The Duo from Huasheng

Pounding. Incessant pounding.

Hiro held a hand over his left temple. His vision doubled each time his head throbbed. Squinting only blurred his sight further. One light sway of the ship brought him down on all fours. He looked up at Haruka. She opened her mouth, but he couldn’t make out her words.

She grabbed his right ear and pulled him closer. “Can you hear me now?”

It was slightly muffled, but he understood. “Y-Yes…”

From her arm’s stump, blood suddenly gushed out and formed a hardened wall. A large chunk of metal collided with it and ricocheted into the turbulent sea. Hiro squirmed when he heard the loud clang.

Haruka rubbed his head. “Is it a concussion? Can you stand?”

Trembling, he pushed himself up. His strength gave way, and he fell flat on his chin. Several whips shot out from Haruka’s wrist. They picked Hiro up and tied him to her back.

“E-Eh?!” Hiro’s face was flushed. “What are you doing? Will you be okay?”

She gasped for air. “So heavy.”

“You can put me down! I’ll just be dead weight.”

“You already are. You’ll be deader weight if I leave you alone.”

His heart sank.

Two more metal plates struck the crimson wall. Shards of hardened blood scattered into the air.

Haruka clicked her tongue. “So hungry.”

“How many more toys do you toddlers have?!” Bao Ma stomped his foot. Chocolate-colored aura coated his hands as he pierced a nearby container with his bare fingers. With a loud grunt, he lifted it off the ground. “Let’s see how long your playthings last.”

“Ugh, you’re here?” a woman’s voice yelled. They all turned their heads to Hui Yan. She leaned against her katana like a cane. “Looks like there’s another rat here. Couldn’t finish him off? Heh, as expected.”

Bao Ma dropped the container down. He dusted his hands off as he guffawed. “Didn’t you have a whole squadron with you? Where are they now?”

“Tch. As if they’d ever contribute anything useful. You respect these Orin softies more than I thought. Who knew?” She smirked.

“Urgh! Y-You… You take that back!”

“Hehe. Out of words, big man?”

“And you’re out of breath. No need to hide it. I know you’re reaching your limit.”

Her smile quickly faded. “I find that insulting. Mind your words.”

“You would never let your clothes get so tattered. Anyone who could push you this far is a serious threat, Orin scum or not.” He turned to Haruka.

Hui Yan leaped to Bao Ma’s side. “Still, you underestimate me. I can take them both on.”

“I know. You run your mouth, but I do respect your honor.”

“H-huh?” She cleared her throat. “We’ll return to this matter later. For now, we have rats to kill.”

Hiro leaned his head against Haruka’s hair. It was soft and cushioned his migraine. The temptation to fall asleep intensified. What could he do against overwhelming power anyway? He would only hold Haruka back. His eyes slowly closed themselves.

“Hiro. Hiro,” Haruka said.

There was no response. The whips coiled tighter, squeezing him until he woke up.

He gasped. “What? What happened?”

She raised her voice. “Focus. Can you use your Eyes?”

“I… I’ll try.” His eyes glowed green. A blurry image of a light blue shockwave popped in his mind. “H-Haruka! To your left!”

“Understood. Stop shouting.” She jumped to the left as Hui Yan swung her sword. The shockwave completely missed.

Bao Ma wiggled his finger. “What kind of aim is that? Looks like you need a demonstration.” He lifted the container up and threw it. Under Hiro’s direction, Haruka dodged again.

Hui Yan pouted. “Hmph. You missed too.”

“Then why not make it a competition? First to hit them won’t have to report to the boss.”

“Oh? You wish to face his wrath yourself? You’ll regret this wager.”

Waves of air and metal chunks flew toward Hiro and Haruka. The attacks were relentless. It took every ounce of energy for Hiro to stay focused. If he let himself relax even for a second, he felt like he would pass out. With his Eyes, they barely managed to evade.

At last, Hui Yan paused to catch her breath. Haruka immediately found her window to strike and hurled a spear at her. Bao Ma blocked it with his arms. The impact produced a loud clang, as though metal collided with metal. The spear bounced away. Not a single scratch could be found on his skin.

Hui Yan hid behind him. “Tch. That was too close, big man. Be more alert next time.”

Bao Ma snarled at her. “Oh, so now it’s my responsibility to guard you?”

“Of course. Who did the boss put in charge?”

“Both of us.”

“I don’t remember that. Keep your head up! Incoming!”

Haruka aimed her stump at them. Multiple needles flew out like bullets from a gun. None of them could put a dent on Bao Ma’s sturdy body. She continued firing until she could no longer keep her arm up.

“You had to… fight this guy?” she asked Hiro between breaths.

“Yeah. My gun was useless. No idea how to break him,” he said.

“Then we… aim for the woman.” Haruka’s foot momentarily slipped, but she kept her balance.

Hui Yan poked her head out. “Heh. Seems that was all of their tricks. Up for another round?”

“No.” Bao Ma grabbed her legs and lifted her up.

She squealed. “What in blazes are you doing?! Have you gone mad?!”

He placed her on his shoulders. “Relax. We’re switching strategies. You shoot. I punch. That boy… It’s like he can see right through our attacks. Be wary of him.”

“Oh, please. I’m always wary. Now onward, my steed!”

“Haruka! To your right and jump!” Hiro shouted.

“So loud…” Haruka followed his instructions, escaping a deadly fist and a sharp wave of air. As Bao Ma charged toward where she was to land, she used a whip to swing through the air. Razor-like waves from Hui Yan sliced through the whip. Hiro and Haruka plummeted to the floor.

Hiro’s stomach churned. The pounding had grown worse. The world around him spun. Random lights flickered all around. “H-Haruka… Please. Let me down…”

With an agonizing groan, she stood back up. “Stop complaining. Use your Eyes.”

“No… I can’t. I’m… I’m gonna— Hurk!”

Hiro swiftly jerked his head away as vomit spewed from his mouth. Haruka dropped him and jumped clear. He went down on all fours, not getting a single chance to draw a breath until his stomach emptied itself.

Haruka formed a shield and deflected Hui Yan’s sharp gusts of wind. “Hiro. Are you done?”

“Just… a bit… blergh!” As the last few drops forced their way out of his mouth, Hiro’s vision slowly cleared. The pounding in his head stopped. In his excitement, he turned to her. “Haruka! I think I’m—”

Bao Ma lobbed an entire container into the air. Haruka’s shield expanded in size as she held it over them.

“No! That’s not enough!” Hiro, eyes ablaze, tackled her away. The container crashed down on the shield and smashed it to pieces. He got back to his feet. “Phew, that was close. I feel muuuch better now. Are you alright?”

Haruka stayed on the ground. Dark bags formed under her eyes. She seemed thinner than before.

Hiro extended his hand to her. “A… Are you—”

She stood up on her own. “You can stand now? Good.”

“Wh-What about you? Can I help?”

“I’m fine. Your dead weight is gone. Find my arm. I need it. I’ll distract them.”

“Eh? But I can’t just leave you.”

“Please. Go get it.”

Reluctance held him back, but he clenched his fists. They were a team; he needed to trust his team. He nodded and hid behind the crashed container. With a single blade in hand, Haruka faced her opponents.

Hui Yan shook her head. “Oh, no no. Not another cat and mouse chase.”

“Hold on,” Bao Ma said. “I like her resolve. I will respect the wish of anyone who chooses their companions’ lives over theirs.”

“Ugh! I like honor as much as the next guy, but we have a task to finish. You can have the girl, but the boy is mine.” She hopped off his shoulders and went after Hiro.

Haruka sent out a whip from her stump, but Bao Ma leaped forward and grabbed it.

He wiggled his finger at her. “You heard her. Your fight is with me now.”

Hui Yan launched wave after wave of air at Hiro. They’d gotten slower, and with his now clear vision, he had an easier time evading. Simulations of the future ran through his mind as he weaved through her attacks.

“Ugh! Stop running and face me!” Hui Yan sprinted toward him.

Hiro picked up a sharp piece of metal and suddenly turned around. He threw it low; it cut the side of her leg. Hui Yan toppled down face-first onto the metal floor.

There was no time to waste. Hiro desperately scanned the area and found the place where he first collided with Haruka. Underneath the debris, a twinkle caught his eye. Light reflected off the golden bracelet attached to the missing arm. He dashed forward and snatched it. The frigid skin shocked him and almost made him drop it. To his astonishment, there were no signs of blood at all, not even from the exposed flesh.

“Haruka! Harukaaa!” Hiro vigorously waved her arm in the air. “I got it! I got it!”

After signaling him to throw it her way, Haruka caught her arm. Red, worm-like tendrils sprouted from her stump and intertwined themselves to the exposed flesh of her arm. Before they could finish merging, they dissolved into droplets of blood and splattered onto the floor.

Bao Ma leaped to strike her. She eluded his fist, but the sheer force of it blasted her away. Hiro raised his arms to catch her, but she landed on her feet beside him.

“You good?” he asked her.

She shook her head. “Not enough blood. Need food.”

Hiro looked around. All the corpses near them had already been drained. He stared at his hand as it trembled. “H-How much blood do you need? Maybe I can—”

“No. I’m not a monster. I don’t eat teammates.”

“It’s just a bit! I’ll be alright! I’m sure!”

“NO!” Her lips quivered. “Stay away. Please. I can’t control myself once I start.”

“What? I can’t just leave you.”

“PLEASE!” She bared her teeth at him.

A shrill cry echoed through the air. Hui Yan stood atop a pile of metal debris and raised her katana. Light blue winds gathered around the blade. “Big man! Are you there? Answer me!”

The winds had grown stronger. Bao Ma knelt down on one knee.“Whoa whoa! What’s gotten into you?”

“I. Am. Done! I’m ending this right now! Defend yourself or die! I don’t care which!”

“Ohhh boy! She’s mad!” He hurried inside a nearby container.

Haruka stepped forward. A lone barrier of blood stood between her and the furious samurai. “Hiro. Stay behind me.”

“What?! No, we should run!” But where? Hiro racked his brain. He poured his strength into his Eyes. Any chance of escape, even a sliver, he would cling to.

But there was none.

A vicious tornado formed itself around the katana. Hui Yan dropped to her hand and knees. Sweat covered her entire face, turning her into a disheveled mess. With a desperate shriek, she made a single decisive swing. Almost immediately after, she fell unconscious.

Hundreds upon hundreds of razor-sharp winds tore through the air. They aimlessly scattered, like a raging tempest that rained upon all it encountered. The sea, the ship, the sky—nothing was safe. When the dust settled, all that remained was destruction.

To the very last drop of her strength, Haruka protected Hiro. The cracked barrier stood firm until the end. She had lost a staggering amount of weight; her bones could almost be seen through her gaunt skin.

Hiro gripped her waist. He had shifted her away from several direct hits. However, he couldn't save himself. Pain seared his right side. Blood poured down like a faucet from a deep gaping wound on his hip. He dropped to the floor.

Haruka stiffly turned her head to him. “Hi…ro.”

He coughed and forced a smile. “Haruka, you’re alright. Well, kinda. You need blood, right? Will this do?”

Her frail arms shook uncontrollably. “I… can’t.”

“Why not? I’m letting you.”

“I might kill you.”

He rolled his hip closer to her. “I know you won’t. I trust you.”

She licked her lips. A thread of blood slowly emerged from her wrist and attached itself to his side. Her body rapidly gained mass as Hiro felt his strength drained. The rhythmic beats of his heart grew louder and louder. Any more, and he would pass out—or worse.

Haruka violently pulled her hand away. She had to stop; she didn’t want to stop. The skin surrounding Hiro’s wound had lost its color. Though far from peak condition, she could continue to fight.

Hiro gave her a thumbs up. “Told you. I’m not dead.”

She looked away. “You’re as stupid as Maki.”

They heard a loud crash. Bao Ma had tossed away the container he hid in. Cuts and tears marked him from head to toe. He clenched his fists. “I’ll make sure that wench pays later. Maybe a dumpling buffet.”

Hiro tried to stand up, but Haruka stopped him. “You did enough. I’ll handle this.” She picked up her arm. Tendrils once again emerged from her stump. They connected themselves with the arm’s exposed flesh, sewing the sinews back together. She balled her left hand into a fist as though she had never lost it.

Chocolate-colored aura covered Bao Ma’s arms. With thunderous steps, he stampeded toward them. The floor quivered with every stride.

Blood flowed out of Haruka’s wrists and formed a viscous ball. She lobbed it into the air. It exploded into a sticky web that entangled her opponent. Several whips wrapped themselves around him. His aura couldn’t stop them from seeping into his wounds. He swiftly withered into a pale mass of flesh and bones. Haruka massaged her wrists as the whips retracted.

“Is it… over?” Hiro teetered on the verge of consciousness.

“No. I have one more to kill.”

Suddenly the entire freighter shook. A giant ball of pink electricity smashed through the ship’s wall. The severely damaged floor crumbled down. Hiro and Haruka fell into the lower deck.