It got hungry again.
Kageru dispatched the last Bone Daddy in the group he surprised on his way to Steel Canyon through Perez Park. It had been a while since he had been on the battlefield and his sword, a magic artifact named Ryutsurugi, made it a point to drive itself just a bit deeper than need be on occasion.
Kageru controls the weapon, of course, and it does what he wills it to do, but it is undeniably a sentient thing. It's greatest pleasure comes from rending opponents in battle and bathing in their blood. Kageru didn't mind that much, but E.L.I.T.E. had been dogging him a little harder than usual about his excessive force.
"Scum..." he mumbled, staring at the now-halved body of the Bone Daddy. "I don't care about these fools. They're nothing but criminals. They victimize the weak and have NO honor!" Kageru caught himself then, feeling those old, angry feelings that dwelled in his soul; The strings that Ryutsurugi had just tugged to get him to press just a bit harder in that last stroke then he should have.
Ryutsurugi seemed to shine just a bit brighter at that thought.
Shaking his head, Kageru continued on his way to Steel Canyon without incident; All the other thugs were busy battling other so-called heroes, and Kageru, not feeling any kinship with them, didn't bother to help beyond stepping in to strike down the foes of an obviously overmatched hero.
When thanked he only replied, "Aku. Soku. Zan."
That is to say, "Slay Sin Swiftly."
He arrived in Steel Canyon, and located the man he was looking for, a detective named Wes Schnabel. Kageru didn't care much for the man, but he had information on the 5th Column and other organizations. Kageru always hoped the man would find some dirt on the Tsoo or Knives of Artemis. Once belonging to the Tsoo, Kageru understood how both groups operated and knew that his chances on digging up information on them was a lot like a candle's chance of continuing to burn in a rainstorm.
Still, he held out hope. Aku, Soku, Zan.
As Kageru approached Schnabel, he noticed what looked like a flicker in the shadows. He started to attribute it to his nerves, but Ryutsurugi assured him something was there. "Fine, you damn beast. Let's investigate." Kageru croached, and melted into the familiar shadows of the night like a tiger creeping through tall grass.
Three 5th Column soldiers proselytizing. Kageru chuckled. "This ought to be a nice warm-up." Willing his sword to be silent, it drifted from it's scabbard like a quiet gale. He sighed, knowing what would happen when he began to strike. Bringing the mystic katana to bear, he closed his distance until practically standing on the 5th Column lieutenant's back.
Kageru caught himself smiling a bit. Maybe he enjoyed this more than he thought. Steeling himself, he raised his blade in the air, and as usual, it roared. Ryutsurugi literally means "Dragon Sword", and it's called this because it has the very essence of an ancient black dragon.
And this dragon was legendary for it's cruelty.
The lieutenant turned just in time for to see Ryutsurugi bite hungrily into shoulder, and shear through his collar bone. Cursing, Kageru mentally screamed at the blade, "We WILL NOT kill these two left!" Just as Kageru finished his mental instructions, a hail of bullets lunged into his chest mercilessly.
Kageru staggered back, and called upon his training. He worked the muscles in his chest to force the slugs out of his body. Then, inhaling deeply, he forced the bleeding to halt. He grinned viciously as the soldiers realized what he had done. Their training and dogmatic belief in their cause would not allow them to run, but they obviously now knew the folly of fighting a man such as Kageru.
Striking with the flat of his blade, much to Ryutsurugi's frustration, he easily struck down the other two soldiers and called E.L.I.T.E. to come arrest to fallen Nazis. Hearing a slight chuckle and clap, Kageru turned to see none other than Wes Schnabel.
"You couldn't have helped?" Kageru asked gruffly. Schnabel shook his head slowly, adjusting his fedora. "I wanted to see if you'd murder the other two." Kageru spit on the ground while wiping the blood from Ryutsurugi. "Aku, Soku, Zan. You know that's how I do things." Schnabel sighed, "I'm practically working with a villain."
That got a vicious response from Kageru. Snarling, he snatched the detective by the collar of his shirt, hefting him from the ground. "Do you have any new information?" Schnabel sighed and nodded, and Kageru set him down. He made a show of dusting himself off, and pointedly looked the swordsman in the eyes.
"The Hellions are moving. I think they're raiding a Skull base." Kageru shrugged. "Aku. Soku. Zan. It makes it easier for me if they kill each other off." Schnable groaned and shook his head, "They're raiding the base for a magic artifact." His gaze rolled down to the enchanted katana Kageru wielded. "We don't know what that artifact is, however."
Kageru shuddered, although Schnabel didn't notice it. The thought of a violence-craving weapon like Ryutsurugi in the hands of the Hellions or Skulls wasn't something pleasant to think about. Squaring his shoulders, he looked directly at the detective. "So where's this base?"
