32. Clear Sky Sword Technique

…

"You want to fight?"

"Better than running and getting killed," Tanji raises his head to a cliff to his left, there a black beast stood. It glared down on them before looking at its surroundings. Tanji frowns at it then turns to the depth of the valley, where something was slowly coming over. "What the hell is going on?"

"What's wrong?"

"That's the beast I wanted to kill," Tanji replies. "It should be wounded,"

"That's what you are bothered about right now!?"

"Did I come too early?" Tanji asks in his head. "Shin, it would take a while for that one to get down. Besides, it's from outside…"

"I was thinking the same thing. They probably aren't together, but why is a peak-third level beast here?"

"It doesn't matter, we are going to fight it together," Tanji says and bends to the ground.

"Pfft, you'll get in the way. What are you doing?" Shin asks as Tanji writes on the ground with his finger. "This isn't the time to play with dirt, you need to run,"

"Run to where? That beast up there will definitely follow me if I leave the valley,"

"Who knows, you might outrun it,"

"Yeah right," Tanji says sarcastically. "I need you to trust me completely now. You've noticed, right? The effect of the pill I gave you. By the time you completely refine it, your poison should be half gone if not completely,"

Shin sm

"Yeah,"

"You shouldn't have told me that,"

"Why?"

"That's an additional variable to the actions I can make,"

"You mean… don't…! I'll die if you leave," Tanji looks Shin in his eyes. "Please don't!"

"Relax, I always pay my debts. If ever you end up in a similar situation make sure to play your cards right,"

"Understood. Do you trust me? I need you to trust me completely, if only this once,"

"I'll try my best, after all I'm still human. We just got to know each other,"

"Alright," Tanji plants his sword on the ground. "Follow me as fast as you can,"

He stretches his hands out and begins to move his palms. Shin watches as he makes hand seals and widens his eyes. Planting his spear, Shin follows after him, making the same hand seals as best as he could.

~Rar!~

"Shit it's here," Shin says.

"Ignore it and follow,"

Tanji bit his lower lips as a six feet tortoise came into his view. The pressure it released caused his chest to tighten up, but he didn't allow it stop him. As fast as his hands could move, he made hand seals nonstop.

~Rar!~

The tortoise yelled at them as its speed increased. It had started running toward them. It looked slow but its speed was not to be played with. Sprinting toward them, Shin followed Tanji as fast as he could. To be honest he wanted to pick his spear and greet it but the look in Tanji's eyes kept him in place.

A fierce determined look that was devoid of fear, one that was prepared to win. It was a look that looked fear in the eye and said, 'try me.' A look that gave no room for doubt, and a look that believed they'll survive. Shin didn't understand where Tanji's courage came from, neither did he know what he believed in, but for some reason, at this moment, that look made him believe in Tanji.

~Rar~

The tortoise had covered the distance between them and with a roar it rammed its body at them.

"Huh?" Shin frowns as he looks around. "What just happened?"

He had seen what happened but the speed at which it happened wasn't at a level his brain could comprehend immediately. It took him a few seconds to understand. Tanji had grabbed him and jumped out of the way.

"Here!" Tanji's voice sounded as he stretches Shin's spear to shin. "How do you feel?"

"Huh?" Shin looks at him. He didn't understand why he felt a connection with him. "What's going on?"

~Rar!~

The tortoise turned to them, infuriated by missing its target. Tanji held his sword with his eyes fixed on it. Shin didn't know when Tanji's hair had turned partially white.

"It's a battle formation. It connects two people together and increases their strength greatly for a short amount of time," Shin blinks at him. "Thanks for trusting me, if you didn't, we never would have activated it,"

"Oi! You risked both our lives on the possibility of me believing you!" Shin roared and struck Tanji away with his foot. With that force, he sent himself back, dodging the charging tortoise.

He crashed to the ground and with a jerk he got back up to his feet. Instantly rushing forward, picking his spear and plunging at the tortoise.

"How long do we have?" he asks Tanji who was rushing at the tortoise with his sword.

"Because of our low realm, at least five minutes, max ten minutes,"

~Ting~

~Swoosh~

~Rar!~

~Boom~

Barely missing because of the tortoise movement, Shin who had gone for the tortoise's neck had hit its shell. With a swing of his sword, Tanji had sliced the tortoise's leg causing it to roar and slam its tail towards his foot. Its tail had caused a bang and had left cracks on the ground.

"Aim for its neck! The other beast will be here soon,"

"Understood,"

Shin said to Tanji and Tanji replies by following his instruction. Together they dived at the tortoise's neck with their weapons.

"Shit, annoying beast,"

Shin and Tanji retreated as quickly as possible. The tortoise had taken its head into its shell, causing their attack to land on the ground before it. Immediately, it attacked with its two claws forcing the both off them back.

"What happens when it's over?" Shin asks as the tortoise's head emerges from the shell.

"One of us become extremely exhausted. You don't have to worry, that would be me,"

"I'm amazed at your stupidity," Shin shakes his head as he runs at the tortoise. "Why would you do something like this with a stranger,"

"You aren't a stranger…" Tanji widens his eyes and corrected. "Anymore! You aren't a stranger anyone,"

The tortoise turns around quickly using its tail as a whip against the charging Shin. With his spear, Shin blocks but was sent flying.

"Ouch!"

~Swoosh!~

Tanji who arrives after Shin went flying, slashes the tortoise tail and jumps on its shell. With a swing of his sword, Tanji hacks at its neck.

Unfortunately, the tortoise neck dived into its shell, dodging Tanji's slash. It entire body went in next and instantly the shell rolled side ways.

"First stage of the core formation realm," Tanji spat out as he lands not too far away from Shin.

"You can read my mind?"

"Only vaguely. By the way, relax and familiarize yourself with the strength. With your ability, a peak third level beast shouldn't be a hassle for you now,"

"We actually went passed the ninth stage into the core formation realm," Shin mutters.

"Wrong, we aren't at the core formation realm yet,"

"I know, it's like taking a booster pill or a blood pill," Shin says as both of them jumps away. The tortoise shell had rolled toward them. "Using this kind of formation, doesn't it cause a problem?"

"You chatter like always Shin," Tanji mutters. "Apart from burdening one of the users while being used, it causes no harm,"

"I see, give me your sword," Shin said and plants his spear in the ground.

"Huh?"

"Get some rest, I've familiarized myself with my strength,"

"So quick?"

Tanji throws the sword at Shin, who catches it and faces the rolling tortoise. He points the sword at the tortoise and remains still. His breathing slowly adjusted, and became calm. He plants his left leg in place and draws his right leg back.

"Do you still have more of that pill you gave to me?"

"Huh? Yes why?"

"You should take one, and keep one for me,"

"What are you…?"

"Clear Sky Sword Technique," he mutters. "Twelve Steps Sword Dance, One Hundred And Forty Four Slashes,"

"Kuhum!"

Shin takes a step forward and Tanji falls to his knees and spat blood like a spring from a mountain. With each step Shin took, a huge slash dent appeared on the tortoise's shell. One, two, three, four…

~Rar!~

The tortoise cried from within the shell, but Shin did not stop. Dodging the shell that was rolling at him, he continues without stopping. Five, six, seven, eight, nine…

"Ack!" Tanji continues to spit out blood. Ten, eleven… The tortoise shell comes to an halt in front of Shin and the tortoise's head came rushing out of the shell at Shin with its mouth open.

Taking a step to the right, Shin evaded the tortoise's head and with a vertical swing down, he beheaded the tortoise.