Chapter 153 : The Intertwined Fate (Part 1)

20 minutes ago.

Meanwhile during the battle that would decide the fate of this icy land.

Alicia and the others were waiting at the entrance of the Boss room's door.

The floor began to tremble and they could feel the dangerous vibes from all over the castle.

Alicia looked at the giant door with worry. It was so tightly shut they could neither enter nor open it again.

Hiba sighed frustratedly at this point, "Seriously, does this guy feel like he's someone so important?!"

Gilbert couldn't help but feel the same knowing that Rei took the spotlight to himself and left them behind.

But he decided to stand up for him instead, "I think, he has his reason to fight it by himself."

"Yeah? Then what's the point of bringing us here when he could just brute force his way through the boss room? We're basically air!" Hiba spoke angrily.

When listening to that, they couldn't help but laugh.

Hiba's face flushed at that, "W-what's so funny?!"

Alicia smiled, "Hiba-san seems angry, but you're actually more worried about him than us, aren't you?"

"No I'm not!" Hiba shouted, his cheeks turned even redder, "I mean he's reckless…but he's our hope to resolve the curse." He crossed his hands and huffed, looking away from the group

And that lightened up the mood a bit for them.

Until...

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*RUMBLE* *RUMBLE*

The castle started to shake, and they immediately felt a strong presence around them.

"What happened?!—ugh..."

Which began to suffocate them, causing their body to become heavy as if something weighed them down.

*BOOM*

Then a sound of explosion erupted and the floor shook harder, causing them to lose their balance.

"We need to get out!! It will be dangerous if we stay here!" Raven shouted.

Hiba helped Alicia to stand while Gilbert followed Raven from behind as they ran away from their previous spot.

At the same time, outside of the castle, an army of Halvenburg that was led by Duke Sigebehrt, Vincent Van Sigeberht had arrived in the [Dangerous Zone], after making their way through the forest.

Ashley and the other S-class Adventurers were standing beside the duke when they saw the castle before their eyes.

"Good heavens...to think such a place like this is hidden under our noses this whole time." Vincent muttered.

Heisman stood beside him wearing a set of armor as well, "Indeed my lord...this is our first time seeing something like this."

"We must set out quickly, since our one and only hope is fighting alone inside."

"We shall charge with full force!! Those who aren't ready, feel free to back out!" Vincent shouted towards his army.

But before they could take another step...

They saw something unbelievable.

*BOOM*

At the top part of the castle, a strong magical force was shot out, creating a large explosion.

Everyone who saw that immediately stopped their movement.

Vincent just stood there, watching with wide eyes. It was a bit difficult but they could see the back of a man standing by the hole at the top of the castle.

And in front of that man.

*SWOOSH*

A monster.

It was a being that so powerful....powerful enough to cause a magical wave which made all the creatures who were present here to momentarily stop their breath.

'What...is that...'

That being revealed a pair of wings, two horns on his forehead, and a dark scale which covered almost all of his face.

And that would be the first time...

For the proud Northerners had meet the strongest being in this world.

And that is...

The former hero.

*******

Meanwhile, Rei, who was directly facing this monster in front of him, couldn't help but to feel fear crawling all over his body.

And he could feel that his hand was trembling for a moment.

'This chills…to think I would felt it again.' Rei broke a cold sweat.

'[Dragonification]...a skill that only a Dragon or someone who absorbs [Dragon's Heart] can obtain.'

'By transforming part of their body into dragon part, they could released a strong skill that only [Dragons] could have.'

'And this skill...is the same skill that [King of Destruction] used to kill me.'

But instead of cowering from his fear, Rei sighed for a moment before tightening his grip on his sword and released his [Haki] to fight off the fear and the pressure coming from his enemy.

"I'm not the same person as I was 7 years ago." Rei then aimed his sword on his right hand, while all his weapons flew back towards him.

"I will continue to become stronger...stronger...and the strongest!"

His [Haki] spiked up, which managed to counter the monster in front of him.

Muramasa only stared at his determination, then smiling widely.

"Yeah, that's more like it."

*FLAP*

He stretched his wings out, then he lifted his right hand.

"....???" Rei was confused when he looked at his action.

"[Creation Forge]."

Something came out from his hand...

And in a flash...

*SWOOSH*

Rei failed to react in time.

And his body immediately was thrown outside of the castle in a straight line towards the ground.

*BOOM*

Rei crashed to the ground.

*TSKKKK*

When Muramasa approached the hole in his castle, he found Rei managed to block his katana that was flying straight at him by using his sword while he covered himself with [Haki].

*TSSSKKK*

"Ughh—?!"

The katana clashed as it tried to drill towards his body, but luckily he managed to block it with his sword.

*TING*

But then he pushed against it with brute force and broke the katana away with a single sword.

'So heavy..?!! Unlike that one attack before...these are...two—no....ten times stronger than before!' Rei thought.

"You think that's all there is to it?" Then Rei looked up as Muramasa was already standing in mid-air.

"Hmmm...nothing is better than fresh air, isn't that right?" Muramasa smiled while several katanas flew around him.

The several katanas multiplied from one to two, then two to four and four to eight...

As the it continues to multiply, the numbers of the katana that is flying in mid-air are roughly around thousands.

'W-wha—?!'

Then...

A coincidence happened.

"Crimson-san!" A woman's voice called out his name.

It was Alicia, followed by the others who were about to get out through the gate of the castle.

Rei immediately noticed their presence, 'No...you shouldn't be here!'

And at the same time...

"Very well, protect them as much as you could."

Muramasa commanded his katanas to rain down the whole area where Rei was standing.

Including...Alicia.

"Run—!!"

"Huh—??" Alicia looked up to see what's happening, and her eyes grew wide

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*

The whole area was bombed with every katana that he created on the spot and caused a huge explosion, like a missile.

Dust and snow scattered around and covered the whole area with it.

Muramasa couldn't assess the situation of what happened to him, but he's sure that Rei's life force was still alive within those dust.

And surprisingly...

"Ohh? You managed to protect them, I am surprised." Muramasa stated as he could see there were other life forces that were still alive around him.

Alicia, who closed her eyes and tightened her staff in fear, immediately opened it and found herself surrounded with a hexagonal barrier along with the others inside.

"This is..."

Alicia noticed a shield flying above them and protecting them from such a devastating attack.

But, if his shield was here...

Alicia shifted her attention towards Rei who's very much defenseless.

"Crimson-san!!!" She shouted his name, but there's no response.

That was, until...

'[Sprint]...[Fly]....[Telekinesis].'

Within those dust, a silhouette of a man was seen and...

*SWOOSH*

Launched himself up at high speed towards Muramasa.

It was Rei who covered in his black flame and immediately went to counter him.

Muramasa created two katanas on his hands and reacted towards his presence.

*TING*

Muramasa's body flew back when his katanas clashed against Rei's sword as he pushed him through the air.

*TSKKKKKK*

Their faces were close to each other when their blades clashed.

"You survived that, I see." Muramasa commented while calmly looking at Rei's state.

*TSSSS*

Rei was covered in cuts and currently bleeding, but all those injuries were closed by burning his own flesh to cauterization those injuries.

And that process, must be very painful to endure even for a normal person.

But his eyes were still filled with vigor as if he didn't feel any pain.

"Well...I cannot afford to die!"

Then his sword released a chilling aura, a cold mist.

'[Absolute Zero]!'

*CRACK*

In an instant, his katanas froze.

"....?! This magic?!" Muramasa surprised when seeing a familiar magic used in front of him.

Then Rei grabbed his axe on his left hand, and swung it down towards them.

*SHATTERS*

It shattered his katanas into pieces due to the frost that reduced the durability of his katanas in a short time.

But that was far from over, Rei immediately swung his sword again towards him.

In that moment, it should take time for Muramasa to create another katana or throw it at him since Rei already anticipated it by retracting his shield.

Muramasa opened his mouth.

*SHINGGG*

A dark energy ball gathered in front of his mouth at point blank when Rei was right in front of his face.

'[Breath]—?! In this distance—'

*ZWONG*

A laser of darkness was shot out of his mouth.

Rei immediately reacted by tilting his head to his right and dodged such a deadly attack by hair's breadth.

Yet, his body still sustained damage on his left shoulder which was injured from his breath.

The laser landed on the ground, creating another large explosion.

But Rei didn't shift his focus on it, and noticed that Muramasa immediately created two katanas before attacking him.

Muramasa lifted his katana on his right hand and swung it downward towards him.

Rei responded to his strike by swinging his sword upwards.

*TING*

As their blade clashed, they took a small distance away and swung another strike.

Muramasa swung his left katana to his right side.

Then Rei lifted his axe and swung it downward towards it.

*TING*

Their blades clashed once more, as each strike created a strong force between them.

With their body clad in [Haki], they didn't give each other a chance by continuing to strike each other.

Rei swung his axe to his right side.

Muramasa swung his right katana to respond to his strike.

*TING*

Then Rei performed a stab and thrusted his sword at him.

*TSSKKK*

But Muramasa used his left katana to let his sword slip through to his side, then swung his right katana to strike him back.

*TING*

But it was stopped by his flying shield, causing [Gorgon's Eyes] to activate.

Muramasa's body suddenly felt heavier but he didn't mind and opened his mouth in point blank distance again.

*SHINGG*

But before he could release it.

*SWOOSH*

Something interrupted him.

*BAM*

And that was his spear, flying through and slipping between them, hitting Muramasa's chin which redirected his breath attack.

*ZWONG*

Towards upward and it hit the sky instead.

Rei took this opportunity by lifting his axe, clad it in his black flame and swung it down in full force towards his head.

'[Smash]!'

*BAM*

A direct hit towards his face, causing Muramasa to fly back to make a few distances away from him.

Muramasa looked straight at him as he felt his blood start dripping off from his head.

He touched his forehead, there's a small grazes on his dark scale.

"I am impressed, that flame is indeed dangerous, it could even penetrate my dragon's scale." Muramasa spoke.

"But...it comes with a price I see." Muramasa examined Rei's body.

There was not only cut injuries, but also burned one all over his body.

But Rei remained standing, despite almost passing out from all those pain he received.

Muramasa raised his hand, "You are definitely strong, but since we have an audience...don't you think they need some company?"

Muramasa smirked as he was planning something.

*SWOOSH*

Rei didn't give him a chance to do it so he dashed towards him, switched his axe with his spear and performed a thrust.

*TING*

But his spear was clogged in between walls of katanas that appeared in mid-air. Rei couldn't move from his spot and was stuck there.

"Dammit—!"

Muramasa created multiple katanas that were flying in mid-air, the numbers are roughly around 500.

Half the numbers from what be created before.

At the same time, he released his [Haki] that was much stronger than before.

"This is my domain skill that I developed during those boring days."

Muramasa spoke, "[Creation Forge : Sword Grave Domain]....[Second Form]."

Then he swung his hand down, as his katanas rained down towards the ground around the castle and close to the army.

Alicia and the others remained on the same spot where they saw one of the katanas stuck on the ground in front of them.

The [Haki] that Muramasa released began to spread out and each of them linked towards the katanas on the ground.

Muramasa put his hand together like he was praying.

"[Great Armed Death]."

After that, all the katanas that stuck on the ground released a strong aura that suddenly formed into something.

Something that is out of this world.

They looked like a human, people with black armor as they held all the katanas that were stuck on the ground.

"What....is this..." Rei was shocked to see an army made from Muramasa's katanas and aura appearing out of nowhere.

They were now facing Vincent and his army.

"[Great Armed Death], a skill that creates a puppet of a warrior using my own aura and magical power."

"Which mean, they shared my life force which means they are stronger than regular puppet monster." Muramasa warned.

Rei clicked his tongue in annoyance, "Tsk...."

"Well I need to play my cards, since you have shown something interesting, I'm no Hero after all...so, you better start moving." Muramasa smiled.

*TSKKK TING*

Rei immediately pulled out his spear with brute force and put a distance away from him.

'This is dangerous...to think he would create an army in just a matter of seconds.' Rei looked down.

He saw the names on top of these puppets soldiers he mentioned.

[Death Puppet]

It was orange colored, which indicated that they're weaker than Muramasa.

But it could also mean that they were still stronger than those people led by Vincent.

'What am I supposed to do....' Rei was caught between a rock and a hard place, but with the enemy in front of him, he didn't have much time left.

It didn't take long for a fight to break out.

"We shall not back down!! Our savior is now fighting against the boss!! Do not falter and go forward!!!" Vincent shouted while lifting his sword.

"Yeahh!!!!" And his army responded to him with full vigor.

"Show them that us Northerners cannot be trifled with!!!" Vincent began to charge together with his army, along with the S-class adventurers who were left behind with him and other adventurers in Halvenburg.

Upon hearing that battle cry, Rei couldn't look back.

His eyes shifted towards the entrapped Alicia that was still within the enemy territory with the others.

But...

They also began to fight as well.

"We shall not back down! Crimson-san was still fighting, so we must continue to fight!" Alicia shouted while releasing her light magic and buffed Hiba, Raven and Gilbert.

They fought against the army of puppets that Muramasa created.

Rei was overwhelmed by guilt, but his eyes didn't falter and still holding his weapons.

'I shall put my trust in them.' Rei then looked at what was in front of him.

Muramasa remained in his spot, observing these people who still continued to fight against an army that shared his strength.

"To think I would witness something like this…well, it color me surprised—"

*TING*

Rei interrupted him by swinging his sword, yet Muramasa responded by using his katana to block it.

"Not even letting me finish my speech?" Muramasa showed him a teasing smile.

Then Rei switched his spear with his axe again and pulled his sword back while lifting his axe to swing it down towards him.

*TING*

But Muramasa responded to his axe by swinging his katana that caused their weapons to deflect each other.

Rei backed away again.

"I have given you too many turns." Muramasa spoke as he immediately appeared right in front of him.

*SWOOSH*

Then swinging his katana again towards an unguarded Rei.

*TING*

His shield reacted fast and blocked his strike at the right moment.

Causing Muramasa's body to weaken again due to the effect of [Gorgon's Eyes].

Then Rei moved his shield aside as he flew up and spun his body around to swing his axe from above.

'[Spinning Wheel].'

Then Muramasa lifted his other katana.

*TING* *TING* *TING*

Then block the spinning strikes.

Muramasa calmly stared at his action, but he was surprised by his sudden action.

'....?!'

While his body was spinning, it was followed by him changing his sword into a spear.

'[Deadly Strike].'

Then thrust his spear downward towards him.

Muramasa of course lifted his katana to block his strikes but.

*SWOOSH*

His spear suddenly curved and slipped through his katana that managed to hit his chest.

*TING*

But his spear didn't pierce through his hard dragon's scale but he was still surprised that his technique was able to change weapons that fast.

Muramasa opened his mouth and took this chance to shoot him with his breath.

Rei reacted by changing his axe into his shield, then he lifted it.

*ZWONG*

He managed to block his breath but it still pushed him back due its strong firepower.

Rei felt something strange, '....? The firepower...had weakened?' And that he noticed

Muramasa immediately appeared behind him and swung his katana to his side.

*SWOOSH*

Rei managed to dodge it by flying over his head, followed by his body which turned around at the same time above his head.

Then he changed his spear into a sword and clad it with his black flame, swinging it towards Muramasa.

*TING*

Muramasa blocked his sword again with his katana, this time he clad it with his [Haki] which made it durable enough so his blade wouldn't melt this time.

Then instead of using his breath, he created several katanas around him and threw them at Rei.

*SWOOSH*

Rei pulled back but couldn't react to his flying katanas that managed to slip through his sword and shield when he tried to block it.

"Ughh—?!"

His waist, left shoulder and right thigh got injured in the process.

*SWOOSH*

But Muramasa's katanas were still flying and changed their direction towards Rei's back.

Rei decided to fly away from his spot right in front of Muramasa's eyes. He decided to follow him with his katanas that were still chasing behind him.

'As expected...I wasn't wrong.'

Rei looked over his shoulder. Muramasa was still following him, and he shifted his eyes on something above his head.

And that...

'His name color changed into red instead of black.'

'Which mean his status had been weakened.'

'Since when? I know having his 30% status stolen doesn't seem significant for a dragon.'

Rei then noticed it something again, 'Was it when he created those puppets? He did tell me that he shared his aura to created those army...which mean having many people in the field, created such loophole such as that.'

'I didn't think through...' Rei bit his lips, 'But that will endanger their life, if I taken too long to defeat him.'

'Despite having his status being weakened...his strike is still heavy.'

'So...what I need to do is...'

'To end this fight before my fatigue hits rock bottom.' Rei thought then accelerated his speed.

*SWOOSH*

One katana managed to catch up with his speed.

Rei moved to the side and dodged his katana, then he noticed the abnormal movement of each katana that were flying around him.

It curved around and followed his movement to make sure each katana dealt fatal damage through all direction.

*SWOOSH*

Rei then accelerated his speed again, as they now flew above the fight underneath them.

*SWOOSH*

He began to spun his body to dodge two katanas that approached him.

*SWOOSH*

Then making a sudden curve in his flight so those katanas could fly straight and lose him for a moment.

*SWOOSH*

After that, Rei decided to fly upwards, towards the high clouds and passed through it.

*SWOOSH*

His katanas still followed him even as they passed through the clouds.

But Rei anticipated this, when the katanas came out from the clouds along with Muramasa.

Rei was up there.

'[Wind Arrow]...[Fire Arrow]...[Hell Flame].'

He's holding his bow with his fiery arrow that was made in the spot, then he combined it together with his black flame.

Those katanas spread out as if it knew his intention.

But Rei changed his plan, his arrow suddenly split into multiple ones.

'1....3...7...9...13...' Rei counted all the flying katanas that were about to strike him.

'Target locked on....[Archery Artillery Arts: Homing Missile].'

Then he let go of his string, shot the same number of arrows to match his katanas.

*BOOM*

Despite them trying to dodge his arrows by moving irregularly, his arrows managed to follow their movement and struck them down.

But Muramasa flew straight towards Rei who was already letting go of his bow.

*SWOOSH*

And behind him, was his spear spinning in mid-air, added with his black flame, it created a strong spiral wave of flame.

"The same technique, I see!"

Muramasa already seen that technique of his, which was why he still flew straight towards him.

"Do you think that could stop me?!" Muramasa spoke and taking a stance that what he did before.

An Iaido stance.

"No....that's why I decided to take a different approach." Rei spoke and grabbed his spinning black flaming spear.

"...?!"

Then he moved his body as his feet landed on his shield as a foothold.

*SWOOSH*

Finally he launched himself towards Muramasa.

*SWOOSH*

With his body accelerated due to the mass and gravity that hold the planet…

'[Spear Arts].'

His body clad in flame as he threw himself with his spear on his hands.

'[Iaido Arts].'

Muramasa couldn't stop himself from moving so he went head on towards him,

*CLINK*

Muramasa swung his katana in straight horizontal line while having his body launched towards him...

Then Rei thrusted his spear towards his enemy's strike while falling in high-speed, as his back suddenly released an aura that formed something like a wing.

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As the two about to crash one another...

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They released their technique.

'[Falling Dragon].' (Rei)

'[Swift Cut].' (Muramasa)

*TING*

The performed their techniques, as they went pass through each other.

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In that moment...

*SPURT*

Rei was the first one who got diagonal cut through out his chest as blood splattered through the sky.

"Agh..." Rei coughed blood.

But what about his opponent?

*BAM*

Muramasa stayed at his position.

"Ugh...to think her technique could be applied at spear...' as a large hole was created on his left abdomen while he coughed blood as well.

Muramasa who received fatal damage and couldn't maintaining to keep flying, then he finally fell down the high clouds.

*TSSSS*

Rei immediately closed his wound with his black flame, and drinking his potion.

Then he panted heavily as he he felt his body was at its limit, even flying was hard for him right now.

As his body slowly fly down, his eyes fixated to the spot where Muramasa fell.

'I know this is unfair, but with your weakened state, even I could defeat a monster with red name.'

'This is my win...Muramasa.' Rei spoke while watching Muramasa falling down to the earth.

Rei sighed reliefed as his body slowly flying down.

But....

'It's finally....end—'

*SHINNNNGGG*

After he finally let his guard down.

Suddenly a bright light came from the cloud beneath him.

"...?!" Rei was alerted by a big presence that appeared out of nowhere.

*SWOOSH*

A large dark arm emerged from the clouds.

"Wha—?!"

Then grabbed Rei's body and restrained his movement.

*"Do you think you could defeat me...human?"*

A dragon's head emerged from the clouds.

With name above its head, [The Ancient Evil Dragon, Fafnir] turned into black again.

Then when its body emerged out, it revealed the size was so enormous that it almost matched the castle he saw before, while its wings that could swallow the entire sky with its dark color.

It was finally turning into a real boss battle.

Now, Rei is facing a full fledged adult dragon with black scales.

*"GRAAAAAA!!!!"*

Muramasa had finally shown his true form.

The form of the true [The Ancient Evil Dragon, Fafnir]

Rei was surprised by the sudden appearance, 'My feeling was correct...I should have ended him before he could change into his true form...'

*"Now...you will taste true despair!!!"* Muramasa declared.

But Rei just smile, "Heh, such a cliche answer...don't you have anything else than that?!" And spoke boldly despite him being in this state.

*"What?!"*

That is until...

*SWOOSH*

A giant fist suddenly emerged out of nowhere from his right side, and launched...

*BAM*

A punch towards Muramasa's face.

*"AGHH—?!"*

At that moment, he let go of Rei from his vice grip and he took his chance to fly away from there.

"Took you long enough..."

Rei muttered towards the emerging hand that appeared beside him.

It came from a portal and....

Another dragon made an appearance

"Such a nasty disciple, to think you would be using the chances I gave you just for me to clean up your mess." A familiar voice was heard.

A dragon with the same size as Muramasa, its scales red like fiery flame with its golden horns and flapped its wide wings.

She was called as the [The King of Dragons].

[The Ancient Red Dragon, Ignia] had arrived.

*"Am I late for the party?~"*

To be continued....