No one's POV

After Taeko had defeated Cornelia, she went towards the near river to get clean. Thanks to the Oarburgh clothing, cleaning the stain and smell of blood was easy enough.

Taeko(mind): Still, back to back matches are rough... Sorry Chelsea, I know you are tired, but I'm going to need your help on this.

Knowing that she couldn't win against the rest of the Elite Seven on her own, she decided to ask for her friend Chelsea for help. She went back in town looking for her, but she was nowhere to be found. Feeling confused of her whereabouts, she started snooping around when she saw Ryu was on his own at the market buying ingredients for their next meal.

Taeko(mind): Ryu's alone? This is my chance...!

Deciding that Ryu was her next target, Taeko made her way towards him.

Ryu: Ah. Taeko.

Noticing Taeko's approach, Ryu turned around and greeted her.

Ryu: Sorry but, have you seen Cornelia around? I was supposed to take her out on a date, but I couldn't find her.

Taeko: Ah yes. She went outside of town and caught a rare danger beast. And she ask if she could need help of assistance in carrying back. So she sent me back to go ask for help.

Ryu: I see. Sure I'll help you out.

Ryu smile without a care in the world. Taeko just returned the smile and started walking.

Taeko: This way.

Ryu:...

Ryu then walked and follow Taeko. After about 10 minutes of walking, Taeko led Ryu to an abandoned building. Ryu looked up, seemed a bit odd for Cornelia to choose place for hunting Danger Beast. But regardless, Ryu followed Taeko.

He noticed that the placed was truly abandoned, without a single person there to be seen. The only people there was just Ryu and Taeko. Before long the two of them reached an open space area.

Ryu: Taeko?

Taeko: Here we are. Cornelia should be around here somewhere, oh there she is.

Sure enough, Ryu saw the blonde hair girl sitting against a dead tree. Ryu just ignore Taeko and went towards Cornelia worried.

Ryu: Corey... Isn't it a bit odd for you to—

The moment he saw her, his mind snaps. Her clothes were tattered. Her right arms were missing. Blood flows everywhere from her body and neck.

Ryu: Cor...

Before Ryu could check on her, he already unsheathed his katana and did a motion swing towards the person standing behind him. It was Taeko who was trying to catch him off guard and assassinate him. But Ryu was already prepared for this to happened. Ever since Taeko invited him, Ryu was already suspicious of her. If it was Akame who was the one whom asked, Ryu might actually believed her. But for Cornelia to make such request, were so uncharacteristic of hers. So Ryu already prepared himself for the worst outcome and counter with a swift strike movement and slash Taeko's right abdomen.

Taeko: Kwah...!

With the opening he made, Ryu jumped back to gain some distance and glare at her with full of murderous aura. Taeko looked at him somewhat surprised that Ryu had noticed. From outside of her view, Ryu seemed like an ordinary boy. In fact, out of the girls, Poney, Akame, Cornelia, and the other guys, Ryu was someone she thought had the less experienced, that's why she had targeted him.

Taeko: How did you know...?

Taeko said slowly as she held her right abdomen howling in pain.

Ryu: When you are trying to assassinate someone, you should hide your killing intent before it time to strike.

Taeko: So that means...

Ryu: Indeed. From the first moment you ask me out. This was an identical case we reviewed many times over. You were trying to throw me off by showing me an injured teammate and using that moment of hesitation to kill me. But I'll tell you now, that was a mistake. You hurt my family, and I can promise you that I'm not letting you out of here alive after hurting someone I love.

Taeko: That's right... but if you can bandage her up in time, you might still be able to save her.

Ryu: I'll send you to your eternal slumber.

Taeko:...!

Once again Taeko was shock by the pure killing intent one boy possessed. The usual friendly smile and gentle face was nowhere to be found. Her mentor Barbara had said, that Ryu was somewhat different from the others, this must be why. Ryu was able to completely hide his killing intent and suspiciousness with a poker face. Chelsea had warned her that Ryu was the one she needs to be worried most.

Taeko(mind): If only Chelsea was here!

As if reading her mind, Ryu counter with his own.

Ryu: If you are wondering you should have ask that auburn hair girl friend of yours for help. Well your just wasting your time.

Ryu said catching Taeko off guard.

Taeko: Did you do something to Chelsea?!

Ryu: That friend of your who has the capability to change her appearance to anything she wants, made one fatal mistake. And that mistake was, simply me. Thinking that she was successful in tailing us, without being noticed. The boys whom you already identified should be facing that grandma of yours by now. And as for your friend, I can assure you that, she will be busy at the brothel right about now.

Taeko(mind): I don't believe it. He noticed everything!

Ryu: So you can rest in piece.

Thinking that she was the one that made him, restless, but if was Ryu whom made her restless. Now all she could think about was her comrades safety. In order to find that out, she needs to kill this boy right away.

Taeko: I am the breath of the reaper of Oarburgh, the vanishing wind that will guide you to hell.

Ryu: Let see if you can.

With that words alone, Ryu disappeared from Taeko's view. Readying her sword at the ready, she did a 180 degree spin and managed to barely dodge a direct thrust from the boy.

Taeko:...!

Ryu: Oh... Impressive that you managed to dodge.

Taeko(mind): Ryu...! I wasn't expecting him to be faster than Cornelia...!!

Ryu attacked again, giving Taeko no time to gain some space. Getting closer to her face, Ryu aimed a bullet towards her head with the Prometheus gun, she barely managed to avoid but Ryu already knew how much of an advantage he held from that interaction. She wasn't expecting how fast Ryu's movement and attack.

Ryu: Did you not know how happy Cornelia was to have made a friend?! Why would you turn on her like this?!

Taeko: Same goes for me!

Ryu: !

Taeko: But once I realized she was the enemy...!

Taeko gritted her and made a small CACHING sound that was barely audible. But regardless, Ryu heard the sound. It was then, Taeko launch a needle from her mouth towards Ryu's face from close range. Ryu already guessed that was a poison needle, and once again defying logic itself, he managed to swiftly dodge the attack.

Ryu(mind): Those movements...!

Ryu noticed the way Taeko tried to grab ahold of his hand and aimed her sword towards him. And judging by that poison needle, Ryu could already guessed that Taeko's fighting style was through poisoning her opponent. With no other choice, Ryu finally jumps back stopping the pressure that he was doing on Taeko.

Taeko(mind): Now's my chance to apply some healing medicine!!

Ryu: Hmph...!

Ryu saw that Taeko had taken out a bottle of water from her breast pocket. He could already guest that it was a healing medicine to heal the wounds that he had inflicted on her. But what she didn't noticed was that a bullet was coming from behind and smash the bottle before she could heal herself. Ryu had change the trajectory of the bullet to make sure to hit Taeko's head, but he was off by quite a bit, so instead, he aimed for her hand instead.

Ryu: It's no use! I won't let you heal yourself.

Taeko: Guh...! Whirlwind!!

With those words, alone, Taeko unleashed a multitude of strikes towards Ryu. But the boy didn't panicked in the slightest as he just counter all attack with his sword, while also shooting bullets to make sure Taeko didn't gain the pressure on him and destroying any healing medicine she tried to use on herself.

Taeko(mind): Dammit... Even his power is far greater than Cornelia's. Even if I'm injured... How can he be besting me?!

Ryu: Is that all your going to offer...?

Taeko: Twister!!

Ryu provoke Taeko once again. Taeko was desperate not to lose. But she was still backed into a corner, no matter what she do to attack, Ryu counter every last one of them. Even when she sped up with Twister to disappear and reappear from all sides, Ryu blocks every once of her multitude attack without breaking a sweat.

Even so, the speed that both sides were showing were impressive as it is. Each of their clash sends smalls shockwaves around the area. Small cracks could be seen appearing on the walls as both Ryu and Taeko clash. After awhile, the both of them gain some distance and Taeko was already panting heavily. She was tired from all the attacks and techniques she used, but none of those attacks managed to land a hit on this boy.

Taeko(mind): Kuh... Just what is he...? He's not even breaking a sweat after all that. And all my healing medicines are destroyed. Just as Cornelia's gauntlet, there must be more to that gun than meets the eye. In that case...

Taeko: The Oarburgh sword-drawing technique. I'm ending this here and now.

She ready her blades to the side, and Ryu raised his upward while hiding his gun behind him.

Ryu: Come and get me.

Taeko's eyes kept a lock on Ryu at all times, but it didn't matter as Ryu continued with his attack, dashing in and out of view with sword strikes being blocked every so often as she attempted to dodge bullets Ryu had fired to keep himself safe from retaliation but Ryu was aiming at only one area the entire time as he went in for one last attack.

Taeko(mind): Here he comes...! I'm going to block him!

She brought out her sword sheaths instead of her sword, it was then she noticed that the place that Ryu had struck with his blade was short range from where she was blocking. It was then she realized Ryu's aimed, but it was already to late. The reason why was that Ryu changed where his blade was aiming and struck her face.

Ryu: You were on guard with my gun that you had no choice but to dual wield with your sheaths to land a hit on me. But to little to obvious.

Taeko(mind): He read my movements.

She clenches her face, blood dripping down quickly as she was in pain as Ryu approached her pointing his gun at her face. But saw where she was staring, straight at Cornelia.

Taeko: I...I only realized she was the enemy just before the very end...

Ryu: So you two were truly friends at the beginning... Then I'm going to make your death painless.

Ryu held the trigger at Taeko's face and was getting ready to fire, Taeko didn't resist at all as she accepted her loss, but heard Ryu's last wish for her.

Ryu: Next time you meet, I hope you can be on the same side to the very end.

Hearing that last wish made Taeko close her eyes and accepted dead without any resistance. Ryu saw a drop of tears from her eyes and with a loud BANG that filled the air, one bullet went straight towards her head and into her brain. Her body lay motionless on the ground and Ryu immediately rushed towards his injured comrade.

Ryu: Cornelia! Cornelia, sorry for taking so long! I'll patch you up as fast as I can.

No reply coming from the blonde hair girl. Was it because of shock? No, her eyes were still open.

Ryu: Cornelia, you okay?

Ryu held his arm to check up on her. Her body was as ice cold and no pulse.

Ryu: N-no... that, that can't be! Wake up, Cornelia! Corey, get up this isn't funny! You promised me that we could get out together right! So please say something!

Ryu tried to put pressure on her chest, trying to restart her heart in a vain attempt. He could feel the tears pouring out of his eyes as his voice screamed into the sky for no one but himself to hear. All he could hear was nothing but his own despair, frustration and desperation for this all to be a nightmare.

Ryu: COREY....!!!

Ryu continues to cry as he called out to his blonde hair friend. The longer it goes, the slowly he had to accept that his friend life has ended. Nothing he do could change that.

After awhile, Poney and Akame soon became worried for their friends, seeing that they never came back. The two girls went out looking for them. After awhile they find both Ryu and Cornelia at the abandon building and shock and sadness overcomes them. The only thing they could see was Ryu crying his eyes out with the blonde hair girl cradle in his arm.

Not knowing what to do to comfort their comrades since pure sadness was overcomes them as well. Poney and Akame did the only thing they could do. They head over towards the crying boy and they slowly wrap their arms around the crying Ryu and the deceased Cornelia. Letting their own tears out. After all, they too share the pain of losing someone precious to them.