It was as if a volcano had erupted the moment Jake pulled Tsubaki from her sheath, darkness detonated from her. The force of the explosion sent Heracles back. He had to plunge his blade into the ground to prevent from being flung out of the ring. But he was lucky compared to the referee; the darkness flat out sent T.K flying out of the ring. The force of the eruption shook the entire auditorium…
No, it shook the entire building. Lights flickered, cracks in the walls started to form as everyone was forced to their knees. In the infirmary, the nurses were freaking out as everything was shaking. ‘WHAT IS HAPPENING?’ someone screamed. ‘IS IT AN EARTHQUAKE?’ Patients fell from beds as the medical team panicked. Back in the auditorium, assistants were trying to take cover. The blonde-haired applicant, Kendrick, thrusted his massive blade in the ground and used it to keep himself sturdy. The beastman Biscuit threw out his arms and pulled in Zack and Gabby, bringing the two of them in close, shielding them both with his body. ‘ARE YOU TWO, OK?’ he shouted, but neither answered his question. They were too focused on Jake. ‘HOLY COW!’ screamed Gabby. ‘HE HAS ONE OF THE MYSTIC BLADES!’ Unlike her, Zack said nothing. He was speechless; all he could do was smile widely as he watched. ‘No way,’ he thought. ‘He didn’t think that out of all the swords that Jake would have that one.’
In the viewing room, things were in an uproar. Monitors were falling from desks, chairs were breaking, assistants couldn’t keep their balance. Even Moon D was caught in all the mess; he had been shot out of his chair. But unlike all his assistants, he paid it no mind. He was frazzled, flabbergasted even, but not by the shaking, but by what he had seen. The announcer was trying to get back to his feet, but he was struggling. ‘You have to be kidding me,’ he said. ‘It can’t be. He can’t have that.’ The man was laughing hysterically while he was on all fours, trying his best to stand up.
The only person in the viewing room able to keep their balance slightly was Angus, still standing tall, looking at the power before him. He was in awe as he witnessed something he had never seen before. But out of all those in the building, not frazzled, thrown off, or mesmerized by Tsubaki’s power was the other mystic blade in the building, that being Rickenbacker, who was still leaning up against the wall where his wielder had left him. The double-bladed axe chuckled to himself softly. ‘Yes, yes, I knew it. I sensed you. I was correct. So, it was you, my dear older sister… How long has it been? How long since you been pulled from that sheath of yours?’ While Rickenbacker was overjoyed, back in the ring, the eruption of darkness started to cease as the shaking came to an end.
All those who desired to watch the battle were captivated when they saw a pool of darkness enveloping the ring. In the center of all of this was Jake, who was still laying on his back. He smiled as he laughed. ‘Wow, you actually let me unsheathe you,’ he said, addressing Tsubaki. ‘Yes, I did. I hope you won’t make me regret that choice, boy,’ Jake smirked, looking at the blade. ‘No, I won’t. Never again,’ she responded. ‘Good,’ she said. ‘Now, let’s wrap this up.’ ‘I’d love to, but I kind of can’t get on feet right now,’ Jake could hear the sword let out an annoyed sigh, even though she had no mouth. ‘Fine,’ she said. From the pool of darkness, a myriad of shadowy hands started to form. These hands pushed and pulled Jake until he was back on his feet. When he was, the hands grabbed him, then their form started to melt away as they fused with his body. In an instant, Jake was covered from the neck down in shadows. ‘Doing this should allow you to continue moving,’ Tsubaki said, ‘and it will also slow down you're bleeding. But you don’t have long, boy. You must get medical attention before it’s too late, so we must finish this now. Understood?’ Jake responded, ‘Understood.’ As Jake got ready, Heracles stood tall and proud. He brandished his weapon Jake’s way as he smiled from ear to ear. ‘YES, FINALLY!’ he shouted. ‘FINALLY, YOU HAVE DRAWN YOUR BLADE! YOU SEE ME AS WORTHY OF IT! SPLENDID!’ Heracles’ attitude had changed; the way he was acting now, he was falling more in line with the way Nebula was acting. He got in a battle stance, oozing a battle aura from his very being. ‘NOW, COME! LET US FIGHT TO OUR HEART’S CONTENT!’ ‘He seems quite excited to fight now, doesn’t he?’ declared Tsubaki. ‘What an interesting human he is. Let’s show him my power.’ Hearing this, Jake got into his own stance, ready to fight with darkness surrounding him and covering him. Tsubaki barked an order, no, a command at Jake. ‘NOW, BOY! ATTACK!’ Jake quickly bent his knees as he…” Responded, “ROGER THAT,” then took off with blinding speed. The force of his takeoff cracked the ring.
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In a blink of an eye, Jake was already in front of his opponent, swinging his blade. His fast was a thought that was shared equally with all who were watching. Heracles nearly hesitated before his very eyes. Jake had disappeared then reappeared right in front of him, but he didn’t falter. He swung his weapon, and in less than a second, both blades collided with each other. The moment the two blades met, black sparks were seen, their collision destroying more of the ring.
Heracles had both his hands on the hilt of his blade, and he pushed with all of his strength. His muscles were great; he was able to force Jake back a bit, but the boy felt something pushing him on his back. He shot a glance over his shoulder and saw a black hand pushing him forward. She was helping him. Tsubaki was preventing Jake from being pushed back.
Jake nearly smiled, but Tsubaki snapped at him, “EYES FORWARD, BOY!” She shouted. Jake immediately turned his head back around, facing Heracles. “His strong opponent, but remember, this battle is no longer a one vs. one. It is now a two vs. one. He fights alone while we fight together. Remember that” Jake’s eyes sharpened as he said, “Yes.” His resolve had strengthened; he gripped Tsubaki tightly with both hands. When he did, the darkness coating his arm started to solidify. He felt stronger; he began to push Heracles’ strike back. The man’s eyes were wide; this had never happened to him before. His strength, the strength of a tribesman of Eden, was being matched.
Jake gritted his teeth as the shadow arms pushed him forward. Then, the boy cloaked in darkness let out a battle cry as he finished swinging his sword. Jake had won the tug of war of strength between him and Heracles. All watching were shocked; they couldn’t believe their eyes. Jake’s strike forced Heracles’ arms back as it chipped his sword. This left the man wide open.
Seeing their opportunity, Tsubaki shouted again, “NOW, BOY, ATTACK!” But she didn’t need to say it because Jake was already doing so. He lifted Tsubaki up, her blade going over her shoulder. Then, in an instant, he swung her, and he sliced Heracles across the chest. The strike had cut through his armor with ease. It did him no good, even though it was armor that was forged in his homeland. The mystic blade had cut through it as if it was made of wet paper. And because his armor was useless in the face of Tsubaki, she easily cut his skin, leaving a giant bloody slash across his chest.
After Jake landed that attack, it felt like the air in the room was sucked out. Besides Jake and Tsubaki, no one could believe their eyes, not even Heracles. He knew he was facing one of the mystic blades. He knew it would be a tall order to combat it, but he never believed that he could be made to feel brittle.
Before Heracles could gather himself and prepare for a counterattack, Jake was already enacting his next attack. With a single hand, he swung Tsubaki. Her blade grazed the floor of the ring. As this was happening, the darkness that surrounded Jake seemed to be pulled by the sword. When Jake had lifted Tsubaki, swinging her up, her blade didn’t even touch Heracles, but soon after the swing, Heracles was hit dead-on by a torrent of darkness. He was sent flying back by a tidal wave of commanded shadow. Heracles forced his chipped sword into the ring while also digging his free hand into the ring as well to halt his propulsion.
When he stopped, he stood at attention, laughing happily. The sight of the man from Eden laughing wasn’t a sight that those watching thought they would ever see. “Magnificent,” he said. “THE POWER OF THAT SWORD IS TRULY MAGNIFICENT!” Heracles grabbed at his own armor then ripped it off, proudly displaying the slash across his chest. He laughed some more, then got in his battle stance. Heracles grinned at Jake like a madman. There, now being no difference between he and nebula. “Now I will show you all what a warrior from Eden has to offer. Now come!”
“Well then, boy,” Tsubaki said softly. “You heard the man. Let’s not keep him waiting, let’s end this.” Jake nodded as he responded, “Yes.”