Chapter 1: Departing Mission

A gloomy silence atmosphere could be felt. It filled the lifeless room of one of the heads of the east as if darkness, sadness, and failure filled the room alone. He sat alone on a chair in front of a round table while holding papers of classified swordsmen under his list in his hands. He looked at these papers one-by-one.

More papers were on his table till he heard a knock on the door and it opened. He put the papers underneath the table where there were multiple layers of small cabinets. He left a single paper on top of the round table and began reading it in silence. The unknown who walked in, reached the round table, stood tall, and awaited for his words.

"I— I have no choice, but to uh, task you on a dangerous mission, young one. Be careful out there," he murmured worriedly, handing him the paper, which he promptly took. He was afraid as darkness filled the room, until it suddenly began to rain outside, accompanied by a cool air blowing in from the window toward them.

"You've sent a few, but no reports after a while. They must've been killed along the way, lead," remarked the swordsman with a dark voice while handing back the paper, but he waved at him.

"Keep that along with you, let's wait for Rinkuri for the scroll you'll have. It is instructions you'll need along the way. And yeah, they must've been killed. I didn't expect it, it's just a classified mission. I told them to scout, but it seems some kind of enemy have spotted them. I should not have sent them, but sent someone like you instead, that is powerful enough to handle whoever is there," he said with regret as he exhaled a deep inhale. He felt melancholy as he clasped his fingers together and gazed out the window to his left, seeing the wind blowing the trees next to the building along with the heavy rain and feeling the cold.

Rinkuri arrived after a few hours. He handed over the scroll first to the head of the village before handing it over to the swordsman.

"Good luck to you," the head gave him a good luck. The swordsman bowed and nodded at him before vanishing in thin air like he was never there. He turned to his right and nodded at Rinkuri, who was a messenger swordsman. He also nodded at him before leaving the room, a gesture of sign of respect.

The head sighed in relief as the room was filled with loneliness. It stopped raining as soon as Rinkuri walked out of the room. The dark sky was slowly getting filled with a bright blue color along with the yellow light of the sun. It was beautiful as the cold breeze started to turn into a warmth and comforting breeze.

After a day, the head and Rinkuri meet again in the same room. Their eyes met as if there was a storm coming. The room was filled with tense and silence for a moment till Rinkuri spoke with a heavy chest.

"You called me, why?" He asked as he sat down on a chair in front of the round table, filling his thoughts with curiosity. He saw fear in the head's eyes realizing something bad might have happened.

"I want Shikari and Gakushin on this. Send them there as soon as possible," he said urgently with a serious expression on his face. 

"They are currently mourning Rida's death. I'll tell them after they mourn," he said in a serious tone, making the head nod with relief. 

"That will be fine... Wait, no, I change my mind. Tell them that I called them here for a specific matter. Both of them," he remarked while staring into Rinkuri's eyes. He nodded at him and immediately walked out of the room. He sighed in frustration as he cleared his throat and stared blankly at the table, seeing the papers of classified swordsmans he had sent to many unknown place. 

A tall man stood solemnly before a gravestone, his gaze fixed upon it. The wind whispered through the air, carrying a weight of sorrow that seemed to intensify under the bright, unforgiving sun. Footsteps approached from his left, the rustle of leaves joining the symphony of emotions, yet he remained steadfast, unwilling to let the external world penetrate the heavy atmosphere surrounding him.

"She died in your hands... I'm sorry I couldn't be there for her and for you," the mysterious man's voice trembled with regret as he approached Shikari, the tall man before the gravestone. Shikari, bearing the weight of sorrow in his eyes, sighed deeply, his gaze finally meeting the remorseful stranger.

"Rida died in my hands because of that man. They were misunderstood, that lead to many deaths and multiple outcomes that made people suffer," he remarked, the weight of regret hanging heavily in his voice, each word a burden on his conscience. The newcomer, his friend Gakushin Gakure, kneeled before the grave, his touch on the cold stone expressing a profound sadness, as if realizing the truth that could've been avoided, leaving an indelible ache in their hearts. He put a small memorial flower before the gravestone next to the rose flowers that Shikari brought for her.

"Before she died, I remember you telling me that she warned you not to show any anger or you'll get consumed by it and end up nowhere and caused further damage," Gakushin Gakure recounted, standing and expressing his frustration with a mournful sigh. Yet, amidst the heavy emotions, a bittersweet warmth lingered in the air, as if Rida's wisdom had become a guiding light, offering solace in the midst of sorrow.

"We should leave now, let's—" Shikari Gakure uttered, his words abruptly stifled by an unexpected presence. They found a kneeling swordsman behind them, his intense gaze capturing attention. A hush fell, a tense quietude settling.

Gakushin's brows furrowed in solemn contemplation as he took a step back. "A messenger swordsman?" he pondered, observing Shikari approach the swordsman. The air hung heavy with curiosity, a silent inquiry echoing in the mountain breeze. The swordsman, slowly rising, bowed with a grace that spoke volumes of unspoken tales.

"I'm Rinkuri... The two of you are called to the heads office. He said he has a matter to discuss with you two," Rinkuri conveyed, his voice holding a solemn weight. Gakushin and Shikari exchanged puzzled glances, the mountain air charged with curiosity and anticipation.

At the heads office, the trio arrived, and Rinkuri bowed to an unknown figure standing in front of a round table. The unknown man nodded, and Rinkuri exited the room, leaving Shikari and Gakushin to face the enigmatic individual.

"You called us, why?" Shikari inquired.

"A matter to discuss, get to the point. Shimodo Rou," Gakushin added, his tone carrying a subtle menace.

"Five teams of swordsmen went missing last night. I'd like you two to go there and find out what's happening. That team I sent teleported a message here saying that the first teams I sent weren't there. And, I asked them as soon as they teleported the message and there was no response," Shimodo Rou, the unknown man, spoke with a stern demeanor. His gaze bore into Shikari and Gakushin, each word resonating with the weight of an ominous threat. The air in the room turned solemn, and an unspoken tension hung.

"Where?" Shikari pressed for an answer, maintaining a steady gaze into Shimodo Rou's eyes.

"The Mountain of the Zigaria. You two are my last hope. It's a classified mission. When you find them, locate a scroll, the information about their mission is there. Be careful, and I... apologize for being careless," Shimodo Rou lowered his head, a gesture of sincerity.

Shikari and Gakushin exchanged nods, acknowledging the gravity of their task. They left the room promptly, driven by a sense of duty. Meanwhile, Shimodo Rou raised a piece of the round table and retrieved a piece full of papers, each bearing the details of the swordsmen he had sent to the mountain, now feared lost.

The table resembled a double pizza, with one on top and another below, attached to a movable wood underneath, creating a seamless and convenient design. He heard a knock, and the door swung open. Two men entered, fixing their gaze on him as they approached. The mood in the room shifted, an unspoken tension settling in.

"You look sad, Rou. They've left for the mission. They've departed. You should be happy," one of the men spoke while smiling. Shimodo Rou remained silent, reading the paper detailing the personal background of an unknown swordsman.

Outside the gate, a shadowy figure approached, walking out of the forest, leaving no discernible footsteps. Gradually, a dark human figure materialized, leaving traces of footsteps behind. The guards, finally noticing him, assumed defensive positions as the atmosphere around the figure grew dark and intimidating.

Suddenly, the unknown dark figure vanished into thin air and reappeared in front of the gate in the blink of an eye. The guards were immediately seated on the ground, visibly shocked by the mysterious display of speed. 

All of a sudden, a sword descended from the sky toward the unknown dark figure, who had transformed into a completely shadowy being. The tip of the blade was about to hit his face when, in a swift motion, he dodged it by simply turning his head.

The tip of the blade hit and pierced through the ground behind him. The unknown figure glanced in the distance and saw Gakushin waving at him while approaching.

"You're a Dark Mob? You're new, dangerous. But it doesn't matter," the unknown heard a whisper behind him that immediately made him turn around. As soon as he pivoted, he saw a sword blade about to decapitate him, and a man standing there.

"Teleport?!" thought furiously the dark mob as he kneeled and dodged the blade, but that's what he thought. He was sliced into numerous pieces, yet he remained alive. Stuck on the ground, he looked up as Shikari stared at him menacingly.

"Dull creature," he sneered, his voice dripping with disdain, as he raised his sword with his right arm, ready to thrust it into the dark mob's head and bring an end to the clash. Suddenly, he noticed a kimono emerging slowly on the body, a shadowy garment materializing like a phantom veil. A menacing shiver ran down his spine, freezing him in place, as Gakushin sensed another presence lurking inside the dark mob, an enigma within the shadows.

"Shikari! Behind you!" Gakusin shouted while pulling out his sword with his right hand. He suddenly propelled himself forward, and Shikari turned as soon as he heard the shout. He saw a darkening hand flying in the air, about to grab his face. His eyes widened for a moment, but suddenly he vanished from where he was standing and appeared behind the hand, a distance away from it.

He turned, ready to make his move, but the menacing hand and the dark mob vanished, leaving only Gakushin Gakure standing there. The threat was gone.

"They vanished! That hand! It came out of a dark portal!" Gakushin exclaimed, frustration evident as he resheathed his blade. Shikari appeared at his side, tapping his shoulder.

"Learning that teleportation sorcerer technique came in handy thanks to Kuro and to you," Shikari thanked him. They both turned to see countless soldiers approaching.

"Tell them to double the guards, and at least one Shira swordsman should be guarding this gate. After that, we're leaving," Shikari commanded. Gakushin nodded and headed toward the soldiers. Shikari turned, walking in silence toward the distant forest, the noise of chatter echoing behind him.

An hour later, deep in the forest, Shikari and Gakushin emerged onto a grassy road. Towering trees surrounded them, their branches creating a canopy above. They halted, inhaling the fresh air. Shikari stood on the grassy path, while Gakushin approached a nearby tree, touching it with a smile.

"Shikari! This place, no humans have been deeply in touch with this place, at least. We're nearing that mountain. We should be going up instead of down. Are we in the right place?"

"Why are you asking if you already know it?"

"Well, uh, I'm just distracted by how beautiful this place is. I can't believe we're near that kind of mountain," he replied, smiling at the natural beauty surrounding them.

"Gakushin, you're calling that thing just a mountain without a name, let me guess, you forgot its name, didn't you?" Shikari asked, turning his head to the left and locking eyes with a blank face. Gakushin began sweating and giggling.

"Well, can we go now?" he replied, making Shikari smile briefly before turning his attention forward. He began to walk, and Gakushin followed, feeling an odd sensation in his surroundings. The smile vanished from his face as they disappeared into the distance.

At the top of the Mountain of Zigaria, half a day had passed. Five swordsmen lay scattered across the floor. One was being dragged by a dark mob, separated from the group. The swordsman appeared to be alive, but unconscious and heavily wounded.

The dark mob had his left hand on the swordsman's right foot, dragging him along. In his right hand, he held a sword with bloodstains on the blade.

The swordsman he was dragging wore a bright black kimono and a black coat, but half of his kimono on his body was torn apart. Half of his face was covered in blood, presenting a grim and battered appearance.

"Weak humans. Even this man who just arrived, he's the sixth. He tried to save them, but he's just too weak," sneered the Unknown Dark mob, his thoughts dripping with contempt. Halting, he callously released the foot he was holding, pivoted, and raised his sword, the metallic glint of malice reflecting in his eyes. The air tightened with the impending strike.

He was about to thrust his sword onto the swordsmans head when, all of a sudden, the unconscious swordsman on the ground grabbed the blade with his right hand, stopping it right before meeting his demise.

His palm was left bleeding as the dark mob appeared to be shocked. He suddenly saw furious widened eyes, the unconscious swordsman refusing to accept his fate, adamant that he should not die.

The swordsman lying on the floor immediately raised his left leg, lifted his lower body with his right leg, and kicked the back of the dark mob's head, making him grunt.

The swordsman lifted his left arm to the ground behind his shoulders, touched the dirt with his palm, and jumped up with his right foot. He executed a backflip and snapped half of the blade of his sword. Landing on the ground with both feet, he immediately distanced himself from him and stood tall breathing.

He glanced at the dark mob in the distance and saw the sword he was holding. The blade that he had just snapped was growing on its own, magically turning itself back into a new, unbroken blade.

"I guess I'm wrong! You're still very much alive! You even sliced me with that broken blade," the dark mob furiously said, touching his neck with his left hand. Dark blood flowed from his neck down to the ground.

"You both will pay for what you've done, it's only you and me now," the unknown swordsman stated menacingly. Throwing the snapped blade to his right, he lowered his upper body, seemingly emotionless despite the pain he endured.

"Pay? Do you think you're strong? You lost your sword in our fight. I threw it away in a three-dimensional dark world. That sword is long gone, boy," the Dark mob taunted menacingly, stroking his own blade.

Suddenly, the swordsman drew the sheath of his sword gently from his left waist, taking a deep breath. Pointing the tip of the sheath toward the Dark mob, he exclaimed, "This is funny!" and flew towards him with great speed. Sliding on the ground, he swung his sword blade, aiming to cut him in half. However, the Dark mob swiftly jumped, avoiding the blade.

Rotating sideways in the air, the swordsman swung the sheath with his right hand towards the back of the Dark mob's head. The impact caused the Dark mob to kneel on the ground, struggling to stand. Meanwhile, the swordsman, coughing and struggling to breathe, lay flat on the floor.

"Death is what's next... I won't live to see another light," the swordsman thought hopelessly. As his vision darkened, he smiled when he saw the Dark mob experiencing pain from the sheath strike.

"You fry! You even have the nerve to smile?! You failed on your mission yet you smile!? What a ridiculous, hopeless swordsman!" The Dark mob furiously stabbed his sword behind the swordsman's back, ending his life. The Dark mob stood at ease, no longer feeling pain, and smiled after accomplishing the kill.

"Now, for the darkening procedure," he reached his left hand towards his back and was about to grab him while smiling, when, all of a sudden, his left hand got cut. A dark shadow flew from the right to the left in front of him, cutting his hand and then his arm. His eyes widened in terror as he saw his left hand get cut and next was his arm.

Turning to his left, he saw a long black-haired swordsman land on the ground, holding a bright white blade. Also wearing a kimono and a dark coat, the unknown swordsman had an intimidating presence.

"That man. It scares me. What is he?" thought the Dark mob as his left arm regenerated on its own, turning dark like a humanoid smoke from a distance. Suddenly, he sensed another presence behind him and quickly turned.

Another swordsman was calmly walking towards him, gently drawing his sword with his right hand and pointing it down to his right. Reaching him, the Dark mob raised his sword and swung it down towards the swordsmans neck, but the swordsman effortlessly dodged and sliced the Dark mob's neck.

Frozen in place, the Dark mob's head slid down from his neck to the ground. His lower body kneeled and fell to the ground. The swordsman resheathed his sword and sighed, standing tall. Glancing at the other swordsman in the distance, who also resheathed his sword and stood tall, he spoke, "We arrived late, I guess they're all dead, by a single Dark Mob. Unfortunate people, rest in peace."

Gakushin Gakure thought to himself, taking a deep breath and clearing his throat. Turning around slowly, he observed the Dark mob's body slowly decaying.

"Y-you?! And you?! You've got to be kidding me! The two deadliest swordsmen to ever be born in this Era! I should've killed you both!" exclaimed the Dark mob. Suddenly, Shikari appeared above him, thrusting the blade of his sword towards his head and turning him into ashes completely.

Shikari raised his sword with an angry expression, silently resheathed it, and sighed. He turned to his right, glancing at the swordsman lying on the floor, and rolled him onto his back. A rolled scroll emerged from his pocket, tied with a small rope. Kneeling, Shikari grabbed the scroll with his left hand, removed the rope, and unrolled it to read the contents.

After understanding the mission, he stood and sighed, then turned to Gakushin, who was patiently waiting. "This is it, this is the mission. Now, we've got to continue it and get this thing done with," Shikari said menacingly as he rolled the scroll and handed it to Gakushin.

Taking the scroll, Gakushin spoke, "We're only seeing one team here. We should find the other team before proceeding and find out what happened. We can't just straight up act out in the blue without knowing what happened." Unrolling the scroll, he read its contents, and what he discovered widened his eyes.

"Let's go, we're going further to the north of this mountain, and soon it will be cold, winter is coming after all. Our mission has started, we will be fighting Deities," Shikari stated while stretching his arms. He began to run, followed by Gakushin, who rolled the scroll and put it in his pocket.

As they run in the forest, they sensed Dark mobs around, prompting Gakushin to draw his sword. Suddenly, a scythe blade with a chain attached to its handle flew towards them from the right, and a pack of arrows rained from all directions. Shikari, quick on his feet, stopped and grabbed Gakushin's right arm with his left hand. They both vanished, avoiding the arrows and the scythe.

As they fell through the air, a thunderous crack echoed above, drawing their attention to a massive ball of lightning hurtling toward them. Shikari, with determination in his eyes, swung his sword at the approaching lightning, causing both his weapon and himself to be engulfed in electrifying energy. He gritted his teeth and endured the shock.

"Shikari!" Gakushin's furious shout filled the air. Simultaneously, a colossal root, resembling a hand, materialized and seized Gakushin, hurling him downward. Breaking through a giant tree branch, he landed on the ground with a painful thud, coughing up blood as he stood.

Witnessing a massive explosion in the sky, Gakushin observed as the towering trees of the forest and the giant root-hand were blown out of the ground. The shockwave and fierce wind swept through the entire forest, leaving devastation in its wake. Gakushin, though battered, withstood the force.