At night, a match of life and death between Kiritsuka Rei and Ray Houston will be start.
In the white space, these two individuals continue to staring at each other as the whole place filled with silence.
Minutes had pass by, yet they still staring at each other with serious looks on their face.
They were battling with themselves in their own minds over and over without moving a single bit.
Rei sighed and continue to focusing his gaze towards the person in front of him.
'Damn... this isn't going anywhere... I try to visualize it many times, but I still don't know how to defeat this guy...'
Rei thought himself as he took a deep breath and start to move first and begin taking a battle stance.
Ray responded with a smile and took his own stance as well.
"Kiritsuka, wanna have a bet with me?" Ray offered.
"A bet?" Rei responded.
"Yeah, if you could injured me in 30 minutes. You can request 1 thing to me." Ray explained as he still focusing his stance.
"Hmm....then if I couldn't injured you in 30 minutes?" Rei asked while also focusing his stance.
"Then we will have to train once more." Ray said while smiling as he confidence that he won't lose.
"I see...I understand, I will accept the bet." Rei answered without hesitation and his eyes fill of determination.
Ray who saw this widened his eyes and smiled once more.
"Good, you sure have grown..." Ray complimented him as he continue to shout.
"Then come at me with all you got Kiritsuka!"
"Then here I go Houston!" Rei shouted too as their shout was the ring of their fight.
The one who made move first was Rei as he suddenly disappeared from Ray's sight.
'[Shukuchi].'
Then after that Rei appeared right behind him.
'[Horizontal Slash].'
Rei quickly swing his sword horizontally from his right side.
*SWOOSH*
But...
*TING*
Ray blocked it easily by directing his sword to his behind and without move a single step.
"Ohh, you finally learn how to use [Shukuchi]. I guess those running and step training had pay off." Ray commented to him while he easily holding on his sword.
Rei widened his eyes when their sword collided, he could felt how strong his block is.
"Dammit—?!"
*TING**
Ray quickly turn around and flank Rei's sword aside then quickly raised his sword up above his head.
"But...you still have long road to go, it's still too slow!" Then Ray swung his sword down to strike Rei.
*SWOOSH*
But Rei immediately jumped back before Ray's sword hit him and putting a distances away from him.
'I guess normal attack won't be enough, but I don't have any choice to [use] it.' Rei took a deep breath before letting it out slowly as his body letting out a red aura around him.
"Oh, I see...using your [Aura]." Ray said while staring at him.
"Yeah, I was thinking I should test it first. Since normal attack won't do anything on you." Rei replied while coming back to his stance.
"I see, what a good way of thinking. But can you control it?" Ray said while back to his stance.
"How about we found out." Rei replied with a smile in confidence.
Ray smirked. "Then, come at me again!"
Both of them started running towards one another, then they swung their sword together.
*TING*
When their swords collided again it let out a large shockwave around them.
"....?!"
Rei could tell the gap between their strength had been shortened when he activated his aura.
'Right now my strength is somehow equal to him...but this won't be enough to make him fall.' Ray thought when he saw Ray reacted to his new obtained strength.
Ray was smiling when their swords still clashes, "Don't think too much, we are in the battle!" As Ray pulled his sword swung it at him again.
Then Rei responded the same.
*TING*
When their sword collided, they couldn't do any useless move.
*TING*
They swung their swords at each other throat.
*TING*
But their blades couldn't reached to one and another...
*TING*
If any of them let down their guard, it would be over in an instant.
*TING*
Their sword collided against each other again.
As Rei trying his best to focus on the fight, dodging every strike of his sword and counter him with his own.
Ray observed him closely, 'Ohhh, to think he is keeping his movement to minimum to reduce his stamina cost and his fatigue point from building up.'
*SWOOSH*
When Ray swung his sword again, Rei dodged it again by shifting his body slightly aside.
*SWOOSH*
Then Rei countered him back by swing his sword towards him.
*TING*
Ray who managed to block it, he saw a glimpse of something unusual happened and his lips formed into a wide smirk.
'This kid...how much is he going to grow?!'
Rei's red eyes were glowing, which Ray recognized it.
'To think he would focus his [Aura] on his eyes rather than his body and sword!' Ray thought of it.
*TING*
When Ray parried his sword again and going to counter him by swinging it from above.
*SWOOSH*
Somehow Rei could see his opponent's movement getting slower which made him easy to dodge by turning his body aside as the sword pass through.
'Normally, people would use their [Aura] to clad on their body and even their weapons to strengthen them.'
'So they would never consider using such a method to strengthen their eyes...because they found it ineffective.'
'However, simply strengthening your body and sword will not be enough, because...'
'It is meaningless if your sword does not reach your opponent.'
'Until, [a method to increase your eyesight using aura] had come to exist.'
'Which it had proven effectively by many swordsman, the reason is simple...because you can see your enemies' movements and even notice any unexpected movements they would make.'
'But this method...is also difficult to use, even for me who had achieved [Aura] could be able to use it after 2 years.'
'But this kid...just doing it unconsciously.' Ray noticed it, because he never once given him any tips.
'I guess...I might need to get serious.' Ray could tell, if let this goes longer.
He would be the one who lose.
'What a weird feeling...' Rei thought while dodging his sword again while Ray's movements look slow in front of his eyes.
'Is it me...or his movement getting slower.' But Rei shook the thought, 'No, I mustn't think anything else and continue...'
'To focus.'
Rei's eyes grow brighter, when he dodged his sword again.
"...?!"
He noticed a glimpse of opening.
*SWOOSH*
Then he swiftly moved his sword and swung it from Ray's left side.
But when his sword was about to reach him.
*SWOOSH*
Ray dodged his strike by crouching down, then countered him by thrusting his sword upward to Rei's face.
*SWOOSH*
Rei who noticed that didn't hesitate or flinched at the sword right in front of his face.
Then he tilted his head aside to dodge the sword that passed through him.
They hardly said anything during this battle; the only thing they spoke was by using their swords.
Rei then quickly jumped away from him to put a distance between them.
'[Shukuchi].'
But Ray disappeared from his sight.
*SWOOSH*
Then he reappeared from his left side, '[Horizontal Slash].' then he swung his sword horizontally.
*SWOOSH*
Rei quickly turned body and raised his sword, '[Vertical Slash].' And swung his sword vertically.
*TING*
After that, their swords collided once more.
'Ugh—?!'
Ray felt the force of his sword was getting stronger, when he saw Rei coated his sword with his red aura.
'It's interesting that he only discovered how to use his [Aura] this morning.'
'But to think he can naturally control it now... during a battle.'
'Such a terrifying talent...which it coulde make anyone jealous, including myself.' Ray commented.
But when he observed him up closer while their swords were still clashing to one another.
'But...' He noticed something and that is...
"The amount of your aura is still lacking."
*TING*
After Ray spoke those words, Rei widened his eyes.
"...?!"
As his sword was flung up to the air when Ray suddenly strengthening his force from his sword.
*TING*
His sword ended up landing on the ground right behind Ray's back.
"I guess, this is the end." Ray concluded then raised his sword up.
"It seems, you need to train more again, Kiritsuka." After Ray spoke, he swiftly swung it down towards Rei.
'[Vertical Slash].'
*SWOOSH*
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When his sword was about to reach him.
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Suddenly...something happen.
"I'm not done yet!"
Rei shouted out as his eyes begin to glow once more.
*SWOOSH*
He regained his composure and quickly dashed towards the sword.
"—?!" Ray was surprised when he ran towards his sword, until...
*SWOOSH*
Rei shifted his body slightly to the side and narrowly dodged his sword by a strand of hair.
'He dodged it—?!'
Ray was still surprised from his sudden action, and that made him pulled his sword back.
Ray put up a wide grin. '—You never ceases to amaze me!! Kiritsuka!'
Then Rei ran pass him, and went to his sword.
*CLINK*
He grabbed it up as he went back to his stance, huffing and panting slightly.
'That was close one!... I guess dying for 71 times had paid off!' Rei said in his mind as his lips formed a smile, feeling joy started to sprout inside of him.
Ray smiled and turned around to face him.
"To think you would face the sword that coming towards you without any hesitation."
"You've grown, Kiritsuka." Ray praised him.
Rei smiled, "Heh, I had lost count of the number of times I had confronted that sword."
"It made me sick to look at it, so I can't let myself to be struck by it again." Rei replied mockingly.
Ray laughed at him, "Hahaha! That is true, yet you still missed something."
Rei looked at him, "And what is that?" He provoked him to answer.
Which made Ray smiled, "Just you know...I'm still holding back."
"Holding back?" Rei repeated while he was confused what he meant by that as if he had forgotten.
"Yes, I haven't used my Aura yet."
As soon as he said that.
"—?!"
Ray's body suddenly enveloped with yellow golden aura, the same color as his own eyes.
"This is—?!" Rei felt something strange bubbling inside of him as he noticed something.
'Hahaha! this guy, he is getting stronger!'
Rei couldn't help but smile and amazed at Ray's golden aura that was standing right before him.
"To think, you are this powerful...Houston." Rei praised with genuine honesty.
Ray smiled as well. "This is my hard work, that I had piled for many years."
"So congratulations, for pushing me getting serious on you, Kiritsuka." He muttered.
"Now then, shall we end this! Kiritsuka!" He shouted with his golden aura spiking up.
"Then come at me!" Rei shouted back as he let out all of his red aura around him.
*CLINK*
The two of them raised their sword and aimed at each other.
"Kiritsuka Rei, I shall strike you with my strongest attack!" Ray declared.
"I accept! And I shall respond with my strongest!" Rei declared as well.
Finally, they revealed their final trump card.
"[Imitation Fire Sword]!"
"[Imitation Fire Sword]!"
Both of them shouted at the same time as their swords were enveloped by flame.
The two of them stared at each other for a moment.
As their flames were soon changed colors as they added their own aura to it.
Rei's fire sword turned into crimson red while Ray's turned into golden light.
*WOOSHH*
Ray smiled when he saw the color changed on Rei's fire.
'I see, so he knows how to apply it, huh. I guess Super Growth is a cheating skill, but let's see who's the strongest!?' Ray spoke in his mind.
As the whole space slowly distorted due the heat.
*SWOOSH*
The two of them started running towards each other.
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When they were closing the distance between them.
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Rei moved his sword to his right side.
Then Ray lifted his sword up.
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Finally, they swung their swords.
"[Horizontal Slash]!" (Rei)
"[Vertical Slash]!" (Ray)
Both of them shouted.
*TINGGGGGG*
As their swords collided once again and created a big shockwave around them.
*WOSSHHHHH*
Both of them glared at each other as their sword clashed to one another.
"HAAAAAAA!!!!!"
However...
Rei slowly stepped back a bit when he felt the force coming from Ray was stronger than he expected.
'Just as I thought...he is still too strong for me! But...' Rei took one step forward.
'I'm not going to lose!'
"HAAAAA!!!!"
Rei shouted and pushed his sword forward.
It made Ray widened his eyes, when he felt his sword getting pushed back against him.
And the fire on Rei's sword, was getting bigger.
'He increased his output?!' Ray quickly noticed that.
As he had no choice to take one step back from his spot and felt the fire on his sword burned his cheek a bit.
'Heh, impressive.' Ray praised him, then he pushed his sword the same, 'but...that's still not enough!!'
"HAAAAAAAA!!!!"
Ray suddenly increased his own aura, to increased his strength and pushed Rei to take a step back once again.
But Rei didn't give up, "HAAAAAAA!!!!" And continued to increase his aura to the limit even his eyes start to glow bright.
A lot of shockwave was released around the space from their clash.
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And in that moment.
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*CRACK*
The sound of something cracking could be heard.
*CRACK* *CRACK*
Their swords started to crack, bit by bit as they continued to increase the heat of their fire and aura on their swords.
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Until finally...
*CRACK*
It reached the limit.
*SHATTERS*
Their swords broke apart.
*BOOMMM*
And released a large fire shockwaves that was compressed into the sword, creating a huge explosion.
*SWOOSH*
That was blowing the two of them away from there.
"Agh—?!"
Ray could withstood the explosion and landed safely.
"Ugh—?!"
But Rei who couldn't protect himself, ran out of aura and landed on the ground with burned scars on both hands.
"Haaaa....haaaa...."
Ray panted a bit and slowly walked towards Rei who was lying down on the ground.
"Ughh...dammit."
Rei looked up at Ray while enduring the pain on his hands.
"I guess I lost...again."
Rei spoke with a dejected sigh as he looked up to the white ceiling before closing his eyes.
Ray looked down at him and sighed as he smiled while he shook his head.
"No, you won this time." Ray admitted it and sat down beside him.
"Huh?—" Rei was confused when he said that.
"A bet is a bet, although it's just a bit, but you did injure me." Ray replied while he touched the small burn cut on his cheek.
"So, this time...it's your win...Kiritsuka." Ray answered him and congratulate his victory.
Rei widened his eyes as he heard that and laughed a bit.
"Hahaha...to think I won, but well somehow I don't felt happy." Rei stated it with smile.
"I mean, look at my hands! they all messed up, I probably can't use my hand now."
As Rei spoke, he felt a stinging pain on his hands, but then he remembered.
"Ahhh...that's right, this is just a dream." Rei sighed relived to know that, then he looked up towards Ray.
"Well, as usual, let's just end this and kill me, Houston." Rei muttered about their daily routine.
Ray looked at him and laughed, "Hahaha, yeah...you are truly the most weird disciple I ever had." He replied while a sword appeared on his hand.
"Kiritsuka, let me praised you again." As he pointed the sword to his left chest where his heart was.
"You are one hell of a brave warrior." Then Ray praised him with a smile.
Rei looked at him and closed his eyes while smiling as well.
"Thanks, Houston. I'm glad I can meet your expectations." Rei thanked him.
"I'll meet you at the real world, so go to sleep and rest now... we can talk about your request later." Ray replied.
"Yeah, see you again, tomorrow...Houston."
When Rei spoke his final words.
*STAB*
Finally, Ray stabbed his heart with a quick movement giving him painless death.
As the whole thing went black, their fight had come to an end...for the new day they will face.
To be continued...
*Rei Current Status*
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[STATUS]
NAME: Kiritsuka Rei
JOB : Blacksmith
TITLE : [The Reincarnator], [Time Traveler], [Quick Learner], [Beast Slayer]
Level: 21
[HP: 2500/2300]
[MP: 325/325]
[FATIGUE: 0]
EXP: 1500/23000
STATUS POINT : 27
__________________
STRENGTH : 60
AGILITY : 40(+5)
VITALITY : 45
INTELLIGENCE : 30(+5)
SENSE : 35(+5)
SKILL
Blacksmith Mastery Lv3; Sword Mastery Lv3; Battle Instinct Lv2; Super Growth LvMax; Fire Magic Lv2, Aura Lv1
Fire Lv2
Horizontal Slash Lv6
Vertical Slash Lv4
Persona LvMax [Locked]
Imitation Fire Sword Lv1
Shukuchi Lv1 !!NEW!!
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[Shukuchi]
Active Skill
MP: 25
An instant move that requires both speed and silence, allowing the user to move between space and strike their enemy.
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