After World War 3, the world changed a lot. Most of humanity was wiped out by nuclear bombs. Only major cities survived. Jungles took over earth.

And when things couldn't get worse, the biggest, strongest solar storm ever recorded happened, which took out most of the world's electric lines.

It's like we were aging backwards. Then a few major earthquakes took place, which led to buildings being destroyed.

This was humanity's worst era. Now we are back to the medieval age...again. Well except Provecta Portus; 10 modern cities that were unaffected by the calamities of earth due to the atmosphere being the strongest at the 10 spots. I was running from the mailbox with a letter in my hand from my best friend Kaede.

We both screamed with excitement, "We got in!". When we entered the room, my mother and Kaede's mom (Kya) stood up from the couch filled with happiness.

My mom almost squeezed the life out of me while Kya held her by the hips and threw her up.

I said with a goofy grin, "Kaede, I think my ribs are rearranged after that hug." Kaede, who is still catching her breath, said with a smirk, "Worth it? I'm pretty sure I saw my life flash before my eyes during those hip-tosses. Our moms got some serious moves!"

I shot "Good thing your dad is at work, or he would have squeezed us to death." I added a bit sad: "If my dad and my older sister were alive, they would have been the happiest people on earth."

Kaede's mom said, "It's no surprise; we knew you guys could do it."

I stopped; my face became dull and pale. I said silently, "It has been a long time since the incident."

I still remember... I was in a dark void, and a few black figures ambushed me. They charged towards me. I used divine charge (I dashed towards each of them and slashed their necks one at a time and finished the last one by aiming a bit vertically, which made me go up and sheathe my sword). I was showing off a little, but it was so fast it seemed like it was all at once. Geez, what are they?

I suddenly felt my heart rate going up. I was overwhelmed by an aura.

A mist started to form. A figure was standing a bit far. He had a black mask and long hair that was black as a raven. He had a black cloak that was torn at the edges. He had 2 machetes, which were a bit serrated.

The air started to get heavy, and my heartbeat got faster. I started moving towards him automatically, like he was pulling me with a magnetic force. I charged so fast it seemed like teleporting. I swung my katana and aimed for his neck. It was an inch away.

He blocked it by spinning his swords. I kept aiming for his shoulders and neck, but he was deflecting; no, he was somehow blocking before I even moved.

Damn it, what is he? He unleashed a vertical slash. He cut my left arm. I fell fast and scraped my back. What power... I can't win. Even though I was a prodigy. I was looked down upon for having supernatural strength. Now is not the time to sulk Akarui. Survive!

He jumped, holding his machete, towards me. I rolled to my right. Barely evading it, I jumped back and got up on my feet. I rolled forward and picked up my katana.

He had his two machetes do a downward slash; I slashed his chest. He moved back and closed the distance in a moment (with his arms spread wide, ready to close to take my head off), and we clashed, with every one of his blows being stronger and faster.

He landed a strong blow, which pushed me back; I lost balance. He struck my other arm, which cut my lower right arm off from the elbow.

I screamed, "Who are you? Are you even human?"

He lifted his mask just above his dark reddish lips, revealing his pale skin.

He gave a dead smile, and he gave a terrifying laugh. Immediately there was a strong presence holding me in place; I couldn't move at all; it was slowly pushing me down.

What is this presence? Damn it, I can't move. He replied in a deep voice, "I am a dog on a leash." I was confused.

He leaped towards me with his machetes pointing at me. I managed to land a powerful kick somehow and blow him away.

Come on, Akarui, you were always pathetic despite your prodigal strength; you can't die because people hope big things for you! Move. Move. MOVE! I grabbed the katana with my mouth. I threw it up and caught it with the remaining piece of my right arm.

I said with my head up high, proud, "Arms or no arms, I will kill you, unholy being!" He gave me a smirk and said with a deep voice, a bit annoyed, "What will make you give up?" he continued, laughing." So sorry sight; it's inevitable for you."

He dashed towards me. I said loudly happily, "Bring it on." Our blades clashed one after. I suffered bruise after bruise. My skin was already barely recognizable. He managed to slash my body; I didn't stop; I kept going. He cut the remaining piece of my arm. Don't die, for the people who loved and believed in you, or you can't call yourself the son of Raiden Hikaru!

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The blade flew, and I caught the blade with my mouth. I kept blocking his attacks. He finally slashed my eyes. I was blind. But I could see better, and his attacks were more visible. Damn it I am blin- what the; how can I see? It's like I am mapping it in my mind. Stop. Focus!

I could how and at what speed it would hit me. Got it! I dodged it, he lost his balance leaving an opening. I almost beheaded him.

I heard Kaede's voice say, "Akarui? Akarui? Earth to Akarui." I was back in reality. I got scared. I forgot we were in the middle of a stroll, but what was that?

Kaede said, "The moon is beautiful tonight, isn't it?" I said, "Yeah." I looked up to the moon and continued, "It is." I replied calmly but confused.

Kosuke, one of my best friends and cousins, said laughing, "You were daydreaming." My face turned red out of embarrassment. My mind couldn't get my mind of the dream.

Who was that guy? "You good? You seem lost." Kaede asked, worried. "Yeah, thanks; I am fi-" This aura... Is the same...

We looked ahead, and there was that same figure. I trembled with fear; my heartbeat rose quickly.

Damn it why can't I move? I tried to move but I couldn't. No one could move except him. The figure. Out of will, we started to move towards him.

Damn it, It's him, the guy from that dream. Move. Come on, Akarui, move. I kept trying to move but I couldn't. The figure dashed with his blades.

Kosuke cast a shield around us, which blocked it. It created a mini-sonic boom. After the attempt, he vanished. We looked at Kosuke. Only to see.

His head was missing. No. No. I screeched in horror. "Nooo!!!" I was in complete horror. I fell to my knees crying. Kaede was paralyzed. She spoke, stuttering because of her tears: "That stupid scumbag cast a shield on us with all his chi but used it all so he couldn't cast it on himself."

She broke into even more tears. "That selfless guy!"

I screamed, which sounded like wailing, "I swear on your name!"

I wiped my tears and continued, with blood coming out of my eyes, "I will become an elite. I will carry your will." I walked towards Kaede and slapped her, saying with tears still streaming down my face, "Stop crying. He sacrificed himself for a reason. Now stop crying like a baby and work to make him proud, or he will haunt you till you die."

She replied with fewer tears but still a lot. "Yeah, you are right."

Just as she finishes. There is a huge explosion nearby. No. No. No! Big sister is in the area. Oh god! Please be all right. Then another one in the opposite direction.

Before I knew it, almost the whole city was covered with explosions. That unholy being! Did he do this? Either way, I can't mourn now; Kosuke wouldn't want this. Now help the people. "Kaede; get help." She protested, "What, I am not leaving you alo-" I interrupted loudly, "This isn't up for discussion!"

Her face turned red out of anger. She took a jumping pose, and before she launched herself, she said timidly. "Don't blame me when you die." She then jumped away. I rushed towards the scene to see hundreds of dead bodies.

All burned beyond identification. I looked closer to see a burnt, severed hand that had my sister's bracelet, which I gave her for her 21st birthday. That. That, I can't describe him anymore. "Why am I so damn useless?" My veins started to show throughout my body. My hands started to tighten so much they started to bleed. Tears started to stream down my face. "I will avenge you, big sister."

I spoke, fuelled by anger. I stood up and ran as fast as I could to the figure. I saw the figure killing a crowd; I screamed, "You unholy devil! I WILL KILL YOU!".

I unsheathed my katana; the tip pointed towards him and leaped. Sister, I'm sorry I am pathetic. Please forgive me. I will kill him in your name. That I swear on my name. He said with a humiliating tone, "You damn pests can't take a chance to live."

He continued in a louder voice with his hands on his stomach, laughing, "Your efforts are going to be useless." I shot, "Shut up; I will kill you. Even if it takes 1000 reincarnations!"

He replied mockingly, "We'll see about that." He continued in a cold voice with his right arm rising, "Why won't?" He stops for half a second and lowers his sword, creating slashes; he continues with a louder voice, "You give up!" I replied while blocking the slashes, "Because I have a resolve to kill you."

He spoke in a mockful tone while throwing his left machete to his left. It boomeranged behind me and was coming towards my back. "Only fools have resolves."

I turned back. Hit the machete. Grabbed it using my mouth. I threw it up. Did a backflip and turned 180 degrees. Kicked it to his left eye and took it. I said in a proud voice, "And those very so-called fools create humanity's strongest masterminds."

He took out the machete from his eye. And charged at me, screaming. "I will kill you, brat!" Our blades started to collide. Each slash is getting faster and stronger; I need to find a way to escape from this or I will get blown up! We created sparks, which turned to explosions around us that blew up buildings. We became so fast we couldn't see each other, so we had to predict attacks.

Damn it; I will reach my limit before him. Although; it looks like he is holding himself back. Focus on killing him! We created a blast that blew us away from each other.

I paused for a moment, taking deep breaths like I ran across the universe. He stood up straight. He spoke, "Reverse force." He closed his eyes. He clenched his right fist while he made his index finger point straight. He lifted his lower part of his right arm up. Then he created a mini blackhole on top of his index finger, creating a mini black hole that started to attract everything towards him, including me, at a high force.

What the hell is going on? He opened his eyes with a grin. He said 'combust'; his black hole exploded, creating a constant supply of an extremely hot force getting hotter by each moment and causing everything to repel at 100 times the force, which made cars get blown away, buildings getting destroyed, and trees getting burned to crisp. I used shield (a magic move) and created a barrier. I was slowly moving closer, but the force and heat kept increasing. I started smoking up. What should I do? I got it!

The shield broke. I threw my katana as fast as I could at the exact same time it broke. I got blown away, but I managed to see what happened. The katana was 1 millimetre away from beheading him, but he disappeared. Leaving behind the destruction he caused.

I fell to my knees and teared up. "Why am I so pathetic? Damn it, I will kill you even if I must die 1 million times."

The sorcerers finally arrived. My tears suddenly stopped. I could only feel chaos—pure chaos. I grabbed their collars and screamed into their faces. "Why are you so damn late? You had 1 job, and that was to come here. The movie finished. What are you here for? To see the credits?" I raised my fist. The other guy hit my neck before I could kill him, which caused me to faint.