A big smoke screen enveloped the bridge, expanding both omnidirectionally but largely vertically, its apex rivaling the surrounding trees, in turn completely consuming both individuals. Furthermore, the massive explosion caused the grounds to rumble, bridges to destabilize and the trees' leaves to tear off.
Casually strolling among the locals eating a chicken skewer, Hotaru hummed before pausing. Suddenly, feeling the hilt of his sword began to violently vibrate, barely clinging onto his belt.
"Hm? That's odd.." Looking down, he noticed that his vision began bouncing around as well.
"An earthquake?"
Over the outskirts horizon, opposite the park alongside the bustling city streets and bright neon lights, the pavement began rumbling with windows and screens shattering, temporarily blacking out the city.
Unaware as to what had just happened, on lookers and party goers alike, panicked. In unison, a scream of uncertainty echoed, followed by some unable to move while others began running trying to get under cover.
The worst had yet to pass, as broken glass rapidly descended upon the populace, their screams turned into anguish whose eyes could only bear witness shards of death raining down upon them.
"Expand, great flames."
Instantaneously, air around its vicinity began heating up. The next moment walls of flames erupted from the ground, rushing upwards, forming a giant sphere.
The glass's impact, which had been mere seconds away, started melting, turning into fiery blobs as they touched the flaming dome before finally its remaining substance was devoured.
When the smoke's omnidirectional expansion came to a stop, the Earth's wind began passing by, picking up and carrying the energy filled smoke with it.
"Hotaru. I just used one of my abilities before this sphere." Amaterasu, who had been standing alongside Hotaru, voiced her momentary confusion.
"That cloud is a result of that, on the other side of the city."
Hotaru, who before had previously been eating, now stood ready in a full battle stance, gripping both his hilts firmly. His eyes laser focused on letting both blades fully unsheathe whenever she decided to subtract the flames.
"That sky at the impact is emitting green sparks from it.. This residual energy, could it be the soul reaper?" Without even sparing him a glance, Amaterasu put a hand on his shoulder, undoing the flames slowly in the process.
Gazing towards the sky, there would be no traces of falling shards anymore. Instead, there would only lay debris of various materials outside the dome's perimeter. "You really just melted all the glass to nothing huh.. What's the word commander?"
"Gather our members, clean up this mess quickly and run towards me. I'll leave a trail you can follow." Not wasting a moment, Amaterasu's black hair morphed into a snow white shade, ahead of launching herself forwards.
Running out of Hotarus and everybody else's vision.
Not too long after on the bridge itself, out from the fumes came one boy running with one hand covering his mouth, coughing extensively with blood running down, trying his best running away at full speed.
Oh no. This is bad! I have to get away from him as soon as possible! He probably thought that initial strike killed me.
In actuality I threw my bag containing the convenience store items at him right before the point of impact. Despite that, I'm not even sure it was me stopping or the groceries absorbing the kinetic damage.
Still standing in the smoke the mysterious figure finally managed to get a clear vision.
He should be dead now. So much for a prodigal talent. I thought they'd at least put up some sort of resistance. Although it's better he didn't.
"Huh.. What's this?"
Hunching over he soon realised the remnants of the Shinano Yukihime instead was vaporised food and a grocery bag.
"There's nothing left..? No, was it an outside force instead? They should've died." An odd development had elapsed. Why didn't she immediately die upon his strike? Staring at the remains, a forgotten memory of his past years tried to surface.
"Hngh!" But instead, his head instead began to hurt viciously. In addition to the mind piercing headache, his ears began ringing exceptionally loud.
First it was pure loud ringing, thereafter it transformed into voices, familiar voices. Still, he couldn't quite understand whose voices spoke.
Clenching his jaw whilst biting the right lip, the agonizing few minutes continued until they finally stopped, as the smoke fully subsided.
"Why, why.. Stop running!" The mysterious man thought to himself.
"You have to die for this world!!" Getting up from his knees, he used his innate talent for sense. He quickly located the traces of Yukihime.
Fear, Anxiety, Panic. Common emotions found in humans. Using these traits he could locate and track somebody. It was a technique learned during his younger years, forgotten years.
Burrowing his feet into the ground he used it as blocks to gain a burst of speed. With a quick first step he accelerated and started the chase for his prey.