Point-of-View: Fuo Wesroh

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  What's going on? Kuro suddenly got this weird look on his face and then teleported away using a Goblin. I was currently flying up towards the upper level of the cave, and I had a bad feeling about this. He had a look of panic in his eyes right before he teleported……that couldn't be good.

  I flew up through the hole in the ceilings above me and swiftly made it to the top, returning to my normal state as I landed, before heading forward quietly while sticking to the shadows. Thanks to the Were King's life force, I could see in the dark quite well now, so avoiding making any noise was easy.

  It didn't take long for me to come across them……the others, bound by Kuro's spiderwebs. They hadn't noticed me yet, they were too busy trying to break free from the webs, and Kuro had taught me a little how to move around quietly. But the others being trapped wasn't what caught my immediate attention……the body on the ground did.

  No way……is that his apprentice, Mika? I walked towards her while sticking to the shadows, knelt down and checked for a pulse with a sense of dread……but I could feel nothing……her body was already starting to get cold. Oh, no……that bastard……I can't believe that Shiro went this far……

  Wait, the fact that the others were restrained by Kuro's webs like this meant that……Shiro must have framed Kuro. This might be my chance to convince them that Kuro's the original and that their memories have been altered……but if they don't believe me, they might forcibly take me back to the Rustlands, after which Shiro will surely try to kill me.

  And I can't slip past them without being noticed……though even if I could, I doubt that I'd be much help against Shiro……I might even end up getting in the way. They still hadn't noticed me, I should probably keep it that way. I hesitantly decided to stay hidden in the shadows for now……you better not die, Kuro……

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  Point-of-View: Kuro Black

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  "Heh, you look like a total freak right now, original……what, did killing that brat make you lose your shit?" Taunted Shiro, as I shot towards him with rage swirling inside me, while putting my Healing Factor to work by using it to lengthen my limbs and make them more flexible.

  He used Teleport to get away, but I followed his gaze and did the same, appearing right in front of him as he reappeared, causing him to flinch, and then rapidly swung my fist towards his throat, sharp bone spikes protruding out from my knuckles. He evaded it and swung his blade up at me, coated with lightning and flames.

  I let it slash my left eye, before firing out a massive spiderweb from my mouth, which he narrowly managed to avoid getting ensnared by using Teleport. I swiftly grew out a long, sharp spike of bone from my back, as he reappeared behind me. I felt it pierce his midsection, I broke off the bone, spun around and grabbed the end of it, plunging it deeper into his stomach as he coughed out blood.

  He let out a yell and expelled out a powerful burst of red lightning all around him, my muscles stiffening a bit as it struck me. He then pulled out the bone and closed in with a snarl, unleashing a series of rapid strikes at my torso, his fists and feet swirling with lightning, flames and wind.

  "Now die!" He exclaimed, extending out and swinging his claws at my neck.

  At the last second, I shifted my head across rapidly and grabbed his hand between my fangs.

  "Is that all you've got?" I inquired coldly, an icy glare in my eyes.

  As I sunk my fangs in, fear filled his eyes, and he quickly sliced off his hand using his tail and teleported away, but once again, I followed his gaze and did the same. He stiffened as I reappeared in front of him, a cold look of hatred in my eyes.

  "H-how do you keep doing th- argh!" He began, before I blasted his chest with Repulsion, sending him flying back and crashing onto the ground with a resounding impact, the ground getting smashed in and cracking heavily.

  I swooped down after him, using my Healing Factor to rapidly grow out an extra pair of arms. He began to form an Absolute Defense barrier, but he was too slow, as I slammed all four of my fists onto his chest and abdomen, spikes of bone protruding from my knuckles.

  It's slight, but my bones are denser than his are……which means……I can do……this. I repeatedly slammed my fists onto his torso, blasted acid onto his eyes, before lifting him up over my head and pulled, tearing him in half around his waist, his blood bursting out all over me and on the ground.

  I tossed his lower half away and slammed his upper half onto the ground, before stomping on his chest with my foot and pressing down, my fury and bloodlust growing by the second. Now, then……

  "S-stop……just w-wait a sec, I-!" He began to plead, terror in his eyes.

  "I have no interest in anything you have to say. Just shut up and die," I interrupted icily, as my God Mode time limit ran out.

  I reverted to regular Vampire Mode, extending out my claws and swinging them towards his neck, aiming to decapitate him and finish this once and for all……

  Right before I could slice off his head, a powerful force struck my side and sent me crashing away along the ground, before I halted using my wings by swiftly spreading them open and flew up. Damn it……I was so focused on killing him that I didn't notice that the others had appeared……Ekai had knocked me away using his True Anima form.

  "You bastard, how dare you kill Mika!? I'm going to tear you apart!" Exclaimed Persia in anger, entering VamPanther Mode, while Rai, Key and Selesa put the two halves of my imposter back together.

  "Hey, dude, you alright?" Inquired Rai with a look of concern.

  "Yeah……just peachy," He replied with a frown, his face pale from the blood loss as he slowly caught his breath.

  "You've lost a lot of blood, you better rest……let those three take care of this," Said Key, giving me a fierce glare.

  Persia, Az and Ekai had me surrounded……I'm not going to fight them. But I'm not running away this time. If I do, he might kill someone else to provoke me……I have to finish this here. I swiftly used Teleport to appear right by Shiro before he could finish healing, drew out my dagger and swung it down towards his throat. Rai and Key swiftly crossed their weapons in front of him, just barely managing to block my strike.

  "You get away from him, you monster!" Snapped Rai, running lightning through his scythe.

  "Snap out of it……please……he's not-," I began, before springing away as spikes of ice barreled towards me.

  "You three get back!" Urged Ekai, nodding towards the cave.

  They picked up Shiro, who was looking faint from the blood loss, and hurried over towards the cave. I can't let him survive! I used Teleport again, but as soon as I reappeared, ice encased my lower half and abdomen.

  "I knew you'd do that," Remarked Az, predicting where I'd reappear.

  This is bad, I need to……huh? A blur of black suddenly shot across me, and as it did, I let out a strained cough as blood poured out my mouth and my head slumped down, unable to lift it up, my vision slowly starting to darken.

  "What the……I almost took his head off, but the bone at the back of his neck is too dense," Remarked a familiar voice, "Well, it doesn't matter, I'll just try again."

  Persia? What's she talking about? Whose head? It's no use……my senses were getting duller and duller, it was hard to focus……everything was starting to go dark……what was I doing again……?

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  Point-of-View: Fuo Wesroh

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  This is bad……the others broke free from the spiderwebs. Azyl created blasts of steam to weaken them……come to think of it, when Kuro fought the Reptile King, he ensnared him with those webs, and the king then fell into the stream, after which Kuro fired flames and lightning at the water, and when the king emerged from the water, the web was mostly off of him.

  So, then hot water or steam can weaken those webs, huh? Well, that's not important right now, I need to hurry. If they all gang up on Kuro, he won't stand a chance……he would if he was willing to fight them, but since he wasn't able to bring himself to do so, he'd be crushed. And once he runs out of his Vampire God Mode time limit, Vampire Mode won't be strong enough to fight all of them, even if he was mentally able to……

  I quietly followed after the others, making sure to keep my distance……Ekai's nose is pretty sharp, the only reason he hasn't noticed me is probably because he hasn't been using his nose yet. The others then rushed out through the entrance, I stayed by the wall of the cave and slowly made my way there, peering out cautiously.

  Oh, no, this is bad……Rai, Key and Selesa were protecting Shiro, while Azyl, Persia and Ekai had Kuro surrounded……when suddenly, he teleported towards Shiro and swung his dagger down towards him, but to no avail, as Rai and Key managed to block his slash. His movements……they're sloppy and half-hearted.

  He then jumped away as Azyl send a wave of ice spikes around them and towards him, and Ekai yelled at them to get back. They picked up Shiro and began rushing over to the cave, where I was hiding. Before they got here, Kuro teleported again with an intense gaze in his eyes, directed at Shiro.

  But as soon as he reappeared, he got halfway encased in ice by Azyl, unable to move. His gaze was still locked on Shiro though, a burning hatred in them……suddenly, Persia shot across him at a blinding speed, he didn't even seem to notice her, staring at Shiro with an intense glare in his eyes……as she deeply slashed through his throat, nearly decapitating him.

  His eyes began to droop, as she began charging up a blast of wind, Ekai formed a massive fireball and Azyl fortified the ice. No……if I don't do something……he'll die. I quickly entered Vampire Mode and began desperately gathering sunlight as fast as I could, charging it into my hands. It's not enough yet……more……I need more……just a bit more……almost……

  Right before they could fire and kill him, I let out a loud yell to attract their attention, before zipping forward and firing about half the sunlight I'd gathered in a powerful Solar Beam at the ice around Kuro's legs. My beam wiped out the ice in that spot, along with his legs, his waist and abdomen still encased, but free from the mass of ice below him.

  I shot towards him and grabbed his body, letting out an internal sigh of relief as I saw his neck healing and felt his heart beating, despite the fact that he wasn't breathing……but that was a given considering that he had no throat right now. It's a miracle that he's alive at all. I then realized that Shiro was right in my sights……this is my chance!

  "Fuo!? Stop, what are you doing!?" Yelled Persia, as I flew up and fired the rest of the sunlight I gathered straight at Shiro……come on……reach him!

  Azyl quickly formed a shield of ice in front of him, my beam cut through the ice like butter and struck Shiro right in the middle of the chest, but……damn it, I took out a chunk of him, but it's too shallow……he has Kuro's resiliency, that won't be enough to kill him, I needed to inflict damage to his heart, but I failed……

  "Snap out of it, Fuo, you are being brainwashed!" Urged Ekai with a frown.

  "You're wrong! I don't know if my words are enough to convince you, but I can assure you that Kuro is the original and Shiro is the imposter, he needs to kill Kuro by the end of the year to truly take his place! Haven't you noticed that Kuro hasn't hurt any of you or even fight back, let alone try to kill any of you!?"

  None of them said anything, but I could see some hints of doubt. Damn it, I can't press my luck for too much longer, Shiro is starting to regain consciousness already……I better get out of here soon.

  "All our memories have been altered somehow, I only know the truth because Atticus's memories aren't altered! You probably don't believe me, but at the very least, don't let your guard down against him!" I warned them, before summoning a Forest Imp, grabbing hold of it and undoing the summon, as Persia started to fly up to me.

  I reappeared in the forest area and collapsed against a tree with a sigh. Kuro's neck was halfway done healing, he was breathing again, albeit weakly……but it looks like he's unconscious. He failed to kill Shiro again, and again, because of his closest friends……the only way for him to win is to get Shiro in a one on one fight, but……how? For the third time, he had almost succeeded in killing Shiro……but 'almost' just isn't good enough……

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