Reunion with an Old Friend - Final [Battle between two friends]

"I-Ichijou?!" Is this for real? I never imagined I'd find him so easily.

No, I can't rush to conclusions. I need to confirm if he's the Ichijou I know. Perhaps I can attempt to engage him in conversation.

Sheathing my sword, I cautiously approach and say, "H-Hey, it's been a while." But before I can finish, he swiftly swings his weapon toward me. It narrowly misses my eyes, but I manage to evade the strike.

"Wait- Let's talk about this!" I shouted,

Ellisa, visibly taken aback by Ichijou's sudden aggression, interjects, "Wait, what are you doing?!"

Ignoring my attempts at dialogue, Ichijou continues his relentless assault. Forced on the defensive, I block his relentless strikes with my own blade. Despite my efforts, I struggle to find an opening to retaliate. Soon, a crowd gathers around us in the Market District, their eyes fixed on our confrontation.

Suddenly, Ichijou sweeps my legs from under me, sending me crashing to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, he aims another blow at me with his sword.

Reacting quickly, I summon my halberd and manage to deflect his attack. His was taken aback at my unexpected move. Pointing my halberd toward him, I assert, "Enough."

But he gives me no opportunity to explain, immediately clashing his sword against the shaft of my halberd. The impact reverberates through my hand, leaving it numb from the force of our clash.

Just as I think I've thwarted his assault, I hear him utter, "Devour..."

Suddenly, my halberd begins to crack, fissures spreading across its surface. Particles from the fractures fly into his weapon, causing it to swell in both size and strength. Did he just consume my artifact?! How is that even possible?!

He proceeds to batter the handle of my halberd relentlessly while I desperately fend him off with it. With each strike, I find myself sinking to my knees, overwhelmed by his onslaught.

His newfound strength is staggering, his blows landing with a weightiness that I've never experienced before. My arm feels like it's on the verge of giving out.

"Ichijou! Please, stop! He didn't do anything to me! He's a good guy!" Ellisa cries out, her voice laced with worry as she watches our struggle.

Ichijou looked at her and replied, "Shut up, Ellisa. He's an unmarked Sinner."

"Unmarked Sinner?! What does he mean by that?!" I wonder to myself.

Nevertheless, this distraction provides an opening for me to counterattack. With his attention momentarily diverted, I summon all my strength to push his sword upward, causing him to lose his balance.

"Get off me!" I yell, seizing the opportunity.

He took a step back and tried to recover his stance, but he's too late to do so.

As he staggers backward, attempting to regain his footing, I swiftly dismiss my halberd and summon my knuckles. With a flurry of punches, I strike his chest and deliver a jab to his chin, sending him hurtling through the air and creating a substantial distance between us.

His mask begins to crack, revealing half of his face beneath. It's unmistakably Ichijou, the one I know. But why doesn't he recognize me?

Ichijou's gaze is fixated on me, his expression one of pure fury. With the distance between us, I hold a significant advantage in this confrontation.

Drawing my bow, I aim it directly at his head and issue a stern warning, "Don't make a move, or I'll put an arrow through your skull!"

Instead of backing down, he emanates an aura of ferocity, indicating he's not willing to let me off easily.

My arrow was up and loaded onto my bow. There's no other choice; once he moves, I need to take the shot.

With my arrow poised and ready, I brace myself for his next move. When Ichijou suddenly hurls his sword at me and charges forward at breakneck speed, I release the arrow, hoping to alter the course of his weapon.

My efforts prove futile. His sword proves more resilient than my arrow, and I'm forced to dodge it at the last possible moment. It's a close call, but I manage to evade the deadly blade.

Ichijou smirks as he closes in on me. Something feels off.

Then, with a resounding shout, he commands, "Return!"

Utterly clueless about his intentions, I suddenly feel a searing pain on the back of my right shoulder. It's his sword?!

Ellisa's horrified scream echoes around us, "No!! Ichijou, please stop! What's gotten into you!" pleading desperately for Ichijou to cease his assault. The wound is deep, rendering my dominant hand useless. My heart pounds with fear as Ichijou retrieves his sword mid-air, closing in on me with deadly intent.

As he prepares to strike, I make a split-second decision, summoning a shield to my left hand instead of evading. But his blade still manages to slice through, leaving a gash across my chest. The pain is excruciating, but I refuse to yield.

"You fucking scumbag!!" I shouted, fueled by rage and desperation.

Suddenly, something snaps inside me, and I unleash my full fury. Seizing the momentum of his charge, I redirect his trajectory while he's airborne.

With unrelenting ferocity, I assail him with every weapon at my disposal. My body moves with primal instinct, my strikes too swift for him to block effectively. Inch by inch, I drive him backward, victory seeming within reach—until...

"Hear my command! Disperse!" He shouted,

In an instant, all my weapons crumble to dust. His unexpected move catches me off guard, leaving me defenseless. With ruthless efficiency, he delivers a punishing kick to my stomach, sending me crashing to the ground in agony.

Ichijou's sword presses against my throat, and I muster the strength to ask, "How—what did you do to my weapons?"

He meets my gaze with a chilling resolve. "Sadly, you won't even be alive to know the answer to that," he replies ominously.

Resigned to my fate, I close my eyes, ready to meet my end at his hand. But just as he prepares to strike, I feel a tender embrace around my head. It's Ellisa.

"Please, just stop... I'm begging you, Ichijou..." she pleads, holding me tightly against her chest, shielding me from his blade.

"Ellisa, I won't say it again. Move. He's an Unmarked Sinner. That means he's a criminal," Ichijou insists, his sword still aimed at us.

"Unmarked Sinner? A criminal? What is he talking about?" I wonder, my consciousness slipping away.

"Are you blind?! Does he look like a criminal to you?! I've told you already, Kiseki didn't do anything!" Ellisa cries out, her voice on the verge of breaking.

Suddenly, Ichijou's demeanor shifts as my name registers in his mind. His expression betrays a flicker of shock.

"K- Kiseki...?" He mumbled,

Summoning the last of my strength, I prop myself up on my arm and lock eyes with him.

"About damn time for you listen, idiot." I retort before succumbing to unconsciousness, collapsing into darkness.

The next thing I know, I was back at Ellisa's home, awoken by Han's screaming voice in the living room as he scolded Ellisa for sneaking out of the house.

"Seems like I'm saved from being lectured by him," I said to myself,

Glancing down at my chest, I notice the wound inflicted by Ichijou has been stitched up, undoubtedly the work of Ellisa. I attempt to rest further until a voice breaks the silence.

"Great, you're finally awake now."

Turning to the source, I find Ichijou leaning against the door, his gaze fixed on me, hands clasped together. Attempting to lighten the mood, I jest, "That was quite the brawl back there. Didn't know I had it in me to go toe-to-toe with you like that."

He doesn't acknowledge my attempt at humor, his stare unyielding. A chill runs down my spine at the intensity of his gaze. What could he possibly be thinking?

"Why are you unmarked, Kiseki." He suddenly asked,

Confusion clouds my thoughts. "Unmarked? Come on, man, what the heck are you talking about?" I reply, genuinely puzzled.

In a burst of frustration, he slams his fist against the wall. "Don't play games with me! Why are you unmarked?"

His accusation catches me off guard. "I don't understand what you're saying, man! What do you mean why am I unmarked?"

His disbelief is palpable. How can I convince him of my innocence?

He then asked me the following question, "Where have you been for the past two years? Why weren't you there during the Sinner's Gathering?"

His questions leave me utterly bewildered. Two years? Sinner's Gathering? What is he talking about?

"Wait a minute—what do you mean by the past two years? And what's this Sinner's Gathering?" I ask, my confusion mounting.

But he cuts me off impatiently. "Stop wasting my time and get to the point!"

"I am getting to the point! Why are you talking to me like you've been here for so long?! I was brought here like a week ago, okay?! I don't even know a single piece of shit about this world!" I retort angrily, frustration bubbling within me as I struggle to sit up on the bed.

His eyes widen in disbelief. "W-What...? Just a week ago? Are you telling the truth...?" he stammers.

Meeting his gaze with determination, I shout, "Damn right, I'm telling the truth! I just came to this world, and you suddenly attacked me out of nowhere like I was a criminal or something! Now explain to me! Why the fuck did you attacked me?! You can clearly see my face back then! Are you blind?!"

He appears taken aback by my outburst, realizing that I'm not lying.

"Kiseki... how- how did you only get here after two years of the arrival of the Sinners?"

His words send a chill down my spine. What does he mean by arriving late? How is that even possible?

As I grapple with the sudden flood of memories with Lucifer, "It seems that explaining stuff to you took more time than I anticipated," Does that mean when I was with her, the timeline was moving differently? I'm confused. How is that even possible? I'm jolted back to the present by Ichijou's voice.

"Kiseki, did you hear me? Do you know why did you come to this world two years after the arrival of other Sinners?"

Caught off guard, I hesitate, unsure of how much I should reveal. I can't divulge my encounter with Lucifer just yet—I'm not sure if it's wise to disclose that information.

"I have no idea. The next thing I know, I woke up in Delher's Woods. Then Ellisa found me when I was on the brink of death after fighting with Trelmir. Then a week passed, and now I'm here. That's it to my story."

"I see," Ichijou nods, seeming to accept my explanation. His expression betrays a multitude of thoughts swirling in his mind, mirroring my own confusion.

"Anyways, I'm glad to see you again, Kiseki. After two years, I even forgot how you look like. I'm sorry for attacking you back then," he says, bowing his head in remorse.

"It's okay, man. I don't take it personally, and I don't blame you for that." I reassure him, a sense of understanding settling between us.

He offers me a small smile as he approaches, lightly punching my shoulder.

But I meet his gaze with seriousness. "Ichijou, you need to tell me everything that happened two years ago," I urge, a sense of urgency coloring my words. It's clear that whatever happened during my absence holds crucial answers to the mysteries surrounding this world and my sudden arrival.