Solo Cultivation in The Apocalypse

The staircase glowed in faint orange color, the first floor's path was visible from downstairs after Kuzu lit the candles and lamps. Eya heard one of them say, "Would be better if they get LEDs."

She crept closer to the staircase, just wished that the stairs would not creak again, and climbed the first stair. She leaned against the wall and glanced upstairs, her back rubbed against the wall as she climbed the stairs.

She stepped over the last stair and rushed to the entrance's left side. Eya kneeled down and took a peek inside. She saw a rub sitting in the middle of the porch and then saw two men enter the room on the northeast side.

The room was Hiro's home office that had sliding windows on the east and west side of the room. Eya waited till they both were inside the room, then she got to her feet and duck-walked to the floor's right side.

She saw an empty fireplace and two chairs by its side. Eya rolled on the floor, passed the tea table, and crept behind the two chairs, she pulled the chairs to cover her by the fireplace.

Hidden perfectly behind two chairs and a table with a wall on her left and the fireplace on her right, Eya waited for those two men to come out.

As she was hiding her petite body in the corner and there were no lamps above her head, Kuzu could not spot her shadow when he came out. But he did notice the chairs.

Eya turned her eyes straight at the guest room that was on the southwest side. Gigi threw another sluggish device and unlocked the door.

Kuzu followed Gigi inside, they clicked a button that lit the candles on the corners and lamps on the walls. Kuzu walked to the end and took a look outside the window.

Kuzu closed the window, he spotted the french door on the room's right side as he walked past the bed and out of the room. Kuzu pulled the door behind him when he stopped and left the door ajar.

Gigi glanced back at Kuzu, he gestured for Gigi to enter the room on the northwest side.

Eya held her breathe gain, Kuzu entered the room behind Gigi and Eya crept out from the chairs. She rolled over the rug and slid inside the guest room. She stopped and raised her hand to push the door-- Kuzu came out of the bedroom-- Eya noticed Kuzu's elongated shadow and pushed herself against the guest room's wall.

Eya left the door as it was, wide open, and ran to the right side-- towards the French door.

Kuzu felt someone was watching him from behind as if someone was spying on him. He stayed away from the guest room but he was close enough to notice the door was wide open.

Must be the wind, you might think as it was snowing outside, but Kuzu had made sure to close every window he opened-- the guest room's and the home office's and the bedroom's window too.

Eya, inside the guest room, used Burglar's magic to unlock the french door that she had made sure to lock when she and Kakashi had searched the house. She got up, stood straight, and pulled open the French door. She pushed aside the curtains that kept the other side hidden.

A toilet seat welcomed her, next to which was a shower-- plumbed with metal pipes using the last element magic listed in the School of Elements. Eya stepped inside, she knew there was a latch on the door but she stepped forward.

Kuzu took a step back when he noticed the rug in the middle of the floor. The rug's bottom corner was folded over the rug and it was tilted.

Kuzu curled his lip, his feet slipped don the polished wooden as he raced inside the bedroom. He saw Gigi next to the French door, the slug was unlocking the door, and Kuzu's heart raced. Danger.

Eya heard a click sound from the other side. She clenched her wand and brought it near her chest. She took steady steps, against the wall, away from the French door to her northeast.

Kuzu bolted from his spot. Gigi pulled one side of the door when Kuzu grabbed him by his shoulder, moved forward, and banged him back on the wall beside the balcony.

Eya jerked and stepped back to her French door, her heart jumped in her chest when she heard the bang on the other side.

"W-what---" Kuzu covered Gigi's mouth, leaned closer, and whispered:

"There is someone else," he said, "with us, someone is following us." Gig's eyes widened, he still struggled to get free from Kuzu's grip but it was impossible for him to escape.

Kuzu finally released Gigi's mouth. Gigi leaned forward and panted hard-- as if he was choking-- but he was okay.

Kuzu glanced behind, he had closed the bedroom door and he did not sense anybody near, so he continued, "That room's door, I left it ajar, and now it is wide open. The chairs near the fireplace are moved and the rub, did you see the rug? it now has a fold!"

Gigi frowned, his eyes narrowed as he looked at Kuzu.

Kuzu rubbed his head temple, he glanced at the French door, and said, "We need to get out and kill that mage. We are in their territory."

Gigi nodded. "But what if it is Hitori? Or Kamiya?" Gigi asked, Kuzu paused to think.

Kuzu shook his head. "We still stick to the plan. We need to get to the portal," Kuzu said. "And besides, it is impossible, it could not be either of them."

"You are saying that on the basis of?" Gigi asked.

"Downstairs, I saw the kitchen's sliding door was wide open even in this cold weather! No one in their right mind would keep their kitchen window open while it is snowing outside," Kuzu said. "They must have run during the firing. They must have used a defense shield, then they fled through the kitchen door."

Gigi seemed convinced by Kuzu's theory. They both have been working together for two years and Kuzu's theory has always-- well, most of the time-- been true.

Convinced with his own theory, Kuzu nodded. "Yeah. Either they were expecting us or they fled during the open fire. Whatever happened, this person right now on this floor is neither Hitori nor Kamiya."

Kuzu looked through the French door again. The curtains were undrawn and the lamps were still. Kuzu had the button right next to the French door but he stayed put.

Eya had her breathing under control. "Kakashi," she called, "Stay alert, we will come out any moment." She hung up.

Although she had only a slight guess that she has been caught, Eya wanted to push things forward and end this little chasing game.

Gigi threw his fist on the wall. "Fuck. I want to blow up this place."

Kuzu turned back to Gigi. "No." His eyes were wide in fear. "No, if Hitori was never here-- if that is another possibility-- then we need to make him believe we were never here either."

Gigi creased his forehead. "If he was never here?"

"It should look like that to him. When we get out and head back to our portal, make sure you use that gadget to repair the damage done."

Gigi dug his hand into his dimensional storage and grabbed a ten inches long metal rod. He nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Now look for the person," Kuzu ordered. "But remember," Kuzu stopped Gigi, "whatever you do, keep this door locked. The person might be anywhere, but these French doors they have got on both sides, the lead to the same spot, it is a circle. We do not know how many men they have, so do not engage in battle unless they see you and lift their fucking wands to chant a curse."

Gigi nodded, he pulled his sub-machine gun and cocked it quietly. Kuzu drew his blades and walked to the room's door.

He unlocked the door and took a peek outside, near the fireplace, and looked for a shadow, or shadows. With no one in sight, Kuzu stepped out in the open.

Eya stepped forward. She pointed her wand at the curtains in front of the French doors that would lead her to the bedroom. She gulped as she used levitation to lift the lower side of the curtain.

She bent down to look for someone's feet or shadow. She got nothing, she rose up and then slashed her wand in the left direction to draw the curtains.

Through the translucent glasses, she could not see anyone's figure on the other side. If there were anyone, they would have attacked by now.

Eya moved closer to the French door while Kuzu moved closer to the guest room. In the dark, she used the Burglar's magic to unlock the French door.

She was afraid whether they heard the click, but fortunately, Gigi had, at the same time, unlocked the balcony door in the bedroom.

Well, he was confused why this door's click made double the sound? Gigi turned his head behind with a frown, he doubted whether Kuzu had locked the door from outside.

Gigi took a step away from the balcony when his eyes fell on the French doors. The curtains were drawn together on the other side, and one of the doors moved.

Gigi jumped back into the balcony, closed the sliding door, and held his gun near his chest.

The lamp's light was falling from above the door so Eya was safe with the shadow thing. But when she took a step out and leaned forward, Gigi saw her head falling in front of the balcony.

Following Kuzu's orders, Gigi stayed put, hiding on the balcony's corner. Eya studied the empty room.

Gigi's face started changing shapes. "Mage. Fucking Mages." He wanted to, but Kuzu's words flashed again.

Eya took small steps towards the door. Gigi could not see her or her shadow anymore, but he was sure she was still in the room. Gigi was waiting for her mates to follow, but no one came.

In front of the house, beside the door, Kakashi joined his hands and closed his eyes, and chanted: "Oh the House Guardian, lend me your power. Awake the killed to kill the killer."

The trees and plants Kuzu and Gigi had fired, rose as new-brand withered trees. Kakashi opened his eyes and glanced at the house, there was no sign of movement.

Gigi popped his head out of the balcony, Eya had left the door open. Gigi's hands on his metal gun were shivering as he walked out of the balcony.

Eya walked past the rug, and Gigi followed her to the bedroom door. He pointed his gun at her and got down to his knees.

Eya stopped, a frown formed on her face. She felt as if she was being watched-- she felt a murderous intent from the bedroom.

But she did not dare, she walked inside the guest room-- pretending she did not know about the person watching her.

Eya firmly closed the door behind her. The French door she had left ajar was not locked. She leaned against the door and calmed herself before walking to the French door.

She pulled the lever to unlock the French door. Fortunately, she was still unnoticed.

Standing in the door, Eya raised her wand and opened her mouth when Kuzu turned around.

The curtains jumped and Kuzu knew someone was there. He walked to the French door, Eya squeezed herself in the corner, and he locked the door once again.

Gigi locked the French door of his room, as ordered by Kuzu, and raced out of the room.

She was inside. Gigi knew, he knew the person had entered the guest room to attack Kuzu from behind. He knew it. Gigi tried the door but it was locked from inside.

Gigi clicked his tongue, pulled another slug, and threw it on the guest door's knob. The slug moved around the knob. Gigi threw his hand. "Fuck it." And ran back.

Eya used the magic again and unlocked the door-- Kuzu's ears jumped and he spun around on the click.

Gigi clenched his gun, he could not risk it anymore. He kicked the door and banged inside the bedroom shouting, "Behind you, Kuzu! Fucking behind you!"

Gigi slid to the floor, raised his gun, kicked the French door, and dived onto the bathroom's slippery floor.