Dashing forward, each step I take draws me closer to it. Switching from my right foot to my left and swiftly pivoting, now turning a complete ninety degrees to bolt to the side of its heavy blade. But I'm stopped. Swinging heavily, its sharp black longsword curves upwards from the ground, right at the same side I had been moving to. It must've switched hands.
The dirt and grass surrounding its path swung upward, nearly shielding the blade from sight. Had I not known of its existence prior, I would've been cut. I brace myself and abruptly stop my momentum, kicking with all power I could muster in my legs and jumping back, away from the blade.
Blood still spills.
A large gash from the tip of the blade I had just barely been touched by appeared vertically, right up the right side of my face. I managed to jump back just before it reached my eye.
The hot pain that flashed upon my face gave me no rest. But I couldn't stop fighting—if I showed even a moment of weakness and vulnerability, it'd kill me. I gripped my blade's hilt tighter, silent it was.
That wasn't new to me but to not be throwing out advice even in the middle of battle? That's odd.
The grass, sticks, dirt, and other debris rustled. It was making its advance this time.
Blinding.
That was the only way to describe the speed at which the black creature rushed me. Its heavy, indescribable, and blurry sword flashing in my direction. It was too fast. I couldn't help but tuck and roll off to the left, tumbling and scrambling to my feet as the blade it brandished came crashing down by my head, stabbing into the ground.
It's faster than me and as I sustain more wounds I get slower and slower.
The blade was already pulled from the ground, now looming over me as I stood, knees buckling from the strain.
" RRRAAGH!!! "
I let out a battle cry. As useless of a gesture as it may seem, it helped steel my resolve. I kicked off the ground, my stride strong and resolute.
But the stabbing pain I felt in my chest was as swift as my take-off had been.
* GASP *
Jolting up out of bed, gripping my blanket's edges, I felt my entire body covered in a cold sweat. I raised my hand, reaching toward my chest. There was no stab wound. However, the rough skin I felt was there. Tracing up to my shoulder was a scar, a long one.
" ...How...How long have I been out... "
I spoke out to the air, not expecting a response at that moment. Though, that was probably foolish to expect considering...
" Just half the day. "
" ! "
I was startled, Utanna's voice suddenly shocking me. Of course—Utanna didn't seem to sleep. Or maybe it did and I slept through it—
" You seem confused. After you got back to the tavern it was like you were moving autonomously. In a haze. You showered and changed your pants without even speaking a word. "
" ...Right... "
It had to have been true. I wasn't wearing the same dirt and blood-stained pants as before and I certainly felt fresh. Not to mention there wasn't any blood covering my chest at all.
" But...The blood—shouldn't there still be some on me? "
" Your wounds definitely should've been fatal. But it seems like you heal fast, kid. Another thing to tick off on the special list. "
" Of course, I've got a healing factor. Considering how fast I grow...Should've expected something like that. "
" Speaking of growth, I've been wondering. With how much your mother dotes on you, you'd think you're a toddler. How old are you? "
Logically speaking...I was only roughly 4 months old. For a moment I looked in the direction of the blade resting on the cracked desk.
" Four months. "
" Pardon? "
" I'm four months old. Give or take. "
There was silence. No outburst of confusion, no sly remarks. Just silence.
" I see. I guess that explains your ignorance. "
Oh. There it is. It's not like Utanna was wrong but...I didn't want to hear it say that.
" I've got to get up and get the— "
Speaking as I stood up and scrambled to get out of bed, I tripped. Right after something heavy and metallic. I hadn't even noticed it was there...
" Ah-! "
The pitch-black longsword that had been the cause for my new scar lay bare on the ground by my bed. What a shitty reminder of my blunders from the night before. Reaching out to it, I grabbed the hilt, lifting it up as I stood.
" Hey, Raksha. "
Utanna spoke out to me, calling my name. Usually, it referred to me in a more lax manner but this sounded serious.
" What, Utanna? "
So I responded in kind.
" Let me eat that sword. I was going to consume it last night but...you put me too far away from it. "
" You can eat swords—wait, you were just going to eat it without saying anything first?! "
" Listen! I have a feeling. I can do it. I just know I can and I know if I do something new will happen—something I've never felt before. "
" And the basis for this is...? "
I was skeptical but I was talking to a...well...talking dagger. As odd as it sounded to hear about its "hunch", it had to hold some weight to it.
" I don't have one. I just know. "
Thinking about it...There was no reason to hold onto the sword myself. It was far too long to realistically wield both it and Utanna at the same time without having to adjust. And if Utanna could in some way power up from consuming it, I'd gain more to my arsenal than just having two swords.
" Fine. But only because I'm trusting you. Partner. "
Utanna had been helping me for a while now for no known reason to me. So I could spare a sword for it.
Stepping toward Utanna, I lifted it, still holding the longsword in my other hand. I moved them together, touching their blades together. As I did, a massive flow of energy began to flow from my arm and into Utanna. As it did, I felt a flow of Vitality coming from the blade. Unlike the red aura I had seen before or the misty grey, I enveloped myself in when using Void Step, this Vitality was obsidian black.
A blinding light came from both Utanna and the sword and my view was obscured, forcing my eyes shut to shield them from the brightness. And after a few moments, it settled.
" Oh...This feels nice... "
I listened to Utanna speak, much more emotion filling its voice. Not to say it spoke robotically before, however, there was a change. And considering the tone, I'd dare say it was a bit feminine.
Once I fully opened my eyes, I saw that the longsword in the hand opposite to Utanna had been gone. It was as if it completely vanished. And as for Utanna, I could feel it staring at me, practically smirking.
At least, that was the vibe I got.
" Brace yourself, kid. I've got a new trick! "
The cocky-sounding voice made a smug sound right at the end of its sentence, beginning to glow. The heftiness in my hand coming from Utanna began to grow, feeling more weight pile on. Unlike before it wasn't so blinding I couldn't see. The light began to shift and change shapes.
What originally was a short dagger with curved and pointed features became a straight sword, nearly double its original size. It retained a lot of its original features, still keeping its expensive and pristine look.
However, it was now double-edged and weighed more.
" You're heavy. "
I was surprised to see it...but it wasn't that outlandish.
" Hey, you ass! Be nicer when you talk to me. "
It was as if the sword bounced in my hands.
" The question is: can you turn back? "
" Of course! I can switch between both forms now! "
The sword shifted, engulfed in light and shrinking again. It had been back to its previous shape—a curved dagger. I smirked at Utanna, glad. Grabbing the holster I had for Utanna off my desk, and attached it to my waist. I slid Utanna into it and turned.
" Now! We've got ourselves some answers to get and a core to receive. "
" Right! "
I stepped toward the other end of the room, grabbing my jacket, and deciding not to put on a shirt. I didn't want to deal with any fuss so I decided to grab the arm that I had ripped off the monster-beast from under my bed, only realizing that I had grabbed it out of pure instinct.
It seems my body remembered where it was before I even had the chance to process that I had been the one to put it under there.
Having everything I needed, I opened the window, wrapping myself in Vitality almost immediately.
" You're getting good at that. "
Utanna praised me as I cooled my emotions, numbing up a bit as I began to use Void Step.
I leapt from my window, right down to the main straight, and crashed down, a cloud of dust coming up from where I had jumped. I did come up from what was practically the third floor of the tavern's building. Even with the dust, no one would notice me.
The afternoon had just now been creeping by, edging into the evening even with the sun still high up in the sky. I didn't have much time if I wanted to meet with that Vendor.
" Don't dawdle either. I don't think I should have to remind you but just in case—you've got a meeting with Anna. "
" Damn. "
" You forgot, didn't you... "
Utanna sounded completely disappointed in me. I didn't respond. Instead, I ran off in the direction of the Shopping District.
After arriving and slipping through the masses completely unnoticed to be holding a monster-beast's arm, I found myself in front of the Vendor.
" I have an idea. "
Almost mischievously I smirked, undoing Void Step right in front of the Vendor and slamming down the arm on the stand he did business on.
" AGGHHH!!! "
He screamed, falling right back on his ass, looking up at me. I couldn't help but be delighted. The man failed to mention that the monster-beast I'd be hunting had a weapon itself.
" W-w-where did you come from?! "
" Now you know—I can get to you at any point in time. Completely unbeknownst to you. "
His lips quivered, clearly afraid. However, he looked up at the arm on the stand, shooting up and slamming his own hands down onto it looking at it intently.
" H-hey! That's a Clad Knight's arm! "
" 'Clad Knight'? What is that? "
" It's a monster-beast fully cloaked in all black that wields a black sword! It's called 'Clad Knight' because of its black appearance! "
" Hm...It was pitch-black. "
" Wait—don't tell me you saw this outside the gates?! How did you get this arm?! "
" How else? I killed it. You're the one who told me to go do it. "
" No-no, the monster-beast I wanted you to kill was just a Killer Bear! Not a Clad Knight! "
Did I get it wrong? I wandered around in those woods for so long and didn't find a trace of anything of the bear sort...
" I only found the Clad Knight. "
He stopped to think.
" Only one type of monster-beast inhabits one location—they're all very territorial. If you found a Clad Knight instead of a Killer Bear then they must've fought and the Clad Knight came out on top. "
So the "Killer Bear" was weaker than the Clad Knight. Good to know.
" That explains why I didn't find anything despite wandering so deep in. "
" Ah, Oni-boy...I'm sorry! I didn't even realize— "
" Don't worry about it, alright? "
I tugged on my hood, pulling it a bit more up.
" Just give me what I'm owed. The Killer Bear was killed and I killed what got rid of it. That should make things safer, right? "
" Y-yeah! Of course! Here! "
As if surprised by my complete disregard for his apology, he reached back again, pulling out the core. After using Vitality for the past day, I could now feel the energy pulsating off of it. Subconsciously, I smirked.
" You finally got the Evolution Core! Good job, kid! "
I held my hand out, taking the core as it was dropped in my hand. I swiftly pocketed it, nodding a bit.
" Pleasure doing business. "
" No-no, Oni-boy! The pleasure's mine! Thanks to you, I'll finally be able to get more fruits in! "
" My name isn't 'Oni-boy'. It's Raksha. Now I've got to go. "
I bluntly spoke, turning away from the Vendor and beginning my walk toward Anna's shop.
" Raksha, huh? I'll remember that name. "
Paying no more mind to the man now that I got what I needed, I entered the Blacksmith's shop, looking around for Anna.
Though, what I saw when I entered was something I wasn't at all prepared for.
And it pissed me off something fierce.
CHAPTER 8 END