《Master of Cards. *Reborn*》Chapter 27 : The blade.
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Kael left the prayer area, then heading towards the Sword Training Hall. Where he still had the cigarette to his lips, stepping in to hear the screams from before. He could hear the sounds of swords being swung, a few instructors barking orders.
"Hear me."
"I thought you cared."
"Why? Why did you force my awakening?" Kael could hear the swords speak out while Adepts that wielded them were in training. The instructors were a mixed bag of fighters. Foot work was decent, their swings did not waste much motion. Their training of the Adept was far from perfect but it was better than what he had seen from the others. The 18 Blades Sect still had their weapons right and their training to be better than here. But that was to be expected.
"Huh? Who are you?" One of the Instructors spoke up to Kael.
"Just a visitor." Kael said as he looked around, searching for the Midnight Howl tachi. Kael was scratching his head and tied his hair back to a tail. Looking at the black tachi that had was floating to him.
"Hey get back from it! It's dangerous." Kael watched his cigarette be slashed in half, Kael kicked the sword to the wall. He clicked his tongue, taking out another cigarette to his mouth. The tachi drew itself and went after Kael's throat, Kael slapped the blade to the side and grabbed it by its hilt. Throwing it back, to its sheathe. Where Midnight Howl showed its form. A figure wearing blue yoroi armor, taking a stance as he charged at Kael once more.
Kael watched turnedd to the side, watching the tachi be thrusting forward. Kael used the friction of the blade and his cigarette to light it up. A kick to the chest, sending Midnight Howl out of the Sword Training Area through the wall. Kael then turned to the set of weapons by the side, they were left here because they were deemed useless. Kael picked up a pair of katanas. They were dirty, muddled and rusty.
"Why? Why did you pick us up?" The katanas spoke to Kael.
"You are swords. I need a pair to break that guy's pride." Kael said as he imbued mana into them. One full swing that removed all of the dirt, mud and rust off instantly.
"Just need you to last until I beat that guy to submission." Kael said as he stepped out, scratching his head as he looked at Midnight Howl that was furious with him. Charging back at Kael in full view of the entire academy. Kael responded in kind as the blades collide. Leaving sparks as Kael was matching Midnight Howl blow for blow.
"How can such blades with stand my strength!? I am a blade forged to be the best! Those pale imitations can never best me!" Midnight Howl roared back at Kael, where Kael was annoyed at how it spoke to these pair of katanas. Clearly, it must have grown as many say 'Salty' for not having an owner.
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"You're full of bitterness." Kael said as he headbutted the Midnight Howl, the recoil pushed Midnight Howl back. Then Kael pierced the katanas into Midnight Howl's shoulders. Kicking the two blades through Midnight Howl's shoulder joints. Kael then grabbed Midnight Howl by the head.
"I... I refuse to yield to a bastard like you!" Midnight Howl cursed as Kael threw him aside.
"Master!" Kael looked up to see Kuro Hana falling into his arms.
"Convenient." Kael said as Kuro Hana looked at Midnight Howl with contempt.
"Not everyday I hear you growling Kuro. What's with you?" Kael had to ask since Kuro isn't hot headed like Baihua or Ga-eul.
"I just want to tear this blade apart. Being so disrespectful to master." Kuro Hana wore her full black Yoroi to match with Midnight Howl.
"You dare to send such an inkling of a Weapon Spirit against me!?" Kael chuckled at those words, underestimating Kuro Hana is what leads many to their downfall.
"Kuro Hana isn't a Weapon Spirit." Kael said to Midnight Howl who was sent flying to the wall with a single strike. Midnight Howl dashed forward with a swing from below. Midnight Howl was sure that this will be enough. Yet, when their blades made contact. The difference was clear as night and day. Kuro Hana slashed Midnight Howl in half.
"I expected you to be better. What I got was a brat of a sword." Kael said as he walked on over to Midnight Howl.
"Your masters were proud warriors but to see you. Reduced like this? Acting like a child that refuses to acknowledge that you're just angry because you've lost your masters. You're nothing more than a brat throwing your tantrum that you can't see what is in front of you." Kael said as he kicked Midnight Owl to the head, then watched as Kuro Hana returned back to blade form.
"Do you understand the difference between us, you brat?" Kael asked as Midnight Owl saw everything, watching the many lives that Kael had lived. Midnight Howl then placed his blade in front of Kael, then lowered his face to kiss the ground as a sign of submission.
"Quite an introduction, Mister Kael but was that necessary?" Principal Ardjent asked from above.
"We greet Principal Ardjent!" The students and instructors turned to her, bowing their heads in a greeting.
"Of course it was necessary. I did tell you that this one is a problem child right? He can make any Living Weapon or Spirit Weapon submit to his will. Only reason why Kuro Hana isn't affected is because Kuro Hana is stronger than him." Kael said as he picked up Midnight Howl, pulling the string that wrapped the hilt and scabbard together. Kael flicked his wrist as he drew the blade.
"Midnight. I think my draw is a bit off. Was I off by 5 degrees in angle or 2.1 degrees in angle?" Kael asked.
"No. You were correct with the draw. It is due to my size and curvature as a tachi that had thrown you off for a moment." Midnight Howl corrected Kael, seemingly docile compared to before.
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"Students, Instructors of the academy. This is Kael Webster. He will be the Chief Instructor for Sword Training and Chief Instructor for summoning. Do you have anything to say Mister Kael?"Principal Ardjent said to the others, which there was surprises all over.
"He's no older than some of the students! Do you think he can teach!?" One of the instructors argued.
"Yet, he managed to tame Midnight Howl to submission when all of you could barely lift it."Ardjent corrected the instructor.
"How can he be handling summoning! He is someone who is not qualified to do so!" Kael did not even have to say it, Skoll apepared before the protesting instructor growling heavily at her.
"Speak badly about my master... And we're going to have a real big problem. Do I make myself clear?" Skoll growled as his fangs were just an inch away from the summoning instructor's face.
"Skoll." Skoll faded back to Kael's side upon hearing his name, Kael then looked around. Scanning the expressions of the many people all around him. The students were not happy with the change, and the ones who wielded swords just glared at him.
"You used Grey Gems. Forcing an awakening of these weapons to become Weapon Spirits or Living Weapons. And you can't even hear them screaming." Kael said.
"To strengthen ourselves we need the weapons to do that! We can't just go around and fight with nameless weapons!" A student protested, he grabbed the saber by his hip.
"Then tell me the name of your saber." Kael asked, seeing the student hesitate to even speak. Shuddering and perhaps uncertain to what this meant. Kael could see the Weapon Spirit was a fox that was bruised far beyond recognition. Malnourished, it's fur was unkempt and dirty.
"I've used many Grey Gems to awaken it! But it refuses to awaken!" Kael shook his head as he held Midnight Howl in his hands. Tapping the blade twice, where they were able to see the Weapon Spirit and Living Weapons into view. Bruised, tattered and weak.
"The reason why they do not wish to be seen by you. Is because you have failed them.Take a good look at their scars. Do not avert your eyes." One of them looked at the Weapon Spirit of a knight wielding a long sword. The entire armor was broken, the knight's helm was damaged. The visor could be seen. The Weapon Spirits nor Living Weapons glanced at their masters, when the girl tried to reach for the Living Weapon that was her saber. The figure slapped her hand away and grabbed her by the throat.
"You fool. I would have given you power if you were worthy of it... But you've made me realize that there is no hope for someone like you." The figure said throwing the girl to the wall. Kael sheathed the tachi, which brought the weapons over to his side.
"Your weapons have rejected you. Until you win them over, you will use normal weapons. I forbid you from using any of the Weapon Spirits or Living Weapons in your possession." Kael said as the weapons float on over to Kael's side.
"This is bullshit! Now they show themselves towards us!? When we've been begging for them to s-" The student's own blade was at his neck, it was intercepted by Kael who stopped it with Midnight Howl.
"That is my only act of kindness I will grant you. If you wish to continue speaking, I will not stop this blade from going after your head." Kael said as the student stepped back. They looked at their new chief instructor.
"To be a swordsman. You must have the discipline and respect for it. Lacking in both will lead your own blade to wanting to kill you and perhaps hunt your entire family. Unlike humans, blades do not care about morals or consequences. They are made to kill and they won't hesitate. If you are in the room with them, they will determine the order of how you die. It will always be, Grandparents. Parents. Siblings. Niece and nephews. Then you. If you are alone, they will just kill you. But they will make it as painful as possible." Kael explained, letting out a sigh as he turned to the other instructors.
"Instructors that fail to heed my orders. I will kill you on the spot. Students that use the gray gem on their normal weapons, if that weapon goes rampant and attack you. I will simply let the weapon attack you until you either die or become a cripple. I don't care which family or sect you come from. If they have an issue with how I handle things. They are welcome to fight me to prove me wrong in a duel. Be it to the death or a friendly duel. Just understand that restraint is not within my vocabulary." Kael briefed them all to his terms and then he looked at the summoning instructors.
"Same goes for summons. Treat them with care and you will be rewarded. Treat them badly, they will treat you badly. Though for Summons... Just be remember that if you hurt them enough, you may end up having the wrath of the deity or God that was their creator." Kael warned, those words were enough to send chills down their spines.
"Classes with me will start tomorrow. I will be in the forge." Kael said as he headed to the forge, where the blades followed Kael from behind. Kael sat down to look at them, they were close to breaking permanently. This was bad, some of them had their blades coming loose. Their scabbards were broken, their grips were loosing their friction. Kael readied the whetstone.
This was going to be a long day. He needed to sort the blades out first.
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