Name: Vincent Ace Hair color: jet black Eye color: grey

Age: 16

Height: 5,6

My name is Ace Vincent… I live in a town in Covert city, which is inside the state Kaiden, in the country of Metakaiden. I have been living here all my life but my parents had left me to go out into the world when I was 13. They left me in the hands of my guardian and friend Rikimaru, a retired assassin. It's found it strange that he retired, because he was only 23 years old and he has no handicap that prevented him from doing his former job. He is a calm, quiet person and has helped me with a lot of my struggles in the past. His hair is jet black like mine, which he has tied back most of the time. What assassin organization he worked for is unknown to me, and I never asked him. He showed me how to fight and use the energy that flows through a humans' body for combat. He informed me about his experiences in the outside world that he took part in, his old friends, enemies and fights. To me, it sounded far more exciting than living here in Covert. I would have left long ago but we, the people living in Kaiden were being held here by Metakaiden's government for whatever reason. That is when I decided to leave this state of Kaiden, or rather, the country of Metakaiden itself…

It was morning and I was spread across my bed, staring at the digital clock on the desk. It read 7:32 AM. I sat up and looked out my bedroom window, but I looked away for my tired eyes had not adjusted to the bright, grey light streaming in. I blinked a few times and sat, trying to gather my scattered thoughts. Thirty minutes left until school starts. I got up out of bed and ruffled my hair lightly and shook my head to wake myself up. I walked downstairs and entered the bathroom to freshen myself. I took a short bath and changed into some dark colored school clothes. I ate a quick breakfast, grabbed my equipment and was on my way out the door when a voice sounded behind me. "Vincent…You're off to school?" It was my guardian Rikimaru. "Yes." I answered "The final testing starts today." He did not reply, but I knew he was looking forward to me graduating. After living with him for so long, I could almost read his feelings, although he seemed to have none whatsoever. Without any further words, I left the house and walked down to the school. As I strolled towards school, I wearily looked at the environment around me. The same dark apartments filled with the same anti-social peons. I watched a black cat scurry across the street, expecting a predator to come chasing it's tail, but nothing came after. I laughed softly to myself. Even the animals are so bored, that they run away from predators that don't exist. I arrived at school 7 minutes early. I stood in front of the school where all students were to stand and let my eyes graze over the words engraved into the school's large wall. Sword Arts Academy. It was a sword master school. Although we mainly learned swordsmanship and martial arts, we were also taught the ordinary. My time spent at this school was worth it, especially since I am likely to pass the final test. One of the main reasons I hope to pass the final test is to leave this state, Kaiden. I have been stuck here for my entire life and there is no way for me to get out unless I pass this test and graduate. All people living in Kaiden are not allowed into the outside world unless they have graduated from a certain school or have a pass which costs $56,900. My parents managed to make enough money for both of them to leave but they assured me endless times that they couldn't afford for me to go with them. Since that happened, I no longer cared about them as much I used to. I thought they would at least wait a little longer and raise some extra money for me to go as well. But it didn't turn out that way.

Within the next few minutes, a black limousine drove up and the schools' Head stepped out of the car. Rothken Valentine was the name of our Head. He was a man wearing a leather jacket that came down an inch past his knees. He carried a sword, sheathed and laced on his back. His expression was normal and he was wearing sunglasses, despite it being mostly cloudy that morning. He walked up the steps to the school and turned around once he came upon the last one. He stood there waiting for the rest of the school to come. His supervisors were in the limo as well but had not yet come out. Soon, the school bus drove up and let out 19 students of the Sword Arts Academy. We all lined up in a straight row and awaited our instructions. Gesturing with his finger, the Head counted the number of students there. "Since everyone is here, The Head began, "I would like to announce that today will be the beginning of the last tests. After you pass all of the given tests, you will fill out applications to enter Axus Arena." A breeze of excitement passed through me. I was very confident that I would pass, especially since I always practiced what I learned with Rikimaru when I wasn't in school. The window between my hometown and the external was beginning to break at last…

School lasted until 8:00 PM. It was more rigorous than the previous days of school and we increased the time learning sword arts greatly, reducing much of our time learning anything else. Before our departure, the school Head announced that we had only three more days until we would be able to submit our tests and applications to Axus Arena. Afterwards, we await their approval in 24 hours, and then start a travel party taking us participants to Axus Arena. Plenty of things lay ahead in the future, in which I had no clue of. More than anything else, I was anticipating the moment we began the ride to the arena. I found myself walking home with a fellow classmate. He had dark grey hair and his eyes were concealed behind a pair of blue tinted sunglasses. He appeared to be staring off, as if he saw something in the distance. I considered asking him why he didn't take the bus home, since he most likely lived a few miles away from the school but I preferred to keep quiet.

Perhaps he wanted the exercise. "You're name is….Vincent, right?" he asked suddenly, catching me by surprise. It was extremely rare for people to talk to each other where I lived. "Yes. That's me…" I answered. He was still looking off into the distance as he spoke. "If we get to Axus Arena, I might stick with you if you don't mind. You seem to be the strongest and the smartest in our school. Like Rothken said; once you enter the arena it's important to find you a reliable partner." I found myself unsure of what to say. I suppose it was a good thing that I was considered the best in the school, but to have someone request a team up, let alone talk to me was strange. "Although I hardly know you. I don't mind teaming up. It was just a little surprising that you'd ask so early."

"I was hoping to ask you before anyone else did. Has anyone asked?"

"No." I replied, "No one ever talks to me. You're the first."

"The cats of Covert..." He laughed softly, "By the way name is Rain. Rain Deathwind." He introduced. "People call me Deathwind but just call me Rain."

"Alright." I stopped walking; realizing I almost passed my house. "This is where I live." I said walking up the steps. "Come whenever you feel like it." Rain studied the house. "Okay, I'll remember it… See you tomorrow." He continued walking down the street. At that moment I first noticed the sword strapped onto his back. (In this day and age people are allowed to carry weapons again.) It was a high quality sword made from BlackBlade Company. The sheath was metal, which had been welded in a skeletal form to allow the blade to be seen from the outside. The blade itself was pretty wide and the handle, from what I could tell, was rubber with interesting designs engraved in it. The sword altogether was pleasing to my eyes and I felt myself dying to flow my Ki energy into it. I suddenly woke up from my daydreaming and went inside the house. The moment I entered I noticed that something was off. It was quiet as usual but I could feel something else. I began to survey the room. Everything was in its usual place but the only difference was that Rikimaru was not there. Rikimaru... Suddenly a bright, metallic light flashed in front of my eyes. Instinctively I drew my sword in front of me to protect myself. A loud, sharp sound pounded my ears as my sword collided with another. My arms shook violently and I flexed my muscles to brace myself. Suddenly the pressure of the enemy's attack softened. I looked to my left, where the sword had come from and saw that my attacker was Rikimaru.

A thoughtless gasp escaped from me. "Rikimaru!" He was standing in the shadows with a look of amusement on his face. "Your reflexes have become much better and you noticed from the moment you walked in that something was wrong. Your skills overall have increased greatly."

"You're a dangerous man Riki…" I said as I sheathed my sword.