The battle began in a storm of chaos.
Kineta was the first to move.
With one fluid motion, he unsheathed his Earth Blade, the steel shimmering with dull bronze hues. He slammed it into the ground, summoning a wall of jagged stone to shield the group from the Wraith's opening charge.
The beast smashed through it like it was made of paper.
BOOM—!
The wall exploded, sending Kineta flying back into a tree. His body slammed into the trunk, and he crumpled to the dirt, coughing blood.
Kaze dashed next, unsheathing his Wind Blade. Light on his feet, he leapt through the air, slicing with gusts sharp enough to sever metal.
His blade met the Wraith's hide—CLANG!
It barely left a scratch.
The Wraith roared and swatted him out of the sky like an insect. Kaze crashed through two trees, the impact leaving a bloody trail across the grass.
"Not good…" Zadie whispered, her voice trembling.
She took a deep breath, closed one eye, and loosed three enchanted arrows from her bow—each glowing with faint azure light.
They soared through the air—graceful, deadly—
And struck the Wraith's eyes.
The monster howled in pain, black ichor spraying from its skull.
It swung its arm, and the wind from the motion alone knocked Zadie off her feet. She tumbled across the forest floor and lay still, groaning in pain.
Sensei Gara leaned casually against a tree, arms folded.
"Yup," he said to himself. "This thing's no joke."
But he didn't move.
---
Xzavier stood alone now, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Blood dripped from a wound on his forehead. His blade—the dull, chipped sword given to him by a rookie blacksmith—shivered in his grip.
He stared at the Wraith, who turned to him next, glowing with that eerie blue Aku energy.
"Alright, then," he growled.
He charged.
Their blades met—if one could call it that. Xzavier's swing clanged pitifully against the monster's claws. He rolled aside, dodging a retaliatory strike, then struck again, stabbing at the creature's leg.
This time, the sword snapped in half.
"…Tch." He backflipped to dodge another swipe.
The Wraith caught him mid-air by the leg and slammed him into the ground.
Once. Twice.
Then hurled him into a boulder.
The world spun.
Xzavier coughed violently, blood spurting from his mouth. His vision blurred. His limbs trembled.
He tried to stand—and fell again.
The Wraith approached, dragging its claws through the dirt. Team X was down. One more strike and it would be over.
Sensei Gara finally stepped forward, brushing a leaf from his shoulder.
He cracked his neck, his expression changing.
"Alright, alright. I guess…" he said, sighing. "I'm entertained enough now."
The Wraith growled, low and threatening.
"I'll take that as a yes."
He reached behind him and unsheathed his Galaxy Blade—a monstrous weapon that shimmered like the night sky, its edge lined with constellations. The air itself rippled as the blade left its scabbard.
But just as Gara prepared to advance—
"Wait."
A bloodied hand grabbed his arm.
Xzavier.
Broken. Bleeding. Barely standing. But his golden eyes blazed with defiance.
"Not yet…" he muttered. "This is my fight."
Gara arched a brow. "You serious, kid?"
Xzavier limped past him, dragging his broken sword along the earth. The Wraith growled again, sensing easy prey.
"Come on then, you mangled mutt," Xzavier spat, pulling off his tattered red robe and flinging it aside. His bare chest rose and fell with every breath. Blood traced scars across his torso.
But one mark gleamed brighter than the rest—
A sword-shaped symbol, glowing faintly gold, etched into the flesh of his back.
The Ascension Mark.
The Wraith froze.
Its instincts screamed.
This was no ordinary prey.
Suddenly—his eyes changed. Gara's Balaclava shifted a bit, tracing the smirk on his face. "Go on then Kid."
From golden irises to blazing twin suns. Spiraling rings flared outward, and the very air shimmered. A radiant golden aura burst from his body, casting a light across the bloodstained forest.
Xzavier's body rose.
His broken sword shattered in his hands—
And reformed.
In his grip now was a new weapon—sleek, elegant, and ancient-looking. A miniature version of the Legendary Blade, forged from raw divine energy. The air around it sang with pressure.
He had awakened—
First Life. (first life is a powerful transformation that is unlocked when a Legendary blade user has a near death experience, the evolved version of first life is second life which is unlocked when a person dies and gets resurrected)
---
The ground trembled beneath his feet.
Golden armor, etched with dragon-like patterns, materialized across his arms and legs. A long, flowing golden sash flared from his waist. Ancient runes swirled around him like a divine storm.
He raised his glowing blade.
"This ends now," he said, voice deeper—resonating with a power older than time.
The Wraith screamed and lunged, claws tearing toward him—
But Xzavier vanished.
BOOM!
He reappeared behind the beast, slashing across its back in a single, fluid strike. Light erupted from the wound. The Wraith howled in agony.
It swung around, firing a beam of corrupted energy—
Xzavier raised his hand.
The energy dispersed harmlessly against his aura.
With a wave of his sword, golden energy condensed around him, forming floating pillars of light, shaped like ancient spears.
"Celestial Judgement: First Fang."
The spears launched themselves forward, piercing the Wraith's limbs, pinning it to the ground.
The creature thrashed, but it couldn't move.
Then Xzavier appeared above it, sword raised overhead.
"This is for my team…"
The blade grew in size, glowing blindingly.
"And for me."
He brought it down.
"Heaven's Divide!"
The blade struck the Wraith's skull—splitting it in two.
A massive column of golden light erupted from the impact, shaking the trees and pushing the clouds away.
Silence.
Then the Wraith's body crumbled—disintegrating into ash and black mist.
---
Xzavier dropped to one knee.
The golden aura faded. His armor vanished.
His body returned to its broken, bloodied state, but his eyes still glowed faintly.
Gara walked over, whistling. "Well damn… First Life. Haven't seen that in years."
He slung Xzavier's arm over his shoulder.
"You better not die now, kid. That was very cool."
Xzavier coughed. "Didn't… plan to."
Behind them, Kaze stirred, groaning. Zadie lifted her head. Kineta sat up, holding his ribs.
They were alive.
Bruised. Broken.
But thanks to Xzavier…
Victorious.