Chapter 25- Divine Weapons

November 8, 2056

A field of death. Black flames burning everything in sight. Storm clouds gathering in the sky, purple lightning dancing through the air. A countless horde of monsters surrounding a small group of fighters trying so desperately to survive. Right at the center of the field were two swordsmen, fighting each other to the death. The first was a young man with shoulder-length silver hair and piercing yellow eyes. His outfit looked just as imposing, what with his silver twin-tailed leather overcoat with black and red highlights, black metal gloves with silver elongated fingernails that resembled claws, dark gray pants, as well as a silver belt and armored boots. He was dual wielding a pair of black longswords with bloodred accents and a winged crossguard. A black miasma radiated off his body, putting fear into anyone that saw it, save for his current opponent, who was impossible to make out because their entire body was pixilated. It was as though someone had censored themselves from real life. The only thing that could be made out from the figure was their jet-black armor.

"Come now, Zane," the distorted figure goaded, their voice just as jumbled, making it impossible to identify. Whoever they were, they were quite skilled being able to repel most of the demon prince's attacks. "Is that the best you can do? I'm disappointed."

The last of the Umbris line narrowed his eyes at his foe. Never has he ever looked so intimidating. "Is that so?" Zane replied in cold fury. "Then allow me to rectify that." He dismissed his left sword before snapping his fingers crisply. At that moment, a dozen meteors made of black fire fell from the sky, all of them set to collide with the mysterious figure. This was Meteor Stream, a high-level fire attack and the precursor to Omega Ragnarok, the fire Ultima spell.

Because of how pixelated they were, it was hard to tell if the unnamed figure was threatened by the attack. Instead, they cut through most of the meteors with ease, however the flames seemed to have left a marks on their armor, destroying anything it touched.

"Impressive. That actually burned a little. To think that you are the successor to the Flames of Destruction, and all you needed was just the right push."

Zane simply chuckled, which sounded rather scary given the air around him. He looked nothing like the calm and collected fighter that he was best known for. Instead, he looked like a monster about to leap at their next victim. "You will regret that decision here and now," he said menacingly as a black blaze engulfed his body like an aura. "With this new power, I…no we will destroy everything that you have built."

At first, one would think that he was referring to himself and Sophia, the spirit of his sword, the Lunaris. However, that possibility didn't feel right in this scenario. Right in the center of the blaze, there looked to be a translucent image of a person around Zane's body. It was hard to make out what they looked like, but their most striking feature was their yellow eyes, which looked just as intimidating as Zane's.

"I know who you are," the demon prince continued, his voice joined by another. "Who you really are. That's why you want me dead, right V*****? We've become so much of a threat now you can't ignore us any longer."

The nameless figure let out a sinister laugh. It was bone-chilling to hear. "You are right that I can't let you let out my little secret, but it is foolish of you to think you're a match for me. I've been planning behind the scenes for centuries, rigging this game of fate to my advantage. Once I claim your soul, then I'll have everything that I need to eradicate that foolish goddess once and for all. And then, I'll be free to consume all the souls that I want."

Zane resummoned his left sword, getting back into his familiar fighting stance. "Go ahead and try. Let's see if you've got what it takes to kill me!"

The two fighters charged at each other, their swords clashing fiercely as the battle around them continued to rage on.


Altina Umbris woke with a start. She found herself floating in some kind of clear liquid within a large capsule. She couldn't move her body at all, instead stuck in a fetal position as her long black and white hair swayed around her. Her body looked to be around thirteen years old, but she was created about a week ago.

The outside of the capsule was blurry, but she could barely make out the outlines of people outside, monitoring her and force-feeding her an education through magic, their voices barely a murmur. Did they know about the strange dreams she's been having ever since her "birth"? Did they even care? Of course they don't. Try as hard as they might, but she knew that they were trying to make her a pawn for their own selfish gains.

One of the outsiders had foolishly said their intentions aloud in front of her, right when she was taken out of the capsule for a physical. They must have thought she was asleep at the time, otherwise they never would have revealed such dangerous information in her presence. Unfortunately, even if she knew of their intentions, there was little she could do about it.

There was a black collar around her neck. That was what blocked anything below her neckline from moving under her control. It also prevented her from using magic. They may not know that she had caught onto them, but they were taking precautions to ensure that she can't escape.

But Altina didn't want to be their pawn. She longed to break free. The blood that flowed through her veins was stolen and illegally used to create her. Despite that, she wanted to meet the people who shared her blood. Her family. She would see them occasionally in her dreams, likely a byproduct from the stolen blood. A brother who was cold to strangers, but protective of his loved ones. A mischievous sister who loved teasing her female friends and her elder brother. A mother who commanded both fear and respect from all, including her enemies. If they were to meet, what would they say to her? Will they accept her as one of their own, or will they reject her? She hoped that she could see them before it was too late.

Don't worry. Altina suddenly felt herself being embraced by something from behind. She looked down and saw a pair of translucent arms wrapped around her neck. For some reason, this made her feel safe. Warm even. And that voice. It sounded so familiar. Could it be?

Help is on the way. Just hold out for a little longer.

"Mother?" she wanted to say, but her voice wouldn't work.

She felt the presence behind her leave, as if it was never there. No one on the outside seemed to have noticed. Could she have just imagined it? No, she refused to believe that. Despite being an artificial being, she genuinely hoped that her family was coming to rescue her.

She'll resist her captors as long as possible, waiting for the day her family arrives to free her. She can do it. After all, she is an Umbris, and an Umbris never backs down from a fight that matters.


It was a cloudy day here in Tokyo. Days like this didn't really bother Marth. It was probably due to his affinity for wind and mastery of lightning. Heck, not even the fiercest of storms ever bothered him. A typhoon could be happening, and he'll just shrug it off like it was no big deal, but that's a story for another day.

The demon prince was exiting the subway station and returning to the street aboveground. He wasn't heading home. No, he was heading for a certain school to pick up a certain girl so they could walk home together. Ever since she moved in with him and his family, she made it a point for him to pick her up after school. As for how she got permission from her parents to stay at his apartment, well they've only met him a handful of times, but they trusted him with their daughter, so they were okay with it as long as she visited once a week or so.

However, this request drew the ire of a certain someone, and they made sure to accompany Marth every day so long as they weren't held up with student council work. Said someone currently had her arm crooked around his, making them appear to be a couple but that was far from the truth. However, he didn't feel like fighting her to let go, especially because she insisted that they do it so that they won't get separated (a rather flimsy excuse but he allowed it because he found himself enjoying it).

"You sure it's alright for you to come this day?" Marth asked as they walked on the sidewalk together. "Not that I don't enjoy our little walks together, but the student council looked pretty busy today. Maybe you shouldn't have dumped your load onto Megumi."

"It's fine," Kuroba assured. "I left clear instructions on how to finish my work, so she should be able to cover for me with no issues. Besides, today's the day we've been waiting for. We can't afford to waste even a single second if we want to stay on schedule."

She did have a point. Today was not the day to get concerned over trivial matters. This is the day they were going to the capital of Celestine and meet with Viceroy Darion Mograine to plan their rescue operation of Altina Umbris, the homunculus sibling of Marth and Kisara. In preparation for their coming arrival, Elie, Eiji and Klein went on ahead to the demon realm.

Now the demon prince didn't know how to feel in regard to having an artificial being for a sister. However, he couldn't bring himself to hate her, especially because he hasn't even met her yet. If anything, he hoped to care for her just like he did for Kisara. He just had to hope they would make it in time.

They soon arrived at the school in question. It was around the same size as Umesato High, but the school uniforms were a lighter shade of blue. The exiting students walked past the duo, occasionally tossing glances at them. Apparently, Marth's troublesome reputation had made its way to this school as well. Well, it's not like he cared that much about his reputation anyway.

However, the person they were here for wasn't by the front gate like they usually were. A bit odd, considering that's been their routine. Could they be in the bathroom or something?

"Back off, Nakamura," a familiar voice cried out in frustration. "I already told you I have plans tonight. Take a hint, will you."

"Oh, you've mentioned it alright. You've sure been spending a lot of time with someone who's not your boyfriend. What's wrong with two friends going out for sushi?"

"Nothing, but like I said, tonight is not a good time. I need to go. My friends are waiting for me."

The argument came from the school courtyard. The first participant was a familiar brunette in a sky-blue uniform with a matching color Neurolinker, her brown bag held in front with both hands. She looked relatively annoyed, which was bit of a rare sight unless Marth was involved. Standing in front of her was a young man with straight black hair that parted to the sides of his face. His yellow eyes had bit of an edge to them. He looked a little familiar, but from where?

Looks like Fuko's found herself in a pickle, Sophia commented from inside her master's shadow. Do you want me to handle him?

No, I don't see the need for that. I think I can get him to back off on my own.

As you wish. Call me if you need me, Master.

He made his way over to the brunette fairy, with Kuroba following close behind. Gently, he poked her shoulder to get her attention. "Hey, Fuko," he said casually. "You ready to go?"

She looked relieved to see him. The smile on her face looked a little forced but no less grateful for his timely arrival. "Hi, Marth," she greeted back. "I'm sorry if I kept you. I'm ready to go whenever."

"Excuse me," the stranger called out, tossing a glare at the demon prince. It was pretty intimidating, with it probably making most people flinch upon seeing it. Unfortunately, Marth was not most people. "The two of us are having a private conversation. Mind your own business."

Marth placed his free hand onto his waist, narrowing his own steely gaze at the student before him. "Kinda hard to do when you're harassing my friend," he rebuked calmly but no less stern. "She's already said no. Just respect her wishes and stand down."

The student let out a growl in frustration. "Why you…Wait, have I seen you before?"

"Possibly. I have come here to pick up Fuko before so we could hang out. Maybe you saw me during one of those times."

The male student's eyes then widened in realization. "Yeah, I have seen you here before," he said. "You're that guy Fuko won't shut up about. The not-boyfriend, right?"

"I guess that's one way to put it. Now leave her alone. She's clearly not in the mood to hang with you right now."

The unnamed student glared daggers at him, likely thinking of his next retort. Unexpectedly, he let out a deep breath and stood down. "Whatever," he said dismissively. "I've got better things to do than waste my time here. Later, Fuko." Before he departed, he tossed one final cold look at Marth, then followed suit with Kuroba, who has been silent in this whole ordeal.

"Charming guy," the Black King said sarcastically once he was out of earshot. "Who was he?"

"Nakamura Hajime," Fuko replied half-heartedly. "He's…a friend of mine. He's a decent guy, but recently he's been getting a little too clingy with me, no matter how many times I brush him off."

"I know someone who can solve your problem for you," Marth offered, which got a cute giggle out of the brunette.

"It's sweet that you care, but there's no need to get your mother involved. I can't be your retainer if I can't handle myself."

After Marth retrieved Lunaris, Fuko had proclaimed herself as one of his retainers, which drew the ire of a certain black-haired beauty. He could have rejected her declaration, but couldn't bring himself to do it, so he accepted her oath. However, to appease Kuroba, he had to make her one of his retainers as well. He had hoped that by doing so, the two girls would settle down a bit, but if anything, their sudden promotions made them act even more boldly.

Although, while the hinderance has been dealt with, Marth had a strange feeling this won't be his only encounter with that strange student. The air about him was very different. He was definitely human, but he had a presence that was far older than his physical presence. Could he be…? No, that isn't important right now.

They needed to report to Dun Scaith immediately. Today is the day they are to meet with Viceroy Darion Mograine. Scathach wanted to have one last training regiment with Marth and Kirito before they were to set out. After all, their divine weapons will prove crucial to the operation's success. At the very least, they need to be able to unleash their weapons' Enhanced Armament arts.

While the Dark Swordsman wouldn't turn down the opportunity to practice more with his divine weapon, he couldn't help but dread what his mentor had planned for him and his best friend. After all, the Witch of Dun Scaith does not show mercy, even to her own students. Although, would it be enough to help quell his doubts?


"Gaah!" Kirito howled in pain as he felt the crimson tip of Gae Bolg pierce his right shoulder, his vision briefly shooting white.

Despite only being hit in the shoulder, he could feel sharp pain spreading throughout his entire nervous system, like thorns were encroaching on his heart. This was the terrifying power of the demonic spear. Gae Bolg is a divine weapon that is capable of piercing the target's heart, no matter which part of the body it strikes. Nothing would stop it, not even the sturdiest of armor. It was partially due to this that Scathach is considered to be the deadliest woman alive.

Gathering his strength, he gripped the heft of the spear and pulled it out, which caused a new wave of pain and nausea to envelop him. Blood was gushing out of the wound like a fountain. If left untreated, he would bleed out in a matter of minutes. Worldlessly, he brought the index finger of his right hand over the open wound and drew a certain rune pattern in the air. The symbol glowed with purple light, its power pouring into the injured shoulder. In a matter of seconds, his flesh and coat stitched back together, as if nothing had happened. All that remained was a phantom-like pain from where the wound used to be.

"Not bad," his foster mother commented as she twirled her crimson spear in her right hand. "You've gotten much better at rune magic. Your healing skills are still lousy, but it should be enough to keep you alive."

Kirito forced himself to smirk. No matter how many times he's sparred with his foster mother, he could never quite shake of the intimidation she gave off. Still, that didn't mean he would let something like that paralyze him. "I couldn't call myself your son if I couldn't deal with a minor wound like that," he said with some bravado. Although, he was technically covered in a lot of minor injuries, but he largely ignored them since they didn't hinder him too much. Also it would be too taxing to heal every little scratch he got from his opponent. "This battle is just getting started." Somewhere within the recesses of his mind, he felt like he heard a voice encouraging him to fight on, but maybe that was just his imagination.

What brought about this sparring match was the sudden return of the Blue Rose Sword thanks to the efforts of Elaine. The Black Swordsman was beyond relieved seeing the beloved sword of one his childhood friends returned. Naturally he would be the one to wield the divine weapon in Eugeo's place just as he did before during the climax of the War of Light and Shadow. It perfectly complimented the Perfect Weapon Art of the Night Sky Blade, making them an ideal pair. Now all he needs is to locate the other sword and his fighting style will be complete.

Truth be told, Kirito has had to undergo a lot of these matches once Rias returned from China with the Blue Rose Sword in hand. This was all to help prepare him to use the divine weapon's Perfect Weapon Art (otherwise known as Perfect Weapon Control). Every divine weapon had one and it varied heavily depending on the weapon's origins. There were two stages of it, the "Enhanced Armament" which released a part of the weapon's power and "Release Recollection" which unleashed all of the weapon's might for a devastating attack. The Gae Bolg's heart-seeking attack was the first form of the Perfect Weapon Art, however its Release Recollection art was far more terrifying. He had once seen his foster mother demonstrate it before during the early parts of his training and even now it still sent a shiver down his spine. No wonder the crimson spear is considered to be Rhongomyniad's equal, the latter being a spear capable of crumbling entire mountains.

Naturally, Perfect Weapon Arts can't be used by just anyone, even if they had possession of the divine weapon. A strong bond between the user and the weapon was needed. They would essentially have to be two parts of a whole, each piece completing the other. The user also needs to have firm control over their mana. In order to power the Perfect Weapon Art, the divine weapon feeds on the magical energy of its wielder. Without proper control over their mana, the user could find themselves completely depleted of mana. When that happened, they would fall into a coma, one that they might not wake up from if not given proper care, or in some cases, actually die.

This goes without saying, but the stronger the divine weapon is, the more mana is required to unleash its Perfect Weapon Art. In terms of sheer power, the Blue Rose Sword was probably one of the weaker divine weapons. It was by no means a bad weapon, but its Perfect Weapon Art wasn't actually an attack but rather something to hinder the enemy. Kirito wasn't disappointed by this at all as he has seen Eugeo use this Art rather effectively in the Age of Chaos (at least from what little memories the ravenette had of his first life). Besides, once he recovers the Night Sky Blade, he won't have to worry about offense thanks to its Perfect Weapon Art.

"Just hang on, partner," he thought to himself as he recreated a projection of his beloved sword into his right hand. "I promise I'll find you soon. Just hang on a bit longer."

His gaze fell to the icy-blue sword in his left hand. It felt heavier than any of the projections he made of it before, but that was to be expected. Projection magic is a rather unorthodox magic. No matter how skilled the caster was, any items produced by it were inferior to the original, both in terms of quality and durability. This holds true for divine weapons as well. The most the caster could do was strive to be as close to the original weapon as possible, but they could never hope to match the genuine article. That is why none of the projections of divine weapons the Harbingers produced could undergo Perfect Weapon Control. Not even he and Marth could produce anything close to the original weapons.

Now you may be wondering why they even bothered to use projection magic if it was that inconvenient. If that was the case, then surely, they'd be better off using real weapons instead of inferior copies of legendary relics? Truth be told, the reason why none of the Harbingers used regular weapons is because they can't afford them. Eternus has its own kind of currency, meaning none of its weapon venders would take Japanese yen. Not to mention, that even if they could afford real weapons, they would be bit of a pain to access since they can't exactly bring them to Earth in case they need them. Projection magic was just a better alternative. Not only would the Harbingers have easy access to their weapons, but anything they produced was at least on par with weapons forged by a competent blacksmith. Then there was the added benefit of the projections helping the users get more accustomed with their old weapons, allowing for an easier transition once they acquire the genuine article.

That was part of why Kirito didn't mind the extra weight the real Blue Rose Sword brought. Truth be told, he actually preferred heavier weapons, a trait that's been with him for as long as he can remember. Despite being born a human, Kirito possessed a dragon-like quality of physical strength, contrasting greatly with his rather slim frame. The strength allowed him to match the brute strength of his demon friends and help give him some semblance of a chance against his foster mother. As for how he acquired this power, apparently a certain mysterious mage meddled with his birth as Kaito by implanting a dragon core into the unborn infant. While their origins were unknown, as the name implies, dragon cores possess the essence of the legendary creatures, bestowing a person with their immense strength and magic power. Kirito would inherit this upon his reincarnation, similar to how Marth and Kisara inherited their demon physiology.

Naturally he needed to learn how to properly channel this strength, otherwise he'd risk hurting his friends or inflict more damage than he intends. It took him at least a year before he could handle a wooden sword without breaking it. As for magic power, well that's when things get complicated. In terms of magical aptitude, Kirito was a subpar mage, far outclassed by the majority of his fellow Harbingers, especially Asuna, who was by far their best healer. He possessed the rare dark affinity, but couldn't do much with it because of his mediocre aptitude. However, in terms of mana generation, he was practically a living power plant. The amount of magical energy he could produce easily rivaled with his best friend, however he had more limited options on how to channel that excess energy.

Originally, he would channel his mana into reinforcing his body, making projections, or even unleashing his Sword Skills, but now that he had a proper divine weapon, he would have to figure out how to incorporate it into his fighting strategy. In terms of pure swordplay, it would be easy as Kirito excelled in that field, surpassing even Marth. As for the Blue Rose Sword's Perfect Weapon Art, that would be bit of a challenge. He knew how to do it. It was the first thing Scathach had taught him once he received the divine weapon. However, what stopped him from using it was his own doubts. He didn't know if he was ready to use it, or if he even deserved to call upon the ice blade's power. Those were the thoughts that plagued his mind as he struggled to repel the constant barrage of attacks from the Witch of Dun Scaith.

Even with his impressive reaction time, it was a struggle for Kirito to avoid all the attacks his mother threw at him. At best, he could deflect or dodge every three out of five hits, and that was on a good day. However, this time his mother was showing a ferocity she rarely exuded, making her attacks even more difficult to handle. This was because he had a divine weapon of his own. She was pushing him to fight harder, to practically become one with the Blue Rose Sword, just like she is with the Gae Bolg. Well who was he to deny her that?

"Raaa!" Kirito bellowed as he drew in close unleashed a slew of counterattacks upon the spearwoman. Spears were best when used at a distance, but if the opponent got to close, then they became unwieldly. Despite his best efforts, not all of them landed and it cost him his right sword as it shattered from overuse, however he was able to land a few minor hits upon the Witch of Dun Scaith's alluring figure. She looked briefly surprised at his sudden renewed confidence as she jumped backward to get some distance between them, but simply smirked in response. He could hear Asuna and the others cheering for him in the sidelines with Dun Scaith's training grounds. He couldn't help but smile at hearing them, but still stayed on his guard, knowing full well that the Witch has yet to unleash her true power.

"Impressive," his foster mother said smoothly. "You've only had the Blue Rose Sword for only a few days and yet you're wielding it so perfectly. This is probably the first time you've ever forced me to retreat."

"Yeah," he replied honestly. "Normally this would be the time you'd whoop my ass before I can even counterattack. Of course, I'm not naïve enough to think having a divine weapon will be enough to defeat you."

"Excellent. That is exactly what I would expect from my own foster son. Had you said otherwise, then I would have thoroughly pummeled you until the lesson stuck. Now then. It's time to see if you can unleash the power of the divine weapon you hold. Show me the Perfect Weapon Art of the Blue Rose Sword!"

Once again, his inner doubts plagued at his heart. What if the Blue Rose Sword rejected him and refused to obey his command? Would he be viewed as a failure? He took up the Blue Rose Sword to carry on Eugeo's legacy, but if the divine weapon refused to accept him, then it would tear him apart.

"It's alright," a soft voice muttered within his head. "The Blue Rose Sword is yours. Call to it, and it will respond."

For a brief moment, there was a translucent hand attached to a blue sleeve that held the Blue Rose Sword along with Kirito. The touch was warm…familiar. And that voice. Could it be?

"Eugeo?" he muttered aloud.

"What did you say?" Scathach replied, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Nothing. Anyway, get ready, Mother! I'm about to show you my real power!" he declared confidently. He could feel his doubts leaving him. Yes, he can do this. He's performed this Art countless times as Kaito. There was no reason he couldn't do so again as Kirito.

Reaching deep within himself, he called forth the dragon that slumbered within him. The bellowing of the ancient creature echoed in his ears, his body surging with magical energy. Calmly, he gripped the Blue Rose Sword with both hands and began channeling his mana into it. Then, he said the magic words to unleash the terrible might that slumbered within it.

"Enhance Armament." The blue longsword let out an audible ring like a church bell. White mist began enveloping the training yard, the aroma of roses filling the air. The onlookers watched with bated breath as Kirito proceeded to the next phase of his assault. With one swift movement, he jabbed the tip of his sword into the stone pavement, got down on one knee, and cried out, "Ice Calamity!"

And with that, a wave of frost and icy vines surged towards the spearwoman. This was the Perfect Weapon Art of the Blue Rose Sword. Ice Calamity. Rather than directly attack the opponent, the Ice Calamity instead ensnares the target in ice and renders them immobile. It came in handy whenever you were outnumbered.

Rather than be intimidated by the display, Scathach simply shook her head. "Not good enough." She immediately stopped the frost's advance with a fire rune, melting the ice in an instant. The ice produced from the Blue Rose Sword was exceedingly cold, easily capable of freezing an entire hot spring solid, but the runes produced by the Witch of Dun Scaith were on a league of their own.

Desperate to stay on the offense, Kirito poured more of his mana into the sword, creating more blue vines of ice. The vines broke off in an attempt to ensnare the Witch from the sides, but she calmly shattered them with barely a flick of the wrist with her spear. "More fragile than I thought," she said calmly, almost sounding disappointed. "You'll need to do better than that if you hope to defeat me, boy."

This was the difference between them. Even with a divine weapon of his own, he is still no match for her. It was over for him. If she could overcome his Perfect Weapon Art so easily, then he has no hope of winning this round. Still, that didn't mean he was gonna just roll over and accept defeat. His pride as a swordsman won't allow it.

As if sensing his resolve, Scathach cracked a menacing sneer before grasping her spear with both hands. Suddenly, Gae Bolg flared to life with a scarlet aura. "Dark Funeral Gait," she muttered intently. She disappeared into a blur, moving in a zig-zag pattern, all while slashing through the ice as she made her advance towards Kirito. Before he could even blink, she appeared before him, her spear aimed at his heart.

"I yield," he said solemnly, releasing his hold on the Blue Rose Sword and canceling the Perfect Weapon Art, causing the mist to fade away. At that moment, a surge of exhaustion overtook him. No doubt this was the repercussion of unleashing even a part of a divine weapon's power. It felt as though his entire body was turned into lead.

They stood there for a moment before the Witch lowered her spear, allowing her foster son to release the breath he had been holding. "You performed adequately. That Perfect Weapon Art wasn't half-bad." She then took notice of his exhausted figure. "Still, be extra careful when you use it. It will take time for you to become accustomed to the demands of a divine weapon. Until then, only use your Perfect Weapon Art as a last resort."

"Understood. Thank you for the match, Mother."

"Anytime. I look forward to our next duel. Now, I wonder how the other one is going?"

As if on que, a familiar screech suddenly filled the air. "Gaaah!" A figure suddenly slammed into the training yard a few meters from where the duo was, the impact rivalling that of a small meteor. A cloud of dust briefly blanketed the field, but quickly cleared away with a wind rune from Scathach. There was now a small crater decorating the training yard, with a familiar swordsman in gray at the center of it.

"Marth?" he muttered instinctively.

The Dark Swordsman was absolutely covered in injuries, with parts of his clothing either tattered or burnt. Honestly, he looked even worse than Kirito, although in Marth's defense, he wasn't really skilled in healing magic. Then again, given who his opponent is, healing magic wasn't likely going to help him all that much even if he did know it.

"You'll need to do better than that, Marth," Rias said slowly as she gracefully descended into the arena, her demonic wings shining brilliantly in the azure light of Eternus. In her right hand was a thick black tome with unusual runes decorating its cover. It was her divine weapon, the Necronima. The legendary tome's Perfect Weapon Art pushed its master's magic power to their limits, augmenting the strength of their spells and mana generation. However, the user needed an iron will to be able to control their enhanced abilities, else they end up losing control and possibly destroy themselves with their own magic. "You'll never be able to master the Lunaris if you fight like that."

Somehow Marth managed to recover enough of his strength in order to get on his knees, but he still used his sword to help keep him upright. Still, there was no denying that he looked exhausted, his mana supply likely at its limits. What was striking was that he wasn't dual wielding with a projected copy of Lunaris. As it turned out, making a projection of the ultimate demonic sword was much harder than any of the other divine weapons. That was why he instead went with the inferior Lunara and Solaris before he had retrieved the true divine weapon.

Of course, Marth wasn't going to let something like that stop him, so he decided to start his sword training from scratch until he was able to properly dual wield with his partner blade. Even without his Dual Blades style, he was still a powerful swordsman. Then you had to factor in the power of the Lunaris.

"Not yet," the demon prince muttered, his tone firm as steel. "I'm done yet. Dark Gale!" He shot to his feet, gripped the Lunaris with both hands, and thrusted the blade at the Demon Lord of Lust. Suddenly a storm of black winds surged from the blade and raced towards the sorceress. That was one of Lunaris's Weapon Arts, the weakest one in its arsenal. Apparently, it was one that Zane and Sophia created together to make use of the former's wind affinity. Supposedly it could also be used to render the dark blade invisible, but Kirito had a feeling that the dark spirit was just pulling his leg with that one. That sounded like something you'd see in anime, not something you'd see in real life.

As expected of the Crimson Sorceress, she calmly blocked the Weapon Art with a dark barrier, dispelling it with ease. She then retaliated by firing several dark javelins infused with the elements at her adopted son. With impressive skill, he managed to cut through most of them, but each attack forced him back. Then there was something off about his swordplay. It didn't seem to have its usual bite. It was like Marth was hesitating over something. That hesitation would cost him as the last spear, which was infused with fire, managed to slip past his defense and grazed his side, forcing him to recoil in pain, but he somehow managed to stay upright.

"Brother!" Kisara cried out in worry. She looked ready to run to him, only she was being held back by Kuroba and Medusa, though they looked concerned as well. The same could be said for Cynthia, Fuko and Kaida, with the spider familiar almost reaching for her scythe but managed to restrain herself in time.

Not backing down, Marth unleashed a barrage of dark projectiles at his mother. It was the dark magic spell, Dark Bullet, which was a beginner-level spell. He had only recently started his training in that element, so the number of spells he could use in that field were limited. Rather than block it with a barrier, Rias just took the barrage, not even fazing from the impact. It was hard to believe this was a fight between two demon lords, the strongest demons to ever exist.

"Pitiful," she said in disappointment. "I expected better out of you, Marth. Where's your usual tenacity? That Dark Bullet lacked any sort of punch to it. I know Altena would not tolerate such a terrible result."

Just the mention of his birthmother caused Marth to flinch. Even in the thick of battle, he always tried to remain composed, yet right now Kirito could see his best friend showing visible frustration. It wasn't targeted at his mother, but rather at himself. What's going on with him? He has never seen this side of the demon prince before. Wait, could it be…

"Yellow Radio's card," Kirito muttered as the other Harbingers drew closer to watch the duel. "Could it still be affecting Marth somehow?"

"Possibly," Kuroba replied. "Mental scars are not so easy to overcome. That forced showing of his worst memories must have reopened a lot of old wounds within Marth's heart. It's dulling his blade."

"That's not the only thing that's bothering him," Medusa added, her eyes narrowing. "Throughout the entire duel, Marth has been reluctant to use any dark magic, and even when he does, the result is pathetically weak."

"I noticed that too," Sinon replied. "Why is that?"

"I know why," Scathach answered firmly. "Back in the Age of Chaos, I taught Zane everything he knew about swordplay. Rias handled his typical magecraft training, like wind and lightning. However, when it came to dark magic, the one who instructed him was Altena."

"What?!" Takumu cried out in shock.

"No way," Kaida added, her hands cupping over her mouth.

The Witch of Dun Scaith just nodded grimly. "You see, Marth has an exceptionally high affinity for darkness, rivalling that of his birthmother. The three of us decided that she would be the best suited to instruct him on how to use dark magic. His memories of that time may still be missing, but I'm sure they're still haunting him, tormenting him over the mother he lost."

According to the Witch's recollection, Zane was pretty distraught over Altena's death in the Battle of Eridu Valley. It was perfectly reasonable that the mental scars it caused would affect Marth in some way, especially if he used something that reminded him of his dead mother. The memories may be missing, but that didn't mean the trauma within them was fully gone. Deep down, he missed her. He wanted her back, no matter how much he buried his emotions deep within his heart.

Kisara looked pretty depressed as well at hearing the mention of her birthmother as well, in fact she almost looked ready to cry, prompting Sinon to pull her into a sideways hug to comfort her. The Purple Flash, at least in this era, always kept on a brave face, unashamedly flirting with her female friends, but whenever Altena was mentioned, even in passing, she became so fragile. It was always heartbreaking to see.

It was hard to believe that someone as strong as Altena hasn't reincarnated yet. If any family deserved to be reunited in another life, it was the Umbris family. They fought together in fiercest war this planet has ever seen, each of them meeting a brutal end on the battlefield. Why must fate be so cruel as to deny them a reunion in this life?

Magic power began gathering around the demonic sword, its dark blade engulfed in a black shadow. It almost seemed like it was absorbing the very essence of darkness from the immediate area. Marth was preparing to use the Lunaris's primary Perfect Weapon Art. Kirito found himself freezing up at the sight.

"Lun—" Marth said, preparing to swing the demonic sword.

"Master, stop!" Suddenly Sophia emerged from the blade and grabbed her master by his wrists. She looked desperate, a stark contrast from her usual bravado. "You're not ready to use that attack yet. If you use it now, you could end up in a coma, one that you might not wake up from."

The Dark Swordsman let out a sudden gasp, as if realizing what he was doing. Almost immediately, he canceled the Perfect Weapon Art and gave his partner an apologetic look. "Sorry, Sophia. I lost myself for a second there." He then lowered his weapon and turned his gaze towards the Lust Lord. "I surrender, Mother. I'm still not at your level."

Rias looked concerned over her son as she herself canceled her Perfect Weapon Art. She promptly hurried over to the Wrath Lord, just barely catching him in time before he keeled over, his wounds and exhaustion finally catching up to him. As if on que, Kuroba, Fuko, Kisara, Cynthia, and surprisingly Kaida hurried over to the downed demon, all looking concerned over him. Maybe it was a good thing Klein wasn't here. He'd probably pop a blood vessel at seeing so many pretty girls surrounding his master.

While Rias was treating the demon prince's wounds, Kirito felt that it was best that he fill the others in on the plan.

"Alright, then," he addressed calmly, getting the others' attention. "We'll be heading out for Celestine's capital city, Bristol, in an hour. Elie provided us with a waypoint to her father's castle, so we should have no problem teleporting there. Given the severity of this mission, this will be a Code Black, meaning all hands-on deck. We'll need all of the Harbingers if we want to succeed with rescuing Altina from Matias."

"Elaine will be here shortly," Yuna spoke up. "Her last mission in Arun didn't pan out well, so she was already heading back home."

Mission? Oh right. Rias had her familiar go to Aranor Lake to try to confirm if Excalibur was still there so that the Harbingers could retrieve it. Ideally, it would be nice if Elaine could retrieve it herself, but knowing Vivian, she wouldn't allow a demon's familiar to touch her vessel. If she was having trouble with that mission, then that did not bode well.

"It's not as bad as you think," the phoenix maid said as she suddenly trotted into the training yard. "All that happened was me not being able to navigate the misty forest to reach Aranor Lake. For some reason, it felt like something was trying to prevent me from reaching Excalibur, as no matter which direction I went, I always end up back at the entrance to the forest. I believe a spirit may be involved."

"That's concerning," Asuna replied. "Looks like we'll have to get Excalibur another day. I just hope Vivian's alright."

"I'm sure she's fine," Medusa said casually. "She's one of the strongest spirits alive. There's no way she'll allow someone with wicked intent to use her. She can wait a bit longer for us to get her and the holy sword she calls home."

Despite the foreboding news, Kirito couldn't help but agree with the snake goddess. He was previously partnered with Vivian in his first life. The light spirit was an excellent judge of character. There's no way she would let someone she viewed as unworthy to wield her immense power. He was sure that she was safe, no matter where she was.

"…"

Suddenly Kirito found himself gazing up at a nearby mountainside that overlooked the open training field. For a brief second, it felt like they were being watched.

"You noticed it too?" his foster mother asked, getting a nod from him in response. "None of my perimeter wards have been triggered, but I'll increase the security protocols when we leave, just in case. I won't leave Dun Scaith unprotected."

"I'll help out," he offered. "I've gotten better at writing the runes. I might even be better than you."

That got a chuckle out of the Witch of Dun Scaith. "In your dreams, boy," she said in amusement.


That was close. His master wasn't kidding about the instincts of the Witch and her adopted spawn. In fact, if the Lust Lord wasn't concerned over her own son's condition, she might have noticed his presence as well.

The darkened figure stuck close to the shadows, keeping a close eye on the isolated fortress below him. It was every bit as foreboding as he expected. It was in a pretty strategic position as well, with it surrounded by cliffs on all sides save for the front where the entrance was. It was practically designed to avoid a siege, and the path was too narrow for large platoons.

Should he strike now while his target was weakened? No, bad idea. He would be horribly outnumbered, plus he'd have to contend with a demon lord, a goddess, and a witch. His power right now was nowhere near enough to contend with just one of them, much less all three at the same time. No, he'll just wait until his target is alone, isolated from his sycophants, then he'll make his move.

After all, once the Lord of Calamity is eliminated, then he can move to his next target and deal with them just the same. Their very existence was a threat on this world, and he will do everything in his power to remove them.

"Just you wait, Marth Umbris," the mysterious figure said venomously. "I will make you pay for what you did to my family. I won't let you cause that same pain to anyone else. I swear you will die by my hand."

To be continued


Okay, I'm back from my break. The Urun arc has finally begun. Part of why I went on break was to figure how I'm going to handle this arc, especially since there will be a lot of characters in this one. Luckily, I've gotten a general idea of how to go about it, so I can work my way from there. I can't wait to show you all what's in store for Marth and his friends in this arc. I doubt any of you can predict what's about to unfold. Anyway, that's all I wanted to say. See you guys next time!