An unsettling feeling of alarm pulsed through him, prompting Hikaru to summon a shimmering array of icicles.
He could hear Kasai cursing softly under his breath, the sound laced with urgency as he appeared to be manipulating something unseen in the air with skilled taps of his fingertips.
Does he seriously have a hologram?
Hikaru's mind raced with anticipation, wondering what this unforeseen twist could mean for their confrontation.
Was this man also an Elementalist like him?
It would make sense, but Hikaru couldn't help but be surprised nonetheless.
He couldn't recall ever meeting another Elementalist around his age, so it was intriguing.
"H-hey, what the fuck!? What is that noise, man?" Hikaru asked Kasai, sensing that the other man was already knowledgeable about the meaning behind those sounds.
Just then, Hikaru instinctively flinched and ducked as a tree branch hurtled towards him, barely missing his cheek.
With the tension in the air building, he couldn't shake the feeling that whatever was causing that noise was about to make its presence very known.
"Those, my friend, are known as 'Creatures of the Underworld.' My guess is that they're just failed experiments by the government from a long time ago that somehow got access to dark mana and became complete freakshows, but I don't think anyone is entirely sure of where they came from. If someone clocked them as being affected by radioactive material, I wouldn't even be surprised. I've heard that they're lowkey hideous."
"I thought that those were just a myth!" Hikaru replied in shock, and he couldn't help but feel his jaw threatening to drop.
"You've been the heir of someone who is practically a literal King for this long, and you seriously didn't know that these things existed? I thought that was common knowledge. You best hurry, because I'm not planning on dragging you. You could get eaten for all I care."
What a ray of sunshine.
Hikaru thought to himself sarcastically as Kasai shouted over his shoulder, his voice a mixture of urgency and adrenaline, as he catapulted himself into the air.
In his outstretched hand, a pulsating ball of fire crackled with energy, casting flickering shadows that danced across the walls.
Dark, shadowy figures began to seep in from the edges of the nearby forest, their forms distinct and ominous, moving with a predatory grace.
Hikaru's heart raced as he realized the alarms of his residence could trigger any moment now, a screeching warning that would cut through the chaos.
Without a second thought, he propelled himself after Kasai, desperate to keep pace as they plunged into the gathering darkness.
He wasn't sure where he would end up, but anything was better than being eaten alive.
A nightmarish creature launched toward him, its shape a grotesque fusion of a beetle, an ant, and a winged lizard.
The creature's armored exoskeleton shimmered in the dim light, dark and glistening like oil on water. Its segmental legs, jointed and powerful, propelled it forward with alarming speed, while the wide, membranous wings unfurled behind it, casting eerie shadows on the ground.
The air was pierced by another ear-splitting screech, a cacophony of terror that sent shivers down his spine as the beast lunged menacingly, fangs bared and ready to strike.
It smelled horrid, like rotting flesh mixed with gasoline.
Hikaru could feel the unease building in his stomach as he prepared for what was to come.
He focused intently on the nearby pond, envisioning a massive ball of water forming in his mind.
With a swift gesture, he summoned it, ready to propel it at the creature. Hikaru immediately tried to freeze it in place, setting the stage for the confrontation that lay ahead.
Despite the formidable, icy prison that encased it in a thick layer of ice, the creature exuded a strong energy, as if it were on the brink of breaking free at any moment.
Its surface shimmered with the reflection of light, hinting at the power trapped within, ready to shatter the icy bonds that held it captive.
Kasai was poised for action, preparing to launch himself as he envisioned conjuring a massive ball of fire.
Once Kasai finally slammed the flames forward, Hikaru could almost feel the heat threatening to burn his own flesh off, anticipating the moment it would reduce everything in its path to ashes.
Fortunately for both of them, the creature was immediately decimated.
"Dammit! There are a lot of these things. There's absolutely no way we can take all of these on with only our elemental abilities, without coming out seriously injured. We need some sort of weapon." Kasai's voice quivered with anxiety, a rare crack in his otherwise confident demeanor that Hikaru had never witnessed before.
"We need to get out of here," Hikaru urged, desperation laced in his tone. "The alarms are going to sound any minute now; those things are getting closer to my home. We have to find a safer place until we can arm ourselves."
Hikaru continued gently, his words a calming melody amidst the tension that hung in the air, as he impaled another skeletal creature through its chest with an icicle.
Kasai whipped around to face him, fury igniting in his eyes like a blazing fire. "You expect us to just run away like cowards? Come on! By leaving, you're endangering your entire family!"
"I couldn't care less about what happens to that man," Hikaru replied, his voice steady yet cold as ice. "He's always been corrupt. Please, just hear me out. I know we've only just met, but you saved my life. Let me at least try to save yours in return. I can't leave a debt unpaid."
Kasai paused, his expression shifting as he surveyed the writhing mass of dark, demonic creatures swirling around them.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips, filled with the weight of unspoken dread.
A colossal creature emerged, resembling an enormous, spiked disc that rolled ominously across the ground.
At its center, a single, gigantic eye blazed with an intense, fiery glow, its body casting flickering shadows as it surveyed its surroundings.
The sheer presence of this beast was enough to send Hikaru scrambling to clear a path, instinctively aware of the danger it represented.
Kasai immediately conjured up another crackling surge of flame and hurled it at the creature, reducing it to nothing but ashes.
"Fuck.. Fine. But mark my words, I'm going to slaughter every one of those bastards as soon as I get my hands on proper gear." Kasai muttered as he begrudgingly allowed Hikaru to tug him along.
"Hey, where the hell are we going anyway?" he questioned, his brow furrowing in suspicion.
Hikaru let out a soft sigh, his breath almost lost in the bustling sounds of the chaos around them. "We're taking a car. Oh, but just a heads up, this one can fly."
Kasai arched an eyebrow. His expression shifted slightly, but not with much surprise.
Given Hikaru's immense wealth and connections, a flying car didn't seem out of the realm of possibility.
As they made their way through the waves of putrid creatures, The sleek, futuristic vehicle awaited them, the water drops shimmering under the moonlight, and he couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and skepticism as they approached.
"I don't know how to drive, so you're alone on this one." Kasai admitted, his voice tinged with a hint of embarrassment that was unusual for him.
The corners of his mouth turned down slightly, and his cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink.
Meanwhile, Hikaru found himself momentarily frozen, caught off guard by the unexpected vulnerability in Kasai's demeanor.
The air was thick with unspoken words as he watched the man struggle to maintain his usual composure.
Hikaru tried to lighten the mood by making his tone friendly. "It's alright! I know how to drive. Don't sweat it."
"Fine, but If you crash and kill us both, I'm making sure to write 'Hikaru's Fault' on the windows with my blood before I actually breathe my last breath."