Breathing heavily, the lad gave himself a knee down as he rested around the fields of this unfamiliar residence. More of a backyard, it felt rather soothing and relaxing at first glance.

Sensing a feeling of being struck from behind, the lad picked up his blade once more and blocks the incoming strike. Being in an unknown position, the lad twisted his ankle and had his back an old aching feeling.

"Fuck sakes! Please, it's me..." William sighs out as he parries the hold of blades pushes the opponent down with a dishonourable kick.

The opponents that returned sights to him, made a snarl as its eyes slowly lit in a self-blinding fury of rage. "I don't care anymore... you shall pay the price for what happened." It screams.

"But I told you it was not -" Hearing a sound of wheezing, a gunshot could be heard from nearby. Alerted, the lad ducked and rolled under cover behind an old flourishing cherry blossom tree that had quite a many cuts on it.

"Why are you guys taking so long to fight them back. Please, if you are still in there, call me after the ...beep." The lad shouted back nervously as he grips himself onto the backs of the tree as he slowly held his tears.

Readying his blade on his right arm, he watches the two from behind.

"Gah, stop crying crocodile tears. If only you had saved Shin-ae and mother, they wouldn't become what they are now."

A familiar lass appeared before the lad, a more robust look with a lovely and delicate multiple layers of robes, she had a thin layer of armour wrapping around her chest and shoulder region, layers of wood and metal sheets.

Her soft yet cherishable tone gave a sense of hope and guidance towards the lad. A familiar behaviour he too possesses. The skin fair and the hair a dark purplish hue, its droopy yet puffy fox ears reminded him closer of a lovely fox spirit.

True to its guessing, she had more than one tail than usual, not as many as nine but also not less than two to three.

"Isn't that right, Shõ?" Holding her blade, she stood beside Will as she guarded him with an auric shield. "Come...you know fighting is useless, you just might need to do the old way." Handing her hand to the lad, he accepts it and backs himself up.

"Yeah, right, the old way." With an annoyed grunt, he wipes off the seeping blood from his forehead, indicating the lack of protection within the attacks between the two opposite sides.

"How did you manage to lock them here in the backyard anyway, considering the doors and fences are thin and wooden."

"Auric and Mana pressure, borrowing some from you secretly, I made a barrier to hold in Shimaya and Shin-ae here. They somehow in their rather aggressive and confused state are not intelligent enough to be able to compensate time to plan an escape."

The foxlass replied as she holds some shots from hitting her and NZ. "Mother seems to be exhausted and can't get up. Her yukata is also holding her down as it is heavy, we can start from here, once again."

"This corruption is not like any other," NZ replies as he knees down towards the staring and snarling Shimaya. Who started trying to bite him in a feral manner when he lowered palm towards her slashed cheeks and forehead.

"Calm the fuck down. Your body is still intact and beautiful, I don't want it messed up with your rude behaviour." NZ cheekily taunts the corrupted and downed Elder of the Beasts as he combs her hair, drooping from her eyes.

"Stop joking around, hurry up, before she starts gaining back her energy and posture. I will try to tire out my bratty " little sister" over there." Dropping the shield, and forming it into a barricade, she surrounds it among NZ and Shimaya as she slowly walked her way towards Shin-ae, her psionic blade prepared.

NZ holding down the elderly lass, he stares at her dead into the eye as he sees through the little aura energy that formed in her head and heart.

Closing in, he touches the flame that burns a dark hue before he entered the pocket dimension of the resident named fully "Shinnosuke Shimaya."

Satisfied with the first step, Sae-Yong stood her ground as she used her magically enhanced skills to deflect off the bullets of Shin-ae, of whatever calibre it may be, it swiftly melted within a nanosecond touch. "Alright, you may need some discipline. The lesson shall start, now."

Standing herself calmly, she closes her eyes as she guesses the many weak spots a person could have, forty-plus to assume.

But with that many, only two is needed, for now, the arms and the legs, the strongest weak points that any gunner rely too much on. Once dealt with, they are immobilised, or worse, paralysed.

Charging up a swift and methodical strike with her psionic blade, she deactivated her guard for a second. Feeling warm fresh feelings of blood coloured by their aura, she held the specks of delayed injury as she takes the final form.

With small tears enveloping from her ducts and dropping down her cheeks, she slowly opened her mouth.

With a battle cry, so loud and quick, it's sounded more of a bark than a howl. At lightning speed, she swiftly strikes by her sister and slashed each of the weak spots she perfectly guessed on.

With a twirl of her blade, she holsters it into her small ring by her hips. "Shinnosuke-style, four-point slashing."

She mutters softly under her breath. With some little time she has to waste, she winks and puffs her lips with a grin. "I always wanted to try that, it just had to be my little sister."

Motionless, the lass of gunnery, now calmed. Stiffened up as she drops her custom-formed assault rifle, of sorts.

Weakening by the second, sudden blobs of blood-covered up her slightly ripped yukata. Dropping down, she was stuck in a rather bending down position similar to how a quad canine or lupus lays down, knowing it's place.

Looking down towards her sister, she sighs in relief as she sees her younger sister for once shut up. "Good girl, now sit," Sae-Yong spoke in a teacher a manner she squats down and looks towards her sister.

"If I remember since we are related, we could as well share a pocket dimension, maybe it would also work if I connect it with mothers, makes it easier for him to traverse."

"Let's see." Tapping the forehead of the defeated and whimpering sister, she enters her pocket dimension.

...

With the blade flying off of NZ's hold, He felt a rush of pain all over his body. His older body can't take the injuries as much as his younger self could.

"Goddamit, how many times have I tried to fight this thing and it still can't budge. It's like finding a needle in a haystack, only that it's this big thing with hunks of meat for a body."

A pressure behind, he sighs with a smile as he felt the warm arms that wrapped around him. "No worries, Mr Endicrite, once this is over, we can all be together again, once more."

Countless times he tried over and over again to help his other family but to no avail, it's always a same, a failure. Would this be different?

"We just need to find this corrupted being's life form, it's core. This is one is at it's highest stage so being able to develop itself to multiple forms is a pain in the arse one way or another." He thought of a plan and muttered towards the light as a feather and motherly Shimaya who caressed his back as she enhances him with her aura.

Even without a balanced wavelength, this two can fight alongside as they both had familiar relationships to that of a mother and son, or better, a couple. Though fighting with the act of fighting, the only thing that fuels them is their wrath that lingers through their veins.

A curse of sorts that has traversed through generations of their family tree, the Shinnosuke, a half-breed of human and beast, it's first ancestors Shimaya and her husband Shinnosuke Chūjirō.

"Alright, just like how I and my daughter taught you in the verses of good swordsmanship. Use your style and stance properly. Good posture is key and the form of breath, roll in and out and then strike." Shimaya guides NZ as she summons him with her blade.

An old ancestral Nodachi wrapped with an old stained cloth for a grip. It's power enveloping from her own body and transferring into the blade.

The only thing it needs now is a spark and a strike, the flint and steel.

The fuel of wrath and the swing of the heavy blade.

"Alright, I will try. Remember this is a Nodachi, Endicrite, not a longsword, I could try the moves I learned from fencing, but this, this is entirely different. " With a quick inhale, he channels his mind and flows his grudges into his heart and mind spreading through the veins.

Empowering his muscles, the energy seeps into the blade-like fuel enveloping or dipped. Stance, ready, he lowers himself between a mix of en-garde and riposte.

A will of readiness to strike and defence in case of a sudden attack.

"There, now... imagine your strike, piercing through the heavenly skies, maybe into the hellish pits too if you so desire." With a lick of her lips, she whispered into his ears.

Seeing William in a meditative posture, she blocks a few more hits of the corrupted being who started spitting blobs that melted faster than regular acids onto her shield.

Can't keep up with the speed, she whispers into her only saviour, Shõ. "Go."

With a lift of his blades, he charges towards the abomination with rhythmical steps. Pushing his final step, he leads himself heavily as he twirls in a 360 degrees motion. With a heavy strike, he pushes down his blade onto the shoulder of the being as he slowly cuts down the flesh of unnatural colours.

With as much of the fuel he needs, he uses his rage to work up the flame of the blade. "This will be your end, give up, an honourable death!"

As he grins in a menacing smile, he finishes his slash and drops onto the floor with a steady hold. Facing his back towards the sliced open beast, Shimaya uses her remaining power and shoots an auric bullet into the open core of the corruption.

With a crack, it shattered to an infinite amount of pieces before it slowly glowed in a tinge of white and yellow.

With an inspection of the blade, he wipes the excess glowing liquid with the arm of his left. With a single wipe, he lowered the blade and gave a quick shake.

Sighing, NZ decided to give the strange move a nickname. "Spirit of the Inevitability, Alter Form One."

Knowing the corruption in Shimaya is completed, she kissed NZ on her cheeks. "If you practice more and use more of your strength, you might as well take over my late husband soon."

"Haha, very funny." He replies before noticing a figure walking towards him while dragging a body behind, it's Shin-ae, the younger daughter of Shimaya.

"Oi! Here's someone else to take care of." Laying the fainted body gently, The figure, now recognised as Sae-Yong heads to him with a smile. "I finished the other half for you, just take care of her."

William smiles with a sense of gratitude, "Thank you very much. I don't think I had even enough energy for a second attack." Glad to see the family back together, he gives the two a welcoming warm hug.

A little embarrassed from the two, signified by their rosy cheeks and expressions of drooping ears, they accepted it wholeheartedly. "Thank you for helping my family once more, Shõ, I am always grateful as a partner and as a Guardian."

"No worries, those are what friends are for." Releasing his hug, he slowly walks towards the fainted Shin-ae and picks her up princess-style. As cute as she is, the cuts and bruises on her overall body showcase the amount of carefree and energetic behavior this being usually do secretly when she travels.

"What a kid in the skin of an adult." He mutters as he closes his eyes, invited by light, he holds his grip as was back in the physical realm.

"Uh-hmm." A voice called out to him with a fake cough. Opening his eyes, he was greeted with a tall standing lass donned in black with an embarrassed and surprised curious gal.

"Are you done posing or are you just going to continue with Phase Two." The voice asked, returning to the woman in black.

"Oh, I am back already, I guess that's done." Opening his closed palm, he notices the two crystals glowing once more. It floated as it heads towards him and rubs his cheek, teasing him as a way of thanks.

Getting himself up with help from the lass with the name tag Leutenegger, he wipes himself clean off the sand and dust before waving to the curious gal. "I see, you got your guardian now. Congrats."

She nods after waking herself up with a quick head shake. "Yep, that's correct, NZ."

("Oh wow, he ignored me.") Leutenegger blandly stares at the back of his head. Sighing disregard, she turns off the machine with a few switches before shifting a lever and pulling out a plug. "Well, there's no need for that now."

"Alright Phase Two, yes I remember!" William struck a bulb over his head as he turns towards Miss Leutenegger. "The promise yes?."

With a nod and a smile, she drags him towards the exit. "Yes, yes, that is correct."

"What the fuck?! Let go of me!" He shouted as he was somehow dragged by the lass with abnormal strength and grip.

"No, Phase Two, now." She replies with a robotic tone as she takes a look at Mary. "Mary was it? You can ask the Guardians to help you in understanding their history and yours too, Will und ich will continue with the promised job."

"Eh, gotcha Miss Fritz." She replied, still confused about how to pronounce her name.

"Come on, Will. We have to go, stop acting childish. We're in our forties for goodness sakes." Leutenegger grunts.

"Alright, alright, just don't drag me suddenly." He pulls his shoulder to free himself before wiping his coat side and continuing the walk.

After some time spent, over the hours. Mary learnt a thing or two about her past and her ancestors that once saved the world from a dangerous being called the "Bio-mother". The other two, finished with their job, in the living room, multiple documents were laid about as a computer system connected with multiple wires started warping code to and fro.

The three rested as they sat down and ate food prepared by Leutenegger's tenant, Miss Whiplash who is also her Guardian.

A half-snake of a lower-body and a rather muscular human form at the top, she was donned in a thin layer of a two-piece singlet with a few cosmetics here and there such as tribal earrings and a wooden choker of sorts.

"So, you three done already?" She asked as she lays a few glasses and pours in some red liquid that was sweet as honey and cold as ice. "Red tea?"

"Yes, please. I am famished and thirsty, never better." NZ replies as he hands her his glass.

"Glad you are enjoying it, been a while since I seen you, two blokes, together aver' since The Younger Days. Also, the food, yes, yes." She tends to drag her S-verbal sounds as her tongues were thin and long like a regular serpent would.

"Is she what is called a Lamia?" Mary thought for a second before poking a well made grilled steak in her mouth with her given fork and chewing it slowly.

A mindful reply whispers into her brain. "Yes, that is correct, Mary." It was her Guardian, replying to her.

"Woah, Id'dreek, you scared me for a second. I forgot you could speak into one's mind." She thought in her head once more, replying towards the voice. Her face is a little surprised as she almost choked onto her food.

"You okay there girl? You need to cut smaller pieces and chew slower." Leutenegger tells her as she sips her glass of cold red tea.

Coughing a little, she nods. "Thanks, I will do so next time." Sipping her tea, she relieves her roughened meaty insides of her throat.

Satisfied with the meal, NZ smiles towards the two familiar lasses as he looks at the ceiling. "I guess, you two will stay here. As guests, we wouldn't want to overstay our visit so we might leave soon."

"Please, stay for a night or two. It's been a hell lot for today. It would be nice if you guests takka' rest in me a resident." Miss Whiplash replied as she magically guides the dirty plates and utensils into a dishwasher.

"Well, I wouldn't mind really but it would not be fair to waste another person's resources without sharing my own, yeah?" NZ scratches his neck with a guilty conscience.

"It's fine really, stop overthinking. Just stay for a few nights, we can start Phase Three tomorrow or day after even." Leutenegger replied.

"Fine, if you two insist. How about Miss Welter, does she mind?" NZ asks as he slowly turns to her only to be greeted with an innocent-looking smile, but deep inside its a true sense of eagerness.

"Yes, I wouldn't mind." She immediately replied. "As long as I can wander about in the lovely gardens outside for a few days. Been a while since I saw actual, greenery."

NZ palms his head with a shake. "Fine, if you accept it, I accept it then." He then turns back to the two. "We will stay. But rules."

"What is it? In MY humble abode?" Miss Whiplash replied with a raised eyebrow.

"A. We will be hunting for food for you guys and B. Don't you two dare sneak into my room unnecessary." Rule B was a teasing joke, he didn't mean it.

Leutenegger and Miss Whiplash blink twice. "That's it?" they asked.

"Yep." He thumbs up with a smile. "Good night, I am heading to bed." He started waltzing into Leutenegger's room fun after getting up from his seat.

"Oi, Komme Hier, Raus!" Leutenegger shouts at him before getting up and chasing before him."

"Don't worry, those two are just playful when it comes in terms of interaction." Miss Whiplash replied as she guides Mary to her guest room.

"Was she always like that? Between the acts of quiet and serious to energetic and hyped?" Mary asks.

"Not really. She used to be super quiet and a low-esteemed individual of sorts. After meeting up and making new friends in her soldier years in Continuum, she slowly changed to who she is now. A playful and rather mature woman, befitting my wavelength." Guiding her to the guest room, she was magically prepared with new sheets, a bed and a fresh pair of pillows for her to lay and hug on.

"Good night, Miss." Miss Whiplash waves to her as her tail dims the room's light.

"Night night, till tomorrow." She replies with a wave. "Phase Three, huh, what's that." Opening her rucksack, she pulls out her Tape Recorder and plays the next tape she searched for in chronological order.

"Tape 20, here we go...Whoever is Katherine and this Global Corporation, they speak of."