Luis vs August and Winter, Part 1

"Hey…it's been a while," I say, standing across the tombstone laying before me, as I place a bouquet of flowers on top of the grave. "-Nick."

"I know, I know, I didn't come see you all of this time, but I had a good reason for that," I continue as I kneel down before the grave. "But I'm sure that you already know that."

I wipe the tears from my eyes.

"I just met up with everyone again, and they were happy to see me! Everything's alright again!" I exclaim. "Except for Mikey, that is. I don't know what's going on with that, but I'll see him soon, and I'll knock him back to his senses!"

I punch a fist into my palm.

"So now…I'm just asking you for good like," I continue. "After my fight against August and Winter today, it feels like my journey is almost reaching its conclusion. I'm going to become the next you, Nick, and protect everyone."

Nothing happens when I "speak" to Nick, of course but nothing needs to.

I know he's with me all the way.

My lips curl up into a smirk.

"Thank you, Nick!" I say as I pop back up to my feet and hustle away. I've got some important business to attend to.

***

I then make my way to arena one of the Slayer Organization Headquarters. I haven't been here since the International Junior Slayer Tournament. Impressive. The arena that was absolutely decimated during the fight between the fight of Mikey vs August had been completely restored.

When I step out into the arena, I spot Ella, Grover, Jamie, and Austin in the audience, and no one else. That's fine. No one else needs to be here.

On the opposite end of the arena, I spot Austin smirking at me as he approaches me, with Winter lingering a few steps behind. Reminds me of our match during the semi-finals of the IJST.

"I see you made it, Luis Tramontana," the Chairman says as I meet him in the center of the arena, with August and Winter standing across from me.

"How could I miss this fun event?" I sarcastically reply.

"You've got this, Luis!" Ella calls me to the audience.

"Kick their ass!" Jamie cheers.

"If you're not a Pro Slayer we can't be friends!" Grover exclaims.

"Theoretically, seeing your current power, you should win," Austin adds.

"This battle will be a two on one fight, August and Winter versus Luis Tramontana," the Chairman explains. "The fight will go until all members on either team's side are rendered incapacitated. You do not need to kill your opponent, but if you do, you will not receive repercussions. If August and Winter wins, Luis Tramonatana will be trialed as a half demon and rogue Demon Hunter and review punishment accordingly. If Luis Tramontana wins, then he and the rest of the Ex Slayer Hachi's squad members will earn the right to the information for the Pyromaniac Mission Two."

"I'm gonna rip that scarf off of ya' and see what you look like underneath!" I exclaim as I point to Winter, who doesn't reply.

"And you, I won't let you beat me again!" I exclaim as I then turn to August, who smirks back at me.

"I'd like to see you try, Blue Demon!" August exclaims.

"Now…" the Chairman begins to say as he waves his hand into the air. "Let the battle begin!"

Before anyone can prepare an attack, I draw my katana, then pull both navy blue sweatbands off of my right wrist, leaving my entire arm bare. I unwrap the blue cloth around my katana's sheath and tie it around my wrist, leaving a slack of blue cloth down between the hilt of my katana and my wrist, keeping the two tied together. Dark-blue Cursed Power then explodes out of my right arm as well, which leaves my right arm in its half-demon state for a power boost. "Blue Demon Arm!"

"What the heck are you doing there?" August asks as he raises an eyebrow at me.

"I'm about to show everyone my new fighting style!" I exclaim.

***

"Pivot your foot! Put your back into your attack!" My dad barks.

Currently, the two of us are standing outside of his dinky little shack, and after trying to teach me the Extend-o-Blade for a while, my dad decided to take a break and teach me basic katana skills.

"I am, I am!" I snap as I swing my katana up and down, as how my dad instructs me.

"No you're not!" My dad snaps back as he smacks me in the thighs with his sheathed katana.

"Ow!" I wince.

"You're only swinging your arms, in order to get the full power possible in your attack, you have to move the rest of your body as well. Twist your hips!" My dad explains.

"Why do I have to learn something useless like katana skills, when you can be teaching me how to control my half demon form?!" I cry. "That's what I'm here for!"

"Because before I can teach you your half demon form, you need to master Extend-o-Blade, your half demon powers. And to make the most out of Extend-o-Blade, you need to be a swordsman, not a kid who happens to wield a sword," my dad explains, causing me to roll my eyes.

"I see you taking jabs at me," I grumble. "Why don't we at least try this in actual combat?" I ask as I point the tip of my katana's blade at my dad.

"Excellent idea," my dad replies as he unsheaths his katana and tosses his sheath to the side.

And so, the two of us spar, using only our katanas and our Extend-o-Blades, not that mine is anywhere near my dad's impressive Extend-o-Sword.

"Extend-o-Blade!" I shout as I slash my katana towards my dad. But much to my surprise, rather than the blade of my katana extending, the blue cloth wrapped around my katana's hilt begins to unravel, and I lose control!

"It seems that you've been using your katana too much without taking proper care of it," my dad comments. "Maybe we should take you to town and get a new one."

"No, I can use this!" I smirk. I let go of my katana's hilt and grab solely onto the unraveled cloth around my katana's holt, using the cloth to swing my katana towards my dad and slash him across the chest using my increased range.

"Hmm…" my dad mutters as he touches two fingers to the shallow cut in his chest. "Not a good substitute for the Extend-o-Sword, but it's a good start."

"Alright, let's see what I can do with this," I smirk as I peel off my right sweatband and wrap the blue cloth of my katana around my wrist, and begin swinging it around in a circle.

***

"Extend-o-Blade: Crescent-Moon Blade!" I shout as I prepare my Wind Blade and swing my katana forwards after spinning it around by its cloth for a little bit. As my katana flies outwards (keeping it attached to my wrist via the blue cloth), its blade begins bubbling with dark blue Cursed Power and extending outwards swiftly. I then grab a hold of the blue cloth attached to the hilt of my katana and yank it to the side, my katana and its extended blade following the cloth, and slashing August across the chest.

"Hey, that was pretty cool!" August comments, unfazed by the slash wound as I grab the hilt of my katana angina, allowing the cloth to dangle down, as well as retracting the blade of my katana back to its usual length. "Flesh Clones: Doppelgangers!" August then shouts as he sends two of his clones charging towards me.

August and his dual Flesh Clones slam into the ground in front of me, but luckily, I hopped backwards in time to dodge.

But August keeps up his relentless assault, sending his two previous flesh clones as well as spawning and sending two new clones charging towards me as well. Using my Air Control, to dodge and wave the punches and kicks of August's clones, while countering with my slashes from my katana, causing August's clones to dissipate back into his familiar red Cursed Power.

My turn!

I let go of my katana's hilt and unravel the cloth around my wrist a bit, then bring my hand into the air and begin swinging my katana around via the cloth. While swinging my katana around, I then prepare a Wind Blade, while also pouring my dark blue Cursed Power into the blade of my katana and flowing it upwards.

"Extend-o-Blade: Crescent-Moon Slash!" I shout as I bring my katana down to the side then swing it towards August via the cloth while also extending the range of my sword with my Extend-o-Blade, sending circular saw blades of wind and Cursed Power flying towards August's clones, carving them to bits, which then dissipate back into August's red Cursed Power.