/
Sora VS The Siblings (½)
The indigo wyvern flapped its wings vigorously as it passed through Ishka’s sky.
At that moment, the sun was hidden from Claira’s point of view.
The wyvern had only quickly covered the sunlight for an instant, but during that, Claira had recognized that a figure had jumped off the beast’s back.
The winged beast was flying above Ishka’s massive walls at a spot that’s even higher than the lookout spire. It would be impossible for a person to be safe after jumping down from such heights.
An exception to that would be someone who practiced the martial footwork of the phantom blade style that uses kei.
Claira would be able to land without any trouble. The same goes for both Klimt and Gozu.
And the figure that dropped from the sky too, since he was someone who had stood on the same side as them.
*Tap*
The sound of landing was really light despite the fact that he had jumped down from the sky. It shows that the person before them uses kei at a high level.
The young man who landed between the collapsed magician and Claira’s group of three was a person with black eyes and black hair.
It was a face she remembers.
His face looked way tougher and sharper than the Sora from five years ago who was always walking with his head down, but some traces of his old features still remained.
「……Mr.Sora」
It wasn’t a loud voice by any means, but it wasn’t so quiet that it would blend with the air.
Claira’s voice was definitely heard, but Sora did not respond.
After he glanced at the trio, he turned around and walked towards Miroslav who was lying on the ground.
「Ma…st……」
「Don’t speak」
After he stopped Miroslav from talking when she was in the middle of saying something in a quivering voice, Sora suddenly rolled up his sleeves and put his mouth on his arm――
「……*bite*」
He bit down in one breath.
After he spat out a small piece of flesh from his mouth, he took a sip of the blood that was flowing out from the wound. Then, he lifted Miroslav into his arms and put his bloodstained lips on hers.
――Shortly after, Miroslav’s throat moved up and down with gulping sounds.
When their lips eventually parted from each other, their mouths were dyed bright red by the blood.
「Master, the enemy is after Suzume…She’s inside with Ciel right now…」
Miroslav spoke with a voice that was much clearer than before.
Sora nodded, and then he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and Miroslav’s mouth with a handkerchief he took out from his pocket.
Then, with a somewhat gentle expression, he said to her,
「Good job protecting those two, thank you」
「……I don’t deserve those words……」
Miroslav’s voice was shaking. Was it due to the pain? Or was it because of joy?
She shut her eyes tightly after she wondered that. She did it to suppress her overflowing emotions.
Then, she told him about the uninvited guests.
「Please be careful. They are……」
Strong. When Miroslav was about to say that, Sora cut her off and eased her worries in a calm voice,
「It’s alright. More importantly, I’m bringing Iria and her mother here. They’ll fix you up soon, so hang on a bit longer」
「……Okay. Please, survive」
After Sora nodded in response, he threw the upper garment that he wore as a windbreaker on the ground, and then he laid Miroslav on it.
Then, he slowly stood up.
The clear sound of him unsheathing the black sword from his waist hit the ears of those present.
◆◆◆
「Please wait, young master. I want to have a talk first」
「Talk?」
In this whirlpool of boiling hostility and fighting spirit, it was Gozu who started the conversation first.
In response, Sora curled his lip as if he heard a joke.
「What is there to talk about when you entered my home when I was away and injured my companions?」
「Your anger is justified. However, it was all unavoidable in order to kill the kijin」
「So in order to take out one young kijin girl who doesn’t know how to fight at all, you couldn’t avoid using your soul equipment? Even when there are three of you warriors from the flags of Green Woods?」
Sora looked at Gozu and the Berch siblings and let out a small snort.
Klimt was trying to step up in anger, but his movement was held back by Claira.
As for Gozu, he furrowed his brows deeply after hearing what Sora said.
It wasn’t because he got offended like Klimt. It was an expression formed by the deep trouble he felt from a part of Sora’s words that he can’t overlook.
「…It sounds as if you are protecting the kijin voluntarily」
He heard from Lidelle before that the kijin is under Sora’s protection.
However, Gozu did not believe that.  He thought that even if it was true, Sora might not know that the other person is a kijin.  She could have changed her face with magic or an item or something.
However, listening to his words now, it’s clear that he knows that she’s a kijin. To Gozu, it was no small shock.
Since Sora didn’t pass the trial ceremony, he doesn’t know what it was like in the demon gate or the truth of 300 years ago. In a sense, it’s natural that he wouldn’t know what kijins are really like. However, even if that’s the case――
「Young master. Did you forget the Mitsurugi family’s principle of slaying demons and sealing their gods?」
「I remember it. But I have no intention to obey it」
「Young master!」
「Why does a disowned person have to follow their family principle? In the first place, you’re disobeying the family head by calling me “young master” still. Who are you to lecture me?」
「Ugh…that’s…」
Gozu was speechless from what Sora pointed out.
Sora then spoke in a clearly flippant manner,
「I’m no longer a Mitsurugi, and you’re no longer my mentor. Don’t address me the way you please, Gozu Cima. You stopped calling me young master five years ago when I was chased out of the island」
「……Young master」
「It was me who killed that monk who was ranked 9th in the 4th flag. I’m the great sinner who went against your oh-so-important master. There’s no need for us to talk anymore now, right? Follow what this weakling is doing and quickly take out your soul equipment」
It goes without saying, the person Sora glanced at as he said that was Klimt.
Being called a weakling by the dropout, Klimt’s expression went sour and he spat out,
「Don’t you talk to me like that when you didn’t even pass the trial ceremony, Sora」
「Even though you passed the ceremony, it looks like you still have to cling to your sister. I bet she’s the one who had to stop you after you went into a frenzy from seeing her getting hurt, right?」
Sora did not see what happened earlier. However, he saw the white magic explosion and the pillar of flame hitting the sky from the back of the winged beast. He is also aware of the Berch siblings’ soul equipment and their personalities.
With that, he was able to easily guess what happened when he arrived.
――To be precise, it was Gozu who stopped him and not Claira, but it’s true that she did pull out her soul equipment to stop her brother.
*chi*, after clicking his tongue, Klimt stared at Sora with a sharp gaze and spoke to Gozu,
「Shiba. This guy admitted to being the one who killed that monk. It’s okay for me to cut him down now right?」
「….Even though he was disowned, the main family’s blood still flows in him. We have to consult the master if we want to kill him. Just subdue him」
「How troublesome…well, whatever. It’ll only take me a few seconds to take care of this weakling」
After he said that, Klimt started to walk toward Sora with the flame sword in his hand.
Behind him, Claira’s voice came chasing,
「Klimt, don’t let your guard down. If he’s the one who killed Sir Jijinbou, he has definitely acquired his soul equipment.」
「It’s alright, big sis――so there we have it, Sora. I’ll be the one to deal with you. Don’t worry, I’ll go easy, and I’ll give you some time too. Go on, take out your soul equipment.」
Klimt spoke implying ‘if you dare’ that is.
――It’s not that he was doubting his sister when she said that “Sora had acquired soul equipment”.
Even Klimt is a warrior of the phantom blade style school. He can sense that the kei that was coming from Sora is at a magnitude higher compared to five years ago. Like his sister said, Sora has surely found the inner mysteries of the phantom blade style――He doesn’t doubt that part.
However, that doesn’t mean that he agrees that there’s a need for him to be careful.
That’s because he thinks Sora is just bluffing.
Even if Sora had acquired soul equipment, it would only be for the last few months or a few years. Klimt and Claira had it for more than five years, and Gozu has been using his soul equipment for nearly 20 years. There’s a difference in experience.
Even if he stands a chance in a 1v1, he would have no shot in a 1v3.
Sora definitely knows that. That’s why he’s purposely not bringing his soul equipment out.
If he hides his soul equipment, they wouldn’t see how strong he is. The reason he’s provoking them actively is that he wants them to think the following,
―― “There’s something wrong with how carefree he’s being. That how powerful his soul equipment is.”
It’s a blatant bluff to try to scare them.
That’s why Klimt told him to get it out if he dares.
He won’t do it. He’s going to keep his carefree attitude up and keep on doing the same thing――Klimt was sure of that.
How unsightly, he thought.
The Sora from five years ago was definitely a weakling. He kept putting in work futilely and struggled futilely. However, Klimt had never thought that he would stoop so low.
With a face of disgust, Klimt swung his sword, Kurikara, once.
As he watched the flame of the soul equipment draw a red-colored arc in the air, Klimt came to a decision.
There’s no need for him to go along with Sora’s nonsense any more than this. They were once peers somehow, so he can’t stand to see any more disgraceful behavior from him. He will end this by cutting off his dominant hand.
When one is cut by Kurikara, their wounds will be sealed by flames so they won’t bleed much. He probably won’t violate Gozu’s order of not killing him.
――It was when Klimt was having such thoughts,
Sora showed signs of movement before him. He stabbed his black sword into the ground, and then he extended his right hand out.
And then――
「Shinsou reiki」
「……What?」
Klimt instinctively let out a surprised voice when he heard the words that came out of Sora’s mouth.
It was unexpected that he would really bring out his soul equipment
Then, the next instant――
「Ughhh?!」
Klimt groaned as he became exposed to a heavy pressure that was crushing his entire body.
It wasn’t just him. Claira and Gozu also made a similar sound.
It was a black sword with a red edge. This new blade that appeared in Sora’s hand was releasing a pressure that could make three warriors from the Flags of Green Woods groan.
His surprise was immediately replaced with caution.
Klimt quickly got into the phantom blade style stance. He noticed that he had already abandoned all the thoughts he had up to a few seconds ago.
In response to that, Sora spoke to him in a quiet voice as he clenched the black soul equipment.
「There’s no need for you to go easy. You don’t have to come at me by yourself either. All three of you, come at me together」
It was an answer to what Klimt said earlier.
In response to his indifferent tone that sounded like he was saying to him “You have no chance alone”, Klimt shot him an angry stare.
「Shut up. Be grateful that I’m even willing to face you. I’m going to crush that pride of yours」
「Is that so?」
After a small nod, Sora’s expression changed completely.
In a terribly cold voice, he then declared,
「Alright, you can die first――――Devour, Soul eater」
The moment he “drew” his sword, a black flash burst out.
Night had descended for just a moment in the garden of the mansion that was filled with the summer sunlight. Since it was due to Soul eater’s power, even the fire of Kurikara could not light up the darkness of night.
Klimt inevitably showed an opening when his sight was robbed.
Facing straight at him, Sora raised his soul equipment and jumped up.
Klimt reacted to the diagonal slash that was aimed at his shoulder as one would expect.
He immediately raised his sword of flame to block Sora’s black blade. If Sora was using the sword that he usually carried by his waist, it would have surely melted in an instant.
However, Sora is currently using a sword that resembled a god-slaying dragon. Instead of being melted by the flame sword, it ate its opponent’s flames instead.
「What?!」
Klimt let out a voice of shock when he saw that.
In addition to being caught off guard, he was in an unfavorable posture. In a clash between soul equipment users, there is no coming back after losing.
It was only for an instant when he lost his balance.
「*Shaa*!!」
「Gu――Guaaah?!」
The strike that Sora put the strength of his entire body into knocked Klimt’s sword away and slashed him from his shoulder to his waist in one go.
As he felt the certain response from the blade, Sora pulled his sword back and performed his next attack.
He focused kei into his left leg, and then he rotated his body with that as the axis. The stone pavement under his foot cracked as if it was screaming, and a burnt scent drifted in the air.
Next, he focused kei onto his right leg. He aimed at the chest of Klimt with his defenses now broken before him and poured his entire body’s weight into his right foot into a roundhouse kick.
「――!!!」
Klimt’s body was sent into the air without any resistance.
Without even being able to scream, his blood sprinkled everywhere.
After he slammed into the stone pavement, he bounced a few times like a ball and started rolling with vigorous momentum.
When he finally stopped moving, his body was on the other side of the gate――outside of Sora’s residence.