The Elemental Sword Demon King
Episode 175: Empty Hope
POV: Kirigaya Kaizo
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A few days had passed since the boy had met the dark spirit girl. His mind and body were completely defeated.
"Guah!"
Until now, he had always had the confidence to cope with every single one of his exercises no matter how hard or deadly. In fact, there were many other children who were brought to this place like him, but they instead lost their lives.
No one expressed sorrow, sympathy, or praise for their deaths. To the elders of the Instructional School, they were simply dismissed and disqualified, then tragically left like a broken tool.
This was the kind of hell where the boy survived. He even gained the power to destroy a group of skilled assassins with his bare hands. But this is just a children's game.
In the past few days, that was what the boy had undoubtedly discovered as his emotions began to return.
"Are you okay, Kaizo?" The dark spirit girl watched Kaizo with worried eyes as she lay on the ground.
"Don't touch me!"
"I'm sorry," with a sad expression, the girl stopped herself from helping her up and said, "Don't get angry. Anyway, my mission is to make you stronger."
"Anged?" The boy glared at the girl, "Are you insulting me? I have no feelings. I'm just a tool to kill."
The boy forced his body to wake up even though it was full of wounds. Contrary to his claim, his inner heart was in a state of chaos. It was not anger or hatred, but something else, it was an emotion.
Therefore, he absolutely had to eliminate this emotion. It must be eliminated to be the perfect killer tool for the organization.
"Killing you is an order given to me. Therefore, I'm just running my mission."
"Yes, that's right. Quickly kill me then, Kaizo."
****
Kaizo and Karmila leave the cave and walk through the forest at night. The area is really dark. Without the spirit crystal for illumination, he would not be able to see even his feet. The terrifying spirits at night began to activate, and the screams of beasts could be heard from afar.
"Kaizo?"
Realizing the pull on his sleeve, Kaizo turned his head and asked, "Hmm, what's wrong?"
"It's late at night. Trying to walk in a hurry would be dangerous."
Indeed, night was the time when the wild beasts and hated demon spirits became active. Walking in the woods today is not a wise decision.
"No problem. I'm used to sword techniques at night." Kaizo tried to convince him.
In reality, he had undergone combat training in the zero visibility room during his time in the Instructional School. For a professional assassin, this could be considered a basic combat skill.
"Swielding technique at night..." Karmila suddenly turned her gaze to Kaizo with a look of hatred.
"Wait a minute, I'm not talking about some kind of nuanced exercise for nighttime activities!"
Karmila replied gently with a light surprise, "I didn't say such a thing."
"Let's go a little further. After all, it was impossible to camp in the forest like this."
"Understood." Karmila.
"Are you scared? If that's the case, do you want to hold hands?"
"Holding the hand of a girl in a dark forest, it was really an act of villainy and also classified as kidnapping."
"You..." Kaizo sighed with her eyes half closed.
Suddenly sensing something unusual, he hurriedly pushed her onto the grass.
"Hurry down!"
"Kaizo?!"
"Sttt, shut up." Kaizo whispered in Karmila's ear.
Above their heads, a blue-white fireball flew past them. The fireball constantly changed its shape as it flickered, circling in the forest nonstop.
Perhaps it was the reconnaissance spirit released by some team. It would be troublesome if Kaizo and Karmila were found. The spirit spun around for a while before disappearing into the depths of the forest.
"Hoo..." Kaizo wiped the sweat off his head.
Although the guiding spirit could be obliterated instantly, the act was tantamount to exposing its position to an elementalist who shared a vision with the spirit.
He still suffered injuries from falling off the cliff and his body had also accumulated quite a lot of fatigue. To be honest, in his current state it would be best to dodge the enemy's attack.
"Kaizo?"
"Maybe it's time for you to move on."
"Sorry!?"
His hands were 'coincidentally' positioned on his chest. Kaizo frantically got up. A gentle sensation still lingered in his hand.
"Since it's an emergency situation, I'll let it go this time." Karmila didn't seem to mind. Patting the dust off her skirt, she stood up.
Even though she was only thirteen, did she not feel the slightest bit embarrassed, Kaizo thought. They then increased their vigilance to continue their journey through the forest.
"By the way..." Kaizo asked as they walked along the muddy ground, "What kind of spirit are you contracting, Karmila?"
Even though he knew it was a spirit with holy attributes, there were still innumerable forms. In terms of inclinations, those who specialize in defense such as the Tiana knight spirit, Deus El Machina are more common, but in the end it is just a tendency.
Variations in spirit types resulted in dramatic changes to the way they were used. However, Karmila quietly lowered her head and replied, "Although our team is allied, I can't tell you. Because my spirit is a state secret."
"I understand."
Reaching a dead end, Kaizo changed the subject, "So, «Harapan» what do you want to realize through this Sword Style Festival?"
Under normal conditions, this is a backward question. An elementalist who wanted to participate in the Sword Style Festival without his own will was impossible to exist. However, from this Karmila Freya girl, Kaizo could not feel such a motive. That's why he's curious.
"Nothing." Answer Karmila without hesitation.
"no? Without the desire, then why?"
(Why did he choose to ally with the other team, desperately trying to survive?)
"I exist as a tool. As a tool, one must complete his mission."
"Tool?!" Kaizo frowned in surprise.
If he called it knight loyalty, it would be fine, but he felt it was different from that. Or rather, the impression he gets from it, is someone who lives only to accomplish a certain goal, in this case, the tool is not an analogy but literally means.
(This girl.).
Kaizo knows a boy who looks like this girl. After losing all hope, a boy who had even forgotten the feeling of despair in the end.
Leaving behind everything that made him human, a boy who only cultivated as a tool for the satisfaction of various parties.
(In this case, this girl is very similar to the orphan in the Instructional School, 'my past self.')
Perhaps this was one of the reasons why Kaizo felt he could not leave her at all.
"What's that?" The Herochromia's eyes stared coldly at Kaizo. Her emotionless gaze was very similar to Kaizo before meeting Alicia.
"No, no, let's go." Kaizo silently shook his head and continued to trudge through the mud.
****
POV: Tiana Von
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"A-ahh, Ka-izo, Kaizo, he's..."
Victoria was lying on a simple mattress inside the tent. Sweating profusely from head to toe, he called out Kaizo's name with an extremely agonizing expression. His consciousness was still very vague and there was no life in his eyes.
Aura brought the warm soup and asked worriedly, "How is Victoria's condition?"
"His temperature was very high, it seemed like he was running through the rain." Tiana silently shook her head. Victoria's delicate skin is covered with scratches from the branches.
"The injuries on his body aren't serious, but if we don't do something to deal with this high fever..."
"Kaizo, if we don't save him..."
"Right now the Captain is summoning the wind spirit to conduct a search. As soon as morning arrives, we will join the search party," Tiana bit her lip with regret. "In addition, the forest at night is too dangerous."
After being taken to the tent, Victoria reported what had happened under her semi-conscious state. The encounter in the forest with the black knight of the Inferno Team, Nephesis Loran, and the result of the resulting battle.
...
*Connected.....
*Note: This story is fictitious. If there is a similarity in the name of the character, the scene, or the story, it is a mere coincidence and there is no element of intentionality.