Chapter 132: Kamen Rider
The rumbling sound of the motorcycle engine was like a beating heart.
They had clearly set up guards at the rear, and the traffic route here should have been blocked long ago. Why were there still vehicles coming through?
Yuya Senshi wanted to turn around and take a quick look, but he didn't have enough time. The number of demons was much higher than he had expected, and it seemed like they were continuously emerging. It was as if every few seconds, a new one would split from a thread, and he couldn't manage to kill them all no matter what he did.
His left-hand gun was out of bullets, and though he had spare magazines, he couldn't find the time to exchange them. In his desperate state, he resorted to a sudden stab, only to realize that it was a foolish move. Thrusting with his hand, he instinctively aimed at the neck, as he had been trained in swordsmanship. Even with a bamboo sword, a single poke at the vulnerable throat would crush the Adam's apple, rendering the person incapable of fighting. It was a ruthless technique, but this stab missed the demon's neck and went right through.
Its spine was about to be sliced open, yet it held onto the sword tightly, refusing to let go. Several cannibals trampled over their fallen comrades and charged towards him, targeting the strongest fighter. But if he lost balance in this chaotic situation, it would mean game over.
Yuya Senshi had no choice but to release his right hand and attempt to step back. However, his right leg was restrained, as a partially defeated demon clung onto it. At the same time, another demon rushed in from the left, entangling his left arm. In the blink of an eye, he realized he was completely immobilized. To make matters worse, a massive cannibal, holding a broken lamp post, charged towards him. The weight of the iron rod was so heavy that it could shatter his skull into eighteen pieces.
But he couldn't break free.
Each of these cannibals had twice the average strength of a human.
The police chief gritted his teeth and, feeling a bit discouraged, closed his eyes. Suddenly, he felt a surge of excitement as the sound of his heartbeat grew stronger.
The roar of the engine reached its maximum.
Suddenly, it whizzed by like a speeding train rushing through the platform, swirling winds lifting people's coat tails.
*Splat*... It was as if a bug had been squashed, its flesh, bones, and organs crushed into a murky mess. Blurry splatters of greenish blood flew, wetting the corner of his torn clothes, while his left hand unexpectedly broke free.
Yuya Senshi glanced aside and saw a speeding motorcycle... It was a sleek, blue vehicle with a shiny silver engine. The exhaust vents spewed white jets of air, and with a mighty force, it instantly crushed the cannibals blocking its path. Using their bodies as steps and springboards, it effortlessly raced past the obstacle.
The motorcyclist was a whole one meter and five centimeters off the ground when he collided head-on with the enormous cannibal charging towards him. The motorcycle's front wheel rolled over the creature's chest, while the rear wheel slammed into his knees and groin. The tremendous impact, strong enough to kill a fierce tiger, caused the giant cannibal to fall backward on its back.
Roaring and screaming, the cannibal didn't even get a chance to make a sound. In the next instant, its head was forcefully relocated. It crashed down heavily, head and all.
Before landing, the rider twisted the right-hand throttle, suddenly accelerating the motorcycle to its maximum speed. It zoomed over the body, with the fresh blood spraying from it, leaving a red coating on the vehicle's belly and wheels.
Yuya Senshi's crisis was immediately resolved in the blink of an eye by the sudden arrival of the rider. At the same time, he noticed that, somehow, all the surrounding evil demons that the rider had passed were scattered and shattered, like chunks of meat on a factory assembly line, leaving only scattered remains.
Yuya Senshi observed as the rider raised and lowered his right arm, causing several nearby cannibals to freeze in place, unable to move. The rider on the motorcycle displayed remarkable skill, lifting the front part of the bike to concentrate the weight on the rear wheel. With the rear wheel, he crushed three waves of cannibals, simultaneously maintaining exceptional balance.
The vehicle, with its front wheel raised high, came to life, resembling a horse that lifts its front legs. It was steered by a skilled rider who, in the moment of gripping the reins, could guide it to perform various tricks, showcasing its innate instincts for running and crushing.
Some of the demons in the distance sensed something and hurled steel bars and stones in an attempt to intercept and stop him.
"Be careful..." Yuya Senshi instinctively uttered, warning aloud.
But the rider effortlessly caught the spear made of steel bars, which wasn't moving very fast. He spun the spear in his left hand, transforming it into a formidable weapon. As the motorcycle rolled over the corpses, the rider gracefully thrust the spear with a seemingly effortless motion, displaying a skill that rivaled the ancient mounted warriors.
In ancient times, when warriors went to battle, they would ride horses and charge into combat. The enemies ahead seemed small and insignificant, while behind them were countless soldiers. The generals would hold long spears in their hands and lead their armies into battle. They would be positioned higher up, looking down on the battlefield. With a powerful gallop, they would thrust their spears like lightning bolts, striking their enemies with such force that it would intimidate them.
If a movie director were here, they would surely applaud and exclaim "bravo" with both hands. With just one impressive stunt of speeding and piercing, he would be qualified to play the role of a Kamen Rider.
Two demons met their demise, and their hearts intertwined to form a harmonious bond like a circle. Suddenly, the vehicle screeched to a halt with an elegant skid, resembling the kick of a majestic steed. With a swift motion, the rider swept his spear, causing the nearby demons to fall like a field of wheat.
The roaring motorcycle came to a stop, but its engine continued to throb, just like a powerful horse stepping on the ground, making heavy panting sounds.
It hadn't finished killing yet.
But the demons had already retreated, just moments ago they were numerous like waves, but now they crumbled like a cunning pack of wolves on the prairie.
They also had some level of intelligence, although not as much as humans, but they were definitely not foolish. When they saw a rider charging into their formation with unstoppable force, even the least clever among them knew that stubbornly fighting to the death would not lead to any good outcome. So they all reluctantly abandoned their companions and retreated.
Yuya Senshi swallowed the unfinished words, then turned his gaze to the surroundings. About three or four people were killed in the chaos, while the remaining ones were fortunate enough to survive but appeared disheveled. They were all injured, and still in a state of shock, unable to recover from the overwhelming fear. One young patrol officer went mad and relentlessly fired his gun at the fallen demons, venting his sense of terror, until his magazine emptied and he continued to pull the trigger.
Only those who have been on the battlefield truly understand how difficult it is to heal from the mental wounds of war.
He stepped over the bodies strewn across the ground. "I am Yuya Senshi, a police chief from the Kyoto Police Department," he said. "Thank you... for your help."
Bai Wei wore a helmet and a windproof long robe. He spoke in a calm manner, saying, "It was just something I did instinctively. Besides, if I didn't take care of them, I wouldn't be able to move forward either."
With a calm and icy demeanor, he hid his facial expressions and features beneath a dark helmet. He remained composed, as if the intense battle and impressive display of driving skills were nothing more than a casual exercise after a meal. In the process, he effortlessly brushed off and swatted away a swarm of pesky mosquitoes.
Yuya Senshi didn't feel that anything was wrong. Instead, he believed that strong individuals should behave like this. If the rider was talkative and always asked about meaningless things, it would make him less impressive, wouldn't it?
"I am looking for the people from the shrine. Do you know where they are?" Bai Wei asked.
"We haven't heard from them for a long time. The shrine where they went to perform their mission is located deep inside the mountains. It seems difficult to go there again now..."
"You just need to tell me the location."
"Great!" Yuya Senshi called his subordinates to bring a map. He quickly marked a few locations on it. "I suggest you pass through here, as it will be safer," he recommended.
"Mmm," the young man took a quick look and then finished. He twisted the throttle, and the restless motorcycle roared like a wild beast, spewing white smoke.
Yuya Senshi stepped back and asked, "May I ask for your honorable name?"
Other police officers looked over curiously and with hopeful anticipation.
Bai Wei paused and wanted to say "a righteous companion, known as Bruce Shirou," but at that moment, he didn't feel much in the mood for joking around.
He drove away and disappeared around the corner of the road.
The police officers were disappointed because they couldn't know the rider's name.
But Yuya Senshi simply stroked his chin and said, "He is a reserved person. If he were to reveal his name here, I would bring him prestige. It's a pity I didn't have the chance to see his swordsmanship."
"Detective Yuya, what kind of swordsmanship are you talking about?"
"Hokusinn."
"Is he a disciple of the Hokusinn Itto-ryu?"
"Most likely, there won't be a mistake. The motorbike has a symbol of Hokusinn Itto-ryu. I used to be a disciple there, so I won't recognize it wrongly," Yuya Senshi pondered. "Perhaps in a few more years, Hokusinn Itto-ryu will produce a great swordsman." He then glanced at the bodies scattered all around and changed his words, "Maybe they already have."
...
In an old, run-down shrine.
"Stop, you cannot hold on any longer."
"It's okay, just a little while longer."
"In a little while, you will let all of your blood run dry!"
In the ceremony of the Sword Witch, by offering and sacrificing, one can make corresponding prayers. This is a kind of fair exchange ritual.
By offering their own blood as a sacrifice, they can also strengthen the shrine's protective barrier. However, this comes at a significant cost.
Seven sword witches took turns to bleed, and it was now the fifth person's turn, but they could only endure for a little over ten hours.
Today, the sky was gloomy and there was no sunlight to be seen. The cannibalistic demons kept lingering around, refusing to go away.
Bleeding meant losing life force and depleting spiritual energy. After enduring such hardships, five of them had lost their ability to fight.
But if they continued like this, it would only mean waiting for death.
The sky was getting dark again. Could they hold on until the second sunrise?
Saki Jingūji began to feel regret. Maybe she shouldn't have asked everyone to turn back. If they chose to break through, there might be a glimmer of hope. Staying here would simply mean waiting for death. There might be no people coming to save them.
She grabbed Mizuko's sleeve and pursed her lips, shaking her head, "No..."
Mizuko, with a smile, opened her palm and said, "If I don't do this, they will come rushing in. Don't worry, I'll save some strength."
Blood splattered as she knelt down, calmly chanting a spell.
The protective barrier became strong again. The angry demons outside desperately pounded on the doors and windows of the shrine, trying to remove the magical charms, but they were powerless.
The number didn't decrease at all, instead, it increased even more. It seemed like they were waiting for the moment when the witches would completely run out of energy.
Underestimating the patience of these cannibals was a mistake. It's like things we can't have are more desirable, and delicacies we can't taste are even more delicious.
The sky turned completely dark.
Saki Jingūji didn't know what she could do. She felt regretful, but she shouldn't blame herself at this moment.
She wanted to break free, but when she looked at the sword witches around her, she could only sit still.
She slowly closed her eyes and prayed for the end not to come.
