The train has reached the Nippon Mountain station. Shu stood on the train's roof and looked at the mountain. There was a trick he wanted to try. If it went as planned, it would be only the first part of something else he had in mind.
Shu took a sharp breath in and jumped. It's a one in a thousand that this future would work, even if only for a single step. This was a future where Shu would successfully follow the world through the air to the Redfox family's castle.
He put one leg forward as he was in the air. And he felt it. The wind had solidified under his leg. He stepped on that great wind to take a second jump. And he could see how high up he was now. But as expected, all things end. He knew he didn't have much chance of successfully reaching the mountain.
Shu started falling. But as he accelerated down to the ground, he grabbed his new disciple's hand, and the latter started flying them toward the mountain.
Lǜ Zūn carried both Shu and Shuāng Wěi using his dragon form.
"Shu, you are crazy!"
Lǜ Zūn shouted at his dumb master.
"I knew you'd come."
Shu justified his choice to jump as high as he did.
"Just as I said, crazy..."
Lǜ Zūn sighed, and Shu laughed loudly.
********
With the ancestral sword at hand, Mary stood facing Dam.
Dam was using his sword of chaos and was ready for the fight to start.
Ever since they reached the mountain, he fought Mary once every two days. Even with his sword that rendered most magic useless, she was no less than his equal, if not more than that.
When he got to Nippon Mountain, they told him he would be taught the Tao of swords. From what he understood, Tao was a type of force that functioned like magic but was more effective, and the only way for mortals to learn it was to learn specialized aspects of it. And he, Dam Cahol, even though he was average at using magic, was completely inept at using Tao.
Luckily for him, it seemed his sword could dispel this "Tao of swords" Mary used. Mary used the "Tao of swords" proficiently and had a nearly perfect technique. Without the sword of chaos, Dam would have lost each time, not just over half of them.
"Hajime!"
Akainari announced the fight's start.
Even before Dam could react, Mary leaped in his direction. She pointed her sword forward, aiming it at his stomach.
Dam swiped his sword and knocked her sword to the side. This was his last mistake in that fight because Mary reached for her other sword and placed it by his neck.
"I yield."
Dam said. He knew he would lose. She was getting better with each fight.
"HAHAHAHA!"
They both heard a familiar laugh.
"Shu!"
They both said simultaneously and looked in the direction of the voice.
"Mary! You seem stronger! I want to fight you! Dam! Don't fall behind!"
Shu shouted.
"Shu! You piece of-!"
Dam started cursing Shu for looking down on him.
"You don't get to fight her before you fight me!"
Alexander shouted. He sat by Akainari and watched the fight, but when he heard Shu asking Mary to fight him, he knew he needed to fight Shu first.
"Okay, I will fight you both at the same time!"
Shu shouted.
Mary and Alexander looked at each other.
"Do we wait for him or shoot him down?"
Alexander asked, but they both knew the answer. That damned, arrogant fox needed to be taught a lesson.
"Lǜ Zūn, throw me over."
Shu told his Long-kin disciple.
"Why?"
The young Long-kin was confused.
"They are going to shoot us."
Shu answered, and Lǜ Zūn threw him without further questions. Lǜ Zūn knew that if Shu warned him of an impending attack, Shu was probably correct.
Alexander created a magic cannon, and the magically enhanced cannonball flew at the young heir of the Redfox family.
Shu put his hand forward and punched the cannonball in midair. Soon after, he landed and dashed at Alexander. The latter had enough time to create a sword but not enough to use it before Shu used a palm strike to send him flying across to the far side of the arena.
Shu then dashed at Mary. She swiped the ancestral sword at his head, so he ducked under. She used this opportunity and swung her other sword toward his legs.
Shu jumped and was horizontal to the ground. Usually, this position would cause a massive disadvantage, but Shu was fast enough to evade this drawback.
He spun in midair and kicked her higher wrist. She dropped the ancestral sword, and as she swiped down at his legs, he stepped on the blade, and she was forced to release the sword from her hand.
Shu stood awkwardly close, facing Mary, but he didn't feel embarrassed. If anything, he was thrilled. He moved even closer and kissed her on the mouth. Mary pulled back with a face so red it made him question whether his color was red enough to be a Redfox.
"W-what are you d-doing?! I-idiot!"
She was so shocked. What happened? They didn't know each other for long in this timeline, then why? Why did he kiss her? Is it him from the future?
Mary looked at Shu and saw his eyes glowing brightly with a golden light.
"Are you Shu from the future?"
Her tone was filled with disappointment.
"No. Though I did know you would ask that. I can finally control my powers."
Shu answered and moved closer, but Mary took a step back.
"B-but what if this is the timeline where your right eye gets scarred?"
Images of the three Shus she saw when they reunited for the first time flashed in her mind. Mary couldn't live with herself if she were to be a distraction and cause his injuries. And about how he looked at her? Was she going to die?
"Can you trust me that this is not that timeline and just answer me honestly?"
Shu requested.
Mary didn't answer. Instead, she walked toward him, grabbed him by the head, pulled him downwards, stood on her toes, and kissed him back.
"I love you."