"..." A mysterious man wore his mask, standing before a window. The breezes sound filled the room as no one was allowed to speak in there. The level of darkness in the room was inexplicable, as if something had forced it into the room.
"As ordered.." The mysterious man turned around to see the arrival of a young girl. "You're not late this time" He spoke as he moved forward toward her. The girl's face was blurry as she said, "Your order, lord.." Her trembling voice was as if she feared the man standing before her.
"Forgot your manners..Normi?" As those words left his mouth, the girl kneeled before him. "Forgive me, my lord.." She apologized quickly. He snapped his finger, revealing the face of a certain boy. "Stay by his side. When the time comes, he will open the door we seek." He moved his leg backward, turning around to the window. "Before you go..make sure to spread false information if he ever gets the idea of us.."
"Understood, master." The kneeling girl disappeared out of sight.
-
"I challenge you to a swordsman duel." The silver flower said coldly as he stood in front of the trembling kuro.
"His pressure.." Yoshiru's lips almost spilled his words out due to the pressure of the man.
Kuro stepped forward, hardly, "Yoshiru, keep yourself out of this." He then forced his hand to unsheathe his new katana. "I will give you what you asked for.." Kuro's words were heavy as he observed the man's actions. Refusing to draw his katana..this man intends to fight me with fists..? He thought moving forward. "Alright.." Kuro's pace increased as he ran toward the enemy.
He swung his katana, reaching out for the man's head. The sound of metal reverberated in front of Kuro, parrying his swing. "How.." The silver flower hadn't drawn his katana yet.
An ability..or pure swordsmanship? Kuro thought while swinging repeatedly at the enemy, the sparks flew out of their clashes. Kuro was sent backward in the last clash between them, hardly forcing his leg to stand.
"Slow.." As Kuro's heartbeat was loud, the man already stood beside him, landing slowly. Kuro immediately parried the man's swing as soon as he felt his presence. He then lunged to the side, landing on his feet. This isn't a duel. He intends to kill me..
The silver flower, "What's wrong?" He turned around, facing Kuro. "Just..who the hell are you..?" Kuro muttered in fear. Takumi's serious face sent shivers down Kuro's spine.
This isn't a duel..the silver flower tends to give Kuro a lesson.. Yoshiru was thinking out loud as he clenched his fist. "KURO BEHIND YOU!" He screamed.
"Damn it!" Kuro swung his katana at his backside by instinct. The man dodged the swing by moving backward.
"Young boy, you underestimate the sword you're wielding." The silver flower spoke slowly.
"Man, swordsmanship is not my speciality." Kuro's head was down as he lifted it, glaring at the silver flower spilling out, "I use it to crush people who tend to be on my way."
The silver flower smirked as he heard Kuro's speech, "You're not going anywhere with this thinking.." He rushed toward Kuro, finally drawing his sword out, making it visible in front of Kuro. As he flew, Kuro moved his leg forward, wielding his katana in two hands.
Upon his arrival, he struck Kuro using his knee. "GH!?" Kuro spat out, being sent backward.
"CHEAP TRICK!" Kuro screamed at the man pointing at him. The silver flower stood still, "Listen, if that's the way of thinking. No door will ever accept you." Those intense words came out of his mouth as he proceeded, "You don't respect yourself, if you don't respect that metal you're wielding."
Kuro nodded down at his katana as the man proceeded, "A life without trust is a losing game. If you don't trust your blade, it will never trust you as well." He stepped forward, raising his katana upward, "That metal you underestimate has every right to abandon you in this duel!"
Kuro's mouth was wide open as he couldn't spill a word out. "Now, young boy..come at me"
A metal...has a soul? He kept observing his blade. "Foolish.." He then dashed toward the silver flower as he lowered his katana. "Foolish, you say?" The blade of Kuro was slow in the enemy's eye as he saw completely through it. It was trying to pierce through the man's heart.
The silver flower moved his katana slowly, blocking Kuro's blade. "!?" This scene was unbelievable as it occurred in front of Kuro and Yoshiru. Then the man forced Kuro's katana out of the way, slashing him from his shoulder to his stomach. "KUROO!" Blood spilled out of Kuro's body, splashing on the ground. He fell on his knees as the silver flower turned around.
He proceeded to walk back to the gate, "Unworthy.." Kuro pointed at Yoshiru, warning him not to get any closer as he regained his strength to stand back up. "Who said the fight was over?" Kuro's clothes were filled with blood.
Kuro's will.. Yoshiru thought as he observed Kuro's state. The silver flower smiled as he stopped walking. "That's the will" He turned around at Kuro as his eyes were glaring blue. Kuro already rushed toward him with a glowing red eye. He arrived with a full-power swing as their blades crossed. They both started rapidly clashing, sending shockwaves all around.
The wave of the grass became faster as the shockwaves passed through it. "TCH!" Kuro stopped swinging and raised his katana upward as the silver flower did the opposite and lowered it down. The blades clashed with power; their clash ignited a storm of sparks.
Although the silver flower's katana had the upper hand, forcing its way, pushing Kuro's blade up. Then he continued by throwing Kuro's katana away from him, pointing his blade at Kuro's neck. "Not happening!" Kuro used his left hand to strike the silver flower's stomach, but his opponent avoided the strike by lunging backward.
Kuro stepped toward his katana, taking it off the ground. He then ran toward the silver flower at his maximum speed, "This..HAS TO END!"
As he was mid-way, a loud breeze passed beside him. The silver flower was already behind him. "It ended as you wish.." Kuro stopped walking as blood splashed out of his stomach.
He fell along with his katana by his side. His face struck the ground as Yoshiru ran toward him. "KURO!"
The silver flower turned around and stepped in front of the fallen Kuro. He raised his sword, pointing it at Kuro. "You have heart. But heart without form is wasted steel."
"...I won't..stop.." Kuro hardly spilling those words out of his mouth. The silver flower sheathed his katana, then stepped backward, facing the gate of the town.
"Return when your blade carries purpose, not desperation. Only then will you stand as a swordsman." - Takumi Arashi (The Silver Flower)
He made his way toward the town, as Kuro observed every step that the gentleman took.
His sight went blank.
-
A couple of hours have passed after the unconsciousness of Kuro.
In a quiet place at night, away from the town's annoyance. "Wake up..!"
Yoshiru splashed water upon Kuro's face. Suddenly, Kuro sits up, dripping wet.
"You know..you could've shaken me awake?"
"I could have, but this is way fun." Yoshiru replied with relief. He then shed a sigh out. "I almost thought you were dead.."
Kuro while regaining his consciousness, "Did we… win?"
"…Win? You lost so hard I almost thought about joining the other side" Yoshiru let out another sigh.
A blurry figure was coming their way. The figure was a figure of a woman with a mask, and she then lowered her mask. "Looks like you could use another set of hands."
Kuro and Yoshiru kept staring at each other, confused. Then Kuro lifted his head at the girl, "Sure..?"
She stepped forward toward Kuro, slowly, reaching out for the wounds that were covered in a bandage. "...?"
After that a glow of a green glow appeared all around her hands. "By fractured light, mend the flesh, seal the pain...Virelia!" The bandage on Kuro's stomach floated in the air, covered in green glowing force. Kuro's wounds were closing slowly as the bandage fell on the ground.
"Whoa.." Yoshiru was surprised by this magic spell. The wounds completely closed when the woman caught her breath.
"I'm sorry for this sudden appearance. I'm Normi Katchi." She lowered her head in a way of respect.
"No need for formality. I'm Kuro Sato." Kuro lowered his head back, proceeded with, "Here is my friend Yoshiru Uti."
Yoshiru lowered his head as well, "Nice to meet you, Normi Katchi."
"What brings you here, though?" Kuro lifted his head at her again. She thought for a second.
"I'm an adventurer, i roam around forests to explore things and visit some villages for medic magic users to increase my knowledge in healing!" She replied to his question.
"I see..no goal?" Kuro asked again. "Not quite, i have a goal. But i prefer to make it private."
"Oh, i see." Yoshiru said as he observed her. "What about you two..?" She said.
"Well, we're on a journey to gain strength for a certain goal as well.." Kuro lowered his head, fixing his gaze on the ground.
"What kind of goal requires a journey for strength..?" She was confused. Kuro lifted his head at Yoshiru. Then he turned to her, "To defeat this so-called demon lord/king."
Her expressions changed as she heard his goal, eyebrows raised. "DE-DEFEAT DEMON KING?"
"Huh..?" Kuro and Yoshiru were confused, "Don't y'all know this is a risky mission?"
"Welp, that's our purpose in life." Kuro replied as he took a stick from the ground. Yoshiru then got up to light a fire.
"I don't know about that.." She said as Kuro cut her words off, "Would you like to join us?" He then smiled and raised his hand toward her.
"Um.." Her eyes narrowed. "I accept.." She handshook Kuro.
"ALRIGHTO!" Yoshiru raised one arm.
Chapter End.