A small red explosion flares in the forest.
"I could have sworn I felt Taiyo's presence just now." Aika said turning back around to see.
"Nah, you just dreamin'" Kinishi said, "Anyways, when are we telling Taiyo?"
"Uhhh a lil later, probably like a week after he wakes up." Aika replied.
"Ok."
Taiyo stretches his arms as he walks away from the assassin's burnt body.
*I wasn't even trying either...just how much stronger was I before....wait if I really think about it, it's not how strong, it's how strategic I was in ki usage.* Taiyo thought to himself as he walked out of the forest.
Taiyo's hair covers his face.
"I should put it in a bun." Taiyo said before putting up his hair.
Taiyo walks into the bustling streets of the Blade City.
He walks around and looks at the swords at display.
Taiyo looked at one sword in particular
The sword had a red and blue handle.
The blade was blue but the hamon was red.
The blade cover had blue flames and a red background.
Suddenly, he gets a flashback to when he was younger.
Chemosh hold the same sword.
"One of these days, one of you two will inherit the sword." Chemosh said.
Taiyo stares deeply at until the sword keeper says "You have a good eye for swords, young man."
"Huh, oh thanks." Taiyo replied back, "Excuse me sir but just how did you get that sword?"
"Oh this? I found it in the midst of the rubble in the destroyed town of Spirit Island." The sword keeper said.
"Oh really now!" Taiyo said in shock.
"Yes but, speaking of the sword, nobody has offered to buy it, despite having some very powerful aura, so I was about to close shop and ship it to Tip town." The sword keeper said.
"I would've offered to buy it but I'm out of money right now." Taiyo said sadly as he spins around to start walking again.
"Wait!" The sword keeper yells, "I have a proposition for you, if you help me with deliver all 6000 of these swords, by the end of today, then I'll give you the sword." The sword keeper said.
"Uhhh, sure you got yourself a deal." Taiyo said as he shakes the sword keepers hand.
The scenery cuts to Taiyo weakly dragging the swords up the mountain.
"I'm not even halfway done and it's almost sunset." Taiyo said while dragging the swords, "How much swords do I still have to deliver again? oh yeah 3,356."
Taiyo collapses on the ground.
"I think i'll just give u-." Taiyo said before closing his eyes and seeing another flashback.
"No matter what happens, the sword will always come to you sooner or later. But if you have to do a errand for it, you better finish it or the sword will laugh at you and call you a weakling." Chemosh said.
Taiyo opens his eyes and stands back up.
"I gotta do this!!" Taiyo said as he starts with a jog and breaks into a sprint.
"Good job, You made it back at 11:59pm." The sword keeper said.
Taiyo, out of breath, said "Gee, thanks, but I just came back from running up and down a mountain, faster than ever before, so just give me a minu-."
Taiyo collapses on the ground.
"Hahahahaha. Young fella, it looks you still got a lot of training to due before you can even wish to stand up against this sword, it's a fiesty one, alright." The sword keeper said with a large smile on his face.
"Shut up, old man." Taiyo said, muffled, while still laying, faceplanted, on the ground.
"Come inside, I have more than just the sword to gift you."
Taiyo stands up and follows him inside.
Inside, the sword keeper brings him a new red Hanfu with a red oni teeth mask.
Taiyo takes the clothes and wears it.
"Thanks old man, but why are you doing this for me?" Taiyo asked.
"You'll know in the future." The sword keeper said as he hands over the sword.
Taiyo walks back up the forest as he sees Aika and Kinishi searching for him.
"Yo? what are you guys searching for?" Taiyo said as he walks over.
They turn around and ran to him.
At the same time, they both hugged him.
"Hey guys, it was only three months, I didn't think it was that serious." Taiyo said.
"It was." Aika said with tears in her eyes.
"Lets go inside, I got some stuff for some yakisoba." Taiyo said smiling.
"Oouu, I've- Nevermind." Aika started but covered immediately.
Kinishi looks at her and face palms himself.
"Don't worry, I remember how much you loved my yakisoba, Aika." Taiyo said as he raises his shopping bag up.
Aika and Kinishi looked at each other surprised.
"Like... everything? even your old fighting style??" Kinishi said.
"Yea."
"Oh..." Aika said, "By the way, where did you get the food from?"
"Don't worry about it."