Crimson Code: Last Descent

Entertainment District, Kabukicho

The Oni charged with terrifying speed, tongue lolling from his mouth, rage blazing in his blood-red eyes. Kenmochi stumbled desperately, dragging Gintama and Konatsu as the Oni closed in, his clawed hand raised to strike—

A female figure appeared in a blur, seizing the Oni's wrist with an iron grip. "Off you go," she said coolly, swinging his massive body like a ragdoll. The Oni hurtled through the air, crashing into a building with a deafening BOOM. The impact shattered concrete, leaving a spiderweb of cracks across the wall.

She turned back, brushing off her hands. "Are you kids okay?"

Kenmochi panted, "I'm okay, but they're not."

"Hey, kid," she said to the small healer, "heal those two."

The kid nodded, placing his hands on Gintama and Konatsu. Crimson blood seeped from his palms, flowing into their bodies like liquid light. Their wounds knitted together, and they jolted awake.

"What the hell happened?" Konatsu groaned, rubbing his head.

"God, I thought I was done for," Gintama muttered, clutching his chest.

"We got saved by this woman," Kenmochi said, nodding toward her.

Konatsu's eyes widened. "That's… Mitsuru Hanataka—a 4th ranker!"

"Really?" Gintama said, squinting. "She doesn't seem all that strong."

From the rubble, the Oni's voice snarled, "Who is this? A new flesh I have to kill?"

Mitsuru glanced at Gintama, Konatsu, and Kenmochi with a playful smirk. "Oh, scary, wooo~"

She turned back to the Oni, strolling toward him with casual confidence.

Kenmochi struggled to his feet. "I can help—"

"Don't worry about it," Mitsuru said, waving him off. "I got it."

The Oni sneered, dust swirling around him. "You got me? Hahaha! You haven't even seen my Crimson Art, you fool! I'll tear your insides out, and when I'm done with you, I'll kill them—haha!"

Mitsuru kept walking, unfazed, not breaking a sweat.

"Crimson Barrier!" the Oni roared. Blood surged from his body, hardening into a jagged, pulsating armor that encased him head to toe, glowing with an ominous red sheen.

"No matter what you do, you can't hurt me, hahahah!" he bellowed.

Mitsuru tilted her head. "That's a bit dramatic, don't you think? Wouldn't that armor just weigh you down, making you slower?"

"Oh, you little—" the Oni growled. "I'll kill you!"

He exploded forward, the ground quaking beneath his armored charge. His kick lashed out, a blur of crimson power aimed to crush her. Mitsuru sidestepped effortlessly, seizing his leg mid-strike. With a flick of her wrist, she slammed him into the earth, the impact cracking the pavement in a shockwave of dust.

She didn't stop. Her fists rained down like thunderbolts, each blow a seismic CRASH against his armor. The air vibrated with the force, but the Crimson Barrier held firm. Undeterred, she grabbed his arm, leapt skyward, and hurled him downward with a meteoric throw. As she descended, her leg swung in a devastating arc—a kick to his stomach that unleashed a sonic boom, flattening nearby debris.

The Oni staggered to his feet, unscathed. "Don't you get it? You can't hurt me! Over time, you'll tire, and I'll devour you completely!"

Mitsuru straightened, brushing off her hands. "Is that so? Physical attacks don't do anything, huh? Interesting. I wanna know more," she thought to herself.

Out loud, she said, "What about blood weapons?" A dagger of shimmering crimson materialized in her grip, its edge pulsing with deadly intent.

"Try all you want, you ca—" the Oni began, but Mitsuru vanished in a flash.

She reappeared before him, driving the dagger into his armor with a cataclysmic strike. The force erupted in a shockwave, hurling the Oni backward. His armored body skidded across the ground, tumbling violently, crashing through rubble until he finally stopped, a trail of destruction in his wake.

Mitsuru charged again, closing the distance in an instant. Her dagger stabbed at the armor with relentless precision, each thrust a burst of crimson sparks—but the barrier refused to yield. The Oni swung a massive fist; Mitsuru dodged with a graceful twist, landing lightly on her feet.

"Mm, interesting," she mused. "Ahh, whatever."

"Did you give up? Hahaha!" the Oni taunted.

"I just gave up entertaining myself," Mitsuru replied coolly. "It's time for you to die, unfortunately."

"Try your worst, woman, hahaha!" the Oni jeered.

Mitsuru dashed forward, her hand slashing through the air. A torrent of blood poured from her palm, splashing across the Oni in a violent cascade. She flickered behind him, mimicking a gun with her fingers. "Bam," she said softly.

The Oni's body detonated in a colossal explosion—blood and armor fragments erupting outward in a fiery crimson blast that shook the district. The ground trembled, windows shattered, and a plume of dust rose into the sky.

Mitsuru strolled back to the group, brushing off her hands. "I'll be your additional bodyguard. Koni Dio's request."

Kenmochi stared, his mind reeling. She's a monster.

Konatsu blinked, still dazed. "A 4th ranker… no wonder."

Gintama rubbed his healed hands. "Guess she's stronger than she looks."

The kid with the lollipop clung to Kenmochi, wide-eyed but silent.

Mitsuru glanced at them, smirking faintly. "Let's get moving, kids."

To Be Continued…