The scarred leader sneered, watching him with cold calculation. "Is this it, then? You're just going to die here like some lost pup?"
Kai exhaled slowly, his grip firm on the Spirit Blade as he eyed his opponents. Despite his wounds, despite the exhaustion creeping into his limbs, he felt a flicker of resolve burning within. The three attackers circled him, and for a moment, the forest fell silent, as if holding its breath.
Kai straightened, eyes sharp. "Not today."
The woman scoffed, her daggers glinting in her hands. "Such confidence from someone barely standing."
But Kai could feel something shifting within the blade, an energy beginning to swell, as if answering his determination. As he steadied his breathing, the Spirit Blade's surface began to shimmer, a soft glow emanating from within, brighter with each heartbeat.
"Have you ever heard of a blade like this?" Kai asked, his voice low but carrying strength.
The brute, towering and broad, grunted in annoyance. "It's a toy you don't know how to use, boy."
Kai's mouth curved into a faint smile, and he lowered his stance. "Then come and take it."
They attacked in unison, each fighter moving with practiced brutality. The woman lunged from the side, her twin daggers flashing, while the scarred leader came straight for Kai, his curved sword poised to strike. Behind them, the brute raised his hammer, ready to deliver a crushing blow. But Kai held his ground, feeling the Spirit Blade respond with a pulse of light that spread up his arms, filling his body with renewed energy.
Suddenly, the Spirit Blade flared, its glow intensifying as the blade itself seemed to grow. From its hilt, wisps of ethereal light extended, taking the shape of spectral armor that enveloped Kai's body. He felt its weight settle around him like a protective cloak, and as he raised the blade, it pulsed, shifting into something more than just a weapon—a powerful, sentient force.
The attackers hesitated, their faces flickering with uncertainty. The brute glanced at his companions, his bravado wavering. "What… what is that?"
Kai tightened his grip, the Spirit Blade humming with power in his hand. "This," he said, his voice steady, "is a blade that chooses its master."
With a sharp swing, he deflected the woman's first dagger strike. The Spirit Blade's manifested energy extended beyond the blade's edge, creating an arc of light that forced her back. Her eyes widened as she stumbled, disbelief flashing across her face.
Before she could recover, Kai advanced, sweeping the blade in a fluid motion that sent her reeling. The brute charged, swinging his hammer down with all his strength, but Kai sidestepped, bringing the Spirit Blade down across the hammer's head. The ethereal force shattered the hammer in a burst of splinters, leaving the brute to stagger backward, weaponless.
The scarred leader, undeterred, moved in, his movements quick and precise, aiming for Kai's neck with a lethal arc. But as the blade neared, Kai's Spirit Blade reacted, its spectral energy rippling outward to meet the strike. Their blades clashed, yet the Spirit Blade seemed to absorb the force, creating a shockwave that knocked the leader back.
Panting, Kai watched as his assailants struggled to regain their footing. The Spirit Blade pulsed once more, its light now swirling with deeper hues, as though anticipating his every thought.
The woman with daggers, desperation etched in her face, rushed forward, her movements wild and frenzied. Kai sidestepped, then brought the Spirit Blade down in a sweeping arc that disarmed her, the daggers clattering to the ground.
"This isn't… possible," she whispered, fear creeping into her voice.
The brute, now weaponless and bleeding, stepped back, his face pale. "What… what kind of blade is that?"
"It's the kind you shouldn't have crossed," Kai said, his voice low and steady.
With one final surge of energy, the Spirit Blade flared again, its form transforming into a powerful, jagged edge. Kai advanced, each step measured, his eyes fixed on the scarred leader, who now looked less certain than before.
Realizing his disadvantage, the leader hesitated, casting a quick glance at his fallen companions. "You think this ends here, boy? You don't know what you've just done."
Kai held the Spirit Blade up, its energy pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. "I know exactly what I'm doing."
The leader's eyes narrowed, but before he could speak, Kai lunged, his movements fuelled by the Spirit Blade's power. The leader barely managed to deflect the first strike, his curved sword scraping against the spectral light surrounding Kai's blade. But Kai pressed on, each movement precise and unstoppable. The leader stumbled back, his composure unraveling as Kai's onslaught forced him to retreat. Finally, with one powerful swing, Kai disarmed him, the leader's sword falling to the ground. Kai held the Spirit Blade to his opponent's throat, his gaze unwavering.
"Leave," he said coldly, "or face the consequences."
The leader's face twisted in anger, but he nodded, slowly backing away, his gaze flickering between Kai and the Spirit Blade. Without another word, he motioned to his companions, and they disappeared into the shadows of the forest. But one could see the sense of dissatisfaction in their movement. Kai was sure that they would attack him again although he wasn't sure when.
'I'll be waiting for them whenever they decide to show up again, and this time, I won't be merciful. Death to anyone who tries to take what is rightfully mine' kai vowed silently as he stared at his attackers' retreating back.
Kai stood there, his chest heaving, the Spirit Blade still glowing in his hand. As he watched his attackers fade into the distance, the blade's light softened, its ethereal form settling back into its original shape. Exhausted but triumphant, Kai exhaled, feeling the Spirit Blade's energy hum in quiet satisfaction. The slow fade of the blade's light reminded kai that the blade had played a much more prominent role in his victory than it had in the past.
He knew that the blade was sentient but didn't realise it could play such a direct role in battle. This got kai thinking and reflecting on how to fully utilise this aspect that he had just discovered. He was still lost in thought when battle exhaustion caught up with him and he slumped into unconsciousness.