Chapter 20: Keyner Blake II

Perspective: Keyner Blake

There was nothing to be angry about admitting.

I hadn't been killed yet because Blue was testing how far I could go with it.

But I wasn't going all in either. I needed some time. I needed to prepare myself.

Acting like a bastard before an entire race requires preparation.

My body was surrounded by black rays. These rays seemed to be a life form circling me, with direction to where I let my energy flow.

My breath was in contact with my mana and vibrating. My heart felt like it was stopped, but it wasn't. The latter was a result of my state of concentration to keep myself situated in the battle.

Releasing my gunblade made, for a few moments, my vision blurred. But a month of training helped me to get used to it.

I am not a Wizard. At least, not completely.

I am a human. A human who spent his whole life using all the tricks that were accessible to my low status.

Now, my statuses were not so low.

And now, the greatest trick in my hands was this mysterious way of manipulating the world known as magic.

Blue was regaining the stability of his body after being repelled by me. His uniform was visibly dented in the area where I had hit him.

He had an expression of clear surprise. After all, it only took an instant for my strength to increase.

Now, I have two cards left.

Before I could remember what they consisted of, Blue kicked the ground, advancing on me with two indigo-blue swords.

So far, his Azure Treasure had not caused me much trouble. But I had already deduced that he was the ArcanaTech of an AWA researcher, not a soldier.

Blue's body was lightly covered with indigo-blue pixels that glowed softly in some places on his body, such as his arms, legs and neck.

I could no longer admire this light show, because I had to defend myself against the onslaught of his triangular sword that was about to slice through my neck.

Using my black gunblade, I blocked the blow of one of the swords. But the second came at incredible speed, in an upward direction, aiming at my chest.

*BANG*

Tilting my gunblade, I made sure that the barrel on the side, the bar that separates the blade from the handle, was aligned with the second sword. Perfect situation to make a shot.

The shot caused the sword to become blurred. The strong glow of the blade was replaced by a pixelated squeak.

From that pixelated squeak, the second sword was reduced to nothing. The first, was transformed into something with two barrels.

*BANG*

Just barely, I almost lost my arm to a shot from a blue rifle. Moving my body to the left, I moved away from Blue at the instant that I would be shot.

But... I had the impression that he finally stopped playing.

More of those blue-anil pixels covered his body, and he easily followed my steps.

Trying to predict his movements, I opened my guard for an instant, which was enough for him to stab the side of my torso with a dagger.

-Argh!

*BANG BANG*

The pain at the moment of his attack made me almost drop my gunblade, making me miss the first shot. But the second hit his shoulder, making him flinch.

-Arcanic Art: Traveling Shadow!

Taking several shots, I began to attack Blue from a distance while I was unsure of another direct confrontation. But from what I could see, this gave him a greater advantage.

A wall-shaped barrier was created from the pixels Blue manifested from his ArcanaTech. It seems that after the last shooting, he knew that it was not healthy to leave stray bullets lying around.

The wall was still stable, no matter how much I shot at it. My despair began when I saw a cluster of pixels in his wound.

So the bastard still has regeneration? Maybe it's a captain's basic kit.

However...

I stop shooting. As I do so, I place the tip of my gunblade blade under the palm of my right hand , squeezing it.

-Alter: Change!

A whisper came from my lips. An almost silent conjuration caused my guard to be changed.

I had my hand slipping under my blade. But no blood was coming out, not even pain was felt by my hand.

The only thing visible was a beam of light that traveled through the gunblade, as I held it by the blade itself.

When the beam of light finished traveling all the way through the black gunblade, it had become a white gunblade, whiter than snow or a pearl.

-Arcanic art: Photon Razor!

The blade of the gunblade emitted a sparkling glow, similar to that of a crystal luminary. An electric current flowed from my arm to the gunblade, so that this glow was condensed at one end of the rectangular blade.

Even with a significant amount of energy in my blade, it was still light and flexible, not compromising my upward movement that I made.

As I did so, a blade of white energy shot out of my gunblade at high speed. Made internally of light, this blade was surrounded by small rays, which were capable of ionizing the very air as my blow went towards its target.

Without half a second having passed, I change the position of my gunblade, holding it as if it were a dagger. As I changed my instance, a new slash of light was projected.

The second shot hit the first, so that both formed an "X" as they collided. In that instant, what was once two diagonal slashes of light had transformed into one luminous whirlwind, formed by multiple cuts.

The collision of this light whirlwind with Blue's barrier did not destroy it, but emitted a flash across practically the entire battlefield.

Smoke bombs or light bombs...

Cheap and dirty tricks, like throwing dirt in the eyes, bites and low blows...

It didn't matter to me now.

After all, I am a Wizard in the middle of an execution.

I kicked the ground, moving to my right side. Tilting my body before I had my feet on the ground, I shot backwards, causing an opposing force to my body, throwing me forward while I was in the air.

A tactic I used in the fight against Caius back when I was still human. It doesn't even seem like a month ago.

The instant I was lined up with Blue on his right side, I fired a shot, taking advantage of the curtain of dust that had also been raised thanks to my attack.

*BANG BANG*

I wasn't the only one who had fired a shot.

Blue's Azure Treasure now took the form of a long, double-barreled pistol, with one barrel twice the size of the other.

Both of us had fired. The attacks collided, generating a small explosion of blue light and energy.

-Alter: Change!

My gunblade is now held like a dagger, and in this position, its blade slides under my left hand, from the tip to the handle.

It was a quick movement. But while it lasted, my white gunblade quickly lost its luminosity, "decaying" into a dark, shadowy black form.

It was during this instant that my eyes finally met Blue's, in a way that it was possible for me to analyze him as a person, and not as an enemy.

His eyes revealed tension and nervousness.

He, one of the eight captains of the AWA, was nervous.

Either he is really finding himself incompetent for not having noticed me yet, or it was just an act.

But... the second option was invalid.

After being bombarded by Marino with the truths about my past and hers, my memory was fresh enough to know how to differentiate between desperation and theater.

Desperation was similar to Marino's face as that wretched woman tried to justify herself for attempting suicide.

While theater was her arrogant and superior posture that she maintained in front of me while "trying to kill me".

Blue was tense. I was too. Only, in my case, it was not for less. I was fighting a captain, and at any moment, my number of opponents could increase.

But now, I should worry about who was in front of me.

I mean... in all my directions.

My Arcanic Art raised a large curtain of dust, the same one that gave me the chance to attack Blue with one shot.

But I hadn't been the only one preparing a sneak attack.

Our colliding shots dispersed the dust from the battlefield, revealing a countless arsenal of weapons aimed at me.

In a second, I could count 30. 40... Wait, that's 60???

Several guns fixed on the ground began to machine gun their ammunition at me, mostly from my side and rear angles.

Damn Morello. Weren't you right?

Perspective: Yurion Raven.

We were already a considerable distance from the camp.

On my side was Morello, with the children behind us, following us.

We cannot make an assault on Techmetriun with them. It would be suicide both for them, who don't know how to defend themselves, and for both of us.

An energy pulse had surrounded an area close to here. After this, two bodies kept releasing mana, with one being in active combat just before this encirclement, and the other somewhere outside this area.

I just hope he is not screwing up. I was exhausted trying to keep him alive after finding him at the border and after that woman's show.

But... What are these two presences in the place where Keyner fell?

One was sharp and hostile, which resembled being in front of a rapid-fire instrument. Without a doubt, it was Marino.

But... this other one. She was trying to mask any quality that could differentiate this being from any other. At this very moment I had a headache from trying to find out who this was. It was as if I was being barred by a security team from a place, but not in the most peaceful way.

-Let's rest for a while. It won't be long before the sun starts to fall.

What caught my attention was Morello, who had two of the children on his shoulders. Apparently they were exhausted, but they were not the ones he was worried about.

-I'm fine. But...

-?

He looked at me for a moment, wondering if there was anything else besides my headache. Then, he turned and put the two children that were on his shoulder on the floor.

-You're not going to do anything?

-What are you talking about?

He answered me with a nonchalant tone. It would be the usual if we were to consider the place and our priorities. But...

-Look, I know what happened in the last few days. Not only do I know that Keyner is a...

-Good, fella. Now that you know, what do you want to do?

-...

Keyner was a candidate for Mastrea.

The security their parents had about him, the fact that his Arcana only appeared during the breaking of the pact with Quill...

In fact, it is wrong to say that his Arcana manifested. He didn't even give it a name.

The arsenal he materializes looks much more like a projection incantation than a proper Arcana. Although that is his only original magic.

-But what about Marino?

Morello let out a sigh, as if he was not in the best mood for an interrogation.

-Didn't she say she was going to turn around? Not only that, but she left the Techmetriun attack to us.

-...

-Let's go. You don't look so bad that we have to stop now. Besides...

With the interruption of Morello's speech, I hear several footsteps coming from all around us from the forest.

-our visitors won't let us down.

-...

-If you're worried about the boy, make sure you worry about your own ass first.

-You talk as if he is not a victim, as if he is experienced and as if he is fighting of his own free will...

-But man, in a way, he is all of those things.

-How?

I was speaking in a sarcastic tone, with the legitimate intention of provoking him. But his sincere tone and distant look at everything around us took me by surprise.

-A boy at the age of eight realized that he was "useless" in his environment.

He took it hard, but he didn't lie.

-At 8, he decided to put a stop to it, and started training to become something stronger. Someone strong enough to take a place in the world and call it his own, but not as a conqueror, but as a simple person who wanted to stop being belittled.

A voice that was getting faster as he finished speaking was accompanied by a feeling of guilt. This was beginning to tighten in my throat, as if someone was reading my sins in public in my presence.

-But what he didn't realize was that it was all just a masquerade theater. Training to enter the AWA and become a stronger person was the disguise for building a killing machine, which in the future would turn against humans.

-So, for a change, you know something else that I don't.

-Hmr.

A hoarse whisper was let out by Morello. Even with the sound of footsteps spreading through the forest, he turned, standing face to face with me and his back to the oncoming enemies.

-Dancer only postponed the inevitable: the murder of Keyner's two friends, so that he would turn against someone else.

-Dancer?

-Remember Alex? So, that's his sister.

-Is she the one who broke into the camp the day Marino woke up?

-Hm... So you noticed... Or was it another bug in Keyner that did it for you?

-Oh, crap.

We started to laugh. The delicacy of the subject was extreme, but this last discovery ignited the teenage spirit we had.

After all, we are not machines without emotions and scruples like Shun and Iris.

-And that, and other things besides...

-?

He took off his blue leather jacket, but opening its side pockets. As it fell to the ground, the massive metal spheres he was carrying rolled towards the children, and in a short time, three spheres deformed into a metal pyramid.

-That you and I both owe our lives to him. Keyner is doing us a favor by holding the 7 biggest monsters in Techmetriun, so let's honor that favor!

His speech was quick and direct. More direct and surprising than that moment was the rapid transformation of two metal spheres into serrated bladed swords shaped like an ellipse.

Morello turned back, interpreting the attack of two soldiers simultaneously. The soldiers were armed with triangular energy swords, which began to be covered by Morello's metal.

The metal ran through the swords, reaching the soldiers' arms, which were crushed the moment the metal underwent a rapid compression.

The soldiers were screaming in pain, retreating. When the new people arrived on the field, some were horrified to see the scene.

2 against 30. I don't think it's a fair fight... for them.

An open field, about 5 times larger than the old camp. Keyner was fighting in a space a little smaller than ours, if you consider the barrier that was taken-

...

-Morello, what did you do?

-Did I break these guys' arms?

He answered me with the most cynical tone I have ever seen in my life.

-I thought he wouldn't accept something like that, because that time...

-That time, he didn't have much knowledge about what was bad- I mean, he hadn't become a legitimate Wizard. When Marino broke his bond with Quill, the boy told me that he felt it was a matter of time before it would no longer be possible to use magic from a Mastrea.

Morello collected the metal that was in what remained of the human's arms, but without forgetting to finish the job by stalling each of them, collecting it in the shape of two spears.

But there was something different about the metal he just used. Its appearance and the way it was handled.

It was as if the light itself had taken the form of a metal.

- I already said. I owe my life to him.

Perspective: Keyner Blake

Several shots came in my direction. No matter what movement I made and no matter how fast I went, it was certain death.

All my angles were getting a shower of indigo-blue energy. If I had any allies with me, they would be raising my name right now in a voice of despair at my possible death.

But I have no ally with me.

And not even death would reach me at this moment.

That was because the shots from the numerous cannons and ballistics were blocked.

But it wasn't with my movements and fencing. In that situation, they are as useless as trying to put out a fire with alcohol.

What protected me in that instant was a circular wall, formed by several vertical segments of varying heights.

It was made of a black, metallic-looking, polished material. The electricity that was produced with my mana accumulated in this barrier, running from the base and escaping at the ends. The friction between my mana and the circular black wall only highlighted the metallic appearance it possessed.

-Is that-

-Metal?

-So this bastard was together with Blacksmith?

I think the only one who paid attention to the part where I was saved by a Wizard who controlled metal was the second captain.

-Damn the caster. I'm going to crush this guy's bones-

The seventh captain - the most annoying captain to hear his voice - grumbled as he stood up and fiddled with something in his left pocket.

-You keep to yourself.

-??

Not only me, but he and the others showed surprise that the third captain was opposed.

-Don't you see that this is personal?

-I don't care. You meddle in Blue's fight and I'll rip your arms off.

A fury emanated from her voice. The third captain was shorter than Naila, but her threatening tone was comparable to the one Naila used when she first tried to kill me.

-This guy is either taking it easy or he's really useless and can only stand in front of a computer and design our soldiers' weapons.

Got it. I had my suspicions. Blue is a member of the AWA's research department. Judging by his Azure Treasure, armaments division.

Blue just listened with his face forcedly turned towards me. Accompanied by a cold expression, it was clear that he didn't like his position.

-Try to finish this kid off soon, or I'll do this job myself, thanks to his uselessness-

*BANG*

With a tilt of his head, the seventh captain dodged a projectile of dark energy that came toward the center of his helmet.

-WHAT-

The others were in shock as well.

Naila, although she was quiet, was also in shock. It was noticeable by her beastly face as she stopped chewing on a chocolate bar. Now I understood why she kept her mouth shut or didn't interfere in the fight.

The situation was plausible to surprise. From a black pistol, the shot was aimed at the seventh captain's head.

-Try to think long and hard before you're a bastard with a comrade, or I'll forget who I'm fighting and reduce your head to the rest of the abortion you're supposed to be, motherfucker!

I spoke with my right arm outstretched, with my black pistol in this hand, and my white pistol in the other.

-Why is there a Wizard defending a human? Is this some kind of joke?

The seventh captain replied with a provocative tone. The other captains were looking intently, or at least that's what the feeling of being watched by those helmets told me.

-I'm more of a human than a Wizard, in case you want to-

*BANG*

A shot came towards me, and analyzing its trajectory, my head was the target.

But I was safe. Somehow, I had the reaction to solidify my mana and create a black pillar that blocked the attack.

The black metallic pillar was easily destroyed by the shot. In front of me, Naila stood with her scarlet pistol pointed at me.

-Don't you dare call yourself a huma-

As she looked me directly in the eye, she interrupted her threat, changing her angry look to one of surprise.

Her gaze was like that of a child seeing something abnormal for the first time. Her pistol

was slowly being lowered, and at the same time she took two steps back.

There was something different about me. I knew it.

I couldn't see any color.

All my vision at this very moment saw no colors. Only black and white images.

white images.

This was not the first time this had happened. But it's a sign that I've used up enough mana, indicating that I should end this as soon as possible.

- That which started the world, and that which began it...