In a small town near Sawyer, Miko was face to face with the final Pillar, Isabel Luna. His body was covered in cuts and he was bleeding.

(In that attack she went for all of my vitals…Maybe because my body was tougher than she expected or maybe my body reacted just enough to prevent a fatal blow, she wasn’t able to kill me in one move. Even so…)

“My body is hurting like hell.”

Miko’s body was trembling despite his efforts to keep himself under control.

“I’ll end this with my next attack.”

Isabel lifted her sword in front of her and it started glowing. Her body then flickered and she appeared in front of Miko.

“Lunar Strike.”

She thrust her sword forward and Miko saw a moon rushing towards him.

“The same strike won’t hit me twice!”

Miko swung his swords up and deflected Isabel’s strike. She stepped back and calmly thrust her sword again. Like before, Miko saw a moon rushing towards him and swung his swords to deflect the attack. However, this moon was a crescent one.

“Crescent Moon Strike.”

*Bam!*

Miko felt a powerful piercing blow to his back and stumbled forward.

(Her sword bent and attacked my back?!)

Miko was shocked by what he had just witnessed, but he couldn’t stay shocked for too long.

“Lunar Strike.”

A moon came rushing at his heart as he lost his footing. He lifted Ishma and blocked the strike.

“Ugh?!”

However, the strike was twice as strong as before and almost knocked Ishma out of his hand. Isabel quickly followed up with another attack.

“Lunar Drill.”

The tip of the sword started spinning like a drill as it went for Miko’s throat. Miko flung himself to the ground and rolled out of the way.

*Bam!*

Hearing a thunderous sound Miko turned around and saw a building with a huge hole in it. He immediately knew that Isabel’s attack had caused it.

“This is bad, really bad. Huh?”

Miko looked down on the ground and saw that a crescent moon was under him.

“Shit!”

He leaped away into the air and then saw dozens of slashes rain down on the spot he was in and diced it into pieces; the earth and everything.

“Crescent Phase.”

Isabel started walking towards Miko with her sword illuminating in the night.

“Your reactions are impeccable. I might have used only basic attacks but you were still able to dodge most of them.

“Basic? You mean that I was nearly killed by mere basics?”

“That’s what makes the Slaughter Moon Sword Arts so powerful.”

She touched the tip of her sword and her finger was immediately cut and started bleeding.

“Even its most basic moves are designed to kill.”

“Oh?”

Miko clenched his teeth and his eyes became bloodshot.

“That kinda pisses me off.”

“I see. Then my apologies.”

Isabel’s body flickered again and she appeared above Miko. She swung her sword down at Miko who was motionless. Just as her sword was about to hit him, his body faded and appeared above her who was still in mid-swing.

“No need to apologize. You can make it up to me by giving it your all during this fight.”

He swung down Regis who was glowing and an azure slash was quickly evaded by Isabel who appeared several meters away.

“As I thought, you’re really fast.”

Miko said after his feet touched the ground.

“I was originally going to take Edward’s advice and retreat once I had the chance, but I’ve changed my mind.”

He pointed Ishma at Isabel.

“I’m gonna take you on right here, right now. Of course, I’ll only fight using my swords.”

“Are you fighting me because I insulted your pride?”

“That too, but there are other reasons. I haven’t trained in almost a year, that’s because I want to test something.”

A savage grin appeared on Miko’s face and his eyes became slit like a dragon’s.

“Through rigorous training or through life and death battles, I want to see which one can allow me to grow the fastest. If it’s the latter then don’t you think this war is the perfect opportunity? There are all kinds of people who stronger than me in this city, if I’m the last one standing doesn’t that mean that I’ve definitely become stronger? So…”

Miko suddenly charged forward.

“So Shut and become my test dummy!”

His swords stared glowing their respective colors and a dragon’s roar and a crow’s cry could be heard.

“Regis, Ishma! Sorry for the wait! Tonight we go all out!”

(Yeah!)

Miko accelerated with a boom and appeared in front of Isabel and slashed at her neck. Isabel ducked under the slash and countered with a slash of her own. Miko blocked the attack with his sword and felt his whole body rattle as a result. Even so, he thrust his other sword down to stab Isabel, who moved back and sheathed her sword.

“New Moon…”

She suddenly accelerated while unsheathing her sword. Her body flickered and she appeared behind Miko.

“Invisible Strike.”

*Bam!*

With a loud sound, a long cut appeared on Miko’s torso and blood sprayed out of his body. Miko’s consciousness faded away for a split second before coming back.

“A-A quick draw technique huh?”

He stabbed Ishma into the ground and sheathed Regis on his waist. He lowered his center of gravity while keeping his hand on his sword.

“You’re not the only one who knows them!”

He rushed forward with lightning speed while pulling his sword. Unexpectedly, Isabel did the same. Suddenly the two disappeared and reappeared again with their swords clashing and creating an explosive sound.

“Black Dragon Twister!”

“New Moon Invisible Strike.”

*CLANG!*

“Ugh?!”

Miko was blown away after the clash while Isabel was like an immovable object.

“I still lost even though we both used one of the Five Supreme Sword Arts?!”

Miko shouted in frustration while he was forced into the air. Isabel’s sword started glowing even brighter as she lifted it and pointed it at him.

“I’ll show you an advanced technique for all of your efforts.”

Her eyes started glowing and Miko suddenly found himself floating over a lake that was reflecting the pink moon that was in the sky.

“Wha?!”

He didn’t feel like he was falling anymore but suspended in the air, forced to stare at the moon. He then could see a ray of light shining down on him from the moon.

“Huh?”

His body started to feel warm as if he was under the sun. However, Miko couldn’t enjoy it. Why? Because he could see countless cuts appearing all over his body. That’s when immense pain assaulted his body and he returned to reality and found himself laying on the ground covered head to toe in cuts and was bleeding out.

“Moonshine Over The Lake.”

Isabel said as she stood over Miko’s body.

(……..What the hell just happened?)

Miko couldn’t wrap his head around his current situation. His body felt like it was broken and the warm sensation that he felt earlier was none other than the warmth of his own blood leaving his body.

“I’m surprised though. You actually know the Raging Dragon Style. Although, it looks like you only know the basics.”

She pointed her sword at his chest with a cool look.

“You said you wanted to contest me in swordsmanship but I think it’s impossible for you. We’re not in the same class. One advance skill and you’re already like this.”

“……..”

Miko laid on the ground in silence for a bit before smiling.

“I still have my swords don’t I?”

“What does that-”

Isabel was interrupted when she sensed an attack from behind. She turned around and deflected a sword strike. Her eyes widened when she saw that the sword wasn’t being wielded by anyone but was attached to a black chain.

(He can control his swords even from a distance?)

She turned around and Miko was standing with chains wrapped around his arms.

“My swords are a little special so the way how I use them is special as well.”

He grinned.

“I don’t get it. You should be aware of the difference between us and yet you look so eager to continue fighting. Not only eager, it’s like you believe that you can win….You’re strange.”

“What about you? You came to kill me and yet I’m still alive. With your skills, it should be possible. Don’t tell me you’re actually afraid to kill me?”

Miko laughed.

“Don’t tell me you’re one of those fools who are too afraid of my family’s retaliation to come at me seriously?”

He suddenly stopped laughing and became serious.

“Stop screwing around. I’m seriously risking my life here to get stronger and you’re being half-assed about this after you attacked me? And you intend to win this war? Don’t make me laugh!”

He pointed his swords at her.

“Come at me seriously! If I die then so be it! Just come off your high horse before I cut off its legs and watch you fall in the mud!”

“…….”

Isabel looked at Miko in silence and was reminded by Gear’s words.

“Listen, Isabel. You are to incapacitate Miko. Cut off a couple of limbs, blind him, just do whatever it takes to take him out of this war.”

“Why not just kill him?”

“We can’t. It’s not just about the Dragna Clan, it’s obvious from the fact that he was allowed to take part in this war that he’s important to MYTH. Until we figure out how important he is we can’t kill him.”

“But we can amputate him?”

“They let him enter a bloody war like this, I’m sure they don’t mind if he loses a limb or two.”

“………”

“What is it? Do you not like the job?”

“I’m an assassin. I was raised as an assassin and come from a family of assassins. I don’t know how to fight without killing, so I might overdo it and kill him or under-do it and let him get away.”

“….Don’t worry about it. If you’re troubled just do what feels right. I’ll take responsibility.”

“Isn’t that contradictory to what you said earlier?”

“Yeah, but what kind of leader would I be if I can’t see when my people are troubled. Try your best, if it doesn’t work just do what you want. Got it?”

“…..Looks like I’m bad at this kind of thing, Gear.”

Isabel pointed her sword at Miko.

“Then I’ll come at you with everything I’ve got.”

“Heh. Good, I appreciate it.”

(Now then, I got her all motivated and stuff but I’m still in a dire situation here.)

After a while, Miko showed a relaxed smile.

“I guess I’ll just make it up as I go.”