Toronbo cuts through the sky, moving at breakneck speeds, as the duo make their way back to Baska. As soon as Jin received the information from Herman, he took off. This was his chance, probably his only chance to find out where Izumi could be. The man behind it all, this Tsukishima Higurashi, Jin would take great pleasure in slowly ending his life once Izumi had been found. If he hurt her…. Jin did not want to think about the what ifs. He only focused on the goal. As the Baska town square came into view, Jin gently patted Toronbo on the side of its neck, signaling the creature to descend. As he and Izumi spent a significant amount of time in Baska, Jin knew exactly where the ranking office was. Passing overhead, the behemoth leaps off the back of Toronbo, signaling for the beast to remain nearby as he lands on the ground with a resounding thud. Dust kicks up from the landing as Jin immediately turns towards the ranking office. He kicks the door down, startling all inside as his eyes dart around. “Where is Yamashiro!?” he yells as he quickly grabs the neck of the closest person to him. A still silence falls over the room as Jin tightens his grip on the man’s throat. “Please put him down. I’m Yamashiro.” A frail voice replies.

Jin glances over to the right corner and sees an old, lanky individual raise his hand. Finding his target, he casually tosses the man to the side and makes a beeline towards Yamashiro. “Everyone else, leave. Now!” he yells as the occupants in the room quickly heed his reply. He grabs the man, pinning him against the wall with his forearm pressed up against his chest, a rage burning behind his eyes. “Where is Tsukishima?” “Tsukishima? I’m afraid I don’t know who…” Jin applies more pressure to the man, threatening to cave in his chest. “Don’t lie to me. Tell me where Tsukishima is or I’ll kill you where you stand.” Yamashiro is quiet for the moment as the color drains from his face. He seems to contemplate something before finally beginning to speak. “Alright. I don’t know Tsukishima personally but I have had dealings with someone who is. His name is Ikazuchi, he is one of Tsukishima’s field generals. He’s young but don’t let the age fool you. He typically carries out the raiding parties. He’s known for dual wielding swords.” “Swords…” Jin mutters as he remembers the day he and Izumi were attacked. They were completed caught off guard and overwhelmed by such a swordsman. Dual wielding swords in this day and age was rare. It had to be him. “Where is he?” Jin growled, his body trembling in anger. “The last I heard; he was by the outskirts doing another job for Tsukishima.” “I’ll kill him…” Jin muttered as he lets Yamashiro slink to the ground, grasping for air. Jin exits the building, quickly summoning Toronbo before departing towards the outskirts. Yamashiro sits on the ground in silence for a few moments before pulling out a small lacrima out of his pocket. He places it up to his ear and waits a moment before speaking. “Lord Tsukishima, a small issue has occurred. I’ll fill you in shortly but I may have solved two of our issues.”

WC: 557

*All Gear is Equipped*

The day proceeded in a relatively routine manner for Ikazuchi. He had accepted some minor requests that occupied most of his schedule in the morning, so it was only after dinner that he made his way to the outskirts for his daily training. He had become so accustomed to training that he couldn’t simply ignore it. Taking a break made him feel as though his body made duller movements, and it could even affect his balance when attacking if he chose not to train for an extended period of time. The consequences of laziness weren’t something that he was willing to accept, so he continued to maintain and improve his condition routinely.

A strong desire for strength and recognition fueled him to exceed his limits time and time again. This allowed him to surpass the abilities of others at the same rank, but it also caused the young man to have less recognition than some individuals who were weaker than him. To describe it simply, Ikazuchi perfectly represented the results of being anti-social. When that trait was combined with his standing as one of the few Non-Mages who entered into this line of work, the young man had barely established a small amount of reputation for himself.

He was naturally aware of the second point, but completely oblivious to the first one. The young man who was so intently focused on warming up his body by brandishing his swords wasn’t aware that trouble was approaching him precisely due to that incredibly frustrating second point.

Word Count: 250

The sky had begun to darken and a steady rain started to fall. Jin trotted along the road, his gaze facing forward. His mask loosely dangling from his right hand before he places it on. As soon as he approached the outskirts, he leaped off Toronbo and sent him away. As of right now, Toronbo was all he had left. The only thing he had left. If anything were to happen to him…. Jin did not want to think about it. He had to ensure that he was safe, it was the only way. But now that Toronbo was taken care of, he had a singular goal in mind; finding and beating this Ikazuchi within an inch of his life and get the location of both Izumi and Tsukishima out of him, even if it meant killing him. Ikazuchi would not have the element of surprise like he did during their last encounter. There would be no distractions, no extra parties. There would be nothing to come between Ikazuchi and Jin’s fists.

As he continues his stride forward, he spots a blurry figure off in the distance. The dimly lit lamps along the road do very little in determining just what or who it is. Jin moves forward, his eyes squinting in hopes to get a better view. As he nears closer, he sees it. The figure, revealed to be a man, dual wielding swords. “It’s him…” Jin mutters as his mind begins to go blank. His body begins to tremble as the ground shakes violently. Lightning streaks off in the distance as he walks closer. His eyes turn green and his hair and eyebrows begin to shine a brilliant golden color. “Where is she?” Jin says in a barely audible tone towards the man. A fiery aura surrounded by bio-electrical streaks envelops him as his forward walk turns into a full-blown sprint. “Ikazuchi!” he yells as he closes the distance. As he comes within striking distance, he rears his right arm back and attempts to deliver a punch at the base of his left sword. Nothing else mattered. All he wanted, all he needed, was the see the man before him bloodied.

WC: 363

Spoiler:

Ikazuchi’s training progressed steadily as the darkness of night fully engulfed his figure. What little light remained was that of the simple lacrima lamps along the road. Most people would end their training here, but a lack of light wasn’t a concern for Ikazuchi. He had long grown accustomed to his eyes that seemed to pierce any darkness after his experiences in the Worth Woodsea.

What the young man didn’t expect was that rain would come for him while he was in the midst of his training. ‘What shitty luck…’ He cursed the weather, but continued despite the steady rainfall. He made countless movements as he brandished his sword in a stable and skillful manner. The unhurried speed of his motions allowed him to exercise control that most fighters would be jealous of. The faint trails of water were left along the paths that his swords moved creating a subtly artistic scene.

It was around the time that he was thoroughly soaked beneath his armor that he had his attention drawn towards a particular direction. ‘Someone’s there?’ He had been mid-motion, but quickly ceased those actions and faced towards the new arrival. He didn’t question how he perceived the man as it was likely the result of his subconscious catching the silhouette with his peripheral vision.

He didn’t have time to consider further before the man’s body was shroud in a unique golden electric aura. ‘He doesn’t look friendly…’ As he focused on the man, Ikazuchi naturally received countless bits of information. He noted the man’s name as unfamiliar as he rushed to process any information that could assist him in combat. Due to the rain the young man naturally missed Jin’s barely audible question. The sound of the large man’s footsteps were more notable than the question.  

Ikazuchi watched cautiously and adjusted his stance with his arms extended around chest height as he perceived the change in the man’s state for a second time. Jin aggressively sprinted at him immediately after his aura stabilized, shouting the young man’s name as he approached. ‘What?’ He was perplexed, but he wasn’t foolish enough to try and ask a question as someone charged at him.

‘I will deal with this first.’ His body was already in motion to respond as he read Jin’s punch from the way he drew back his right arm. The right side of Ikazuchi’s body pivoted backwards as he placed his left side forward, intent on clashing attacks. The angle of the punch was noticeably low as it moved forward providing Ikazuchi more insight into the attack.

‘It won’t be that easy!’ As a swordsman, he naturally protected his swords with his life and wouldn’t easily release them. Seeing that the man’s target was his sword, Ikazuchi made a near instant decision to rotate his left hand and return an attack with the pommel of Damocles which was held in his left hand.

If everything went well, Ikazuchi would clash his attack with Jin’s gauntlet and channel the strength of his relic in order to send his opponent flying ten meters away. He naturally expected his attack to succeed, but he was also preparing his second sword in order to respond should things not work out in his favor. Should his counterattack succeed then he would take the chance to shout at his opponent, “Who the fuck are you?!”

Word Count: 560
TWC: 810

Spoiler:

A loud, yet constant hum filled his ears. An enticing void invasively clouded his mind, his judgment. Jin attempted to take a sharp breath but discovered a bitter and thick fluid traveled down his throat. He coughed violently, causing the contents to splatter on the ground in front of him. Blood. The downpour of rain quickly washed away the spilled blood. He felt wet droplets dripping down his right hand but could not tell if it was rain or blood. His gauntlet was shattered, split evenly down the middle from the man’s impressive swordplay. The resulting blow knocked Jin back a considerable distance away, sending him careening through the forest surrounding them. The behemoth looked around, seeing the damage the one offensive move caused. Trees lay broken and scattered around him, a rock behind him had a small indent covered in blood. No doubt from gravity halting Jin’s backwards motion.

With slightly blurred vision, Jin glances as his target in the distance. His eyes never moved away from him. Something about this man was unfamiliar. His movements compared to before seemed…different. More refined perhaps? When they had their first encounter, the man moved much like Jin. A berserker with powerful and unrefined strikes. Today, however, he moved as if he was a different person. His movements, however brief Jin noticed them, were graceful and tactful. It was almost as if it were a different person all together. As he attempted to focus his eyes once more on the man a few meters in front of him, Ikazuchi’s voice raised above the rainfall. “Who the fuck are you?”

The words rang in Jin’s head, momentarily blocking out the rain and any other noise save for the rapidly increasing beating of his heart. His hands clenched up into fists, unyielding rage slowly began to overtake the brief moment of clarity he obtained. “He’s mocking me…” Jin mutters. He repeats it again and again, increasing in pitch. Each word is emphasized with a frightening amount of venom behind it. He slams his fists on the ground, ignoring the lost of feeling he has in his right arm. If he could move it, that would be enough. A limp club would be better than anything. He thought, for a brief moment, would what Izumi say if she saw him in this state. Some sound strategy, something that would decisively turn the odds around. He closes his eyes before glaring back up at the man once more, letting the rage overtake him entirely. “She isn’t here anymore because of you…” he mumbled.

He roared in anger as he rose to his feet, running towards the man as he brings both hands to his side. With each step that he takes, the orb of magical energy between his palms increases in side. The aura that envelops him crackles with renewed intensity. “HA!” he screams as he releases the bluish wave of energy from his hands. The energy surges directly towards Ikazuchi, kicking up mud and rocks as it travels along the ground. Jin, now allowing the beam to travel independently from him, runs alongside it; being just close enough to be allow his golden aura to be completely illuminated by its bluish-white glow. As the beam neared its target, Jin reared back, hoping to deliver a solid shot to the head either at the same time the beam would connect or shortly after it was dealt with. He did not care what happened his body. “Where is she?!” he roared, his voice likely being muffled by both the attack and elements.

WC: 595
TWC: 1,515

Spoiler:

Ikazuchi was able to vent all of his frustrations with that single shout. He naturally hadn’t been happy about the sudden rainfall, and he could only be more upset after being attacked randomly. Considering his experiences, it seemed as though he was fated to meet people with his sword before his words. He felt like sighing, but he didn’t let his mind wander too far as his opponent would soon be back on his feet after being sent flying thanks to Ikazuchi’s relic.

Ikazuchi’s stance shifted once more as he positioned his right side slightly forward in order to counter any ranged attacks that may come, a habit that he developed in order to counter mages. Ikazuchi’s Spellcutter was held almost horizontally in front of him with the tip aimed towards his left side while his left arm was more relaxed by his side, but still primed to attack at any moment. The sword in his right hand would allow him to perfectly defend against magic, so it was only natural to rely on it at this distance.

It was unusual for him to passively defend in this manner, but Ikazuchi didn’t wish to attack someone freely while unaware of the reason why. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem that his opponent would be answering his question based on the angry appearance that Ikazuchi observed. He happened to see the lips of the man move, but it was too quiet for him to make out what was said. ‘Bring it on, Monkey Bastard…’ This thought passed harmlessly through Ikazuchi’s mind as his opponent rose to his feet once more.

The young man frowned slightly as his opponent roared and charged at him once more, this time performing a different action than before. ‘A Spell?’ Ikazuchi knew quite a bit about his opponent thanks to his unique trait, but he could easily infer that something would be coming at him from range based on the actions of his opponent without it.

“HA!” Following this shout the ball of energy that his opponent was charging was thrust forward towards him. Jin moved almost immediately after firing the spell and ran along the left side of it in order to rush towards him. It was a fast approach, but Ikazuchi’s defense was prepared before the man had even reached his feet.

He had to rely on his keen judgement to determine when to swing his sword, but his years of practice meant that he could easily hit a target moving straight towards him. It was to the extent that only a small portion of his focus was on the spell while most of it was on intercepting the man who moved with it.

This time, Ikazuchi wouldn’t easily give up his range advantage and had moved to intercept the spell as it entered his range in order to continue that slash towards Jin who was to the side of the attack. He could feel his mana surge into the sword as the spell simply disintegrated as his slash passed through it. The only sign of the attack that remained was the trail it left and the air pressure that continued forward creating a gust of wind that battered against him.

This didn’t affect his focus as he aimed his slash to pass around shoulder height, roughly around the height that a punch would originate. Considering his opponent’s equipment, it was safe to assume that Jin primarily used fist strikes so this slash would use offense as defense.

At the same time, Ikazuchi was subtly adjusting the positioning of his feet and coordinating the sword in his left hand with the attack of the one in his right. The goal was to stab towards the abdomen of his opponent following what he hoped would be another clash of weapons. This second attack would be imbued with the power of his relic that would once more knock his opponent away from him.

“-She?!” Ikazuchi had witnessed the mouth of his opponent move, but it was only this single word that he managed to pick up on considering the various elements. It would only be after determining whether his attacks were successful or not that Ikazuchi would have the luxury to consider this word. Should his second attack succeed then he would once again take the chance when his opponent was knocked away to shout, “Who is she?!”

Word Count: 730
TWC: 1,540

• -1x A-Rank Durability to Damocles due to clashing against a 1x S-rank Attack [Damage reduced by 1 tier due to Warrior Perk]
  
• -25 Mana due to Nullifying 1 D-Rank Kamehameha
  

Spoiler:

The enticing darkness threatened to enclose him once more, Jin struggling in a vain attempt to dissuade it. It wasn’t something that he was accustomed to but then again, none of this was normal. The hum was back in full force. It’s piercing noise increasing the pain Jin felt throughout his body. Slowly, he opened his eyes and blinked away the darkness. He felt himself propped up against a rock, likely the one he struck mere moments before. He stared at the sky for what seemed to be an eternity before he glanced around and sees pieces of his equipment scattered. His left arm was just as bad of condition as his right was. It would serve as a limp club and nothing more. Against the cold and wet ground, Jin could feel something warm began to pool. He moves his hand, silently noting that he did not know which hand he was moving, until he felt the source. His lower abdomen was bleeding profusely, a concerning pool of blood formed. He takes a moment and attempts to refocus his gaze on his target, the man who helped take her away. Despite the hum that threatened to consume all sound, Jin could hear his assailant’s words clearly. “Who is she?!”

“Even now he mocks me…” Jin thinks as he attempts to rise to his feet. His body felt heavy, his legs like jello. As soon as he stands, he finds himself on all fours on the ground. A bolt of pain shot through his body as he gritted his teeth. Even the slightest movements or something as simple as breathing felt like an insurmountable task. He stared at his reflection in a murky puddle, watching as his hair flickered between jet-black and golden blonde. “I’ve seen better days…” he darkly chuckles to himself. Three hits. Three hits were all it took to reduce him to such a state. “She’d never let me live it down.” As Jin uttered those words, he remembered. She was what he fought for. Information on her location, her survival. “I can’t stop. I can’t stop…” he muttered. He stood up, ignoring the immense jolt of pain that struck his body. His body was covered in sweat and rain as he planted his feet. He began to charge the remaining amount of energy he has, focusing all of it throughout his body. A guttural yell escaped his mouth, one mixed of equal parts frustration, pain, and determination. “More…” he willed his body as the flickering stopped, his hair remaining in its golden state. His muscles swelled as his shirt and the remnants of his equipment is ripped off, his hair briefly extending out before returning to its previous length.

With a painful deep breath, Jin runs towards the man once more. He places his index and middle finger towards the middle of his forehead as a grey magical circle appears below him. “I’ll see you soon…Izumi.” His body is propelled forward, faster than he’s ever moved before, completely determined to see this to the end. He tries to bring both of his fists back but finds himself unable to do so, the limbs having reached their limit. “Fuck it...” he mutters as he leaps up and straights himself out, intended to ram the man. As he feels himself careening through the night sky in his brief moment of clarity, he could not help but wonder to himself. “Was it all ever worth it?”

WC: 577
TWC: 2,092

Spoiler:

Ikazuchi’s strikes landed cleanly causing Jin’s other gauntlet and armor to take damage. There was a decent amount of blood from the wounds dealt to the demi-human as the equipment broke, but such wounds would heal quickly. Ikazuchi was filled with curiosity and confusion after questioning Jin. The emotions displayed didn’t seem like those belonging to someone who attacked him for a superficial reason, but there seemed to be a misunderstanding about him.

‘Am I really going to have to beat him until he gives in?’ He wished that someone could answer this question as he watched Jin struggle back to his feet. As a warrior, Ikazuchi respected the attitude. It only strengthened his desire to understand the reason for the sudden attack.

Ikazuchi wouldn’t back down from a fight, but his desire to fight under these circumstances was nonexistent. Ikazuchi’s stance returned to the defensive stance that he had previously taken. It was a simple stance, but it was more than enough against someone who was battered to such a degree. From a certain perspective, it even seemed like overkill for him to take Jin seriously at this point.

A slight frown could be seen on Ikazuchi’s face as his gaze closely followed his opponent. As the demi-human approached the five meter mark, Ikazuchi noticed the distinct actions used to cast a spell and the formation of a magic seal. ‘Fast…’ That was Ikazuchi’s only thought as he saw his opponent accelerate rapidly.

Ikazuchi had his Spellcutter ready to deliver a defensive strike, but he didn’t wish to attack the head of his opponent in that manner. It could easily become a fatal attack if he weren’t careful, and he simply didn’t feel threatened enough by this opponent to require lethal force.

He moved without delay with that mindset and lowered his weapons and his center of gravity in response to the charge from Jin. It was an attack that would use the man’s head against Ikazuchi, something that you would rarely see in the battlefield. The initial target was Ikazuchi’s throat, but his lowered center of gravity meant that their heads would soon collide. ‘Fuck it…’

Ikazuchi grit his teeth and leaned into his opponent’s strike in order to match it with a headbutt of his own, an action that led to a trickle of blood running down his forehead and a dent in his helmet. Ikazuchi’s stability wasn’t something to be underestimated, so he managed to firmly stop all of his opponent’s momentum with relative ease.

In the following moment when Jin’s body began to descend towards the ground, Ikazuchi’s hand holding Icarus’ Damocles blurred into motion aiming to deliver a pommel strike to his opponent’s right side. Ikazuchi wasn’t holding back at all as he hoped that this attack would disable his opponent in order to reason with him.

Word Count: 470
TWC: 2,010

• -1x A-Rank Durability to Spellcutter due to clashing against a 1x S-rank Attack [Damage reduced by 1 tier due to Warrior Perk]
  
• -1x B-Rank Durability to Helmet due to clashing against Jin's headbutt
  

Spoiler:

Jin opened his eyes to complete darkness. His body felt as if it was not even there, almost as if he was just a pool of liquid. He tries to speak, tries to call out to someone, anyone who may hear him but it is met with more silence. Empty, fleeting silence. After a few more attempts of screaming or even normal movement, the man finally resigns to his fate. He lets his body, or whatever he was at that moment, relax as he attempted to process the recent memories that swelled within him. The last he could remember was charging towards Ikazuchi. It was futile and he knew it but he wanted to him to feel pain. The same pain that he and his master had undoubtedly inflicted on Izumi. A dull pain shot through his body as his head made contact with Ikazuchi’s own. Unfortunately, the behemoth had failed to realize the true depths of Ikazuchi’s strength. His forward movement was stopped shortly before a searing pain shot through his body. The golden aura that surrounded him instantly went out, his hair returning to its normal coloration.  As his body plummeted towards the ground, Jin could see two drops of blood fall towards the ground. One of which was his own and the other was that of Ikazuchi. A smile was plastered across his face as his body went limp and the darkness that threatened to overtake him had won. “I got the bastard.” He muttered.

Recalling the events, Jin found himself within the dark void once more. It seemed so long since he saw anyone else, spoke to anyone else. All he saw and all there ever was since then is emptiness. Out in the darkness, a bright speck of light began to shine. Small at first but gradually growing in size as it drew near. As the speck of light came closer, its form began to take shape. Two arms, two legs, a body. Before long, the full body materializes in front of him. Izumi, smiling at him warmly, beckoning him to come closer. He attempted to move, to call out to her, but found himself unable. With defiance, he yells out as the darkness disappears. “Izumi!”  He looks around, finding himself in a small, dimly lit room. His breathing was heavy as he places a hand on his chest. His chest was heavily bandaged and his body had felt like it had been hit by a truck. He glances around the room before his eyes narrow. “Its you….” He spits out bitterly.

WC: 427
TWC: 2,519

‘Finally went down…’ Ikazuchi could relax as he saw Jin collapse completely after his pommel strike. He had achieved victory in an almost effortless manner, having barely taken a step throughout the whole fight. He was filled with dissatisfaction though. What should be a fulfilling experience for him had turned into something different as he witnessed the defeated man’s smile.

Ikazuchi couldn’t help but sigh in a slightly defeated manner as he looked at the Demi-Human. “You better have a good reason for this…” This was all Ikazuchi could say now that the combat had come to an end. After that, he proceeded to sheathe his weapons and contemplate his options for a bit. ‘..let’s not wait around in the rain.’ It didn’t take long for him to decide as the rain was picking up into a full blown storm without any sign of letting up.

The young man easily hefted the bloody and unconscious Jin as he made his way towards an Inn on the edge of town. It was the ideal place for them to take shelter and avoid unwanted attention. The particular location that he thought of was connected to an underground organization, so he wasn’t concerned about anyone there getting involved should Jin rampage later.

It wasn’t too long before he arrived and paid for a room, even spending extra for someone to come in and tend to the man’s wounds. After that, it simply became a waiting game for Ikazuchi. It wasn’t easy to guess when someone would awaken after being knocked unconscious, so he was thankful to just be out of the rain. During this time, Ikazuchi removed his helmet and tended to the minor injury that came from the clash of their headbutts.

Time seemed to pass slowly as he idly waited for Jin. He didn’t even bother to keep track as it would only seem longer if he did that. Eventually, a change occurred that drew Ikazuchi’s attention. ‘Who the fuck?’ This was all Ikazuchi could think after he heard Jin shout a name. A short bit later, the man looked in Ikazuchi’s direction and spoke once more. “It’s you…”

Ikazuchi couldn’t help but smile derisively as he responded to the man. “What a rude bastard, still acting that way after I went out of my way to get your wounds taken care of. You’re really going to hurt my feelings at this rate.” Ikazuchi’s voice dripped with sarcasm, but he hadn’t let down his guard. If he needed to, he would be able to respond immediately should Jin make any sudden attacks.

Word Count: 430
TWC: 2,440


Story Continues: The Beginning