Chapter 12 - My Precious Partner

The day that Ryuji was looking forward to has come. But, it didn't go as well as he expected. With <>'s power has completely sealed within <>, he doesn't have any choice.

"Hey Ryuji, did you find her? " asked Hotaru while running towards Ryuji.

It looks like those two were finding someone.

"No, I still couldn't find her, " Ryuji answered him.

Ryuji looked at his left hand's glove. There is no mistake, Rissa was missing.

"Your match will start later, you should probably get ready now, " said Hotaru.

"You're right, I should go now, " Ryuji answered.

(— Just where the hell did she go, that Riss.)

3 hours earlier…

"Everyone, I have something important to tell all of you, " said Ryuji.

All of them were sitting in the mansion's living room including King Aershield and Forster. They were told by Ryuji to meet there.

"What was it? " Ryuji's father asked.

Ryuji took a deep breath.

"I can't use my <> anymore during the match. "

All of them were shocked and surprised. They didn't understand what Ryuji was trying to tell them.

"Why, is something wrong with that sword? " Ryuji's father asked.

Rissa suddenly spoke angrily.

"It's all because of that woman! He was the one who took <>'s power last night. If I see her, I'm gonna crush her! "

"That woman, who is it? " Hotaru asked.

Ryuji looked down. He found it hard to say but dared to speak it.

"Luna, it is Luna who took the power of <>. "

They were all shocked except King Aershield and Ryuji's father. It looks like they already know that this would happen.

"Luna take them, but why? " Hotaru asked.

"I'm sure that she has her own reason to take it. She even said that she needed more power in order to defeat Kuroyami, " said him.

Ryuji's father began to speak and tell them the truth.

"Yes, she has her own reason to take it. To tell you the truth, her reason is related to the dignity of his royal family. "

"His family, what exactly is happening? " Ryuji asked.

"It must be an important reason, what could it be? " Rissa asked.

"At first, Luna isn't interested in joining the tournament. But, because of what Kuroyami did, she has no choice but to join it. "

"What did he do? " Both Ryuji and Hotaru asked.

King Aershiled exhaled and started to talk.

"According to King Crissfade, Shiro Kuroyami has kidnapped Luna's little sister, Rinslet Astertina von Crissfade, and challenged Luna to fight in the tournament 3 weeks ago. He threatens to kill her little sister if she refuses to join the tournament. "

"— That damn bastard! " said Ryuji with loud tones.

"I have seen the spirit seal carved on Kuroyami's right hand. Could it be? " said Ryuji's father.

"Yes, there are no mistakes. As what Forster told me, Kuroyami has contracted with Light Elemental Lord contracted spirit, Thia. " said Ryuji.

"— Seriously!? But how? " all of them were shocked.

"I still don't know how but there might be hidden intentions, " said Forster.

"He might be planning something. Besides, if Luna wins, Kuroyami will give back her little sister and stop chasing the <> but if she loses, she has to give him the <> and he will kill her little sister, " said King Aershield.

"So that's why— "

Ryuji hasn't finished his words and is suddenly interrupted by Rissa.

"— I don't care if she wins or loses, but still, tooking <>'s power made me want to crush her! "

"Calm down, Riss. "

Ryuji tries to calm her down.

"That means you don't have any choice but to use the <> right? I know you must be going to use it, " said Rissa

All the eyes were fixed on Ryuji. They are waiting for an answer from him.

"I think that I can win without using the <>. "

All of them stunned by Ryuji's answer,

"But why? She has already taken <>'s power and now it has become an ordinary sword, " said her.

"I agreed with Rissa. Why don't you use it? " asked Ryuji's father.

"Well, it because it is too powerful— "

Suddenly Rissa angrily spoke up.

"— Powerful? You kept saying the same thing until you didn't realize how powerful your opponent is! Ryuji, you're stupid! I hate you! "

Rissa said it while running out of the living room.

"— Wait! " Ryuji shouted.

His shoulder was suddenly touched. It was Hotaru.

"I'll go chase her, " said Hotaru.

Hotaru then exits the living room and searches for Rissa but she cannot find her around the mansion. He then told all of them that Rissa was missing. They tried again to find her around the mansion but still couldn't find her.

Ryuji and Hotaru decided to find her at another place such as a street and town. After two and a half hours of searching, they still didn't find her.

"We will now begin the afternoon match. I know that all the audience was looking forward to this match between the Lightning Princesses and the Hero who bought a victory to the Akane Kingdom during the Great War, " said the referee

"At my right side, we have Luna Astertina von Crissfade from the Revided Kingdom. As usual, she will use her <>. "

Luna is wearing her usual armor with <> at his waist. She slowly entered the arena and drew her sword.

As for Ryuji, he slowly walked through the arena. He wore a long black coat with both hands covered with gloves. Of course, he didn't draw the <> because now it is just an ordinary sword.

"As for my left side, we have Akihiko Ryuji from the Akane Kingdom. It looks like he didn't take out the <>, what happened? "

Suddenly, Luna spoke to him.

"Still, you dared to fight me although you didn't have your sword? Don't be kidding me, " said her.

"Did you really think by sealing <>'s power would be enough to make me withdraw? " said him.

Luna is suddenly silent.

"Are you saying that you are going to use other swords? " Luna asked.

"Yes, indeed, " Ryuji replied.

Ryuji pointed his left hand forward and started to chant the spell.

— Come Fire, Water, Darkness, Light,

— I Beseech Creation, Grand Unto My Hands a Weapon,

— <>!

The four elements appear in the shape of a small circle then unite to form a sword. It is the one-handed elemental sword <>. It has a long blade covered in black color. The <> appears on his right hand.

"Both of the contestants are ready. We will start the match now. "

The referee slowly counted the countdown.

"— 3, 2, 1, "

Ryuji let out a sigh as he gripped his sword tightly.

(— You can do it, Ryuji!)

"Start! "

As the referee declared, both Ryuji and Luna ran towards each other with immense speed. Both of their swords clashed with each other. Ryuji swung his sword with a consecutive attack.

"— Absolute Armament, Floral Form, Six Consecutive Attacks! "

Ryuji's consecutive attacks were so fast that Luna could barely avoid them.

(— H-H-He too fast! But there's no way I can't evade it.)

She then took a few steps and jumped backward.

"You're very fast and agile in swordsmanship compared to 11 years ago, " said her.

"Yeah, it's been a long time since our swords clashed with each other. "

Ryuji said it while kicking the ground and jumped high up. He began to make another attack.

"— <>! "

<>, a combination of fire and ice magic. It can be used to attack the target with a huge fire and at the same time, the fire will completely freeze.

Luna did not have time to dodge the huge fire. She deployed a barrier to evade it. Despite her deployment of the barrier, it can't last longer and begin to crack as the huge fire keeps burning it.

The barrier can't hold any longer and it broke. The fire began to hit Luna's body and it completely turned into huge ice. Luna was already frozen in the ice.

Ryuji who managed to freeze Luna still held his sword tightly. Not long after that, the huge ice slowly cracked and it shattered to pieces. Luna came out of the huge ice as her body filled with a blazing fire.

"Did you forget that my body can't be harmed? " she said.

Ryuji forgot that her body was protected by <>'s flame. Luna begins to attack Ryuji with <>.

"— <>! "

The uncounted spikes of flame fly towards Ryuji. He didn't have any choice but to cut all of them. It is impossible to cut all of them with a sword.

"— Come, <>. " said him.

Another <> appears on Ryuji's left hand. He now wields both <>.

"— Absolute Armament, Ninth Skill, Frosting Blade, Floral Form, Twelve Consecutive Attacks! "

Now, he uses the dual sword technique, <> to cut all the spikes of flame.

"— Dual wielding? This is the first I ever saw something like this, " said her.

This is Luna's first time including all the audience who has ever seen someone dual wields.

Ryuji managed to cut the spikes of flame in time. The spikes of flame then turned into pieces of ice. Usually, the spikes would keep burning although they have been cut or froze, this time it didn't.

"The spikes didn't keep burning, why? " Luna stunned.

"That was my special skill, " Ryuji answered her question.

After cutting all the spikes, Ryuji ran towards Luna as fast as lightning but when he got closer to her, he was suddenly thrown backward for no reason and hit the arena's wall. Blood began to come out from Ryuji's mouth.

"— I'll show you what my dragon can do, <>! " Luna shouted.

<>, one of the abilities of <>, the dragons that sealed within the <>. It allows its user to control gravity. It can be used to pin down an opponent by increasing gravity around them.

The big red magic circle appears above Ryuji. He can't move his body as Luna increases gravity around him.

(— I can't move my body! )

"— I"ll show you what the real power is! <>! , " she shouted.

<>, <>'s ability. The users can shoot a big beam laser to the target and make them badly injured.

(— I'm sorry Ryuji.)

Luna fired a big shot at Ryuji. Ryuji tried to get up but failed.

(— Am I going to lose because of this?)

Ryuji closed her eyes. The only person who he thinks of now is Rissa.

(— She's right, I can't defeat him without her. I hope she is alright.)

Ryuji felt strange. He should now have fainted or been injured by Luna's shot. He opened his eyes and was stunned. He didn't believe what he saw. It was Rissa who stood in front of him while deploying the barrier.

"Rissa... " Ryuji muttered

Rissa slowly walked to Ryuji. She didn't say anything.

"But how?— "

Ryuji was suddenly slapped by Rissa. He knew that all was his fault. He then looked at Rissa again. Tears came out of her eyes.

"— You idiot! " Rissa shouted.

He felt a sensation that he never felt before. It was warm and wet. Before he realized it, their lips were brought together. All the audience was shocked to see what happened.

"— What are the two of you doing in the middle of the match!? " Luna stunned.

Several seconds later, their lips slowly separated. It was both of their first kisses.

"Rissa…Actually, I— " he muttered.

Rissa put his index finger on Ryuji's lips.

"— I'm gonna have you take the responsibilities, "

"Eh, for what? " Ryuji stunned.

Ryuji didn't understand. Responsibilities? What did he do?

"For taking my first kiss, " she answered.

"But didn't you the one who— "

Suddenly, Luna attacked them using <>. Again Rissa deployed a barrier to dodge Luna's attack.

"What kind of barrier is that? It can dodge my attack, " said her.

Ryuji stands up. With blood and scratch on his body, he held Rissa's hand.

"I'm grateful to you, Luna. You made me realize that I am not alone, I have my precious partner beside me, " said him.

"What do you mean? You're gonna fight alongside her? " Luna asked him.

"Yeah. "

"Let's fight till the end, " said Rissa.

"I'm not gonna need this anymore. "

He took off both of his gloves. What was carved in his left hand was the proof of the seal of the darkness spirit. He started to manifest.

— Sword That Eliminates Everything,

— Your True Power Shall Now Be Awakened,

— Spirit of Darkness,

— Form a Sword with Me and Be the Power in My Hand,

— <>!