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When Ren caught her studying him, he snorted derisively "I said, did you hear me, you pathetic excuse for a--"

"I heard you"

Ren’s s in his hand atop the four already pressed against Mariko’s chest

She faltered for the first time Nearly lost hold of her burden

"Move faster" Ren unsheathed one of the hooked swords froarden sickles "Boss said if I don’t like your work, I can cut you into pieces and feed you to Akuma" He pressed the flat end of the sickle to his own neck Mocking her even further

Mariko breathed deeply She continued on her way, ignoring the pain building in her ar the dry burn in her throat and the sudden threat of tears Sweat ht Slicked her palms

How she wished she could run away Vanish into the woods, like a ghost Never once look back The thought gripped her Took hold of her for an instant

Chiyo Nobutada

The chance to prove my worth

Four steps

Four steps were all Mariko could take before she crurasp

Ren laughed darkly "This will be a long day for you Too bad it will also be your last"

Mariko pushed her face into the earth, her pulse thrurant and alive She wanted to burrow into it Disappear Dig her way through to the other side

"Get up"

A new tornized

Readily hated Without question

"Get up" He was closer now His voice even ruff

She pressed her hands into the earth and lifted to her knees

Ōkami peered down at her, his arms crossed, his expression odd A mixture of boredom and predatory amusement

"Stand"

A brief aze, surprised to feel a sudden flare of courage ignite within her The saht to channel all day Ōkah one of his brows rose in question

"Useless" He inhaled through his nose "Utterly useless"

With that, the Wolf turned Diser that had been lying dorered to her feet, gripping a log in one hand She wielded it like a club, ai’s path without ister her attempt to strike Still bored

But perhaps a tad less a in her fingertips, Mariko hurled the log again The force nearly took her from her feet