Raijin, Rank#0 of Seidoukan Academy
Chapter 8
New Beginning
Hikaru looked up at the man standing before him, the man's words ringing in his ears.
"Ally?"
He took the outstretched hand, which lifted him up to his feet, as he heard a flat reply.
"Yes. I'm your ally. I have my reasons. You don't need to know them."
"Who are you?"
The man didn't answer, choosing to turn around, and walked out of the cell, forcing the white-haired boy to follow after him. His voice was cold and distant as he spoke.
"We need to reach the Twin Towers Mall. Security around the place should be tight, what with the Stjarnagarm surrounding the whole place, and the terrorists are another obstacle. But that's not a problem. We can run all the way there. We'll have to see the situation and then we can see what to do."
Hikaru was still dazed. The man approached him and then shouted. "HEY!"
"!"
"Look, your friend is in danger. I'm here to help. But I can't help if you are standing there like that. Move!"
The white-haired boy snapped out of his daze at the sharp words, and nodded, a hardened expression settling onto his eyes.
"I understand."
"Good. Now, sit back while I deal with these fools."
As he said these words, resounding footsteps echoed and a large group of Stjarnagarm personnel entered the hallway.
Before any of them could utter a word, the white-haired man disappeared, a boom echoing as he reappeared behind them, lightning dancing around him wildly.
The Stjarnagarm personnel fell to the ground, clearly knocked out.
Hikaru looked, wide-eyed. He knocked them out so easily… who is he?
He followed quickly at the older male's gesture and ran after him.
"Don't use that Orga Lux of yours right now. That thing is too bloodthirsty to help you." He spat venomously before saying, "These grunts are becoming too much."
He then slid to a stop, before holding out his hand. A small ball of electricity started to form over his palm, crackling dangerously.
"Stand back."
He then aimed his palm above him, and released the ball, speaking only a single word.
"Raikoho."
Those words were familiar to Hikaru, who stared in shock as the ball pierced the ceiling, creating a large hole, enough for 4 people to fit.
"W-why do you know that technique?"
"Huh?"
"Raikoho… I created it!"
"Not the time." He then muttered to himself, "Idiot… why did I use the name?"
He then put a hand on Hikaru's shoulder and started to gather Prana at his feet, muttering to himself. "This should do for the height we need to move." He then turned slightly, looking at the boy, before saying, "Don't move and don't resist."
With those words, they disappeared, leaving no clue about their destination.
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"Captain Lindwall, we've received an important message from the central prison. One of the prisoners seems to have escaped."
"What?! Who?!"
Yet, she didn't receive an answer. She didn't need to. The next instant, something ran past them, shattering the glass all around them. A beast made of lightning moved past them, carrying something inside it.
For a brief instant, the lightning flickered, revealing two forms. "Narukami Hikaru!"
Of all the times for that boy to escape… he chooses now!
"Stop them! No-"
Whatever she wanted to say was drowned out by a shriek of lightning and a wave of killing intent, as the lightning beast disappeared.
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They were standing on something vaguely resembling wings, made of lightning, heading towards the towers.
Hikaru looked straight ahead, eyes locked on the two towers, the towers where she was being held. "You know, this could be a trap."
The man's words caught him by surprise, but his response was the same as it would ever be. "I'll save her… no matter what. And besides, you were the one who broke me out to save her, right?"
"Looks like you are mistaken, Hikaru. I said that I was your ally."
"..."
"And when I said that, I meant that I was your ally and your ally alone. Whatever you want to do, I'll lend my power. If you want to destroy those two towers, I'll do it. If you want me to massacre every single person in the city and save the girl, I'll do it. Your orders are what I need. I broke you out, not to save her. I broke you out, to help you, Hikaru. If you want to save her, I will come along with you. But make up your mind."
"..."
"..."
"I'll save her. She… Sylvie trusted me. Arashi trusted me with her safety. I can't let them down. I have to save her." An ally… someone I can trust to be on my side… why?
"...Well, it's your decision. Looks like there's some small fry around the tower, though. They set up a barricade." How cute… as if that can stop me. "What do you want me to do with them?"
"Can you break the windows in the area, without too much collateral damage?"
"I can do that."
"We will use that as a distraction and break through the barricade."
"Understood."
Kanmuru… The lightning around the two of them intensified, a high-pitched shrieking emanating from it as the wings changed, expanding until they were now inside a bird.
What the… As the boy looked on in amazement, the glass around them shattered into millions of pieces.
And now… With a smirk, the man appeared in the middle of the barricade, the lightning flickering for a brief instant. Disperse.
The mana in the air instantly dispersed, removing the barricade before them. "That's our entry point, Hikaru."
The boy nodded, a burst of Prana taking him through, while the man stayed back for a moment. The next moment, he disappeared, the barricade closing behind him. You people won't interfere this time!
He appeared beside Hikaru, landing on the wings of the bird which then took flight, moving towards the rooftop.
As they flew up, Hikaru muttered, "Oh shit!" "What?"
"Claudia!"
The man looked at a blur which was falling towards the ground. That girl… I feel like I know her… but why?
"Save her!"
"Understood."
With a leap, the man jumped up towards the falling girl, catching her as he crashed into the building. The bird that Hikaru was flying on then flew into the hole in the building.
Hikaru jumped off the bird, which then dissipated, as he walked towards Claudia.
"Claudia, are you alright? Where's Sylvie?"
"We don't have time. She's upstairs. I can sense her. Move." The man interrupted, two chains wrapping around them and then he set them down onto a pair of wings each.
As they moved up, flying through a hole in the ceiling, the man changed directions, "That side."
A pair of swords appeared before him which he then hoisted off to Hikaru. "Here. You'll need these for now."
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Sylvia woke up, chained to a wall.
"Awake, are you?"
For a moment, her mind was empty, before everything returned to her. She started to struggle, trying to break the chains restraining her.
"No! Let me go!"
She continued struggling. Someone… please save me!
"Time's up."
At the same time, a part of the wall exploded, showering rubble on the occupants of the room. Magic circles formed in the air, before spears of lightning rained into the room. They killed indiscriminately, raining down for what felt like minutes.
Through it all, the purple-haired girl watched in shock as her captors fell, dead or dying.
Gradually, the rain of spears slowed before stopping altogether, and footsteps echoed in the empty room. "Sylvie, are you alright?!" A panicked voice reached her.
She didn't recognise it at first, before it struck her.
"Hikaru-kun!"
In a few moments, he was next to her, cutting through the chains holding her.
"Are you alright?" He asked again, letting her down to the floor gently, helping her stand.
He was instantly enveloped in a tight embrace. She sobbed as he held onto her, gently leading her out of the room. From the corner of his eyes, he spied a few still moving.
Kill them all.
For the first time, he agreed wholeheartedly.
They deserve nothing more than death.
He then gently let go of Sylvia, whispering, "It's alright, Sylvie. Everything's alright now. I'll be here to protect you, no matter what."
He then stepped back into the room, walking over to the still moving bodies. Slowly, deliberately, he dragged the sword he now carried across the neck, leaving them to bleed out slowly, unable to move, unable to defend themselves.
"I should be prolonging your death more than this." He dug the sword deeper into the body, a hate-filled glare on his face. "What you were going to do to Sylvie… I don't have time to deal with you however. This will have to suffice for now."
He then turned, walking back out of the room, and then walked over to Sylvia and Claudia, eyes briefly flickering to where he stood guard.
"Done with your business?"
"Yeah. Thanks for letting me deal with this."
"I told you that you don't have to thank me. You give orders and I follow them, that's all."
"Now, this is the dangerous part. You want to save the others as well…"
"Yeah. I know it can-"
"No. You don't know how dangerous it can be. Don't overestimate yourself. You will follow my instructions if you all want to survive. And I don't think I need to tell you but… don't hesitate in killing them."
"I won't."
"Good."
…
"Wait. What's your name?"
"Name?"
"I need to talk to you right? I can't just say 'Hey!' and expect you to hear me."
"We are talking telepathically but well… a name huh?"
"Y-"
"Raikou. Call me Raikou."
"Raikou… alright."
Raikou gave a discreet nod and then turned around, trying to ignore the memories that were dug up at the mere sight of her. Even though he should have never remembered at all.
Broken…
Ignore it.
Bleeding…
It's all in the past now. Ignore it.
He held his head in one hand, covering his face, growling lowly, as he tried to rein in his mind.
Control yourself. The only chaos allowable is the one inside you. Never let it out. Never show it to the world.
Dead…
Ignore it!
"Raikou?"
A voice jolted him out of his conflict, bringing him back to reality.
Control yourself. Be rational. You can stop that from ever happening. You can protect her this time. Just ignore everything until your purpose is complete.
"Yeah?"
"Can you sense where the others are being held captive?"
"There's a group of people being held off to one side, near some room, most probably a storage room. They don't seem to be moving much. I can sense around 15 people standing guard, in and around the room. I can't say what weapons the guards are using, but all of them are Genestella. I don't think there are any Strega or Dante among them but I'm not sure about that. I think I can take them though."
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Nestor regained consciousness finally, looking around confusedly for a few moments.
The feeling of being bound was what brought him back to reality.
"Calm down, boy. Don't do anything." A calm voice spoke, not a trace of worry present, just tinged with annoyance.
That's Fan Xinglou… no reason she needs to be scared. I can't see Lyyneheym or Enfield anywhere.
He looked around worriedly, while trying to discreetly escape his bonds.
"Boy, I told you to not do anything. These bonds are restricting the flow of Prana. We can't break out without causing a scene. Do you want everyone to die?" That got him to stop.
"Any ideas why they kidnapped us?"
Silence.
That's odd. Did not even one of these guys talk or something? She was awake for quite some time, so she might have overheard something at least.
"Narukami Hikaru."
"What?"
"That boy's name was mentioned a few times. Whatever this is, he plays a part in it. Whether intentional or not, that remains to be se-"
"Hikaru wouldn't do this. He would never do something like this." Nestor refused to ever believe that Hikaru would do something like this.
"That remains to be seen, boy. But I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt."
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Raikou walked towards the containment area, slowly appearing into view. Chains slid out of his sleeves, gleaming in the light, whipping out and spearing the guards straight through the hearts.
Just to be safe… A burst of electricity travelled through the chains to the bodies. A minute later, he recalled the chains, which slid back into his sleeves and he dispelled them.
He then spread out his Prana, trying to sense the positions of everyone in the room. Tch. Looks like I have to break down the door after all. And then I'll have to deal with all of the idiots before they catch on.
He then put his hand on the door, willing his Prana as he formed a few spears of lightning in his mind. As the door flew from the force of his Prana, he willed the spears to form, before flying in to the nearest hostage. A dome of Prana shielded the hostages before anyone could move. He then ran towards the nearest guard, cutting him down. He repeated the process twice before someone tried to shoot him.
A blast of lightning took care of another one before the sword in his hand was switched for chains. The chains darted around, moving impossibly fast, before impaling the bodies of the remaining guards, and then they twisted, before exiting slowly, ripping apart the corpses.
Raikou stepped forward, black metal starting to form on his arms, covering his hands. The same metal extended over his neck, covering his lower face, leaving only the eyes visible.
He raised an armored hand towards the captive students, before swords formed behind him. They flew forward, causing the students to flinch, before they felt their bonds fall to the floor.
"Move. We do not have time." His voice was cold and emotionless. He then turned around, armor now covering almost all of his body, apart from his hair and eyes.
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Hikaru stood alert, a sword in his hand, electricity gathered in another. At his feet was a still warm corpse, blood pooling around the body, leaking from the hole in the chest. He was breathing hard, blood leaking from the gash on his chest.
"You are injured." The voice came suddenly from behind him, oddly distorted, a hand resting on his shoulder, startling him. "Don't move."
"The others-"
"They are safe. None of them are injured. A bit scared, I think. I managed to take care of the two floors below us. Looks like I missed this one." He glanced at the bodies lying around. "Sorry about that."
"That's fine. What's with the armor?" Hikaru could feel his wound closing, his body returning to its previous state.
"Hiding my identity… can't give any more questions as to why I'm helping you, right? Where are the other two girls? I need to modify their memories."
"What?! You can't-"
"Listen, Hikaru. If someone tries to find out who I am, it would land you in a lot of trouble. You can know who I am, if they try to question you, just tell them that you don't know who I am, why I helped you. I am helping you for my own reasons, I might tell you later but not now. If the others are ever interrogated, then they might get hurt. I would like to avoid that if I can."
"So that they don't get hurt, huh?" I can't let them get hurt, especially Sylvie. "Fine. They are hiding on the floor above, in the fifth shop on the right, behind the second shelf on the left."
"Fine. I'll get them and then we'll take the others. I left them two floors below. They should be safe now. You should head down. I killed everyone below, but be careful." Raikou then disappeared. Hikaru looked around at the corpses, hardening his heart. They were going to do something horrible to Sylvie. They deserve to die for that. They will die for that. I will make sure that every single one of them will die.
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A black haired man, gun in hand, looked around, searching for any intruders. The Stjarnagarm shouldn't be able to enter the building yet. And I didn't see the target enter as well. It seems we are safe for no-
A spear of lightning ran through his head, ending that line of thought, along with his life. Raikou stood behind him, another spear of lightning in his hand. Lanza del Relampago! A rain of spears followed the one he threw, skewering the group of terrorists. Damn, I don't have too much time. I used up a large amount of my Prana while moving back. My body is damaged as well. We should be near the ground floor anyway.
"Raikou?" Hikaru called him, worried slightly for his ally.
"Let's go. I need to get a bit destructive. Can you handle things for a few minutes?"
"Alright."
"Do not hesitate, Hikaru. These are the scum that this world no longer needs. Their only purpose is to die. Do not worry about anything."
"I kn-"
"Don't hesitate. I know that you don't like it. Somewhere inside of you, your heart is shattering into pieces with each person you kill. But you have to do this if you want to protect that girl and everyone else." I know better than everyone else. I was once you, after all. There can be no hesitation if you want everyone to survive. There is no way to live in this world for him, not when he is being kind. Leaving your enemies alive is only going to hurt him later on.
Hikaru contemplated the older man's words. Something like that… They are humans as well. How can I kill them like that? How can I just take their lives like they don't even matter?
"That's just extra weight on your life." As if reading the other's mind, Raikou answered.
"Extra weight on my life?"
"Yeah. I have the weight of hundreds of thousands of lives on my hands. But that's all it is, just another one of the things weighing down on my life, no matter how heavy it might be."
"Why are you helping me, Raikou?" Now that we are not as pressed for time, I need to know. What are his motives for helping me? Is he truly my ally? Can I really trust him?
"So that another person like me is not created. So that you can choose your own path, and not walk the path I had to walk. To make you choose your own purpose, that is my purpose."
"..."
"Are we going to move, or not? The Stjarnagarm won't wait around forever. They will move in once they are sure that the terrorists are being occupied by something, or in this case, someone."
"How long do you think we have?"
"Chronotemis… do you want me to kill her? Or do you want to escape?"
"Let's leave her alive. Killing her would serve no purpose and might be another black mark. Eventually when I try to prove my unwillingness for that manslaughter case in a trial, killing her might be another black mark. If we leave her alive, try to avoid the deaths of any other Stjarnagarm members and limit damage, it could be easier."
"And by the way, I'll knock out the others and keep them in a safe place."
"Why?"
"So that the IEF can't label them as accomplices or anything if they try to interfere when the Stjarnagarm tries to stop us. And it would also add to the image that I am an independent party that is working towards his own goals. And they'd be out of any possible danger if someone else decides to attack us."
"By someone else, do you mean the one who ordered these terrorists? Or another person who is unrelated to this mess?"
"The former. There are no enemies that I have here." I killed them, after all. "If the worst situation comes to pass, you'll have to fight and hold off that person while I deal with Chronotemis."
"I'll do what I can. Can you keep Sylvie and everyone else safe?"
"I'll teleport them to right outside the Stjarnagarm barricade, and put them in a barrier for 1 minute, just to be safe. And then, we escape. After dealing with whoever is behind this farce."
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Raikou looked at his handiwork. All the Student Council Presidents and Vice-Presidents lay unconscious, bar one. "Fan Xinglou…"
"I recognise this formula. Why do you know my techniques?"
"There is only one piece of information I can give you, as I was instructed."
"Ho?" Behind her, one of her vajra appeared, spinning dangerously.
"Jikan Hanten… that technique works."
For a moment, the third Banyuu Tenra's face reflected shock. That moment was enough for him to act.
"Kukan Ten'i:Danku." Raikou finished his conversation with a small smirk, as the group of students was teleported out of the building.
Now, I can deal with everyone else in this damn building. And I need to do that as fast as I can.
After all, he didn't have time.
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Raikoho! The cannonball of lightning exploded right as it hit his target, electrocuting him and everyone else around him. Tch. That was weaker than it normally is. I'm using up too much Prana. A dark impulse gnawed at the back of his mind. SHUT UP! I'm not using you! Never again! The gnawing receded.
"Hikaru." He couldn't help but jump. Raikou appeared right behind him, without a sound. "Let's move. I dealt with the few stragglers remaining. You did a good job."
"There were survivors left?" Careless idiot!
"Don't berate yourself. How long do you think you can fight?"
"I'm guessing I'm at around 35% of my Prana capacity."
"A few minutes then, not more than 30." Just our luck… need to finish this quickly.
Before he could say anything else, an arrow shot straight through his shoulder, disabling his right arm.
"Raikou!" He caught another arrow, stopping it right before the younger Dante's eyes.
"Be careful! This enemy is dangerous!" Where is he shooting from? The two arrows came from different angles. No one can move that fast and shoot in such a short time. Two enemies? The possibility exists.
All this time, he was weaving through hand signs, talismans floating before him, a barrier solidifying from the mana before him.
"Hikaru, get back, behind the barrier. Activate your Kanmuru, and be on the lookout for any enemies from the back."
"Your wound?" He turned around, lightning flying off his body as he turned around, drawing the sword, a hand ready to deploy a spear in an instant.
"I've had worse. This will heal." Need to kill them quickly and get him out of here.
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"I see you~" The hidden archer sang as he fired another arrow.
"Tch." The arrow was caught in mid-air. Who is he? He wasn't mentioned in the intel that master gave to us. He is helping the primary target so he will be a target as well.
What happened next shocked him. H-he… he just healed his arm like that injury was nothing. I put the strongest corrosive poison I could procure inside that arrow. His bones should be melting by now!
He saw the man weave through hand-signs -with the arm that shouldn't be working properly- and a barrier appeared before the white-haired man, blocking all the arrows that he fired.
"Damn it!" He punched the wall beside him, cratering it.
"Archer! Any issues?"
"Yeah. An external factor interfering with the mission. Male, probably 20's, white-haired. He is assisting the primary target. He must be strong enough to have dealt with all the fodder that we hired, without alerting the Stjarnagarm outside. Skills unknown. He has displayed an ability to create barriers, and also rapid healing. Fast reflexes and possible skills with swords and spears."
"He's also skilled with lightning, similar to the primary target, from what I can guess from the corpses and damage out here."
"Any ideas? That barrier can block my arrows."
"Keep shooting. Attack him till you run out. I'll take down the primary target and then we will take the other one down. Worst case, Void can get us out."
"Understood. I can keep him away as long as the fight is long range. But be quick. If he finds my hiding place, I'm out of the fight."
"Illusion's hiding places are not easy to find. I'll be quick."
"And now… let's use an explosive one."
He let loose an arrow, which struck the barrier. A moment later, it exploded, blowing a wide hole in the floor and the ceiling. As the smoke cleared, he frowned. The barrier still stood, undamaged. Fucking barriers! He let loose a barrage of arrows, causing a series of explosions which rocked the tower. Let's see you take this!
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"Tch." Raikou could feel the barrier straining. The barrier won't be able to take too many of those explosions. The good thing is that the smoke conceals us as well as the archer.
"Hikaru…"
"I'm listening."
"Any ideas?"
"Nope." Huh… I'm surprisingly carefree about this. Maybe because Raikou is here and I trust him… no, that's not it. I'm just being nonchalant about my own survival, huh? That could be the case.
"..."
"Maybe wait around till Chronotemis comes here then escape in the commotion."
"Not possible. We can't fight on multiple fronts."
"Well… track down the archer and kill him."
"Easier said than done." He grunted as a particularly strong explosion created cracks in the barrier, making him exert more Prana to fix the barrier.
"Heh… well, we can think of som-"
Hikaru was suddenly kicked away, being forced to block with his sword, lest his arm be broken.
"Hikaru!"
A man with a sword appeared briefly in the spot where Hikaru was before disappearing.
A barrage of arrows hit Raikou's position again, making him growl as he tried to track Hikaru. Where is he now? I can't sense him. That shouldn't be possible. I made sure to put a tracker on him as soon as I could.
The barrier finally cracked and broke, fading into particles of light. The next instant, another arrow hit the floor before exploding.
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Pain…
"To think you are still conscious after that… your tolerance level is higher than what we thought it would be."
Why does it hurt so much?
"I cut off your arm and yet…"
I can't feel my right arm. It hurts so much!
A sword was slowly dragged against the floor, making him glance at it on instinct.
It hurts…
Only his instincts saved him, his body moving to dodge the sword that came for his neck.
Focus… block out the pain… focus on the enemy and nothing else!
"I'd suggest you stop resisting and accept your fate, boy. I dislike inflicting unnecessary pain on someone weaker than me." His words were filled with pride.
I can't die here. "Ka-"
A sword pierced his remaining arm, forcing him to bite back the scream that threatened to escape him. "I told you that it's useless, boy." The sword dug deeper into his arm before being pulled back.
I have to survive. Long enough for him to get here… I can't die like this.
A barrage of spears flew past him, towards his attacker. They were blocked, like all of his attacks. More… more power!
The barrage of spears continued.
A kick to his abdomen, an elbow to his nose, another to the back of his head…
In short order, he was overwhelmed.
"Give up. I have broken your nose, most of your ribs and none of your limbs work."
The Narukami tried to reach out to him, healing his limbs. Meanwhile, a barrage of spears forced the man to jump back.
"N-n-" He couldn't even speak properly. Narukami!
Lightning exploded around him, blinding his enemy. When the swordsman met the eyes of his younger opponent, they were a crimson red, the color of blood.
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I can't sense him. Was he moved to a separate space? Or was the area I am in teleported to another space, or maybe closed off? Possible.
Another bombardment hit the shield, forcing him to his knee, while he tried to find his younger self.
Something. I need an anchor. Anything will do. He reinforced the shield with his Prana, while sending out another wave of energy. I don't have time. As soon as the safety of the students is confirmed, the Stjarnagarm will storm the place. Chronotemis herself will lead the charge and I need to get Hikaru out of here before engaging in combat.
A familiar feeling crashed against the wave of Prana he sent out. This feeling… that Orga Lux… I told him not to use it! He began to narrow his range, searching for that surge in power. Doesn't matter, I can find him now. Just need some more time. Hold on, Hikaru.
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"So you use your Orga Lux at last." The swordsman said, not looking the slightest bit worried at the power that Hikaru was emitting. Saves me the trouble of looking for it. "No matter. I will pry it from your hands after I kill you."
"Try it if you can." His voice was distorted, a dark gleam in his eyes. "No one will control me. Not this boy, not you… I bow to no one!"
Empty boasts for an Orga Lux. If I rip off your limbs and gouge out your eyes, even the strongest can do nothing but scream in pain.
Wind formed around his sword, and around his legs, before he disappeared.
At the same time, Hikaru raised his sword and swung down, blocking a sword that appeared from below. His opponent disappeared again. Just like in the reports, he gains an increase in power level once he uses the Orga Lux… or at least when he uses the power from the Orga Lux, leaving the matter of who's controlling the body. But still… this level of increase in power is within our estimates. He attacked again and again, switching directions everytime.
Tch… that Orga Lux is able to block all my attacks. My wind is able to nullify that lightning, but he can output more Prana than I can in a short burst. It is doable, but… doing this to a child is something I don't like, but orders are orders.
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Raikou tightened his grip, crushing the archer's neck. I've wasted enough time with him. Now to reach Hikaru… In a flare of Prana, he disappeared, moving towards where he sensed the other. Whoever is using that dimension-switching ability hid Hikaru and his opponent behind a wall and that's why I can't sense him. They trapped him in a separate dimension that still exists in this space. If it still exists, I should be able to break through it.
Another flood of power crashed against him, forcing him to grit his teeth and move forward. He's releasing too much of that Orga Lux's power. A spear started to take form in his hand as he ran, lightning being tightly compressed and sealed.
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A sword cut through his arm, severing his wrist. The man watched as the wrist fell down, and the Orga Lux along with it. As the boy screamed in pain, the man walked towards the Orga Lux, stabbing into its core. As he watched the damaged core begin to slowly leak out energy, it slowly disappeared into a void, the man nodding at seemingly nothing.
Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass filled his ears, the barrier around them breaking as space distorted at a singular point behind Hikaru. Raikou appeared before the screaming boy, enraged, the spear flickering and trying to maintain shape. "YOU…" Raikou threw the spear at the sword-wielder, appearing before him in a burst of speed as he barely deflected the spear.
"Were you the one to kill Archer?" The man asked, blocking a sword that appeared out of nowhere.
Raikou didn't reply, swinging again, "The boy will die if he loses any more blood."
Those words seemed to snap the white-haired man out of his rage, and he jumped back immediately, watching as the swordsman disappeared into the void. Not him… but I'm not sensing the presence of anyone else.
Hikaru's screams demanded his attention again and he turned immediately, laying the boy on the floor. Right eye, right arm, left wrist, 6 fractured ribs… and his left leg is dislocated as well. I should be able to heal him if I dip into my reserves but… He activated Kanmuru, scanning himself, before sighing.
As he began healing the broken boy, he could feel his energy fading slowly. As a familiar source of Prana entered his senses, he grit his teeth. Chronotemis… tch, I don't have enough time. I need to get Hikaru away. Well, time to see if my two final techniques work.
He gently lifted Hikaru, placing the injured boy on a platform of lightning. As he began to weave through signs, he felt a group of Stjarnagarm members surround him, weapons drawn.
"Surrender! You will be treated fairly if you lay down your weapon." As he heard those words, he clicked his tongue, a hidden rage burning again. The platform slowly rose up, taking both of them high above, morphing into wings, while a shield erupted around them with a simple snap of his fingers from Raikou.
Hikaru regained consciousness briefly, seeing Raikou standing above him. He tried to move, only able to flinch in pain.
"You did good, Hikaru. You managed to hold out till I arrived. Good work."
"Wh-"
"My time is almost over now. From now on, you will be the one to fight. I can only help you, but I can't fight in your stead."
"No. Stop. Don't…" He trailed off, falling unconscious again, as Raikou stepped off the platform, falling rapidly. The platform then morphed, covering Hikaru in a shield and then flew away, while Raikou sent out a burst of Prana that blanketed the sky above him for an instant, hiding Hikaru's escape from everyone. It's alright. You'll learn eventually.
As he landed, cratering the floor, he stared at the Guard Captain of the Stjarnagarm, smirking. "Chronotemis… It's been a long time."
"Who are you?"
"I can play for only a few minutes. So…" Kanmuru:Jido Sento.
As an array of formulas on his body sprung to life, he felt himself losing control as his body started to move. Good. With this, everyone should be occupied long enough for him to escape undetected. There should be enough Prana for my body to fight for 3 minutes without killing anyone. That should be enough for me to activate that other technique.
His body disappeared in a blitz, appearing momentarily and instantly disappearing, leaving behind unconscious members of the Stjarnagarm. A barrage of spears fired with a wave of his hand, exploding as they hit the ground. He then turned towards Helga Lindwall, launching a kick to her head which was blocked. Well, this is annoying. I remember beating her being far easier. He moved again, slowly losing ground. Alright, that's enough time.
As he jumped away, explosions began rocking the ceiling, chunks of concrete falling below. In the ensuing explosions, he disappeared, falling towards the ground, his Prana fading rapidly. That's it for this body now. He finally hit the ground, followed by some rubble falling atop him, damaging his body beyond repair.
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"Void, take him."
"What? That body is-"
"That body is the body of someone who managed to break through both your and Illusion's techniques, and kill Archer, and then he would have killed me as well."
"And this was after he had managed to break out the boy and also eliminated a large portion of master's forces."
"Yes. Master could use it. And the Master having that body is more beneficial than the Stjarnagarm taking it."
"Understood."
A void formed below Raikou, dragging his body into it and then disappearing without a trace.
Similarly, another void took the body of Archer.
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Unknown location
2 weeks later
Hikaru woke up, his body still hurting, and tried to look around, finding himself in an unfamiliar room.
Finally, you're awake. How are you feeling?
He looked around again, trying to find the source of the voice.
I'm not there. If you want to talk to me, just think of whatever you want to say.
Who are you?
Well, you certainly catch on fast. Anyway, like I told you, my name's Raikou. For now, that's all you need to know.
Why did you help me?
I have my own reasons to help you. But rest assured, my intentions are not malicious.
Why? Hikaru persisted, wanting an answer.
Long story short, I know what you would have become if you were alone without any help. You would have been late to save your friends. And then you would have gone into a downward spiral. To prevent that, I helped you.
What I would have become? The very thought of him being unable to reach them in time and save them terrified him. That's… satisfactory for now. But I want a proper answer later.
Right. But for now, I'll give you a hint, while I recover my energy.
Hint? No, before that, where are we? And how long has it bee-
We are in a remote cave system that's been modified by a certain person who no longer holds interest in this place. No one can come here, and so here is where we'll stay while you heal completely. It's been around 2 weeks since that day. And I would advise you to not move for a few days. You were injured heavily, and though your body has healed mostly, there's still a few wounds that cannot be healed easily.
…
But ignoring those issues, you are safe here. And after you are healed, we can start training you. You did good, progressing as far as you did on your own, but you've hit a wall and I intend to break through that wall and all others that stand before you.
Hikaru was about to refuse on instinct, but he knew better. All of them… I want to be able to beat them, crush them.
Then, Narukami Hikaru, let's make a contract. I help you, make you stronger, and you just simply keep walking forward, never to look back, never to hesitate, never to stop. The path is tough, you may almost die, but the reward for it is simple.
Strength. Arashi's face flashed through his mind, his final words ringing in his ears. I need to be strong, stronger than anyone else.
Absolute strength. If nothing else, I can guarantee you that.
Strength and answers. That's what I want.
You'll get the answers as you grow stronger.
That's fine. When can we start?
Like I said, your body needs to heal completely. I'd estimate you need 3 days more for sufficient rest. In the meanwhile, I'll explain what we'll do.
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Seidoukan Academy
Disciplinary Council Office
Nestor was pouring over documents, going through old records of the Festa.
I'm sure I saw it somewhere. There was someone who was allowed to participate in the Festa, but his participation was very frowned upon.
His terminal screen was rapidly changing, cycling through various articles. Found it! He read through the article, making note of all the details.
That's good. My theory was correct then. This simplifies things. The Phoenix Festa should be good enough.
XXXXXXXXXX
Hikaru slowly got up again, jumping out of the way as spears rained down on him. He was breathing hard, trying to ignore the abundance of cuts on his body.
Faster!
Yeah, yeah… I'm trying goddammit!
Your Kanmuru might have been good enough for you. But you need to refine it more. Only after you harness your body's potential to manipulate lightning, you can use it in battle.
My first goal should be to increase my speed. Once I do that, I can focus on force.
Right.
Alright, let's start again.
As the rain of spears started again, Hikaru started dodging again.
XXXXXXXXXX
Raikou stared at the blank space before him. He was floating in a void of black, looking at the cracks forming around him.
So this is Hikaru's mind huh. Rather, his mental state. He ran a hand along one of the cracks, wincing slightly at the shock he received. Fragile, and quick to lash out.
The crack gave away, as he walked into a room which appeared out of nowhere.
The room was vaguely familiar to him, and he felt very small. This place… I remember this.
He watched, through a body that wasn't his, as Hikaru's parents were killed. He could feel something calling him, pushing him. The young boy didn't understand what it was, but he did. Narukami! That Orga Lux has been pushing him from the beginning.
He watched as the memory played out multiple times, ending at the same instant every time, an explosion knocking him out of the apartment building.
As he closed his eyes and opened them again, he was now standing in a sea of corpses, shaky hands holding a bloody sword.
Raikou continued to watch as Hikaru relived his worst memories.
XXXXXXXXXX
Seidoukan Academy
Nestor stared at the blank paper in his hand, before extending his flow of Prana over to it. He read the text that appeared before disappearing.
"He'll return, and he will get into contact with you. Wait at the grave 2 months from now."
This was given to me by that man. There is no other possibility. He glanced at the date on his terminal, confirming the date. This date… a week before the Festa's registration ends. That is convenient.
The sound of lightning filled his ears suddenly, immense pressure focusing on him, before it lifted. "Hey, Nestor." The voice was drastically different from what he had expected. It was lighthearted, and filled with confidence. "So, what's the plan?"
Nestor turned around, looking at Hikaru, who now had blond hair, and green eyes, and was wearing Seidoukan's standard uniform, with a sword Lux strapped at his waist. He snapped out of his stupor, and then smirked.
"Let's win this Festa."
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July 15, 2063
Asterisk
Phoenix Festa
Stadium 4, Administrative Area
Competitor Waiting Room
Hikaru and Nestor were going through their own checks before the scheduled match could begin.
"So, 'Mizuki', what's the plan? Our opponents aren't that strong, from the info that we gathered. Rank 35 and 42, both of them use sword Luxes and prefer an offensive style." Nestor, legs propped on the table, looked through the information of his terminal.
"Eh, seems simple enough. You lead and I'll follow." Hikaru laid on the couch, appearing relaxed. "We can best them individually. And unless their teamwork is good enough to put them in the levels of Ernest and someone in his team, there shouldn't be any difficulty."
"Since we don't want you to showcase your abilities too much and have someone doubt your identity, I'd prefer if you didn't use any of your abilities. Stick to weapons only. Use your Kanmuru if needed but make sure it isn't visible."
"Yeah, yeah. I know."
As the speaker burst to life with an announcement, they exited the room, passing Claudia on the way. With a subtle nod towards her, Nestor entered the competitors' platform, Hikaru walking in tandem, a step behind him. He heard the younger student whisper, "Kanmuru", and felt a small jolt, before looking over. The blond hair stood on its ends, but there was no difference otherwise.
Internalising that technique isn't an issue then. That's good.
As the platform slowly rose and moved into the light, positioning itself before the arena, both of them jumped into it, staring at their opponents.
The one on the left prefers a rapier. Lean build, speedy movement, and some good technique to go with it. The other one uses a broadsword.
"I'll take the one on the right. You can deal with the rapier-user."
"Sure. Regular strategy?"
"The usual is fine."
As the countdown started, both of them took their weapons. Nestor created a rapier of ice, while Hikaru activated a katana Lux.
"Duel start."
They leaped, towards their opponents, and towards victory.
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So, I'm still alive. I wasn't able to write for a majority of the year due to writer's block. Even at parts of this chapter, I feel like there are certain parts which could have been made better. But it is what it is. Unfortunately, being a full-time student with various projects has reduced my free time very much. This combined with some mental issues has led to me not being able to work much on the fic.
I appreciate the reviews that you guys have put, and all of my readers who have stayed and continued to read whenever I release a chapter.
The update pace is going to be slow now, because I need to prioritise my college and studies first. If I have free time, I can update the story.
This chapter was released today, along with another side-story, for an important reason, which will be outlined in the side-story. Please do read chapter 2 of the side-story.