Homecoming, Part 5

"Oh man…" Jay sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose. I don't think Jay is all too fond of my very sudden development.

As my tornado spins around and around, I gather up all of Hai's smoke and merge it with my wind, forming a smokey tornado of Cursed Power.

"Wind Control!" I shout as I send my tornado flying outwards in a powerful gust of wind, fully blowing Hai's ash away.

I then peer over to the side where I see Chishiki and smirk at him, causing Chishiki to flinch and hop backwards a bit.

"For an Assassin, you sure do seem scared," I tease as I take a single step towards Chishiki.

"Stay back!" You can't get close to me!" Chishiki booms as he touches his hand to the floor, which begins bubbling with olive green Cursed Power again. A line of flames then extends from Chishiki's hand towards me, forming a ring around me. The pavement around me then turns into a ring of fire as Chishiki shouts: "Alchemy: Fire Floor!"

I raise an eyebrow as I look around, observing Chishiki's ring of fire. The flames around me rise into the sky, fully obstructing my passage and keeping me trapped where I stand. "Impressive flames, I can't escape," I say before turning back towards Chishiki and smirking at him again. "Unfortunately for you, I don't need to have to get close to be able to hurt you."

I then bring my katana up again, clutching its hilt tightly between both hands before bringing it out to the side. I then swing my katana out horizontally with all of my might towards Chishik. As I do, the blade of my katana begins bubbling with dark blue Cursed Power before swiftly extending outwards a couple of feet, slashing Chishiki across the chest from a dozen feet away.

"EXTEND-O-BLADE!"

Chishiki drops to the ground, clutching the bleeding slash wound across his chest and panting heavily. As for me, I sheath my katana as its blade extends back to its usual reach.

My friends gasp as I turn around to face them.

"What the heck was that?!" Grover cries.

"That wasn't your Wind Control, do you have two Cursed Abilities now?!" Jamie asks.

"That should be impossible!" Austin exclaims.

"That, my friends-" I begin to say. "Is-"

***

"Extend-o-Sword?" I ask.

"Extend-o-Sword," my dad answers.

"What's that?" I ask.

"It's my Cursed Ability, and the Cursed Ability that I'll teach you, as the man who's received my demon powers," my dad explains.

"But how? I was only told you can only have one Cursed Ability?" I ask. "And I already have my Wind Control?"

"You're right," my dad answers. "But there is one exception. Well two."

"Which is…?" I ask, hinting at my dad to continue.

"When a Demon Kin or half demon develop regular Cursed Abilities before unlocking their Demon Kin or half demon powers. If you had been born with the ability to use Extend-o-Sword, your Cursed Power would have been already molded to wield it. But instead, you developed your Wind Control Cursed Power, and your Cursed Power got used to using that. But now, with your half-demon powers awakened, your Cursed Power has to adapt to your new physiology. And on top of that, adapt to the new Cursed Power awakened inside of you. Extend-o-Sword. It's the same for Demon Kins," my dad explains.

"Wow…" I marvel. "Two Cursed Abilities?! That just seems unfair!"

"That's because it is!" My dad chuckles. "In battle, there is no such thing as fair or unfair. The only thing you can rely on is not luck, but fortune. The fortune that you were born as a half demon, or for others, the fortune of creating a strong Cursed Ability.:

"So what is Extend-o-Sword, anyway?" I ask.

"It's the ability that I used when I greeted you, when I extended the blade of my katana outwards, like so-" my dad begins to say as he draws his katana, which begins bubbling with his toxic-green Cursed Power as it's blade extends a few inches outwards. "Extend-o-Sword -despite its name- will work on any bladed weapon, from a butter knife to a sickle. It's just that us two focus on wielding swords. When you get used to extending your blade, then I'll teach you how to manipulate the width of your sword, as well. After extending the blade of your sword, you can't retract the length of its blade past its usual length, unless your blade breaks and "becomes" shorter," my dad explains.

"So how are you going to teach Extend-o-Sword to me?" I ask.

"First off, before I do, let me see if you're worthy of being taught this Cursed Ability," my dad replies.

"If I'm worthy?" I ask. My dad nods in response.

"The power of wind, your Wind Control, is the power from the Earth itself. Wind helps give life, and cultivate civilization. While my ability, Extend-o-Sword, is an ability that can only be used for combat. For assassination, or for murder. Before I teach you Extend-o-Sword, I just ask you, my son; is there anyone that you wish to kill using this ability?" My dad asks, causing my entire body to tense up. I ball my hands into fists so tightly that blood begins to trickle out through the crack between my fingers. I stare down at the floor, my entire body quivering.

Someone…that I wish to kill?

"After I accidentally killed Nick…" I finally begin to say once I find the courage to speak up. "I prayed that I would find the strength to put down my katana and vow to never kill again. But unfortunately…that's not the world we live in. If I put down my katana…if I refuse to kill…I'd be letting too many people down. Too many people that I vowed to protect, who I can only protect with the help of my katana, people that I'd need to kill others to protect. I promised one friend that I'd help him kill Death, the King of the Demons, but that was only to help him. Any Pro Slayer, unless they're totally lacking conviction, would vow to kill Death as well. As for me…there's a man who's been screwing with me for a while now, ever since I became a Pro Slayer. He's attacked me and my friends, kidnapped me, slashed out one friend's eyes, and forced me to kill Nick. I wish I can vow to never kill again…but as long as he's alive, I can't."

I then pick my head up and stare my dad in the eyes.

"ACE OF THE CARDS OF THE KING. AS LONG AS HE'S ALIVE, I'LL NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF. I NEED TO GET REVENGE ON HIM, FOR THE SAKE OF NICK, OF ELL, OF EVERYONE, AND OF MYSELF!" I boom. "And using my katana…I'LL KILL HIM WITH MY OWN TWO HANDS!"

My dad peers back at me with a sad smile. "I'm sorry that I'm advocating you to go down this path, my son," my dad replies. "I feel like a bad father. But you're right, this is the world we live in. As a half demon, as a Pro Slayer, even if you're still just a child, you have enemies that you need to face. You are ready. I'll teach you my Extend-o-Sword Cursed Ability."

"On one conduction," I interrupt as I hold up a finger.

"Huh?" My dad asks, sounding truly confused, as the one who was previously making conditions. "Which is?"

"I don't like how Extend-o-Sword sounds," I answer. "It doesn't have a nice ring to it. So instead, I'll call it-"

***

"Extend-o-Blade?" Jamie asks.

"Two abilities or not, I still won't lose to you!" Grover snaps as he points an accusing finger at me.

"Well we have very different dreams, the two of us, but if by "lose to me" you mean surpass me in strength, then I'll be the one not losing to you!" I reply.

"Your wind is very impressive…Luis…" Jay growls between clenched teeth.

I turn to Jay and smirk. "I've spent a while training," I reply.

"Want me to take you to see the Chairman now?" Jay asks me, causing my entire body to tense up.

Owen Solomon, Chairman of the International Professional Slayer Organization. While I haven't seen him in almost two years now, and I haven't seen him since my Assassination, that man has messed my life up in countless ways. To be honest…I'm afraid of seeing him now. Is he gonna try to kill me again? Or after beating his Assassins a second time, have I finally earned the right to live in this Organization?

I take a deep breath in…then out, then turn and peer up at Jay.

"Let's go."

***

"UGGHHHH, I'm so BORED!" Grover groans. "We've been searching for demons for like, an hour, and we still haven't found any!"

"Thirty minutes, actually," Jamie corrects. "Which somehow makes it even WORSE!"

"Who knew that being a Field Patrol Slayer would be so lame!" Grover complains. "I thought that our careers as Pro Slayers would totally kick off once we get promoted!"

"I know!" Jamie agrees. "How come when we were kids, we had constant demons to slay thanks to Nick's missions, but now, we can't even find one?!"

"Nick…"

"Nick…"

Grover and Jamie stare at the ground and mourn for a brief moment.