Part 2
The warmth of the campfire had faded, leaving only flickering embers beneath a cloud-covered sky.
Kaito slept inside his tent, wrapped in his cloak, while the night cloaked the camp in a deceptive stillness.
"Cut it out, Seri…" he murmured in his sleep.
In his dream, Seri was devouring impossible amounts of food at an alarming speed, while his money slipped through his fingers like sand.
"If you keep eating like that, we're gonna run out of funds..."
At first, there was only darkness.
Then, a voice interrupted his dream.
"...help me..."
Soft. Fragile. Distant.
"Who's there...?" he whispered, turning onto his side.
The shadows of the forest seemed to move, rippling like they were breathing.
The air grew colder. Heavier.
In his mind, a silhouette stood against a gray sky. He couldn't make it out clearly, but he knew it was suffering.
Something inside him just knew.
"...I can't… get out..." the voice whispered again.
Kaito tried to move forward, but the ground beneath him crumbled with each step.
He couldn't move.
He could only watch as the figure vanished into the mist.
"Wait!" he shouted—
And then he woke up.
A loud crash rocked the campsite.
"Threat detected! Combat mode activated!" Eve shouted, raising her arm as a burst of magical energy lit up the trees.
Kaito shot up, heart pounding, cold sweat dripping down his temple. He could still hear the echo of that voice in his mind.
"What… is happening?"
"Ambush formation. Four enemies surrounding the perimeter. Detecting disruptive magic," Eve reported, standing firm like a sentinel by the dimming fire.
Seri stumbled out of her tent, staff in hand, half-asleep.
"What the hell was that noise!?" she yelled, raising her staff.
"We're under attack!" Kaito replied, summoning his sword in a flash of blue light.
Four masked figures in dark robes stood silently around the camp.
"Two mages, one paladin, one assassin," Eve stated in her usual neutral tone, her sensors glowing faintly.
"Analyzing combat patterns."
"Wow… the Church really has all types of henchmen," Kaito remarked sarcastically.
"Indeed, though these don't appear to be high-ranking, master," Eve added calmly.
One of the attackers—the one in light armor, like a paladin—stepped forward.
"Kaito Amakawa… we've come to silence you. The Church cannot allow the truth to be revealed," he declared solemnly.
Kaito tilted his head with a grin.
"How odd… you guys trying to erase anything that challenges you. What a surprise."
"Orders. Nothing personal," the assassin added, drawing a curved dagger with precise movements.
"Oh, really? What a shocker..."
Seri stepped forward, locking eyes with the mages.
"I'll take care of them. Shouldn't be a problem," she said calmly.
"Alright, I'm counting on you. Eve, can you handle the assassin?"
"Affirmative, master. Engaging offensive protocol, moderate level," Eve responded, metallic plates unfolding from her arms as her eyes lit up with an electric glow.
The paladin charged at him.
Kaito took a defensive stance, sword raised.
Thanks to the previous battle with the wolves, his strength had improved slightly… But he still felt unsure.
Meanwhile, Eve exchanged rapid strikes with the assassin, every move calculated and mechanical.
"Fire Spirit!" shouted Seri, casting a strength buff on Kaito.
A warm energy surged through his body—like his blood had suddenly caught fire.
"What… is this?"
"It's a buff. It'll help for a while, but I need to pull those mages out of the field," Seri replied, sprinting to the edge of the clearing.
The mages followed her without hesitation.
"Seri, don't do anything reckless!" Kaito yelled, but the elf had already gained distance, drawing the acolytes away.
"I suggest you don't get distracted, boy," the paladin growled, slamming his shield into Kaito and sending him rolling across the dirt.
"Master!" cried Eve. Something like worry flashed across her face.
She knew—if she lost track of the assassin, Kaito wouldn't stand a chance.
Kaito quickly got back to his feet, but his mind was elsewhere.
Seri's on her own… against two mages…
The worry gnawed at him deeper than any wound.
"Damn it! If only I were stronger! Come on, sword… do something!"
But Lunaris Edge remained unchanged.
Broken. Rusted. Silent.
"I can't believe that piece of junk is a divine weapon," the paladin sneered.
"Look at me. I'm E-rank, and my sword still looks better than yours. And it's just a basic D-tier model," he added with a mocking laugh.
Kaito stayed silent. He wasn't wrong. His sword looked like nothing special. Just a weathered chunk of metal.
"Take that back…" he muttered, his voice barely hiding his anger. "That your sword's a piece of scrap? It is. A pile of rust with a handle."
In Kaito's mind, memories he thought long buried came rushing back.
On the soccer field...
"Amakawa, those shoes are a joke! Can't even afford decent ones?"
In the batting cage...
"Look at that bat. Probably third-hand… embarrassing."
At school...
"You should really get some new stuff, Kaito. That backpack looks like it came from a dumpster."
And then, his mother's voice...
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. We can't buy you anything new this year… or take you to the stadium. I'm really sorry."
And his own reply, as a child, smiling genuinely:
"Mom… I don't think anything you give me is trash. I'm happy just having you. That's what matters."
Back in the present, Kaito stood up.
His eyes shone with a new kind of determination.
"The value of an object… isn't in how it looks. It's in what it represents."
He looked down at his sword.
"To me… this sword proves I was chosen. That even if the world turns its back on me… I'm still a hero."
The rusted metal trembled softly.
There was no glow.
No transformation.
Just a quiet sound.
Plink.
Like a drop falling into silence.
Kaito felt it. Not with his ears—but with his soul.
Lunaris Edge…?
But the paladin was already charging again. No time for questions.
Elsewhere…
Mizuki sipped her tea with perfect grace, watching the adventures of Haruto Kibou in Mythara forest through a floating orb.
"Mizuki-sama… something has happened with Lunaris Edge," said Nagi, the tiny semi-human cat maid, rushing into the room.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to bother me when I'm watching Haruto?" the goddess grumbled, puffing her cheeks ever so slightly.
"I'm sorry, Mizuki-sama. It's just that… this is urgent."
Mizuki sighed. She snapped her fingers, and the viewing orb vanished in a soft shimmer.
"Alright, go ahead, Nagi. I'm all yours."
"Yes, well… we've detected an anomaly in Lunaris Edge."
The goddess went silent for a moment, then smiled.
"I see. So… the time has come."
"The time for what? Why is that sword so special?"
Mizuki laughed heartily, even wiping a small tear from the corner of her eye with the tip of her finger.
"Of course… I forgot. You two didn't exist yet when I forged it. Lunaris Edge is the most versatile weapon ever created."
Nagi tilted her head, her tail perked with curiosity.
"Versatile… how?"
"I have a new mission for you and your sister. When Mei returns from her meeting with Morgana, I want you both to keep an eye on the sword… and its wielder. Understood?"
"Yes, Mizuki-sama. Your will shall be done," Nagi replied, kneeling solemnly.
"Very good. Now go. I want to keep watching Haruto… he's about to summon Yuna with that clumsy spell I love so much!" Mizuki added cheerfully, conjuring the orb again and sipping her tea like nothing had happened.
The maid left silently, saying no more, leaving the goddess to her peace.
But the moment the door closed, Mizuki's gaze subtly refocused—back on Kaito and his sword.
The paladin lunged at Kaito without mercy.
Kaito raised his sword on reflex, feeling the impact vibrate through his arms.
"Nice words, boy… but they won't save you from death. A blade without an edge protects nothing. It's a weapon without purpose!"
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Kaito screamed, straining to withstand the onslaught.
"I hear your heart… I'll lend you my strength, for now."
A female voice echoed in his mind. Soft. Distant… and warm.
Lunaris Edge glowed—not with a burst of light, but with a subtle radiance, like the moon behind clouds.
The paladin's strike was repelled with force, making him stumble back several steps.
Kaito gasped, stunned.
He looked at his sword.
It was still broken. The edge still cracked.
But something had changed.
A faint light traced its surface. And its shape… It was no longer that of a Western longsword.
"Have you… always been a katana?" he whispered, eyes fixed on it.
The paladin recovered quickly. This time, his weapon gleamed with built-up energy.
"Just die already!"
"Quick. Say 'Moonlight'." The voice echoed again, urgent.
"What?"
"Time is running out."
Without fully understanding, Kaito trusted his instinct.
"…Moonlight," he whispered.
Their swords clashed.
And then The paladin's weapon shattered.
As if Kaito's blade had split it from within.
"What the hell is happening!?" the enemy shouted, reeling back with wide eyes.
Kaito stared at him… Just as bewildered.