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Kenshiro remained kneeling, blood dripping down his side as Aiden’s words echoed in his mind.
“Yes… I now hold the power to see the future in all battles.”
The revelation churned in Kenshiro’s thoughts, his breathing shallow and uneven. He was still on his hands and knees, struggling to lift himself. The pain from the deep cut on his back seared through his body, threatening to pull him into unconsciousness.
Kenshiro mumbled through staggered breaths, his voice faint but resolute: “I guess… I have no other choice…”
A silence fell over the battlefield.
Suddenly, Kenshiro pushed himself backward with surprising force, leaping far away from where Aiden stood. His aura began to flare, the white energy of his Bushido Aura glowing brilliantly around him, illuminating the scarred battlefield like a beacon.
Kenshiro muttered under his breath, but his resolve steadied, his voice now sharp and precise: “Tenken Battō: Iai.”
In an instant, Kenshiro’s katana—Hikari no Kiba (Fang of Light)—flashed out of its sheath faster than the eye could follow, slicing through the air with deadly precision. Kenshiro reappeared right beside Aiden, who had shifted at the last moment to avoid the attack.
Aiden smirked, glancing at Kenshiro from the corner of his eye. “Calling out your attacks before they hit? How very samurai of you. I'm sure Master Zanbutsa would be proud.”
But then, Aiden winced. A thin red gash appeared across his chest, faint but undeniable.
Kenshiro smiled, even as the pain in his body threatened to overwhelm him. “I figured as much.”
Aiden turned fully toward him, his expression hardening. “What did you do?!” he demanded, his voice edged with fury.
Kenshiro didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he jumped back again, putting even more distance between them. His Bushido Aura flared brighter as his voice rang out once more. “Tenken Battō: Iai.”
Aiden moved instantly, leaping into the air this time to avoid the attack. But Kenshiro never moved—he remained in place, his blade never leaving its sheath.
SLASH!
Aiden’s body was struck again, another cutting wind slashing across his shoulder. He stumbled slightly as he landed, his expression now contorted with anger.
“Enough with the tricks!” Aiden roared. His Omnistron Sword gleamed with overwhelming power as he raised it above his head. “Omni-Slash!”
With a single, devastating swing, Aiden unleashed a massive, crescent-shaped beam of energy. The slash tore through the air, slicing across the entire area with a force so vast that the ground quaked beneath its power.
Kenshiro had no room to dodge. The beam consumed everything in its path, leaving no safe space to move.
Kenshiro closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. “Shūen no Chihei Geki (Final Horizon Strike).”
With a roar of defiance, Kenshiro unsheathed Hikari no Kiba, channeling every ounce of his life force into the blade. The katana pulsed with raw energy, its glow intensifying until it resembled a star about to explode. In one decisive swing, Kenshiro unleashed his ultimate attack.
The Shūen no Chihei Geki collided with Aiden’s Omni-Slash, the two forces meeting in a massive explosion of light and energy. The clash formed an enormous plasma ball, its size dwarfing the ruined castle beneath their feet. The sheer intensity of the collision sent shockwaves rippling across the landscape, a blinding white light consuming everything in its wake.
A Quiet Aftermath
When the light faded, the sound of crackling fire replaced the chaos of battle. Kenshiro groaned softly as he opened his eyes, his vision blurry and unfocused. He felt cold stone against his back and realized he was lying against the wall of a cave.
The faint glow of a campfire filled the small space, its warm light flickering off the jagged walls. Kenshiro tried to move, but his body refused to obey. He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling within him.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. His instincts flared, and he strained to reach for his katana, but even that small movement was impossible. “Who goes there?” Kenshiro croaked, his voice weak but defiant.
From the shadows, a familiar figure stepped into the light: King Kael.
Kael carried a bag of food, his shadowy aura subdued but ever-present. He set the bag down by the campfire, his calm gaze fixed on Kenshiro as he began preparing the food.
“Finally awake?” Kael said, his voice carrying a trace of amusement. “That was quite the attack you used back there. Let me guess… he taught you that?”
Kenshiro’s mind immediately flashed to Master Zanbutsa. He nodded weakly. “It was an attack he helped me create—a reflection of his teachings. Just like how he had an ultimate attack, I had to forge one of my own.”
Kael chuckled as he stirred the food over the fire. “It was impressive, I’ll give you that. But you know you owe me one, right? That wasn’t easy saving you. Honestly, I barely saved myself.”
Kenshiro’s eyes widened slightly. “What happened? Did we win?”
Kael exhaled heavily, shaking his head. “No. We didn’t. After you two launched those attacks, I flew over and pulled us both into my Dragon’s Shadow Realm. Even if the explosion didn’t kill us, I knew I couldn’t fight them all while also protecting you. I made the decision to retreat.”
Kenshiro sighed, his gaze falling to the campfire. “I see…”
Kael sat down across from him, his expression growing serious. “How were his new powers?”
Kenshiro’s voice was grim as he answered. “His sword… I’ve never seen anything like it. Anything it touches, it erases. If not for my Bushido Aura, I would’ve been dead within seconds.” He paused before adding, “And he has this… ability to see the future. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever encountered.”
Kael frowned, his mind already working through the implications. “That’s a problem. Aiden’s senses were already sharp enough to rival precognition, but now he has the real thing. Arion was smart to turn him into one of those things.”
Kenshiro’s tone shifted, becoming more resolute. “But… I think I found a way around it.”
Kael tilted his head. “Oh?”
Kenshiro nodded. “I tested something during the fight. The only time I could land a hit on him was when I attacked from a certain distance. I don’t know the exact range, but it seems his precognition is limited to a radius around him. When I was outside that range, I launched two attacks at once—one he could predict and another he couldn’t. It worked.”
Kael laughed softly, leaning back against the cave wall. “And that’s why you were the academy’s top samurai. Smart thinking.”
Kenshiro smiled faintly, though his exhaustion was evident. Kael’s tone softened as he added, “I’m sorry, Kenshiro. When we were younger, I didn’t treat you like the true swordsman you were. I was full of pride and power—too blind to see your worth.”
Kenshiro shrugged, a weak laugh escaping him. “It’s alright. Master Zanbutsa always scolded me for letting it get to me.”
Kael chuckled quietly to himself, staring into the flickering flame of the campfire. After a moment of silence, his voice carried across the cave, calm but tinged with a faint smile. “If we make it out of all this alive, how about you join me as my second in command of the Requiem Universe?”
Kenshiro’s gaze drifted upward toward the stars visible through the small opening of the cave. Their light shimmered faintly on his bandaged form. He exhaled slowly before responding, his expression thoughtful.
“I never really imagined myself working alongside you, Kael. Well… given how you and Aiden used to make fun of me and the other students at the academy.”Kenshiro’s lips curled into a faint smile, his tone free of bitterness. “But… if we do make it out alive, I’ll join forces with you and become your right-hand man.”
Kael’s smirk softened into something more genuine. He stood and crossed the small space between them, extending a hand as though to shake on the agreement. He paused, realizing his mistake.
Kenshiro raised an eyebrow, amused. “Really?”
Kael rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, his tone light. “Sorry, I forgot you couldn’t move at all.” The two locked eyes and started laughing, the tension of the day finally giving way to a moment of shared levity.
Kael reached into his bag, pulling out a small bottle of sake. “I brought this from the town. Looks like we’ll have to make do with this instead.”
In a rare moment of simple camaraderie, Kael poured two cups of sake. He set one beside Kenshiro before gently tipping it toward his friend’s lips, helping him take a sip.
As Kael leaned back into his seat, the two of them fell quiet, their gazes drawn to the stars.
The fire crackled softly, its warmth mingling with the cool air of the cave. Above them, the vast expanse of the night sky shimmered, the stars dancing in an eternal rhythm.
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