Prologue 5.1

"Ayanokouji Kiyotaka" POV.

Looking at the man in front of me, I tensed my body in preparation for the fight to come. I doubt he is someone who would talk while on the job.

"Tatsuya Kundou, I presume?" He just looked at me with a cold stare.

"Emperor Rudra was right, you do know a lot, don't you?" Even though he was suspicious he was relaxed. I expect no less from-...

"So, Emperor Rudra can be considered as your master, right?"

"Of course, the moment I pledged myself to him, I became his knight." He really is the committed type, huh? That's good.

"Do you believe in fate?" He just quietly stared at me, an intensity that could burn a thousand suns hidden behind his cold exterior.

"What if I told you, it was your fate to meet Rudra..." He listened intently to my words, ready to strike me down if were to say anything sacrilege.

"... Because it would lead you to me?" He disappeared from my view, a sonic boom echoed as a testament to the speed at which he was moving.

"!" I ducked, narrowly avoiding the sword that tried to decapitate little old me.

"What the hell are you talking about?" For the first time, an expression other than stern inhabited his face.

"What am I talking about?" He was enraged at my talking.

"All I'm saying is, what if I'm your real master? And you're my real knight?" I point between him and me, emphasizing my own.

"Then it would be unfortunate because until I die, I'll always be serving under Emperor Rudra. Unnamed aberration." He said this with the chivalry you would only find in medieval knights.

"Until the day you die, Huh?... I'd expect no less from my knight." Truly, that was quite the

declaration.

"Enough! Let's end this." He charged straight at me with predatory intent.

[Chranere!] I called out in my mind.

[Yes!] Sticking my hand out, my sword appeared in a beautiful flurry intercepting the blade that was out for blood.

"I agree, with that, only then will you be more open to suggestions." He pulled back, then pointed his sword at me. At that point of his blade, a blinding light shot out.

"!" I tilted my head to the side, then contorted my body as to roll away from him.I barely dodged it, this was evident by the cut on my cheek. It quickly healed back to its former

state.

This time it was my turn to charge at him, bringing Chranere up, I slammed her down with all my strength.

Krkrk! Bvvvrrr!

The ground beneath his feet gave in, forming a spiderweb-like pattern underneath his feet.

I jumped into the sky, twirling Chranere by her hilt as to build up momentum. Looking down

below me, jet-black eyes stare at me with cold determination.

Grabbing Chranere by her hilt, I threw her with everything I had, and for extra measure, I used -denial of nothingness-. I denied the concept of physical distance, in the process, I was able to partially manipulate the laws of casualty. The spear was thrown, the target was pierced. The target was pierced, that must mean the spear was thrown.

Tatsuya's body had a silver sword sticking through it, showing that my magic worked.

He fell, lifeless in movement. Landing roughly, I went to grab my--

"!" I looked at my right side, where my arm used to be. Turning behind me, I see Tatsuya. In his hand is my right arm. I grimaced. My arm grew back shortly after.

"I guess it wouldn't be that easy to kill you." He just made a grunt in confirmation before dodging a stab to the heart.

Chink! Clinck! Chrink!

Sparks soared through the air as our blades met each other again and again. A dance of steel echoed through the night, as we left after images in our wake.

Taking advantage of Chranere's length, I twirled her around, creating distance between me and Tatsuya.

He jumped back, making a tactical retreat he continued backward. Looking at him, I created a stone pillar at his feet, causing him to trip over at the sudden protrusion.

'Now's my chance.' I lunged at him with everything I got. The physical distance between me and him was crossed instantaneously. As if I was always there. Swinging Chranere, I aimed to take his head off--

[Master dodge!] Just after she said this, light exploded from Tatsuya's body. Largely surpassing relativistic speeds. Just then I realized-- the forest was illuminated by this light before--

"Crap!"

*Boom!*

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Hana Takahashi POV.

Clank! Clink! Chirk! Clank!

My blade met the opposition's battle ax repeatedly, causing sparks to fly. He moved back, seeing that using brute force was not a viable option with me.

"You're monstrous. It's no wonder why Rudra sent me, a member of the Royal Guard to deal with you!" He dodged the sword that aimed to pierce his heart, then struck at me with full force.

Kirk!

The ground crumbled under the pressure of his ax as I dodged. Using my skill, I reversed

casuality. Casuality was reversed. As I swung my blade, his arm came of . More precisely, the moment my blade was unsheathed, his arm was long since disconnected from his body. Hence why no physical distance was crossed, as it was a side ef ect of his arm being "sliced of ."

Swinging my sword, I appear on the other side, his left arm flew off as I sheathed Artemis, then unsheath it and face him again.

"How did you that!?" He screamed hysterically, the shock of having his arm cut off finally sunk in.

"Like I'm going to answer that." I lunged at him again, swinging Artemis in a horizontal line. He was barely able to intercept it with his ax.

'He's gotten slower.' With that thought in mind, I continued to add pressure on him.

Chink! Chink! Clank!

He swung his blade desperately, barely avoiding my onslaught, as a petulant child would run from a nightmare. He bared his teeth at me, trying to take the offensive.

He shrowded his ax in magicules and swung vertically, trying to lob my head off. Using Artemis, I blocked his attack, the ground crackled, a spider web pattern formed under my feet from all the extra force.

"Where is the explosion?" He asked himself as his blade lost its shine, all the magicules

disappeared into Artemis. Retracting my sword, I put the flat end of my blade right in front of his face.

"I don't want it," Artemis glowed as all the stored magicules started bursting out, "Have it back."

An explosion shook the waterfall as he took a magicule bomb to the face. Smoke from the explosion slowly departed, showing my self-acclaimed executioner, on his knees.

He was barely cognitive as he looked up at me, fear evident in his eyes.

"Now tell me, why the hell did you attack me?" The fury in my eyes must have been the scariest thing on Earth if it caused this grown man in front of me to whimper.

"I don't have all day, talk-"

*Boom!*

A thunderous explosion shot out from the forest. I turned my head in that direction as something didn't feel right.

My connection with Kiyo was severed.

'Kiyo! Kiyo! Kiyotaka!' I sounded desperate, afraid of what this would imply if the explosion and sudden disconnect are true, if what he told me is true.

'Kiyotaka, please... Talk to me...' My voice pleaded into the night but was left with no response. Mystomach churned at the insinuation.

Ayano--Kiyotaka...please...

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And cut~!

What are you doing here? You're right at the finish line! Go to the next chapter!