Akiara popped open her eyes. Her head was rested on Mizuki's lap. She was crying. She coughed up blood as she tried to move. This startled Mizuki. She looked at Akiara, "You are awake."

"Y-yeah." She tried to sit. Mizuki helped her to sit. She pulled out the sword. Suddenly the darkness vanished and it turned into beautiful sword. She remembered the drawing hero Arnon created the sword for Grace. It was exactly the same - double-edged blade, grip and guard was a pair of wings and a topaz to match her eyes color.

"Grace's sword?" Akaira exclaimed.

"Grace? You mean hero Arnon's aide's sword?" Mizuki asked.

"Yes." suddenly a blinding light covered the sword. They squinted their eyes. It started to change its appearance. It became a curved longsword curved, single-edged blade with a dragon carved in a circular guard and a long grip. In dragon's eyes two gems color matched with her ocean blue eyes.

"Katana?" Akiara looked surprised while examining the sword.

"Katana? What's that?"

"It's a Japanese style sword used by samurais. In short it's a sword designed in my world." She flinched in pain.

"Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Just close your eyes."

She closed her eyes. Mizuki's eyes glowed showing fire opal color. She kissed her. This startled her but soon she noticed her wounds on her abdomen were healed. As they let go, Mizuki passed out from exhaustion. She caught her from collapsing. She took her new sword and picked her up carrying her behind her back walking out of the palace. She saw her friends were fighting against those dead people. She gently placed her on the ground and rested her back against the wall. Then she dashed towards them.

"I feel my powers are complete with this katana." she jumped in the air, "Purify!" she landed on the ground amongst the dead people. Dead people noticed her holy powers ran towards her. Suddenly ground cracked and a blinding light caught dead people. Bodies got disintegrated and souls flew away.

Akiara's eyes glow faded and looked at her friends with a smile, "Lets get going. I'm already exhausted."

"What about the dark swordmaster?" Akane asked.

Akiara showed Kuro's shirt, "Here. It's enough evidence that he is dead."

"You..... defeated him?" Estelle asked.

"No. We defeated him." Akiara replied.

"Where's Mizuki?" Cordelia asked. Akiara pointed where she was resting.

They headed to dungeon to release the residents who were captured. As they freed them all the residents cheered, "Heroes from another world saved our kingdom!"

A young king approached towards them and shook Akane's hands, "Thank you for saving our kingdom."

Akane looked embarrassed, "T-thanks it was nothing."

The young king announced, "We are going celebrate for the re-establishment of the Ubiria kingdom." All the crowd cheered.

Later that evening, Akiara and Mizuki didn't attend because they were exhausted from fighting against Kuro. Akiara was sitting beside sleeping Mizuki.

"Let me return back the favor for saving me back then." her eyes were gleaming in teal color as she said, "Heal." green light emitted healing all her wounds. She slowly opened her eyes and looked here and there. She saw Akiara was sitting beside her.

"A-Aki?" She mumbled.

"Yes?" She came closer and clasped her hands.

She smirked and pulled her hand bringing her closer. This bought them to kiss. Akiara pulled away looking startled, "W-what was that for?"

"Oh, my baby looks frightened." She teased.

"Shut up." She looked away looking flustered. Suddenly someone knocked on the door. They let go and Akiara got down the bed to open the door.

"Tch." Mizuki frowned.

It was Akane. She smiled, "Akiara, why don't you come to party hall. Your friends are waiting for you."

"I don't know." she glanced at Mizuki then back at her, "You see Mizuki is still-" Mizuki waved her hand to go.

"Alright I'm coming."

"Great! See you at the party hall." Akane walked away.

Akiara walked back to Mizuki and gave her a soft peck, "I'll be back soon."

"Have fun." She waved her hands.

Banquet hall

Akiara was walking around the hall. Akane and her group approached towards her.

"Akiara, thanks for killing the dark swordmaster." Akane showed her gratitude.

"No no. I only helped you guys doing your job." Akiara looked embarrassed.

"Please accept this chocolate cake as a peacemaking." one of Akane's followers handed her the plate.

"T-thanks." Akiara accepted it. She took a bite to show them her appreciation.

Akane's followers exchanged evil smiles at each other. Akane spoke breaking silence, "So... about the sword you used to kill those zombies?"

"Oh that? I heard it belonged to Hero Arnon's aide's sword. I got it as a price for killing the dark emperor."

"I see."

"Anyways I'm heading back." Akiara waved them goodbye walking away. As she walked away Akane's happy expression changed to cold.

___________

All remaining dark emperors assembled in the middle of the forest, border of Kastron empire.

"It seems Kuro died." The young man with dark blue hair said looking sad.

"Yeah." Dalziel replied looking sad for the first time.

"Don't cry Rayce." Another young man with crimson color patted the young man with dark blue hair on his shoulder.

"We must prepare it sooner since we lost one dark emperor." The young man wearing spectacles said looking serious.

"Should we blast off the other countries as well?" The blonde mage got ready to blow up the place.

"No. Start killing the captive humans to open the last gate to release the Dark lord." Dalziel replied.

As they were conversing, suddenly a group of heroes and adventurers saw them.

"Hey isn't that dark emperors?"

"Looks like it." One of them charged towards them but in next second, he was stabbed by a giant sword. He collapsed, lifeless.

"Don't interfere our talk." Rayce pointed his sword towards them.

"They are going to be hindrance on our operation. I will set a curse on them." The young man wearing spectacles took out his grimoire.

Wind started to stir up as he started enchanting. A dark flame engulfed his hand, "ζόμπι(zombie)." he threw the flames to them. Heroes and other adventurers writhed in pain. They were rolling on the ground.

"Our discussion ends here." The young man wearing spectacles vanished leaving raven feathers behind.

"Let's go. I hope we meet again." with that Rayce also vanished. After others vanished from the forest.

__________

Akane's group started their journey again after two days of resting. They were in the middle of the forest. Akiara's face looked pale and exhausted.

Mizuki asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Akiara replied.

Suddenly Arrow looked alerted. A giant human with horns growing on his forehead ran towards them. His skin looked blue and body was muscular and buff and his height was 15 feet tall. Everyone took out their swords. They started fighting against it.

Akiara's eyes glowed and jumped in the air. As she was about to slash its hand but she lost her strength and fell down. She couldn't move and her vision started to get hazy. As the monster was about to crush her, Mizuki rushed in slashing off its legs. All she could hear was muffled voices of calling her name. She blacked out.

She opened her eyes and saw familiar surroundings - endless plain with a clear blue sky without sun. She sat and saw Arnon was sitting beside her.

"We meet again." Arnon stated.

"Who are you? And where are we?"

"We are in realm of dead." He stood up and turned around.

"So..... I died. I couldn't even complete my mission given by Goddess." She looked down with guilt.

"You are only in a temporary state of death. You are fighting against life and death using your holy powers."

"I see. I have a question to ask."

"Go ahead."

"Why was I tasked to protect Mizuki?"

"Because she is chosen by Goddess to test humans on how they treat people."

"So you are telling me that she is the hero who is going to save the world?"

"Yes. And you are her aide. That's why Grace's sword changed its appearance since it got a new owner."

"Then where is hero Arnon's holy sword?"

"I can only tell you this: in the white heavenly mountains, lies a divine beast protecting its most precious possession." he glanced at her, "This is the clue that will lead you to find my sword."

"Wait wait..... you are hero Arnon?"

"Took you long enough to figure it out."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I cannot leave this place because my one work is left incomplete."

"And one last question."

"What is it?"

"About Mizuki's holy powers...... she cannot use holy powers on humans unless there is a physical contact. Why is that so?"

"That's because when she heals a human using physical contact, her life force is used up."

"Then?!"

"Don't worry, it can be recovered by means of resting and intake of food."

She sighed relieved, "I see."

"Now go back. You cannot stay here any longer." her vision got blur and collapsed on the ground.

__________

Back in present same time. Akane used this chance and sliced off its head. It's body collapsed on the ground.

"Aki wake up. Snap out of it!" Mizuki shook her. But she couldn't speak.

Akane walked towards Akiara's holy sword, "The poison worked right in time."

"What?" Suki-san and Mizuki looked at her.

Akane tried to pick Akiara's sword but she couldn't lift it up, "The f*ck? Why is it so heavy?"

Suki-san walked towards her and grabbed her collar, "What did you say just now?"

"What?" Akane looked angry.

"I asked what did you give to Aki-chan?"

"Poison. It's a poison I got it from northern regions during Hagios expedition." She smirked at her.

Mizuki walked towards them and pushed Suki-san away. She grabbed Akane's neck strangling her, "You.... you killed her....." suddenly someone hugged her from behind. It was Akiara.

"Don't dirty your hands with blood!" Akiara shouted.

Mizuki flinched and let go off her. She glanced over her shoulder, "A-Aki? Y-you woke up? But how?"

"Let's just say I got lucky." Akiara smiled angelically.

She threw her to ground and hugged her tightly, "I'm so glad that you are alright!" even Arrow and Suki-san rushed to hug her.

Akane staggered as she stood up, "How? How are you even alive? You should have been dead. And that sword..... it should have been mine."

"You....." Akiara caught Mizuki stopping her to resort any kind of violence towards her.

"Don't kill her. She's not worth it." Akiara spoke.

"Now you are trying to act like a hero?" Akane glared at them.

"Let's go. We can continue our mission leaving them behind." Suki-san said to remove tension.

"You cannot go without me." Akane shouted.

"Who said they can't? Don't forget I'm also a hero. Let's go guys." Suki-san walked away. Even Akiara's group also started to follow her. "Akane, I don't intend to give you easy death. I will make you suffer until you wished you should have died." Suki-san gave a psychotic smile.

They continued their journey while slaying monsters. They decided to rest for the night. They took turns for guarding their camp. It was Akaira's and Mizuki's turn. It was almost time for dawn. They stared at the twilight after then their eyes made contact.

"I have something to say." Akiara started conversation.

"Go ahead." Mizuki replied with a gentle smile.

"I-uh we both must leave for finding hero Arnon's sword."

"Why is that so?"

She explained everything what Arnon said except she is the hero who is going to save the world. Mizuki looked unfazed and she nodded.

"I see. So when are we leaving?"

"Whenever you want." Mizuki came closer and bought her to soft kiss.

Little they didn't know that Akane watched them kissing. She looked disgusted but she smirked evilly seeing that she found something to make Akiara weak and fall on her knees to beg her for forgiveness.