Alcion Kazuki: The Strongest Swordsman Ever

Astro, Iki, and Reiken sat encased in a barrier of large arms that covered them completely. None of them could break through, but all Reiken was doing was studying the strength of the barrier as the other two sat there powerless.

Iki hadn’t said a word, but had been looking at the ground the entire time.

Astro: “Why?”

Nobody looked back at him.

He repeated himself again.

Astro: Why? You there. Why would you give them the shard? They are a power that could destroy this world, and you along with it. You aren’t allied with them so why?”

Reiken: “Hmm, this certainly is a fine barrier. Astro, was it? Your scythe was very strong, and I wanted to study it, but seeing that they took it and dismantled its power, I no longer seek use for it. Right now, the swordsmen are probably fighting or almost done fighting the beings of this place. Don’t get me wrong, I am against you all, but I do hope that you win this fight. I’m not a bad person, Astro. Iki, even though you are not acknowledging me right now either, I know you think this too. That man that came to help, Michiaki Sen. I have never been more enthralled in my life to study power. He’s the strongest I’ve ever seen, however, I cannot make a barrier out of him. Although, someone with similar strength does sit out in a cabin far away…”

He continued.

Reiken: “Anyways, my goal is to save humanity. I will make a barrier so strong that it creates its own separate realm and cannot be touched by evil. People will live there in happiness and nobody will ever feel these terrible emotions anymore. I have the power to make this. Like that man said, if the world wants to be destroyed, I will just find a way to hide with everyone else. I need the Dark Mold’s power. I already have others that I have extracted and with my sword’s ability, I can harness mana from eating chaplets.”

Astro: “What a sorry excuse.”

Reiken: “Excuse me?”

Astro: “People are built off emotions. Good and bad. You cannot change that. You cannot rob them of their nature. If your goal was to make a separate place where people could live and hide away from evil, then I would’ve been fine with what you did, but you cannot make a place where you take away their feelings.”

Reiken: “Feelings are not necessary. They are a curse. They ruin mindsets. Happiness is all people need. If everyone was happy, then there would be no problems.”

Astro: “That’s not how the world works.”

Reiken: “That’s the world I’ll make!”

It went silent.

Iki still held his head down, not speaking a word, but the two of them continued to argue back and forth.

Reiken: “I’ll change the way people think. They didn’t ask to be born with emotions. That was a pitiful gift that has ruined them.”

Astro: “You say that like you aren’t human. Do you not have emotions yourself?”

Reiken: “I am above humanity. I will become a God and create something that nobody else can. I’ll sacrifice everything to give everyone a sanctuary. Try and stop me, Astro. Nobody will!”

Iki finally spoke after hours and hours of nothing, but it was in whispers.

Iki: “You fools. The swordsmen will not win. Reiken, you and Lorenzo Cain are fools. I did tell the truth when you asked me those questions, but I did not tell all the truth. The Dark Mold is not something you can beat. Michiaki Sen cannot even destroy this place. It has changed since the last time I was here, and the rulers are different, but it does not matter. My men are probably dead right now. If you do not have Dark Mold abilities, then you will not win.”

Astro: “Alright, then what does that entail?”

Iki: “The 100 guards feed off of this realm. Their powers can transfer anywhere. We cannot win. I couldn’t look at my father without being scared to death, let alone Nightmare who sent a pulsating danger down my spine. He has the ability to create whatever he wants. It’s called ‘Imagination.’ I don’t know how far his power extends, but every move you throw at him, he can just form a counterattack. We’re dead.”

Reiken: "Interesting! I need to learn more about this?! That is a power that far exceeds my expectations! I could harness that myself!”

Before anyone could say anything else, the hands started to go back into the ground, letting them out. No guards were there anymore and the Dark Mold started to collapse.

Astro: “Crap! We gotta go. Iki, I’m taking you with me. Children of Thanatos, Spirits of Shadows, Disperse!”

Reiken reached into his pocket, pulling a Yellow Egress Chaplet out and wisping away as the Dark Mold collapsed on itself like an illusion, only to be built right back up again.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Souta: “Naoki…I’m sick of this. This tracker isn’t going to find this thing. Sure, it scans where chaplets are, but how are we going to find this thing still? Its radius is too small. We were stuck in a time state for years, we’re already way behind.”

Naoki: “Shut your mouth, Souta! We’re going to keep looking!”

Souta: “Huh? Don’t raise your voice at me, you fool! You think you can just boss me around? I’ve been helping this entire time for years. Don’t give me that crap!”

Naoki: “We’re searching again! The entire world. We’re searching it again with the tracker!”

Souta: “I thought I was mad, but you…you are definitely insane. I’m done helping, Naoki. You can explain to Aunt Sally when we die what you did all your life. I’m going to go live how I please. The two of us can’t do this alone.”

Naoki: “Souta! Get back here! Where are you going?!”

Souta: “Naoki, I wouldn’t search for too much longer. You’re chasing a dream that’s already lost. Live your life, Naoki. We only get one.”

Naoki: “Hey! Don’t get all soft on me! Where the hell did that come from?! Souta! Souta!”

He walked away with his hand raised in the air as if to say goodbye. Souta didn’t know what had gotten into him either, but he no longer wanted to do this anymore. For some reason, he didn’t believe in the cause anymore. Naoki had never told him what he would use the chaplet on anyways if he found it. For Souta, he probably would have wished to live on a beach with hot chicks for the rest of his life. He didn’t care anymore though.

Naoki: “Damn bastard. I’ll find it. I’ll do it on my own. Yes! I will! I’ll do it!”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Agatha Rekka and Akari Rekka awaited at The Association, the designated spot for them all before they all arrived in front of them. Yahiko ventured down to Iki’s chaplet stash and took the remaining Healing Chaplets, while Ren regained his healing powers.

He healed everybody except for Kento even though there was 1 Healing Chaplet left.

Kouki and Yasuhiro were nowhere to be found.

Yahiko, Natsuki, Sayo, Isara, Kento, Agatha, Akari, Ren, and Akuma sat down pondering what had happened.

Kento: “You bastard. You think I care if you don’t heal me? I’ll find something on my own.”

He got up to walk and go find a Healing Chaplet, but fell to the floor right away, bleeding from his stomach.

Kento: “Golden Purification.”

His technique didn’t work. It wasn’t poison that pierced him, it was raw strength.

Natsuki: “Yahiko! Give him the chaplet.”

Yahiko: “Ugh, fine. Here you selfish idiot.”

As soon as he used it, he bolted right next to Yahiko’s face, drawing blood from his cheek with his sword before Yahiko could even move.

Natsuki: “Kento! Contain yourself!”

Kento: “I don’t follow orders, Natsuki. I’m here to fight. Bring me back to that place. I want round 2. I know how to win now!”

Agatha: “Hey, hey, hey. So, what do I get for holding all these stupid little pieces of sword? I assume a prize is in order.”

Natsuki: “You’re c-controlling them?”

Agatha: “Yeah? So what? I’m not on any of your sides. What if I just take these myself? Not that I need them. My strength is greater than some stupid sword. But, it would be pretty funny.”

Kento bolted at Agatha at the same speed he did to Yahiko, but Agatha followed his path with her eyes. The shards corroded onto her sword and not only blocked Kento’s attack, but sent him flying backwards before releasing off of her sword again.

Agatha: “Watch yourself, peasant.”

Kento: “Peasant?! Oh, I’m gonna enjoy this!”

Natsuki: “KENTO! AGATHA! STOP!”

His hair lit up white, his body entirely blue, similar to activating a moon.

Kento: “There’s that power. Where was that in the Dark Mold? Decided to just use your moon and think that was enough?”

Natsuki: “Kento, stop denying the love in your heart. You can fight whoever you want, but at this moment, if we don’t do this, then the world will end…Agatha, I told you I would give you my soul if you could combine the shards. Is the deal still on?”

Agatha: “Of course. I hate the swordsmen, and after all, you got me pretty good when we fought. Your soul for the shards control.”

Natsuki: “Deal.”

Yahiko: “Are you insane, Natsuki?! No, that deal ain’t happening.”

Sayo: “Natsuki sir…”

Kento: “Hahaha. I like that deal.”

Isara thought, ‘This is inane, but I can’t say anything. Everybody in this room is much stronger than I am.’

Akari whispered something in his sister’s ear that changed the deal though.

She spoke.

Agatha: “Actually. I want the girl’s sword too. It seems you have found a master blacksmith, little girl. That is something that not a lot of people have done. I’ll take your sword.”

Isara: “Huh?”

Natsuki: “Agatha! That wasn’t the deal.”

Agatha: “Well, it is now. Oh, and where did the witches go? I want their souls too.”

Isara: “I-I can’t give this away. It was my mother’s.”

Kento swooped right past her and ended up in the same spot with the sword in his hand. He tossed it to Agatha, allowing her to take it. They both laughed as she handed the sword to her brother.

Agatha: “Alright, now we got a deal. Your soul and the blade. I’ll take the witches souls later wherever they went.”

She held up the four swords that formed a sword and connected them together. She was the only one that could do this for some reason out of all of them, yet even she struggled. Gravity became weightless, and everyone began to float in the air. Sparks flew, greater than throwing down 100 Ectro Chaplets.

Nobody around could even activate their mana as parts of the Association began to chip away before eventually gigantic pieces were taken out of the building, tearing it apart. Holes in the ground formed with different lights shooting upwards.

The shards formed perfectly into each other, creating a golden sword that had the 8 phases of the moon on one side, and 7 stages of stars on the other side.

Everyone took cover besides Kento who banged his head into flying rocks that came at him, breaking them in 2.

Kento: “This! This is true strength! More! More! More!”

Flashing lights enveloped the entire area, blinding everybody. Agatha tried to let go of the sword as it was burning her skin, but it would not release until eventually a huge bang exploded the entire area.

White smoke filled the room, but then…A single man stood with the sword in hand.

???: “Ah, I see. So you all did it. I’m proud.”

In his late 20s, he wasn’t much younger than any of them. Green hair that sparkled like a field of grass. Gold eyes that shimmered like the reflection of the moon on the ocean, but scars across his entire face. He wore gold and blue armor down to his feet that was elegant, almost like royalty.

He turned directly towards Agatha and smiled, speaking but only one word to her.

???: “Return.”

It was like she had seen a ghost. Something shocked her to the point where she jolted back and her eyes brightened, but then in the following moments, she was a completely different person.

The same appearance, yet not herself.

Agatha: “Welcome back…master.”

She cried and hugged him in his arms.

Natsuki cried at the sight of love. This man that was in front of him had more love than even Michiaki Sen. In fact, it was more than everyone he had ever seen combined. He started to cry himself, walked forward, and kneeled on one knee.

Natsuki: “Sir…you have the most love I have ever seen. Your mana core is extraordinary. I just want to commend you.”

Yahiko was extremely intrigued at Wally’s actions. He used Switcher’s Code on the man that stood there, but was blocked immediately, and he didn’t know why. ‘I can’t see his powers. Who is this? His strength seems overwhelming. And what the hell happened to Agatha?’

Sayo followed alongside Natsuki and kneeled down next to him as well, not knowing who he was, but respected Natsuki enough to do the same.

Kento was excited and bolted at the man to try and grab the sword. However, when he did this, he ended up on the floor before he knew it and his own sword went flying across the room. ‘Wh-What just happened?’ he thought.

Natsuki: “May I ask for your name, sir?”

???: “A valuable swordsman you are. All of you. You are all great. I am glad that the art of the sword has not died. It has been quite a long time for me. I’m a little rusty, but I should be good to go.”

Out of the grass plains, Arata Sanji walked forward into the broken down Association. This time, it was his real body.

Arata: “Sorry everyone. It took me quite a while to get over the seas. What’s our next plan?”

???: “Ah, is that so? So this is the 1st Reverend?”

Arata: “Huh? Who are you?”

Agatha: “No master. That is Arata Sanji. He is known for going across the lands and helping people in need. A valuable feature.”

???: “I see. He is quite strong. He may even rival me in his body. He unknowingly unlocked mana spirals, yet they are still buried.”

Agatha: “You are too humble, master.”

He stuck his hand out at Arata, who pulled his sword, not knowing what he was going to do. Arata was different. He breathed out blue smoke that transferred into mana that shrouded his body.

However, the man had no intention of hurting Arata. He simply reached down to his soul, and brought about his mana spirals, which encompassed his body anew.

Instead of lines, blue spirals circled his skin, increasing his power significantly more than it already was. He was shocked. In his mind, he still had not unleashed all his strength yet.’The safe is still locked on the island,’ he thought. ‘Do I even need it with this power now?’

Arata: “Hey, who are you? What is this?”

???: “My apologies to all. I know you all were doing your own thing and I just busted in here and caused commotion. My name is Alcion Kazuki. What I’m holding is the sword of the Alcion family, although I’m sure you already know this. Thank you everyone. When I split this sword and sealed myself, I never would’ve imagined that the Royal family would’ve hid these shards across the entire world. They really tried their hardest, but they doubted the power of swordsmen.”

Agatha: “Master, the Royal Family has passed since then. There are new leaders in play. Mugen Oririo now controls the new city.”

Kazuki: “Oririo? A descendant of Joy Oririo, the leader when I was around. I see a few hundred years has passed…You there, young girl. An aspiring swordsman.”

He got down on one knee and got close to her face.

Kazuki: “Stay true to your heart. I see it wavers, but do not succumb to that. You have help if you need it. Listen to those three. They have been around a lot more than you have. Here is your sword back.”

Isara: “Y-Yes!”

Kento: “Enough with all this crap. You’re the person who controls this sword right? Are you gonna help us or not?! My fight ended because of those stupid shards! Fight me instead now!”

Kazuki: “Ha! Hahahahahaha! Passion at its finest. A genuine quality! No need to control that. You are indeed smart and cocky and have the skills to back it up. Ah, so this is your brother in this era?”

Agatha: “Yes, his name is Akari Rekka.”

Kazuki: “I see. Both of your souls have been tainted by antimatter. Come, young one. Come here.”

He tapped his index fingers on both of their heads, creating a golden light that ran down their body to the end of their toes.

Akari stood up, and now similar to Agatha, he was completely different. His appearance stayed the same like hers, but they were free of antimatter. He cried, remembering all the things that he did in the past.

He balled his eyes out and hugged Agatha.

Akari: “I’m sorry! I’m...sorry. Sister, I made you struggle. You changed for me and I fell deeper and deeper in my own mind. I’m sorry!”

Agatha couldn’t say a word, but just hugged him and cried along with him.

Agatha: “I’m sorry too. I don’t know what I turned into. I forgot about master Kazuki. I don’t know why. We struggled at such a young age because of that. I had to relearn everything and I tried to protect you. I’m sorry.”

Kazuki: “Agatha, do not apologize. I am sorry that I couldn’t get here quicker. I wonder how many lifetimes you struggled through without me. You poor thing. They seemed to have used my sword’s powers to wipe your memory and fate grabbed you before I could. Please forgive me.”

Natsuki: “Sir Kazuki. If I may ask, what do you mean by this? Your shard told me something similar. It told me that Agatha defeated Kastor, but it made no sense to me. She asked me this, and I truly did not know. I could only assume with what you say that she has repeatedly been reborn. Is this true?”

Kazuki: “Yes, you are correct. Does anyone here know who Toshiro Rin is?”

Nobody responded, but some shook their heads no.

Kazuki: “I see. Toshiro was a very good friend of mine. He is destined to the same fate as Agatha. He is to repeatedly die in multiple worlds over and over with a special horse called the Time Horse. Once one dies, then they are usually reborn not too long after. Agatha shares a similar timeline. She is repeatedly reborn weaker and weaker into the same world. The Agatha that stands here is a small fraction of what her strength used to be.”

Yahiko thought, ‘This girl…was stronger than she is now? Unbelievable.’

This wasn’t just Yahiko’s thought. Almost everyone thought this when Kazuki spoke this truth.

Kazuki: “Although, it seems she has a brother in this life. She did not have one back when I was around. I’m glad. I also do not sense the Time Horse or Toshiro meaning–”

Agatha: “It seems they are gone master.”

Kazuki: “What a shame. I wonder what realm took them. I pray that they are saved. Too much death should never meet anyone. I’m sorry that you struggle with this as well, Agatha. If I could do something, then I would.”

Kento: “Hey! You big bastard! You’re spewing all this nonsense, but all I see is a stupid sword and armor around a shell of a man. Who are you really?! Nobody knows you!”

Yahiko: “I actually agree with Kento this time. Sir Kazuki, although I do not feel threatened by you in any sense, and I believe you are on our side, who are you really? We do not know your name, your sword, or anything about you. And…you just threw one of our best swordsmen to the ground so fast that nobody saw it.”

Kazuki: “Forgive me. I forgot that I programmed Alcion to delete everyone’s memories from the past, present, and future. Although, I’m sure a few people might’ve avoided my powers as time went by. However, I believe I left the name of the sword around. You do all know the legend of the sword, Alcion, right? This is what it looks like and I am its wielder. If you do not believe me, that is okay, but trust me when I say I will fight with whatever battle you need. I assume that’s why you collected the shards.”

Natsuki: “Kazuki sir, why? Why would you willingly sacrifice yourself and break your sword? You said this earlier. Why would you do such a thing?”

Kazuki: “One word, my young swordsman…Pride.”

Kento: “Pride? Are you insane?”

Natsuki: “Pride, yes I love it.”

Kazuki: “Many years ago, I spoke with a young man with a pet dog. I worked for the Royal family and was ordered to kill the man. He had killed thousands of our soldiers at once, but when I arrived, all I could see was a man that was lost. Lost in his morals that he developed because people harmed him in his past. I could not kill him. I let him go and put the blame on myself. The Royal family knew I did not do it, but they looked for any excuse possible to get rid of me, so I sealed myself and broke the sword into 4 shards. I figured the next generation would free me, but I see I was a fool to think that.”

Kento: “What a fool you are. Pride? Nothing matters but fighting. If you had killed that man, then you wouldn’t have caused the pain between these people here. Not that I care, but you’re an idiot. You and Michiaki with your weird tendencies. God, it frustrates me! Arata! Fight me!”

Arata: “Alcion eh? I truly thought it was a rumor. Everyone! Save your questions for later. This man is here to help. You want to save our friends, right? Fill him in and what’s going on and let’s head out. Grab more Healing Chaplets. We’re going to need them. We don’t have a lot of options here.”

Sayo: “Wait, please. Before we do this, I have a selfish request. I’m sorry, but sir Kazuki, I have a friend that I believe you can fix. His name is Aamon Krozolo. Can you please try?”

Arata: “Genius! With Aamon, we might not even need Michiaki.”

Kazuki: “Ah, bring me to this man and I will try my best. After that, I agree with this man here. However, my shards have already informed me of the past images. You all need help defeating the Dark Mold, correct? Yes, I have dealt with them before. I am sure I can help.”

A shadow appeared from behind Isara and out came Astro with Iki.

Astro: “Don’t count us out. Here’s your leader.”

Natsuki: “Oh?! Master!”

Yahiko: “Master, are you okay?!”

Iki: “I’m fine. Nobody says a word to me right now, understand? I heard the last part of that sentence. I know who you are, Alcion. I hated you in the past, but I don’t care right now. Just kill my father and let’s just go get Aamon.”

With that, they headed off to Wallchester Prison where Aamon awaited an escort of people.