[Completed] Legend of the Five Knights I: Rise of a Guardian Angel

Episode 32: Kuroshi's Mission

Kuroshi watched as Tetsuya yelled several times over a gray tombstone while Serrano watched not too far away. The neophyte knight let out a frustrated groan as his shield failed to manifest for the hundredth time.

"Why won't it work again?" Tetsuya asked, shaking his head. He stared at the tombstone, trying to hold back the tears forming on the edges of his eyes.

"Relax," Serrano said, walking over to his cousin. He put a hand on his shoulders. "Your back is tense. Perhaps that's what's keeping you from activating it."

"You really think it's that? I activated it during the midst of battle, that's more stressful than this."

"You are overthinking things," Kuroshi said, emerging from behind an old apple tree. He reached his right hand out and directed his eyes toward the cousin. "Serrano, hand me Aventine."

"Huh?" Serrano said, eyes wide.

"You heard me, hand it here. This time it'll be my turn to test Tetsuya."

Serrano glanced at his cousin, who showed the same look of confusion. Neither understood how he would be able to use it as Aventine only transformed for its chosen ones. Nonetheless, the blue-haired knight removed his crystal earring and tossed it at the masked man.

Kuroshi grasped it with both hands and chuckled. Flares of dazzling purple light shot out of the areas between his gloved fingers. Once the light faded, a rust-colored sword appeared in his hands.

"No way," the cousins said. "How did you do it?"

"Woah there, you two are twins or something?" He chuckled as he swung Aventine slightly, creating a gust of wind capable of sending the two cousins flying several feet away.

"Such strength," Tetsuya said, his arms crossed over his face.

"He's not even Aventine's chosen," Serrano said, grunting against the pressure of the relentless wind.

Kuroshi ran a gloved hand through Aventine's sleek blade. The look he was giving it was like that of a man reunited with a beloved friend. "Tetsuya, try to protect your cousin."

Tetsuya tilted his head at the man. "Huh?"

Kuroshi glanced up and charged at Serrano, prompting Tetsuya to push his cousin aside. Quickly, Tetsuya raised his right arm over his face as if that would be enough to stop Aventine.

The sword came to a halt as the edge of the blade was one centimeter from striking his arm. Yet, Tetsuya's right sleeve was torn, and the multi-pound weights hidden underneath it shattered. Dark red blood oozed down the arm as the shards of his weights came crashing down, sinking several feet into the ground.

Kuroshi whistled. "You were actually carrying all that? Well, you're lucky you were. Otherwise, your arm would've met the same fate as those weights."

Tetsuya glared at Kuroshi yet at the same time smiled. "Yeah, I guess you can say I am lucky."

The masked man lowered his sword as his eyes shifted toward the silver and gold bracelet remaining on Tetsuya's right wrist. "I was sure that your shield would activate if I attacked your cousin. Maybe if I attack the princess, then it'll work."

"You won't be attacking anyone else!" Tetsuya yelled as he appeared behind Kuroshi. The man gasped as Tetsu threw a punch at the speed of sound.

"Good, at least your fighting skills have improved in this past month," Kuroshi said, blocking Tetsuya's fist with his pinky.

Tetsuya's eyes widened. He hadn't even seen him move!

"Alas, this still isn't enough," the man continued. "You and the others need more power if you desire to protect those you hold most dear!" He flicked the air.