Ginji

Ginji's gift

~ Ginji ~

Kumi is utterly crazy; I've killed saner psychopaths than her. She is sweet one moment, loving the next, and then out of nowhere she charges me with a fork, a knife, or, god forbid, that big ass needle. Somehow she had managed to get a lock of my hair, too. According to Takeo, that's all she needs to create a doll she can do with as she pleases. Basically, I'm now her bitch.

When I eventually do get to eat a meal, six hours on, thanks to the insane Kumi preparing it, it's the most delicious meal I've eaten since I took a bite out of Akira. I would go as far as saying it tastes just like eating Akira all over again, only this time there's more of it. Lots more. And since Kumi is in a loving mood, she feeds me until I'm stuffed. And when I say feeds me, I mean that she is literally cutting my meal up and feeding it to me fork by fork.

Takeo glares grumpily at us over the completely burnt piece of thigh meat Kumi made for him.

Scoffing down a fork full of bloody flesh, I ask out aloud, "So, who does this, erm... flesh belong too?"

Kumi begins to feed me once more, this time making aeroplane noises like I'm a baby.

"Came from a famous serial killer named HoHo," says Takeo as he plays with his unappetizing meal. "He was famous for killing many people in festive seasons, but he always killed the most at Christmas time. According to Dark he worked for the Masters, and was part of the Yakuza.

"Each corpse in the meat locker is a serial killer, many from different places around the world. And most are demonkin. I pay huge amounts money for them to be shipped here. Right now you are eating an Alp, a nightmare demonkin."

It puts my mind at ease to know Takeo follows the same principles I follow. Kumi too. The only member of the group I've yet to meet is Kath. Judging from what they've said, Kumi dislikes her and Takeo can barely tolerate her. Kumi says she's sort of an outcast who clings to Dark like a deranged monkey.

Once I've successfully finished my first meal and avoided angering Kumi, I take to the metal field bathed in dry blood. This time I'll fight Dark myself, and Vetis has some choice words for me before I begin.

"We both know something is amiss with this Dark guy, so do us both a favour, Ginji. Do not go full out. Train as you must, but do not let him see your peak. Just do as I say, for the love of god." Seems Vetis has calmed down and had a long, hard think on this. Perhaps he has a way to let me get my hands on Dark.

Dark obliges my request to spar and once more irritates me by pulling out that damn poetry book again. I swear to myself that I'll make him chew each and every page if I manage to clasp my cat like hands round his throat. Before the fight even begins, Vetis is telling me his plan. But it involves spilling blood. My blood.

What good is slicing myself open going to do me? I have no idea, as Vetis isn't inclined to divulge his reasoning. All I can say is, this is the weirdest way to start a fight. Even Dark gives a strange look as I plunge the huge sword through my gut after I transform.

Sure enough, the pain is pleasurable and my blood is acting strange once more, like a living entity.

"I knew it!" Vetis cried. "It seems more of my power has leaked into you, Ginji. Now that you can transform you can use the Gift of blood. In essence, you can freely control blood. You can make it harder than any steel, give it shape and form, control it as you see fit. This is our demon Gift, our ability. Other vampires can do this too, but not to the extent we can. Time is our Mekino ability and is completely useless in Hell; wish I never ate the damn thing.

"As of now, you are fighting with your own blood so don't be a dick with it. Overdo it and you will drain so much blood you will die. You can also control the blood that drops from your enemies, but only after it has left their bodies. Oh, and here is the kicker too, you're part angel so your blood is toxic to demons. A scratch would fatally wound any enemy except bastard Dragonkin like that smug git over there."

I don't know what to say. Vetis is actually giving me credible advice, what a truly weird day this is turning out to be. "So how do I control it? I can't maintain this cat form for long. Or can I use it in human form too?"

"Ugh, you hurt my brain sometimes, Ginji. You crossed the boundary by transforming; you should be able to use the Gift of blood in human form too. But in human form you have much less blood to play with. The more you use during the transformation, the more accustomed you will get and the longer you will maintain it. As for the overwhelming bloodlust, just try to keep your mind calm or on ripping your opponent apart. Controlling the blood should be as simple as imagining doing something with it, picture yourself moulding it, stretching it. For instance picture creating a spear to impale that smug bastard with." And from there Vetis goes off on a wild rant, calling Dark so many cuss words I'm surprised my ears don't start to bleed.

Dark witnessed me stab myself, but he returns his gaze to his black and white pages with a loud yawn. Would this really work? I wonder as I begin to imagine making a weapon out of the dripping blood.

Sure enough, it does. I have officially witnessed and created some weird stuff in this world, but watching droplets of my own blood form into arrows is quite something. At this point Dark is intrigued enough to put away that blasted book. Seems he's going to have to take me seriously now.

Coating my greatsword Soul shatter in my blood, it hardens and toughens as I prepare to launch a melee and ranged assault against Dark. My blood flows slowly, and the only real issue I have now is that my wound is closing too quickly.

The battle was about as one sided as it could ever be, even with all my effort I couldn't catch Dark. He never even had to look at me. The moment I got close he would just vanish and reappear elsewhere with his portal like abilities. Not too long passed before he was done toying with me.