Prologue: Sunset Sparring

Discordia.

A vast world where many sentient races lived, it consists of nine main areas and countless other uncharted areas. The uncharted areas are typically inhabited by monsters and other beings that doesn't conform to the civilization of the Nine Areas.

Power and prestige are the currency of this world. With those two in abundance, one can do almost anything. Justice, rules, and law... with enough power and prestige, one can decide what counts as those abstract concepts. 

And now...

The sound of metal clashing resounded loudly on the shore.

Once. Twice. Thrice. And keep on repeating. The clash of the two metals raised sparks that lit up the shore. Those clashes were so fast, it was impossible for an ordinary human eye to follow the movements of the two sharp metals that were continuously clashing fiercely.

There was no other sound on the shore, not even the sound of the waves crashing at all, because part of the beach had been frozen. The large part of the seawater on the shore has been replaced by clear ice. The combatants engaged each other on the sandlands, ignoring the changed landscape as they clashed over and over again.

The sun had almost set, and the two sword wielders showed absolutely no sign of stopping anytime soon… until they both jumped backwards.

One of these figures was a young man with short blonde hair who was wearing a white coat and an all dark blue suit underneath, not hiding his slender but toned physique. He was drenched in sweat and panting with exhaustion, but there was absolutely no injury on his pale-skinned body. His sword was a silver broadsword that glows with blue light in his grip.

On the other side was a black-haired young man wearing a long gray jacket and a black sleeveless shirt that didn’t hide his rippling musculature. In contrast to the blonde haired youth, his body was covered with cuts everywhere, his fresh blood was dripping onto the ground, painting it red. His clothes were filled with holes and tears all over it.

He was twirling his katana, and he didn't look the least bit worried. In fact, he's quite relaxed. Despite everything in this battle points to him losing this battle, he isn’t faltering at all. Stings of pain assaults his open wounds, but those aren’t enough to discourage him. This is nothing to him.

He looks forward with a resolute gaze, at the person on the opposite side. The young man with blonde hair looks back with the mixture of exasperation and incredulity. He has the advantage, yet looking at his opponent, he couldn’t help but feel anxious. How is that person still standing?

That black-haired young man has quite the peculiar set of eyes. His right eye was lively green as vibrant as a jade, while his left was dark purple, yet seem to be glowing like an amethyst. Those eyes of different colors… are nothing like the blonde young man has ever seen in his life.

As far as he knows, no one has purple eyes, let alone a set of eyes with two different colors. The blonde man has never seen any other person with that kind of eyes, and he would never admit it, but he’s feel rather unnerved by those eyes! And furthermore, this feeling he got from him…

Just looking at the black-haired man makes him feel uneasy. And it’s not just about the eyes. There’s definitely something off about that black-haired young man. His presence was oppressive and overwhelming, as if it could devour him alive.

"How stubborn..." the blonde haired youth growled, pointing his silver sword at him. "Just give up, Kazuki! What else can you do in that condition? You have more injuries than me. Give up."

"Nope. Heh… I can do this all day, all night. This is nothing." The black-haired youth, Kazuki, pointed his own sword at the blond-haired youth, grinning. "But if YOU are willing to admit defeat, Iceheart, so be it… you'll be labeled a coward, though. Well, if you're already tired, what else can you do, am I right—?"

"Don’t you dare look down on me… I WON’T GIVE UP!"

With a snarl, Iceheart lunged savagely, jumped up and swung his sword with all his might at Kazuki. That attack was immediately followed by several follow-up attacks that were enough to push the black-haired youth back. But Kazuki was still grinning, while continuing to endure the attacks. He deflected and avoided the swings of the silver blade without changing expression.

“Oh, did I struck a nerve?” Kazuki said, still weaving between the sword strikes.

“Silence!”

The black-haired boy named Kazuki obviously couldn’t dodge these blindingly fast strikes forever. Over time, small cuts appeared on various parts of his body and clothes, his blood spilled onto the sand, and he had to block the sword strikes with his own with noticable difficulty, and yet… he remained unfaltered.

He kept smiling. A smile that unnerved and enraged the blonde youth at the same time.

What's with this guy? Nothing ever fazes him!

"What is so funny?!" Iceheart growled, continuing to attack his opponent with slashes. "Stop grinning like that! That makes me sick!"

"Nothing in particular, really." And Kazuki continued to block his attacks. "It's just fun… fighting like this. It's fun, isn't it, the sensation makes you feel more 'alive'? "

"Don't compare me to a brute like you, Kazuki." Iceheart said coldly. "I have a goal to fight. I do not fight for fun!"

"Ah, that's bor--" Kazuki started.

"SILENCE!" Iceheart cut him off with a roar.

With one powerful sword swing, Iceheart managed to repel Kazuki, sending him skidding on the ground. But he still wasn't done. The blonde young man glowed with power, causing his opponent to jump back a few step backs. However, that seemed to be too late.

"Frostcrypt, Frost Tomb."

He thrusts his sword into the ground, sending chills freezing everything around him and constructing a large dome of ice that contained Kazuki. Now he could see the black-haired youth from behind the translucent dome, Kazuki seemed to be genuinely shocked by this.

‘Now, you can't keep putting on that annoying smile, can you?’

"You want a thrill, Kazuki? Then try to savor this sensation." Iceheart for the first time in the fight, grinned. "Feel this cold sensation that freezes you to the bone… now, if you kneel down and admit defeat, I will stop the technique."

However, Kazuki had absolutely no interest in obeying his words. He instead took a deep breath, put his sword up to his face, and closed his eyes to concentrate. Black and purple energy started flowing out from his chest to enveloping his entire body.

The black and purple energy made a vortex and started swirling at one point like a hurricane with Kazuki as the center. With one glance, Iceheart could tell he was gathering the energy to unleash a single powerful attack. He was preparing an attack that would end it all.

"Shock Wave…" the black-haired youth slowly raised his sword.

"Damn you...!" Iceheart growled.

Iceheart made a step forward to prevent whatever his opponent was trying to do, but it was too late. One swing of the silverish sword, and all the ice collapsed into pieces, like shattered glass...

"DUNKELHEIT!"

And before him, a massive surge of dark energy was all he saw.