Ra ‘’The immortal’’ [ 第六章 ]. ( PART 1)

The day after tomorrow has arrived. Rolo, Emily, Jin, and Edward just got off Cecilia’s shop to head out on their mission to guard Rolo on his trip back to the Hogios Kingdom.

‘’Take good care of My Rolo!’’ Elise said as she waves her hand at them.

‘’We will!’’ Emily said waving her hand back at her.

‘’M-My Rolo?!’’ Rolo said to himself as he got all red.

The group continued walking out of the western district to the south gate, located in the southern district.

‘’Rolo, you didn’t tell us the route we will be taking,’’ Emily asked.

‘’Yeah, I forgot. The kingdom is located west of the continent. After we meet up with my companions outside of the capital, we will head southwest from the south gate.’’

‘’Why too much secrecy?’’ Edward said as he had both his hands on the back of his head and whistled. Rolo stopped and looked back at him.

‘’Nobody knows who makes the healing potions. If that was leaked, there will be a lot of unnecessary danger coming after us.’’ Edward was embarrassed about how stupid he looked and he kept whistling to avoid eye contact.

‘’The healing potions are a great asset to the kingdoms. They will do whatever it takes to get their hands on the person who makes them. Then, they will mass produce it and control the economy itself or worse...’’ Rolo said as he started to walk again.

‘’If they have the power of healing potions, then that kingdom will be the one who controls who lives and dies,’’ Emily said as she and Jin, and Edward followed Rolo.

‘’Yes. Since healing magic is a rare one in our world, the healing potions will drastically change the way everything is.’’

‘’But, isn’t your kingdom doing what you are afraid of?’’ Emily asked.

‘’No. We don’t mass produce it and we don’t sell it to just one kingdom. No one knows which kingdom produces it or sells it. Every kingdom gets the same amount as the others. That was his majesty, king Zolten’s idea.’’

The group then got out and were waiting a few kilometers away from the capital walls on the signal from Rolo’s guards. Suddenly, they hear a whistle coming from a forest to their right.

‘’That’s the signal. Let’s go.’’ Rolo said.

‘’Alright! Time for the real adventure to begin!’’ Edward said loudly.

‘’Adventure? Huh?’’ Rolo spoke. Jin noticed that he became much darker as that whole smile he had on the shop with Elise faded away as soon as they got out of the capital.

‘’Is something wrong Rolo?’’ Jin asked as he looks back at him. Edward and Emily who were ahead stopped and looked back.

‘’Something wrong? Yes. You ‘’adventurers’’ think everything is a fairy tale. You have no regard for what will happen if something went bad. You are all just greedy worthless human beings.’’ Rolo replied with eyes burning with hatred. The trio was shocked.

‘’Uh! Rolo? I thought we were friends.’’ Edward awkwardly said.

‘’Let me tell you something, I am not your friend, and nor will I ever be. I despise you ‘’adventurers’’ for what you think you are. I was only accepted because of Elise. So do your job right!’’ Rolo said as he heads to where his companions are at.

‘’I-I wasn’t expecting that,’’ Emily said.

‘’Me neither,’’ Jin said.

‘’What are y’all doing? Move your butts. We don’t have the whole day!’’ Rolo shouted from the entrance of the forest.

‘’This bastard! He is talking to us like we are slaves. I'll beat him up!’’ With an angry look on his face, Edward said while grinning his teeth.

‘’Let’s just do our job,’’ Emily said with a sad tone.

The group catches up to Rolo and his two guards riding their dark brown horses with a small wooden carriage next to them. The first guard was a tall brown man with a slight beard and a scar on his left chin. The other guard was a woman with long platinum blonde hair worn in a ponytail, with bangs framing the right side of her gloomy unhappy face. They wore white armor with a sky-blue stripe on it. The armor of Hogios Kingdom.

‘’The orange head and the short girl, you will cover our rear. The boy with long hair, you will be scouting the area ahead.’’ The male guard said with a firm voice.

‘’My name is Edward and her name is Emily. And that’s Jin.’’

‘’I don’t care. Get to work!’’

‘’Not until you say our names and speak with respect.’’ Edward glared at him.

‘’And what if I don’t?’’ The guard said as he steps down from his horse and walks toward Edward.

The two stood facing each other. The guard was a bit taller but that didn’t faze Edward as he kept glaring at him without blinking.

‘’No need for a conflict. Let’s just do our parts and get to our destination safe and sound.’’ Jin said as he separated the two.

‘’Tch!’’

‘’Abram, let's go,’’ Rolo said to the male guard as he rides the carriage.

Abram looked with a disgusted face at Edward one last time before he went on his horse.

‘’Guys, just bear it for the trip. Let’s not get our feelings on the way.’’ Jin told Emily and Edward.

The group head out. Jin was ahead scouting for any threat and to give a signal for the other two guards on their horses. Rolo was riding the carriage behind the two guards while Edward and Emily were behind to cover the rear in case something was coming from the back.

‘’Man! I really thought we will be having a good time traveling to this new kingdom.’’ Edward said. Emily was quiet the whole time as she kept thinking about what Rolo said about the adventurers.

The group continued traveling with the same formation. They stopped for a quick break next to a small river so that the horses can drink and for them to rest. Rolo and his two companions sat alone as they were drinking water and eating a portion of prepared food.

‘’They really hate us huh?’’ Edward said as he expresses his frustration and anger with the way he eats his sandwich. Emily was still quiet as she eats hers.

‘’Emily, are you okay?’’ Jin asked out of concern as she didn’t look enthusiastic as she always is whenever they go on a job.

‘’I’m okay. Don’t worry about me Jin!’’ with a smile she replied. Jin knew it was fake.

The group once again continued their journey. Jin who was up ahead notices a mist covering the area. He signaled to the back to stop.

‘’What’s the matter?’’ Abram said.

‘’There is a mist ahead. We can’t go till it’s clear.’’ Jin replied.

‘’That will take way too long than what we are planning on. We will continue.’’

‘’We won’t know if we are going the right way or not. Also, we won’t know where the threat is coming from.’’

‘’If you can’t know where the threat or the right path is, then you’re just an amateur.’’

‘’What’s wrong?’’ Edward said as he and Emily got to the group.

‘’If you continue heading on the mist, we can’t give Rolo the best protection,’’ Jin said with a determined look at Abram.

‘’We will continue ahead. If you don’t want to then go back to your normal adventures.’’ Abram said ‘’Elena! Cover the back. We will go on foot. Lord Rolo! Drive the carriage with the speed of our footpace.’’

As they go on to the mist, Jin, Emily, and Edward follow them.

‘’Rolo! Think this through. It will be dangerous. We must go back before it's too late.’’ Jin said. But Rolo ignored him.

‘’Jin, we can’t change their minds. They think they know everything. It’s the worst!’’ Edward said.

Emily had enough. She started running and jumps onto the carriage next to Rolo.

‘’What the hell are you doing?’’ startled Rolo said.

‘’I am protecting your butt! I promised Elise to get you back to your homeland safe. I don’t care if you hate us, adventurers. I don’t care if you think we are only doing jobs for money. I don’t care if you don’t want us to be friends. I don’t care! Now, drive and shut up.’’ Emily shouted at him.

‘’You’re the one who was talking...’’ Rolo said quietly.

‘’What did you say?’’

‘’Nothing! Shut up!’’

‘’You shut up!’’

Jin and Edward couldn’t help but smile at the situation. Edward went to the back with Elena and Jin to the front with Abram. Rolo was uncomfortable while Emily was sitting next to him.

‘’Are you just going to sit next to me the whole time?’’ Rolo asked.

‘’Yes! An ignorant child like you must be babysat all the time.’’

‘’H-How dare you! I am 2 years older than you!’’

‘’I don’t care!’’

While the two argue, Edward was trying to get closer to Elena. He remembered what Alex ‘’The Flame’’ told him about women.

‘’Listen Little Edward! To get to know a girl and for her to open her heart to you, you must follow my strategy. I call it: 101 ways to make a woman fall in love with you.’’

Edward was determined to try it on, Elena.

‘’So, your name is Elena! I never heard such a gorgeous name.’’ Edward said with a smile. Elena didn’t respond. Her blank reaction got Edward nervous.

‘’Y-You know, I write poems. Would you like to hear some?’’ Still no reaction at all from her. Edward gave up as he feels his heart crack.

At the front, Abram and Jin were slowly trying to figure out the right path through the mist.

‘’This way, the mist is getting clear. We go this way.’’ Abram said as he points to where it is clear.

‘’I don’t think that’s the right path. A place where the mist is clear doesn’t mean it is the right one.’’

‘’Don’t act like you’re the leader out of nowhere.’’

‘’I am just trying to help. We are in this together. Can't we corporate?’’ Jin asked.

‘’You think you’re good at this? You have never been to this side of the continent! Just because you figured out that we were Lord Rolo’s guards that day, it doesn’t mean you are skilled either!’’

‘’You’re mad about that?’’

‘’Shut up and follow me.’’

The group went where Abram has directed them. As they are walking, they hear the noise of two small bells hitting each other.

‘’Ding! Ding!’’

‘’ What is that voice?’’ Abram said as he stopped. Rolo stopped the carriage as well.

They see a figure of a man wearing a tall coat that hides his body except for his feet ahead of them. The sound of bells came from the sides of the big round straw hat he was wearing. He kept slowly walking towards them while those two small bells on each side kept hitting each other and making that creepy sound.

‘’Ding! Ding!’’

‘’Stop right there! Identify yourself.’’ Abram loudly spoke to the mysterious man. Jin had a bad feeling about him and reached for his blade.

The man suddenly stopped and the almost cleared mist started to get much foggier. As it covered the area where the man was, he vanished through that mist.

‘’Stay alert! He might attack!’’ Jin said with a worrying tone.

Abram sees on his right the figure of the straw hat the mysterious man was wearing. Without hesitation, he draws his sword and attacks. With his swing, he cut the straw hat into two. Abram sees it was placed over a branch. Jin sees it as well.

‘’I-It was a decoy,’’ Abram said as he got worried.

From the sky above the carriage, the mysterious man was coming down like a hawk who saw his prey. As he was aiming for Emily with his daggers, Abram screams for Elena’s help. Emily had no idea that in a second, she will be stabbed. Luckily, Jin came to the rescue. As the man was almost about to thrust his dagger into Emily’s skull, Jin blocked it with his blade. The man steps back away.

‘’Jin!’’ said terrified Emily.

‘’T-That was close,’’ Rolo said as he was startled as well.

‘’Emily, stand up! We are under attack.’’ Jin spoke to her.

‘’Y-Yes.’’

The man took off his coat to reveal all of his body covered in bandages as well as his face. Except for his mouth and eyes. It was Ra.

‘’That was impressive! For the first time, my sneak attack was blocked. I am truly impressed.’’ Ra spoke with his deep frightening voice.

Ra looks at Jin’s blade and his clothes and smirked.

‘’So, you are one of those warriors. What were they called again? Yes! The samurais.’’ He said ‘’This will be fun! You don’t get the chance to fight a samurai every day.’’ As he gets to his stance.

‘’Who are you and why are you attacking us?’’ Jin asked him as he maintained his stance with his blade.

Before he could reply, Elena tried to take the advantage of him speaking to Jin to attack. But he saw it coming. He spins and jumps to the tree at the back as he dodges her speed dash thrust from the side. Abram from above swings his longsword as hard as he can, yet again he dodges it too to where his straw hat was. He only cut the tree in half.

‘’Oi, Oi, you two are ruining my fight with the samurai.’’

‘’Don’t underestimate us you filth!’’ Abram said as he gets in front of the carriage with Elena.

Edward joins up with Jin and Emily.

‘’You three, protect Rolo with your life. We will end this.’’ Abram orders them.

‘’Rolo gets back to the carriage. Edward, Emily we hold our formation.’’ Jin said.

‘’Okay!’’ Emily said as she gets her grimoire out.

‘’Time for some explosions!’’ Edward said excitedly as he holds his sword.

‘’Now, I, Abram Rullus shall fight you!’’

‘’I, Elena Glicia shall fight as well!’’

‘’Hold on a second, I never said this is a fight,’’ Ra spoke as he raises his arms to his shoulder level.

At that moment, the mist again got foggier than it already was. Abram and Elena couldn’t see Ra or Jin and the group anymore. As if they were cornered by imaginary walls. Walls of fog. With both Abram and Elena giving their back to each other, they stayed alert for a sneaky attack.

Ra spoke again with his voice that reaches the person’s soul like a reaper.

‘’This will be one bloody massacre!’’

Ra started to attack without showing his body. Abram and Elena started to get slashed multiple times with his daggers' attacks without knowing where they come from. As if he was the mist itself.

‘’Where does he attack from?’’ Elena said as she feels the pain coming from the slashes.

‘’I don’t know,’’ Abram said as well.

‘’And now to end it with this attack,’’ Ra said as he was about to stab Abram in the back of his head.

Jin blocks his attack once again.

‘’You! I told you to protect Rolo!’’

‘’I can’t leave you to die,’’ Jin replied to Abram. Ra once again vanishes.

‘’Samurai! I do not like you getting in my way again.’’

‘’I won’t stay still and watch you kill my companions,’’ Jin replied trying to figure out where he is.

‘’Very well! You shall die first!’’

‘’This mist... Truly plays in your favor. Isn't it odd?’’ Jin asked him.

‘’Indeed! Truly a blessing!’’ Ra replied after he laughed.

‘’This mist is your doing, isn’t it?’’ Ra didn’t respond.

‘’What do you mean? It’s his doing?’’ Abram asked Jin.

Ra laughed so hard before he replied back ‘’You Samurai are one of a kind. Truly! Yes, it is! It is my magic: Water Magic: Mist’’

‘’I thought so! Before we went in, we weren’t near any sea or a mountain. Just a path through a forest. We fell right into his trap.’’

‘’Yes! If it wasn’t for the stupidity of your comrade, I would’ve had to improvise!’’

‘’You were watching us the whole time?’’ Abram said.

‘’No. He wasn’t.’’

‘’What do you mean?’’

‘’No one can see through this thick fog. He listens and feels through it. That is how he attacks as well.’’ Jin replied.

‘’Oi, Oi, I don’t like how you know everything Samurai.’’

‘’Then you must know that wind is bad for your mist,’’ Jin said as he steps forwards.

‘’Wind Style: Wind Fury’’

Jin spins around as he swings creating a whirlwind. The mist dispersed leaving only Ra standing up ahead. Behind him is a huge boulder blocking the way ahead. He puts his daggers on his waist and started clapping.

‘’Well done, Samurai!’’

‘’Why didn’t you do this attack before we went in?’’ Abram said as he seemed angry at Jin.

‘’A natural mist will disperse for a second and comes back. But a magic mist is a one-time thing.’’

‘’Now that there is no mist to hide you. You will go down!’’ Abram said as he steps forward grabbing his longsword.

‘’Wait! With your injuries, you won’t stand a chance against him.’’ Jin said as he grabs him from his shoulder.

‘’Who the hell are you to decide that? Get back to Rolo and protect him.’’ Abram replied as he shrugs off his hand from his shoulder.

‘’Elena! Be my backup. We will end this fast!’’ Elena holds her sword high as she gets next to him.

‘’You two don’t learn huh? A true assassin doesn’t have just one plan.’’ Ra said

‘’What are you talking about?’’ Abram asked.

‘’This whole time you all were directed by me through my mist. Just like mice through a maze. Only to get killed at the end.’’ As Ra said his words, Abram remembered the mist when it got a bit cleared and they went in that direction.

‘’Samurai! You must know that when there is a source of your magic element, you can use it without depleting a lot of your magic powers! Right? Samurai!?’’ Ra’s tone got creepier and creepier with each word he said.

‘’His magic element is Water. There is no water here.’’ Abram said. Jin closed his eyes and started to listen. For a second, he hears the sound of water clashing with itself. He opens his eyes quickly and shouted to Emily at the back.

‘’Emily! Edward! Go away! Run now!’’ Emily and Edward heard him and realized that something dangerous was about to happen. They quickly rode the carriage and head back from where they came from.

‘’What are you doing?’’ Abram said.

‘’We must Ru-’’ Before Jin can continue his sentence, he sees Ra on top of the boulder that was behind him.

‘’We will continue our fight if y’all survive the first phase of my plan,’’ Ra said as he raises his arm high.

‘’RUN!’’ Jin screamed. The three started running back. Ra strikes with his arm as if it was a sword at the boulder.

‘’Water Magic: Water Whip.’’ Ra’s arm was circled with flowing water.

With the speed of his strike and the power of his magic, He sliced the boulder into two. Behind it was a confluence. Water started bursting to the other side. Trees that were close to the boulder, got demolished and dragged with the bits of fragments of the boulder and the water. Jin, Abram, and Elena were caught in the stream of water as well as the horses. Emily, Edward, and Rolo got their carriage flipped over due to the water coming fast. Ra stood at half of the destroyed boulder, looking at the destruction he made.

‘’What a splendid view! It’s been ages I haven’t had this much fun!’’ Ra said. His hysterical laughter was the only thing heard in the awful quiet in the area. ‘’Now, let’s see who is still alive.’’

Emily, Edward, and Rolo were safe as the flipped carriage helped them as a shield to not get drafted with the water. Elena’s leg was stuck under a rock. Abram was under a pile of broken trees. Jin was nowhere to be found. Ra notices them and heads towards Abram. He dragged him out of the tree wreck and grabs him by his hair.

‘’Well, look what we have here. You survived! ‘’ Ra said as Abram coughs while on his knees.

Ra grabs his dagger from behind and said ‘’Consider yourself honored to be killed by me. Ra ‘’The immortal’’ ‘’

Jin out of nowhere swings his blade at Ra. Ra was expecting an attack so he jumps away.

‘’Are you okay Abram?’’ Jin said.

‘’I am fine. Where is my sword?’’

‘’Don’t worry about fighting. Help Elena. She's stuck.’’ Abram didn’t like how he got ordered but he knew he can’t do anything against Ra. He was played by him twice. If it wasn’t for Jin, they would’ve died.

‘’If I will guess who will survive that stream, I will guess you 100 times,’’ Ra said.

‘’Your plays will end here,’’ Jin replied with a determined look.

‘’Show me. The greatness of your species! The Samurais!’’ Ra said with his eyes pupils wide as they can be.

As Abram went to help Elena, Jin and Ra kept staring at each other without moving a muscle.

‘’This brat is used to fighting. He knows one wrong move will mean the end of him. I wonder who trained him?’’ Ra thought to himself.

Jin closed his eyes and inhaled a big amount of air. He held it for a second before he exhaled slowly. Ra notices as the air comes out of his mouth, the wind started to get stronger. As Jin, holding his blade still on its sheath, Ra prepares for something big coming his way.

‘’Ultimate technique: Divine Wind Slash.’’

Jin opens his eyes slowly as he says the first two words. Ra looks at his dark glowing eyes as wide as they almost cover the whole eyeballs. He feels a cold breeze coming from Jin’s direction. Subconsciously, Ra took a defensive stance. In a blink of an eye, Jin disappears out of thin air. And the hurricane of slashes runs down on Ra from all angles. Jin appears behind him leaving a distance between them. He turns around to see Ra standing with his blood dripping from the multiple slashes. As Ra looks up while his arms are down, he says what made Jin worried.

‘’I am disappointed.’’ Jin immediately got to his fighting stance.

‘’All these slashes, none of them is in a vital area. You never killed someone huh?’’ Ra turns around to face him. He started touching the slashes caused by Jin.

He then tears up his chest’s bandages to show the multiple scars carved on his body.

‘’This is what a real slash leaves behind! Yours will disappear as soon as this battle is finished.’’ Ra screams those words. Jin couldn’t help but feels the immense strength coming from his words.

‘’I had my hopes up. I thought I am fighting a true Samurai. Legendary warriors who fear nothing! But I am only fighting a kid with a sword.’’ Ra said ‘’Let me tell you brat something. In this world, you either kill or be killed. There is no in-between!’’

Jin started to fidget. For the first time, he sees in front of him a man who went through hell and back. He could only picture a big great white shark, the size of a whale in front of him.

Ra drops his daggers and grabs both his hands together.

‘’Now, I’ll show you what true terror is.’’

‘’Water Magic: Twin Star Sharks.’’

The water in the area started to move high and create two-three meters water shaped sharks. The two creatures stood behind Ra as they give an immense killing intent aura. Jin was blown away.

‘’Phase two shall start!’’ Ra said.

One of the two shark attacks. Jin quickly jumps back as the shark bites the ground. While Jin is still in the air, the second shark attacked and swallowed him. While Jin is struggling to breathe inside of the shark, Ra spoke.

‘’With water everywhere, I can optimize how much I use my magic. You will suffocate inside of the shark. This is your end. Farewell Samurai!’’

‘’Like hell, I will let you kill my friend!’’ Edward shouts as he swings his sword at Ra.

Ra jumps and rides the first shark who attacked Jin.

‘’Now, Emily!’’ Edward screams.

Emily who was channeling her magic power used all she has for one attack. As her floating grimoire was lighted by the red aura, she said.

‘’Fire Magic: Fire burst.’’

A powerful fire attack launches toward Ra and his shark.

Ra was forced to sacrifice his shark to avoid the attack. At the confusion of the smoke coming out of the clash, Edward attacked the shark who has Jin inside.

‘’Sword Magic: Enhancement.’’

An orange aura circled Edward’s sword. He cut through the shark from its belly with one swing. Jin drops to the ground and started to breathe again. Edward comes back and picks up Jin on his shoulder and starts running.

‘’T-Thanks,’’ Jin said as he coughs water.

‘’No worries Buddy! We are in this together.’’ Edward said with a big smile.

Jin sees the carriage ready to go.

‘’Hurry!’’ Rolo shouted.

Emily, Edward, and Jin got on the carriage and started driving the carriage fast.

‘’Wait, where are Elena and Abram?’’ Jin asked. No one wanted to reply.

‘’Tell me where are they? Where-’’ it was then when Jin realized they stayed behind.

Ra got out of the smoke and sees them driving away. From both his right and left, Abram and Elena attack. Ra blocks both the swings with his daggers then he jumps away. As Abram and Elena face him, Ra spoke.

‘’You two stayed! What a brave and noble of you to buy time for your friends.’’

‘’Shut up! I will never back down from a fight. As a Hogios soldier, I fight till I die!’’ Abram said.

‘’Are you okay Elena? Your leg is-’’ Before Abram continues, Elena interrupts him.

‘’I am fine.’’

‘’You didn’t have to stay.’’

‘’Our duty was to protect Rolo with our life. As a Hogios soldier, I cannot leave.’’ Abram smiled as he heard Elena.

‘’Then, I am proud to be fighting my last fight with you!’’

‘’Me too!’’

‘’I would have loved to hear that goof’s poem.’’ Elena thought to herself as she smiles for the first time.

‘’Jin, I underestimated you since you were an adventurer. I wish I knew you in better circumstances. You will become a great warrior!’’ Abram thought to himself.

With both screaming at the top of their lungs, the two launch a full head-on attack on Ra.