Chapter 11: The One Who Devours All

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Katsumi and Benimaru stood back to back at the center of a massive hoard of orcs. They had been separated from Shion and Hakurou, but perhaps they preferred it this way. After all, this was their revenge on the orc army. It wouldn't do if they didn't each wipe out at least a few hundred.

"You ready, Katsumi," Benimaru asked as he sheathed his katana.

"Do you even have to ask?" she retorted with a smirk while swinging her claymore into the scabbard on her back. He said nothing and instead chuckled at her confidence. With flawless synchronization, the two of them linked their hands and allowed the army of orcs to descend upon them. For just a second, the bright red and blue hair of the two kijin disappeared from the rampaging hoard of orcs. Then, from the center, a large tsunami of water surged forward, washing back the thousands of orcs that surrounded the two. Immediately, the harsh, raging waves tore the orcs limb from limb and turned the water into a sea of blood. Any orcs that got too close to the wave was washed away and died on the spot. As more orcs died and the water was stained with more and more blood, the waves increased in strength and size, sweeping up even more orcs who quickly tried to back away.

The water swirled viciously for a few minutes before the red waves began to flicker with tendrils of fire. Within a few seconds, the water was completely replaced with a strong purple flare which turned the orcs' limbs immediately to ashes. This way, the dead pigs wouldn't offer any sort of nourishment to the army.

Once the two of them were satisfied with their work, the flames died down to reveal Benimaru and Katsumi at the center of the attack, their hands still linked tightly as they allowed the energy between them to flow. After expending so much power in their attack to take down thousands of orcs in just a few minutes at maximum, Katsumi needed to make sure Benimaru didn't roast himself and Benimaru needed to make sure Katsumi didn't freeze. Well, that and Benimaru just wanted to hold her hand.

For a good few seconds after Benimaru's flames had died down, the two kijin stood in the center of the ashes that remained of the army. Around them, a wide circular field was formed as the orc army nearby hesitated to get any closer at the moment after seeing how easily they completely destroyed the ones closest to them.

"How many do you think we got?" Benimaru asked Katsumi as he scanned the surrounding area. Surely they must've taken out a large portion of the army. The two of them could barely see the orcs that survived their attack as they had formed a huge circle around them. From above, Rimuru saw essentially a bald patch in the army of orcs following the two of them. They sure were strong opponents to face.

"Not enough, in my opinion," Katsumi replied, her heterochromia eye shining in the early morning darkness. Benimaru smirked at her reply, agreeing that until they stopped this entire army and the Orc Lord was dead, there was no way they would be satisfied.

"Then, shall we continue, my dear tiger shark?" Benimaru lifted her hand that he had been holding and brought it to his lips to place a gentle kiss on her fingers. Much to his delight, he saw a slight blush on her cheeks before her free hand came around and flicked him in the forehead right between his large, black horns.

"Do you even need me to answer, my dear falcon?" She slipped her hand out of his grasp and reached to unsheathe her claymore. Benimaru stared at her for a second, taking in the fact that she was avoiding his gaze and her cheeks were tinged red, before he reached for his katana and drew the sword.

"I suppose I don't," he said with a light laugh. At this, Katsumi felt her cheeks burn even more. Why was his laughter - no, why was his voice making her feel all sorts of things? To cover it up, she forced herself to focus on the army in front of her.

"Whoever kills less is the rotten egg," Katsumi called before she dashed off toward the nearest orc. Benimaru snapped out of his daze and quickly followed, glaring jokingly at her as he passed the blue-haired kijin and stabbed an orc. She saw the glare, but only smiled as she danced around an axe, jumping over it at the last moment so that the axe cut through another nearby orc. Apparently, the orcs cared not for friendly fire. Once that was taken care of, she jumped toward the orc and stabbed it right in the neck. Benimaru paused in his attacks to watch her graceful movements as the kimono she was wearing truly made her appear as if she was dancing on a stage instead of fighting on a battlefield.

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