Konami, Vladimir and a quivering Xander stood bravely before General Gantala, their eyes locked in a fierce stare.
They were surrounded by dozens of his knights, all of whom were ready for battle, their weapons glinting in the light. But the three adventurers were undeterred.
Konami sprang forward first, his daggers cleaving through the air as he unleashed his anima.
"Kill switch!" he cried out as he released a powerful slash wave that blasted through the enemy ranks.
"Save some for me, will ya?" Vladimir let out a mighty battle cry and lunged forward, his massive frame shaking the very ground beneath his feet.
The general watched silently as his soldiers were beaten by the two monstrous adventurers.
Xander, meanwhile, was left to stand and stare in awe as the two monsters decimated the enemy ranks.
He sighed, knowing that he could not stay back for long. He drew his fencing sword and charged forward, joining the fray.
As the battle raged on, Gantala watched silently, his gaze never straying from Konami. "There's something about that kid that feels off," he muttered to himself.
He watched as the three adventurers fought, their skills and strength impressive, but there was a spark in Konami that the general could not quite put his finger on.
Despite the odds against them, the three adventurers fought with ferocity, each swing of their weapons sending enemy soldiers flying.
The air was filled with the sounds of clanging swords and the grunts of the fallen, and the ground was littered with the bodies of the defeated.
Finally, with a joint attack, the trio struck the last knight together.
"I got him first." Konami declares triumphantly.
Vladimir scoffs, "Are you blind? My sword reached him first, everyone could see that." He points behind them at the Capital's royal knights and adventures that managed to regain their footings after the aura burst.
The spectators watched them in silence as they decimated the knights that gave them a hard time with ease.
"You two are acting like babies." Xander scolded them. "Plus, it's obvious the jab from my sword connected first." He added, avoiding their gazes.
"Nonetheless, we have taken care of the distractions." Konami pointed his dagger at Gantala
Their eyes shone with a fierce determination. The general, meanwhile, simply watched, his mind racing with thoughts of what this trio was capable of.
"I will commend you three for beating some of the best knights my nation has to offer. But in the battle of good and evil, good will always triumph. And there is no evil greater than the evil of the relics."
Konami stepped forward, with Vladimir and Xander following closely behind, he sneered at General Gantala, "Again with this relic nonsense." He chuckled with disdain, "Bring it on, so I can show you what happens when you mess with me and send you back to where you came from. You're nothing but a mere annoyance."
Gantala's face contorted with anger, his eyes bulging as he heard Konami's challenge.
"You dare speak to a general of Korre with such disrespect?" He spat, "I will enjoy crushing you, and I will watch as your relic fades away with your soul."
The general's aura exploded once again, even more powerful than the last time, causing Vladimir and Xander to shield themselves from the intense pressure.
Xander stumbled and dropped to his knees, his consciousness slipping away as he gasped for air.
"How do we fight someone like that?" he muttered weakly.
Vladimir let out a deep belly laugh, causing Xander to lift his head to see what was happening. He was shocked to see that the aura that once threatened to consume them was gone, replaced by Konami's own aura, which shielded them from the general's power.
"You okay?" Konami asked, his lifeless eyes meeting Xander's. The swordsman nodded slowly, still in shock from what he had just witnessed.
Gantala was equally stunned, his eyes wide with disbelief. "How are you doing this?!" He shouted.
The collision of their auras decimated the surrounding buildings, reducing them to rubble, as the knights, adventurers, and onlookers watched in awe.
Vladimir's expression shifted from anger to respect as he gazed upon Konami. "So, this is your true power," he said, with a grin on his face. Despite feeling a sense of insult as a warrior that Konami had not used this power earlier, he couldn't help but admire the assassin even more.
The general's aura had dissipated and the tension in the air was palpable as Konami stood tall, a confident smirk etched on his face.
Gantala, on the other hand, was seething with anger. The mere thought of being bested by a child was unacceptable to him, and he desperately wanted to take Konami down.
"It took me decades to master the aura burst technique," Gantala spat out, "How were you able to counter it with such ease?"
Konami's smile widened, "The aura burst is a powerful technique, but it also takes a toll on the body. You've used it twice now, and your anima must be drained. It takes a lot of mental energy, willpower and precise control over one's anima to produce an aura burst."
Gantala was taken aback by Konami's words. He had never encountered someone so young who was able to understand the technique so thoroughly, let alone be able to counter it with ease.
The general realized that if he had to take on Konami, he would have to be at the top of his game.
"Don't think for a second that you have won," Gantala warned, "I have accomplished my mission here, but I will return with the strongest unit my nation has, and I will have your head."
Konami remained unfazed, "State your name adventurer, and your guild."
"Konami Kodo, leader of the Nightshade Guild," the assassin replied coolly.
Gantala sneered, "Konami Kodo, I will not forget your name. I will return to destroy this nation, and that library, the source of all the delusions of the accursed relic users. Live out the rest of your short life, until then."
The general then began to chant strange words, his hands glowing with a golden light. In an instant, he was engulfed in a blinding light that left everyone dazed. When the light cleared, Gantala was nowhere to be seen.
Konami stood tall, his eyes blazing with determination. "I will be ready," he declared, a resolute look on his face.