Kiseki slipped back into the palace, his heart racing. The once-familiar halls now seemed ominous.
He navigated through the corridors, avoiding guards and servants. The sounds of clashing steel and panicked shouts grew louder. Then he arrived at the throne room.
Kiseki watched in horror as Kushino's invisible blade sliced through the King's soldiers. The demon-horned warrior's grin grew wider, his strikes accelerating.
Four soldiers fell each second, their cries echoing through the throne room. Kiseki's analytical mind suspected a ring blade, a legendary and feared weapon.
He navigated the throne room's shadows, exploiting his knowledge of every nook.
Reaching the training base entrance, Kiseki spotted the weapon cart. "For a moment, he considered hiding, thinking the soldiers would prevail. But the falling soldiers, their fear-ridden eyes, and dwindling numbers crushed that hope.
"No way they'll beat him," Kiseki thought, disdain creeping onto his face. "Our soldiers really are pathetic."
A glint from the elbow blades in the open sack caught his attention. His smirk transformed, a spark igniting within.
Kushino's dramatic flourish ended the soldiers' struggle. "Earth Strike: Solar Epoch!" The butterfly-shaped slash trail devastated the remaining guards.
Their anguished faces reflected their swift demise. Kushino savored the satisfaction, but his gaze soon shifted to the trembling King.
"Now, now, Your Majesty... let's be friends. I know. Why don't you tell me where the sapphire is?," Kushino proposed, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
The King stuttered, "T-the Karen Sapphire?"
A bold voice pierced the air, "Why don't you get your own Sapphire, horn face?"
Kushino's attention snapped to the 13-year-old boy.
Three projectiles (sabers) flew toward him, but he effortlessly deflected them with his invisible weapon.
Kiseki analyzed the deflection, confirming his ring blade theory.
With a fierce battle stance, Kiseki confronted Kushino.
"I'm Indomu Kiseki," he declared, his voice steady. "And you're a monster with horns that need chopping off," Kiseki added, his eyes blazing.
Kushino's smile faltered, intrigued by the young boy's audacity. "Chopping off my horns, you say?"
Kushino's excitement reignited, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
The King, desperate, pleaded, "Spare your wrath, Kushino! I'll grant you the Karen Sapphire!"
"Ah, the King wants to surrender now?" Kushino mocked, glancing at the monarch. Kushino's grin twisted. "Too late for regrets, Your Majesty." With a swift slash, Kushino struck the King's leg, drawing a pained cry.
Kiseki's determination intensified. "I'm your target, horn face! Pick on someone your own size!" Kushino roared with laughter. "Oh, the irony! A child wanting to take on me?"
Kiseki gritted his teeth, analyzing the fight. "Come on... Notice it. There's always a catch to an attack pattern. What is it?" Memories flashed through his mind – the soldiers' falls, the slash trails, Kushino's movements.
Suddenly, a spark ignited within Kiseki. "The horns!", he thought to himself as a newfound confidence enveloped him.
Kushino sensed the shift. "What happened all of a sudden? Ah, you think you've found a weakness?" "Entertain me," Kushino decided, intrigued.
Kiseki knew opportunities would be scarce. "If my theory's correct...", he thought, "I can win.", he confidently said.
"I can spare a few minutes then," Kushino said, "but I have to warn you. I don't have a soft spot for children". "Bring it on, horn face!" Kiseki declared.
The air crackled with tension as Kushino and Kiseki faced off.
Nethercrimson, still in the mines, began to sense the escalating battle above. "Kushino. What a lousy fool you are." Nethercrimson thought, no hint of emotion.
Kushino's slash tore across the King's chest, ensuring his silence. Kiseki witnessed the brutal scene, a stark reminder of his own mortality.
He approached Kushino cautiously, halting exactly a kilometer away. Kushino mocked, "Afraid to get close? That's a considerable distance."
Kiseki took a deliberate step forward, then froze. His instincts screamed warning as Kushino's lightning-fast attack closed in.
With a swift shove, Kiseki retreated, narrowly avoiding the strike. "I was right," he thought, "his attacks have a set range... but they're still too fast to see."
"If not for my instincts, I'd have lost a leg."
Kiseki exhaled, acknowledging his limitations. "Well, my instincts are all I've got... My instincts and—"
Grandfather's words echoed in his mind: "A true warrior understands his weapon like the back of his hand."
"—all the stuff Grandfather says about weapons that nobody cares about."
Emboldened, Kiseki charged toward Kushino.
"I'll use every trick, every tactic, to take you down!"
Kushino's amusement grew. The distance between them dwindled.
Kiseki's thoughts racing: "The ring blade is a deadly weapon"
Kushino's next attack loomed.
Kiseki's thoughts drifted to a sunny afternoon, spent watching his grandfather, Kaito, work on a mysterious project.
"Grandfather, what's that?" Kiseki asked, curiosity sparkling in his eyes.
Kaito smiled, "Ah, this is a ring blade, Kiseki. A pretty deadly weapon."
"Why?" Kiseki's fascination grew.
"A ring blade's speed and versatility make it nearly unbeatable," Kiseki's grandfather explained. "Its energy can be molded to suit any situation. It's a master of both offense and defense."
Kiseki's eyes widened. "That sounds amazing! Can it make me the strongest?"
His grandfather's laughter filled the room. "Ah, Kiseki, you're eager, but strength isn't just about the weapon. It's about the wielder."
"But why?" Kiseki pressed.
Kiseki grandfather's expression turned serious. "A ring blade's true weakness lies in its user. The energy required to maintain it is staggering. Prolonged use can leave even the strongest warrior exhausted."
"That's not all," his grandfather continued. "A ring blade's stability is delicate. Any disruption, internal or external, can shatter its balance. And its range, though impressive, is still limited."
Kiseki listened intently as his grandfather revealed more secrets.
"Moreover, a ring blade's pattern can be anticipated. A skilled opponent can exploit its rhythm. And, of course, there's the matter of control. A ring blade demands absolute focus. Any lapse, and it becomes a liability."
Kiseki's eyes sparkled with understanding. "So, it's not just about wielding the ring blade, but understanding how you can."
His grandfather beamed with pride. "Exactly, Kiseki. A true warrior masters himself before mastering his weapon."
As Kiseki returned to the present, he realized his grandfather's words held the key to defeating Kushino.
"Kushino's ring blade may be powerful, but it's attack patterns are definite. He must be constantly moving it around to keep it invisible, but how's he even doing that," Kiseki thought.
With renewed determination, Kiseki charged forward.
Kiseki sprinted toward Kushino, his mind racing, "It's coming. Sense it. Sense it."
With a jovial "Hmm", Kushino unleashed another lightning-fast slash.
Time seemed to slow as Kiseki's instincts screamed warning. His body reacted on its own, elbow blades deflecting the attack with a metallic ring.
Kushino's pleased smile grew. "Well that's new."
Undeterred, Kiseki continued his relentless charge. Two more slashes came, each met with Kiseki's swift defenses. "Even one attack from that and you're done," he thought to himself.
"Trace them, his attacks..." Confidence fueled his advance. "The next one is...", Kiseki anticipated. He jumped right, avoiding one slash, and deflected another.
The dance of steel and instinct continued. Kiseki's dash persisted, his focus unwavering.
Then, in a fleeting moment, Kushino's ring blade found its mark. A crimson line bloomed on Kiseki's right shoulder.
Time froze.
Kiseki's eyes widened.
The slash's force sent him stumbling backward.
His vision blurred.
Kushino's voice echoed, "What a shame kid... you should've run when you had the chance."
As Kiseki's knees buckled, the world around him darkened. The last thing he saw was Kushino's approaching figure.
"Will this... be the end?"