Onihunter Yuna 2

99 The Course Has Been Set (Side Story)

Carefully, the blue-haired approached his current cover. Her breathing was fast, her heart pounding in the chest. She knew now that he was immune to physical attacks. With her ice structures, she couldn't do anything against him, but magic, pure cold, he couldn't fend off. She would have this freak frozen into an ice sculpture and then smashed into a thousand pieces.

Just as she was about to start, Tirr hurled something at her. Immediately, she created an ice wall in front of her to protect herself. Cracking, a stone drilled into the ice. He had become enormously strong. Of course, he had murdered countless hunters. Their souls had given him tremendous power.

Yukiko considered her next attack as Tirr punched her ice wall with his fist and appeared right in front of her. Panic seized her as his face appeared so close to her. Before she could freeze him, he hit the ice oni, who was thrown in a high arc and thundered against a tree trunk. Her breath was squeezed out of her lungs and she slumped to the floor, dazed.

Tirr came over and cracked his knuckles. "I don't want that, Yukiko-san. I don't want to kill you, but if you don't stop you leave me no choice."

"Go to hell... freak..." She spat out blood and stared defiantly at him.

"Don't you understand? Marika certainly doesn't want us to kill each other. She wanted..."

"SHE'S DEAD! YOU HAVE KILLED HER!" the blue-haired woman shouted, pointing her palm toward Tirr.

"She's with me. Forever."

"You are crazy! You are mentally ill!" Another ice blast flew at Tirr, but missed him.

He looked pitying at her. "Just look at you. Now you are like a rabid beast. I have to put you to sleep." Within seconds, he appeared in front of her and grabbed her forearm. He squeezed hard, causing her bones to break. Yukiko shrieked loudly and shook herself. Tirr grabbed her other forearm.

"NO! STOP IT!" A loud crack sounded. Her scream echoed throughout the forest.

The giant went to his knees and stroked her cheek. The ice oni squirmed under his touch. "I loved you. Like a mother. Imagine what could have been, if this tragedy hadn't happened. I had protected Marika all her life. I would have always been there for her. I love her with all my heart." Yukiko cried and shook herself. "I will kill you and send your soul to hers, Yukiko-san. Then you are together again."

She sniffled. "You're an idiot."

"Why?" Irritated, he looked at his opposite.

"Oni have no souls. If you kill me, I stop existing."

"What?" Tirr backed away. Then he would never see Marika again, if Yukiko really would kill him. He wasn't allowed to let that happen. "But... then..." He got up and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Did you really love her?" Yukiko asked softly.

"Of course." The blue-haired chuckled, then she began to giggle. Slowly it grew into hysterical laughter. "What?!" snarled Tirr.

"You loved her? For real?!"

"Yes!" he shouted in exasperation.

"You killed the girl you love?" She looked him in the eye. "I hope you have to live forever with this guilt. You should remember for all eternity that you killed the girl you loved."

The tall oni winced. Confused, he blinked and grabbed his hair. "..."

"You have never looked at it like this, have you? Marika had her whole life ahead of her, but you killed her. You took everything from her." She spat blood with contempt. "Live with it."