-3 years ago-
My family name is widely known. as the devil, as the destroyer, as an arrogant, dangerous family. Whatever it is known as, I grew to be one of them, maybe all. I spent most of my life following in my grandfather's footsteps after my parents died. And all I have known is guns, knives, torture, and taking human breath away.
The Takaki is a huge organization, the association, the gang, whatever they prefer, but to us, the Takaki is the family. My grandfather, Saya Takaki, is the head of the family. He created all the fame, the respect, and the power by himself, along with my father. The name is expanding out far, not just in Sovereign Land but also elsewhere and around other lands. We don't own any business but the daunting and the power of the name makes our family above them. The family or any organization that wants to be launched or to be located in Sovereign City technically doesn't need Takaki's approval. Still, if businesses are known by us, they are likely to be more accepted by other important people. As a result, the owner or the business itself will be in an inner, highly respected circle.
I earned that name by blood and also by the trust of my grandfather and others. Well, they think I am the devil who can take anybody's life just by looking. That is sort of hilarious, but it's true.
All those kinds of businesses that this society has, I am not one of them. I am just a person who cleanses the mess they have made. Even though I am used to walking through the chaotic arrogant life. I'm not turning into one of them. I don't use their services, drugs, gambling, or women. I do not like to be in this position that my grandfather gave to me, but it gives me the power to do whatever is right for me. I personally like it when I have any task to get rid of one of them, one by one. They are not like other citizens to whom police or higher ranks of the normal law could do justice. They need someone or some organization that can cut them right in the throats and never ever climb back from the graves again, and that is me. Even so, some organizations or some people are stubborn, trying to get back into life.
The Grande Wister Academy
My grandfather and I were invited to watch the annual competition at the academy. However, the only competition that my grandfather intended to participate in was the sword fight by the Sayamura Club. This club is for the young generation who love the traditional Japanese fight style and for other purposes, and its founder is my grandfather. And I was just tagging along, more like I was being dragged along.
"Are you bored? Kai"
My grandfather asked me while I was dozing off. I wasn't a fan of fighting for a score or for a trophy to decorate their houses. Even the students of the Sayamura club were selected by the Mentor himself. It made a difference from other clubs in this school, but sitting and watching for an hour was boring to me.
"A little, sir."
"Want to take a walk?"
"I'll be back, sir."
*Sigh
Wherever I walked, all eyes were always hiding. They saw me and suddenly hid their faces. I was used to it since I was a teenager. Speaking of teenagers,
How long was it, 10 years ago?
"Sorry!"
And there's a girl who ran in my direction.
"Sorry, sorry."
She moved herself and tried not to bump into other people along the way.
This hair?
And then she ran past me,
Ah...her eyes,
"Where's Zephyra!!?"
And then a guy shouted loudly.
"She'll be here in a minute."
"Those fuckers changed their contest to be the same time as us… I'mma kill that prick, Anthony!"
"I'm here, I'm here."
She shouted back.
"Change your clothes now!!"
That guy yelled at her. He probably was her Mentor.
Silver-white hair and the black tip of her hair are the same as the picture I saw a year ago.
"Hey, Hey!"
That Mentor was shocked. He quickly turned his back and faced in my direction.
What are they doing?
"Fuck, Zephyra…"
The Mentor cursed at her. He yelled at her nonstop. And then another guy took off his uniform,
Don't tell me she was changing? Here in the middle of the hallway?
She was one of the Sayamura? I hurriedly ran to my seat to see the view clearly.
"What's going on?"
My grandfather asked.
"..."
I said nothing and tried to lurk in to see the opponents at the center, but no one was there yet.
"Sit."
My grandfather ordered me. Then I sat in the same seat.
"Next is the last fight. Let's introduce the one and only, Mr. Yamazaki Jodai from Keithland."
"Clap!!!!"
The huge crowd applauded.
"And the other side from Grande Wister Academy. Our new rising star, Miss Zephyra Stygian."
"Clap!!!!"
The huge crowd applauded
"Stygian?"
I repeated.
"Hmm, so that is the hidden daughter of Charon."
My grandfather spoke up.
"..."
She was the one with the Stygians…
I finally met her, I met her… I met her once again.
-present time-
The Gather Zone
"Show me then."
That tiny girl speaks fearlessly in front of a big guy who is twice her size.
She does this because of curiosity or because of what?
I know that she's good at sword fighting, but that's only for competition, not this kind of brutal fight.
Damn, I can't even sit still.
The white hair beast starts to get real. He used his fists faster and more aggressively after he was hit by her a couple of times, mainly because of what she said earlier.
But,
How come she can avoid all the punches? And she's so fast, fast like Kyo. But her movements look like those of a squirrel who runs and moves all over the beast's body just to tease him.
Suddenly, she swings her sheath quickly and attacks the side of his body, left and right flowingly to his thick right leg, and finally, she uses the bottom of the sheath to attack right at the middle of his chest.
"!!"
She repeats the attack by pushing harder, then he's choking out and hardly breathing the air, and she gets up beautifully and uses the sheath to hit right at his neck to the point that he can sleep.
"Thud!!"
Then, that body falls to the ground.
"Woah."
The crowd makes the sound and tries to behave appropriately in front of the head of the Takaki.
"Ho, ho, nicely ended."
My grandfather.
And she turns her body to the man I almost lost my mind before. If the bell wasn't hit, I would probably break that fucker's leg. He has landed his eyes on her since the first time she got here, and she also seems to be impressed by that man.
"Hmm...her looks."
My grandfather.
"?"
I look at her.
She changes her expression. I've never seen her react this way before. Her red eyes are brighter.
"Finally."
My grandfather.
"..."
She takes off the sheath.
Her white dress and long hair flow seamlessly with the wind. With her tiny hands holding the long, heavy sword, she looks like a little devil angel. The contrast of her looks makes her seem like something out of a traditional fairy tale, and I can tell that everybody would feel the same.
That man pulls out his sword and takes the position to say he's ready. She changes her posture by raising the sword vertically. Then, that man changes his posture to the horizon before his eyes. After seeing that, she changes her posture again by swinging down her sword to her side and swiftly changing the sharp side to face the opponent.
"Ho, ho."
Grandfather makes the sound. And only people who know the sword fight would recognize the movements and the position they're doing.
"Kyo, what do you think?"
He asks his man.
"Hmm, hard to say, sir."
The aura of the center of the pit is intense.
"Start."
"!!!"
And then, she quickly moves herself and swings her sword to the left. The sharp side of the sword almost cuts his neck, but he dodges himself and moves to her back. She knows, and also, her sword swings right at him at the back at the same time. He goes low and uses the sword to strike at her legs. But she flicks his sword out of her by shifting her sword to another hand and quickly strikes at his body, but he pushes himself back before that steel cuts his skin.
"!!"
His uniform is cut off, showing his muscles, which are full of tattoos on the right side of his body, long up to the neck.
It is not just me who is shockingly surprised by what we see, but also all the crowd quietly watching and stunned simultaneously.
She looks very serious.
Zephyra, you are upset.
Don't tell me that she does this because of me?
"You and Zephyra are quite the same."
My grandfather.
"..."
"The sword can tell the holder's purpose…the great swordsmen use their sword to do justice for their own morals, life and death. So, the sword is one of the body parts. The brain and heart are equal, and the sword will receive the order from her own desire, whether she knows herself or not."
"..."
I'm waiting for my grandfather to conclude all the lectures and tell me exactly what she's doing.
"That sword is for the kill."
"What?"
"But.. she's holding back."
-
"What do you want?"
I ask him.
"I want to be your bodyguard."
He says back to me.
"Why?"
"I should know that you don't remember me."
"?"
"We fought before."
"..."
"At the academy and also the association."
"Doesn't ring a bell."
I answer him, use the sword to strike left and right, and swirl down and up. He only uses his sword for defense.
"Jodai from Keithland?.. I lost."
"..."
"So you attend here to get revenge?"
I ask.
"Revenge? No, I told you I want to be your bodyguard."
"It doesn't make sense."
"You amazed me, Miss Zephyra."
"..."
"I trained myself harder and harder to be great and skilled enough to stand on the same ground as you."
We are fighting while having a conversation that nobody can hear.
"Being your rival or your opponent is just a temporary position...I want to be...at least behind your back. I don't want to fight with you even though I'm honored. I just want to admire..."
What the hell is this man saying?
"Is that a confession?"
I ask.
"Perhaps, yes, this is the confession. I admire you, and I want to be a part of your life."
"I'm engaged."
"I know, that's why the only position left is your bodyguard, your man."
"I don't trust you."
"But you can trust my ability."
"Win me, then I will consider it."
"..."
Now, his black eyes are more fierce than before. His movement isn't for defending his sword, facing me to show that he isn't afraid to cut me in half.
Nice.
Our swords are against each other loud and clear. He's strong, but the body and arms size don't describe the real deal here. I use my core and muscles carefully to push all my strength out. He swings his sword up and pulls down in the middle of my face. I use my sword to block it and try to push it down to the right, but he's strong. So, I take the chance to use his sword to be the support, I push my sword down and bring myself up above him, my legs straight up to the sky, and I land on the ground and flick his sword out of his hand and fly away down on the ground.
"!!"
And I put my sword at his neck horizontally.
"..."
He looks at me.
He uses his full strength, but I feel like it's not the real one.
"You're amazing."
I say while slicing his throat slowly and pausing it.
"!!"
And his eyes are wide open and have some twinkling inside.
"Can you kill for me?"
"Yes."
"Can you do anything that I order you to do?"
"Yes."
"No, I mean... Can you please me whatever I order you to do?"
"Yes."
"Answer wisely."
I step closer, and the edge of the sharp side pushes harder under his jawline.
"I will do my best to please you."
He's shuttering, but his eyes are steady, and his red blood drops on the sword.
Last question.
"..."
"Will you only listen to me?"
"..Yes, I'm your man."
He answers. I look intently into his black eyes.
"Good."
I say and put down the sword.
"Cling!"
And the bell is hit.
"Ha.., Am I your..."
He touches his neck.
"!!"
Before he asks, I turn myself back, raise my right leg, and kick him in the face.
"Thug!!"
And his body is on the ground.
"It's for my fiancé."
I walk back to the tent, stop in front of Mr. Saya, and bow properly to him.
"I apologize for my manner, Mr. Saya."
"Hmm, all this time, you're holding yourself back at the association?"
"Umm, not really..."
"Hahahahaha, beautiful ending, I must say."
He is very pleased. I smile back at him.
I turn my eyes to look at Mr. Kaiza; his face is red, almost like his hair.
Is he mad? or is he afraid of me?
"..."
He turns his eyes on me.
"!!"
And he smiles wildly.
"Mr. Kaiza?"
I call him, and he gets up. He takes the sword from my hand and gives it to Jay, who is behind him. And he observes my hands carefully.
"It's all red."
He says softly.
"It's fine."
"..."
"I'm sorry"
He says.
"Hmm?"
I tilt my head.
"I'm so nonchalant talking to you like that before."
Ha? he meant when I called and he answered me only one word. 'I'm fine...'
"Hehe."
I chuckle.
"You're cute, Mr. Kaiza."
"...Don't say that."
"Ahem, hem. So..."
"That guy."
I point at the ponytail guy who fainted on the ground.
"I want him."
I continue.
"Of course, good choice."
Mr. Saya smiles.
"What!? Why? You just avenged him for me."
Mr. Kaiza's shockingly frustrated.
"I did it because he hurt you, but I still want him."
"..."
"Hahahahahaha"
And the grandfather laughs so loud.