Ey.
Guess we reached this point of the story once again.
Enjoy.
(*-*)
XXX
When exactly had they made a mistake?
Was it when they believed themselves to stand a chance, as it was only natural to think so given their superior status?
Was it when they decided their preparations were enough, given the single digit number of their foe?
Or had everything been pre-destined just as they extended their invitation to that man?
Queen Maelia could not say exactly.
In truth her mind had already shut down upon the first cry of the beast which descended from the skies and now threatened the long period of peace that had persistence since her grandparents reign.
She was not the only one who had frozen in fear, either: the very liveliness of the city which persisted until mere seconds ago had died out as thousands of heads looked upwards in silence, awe and most of all, fear at the colossus which blotted out the sun and cast it's vast shadow upon the city's stone buildings.
The Queen stood still upon the terrace, mouth agape at the sight in front of her.
Then the beast roared yet again just as thunderous as before, causing her to take a step back.
How are we supposed to deal with this?
How can we prevail?
How?!
A heavy hand shook her shoulder prompting her to look away from what took form on the skies above them. "Maelia, the ritual! Quick!"
Her brother Castius ordered with a worried look on his face, an emotion she was not used to see plague her brother. "Hecate, go with her!"
Yes, Magic! My Magic can counter that! We can win!
"Stop daydreaming and go already!"
"O-On it, brother!" Wasting no more time the Queen rushed forward along with her Goddess, further into the castle towards the chambers used for the ritual performed only by those of the royal family, it's secrets known only to the selected few ones trustworthy enough.
Castius nodded as he looked upon his sister's back then turned to glare at the beast in the sky again, a single question popping in his mind.
"Why isn't it attacking already?"
Though not much time had passed since the dragon manifested it nonetheless simply levitated a couple dozen meters above the ground near the individual that summoned him.
Why?
Was it because the brat could not move thus the beast was protecting his summoner?
Or was it because the brat needed time to fully bring the dragon under his control?
Castius didn't know, but it looked like this brought them some time.
Good. The ritual required time. Just stay there. Just stay-
But he was not one to allow his enemies the comfort of hope.
With a single thought he gave his order to Raiju and the dragon roared, and from the roar, the deafening crackling of dozens of lightnings simultaneously fell upon the city, and their strikes shattered trees, and they shattered stone, and they shatter the very will of Man.
"There will be no more delay..." Fuzen spoke as he watched the city suffer under the rain of lighting caused by none other than his order with uncaring eyes.
The attack had begun.
XXX
It was surprising, to say the least.
Initially, she believed it would fluctuate.
Change colours.
Grow or shrink.
She believed it would change.
But, it did not.
As Freya looked at what happened halfway across the horizon in Altena she realized she was surprised.
A rare feat indeed to manage to surprise a deity, especially one as crafty and knowledgable as Freya.
Usually any mortal would find their soul change when tested, be it through battle or any other significant experience.
They would begin to grow brighter, or get cloudy, or slightly change their shades.
Even her stoic warrior Ottar, currently by her side as always, was no different.
Though his soul was beautifully steadfast and unflinching, even the Level 7 warrior's soul fluctuated with excitement when fighting a strong Monster.
It was a miniscule change indeed, but present nonetheless. The simple prospect of fighting and growing stronger for her sake made Ottar's otherwise staunch soul fluctuate, made it brighter, if only for that one second before cutting down his foe.
An adorable Child indeed. Freya thought to herself.
But the same could not be said of the boy on the broadcast.
That red-stained soul she had immediately noticed amongst a sea of other souls so many months before remained the same, even now.
It did not grow.
It did not shrink.
Neither did it grow brighter nor did it grow dimmer.
His soul remained the same even as a whole city suffered under his assault.
Though it no longer had the same bi-colour individuality she first laid her eyes upon, she guessed in no small part thanks to the dragon which was now separate from him, the red-stained soul remained unchanging, unmoving and cold.
Or so Freya thought.
...No, wait...What is this…?
Naturally, it was not as easy even with her eyes to see a soul's delicate traits through a broadcast, but she tried nonetheless, squirting her eyes to try and discern what exactly it was she caught a glimpse of.
The boy's soul was truly stained, ever since she first laid eyes upon it, covered in a thick festering crust the shade of dried blood and small black stains.
Was this it's real colour, or was the real colour hidden beneath this stained layer?
Freya, for all her years of observing the souls of mortals, could not say.
Nonetheless, she tried to look closer not at the soul as a whole, but at the small black stains spread across it's surface.
She looked and looked, and then...she saw movement.
A smile escaped her lips, intrigued at this new discovery. "...Oh my. How interesting."
"My lady?"
"...It's nothing, Ottar. Say, what are your thoughts on this so called war?"
Not wishing to give false information to his Goddess the warrior took a couple of moments to think, to evaluate, how the fight was unfolding. "I believe it will all come down to time, my Lady."
"Oh?"
"Though that Magic is certainly impressive it must eat away at the boy's Mind at incredible rate. Will the Kingdom of Altena hold fast, or will the boy break them before his own time runs out? I believe that is how the winner of this war will be decided, my Lady."
"Interesting. And who would you bet on winning?"
His answer came immediately surprising even the Goddess sitting to his side. "The boy."
"Oh my. It is rare for you to show interest in someone from outside our Familia, Ottar."
"...He is a fierce fighter...No, a fierce warrior." The Boaz stated with a nod.
Indeed, it has been his task to observe the boy in the Dungeon after his Goddess showed interest in him.
Why was the Captain of the Freya Familia needed for such a simple task?
Because Fuzen had jumped the last two members tasked with this mission, his keen senses easily picking up their shadow looming over his every move. Thus Ottar had taken the mission of observing him upon himself.
He still had a hunch, however, that the boy was aware of his presence.
Had he been waiting for Ottar to make the first move? The Boaz believed so.
Alas, it has not been his Goddess's wish to test the boy, only to observe him.
Amphisbaena, Udaeus, the mid Floors, time and time again, Fuzen had exceeded Ottar's expectations to the point where the Boaz understood: normal logic which applied to Adventurers could not shackle the boy himself.
Thus, though he would not go as far as to say he was excited, Orario's King nonetheless looked forward to how the conflict in Altena would turn out.
To his own surprise, he had...high expectations.
XXX
"That's kinda...overpowered, isn't it?" He asked no one in particular as he looked upon what was happening in the distance.
Truth be told, Fuzen had no concrete idea what Raiju was capable of in this Dai Saigai form they managed to unleash only once before.
The first time they managed to pull it off, tired and near death roughly mid-way through their months of training Raiju almost collapsed half of the Floor they were on so naturally there was not much time to try anything else besides having Raiju slam his weight into the Monsters.
At the beginning of this fight he had expected Raiju to summon something like, two or three lightnings per second, maybe five if he was lucky.
He most certainly did not expect the lizard to shower the city in uncountable lightning strikes.
By now, the brightness caused by said strikes made most of the city hard to see even for Fuzen who was in a location which oversaw the whole city.
Most surprising, however, was that this tremendous feat was not sapping away at his pool of Mind and Ki as much as it should have.
He pondered on this for a moment, quickly figuring out the reason for this. "...Seems like the time at the library was well spent, after all."
His former God, Hachiman, once told him that a warrior with strength but no knowledge is using only half of his potential. Naturally Fuzen took those words to heart and set on to learn about as much as he could whenever his time allowed to do so.
Thus, with Raiju now unfortunately part of the picture he began to learn as much about the phenomena known as lightning as possible: it's strength, speed, the cause for it's strikes, anything and everything.
Well aware of the fact that the lizard shared his knowledge and vice-versa Fuzen took this task upon himself instead of leaving it to the lazy, arrogant reptile.
And though it was all theoretical at first, it now appeared like the lizard made good use of Fuzen's knowledge, in particular the positive and negative charged particles part.
Initially Raiju caused every lighting strike he produced through his own power alone, calling them forth through both Fuzen's Ki and Mind which got filtered through to the dragon. This meant more powerful strikes, yes, but also more draining ones.
However, now he could make use of what they learned and create strikes by controlling the electrical charges of particles, allowing the lightning to be produces naturally, cutting down on the energy required to manifest them.
The strikes were however less powerful, but now that Fuzen looked upon the sea of lighting raining down on the city...did it even matter?
He certainly believed not.
...Lizard. That's enough. I believe this assault managed to shake our foes to their core already. Stop the rain of lightning.
I was starting to think you'd never ask, Master. Raiju replied with his thoughts and soon the thunderous assault upon Al-Dale stopped. Nonetheless, the damage had been done, the city scarred. Then...you really wish to do that next, Master?
Yes. Go.
But Master...they are only wimps. Why?
...Are you questioning me?
Well...yeah. I mean...what purpose does it even have? They are just paid to stand around, anyway. No need to kill them, right?
Those mercenaries the weasel prepared for us in Orario were also just paid to do their jobs, Lizard. It makes no difference. I decided they will die and thus they will die. Now get to work.
Master...when did you start picking on the weak? What honour is to be found for you in doing this? Please reconsider, Master. Let's just storm the palace, get the Queen to surrender and then be out of here. Surely there is no need for this...this mass-murder you decided for?
Fuzen sighed, feeling his eye twitch in response to the anger that was slowly building up inside of him. Out of all the days the lizard could choose to get cold feet he chose exactly the day when time was of the essence, when their chances at winning were bet solely on him.
For once, he choose to put his trust in someone, something, that could be counted as part of him, yet even that backfired in his face.
Even though he went over the plan with the lizard at least five times it was exactly now the reptile choose to rebel.
"...Every single one of you...Everyone...All of you, pissing me off….Even a part of myself...All of you, just…"
"[Submit.]" Raiju screeched in mid-air as Fuzen directed that single order at him and soon enough he simply floated without moving a single part of his energy-based body as if frozen in time.
Yet another perk which the boy found out during his months of training, to his own surprise and joy.
Raiju was a part of him which gained sentience and manifested into the real world through means of his Magic.
Despite this, however, he was also his own person.
But no matter how much he tried he could never break off from his caster, from his Master.
He was forever a slave to Fuzen's will, if the boy so desired.
This discovery was made on the very same day the two managed to pull off the Dai Saigai form. Though Raiju currently had full control of this form, at least as far as the two knew, his first transformation had been less than stellar.
The surge of power had made Raiju lose control of himself, roaring just like the next berserk monster the Dungeon could spawn out of it's walls, slamming his now increased size against the walls of the Dungeon in a display of blind madness.
Fuzen, trying his best to evade the falling debris from crushing him to death, slowly lost his focus too and thus roared back at the dragon to shut up. To his own surprise it had worked: he overwrote Raiju's free will with his own.
And then he also understood what exactly he had done wrong since the dragon manifested.
Fuzen had simply told the dragon his desires, which Raiju usually ignored. What he should had done was order the dragon, for he was his slave and Fuzen was his master.
"...Free will is a luxury I allow you, not your birth right. You don't have any rights nor any say. Don't ever question me again, leech. You will do as I order you, even if I have to force you."
There was silence after Fuzen spoke, for no reply came back from Raiju. He could not have replied even if he wanted to: he was trapped and chained within himself and at Fuzen's mercy. "...Silence. Good, it's been a while. Now...[Attack]."
No more words needed to be said and Raiju lashed out against the walls surrounding the city, slamming his colossal body against the base of the ring of fortification then running along the length of the whole wall, causing them to come crashing down.
As for the soldiers stationed on the wall's battlements, Fuzen could hear them scream even from his position more than a couple hundred meters away.
He would cause the whole front wall, gate and all, to come crashing down, Fuzen decided beforehand.
This was needed for his plan, after all.
...It will take a while. I should get out there myself and clear a path-...Hmm?
From his position atop the hill outside the city Fuzen noticed something appearing on the streets as well as outside the city right at the foot of the wall. Trusting his gut feeling he called out for Raiju through his mind "[Withdraw.]" And then ordered him to fall back and regroup to him.
Five or so seconds later Fuzen's gut feeling proved to be right: slowly but surely, as if laying a layer of bricks atop another a dome of orange shade materialized around the city encircling the whole capital within.
This was a feat unheard of, the scale alone absurd.
A feat so incredible, in fact, it managed to shock even the unflinching Fuzen for a couple of seconds.
As a former member of the Loki Familia he had the privilege of witnessing Orario's number one mage, Riveria, in action while accompanying her into the Dungeon. The scale of her magic circle and Spells alike were incredible but the Magic before his eyes managed to overshadow even the High Elf's.
Down below on the battlements Fuzen could hear the loud cheers produced by the soldiers stationed there. Their broken spirits must have been lifted by this display of might from their side.
But it would not last long.
Lit embers which would be snuffed out by the storm, that is all it was.
"[Fly.]" Fuzen gave his order and Raiju took to the skies, circling the city high above this new dome. His Master then closed his eyes and linked his sense of sight with that of the his summon.
With this new bird eye view, Fuzen observed the city while trying his best to understand where the link was.
The answer was none other than it's design: the city itself was shaped in the form of a grand magic circle.
House for house, street for street, everything had been built to grant Al-Dale this design.
Ahh...so this is the spiderweb I partially saw upon my arrival. The city itself is too big to see from this hill alone, but from the air...Hmm...So, a Magic Circle then. Then it must be magic. Good. Had it been the product of some strange device, dealing with this new development would have proven difficult. Taking it's dome shape into consideration, this must be some sort of barrier.
However, I doubt just symbolism is enough to create this strong of a Spell. Thus, something must be beneath this city-wide magic circle. Magic Stones? Some sort of devices? If I have to guess, the catalyst for this must be either in the centre or in one of the four cardinal directions. Seeing how the centre is the wide marketplace...no, that can't be it. Then...the Queen's castle to the far north. So whatever enabled this must be there.
The Queen herself? I heard she became the monarch because her older brother cannot use Magic while she already has two Spells at her disposal. However, she cannot possible be stronger than Riveria nor have a larger Mind pool than her. Some sort of...power up? A Magic Item? No, such an item cannot possibly exist.
Then what-...Ahh. The Professors. Magic Research. Some sort of ritual, then? What kind? On what scale? How many people involved? I heard once in passing that Altena imports a lot of Magic Stones from Orario. Then a limit must exist, if this barrier depends on the energy provided by Magic Stones. However, I cannot simply wait for this barrier to disappear: I am more likely to run out of energy before they do.
What are, then, my options? A barrier is in my way. I have no available sword. Time is ticking. Only one option, then: Find out it's weaknesses.
After a single moment of thought Fuzen managed to more or less summarize what was going on and decided on his next course of action.
"[Charge.]"
With little other options at his disposal Fuzen ordered Raiju to attack the dome directly, the dragon slamming it's tail into the very top of the barrier. Hardly surprising, the attack had been deflected, Raiju's tail swept aside as if hitting some sort of counter repelling object.
Then, it can withstand physical attacks? Must be, since I doubt the city's architects simply thought of the possibility of a dragon's attack upon this defense mechanism creation. It must serve to repel invading forces and their siege equipment. But is that all? It cannot be. This is the land of Magic research. So then, what other forces can it counter and repel?
If I were to think rationally about this, then...it can, at most, withstand physical and magical attacks. But then what about…?
"...[Lash out.]" Fuzen gave his order, and mentally clarified that he wanted two strikes upon the dome.
The clouds yet again flared up with electricity and two lighting strikes hit the dome-shaped barrier.
Fuzen observed what happened next and with a sigh of relief, nodded.
Ah, as expected. Good. For a second, I feared I might not be able to keep my promise, that my honour would be stained. But it seems I will be able to do so. In the end…
"There will be no escape."
XXX
"Long live the Queen! Long live the Queen!" The man shouted at the top of his lungs and was soon followed by his comrades in arms in this nigh fanatic cheer dedicated to their monarch.
It was the first time he saw this Magic utilized by the royal family having joined the city watch just a couple of years ago.
Naturally, people of Altena knew well of the history of the royal family and the tales of their incredible Magic from as early as the first King's reign and how he held back an entire enemy army about to invade Al-Dale long enough for his generals to regroup and launch a pincer attack on the enemy.
Still, even with this barrier between them and the dragon his heart still raced at an incredible rate. He had been positioned on the left side battlements of the walls where the dragon had struck first, slamming his body into the stone and bringing down the wall which had protected their capital for so long.
Like so many of his comrades he ran away once the assault began.
Luckily enough the man had been positioned on the opposite side of the battlements than where the dragon struck. This stroke of luck allowed him to gain a head start. Many of his comrades, positioned at the initial attack's site, had not been so lucky.
Their screams as they plunged down the ten meters, crushed to death by the rubble...they still echoed in his ears.
But it would all be fine now.
The Queen had taken action, it wouldn't be long before the might of Altena would crush that brat and his dragon and everything would go back to normal.
A distance away he could see the boy standing atop the hill looking at the dome then making an upwards gesture with his hand. The dragon at his side wasted no time and flew high into the sky, circling around the city as if looking for something.
Once he arrived at the very top of the dome the dragon twisted his body in the air, slamming his tail onto the orange-coloured barrier with a loud thump.
However it's attack had no effect, it's tail casually swept aside. "It's working! The beast can't scratch it!" One of the soldiers on the battlement cried out followed by a laugh shared among all his comrades.
Yes. This is the might of Altena. The man thought to himself, his lips curving upwards. There was no way they could lose.
Not with the Hecate Familia's might on their side.
The beast roared once again high above them, the clouds swirling above Al-Dale crackling with electricity before a lighting bolt fell upon the bolt. As the soldiers expected, however, the bolt had been blocked by the barrier and repelled to the side.
Once again, the soldiers cheered, themselves amazed by how durable this barrier was.
Then the clouds rumbled with energy again, and unlike the previous strike…
PANG!
The lighting passed through the barrier and hit the streets of the city down below.
Their cheers died out and the man's face went pale at the sight.
...W-What? H-How? But then...i-if one gets through…He looked up at the dragon: it was shrinking in size, it's bright body dimming in brightness. A couple of seconds later, by now just half of his former size, the dragon descended downwards towards the dome.
Then, it passed through as if the barrier was nothing more than wind.
"N-No…" Both the man and his comrades froze in place.
If not even the barrier could help, then...what would?
They were just simple soldiers, not even a Falna on their back.
What even were their chances against that beast?
Once it's whole body passed through the dragon slowly began to grow once again in size, and from it's position high in the air it turned it's enormous head towards...them.
Wasting no time the beast flew downwards, descending to nigh ground level as it headed for the wall on the other side of the city gate. No. Nononono. No.
Then the tremor of the impact reached his feet and the man turned around. "RUUUUUUNNNNNNN!"
Screw this shit! I'm going to run! I'll run and live!
Behind him the man heard his fellow city watch comrades screaming as the wall came crashing down.
I finally managed to land a safe, good paying job! I ain't gonna kick the bucket here!
Soon enough he heard the city gate getting torn apart and sent flying as the dragon continued his charge along the base of the wall.
And I just got married half a year ago! My Camelia lost her parents before meeting me, I can't die now and leave her all alone!
The tremor got ever closer and the man put all his power into his legs.
There was no time to go down the stairs: the wall was ten meters tall, descending that distance with a dragon on his heels was suicidal.
So he was going to run.
The whole length of the wall if he had to.
I can't die here!
"I-It's coming!" Someone shouted behind him and the man ran even faster. His legs burned with pain but it didn't matter.
He would run.
Run, and live.
I'll live!
"Oh God, it's right behind- Gaaah!"
I'll live!
"Run faster! Run- Aaahhhh!"
I'll live! Camelia, I'm coming home-! From the corner of his eye, the man saw the dragon's wide frame right below him. The tremor intensified as the beast's front dashed past his position. For a single second, nothing happened.
Then the wall collapsed, and the man fell down.
As he fell the man extended a hand towards the skies as if asking for help from above to survive this ordeal and return to his home.
Camelia, my love... I'm coming ho-…Oh God...
The man then noticed a sizeable chunk of rubble coming towards him, and put his arms before him in a last ditch effort to survive.
In the end, it proved meaningless.
In the end, the man last moments were not spent thinking of his wife and life.
For in the end, the man had experienced despair at the reality handed down to him by a single boy.
In the end, everything went dark.
XXX
I should have prepared better...He told himself with a heavy heart. I should have cared less about our reputation…
If only he had prepared the mages.
If only he had prepared the full arsenal of the city's defences.
If only he had tried to contact the members of the First Circle, scattered across the country.
Maybe they could have done something.
If only...
From his spot on the terrace of the castle he looked in the distance at the city's southern gate.
The gate which withstood four foreign armies thus far, it's thick walls standing tall even after countless assaults.
And what of that proud wall now?
It had been destroyed through brute force alone.
And what about the eighteen hundred men stationed there?
Probably dead.
How many survived?
Castius doubted too many.
He had been too naive and they paid the price.
...Why did this even happen? What have we done to deserve the wrath of a dragon of yore upon us?
Castius shook his head.
It didn't matter.
Taking a moment to calm himself he went over his options. The barrier didn't work: somehow the boy managed to make dragon slip through it.
Castius still didn't understand how it was possible.
His sister's Spell created a barrier which could withstand any physical and magical attacks. It was the perfect defense. Not to mention the ritual known only to the royal family and a select few did not only extend the Spell's area to cover the city, it also enhanced it.
And still, it proved useless.
His ancestors had built this city alongside Hecate exactly with the purpose of bringing forth a Spell's full potency out, the intricate tunnels beneath the city built carefully to allow the distribution of power across all which would later become the city of Al-Dale.
And all that work proved useless against a single stupid brat.
...Sigh...If the barrier doesn't work, then what next? Most of the city watch had been stationed on the now collapsed part of the wall. A few remain patrolling the city, but...it's only a handful. We have the two hundred Royal Guards split in half. Then-...Hm?
In the distance Castius noticed the dragon rising up from the rubble of the wall flying into the air then stopping to look at the city. A moment later he was on the move again, heading straight for the Magus Scholar, the Magic Academy.
Castius felt his heart stop as he understood what the dragon was about to do.
What that brat was about to do.
"God-damn it!" The Secretary yelled as he punched the ledge of the terrace. "Have you not had enough, you devil?!"
If there was any sort of solace to be had at least the students were not at the Academy today.
Not all of them, anyway.
Except the Professors and the senior students everyone else had gone outside to check on the city's magic-driven technology. It fell upon their shoulders to keep everything running, after all.
But even so, the senior Professors and their knowledge...Sigh…
And then, it struck him.
An idea, one that might save them all. Castius turned his head to look at the broadcast. Luckily it seemed it would prove even easier than he initially thought: for whatever reason, he didn't even have a blade to defend himself with. But little time could be spared. He grabbed the square, hand-sized mirror from his pocket. "Captain! Captain, are you there?!"
"...Y-Yes, my Lord!"
"Good!" This was the Captain of the Royal Guards whom Castius had initially tasked with dealing with the brat. Meaning if they were alive and not crushed by the rubble of the wall they were the closest to the source of this madness. "Listen: the dragon is heading for the Magus Scholaris! Use this chance! While the beast is away, strike at the boy! Kill him! Kill him now and the beast will die along with his summoner!"
"…! Understood, my Lord! Men, let's go!" He heard the Captain shout before their mirrors broke off the transmission.
Castius sighed yet again, and leaned on the ledge. This was their one chance at preventing any more damage. "Please, Gods, let it work…"
XXX
"Good." Fuzen told himself with a nod, looking upon the ruins of the wall that stood tall in front of him just a couple of moments ago. "This should do. Don't have enough time to bring down the whole wall, after all."
This will have to suffice, then. Next would be...that tower.
"[Charge and destroy.]" Raiju wasted no time and flew forward towards his next target.
Mhm. It's good I figured out that the barrier cannot stop Ki attacks. All I had to do was cut off my Mind from Raiju and only feed him my Ki and he could pass through. Still, my Ki and Mind pools are running low. We have to finish this soon. While Raiju is destroying the buildings I decided upon I shall go forward and cut a path open-...Hm?
Fuzen stopped his line of thought and looked up ahead.
The one hundred men who first stepped forward to meet him had been spared from being crushed to death by the collapsing wall as they initially marched towards him and were now, as far as he could tell, communicating with someone.
The Royal Guard leading the group saluted something he held within his hand then shouted to his men something before they all began to rush forward, towards Fuzen.
"...Ah, I see." He gave a nod, then looked in the distance.
"Raiju is no longer at my side." Then he looked down at his hand. "And my sword has been reduced to a mere handle, the blade sacrificed for the chant. Thus, this is the best time to attack the source and cause of your suffering, is that it? Mmm, not a bad way of thinking."
Deciding not to waste anymore time simply standing still Fuzen gave a nod and walked forward to meet the enemy approaching him. Between them were a couple hundred meters, the distance shortening every second as the men charged forward with their weapons at the ready.
The distance between them became smaller and smaller, hundreds of meters, a hundred meter, dozens of meters.
Any time now, they would clash.
However, Fuzen had no sword.
After all, any weapon he grabbed while Raiju was summoned through the full usage of his chant turned into nothing, only their handle keeping their form.
Be it swords, daggers, spears and even hammers, no weapon was spared from shattering into a thousand pieces.
As far as he could tell this was simply a necessary sacrifice for using his Magic's full potential, for using Raiju's full potential.
Oh, and it annoyed him greatly.
After all, what is a swordsman without a sword?
But then again, he clarified a day before that he would attack not as a Disciple of the Lighting Sword Style, but as an Adventurer.
And this simply statement held much more meaning behind it than anyone could possibly imagine.
"You're all...soaking wet, and also wearing metal armour. You...have my sympathy." Fuzen said softly as he walked on forward. The group of men were just a few moments away from reaching him. Thus he stopped, and raised his right leg. A moment later he slammed it into the ground, "[Engulf.]", and the hundred men screamed in pain as lighting arced between them.
One by one, they all fell down to the ground, their flesh sizzling inside their metal armours.
To put it shortly, they had become one.
Dai Saigai was a form of Raiju in which he was no longer detached from Fuzen and simply drew on his Master's power: this went vice-versa as well. The Master could now use the power of the servant as well, channelling it right through his body into the outside world.
It was because of this that Fuzen finally understood why his Spell had no description which his former Loki could read.
Ikazuchi Jigen Bussei was simply too flexible.
No simple summary of it's usages could come close to describing the full extend of it's potential.
Nonetheless, this new finding was not without it's drawbacks either, for Fuzen's body was not that of Raiju: his own flesh felt the pain of the attack, burn scars left behind on his skin. It was not to the full extend that the enemies he choose to unleash this power against felt, maybe because he was Raiju's core and was thus allowed a level of resistance, but he could not use this power recklessly.
Secondly, because of this new link what had before been impossible now became possible: the transfer of damage and wounds. Whatever wounds one would receive, the other's body manifested it, too. This was the reason why Raiju now had a large scar going the length of his neck: it was, in truth Fuzen's old wound, which had never and would never fully heal.
...I doubt I'll ever get used to feeling all tingly inside as I unleash the lighting...Geez, and I smell like a burned pig. I will require a medicinal bath after this. A lengthy one, at that.
Fuzen walked forward through the group of now dead men and towards the city.
Having coated his whole body in Ki also did the trick for him: he managed to pass through the orange barrier without any difficulty.
He then crossed the rubble which now stood in place of the former city gate and looked to his left side. He had arrived just in time to witness the Magus Scholaris, the tower that stood half the length of Babel, crashing down onto the city wall near it.
Raiju had per Fuzen's instructions wrapped his serpentine body across the base of the Academy and weakened it's foundation until it simply flipped over, the crash powerful enough to produce an earthquake spreading over the whole city.
"...Good. Then, onto the next target. [Go.]"
The Magic Academy, the Observatory, and most of all, the despicable Magic Research base, he would have Raiju destroy them, nay, ground them all into dust before the day was over.
Especially the Magic Research building and all it's stored information on genetic compatibility.
Yet, that was Raiju's task.
His was another.
And so, knowing full well that time was ticking away Fuzen used Lighting Drive and made for his destination: the palace.
Naturally, the palace was located quite a distance away from the part of town he came from, thus he needed to make a few stops on the way to get his breathing in check.
During those short breaks, he had noticed them: the civilians.
They were all taking shelter inside their homes, staring outside through the windows.
They were all cursing him.
Of course, he could not hear them nor see their lips move, but he knew they did in their minds.
The individual that shatter their peaceful, daily life.
Murderer.
Monster.
Killer.
Deviant.
Heartless bastard.
Go die.
Burn in hell.
Fuzen could imagine that all sorts of insults were thrown at him as he walked in-between his breaks from Lighting Drive and the people saw him out in the streets.
"...And so what?" The words escaped his lips as he stopped in place, looking at the faces staring at him from all directions from all windows and half-open doors. "I am strong, and you are weak. All you can do is tremble before every obstacle life throws at you while I rip and cut it apart and move forward. If anything...you are at fault for being mad enough to remain weak in this merciless world. Pity, you shall have none from me. So go on, tremble in fear and get out of my way. I'm moving forward. I have a goal to achieve. I have a duty to fulfil."
Without giving the civilians any more thought he pushed on ahead, only half the distance remaining before he arrived at the palace.
He had reached the wide marketplace, the tents and shops scattered around now all empty.
If I remember correctly from my tour around the city, there should be a weapon stand around here...Ah, there it is. A quick walk of the marketplace later he found what he was looking for, the stand selling weapons.
Well, weapons was a strong word.
It was mostly small daggers and knifes used for skinning game killed by the hunters in the forests outside of Al-Dale.
But it was all he needed.
Thus, he grabbed the nearest knife and drew the blade just a bit to observe it's blade.
...No. Too sharp.
He put the knife back and grabbed another.
...Also too sharp. I need one slightly less sharp. He then proceeded to analyse roughly half of the knifes on display, always putting them back on the spot he picked them from. Finally, half a minute or so later he found a knife that was more dull than the others. He gave a nod to himself and placed the sheathed knife inside his clothes, then left a pouch of Valis on the counter for his purchase before moving on.
One more minute passed and he was nearing the palace when a blast of fire came his way.
Using Lighting Drive he managed to jump out of the way and onto the roof of a building. Fuzen then traced the origin of the attack and saw a Royal Guard peeking behind a corner, a strange black sword in his hand.
Hmm? Ahh, yes. Magic Weapons. From the armoury in the palace, mayhaps? Doesn't matter. From his vantage point he gave a quick look to his surroundings and sensed some fifty or so Ki sources spread around the area he was in. They had prepared an ambush for him.
A last ditch effort before he reached the palace?
Commendable, but meritless nonetheless.
So the observatory is destroyed, too. He thought after switching his sight to that of Raiju for a single moment. Good. Next is the Magic Research, then. Raiju, bring down the rain of lighting upon that building. Burn all the documents related to genetical breeding to ashes. Pulverize it into nothing. Don't leave a single stone of that abhorrent place standing.
The dragon roared in response to his ever increasing feelings of repugnance and flew through the air to his next destination. Knowing that task would be finished before long Fuzen rose to his feet.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
He dashed off a moment later, jumping onto the roof of the next building then onto the building in front of that. Once he reached the edge he jumped down right atop the Royal Guard who had attacked him and grabbed the man by his head.
A short electrical shock later he used the dead man's body as a ramp and jumped onto the wall, back and forth between the two buildings then onto the roof again. From his right side, a distance away in the middle of the street, came another magical attack from a Royal Guard's weapon, a powerful gust of wind.
Fuzen jumped down again and used Lighting Drive to reach the man in but a heartbeat, frying him alive with but a touch, as well.
Then he dashed off again.
He needed to clean house before moving forward, after all.
XXX
"...Forgive me…"Secretary Castius muttered under his breath as he looked down onto the streets where the Royal Guards he had equipped with all the Magic Weapons from the palace were falling down left and right at the hands of the monster.
Castius let out a small chuckle: the brat didn't even need his dragon.
He was killing the Queen's Royal guards like they were nothing even when they were all equipped with the best Magic Weapons the Kingdom could craft.
Still, somewhere in his mind he knew that their chances of winning had been slim from the beginning.
Had he sent them out despite knowing this?
"...Yes. If for no other reason than to buy time…"
"B-brother?"
Castius looked to his side.
The servants in the palace had been evacuated as soon as the Dragon manifested above the city and all Royal Guards were sent out to meet the boy. The only people remaining in the castle were Cicero, Hecate, himself and the Queen.
The Queen…
Demanding as she was, Maelia was nonetheless his only living relative he had left in the world.
His little sister, which he had looked after for so long now…
No matter what, he could not allow any harm to befall her.
"...Maelia. Be ready to use your other Spell."
"E-Eh? But that's…"
"I'll create a window for it. You just make sure to shoot. We won't need a lot of power: he's only a brat. He'll go down."
He could see the hesitation in his sister's eyes.
It was also understandable why: her second spell could only be used at full power after a long built-up time and it was also very easy to avoid.
If it hit, however, nothing could remain standing.
"Maelia. Just the first few verses of the chant will be enough. We don't need it at full power. Shoot it when I give the order. Do you understand?"
"Y-Yes…"
"Good. We will win this yet."
"No we won't you fool…" The Treasurer, Cicero whispered from the corner he was standing in. His spirit had been broken ever since the dragon took shape and nothing anyone said could lift the man's spirit. "He's already here…" Cicero made a head gesture towards the palace's gates and to Fuzen walking past a pile of charred Royal Guards who had been stationed there.
The last remaining Guards, all positioned within the garden between the gate and palace, lifted their Magic weapons and unleashed a barrage of attacks upon the boy, the various elements raining down on him.
Unfortunately, however, the reaction time of mere Level 1's like the Guards was not high enough to prove a match for Fuzen's superior skills.
He had easily dodged the attacks, slipping past them with his No-Sword Style techniques.
Once the attacks came to a halt he stomped the ground yet again, the electricity spreading like a blanket through the last fifteen Guards, all of them falling to the ground like puppets whose strings had been cut.
The city's forces had been thus decimated, only a handful of city watch soldiers still alive, spread through the city to contain any possible panic which might spread through the civilians.
All that remained was the Queen and the Secretary.
You god-damned freak…! Castius thought as he curled his fists, his eyes meeting the boy's as Fuzen looked up to the terrace the last remaining four people in the castle were gathered.
Then, the boy disappeared from sight.
It was only thanks to his Level 3 Status that Castius managed to somehow see him as a blur heading straight for the entrance.
They only had seconds before he would be upon them.
"Maelia, get ready! I'll keep him occupied, you ready your Spell! Cicero, you are his target! Stay close to Hecate: even that brat isn't mad enough to hurt a Deity by accident!" Castius yelled out his orders as he rushed towards the only double-doors leading into the room they were in, sword drawn and at the ready.
Behind him was his sister, also ready to use her Spell.
Maelia's Sacris Lancea is a single target spell taking the form of a spear in her hand, a spear capable of penetrating anything, even the hardest metals. That is the one chance we still have at winning. I'll make it possible, even if I die myself.
Castius was the strongest fighter in Altena.
Granted, there were mages who were likewise Level 3 like him, however overall his Status was the highest out of all the Hecate Familia members. It was a fact not truly surprising to anyone: despite his many duties Castius had trained for years in the art of swordsmanship after Hecate herself told him at a young age that he did not possess any sort of talent for Magic and that she could feel no spark within him.
As per Altena's traditions the monarch could only be of the royal family, and only if said individual was capable of using Magic. Despite being many years older than his little sister he did not fulfil the second requirement, and thus had only acted as regent until she came of ruling age.
Unlike how others might have acted in his position Castius bore no hate towards his sister.
If anything, he loved her.
And he loved his country and their traditions.
Thus, he accepted the hand he had been given and decided to hone other skills besides the magical ones.
He would not allow that brat to mess around with his country any longer: he would stop him here.
...Maelia will become a good monarch. I make my sacrifice knowing I leave this country in capable hands.
The double-doors then slowly opened with a faint creaking sound and Castius gripped his sword tighter. He would jump the brat as soon as he could see him, then find a way to grab a hold of him and holding him still until Maelia could fire her Spell.
He would die, but he would take the boy with him and thus the dragon that terrorized his people.
He was ready.
Inhale.
Exhale.
He could do it.
He knew he could.
I'll end this, here and-...Huh? He felt something being pressed against his chest and looked downwards: then forest green eyes met hazel. "[...Lash out.]"
"Aaaaaarghhhhhh!"
Castius simply could not understand what happened at all.
...But...how? The door didn't even...open yet… However before he could even try to understand his world went black before his eyes and then collapsed face first into the ground.
The strongest fighter of Altena proved no match for the boy for he was not one to allow his enemies chances at trying something else.
After all, he was not fighting as the Disciple of the Lighting Sword Style, but as an Adventurer. Had his choice been another, Altena would have no doubt won by now.
"...I would advise…" Fuzen began as he walked past the now unconscious Secretary and straight for the Queen. "...against using whatever you wish to use. It will not turn out pretty for you."
The Queen gave no response, her eyes simply glued to the motionless form of her brother on the ground. Growing up he had always been at her side, teaching her, protecting her, guiding her.
He was the strongest pillar of Altena.
And now...He...He…
"Hmm? Ah, he is still alive." Fuzen stated as he stopped between the Queen and her brother, looking over his shoulder at the collapsed Secretary. "For now, that is. Do you wish him to maintain his continued existence?"
What a weird question.
How could she not wish for it?
Despite the question running through her head Maelia did not verbalize it: she simply nodded.
"Good. Then: Your Majesty, Lady Hecate, Weasel, follow me outside. And don't try anything funny."
Wasting no more time Fuzen turned on his heals and grabbing Castius by the head, walked out of the room.
Shocked as they had been the three decided to do as they had been ordered and walked behind Fuzen down the stairs to the ground floor and then outside, where the corpses of the last couple of Royal Guards were spread across the garden.
Once he was at a reasonable enough distance, Fuzen stopped and threw Castius aside, then turned to face the other three. "Now turn back and look upon the palace."
The three did as ordered and turned around.
They waited: one second, five, then ten.
Then Raiju flew above their heads with incredible speed and smashed through the building with his massive body, sending rubble flying in all directions. His serpentine form turned and twisted while inside the palace and before long it came crashing down.
The palace which had served as the royal family's residence, and then as Hecate Familia's Home, had been reduced to rubble before the Queen's very eyes.
"That was the last building I wished to bring down. Now, unless you wish any more destruction to befall your beloved city, you will do as I tell you to. Lady Hecate." The goddess turned to face the boy, a hateful look visible in her eyes. "Use your godly powers to bring the broadcast to our position. I want what is said next to be heard clearly across Altena and Orario alike."
"...Tsk…" Still, without complaint Hecate got to work and before long a floating mirror appeared before the group, one which linked the broadcast activated by Loki back in Orario to said mirror and what was being said by the group of four.
"Your Majesty, do you yield? Do you herby declare that the Kingdom of Altena has lost the war against the Adventurer Kenshi?"
Maelia curled her hands into fists but there was little else she could do besides that. They had, without a doubt, lost to the boy. "...I do. I, Queen Maelia Lucia Sestia ad Regis, herby declare that the Adventurer Kenshi has come out victorious in the war he waged against us. We have lost."
"I accept your defeat."Fuzen nodded, lowering his sword. "Then, Lord Cicero, I have stated yesterday that my victory will be fulfilled only once I have your head in exchange for the stains you put on my honour. However...if you confess all your sins before this mirror, everything that happened in Orario when you came to convince me to join you, then I shall not cut you down. This I swear on my life and honour."
Immediately the man's hope returned to his eyes, turning his head to look at Fuzen with wide, shocked eyes. "Do you...do you mean it?!"
"I do. I, Fuzen Katsumi, shall not cut you down if you confess every wrongdoing you have committed before the people of the world."
"I accept!" Cicero nodded enthusiastically then rushed in front of the mirror. "I am the Treasurer of Altena, Cicero, and I will now confess all the wrong doings I have done!"
One by one the Treasurer spilled out everything that he had done: the bribes he paid, the kidnappings he ordered, the assassination he planned, the threats he handed out, how he intervened with Loki Familia's contracts and stole their goods, how he almost caused the economical fall of Orario's marketplace, everything, he confessed them for all to hear.
He even went as far as to name the worst things he had done since landing the job of Treasurer, and what merchants and independent cities he tricked in matters of profit.
The man didn't care about the backlash, after all.
Even the Queen and Hecate cringed as they listened to all the morally wrong things Cicero had done to come to power, but he didn't care.
He simply wanted to live.
"...You certainly have not been a role model for those younger than you…" Fuzen stated with a sigh and a shake of his head. Cicero had truly been the worst kind of human possible, using others whenever he could find an opportunity to do so, lying, bribing and threatening all he could use such tactics on.
But he had confessed before the world and Fuzen felt just a bit glad to know this.
"Good. Then…" He made a sign for Cicero to move aside and stepped in front of the mirror himself. "I will not give out any sort of apology for what I have done, for I have done nothing but that which needed to be done. However, the crimes Lord Cicero has committed directed at me in particular have been one of the many reasons why I have decided to declare war on the Kingdom of Altena. Now I have now come victorious in this war and Lord Cicero's confession fulfils my requirements. I accept Altena's surrender. The war between me and Altena is over. That is all. Please cut off the broadcast, for what I shall discuss with the Queen next is of most delicate of matters." Fuzen gave his hint to Loki and the broadcast came to an end.
Naturally, the boy could not know if this was true or not for they have been watched through means he could not see nor sense, so he instead looked over to Hecate. The Goddess gave him a mean-eyed nod in return and only then did he proceed.
"Very well. Then, as per my statement the day before I request the amount of money I was offered to be delivered to Orario for that's where I will go after I am done here. You will find me, as you have found me before." He turned to look at the man whose face reflected the hope Fuzen allowed him to hold onto. "How much was the amount again?"
"Three and a half billion Valis."
"Quite so. I will need that amount to be delivered to me. Swords are not cheap, after all. Please make sure that is taken care of...Lady Hecate."
The Goddess gave him a confused look: why was her name being used for this?
If anything, Cicero could take much better care of such matters. He was the Treasurer, after all.
The man in question was well aware of this fact as well. The colour draining from his face, he slowly looked over towards the boy, the sweat prominent on his face. "...No. You promised. You promised in front of the mirror, on your honour!"
"Quite so." Fuzen nodded. "I did say it, yes. That I won't cut you down." A second later the man screamed in agony as electricity spread across his body, the shock high enough to make him fall to his knees but not enough to make him lose his consciousness.
The boy then walked towards the Queen, though by now she was more of a ball of anxiety than a figure of authority, and reaching inside his robes extended the sheathed knife to her. "You will cut off his head for me, Your Majesty."
A moment of silence followed as both the Goddess and the Queen stared at him as if he spoke in some foreign language unable to grasp the meaning of his words. "Go on, don't be shy now, Your Majesty."
"B-But...why? You just said you no longer require his life. So why?!"
"Ah, I see. I forgot I am dealing with people who do not try to live with honour. I shall clarify: before I needed his head in order to clean off the stains he left on my honour. However, as he just confessed his crimes during the broadcast, that has been taken care of."
"Then-"
"However... I still happen to dislike this man with a passion and thus wish to see him dead. Do you understand, your Majesty? This is now no longer a requirement, but simply a wish of mine. As it so happens I try to live a very minimalistic life free of desires. Why? Because when I do wish for something...well, bad stuff happens. Now, take the knife."
"I-I...c-can't…"
"You...can't? A monarch who cannot do what is best for her country? Now that...calls for rectification." Fuzen shook his head in disappointment then snapped his finger. "Raiju." A couple of moments later the dragon atop of the palace ruins flew high into the air, his body crackling with energy.
"Let us made this request of mine into a choice with two options: you can cut off this man's head and thus get rid of me from your country or you can choose not to cut off his head and I will have Raiju unleash my disappointment in you in the form of lightning upon the city. So go on, your Majesty: your choice."
"...What…?"
She looked at the knife, then at the boy, then at her brother.
She needed him, but he was unconscious.
So what else could she do?
"H-Hecate...help me…"
"She cannot help you, your Majesty." Fuzen replied before the Deity. "After all, Lady Hecate is a Deity and thus she is aware of the truth of the world."
"...What truth?" Hecate asked.
Fuzen looked over to her, scanning her from head to toe in a single glance before sighing softly."Even Gods may die." He replied, and those four words were enough to cut off Hecate from helping the Queen.
After all, even the Goddess herself realized in that moment.
She realized that the boy was mad enough to bare his fangs at a Deity.
The Queen in return despaired and began to cry. She could not think of any way on how to get out of this predicament. "S-Somebody...help me…"
"SOMEBODY, HELP HER!"
The sudden loud shout caused both Maelia and Hecate to flinch in surprise: it had been no other than Fuzen shouting at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing throughout the now empty garden and silent city. "...It appears no one is coming to your rescue, your Majesty."
"W-What…?"
"Think about this logically: this whole war has been shown across Altena and Orario. Everyone knew the peril you were in, if not yesterday, then at least starting today when I destroyed your city walls and walked into your palace palace. And what was the population of Al-Dale again? One million or so people? There are many stories out there of civilians picking up shovels and stones and frying pans to go out and protect their beloved King or Queen in their ruler's time of need, but...no one is coming out for you. Why?"
A faint smile formed on his lips. "Because you gave absolutely no reason to your people to love you. Sure, Altena is a rich, powerful country, but...you personally did nothing for your people except create a breeding list which shows that subject A has the best chances of creating a magically-gifted child if they breed with subject Z."
"…"
"There is no hero coming to your rescue, your Majesty, for there are no heroes in this world. So now the question remains: will you do something for your people instead, without any reasons to stain your own hands for their sakes? Will you do what a monarch must do to protect their country or will you let your people cower in fear under their kitchen tables as I assault the city again because of your inability to avoid this turn of events?"
Maelia stared at him for a couple more seconds then looked to her left and right: there was no one coming to help her, just like he had said.
Then she pondered on her options one last time before grabbing the knife with trembling hands, taking it out of it's sheath and then walking towards Cicero who was down on his hands and knees from the earlier shock.
Fuzen simply nodded at her choice then grabbed the Treasurer by the head and slammed him into the ground. "Do it."
"…"
"Dew. It."
She cried and trembled but nonetheless brought the knife to the back of Cicero's neck. "No. That's where a vertebrae is. A bit lower...yes, that is good. You can begin now."
"H-Hey, stop it! Maelia, stop it!" Cicero yelled back as he tried to break free from his position but Fuzen's grip on him was too strong. "HEY! Is this how you thank me for everything I've done for you?! I've worked tirelessly for your sake, you little bitch! Stop!"
"Don't listen to him. Now, cut into the flesh. Resistance will be high, but simply bring the knife back and forth. Let the blade's sharpness do the job for you. You need but simply guide it."
"...I'm sorry...I'm sorry…"
"S-Stop it! Maelia, stop-...Arrrghhh!"
Then the Queen began to cut away at his neck. Cicero cried, and the Queen cried, both of them louder than the other. Blood gushed out of the cut Maelia had inflicted upon her Treasurer covering her robes and face with the warm liquid.
She flinched for a second and brought the knife away from his neck. It was in that moment that she looked with tear-blurry eyes at the man on the ground and the state he was in.
It was a complete mess: the wound was uneven and barely went as deep into the neck as it should have for all the time she spent cutting, Cicero was shaking and twitching with bulging eyes, his teeth clenched so hard he almost managed to shatter to shatter them into pieces. "W-What...what have I done…?"
"It's far from over, your Majesty. Every moment you don't cut off his head he will suffer while still clinging to life. Well, it's your decision to pull the knife away…"
"Huff...Huff...Huff…." She inhaled and exhaled but she felt no air filling her lungs.
She could barely breath anymore, the feeling of puking threatening to take over at any moment. It was all a haze, the world turning and twisting in front of her eyes.
And then a hand landed on her shoulder, Maelia looking to her side to meet his gaze. "It's alright." He said with a soft, warm smile. "I believe in you, your Majesty."
"Ha...haha…" The Queen let out a weak chuckle.
After everything he has done…
It didn't matter.
She had all the time in the world to curse his existence after this. For now, she simply thanked him for the short distraction he offered and grasped the knife again.
Naturally, she tried to calm herself in the moments prior to cutting again but she couldn't do it: the second she felt the flesh getting cut as a result of her action, the second Cicero cried out in pain again, she cried.
Yet nonetheless, she went on with it, cutting and cutting and cutting, over and over again.
At least, she believed it as such.
She was unable to see it clearly thanks to the tears she cried, but in reality she barely made any progress. Her own low strength and poor technique made the task before her harder than it should have been, and it was of no help that she subconsciously held back, as well.
Without even realizing it, her hesitation proved to be what extended Cicero's suffering the most.
"…? I-It's...it's stuck…" She stated as her knife reached a point where it could go no further.
"Yes. That's the cervical spine. You need to cut through the bone now in order to cut this weasel's head clean off."
"But...I-I can't…"
"Yes. Bone is not easy to cut through, after all. The blade of the knife is rather dull, too." Fuzen tilted his head ever so slightly. "Sorry for that."
"T-Then…"
"Try harder." Fuzen shrugged.
"H-he's already dead...Is that not enough already?!"
"No. I want his head. What you are offering me is only half of it. So. Try. Harder."
The Queen clenched her teeth and went on with it after a long moment of staring at the boy besides her in disbelief. She brought the knife back and forth but all it came down to was a creaking sound of metal running across bone.
She tried and tried, over and over again, yet the she could not cut any deeper. And thus..."Huff...Huff...*sob*...Huff….*Inhale*...Huff...*sob*...GAAAAHHHHH!"...the Queen finally snapped and yelled, bringing the knife above her head before plunging it into the wound with as much power as she could, over and over again. "Just! Die! Already! Die! Die! Die! If it wasn't for you I wouldn't need to do this!"
Over and over, she brought the knife down on the man, screaming and yelling and crying all at the same time, blood splashing all over her body from the force of the impact.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity the Queen finished what she had started: Cicero's head had been cut.
Fuzen picked it up by the hair and looked at the now dead man, his soulless eyes, his jaw hanging open. He looked at him for a couple of moments and nodded. "Acceptable." He stated calmly.
"Huff...Huff...Hahaha...Haha….Hahahahaha!" The Queen, in contrast, was far from calm like Fuzen. She had cried and yelled, and now she was laughing in a hysterical fit. "I've done it! I killed him! Hahahaha! I killed him with my own hands! Hahahaha! So, am I a good monarch now?! I killed him for your sakes: for all of your sakes! Hahahahaha!"
Fuzen had kept the promise he made to the Queen a day before.
He had, in the end, broken her without touching a single hair on her head.
"...Acceptable, indeed…" With a nod he walked up to the laughing girl and took a knee in front of her, bringing their heights to the same level. She looked at him, never stopping laughing, and Fuzen smiled at her."...You did well."
"Hahahaha! Hahaha...Hehe….Heh….I did?"
"You did. You did well." He repeated with a slow nod.
"I...did well?"
"Yes." Fuzen nodded, raising a hand to give her a pat on the head "You did well. This is the proof that you did well." He then placed Cicero's head between them, his lifeless eyes facing the Queen.
"This was one of the two great plagues eating away at your country and you have cut it away with your own two hands. You did well." He gave her another pat on the head then rose to his feet again, walking towards the last person standing within the palace's walls.
Behind him, however, he still heard the Queen muttering to herself.
"Hehehehe...I did well...I did well...I did well...I did well~..."
"Now…Lady Hecate, let's talk business."
XXX
"...That was a big asshole move, Master, and you know it." The now humanoid dragon said in a disappointed tone as he walked besides his Master.
It has been roughly half an hour since Fuzen left the capital of Al-Dale by riding Raiju.
In truth his power had been drained well before he reached the Queen, during his fight with the Royal Guards equipped with Magic Weapons, but he pushed on nonetheless calling forth all the Mind and Ki he could muster.
However, he was starting to feel the fatigue building up.
Thus, after somehow managing to keep a poker face throughout his conversation with the Patron Deity of Altena he jumped on Raiju's back and flew away from the capital, only telling the dragon to stop once they were above a dense forest.
"Boo hoo, cry me a fricking river, why don't you?"
"...Sigh...So what's the plan now, Master, after we have made an enemy of roughly half of the world's population after showing them all mindless murder and destruction on live broadcasting?"
"The plan is for you to shut up. That's step one. Then secondly we need to find a good hiding spot in this forest. Though we have won I doubt the armies that are on their way to Al-Dale would care too much about the fact we were victorious if they were to find us in our weakened state. Thus we will rest here and move only at night. The sooner we leave this country's boarders the better."
"...I was asking about the long-term plan, Master."
"You let me worry about the future. Until then keep your eyes open for any good hiding-"
Thump. Thump. Thump.
"For any good hiding spots…"
Thump Thump. Thump Thump.
"Huff...Huff…" Fuzen felt the strength in his legs give out and he fell down to one knee.
"...Master?"
His chest hurt, as if it was squeezed under a heavy weight, the pain spreading to his neck and arms and back. He broke out into a cold sweat, feeling light-headed and barely able to breath anymore.
Raiju grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him lightly as he looked at Fuzen with a worried look on his face. "Master? Master! What is wrong?!"
Thump Thump. Thump Thump. Thump Thump.
"I-It's cold...Chest pain...Can't breath…" He grabbed his chest and tried to use his usual breathing rhythm but found himself unable to do so.
He couldn't breath.
"Master, try to use your Ki! Use your Ki and-!" Raiju's words became ever harder to hear. Fuzen looked up and noticed the dragon's body becoming transparent before he exploded into thousands of particles and scattering into the wind.
He could not hear the dragon's voice echoing inside his mind, either, and well aware of the fact Raiju was connected to his own life...
...Am...Am I dying…?
Thump Thump! Thump Thump! Thump Thump!
His own heartbeat flooded his ears with it's sound making him unable to hear anything but the heartbeat. A moment of consciousness loss occurred and he fell flat on his stomach to the ground.
A moment later he gasped for air, returning to his senses.
Screw this crap...I don't...have time to die…
Thump Thump! Thump Thump! Thump Thump! Thump Thump!
He ignored the maddening sound ringing in his ears, and one arm at a time he slowly crawled forwards, fingers digging into the earth beneath him.
I can't die...Not yet...Not yet…
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
Not now...Duty...I've stained my honour myself…
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
But...Duty...I still have a...duty to fulfil…
"My...duty...I have to...I have to..."
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
…
…
The sound ringing in his ears died out, and slowly only a tunnel vision of the world around him remained. He crawled one last time forwards, extending his hand as if to grasp something, or someone, only he could see.
Then the world turned dark and his extended arm fell down lazily, as did his head.
In a nameless forest somewhere in Altena, the journey of the swordsman known to some as Fuzen Katsumi came to an end.
He had overestimated his own limits in his fight against Altena and died shortly after of a sudden heart attack, his body no longer able to keep up with his iron-clad resolve.
Yet even in his final moment, he did not cry nor beg but instead reached out to grasp the Heavens.
To the very end, not even death could break his will...
XXX
Damn I love how dark I managed to make this turn out to be...
(ノ*ФωФ)ノ
