Chereads / The NightBlade / Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Darkhorse

Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Darkhorse

As Kairi was thinking, the messy room was bugging her.

"This needs to be cleaned" Kairi thought. By cleaning Kaito's house, it might as well be her "Thank you gift" for him. It also serves as something to spend her time while waiting for Kaito to wake up. She began cleaning the room, she started by sweeping the floor, dusting the whole room. She also organized the things in the room. As she was cleaning, she noticed a picture frame at the floor. She picked it up and saw a picture of a old man, a young man and a-

"You have done enough" Kaito said coldly.

Kairi was surprised, she never sensed Kaito move, she never even thought that Kaito would wake up this fast.

"Geez, you're already bact at your old self, why did you even do it in the first place?" Kairi asked.

Kaito's eyes widened. He remembered what he did before he fell asleep. He bowed half of his body.

"I'm sorry!"

Kairi was again surprised. Instead of his usual cold tone, this was more like a cheerful tone, it's like Kaito was a different person.

"You actually don't have to do that, besides you must have your own reasons" Kairi responded to Kaito's bow.

Kaito then stopped bowing.

"Thank you for your understanding" Kaito replied.

"Anyways, I saw a picture of a family, is that yours?" Kairi asked.

"It is" Kaito said.

Kaito's cold tone is back. Kaito then pushed Kairi to exit his house.

"You should go back and try to find your weaknesses and a way to patch them up"

Kaito then shut the door.

"Does he have multiple personalities?" Kairi thought as Kaito became two different persons entirely.

"Well I should as well go back home, it's already night and Val would be very worried"

Kairi then left Kaito's house.

...

The next day:

Kaito woke up normally as he always does, ate breakfast, took a bath, dressed up for school, he then chanted magic on himself, a dark magic circle enveloped his body but vanished after a few seconds. He then left to the Academy.

He arrived at the Academy and students were excited about today's 1v1 matches, today was also the day in which the representatives of this Academy will be chosen to fight in the Magic Competition for the right to climb the Holy Mountains. Kaito then went straight to the Battle Hall to view the upcoming match. There were 12 pairs of matches, 24 contestants and only 6 of them will compete with the other Academy's representatives to select the Competitors for the Holy Mountains. His match was 7th, Kairi's was 3rd and Val was 4th. Seeing that the first two matches isn't worth his time, he went to the Library.

...

After the first two matches is done, Kaito activated the shadow mark he placed on a dark corner of the Battle Hall and arrived instantly. He then checked his surroundings just in case someone noticed him. He then proceeded to watch Kairi's match. He wants to see if Kairi had a better way to make up for her weaknesses, one is that her spells took a lot of time. She needs to at least have a way to make up for that.

Bernard then announced the competitors. Kairi and a student named Jessica. Kaito looked at Jessica and his eyes widened. It's not because her beauty caught her eye, but because her aura has a very dark red color. It's like she's wanting revenge. Not only that, but the aura she's excluding is abnormally huge for someone like her, even a Noble like Kairi would take a long time to accumulate that much. Kairi and Jessica looks like they were talking. Bernard then announced that the time is up and started the match. Kaito watched closely.

Kairi started chanting but Jessica was just standing there, they might not notice but she's actually gathering wind mana on her legs.

"She's planning to go against Kairi with speed" Kaito thought. After Kairi finished, a sea of fire engulfed the ground. Jessica grinned, she then took an awkward stance and launched herself suddenly at Kairi. Her speed was too fast for a naked eye to catch. Only those who have enhanced eyes like Kaito can probably see her right now, unfortunately Kairi failed to react because of her enemy's frightening speed. She got kicked in the face. But that's not the final blow, before she even got disqualified for getting out of the fighting ring, Jessica would launch another kick her at the opposite direction. She repeatedly did this.

Val was already shouting that Kairi surrender but with what is happening right now, her opponent would not let that happen. She's hungry for revenge, Kairi must have done something to upset her, but this wasn't right. Kaito suddenly felt an urge to protect Kairi. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. He wrote something on the air, a magic circle appeared and dark chains came out from it. Those chains were only visible to Kaito and those who have at least one affinity with the Dark Magic. Only Val, Kairi and Kaito himself can see the chains. These chains wrapped themselves at Jessica's body, slowing her down greatly, giving time for Kairi to surrender. Bernard then stopped the match. Jessica wasn't attacking Kairi's vital spots, only aiming at breaking her bones. Kairi was then transported to a medical room. Jessica won but forfeited at her next matches. She was then declared as a Dark Horse of the tournament. She was always the average magician but managing to defeat the top student of the Academy and achieving an unrivaled speed.

"Suits you right" These were her last words for Kairi as she left the Battle Hall. Val came with Kairi at the medical room. Kaito felt the same powerlessness he had before. He wanted to vent out his anger for doing nothing.

"If you have power, you can protect those you love"

These was Kairi's reason to become strong. He had the power, but only watched. He was angry at himself. He wanted to protect her, but he didn't. He then suddenly remembered Jessica, she shouldn't have that power. Only one "Organization" will spend their time for a student like Jessica. Kaito's blood boiled with rage.

...

As Kaito's match is starting, his opponent didn't came. Bernard then announced that since Kaito's opponent is unable to come, Jake would replace his position. Although Jake would not be selected if he won, Kaito wouldn't be selected if he lost. Kaito agreed to this. Jake was accused of attacking Kairi and Val. There were no evidence except the marks of the battle. Jake was punished by the teachers but didn't kicked him out of school because they were afraid that they might offend the Azrec Family. They even healed the wounds he got.

"Do you have anything to say to the other?"

Bernard asked.

Jake raised his hand.

He then went closer to Kaito.

"Prepare yourself, I'll break every single bone you have" Jake then went back to his place.

"Let the match, Begin!"

Jake started chanting.

Kaito stomped his feet at the ground. The ring shook and cracks was seen. People was surprised, was this the power of a commoner?

Jake was also surprised but soon regained his compusure. He then proceeded to attack Kaito with fireballs. Kaito stared at Jake's attack and blinked. A strong gust of wind came and blowed Jake's fire immediately. Jake was starting to panic.

"Is he really a commoner?" Jake thought.

Kaito breathed at the floor, the temperature quickly dropped and an iceland formed. Jake's body started freezing, his fire cannot melt the ice. He didn't brought his sacred sword as he thought he didn't need it to fight a commoner. As he was freezing, Kaito's body excluded lightning, he then launched himself at Jake, the same speed as Jessica's. He punched Jake right into the stomach, the ice covering his body quickly shattered. Jake flew upwards. Kaito then pointed his finger at Jake, raging flames came out and roasted Jake. Jake then fell down unconscious. He didn't died and Bernard was too shocked as he was still processing what he just saw. After some time, Bernard announced that Kaito won. The crowd watching was silent for a while before cheering. Bernard congratulated Kaito as he was a master of different Elements and also a master of the Magic Speedchanting. Kaito then left the Battle Hall. Val also saw this and immediately went to report to Kairi.

...

Night, one of the medical rooms:

Kairi was surprised by what she heard.

"I'm not lying" Val said.

"But why would he do that?, wouldn't he expose that he uses the Dark Magic?!" Kairi asked.

"He didn't use the Dark Magic" Val replied.

"Then how did he win?"

"He used different elements, Earth, Fire, Wind, Ice"

"He did??!"

"Yes"

Kairi was again surprised. Not only Kaito knew about the Dark Element, but he also knew how to use different elements. But the most thing that surprised her is that why would he reveal himself. This question was bugging her. He spent time to pretend to be weak, he even let himself get beat up multiple times.

"Does he have a problem with Jake?" Kairi thought. But the only way to really know is to ask Kaito himself. She stood up from bed.

"What are you doing? You aren't supposed to move yet" Val said worriedly.

"I... need to ask him why" Kairi responded.

Val was silent for a while.

"Let me come with you" Val said.

Kairi nodded and the two of them went to Kaito's house.