Desolate Mage: A Legend Reborn! 100 The Celestial Shadows

A stylish man dressed in lightweight and supple wyvern-hide armour sat on a grand throne in a wide and spacious far-east styled room. Fans and swords were hanging on the walls of the tatami-floored room as the man with long grey hair tied in a ponytail sat with his fingers interlocked together in front of his face with his elbows on the arms of his seat.

He was waiting for the news to come... News that came swiftly.

Where there had been no one earlier, suddenly a black-clad figure appeared, kneeling with one knee on the ground and head bowed respectfully.

The shadow provided his report to the head of the Sword path, Blacksword Susano.

"Lord Susano, as you predicted, House Trenel's Celestial Shadows have made their move."

Susano did not nod or show any acknowledgement, making the spy who gave the report nervous. He was even unsure whether their great leader had even heard him as the grey-haired man was still only gazing at his hands as if he had not noticed anyone speaking!

But the shadow remained still with his head bowed - for he knew that the Blacksword demanded absolute discipline and would immediately slay anyone who incurred his wrath!

The informant did not have to wait long before he received the response he had been waiting for. Susano unfolded his fingers and nodded, though he still did not look at the spy as he spoke.

"Who is leading their team...?" He asked quietly with his gravelly voice, the sound grating on one's ears as he spoke.

"Sir... Based on preliminary reports... Boa of the Stars is leading the team personally..." This time when the spy spoke, he sounded less confident. Nevertheless, he delivered the information without hesitation - another habit that all survivors of the shinobi spy squad shared.

Upon hearing this the normally calm man's brow furrowed deeply as he shot up and out of his seat, crying out loudly.

"What??! No!! That's too much for God Lars!! No... No! I must go to support him!" His face looked anxious and worried as he donned his dark-grey cloak and picked up his sword, preparing to set out.

Then he spoke solemnly and with a sigh, sounding breathless from worry, "Gather the Shadow Swords. We have a war on our hands."

* * * * *

"NO!!!!!" Lars yelled with all his might, hand clutching his rent heart, bursting from the intense pain that struck him.

He fell to his knees, gasping and coughing. He felt as if though he were vomiting blood and his organs had been turned inside out...

He might die! Well and truly die from this!

*CLCLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK...!*

The sound of dice being rolled was heard, and the moment the sound stopped, countless people roared with victorious cheers... While Lars screamed in anguish.

"NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"

Charley kneeled beside the fallen boy, brows knitted with worry and tried to comfort Lars, saying, "Boss, don't worry. You only lost 90% of your money..."

Lars vomited blood at those words.

"...." Charley was stunned, speechless... Or at least on the outside.

Inside, he was laughing madly at his employer's misery!

"Ahhahahahahhhhahaa!!!! Muahahahahaha!!! Kiyahahahahah!!! Worth it!!! So satisfying!!! Finally I can see you crawling at my feet... You poor guy!!! Loser!!!"

"....? Why is it suddenly so quiet?" Charley asked as a dark figure began to rise up from the ground where it had earlier lay, fire in the figure's eyes and lightning bolts dancing around Lars' body.

Snake Speark King Lust was the one who so helpfully offered Charley an answer.

"...Boy, condolences. We could hear you say that, you know...?"

"..." Charley gulped, once more speechless.

And began begging for his life.

But it was too late.

Byrus kindly "helped" Lars and held Charley still as they ministered their "healing" and "services" to the very loud-mouthed boy who obviously did not have a fear of god Lars!

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! NO!!! N-no!!!! That doesn't turn that way, no no no!!! Ahhgrgghhh!! D-don't!!! Don't!!! IT WON'T FIT!!!!"

Despairing cries filled the air as an overly cocky dice cheat received his just desserts... But still kept the money he had won.

Though, whether it was worth it or not... That was hard to say.

However, even as the light-hearted scene was occurring in the inn where Lars and Charley were staying and where the Sand Crabs had all gathered, danger was on its way.

Several dark shadows were approaching - and approaching fast.

Lars' eyes turned sharp as he sensed the movements. Though he could not be sure what their intention was, at least it wasn't very likely that they were here to make friends and drink together.

Byrus and the other Sand Crab leaders also turned serious as they too noticed the incoming company.

They hurried back to their gear and got ready for the coming trouble.

* * * * *

As Lars stepped out of the inn together with Byrus, Lust, Viyash and Adron, he saw four masked figures standing atop the apex point of four separate rooftops surrounding them in the cardinal directions.

He stopped in the middle of the now nearly empty road and waited; waited for the visitors to announce their reason for coming.

Whatever it was, it didn't look like they were here to play dice... Which he was glad about. Looked like his luck with women extended to his luck with gambling too...

Lars was slightly worried as he saw the uninvited guests.

He wasn't too concerned about the 3 Master level combatants, but the leader, the unassuming and quiet man who was masking his World-class aura would be trouble.

Unless...

He just came out in the open and revealed his full strength!... But that would also make moving about in the open difficult from now, and possibly jeopardise him joining the youth tournaments and earning lots of money!

So Lars decided to adopt a wait and see approach...

And let his lackeys handle it!

Lars and the Sand Crabs stood and watched their visitors, locking gazes with the masked figures as time passed - until the unassuming and completely forgettable leader of the killers spoke.

"Lars and the Sand Crab raiders... For your crimes against humanity and defiance of the will of the heavens..." The quiet and unremarkable voice spoke like a robot, without any changes of tone or emotion, before announcing sharply and loudly his ultimatum.

"...You are all hereby sentenced to... DEATH!!!"

And with those words, he launched himself down at Lars while his three companions also lunged forward with their weapons at the ready!

Evisu of the Moon, a tall and gangly thin woman in a Moon mask was intercepted by Snake Spear King Lust who held up a long wooden quarterstaff before her!

Lanky and apparently clumsy Dagger of Destruction Viyash wielded his two heavy twin kukris and dashed forward to strike down his counterpart, the tall and strong knife-wielding Abba of the Sun!

While the well-built and stocky Dee of the Earth directly rammed into his opponent - the hulking and powerful round-faced Mountain-smasher Adron!

And as for Stars Boa himself, the leader of the Celestial Shadows...

Byrus gritted his teeth but did not hesitate even for a split second as he laid his life on the line to face an enemy a full major realm stronger than himself!

"You'll need to get past me first, yobbo! You're 100 years too early to challenge our god Lars!! Ugh!!" Byrus immediately summoned his armour and dashed in front of Lars to protect him, but he grunted heavily in pain as his mana armour was easily pierced by his opponent! He desperately held his attacker's arm in place to prevent the sharp spike held in Stars Boa's hand from piercing deeper into his chest and straight through his heart!

"W-World class?!?" He gasped in surprise even as he struggled to resist the pressure from the far smaller man's slim body.

"Yes. World-class... Goodbye!" With those words, the assassin Stars Boa's body began to glow blue and emit flames as he channelled mana towards the thin spike held in his right hand!

"NOT SO FAST!!!"

Only for an arcing black blade to descend from the sky and crash down towards him!

Stars Boa hurriedly leapt backwards and barely avoided the surprise attack as the shadowy sword strike crashed into the ground where he was standing moments ago.

However, he did not merely dodge. At the same moment that he avoided the attack from above, he flicked out his right hand and the spike in his hand elongated, transforming into a long and thin wire that slashed out at Susano mid-air!

'CRAP!!! UGHH!!!!!!' Susano twisted his body in an emergency evasive manoeuvre and barely managed to avoid being decapitated by the slashing wire, only, he still received a deep gash on his shoulder, slicing right through his wyvern-hide armour!

With that, round one of the battle was over - with Byrus and Susano already seriously injured and having lost 20% of their battle power in just one exchange of moves!

"This... Is going badly... God Lars... You'd better make a run for it...!"

"Lord Lars... My apologies for being late to arrive. I've already informed Miss Sharon, she should be arriving at any moment now! Until then..."

Byrus was sweating profusely as he spoke, both from the pressure he had been under and from the throbbing wound near his heart that bled incessantly; whereas Susano's left arm was hanging limp at his side, incapacitated though not lopped off entirely!

But their fighting spirits soared as they had not a single ounce of despair within them as they cried out and gave voice to their magnificent fiery and passionate intentions!

"We'll protect you until the end!!!" The two men roared out their intentions together and charged forward to tie down the lethally skilful Stars Boa once more!

"WE'LL CRUSH YOU!!!" / "DIE, MONGREL!!!"

Round 2 of the battle was about to begin.

Chapter end