dagger while Hinatsuri scraped her cheeks and arms. Blood dripped down the abdomen of the director which worried the teen. Fukuzawa scoffed and brought his katana back up. He disappeared in a flash and appeared behind the assassin. With a strong kick, he delivered the enemy to the ground.

"Who sent you here?" The director questioned. The man remained silent then started laughing. Fukuzawa wanted to ask once more when he felt a terrifying presence from behind. He placed his katana to deflect it and found a bullet. The wrong move was that the assassin took the opportunity to reach for a dagger in his cloak and stab him in the abdomen.

"Director Fukuzawa!" Hinatsuri reached for the man who was thrown by the assassin. The director did not know what was in that dagger, but he felt blood pour out of him and a terrible throb persisted.

The teen was sure that it had something to do with the virus, especially now that it materialized above his abdomen. Tightening the hold of her katana, she dashed towards the enemy and sliced his body continuously. He received great damage to his body, but he used his blood to his advantage and caught the teen by her neck. The blood coiled around her, squeezing her until deep cuts emerged, but she paid them no mind. The enemy strengthened his hold on the coil as he aimed to kill her. Utilizing her own ability, she gave him a blank look and the black lightning cut off the blood thread.