"WALA na siguro tayong dapat alalahanin pagdating kay Miyako. Si Nanami na ang bahalang kumausap sa kanya," ani Tsukasa nang lumabas sila ng kakambal na si Takumi sa interior ng concert hall kung saan ginanap ang charity concert na kinabilangan ni Miyako.
The other Knights attended the concert, as well, with the exception of Mamoru and Shigeru dahil na rin sa mga misyong hindi maiwan-iwan ng mga ito. Though disappointed, naiintindihan naman ni Miyako iyon. The princess would've attended the concert, as well. But they couldn't risk letting Kourin face dangers that were certain to lurk around the area.
Nang walang marinig na tugon si Tsukasa mula kay Takumi ay tiningnan niya ito. Napansin niya na tila malalim ang iniisip nito. "Are you okay, Takumi?" she couldn't help asking.
Lihim na napapitlag si Takumi nang marinig ang boses ng kakambal. Tiningnan niya si Tsukasa at tumango na lang bilang tugon. "I'm sorry."
Umiling si Takumi. "Thankfully, it was uneventful. Pero hindi ko rin maikakaila ang pakiramdam na parang may mali."
"What do you mean?" kunot-noong tanong ni Tsukasa.
"I had an expert examine the portrait that Amiko and Tetsuya found inside the tunnel near the Kusanagi Shrine. Not only that the portrait was discovered to be dated back 250 years ago but also the fact that it was created and signed by someone from the Yasunaga," paliwanag ni Takumi.
"Well, that's quite a news, but I don't think there's something wrong with it. Ano'ng mali sa mga iyon?"
Huminga nang malalim si Takumi bago hinarap si Tsukasa na nasa mukha ang pagtataka at antisipasyon. "The one I considered wrong and weird was the identity of the man who placed the portrait inside that tunnel."
Lalong lumalim ang pangungunot ng noo ng Tsukasa. "I-I don't understand..."
"Huling nakita ang taong iyon ilang buwan na ang nakakaraan. Until the expert told me that the portrait wasn't only signed by a Yasunaga, but also by the blood of another person besides the artist. And when I had one of Mamoru's agents examine the blood for a possible DNA match, lumabas naman ang sagot na kailangan ko. Pero hindi iyon ang inaasahan kong sagot."
"You let them use the DNA Search Program, didn't you?" It was more of a statement to Tsukasa.
Tumango si Takumi bilang kumpirmasyon. "I had to. Iyon na lang ang pinakamabilis na paraan para matukoy ko kung sino nga iyon. Surprising enough, that person is already dead and is not even a part of the Yasunaga. He's a member of the Miyuzaki clan, Tsukasa. At ang taong iyon din ang natagpuang patay ni Raiden ilang milya ang layo mula sa templo noon."
Siyempre pa, ikinagulat ni Tsukasa ang sinabing iyon ng kakambal. "Paano nangyari iyon? I don't even know that person kaya paano nangyari na kabilang din siya sa mga Miyuzaki?"
"I had the same question myself nang tumambad sa akin ang sagot na iyon. Apparently, no one could provide the answer we need for now. Hanggang hindi natin natatagpuan ang taong pinagsilbihan ng lalaking iyon, malabong masagot kaagad ang mga tanong nating 'to," sagot ni Takumi.
Bumuntong-hininga na lang si Tsukasa at itinuon ang atensiyon sa tinatahak na daan. But soon after, may isang tanong na biglang sumagi sa isip niya. "You said that that person was the one who placed the portrait inside that tunnel. Are you saying that the portrait wasn't originally located there?"
"It was one of the possessions that they managed to save from the explosion in Casimera 6 months ago, along with the Full Moon Sowrd. Unfortunately, they failed to safeguard the weapon from the Dark Rose."
"I bet Hera had a hand on that explosion."
Walang naging tugon si Takumi sa sinabing iyon ni Tsukasa. Ipinagtaka iyon ng dalaga, lalo na nang tumigil sa paglalakad ang kakambal. Hindi na niya kailangang itanong kung bakit nito ginawa iyon. Agad siyang nakaramdam ng 'di maganda sa paligid na tila may nakamasid sa kanilang magkambal.
Sa paglingon nilang magkambal ay sinalubong sila ng papasugod na dalawang tao--isang babae at isang lalaki. Both had katana that were about to strike Tsukasa and Takumi if it wasn't for their fast reflexes. Tsukasa ended up dealing with the man as she tried her best to avoid getting sliced with his sword. While Takumi faced the woman who was trying to take him down with her sword. Pero mabilis pa sa kidlat na naagaw iyon ng binata mula sa kalaban bago ito sipain nang malakas.
Takumi wasn't very keen in hurting a woman. But this was Tethys he was talking about. And anyone--regardless of the gender--who belongs to the Dark Rose was someone he wouldn't show mercy to. Ganoon na kalaki ang galit na nararamdaman niya sa mga ito. Hindi lang dahil pinatay ng mga ito ang tatay niya, kundi dahil hindi niya mapatawad ang mga ito sa pagsira sa buhay at kinabukasan ng prinsesang pinagsisilbihan nilang magkakapatid. Though he knew the princess was trying her best to show to everyone that she was strong, the damage that the events during that particular night had inflicted on her was something Takumi could still see.
"You sure show up at the wrong time, Tethys," ani Takumi na puno ng disgusto sa kabila ng nakikitang tinitiis na sakit ng babaeng kalaban niya. He smiled mockingly at the sight.
"And you're just a pest that I need to destroy if you would just cooperate so I can get this over with and done," ganting panunuya ni Tethys na naglabas ng baril mula sa likod nito at itinutok kay Takumi.
The Storm Hunter didn't faze, though. Sanay na siya sa ganoong tanawin. But all of those who tried to take him down with a gun had failed to do so dahil agad na niyang inuunahan ang mga ito. "Don't be so confident, Tethys. Baka nalilimutan mo, hindi mo nagawang patayin ang dalawang pinsan ko nang gabing iyon. And they're not even a part of the 12 Knights. Sa tingin mo ba, ganoon mo lang kadaling magagawa ang sinasabi mo? And I'm not even the type of person who would easily cooperate with anyone, unless it's the clan leader who would give me the order."
"What did you say?" Tethys didn't like what Takumi said one bit.
Kahit nang ikasa ng babae ang baril ay hindi pa rin matinag sa kinatatayuan si Takumi. Bagkus ay inihanda niya ang sarili sa gagawing pagsugod sa babae. He poised into a fighting stance as his hold on the sword tightened.
But before Takumi could attack, he soon noticed another blade about to strike him down. Agad niyang naiwasan iyon at gamit ang espadang hawak-hawak, a sword fight between him and Crius ensued. As he did so, nakita niya si Tsukasa na nakaratay sa sahig na tila walang malay. Ikinagulat niyon iyon pero sandali lang. Agad niyang napansing kumilos ang kakambal at kinuha ang dala nitong baril na itinago nito sa likod.
With all the force he had, Takumi struck Crius' sword down, causing it to break na ikinagulat ng dalawang Dark Rose members. Soon after, two gunshots echoed in the area, dahilan upang tumalsik sa kamay nina Crius at Tethys ang hawak na putol na espada at baril. Sa paglingon ni Takumi, nakita niyang nakatayo na si Tsukasa at nakatutok ang baril sa dalawang kalaban.
"For someone who had undergone major surgery years ago, you sure recover fast, Crius," ani Tsukasa na lumapit sa kinatatayuan ni Takumi at hindi inaalis ang pagkakatutok ng baril kina Crius at Tethys.
"As if I'd let you have all the victory, Tsukasa. Isa pa, dapat lang na maka-recover ako kaagad dahil hindi ako papayag na mamatay na lang ng basta-basta hanggang hindi kita ipinapadala kay Kamatayan," puno ng galit na saad ni Crius.
Buntong-hininga lang ang naging tugon ni Tsukasa. "Well, sorry. But I don't think you can make that possible. Dahil titiyakin kong mas mauuna kang haharap kay Kamatayan kasabay ng mga kasamahan mo sa agency." Her voice was laced with venomous rage as she spoke.
The twins stared unwaveringly at the two Dark Rose members. But soon after, the twin Knights were alerted nang maramdaman nila na tila may iba pa silang kalaban bukod sa dalawang baliw na Dark Rose members na ito.
Great! More annoying hindrances, Tsukasa thought in disgust. Kaya naman bago pa makagawa ng hakbang ang mga ito na sugurin silang magkapatid, inilabas na niya ang isa pang baril na nakatago sa likod niya at pinaputukan si Crius. Nakita niya na ganoon din ang ginawa ni Takumi, only that he aimed his gun and fired it towards Tethys and some of the men that they were about to fire at them.
Sa malas nga lang, nagawang iwasan nina Crius at Tethys ang balang dapat sana'y tatama sa mga ito. Ilang sandali pa ay nagkaroon na ng palitan ng bala sa pagitan ng mga nagkalat na mga tauhan ng Dark Rose at ng magkambal na Miyuzaki. Those that had managed to escape the twins' bullets tried to strike them down with their swords but failed when Takumi and Tsukasa used their martial arts expertise against the goons. Marahil sa sobrang inis ng mga ito upang hindi na manlaban pa. Kailangan pa nilang makakuha ng impormasyon sa mga ito kaya hindi pa nila magawang wakasan ang buhay ng mga ito.
"Ending their lives won't change a thing about you and your wretched family's fate in our hands. Especially that of the Shinomiya princess' life, Tsukasa," sigaw ni Crius.
Natigilan sina Tsukasa at Takumi sa narinig. Lalong humigpit ang pagkakahawak ng dalaga sa hawak na baril habang si Takumi naman ay kuyom ang kamao. Parehong kakikitaan ng 'di matatawarang galit sa mga mata ang magkambal.
"Don't be so confident, Crius. Didn't I tell you? You can't make that possible. You and your pesky Dark Rose had to destroy all of us first before any of you could get your filthy hands on the princess," Tsukasa declared venomously.
"Wow! You sure are determined to say that, Illusory Autumn," Tethys said mockingly. "Bakit hindi natin simulan ngayon?"
"Yeah, right. Because before that could even happen, I'll already blow your head and make sure no one will ever recognize you, witch!" banat naman ni Takumi. "Matapang ka lang naman sa salita. Besides, you didn't even suceed in taking down my cousins that night. Iyon ay kahit sabihin pang ikaw ang isa sa pinakamagaling sa melee combat at sinasabi ring walang patawad pagdating sa kalaban. Why don't you fully prove your skills before you say things like that?"
"Ano'ng sinabi mo?" Tethys growled as she gritted her teeth.
And in one swift move, Tethys charged towards Takumi and attacked him, trying to strike him with the kodachi she had hidden and was swinging to him. Using his swordsmanship and martial arts skills, he dealt with Tethys' attacks. Damn! He must admit this woman had skills to take him heads on. But as if he would let her win. Kaya naman mabilis pa sa kidlat na hinablot niya ang kamay ng babae at sinikmuraan ito, dahilan upang mapaigik ito sa sakit.
While it was all happening, sinugod na rin ni Crius si Tsukasa. But unlike Takumi and Tethys' fight, Tsukasa dealt with Crius using solely her martial arts skills. Hindi man sapat ang lakas niya, her agility and speed made up for her lack of strength. Kaya hindi naging mahirap para sa kanya na sanggahin ang mga atake ni Crius sa kanya. In fact, she was already targeting Crius' pressure points since he started attcking her in order to immobilize his movements somehow. In one swift move, she gave Crius a roundhouse kick straight to his face.
The twins were catching their breath as they watched Tethys and Crius regroup.
"Damn it! How did you become so strong?" nanggagalaiting tanong ni Tethys na sapo ang sikmura.
Wala namang naging tugon ang magkambal. Tiningnan lang nila ang mga kalaban nang walang ipinapakitang anumang emosyon sa mukha.
"You can celebrate for now, Knights. But don't get so cocky about it," banta ni Crius. Nakuha niyon ang atensyon ang magkambal na Miyuzaki. "Konting paghihintay na lang, magagawa na naming isabuhay ang mga plano namin para sa inyo. Hindi lang para sa Shrouded Flowers kundi pati na rin sa Silhouette Roses. It's about time history has to repeat itself by filling the field of roses with the blood of its members."
"What was that supposed to mean?!" malakas ang tonong usisa ni Takumi.
But instead of an answer, the twins saw Crius smirked before throwing a tear-gas to them. Of course, as expected, it provided a distraction to the enemies to escape, which left Takumi enraged and Tsukasa annoyed. Despite that, confusion was also visible on their faces.
Nagkatinginan sina Tsukasa at Takumi, this time ay bakas na ang pag-aalala.
"Alam na nila kung sino ang mga miyembro ng Silhouette Roses."
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