The Sword and The Shadow

"Careful!"

Annelotte didn't care whether he believed her or not. Kurdak had approached them without warning and tried to kill Leguna!

Leguna only looked at her with a smile which confused her. So, she missed the crucial time to dictate.

I won't make it! Annelotte thought. She intended to use an instant cast to block the strike for him.

But at that moment, Leguna vanished. He had blinked behind Kurdak!

Kurdak could feel Leguna's movements in mid-air. He surged his impetus as best he could and prevented himself from getting hurt by him.

"Hargh!"

He groaned and his crimson red impetus surged. A normal person would've been injured by the temperature of the impetus, but Leguna wasn't as his impetus was powerful enough to rival Kurdak's, not to mention his the denser elemental aspect it had!

Leguna curved his lips into a snicker. When he blinked, he had already gotten into position. He had his right leg lifted and swung it down to Kurdak's back.

The red impetus was soon cancelled out by Leguna's shadow impetus's corrosion effect. Leguna's leg cut into Kurdak's back like a metal can opener, causing him to spit out blood from the blow. He smashed onto the frozen surface of the lake like a missile and broke through it, falling into the freezing waters.

Leguna landed lightly on the icy surface and watched the ice float about the water, as if he didn't care who he had been fighting all along.

"Laughable!" Leguna mocked, before blinking back to the land.

Kurdak struggled to climb out of the water. His thick hair was soaked and covered was in traces of ice. His body shivered from the freezing water. The surrounding temperatures were below 20 degrees Celsius and doubled with the cold water on him, he was losing heat at a great rate. It wasn't something even a high-order warrior like Kurdak could endure. Possibly the only person who could was someone with Annelotte's unique constitution.

"Damn it!" Kurdak yelled furiously and let his impetus surge out to regain some heat.

When his body temperature returned to normal, he raised his greatsword single-handedly and pointed it at Leguna.

"If not for your gift, we would be the same! No, you'd be inferior to me! In terms of brains, ability, personality, and heart, you are inferior! It's all because of your gift! Why?!"

"Blame your parents!" Leguna said contemptuously.

He flung two shadow knives and blinked behind Kurdak when his attention was focused on the knives.

Leguna didn't use Lighteater as it was too powerful. It wasn't that he was holding back against Kurdak, however, he just didn't want him to die a quick and painless death.

Since Kurdak had pushed it to that point and waved his sword at him with the intent to kill, all feelings and history should go to hell!

Betrayal, lies, fake behaviour… Was the world made of only that? If that was the case, cast away all unnecessary feelings!

Leguna's eyes turned pitch black as if there wasn't any separation between his irises and sclera, making him look all the more terrifying. His eyes that could reflect the soul looked as dead as their owner. The only things they saw were dead too.

Leguna put his right hand behind Kurdak and let Shadowedge stretch out from it. The sharp shadows pierced soundlessly into his back.

Leguna didn't strike any vital spots. Someone like Kurdak would be lucky to have an easy death after tricking him like that. He picked the spot that would generate the most pain, like how Haden tortured Xeno back then, albeit less harsh.

"Aaaaaagh!" Kurdak cried.

Annelotte looked at Leguna in disbelief. She couldn't believe that the happy-go-lucky fellow could actually do something so venomous.

"Does it hurt?" Leguna asked expressionlessly.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaagh!" Kurda continued to groan in pain without answering.

Hearing the shriek, a tinge of light returned to Leguna's eyes.

"[Snap out of it!]" Annelotte and Gahrona cried in unison.

All of a sudden, Leguna shuddered and light returned to his eyes. He looked down at the rolling Kurdak and formed even one more shadow needle.

What's he doing?! Annelotte thought with a start when it seemed like Leguna was about to torture Kurdak even more.

But after he pierced the needle into Kurdak, his screams gradually got softer.

Even though it was snowing and Kurdak had his upper body bared, he was sweating purely from the pain. He struggled to hold the pain back and remain conscious before turning back.

Leguna had Lighteater held against his neck. His expression wasn't cold like before, just filled with bone-deep disappointment and grief.

"You snapped out of it, huh…" Kurdak said in a voice he thought only he could hear. His expression changed again and he spat at Leguna's face. "Ptooey! You want me to yield after you won? Kill me or do whatever you please!"

A sign of struggle flashed across his eyes. He gripped Lighteater tight and let it loose again and again.

The two of them had went through thick and thin together and had often left their backs to one another.

Kurdak wasn't willing to relent. His eyes were filled with hate and jealousy, as if spelling out that he would definitely kill Leguna when he had the chance if he was spared.

Leguna on the other hand wasn't that merciless. He merely let his tears flow as he watched Kurdak with his tear-clouded eyes. This was his elder brother, boss, savior, and now.. the enemy

who wanted him dead.

What should one do to an enemy? Kill them! Those who was a threat to one's life must be eliminated! Yet, his current enemy was also one of the most important people to him.

He merely looked at Kurdak hesitantly without speaking, but the question 'why' still rang loud.

Even if Kurdak had been using him and wanted to kill him now, he was still his boss. So, he hoped to give him a chance to explain himself. Even if it was a ridiculous reason or if he straight out begged for mercy, Leguna would spare him without a second thought.

He only wanted a reason… a reason to let him go.

But Kurdak didn't say anything. He only watched Leguna with a desolate gaze.

Since a while back, the lake began to be surrounded by people. Annelotte was merely watching quietly without a word. She could tell that they were the agents of the bureau, as the leader, Xeno, was a young assassin from Stok and Leguna's right hand as she remembered it.

Xeno didn't make a sound. Though he didn't know what was going on, since Leguna and Annelotte were not in danger, there was no need to panic. How Kurdak would be dealt with would be decided by those two. Xeno only came with his men because he was afraid Leguna would be in mortal danger.

The stalemate lasted for more than ten minutes. Leguna's tears had long dried. He knew he couldn't continue to show his weak side with his subordinates watching.

He couldn't spare him!

A determined look flashed through his eyes. He knew Kurdak's ability. Additionally, the man understood him too well. If he left someone who could pose such a danger to him alive, he might not be able to get any restful sleep.

He raised Lighteater.

"I'll give you one last chance. Why?" Leguna said with a cold air of authority. But Annelotte could hear the hint of shakiness and pleading in his voice.

Leguna's begging didn't shake Kurdak. He spat at Leguna again and grumbled, "I do whatever I like! Why should I tell you the reason? Hmph! Don't be a pussy. Go soft or hard on me, it's your choice! But I won't beg for mercy even in your dreams!"

"Why do you force me like this?!" Leguna asked, almost shrieking.

Kurdak didn't budge and closed his eyes.

Leguna knew he wouldn't be getting anywhere with Kurdak. He despaired and sighed as he raised Lighteater…