The crack of gunfire.

Had Arisa not reminded herself just moments before what A-188's nature was, the sight of her skull splitting would have been horrifying.

But as it stood, Arisa immediately traced where the bullet had come from.

The figure on the ruined roof, aiming downwards, was clad in light lacquered armor, body seemingly composed of shadows in the shape of a human, with red pinpoints of light serving as eyes.

It wasn't the only one of its kind. Others had emerged from darkness of the deeper ruins, yari pointed downwards as they hurtled forward, poised to impale the other Agents and herself.

She couldn't reach the matchlock-wielding one on the roof before the yari-wielders reached them, and if it still had to be reloaded that would take time. So she'd take the closer target.

There wasn't much time to ponder their nature, though they seemed to be some kind of phantom. She could guess the arquebus was responsible for the shattered skull of one of the victims, and that the yari were responsible for the puncture wound. A katana could explain the bisected victim as well.

Arisa took one step forward.

Whatever their nature may be, she was certain the phantom ashigaru were responsible for the killings.

So, she'd stop them.

Ifrit raised. The first step was simple.

Channel her mana down into her legs. It was almost as if she was willing her own blood through her veins, faint lines of light spreading along her thigh and calf muscles.

When she launched herself forward, it was this magical energy that increased the power of her legs, letting her reach the yari ashigaru in an instant.

In that some movement, Ifrit's enormous blade cleaved the air, snapping the nearest weapon's shaft and reaching its wielder. The lacquered armor wasn't enough, splitting under the impact.

Ifrit sliced through the ashigaru from shoulder to hip, both halves flying apart. What spewed from the body wasn't blood, but rather an inky, hazy black fluid.

Arisa twisted in place, dragging Ifrit's tip against the wall as she brought the enormous blade around, slamming into the nearest phantom ashigaru from behind and cutting its upper half from its lower.

[@Rune_Alchemist][@Eisenhorn][@Izurich][@OwO][@Raineh Daze]