The Boar's Hat.
It was a bar that had opened up recently, sitting atop a cliff that overlooked the town of Arlend. The bar itself was quite modest in both appearance and hospitality. It was made of plaster, brick, and wood, appearing to be every bit the part of a hat, at least in terms of the roof. It was oddly shaped like the hat of a stereotypical wizard, bearing a pointed tip that stretched upward and bent at several angles.
The inside was quite packed with customers, as this was it's second day open. Everyone was seated at tables, seats being wooden stools and barrels. In every hand was a mug of bear, and on every table, a meal from the bar.
"I keep telling you, your drunk, ya old fart!"
"No, I'm serious! I saw the Rusted Knight! It's for real!"
"Oh, please! No one's see that old piece of junk in ten years!"
The men around the old soldier began to laugh hysterically, their faces tinged pink due to the alcohol. Not even six drinks, and they were already drunk to the point where they could hardly stand or think straight. In their hands were mugs half-filled with rum, waiting for their food to arrive. They did not have to wait long, as the waitress arrived, holding a tray of food.
The moment she walked out, all the men's eyes were on her. She was like an ice-sculpture, so young despite being somewhere in her 30's. Her eyes and hair were a light, almost transparent color of blue, so cool and cold it fit her perfectly. Her attire also made many a man go head over heels, and it would be not far off to say that they felt the area in their pants get tighter. She wore a simple buttoned shirt that hugged her upper assets dangerously, threatening to pop out, despite the fact that she revealed a fair amount of cleavage. Across the shirt was a frilly black apron and a puffy black skirt, her socks reaching all the way up to her thighs, only leaving a fair bit of flesh in between the areas, thus creating the sexual allure that attracted such looks.
"H-here you go!" the blue-haired waitress said, placing the tray on the table. "P-please enjoy our Pig Roast special!" Her voice quivered, her chinks tinged with pink. Once the food was on their table, she held onto the tray tightly nervously. It was obvious to anyone that she did not handle stares well. "A-and... t-thank you for your patronage."
One of the men smiled perversly, leaning forward a bit. "Hey, lady..." he slurred, his breath reeking of alcohol. "Has anyone ever told you... *hic* ...that you look drop dead gorgeous...?"
"E-eh?"
"Agreed!" one of the more younger members of the table nodded vigorously, his entire face red from looking at the piece of artwork in front of him. He never knew maid uniforms could be so... deadly... in a sense. "You're so beautiful!"
The girl's blush increased, her face pressing against the tray. "P-please... stop..."
"Oi, guys!" the bartender called out from the front counter, his back turned to them as he washed the dish held in his hands. Though they couldn't see him well, they could tell he was pretty young, 18 to 19 at best, wearing a simple buttoned shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the forearms, and formal black pants. "If you're not careful, you'll get frostbite!"
That caused them to frown. Frostbite? What the heck did that-
Then, they understood when one of the patrons, without warning, screamed. "AAAAAAGH! HOLY FUCK IT'S COLD!" he yelled, the lower half of his body encased in ice. This caused many to shoot up, some dropping their mugs. A few of the patrons knocked over their dishes, sending them to the floor and shattering the plates. The waitress' eyes widened, her mouth open as she cupped her face.
"Aaaaah!" she panicked. "Oh no, I-I did it again! I-I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to freeze you!"
"W-wait, the girly did that?!"
"I-is she a Holy Knight?"
"If she is, I don't mind being frozen~"
"Aaah, so cold and beautiful...!"
The bartender sighed heavily, placing the now clean dish on the side of the sink as he turned to the patrons. He was indeed in his teens, bearing messy and wavy brown hair and dull red eyes. "Alright, which idiots wasted our precious food?" he asked bluntly. Some of the drunk patrons growled angrily, glaring at the boy.
"Hey, the hell you think you are, you brat!" one of them snarled, about to waltz up to the youth and give him a beating before one of the sober customers grabbed his shoulder, stopping him.
"Idiot, look at his waist!" his friend admonished. "He has swords!"
True to their word, a blade sat at his side, kept in place by a belt. It held no sheathe, a pure silver blade without bearing a hilt, and a chain dangling at the end of the handle. On the other side was another sword, except placed in a modest-sized sheathe with a decorated hilt and guard, resembling more of a dragon's intertwined body. The boy simply looked at them, his expression blank with a silent stare, causing the men to falter, nervous of what he would do.
Then, the boy turned to the side. "Oi, clean up." he called out. "We got leftovers."
The patrons turned to the side of the bar, expecting another worker with a broom and dust pan. Instead, what they saw was... a pink pig walking out into the room, snout raised proudly with black eyes. Strangely, it had some sort of earring hanging off it's left ear, resembling a golden bangle.
"A...pig...?" one of the patrons asked, dumbfounded.
Wrong choice of words.
"Oink! Who are you to call the Captain of the Leftover Knights, Hawk, a mere PIG?!" the pink creature screeched, glaring at the man, snorting in outrage. "I'll have you know I'm not a pig! I am a SUPER PIG! Oink!"
...
...
...
...
...
"IT CAN TALK?!" every person in the bar, sans the owner and the waitress, who giggled at the pig *cough* SUPER pig's declaration, shouted with bulging eyes.
"Of course I can talk!" Hawk snorted. "What do you take me for?! Oink!"
"Hawk." the boy said, turning back to the dishes. "Hurry and clean it up."
The pig glared at him before huffing, walking over to the fallen plate of food. With gusto and speed, munching away with great speed, and trying to avoid the shattered pieces of fine China, Hawk devoured the remains of the mess of cuisine. "Bwah..." Hawk exhaled. "Thank you for this meal, oink." He turned to the bar owner. "Nice food as always, oyabun! ...Though it would be better if you actually showed some face once in a while."
The waitress tilted her head, a hand at her chin. "Eh?" she frowned. "But, doesn't he always smile when he cooks?"
"Es-chan..." Hawk deadpanned... or at least, that's what the people thought he did. "He almost never shows emotion, haven't you noticed?"
"Hawk." The brown haired teen called out over his shoulder, causing the pig to still. "Keep talking like that, and I just may add roasted pork to the menu."
"OINK! I'LL BE GOOD! I PROMISE!" the pig screamed, bowing his head repeatedly before heading back into the kitchen. Despite the strangeness of the situation, everyone in the bar erupted in laughter, some even applauding. The waitress smiled somewhat before she went back to work, though she made sure to unfreeze the patron from earlier. With the chaos settling down, the teen went back to work behind the counter.
It's odd to know that a teenager is working at a bar, isn't it? Well, that's not entirely correct... The truth is, I'm actually in my thirties. You might think I'm joking... but I'm not. I run the bar, along with Hawk, who runs clean up of any leftover food, and Es, the waitress.
I guess I should introduce myself... my name is Tatsumi, manager of The Boar's Hat. Before you ask why it's name this, well... you'll find out soon enough. Anyway, I first started this business maybe five years ago. Of course, back then, it was just me and Hawk. I didn't find Es until a long time later, who was being forced into slavery. Hawk is your average pig, the only difference being he runs his mouth non-stop. He can be a bit arrogant and hot-headed, but he can be surprisingly loyal and caring at times. That being said... his ego is a tad bit larger than what I'd like, and ends up saying things that usually end up with him being nearly roasted or turned into a dinner item.
Es is... more complicated. She's suffering from amnesia, so she has no idea what she was like before meeting me. As a matter of act, she's been suffering from memory loss for a long time now. So far, we haven't had any luck getting them back, but she is a hard-worker, and can be surprisingly gentle... Before you ask why I say 'surprisingly,' let's just say I knew what she was like many years ago. It is not a pretty story, and nor is it a short one. Getting back on topic, Es can create ice from virtually nothing. Because of that, some people think she's a Holy Knight, or something close. I don't correct them, considering her position could be considered equal to a Holy Knight, only of a more military rank.
About me... Well, I suppose the best way to describe me is a emotionless, apathetic monster. That was actually something someone said to me once a long time ago. I'm not from Britannia, or any other country that has their own Holy Knights. I'm originally from the Empire, a nation on a nameless continent that is currently being repaired. About twenty years ago, an incident, regarded as the worst disaster in the history of the Empire, occured with a staggering death toll, and unimaginable destruction. No one knows what caused it, other than that the whole Capital was raised to the ground. Everywhere you looked, you would see towers of smoke piling into the air, the sky gray with angry clouds, and rubble... rubble as far as the eye could see. It was like a sea of ruin, with crushed or mangled corpses as the debris. It cost the lives of many innocent civilians, as well as many soldiers, even a few Generals.
And much to my joy, the life of a certain corrupt, bastard Prime Minister. The Emperor survived, being protected from falling debris by a high-ranking officer named Budo.
It's been twenty years since then. General Budo is acting as Prime Minister in place of Honest, thank whatever God there is for that, and the Emperor, now no longer being controlled by him, has begun to help the Empire bit by bit. I've even heard he's pardoned a group of assassins for their crimes, or so I've been told by a few patrons.
Twenty years... has it really been that long since I left?
As Tatsumi returned to work, cleaning plates and glasses, the doors to the pub were thrown open. The wooden panels were thrown off their hinges, and were flung across the room. Everyone stopped immediately, turning to see what the commotion was.
And there, standing in the doorway, was a towering figure, adorned in heavily rusted armor. It was Medieval in design, bearing a tattered cape flowing from it's back while a sword rested in it's hand. The blade itself was broken, nothing but a jagged knife now. The owner of said armor was shaking, and the armor looked closed to falling into mere shambles. Regardless, however, the figure took a step forward, causing the armor to clank.
And that was when panic erupted.
"I-IT'S THE RUSTED KNIGHT!"
"SHIT! EVERYBODY, RUN!"
"C-CALL THE KNIGHTS!"
In just a few seconds, everyone in the bar was running for their lives. Some ran past the knight, who gave no chase, while others jumped through the windows, causing them to shatter and fall to sharp pieces. Tatsumi sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Come on, I just got those repaired..." he complained. Sadly, no one paid him no mind, save for Es, who was looking at the knight curiously. Hawk also did not appear startled or afraid at all, simply turning to the fallen tables.
The patrons, in their haste, threw over the tables in a hurry, and therefore the food that was left behind had fallen to the ground. In other words, it was a buffet set out for Hawk, much to his pleasure. Despite Tatsumi rarely showing any sort of emotion, he made wonderful food.
"So," Tatsumi looked at the newcomer with an impassive gaze. "Considering you scared off my customers, you have reservations and the place all to yourself... What would you like?"
The knight stumbled forward, it's rusty armor trembling. "T-the... S-seven..."
"Hm?"
"T-the... Seven... Deadly..."
Whatever it wanted to say, the knight could not finish as it's hulking frame fell to the floor. Es looked worried, while Hawk turned to see what was going on, his snout still having the remains of his feast. Tatsumi, however, raised an eyebrow as he hopped over the counter, and bet down on his knees. "Hello?" he called out, knocking on the helmet. "Is anybody home? ...You alive in there?"
"Maybe they're passed out from hunger?" Es offered.
At the sound of this, Hawk snorted. "They're not getting any of my leftovers!" he shouted before returning to his job. Tatsumi, however, sighed as he pondered what he should do, scratching the back of his head. On one hand, he could help them in whatever it was they were asking for, or he could shove them out of here. After all, they did technically scare away most of his customers. Then again, that wouldn't be a manly thing to do, and if there's one thing Aniki taught him, it's that he should take responsibility. They came to his pub for a reason, didn't they? Perhaps Es was right. Maybe he was hungry? Shrugging, and making his decision, his hands glided over to the helmet, his fingers brushing against the rust before he held a firm grip, and swiftly tugged.
The helmet slid off with ease, revealing long, flowing silver hair.
"...Huh." Tatsumi remarked. "It's a girl."
Hawk paused, gulping down the leftovers in his stomach before dawdling over to get a look at the one inside the armor. Sure enough, it was a girl with long silver hair, her eyes closed and her mouths lightly agape as she breathed softly, signs that she was indeed unconscious. Attached to her earlobe was a dangling, beautiful blue gem bearing an intricate design. He didn't quite understand what it was, but complimented her odd beauty. Her face was round with slightly pronounced cheeks, and a rosy blush complimenting her flesh tone. All in all, she certainly looked attractive. Of course, that begged the question:
"What is she doing in a suit of armor?" Es asked. "And why is it so rusty? It looks as if it could fall apart any second."
"That's not all," the brunette added. "It's very heavy, and given that she's unconscious... she's either not had any food in a long time, or the armor was just one giant burden on her." Another sigh escaped him. He seemed to be doing this a lot lately. "Oh well... Es, help me out."
"What are we doing?"
"Stripping her."
"...EH?!" Es's face exploded with red, steam pouring out of her head. "T-taking off her clothes?! B-but, t-t-that's inapp-propriate for a boy!"
Tatsumi immediately registered what he had stated, and quickly realized what sort of situation he was in, especially with the slowly forming sheet of ice being forged beneath the girl's feet. "I meant taking off her armor." he told her. "I doubt she's naked underneath... If she is, I'll leave the stripping job to you."
Thankfully, she calmed down. Immediately, the ice broke apart. "O-oh, so that's what you meant..." she said with a sigh of relief.
Hawk chuckled. "Kukuku, dodged the bullet there, oyabun. Oink."
"...shut it, pig."
After removing the armor, the girl was set down on the bed. Strangely, she was dressed in a black leotard with long black socks that came up to her thighs. Of course, that wasn't what caused Tatsumi to gain an irritated twitch on his forehead. 'What is it with girls and large breasts?' he groaned, trying to avoid looking at her more pronounced features. 'First Onee-chan and Boss and Es, but this girl too? She looks like she's only a few years old out of adulthood.'
"Oyabun, is she alright?" Hawk asked, standing next to him. "Oink! She looks so skinny! How could she walk around in that heavy junk?"
"She must be stronger than she looks." he commented. "Although... what was she doing here at my pub? Did she want something to eat? All she had to do was get rid of the armor and ask." he tilted his head, pondering. "Maybe she's shy and got rid of the other patrons?"
The pig just stared at him in disbelief. "Oyabun... are you serious?"
"What?" he shrugged his shoulders. "It's possible."
"I sincerely doubt that. Oink."
Their banter came a quick end when the girl showed signs of stirring. Her eyelids shuddered as they slowly flickered open, revealing beautiful azure eyes. For a moment, Tatsumi thought that they were gems, simply from how beautiful they were.
"Mnrgh..." she groaned as slowly came awake, slowly lifting herself up from the bed, a hand at her forehead. "What... Where... am I?" She took a brief look around the room before she found Tatsumi and Hawk, the former raising his hand in greeting.
"Yo."
"Hello! Oink!"
"A-ah... um..." she stammered from the quick greetings. Nevertheless, she bowed her head back in greeting. "H-hello... Were you the ones who saved me?"
"I wouldn't say 'saved you' as much as found you collapsed on my floor." Tatsumi shook his head. "And rudely evicting my customers. Do you like scaring people dressed up in scary armor?"
"W-what?" she blinked before something seemed to click in her head. She quickly shook her head, raising her hands defensively. "O-oh no, nothing like that! I was just wearing the armor to protect myself is all! I-I'm terribly sorry for scaring away your customers!"
"If you're sorry, then you can pay the bill."
"O-of course! H-how much is it?"
Tatsumi looked at Hawk. Strangely, somehow, the pig was sitting atop a stool on his rump, a sheet of paper in his hands(?) while glasses sat atop his snout, giving him the look of a bank accountant or something close to it. "Well, Hawk?"
"Oink! Well, let's see here..." the pig pushed up the glasses, staring intently at the paper. "Ranging from the damaged plates and food that was tossed to the ground, not that I am complaining about that part, along with the damaged windows from patrons jumping out... The bill is this much. Oink." Hawk handed the slip of paper to the girl. She took it into her hands, her eyes scanning the paper.
She nearly lost consciousness when she saw the cost. "T-there was this much?!" she cried. "I-I'm so sorry! I-I had no idea...!"
"Hey, it's fine." he assured her. "If you can't pay, it's fine. I was just joking. If I actually did force you to pay, Es will turn me into a block of ice, and that's not exactly on my list of priorities."
"N-no, I have to pay you for this!" the girl shook her head, eyes steely with resolve. "I promise to pay to back for the damages I've caused to your shop! ...after I finish my journey, though."
"Journey?" Hawk questioned, losing the stool and glasses. "What kind of journey, oink?"
"Well, you see..." the girl turned to sit on her legs, her face serious. "I'm looking for someone... or rather, someones. Seven of them."
Something seemed to click in the back of his mind. The girl's tired words came back to him when she walked inside in that heap of junk. "Seven?"
"Hai." the girl nodded. "The greatest heroes Britannia has ever known... the Seven Deadly Sins."
The Seven Deadly Sins.
They are both the greatest of the Holy Knights Britannia has ever seen... and also the worst criminals the world has ever known. Though they are awed, they are also scorned and feared, for each member has committed a grave sin, each in accordance to the deadly sins.
Gluttony.
Envy.
Greed.
Lust.
Sloth.
Pride.
Wrath.
To this day, there are none who have ever matched their strength. They were the kingdom's mightiest warriors, and the worst criminals. Despite these crimes, the emperor trusted them without fail, enough so that they could easily be considered his right hand men, or royal guard. However, ten years ago, the Seven Deadly Sins committed high treason when they murdered the Great Holy Knight, one of the highest ranking officers in all of Britannia, second only to the emperor, and the Deadly Sins. They were labelled traitors of the highest degree.
Some say that they were killed, and others say that they have disappeared from the world entirely. Despite these claims, there are still wanted posters, each offering a high sum of money.
Given the enormous notorious reputation of these soldiers, it just begs the question... why was this girl looking for them?
"The seven deadly what now?" Hawk frowned. "Who are they? Oink!"
"The Seven Deadly Sins are regarded as Britannia's most powerful knights." the girl explained. "Though all of them have committed heinous crimes, they are still, to this day, seen as the kingdom's ultimate warriors. However, fifteen years ago, they murdered a Great Holy Knight, and since then, they've been labelled as traitors."
"And you're looking for such dangerous individuals because, what, you want the reward that's on their heads?" Tatsumi questioned, his arms folding over his chest. "I've seen the wanted posters, and those rewards are nothing to sniff at. They're practically offering a king's ransom for just one of their heads."
"No, I'm not after their heads." she denied. "I'm looking for them because I want their help."
"Oink, help?" Hawk asked. "Are you in danger or something, miss...?"
"Elizabeth." she introduced herself at last. "My name is Elizabeth." she smiled as she bowed once again. "It's nice to meet you!"
"A pleasure, Elizabeth."
"Hiya!" Hawk greeted. The girl seemed to finally take notice of the pig, as she stared at it with large eyes. She stared at him before she squealed, leaping off the bed and wrapping her arms around it.
Tatsumi blinked.
"Ooooh, it's a talking piggie~!" Elizabeth cooed, nuzzing her head against his head. Hawk didn't seem to mind her whatsoever, actually enjoying the attention. "When I was younger, I asked my father to get me a talking pig for my birthday!"
"And did you get one?"
She stopped. If her face meant anything, it was clear that something must have happened between her and her father in some way, as her face lowered, sadness reflected in her cool, cobalt blue eyes. "No..." she answered quietly. "I didn't."
"...alright, then." He decided not to press further any more on the subject. "Would you like something to eat? You must be pretty hungry."
Suddenly, Hawk's body went cold, a shiver crawling up his spine while Elizabeth's face brightened. "R-really? Oh, thank you!"
Tatsumi gave a small, slight smile, a rarity these days, before turning to Hawk. "And no, Hawk, I'm not going to fix you for lunch." he told the pig, much to it's relief. "Besides, you'd probably give her a stomach ache."
...aaaand cue the tick mark.
"WATCH IT, OYABUN! OINK! YOU MIGHT BE STRONGER THAN ME, BUT KNOW THAT I'M STILL THE CAPTAIN OF THE LEFTOVER KNIGHTS!"
"Whatever." he waved it off dismissively, causing Hawk to huff in annoyance before they went down the flight of stairs, reaching the bottom floor. There, Es was found cleaning the room, washing dishes and mugs and the likes. "Yo, Es-chan."
"Oh, Tatsumi-san!" the blue-haired waitress greeted, turning around and bowing her head, noticing Elizabeth. "I'm glad to see that your awake, miss! My name's Es, the waitress here."
"O-oh!" Elizabeth nodded back at her politely. "I-I'm Elizabeth! Please take care of me!"
Tatsumi nodded in approval, seeing the two apparently getting along at first glance. He was actually a bit worried that Es might throw a fit about a girl being around him, but then he remembered her current condition, and shrugged in non-chalance. He slid behind the counter, and quickly began to make Elizabeth some food. As he did so, the blue-haired waitress and the young girl began to converse.
"S-so, Es-san..."
"Please, just call me Es, Elizabeth-chan." the woman told her kindly. "I'm not one for formalities."
"A-ah, okay!" Elizabeth nodded. "S-so, um... h-how long have you and Hawk-chan been working here?"
"Nearly all our lives, oink." Hawk said, joining the conversation. "Well, technically for me, it's been ten years. And Es-chan has been for almost that time."
"I see... S-so, um, what sort of person is Tatsumi-san?"
"In a nutshell? A cold bastard. Oink!"
"Hawk-chan!" Es glared at the pig, scolding him. "That's rude!"
"What? It's the truth! Oink!"
"A cold person?" Elizabeth frowned, tilting her head while a finger poked at her cheek. "But... he doesn't seem that way. He acts like a very nice person."
Hawk shrugged(?) his shoulders as he hopped atop one of the stools, resting his head on the counter. "Eh, he's still an emotionless swine in my book... but he is a good person. Oink." he snorted. "And he makes some of the best food ever!"
Just as he said that, the brunette had finished making her meal, carrying it in a simple white plate. "Here you go." he said, placing it on the counter. "Enjoy." Elizabeth stared at the piece of food in wonder, and also anticipation. It was a slab of steak, the meat so red and tender looking, and steam flowing off of it slightly. It was topped off with the proper condiments, pepper and sauce slathered over it to provide an excellent aroma. She took the fork and knife into her hands, and began to delve into it. Cutting off a small piece, she pulled the tender chunk into her mouth.
"...!"
Immediately, an explosion of wonder and flavor overcame her taste buds. The meat was tender and easy to bite into, and the tangy sauce and the acrid pepper provided a wonderful blend that enhanced it's culinary taste. She could say, with the utmost certainty, that the food was indeed delicious. "So?" Es asked her, curious. "How is it?"
To their surprise, tears had begun to fall from her face. "It's..." she sniffled, the lump of meat still in her mouth, and the fork still yet hanging in her hand. "It's... so good... R-really...really good..." The tears continued to flow from her face as she swallowed the piece of stake in her mouth, choked sobs escaping her voice. Es wasn't sure why she was doing this, but the sadness on her face was painful to see. The best she could do was hold her close to provide her with at least some comfort, wrapping her arms around her, and allowing her to cry on her shoulder. At this point, Elizabeth had completely broken down. Hawk looked a bit uncomfortable, and perhaps a bit uncertain of what he could possibly do. After all, they didn't know what caused her to cry like this, but it perhaps had brought up some bad memories.
Tatsumi, however, appeared indifferent. He merely waited for her to calm down, closing his eyes. Due to the tavern having no customers, the only thing that filled it's silent void was the painful cries of Elizabeth's weeps. It would have appeared that Hawk's statement of him being a cold person may have been on the mark. Although, this was something of a misconception. It wasn't that he was a cold person, per say... it stemmed from something more than that.
However, the moment had reached an abrupt end when a sharp banging etched into the air, the wooden door shaking violently. "Open up!" a voice shouted from the other side. "We are the knights stationed at the foot of the mountain! We've received eye-witness reports that the Wandering Rust Knight, a supposed member of the Seven Deadly Sins, is hiding here in this bar!" Another round of knocking slammed against the wood. "Come out at once! And do so peacefully!"
Tatsumi sighed in frustration, scratching his head. "What is it with all these restless customers?" he asked as he turned to Elizabeth, who looked startled. It was clear by their demands that she was the one they were after. Hawk seemed to understand the situation, and gave a snort as he quickly made his way upstairs, apparently understanding what the young bar owner had in mind. Es gave a curt nod, and quickly took Elizabeth's hand, moving out from the back, much to the young silverette's shock and spluttering confusion. Nodding in approval, he moved toward the door, stopping right in front of it and swinging it open.
In front of his door were five knights, the leading one being a young man in his mid twenties, having light brown hair and eyes, and a terrified, yet determined expression. It was obvious that the prospect of facing one of the Seven Deadly Sins scared him shitless, but remained steadfast. He gathered that the knight was either brave, stupid, or greedy... he was willing to say somewhere between the second and third idea. "Can I help you people?" he asked, as kindly as was physically possible.
The knight recoiled in shock before gathering himself. "W-who the hell are you?"
"I'm the owner of this bar," he replied back, ignoring their expressions of disbelief. "Now, could you care tell me what this is all about?"
"We were informed by several eye witnesses that a supposed member of the Seven Deadly Sins, the Wandering Rust Knight," another knight, a smaller man with a large, red nose, said, explaining everything with a relaxed look. It seemed like he was one of the few not nervous. Chances were, he probably thought the whole thing to be bogus. "Had entered this establishment. We are here to arrest him."
Tatsumi nodded, and looked over his shoulder. "Did you hear that?"
"HOHOHOHO!"
The knights peered inside...only for their jaws to drop in utter disbelief, eyes the size of saucers. Hawk was striding toward them, brimming with arrogance, and adorned in bits of the armor Elizabeth was wearing previously, the helmet sitting atop his head as if it were a crown. "Who's calling for sir Hawk, the Rusty knight? Oink!" the pig demanded in a haughty voice, stopping right next to the bar owner. "You knaves have a lot of nerve!"
The red-nosed knight looked at the pig in utter disbelief, looking to the younger member. "T-this PIG is one of the Seven Deadly Sins?!"
"No, he isn't!"
"Who are you calling a pig?!" Hawk snorted, retaining his overbearing(?) tone as he glared at the knights before him. "Not only am I a super pig, I am the Captain of the Leftover Knights Brigade!"
"THERE IS NO SUCH BRIGADE!"
Tatsumi pointed to Hawk, keeping a straight face as usual. "If you guys are interested, I have a family recipe for roasted pig." he told them, causing Hawk to develop a tick mark above his forehead, and glare at the red-eyed brunette.
"GIVE IT A REST, WILL YA?!"
The younger knight growled, grabbing Tatsumi by the collar, and dragging him close to his face. "D-do you think this is funny, you punk?!" he seethed, face livid with anger. Just who in the hell did this kid think he was?! Some kind of damned fool?! They were students under an Apprentice Holy Knight, one who would soon reach the rank of Holy Knight himself! And yet... this-this impudent bastard, had the nerve to mock them?! "You do realize we're apprentice knights, right?!"
Tatsumi gave him a flat look. "...your point?" he asked, causing the knight to pause briefly in shock. "Look, I don't give a crap if your a Holy Knight or whatever. Leave and go, or stay and order some food. Take your pick."
"W-why you...!"
Before the young knight could even attempt to do so something, perhaps like throttling Tatsumi, the red-nosed Knight looked off to the side, and caught sight of two figures, immediately creating alarm. "Alionni!" he called out, pointing to the fleeing figures of Es and Elizabeth. "Look! There!"
The knight, Alionni, whirled to see the girls running into the thicket of forest. Once he saw them, his hands released Tatsumi, and with his fellow knights, he gave chase to them. "Quick!" he screamed. "Don't let them escape! One of them has to be the Rust Knight!" Tatsumi bit back a scowl, cursing under his breath. He had hoped to attract their attention a little while longer for the two to escape.
Oh well... he doubted it would matter anyway. Especially since Es was with her. He just hoped she wouldn't go overboard.
"Hawk," he turned to his companion, who snorted in agreement with him. "Let's go."
"Roger that, oyabun!"
"Don't let up!"
Es didn't bother looking back, her hand clasped around Elizabeth's as they ran through the thicket, ducking underneath any branches that came at them, and leaping over any roots that stuck out from the ground. The knights remained persistent, chasing after them, their hands already holding swords, which gleamed with malevolence. It really annoyed her with how irritating they could be, but she didn't say anything more and continued to keep pace. Tatsumi had entrusted her with Elizabeth's safety, and had also given her the okay to do what she needed, so long as she did not kill them.
"M-Miss Es!" Elizabeth panted. "They're gaining on us!"
The blue-haired waitress looked over her shoulder briefly. The girl was right, they were gaining on them. They would be at them in only a few seconds. Her eyes focused past them, however, seeing a small trail of dust also following them. She didn't need to know who it was that was making that trail of dust. The woman only smiled as she turned back forward. "Hold on tight, Elizabeth!"
"E-eh?! Wh-what do you-AAAAAAH!"
Quickly taking the girl into her arms, Es closed her eyes, and allowed the strength that lied within her to manifest. Instantly, beneath her feet, ice formed with great fervent, and quickly climbed into the air, taking the two girls with it. The knights immediately came to a screeching halt, nearly tripping over themselves in shock with large eyes, and mouths agape. "It-it can't be...!" Alionni gaped. "That girl... She's a Holy Knight?!" Recognition formed in his head. If she could do that, then she must be the Deadly Sin they were after! Dammit, he had hoped that wasn't the case! He remembered seeing the state of the capital when they had betrayed the Kingdom of Liones, and the sight still haunted him to this day. All of those corpses... Holy Knights, one and all. If a single Sin was capable of slaughtering that many, then how were a bunch of apprentice knights supposed to fight against someone like that?!
"COOOOOOOMIIIIIIIIIIING THROOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUGH!" a bellowing scream echoed in their ears, accompanied by the sound of what sounded like a stampede. "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNK!"
The declaration caused them to whirl around, and in the next second, scattered, moving out of the way. Alionni, however, was not as fortunate. He was left stunned and shocked by the revelation he had previously that he had not registered the approaching pig until it was too late. It's skull collided with him in a second, and the force of the impact was enough to send him flying through the air, and straight off of the cliff, which was in front of the opening of the thicket.
Hawk smirked as he tapped his toes into the ground, snorting in pleasure with his work. "Sorry man," he apologized. "But I'm getting double leftovers tonight~ Oink!" The pig craned his head to look over his shoulder, seeing the boss walking up from behind. "How's that, oyabun?"
Tatsumi gave him a nod of approval, causing Hawk to snort in happiness, thinking of all the wonderful scraps he would be receiving, while the brunette looked up at the giant pillar of ice. "Did I do good, Tatsumi-san?! Es called out from the top. She was currently trying to calm down a still flustered and panicking Elizabeth, who was shivering and shaking from the fact that she was so high up.
"Yeah!" he shouted back. "You can bring her down now!"
Once the ice pillar broke down, the girls were safely back on their feet, and the area was scoped out in case the knights from earlier were lurking anywhere near by. With that done, they were left to their own devices, and an explanation as to why Elizabeth was searching for a group of criminals. Tatsumi lounged himself up on a tree, arms behind his head while Es and Hawk spoke with Elizabeth, the girl facing towards the horizon. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you," she said, turning to the three. "I had no intention of having the knights coming after you all."
"It was no trouble, really." Es told her, smiling. "Besides, it was actually kinda fun~"
Hawk sweat-dropped at the waitress' attitude. "I think we should be glad you didn't freeze any of 'em, oink." the pig muttered. "I remember the last time a patron tried to get touchy with you. I STILL have nightmares about that." He gave a quick shudder. Oh, he remembered what had happened to the poor bastard. Sure, it was kinda his fault for getting touchy with the workers, but still! To freeze them, and then whip them?! All the while fantasizing about the boss?! This girl was seriously sick in the head. She had to be some kind of sadist if she gets off while torturing someone... and somehow turning them into masochists. Maybe it was because of the fact that Es was a beautiful woman?
Then again, his momma always did say it's impossible to understand women.
"Still..." the young girl looked a bit shocked by the whole events, looking at Es. The feats she had pulled off earlier was something only a Holy Knight was capable of, but it somehow felt different than what a Knight of the Kingdom could do. "Miss Es... are you a Holy Knight, by any chance?"
The woman smiled sadly. "To be honest, I wish I knew myself." she confessed, earning a shocked look. "You see, I don't have any memories. For the last couple of years, I've been with Tatsumi-san and Hawk-chan this entire time. Before that, I was about to be sold off as a slave." A blush encroached on her face as she rubbed her hands together nervously. "I can still remember that day well... It's my most fondest memory."
"For you, maybe," the pig voiced his opinions. "But not me. I don't remember the last time I saw someone set off oyabun that much since a customer skipped the bill and then tried to rob the place. Oink." A shake of the head followed. "Poor swine didn't even realize what happened before it was too late."
"I-is that right...?" Elizabeth laughed nervously. From the sounds of things, they were quite the odd bunch. Even still, she was very thankful for them. Not only had they given her food, however brief it was, they had also protected her from those knights. But, even so, she couldn't afford to let them get wrapped up in her own problems. This was something she had to do on her own. She couldn't let such kind people get involved in her own mess. "S-still, thank you for saving me..." Elizabeth bowed humbly to the two before standing back up, her face etched in all seriousness. "I'm sorry you got dragged into my mess."
"If you don't mind me asking, Elizabeth..." Es frowned. "Why exactly are you looking for the Seven Deadly Sins in the first place?"
The girl was silent for a moment. Given what happened, she knew she could trust them. "Ten years ago, the Seven Deadly sins betrayed the Kingdom of Liones, and murdered countless Holy Knights." she said as she turned to gaze out into the horizon past the cliff. "Ever since then, the kingdom has been in a state of constant flux. The king has wished to avoid another Holy War, just like the one that occurred several thousand years ago." Her heart clenched at the memories, hands tightening into small fists. "However... the Holy Knights have taken over the kingdom."
This caused the group to gasp from shock. From his makeshift perch, Tatsumi opened an eye, looking on curiously. "W-what?" the blue-haired waitress exclaimed. "B-but how is that possible?!"
"Officially, the king is sick, and has left command of the kingdom to the current Great Holy Knights." she replied. "However, in truth, the king was captured, and placed under house arrest. As it stands now, the Holy Knights have control over all of Liones. Even worse, they've begun issuing labor forces composed of men, women, and even children. Not even the elderly are spared." She whirled around, her blue eyes lit with determination. "That's why... I have to find the Seven Deadly Sins! They're the only ones who can take back the kingdom!"
"Even though they're criminals?" Elizabeth blinked, looking up at Tatsumi. He was now sitting upright, an arm on his knee. "They were feared for a reason, and known as the Seven Deadly Sins because of the fact that they committed the grievous of sins. Knowing that..." He hopped down from the branch, the grass crunching beneath his feet as he stood up to his full height, eyes bearing into hers. "Do you still want to chase after them!"
Elizabeth flinched slightly underneath his gaze. It was so cold and overbearing, as if piercing into her very soul. Her father had always spoken of how the eyes were windows to the soul, and exposed a man's true character, laid about before them like an open book. No doubt that Tatsumi had seen her entirely for who she was, but when she stared back into those red eyes of his eyes, she felt as if she were staring into the abyss, a darkness so deep that she had almost forgotten where the bottom and where the surface was. It was terrifying and scary, yet also saddening to see. It was clear that, behind those eyes, was something missing, something taken. She wondered what this could have been, and wished to ask him of it... but she relented from doing so. He was questioning her resolve.
"When I was a child, my father spoke gallant tales about the Sins," she refuted, strength rising within her for each word she spoke. "They were the greatest Liones has known, and still are! They were regarded as heroes, and despite their crimes, my father had believed in them! That's why..." Her hands clenched. "I have to find them! I just HAVE to!"
Tatsumi and Es gave her a simple stare, one in scrutiny, and another in admiration. Hawk seemed confused by the whole thing, unable to follow. Unfortunately, the moment came to an abrupt end when the ground beneath them shuddered for a moment, creating alarm. A second passed, two, then three.
Then, the ground became to crumble and fall, alongside the cliff. Elizabeth screamed as Es quickly moved over to her while Tatsumi and Hawk were sent flying down to the ground below, which was several feet...and leading to a splattering death.
"Hmmmmm..." a large man hummed as he stood over the cleaved portion of the area, leaning over with a hand rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He appeared to be middle-aged with a gray mustache and a slight beard growing on his chin, covered in red and gray armor. "I forgot to ascertain whether or not they were the people mentioned in the report." he muttered before he nodded to himself. "Alright, then. Conclusion: three people of unknown origin, dead."
"B-but, sir!" one of the knights from earlier cried out, unable to believe what had just happened. The commander... h-he had just cut down the ground like it was nothing! It was like a miniature landslide! And Alionni was still down there too! He pointed out as much to his commanding officer. "Alionni is still down there!"
"Is that so?" Twigo raised an eyebrow, turning back to his subordinates. "In that case, let's make it four fatalities then."
"W-what?!" the red-nosed knight shouted. "Sir, that's overstepping your boundaries!"
"Y-yeah!" another knight growled in agreement. "That's out of line!"
Twigo's eyes narrowed in slight anger, danger eminent as the atmosphere became tense. "Shall we make it eight fatalities then?"
They immediately recoiled, faces set into terror. Messing with Twigo was not what they wanted to do, especially given that, despite his title as an apprentice Holy Knight, he was still something to be feared. While they did not want to abandon Alionni, neither did they want to be killed by their commander.
However, as they were about to leave, Twigo whirled around to see something that obviously set him off. "What?!"
"Whew...!" Hawk gaped in relief as he settled unto the ground. Tatsumi and Es were right beside him, looking calm and composed, while Elizabeth was kneeling on the ground, eyes wide in absolute disbelief. The unconscious Knight, Alionni, was lying face down on the ground beside them. "I thought we were done for... Nice going, Es-chan! Oink!"
Twigo's face twitched in anger. T-these brats... made it out alive?! How?! Upon closer inspection, he found a small trail of ice behind them. He followed it, seeing the crumbling piece of what appeared to be a pillar leading up to where they were. 'For them to survive... Conclusion! They must have used this ice to escape their death!' he realized before an angry growl appeared over his features. 'So, a traitorous Holy Knight is among them, eh?! Inexcusable!' He immediately drew back his sword, the first few inches of the blade being pulled from the sheath. "You there!" he shouted to the group. "How dare you survive without my permission?! I won't revise my death tally!"
Tatsumi narrowed his eyes, seeming to recognize the man somewhere. 'That man... I've seen him before.'
Twigo let out a gruff sound as he fully unsheathed his blade. "It matters not, I suppose... Now, then, which one of you is a supposed member of the Seven Deadly Sins? It's obvious that one of you has the abilities of a Holy Knight, given the ice behind you!" He scrutinized their features, glaring at each of them intensely. "However, none of you share any characteristics with any of the wanted posters!" He stopped when he saw the silver-haired girl. Immediately, his eyes fell upon the small earring dangling from her lobe.
Twigo's eyes widened in shock, but then settled with a sinister leer. "O-ho... My, this is a surprise." he said, taking a step forward. "That crest on that girl's earring is an exact match to the crest of the Royal Family." Elizabeth visibly flinched, and recoiled when he took another step forward. "Meaning, that you... Conclusion!" He smirked darkly. "You are Princess Elizabeth!"
"H-HAH?!" Hawk gaped, whirling to see Elizabeth, her eyes widened in absolute shock and fear. "Y-your THAT Elizabeth?! The third princess of the Kingdom?!"
"Is that true, Elizabeth-san?" Es asked, more surprised than shocked. "Your... a princess?"
Elizabeth did not answer. She turned away, ashamed to look at them, while Tatsumi simply gave her an impassive gaze. He did not judge her in the least. It was natural for her to keep such a thing a secret, and he did not blame her at all for wanting to keep it that way. "All knights have been given orders to retrieve you, and bring you in for protection..." Twigo said, malevolence wreaking off of him as he grinned widely, brandishing his blade. "However... I suppose I can do with accidental death in my report!"
Elizabeth immediately knew what he had in mind. She quickly glanced at Tatsumi and the others. Es looked prepared to fight, her hands open and ready to engage, whereas Hawk shook slightly, remaining steadfast. Tatsumi, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes, and his body tensed. 'No...' she shook her head, whirling around on her foot. 'I can't let them get involved any further!' She quickly dashed into the forest thicket, earning the Boar Hat crew's attention. "Es-chan!" Hawk screamed. "What are you doing?!"
"I'm sorry!" she screamed over her shoulder. "But you all need to run!"
Twigo slammed his foot back, and reared his arm, sword in hand. Es bit her lip, and slammed her hands down, Hawk taking shelter behind her while Tatsumi's eyes registered the action. Instantly, he moved into the thicket, and in little time, caught up to Elizabeth. "Conclusion..." Finally, he swung his arm. "ACCIDENTAL DEATH!"
The strike came fast and hard. A wall of ice was erected before Es and Hawk, and developed only minor cracks from the force of the impact. All of the trees, however, were sliced down, trunks and wooden beams falling off to their sides. A massive shockwave soon followed, blowing apart everything around them. The knights immediately took cover to avoid being crushed by the falling debris, and Hawk held onto the woman for dear life, lest he be caught in the swirling storm. Tatsumi and Elizabeth were on the ground, having managed to avoid the swing just in time. As the dust settled, all that was left of the mountain was nothing but trees lying on their sides, all sliced apart.
"Y-you gotta be kiddin'..." Hawk shuddered. "How strong is this wacko?! Oink!"
Es glared at the man in contempt. "You have no value for your comrades lives at all..." she scowled, seething with anger. "You call yourself a knight, yet you hold no honor!"
"Hmph!" Twigo scoffed. "The Holy Knights have no need for honor... Not in times such as these." His eyes then narrowed down at her as the wall of ice crumbled away. "This power... Conclusion. You are a Holy Knight!" The man smirked widely. "If word got out that a traitorous knight assisted scum like that man over there, then our credibility will waver. That is why..." He brandished his blade once again. "You will die here!"
Es' features flared with rage. "DON'T EVER CALL TATSUMI-SAN SCUM, YOU FILTHY PIG!"
Hawk immediately fell into terror, seeing frost from beneath the woman's feet. Cold sweat poured down his face while Alionni began to stir, eyes twitching alongside a few digits. "Oh, oh craaaaaap!" he wailed in terror. "She's seriously pissed!" Without thinking, Hawk grabbed the waking knight by the collar with his molars, and sped away. "RUN! RUN AWAAAAAY! THE ICE EMPRESS IS BAAAAACK! OOOOOIIIIINK!"
"W-Whaaaaaaa!" Alionni, now awake by the sudden jostling of his body, screamed out in panic. "H-heeeeeeeeelp!"
"Alionni!" the fellow knights cried out in panic, seeing their comrade being taken away. However, they dared not move a muscle, suddenly feeling killing intent washing over the area, and spikes of ice cutting out from the ground all around Es, who truly looked the part of Hawk's statement. Twigo seemed relatively unaffected by the overwhelming killing intent, and smiled, welcoming the challenge. At the very least, he could give this Holy Knight a death worthy of her station... a duel to the death. "Impressive..." he mused. "Now, come!"
Immediately, after those words fell from his mouth, Es let out a battle cry, and leaped forward, ice forming into her hands, and extending into dual scimitars. Poking his head up, Tatsumi watched as she engaged Twigo, her icy blades clashing with his own, creating a small tremor and shockwave before the two were forced to back off, only to engage again. Es was put into the defensive, bringing up her scimitars to defend against Twigo's sword, which came crashing down on her. The ground broke apart beneath her, and a shockwave followed suit. Even still, she gritted her teeth, ignoring such matters, and pushed him away, taking the initiative. She spun around, blades in hand, and slammed them into him as he put the sword to his side to defend against it. He was sent flying back as a result of the strike, but quickly regained his balance, twirling about in the air before he made his attack again.
"Conclusion!" he screeched. "Death by BISECTION!"
Again, like before, a massive strike followed after the blade. Es, instead of defending, instead senses what sort of attack this was, and promptly leaped back, the make-shift launch pad of ice beneath her feet increasing the distance. The strike had totally decimated the ground, obliterating it completely and leaving behind a large scar in the ground. As Twigo landed back on the ground, he observed Es' stance. She remained in place, legs spread slightly apart, but still close, and her arms held at the sides, ice scimitars gripped in a perfect stance. 'Conclusion. She is well-trained.' he noted. 'Even with such a brief confrontation... she is undoubtely strong.' A grin formed on his face. "Conclusion... a battle worthy of Holy Knights is about to begin!"
The brunette raised an eyebrow. "Seriously..." he muttered. "She got pissed when he calls me scum, but she'd holding back." A sigh escaped him afterwards. "Then again, I did tell her to hold back on the killing."
"...r-run..."
"Eh?" He looked down by his side, seeing Elizabeth still on the ground, flat on her back. Her clothes were in slight tears, the legs sliced open to reveal bleeding cuts, and small tears found along her arms. A cut could be seen below her eye.
"Y-you have... to run...!" she begged him, tears falling from her face. "You can't win... You have to run!" Tatsumi failed to understand her worries. Es was holding up just fine, even if she was significantly holding back. Still, though... if she were going all out, or if she were back to her old self before he found her, there would be little doubt that this fight would be over the moment she brought out her ice. "P-please... go! I..." she sobbed, covering her eyes, despite how the streams fell from her face. "I don't want you all... to get involved!"
Around them, the sound of battle continued to resound. Tatsumi stared at her, impassive once again, and calm as always. She was so frustrated with herself. She had finally begun her journey to find the Seven Deadly Sins, the only people who could help her restore the kingdom, and take it back from those monsters! S-so... why? Why was she failing so early? Why were these wonderful, innocent people involved?! This was the last thing she wanted! They were so kind... T-they didn't deserve to be killed!
"...Elizabeth," Tatsumi's voice cut through her emotions. Her eyes widened as she looked at him, his eyes showing a strange oddity to them now. she couldn't quite place it, but... something about those eyes... It reminded her of something. "Do you have the resolve?"
"H-huh?"
"You sought out to find the Deadly Sins, despite aware that they are criminals of the highest order." he spoke, standing up to his feet. "And, still... You seek them. Your journey will be wrought with despair. In fact, you may even lose your life trying to find them. I will ask you this, only once." He glared at her, as if demanding an answer to this one question. "Do you have the resolve... to walk this path?"
The young princess was left stunned for a moment, as if unable to comprehend it at first. However, his words rung true. She would indeed bear witness to some dark things, things her father would have shielded her from... the last things he would want his beloved daughter to see. There was little doubt she might lose her life, but even still, she could not give up. She had come this far, and she could not stop here. Her father, and her sisters... they must be counting on her. She needed to be strong... she needed to steel her strength! Now was not the time to hesitate!
"Yes..." she said slowly, glaring back at him. "I... have the resolve! I...I will walk the path of carnage if that's what it takes!"
Silence greeted her at first. Tatsumi continued to glare into her eyes, yet her will had not faltered. Seconds became minutes, even after battle continued to dance around them.
Finally, however, she was greeted with an incredible sight.
Tatsumi... smiled. For the first time since their meeting, he had smiled.
"...then I fully accept your resolve, Princess Elizabeth." he told her as he turned sharply on his heel, and walked forward. Slowly, his hand reached for the silver blade at his hip. "Es," he called out to the blue-haired woman, who halted for a brief moment. Even Twigo stopped his assault, sweat dripping from his face from how intense this battle had become, whereas the waitress had not shown any signs of fatigue at all. Just what in the world was she? Some kind of monster? "Let me handle this..."
The woman looked startled at first... but then, nodded. Slowly, she stepped back, and her blades broke apart. Twigo stared at the bar owner in disbelief, and later, contorted in anger. W-was this brat... mocking him?! "Y...YOU INSOLENT FOOL!" he roared in outrage. "C-CONCLUSION! DEATH BY CUTTING!"
He swung his sword down, power radiating from this strike. It would connect, and the boy would be obliterated...wiped off the face of this earth. He would be reduced to flying, bloody paste. He grinned as the strike came close to the boy, inches away from his face-
"...so, that's your trick."
[Nanatsu no Taizai OST: Perfect Time]
-and promptly brought up his arm. The blow connected... but he continued to stand. "W-what?!" Twigo screamed in disbelief when a shockwave soon followed, blowing apart the brunette's sleeve. His hair and shirt flapped comically from the blowing wind, but that was when he noticed something. The boy's eyes had changed. They returned their dark red luster, but the pupils... they had turned into cross-shaped slits. "I-Impossible! How can you still stand there, and still be alive?!" the burly man demanded, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. How could he have managed to defend against his attack?! And with only bare flesh as his only defense?! ...Wait, those eyes... He felt as if he's seen them before.
"Kill, kill, and kill..." he muttered, loud enough for the apprentice Holy Knight to hear him. "In the end, this generation of Holy Knights is no better than the scum of the Empire..." A wry smile made it's way to his face. "Heh, it kinda reminds me of the old days."
"W-what are you babbling about?"
"Nothing you have to worry about, considering this place is where you die." Tatsumi told him, much to his rage. How dare this brat look down on him?! He must have had a death wish! "Still, talk about a cheap parlor trick..." he mused in distaste as he shrugged the attack off. Twigo nearly fell back a bit, losing his footing for a brief moment. "You integrate your attacks with your magical powers. While at first it seems as if you create a shockwave sharp enough to leave behind massive damage, that's not the trick. In reality, your extending your range. Your magic extends your reach, creating an invisible blade." His eyes narrowed. "Once you've struck your target, you release your power all at once, creating an explosive shockwave. An extension capable of exploding..."
Twigo's jaw dropped. H-how... how could a mere brat... be able to figure out his ability, just from watching a mere thirty second skirmish?!
...?! Wait, there was something on this brat's arm. Twigo's eyes narrowed, seeing a tattoo imprinted on the forearm. As Tatsumi lowered it, the man got a better look at it. The moment it became visible, his heart sank. His bravado faded in a mere instant, and panic seized his heart. Elizabeth and the other knights saw the mark, and they shared varied reactions. The knights suddenly backed away, fear and terror clear on their faces, while Elizabeth expressed absolute shock and disbelief. Twigo, however, voiced his own inner struggle. "It... it can't be...!" he stepped back, a cold sweat flowing down his face at an incredible rate. "T-that mark on your arm...!"
Etched into the bar owner's forearm... was the symbol of a beast. A dragon who had it's tail in it's maw.
It was at that moment that Twigo suddenly realized where exactly he had seen those eyes before, and his terror only grew. Tatsumi, seeing his expression, gave him a condescending, cold smirk. "Yo. Long time no see... You've gotten ugly since I saw you last, Twigo."
"It-it can't be...!" he shook his head in denial. "How can you look exactly the same as you did that day?!"
Tatsumi stepped forward, and instantly Twigo swung his sword wildly, intending to bring and end to this quickly. Despite the wild flailings, he continued to advance forward, knocking back every swing with the back of his hand, as if he were flicking every strike away. Elizabeth stared in absolute awe, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. The bar owner was knocking back every strike... almost like it were nothing. Her mind instantly went back to the mark on his arm.
"It...it couldn't be..." she breathed. "Is... is Tatsumi-san really...?!"
"It can't be... And yet..." Tatsumi slipped into a stance, one foot placed before the other, and his sword drawn behind his back. Twigo's eyes widened in horror as he brought up his blade. He needed to finish this! NOW!
"YOU DARE TO EXIST?!"
At the same time Twigo brought down his blade, Tatsumi move. It was an unreal sight, moving so quickly he appeared as only a blur, followed by a silver flash. Instantly, he was behind Twigo, his sword now in front of him, and his body positioned in a kneeling position. The two remained motionless for several seconds, a breeze passing by them before Tatsumi stood up, slipping his blade back into it's rightful place beside his hip. As he did so, a strand of hair fell from Twigo's slicked back mane. "C...Conclusion..." he gaped, eyes shaking, all the color gone from his face. "This power... is that..."
"...of the..."
"...l-le...gend..."
As soon as those words parted from his lips, a geyser of blood eruped from his body, a crescent gush of blood streaking from the lower left side of his hip, and reaching all the way up, slicing through his arm and erupting at the end of his right shoulder. His armor was completely shattered, revealing his ripped body. As blood flowed out of his body, he fell to his back with a loud thud. The other knights could only stare at the sight in large eyes, unable to fully comprehend what had just happened. Elizabeth stared at the young man standing there, his back facing her. Es smiled, happy that he was alright, and glad that he had shown a difference in power, making that bastard pay for underestimating him.
"Is it..." Elizabeth said slowly, rising to her feet. She dared not approach him, lest this seemingly dream reach an end. "R-really you...? Are you really..."
Tatsumi slowly turned to her, his face showing an impassive emotion... and yet one so fitting of his station and strength. His lips parted as he spoke these words to her, the words that would begin the journey of a lifetime. The journey that would spark reunions, both old and new, and a quest to bring an end to a corruption laid unseen to the eyes of all. To liberate those lost in the light of Liones from the darkness that lurked within.
"Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins," he announced, tone strong and booming, as if creating a declaration. "The Dragon Sin of Wrath... Tatsumi. That's all I am now."
This is a tale of ancient times, an era before the human, and non-human worlds, were forever divided. When the Holy Knights defended the realm, wielding their magical powers, they were feared and highly respected. But among them, a group emerged that betrayed the kingdom, and became mortal enemies to all Holy Knights.
They were known through out the land... as the Seven Deadly Sins.
Fanfiction Studios is proud to present,
Kill the Deadly Sin