Sable Chains

I stood out in the courtyard while Marth of the Biarro household stood a few meters across from me. He gave me a grim smile as he polished his longsword.

"H-hey Seiya?"

Ordos called and I looked over my shoulder.

"What is it?"

"I don't think it's a good idea to fight Marth, not to mention… kill him. I mean, he's a noble and-"

"And? What does that change? His title doesn't matter to me, let alone affect me."

"Well umm-"

"I'm just going to give him a little discipline."

"Yeah but Seiya, are you sure you'll win?"

I looked over at Marth who was getting up. He inspected his right hand. It gave off a grey glow. Then it suddenly grew fur. The muscles on his forearm bulked up and his nails became claws.

If I recall, his Spirito is a werewolf, and he himself is a Lycan. Now, I know that they sound like the same thing, but it's a bit different. Werewolves are basically wolves, but bigger. Lycans are humanoid. Now, it's the afternoon, so the sun is still up so he can't become a Lycan, but he can still activate his Spirito. When the moon rises though… he'll become much stronger and faster. And the sun sets in about ten minutes. However, I won't need much time. I'll beat him before the sunsets.

"It depends. Now stay back, you'll get hurt if you interrupt."

"Alright."

Ordos turned and joined a crowd of spectators. All of them being the ones that passed the entrance exam, and those that failed. Well, some of them left because they weren't interested in watching a fight, but that doesn't matter. They began to whisper, but I could hear them.

"Do you think he stands a chance against Marth?"

"I don't know, but if the moon comes out, then he's done for."

"Yeah, I feel bad being that guy."

Hmph, is Marth really that strong? Well, the ones that were talking were the ones that failed, the ones that passed were rolling their eyes and just fooling around.

Good grief, I'm wasting time. At this rate, the sun will set.

"Now then, shall we get started?"

I would ask as I pulled my daggers out. Marth looked over at me and grinned at me.

"No."

"Hmm?"

"Let's have a reward? If I win, you will do whatever I say."

"Whatever you say?"

He wants me to be his servant? He's confident that he'll win, huh? Well, I'm not so sure of winning myself. I haven't even unlocked my Spirito form yet.

But maybe…

"How about you?"

Marth said, interrupting my thoughts. Hmm, what should I get if I win? Well, I don't really want anything. But, since he disrespected the princess, he should apologize, but he hasn't done that yet.

"I don't want anything. Beating your ass is enough for me."

"Tch, don't get so cocky."

He clicked his tongue. I took a quick glance at Aurelia and she looked away.

"I guess I'll be administering this fight."

We both turned our heads to see the headmaster. He was still in his large robe, but something about his eyes was weird. I'd notice that he had owl eyes. So his Spirito is an owl? I wanted that, but I got stuck with a black dragon.

"Before you start, there will be some rules. One, no killing."

I feel like that's mostly directed at me, but I felt a huge amount of bloodlust coming from Marth. Looks like he wants to kill me more than I want to kill him. No matter, I'll kick his ass once he finds out what he's gotten himself into.

The headmaster continued to add some more rules. More rules to keep us from killing each other and rules to not damage his courtyard. Lastly, the rules that were implemented in the entrance exam had been brought over here.

"Now, are you both ready?"

Marth got into a low stance like he was going to pounce or something. He's gonna fly towards me and when he can't reach me, he'll use his sword. He's like an open book.

"I'm ready. It all depends on him."

His aura began to leak out from his back. A grey aura with blue particles. The ground underneath him began to heat up and blue flames wrapped around his sword.

If he's going to be releasing his aura, then I will too.

Doooooooom~

The surrounding air began to darken, and my body dimmed a rich purple color. I would then get into a stance.

"I'm prepared and fully concentrated."

Let's see what he's got.

"Alright. Three, two, one… begin!"

We both dashed at each other, but surprisingly Marth was faster. He swung his claws and his blade at the same time. I managed to dodge and attempted to cut his wolf-like arm, but my daggers had no effect.

"Nice try."

Marth quickly turned around and slashed his sword at me. I blocked with my daggers, but I suddenly heard a crack. I flew back. When I landed on my feet, I looked at my daggers. Pieces of them fell onto the ground. Huh, remind me to never buy cool and expensive looking daggers because they break easily. Damn it, they even had sharp edges. There goes 10 gold coins I used to buy these things.

"What's wrong? Giving up already because your weapon broke? Gehehe~"

Marth chuckled and laughed proudly. This guy really ticks me off.

"Don't get so cocky."

I threw my daggers away as they have no use now since they were broken. I took out my ninja sword, which was strapped to my back, and engulfed them with purple flames.

"Come on, let's continue."

Marth smiled grimly and got into the same stance. I didn't hesitate; I propelled myself with a soaring fist and launched myself forward. But Marth was smarter than I thought. As I was about to swing my sword, he ducked and then thrusted his fist into my stomach.

"Gough!"

"Hehe, die!"

Dom!

I felt a wave of kinetic force travel through my body and I was launched into the air. Not even a second later and Marth suddenly appeared above me. He hammered me in the chest and I plunged down into the ground, causing a very loud crash that rung my ears.

Shit… he's powerful and more intelligent than I thought. I think I'm going a bit too easy on him. I'll have to step up my game. At this rate, I'll be a servant of some stupid pretty boy.

"Ahahahaha! Is that all?! And here I thought that you would actually prove a challenge. Maybe you did pass by luck."

He's annoying me. I'll have to resort to my ultimate technique, but first I need to put him in a corner.

I got up and looked around. My right eye was filled with blood, so it looks like I'm temporarily blind on my right side.

Looks like I'm going to need someone to protect my right.

"Fuuu…"

"Huh? What the?"

I turned my head and standing to my right was my doppelganger clad in darkness. It turned its attention to me and nodded.

"Is that… shadow magic?"

"Why didn't he use that earlier?"

"I've never seen a shadow user before."

I heard noises coming from the spectators. Never seen one before? Didn't Ombra say some know how to use it? Is it not common?

"Relying on numbers won't do you any good."

Marth said as he stood proudly. Tch, he's annoying me…

I took a step forward and my doppelganger did the same.

"Ho? You're approaching me? Even though you're injured, you approach me?"

"I can't kick your ass if I don't get close. Can I?"

"Hehe, well then, come as close as you like."

He took a step forward as well, but before he took another step, my doppelganger appeared in front of him and swung its shadow blade. Marth was quick to react and bent back. He swung his fire covered sword, but all it did was phase through my shadow.

"What the-?"

Suddenly, I appeared behind him and plunge my sword, aimed at his neck. He rolled to the side, evading my strike. As he got onto his feet, I ordered my doppelganger to distract him until I can get my ultimate attack ready.

My doppelganger dashed towards Marth and bombarded him with a barrage of quick slashes. Marth quickly transformed his other hand and blocked my doppelganger's attacks.

While my doppelganger does its business, I'll have to ready my attack.

The sun was setting and the courtyard was now darkened. This is perfect.

I placed my hands on the ground and began to focus all my mana into my hands. While I did that, the shadows would provide me with an infinite amount of mana. After I perform this move, my mana won't be affected, but my stamina definitely will.

My aura began to fade away. Of course, bringing out my aura would mean releasing some of my mana, so I'll have to retract it if I want to perform this move.

I looked over at my doppelganger, who was keeping Marth at bay. It was doing alright, but Marth was starting to make a comeback. Eventually, a few seconds later, Marth managed to grab my doppelganger by the neck and then he crushed it, leaving a puff of black mist.

"Useless. You think your shadow could defeat me? No… it's useless!"

He ran towards me furiously and as he got closer, he jumped into the air and prepared to attack me.

However, I had finished the preparations. Now it's time to let loose.

"You've already lost."

"Huh?"

Suddenly, countless large purple colored magic formations appeared around us. At first, Marth was confused until he saw a horde of black chains shooting out of the circles.

Chink!

"W-what the?"

"Sable chains… you have no chance of fighting back now."

The chains wrapped around Marth's arms, legs, chest, everything. He was encased in chains; he was trapped.

"You think these chains can stop me?!"

Marth managed to break a few chains, letting his left arm loose. However, more chains came out and wrapped around his arm again.

"How?"

"Break one and more will come."

This is the attack I've been preparing. Sable chains. Sable means black if you didn't know.

"These chains are made from one's incompetence, that one being you."

I taunted.

"Y-you mock me?"

He gritted his teeth as he struggled to break the chains. It was futile, more just kept coming. I took a hold of one of the chains and tugged on it. The chains suddenly constricted and Marth's face suddenly began to turn blue.

"Alright, that's enough."

The headmaster yelled, and I withdrew my attack. All the chains retracted into their circles and the magic formations vanished. Marth fell onto the floor and inhaled as much oxygen as he can.

"The winner is Seiya Gekiryu."

I dropped onto the ground and looked up at the sky. The moon had started to rise.

Looks like I lucked out. If I went any further, I would've lost all of my strength.

This is my victory.

"I will not accept this."

However, Marth says otherwise.

"I will not be defeated by some… low-level trash!"

Shit, I wish I can fight back, but I've lost all of my strength.

"Today's a full moon, excellent."

Suddenly, Marth began to give off a silver glow. When I raised my head to see what was going on, moonlight came down and poured onto Marth like a spotlight. His whole body began protruding. His human skin was being replaced with fur and he was getting bigger.

Now in his place, gleaming under the moonlight, was a large Lycan with claws the size of a human's forearm and was standing at 12 feet tall. He had grey fur and his eyes glowed piercing blue.

"Prepare to die!"

He said with a deep voice and dashed towards me, but I couldn't move. Looks like I'm dying twice now. That's just great.

But right when Marth's claw was about to swipe my head away, a bright glowing figure landed in between us, knocked me and Marth away from each other.

I laid there, dazzled, but someone helped me up. Who's there?

"Hey, you alright?"

Oh, I know that voice, it's Ordos.

"Get off me, your assistance is unneeded."

"Huh?"

I suddenly sank into the shadows and all I could hear next was the surprised noises from Ordos. The shadows wrapped around my body, repairing all my wounds. The shadows are mine to control so I can mend any part of my body that's been wounded. This was the effect of Ombra's blessing.

I would appear back onto the surface again, with no trace of blood on any part of my body. The vision in my right eye had returned. It was silent and I could see a bright glow coming from my left side. I didn't want to turn away because I'll be looking at the stupid face of Ordos, so I looked at who had landed between us.

Flash!

It was Aurelia who had landed in between us, and she had the end of her rapier right in front of Marth's face.

"Don't be a sore loser, you'll be shattering your family's pride."

"Y-yes…"

Marth said with a trembling voice.

"Now, I believe you owe me an apology."

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