Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters and most likely never will. The Predator is a copyright of Twentieth Century Fox.  Rurouni kenshin and all characters associated with Kenshin are owned by Weekly Shonen Jump comics.  Enjoy and review afterwards please.

Rurouni Kenshin/Predator

Blades of Blood

by Hybrid Digimon Grey

Chapter 2

Face of the Devil

Five days after Cho’s demise, an unexpected and rather unwelcome visitor was heading for the Kamiya dojo in Tokyo.  Kenshin and the others were having afternoon tea, unaware that fate would draw them back to Kyoto.

“It sure has been quiet around here since our visit to Kyoto that it has,” Kenshin said with a smile.

“If you ask me, it’s pretty boring around here,” Sano said as he chewed on a fish bone.

“Well no one asked you,” Yahiko said.

“What’d you say you little brat,” Sano shouted.

“You heard me,” Yahiko said as he stuck his tongue out.

Karou and Kenshin laugh as Sano chases after Yahiko when they suddenly hear someone at the front gate.  They went to answer it and much to their surprise saw Saito outside the gate with a wicked smile on his face.

"Saito," Karou said.

"You've come here to kill Kenshin haven’t you," Yahiko said as he drew his wooden sword.

"Glad to see you survived Saito," Sano said as he cracked his knuckles," You and me have some unfinished business to attend to."

"Sano! Yahiko," Kenshin said sternly," that's enough."

"But Kenshin," Yahiko said.

"I will deal with Saito," Kenshin said as he looked at the others then faced Saito and sternly asked," What is it you want?"

"Your very direct Battousai," Saito said with a smirk," Are you aware of what happened in Kyoto?"

"No, please tell me has anything happened?  Are Misao, Aoshi, and the others at the Aoiya okay," Kenshin asked in a concerned tone.

"There fine for the time being," Saito said," it seems that a new manslayer entered Kyoto about a few days ago on the night of a shooting star.  During that time, this manslayer has already killed eight people, all of them police officers…so far and one of which was Cho the Sword Hunter."

"You mean that guy who was part of the Juppongatana," Yahiko asked.

"But how could that be," Karou said as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Broom-head…I mean Cho can't be dead," Sano said as he clenched his fist in anger,” Who was it?  Tell me right now Saito!”

“If I knew that, do you really think I’d be here you moron,” Saito said sternly.

Sano growled angrily as he tried to rush forward to strike Saito but fortunately Yahiko and Kenshin were ale to hold him back.

"What happened to him," Kenshin asked.

"As far as I know, he was attacked in the middle of the night," Saito said,” He put up a fight against the attack but lost in the end…his head and spinal cord were ripped out from his body.  You’re friend weasel girl found him that morning…naked and hanging from their sign by his feet.”

“That’s horrible,” Karou said.

“As of right now the Oniwa Banshu and police officers are patrolling Kyoto for this manslayer, but he seems to vanish as quickly as he appears,” Saito said sternly.

"Then what are you doing here," Yahiko asked.

"I came to see if the Battousai would be interested in fighting this manslayer…after all it is his friends who may be in harms way,” Saito said with a smile.

“They’re our friends as well,” Yahiko shouted angrily.

“Do whatever you want,” Saito said to Kenshin,” You can bring everyone with you if you like, personally I don't really give a rat's ass,"

"Of course Kenshin is going to help and we'll go with him," Yahiko said.

Kenshin was silent for a moment then said,” I will head for Kyoto once again.”

"I have a carriage waiting for us, but if you plan on coming you better leave that peaceful notion behind," Saito said as he began to walk off toward the carriage," This manslayer will not have weakness as Shishio did…when we do find him it will be kill or be killed."

"What a bastard," Sano said.

"So Kenshin when do we leave," Yahiko asked.

"Sano and I will be leaving tonight, you two will stay here," Kenshin said.

"You can't do that Kenshin," Yahiko said," I want to help; I won’t be left out like last time!"

"I feel the same way, those are our friends in Kyoto as well," Karou said.

"Miss Karou…Yahiko…this manslayer sounds like he is even more dangerous than Jine and quite possibly Shishio, I only want you to stay for your safety…I feel that Saito left out some important details on the killings, perhaps facts that were to gruesome to speak of," Kenshin said,” Please…I’m asking you to stay and not get involved in this battle.”

They were both silent, until Karou said," Very well Kenshin we will both stay behind this time."

"But Karou," Yahiko started.

"Yahiko," Karou said with a wink in her eye," Kenshin is right, it may be more dangerous than fighting with those members of the Juppongatana."

"Okay Karou," Yahiko said with a smile.

"Don't the two of you worry, Kenshin and I will give this guy hell for both of you," Sano said triumphantly.

Shortly after that, both Kenshin and Sano began to walk toward the carriage to join Saito.  Once on, the carriage sped away…it would arrive in Kyoto shortly.  Karou and Yahiko waved goodbye to their friends before reentering the dojo to plan their route to Kyoto.

"Now listen Yahiko, well will leave tomorrow morning on the boat. We'll show Kenshin that we can protect our friends just like he does," Karou said.

"Okay," Yahiko said with a smile.

***

Two nights later in Kyoto, 100 police officers and the members Oniwa Banshu were scouring the city in search of the killer, but there was still no sign of the individual.  Unknown to them, the creature was watching there every movement, numbers made no difference to the creature, while it studied the warriors on the rooftops; it turned its attention to four nearby police officers who were armed with rifles.  In the creature’s mind, it believed the one holding firearms were stronger prey, so silently it headed off to stalk them.

“You smell that,” Misao asked silently.

“Yes,” Aoshi said sternly,” he is close by!”

“What should we do Lord Aoshi,” Misao asked.

“Everyone split up into pairs…we’ll have a better chance of find him,” Aoshi said.

“Right,” the other members of the Oniwa Banshu said.

Okina and the other two men went off in one direction, the other two girls went off in another, and finally Aoshi and Misao went off in another direction.  Unknown to  Aoshi and Misao, they were right on the hunter’s trail, but could not see him due to his cloaking mechanism.

The officers all stood ready with their rifles and had sabers handy just incase, but not even they knew what they were up against.  Unknown to them, the hunter now perched down from the nearby rooftop studying its quarry.  From its back it pulled out a small disc, but once it placed its fingers in the slots it expanded to twice it size.  It cocked its arm back before allowing the disc to go flying forward.

“I…I don’t like this," one of the officers said.

"Relax," another said,” We have our rifles and sabers…there’s no way this one guy can beat us.”

“Not to mention there’s a hundred officers on duty tonight,” another said.

"So there’s nothing to worry abou…” he stopped when he heard a strange humming sound,” what…what is that?”

“I don…” one of the officers started, but was unable to finish.

Before any of them knew what was going on, the disc flew down at them and in a quick movement sliced through their necks like nothing.  Their heads all fell to the ground while their bodies lingered for a moment or two, then also collapsed.

Misao heard the thuds of the bodies then said to Aoshi,” I found him Lord Aoshi…over this way!”

 “Misao wait,” Aoshi shouted but she was already running ahead.

Misao reached the scene of the attack and saw the killer, but she would have described it as a monster.  The monstrous being had to be at least eight feet tall, she saw its long thick black hair, but could not make out its face.  She watched as the creature began to collect the severed heads of the fallen police officers and place them into a net.

‘Trophies,’ Misao’s mind screamed, ‘that thing is taking their heads as trophies of its killings!  I must End here and now, before others suffer!”

As the hunter placed the last head in the net it suddenly felt something in its left shoulder.  It looked to the side and saw a small blade sticking out of it arm.

"Now that I have your attention, your evil ends now," she shouted triumphantly.

The hunter turned and tiled its head as it studied the girl, it was one of the warriors it saw earlier on the rooftops.  It saw the small throwing darts in her hands…the same kind that was now in his arm.

Misao saw the manslayer and saw that its face was hidden behind a large metal mask.  It reminded her of Han’nya for he also wore a mask, but in her mind she thought that Han’nya was much more handsome than this monster.  The hunter looked down at its arm and effortlessly pulled the blade out and tossed it to the ground.

“Hey,” Misao shouted angrily,” Don’t act like that didn’t hurt you!”

Misao was about to launch all her shurikens at the hunter when it suddenly jumped on top of the roof until it stood right beside her, or rather towering over her with its twin blades drawn.  Misao looked up as the creature was about to impale her…she stood froze in fear, there was no way for her to escape.

‘Help me Lord Aoshi,’ she though desperately.

"You will not lay a hand on her," Aoshi said placed one kodachi behind the other then hurled them forward," Oniwa Banshu Double Kodachi…Onmyo Hasshi."

The creature turned and saw the blade flying at him, but was not fully aware of its true potential.  With a swift move of its hand it knocked the blade away slightly cutting it of course, though not really causing any harm, but just as it did that it saw another blade but there was no time to defend.  The blade struck its face, but rather than kill it, it simply knocked off the creature's mask.

“Misao…get out of there,” Aoshi shouted as he got hold of her arm.

“Aoshi,” Misao shouted in surprise.

Aoshi quickly helped Misao get out of the way and as the hunter turned to face them…they saw his true face, and a horrifying discovery it was.  The hunter had mandibles like that of an insect and behind those was a row of sharp teeth.  Adding to its already ugly features was a large boney forehead and small yellow eyes with a small black pupil that looked at them with pure hatred.  The hunter’s mandibles opened up as it roared angrily as it prepared to attack, but soon noticed that more officers were gathering as well as the other warriors on the rooftops.  The creature made a clicking sound still glaring them before it turned and retrieved its mask.

Once in place the creature turned back toward Misao and Aoshi and said in a distorted voice,” Aoshi…Misao…”

Aoshi and Misao stood there as the creature then pressed a button on its gauntlet and slowly began to vanish before their eyes.  The rest of the Oniwa Banshu soon arrived, and found out in detail what happened here this night.  There was no question that this being was dangerous, but what exactly was it and how long before it came back?

To Be Continued…

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