Chapter 46: Test of Courage (II)

A space filled with loneliness that not even a single sound or life can be heard or seen.

It's like an endless cycle of both sorrow and despair.

Just a quick glance of the entire surroundings can make you feel empty.

It's an endless wasteland of dark memories are floating around everywhere in this dark empty space.

"Talya can see it, the emotions of big sister Ruri and big brother Haruki, Talya can now feel big sister Ruri and big brother Haruki's emotions."

Back in the dojo, Were the three standing on their side, respectively looking at each other to see who will make the first move in the second round of their battle.

***

Now that I used Soul Bound, and Flint using one too from my skill, Ruri was being cautious on what's her next move gonna be.

Ruri whispered to herself. "*Tsk* Even though the second round of our death battle hasn't started yet, I can't believe that I'm already trembling..." What will my next move be? Ruri asked herself.

Ruri is now being cautious and more serious just by looking at me and Flint, then I guess I need to be more serious too then.

"Flint, sneak behind her when I create another pair of swords if only we have a chance."

Woof!

Ruri started to draw her bow again with two arrows this time, she then said to me. "Let's start this now Haruki!"

As Ruri shouted that, she disappeared and the entire area was covered in a thick fog.

Flint and I couldn't see a thing in the entire area, so I said to Flint. "Flint, guard the back."

Woof!

Air Manipulation, that's one of the skills Ruri has, if she can control air, then my chance of losing is high.

Many things can be done with air, whether it's blowing a strong gust of wind, creating a tornado, producing smokes, or even poison gas.

And I remember Master telling me that he's more afraid of people with Air Manipulation than people with other elements.

Because he said that if an enemy has Air Manipulation, it's like an instant loss if you aren't careful because one of the specialties of Air Manipulating is making the oxygen level higher or even none.

And also, Air Manipulation can summon any type of thing as long as the air is used to create those things, then that's maybe the reason why my breathing is getting heavy and faster is because of one reason.

"Haruki! How do you like when I lowered the oxygen of the room!?" Whoosh!

Shit! That was close, good thing is Flint's with me to help me with the arrows.

"*Tsk* This is getting troublesome." Ruri said that and the fog was replaced with smoke this time.

This is bad, if I keep inhaling smoke and also if I lack oxygen, then I'm gonna lose in pain slowly.

"Then I'll just have to end this now! Flint, can you track Ruri with your scent?"

Woof! I sat on Flint's back, and Flint started running to track Ruri down.

Flint was running very fast that not even 30 seconds has passed, Ruri was already in front of us; surprised that Flint easily tracks her down. "Found you Ruri!" I created another pair of swords and threw the fire sword at her.

"Sh"t!" Ruri looks at her surroundings. "*Tsk*"

When the sword hit her, Ruri disappeared and a strong force of air came from her body like she was a balloon.

The smoke disappeared and the oxygen level went back to normal, but Ruri was gone.

"Where did she-" I don't even need to complete what I was saying because I already know where she is.

Arrows were floating above me and Flint, and Ruri was behind me drawing her bow on the back of my head.

I felt the arrow tingle on the backside of my head, so I immediately knew that Ruri was behind me.

When I looked at my left where Flint was, I saw him hesitate to even make a slight movement, because the arrows were floating and pointing at him.

"Did you think you got me there Haruki? But sorry you have to do more than throwing swords to defeat me."

"Ruri, think about this for a sec, you know that killing me won't accomplish anything, and that's the same with you dying."

"Oh really? Sorry Haruki, but for me, it would definitely get me something that I want, so goodbye Haruki."

As I blink my eyes, I saw another vision, and it was her again, the mysterious girl.

She smiled at me slowly, and she was also holding my father's sword; trying to give it to me. "Use it." The girl said.

I snickered and shouted. "Ignisvem!"

All the arrows deflected, and Ruri jumped back. "Why is there always a disturbance when I'm about to kill you? But looking at it Haruki... I'm proud."

"The same with you Ruri, you almost killed me twice even when I'm with Flint and both of us are using Soul Bound."

"I appreciate the fact that you know how to compliment a lady Haruki, *Sigh* and also the fact that you're now holding your father's sword without even a sign of fear, what happened that you decide to change quickly? I guess it happened at night right? Because if it didn't then you won't be outside of Millie's room deciding whether to hold the sword or not."

"I guess it would be, because of my Father that I changed my mind quickly, but what about you Ruri? Why are you doing this? Don't tell me that you're betraying us and working with Satanael? Because I know that you won't do that, especially if you know that Akemi is helping me."

"Why? Who knows, even I don't know the reason why I'm doing this right now, maybe it's because I just hate seeing your ugly face that I want to kill you."

Ouch! That hurts more than almost getting killed.

"Enough of this stupid chit-chat, let's start now!" Ruri whistled, and the arrows that were around us and all moved toward us.

"Flint, can you try and get the arrows away from me as possible?"

Woof! "Thank you, Flint!-" So with my sword, I dashed to Ruri who was just standing there whistling to order the arrows.

I kept running and looking at her, while Flint was dealing with the arrow pushing them with his bark.

Even when I'm already close to her, she was just there waiting for me to come closer.

Then if she's giving me the chance to come back, I'll use it in good use.

I thrust my sword upward and slashed it at her, but not hitting her because I want to make sure that Ruri won't die.

Well, that was what I'm imagining, but in reality, when I got close Ruri ducked and held my hand and slammed me on the floor.

And when I was on the floor in pain, that's when I remembered that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, because even if she's good at using the bow, I completely forgot that she's a trained General. Which means that she's not only good at archery, but also other things such as martial arts or swordsmanship.

"Heh, pathetic." Ruri took two arrows and used them as her weapons instead.

Flint was in the corner trapped by the arrows, and even if he has Shadow Step to teleport to someone's shadow, it can't be done unless it's with my shadow. Which is why Flint can't help me.

I used the sword as a shield and closed my eyes, but when I closed my eyes I noticed that Ruri was taking so long to hit my sword.

When I opened my eyes slowly and saying. "Ruri?" I saw that the arrows are almost close to me but she stopped, not because she doesn't want to kill me I think, but instead I saw her crying.

Seeing her cry for no reason I was dumbfounded and surprised, but then I started to also notice that I was crying too with no actual reason.

I ask to myself why am I crying, and I saw Ruri above me fully shedding tears and mumbling. "Why Talya? Why are you doing this?"

Hearing that made me realize that Talya made us feel sadness, because as the General of Melancholy, not only she feels immense sadness but she also can make anyone feel sadness too.

And the moment I look at Ruri again, she closed her eyes while crying and kept on mumbling. "I didn't want this to happen."

Ruri saying that made me realize why I'm also crying, it's not because Talya was forcing us to cry, but because every time a second ticked, I get to see a memory of Hell two months ago when the angels attacked us.

And the memory shows Michael and my parents fighting and at the end, he beheaded them like what happened in the past repeatedly.

It made me cry more like Ruri when that memory came, just by seeing them once dying is already making me cry, but if it's repeated...

"So that's why." When we looked at where the voice came from, we saw that it was Talya who was talking, she appeared right before we looked at her from our mind.

She was right here with us crying in pain. "So that's why... You fought big brother Haruki because you wanted to test him."

I was confused about what Talya meant, so I looked at Ruri in the eyes and asked her. "What does Talya means Ruri? Is there something that you're hiding from us?"

Ruri wasn't responding to my questions, but instead, she asked Talya. "How did you get here? I made sure that the door is unbreakable."

"Big sister Ruri, Talya can teleport to anyone who feels melancholy, if only their location is close to me."

"I see... Even when I took care of you since you were little, I didn't even know that you have that sort of skills."

"Big sister... Why? Why didn't you tell Talya or everyone about the secret of your sickness? Tell Talya, please tell Talya why..."

Talya was crying her eyes out when she asked that question to Ruri, seeing her cry made me think that there's something serious that we don't know about Ruri. "Ruri, can you answer Talya's question."

"....."

"Big brother Haruki... Bi- big sister-"

"Don't worry Talya, I'll tell him." Ruri stood up as she said that to Talya.

She dropped the arrows she was holding, and the arrows that were trapping Flint stopped floating too.

As I just sit here on the floor waiting for a response, Ruri finally spoke. "Every time I use a skill, my sickness will get worse."

I was left speechless in pain after hearing what Ruri has said. "Are you lying Ruri?"

"I don't lie if Talya is with me."

"Then! Why did you fight me?! There's no way that killing me is the real reason right?!"

"I guess I can finally answer why huh? It's because I want to test you if you are really capable of defending Akemi and the others if I'm gone."

"If you're testing me, why did you go all out to me?! If using your skills is making your sickness more worse, why did you used many skills just to test me Ruri?! Are you just that eager to die and leave us?! Tell me why Ruri!"

"It's because I don't want to be useless!"

"Useless? What do you mean Ruri?! How can you be useless?!"

"Are you really that stupid Haruki? Can't you see..? If they found out about my sickness, everyone would stop me from helping them to fight... I don't want to wait and see all of you die... I don't want that Haruki. I'm afraid that everyone will die because of my uselessness... So that's why! That's why I want to fight with all of you together! If I'm gonna die, I don't want it when all of you are suffering right in front of my own eyes, so I'd rather die earlier so I don't get to see all of you suffer and die while I just sit there and wait-"

"Then you're stupider than I am Ruri! Do you think that dying early won't affect us?! Do you really think that all of us are gonna die easily Ruri?! If we get to see you suffer more because of you fighting with us and your sickness, do you think that our charisma wouldn't get destroyed?! Even I, myself is afraid to admit that I'd rather die early than to see my beloved friends die from protecting me, it's because that I'm the new Ruler that everyone wants to protect me, but all of you don't know how much I wanted to say to all of you to stop. So I feel the same way as you do Ruri! But despite that, if everyone wants me too I'll do it, if everyone wanted me to live longer: I'll do it, or if everyone wanted me to die because of my stupidity and weakness: I'll do it. But as long as everyone who I call my family is alive, I'm happy to do it Ruri. I know that you're gonna suffer if you wait, but we're also gonna suffer if you didn't wait and I don't want that."

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid..! Why are you making this hard for me Haruki..? Can't you see that I wanted this?-"

"But does everyone wanted that Ruri?!"

"I know they don't, but even so I want to at least stand-up and join you guys."

"You can still join us Ruri, but please promise me that you won't go all out and use about 10 or more skills at once. Can you at least promise me that?"

"*Tsk* I can't believe that you're gonna boss me around..."

"Isn't normal? After all, I'm your King remember? And you know that I always keep my word right?"

Ruri punched me in the chest and lay her head on my shoulder too. "Stupid. Stupid. You're really stupid Haruki. And I'm sorry, I'm sorry for trying to kill you Haruki, the truth is I don't want to kill you, I don't want to ever kill or betray you Haruki. But please, can you and Talya keep this a secret between us."

"Of course Ruri, I promise."

"Me too, big sister Ruri."

"Thank you..." Ruri said that and fall asleep from exhaustion on my shoulder.

Talya went closer to us and gave the both of us a hug, and told me. "Talya's sorry to big brother Haruki, I'm sorry for showing you the memory that you don't want to ever see again."

"It's okay Talya if you didn't do that, me and Ruri would've continued killing each other."

Talya went closer to me and lay on my other shoulder. "I'm sorry..."

I hugged both Ruri and Talya and whispered. "I won't make you two cry ever again I promise."

Flint went back to his original form and went to us to also get some rest, and before I knew it, I also fell asleep.

***

[Akemi Leviathan POV]

Outside the room were everyone and they're now with Mammon.

"*Sigh* I can't still believe that Young Ruri is trying to kill Haruki, seriously how bothersome, now all of you get behind please." Listening to Mammon, everyone went behind him for their safety.

Closing his eyes slowly, Mammon spoke. "Everything is not thee, nor is everything is mine, but as long as everything my eyes set upon is redeemable, greediness will come forth to take action, cause I the embodiment of Greed has set his eyes on thee, come now that my desire is unavoidable. Avaritederio!"

The spirits of the door were all swallowed up from an unknown chest that appeared, and Mammon kicked the door and opened it.

Everyone ran when Mammon opened the door and saw Haruki asleep while sitting and hugging Ruri and Talya who were asleep on his shoulders.

Now that they knew that no one died, except for some injuries, they were happy.

"It's remarkable to see Young Ruri lying about doing something."

Akemi was in tears of joy by just seeing them both alive. "Thank you, thank you for stopping."