CHAPTER LXXXIII:The Dragon-Eyed Samurai

I kept my stance and saw a samurai coming. She wore the same armor that Orochi had, but it was complete. It was painted black, but wherever there was navy blue paint on Orochi's armor it was replaced by a deep violet color. It was Aiko, but one thing wasn't the same as Orochi. Aiko had a plain black saya, which was the Katanas scabbard, with a golden snake tsuba. Oh gods she was tall as well, she definitely had a warriors build. Aiko slowly rolled up a sleeve on her right arm revealing a a black snake tattoo, and that's when I noticed her clan symbol of the chest piece. The symbol was painted on, with snow white paint, it was a mountain struck with an arrow at the top.

Aiko slowly pulled her katana out of its saya and put both hands on her katana, "I'm Aiko Sato of the Sato Clan, I'm a Warrior of The Shinigami. I'm the undefeated samurai of the dragon, and I'm the last known victor of the reversed blade test. Are you my opponent?"

"Yes I am, Aiko Sato. I'm Mary Riley, the only Daughter of Hades. I've conquered death itself, the Bermuda Triangle, and The Labyrinth," I said tightening the grip on my sword.

Aiko matched my stance and held her sword up. Her helmet covered most of her hair, but black strands of hair poked out. Aiko's eyes cut through the fog like high beams, her left eye was white with a gleaming sapphire blue eye while her right eye was opal black with a citrine yellow iris. Over her right eye was a sword slash that slanted to the left, that was the scar that took her eye, that wound came from Satoko Sanada from The Sanada Clan.

I think Satoko would've been a way tougher opponent, The Oni's Chosen was horrifying according to the book. Satoko was a literal demon whose existence was cursed, while Aiko had the powers of a dragon and a signature move with blades, Satoko's signature move was to use his oil like saliva to catch his blade on fire.

Aiko ran forward and I moved my blade quickly, our blades clashed for a second till we moved away from each other. We moved forward and clashed our blades again. We kept moving our blades in defense, or in offense, to hear satisfying sounds of metal hitting metal. I ducked under a hit and slashed Aiko's back slightly cutting her armor. Aiko turned to face me, her eyes cut into my soul as rain started to flood the arena. I readied my sword again as rain obstructed my vision. Aiko seemingly vanished in the rain.

Here it comes, I thought to myself looking around. Aiko jumped out of the rain and almost cut me in half with her wakizashi. I dodged before the blade could make contact and watched her draw her tantō blade. Aiko moved both blades behind her arms and held her right arm up to show her tantō's sharp edge. She ran forward and jumped up before she met me. One blade slashed my shoulder but I blocked the next blade and felt my feet slide in the sand. Aiko kicked me away and jumped up to kick me again, I was sent to the ground from a kick to the side of the head and Aiko stood over me. Aiko moved her wakizashi out from behind her arm and held it above my chest.

"May the Shinigami guide you to Izanami," Aiko said.

Aiko dropped her sword and I rolled quickly and swept her feet, soon returning to mine. I held my sword back up as Aiko stood up. We ran towards each other, my sword met her tantō. I saw her other arm go to stab me, and I shadow hopped behind her. I stabbed Aiko's back and moved back when she went to slash me. Grey blood came from her armor and dripped onto the sand, Aiko sheathed her wakizashi and placed her hand on the wound. Aiko kept her tantō unsheathed.

Aiko knew she was defeated, yet she got in her stance. A stance I has saw Orochi do back on Alcatraz. Aiko Sato held her blade close and moved her left foot back. Blood spilled onto the sand as she moved her hand.

"Dance of Death, Shinigami trifold," Aiko said.

Aiko dashed forward and I dodged her go to point which was chest, then I blocked the next hit which was the neck, and then I dodged the last attack which was aimed for my stomach. Aiko looked surprised, but before she could recover from shock I drew my dagger. I tackled her and knocked the wind from her, I took my dagger and stabbed through her black and purple oni mask shattering it.

"You look more like Satoko Sanada now, I'm sorry Aiko," I said.

I got up and breathed in deeply, it was finally over. My duels were all done, I defeated three of history's strongest warriors. Hecate came down from the stands with Santoro, and pointed me towards the exit. I sheathed my dagger and my sword, and walked to the exit. The sand crunched beneath my feet and I slowly walked towards an arch style exit. My adrenaline fully wore off, and the excitement of combat had faded. All of the forced healing had taken its toll and my vision darkened. The last thing I remember was Hecate's voice as I hit the ground.

I woke up to see Athena in front of me, was this a dream or reality? I sat up and looked at the goddess, Athena was surrounded by ice and snow slowly fell from an opening in the ceiling. Next to Athena was a goddess who was whiter than the snow itself, and had eyes like ice that pierced the soul. The other goddesses hair had pieces of blue ice cutting the long, snowy white, strands, as well as a dress that was blue with a white snowflake pattern on the bottom half of the dress. Khione, goddess of ice of snow and the minor god that is hardly known, stood at Athena's side.

"I'm supposed to stop them!" Khione yelled.

Athena gently placed a hand on Khione's shoulder, "Then make it easy. I know you're scared of Khaos, I am too, but Mary is gaining the potential to fight her."

"I will not risk my title of goddess for a maybe, Athena!" Khione continued, still yelling.

"Just trust me Khione, please," Athena pleaded.

Khione considered her options for a moment and answered, "Fine, but if you're wrong I will make sure Tartarus is extra unpleasant for you."

Athena smiled and vanished in a flash of gold as Khione walked away. I walked over to where they were standing and saw skeletons upon skeletons in the main section of the temple. The skeletons wore clothes, and armor, from all ages. One in specific caught my eye though, a skeleton in a black hoodie with a bronze dagger at his side. I walked over to it, careful of the ice on the ground, and kneeled before it. Strapped to the skeletons wrist was a basic hidden blade that had been preserved in time. I went to investigate it, but I woke up the second I went to grab it.