After some time passed, Sebastian took Nizara to an underground arena. Nizara remarked, "I didn't know you guys had a big private arena underground. If anything, this is cool."
Sebastian replied, "I'm glad you like it, but that's not the only impressive thing about this arena." He picked up his sword and told Nizara, "Pick a sword for yourself."
Nizara picked up a sword and suddenly felt a small shock. He asked, "Sir, I think something is wrong with this sword."
Sebastian reassured him, "Don't worry. I'm guessing you felt a little shock to your hand."
Nizara nodded, and Sebastian explained, "That's normal. It even happens to me. These swords are specially made from a crystal imbued with Dark Magic."
Nizara was perplexed. "So you're saying that these swords are made from Dark Magic?"
Sebastian confirmed, "That's true. Frankly speaking, these are made of Dark Magic, but for a certain reason. Even though Dark Magic is recognized as a deadly force, the Arcadia Kingdom allows people to use it to make swords and other weapons."
Nizara asked, "But it comes with risks, right?"
Sebastian nodded, "That's true, but it's very useful. For example, these swords can significantly decrease a person's magical energy, which is why we're using them."
Nizara asked, "So you're decreasing your magical energy by using a sword made out of Dark Magic?"
Sebastian confirmed, "That's what I'm doing. You should be grateful, because if I used a normal sword, you'd be dead immediately."
Nizara then asked, "So will I have to use one of these swords?"
Sebastian said, "That's up to you. The choice is yours."
Nizara contemplated for a moment, feeling the weight of the sword in his hand. He could sense the dark energy coursing through it, a reminder of the risks involved. Finally, he said, "I'll use it. If this is what it takes to match you, then so be it."
Sebastian nodded approvingly, "Very well. Let's begin."
The two warriors stood facing each other, the underground arena silent except for the faint hum of magic in the air. Nizara tightened his grip on the sword, ready for the challenge ahead.
The Black Squad, Princess Thalia, Milana, and her daughter Viola were all present to watch the battle between Nizara and Sebastian. As the duel was about to begin, Sebastian walked towards a wall. Nizara asked, "Where are you going?"
Sebastian replied, "Just wait there for a second." He touched a button on the wall, and a barrier appeared between him and Nizara. "Now we can start."
Nizara smirked, "Did you just put up a barrier?"
Sebastian confirmed, "Yes, I did. Now you don't have anything to worry about."
Nizara activated Swiftstride and attacked first. Sebastian dodged Nizara's attack smoothly, and despite Nizara's continuous slashes, he couldn't land a hit. Noticing Sebastian's immense speed, Nizara thought, "Dammit, he's so fast."
He realized using magic excessively would drain his energy due to the Dark Magic swords. "Seems like I have to beat him without really using Swiftstride," he thought. Nizara deactivated Swiftstride and attacked again, but Sebastian swiftly moved towards him, slashing his sword as he said, "You've finally caught on, Nizara."
Nizara barely avoided Sebastian and quickly slashed at him, but Sebastian countered by deliberately letting Nizara's sword hit him and then cut Nizara in the leg. Nizara fell to the ground and tried to use magic, but Sebastian quickly pointed his sword at Nizara's throat, prompting him to surrender.
"You got me there, Sir," Nizara admitted.
Sebastian said, "I am a full-fledged soldier, so don't blame yourself for being weak." He extended his hand to help Nizara up. After the duel, Sebastian deactivated the barrier.
Princess Thalia ran over to Nizara, worriedly asking, "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Let me see."
Nizara held her hand and reassured her, "I'm fine, Thalia. Let's go back to the palace."
As they walked back, the onlookers, including the Black Squad and Milana, watched with a mixture of admiration and concern, recognizing the intensity and significance of the duel they had just witnessed.
Back in the palace, Nizara approached Sebastian and asked, "Sir, I wanted to ask you something."
Sebastian replied, "Go ahead, Nizara."
Nizara asked, "Can you explain to me more about the Crystal?"
Sebastian turned to Nizara, his expression serious. "The Crystal Umbra is a powerful and dangerous artifact. It's a crystal infused with Dark Magic, capable of crafting weapons and armor imbued with this malevolent force. When a sword or any other weapon is made from the Crystal Umbra, it carries Dark Magic within it. If someone with Light Magic tries to wield such a weapon, the crystal will begin to drain their magical energy, weakening them considerably. This crystal can also detect whether a person possesses Dark or Light Magic. For humans, especially those with Light Magic, using armor made from Crystal Umbra would be disastrous, as it would only sap their strength. However, for those who wield Dark Magic, the crystal is a source of immense power. It significantly boosts their magical energy, making them much stronger and more dangerous."
Nizara then asked, "So it's better that the ones who possess Dark Magic shouldn't have the Crystal Umbra in their possession."
Sebastian nodded, as Nizara said: "I see, that makes it a very dangerous and important artifact."
Sebastian continued, "Naturally so. This artifact was made by Demon Lord Xanteria."
Nizara asked, "Demon Lord Xanteria? Wait, he made this Crystal?"
Sebastian nodded. "Yes, this is a very ancient and important artifact. It was found by the King of Solandria 2,500 years ago. Ever since then, the Crystal Umbra was broken down into little fragments and distributed to the other kingdoms at the time."
Nizara thought to himself, "If the King of Solandria found the Crystal Umbra by himself, that means finding Xanteria's Artifact is possible."
Nizara then told Sebastian, "Thank you for the information, Sir. I'll make sure to repay you in the future." He went back to his dorm, but as he was entering his room, Thalia called out, "Nizara! Wait a second."
Nizara turned around and saw Thalia wearing a nice, cute white casual outfit with a cap. She then asked, "Would you mind going on a date with me?"
Nizara smiled and replied, "I'd love to."
After some time, Nizara and Thalia were wandering around the city, holding hands. Thalia pointed at a shop selling some snacks and said, "Look, Nizara! Let's try those."
Nizara smiled at Thalia, "Let's go!" They approached the shop, and the shop owner greeted them, "Welcome, young couple! What kind of snacks do you want?"
Nizara asked, "What would you suggest, Sir?"
The owner replied, "I'd suggest you try these Takoyakis."
Nizara's eyes lit up with excitement. "You sell Takoyakis!? Can we have two chocolate Takoyakis, then?"
The owner smiled, "Of course, coming right up!"
Nizara thought to himself, "Man, I can't wait! I didn't know this world had Takoyakis. Maybe some New-Worlders from Japan introduced them here."
Thalia then asked, "Nizara, what's a Takoyaki?"
Nizara smiled and explained, "Takoyaki is a Japanese street food. They're small, round balls of batter, traditionally filled with pieces of octopus, pickled ginger, and green onions. But there's also a delicious chocolate version. They're cooked in special molds, making them perfectly round and crispy on the outside while staying soft and delicious on the inside. The chocolate ones are a sweet treat, and we will try them now."
The owner, hearing Nizara, said, "You seem to know a lot about Takoyakis."
Nizara smiled, "Of course, this is a common snack in my hometown."
The owner asked, "In Japan?"
Nizara was surprised. "Wait, you know about Japan?"
The owner nodded. "Yes, I do. The person who introduced Takoyakis to me was a New-Worlder from Japan."
Nizara asked, "Is that person still in this kingdom?"
The owner shook his head. "I have no idea where she is."
Nizara nodded. "I see. Anyways, thanks for the info."
After some time, Nizara and Thalia were sitting on a bench. Nizara said, "Let's dig in, shall we?" Thalia smiled and nodded as she tasted the Takoyaki. Her face lit up with delight. "Wow! This is so good!"
Nizara smiled. "I'm glad you like it."
Thalia's expression turned worried and sad. "By the way, you did mention that you'll leave after you found the Xanteria's Artifact?"
Nizara nodded nonchalantly, and Thalia started to cry. "Please don't go, Nizara!"
Nizara comforted her. "Don't cry, Thalia. Also, finding the artifact will take some time, so I'll cherish those moments with you, okay?"
Thalia stopped crying, and Nizara hugged her. They sat on the bench, watching the sunset and eating their Takoyakis.
*To Be Continued…*