"Wha-?!" Yuki stood in awe, seeing the fiery sword held out high, the roaring flames baiting Sokaku with its orange glow.

"Honō no buyō, Ryū," Sokaku muttered, flashing a grin at Yuki. "I hope you don't regret what you asked for."

Yuki gritted his teeth as he raised his guard, just as Sokaku turned his body, raising his left leg in a kabuki style posture, holding his scabbard facing down while his blade horizontal, flames erupting more ferociously than before.

S-Shit!

Sokaku swung his katana overhead, sending a vertical wave of flames at Yuki, who dodged the attack by rolling out of the way.

Sokaku pivoted, swinging his blade horizontally, sending another wave at Yuki, who held his katana down by his side. Stance 3: Nami!

He swung his blade upwards, cleaving the attack in half. Losing momentum, the flames broke apart, dissipating as they passed him by.

"Bastard..." Yuki muttered as he resumed his stance. Pointing his blade at Sokaku. "You're a mana user, aren't you?"

Sokaku grinned in response. "Honō no buyō. A flame-based mana channeling that controls the flames around my blade." He held his sword out before him, narrowing his eyes at Yuki. "And your sword style is to counter mana users. What's say we put that to the test?"

Yuki tensed as Sokaku pulled his Katana back, swiping it in front of him, sending another crescent wave of flames towards Yuki, who raised his sword and held his ground.

The flames crashed into his blade, keeping their form even as it crashed into Yuki.

"D-Damn it..." Yuki swore, feeling the intense heat emitting from the firestorm before him. He was strongly reminded of when he tried to block a projectile from the knight, Kuradeal. The key difference was the intense heat. Yelling at the top of his lungs, Yuki pushed back, eventually cutting through the flames, causing them to dissipate behind him.

Glancing up, he saw Sokaku had closed the distance, having performed a clockwise spin, raising his blade high in the air.

Yuki raised his sword, blocking the downward strike. Held in place, Sokaku struck his scabbard outwards into Yuki's gut. Yuki was forced back, recovering just as Sokaku turned around again, blocking the strike, causing a burst of flames to fly from its surface, causing Yuki to wince at the burst of light. Sokaku pivoted around, slamming his scabbard into Yuki's left flank. Yuki grunted, keeping on his feet, raising his sword, parrying it to the right side of his head, and feeling the heat kiss his skin.

With a heave, Yuki pushed Sokaku's blade aside and headbutted Sokaku, staggering him. Yuki freed his blade, pivoted around counterclockwise, swinging his blade in a wide arc, aiming to cleave Sokaku in two.

Sokaku raised his scabbard and blocked the strike, gritting his teeth as he tried to keep his guard as Yuki's blade cut into the metal scabbard.

Following Yuki's strike, Sokaku flashed a grin, pulling back his flaming sword to counterattack. Yuki flashed a grin letting go of his sword and dropping to the ground as Sokaku's blade passed overhead in a horizontal strike, the flames bursting in a crescent arc.

Yuki's blade fell to the ground, caught just before it hit the ground as Yuki barrel rolled to the right, jumping to his feet just as Sokaku recovered-

Stance 2: Supurasshu!

-and performed a horizontal slash. Sokaku raised his sword with his scabbard behind, blocking the projected slash, which forced him back an inch.

Yuki took his advantage and leaped up in the air, raising his sword overhead.

Stance 6: Taki!!

A wide plume of dust erupted, obscuring both fighters from view. Faust, Shay and May watched in anticipation as the dust died down.

There they saw Yuki suspended in the air, his blade inches from Sokaku's face, which he blocked using both his blade and scabbard.

Clicking his tongue in frustration, Yuki was forced back as Sokaku broke his guard. Panting, he dug his feet in, watching Sokaku relax his arms.

"You almost seem like you're having fun old geezer," Yuki grinned.

Sokaku grinned back. "I have to admit, it's been a while for someone to push me this far." He inverted his blade. "Honō no buyō, Hebi!"

He struck out in a crescent sweep. The area behind him soon ignites with a wall of flames that begins to circle out around the two fighters, trapping them in a wide arena of flames.

"BROOOO!!!!" Shay and May both cried out as the flames obscured Yuki.

"By the Goddess..." Fust muttered, feeling powerless, as he was to assist.

Inside the arena of flames, Yuki glanced around, seeing himself trapped by the wall of flames. The temperature increased to almost scorching levels, the reaming grass below dried.

"An arena fitting for the two of us," Sokaku said, his smug face lit up by the glow of the flames. "It seems we are more alike then I gave you credit."

Yuki narrowed his eyes at his opponent.

"We are wanderers, kept alive by our oaths." Sokaku held out his blade, "The invisible chains that bind our swords,"

Yuki's grip tightened on the hilt of his katana. The same image flashed before him. The same rain. The same Shrine. The same girl bleeding. The same man.

".... I suppose you're right." Yuki smiled sorrowfully before raising his blade. "I vowed.... to win, no matter what." His eyes flashed. "So what's yours?"

Sokaku grunted. "I lost mine long ago and became nothing more than a wanderer without a purpose. Then Master Yensin found me, and once again gave me a purpose, a reason to fight." His expression hardened. "That is why, as long as he lives, no matter the pain we inflict on others, I will stand by my master until my final breath."

Yuki grinned, "Guess that's all the reason we need to kill each other." He changed his stance, holding his sword in both hands.

Sokaku grinned back, sweeping his blade while holding out his scabbard. The final clash was about to begin. The two warriors will clash in a battle of wills, a clash of pride, to see who's oath was stronger.

Memories of Red; Yuki vs Sokaku

Red.

Red was the only color the boy ever saw.

The color he saw more than anything else.

The only color he remembers.

He had no memories of his life. He had nothing on him. Everything he ever had, his clothes, the blunt sword he cradled in his arms, the dirty rice ball he was consuming like an animal.

This blond haired boy, sitting alone in a burnt village he knew nothing about, surrounded by the bodies of the goblins he slaughtered. All around him was a sea of green skin baited with the color red.

The boy knew nothing of his life, where he even came from. All he ever had was a single plaque with symbols etched on it. He taught himself to read what it said.

It was a name.

Was it his name?

Was it his father's name?

Was it his mother's name?

Was it his brother's or sister's name?

..............

..............

Did he even have a family?

Did he even have a home?

.........

"Hello there."

The boy shot up in response to a man's voice. Before him was a tall man with long brown hair.

The boy heaved the blunt, bloodstained katana overhead.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." The man said politely. "Are you all alone?"

The boy said nothing.

"I see." The man said with a somber expression. "Interesting hair color. I don't think I've seen many people in Kugarat with hair like yours."

"Kagune Sensei!"

Two men rushed forward to the man's side, each holding a sword.

"Wh-Who's that? A survivor?"

"A-Are these.... All the goblins?" The two men glanced around at the corpse scattered around the desolate area, glancing again at the boy. "Was it that boy? Did he..."

"Wait look!" One of the men stuck his finger at the boy. "His hair! He must be that golden devil! The one that attacks travelers and monsters alike!"

"What?! But.... him?!"

The two men stood in front of the older men, holding out their blades. The boy recognized the look they had. One that meant they wanted him dead. Everyone wanted him dead.

In the end, they ended up dead. And the color red was painted all over there bodies. That's all the boy knew.

The older man walked past the two, despite their warnings, despite not drawing their swords.

The boy tensed, ignoring his arms that protested under the weight of his sword. As the man got close, the boy charged, holding his sword overhead, letting out a feral warcry.

The man smiled and stepped out of the way as the boy's blade fell, slamming against the ground. The boy tried to heave the blade up again, but the man put his foot on the blunt edge of the blade, pinning it down.

"I see no devil before me."

The boy glanced up, seeing the man smile down on him.

"You hate being alone, don't you?"

The boy let go of his sword and leapt back, not dropping his guard.

"Its painful, being alone. I know that pain all to well." The man took out a rice cracker, crouching while holding the treat before him. "No one is born to be alone. That's what someone precious to me once said, and made me the man you see before you today."

The boy's attention was drawn to the cracker. The sight of it caused his stomach to growl.

The man chuckled, taking a gentle step towards the boy, holding out his cracker. "What's say we find you a place to belong,"

The boy took a step forward's caution betrayed by hunger.

"And, may I ask.... Your name?"

The boy reached out, his grotty hands gently touching the light brown treat, "......................................... Y-Yuki,"

The man released his hold, allowing the boy to hold it close. ".......Yuki,”

****

Yuki and Sokaku's blades clashed together before the two pushed back against each other. Sokaku forced Yuki away, pivoting around, "Ryū!" Slashing his blade out twice, sending horizontal flame arcs towards Yuki.

Taki!

Yuki struck down, cleaving the first one in half before lowering his blade.

Nami!

-and struck upward, cutting through the second flame.

Glancing up, he saw Sokaku had closed the distance, swinging his blade vertically downwards.

Yuki instinctively dodged right, avoiding another flame projectile, singing his blade to his left, which Sokaku blocked using his scabbard again.

"Hebi!"

Sokaku held his sword out and swiped it behind him. A wave of flames formed and then began to rise in a pillar, circling around, aiming itself at Yuki.

"S-Shit?!!"

Yuki backed away as fast as he could, avoiding the flames that crashed in the spot before him. As he put some distance between him and his opponent, the flames coiled and followed, moving like a snake hovering just above the ground.

The hell....

Yuki held his blade out with the tip pointed directly at the incoming serpent.

Stance 1: Saji!

He struck it, cutting the flames in half, allowing the two sides to fall past. Panting, he glanced up to his opponent.

"Are you sure you should be relaxing?"

The two halves of the flame serpent suddenly came to life, and before Yuki could react, coiled around his belly and upper and lower arms before emitting its flames brightly.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Yuki screamed in pain as the flames roared before dying down. When they did, Yuki pits his blade into the ground to stop him from falling over, smoke rising from his burnt flesh.

"You won't fall," Sokaku grinned. "I must respect your tenacity."

Yuki tore off the remains of his shirt, freeing his blade from the ground before facing Sokaku, now bare-chested.

Sokaku raised his sword again and swiped it vertically forwards. Another flame serpent burst from his sword and coiled around as it began to target Yuki again.

Yuki gritted his teeth, seeing the same serpent coiling around before beginning its advance at him again.

This again....

Yuki dodged to the right, just before the serpent touched him, and charged towards Sokaku.

"Ryū!"

Before he reached him, Sokaku pivoted and swiped his sword out vertically, sending another flame arc towards him. Leaving no time to dodge, Yuki was forced to block with his sword, the heat licking his face as the solid force of flames pushed him back. To make matters worse, the serpent was now coming back, aiming to burn him from his back.

Yuki grunted and sidestepped to the right, allowing the crescent flames to pass him by, striking the serpent that came at his back. Yuki pivoted to recover, only to see Sokaku before him, raising his sword high in the air to cut him down. Yuki put his sword up and blocked the strike, an audible metal clash, only to discover that Sokaku had struck with his left arm, not his right. Which meant his sword was holding back his metal scabbard.

Oh Crap!!

Yuki leaped do the right just as Sokaku lunged his sword forwards, narrowly avoiding being impaled, being nicked on his left side. Sokaku then pivoted around on his right foot, swinging his scabbard with him, slamming it into Yuki's open gut.

"GAHH....?!" Yuki gasped as he staggered, the pain amplified by the burn marks on his chest. Sokaku withdrew his scabbard and pulled back his sword, ready to strike Yuki down.

Stance 2:

Yuki recovered just before Sokaku brought his sword down, gripping his sword in both hands.

SUPURASSHU!

The two blades clashed together. The flames around Sokaku's bade erupted as he was forced back by the invisible force behind Yuki's strike, throwing it aside following being pushed back several feet.

Stance 3: Nami!

Yuki followed with a vertical slash, sending an invisible projectile towards his opponent. Sokaku swung his blade horizontally, canceling it out with his flame projectile.

Yuki then rushed through the dissipating flames, his sword sheathed.

Stance 4:

Yuki's hand hovered over his katana's hilt as Sokaku raised his scabbard, holding his blade back.

RASSHU!!!

Yuki shot past Sokaku with blinding speed, drawing his blade as Sokaku turned counter clockwise. The two passed each other, both with their swords held out.

Blood then erupted from a gash that opened up on Yuki's back; the wound was singed black from the attack.

"A powerful strike," Sokaku said as Yuki fell forwards, sounding almost sorrowful. "Sham it amounted to nothing."

Yuki caught himself from falling and turned, flashing a feral grin. "Wouldn't be so sure of that, pal."

Sokaku's scabbard then cracked and burst apart. Sokaku gazed down with surprise, holding a small part of the scabbard as the rest fell to the ground.

"That scabbard was pissing me off, so I thought I'd take care of it first."

Sokaku raised his broken scabbard and burst into a hearty laughter. "My my! I can't remember when I've felt so exhilarated by an opponent before!" He threw the broken metal away, resuming the same stance, keeping his sword held back all the while flashing a toothy grin.

He lowered his body, and then lunged at Yuki, swerving and striking down at Yuki. Yuki barely blocked and parried the blow, surprised by how much weight was behind the swing. Sokaku wasn't finished, and pivoted around again, kicking out with his left leg, slamming it into Yuki's open gut. Sokaku pivoted again, raising his sword, flames erupting from the tip.

Yuki dodged out of the way seeing a vertical arc of flames shooting from the tip. Sokaku then pivoted around, swinging his sword in a wide crescent arc. Yuki raised his sword and blocked the incoming flames, his feet dragged across the ground as he tried to keep the flames at bay.

"DAMN IIIIIITTTTT!!!" With a yell, Yuki forced his blade through the fire, cutting it in half. When he did, Sokaku leaped forwards again, raising his sword high in the air, clenching it with both hands. Yuki instinctively dodged out of the way as Sokaku landed, flames erupted as he landed in a circle, almost catching him off guard.

Sokaku then lunged forwards as Yuki turned around, parrying the blow. Sokaku attacked, again and again, laughing all the while trying to cleave his opponent in half. Yuki was forced on the defensive again, parrying and blocking each strike. Without the scabbard, Sokaku's movements became even more unpredictable, more ferocious than before.

Only on one occasion, following a parried vertical blow did Yuki see an opening. Sokaku turned sharply to strike Yuki, who ducked, allowing the blade to pass over him. Now in a vulnerable position, Sokaku leaped back just as Yuki swiped his sword upwards from a vertical arc, his blade carving into the 火 (Ka) tattoo.

Sokaku landed a few feet away, blood now leaking from the chest wound.

Yuki regained his stance, cursing that his strike wasn't deeper. More than that, he was starting to feel as though he was reaching his limit. He had taken a considerable amount of damage just blocking this man, and now he was feeling the stain. The heat was now becoming unbearable.

Sokaku, ignoring the wound, simply grinned. "Hebi!"

Flames burst from Sokaku's sword, and he swiped the ground, sending another burst of flames. Yuki jumped out of the way as it followed him. All of a sudden, it curved around. Yuki saw Sokaku grinning as another wall of flames circled him, entrapping him in a smaller space.

"Oh... not good..." Yuki painted looking for a way out. He noticed the flames were beginning to encroach on his position; the only breathing space was getting smaller.

"My blaze dance operates in three forms," Sokaku spoke from his position on the outside. "The first dance is the talons of the dragon. The second dance is the coil of the serpent."

Yuki grunted, feeling the hot air beginning to burn at his lungs.

"You certainly are formidable, but in this bout has shown me what I confirmed about you," Sokaku spoke with sorrow in his voice. "You don't truly care for anything other than battle."

Yuki flinched.

"You fight with no regard to your friends or yourself. You vow to win, even if you destroy yourself. I've seen what it can do to a man."

"SHUT UP!!!" Yuki yelled before coughing. "You.... you don't know a damn thing about me!!" He then collapsed to one knee.

"True, I don't." Sokaku sighed. "But in our short bout, I could tell your conviction is lacking."

"?!" Upon hearing those words, Yuki felt a stab at his pride.

"In order to wield one sword, they must do it for a clear purpose. I may not agree with my master, but I know my place. I am a sword to be used by my master. That is who I am, both in my past and the man you see before you.

"You on the other hand.... You simply swing your sword with no purpose, your eyes unfocused on the man before you. Like a rabid beast lunging at those before him, almost as though you are looking for a way to die." Sokaku sighed. "Such a waste if you ask me."

Yuki remained in place, as the flames began to encroach towards him. "Conviction...," Yuki muttered as something began to click in his mind. Saying you can't fight without conviction was the first thing he told Allisa when they first met. They were the words passed down to him by his Sensei.

"To swing a blade, whether to cut down your enemy or protect your loved ones, you must have the conviction, the will to swing the blade."

This was one of the guiding principles of his dojo, the very principle of Reijingu Mizu. This teaching was engraved in his heart, always to swing his sword with conviction. He took the oath when inheriting Sakura and used it as the foundation of his conviction.

"Is that...... your idea of conviction?"

And just like that, the very girl he scolded for not wielding a legendary sword without conviction scolded him for the same reason. In this moment, surrounded by flames, being cooked alive, Yuki couldn't help but let out a dry laugh at the irony. The first time anyone had called out his conviction.

No..... It wasn't the first time.....

"That's not conviction you know,"

Yuki got back to his feet as a separate voice rang in his head.

"I believe.... Conviction is swinging your sword for your loved ones."

He freed his sword from the ground, a smile creeping on his lips.

Why are you two coming to me now of all times.....? Yuki thought.

"Cause.... We're friends aren't we?"

"It's cause we're friends you idiot."

His grin growing wider, Yuki raised his sword, holding the blade out diagonally, bending his arm.

Friends.... Sure piss me off.

His legs parted, his muscles bulging.

Reijingu Mizu Stance 8: UZU!!!

A violent whirlwind blasted away the wall of flames that surrounded Yuki in one blast. The force was so strong that Sokaku has to raise his arm as the winds washed over him, small cuts formed on his raised arm. The old man couldn't help but stare with his jaw dropped, seeing Yuki stand before him once again, steam floating from his body, his sword held out before him.

"I've had just about enough of your ramblings...." Yuki said. "You wanted to see whose oath is stronger, right." His eyes shone with a ferocity that captivated the grizzled warrior before him. "Then let's put an end to this."

Sokaku was speechless, seeing the fire that was lit in Yuki's eyes that wasn't there before. Seeing him stand before him once again, sword raised.

In the face of it, Sokaku flashed a large, satisfied grin. "Honō no buyō," He gently grasped his sword in both hands. "TORI!!"

He shot his blade high in the air, flames erupting from his blade, forming a massive bride silhouette. "My most powerful strike, only reserved to those who truly deserve to witness the majestic beauty of the bird's wings."

Yuki held his sword before him, gripping the hilt tightly with both hands, closing his eyes as he focused.

"This is it! Hold nothing back! SHOW ME THE STRENGTH OF YOUR OATH!!" With one powerful roar, with one powerful swipe- "YUKI AKOGAAAAAA!!!"- Sokaku let lose the flame bird, unleashing a massive tidal wave of flames at the still Yuki, who remained frozen in place, his eyes fastened shut.

All of them piss me off. All of them irritate me.

Images of all his comrades flashed before him. Max. Nel. Melvin. Cliff. Rodger. Meracle. Allisa...... even Ayami.

All of them.... are truly irreplaceable.

Yuki's eyes snapped open.

I won't die yet.

Gai slipped into his mind.

Not until I finally beat him!

Yuki lunged forwards, running headlong into the flames with his blade outstretched. The flames looked ready to consume him, fry him in one gulp.

But Yuki wasn't afraid, nor did he hesitate. He charged into the flames, and just like that, the area beyond him, the flames receded, almost afraid to touch him. The aura around Yuki bent likes a wave as he pushed on through the flames to his target.

Reijingu Mizu Stance 9: Mizu no todoroki!!

Yuki burst through unscathed to the other side of the flames where a shocked Sokaku awaited him. Continuing his advance, Yuki leaped up into the air, swinging his sword as he turned around.

"I. Won't. LOSEEEEEEEEE!!!!"

Sokaku raised his sword, meeting Yuki's just as it struck only to crack at the seams. Yuki's strike continued forwards, slicing straight into Sokaku's body. Blood erupted from the wound as Yuki's blade passed through unopposed.

With his eyes widened, seeing the flames that coated his sword dissipate, feeling his life beginning to slip away, Sokaku couldn't help but smile. So this is the full extent of your conviction. Your bonds. Your loyalty. Sokaku lurched forwards, his broken katana dropping from his hands. Ha! You reminded me of my younger days, when I still had a purpose. Sokaku's eyes lost their light.

You found your true conviction. Keep it close, don't ever let it go. Or you will become lost like me....... Regardless of your future, thank you for a truly magnificent battle, fitting of this old fool........ Yuki Akoga.....

Sokaku's body hit the ground, and all movement ceased.

Yuki remained, watching as the wall of flames that surrounded the two began to dissipate, indicating that the caster's life was at an end. "Guess this was a fitting death for you," Yuki said, glancing back with a look of respect for his fallen opponent. "It was honorable end..... Sokaku Fukuoka."

After his speech, Yuki collapsed to the ground face first. With his opponent defeated, all the adrenaline that had kept him in the battle wore off. Now his body was racked with pain, his skin was on fire, and he could now feel the singed cut on his back.

"Ha ha ha... They're certainly gonna chew me out for this...." Yuki let out a dry chuckle, realizing he couldn't even move. His fingers, his right hand maintaining an iron grip on his Katana.

"No one is born to be alone."

A voice from back in his past rang in his head as his consciousness began to fade. As his vision blurred he saw three figures running to his side.

...... Why the hell'd that have to come back now of all times?

Yuki questioned himself, thinking back to the day he had a run-in with a certain, silly little girl who wanted to play hero and her annoying friends, and how he was roped into training her.

For the first time in over five years, roped into a journey with them, constantly bashing heads with them, for the first time since that day in the rain, he saw colors other than red.