Bandits of the Desert

"We will be reaching the Kafura Palace soon. I forgot to inform, but we need the Kafura Palace Key to get inside." Wave explained.

"Where will we get the key from?" I asked.

"There's a chest in a ruin near the Palace that contains this key. The Key is a Golden Scimitar." Wave said.

I looked at the map and Wave marked the Kafura Ruins we need to reach. "I'm curious, this scimitar. What is it called?"

"It's called Sunburst. It belongs to the Kafura King, Salatis. Salatis is now the Bone Dragon from Old Eshea. He has an Apprentice, a woman named Raziya. Her Unit name is Sunburst Raziya." Wave explained.

"I definitely know of her. She has a Dual Skill with Raset." I said.

Wave nodded then stopped walking. "I believe our mission is to awaken Raziya...and our guests have the same goal."

I stopped walking as well and noticed bandits appearing around us. I summoned my weapons and took on my battle stance. "These units.."

"Yeah. They are created. That means Yoshimune's Successor...is nearby." Wave said.

I scanned the two main units and grunted.

Name: Ifrit Bandit Zaza

Rarity: Five Stars

Element: Fire

Weakness: Water

Resist: Earth

Type: Breaker + Speed

Level: 50

HP: 19,000/19,000

MP: 895/895

ATK: 899

DEF: 378

MATK: 103

MDEF: 378

AGI: 529

LUK: 244

Name: Ifrit Witch Zina

Rarity: Five Stars

Element: Fire

Weakness: Water

Resist: Earth

Type: Magic

Level: 50

HP: 10,000/10,000

MP: 1,993/1,993

ATK: 399

DEF: 229

MATK: 891

MDEF: 378

AGI: 295

LUK: 562

"Aren't you a developer now? Can't you rewrite their code?" Wave asked.

"All of my systems are current. They can do anything, but...they can't erase Created Characters because these are essentially Summoners." I said.

"What..?" Wave said in shock.

"Whoever Yoshimune's Successor is, has the power to create units, summoners specifically. These summoners can summon enemy units and monsters just like Yoshimune." I said.

"It doesn't matter how powerful they are! We are taking them down!" Selene exclaimed.

"Yeah, we won't let the Grand Order stop us!" Veria bellowed.

I nodded and smiled. "It's time to show them what Virtues truly are."

I activated my Leader Skill, Final Oath which boosted our parameters by 200%. I then activated three of my Weapon Skills, Weapon Skill 5: Loving Guidance, Weapon Skill 6: Surpass Death, and Weapon Skill 7: Heavenly Burst. I boosted our parameters by another 100%, negated elemental damage for ten minutes, and boosted our Burst Skills by 200% while boosting our Gauges continuously.

"Let's get this party started." I said.

Yuki and Veria dashed toward a group of bandits then began to strike them down together. Yuki hopped over Veria and threw her orb at the ground, causing a dark explosion. Veria smirked and began to skate on ice then began to skate around the smoke, turning the smoke into an ice skull.

"Let's go Yuki!" Veria called out.

"Right!" Yuki said then floated up and her tail swayed quickly.

"Dual Burst Skill: Apocalyptic Truth!" They both said at the same time.

The ice skull awakened and red eyes appeared. It began to laugh ominously and opened its mouth, blowing around a death inducing blizzard, defeating a wave of units with ease.

Shelly threw her lance at a bandit and it impaled a bandit. Ayano grabbed the handle and surrounded it with lightning then swung the lance in a circular motion, striking the bandits around her. She tossed it back to Shelly then smirked.

Shelly caught her lance and stomped on the ground then her aura surged powerfully around her body. She propelled herself in the air. "Burst Skill: Volcanic Striker!"

Ayano snapped her fingers then licked her finger. She raised her hand in the air then snapped her fingers. "Indra's Shatter Barrage!"

Bolts of purple lightning circled around Shelly. Shelly bellowed and stabbed her lance in the ground then a pillar of flames erupted then the bolts of lightning crashed down. A red and purple explosion happened. Shelly slid backwards and Ayano caught her and giggled.

[Shelly and Ayano's Bond rose to 14%]

Selene dodged the multiple fireballs Zina fired at her then let out a roar and slashed at Zina. Zina used her broom to block the attack then kicked Selene away. She aimed the head of the broom at Selene then fired a powerful beam of fire at Selene.

I rushed ahead and used my shield to block the attack then parried the beam back toward Zina. She dodged the beam then began to fly on her boom. I flew after her and we both fired magic blasts at each other then I deflected her fireball and grabbed the handle of her broom the kicked her off the broom.

Selene dashed toward Zina then bellowed. "Dragon Crush!" She bellowed and palmed Zina's stomach.

Zina coughed blood then was blown away and crashed into a sand construct. She got up and retreated.

Wave and Zaza clashed rapidly while running down the desert then came to a stop. Zaza slashed at Wave, but Wave ducked under the slash then quickly slashed through Zaza with his sword then a barrage of delayed water slashes hit Zaza.

Zaza groaned then fell onto one knee. He got up and went for a back kick, but Wave dodged it and grabbed his leg then swung him around. Wave slammed Zaza on the ground then bellowed as he spun Zaza around. He tossed Zaza in the air.

"Geyser Force!" He bellowed and a dome of water energy surrounded his body. A torrent of water erupted toward Zaza and struck his body.

A water explosion happened and Wave panted. His aura disappeared then Zaza fell to the ground and retreated. Wave lowered his arms then looked at us.

"With your skills...We were able to make quick work of them." Wave said.

"As I predicted, a single Burst Skill was more than enough to defeat them with those Enhancements. Too bad I'm on a cool down now. My Weapon Skills I mean." I said.

"We shouldn't have to worry too much about those bandits again for now. Let's push forward." Wave said.

~~~~~

We continued to the ruins and finally made it. The ruins was an abandoned city known as Kerbe City. I clicked on the lore of Kerbe City.

Kerbe City: A city primarily known for their assassins and bandits who worked for an Ancient Hero. It is now abandoned as their great legendary hero, Kerbe, is dead. Kerbe and Kafura were the two titans of Kafura Desert, with both heroes dead the city saw no reason to maintain.

"The Scimitar should be here." Wave said.

"Master!" Ayano pointed.

I looked in the direction Ayano pointed and noticed a man sitting on the roof of a worn down building with one knee up and his arm resting on his knee.

The man was a tall man, muscular frame, and pale skin. He had long red hair that went to the middle of his neck, blood red eyes, and a Grand Order symbol on his hand. He wore a black dress shirt, a light gray waistcoat with a silver summoner insignia that is adorned with a red gem in the eye, a silver-accented red tailcoat with four tails, black trousers are similar in design, straps on his left thigh, and black knee-high boots with silver shin guards, black gloves remain with red insignias and finger chains, and large red wrist guards.

"It took you long enough to get here...Shin." The man said.

"Are you Yoshimune's Successor?" I asked.

The man looked at me with his red eyes shining. He stood up and jumped off the roof and landed in front of me. He summoned a wall of fire between us and my allies.

[Yuki, Selene, Veria, Shelly, Ayano, and Wave have been removed from the party!]

"Shin!" Yuki yelled.

The man and I began to walk around the arena he made. We glared at each other then he summoned the Golden Scimitar, Sunburst, in his hand.

"My name is Hideyoshi. As you've seen and you probably already know, I can create any unit I want just as Master Yoshimune could create any monster he wanted. I'm going to avenge him. I managed something he couldn't...capturing Cuara. I will make her mine. No matter what..." Hideyoshi said.

Name: Hideyoshi

Class: Custom Summoner

Title: Ardent Avenger

Element: Fire

Weakness: Water

Resist: Earth

Type: Breaker

Rarity: Seven Star Unit

Level: 30

EXP:93/100%

HP: 10,003/10,003

MP: 912/912

Burst Gauge: 8%

ATK: 593 + 755

DEF: 532 + 195

MATK: 202

MDEF: 499

AGI: 402 + 18

LUK: 400

Skills: Crimson Ride, Flare Combo, Eruption Strike, Raging Inferno

Burst Skill: Crimson Ride MAX

Burst Skill EX: Hyper Eruption

Final Burst Skill: Damnation Inferno

Leader Skill: Ardent Avenger [Boosts ATK and DEF by 120% for all Fire Units, 100% boost to parameters for self if Ardent Blade is equipped, 100% Parameter boost if battling against Shin.]

Equipment:

Weapon: Sunburst + 755

Shield: Guardian's Shield + 195

Accessory: Ardent Ring [Boosts all Skills by 50%, gives all skills the ability to inflict burn status.]

"So you really want to battle. Alright then. Let's fight!" I bellowed and dashed toward Hideyoshi.

Hideyoshi dashed toward me and we clashed then entered a blade lock. We pushed each other away then Hideyoshi went for a spinning kick, but I used my shield to block hit attack then pushed him back. I countered with a Full Death Striker. I slashed with dark aura surrounding my sword then launched him up then thrusted my sword rapidly, striking him then ended the Skill with a powerful dark cutting wave.

The cutting wave continuously hit and knocked him away then exploded. Hideyoshi dashed toward me from the smoke and bellowed. He transformed into his Ardent Form and slashed at me. I blocked the attack and went for a counter, but he used his shield to block the attack then hit me with a Spartan Kick, knocking me away.

I grunted as I rolled backwards then recovered onto my feet. I dashed toward Hideyoshi and clashed with him then used Truthseeking Raid. I surrounded my sword with water energy then struck him with my sword five times then jumped up with multiple spin slashes then kicked him to the ground. I slashed down and slammed my sword on the ground causing a water blast.

Hideyoshi groaned and slammed into the wall of the arena. He fell onto his knees and panted.

"It's like fighting Yoshimune all over again...but a lot worse. You're doing terrible for being honest successor. You must not know I can see your abilities. Your stats. Your ranking. I'm the only one with this ability. I made sure to use my fourth weapon skill before hand.." I said.

Weapon Skill 4: Punishing Justice

Description: When taking damage, lock the opponent's skills for 30s and return double the damage taken when using a skill.

Hideyoshi noticed his skills were now locked. He couldn't use any of his skills then grunted and looked at me. He stood up and growled. "I'll kill you for what you've done!"

Hideyoshi dashed toward me and slashed, but I dodged it then kneed his stomach. He groaned and coughed blood. I used Waking of Willpower to grant Hideyoshi the Dark Element. He looked confused then his eyes widened.

"You're finished. Guidance of Light!" I bellowed then a light pillar crashed down on Hideyoshi and he yelled in pain.

The pillar slowly disappeared then Hideyoshi dropped Sunburst and fell to his knees. The arena walls disappeared.

[Hideyoshi has been defeated!]

I picked up Sunburst then noticed a mask figure appeared in front of me then glared at him. The figure picked Hideyoshi up then slowly disappeared into his own shadow.

[Yuki, Selene, Veria, Shelly, Ayano, and Wave have been added to the party!]

"Master!~" Yuki said and ran to me then grunted when Ayano bumped Yuki out the way.

"Master..~ Are you okay..?~ Do you want me to heal you..?~" Ayano said and grabbed my hand.

Yuki growled and began barking at Ayano. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Checking up on Master~" Ayano smirked.

"I'm alright. All that matters is we've got Sunburst." I said.

"Ooo~ So straightforward..~" Ayano smiled and let go of my hand.

"This is what we need to get into Kafura Palace right?" I asked.

"No. That's only a piece. I only told you half the story because I knew we'd have visitors. We need a Silver Shield known as Moonbreak. There is another City called Nasoris. It is directly across this city. You'll know if we are close because there is a nice breeze there all the time. It is still alive and booming till this day." Wave said.

"Nasoris is still alive huh.." I said.

"Mhm. She's still alive. She wields Moonbreak." Wave said.

"What are we waiting for then? Let's go get Moonbreak." I said.

To Be Continued....