The Divine Blades

The creature and Cera began their descent from the sky. Cera squinted with one eye closed, bracing herself for the impact. Below, Xero stepped forward, raising both hands as he chanted, "Myscry Arts #15: Starbound."

Stars materialized in the sky, shimmering with ethereal light. With focused control, Xero guided the stars beneath Cera and began to slow her fall. Each star took a toll on Xero. By the tenth star, he was visibly drained and had beads of sweat forming on his brow.

Cera landed gracefully on the last star, touching down on the ground without injury. Soujin "That's a pretty handy spell,"Soujin remarked, giving Xero a nod.

Xero managed a weary smile. "Yes, but the downside is that the more stars I form, the more mystcry I use. I’m almost completely spent now."

Meanwhile, the Senodokidatsu crashed into the ground with a thunderous impactThe team watched cautiously as the dust settled, revealing the creature lying motionless on the ground, seemingly defeated.

For a moment, silence reigned. Then, Soujin stepped forward, his sword still at the ready. "Everyone---EHHHH?!??!?!?!?”

Cera stood atop the fallen Senodokidatsu, a triumphant smirk on her face. "Thought we couldn’t bring you down, huh? How’s the ground taste now, ya oversized lizard?" She punctuated her words with several sharp kicks against its side.

Bellar joined in the kicking, "You were so high and mighty up there, and now look at you. Pathetic!"

Xero, despite his fatigue, said. "Not so tough when you're grounded, are you?"

Soujin raised one hand, a look of concern crossing his face. "That's probably not a good idea..."

Before he could finish his warning, the creature's eye snapped open, blazing with fury. The Senodokidatsu let out an enraged roar, shaking the very ground beneath them. The team's triumphant faces quickly turned to shock.”

"Fall back!" Soujin commanded. The team scrambled to regain their positions. Cera leapt off the creature with a growl.

"God damn it," she muttered, gripping her sword tightly.

The Senodokidatsu roared loudly, its entire form enveloped in a pulsating reddish aura. The air around it seemed to crackle with raw energy, and its mystcry level surged to dangerous heights. Soujin's eyes widened in alarm. "What's going on?"

Xero, still recovering from his exertion, stepped forward with gritted teeth. "This creature is straining its mystcry levels. It's something Senodokidatsu do when they're on the brink of death. It's a last-ditch effort to try and overpower us."

The Senodokidatsu's rumbled through the air. “I….I can still complete my mission, even if I don’t win here!"

Curiosity flickered in Soujin's mind, but there was no time to dwell on it. The creature lunged forward with renewed ferocity. "Stand back, everyone!" Soujin commanded sharply.

The team retreated on command. Soujin's grip tightened on his sword. "It's time to try something new," he whispered to himself. Holding his sword high. A vibrant green glow began to emanate from the sword.

Soujin closed his eyes and reached inward, seeking to connect with Kaze no Montagari. The world around him seemed to blur and dissolve, and he found himself in an entirely different realm. Whirlwinds whipped across the landscape. In the midst of the turbulence, Soujin saw a figure that looked almost identical to him, yet their entire body was covered with a green aura.

The being's gaze was cold. "The hell do you want?”

Soujin took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I've heard of a power called the Sword God form. How do I activate it?"

Kaze no Montagari's eyes narrowed. "Yes, you can," it replied, but with disdain. "But against this 'trash' of an opponent, it would be a waste."

Before Soujin could ask another question, Kaze interrupted, "You're probably thinking that there's more to Sword magic. You're right. There are three stages. You've only been using the basic level one."

Soujin's eyes widened. "How do I access the other stages?"

Kaze smirked. "I'm not going to tell someone so forgetful.” With a swift kick, Kaze sent Soujin spiraling out of the whirlwind realm.

Soujin snapped back to reality. "Damn it," he muttered, but the new information sparked an idea. If there were stages to Sword magic, he needed to find a way to elevate his power to the next level.

Focusing on the swirling energy within his blade, Soujin visualized the whirlwinds from the other realm. He could feel the power surging, resonating with the essence of Kaze no Montagari. As the creature charged forward, Soujin's eyes blazed confidently.

"Sword magic level 2," he declared. In that moment, his sword became enveloped in a swirling whirlwind. With a determined thrust, Soujin unleashed a wide wind wave that even surprised himself. The energy surged forward, colliding with the Senodokidatsu.

The creature took two long-ranged wind slashes which cut through its body. It began to convulse with an intense energy. Then, with a final, agonized roar, the Senodokidatsu erupted into a burst of energy, disintegrating into a pile of remnants on the ground.

Xero watched in awe. "The captain's as impressive as always.”.

Cera crossed her arms "Yeah, not bad, I guess.”

Soujin lowered his sword and took a deep breath before turning to everyone. "Alright,our work is done for the day, team. Let’s report back to the Divine Blade society.”

The group began to walk away from the scene. As they did, Cera's eyes caught a glimpse of the creature's remains subtly moving. She stopped and narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the pile.

"Something wrong?" Soujin asked, noticing her hesitation.

Cera shook her head. "Nah, it ain't nothin'."

Bellar smirked while raising one hand under her mouth. "You sure? Given your track record today, maybe you’ll need rescuing by the captain again."

Cera growled while clenching her fists. "That stuff ain't gonna happen next time," she snapped.

Bellar laughed. "We'll see, tough girl."

The group walked on, the atmosphere lightening as they chatted about the battle. But Cera’s eyes kept darting back to the creature’s remains, which seemed to inch closer each time she looked.

Bellar noticed her distraction. "What’s up with you?"

Cera frowned. "Nothing," she muttered, glancing back again.

A few steps later, she saw it move again. She stopped dead in her tracks, eyes wide. The remains were now visibly closer. She turned back to the group, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to form words.

"You sure you’re okay, Cera?" Soujin asked, eyebrow raised.

"I’m fine," she snapped, quickening her pace to catch up.

The process repeated a few more times. Each time, the remains seemed closer, and Cera’s patience wore thinner. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She spun around, pointing furiously at the remains.

"Would you stop following us, already?!" she shouted. "I know you’re there!"

The rest of the group stopped and turned to look at her with confusion on their faces.

Xero stepped forward cautiously. "Uh, who are you talking to?"

Cera pointed again. "The remains! They’re moving!"

Bellar squinted at the spot. "Cera, you feeling okay? Nothing’s there."

Cera growled in frustration. "I swear, they’re moving! They’ve been following us this whole time!"

Soujin exchanged a bemused glance with Xero. "Maybe you need a rest, Cera. Too much action for one day can drive a person crazy"

Cera huffed. "I’m not crazy! They’re really moving!"

The group started walking again, ignoring Cera’s claims. Cera stole one last glance back, just to make sure. The remains were still.

But just when she turned away, they twitched ever so slightly.

"Next time," she muttered with a single-eyed glance back at the pile."Next time, I’m burning you to ashes."

The pile of ashes held an unbelievable sweatdrop within itself.

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Soujin's group approached the gates of the Divine Blade Society, where they were met by several members of Squad 2. At the front stood Miko.

"Alright, before you enter, confirm the defeat of all Senodokidatsu in the Ivory Forest," Miko demanded.

Soujin nodded confidently. "Confirmed. All Senodokidatsu have been defeated."

He turned to his squad, whispering, "Act natural guys."

Miko's stern gaze remained fixed on them. "Wait a minute," she said with her eyes narrowing to look past them. "Why is there a Senodokidatsu behind you?"

Soujin, confused, turned to look behind them. The rest of the squad followed suit. They saw the creature's remains they had left behind, now slowly reforming.

Soujin's eyes widened in disbelief. "What in the world...?"

Miko shouted angrily. "Don't tell me you didn't finish off the remains!"

Before anyone could draw their blades, the creature turned to a liquified state and approached Cera. Her mouth widened in shock just and it was in that moment that the Senodokidatsu seized the opportunity. It entered Cera's body through it. Cera screamed uncontrollably before losing consciousness. Her face turned unnaturally white.

Miko’s tone was urgent. "Get her to Squad 4 quickly. Regular medical teams won't be able to handle this."

Soujin’s face was in deep confusion. "What…What just happened?"

Miko's eyes blazed with anger. "You were incompetent, that's what happened! We have to report this to Head Captain Will immediately, and you better hope he's in a good mood."

Moments later, in the Captain’s meeting room, Soujin and Miko stood before Head Captain Will. The imposing figure of the Head Captain stood with a stern glare aimed directly at them.

“Captain Will,” Miko began, “I would like to take care of the report. The Senodokidatsu have been dealt with in the Ivory Forest.”

Head Captain Will's stern demeanor softened, and a smile crept across his face. “Excellent news, Miko. It’s good to see that Captain Soujin is making a name for himself. We’re one step closer to dealing with the Senodokidatsu's leader, Trom. If we can clear out some more areas, the world will soon be safe.”

Will reached into a drawer and prepared to toss a money bag toward Soujin, but before he could make the throw, Miko’s tone turned grave.

“Captain Will, there’s some bad news.”

Will’s smile faded instantly, replaced by a concerned frown. “What is it?”

Miko took a deep breath. “During Soujin’s return, one of his squad members, Cera, was attacked by the remains of a Senodokidatsu. The creature entered her body, and she is now unconscious.”

Head Captain Will’s face darkened to an ominous shade. “What?! How could this happen?”

Miko responded. “Soujin did not finish off the Senodokidatsu he fought. The remains seemed to follow them.”

The Head Captain spoke next with anger coming to his face. “So, you allowed a dangerous threat to slip through your fingers. How could you be so careless?”

Soujin’s face turned pale. Will took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. “Miko, leave me with Captain Soujin.”

Miko’s placed a hand on Soujin’s shoulder and spoke with rare nervousness coming from her. “May the goddess save your soul…”

With that, Miko exited the room, leaving Soujin alone with the Head Captain. Soujin’s sweat broke out in a cold sheen.

Head Captain Will’s eyes were like molten steel. “Soujin, explain to me why you didn’t ensure the Senodokidatsu was completely dealt with. This is not just a matter of negligence; it’s a critical failure that could cost lives.”

Soujin’s face paled when seeing the Head Captain's gaze. “Captain Will, I didn’t know this was going to happen. We defeated the Senodokidatsu as far as I know.”

Will’s stern demeanor didn’t waver. “That’s precisely the issue, Soujin. Senodokidatsu are notorious for their persistence. They have mechanisms to defy death and continue their existence in different forms. Every Captain should be well-versed in their methods. If a Senodokidatsu does not vanish completely, turning into mere remains or something similar, it means they are still alive in some form.”

Soujin’s mind reeled as a flashback hit him. He was looking at the Beauty(In his mind) of Captain Muffet after their first mission together. “When a Senodokidatsu is on the brink of death, some of them will attempt to merge with the one who struck the final blow,” she explained solemnly. “It’s a last-ditch effort to cling to life, and often results in possession of the host’s body.”

The vision faded, leaving Soujin stunned.

Head Captain Will’s eyes narrowed. “Soujin, if the Senodokidatsu is not separated from Cera’s body in time, we’ll have no choice but to schedule an execution for her. We cannot risk the creature running amok within our society.”

Soujin’s heart sank. He clenched his fists with frustration and guilt roiling within him. “Damn it,” he muttered under his breath. “If only I had remembered that… Cera…”