"So then, what's the game plan?"

That was the first question that exits Shiki's mouth as both Megumi and himself were seen inside of a taxi. While the two of them sat next to each other, they decided to try and form a plan while they still had the time. Soon Megumi responded to the boy's question with a smug smile on her face.

"That's simple, my adorable kouhai. Obviously I'll be taking the lead once we get there. You'll be supporting me from a safe distance. With the combination of your eyes plus the Black Keys, they could be a game changer. By the way, how many do you have?"

"Twelve", Shiki responded with a heavy sigh. "Those damn things are expensive. I had to use up all of my allowance that I saved for months just to get them."

Megumi's smug expression vanished. Soon she placed her right hand on Shiki's left shoulder. When the boy looked at her, he saw tears escaping from her eyes as she looked at him as if she understood his pain.

"Welcome to our personal hell, keeping a budget for Black Keys alone."

As the taxi kept moving, Shiki was simply sitting in silence as he stared out the window. While this happened, he was starting to think to himself. He joined the church due to his own life being at stake and wanting to protect the only two people close with him. That's when a question popped into his head.

"Megumi-senpai, why did you join this?"

"..........."

Silence. All Shiki was met with was a cold silence. When he turned to look at Megumi, he saw the girl was as frozen as a statue. Sweat forming on her head as she heard this question. After a couple of seconds of silence, Megumi soon spoke up.

"......it's a bit complicated. Maybe one day i'll tell you, but for now we should focus on the mission."

"Dammit, I really screwed up didn't I?", Shiki cursed himself in his head. The moment that conversation ended, both Shiki and Megumi felt the taxi stop. After Shiki paid the driver for getting them to their location and stepping out of the taxi, both members of the church stood before the entrance of a park filled with trees as far as the eye could see.

"Here we are, Dainohara Forest Park." Megumi stated as she walked forward. Shiki quickly followed her as he took a deep breath.  This was his very first mission for the church and he can't afford to make a mistake here.

~Meanwhile~
"Feast.....I hunger.....must...fe-......AAAAAAAAH."

Merkava released mighty roar as the small familiar of his master was absorbing the mana that the beast had gathered so far. The moment it was finished, it looked towards Mahito as it began to open its mouth.

"I am full. Merkava has supplied me with a marvelous amount of mana. It won't be long before I awaken. I leave him in your hands, Mahito. Naoya will be busy trying to master the S-Ranked Cursed Treasure he stole, so don't expect back up."

After that message was given, the little creature began to sprout wings as it flew away from the forest park. It gathered as much mana as it could possibly have gotten from Merkava and simply left. Merkava suddenly stood up as saliva escaped from his mouth.

"F-flesh..........near...A-AGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!"

Seeing Merkava I'm this state, Mahito simply smiled as he reached into his pockets. Soon Mahito held several pieces of small flesh in each hand. Suddenly his hands manifested a dark purple aura as the flesh grew into the size of adult men as their bodies were large and disfigured. Soon Mahito directed the creatures he made into the direction where Merkava screamed at. As this happened, Mahito smiled as he knew one thing for certain.

"Something tells me this night is about to get interesting."

~With Shiki~
"Did you hear that, Senpai?" Shiki asked Megumi as both of them heard an extremely loud roar from further within the park.

"Yeah, it sounds like we might reach our target sooner than we expected. However, it seems we have to take care of some uninvited guests."

"Yeah, let's show some hospitality after they gave us such a warm welcome."

The moment the duo from the church said this, they each took out three Black Keys and threw them behind each other. The sound of sharp metal piercing flesh echoed through the forest as the Black Keys found themselves in the heads of several humanoid creatures with misshapen bodies. As Shiki and Megumi nod at each other, they quickly dashed towards their Black Keys as more of these creatures entered the area.

Megumi swiftly grabbed her Black Keys and threw them at Shiki's direction. As she did this, one of the monsters lunged at her back, thinking she was wide open. Megumi swiftly turned around as she grabbed the monster by its head with her right hand as she lets a large amount of electricity escape from it.

Just as Shiki retrieved his own Black Keys, he caught the ones Megumi threw towards him as he used the Holy Sacraments to pierce through the flesh of two more monsters that were heading for him. Shortly after removing the blades from their bodies, Shiki suddenly heard it.

Bzzzzzzzt

The sound of static entered his ears as his heartbeat was beginning to increase. His breathing was starting to get more ragged. He knew this feeling. It was the very same sensation he had on that fateful night.

Seeing the boy like this, Megumi rushed towards him. However, before she got closer to him, Megumi saw something on the wrist of one of the monsters Shiki and herself exterminated.

"Hold on....why does a monster have on an expensive watch? Come to think of it, Shiki wasn't acting like the way he did that night until after these things were killed. Don't tell me, were the things we killed actually......"

"My my. You officials from the church really are something else. Well since Merkava already has his sights on his target, I guess you'll be my partner for now, little girl."

Suddenly Megumi was kicked in the skull as a humanoid being with a patchwork face was seen smiling as his foot caused her to crash into a tree. Just as Shiki was about to rush to attack the new enemy, a long appendage wrapped itself around his right leg as the boy was being dragged away from the scene.

"Shiki!!!!"

"Easy there, girl of the church. Merkava and him have beef to settle anyways, right? It doesn't seem right for us to interfere. I was interested in that kid as well but..."

Mahito stared at Megumi with a bit of interest. Ever since he was born, he was able to see the shape of a creature's soul. However, when he looked at Megumi's, he could tell right away.

"Keep your eyes off of me!"

As Megumi said this, Mahito screamed in pain as his body was suddenly being electrocuted. Immediately after this, Megumi held three Black Keys in each hand as she threw them at Mahito. Seeing this, Mahito swiftly used Idle Transfiguration on both arms as they were now in the form of blades as he deflected the weapons thrown at him.

"This girl she's definitely not a complete human."

~With Shiki~
As Shiki was being dragged off, he held one of his Black Keys and stabs it into the appendage that grabbed a hold of his leg. A loud hiss could be heard from the creature that abducted him. As Shiki's leg was now free, he took a few steps back as he saw something slowly approaching him.

"Feast............"

Once more, the sound of Shiki's own heartbeat rung in his ears as he saw the creature slowly approaching him. Its long arms now morphing into wings, its long hair flowing in the wind as it now took flight, the pitch black body that would blend in with the night if not for the markings on its body.

"It's you......."

"We meet again......young man. I am....Merkava."

Shiki couldn't hide his surprise when he heard the beast forming a sensible sentence. Before the boy could ask anything, he swiftly jumped to the branch of a nearby tree as Merkava starting flailing and stretching his long arms in the manner a human would crack a whip.

"Feast....FEAST....the hunger.... won't end. Young man, I speak with you before the mind of the beast I have become completely takes over."

As Merkava said this, he swiftly flew towards Shiki as he was ready to sink his teeth into the boy's flesh. Seeing this, Shiki jumped to another tree while throwing three Black Keys towards Merkava. Merkava caught the first Black Key with his teeth as he began to devour it. The other two found themselves lodged in Merkava's chest, only for the beast to rip them out and eat them whole.

"Those were the Black Keys Megumi lent me earlier, so I still have my original twelve Black Keys on me. "

"Young man, I have but one request to ask you. Something you are perfect f-for...AAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!"

As Merkava said this, he stretched his right arm as it wrapped around Shiki's right leg. Soon the beast slammed the boy's body into a nearby tree. The moment this happened, Shiki felt blood dripping down from his face. However, that wasn't the only thing in his sight.

"The Lines......"

As Shiki looked at the ground, he saw two things. His glasses destroyed from when Merkava slammed him into a tree and the Lines of Death all over the ground and everything else in his sight. As Merkava was prepared to lunge forward at the boy, the beast felt a shiver down his spine as he suddenly jumped back the moment Shiki turned around to face him.

"I knew it........the first time we met, I had a hunch he might be the one to save me from this wretched form. Now that I experienced this sensation again, I am certain. This boy.....will kill me."

A non-human creature is right there.

A voice echoed itself throughout Shiki's head. There was no warmth behind it, there was no compassion. It was cold, twisted even. Yet this voice was extremely familiar to Shiki. Well it should be, considering it was his own voice.

It shouldn't exist. It doesn't need to exist. Look at it, walking back due to fear. It's like he's begging to be killed.

Shiki didn't say a word as he reached into his pocket and took out his knife. He had three Black Keys in the left and his favorite knife in his right.  As he took a step forward, Shiki noticed something strange.

"Why is my heart racing? Why am I not scared? I'll die. I'll die it I mess up. I'll die if I don't take this seriously. So why........why can't I stop smiling."

It's time to stop holding back. I only need to do one thing in this moment. I will follow my instinct....and kill this monster.