After the trip to the Chisaki estate, things changed greatly.
Firstly, everyone at the Chisaki estate was extremely worried and paranoid about Kami's bruise. Especially her mother. Despite all of Kami's insistence that she was okay, her mother, and the servants at the house could not help but remain paranoid at what could happen to the princess. It was not baseless worry either. By this point, news of the battle between Julius and Wrath had spread quickly across the entire world. With that, discussion also sparked quickly, and clashing ideals developed all around the world. With the increase in terrorist attacks from non-magicians and magicians alike, there was no way to assure that anywhere would be safe.
King Arthur, of the Holy European empire, even went as far as to make a statement saying that there was basis for the idea that Wrath was not working alone. News of serial murders, all which had the same eyewitness testimony about a man in all white being the culprit, had begun to spring up all around South America. Stories about how he was seemingly invincible, and impervious to all attacks had begun to spread. Witnesses testified that before every murder, he went on a spiel about how others were beneath him, and talking about ego and humility. He had been dubbed, "White Knight of Pride."
The rapidly escalating situation in the world, as well as the clear evidence in front of them in the form of Kami's bruise, made it impossible for anyone at the estate to be able to rest easy. What made things even more pressing was the fact that Raiden, had seemingly failed his one and only mission. Because of this fact, everyone that was currently gathered inside of the east wing of the Chisaki estate was currently gathered around, watching the argument that occurred between Kami and her mother.
They were currently locked in a stalemate that seemed never-ending.
That was until, Takeru Chisaki broke the deadlock.
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I stood outside, my wand in hand.
The blade was covered in the blood of the enemies who had attacked.
Outside, the courtyard of the Chisaki estate was covered in blood.
Bodies were strewn about, all of them missing some body part, or possessing a slit throat, or twisted at unnatural angles. The waves of figures dressed in black seemed endless. From my right, another one jumped out, using a water spell to transform the water from the fountain into an attack which resembled a dragon.
The head came flying at me, and without even a second glance, I held out my hand and canceled out the magic attack. From my blind spot and the left, two other figures jumped out, both of them wielding daggers. I dodged their slices, before flicking my blade quickly.
Two arms flew into the air.
Their heads followed quickly.
The first attacker, the one who had used the magical attack, approached at me with full speed, a sword in hand. We clashed blades, and immediately their skill became of notice to me. We continually traded blows, dodging, ducking, slashing and casting magic sequences.
I fortified my blade with a strengthen spell, before clashing with my opponent once again. With their free hand, the activated a light Magic spell which engulfed the entire area. Closing my eyes before I could be flash banged, I used mana sensory to pinpoint the location of my opponent.
I began fighting with my eyes closed, due to the blinding light spell that was being activated all around me.
There were more people, about 12, who surrounded us. Some were casting light spells, while others where casting flame or ice attacks at me.
Using only mt magic sense, I dodged and weaved and blocked, all while keeping up with the skill of the swordsmen in front of me.
My mind flashed back to drills which my father would always have me perform. He would have me spar with the servants of the estate, with my eyes closed. These servants were all of extreme skill and no pushovers either.
After years of the exercise, I was a master at fighting without my eyes.
Me and my opponent danced in the center of the bloodied courtyard, our sword slashes and occasional casting of magic sequences being the only sound.
After evading another set of magic attacks that were cast by the onlookers of our battle, I activated a wind spell. However, this wasn't any regular wind spell. No. It was the same one which I learned from the magic beast in the forest outside of Theta Magic Academy.
"Hallow Wind Scythe"
However, unlike the version I used to slay the beast, this one was a bit different.
I layered the magic spell with a conditional, and if then statement.
With every attack that I successfully dodged, the power of the spell would e=increase exponentially.
And so with that spell pending in the background, I continued to dodge slashes from the swordsman whose swordsmanship seemed familiar.
And after dodging another slash of the man's sword, I released the attack.
"Hallow Wind Scythe." I didn't shout out the attack this time. I simply whispered it.
And in and instant, after swinging my blade in a circle, a massive gust of wind literally cracked the air, cratering the ground around me, and the heads of all 12 of the onlookers came off simultaneously.
The swordsmen were quicker to react, managing to block the attack, but he still suffered a fatal wound to his face. As he collapsed, he spoke.
I recognized his voice.
"That precision. That powerful spell that only killed the targets it was intended for, and damage nothing else. That magical prowess. That talent. No doubt. You are a prodigy. You always were."
And when I opened my eyes, the sight that greeted my left me speechless.
The attack had destroyed the mask of the mysterious man. And staring back at me, were the cold lifeless eyes of Mark. A servant of the Chisaki estate. One who trained me and looked after me since birth.
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The realization dawned on me immediately.
All around me, all of the bodies which I had mercilessly cut down, murdered without even a moment's hesitation. They were not attackers, assassins, or anything of that nature.
They belonged to the servants of the Chisaki estate.
And I had killed every last one of them.
Someone had forced these servants to do this. To suit up and play the roles of my attackers. I was so lost in the avoid that was my head, I didn't realize it until now. And the person who had engineered this scenerio-
Clap
Clap.
Clap.
Very slow, methodically clapping came from behind me. I didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.
"And with that, the weapon of the Chisaki household, has been born." Takeru's emotionless voice said.
I realized it then. At my own assessment of Takeru's voice being emotionless, I came to a realization.
Despite the fact that I had just murdered 30 people. Thirty people who I knew the names of. Who took care of me when I was younger. Who I saw almost every day growing up. Despite the fact that I had just brutally murdered them,
I felt nothing. Nothing at all.
Nothing except for the slight chill in the air.
And the chill inside my body.
However, my thoughts were interrupted by the worried voice that rang out behind me. "Raiden!"
Kami appeared in front of me in an instant, worry contorting the features of her face.
It must have been jarring for her to walk out an see me, standing in the center of the courtyard. Which looked like some mentally insane artist had their hand in painting it with blood, and bodies.
"Why-what the hell happened? Are you okay-"
She grabbed unto my arms, trying to assess if I was okay. When she did that, blood began to seep from the scars that I had on my arms.
Thankfully, it wasn't noticeable to her however, as there was already a large amount of blood covering it.
"This! Is it....yours?" She seemed hesitant to ask the question, like she didn't want to know the answer.
I took a look at the bruise on her face. The one I caused her to get. In comparison, whatever happened to me was pathetic. "It doesn't matter." I did not stutter in my reply. My voice was devoid of all emotion.
The cold voice that responded to her shocked her momentarily.
"What do you mean it doesn't matter?" She raised her voice a bit louder. "You're standing out here, covered in blood and you're trying to convince me it doesn't matter." Then she noticed where my gaze was trained. On her bruise.
"No. No. No." Her voice had fallen to a whisper. Tears began to gather in her eyes. "You can't do this." Her eyes trailed down to the brand that was on my neck.
"HK-"
She sobbed. She took a look and Takeru, who was smiling, and back to me, who was looking at the ground, avoiding her gaze.
"I won't let you. I won't let you!" She said it quietly the first time, before repeating it with more vigor the next."
She grabbed me by the cheeks, forcing me to look up at her.
There was fear, pain, shock, horror, anger, all sorts of negative emotions there. It made sense. The situation was horrifying, shocking. The scenery, of mutilated corpses and blood was something that could only evoke sour and bad emotions. However, there was something else in her eyes.
Something more horrifying, at least, to me.
There was determination there. A flame that would never be snuffed out. Her eyes had a fire in them, one that mine had already lost.
I thought back to Yuki's words.
"Do you really believe that Kami, the princess, your sister, will allow Raiden Chisaki to die?"