Xzaivier: You!!!
Zephyr is at the other end of the alleyway, with Amai in a chokehold.
Zephyr: Miss me?
Xzaivier unsheathes his blade.
Xzaivier: Don't you dare do anything to her!
Zephyr sighs before calling over his goons.
Zephyr: Hold her for me.
Zephyr throws Amai at the goons and the hold her down.
Xzaivier shadow steps to Zephyr and attempts to slash him diagonally, down his back but Zephyr grabs his wrists while they're still in the air.
Zephyr: You don't waste time do you?
Zephyr kicks him away.
Zephyr Windsteps to Xzaivier and stomps his face into the ground.
Zephyr: So tell me Xzaivier, how does it feel to have the boot of a superior swordsmen on your face right now?
Xzaivier: What do you want with her.
Zephyr: Gimori demands a sacrifice, it's just her luck that we chose her to be that sacrifice.
Xzaivier: No, I won't let you.
Xzaivier attempts to grab his shadow blade but Zephyr picks it up.
Zephyr: Oh wow, I forgot you had this. I'll be taking it as well. Oh man, a sacrifice and two top 11 legendary blades. Gimori's gonna be so happy with me. Haha.
Zephyr kicks Xzaivier away.
Zephyr: run along you sad thing, I'll just be taking your friend here to Gimori's Hollowlands (Gimori's nation/kingdom.) where she'll be sacrificed in a month. Don't come after her, you know exactly what you'd have to go against if you did, me and 19 other elites, 10s of thousands of cultists in every corner, rogue swordsmen all armed with common legendary blades and Gimori himself. I doubt a rescue mission would be possible since I just took your shadow blade. Just let her die.
Xzaivier: I'll find you in the Hollowlands and I'll kill you, very slowly and painfully! When I'm done killing you I'll spit on you corpse. You hear me. I'll KILL YOUUUUUUU!
Zephyr smirks before opening a portal and walking into it, his goons holding Amai.
Xzaivier: ZEPHYR!!!!!
Xzaivier stands groggily and sprints towards him before throwing a punch but he's simply kicked in the gut by Zephyr sending him back a few meters and stomped is on the chest a few times, breaking 4 ribs.
Zephyr walks into the portal to the Aku no realm but suddenly stops, a smirk plastered onto his face.
Zephyr: If you do try to be a hero, 100s of 1000s of cultists, rogue swordsmen and even Darkclaw will travel from the Hollowlands (Gimori's Nation) attack the nation of Sol and colonize it. You either let one person die or you let millions die and get enslaved.
The portal closes right in front of Xzaivier, tears of anger spilling down his face as he scowls and smashes his fist onto the floor.
Xzaivier: GRRRR!!! Just you wait! Zephyr.
Xzaivier limps back to sword saint academy and informs everyone of the events that occurred in the alleyway. Recognising the issue the headmaster of the academy gives him a regular katana to work with. The Trial By Sword is cancelled, every academy sword saint, age 16 or older (there's about 150 academy sword saints, aged 16 or older) at the academy is promoted to F rank PSS (Professional sword saints) and given their own F rank sword saint licences as this is a state of emergency. They are then transferred to the nearest one of Sol City's massive 100000 bedroom PSS Citadels (Sol city has 3 massive 100000 bedroom Citadels that house professional sword saints. Sol has four other cities with the same 100000 bedroom Citadels) Xzaivier is forced forced into the med-bay upon arrival and told to stay there for the next 2 weeks.
2 weeks later.
[13:00 o'clock, sword saint academy med-bay]
Xzaivier awakes from his slumber in the medical bay of the academy and dresses into his uniform before grabbing his katana and attempting to leave but he's stopped by a random PSS.
???: Where do you think you're going?
Xzaivier: Outta my way.
???: I don't know if you've noticed but your injuries haven't healed yet.
Xzaivier: Well my friend's gonna get sacrificed by Gimori's cult and have her Hydro blade taken from her, I don't have time to waste. I need to go back to my home village and retrieve my dad's flame blade before assembling a team and heading to the Hollowlands to save her.
The random PSS sighs.
???: Looks like you've got quite the mission on your hands.
He tosses a bottle of water at him.
Xzaivier: Appreciate it, but I'm good.
Xzaivier gives it back.
???: You're so full of yourself. Hmph. Don't die, hero.
Xzaivier leaves the Citadel.
Xzaivier: (in his mind) Back to Waterbay I go. Hopefully my dad's flame blade's still wedged into his charred skeleton. If I could get that, I'd be set for the rescue. Amai... hang in there, I'll get you back. I promise. You won't fall victim to that bastard cult of Gimori's.
Xzaivier makes his way through the city and into the forest surrounding it. Before entering the forest there's a sign saying: "beware of the Darkclaw" (Darkclaw are monsterous creatures that were born as a result of Gimori's human experimentation. They have charred skin, glowing white eyes, sharp/ jagged white teeth, extremely skinny body structures, long, black, sharp claws, some Darkclaw have venom in their claws. They usually inhabit the forests on the outskirts of cities and nations.)
Xzaivier: Darkclaw huh? Fantastic. I'll have to stop at that forest village a few miles away and get some food and some rest.
Xzaivier takes a deep breath before walking into the forest. He vigilantly walks through the widely spaced trees for 4 hours without any problem until...
SCRITCH!!!
Xzaivier falls to his knees and holds his bleeding neck.
Xzaivier: Dammit!
Xzaivier looks at the blood from his neck on his hand before getting kicked and sent into a tree. Xzaivier coughs out blood before groggily standing up and unsheathes his katana.
Darkclaw: My my, well don't you look like a nice meal.
Xzaivier: Darkclaw.
Darkclaw: of course. You're sword saint?
Xzaivier: of course.
Darkclaw: Well, my prey just got a whole lot more delicious. Unfortunately for you, I'm one of the venomous ones.
Xzaivier: I figured... since the back of my necks been itching and burning, plus I've been seeing double since you scratched me. Your venom quickly.
Darkclaw: Yes. Soon you'll be paralyzed, then you'll become skinny, then you're skin will become charred and finally you'll lose all of your humanity before turning into one of us.
Xzaivier: I think... the... paralysis has started already.
The Darkclaw laughs.
Xzaivier sits there as the poison travels around his body slowly but surely turning into a Darkclaw. He accepts this fate until he closes his eyes and sees Amai, His mother, his father, his brother. He tries to get up.
Xzaivier: No, no, no! My journey doesn't end here!
Xzaivier struggles his way to his feet. And the Darkclaw is surprised.
Darkclaw: How are you moving fight now! I just poisoned you!
The Darkclaw charges again, Xzaivier closes his eyes and sees Gimori before scowling and screaming.
The scream causes a shockwave, sending the Darkclaw back, into some trees.
Xzaivier looks at the Darkclaw, his eyes burning with rage.
Darkclaw: Huh?! Did he just... reverse the effect of my poison with nothing but his pure wrath?! That's bullshit!
Xzaivier: I've got people to save, and bastards to kill! Dying or turning into your disgusting ass isn't an option. So get out of my way before I kill you.
Darkclaw charges at Xzaivier.
Xzaivier: Death it is then!
Xzaivier charges back and the two clash.