Chapter 12: Bloodbath (3)

Hakuryoku landed a crushing blow on Akihiko, which he defended with his sword. But the power of the blow made Akihiko stumble to his knees and pushed him back; he looked like he was bowing to his opponent. 'As expected of a blood elemental power user, he is still stronger than me,' Akihiko's eyes were completely focused on Hakuryoku, who was simply walking towards him with normal speed. 'I should create an opening now and take advantage.'

"Winds Catalyst," Akihiko murmured while quickly straightening his back. Out of thin air, smoky blades with sharp edges were being created, surrounding Hakuryoku.

Haku sensed it and performed a horizontal slash, breaking one of the blades that came to cut him. To his surprise, the smoky blade, after being cut, exploded like a bomb of compressed air. Although it didn't damage Haku, it pushed him back. Before he could stabilize his footing, other blades came at him, stabbing him all around his body brfore he could react.

Blood sprayed like lava from a volcano, and Haku was its source. Bones cracked, organs were mangled, and guts fell out of his body. Because of wind created by Akihiko's winds catalyst his spraying blood created a bloody mist, rendering his spectators and himself unable to determine his condition.

Seeing his brutalized enemy, Akihiko rushed at Hakuryoku, transforming himself into wind. He quickly covered the distance, coming at a striking rage. Akihiko, reverted to his human form, stabilized his footing, stretching his sword to his right, which he was holding with both hands, intending to perform a horizontal strike threatening to sever Haku's head. Akihiko's eyes lit up with a cyan glow.

His sword cut into the bloody mist, the sound of cutting flesh audible. Suddenly, it got stuck because of the wind created by the sword, and the bloody mist parted, revealing Hakuryoku's left hand. Akihiko's sword had cut from the tip of the middle and ring fingers to the elbow of Haku's left arm.

Hakuryoku's hand healed at a rapid pace. Now, it looked like Akihiko hadn't slashed his arm but stabbed it. 'It seems he sacrificed his left arm to defend his head,' Akihiko thought. His sword was now stuck between Haku's elbow bone, and even if not, Haku was holding his sword with his healed left hand very tightly.

The bloody mist that surrounded Haku was starting to go back into its intended place within Hakuryoku's body.

A sudden movement caught akihiko's attention from the corner of his eye. Hakuryoku's right hand, holding his given sword, was moving with deadly precision, aiming to pierce Akihiko's head with a swift and decisive strike.

With the bloody mist parting, Hakuryoku's face became visible, moving his sword to pierce Akihiko's head. Hakuryoku looked more or less like a bloody demon, with the upper left side of his head completely gone, currently in the process of healing. His left eye was dangling, looking like at any movement it would fall down. Hakuryoku was looking straight into Akihiko's eyes. Before Hakuryoku's blade reached Akihiko, his face was healed back to normal.

With no time to spare, Akihiko activated his ability, Gale Whisper. The compressed wind barrier formed around his body, creating a protective shield that surrounded him like a cocoon. The barrier, three inches thick and continuously moving because it was nothing but wind it was nearly invisible, offered him a brief reprieve from Hakuryoku's relentless assault.

Despite the barrier's resilience, Hakuryoku's blade began to sink into it, inch by inch, its sharp edge pressing against the wind's resistance with unyielding strength. Akihiko gritted his teeth, feeling the strain of maintaining the barrier against the force of Hakuryoku's attack.

Akihiko thought about activating his Ethereal Tempest ability, considering it as the only way out. But suddenly, the eyes that were looking at Akihiko with indifference, with ethereal reflection, crimson red pupils started to integrate into them. Akihiko's eyes widened a little as Haku's sword already touched Akihiko's cheek and stopped, leaving a shallow cut.

Akihiko sighed and stopped using his abilities. He also let go of his sword, which was stuck in Haku's left arm. No blood was flowing from his wounds; he was completely healed. Akihiko backed away a little, giving Haku some personal space. Haku indifferently pulled out Akihiko's sword from his left hand, holding both swords. His crimson red pupils were gone, replaced by ethereal reflection eyes again.

"I admit defeat," said Akihiko with a plain tone.

As Akihiko's admission of defeat hung in the air, the tension in the arena seemed to dissipate, replaced by a palpable sense of relief. Swords Hiro and Daiki, who had been watching the duel with bated breath, exchanged glances of surprise and admiration.

"What an eventful duel it was, unlike any I have ever seen before," Daiki whispered, his voice completely audible to Hiro. 'Even though the duel didn't cause mass destruction, this serves more as a testament to their control over their power. Any malignant being would have been cut down by their swords in seconds.'

Hiro nodded, his eyes fixed on the two dueling warriors. "Indeed, Daiki. Hakuryoku's strength is truly remarkable, but he has been living for so long, so it is to be expected. However, our clan leader surprised me even more. Did you see his speed?" Without any words to utter, Hiro remained silent, reflecting on himself. Both Swords still remained aloof, but their thoughts echoed, 'That speed... I am fearful. I stand no chance against such quick movements.' Hiro felt his mouth running dry.

Daiki was Hiro's junior; he had become an Akatsuki Sword after the previous Akatsuki Sword perished in a Fukushu war. He had not seen the clan leader fight before, and he was not comparably experienced as Hiro. Although he had talent, he was not Hiro's equal in experience, so he didn't know what kind of powerhouse he would be with that amount of power and abilities. Hiro had never seen all of Akihiko's active abilities before he have just heard them.

Hiro had been following Akihiko even before he became clan leader. Now that Hakuryoku had made their clan leader use his abilities, Hiro was in utter awe towards Hakuryoku. 'What kind of monsters are Supremes?' was what he was thinking.

"Yes, I did," replied Daiki with a small smile. "We will get to know what happened after all. Let's go," Daiki said, and Hiro replied with a short nod. They both walked closer to their clan leader and stood behind him, with Daiki on his left and Hiro on his right.