Chapter 30: Chapter thirty: Tsuzumi Castle
"No, I can't die from the next job, my last job was horrible!!" Hunk explains himself towards Lance. "I'm super weak, not strong enough".
"Hey don't worry, I'm sure your next job wouldn't be that horrible! Ask them" Lance pointed to Shiro and Keith, looking off to the side.
"Are you sure those guys are willingly staying around with?" Keith said as he wanted to walk away, away from them. Especially from Lance.
"Hey I'm sure they're good people," Shiro said, "and besides you heard from Lance, he said we have to find the daemon explores".
"Yeah sure, that guy is part of it," Keith said, sarcastically, "and Lance does instantly introduces us to this guy".
"So let's start," Shiro said. Going over to Hunk and Lance.
"Hey, we haven't properly introduced yet" Shiro talk to Hunk, "my name is Takashi Shirogane but everyone calls me Shiro. And that's Keith over there"
"Ok! My name is Hunk Alii Garrett" Hunk replied.
"Tell me this Hunk," Keith asked, "if you are a Daemon explorer, how did you ended up with this job, you don't seem like the type".
"It's because my family is a part of it, we live in the village that's isolated, so I'm Honor bound by my family" Hunk said in anguish.
"But not only that, I along with several daemon explorers went inside a Castle, there have been rumors about a Daemon that hits drums, I was the only one managed to escape" Hunk cried out, tears flowing down his face.
"So what you're saying is, you ran away," Keith said, "no wonder you've been crying to that girl".
"Keith, that's being very rude," Shiro said, reached into his backpack and gave Hunk his rice ball, "Here, calm down a bit and eat. I understand what you're going through, but freaked out your cat isn't going to help?"
"And you will not believe what he had to say." Shiro pointed to Kiaion on Lance's shoulder.
"Wait! You can understand him?! Seriously!? You're making this up, aren't you, only I could?" Hunk cried out in surprise.
"If I don't get killed by a Daemon soon, I'll die from all this crying" Keith said, taking out rice balls and giving it to Shiro and Lance.
"Here, you didn't even eat yourself yet", Keith said.
Shiro smiled at Keith, as he was about to say something, Lance started to say something, "we should probably find for other Daemon explorers in the Castle". Lance explain to Shiro and Keith
"You're probably right," Keith said, "maybe we'll find actual real ones"
"Alright guys, we need to pick up the pace". Shiro said as after they start to walk on the road.
"Come on, Hunk, you're coming with us," Lance said as he started walking, behind Shiro and Keith.
"...But I just told you..." Hunk whimpered, before walking after them. "Wait for me!"
A few hours later, walking through a forest, the four started to see a large Castle stand reveal itself in a clearing. Walking up to it, Lance said, "this must be the place that hunk was talking about."
Keith narrowed his eyes, "so where are the others".
"I don't know, they must be inside" Lance finished.
"Ok, now that you found the place, maybe I should just hang in the back for now," Hunk said, "even if I tag along with you guys, I'm not even going to do anything".
"The energy of Daemon is pretty strong here," Shiro said to the others, ignoring Hunk.
"Eh? The energy here?! I didn't sense everything since first arriving here?" Hunk said, "the only thing I could hear is a sound". Hunk included cupping his ears toward the side of the cleaning where the treeline was.
"Sound?" Keith muttered, turning around he saw the Four kids hugging each other. Two boys, Two girls, scared. Looking into their eyes, the other could tell that the four had fear and worry within their eyes.
"There are kids here?" Lance wondering.
"They look scared," Shiro said. Walking up to them, Shiro asked, "Hey there, is there a reason out here all by yourselves?"
The four kids flinched back in fear, as the boy and girl stared back in fear while shielding the younger ones.
"They're definitely terrified, whatever it is it must have spooked them," Shiro thought.
Continuing to walk over there with them, he reassured them. "Guess what, I have got something really cool here, want to see," Shiro said smiling, Reaching his hand behind to show up Stats.
"He's your afternoon friendly guy," Shiro said to the scared girl, who looked up cautiously before slowly reaching her hand out to take Stats.
"Stats," he said and a moment later the four fell to their knees and started crying. The oldest boy was around 14, while the other girl was around 12 or 13, the other two were clearly around the same age, around 11.
Keith walked over and asked them, "talk to us, did something happen happened here, is this your home?"
The boy spoke up, "No, no it's not, This-is or at least it was his castle" his tone getting stuffer and more anxious at the last mention of a monster.
"What do you mean by exactly," Keith said as he looked over Shiro. The boy continued saying, "Our older brother used to work here, we received rumors of monsters invading the castle... the monster came, never giving us a glance".
"The monster entered that house over there?" Shiro asked.
"Yeah, that's right" the boy whimpered.
Lance looked at the four kids with soft eyes, "so you four following them here, that's real bravery from you guys. Unlike others". He looks over to Hunk to explain his point.
The boy started tearing up, "Uu... We received word of a bunch of Daemon explorers arrived at the scene, that's all we heard".
Hearing the boy's words, Keith's eyes narrowed. "Don't worry, we're going to help them to defeat the bad guy and save your brother".
"It's true, you will help him," the girl asked, speak up.
"Yes, we promise," Shiro said. He knows what it's like to have someone taken away.
"Hey, guys..." Hunk said, cupping his ears.
"What is it," Lance asked him.
"Uh, what is that strange sound?" Hunk said, worriedly. "It's really unnerving and never stops, it sounds like a drum!"
"A drum?" Keith wondered. "I don't hear anything". Before Keith could finish, a drum-playing softly can be heard around the estate.
And soon a scream could be heard on the gate. "Aghhh!" Looking up, they saw a man fly backward out on the top of the gate. "Thud!" The man's face landed on the floor.
"Ah!" The kids yelled out, "cover your eyes!" Shiro yelled out before the entire group ran to the person, Shiro shouting out, "Are you alright!?"
Shiro gently supported him up, "Are you all right? Stay with me!..." Shiro said in agitation. "The wound is so deep". Keith thought.
"Even though... I got out..." The man's hoarse voice said as started coming from his mouth, staining his shirt and face.
"Made it outside...Still...Am I still gonna die?" The man looked up confused and scared at Shiro. Shiro quickly hugged him as he had a pained look.
"Hey Lance, by any chance, is that guy these kids'..." Hunk said
Then suddenly, "GROOOOWR" A kind growl sounded out from inside of the Castle through the enormous gate. Keith and the others tensed up, Hunk was scared stiff.
As the sound died down, Shiro looked at the man's body. "he now he's gone...dead, It must've hurt a lot. You must've suffered." Shiro thought, looking pained at not having been able to save him.
"Hey, is this man your..." Shiro asking the boy.
"I-It's not Brother. He's a servant, he must be wearing a blue outfit". The boy said, hugging his siblings.
This drew Keith's attention, "I see. So it's captured more than one person." Keith said, looking towards the house.
Standing up, Shiro started walking towards the castle, with a deep frown on his face. "Keith, we're going to bury him once we're done," Shiro told him.
"We will," Keith said, seeing the anger in Shiro's face.
"Hunk!! Let's go!" Lance called out. Hunk, however, just stood there petrified scared. "Look, no one else can help them now but you and us".
But Hunk refuses to listen, seeing this, Lance has a look on his face that only Hunk could see.
"Really? All right, then". Lance said, before slowly turning around and walked away from him.
"Hey, come on! Why are you making
that face at me? Okay, I'll go!" Hunk cried out hugging Lance's back.
"I have no intention of forcing you to." Lance's lows voice sounded out.
"I said I'll go!" Hunk yelled in desperation.
"Eh!" Both Keith and Shiro said as they waited for the two by the door, looking over to the kids he decided on something. Walking over to them, he placed the communicator that Ulaz has given him.
"Look, in case that we don't make it out, I want you to go and contact help," Shiro said, before looking away and walking to the direction of the castle gate.
Keith runs up to the gate and touches it with no reaction. "I wonder how we get through this." He said.
"Maybe you just have to knock," Lance said as he literally knocks on the force field and it reacts to opened.
"Wow, it open," Shiro said as they entered the grounds. "Hm, Keith I know you're still injured from the previous fight. You don't have to force yourself".
"What!? What did you say" Hunk said. "Lance, You'll protect me, right?"
"I hate to put you on the spot, but..." Lance said, "in my last fight, I broke ribs and the same goes for Keith, neither is fully healed yet. So-"
"What do you mean, broken bones? Don't go breaking any bones on me!" Hunk yelled out, "If you've got fractures, you can't possibly protect me!"
"Uh, Hunk..." Keith said in an annoying tune.
"What, can you see how I'm freaking out I am" Hunk cried out at the menacing voice.
"Yes I am, but if you keep freaking out, you're going to become a big-time Target for whoever is still in here?" Keith said, with a sadistic smile.
"!! I see your point!" Hunk saluted quickly, "I'll be good, even if I'm going to die soon, completely dead".
Looking behind Keith and Hunk, Shiro saw that the four little kids from earlier ran inside and followed them with Stats and kiaion.
"Stay away, you kids shouldn't be here". Shiro berated them.
"We're sorry ok, we just couldn't stay away, even if we are in danger". The boy said holding the hand of his scared little sister.
"But still you shouldn't be out here, you two need to go back immed-", right before Shiro could finish his sentence, a drumbeat was played.
"Dum"
"Yah!" Hunk screamed out scared. So much in fact that he pushes aside Shiro and Keith along with the little girl and boy, into a different room, while the other boy and girl were next to Hunk and Lance in the next room.
"Rumble" the house started to shake as a low rumble sounded out.
"Ah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to push you!" Hunk said.
"Dum" as the drum sounded out again, Hunk, Lance, and the other kids disappeared from his sight. They were standing in a different room at this moment.
"What?" Shiro said, looking around. The room was dark with only a low table in the middle.
"Dum," it changed once more, to a small dark empty room.
"Dum" Again the room changed to a large room.
"Dum, Dum, Dum," with each hit of the drum, the room kept changing around Shiro and the others, at though they were teleported each time.
"It's a different room". Shiro told Keith. The drumbeat was no longer heard after a few moments, "No, this is different, Were we the ones that moved? To the beat of that Tsugumi drum?" Keith said as they now stood in a room filled with drawers with lit candles to light the room.
"I hope the others are fine," Shiro said, as they got the bearings, "it seems to be some type of room, somewhere in the castle?" Keith said.
"Sorry, you got separated from your brother and sister, okay?" Shiro told the kids who were clearly terrified. "But we gonna protect you no matter what and Lance and Hunk are gonna protect your brother and sister, don't worry!".
"Step, Step" Keith and Shiro heard some heavy footprints from outside of the room walking past them, sticking to the wall, Keith quickly maneuvered his way to the door and slid it open as quietly and gently as he could.
Opening it wide enough to peek through, Keith tried to see who was on the other side of the door. What he saw a dark hallway but nobody that he couldn't see anyone walking. Waiting for a moment, he decided to open up the door.
"Hey, kids, what's your name," Shiro asked. Trying to diffuse the situation.
"Tanjiro," the boy said. "Nezuko" the little girl muttered.
Smiling measuredly, Shiro said, "Is that right? Tanjiro? Nezuko? That's a fine name you both have-"
Opening the door slowly just enough not to cause another sound. Walking out, Keith looked around to get a better view of his surrounding, "All right, looks like the coast is clear" Keith said. Making sure it's safe for Shiro and the kids.
Suddenly, he saw a figure in the distance, coming their way. Quickly reacting, Keith drew his dagger and quickly went back into the room, "Even among all these energies, this is the strongest one that this Castle is steeped in!" Keith said, "This one went after
a whole slew of humans!"
"Keith!" Shiro called out towards Keith, "yeah, I know" Keith nodded towards him and looked towards the end of the room at the doorway. There stood a Daemon with grayish skin, black hair, razor-like teeth, blood-red sclera, deep blue pupils, and hidden irises due to it being rolled up to the back of his head.
The Daemon had a large physical appearance and on his stomach, shoulder, hips, front chest and back were drums protruding from them.
"This one's the master of this house!" Shiro said, putting his hands on Tanjiro and Nezuko, making sure they do not scream. Looking at the creature, it was clear that it was terrifying to even for the smaller children.
Elsewhere, Lance was having a hard time.
"I'm gonna die!" Hunk yelled out, "Gonna die, gonna die, gonna die,
I'm telling you!"
"Hunk, There is no reason for you to freak out," Lance told him.
"But we got separated from Keith and Shiro" Hunk cried out, "what are we going to do"
"Nezuko? Tanjiro? Where are you" the girl shout out.
"Your big brother, Inosuke, and your sister Kanao" the boy continued to shout out, looking for his siblings.
"No, no, no, no! Don't yell like that!" Hunk told them "If you yell and the bad guy hears you, it won't be pretty!"
"Oh come on the bad guy isn't here" Lance complain, "like I said there's no reason to freak out"
Suddenly, he saw Hunk trying to leave with Inosuke and Kanao, "Hey, I'm trying to deliver a point here"
"I heard you cuz I'm not going to be useful here," Hunk said, "just like I'm not going to be useful to the other Daemon explorers".
"What do you mean," Lance said, then suddenly a bang came from the door where Keith and Shiro disappear to with the kids. Quickly reacting, Lance drew his gun and went in the door, slowly to get a better view in his surroundings.
"Lance, where are you doing" Hunk cried out, trying to stop his friend from going in. Not listening to him, Lance goes in any way. The room was dark with no windows or candles lighting it.
"Come on, Lance" Hunk said, followed him alongside the kids "we don't know what's going on in this Castle".
Then suddenly, a figure was there in the darkest room, staring at Lance and the others, looking at it, Lance could see the figure was female of some sort, holding two boomerangs had suddenly scurried away from the group. Surprising them.
With gun and staff in both hands, Lance begins to wonder if is this the person who's been the one that's been making the rooms move or something else.
Back at where Shiro, Keith, and the kids are, "If it hadn't been...for their meddling..." Said the daemon, mothering to itself.
"you guys, try not to scream". Shiro said, covering their mouth. "Listen to me, I need you guys to hide, The room's going to flip around, so don't go into the hall".
"Ok" Tanjiro whispered, trying to be silent as possible as is he and his sister hide behind the shelves in the room.
"Curses, curses!" The Daemon started. "Thanks to them, he got away! This place is my domain now, Why do they all keep barging into someone else's home? That was my prey! My own prey was discovered on my own turf! Curse them!"
"Hey, I don't know you can hear me". Keith said, raising his dagger to the daemon. "But we're here going to slay you now!"
On command, Shiro raised his sword and joining Keith in attack mode.
"A child with a rare blood that I found myself!" The daemon explains.
"Got him!" Shiro said, appearing and launch for the attack mode, but sadly the daemon suddenly hits on his drums and the room flips sideways out of nowhere. Now the wooden floors were on the wall to the right while the ground was where the shelves and cupboards were.
"Shiro" Keith yelled out towards Shiro. Shiro nodded towards him and looked towards the end of the room at the doorway.
"Now the floors are on the sides!" Shiro said, looking around the area. Making sure that the kids were okay.
"The room's been flipped!" Keith said, "So, this is that daemon's magical Art! This entire Castle is this daemon's territory!"
The daemon continues to spoke out while continuing to look in the opposite direction, "Curse them!" It yelled out, getting more frustrated. Shiro jumping out of them the way and went to go check on the kids to make sure that they were fine.
And soon, Shiro and Keith heard An odd footsteps, wafting their way. Not knowing how to react, the two started the question that there were more of them out there.
"Comin' through! Comin' through!" It shouted and boom, the person jumped through a wooden door while wielding two boomerangs.
"What the-" Shiro thought, "who is that" as the person crashed through the door and landed on the ground.
"All right, you monster..." The person said as They crossed their weapon. "You owe me a brother, so die on the battlefield". The person yelled out.
"Curse it all" the daemon shouted, more determined than ever to defeat his enemies, his frustrated enemies, making more is not what he expected. But nevertheless, he's more determined to protect his new home.
Not if Shiro and Keith not could help it. With the help of them of course.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone