Chapter Five: A Family United

Kureto smiled as he watched the ongoing battle between humans and vampires proceed. The smell of burning flesh from the exploded crate behind him to the sounds of human soldiers risking their lives in the name of the Hiiragi family pleased the Lt. Gen.

"Ah, what do we have here?" He asked as he noticed Yu, Shinoa and Mika running towards the battlefield while Kimizuki, Yoichi, Narumi and Krul entered from a different side.

The two groups began throwing smoke grenades into the giant battle, hiding them from Kureto's eyes but the general knew better than to lose sight of them.

"Soldier!" He ordered, prompting a man from the cannons to rush to his side. "Fire in the center of the battlefield."

"B-But sir, our own men will get caught in the blast radius." The soldier pointed out.

"Did I stutter?" Kureto asked, giving a deathly glare at the man.

The soldier gulped as he saluted Kureto before running off, back towards the cannon, and instructed the other men to take aim. Moments later, the cannon fired off several rounds, sending them straight for the center of the battlefield and causing both vampires and humans to either be killed or wounded.

The sounds of men screaming in pain as the others continued their push towards the vampire capital almost pleased the general as he used a pair of binoculars to get a better view of the area.

"Now then…" He said. "Where did you brats go?"

"Looking for me?" Shinya asked, appearing in front of the general with rifle aimed at him.

Kureto quickly let go of the binoculars as he pulled out his sword while Shinya pulled the trigger and sending a large, lightning tiger straight for Kureto.

Kureto split the tiger in half, with his sword before rushing Shinya only to be blocked by Mitsuba, tears rolling down her eyes and a face ready to kill.

"What's got you angry?" He smirked, knowing the answer as he kicked Mitsuba in the stomach and knocked her back.

"Bastard." Mitsuba spit blood from her mouth as she got back up.

"Oh my, is that how you address your general?" Kureto snickered.

"You're not our general anymore." Mitsuba declared.

"Oh right, you all abandoned your posts. So in other words," Kureto said, pointing his sword at Mitsuba. "You and the rest of your friends are to be court martialed and killed. We can't have you rats spilling our secrets now."

"We die once this war is over!" Shinya shouted, aiming his rifle at the general. "So prepare to say your last words before your trip to hell!"

Kureto looked at Shinya, his eyes not even the least bit worried. Two-on-one matches with him being the one never really was complicated for him. He knew how Shinya works and Mitsuba's movements were easy to read.

"If that's the case, how about I send you first so you can say hi to Guren for me." Kureto laughed.

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK HIS NAME!" Shinya yelled enraged by Kureto's words.

Wasting no time, he pulled the trigger, sending a bullet, from the barrel, straight for Kureto. Kureto quickly sliced the bullet, in half, and charged at Shinya, putting the fight into his favor as Shinya blocked Kureto's sword with his knife.

"Not bad reflexes for close quarters." Kureto commended. "Even if you are a little chicken shit."

"That really means something coming from a soulless bastard like you." Shinya chuckled before breaking away from Kureto.

Just as Kureto landed on his feet, Mitsuba swung her axe behind him, breaking away the ground and sending Kureto up into the air.

"Shinya, now!" She shouted.

Shinya quickly took aim and fired, once more, only for Kureto to deflect the bullet and, using the debris, rushing back down and locking blades with Mitsuba.

"Don't get cocky kid." He said. "You think I'd let you win that easily?"

As Mitsuba struggled to break free from Kureto, several soldiers, nearby, began rushing towards her, each with a weapon ready.

"Crap…" Mitsuba said under her breath.

Kureto only smiled as he broke from Mitsuba and kicked her towards the soldiers.

Hitting the ground, Mitsuba's axe slipped from her hand, too far for her to reach in time as the soldiers arrived and began swinging their blades. Luckily, Shinya managed to fire off several shots, killing each of the men with bullet holes in their foreheads, between their eyes.

"Thank you!" Mitsuba said as she tried to reach her axe but was intercepted by Kureto.

"Impugnment child." Kureto growled as he kicked Mitsuba, sending her crashing into the destroyed vehicle nearby.

Mitsuba slowly tried standing back up but was knocked back down as Kureto pointed his blade at her throat. Shinya quickly aimed his rifle but hesitated as Kureto glared at him, his foot now on Mitsuba's stomach, the edge of the blade touching her throat.

"Bastard!" Shinya shouted.

"You know, I never really liked you, Shinya." Kureto said as he kicked Mitsuba, once more, knocking her on her stomach.

Kureto then proceeded to slam his foot onto Mitsuba's hand, preventing her from moving, as he lifted his blade and swung down.

"Everyone...I'm sorry." Mitsuba teared as Kureto swung his sword down, a smug look on his face.

"Mitsuba!" Shinya yelled.

Suddenly, the sound of another blade deflecting Kureto's echoed into the air. Mitsuba slowly opened her eyes, she had closed, and turned her head to find Kureto's blade just inches from her face. The cursed steel was struggling to get close to cutting her as Kureto used all of his strength to move it but to no avail. Mitsuba's eyes then found a katana holding back Kureto's blade as it struggled to push it back. Blood flowed from the sharp end of the blade as Mitsuba traced it down to the grip to find a pair of bloody hands holding it. Her eyes soon widened as she covered her mouth as they focused on an injured woman with blood dripping from the sides of her mouth. Her blonde hair now partially stained black and red as she breathed heavily; still keeping Kureto from his task.

"Big...big sister?" Mitsuba asked the woman.

The woman looked at Mitsuba with a stern look and never replied. However, Mitsuba could tell it was her sister; the blood coming from her back where a sword had pierced through.

"Aoi, what are you doing?" Kureto asked, struggling to beat the woman back.

"I've come to realize that you never intended to end this war." Aoi replied, knocking Kureto back and slicing his right leg with her sword.

"Not ending the war?" Mitsuba questioned.

"So Guren was right?" Shinya told himself.

"After Kureto takes the vampire capital, he was going to strike a deal with the vampire king and make it so he could receive more soldiers to aid in his experiments for the seraph of the end." Aoi explained. "In other words, it's going to be another virus outbreak with the possibility of ending the entire human race."

"But why are you protecting me then?" Mitsuba asked. "I vowed to kill you after the Nagoya Airport incident."

"It's because he threatened to take you out and our family unless I followed his every order...even if it meant killing several comrades." Aoi answered, feeling ashamed of herself. "Mitsuba...I'm sorry, but we'll have to discuss this later. Right now, he is important." She pointed at Kureto, who had finished wrapping his cut leg.

Mitsuba nodded her head as she got up and ran over to grab her axe. Shinya soon joined the two, his rifle still aimed at Kureto.

"If we can take down his legs first, he'll be slow enough to kill." Aoi informed them. "Mitsuba, you'll come with me and we'll distract him while Shinya shoots his legs. Don't be afraid to hit us." She emphasized. "We must take him down whatever the cost."

Aoi soon coughed up some blood, holding her side where the exit wound was. Mitsuba quickly held her up as blood came out of Aoi's mouth before she stopped coughing.

"Aoi, are you alright?" Shinya asked, his focus still on Kureto.

"Yeah…" Aoi smacked her chest. "Let's go."

Mitsuba and Aoi then began to sprint towards Kureto with their weapons gripped tightly in their hands. Reaching the general first, Mitsuba slammed her axe on the ground, forcing Kureto back. Aoi then arrived, too, lunging at the man. Kureto quickly blocked her attack and kicked her stomach; sending her back into the ground.

"Gotcha!" Shinya said, his rifle aimed directly at Kureto's legs.

With a pull of the trigger, Shinya's bullet quickly zipped through the air, penetrating Kureto's right leg and coming out his left. The general collapsed after landing on the ground, unable to move his legs.

"You little…" He grumbled as Aoi approached him.

"You've served well." She mocked before stabbing her blade into his back.

Mitsuba quickly came and chopped off the former general's head to ensure of his death.

"There, all finished." Mitsuba smiled, wiping some sweat from her forehead.

"You did great." Aoi chuckled before feeling the pain of her wounds.

Once more, she fell to the ground, coughing up blood. Terrified, Mitsuba began working on patching up Aoi's wound with the woman declining her aid.

"I've done enough to this world." She weakly said. "It would be best in your hands...not mine."

"Don't say that like you're not going to make it." Mitsuba teared up.

Aoi chuckled. "I...love...you….little sis…" She said with her final words as her eyes closed.

Mitsuba began to cry as her sister lay dead in front of her. Shinya, managing to arrive, slowly walked up to Aoi and placed her hands on her stomach.

"After this battle, let's give her a proper funeral." Shinya told a crying Mitsuba who could only let out a wailing scream.

To be honest, I never really liked this chapter, but it was important. Don't worry, I'll do better in the next chapters. Please leave a review and favorite or follow the story. See ya later!