Kimotsu opened his eyes to a familiar horizon.
Before him stretched an immeasurable mountain range, its peaks disappearing into the heavens. Every cliff, every valley, and every ridge was covered with swords. Millions upon millions of divine blades were embedded into the earth, each carrying a different shape, history, and presence. Some radiated ancient divinity, while others were weathered by countless ages, yet none had rusted. They stood silently, as though waiting for the one worthy of drawing them.
A cold wind swept across the mountains. The silence lasted only a moment then the sky suddenly split apart.
A deafening crack echoed across the realm as the clouds were torn in two. From the opening descended an enormous Elder Dragon, its body eclipsing the mountains beneath it. Its scales gleamed like polished obsidian, reflecting streaks of crimson light as its massive wings beat against the heavens. The pressure of its arrival alone shook the mountain range.
Kimotsu narrowed his eyes before letting out a small chuckle.
"Whoa… an Elder Dragon? Didn't expect it to be easy though."
The dragon lowered its head. Then it roared. The sound exploded through the mountains like a natural disaster. A violent shockwave surged outward, uprooting countless swords and flattening entire hillsides.
Kimotsu planted his feet firmly into the ground.
His clothes whipped violently in the gale, but he refused to move an inch. The Elder Dragon stared at him.
Kimotsu slowly reached for the sword resting beside him embedded in the ground.
"Kedo."
His figure vanished. In the next instant, he appeared directly before the dragon's enormous head, his sword already descending in a clean, vertical arc aimed at its neck.
CLANG!
The impact rang across the mountains. Kimotsu's eyes widened. Not even…a scratch. The dragon's scales hadn't left so much as a mark.
Before he could retreat, the Elder Dragon casually lifted its left claw.
With a single slap, Kimotsu was blasted from the sky. His body crashed into the mountainside before plummeting toward the earth.
BOOM! The impact carved a massive crater into the mountain range.
Dust rolled outward in every direction. For several moments, nothing moved. Then Kimotsu slowly pushed himself upright.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His breathing was uneven. Silently, he turned toward a nearby mountain.
Drawing his sword once more, he slashed. A razor-thin arc of sword energy crossed the landscape. The mountain split cleanly in half.
Kimotsu stared at the result before lowering his blade.
"…What's happening?"
His eyes drifted back toward the Elder Dragon.
"I didn't lose my power…"
He glanced down at his sword.
"But the blade I hold didn't do anything to the Elder Dragon…"
A thoughtful silence settled over him.
"…Is it because I'm too weak…"
His gaze hardened.
"…or the Elder Dragon is just too strong?"
After only a brief pause, he shook his head.
"I won't think about it."
He tightened his grip around the hilt.
"Let's figure it out now."
Kimotsu burst forward once again. The dragon responded instantly. It raised one enormous foreleg before bringing it crashing toward the ground. Kimotsu slipped past the first stomp.
Then the second. The ground exploded beneath each impact but when the third claw descended he found himself directly beneath it. His sword rose instinctively. Steel met claw.
For one brief moment…Kimotsu held it back. His muscles trembled. The veins in his arms bulged violently. Blood sprayed from his mouth.
The Elder Dragon continued pressing downward. The overwhelming strength became impossible to bear. With a thunderous crash, Kimotsu was driven into the ground.
The earth swallowed him whole. His consciousness faded. Darkness claimed him.
The Elder Dragon slowly lowered its head.
Its jaws opened wide. Rows of enormous fangs descended toward Kimotsu's unconscious body.
Then a memory surfaced. His grandfather stood beneath an old cherry blossom tree, placing a weathered sword into his young grandson's hands.
"A swordsman always believes in his blade…"
The old man's voice echoed gently.
"No matter what."
He smiled.
"For when a swordsman's will falters…"
His hand rested upon the blade.
"…his blade becomes dull."
The memory faded and kimotsu eyes snapped open.
The dragon lunged. Yet Kimotsu simply stood. His back remained turned toward the Elder Dragon.
The broken blade still rested in his hand.
Without looking…he made a simple motion. A single swing.
Silence. Then Countless sword marks erupted across the dragon's face. Deep crimson blood sprayed into the air. The Elder Dragon recoiled, roaring in agony.
Kimotsu slowly exhaled. He turned around calmly before walking toward another sword embedded within the mountain.
He wrapped his hand around its hilt. The moment he pulled a black sword emerged from the earth.
Kimotsu examined the blade quietly. Then he smiled.
"So that's what you meant back then…"
His grandfather's words finally settled within his heart.
"My thinking was different."
He lowered the sword beside him.
"I didn't come here to train…I didn't come here for more power."
He looked directly at the Elder Dragon.
"I came here…to believe in my own strength."
The dragon roared once more. Kimotsu smiled.
"Let's go for round two, lizard."
The insult enraged the Elder Dragon. Its chest expanded. Heat gathered within its throat.
The surrounding air distorted under the sheer temperature.
Within seconds, the Dragon Breath reached nearly 3,500°F.
The dragon unleashed it. A torrent of blazing destruction surged across the mountain range.
Kimotsu stepped forward. Gripping the black sword with both hands, he steadied his breathing.
"Strength of Asura."
His blade swept horizontally. The Dragon Breath split cleanly in half.
The divided flames rushed past both sides of his body, leaving only minor burns along his arms and shoulders.
Ignoring the pain, Kimotsu accelerated.
The Elder Dragon retaliated by swinging its enormous tail.
One flash of black steel.
The tail separated from its body. Blood erupted across the mountains. The dragon roared furiously. Its left claw came crashing downward.
Kimotsu slipped beneath it. Using the momentum, he leaped above the dragon's head.
His sword plunged downward. The blade pierced straight through the dragon's right eye.
The Elder Dragon shrieked. Its massive body thrashed wildly through the mountain range, destroying peaks with every movement.
Kimotsu released the sword. He flipped backward. Landing beside another divine blade embedded in the earth, he drew it effortlessly.
Without wasting another second, he charged once again.
Now blinded by pain and rage, the dragon abandoned all reason. Its claws, tail, wings, and jaws attacked wildly.
Kimotsu flowed between every strike. His body moved with flawless precision. One slash. Then another. Then another. Cuts spread across the dragon's body like flowing brushstrokes.
Yet…they still weren't deep enough. Kimotsu narrowed his eyes.
"…Still too shallow."
His sword flashed again.
"I need to cut deep."
Another series of slashes crossed the dragon's scales. Blood spilled freely now but Kimotsu wasn't satisfied.
"…Deeper than even that."
His breathing became perfectly still. His eyes slowly turned pure white. A white aura began rising from his body.
The mountain range itself fell silent. Kimotsu lowered his center of gravity. He assumed a single stance. Everything around him seemed to stop.
Then he moved. His body accelerated to a speed nearing that of light.
The mountains trembled. The air split apart, In less than an instant…Kimotsu appeared behind the Elder Dragon.
He slowly returned his sword to his side.
Silence. The dragon remained standing.
Then…hundreds of glowing lines spread across its colossal body.
Its enormous frame separated into countless pieces before collapsing across the mountain range.
The white aura surrounding Kimotsu gradually faded.
A gentle voice echoed throughout the realm.
"You have proven that you are worthy of the sword."
Elsewhere, another trial quietly unfolded.
Jessica slowly opened her eyes. The warm golden realm had disappeared.
She now stood within the ruins of a broken village.
Collapsed roads stretched between shattered homes. Broken stone walls leaned against one another, barely standing after what must have been a terrible battle. Smoke no longer rose from the chimneys, and no voices echoed through the empty streets.
Only silence remained. Jess began walking forward cautiously.
The further she went, the more signs of destruction surrounded her.
Then she stopped. A young boy lay motionless on the ground. Beside him rested the body of an older man. His fingers were stained with dried blood.
On the broken road beside him, words had been written with the last of his strength.
The Demons are running rampant. Jess stared at the message.
"…Demons?"
A low growl echoed through the village. Then another.
Then hundreds more. At the far end of the ruined streets, an army of demons slowly emerged from the smoke.
Their crimson eyes locked onto Jess. Grins spread across their twisted faces. Without hesitation they began running toward her.