Kusamonogatari

Vol.3 Chapter 5

草物語

Chapter 61: Here comes the new challenger!

I took the first move and leapt towards him. I wouldn't want to underestimate an opponent like him, so I shape-shifted my sword into the form of an axe.

I pumped 70% of my mana into my axe and it started glowing brightly.

"AXECALLIBUR!!!!"

A beam of destruction was launched at him and Clair but the black swordsman calmly reached for his sword.He placed his left hand holding the sheath and lowered his body. He closed both his eyes until the beam entered into his range. The blade was pulled out of the sheath at great speed and it went back into the sheath in a quick succession. Only the sound of the hilt hitting the sheath was heard along with the dissipated beam.

"You gotta be kidding me..." To think I ran into an expert.

"Bet." He said confidently.

"I'm far from being done." I shifted the axe back into a sword.

"Let's dance." The swordsman seems heated.

The swordsman took the first move this time and unleashed a flurry of attacks to push me back.

I lowered my body in an attempt to sweep him off his feet. Noticing what I was aiming for, he had two options, the first one is to jump up but he can't dodge in mid air so he will go with the second option which is to step out of my sweeping range. Just as planned he stepped out of my range. Using the force of one leg, I pushed my body up with my back facing him and I tried to stab him by bending backwards and extending my sword towards him.

"Formless stance?, and you didn't go for the kill?" The swordsman found it amusing as blood started to flow from a cut on his cheek.

"There's no need for any of us to die fighting for the woman." I need to know where he fits into this equation.

"Look, just let the both of us go and you'll never see us again." the swordsman spoke.

'This is getting so exciting!!' I yelled internally.

I regained my composure,"No can't do, I haven't solved the case yet."

The swordsman got irritated,"Is this all just a game to you?"

I smiled. "Bet."

I pulled back my sword and returned to my original stance. The swordsman was angry, he sheathed his sword and got into a sword drawing posture.

I charged into him with my sword, I entered into his range and in a split second he tried to slice me diagonally. However to his surprise, the sword was stuck in between my fingers enhanced with metal ki.

I stabbed him in his stomach and twisted the wound. He grimaced a little but immediately tensed his muscles around his abdomen which resulted in me unable to pull out my sword. He then let go of his sword that was stuck in my fingertips and tried to unleash a sword drawing attack with his second sword.

I released my sword that was embedded in his stomach along with his sword that i catched and attempted to use my fingers to catch the second sword.

However he learnt his lesson, so he just sliced the ground and created a smokescreen.

"You needed some space?" I mocked him.

"Now I see..." the swordsman spoke.

"?"I wondered what he's talking about.

"You deny your weapon's true purpose! It yearns to bathe in the blood of your enemies... but you hold it back." the swordsman came to a realization.

"What would you know about me?" I said.

"You haven't killed anyone before haven't you?" The swordsman spoke.

"You would be the first if we continue this chatter. I stabbed you in the intestines, you will bleed out if you remain here." I tried to intimidate him.

"You lost your sword, it's your loss." the swordsman said.

"That's not very persuasive for someone who lost his first."

"That's why I have 2 swords."

"...."

"...."

"That's not how it works." I refuted

"Bet." The black swordsman appeared from behind me and tried to slice off my neck.

However when the sword hit my tender neck, a loud metal ringing sound was sounded.

"Nice try." I responded.

He backed away, "I never seen an Earth Ki that dense. What are you?" The swordsman was impressed.

"I never seen someone as good as you just relying on pure sword techniques" I felt a compliment should be returned with another compliment.

"I appreciate that, but this fight won't get anywhere if I don't reveal my hand. But before that, can I get your name?" the swordsman respectfully asked.

I was hesitant but I told him anyway."...The name is Edge."

"Forgive me for disrespecting you by only using pure sword skills. You may call me Luna." the swordsman said.

"Enough talk, let's end this."I grew impatient.

"As you wish." Luna's sword turned black as it got infused by his ki.

And on top of the black Ki a white Ki started to infuse in the inner part of the sword. Both of the Ki mixed together forming a few spirals of white Ki on top of the black Ki, just like stars in the night sky.

"This better be good." I got excited and fortified my arms with metal Ki.

Luna slowly sheathed the sword with 2 Ki's mixing with each other in harmony. He lowered his stature and got ready to do a quick sword draw.

"Bet."

The sword gets pulled out of the sheath. The moment the pure white blade was exposed to the world, it dyed the whole world white. I found myself looking at nothing but a boundless space of pure white. I looked down and I couldn't even see my own body.

'Is this a mental attack?' I start wracking my mind to make sense of what is happening.

And all of the sudden the light became a total darkness. The darkness slowly crumbled and revealed that I have been standing in the same spot all this time.

Luna struck a pose as if he had cut something in the distance. And My right arm fell off onto the floor.

"To only lose an arm from my sword, you're a formidable opponent Edge." Luna said.

"You're incapable of fighting me now, I shall leave with my lady, and here's your sword." Luna pulled out the sword in his belly and threw it to me.

I see Luna walk towards Clair and he gives her a princess carry. They both left the scene while I got myself a bigger problem.

I held my right arm and was attempting to reattach it but my healing gift is not strong enough to reconnect nerves or bones.

"FUUUUUUUCK! Calli's gonna kill me!"

_______________________________________________

I want to take this opportunity to say thanks to those that came to support my stream. I find myself to be more focused when I stream, and the result is this freshly made new chapter which I made in just 3 hours. I think you can consider this as an extra chapter as I will make another for this week. Thanks for sticking with this story, to come this far with me, and together we will march towards the end of the story slowly but surely.