Tsucko fell to the ground with a thud using mana to reinforce his legs for the landing. Ruble surrounded him slowly being swallowed up by his flames as the outcome of the battle left the area vacant of any buildings.
Three True mages' bodies surrounded him all with thin cuts through their body due to the razor-sharp mana wire Tsucko wields. Tsucko stood surrounded by this destruction and took a deep breath relishing in the moment...He had always wished for strength that would allow him to do as he pleases with no consequence, and now he has it.
" What type of monster...?" The burly man's voice interrupted Tsuckos admiration of his abilities. Turning his head slightly he could see the man limping down the street sword dragging in the dirt and ash behind him.
" So you survived that hit?"
"haha." He let out a painful laugh as he held his ribs with his free hand " Was that supposed to kill me?"
" No, I could have put much more into that...I thought you'd take it a lot better than you did."
The smile on the man's face melted at these comments. His eyes looked at his comrades lying on the ground and thought of the other group dealing with the other.
[" If he's this strong. Then I bet his comrade is at least similar in strength...Meaning the others are probably dead too."]
" So," Tsucko continued speaking. " You wanna finish this...Or are you going to beg for your life!?" Tsucko turned his whole body to face the man and began to approach slowly towards him holding his left hand out and igniting a flame in his palm.
" First I have a question." Tsucko gave him the courtesy of asking his question before his definite death. " Who are your parents?"
" Huh!?[ What do they got to do with this?"]
" Mana wire and that fire of yours...At your age theirs no way you could have learned and mastered both, mana wire alone takes at least 15 years if you're skilled. To master fire and that at your age should be impossible."
[" I see what he's getting at.'] The fire in his left palm extinguished as he closed it and brought it down to his side.
" The only way is if they were passed down as hereditary magic."
Hereditary magic is magic passed down from parents to offspring. The magic passed down is usually the specialty of the father and the mother. Being hereditary magic usually means the offspring blessed with the magic has already obtained full control of the certain magic or will only take a couple of years to master.
Hereditary magic manifests in most at the age of 7. For Tsucko this was his mana wire followed by mastering his fire magic in half the time it would for most people. Like he said mana wire is a very complex magic cast and few take the time to master it or even have the ability to do so. Leading the man to believe his parents were most likely strong and well-known.
" I don't know my parents. I was an orphan. Or maybe they put me up for adoption...Either way, I don't know them at all."
" Uh!" that man's eyes widened in surprise because someone capable of using mana wire would want to keep that cast in their family making it confusing and improbable that Tsucko was put up for adoption...Unless his parents were killed but in times like this with little combat someone capable of using mana wire would be at the top in terms of strength. But there's no other explanation so the man would have to assume they were dead.
The man lifted his sword and healed it out in front of his body with both hands struggling to keep it steady as the damage to his ribs made it difficult to stand straight. A confident smirk appeared across Tsucko's mace as he once again lit a flame in his left hand.
" Say, what about your parents...They must not be very strong if they give birth to someone like you."
" TSK! Shut Your Mou-Argh!" His ribs stopped him from finishing his sentence as he took a hand off his sword to feel them. Tsuckos smile grew wider as he began to approach the man once more.
" Did a strike a nerve!?" He faced the palm of his right hand still resting by his side." Say how are your parents now?"
[" They died 3 years ago...Don't you bring them into this!"
" Hm, I see." Tsucko closed his eyes as a yellow light shined his his right hand " Then you need to get ready."
" Huh!"
"SHING!"
In Tsuckos right hand a dagger formed as his psychotic smile returned to his face. He narrowed his eyes and stared into the man who could feel the blood lust coming from Tsuckos eyes alone.
"You need to get ready...For your family reunion!"
......................................
[" What the hell is he doing here!?]
Kalci was standing surrounded by his work. Multiple magic swordsmen and a true mage lay on the ground around him surrounded by raging flames and ash. In front of him though was a surprise. Fifteen feet away stood one of the Emerald Kingdom 8 Deadly Swordsmans.
Bandages covered his mouth and a red-to-orange overcoat hung off his shoulders. A Dark blue button-up shirt tucked into his black sweatpants that got looser towards the bottom. His hair lay on his head like a bowl black at the top the tips of each strand shined green.
Kalci looked to his hip where a sheath sat which held a real metal sword meaning he doesn't summon his blade like most. A feature that all the 8 Deadly Swordsmans shared.
"What's your name?" The man's voice is how Kalci imagined a snake would sound if it could speak. The raspiness of it slightly muffled by the bandages gave off a creepiness Kalci couldn't explain.
"...Kalci." After a moment he answered with a confident tone.
" Kalci. Nice name, and you've got some skills to go with it." The man looked to the floor at the bodies that were created by Kalci. " I'm Hebi one of the Emerald Kingdoms 8 Deadly Swordsmen."
Hebi reached to his sheath unclipped the suba on his sword from it and slid it out revealing the shininess of the metal to Kalci who immediately re-summoned his blade to his right hand.
" Don't worry about why I'm in the Kingdom of Aces. Right now I'm just testing your skills."
Kalci leaned forward and planted his back foot into the dirt. He could feel his body shaking but didn't know why.
[" Am I nervous? This guy is most likely much stronger than me."] He tightened his grip on his blade's handle. [" Even though I can't sense mana like Tsucko...I can tell this guy is incredibly strong!]
Hebi pulled the rest of his blade out. It was a katana like from Tsuckos home planet. Its blade was a sharp dark blue with light blue slits in the paint as it went down the blade.
[" No this isn't me being nervous...It's excitement or maybe both! This will be my strongest opponent since Tsucko all those years ago. I have sparred with Tsucko after that but in blade combat, he doesn't hold much of a comparison to me...This guy though is far better."]
" Come at me with all you've got," Hedi commanded him
" FEWW!"
Kalci launched at Hedi, blade at his side. Hedi lifted his blade above his head and prepared to strike once he got close enough. Kalci knew a head-on charge would be pointless so as he got close he jammed his blade into the dirt and spun it up into Hedi's face.
Hedi though still slashed down cutting the dust and ash cloud down the middle only to find Kalci had moved.
[" So. He has such little mana and he can suppress it all. But is still able to move at such speeds."]
Kalci appeared behind Hedi sword raised past his shoulder ready to strike him down. Hedi though reacted and turned in time to see it.
" Swish!"
Kalcis's first swing missed cutting only the air. Before Hedi could attack he swung again up at his waist from below.
" TINK!"
[" He stopped it with his foot!"]
Hedi stepped on the blade stopping all of its momentum and leaving Kalci caught off guard. Hedi raised his blade and prepared to cut Kalci down the middle.
" AAAHH!"
With a courageous scream, Kalci pushed with all his strength and picked Hedi up off the ground sending him into the air.
[" He's strong too! With nearly zero mana!"]
Hedi flipped in mid-air to face Kelci who was preparing to jump up at him. He brought his sword back like preparing to swing a Kalci who widened his eyes in confusion.
[" From there...How is he-"]
Hedi swung his sword at Kelci but as it moved it grew in length and bent like a rope. Kelci brought up his sword just in time to block it but the strength of the attack lifted him from his feet.
" CRASH CRASH!!"
Kalci was sent through two burning buildings sliding to a stop two streets over from where they began. He rose to his feet coughing as he was left completely confused by the attack.
[" What the hell type of blade was that!? Bending like a rope but carries the strength of a full power swing, and sharpness to!"] This was a big problem...Kalci would have to get close to land any critical hits, but Hebi could land them from range meaning he could keep Kalci's offense completely out of their fight.
" FWISH"
Kalci looked up and saw Hebi in the air as he jumped the distance of two streets to catch up and continue his attack. He brought his sword back and began to swing it while in mid-air.
" SWISH SHWING KLANG!"
Kalci dodged and blocked with all he could avoiding the attacks.
[" The blade has doubled in length. Around 48 inches now."]
Hebi landed on the floor and whipped the blade above his head before beginning another on-slot of slashes down onto Kelci.
[" Screw it!"]
Kalci dashed straight at Hebi who swung his blade wildly at him dodging and blocking the attacks he could. Hebi's eyes widened at this move as it would usually be suicide.
[" How reckless!"]
" SCRATCH TEAR!!"
Kalci couldn't block all of the attacks so he focused on minimizing damage allowing only the very edge of the blade to scratch him. Hebis's blade then shot for his legs and Kalci jumped up, raising his leg as he descended he planted it into the ash kicking up a dust cloud hindering Hebis' eyesight.
[" Uh! I can't sense his mana...He de-summoned his blade!"]
He swung his sword through the dust cloud wieldy in part to break up the smoke and the other to locate Kalci. He finally found him though but he was already too close, covered in blood from the scratches that landed. Hebi saw his right fist brought back past his ribs.
" BAM!"
Kalci punched Hebi with all his strength but was blocked as Hebi brought his left hand in front of his stomach where his punch had been aimed. Still, the force lifted Hebi off the ground and back into the air where a flipped and landed on top of a burning building still intact roof.
Kalci was breathing heavily as he looked up at Hebi. No expression was coming off of Hebis's face so he had know idea what he was thinking or if his punch did any damage.
" Hmm? Can you keep going?[ That was interesting...I want to learn more."]
" Uh!" Kalcis eyes widened [" Is he serious?]
" BANG BANG BANG BANG!!!"
Suddenly a sound that sounded like cannons being shot through a building interrupted them. Hebi whipped around just as the wall of the building next to him opened sending debris into his line of vision.
Through the smoke and ash, he saw the blonde hair of a young man with another man's face in the palm of his hand being shoved through the building.
A smile grew across Kalcis's face as he saw it. [ Tsucko you crazy bastard!"]
Hebi and Tscuko locked eyes as he went past and the smile on Tsukos face sent chills down Hebis's spine.
[" That guy....He's something new!"]