Solo Cultivation in The Apocalypse

They knocked on the office door and it opened immediately. Hitori stepped inside, following Kakashi. Then he saw Atama sitting on his table with his head held down.

Just when they were walking toward him, Kyo stopped behind them and whispered something to Eya, she nodded, then Kyoryu took off running out of the office.

Hitori glanced over his shoulder and watched as Kyoryu teleported out of the office floor, and went wherever he was going. He looked like he was in a hurry, so Hitori guessed where he was headed.

"What happened, sensei?" Kakashi asked as he walked to the hill table.

Eya turned back, and Hitori turned his eyes and walked to Atama. Reon and Akira were right behind Eya, but Akira had the lead.

Atama lifted his head to give them a look, then dropped his head down. Hitori sensed that sad and depressed vine from Atama, he decided to stop a meter or so away from him.

"What happened to him, now?" Akira asked, almost to himself.

Kakashi stopped in front of Atama's table and Eya joined him. Reon and Akira joined Hitori at the spot a meter or so away from Atama's table.

"Tamashi. I just had a piece of his real strength," Atama muttered. He pushed his old, wrinkled fingers through his hair, then held them there. "He has grown strong, Kakashi. Much stronger than he was last time."

Kakashi nodded. Even he did not know what to say, perhaps. He just turned to Eya for support. She nodded and looked at Atama.

"Atama-sensei—"

"I should stop him," Atama raised his head. "Before he kills any more people, I will stop him." He then rose from his chair.

Eya gulped. "You do not need to do it alone. We will help you."

"Oh, can you? Come with me then."

"We can, but not right now. Can you not wait—"

"You should not keep danger and a woman waiting. By the time you deal with Onogi and Tengoku, Tamashi would already have dealt with you." He pushed back the chair as he turned to get off the hill.

Eya hesitated. She looked down and tried to keep eye contact. "I, I, I can—"

"You can not. I know that. I will do it myself. I am not the Mage Minister for nothing."

Suddenly, a weird thought hit Hitori. What if Atama dies? Tamashi will get even stronger than now, and he will continue growing strong. How will Hitori stop him then?

He shuddered. Someone was worrying Atama, someone powerful enough to scare Atama-sensei. What if Hitori has to face Tamashi next? A much stronger Tamashi?

'No. Forget about it,' he thought, 'all you have to look after right now are those bastards. Who is Tamashi? I do not know that devil. But I know Onogi, and I know Tengoku.'

He took a deep breath and let out a long exhale. Then he shook his hair and lifted his head.

Atama had climbed down the hill and was heading to the main door. Hitori stepped out of his way, and so did Reon and Akira.

They watched him leave the office, but no one stopped him. He pulled on his white cloak, adjusted it around his neck, then walked off.

Hitori does not know what held him, but he could not look away till Atama was out of sight. He blinked a few times, then turned to everyone behind.

"Where is Kyo-san?" he asked.

"...he is preparing for the worse," Eya said, without putting too much thought into it.

Hitori just nodded– he knew she was telling him, and it did not matter as long as Kyo was coming back; which, Hitori knew, he was.

"We are leaving then," he said, turning to the door. "Stack the potions, check your wands, and make sure you have at least one mana potion with you."

Reon was the first one to move. She was carrying two guns and a mana potion in case she uses magic again.

"Do you think scientists have captured our photo and sent it to this side? If we walk through the city, people will notice us," Akira said with his hands raised.

"If they do not have a clear picture of us, we will be alright. But I doubt they would not have at least a single picture of us with the high technology around," Reon told them as she walked out of the office, following Hitori.

Akira was still worried about it. But Eya patted his shoulder and assured him, "If they have seen us, we will run back." Stupid, but assuring.

"I doubt they saw us," Kakashi said, as he walked to the door. "We were wearing masks, so I doubt they have a clear picture of us. Do not sweat it, and come on now."

"Yeah… just what can go wrong?" he muttered to himself before he started walking.

Hitori stopped around the corner, waiting for Kakashi and others to catch up. But when he turned, he saw Kakashi standing in the doorway with a pale face, wide eyes, and an open mouth. He looked like a kid who ate bitter melon by mistake and now regrets it. But Kakashi was a little different– he was the kid who regrets it and also fears the consequences of throwing up.

He turned around and kept staring at Kakashi. From behind, Eya and Akira looked at him. Eya placed a hand over him and looked at his face from the left side. "W-What happened?" she asked.

Kakashi did not have to reply to anyone. His left hand sprung and grabbed the right forearm. Then his face turned into a tight frown as he collapsed to the ground.

Eya bent down with a shriek. Akira stared at Kakashi, confused.

Kakashi started grunting in pain with his right hand clenched by his left. Hitori took a step forward but did not walk up to Kakashi. He had seen that happen before, and he was not prepared to take a look at that forearm again. He did not want to imagine the crying, screaming, and melting guys.

With relief, Kakashi leaned forward and dropped his hands on the floor. He was panting, blowing his hair and sweat. Hitori saw from the distance that Kakashi's forearm had turned bright red.

Eya leaned over him, one hand over his shoulder, and the other on his hand. "Kakashi, hey, Kakashi, is it still hurting?"

He shook his head. Then, hesitantly, he lifted his head and looked at Hitori. "The Haunter," he said, "is back."

His heart jumped. He felt as if someone had just punched him hard in the chest, blowing the air out. But he maintained his composure.

"Alright," he said, with a lot of courage, and decided on: "Change in plans."

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