The air was so thick that you could choke on it; not that anyone could as they all held their breath.
Those humans obviously couldn't understand why that monster in human skin was bothering to bully a little cat like this. However they learned not to question him. As such a pregnant silence fell upon the once busy streets while those in the buildings could only cover their ears & eyes to enjoy their ignorance.
A frown soon slowly developed on the deviant's face - no one knew what could have displeased him yet that didn't stop them from panicking. Ironically only the cat, despite the common phrasing, had the courage to face him. Everyone took as many steps away as they could manage without it being overt.
That wolf in sheep's clothing didn't even bother to look at the frightened men as those colourful eyes soundlessly studied the being who should have known him best.
Who he should have known best.
"This isn't right… Why is the boring one in control."
Moving a hand to rest over his eyes which made that skeletal tattoo even more difficult to decipher for those who didn't already know what it was. Meanwhile he finally wrapped his fingers around the handle of the buried sword. Wrenching it out (it being an english greatsword) that promptly rested on his shoulder.
He didn't even show any signs of exertion in one handley swinging the large sword around.
"The scary one isn't here, the smart one can't act and the boring one has something so wrong with you that I can't stand the look of you. I came expecting a challenge. Honestly I feel like I wasted my efforts seeing how truly pathetic you've turned out."
His displeasure such that his expression wasn't even anything particularly extreme; truly just having a look of sheer disinterest as he looked upon them. Seemingly wondering if he should even bother doing anything as his eyes shifted around. Instead of finding anything he let out a sigh.
"Can you even fight?"
Finally returning his gaze to meet the little black cats.
Can you?
To you, not to me, you are the one with the physical body.
Her thoughts were cut off by the cut throat bastard.
"Fuck it, we all know I'm a great guy, I'll actually give you the chance to do something to impress me since you seem to have let go of yourself. You see I've learned some things while in this realm. Their power system is different but strangely similar to what we are used to; if with the help of a tool~♪"
His hand slipped down his face so that his eyes could peer through the fingers - showing off a toothy smile while those eyes appeared to glow under the shadow of his hand.
That smug expression of "I know something you don't" was nearly enough for the placid feline to lose all modicum of self control she had. Narrowing her eyes at the berk. Something he obviously noticed as an ounce of sadistic glee clearly sprouted up once more.
"We're both experienced in our craft - we know a good weapon when we see one - and it seems like the people who rule this worlds afterlife aren't dissimilar in at least that regard."
The next action he performed was one that greatly shocked both the cats.
I knew there was more to this world chehehe~!
It was one that inherently wasn't a shocking act as it was something that they had actually learned how to do from him a very long time ago.
What was shocking was his ability to do it in their current world.
Reaching his weaponless hand out to remedy that problem; a ripple of navy flames turned into a vortex that allowed his hand to slot right into. Seconds later he retrieved his hand along with what appeared to be a rather simplistic katana. One that, on a surface level, was no different to those in the lord's manor.
Yet both cats and the monster could feel instinctively that it was a hollow vessel - an empty cup simply waiting for the chance to be filled so that it may show its worth.
But the bastard didn't answer its call.
Instead he lightly flicked his wrist, sending the blade spinning through the air, having it land in the ground just before the cat. Her not even flinching as the weapon landed mere inches from his whiskers. Her eyes are too busy studying the sword in front of her.
"That is a vessel that allows a spiritual being with sufficient energy to nurture their very own sword spirit which has many benefits. Their purpose is to help the souls of the dead pass on to the next step in their journey… Whether they want to or not~♪"
Licking his lips in satisfaction as the mystified cat.
That doesn't answer how he managed to get nor unlock the blade, if I had to guess, his heavenly demonic qi must be applicable for something else in this world allowing for his body to change in a way that could only be possible for humans. My working theory is… That masked monster is related to both these.
Because I'm a bigoted old lady who doesn't like strangers.
<...>
Chehehihihuhuhu~!
"Of course that is merely the beginning of the sword's potential as the spirit grows along with its master but where is the fun of oversharing? I will still allow you one more gracious piece of information. You see the name of this nascent soul cutting blade, used by the soul reapers, is…"
Throwing his arms out wide while everyone on the street found their eyes glued to him.
"The ass-chew-hey!"
…
…
Silence.
"Yea I thought it was a strange name as well~♪"
He's still going to kill you~.
Although she thought such words… She doubted their veracity; by all rights he was a bastard who got into more trouble than a cat could shake a stick at. What he certainly wasn't was weak or unable - just in terms of level of skill with a variety of weapons there was no one that could match him.
There was nothing more terrifying than him with access to as many weapons as he could want.
"Is one not enough?"
He asked as if not knowing why the cat hadn't grabbed the handle of the katana in front of them; doing a good job at pretending to not be mocking her.
"Well if one isn't enough then I'll give you two!"
This time the portal appeared above his head which allowed the sword to fall out in front of him - his foot coming up to kick the blade while it was mid air. The extra force sent that blade hurtling past the black cat to thread between her tails. Ending up far deeper in the earth than the former.
"Still not enough, you drive a hard bargain, three is the limit of what I can summon though!"
She still didn't blink as he didn't bother hiding behind the thin veil of weakness as another navy wormhole carved its way into reality. The head of the sword soon came to poke out yet he didn't even get the chance to touch it. An explosion happened in the rift; sending that sword flying forward.
As such the sword immediately reached its destination.
Together they formed a triangle around the cat.
Bastard is just flexing at this point.
"Since you don't seem too interested in fighting back I guess I'll just get on with it… Suppose I killed that little black haired girl for nothing if you were this week. Although I guess it was kind of funny to watch her squirm as she felt the heat~!"
It was then that the cat's mind went blank as she just stared at the monster in front of her; it was like something had snapped within the pair. Silence for the first time in a while. Ignoring everything other than the monster and the charred flesh that was in front of them.
A cooked meat in the shape of a small human arm.
But…
She thought solemnly as her paw came to rest on the mystical weapon - not one of particularly impressive quality yet all she had. A possibility she was unable to consider. Already having tried to take a humanoid form but already realising it was impossible with her physical body acting as a cage for her power.
JACK THE RIPPER RAP | "Stick and Move" | Sensei Beats [Record of Ragnarok]
And an answer came from the curious cat who had always pushed her to learn more.
You can do nothing… Fortunately I'm not you~.
The shorter of the two tails stopped moving as that beast, calmly walking to the side of the roof, suddenly found himself stopping just short of jumping off. Abruptly the spiritual energy in the area began to grow still as if awaiting the command. Only to explode out from that tail as darkness engulfed their vision.
Only thing able to pierce through was the reflective glass surface of a monocle.
"Cha really shouldn' 'ave done tha' Navy… Cha touched the kid murder button…"
A hand adorned in a blue medical glove soon wrapped around the grip of the sword; in response that sword changed to become a cane that she pulled out the floor.
She was only five feet tall in a white lab coat that appeared to be too big for her - strangely it seemed to fit the scarred greyish haired cat girl fine. Under the coat was something a little more in line with the Victorian style of dress wear. They seemed propper if not for the slight slouch that made her small body smaller.
Her baggy coat covered a lot of her outfit yet it was clear to see that she wore a fittingly propper which included a pair of pants & jacket.
Said jacket open at the front to show off a white shirt along with a belt around her waist
From that belt were various vials, needles, sharp implements and pouches.
That cat even had a hat with an abyssal black feather sat between their cat ears (one with a bite taken out of it) in it to complete their look of a crazed Victorian styled doctor.
"Oh well~ this'll make for a great learning experience for all involved chehehehahaha~!"
Reeling her head back in a full body motion, her laugh caused all who heard it to shiver, as she moved her hand to slip under her messy hair and reach towards the simple face mask.
Just the blue one that the humans will be able to buy anywhere in the future.
Pulling it down revealed a smile that made one wonder what came first - the name or the smile - as her dry lips curled up in such a crazed smile that it made her clearly inhuman. Scars littered her flesh but it was hard to turn a gaze away from that smile. Not even the Navy noticed her changed "sword".
"Lesson number one… Even gods don' dare fuck with me~!"