The Legend's Behind the Mask "Swordsman's Era"

Chapter 7: The Unknown Shadow

Domei and Blue are both standing with their eyes wide open. The sky has totally darkened, but the sword on their left waist continues to gleam brightly in the dark, allowing them to discern shadows in the distance. 

"They suddenly appeared! What do we do? Do we fight?!" Domei says calmly. As he looked into the distance, he seemed to be whispering to Blue on his right side. He was still holding his sword in his right hand, allowing him to notice the sudden shadow in the distance. 

"If we don't have a choice," Blue replied calmly as he glanced around and sensed more incoming and was likely to surround them if they stayed longer than minutes.        

The shadow in the distance transforms into a human form with a sinister aura. A dark aura was created by a shadow. They both see that they are not looking at a human, but rather something that appears to be a human. 

"Perhaps I'll take care of it and take Fudo Toka to the west to get the message," Domei stated, drawing the attention of Fudo Toka and Blue. Domei notices Fudo Toka's tears have stopped.

"You can't beat him! He's an unknown shadow! My master Kiroshuku Hakure has fought someone like him before and almost died! I believe that's when he lost his left eye," Fudo Toka stated calmly as she felt Blue draw his sword and pose menacingly with his right hand. 

"What did he do to defeat a creature like him?" Blue wondered as the blade in his right hand burst into blue flames. His blade was engulfed in blue flame.  

"Here's the thing, he didn't defeat it! He used sunlight to beat it, that's the unknown shadow weakness the rest I don't know but we should all escape but keep glowing you guyses swords because he can travel faster than us just by using shadow and if he manages to get in our shadows where most likely be dead," she replied calmly and smiling.

"You said he used the sun then, his most likely defeated, yes?" Domei inquired, looking Blue in the eyes and becoming conscious of their surroundings. 

"Nope, he said he got lucky," she said, chuckling as the strange shadow in front of them began to move. Suddenly, a sword began to appear menacingly in the mysterious shadow's right hand.

"How are you calm? Did Kiroshuku teach you that?" Domei inquires as the mystery shadow fades into the distance. It came above them in the dark and swung down its blade.

It was on its way to Fudo Toka and Blue when they jumped back. The unknown shadow stabbed the ground, making a loud bang and causing a massive fissure in the ground. It ripped through the ground, destroying the ground they were stood on not long ago. They were both thrown back, but immediately back at their feet.

"He's that powerful, huh? We should flee for the time being Domei, let's see if he can follow us, let's head west," Blue stated as soon as his feet touched the ground. He looked to his left and saw Domei nod before they slowly faded away. 

The unknown shadow stands fiercely in the distance, not saying anything as it slowly descends to the ground and vanishes. Domei slowly replaces his sword in his left sheath while running alongside Blue on his right side. Blue likewise re-sheath his sword, but before that, the blue flame was extinguished. 

"That unknown shadow must be tough! He destroyed that ground with just one slash of his shadow blade... Hmm!" Domei said as he passed by a gigantic tree with a shadow. 

"We're both Shira Masters... We should have sensed that kind of being, but we didn't... But Fudo Toka sensed it... Then it must be a different unknown shadow being," Blue stated as they came to a halt in front of a massive fist that could hit them both.

It sprang out of nowhere and struck them both, sending them flying backward and crashing to the ground. Fudo Toka closes her eyes before being attacked, and Blue saves her just in time. He swiftly rose to his feet and, like Domei, collided with a massive tree. 

"You thought you could leave without my permission? You could ask, but nothing will happen, you will die in my hands! You both lack Concentration!" the unknown shadow stated in a gloomy old voice, and their eyes widened as they heard the word concentration. 

They remembered something that made them take a deep breath and close their eyes for a moment. As Fudo Toka was being carried by Blue, she noticed an unknown shadow behind her. 

"Huh? And what's the point of closing your eyes? Does that mean you're surrendering and don't want to see my blades stab you to the bottom?" the unknown shadow asks, astonished to find Blue carrying a child.

"I see concentration makes us feel you... I wonder if this thing works on the others," Blue murmured menacingly, drawing his sword with his right hand and gripping Fudo Toka with his left hand.

"Well, that's too late for now! This forest you're in contains a large number of shadows meaningly, I can turn anything in this forest whenever I want like my giant shadow fist or the whole hand," the Unknown shadow said as he began doing something strange and a giant sword appeared in both of his hands. Blue notices that the Unknown shadow's shadow is related to the ground, which also has shadows. He smiled menacingly as Domei vanished on his left side, unnoticed by the Unknown shadow.

Domei came from behind an unknown shadow, not giving off any vibrations or being blown by the wind. Domei swung his sword sideways, and as he was about to hit the unknown shadow's neck, it erupted into an orange flame, cutting the unknown shadow's neck as well as the shadow beneath it to where he connected. He hovers for a second before touching the ground, which is ablaze with orange flames. It slowly got extinguished.

He stands up straight and gently replaces his sword in his left sheath as Fudo Toka and Blue appear on his left and glance up front. 

"Nice job. We gotta keep moving. I sensed they're close," Blue stated as he began running, prompting Domei to spin around and run beside him on his left side. They are both holding their swords in their left sheaths. As Dark Shira Swordsmen arrived in the far distance in the back where they fought the unknown shadow, the glows on their blades vanished and they vanished in the shadows. 

"Huh! They've arrived! Good thing we weren't there, or else bad or war would've happened outside the village," Blue exclaimed as he looked back and swiftly looked up front, jumping up. They both jumped at the same time and landed on a massive tree branch, where they came to a halt and looked back at the village. They can see huge vines inside the village, burning houses, and damage destroyed houses, as well as Dark Swordsmen and Shira fighting in the skies and on the ground, from that distance. They were both stunned and intrigued by what was going on within the North Wind Village.

"Are we lucky? Or just... Did the right decision for the first time in our lives... I wonder what's next after the shockwave... It made the whole land shake," Domei muttered, his eyes widening as he looked off into the distance. They were on top of a massive tree branch and could see the village from where they were. Blue was kneeling on a massive tree branch as he placed Fudo Toka on his side, who promptly seated. 

She was sobbing as she gazed out towards the village. Blue was adjusting his mask, belt, and sheath where his sword was stored. He then looked to his left once more. 

"It's a monstrosity! I didn't expect it to happen but... I guess it did, Kiroshuku is supposed to be the best of us and the same as that man who is the Legend behind the Mask. Rumors said that his men were his students," Blue said as he raised his head and looked at the black sky. 

"Then the orders to the Shira's that were inside the village is kill or be killed... Unless the rumors about the heads were true about the corruption," Domei remarked solemnly as he noticed a flame blazing high in the distance.

"We should hope that only some Shira's will die today or probably none... But the most thing I'm certain about is thousands of civilians are probably dead," Blue said while he glance and carried Fudo Toka once again. She stayed silent as she closed her eyes, placed her face on his upper left shoulder, and covered her ears. She's like a baby being carried

"I can't sense Master from here," she sobbed. That surprised both of them, and they both returned their gaze to the village. 

"That's impossible!" Domei exclaimed, and she was completely serious. They were both sweating, and sweat was flowing from their hair.  

"What do we do, Blue? I can't also sense him!" Domei said, shocked and worried, as he sought to use his senses from afar. Blue quickly closed his eyes and focused, and then he was stunned, forcing him to kneel again, and his left eye bled. 

"Someone is blocking my senses! Tsk! Who the hell is that?!" Blue grumbled as he closed his left eye. He abruptly kneels further and releases go of Fudo Toka. She instantly rose to her feet and assisted Blue in standing. Domei could feel someone approaching. 

He looks down to his right and notices a Kunai approaching him quickly. It was about to hit him when he suddenly caught it in mid-air with his right hand. Suddenly, he discovers the kunai is carrying a bomb. He throws it in front of him, and it explodes, causing the big tree branch they're standing on to fall apart.

"Tsk! New enemies!" Domei exclaimed as the three of them were thrown to the ground. They collide when Blue's left eye is bleeding. This time, Domei was carrying Fudo Toka as they glanced at the smoke where the massive tree branch had fallen. 

"What happened?" Blue says, grunting. As he looks with his right eye, he touches his left eye with his left hand. Suddenly, an unknown dark ninja appeared in the distance, with blazing dark eyes and standing on top of a massive tree branch that he blew off. They three stand menacingly, a long 8-foot sword hidden behind their backs. They're looking at Blue and Domei while clutching Kunai's in their right hand. 

"New Darks have arrived. We need to leave. They've spotted us while getting mesmerized at the top of the tree," Domei replied as he handed Fudo Toka back to Blue. He gently opened his eyes and rose to his feet. They swiftly vanished, which enraged the Unknown Darks. 

"Looks like they got away what do we do now?" an unknown Burraku ask to the unknown that was in front of them. The 3 of them stand menacingly. 

"We proceed to the village, we don't care about the Shira fleeing, we care about what's inside the village and the power that holds it, those giant vines weren't made by our men Dark Mobs, but by themselves... It always happened once in fifty years... I'd say that's an unlucky spot, but those giant vines will slowly go back to the ground... That's what the Dark God said, it's still a mystery how he knows it," They all departed at the same time. 

Kiroshuku was slowly waking up inside the North Wind Village. He has his only one eye open, but he has lost consciousness and is gradually regaining it. He fractured his back, and his sword on his left side splintered in half and burnt. 

He sat down on the ground carefully. He was sitting on a cement block. He gently opened his only eye and saw huge vines all around him. He had lost track of what was going on. He grunts and spits blood all of a sudden. It's been an hour. He raised his head, blood streaming from the side of his mouth. As soon as he raised his head, he noticed the moon in the sky.

"Tsk...! How long has it been? The hell! I'm lucky to be alive!" he said as he reclaimed his sword with his right hand and rose to his feet, his palm touching the wound near to his left chest. He sighs, and as soon as he stands, his back makes a cracking noise, prompting him to close his eyes and slowly get to his feet. He was ready to stab the ground with his sword when he saw it had been split in two. 

"Where the hell is?! Damn it! Someone has arrived and I heard people fighting all over the place, wait is the wind blowing?" he wondered, looking around and up. He stepped on his left foot and was about to jump when his back began to pain again.

He was startled to hear a sword fight behind him. When he turns around, he sees Red Aura. Thunder erupted, and Agatsuma Hit appeared in the distance, decapitating a Dark Swordsman. 

"Agatsuma!" he exclaims as Agatsuma Hit falls to the ground and looks to his left. He was glancing menacingly to his left as he noticed Kiroshuku coming. 

"Kiroshuku?" he wondered as he hastily re-sheathed his blade and ran towards him. They came together as Kiroshuku kneeled on the ground and stabbed his snap blade into the ground. It pierce through.

"Kiroshuku! You're weak, and it's a miracle that you're still alive," Agatsuma Hit exclaimed as soon as he heard the miracle and saw Kiroshuku smile and chuckle.

"I only have my right eye, but it's fine... I just need to find the enemy that I fought, his name was Red, and we clashed and made a shockwave and the wind blew, and we lost consciousness... I believe he got pushed up above the clouds," he said, catching his breath and looking down.

"What?! You're the one who did that?! Are you serious?! Well, I already expected that since you're a master... But you both did that? It shook the whole village and I got teleportation messages that the other nearby villages were also blown by the wind," Agatsuma Hit said, shocked. He was taken aback as he assisted him in standing. He looks up and finds huge vines still growing around them. 

Suddenly, the ground they were stood on began to shake, and they rose. They stepped on the big vine once the cement was destroyed.  

"It's getting darker and darker... But at least we have confirmation that the Legends Behind the Mask will arrive in the dawn, I wonder what kind of swordsmen they are," Agatsuma Hit grinned. He assisted Kiroshuku in jumping again where there was a gigantic vine that was still and not moving. 

"The village was destroyed before they arrived... And where are the others, how many have you killed?" he wonders as they both touch the massive vine. Kiroshuku kneels and gathers his breath as Agatsuma Hit rises.  

"The others are still fighting, and I need to ask... What kind of enemy did you fight? So I can warn the other Shira with this type of enemy," he asks as he looks at Kiroshuku, who stops breathing for a second and exhales. He took a deep breath and glanced up.

"It was a Red Dark Shira Swordsmen, I don't know the difference between violet and red but I guess it's their colors... But this time Red this Shira enemy killed hundreds of civilians. He killed it by using a special technique or I guess power that absorbs the life force or energy that he killed, it can be used to benefit himself and it was unbelievable... It can also heal itself," he replied as he reinserted his sword into his left sheath. As Agatsuma Hit looks in the distance to his right, he inhales and exhales. 

"What?" Kiroshuku says, looking out the window and seeing two swordsmen dueling and trading blows with their blades. The other was wielding a flame sword, and the opponent was a Dark Violet Shira Swordsmen fighting in the air and flying around. 

"Then that Red Dark Shira Swordsmen is still alive, and we need to find him," Agatsuma remarked, helping Kiroshuku rise up and nodding. 

"I need to get you to a sorcerer Kiroshuku, you'll die in an hour because of your deep wounds," Agatsuma Hit remarked, looking down at him. 

"I'm fine, take your time, I will fight for this village Agatsuma Hit, help your people, help your friends so that they can survive, don't mind me, even though I'm heavily wounded, I'm still worth more than a hundred men," he said confidently as another explosion shook the giant vine they were standing on. 

They catch sight of two unknowns fighting in the air. They both believe the ally is a master, and their gazes are drawn together. Suddenly, a massive beast came to their left, making them both jump. It slammed a massive fist into where they were both standing. 

"How did the Gigantic Monsters get inside the village?! Perhaps they're using the giant vines! We need to split for now, Kiroshuku! Be careful and don't die!" Agatsuma Hit said as he flew to the left. Kiroshuku falls and lands on a massive vine, casting a peek at the hundred-foot-tall monster. 

"Hmm! That's my line, kid!" he remarked, smiling and slowly drawing his sword. He laughed as he flew toward the creature. The wind pierced the monster's chest, yet it did not kill it. The monster roars at him, compress its hand together, and swings both of its hands down toward him.

He suddenly smiled while pointing his snap blade down. Suddenly, the wind gathered around the Gigantic beast, causing it to hover and fly up into the sky with great force. Agatsuma Hit witnessed it, and the other swordsmen were entranced and shocked. Kiroshuku gazed up to see the big gargantuan monster that had passed through the clouds. 

"Hmm! Hidden wind technique... The Flew of the God wind!" he exclaimed, smiling and looking up. He exhales and inhales as a green wind encircles his arm and blade. He was at once peaceful and destructive.

Meanwhile, Red, the Red Dark Shira Swordsmen, has just landed. He had been flying for an hour. He is still unconscious, but his eyes are wide and he is missing his sword. He has his mouth and eyes open as he was in the middle of a ravine, laying down on the ground, and also seriously wounded.