"SILVER SWORD!"

"CALIBUR!"

The raging winds suddenly calmed down as I pulled something out of my left hand. The gust cleared out revealing my metallic arm scattered on the ground.

What happened?

I looked to see that my right arm had fully returned. It felt kind of weird at first and I couldn't grip tightly on the weapon that I just pulled out. It was kind of tingly and itchy, I couldn't explain much but it feels like when your arm had fallen asleep.

"M-my! My hand!"

I was speechless and startled. My eyes couldn't stop shaking as if it was my first ride on a rollercoaster. It was bright and radiated a pure white light as it was enveloped in pure white fire.

-UNLOCKED 2nd SPHERE SKILL-

-Silver Sword Calibur-

"... A SWORD!"

I shouted in a giddy voice. I was like a child feeling all excited and happy.

"That's impossible!" Elena shouted at me.

"Y-you're a demon! A cursed child! A monster! A trash! H-how could you possibly wield a sword?!" She was dumbfounded and terrified at the same time.

Calling me bad names, look who's talking witch!

I myself exultantly well up in joy. My chest became heavy and my heart wouldn't stop pounding. It was heavy not because of pain, but it was heavy in a sense of fulfillment. I found myself smiling at my self with my left hand on my forehead. My forehead... where's my mask?!

Suddenly my mask disappeared. I don't know but I felt creeped out.

I glanced back at Elena only to see her desperately running away. I got distracted and had let myself allowed her to escape.

But I won't let her run that easily.

"Stride!"

In a boom, I drifted in the forest as I hunt her. She looked behind and she noticed me. She screamed out:

"Fuck! Fuck! Go away! I'll kill you!"

"If you want to kill me! Then come and face me, you sadistic witch!"

Yes, that's right. I must remember this anger. I must remember my suffering. I shall rain upon justice to her. I will avenge my beloved Ayumi and Koneko! I must take back everything I own!

"BURST!"

In a sudden thunderous scream, my feet exploded a thunderous roar as my stride burst out even stronger.

*WARNING! SP IS DEPLETED! SKILL COST IS PAID WITH HEALTH POINTS! WARNING!*

I don't care! If sacrificing a little bit of blood just to torture this woman, then it is worth it!

She saw me gaining distance towards her. Out of fear, she suddenly summoned countless magic circles floating in the air and facing me. They sparked and some ignited.

She casts over thirty spells, which made me saw a glimpse of how she looked like. Her face must be twisted in horror and desperation. To think the one who made me suffer like this, and now she is running for her life.

A sudden barrage of spells attacked me and I blocked them off with my sword. My sword glimmered a white light and it was enveloped in white flames. No... I am enveloped in white flames. But I didn't feel any burns nor stings. This... this must be my soul, burning in rage, anger, and justice.

My blade swiftly took out the projectiles and spells just like that. It was sharp and it had geometric designs on the middle of the blade. She kept on firing spells and projectiles but my blade would just easily take them. I was even able to slice magic circles which is impossible for normal swords since magic circles are magical and not physical. Considering that my sword was able to cut through them just before the spell could fully cast, my sword must be both magical and physical.

Explosion, ashes, and soot exploded before my face. I wiped off the dirt from my face and I continued to chase her. She was fast, but not fast enough as Ayumi. How could she run like this?

I raised my sword and as soon as I saw my distance closed with her, I sweep my sword as hard as I could.

"AHHHHH! YOU SON OF A! UGH!" she yelped as she stumbled on the ground. I was able to hit her but not deep enough to cut off or to kill her. She stood again and began to escape but I slashed the tendon of her feet and she fell off to the ground again.

She hit her head first and there was a satisfying shattering sound that I heard. She turned her body to face me and there. I was able to see what her eye looked like. When she fell on her head, a portion of her mask shattered. Her eyes were filled were desperation, confusion, terror, and pain. I felt a satisfaction seeing her all helpless and stuff.

"Please stop... Please... I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She cried out in pain asking for me to forgive her.

I'm not a fool to fall for your tricks. Your eyes are designed to deceive people and I can see all the screams and lives you've taken. I can feel all the burden of the souls you've tortured.

"Shooting Star!"

Just as I cast, two orbs of golden light appeared above my head. They formed into a sword. My vision revealed an icon telling me where I would shoot the swords.

".. Please! S-stop! Help me! Someone! Help me! Forgive me, Ya-yakiro... Kun?"

You still have guts to call me that formality?!

"I'll make sure you suffer."

"No!"

I indicated the cursor to which I want to throw the swords.

"AH! FUCK! FUCK! NO! NOOOO MORE!"

Just like that. Scream. Scream out in pain. I shot the sword right through her chest and blood sprayed out. It nailed her down to the floor and I walked towards her. I crouched down and held the glimmering sword that pierced through her chest.

"Does it feel good?"

She looked me in the eye with confusion and pain. She was losing her mind. This... This is what it feels to be tortured.

"YIII! UGHHH! AHH! STOP IT STOP IT!" She grabbed my face, scratched and punched it but it didn't hurt a bit.

I twisted the sword deeper, more painfully. And she screamed out in pain. I held my Calibur sword in my right hand and stood. With my other shooting star, waiting to be shot, I shot it down to her abdomen.

She began to cry. I don't know but I felt happiness well up down my chest. I can feel my heart pounding. But at the same time, should I keep doing this?

I'm no better if I did the same to her. If I keep this up, I might turn into a different person. I might find satisfaction in hurting others.

No. It's time to end this.

I pointed my sword towards her as her eyes painted with misery. She asked me to forgive her but justice listens to no one.

"By this sword, to any foolish criminals that paint suffering on the land, shall face their end."

As I was about to pierce her miserable face, I felt someone running towards me. In a tick of time, It was Arnel and he attacked in an arc with his sword. I was just in time to block it off my sword. He looked badly injured as he pushed me back meters away from Elena. Ymil appeared and went to Elena. My shooting star skill has reached its time limit and it disappeared. He took Elena in his arms, three of them badly wounded.

"Y-ymil... Take the queen away... I'll stall him"

"As you wish, Captain." Ymil held Elena and she opened a portal called "Shadow Gate". The two of them disappeared and Elena spoke out her words in anger.

"I'll HAVE MY REVENGE!"

And here you were minutes ago, asking me to forgive. I can't believe I wasn't able to kill her. But I must focus on Arnel. Even though he is badly injured, I'm no match for him in swords.

"Oh, here you are!"

Sir Arthur appeared with Ayumi on her back. She looks peaceful. I felt my heart ache but I must not forget that I am in battle. Sir Arthur looked fine. Only that his clothes were tattered. He wasn't wearing any armor but he didn't have any wounds or injuries on him.

"Thank you for bringing Ayumi. Let's make sure she gets a proper burial."

"What are you talking about?" Sir Arthur replied.

"Let me face, Arnel. Just stand there and watch, teacher."

I held my sword both with my right hand and my left hand held out in front of me. I spread my feet apart from each other as I lift my sword right beside my temple, pointing towards Arnel.

"Shadow Sword."

Arnel summoned another sword and it fell right into his left hand. He now wields two swords with his right eye swelling and his forehead bleeding.

"Arnel..."

"Yakiro..."

In a blink of an eye, we dashed towards each other and our swords met. It made a loud clanging as sparks ignited as our swords meet. My Calibur continues to burn but the fire couldn't reach him.

With his left sword, he slashed me by my side but I was able to fend it off with a kick. We started clashing our swords and sparks began to fly.

"Shadow Grip!"

"Shooting Star!"

He casts a spell on my shadow but I countered it by shooting two shining swords on my shadow, perishing the impurities.

I ran and slashed but he took a side step. With his knee, he shot it towards my side and I felt the brunt of his attack.

"Ugh!" It blew me a meter away however it wasn't enough to bring me down.

Just like how I knew, even though he's this badly injured, there's still a huge gap between our experiences and level. But I won't let myself falter just because of this reason.

I steadied my grip once again and took a deep breath. I relaxed my mind and strengthened my body. I exhaled.

"Let's do this!"

I jolted towards him and he replied with a slash. I parried his attack with my sword and I connected my parry with a punch. He flinched and found an opening. I slashed my sword and blood sprayed out of his chest.

"RAAAAAAAH!" he got agitated and started to attack me recklessly. He was now full of opening and I was able to deal consecutive damages to his body. His body was now bleeding everywhere, yet he was still standing still.

It's time to end this.

Both of us charged and attacked in an arc.

"Hiyaaaa!"

We stood behind each other. I heard him laugh and I couldn't help but smile. He got me.

I fell on one knee and blood sprayed out from my side.

"You're weak, Yakiro. But not this time..."

I heard a thud and as I looked behind, he was already lying on the ground. As soon as I released my sword, it disappeared like fireflies.

"Ugh... Eff...Eff... Cough..." I raced my breath.

Sir Arthur approached me.

"D... did I do good?"

"You've grown. But there's no time. Let your Resiliency skill heal your wounds and regain your strength by resting here. The cataclysm is coming."

"Man! This is troublesome! I just finished fighting and the cataclysm is coming now? Tsk..."

He laughed.

"Sir Arth-"

Smack! There it is again! His special move called karate chop! Just what did I do this time? I looked at him with pain in my eyes as I cradle my head but he was smiling.

"Call me Mr. Arthur now." He smiled.

I couldn't help but laugh. I finally felt satisfied. I had gained my strength. I looked at my curse and there was still that rule that forbids me to wield weapons. I didn't understand since I just wielded my sword back there.

I opened my help settings and found that Calibur is neither man-made nor owned by monsters. Calibur is the manifestation of Nashiki, the God who sent me here, and my soul. The pure white fire that enveloped my body faded. It seemed that the fire was my soul.

I was reading my help settings when I heard a voice mumbling.

"Y... Ya... Kiro..." I glanced and saw Ayumi opening her eyes. My heart began to feel light. I can't believe it.

"Ayumi..."

"Yakiro!" She jumped off from Mr. Arthur's back and landed on me as she embraced me.

"H-hey!" Mr. Arthur complained as he rubbed his head.

Ayumi hugged me tight with her tears flowing down from her eyes. I began to overwhelm in joy and ended up hugging her too.

"Hey hey, Lovely doves, i'll wait out front. Maybe i'll butcher out the Wyvern and see if anything are worth." Mr. Arthur said. We nodded in response and continued to hug each other.

"H... How are you alive?"

She pushed me down and started slamming my chest while crying. Strangely, she has a curved smile on her face.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Idiot Yakiro! You really didn't know what that golden coin was?"

"No..."

"That's a revival coin... It was supposed to be for you..."

Huh? Finally, I understood. The time she obtained that, she kept it for an emergency. And when Elena ordered her to betray me during the Pillar raid, she decided to give it to me. She never wanted to betray me. It was out of her control. That was why Ayumi didn't talk to me. Because she couldn't.

"Where's Koneko?" I was afraid of asking that because I might regret the answer.

"She's... Fine. She's on the central church talking to Kannon."

"Wait. Isn't Kannon your God?"

"Yes, Koneko and I planned out since the beginning. We didn't betray you. I just borrowed her since she is a Goddess and she's able to communicate with the Gods."

"What did you plan out?"

"We planned out to give you that golden revival coin so that you could survive that fall and let you escape. The second plan was to let them think Koneko betrayed you so that she could go to the church and communicate with Kannon-sama. Then tell her to release me as her representative because I'm going to represent another Goddess."

"I don't get it."

She sighed.

"Geez. Look, idiot, I couldn't disobey my masters' order because if I did, I would die. My skin will start to burn until it incinerates everything in my body. The only way to cancel this curse is to find another god to represent."

"I get it now. So who's is it now?"

She smiled...

"It's a secret." She giggled at me.

"Huh?!" I pulled her into my body then I embraced her. Her hair smells nice and her skin is soft.

"I miss you..."

"Stupid Yakiro... What are you saying?"

I kept being silent and continued to cherish this moment. Her hair ripples through the wind.

"I miss you... Yakiro..."

She rose and made eye contact with me. Her eyes were pure and it was strangely blue. It changed. But it didn't matter since it looked beautiful on her. Like an ocean, it drowns me in her stare.

"I'll pay you what I owe you, Yakiro..."

"What are you talking about?"

She held my cheek as she laid on top of me. No, we weren't doing what you think. She was literally on top of me and her body is pinning down on me. She smiled and closed her eyes.

"H... hey! Wait! Ayumi!"

Before I knew it, her lips were already pressing against mine. Her smooth lips felt somewhat of an ecstatic fire warming against my lips. My chest started to capture thousands of butterflies as my hand reaches for her cheek. I closed my eyes and felt her care deeply. I pulled her closed with my left hand pushing her back as my right arm continues to hold her face. She stopped for a moment to breathe then continued to kiss me.

"Geez! Master is getting all lovey-dovey with Ayumi nee-sama!"

I pushed Ayumi and she fell on her butt.

"Ah!"

"K-koneko!" Koneko was in her human form, naked as always, with her arms crossed.

"I just left for a couple of weeks and here you are! Having such a wonderful reunion with nee-sama!" She sulked and pouted with her right cheek bulging with air.

"Ahhhhh... Sorry..." I scratched my head.

I reached out my hand for her. She smiled then jumped on me. She hugged me tightly.

"I miss you master..."

"I missed you..." Ayumi smiled at us.

Suddenly something erupted like a volcano. From afar, I could hear the bell clanging, alarming something.

Koneko transformed into her cat form and rested on my shoulder.

"Kid! It's cataclysm!" Mr. Arthur arrived with a large bag on his back.

"Yes."

"Yakiro. Let me fight with you."

"Ayumi, you should rest."

"No!"

She barked at me. I guess there's no turning back now.

"Yes yes..." She smiled at me.

An icon appeared on my vision. It was wide and the words left a warmth feeling in my heart.

-Inari Ayumi and Nashiki Koneko wants to join your party-

Y, N?

Inari? Isn't that the fox goddess? Oh well. Yes, I accept!

Ayumi's profile and Koneko's appeared on my peripheral.

"Let's go." Mr. Arthur said.

"Yes!" We said in unison.