Soul Binding

Chapter 7: Accomplished

'Too slow.'

As it begins to look like he's about to touch my shoulder, I turn my wooden sword and push up to force his upward. I slide my right forward so my elbow presses to the top of his chest and stops him as the 'sharp' side of my sword touches his throat.

"One of three." I start. "You can forfeit and give me that blade now and save yourself the embarrassment or you can have your ego go down again by having me defeat you again." I say, looking him in the eye.

He frowns as he steps back to where he had been before. I notice him glance to something behind me as he gets in stance. I get in stance as well. I hear the gong before also hearing swords unsheathing behind me. I look to the 'Master' in slight surprise in seeing his grin before I grin as well.

'Now we've got a bit more of a challenge... how fun... I think Gojo's rubbing off on me... hehe...'

I stay still as my three opponents rush towards me. I close my eyes, ensuring my heartrate is calm during this before they snap open. I twist, backbending so the first of the two actual swords fly just short of my face. I turn as I get up enough to elbow the guy in the face before kicking his legs out from under him.

I quickly spin to my left to avoid the other real sword, using my wooden one to prevent it from cutting the fallen in the face. I punch the guy in the face, sending him to the ground before grabbing the hilt of the real sword and pushing my foot down to get it out of the wooden one.

With the two more-threatening swords out of the enemy's hands, I spin to my left again. This time though, I take a page from Gojo's book. I lean against the back of the older man, holding the blade close enough to his neck.

"Two of three." I simply state as my free hand waves to those recording from where our audience from both inside and outside stand. "Now. I'll be leaving with my katana now."

I glance back to him, seeing him staring at the blade at his neck. I pull it away, letting it drop to the ground before walking towards the only person standing in front of the case containing the sword.

"You can't just get it!" The guy says. "This thing's cursed! Anyone who's touched it ended up dead! Why do you think we don't let anyone touch it!"

"Please." I huff. "What I live with would put any pathetic curse that has to shame."

I hold my hand out.

"Either unlock that case and give me the blade, or I'll do it myself." I state.

"You can't be serious!" He glares.

"I'm as cursed as it is." I simply say. "I won't ask again. Let me remove this cursed object out of the lives of everyone here."

He looks at me in slight surprise before he tosses me the key to the clear case and quickly moves to the other side of the dojo. I step forward, seeing that there's a pathetic excuse of a talisman covering the lock. I rip the paper off before I put the key in, unlock it, and open the case.

'May not know much about cursed energy, but I can tell this has some. But it shouldn't be enough to kill someone... probably just something attached to it.'

I pick it up with my left hand, partially unsheathing it with my right hand until I see the expected engraving along the blade near the hilt. I sheath it and take note of the particular gold designs around the end of the hilt.

'Just as I thought. My research didn't lead me astray.'

I put the strap of the sheathed blade over my head and adjust it so that the hilt partially sticks over my left shoulder. I pull out my phone, keeping my back to the two men on the ground and the man still in shock from having a real blade put to his neck by someone younger than him. I hold my phone out with a peace sign before snapping the pic.