Chapter 11 - I Need More Power to Defeat Him

The second match of the Luna Astertina von Crissfade will start soon. Ryuji and the others are waiting patiently at the audience seats. It seems that there is something in Ryuji's mind.

"—Hey! "

Ryuji was shocked. It was Hotaru who called him.

"—W-what? Don't surprise me like that, " said him.

Hotaru feels strange about Ryuji who has been silent since meeting Kuroyami.

"Is there something on your mind? You have been silent since meeting him, " said Hotaru.

" No, it's just that there is something suspicious about what Kuroyami said earlier. What does he mean? He doesn't want the title, he instead wants the <>, " said him.

"Don't think about it, there's no way that Kuroyami can beat Luna. "

Hotaru believes that she can defeat Kuroyami, the Elementalist.

"Yeah, I think so… " mutters Ryuji.

"Now, without wasting much time, we're starting the afternoon match now! At my right, the Lightning Princess, Luna Astertina von Crissfade! " said the referee.

Ryuji looks at Luna. Today, she isn't wearing any armor. Instead, she just wore a uniform. She walks into the arena with her sword at her waist.

"At my right, the knight leader of the Exophoria Kingdom, Bridge Gurdenburg, with his sword, <>! "

Bridge was wearing full armor. Once he enters the arena, he pulls his sword out of its sheath.

<> was a long greatsword. Its blade was made of steel.

"According to the rumor in the Exophoria Kingdom, the armor that was worn by Bridge Gurdenburg was a legendary sacred armor, " said the referee.

"Sacred armor? The armor must be tough, " said Hotaru.

Luna drew his <> and held it with both of his hands.

"Both of you, prepare! " the referee shouted.

Both of them grasp their swords tightly.

"— 3…2…1…"

"Start! "

Luna charged forward with immense speed while holding the <> as tight as she can. Seeing Luna's movements, Bridge did not move or try to dodge. Instead, he stood upright there.

"What is he thinking, did he want to die? " said Hotaru.

"That's not the case, " Ryuji answered.

She pointed her sword, striking at the Bridge's armor chest. Usually, ordinary armor would tear or break apart when the sword as strong as <> striking it. But, the armor didn't, even after Luna's attack, it left no trace.

"She wants to confirm whether the rumor is true or fake, " explains Ryuji

"Even the <> can't penetrate the armor, just how tough it was? " said Hotaru.

"The rumor was true, isn't it? " asked Luna.

"Yes, it is, " Bridge answered.

Bridge pokes his sword to the ground and begins to cast a spell.

"— Come, the Greatest Guardian of Mother Soil, <>! "

After casting the spell, many golems started to come out from the ground. Their body was 3 times bigger than Bridge.

Luna ran towards the golems and cut each one of them. Whenever she cuts their body part, it regenerates itself and more of them come out.

She didn't give up. By increasing her speed, she cut all of their heads at once in order to create a path to attack Bridge. All of the golems fell to the ground.

Just about to make an attack, both of her legs were held by the hand of a golem from the ground. She wants to slash the golem's hand but was disrupted by the other golem. Now, both of her hands and legs were held by golem tightly.

The golem's grip was too strong that she could not hold the <> and eventually let it go.

"Now, strike with all your might, <>! " Bridge shouted.

The golems are joined together and become a giant golem. It then punches Luna with its right hand. The punch made a rather loud noise and shocked the audience.

"No way…" muttered Hotaru.

"She is not gonna lose because she still didn't fight me right? " said Rissa.

"Yeah… " said Ryuji.

Ryuji knows that Luna wouldn't lose easily, after all, he knows Luna since their childhood times.

Suddenly, Luna's voice came out.

"— Now, unleash your true power, <>! "

Luna's body was filled with a blazing fire but the fire did not burn her. Instead, the fire burned the golem's hand.

The Eternal Flame Dragon <>, allows the user to use flight, and the user's body was protected by the <>'s flame.

She picks up the <> and flies up in the sky. All eyes of the audience were fixed on her.

— Strike with your flame, <>!

<>, strike the uncounted spikes of <>'s flame to the target.

All of the flames of spikes were struck to the golems and all of them were burned. They were unable to regenerate due to the spikes that were still burned on their body.

"— It didn't regenerate, how? " said Bridge.

"I'll answer it for you. This flame is not an ordinary flame, it is <>'s flame, the Eternal Flame Dragon, " answered her.

"— It's time to end this match, <>! "

<>, a one hot focused-point strike.

Luna flies towards Bridge with immense speed and strikes again at the Bridge's armor and it breaks into pieces. Bridge takes his sword and swings it at Luna. Before he knew it, the sword was broken.

"— What!? When did you, " Bridge was stunned.

"You don't see that coming huh? I broke your sword before you could swing it, " said Luna.

"— You! " Bridge trying to attack Luna with his broken sword.

Luna pointed his sword at Bridge's face. Her face was sweating because he felt the heat from the <> that was still burning with <>'s flame.

"You'll surrender or not? " Luna asked him.

Bridge didn't have anything he left. Both her armor and sword were broken, he didn't have any choice but to surrender.

"Yes, I'll surrender! " Bridge quickly replied.

"Victory goes to the Luna Astertina from the Revided Kingdom! '' the referee shouted.

"She did it, " said Hotaru.

"Yeah…"

"Luna Astertina von Crissfade's third match will be held tomorrow afternoon where she will be facing Akihiko Ryuji from the Akane Kingdom. "

Tomorrow is the day where Luna will be fighting Ryuji.

"We will be fighting Luna tomorrow, I couldn't wait for it! " said Rissa.

Rissa was already fired up when she heard that she and Ryuji will be fighting Luna tomorrow afternoon.

"What do you mean by 'We'? It is just me who will be fighting her, " said Ryuji.

"Eh!? But, that day you just said if your opponent is too powerful, you're gonna use the <>. Didn't you see how powerful she is? " ask Rissa.

"I'm sorry, but I still have the <>. "

"Ryuji...you're a meanie, " said Rissa while hitting Ryuji's back.

The reason why Ryuji didn't want to use the <> is because it is too powerful. The <> was a holy sword or it is called the <>, and it is not a spirit.

"I want to save it for the final, where we will be facing Kuroyami, " said him.

"But...but…"

Suddenly, Hotaru interrupts them

"That's enough, both of you, " said him

"Yeah, you two lovebirds. "

Ryuji hears different voices and it is not Hotaru. It is a girl's voice.

"Whoa! Luna, how long have you been standing there? " Ryuji asked.

"Since 'I want to save it for the final'. What do you mean by it? " she asked.

"No, it's nothing, " Ryuji answered while looking at Rissa.

Ryuji remembers something. He should have gone to practice after Luna's match.

"Sorry everyone, I have to go. "

"Eh, where? " Luna asked.

"I should have gone practice after your match ended, my father was waiting at the mansion, " said Ryuji while pulling Rissa's hand.

"Wait, would you mind if I go with you? " she asked.

"But…"

Hotaru suddenly spoke.

"Then I'll go too, can't I? "

Ryuji gives up.

"Alright, all of you could come too."

When they arrived at the mansion, they saw King Crissfade of the Revided Kingdom and King Aershield there. Ryuji's father was also there.

"Your Highness Crissfade and Your Highness Aershield? " ask Ryuji.

It is just not King Crissfade, there is someone else who stands behind him.

"Who could that be? " Hotaru asked.

"— Sorry for my late introduction. I am the queen of the Revided Kingdom, Astertina von Fahrengart. "

"Queen? That means you're—, " said Hotaru.

"— Yes, I am Luna's mother, " Queen Astertina answered.

Queen Astertina slowly walks at Ryuji.

"You're must be Ryuji, right. "

"Yes, Your Majesty. It's been a while. " Ryuji answered.

Suddenly, Luna spoke.

"Father, mother, what were you doing here? '

"We just have a little chat. It's time for us to take leave, " said King Crissfade.

Luna went closer to Ryuji and whispered to him.

"— Could we meet at the town's fountain at night? "

Both the king and queen took their leave followed by Luna. Ryuji then continued his practice until sunset.

"Time passes very quickly until I don't realize it is sunset, " said Ryuji.

Ryuji just remembered that he is supposed to meet Luna at the town's fountain.

He quickly walked inside the mansion and went to his room. After taking a bath, he asks Rissa if she wants to come.

"Riss, did you want to go with me meeting Luna at the town's fountain? "

Rissa, who was lying on the bed, answered him.

"I want to come, but I feel sleepy. "

"Then, you don't have to come. "

Rissa pulled Ryuji's hand.

"No, I will come too. "

Rissa suddenly disappeared. Ryuji looked at his left hand, it is the spirit seal.

(— I want to rest in your mind!)

Ryuji didn't have a choice but to wear his gloves to hide the spirit seal.

"Okay, take a good rest. "

Ryuji rushed to the town's fountain where Luna is waiting for. When he got there, it was seen that Luna was waiting for him there.

"Sorry for the waiting, " said him.

Luna is wearing a regular dress. This is the first time Ryuji has seen Luna in dresses.

"No, it's fine, " she replied.

Ryuji sits next to Luna and begins to ask her.

"What do you want to talk about? "

No reply to Ryuji's question.

"Actually...I want to apologize for what happened yesterday, " said her.

Ryuji was stunned. He almost forgot that Luna suddenly left the restaurant yesterday.

"Don't take it seriously, there is nothing to worry about. "

The atmosphere returned to silence. Both of them didn't talk for a moment.

"The real reason I joined this tournament was that I want to defeat Shiro Kuroyami, " said Luna.

"Defeat him, was it because of the <>? " Ryuji asked.

"Yes, indeed. How did you know? " she was curious.

"He once talked about it when I first met with her. "

Luna looked down, she didn't know what to say.

"<> is a holy ancient sword and many people want it including Kuroyami. In the last three years, Kuroyami has been fighting me for <> and of course he lost. But then he somehow returned with new power and challenged me again, " said her.

"If I win, he will surrender and never chase for the <> and if he wins, he will get the <>. In order to defeat him, I need more power. "

Ryuji understood Luna's words. He is sure that Luna will defeat Kuroyami.

(— Ryuji, behind you!)

Ryuji quickly dodged the attack. It was a fire arrow.

(— Fire arrow? Isn't it from that day?)

The attacker came down and ran towards Ryuji. The attacker was not one but three. At the same time, other attackers also joined in the attack.

"Luna, stay back! You're from that day, right? What do you want from me? " asked Ryuji.

The attacker didn't answer Ryuji's question and instead attacked Ryuji with a fire arrow.

"When it comes to this— "

Ryuji took out <> from the magic circle.

(— Wait, Ryuji!)

Ryuji couldn't move his body as if his body was frozen. Suddenly, Luna spoke.

"I'm sorry Ryuji. After watching Kuroyami's new power, I don't know if I can win against him and I need more power."

"— And it will be your power. "

Luna takes out <> from her magic circle and touches the <>'s blade.

"— <>! "

<> begin to inhale the power within <>. Ryuji couldn't do anything as her body was frozen.

"Why, Luna? "

"I'm sorry, I had to— "

Luna didn't finish his words, interrupted by Rissa.

"— You traitor! " Rissa shouted.

Rissa quickly took human form and released a raging thunder of darkness from her hand. It almost hit Luna and the others. They slowly disappeared from there.

"Ryuji, are you okay? " Rissa asked.

"Yeah, barely. We should hurry and go back to the mansion. "

Ryuji seemed to have no energy to speak. Rissa quickly helps Ryuji to stand while Ryuji picks up <> and puts it back in his magic circle.

"Yeah. "