I shouted at her. She didn't respond and continued to point her dagger at me. Her face is close to mine and she held me by the collar.

BOOM!

A huge gust of air exploded when Sir Arthur jumped down from the tree. His face was covered in shadows and his eyes were beaming with scarlet anger.

"Funny seeing you here, Elena."

Arthur spoke in a deep angry voice as his exhalation produced a puff of air. His hands started to spark as if it were trying to form magic circles.

"And who might you be?"

Elena replied in a haughty voice. Her mask hid her face and she pointed her finger towards Sir Arthur. A small magic circle appeared on the tip of her finger, it was a magic circle you see in anime and manga. It s.h.i.+ned a greyish light with symbols rotating on it.

"I am responsible for this child. I am his teacher."

Arnel appeared before him in a flash of an eye and his sword was leaning over Sir Arthur's shoulder, ready to slice his neck off.

"Teaching a murderer is punishable by death under the order of the crown." Arnel spoke.

"Heh... Hahahahaha!" Sir Arthur started laughing.

"What's so funny sc.u.m!" Ymil fell from the sky and landed with a big boom. The leaves on the ground started to scatter in the air as Ymil's sword lay upon Sir Arthur's other shoulder.

"You? Kill me?"

Sir Arthur lifted his head with a smile on his face. His face was painted with shadows and anger. He opened his eyes.

"Don't make me laugh."

BOOM!

In a blink of an eye, Arnel and Ymil were blown away. Both of them landed on trees and spit out blood.

"Whwhat are you?!" Elena had her face twisted in shock and fear. She was surprised that in a blink of an eye, Sir Arthur was able to punch them away.

"Kid."

"Y-yes!"

"Do me a favor."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Kill anyone but not Ayumi or Koneko."

What? What is he talking about? They are our enemy and Ayumi will not hesitate to kill us any moment. But he ordered me not to, maybe he has a plan. I have to trust him.

Come to think of it, Koneko isn't here. If she was here, it'll be even harder for me to handle. They must have killed her already. Koneko...

"Yes, Sir Arthur."

"After this. Call me Mr. Arthur, alright?".

"Yes."

Suddenly he took Arnel and Ymil out away from our location. Sir Arthur had pulled them away deep in the forest, leaving me with Elena and Ayumi.

"That monster!" Elena angrily stomped her feet.

I heard a shout deep within the forest.

"Also! Yakiro kiddo! You can use skills now!"

Birds started to fly away from the echoes within the forest. I grinned and glanced at Ayumi. Her skin was starting to burn bit by bit.

"What are you doing? Finish him, slave!"

She ordered Ayumi. Ayumi lifted her Igneous Lava Dagger and struck down.

"STRIDE!"

Buuuuusht!

As soon as she struck her blade, I kicked her away and drifted back. She gasps and held her stomach as she stood again by the ground.

"Shadow Grip!"

This again? I already know this skill, Elena!

The shadow that I'm standing on started to tremble as tentacles formed. I jumped out of the way the encircled Ayumi and Elena as I stride. I still had the stick with my hands.

"Shadow ring!"

I was distracted and caught the wave of the spell, sending me to a tree.

"Ugh!" The impact was painful. As soon as I returned my vision towards them, daggers were flying before my eyes.

"Stride!"

I evaded it again. I have to take out Elena first. Her magic and skills are troublesome.

I dashed towards her but Ayumi blocked the path. Tsk, Looks like I have to take care of you first, Ayumi.

I dashed forward and swung my stick only to find it sliced into two parts by her blade. We started exchanging blows as I evade her stabs. It was hard for me to fight since Elena could easily interfere. She casts several Shadow b.a.l.l.s and some of it got me.

"Ugh!"

Ayumi pulled her dagger by her side and made a large swing in an arc. My left arm got injured but it was deep. Still, that dagger inflicted burns. It was enough to hurt me.

With my stride active, I used it as to my advantage where my movements were like a wind. Fast and strong. Ayumi and I continued to exchange blows only to hear loud clanging of our metal, my right hand and her dagger.

"Shadow Ball!"

Elena forcefully cast her spell. At this rate, it'll hit Ayumi. I crouched, as if I was collecting enough power to jolt, I jumped in and pushed Ayumi. I was able to push her away and Elena's magic destroyed a tree which fell down like timber.

Her hair brushed away, letting me have a glance at her eyes. Her eyes were filled with confusion as if she didn't know what had happened but she sent me away with a kick.

"Ugh.."

"Shadow Steps..."

Ayumi suddenly started jumping off in places, trees, rocks, and the ground. I had trouble keeping up my eyes on her. She was like an a.s.sa.s.sin in anime that bounces in several places while they surround you. Daggers flew out in the hurricane of her steps.

I was able to block them off with my right arm.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

"Shadow Grip!"

"Do you think the same skill works twice?" I laughed at her. She suddenly became annoyed at my reply and shocked to see that I'm not the same coward anymore. I dashed towards her with my knuckles ready to punch her.

"Huh."

She gasps to see me in front of me with my right metallic hand clenched in a fist. I pulled it at the back and sent it to her face. How I longed to punch this b.i.t.c.h's face.

But Ayumi was just in time to kick me away.

"Ugh!" The brunt of the kick fell to my face and sent me flying in meters til my head slammed to the ground. My vision started to waver as my head began to dizzy.

d.a.m.n it! d.a.m.n it! I was so close in punching the b.i.t.c.h witch.

"Shadow Grip!"

"Ahhhh!"

I was too dazed to move and got caught myself entwined with the shadows. Just when I was able to get my revenge.

"Ayumi, stand down. I'll finish him for good."

Ayumi tried moving but her skin burned. It looks like this was her curse. If she disobeys her master, she would get burned.

But why would she disobey her?

"Shadow Javelin."

Elena spun her hand by the air and a sphere made of darkness appeared. It suddenly formed into a spear and shot towards me.

s.h.i.+rk!

Blood sprayed out to the floor. The leaves were drenched in blood as the javelin pierced through.

My eyes were in confusion as my heart was too. I don't know what was happening but Ayumi was in front of me and caught the spell in her chest.

"Ugh! Cough cough..." Ayumi turned her head and glanced at me with teary eyes. She smiled at me. I was petrified and speechless. I was dazed at the scene.

"ayumi... Why..."

"Because I never wanted to cough betray you..." She said in between coughs.

She never wanted to betray me. My memory started flas.h.i.+ng before me. I remember, she tried warning me a couple of times. I remember that she took care of me when I was hurt. I remember... the real smile on her face and the smile that is painted right now.

My heart began to ache.

"You traitor! Serves you right!" Elena screams and casts another javelin towards her chest.

"Ugh! Ah! Cough cough... I'll cough never let you kill my only friend!"

"Ayumi..."

"He... He's my friend."

"A murderer will be a friend with a weakling? Or to put it, a weakling will befriend a murderer who betrayed her only friend? Wake up, Slave! Don't make me laugh!" She laughed.

"Why did you protect me?!"

"Because I find justice in kindness..." she spoke as she fell to the ground. Her blood spilled against the ground, flooding a pool of blood. My eyes s.h.i.+vered in pain and suffering. I thought that I long gone buried away my feeling for her but here I am, trembling in pain.

I felt like the whole world was looking down at me. Like a crowd of shadow figures came laughing, accusing and throwing rocks at me. My hatred filled my chest and my hands s.h.i.+vered. I hate this world... I hate everything!

My anger suddenly rose up. My vision started to redden as exclamation marks appeared on my vision. There were icons of chains appearing on the edge of my vision. A black fire burns deep within my heart. I want to eradicate everything on this earth.

A voice suddenly spoke out to me.

"... Kill..."

"... Kill those who hurt you..."

Kill them... I... I don't know... But I want to... I reached my hand towards the flame but a hand held my chest. It was soft and comforting. It took away my pain.

"Brother you promised!"

Huh? I suddenly heard Namimi's voice. I remember. I promised to never this hatred get the best of me. How could I forget?

"Yes, Namimi, I remember!"

I swiped away the icons and my vision returned back to normal.

"... Remember this... Time will come that I will consume you, Yakiro..." The demonic voice disappeared.

"What are you going to do now, Yakiro? You should die!" Elena casts another Shadow Javelin. I held Ayumi between my arms and stride on the right side. I laid her lifeless body down and felt my heart ache. All this time, she wanted to save me. And she finally did. Ayumi... A drop of tear fell on her cheek.

I'm sorry I wasn't able to fulfill my promise to you...

I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from everything... I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from her.

I opened my hand and the golden coin that Ayumi gave to me before laid on my palm. I tried throwing them before but they just magically reappear on my pocket. I laid the coin inside her hand and laid her hand in her chest.

I stood up and looked at Elena.

I will avenge Ayumi. If that's the justice she seeks! I will cleanse this land with justice! I accept everything! I will not suffer again!

"Finally! My Child! You had woken up!"

The whole place quivered and time felt slow. I can see Elena laughing slowly as each second pa.s.s by. The leaves falling were so slow that I could see the flow clearly.

This voice! This voice belonged to the G.o.d named Nas.h.i.+ki. The one who put me on this h.e.l.lish world.

"You have finally realized what you could have done when you were alive! The sense of justice! To punish evil!"

This voice echoed in my head.

"Well done, my child. You had truly become my representative. Now speak these words in unison with me!"

I understand.

Suddenly time stopped. My vision became static and my ears rang a painful tone. I can see Elena confused since she was petrified like a statue. She couldn't move. Time stopped and the air trembled.

I spoke out in unison with G.o.d Nas.h.i.+ki.

*CURSE: REPENT*

+The user is now allowed to tell about Nas.h.i.+ki and its power.

I held out my left hand in front of me.

"With the will of G.o.d, the earth shall tremble!"

A magic circle started to form above my arm. It was emitting a mixture of pure white light and golden radiance.

"No evil shall escape with the blade's reach!"

The magic circle fully formed and descended into my left palm.

"I shall slay the foolish evildoers and cleanse this land!"

A huge gust of wind exploded like a hurricane, enveloping me with light and wind.

"With the will of G.o.d! I shall rain justice upon this land!"

"Ye who spreads evil shall experience true suffering!"

Suddenly the voice of Nas.h.i.+ki turned into a girl. It was someone familiar to me. It was nostalgic. Like a warm voice, it spoke with me in unison.

"I turn my G.o.d into my Blade!"

"I offer my blood and soul as a sacrifice!"

My SP bar depleted into zero and I took a bit of damage. By the time I spoke, the magic circle had fully permeated deep within my left palm. My right metallic arm bursts as a light figure of a right arm formed out. The flesh started to recover and finally grew a new fresh right arm.

I slammed my right hand into my left palm and felt a bulge coming out of it. I grabbed it and pulled it out as blood came out spraying.

"G.o.d'S DIVINE SWORD!"

A huge air exploded and light radiated like a sun as time started to move again.

"SILVER SWORD!"

"C A L I B U R!"