Chapter 13-Erasing Evil

A white orbe filled the room though it quickly turned to a pure black, darker than the night sky. It was being held above Ichi's hand who then tossed it into the sky and began to control it almost telepathically as he had no hand on.

the orb began to fly across the room aiming for Tsucko who quickly jumped to one of the pillars in an attempt to avoid the attack. The orb though swiftly changed direction as if it had a mind of its own. Tsucko looked to Ichi who had seemingly vanished, but his mana was still around.

[" I can't believe I let replication magic trick me...That's why the mana output was low because it was a simple husk. he then disguised the rest of his mana and since I stopped detecting mana, he didn't have to try real hard."]

Tsucko jumped from pillar to pillar in an attempt to escape this orb that carried strength unknown to Tsucko, but no matter where he went or how fast it continued to follow him...Tsucko had originally thought it was homing magic mixed in with the cast but it was too precise with its tracking.

[" The king has to be controlling it. from a hidden place that also gives him a good view of the entire room."]

The upstairs was in clear view and he wasn't there...He couldn't be hiding in any of the rooms in the hallways that connected. Tracking mana was easy for skilled magic users but this precise...Unlikely.

Tsucko jumped from one pillar to the next near the ceiling of the room. The black orb followed in hot pursuit as Tsucko's eyes darted around trying to find Ichi. His mana was still in the room but he had scattered it making it hard to pinpoint his exact location.

[" He must have..."]

The storm clouds made it dark in the room, and with no light source in the room outside of torches strapped to the pillar it made way for lots of shadows. Being perfect for someone with shadow casts and magic.

Tsucko darted to the floor with the orb quickly following...Defensive magic would usually be proficient against magic like this but since it was being controlled it could just go around it, and the defensive magic cast around himself would likely be too weak to stop something like this. So the only way is to find the caster.

Dashing forward Tsucko began to charge up basic attack magic, his mana being a bright shade of yellow allowing for this plan to come to fruition as he pointed it to the sky and fired. The room glowed as it smashed through the roof. Rain began to fall inside with larger drops echoing as they hit the floor.

The shadows all vanished and in the leftist corner of the room sat Ichi who immediately stopped controlling his attack and prepared to defend.

Tsucko wasted no time as the orb shot past him he darted for Ichi who jumped over him and attempted to land a kick that Tsucko blocked and followed up with a mana blast sending Ichi a short distance away where he slid to a stop.

He had taken little damage from the blow Tsucko landed, meaning he was able to cast defensive magic in time. However, Tsucko noticed something off about his outfit, the right wrist guard was gone meaning one of Tsucko's experiments had been concluded.

[" So the wrist guards didn't spread to his body, so I need to be able to touch bare skin for it to work...Even if it's through a thin layer of clothing."]

Ichi during the time he was hidden tried to figure out what that strange cast earlier was. He had plenty of experience in magic and detecting certain cast but that...that was nothing he had ever felt before...One thing was clear about it though. If it landed cleanly...It would have led to a painful death.

[" The cast went through, after he grabbed me my right wrist guard practically turned to dust...He must have to physically touch me for it to work on me then.]...If that's the case!"

Ichi gathered a large amount of mana and concentrated it in both his hands, summoning multiple concentrated mana balls in his palm he fired at Tsucko.

Tsuckos eyes widened at the sheer quantity of basic attack magic he was firing at one time. Like a battling gun, it just kept going, Tsucko used the pillars as cover as he raced between them as dust and smoke continuing got kicked up acting as more cover in a way.

Tsucko ran up a pillar and flipped backward off of it, Multiple white mana balls shot underneath him as he arced through the air with an elegance one wouldn't expect from him. The balls smashed holes into the wall behind him and the building shook as it was slowly losing stability.

He landed and was forced immediately to duck another flurry of mana balls that shot over his head. He dashed to his right before deciding to use defensive magic.

[" I thought I would be able to dodge all these but...I didn't think he could keep this up, though it is basic attack magic it still burns mana."]

The flurry continued all smashing and disintegrating due to the defensive magic. Tsucko continued pouring mana into it until the flurry stopped...If it ever will. Tsucko had even more mana than the king, but even this was starting to fatigue him, Using defensive magic while taking a sizable amount of mana also required strong focus and stamina.

The sound of rubble falling to the ground and the rain were the sounds Tsucko wanted to hear. The on-slot was over, he dropped his defensive magic and looked ahead. A massive smoke wall sat in front of him blocking his visual of Ichi, but unlike last time he could precisely gauge his location.

"Did you tire yourself out!?"

No response, but Tsucko jumped at the opportunity to win this battle...Out of all of his battles, this had been the most entertaining...He wouldn't be upset to end it now.

" FEW!"

Tsucko cut through the dust cloud. Multiple bright white lights blinded him forcing him to shield his eyes.

" HUH!"

Ichi stood on the ground hands at his side palms facing out words. The rain was falling onto his face and crawling down at a snail-like speed. He had an emotionless face and his red eyes seemed to be shining brighter than ever.

" 8 Shining Swords." Behind Ichi in a half-circle shape, 8 glowing white swords floated in the air. Not the same as a summoning weapon, it was impossible to summon that many weapons at once, especially all of the same short sword crossguard type. " May their light be the last you ever see." This was yet another ancient cast past on from his ancestors.

" SHIT!"

Tsuckos eyes narrowed as four of the swords were sent in his direction, he had only just stopped his momentum and had no angle to dodge, their speed was too fast anyway. A defensive magic cast would take too long...For most magic users this would be the end.

" PHEWWW!!"

Ichi gritted his teeth and his face was full of frustration as he saw Tsucko fly off the the right and avoid all four of the blades.

" So you can use flight magic huh!?"

" Haha...Surprise!"

Flight magic offered way faster reactions and quicker movement, without it, Tsucko would off been dead, but there was a reason he had never used it before...It's the one cast he has yet to master, and flight magic burns a lot more mana than one would think.

" Dam you!"

With the thrust of his right hand, the last 4 blades began to pursue Tsucko who used the pillars to evade. The blades had a homing cast imbued in them as they tracked them but that didn't trouble Tsucko in the slightest.

While in mid-air he saw the landing location of the first four stuck into another pillar near the floor. A confident smile returned to Tsucko's face as he thought of an easy counter.

" They aren't that powerful then, though if they land right on I'll be killed...but I have something that can cut that pillar. Meaning it can cut these too."

Unlike with that black orb which Tuscko had no gauge on strength making it too risky to try this move on it. these were physical swords through and through, and seeing as they could puncture that pillar. 

" Uh...Tch!"

Ichis eyes widened as he saw multiple yellow strands of mana wire extend from behind a pillar. He felt his sword disintegrate as they were cut to pieces. then the mana wire split the piller in half causing it to fall in his direction.

" Hm?"

Tsucko looked on confused as Ichi stood stock still as the top half of the pillar fell. If he didn't move not even defensive magic could stop all that wair, and seeing as it wasn't mana filled it would likely wouldn't stop it at all. He had the speed to move and avoided it but...

" SHING!!"

Hundreds of tiny cuts appeared on the pillar before it split into hundreds of small pieces. Tsucko shielded his eye from the debre but kept his mana wire active in preparation for quick combat. 

" Hu..."

He landed without conflict and as the dust cleared he saw the glint of a sword...Which shouldn't have been possible seeing as there was barely any light in the room...Tsucko then realized it wasn't a summoned sword but the one he had sheathed on his back...Just by looking at it, he could tell.

[" It's incredibly sharp."]

" This blade was made for killing Demons." The dust cleared revealing Ichi holding a bright red sword with a sharper than sharp blade. Looking at it, even though it was clean, it seemed as if blood stains were visible on it. " Made out of a material humankind no longer possesses. Its last use was in the great Demon purge 45,000 years ago.

[" I never had any real interest in real steel blades but...I want that one."]

Ichi pointed the blade at Tsucko, the blade's reflection appearing in his clear blue eyes. His body seemed to quake and Tsucko felt a feeling he didn't think he would ever feel again, not since his past life had he felt any sort of fear.

"It's a shame I'll have to taint its honorable legacy...With the blood of dishonorable human like you."