133

Eastern Front.

Currently, it was midnight. This time round, the mercenaries were keeping night watch, accompanied by a hundred levies who volunteered. Asai and Robin sat atop a nearby tree. They had received the orders to hold their position. Until the mid-front managed to march in and reform the line. Because they had the most amount of men, which resulted in a slow march simply because of the amount of supplies and foodstuff they had to transport with them. Asai figured he would have at least a week to rest his men.

As Asai and Robin had been silently hunting and snuffing out their scouts. Since the night raid, there had been no real melees.  No real offensive or defensive to occur. With this sudden influx of time. Asai had his knights and knight-trainees show the very basics of swordsmanship to the Levies. No fancy stuff, no big swings and cuts. Only simple and efficient stabs and blocks.

The way Asai saw it. Was that once a grand melee occurs. The very front would take the brunt of the charge, and after that. The second lines and third would then all become a messy pit fight with bodies and shoulders constantly bumping into one and another. Within that scenario, it would be terribly inefficient to try and perform powerful wide swings.

He had learned this from the great and famous Romans themselves. Who wielded mostly short swords that were designed heavily for stabbing. Which would prevent friendly-fire and allow greater precision into enemy weak points, such as their joints or the gaps within the helmets.

...

Noticing another set of scouts approaching their proximity. Robin quickly hopped off. She had definitely proven herself to be reliable, so there was no reason to worry about her at all.

A little familiar scent tickled Asai's nostrils. "Is that rice I smell?"

Asai jumped down, and walked on over to a quieter location.

[Sealing Square]

[Silence]

[Concealment]

"Hey, missed me?"

"Kozumi, Mizumi. Good evening."

"I've been good, thanks for asking!" She teased.

"Why are you here?" Asai couldn't see their status. The two adorned their white masks.

"Well, I heard you were in the neighbourhood so we came to say hi. Is that good enough for you?"

"Still living freely, and doing and going whatever and wherever you want I see..." "I once desired this woman greatly. Back when I considered myself special, some sort of hero or protagonist... I understand now. She has her own life to live. Who am I to make her live mine for me. It definitely would be nice if she stayed with me, but that's only if she wanted to. However, from what she's told me. She will forever place her country before her own desires."

Kozumi recognised that look, the way he sincerely stared at her. She leaned in and tip toed close to his ears.

"I want you Asai, but I don't need you." Before giving him a peck on the cheek.

Asai glanced towards Mizumi, who was happily snuggling against Kozumi. "Now that I think about it. Wasn't this girl all about trying to kill me and protecting her sister from me and what not? I guess she's just like Kozumi, both inconsistent and doing whatever the hell they want within the heat of the moment."

"Ah! Actually, I need your help-" He pulled out 

[Wings of Solemn Death - Crest] (Inactive)

Level Requirement: 50

Requirements: Kill score [1000/1000]

Stats

+35 Strength

+35 Dexterity

+25 Agility

+50 Melee Attack

Sneak attack +200% DMG

The crest appeared to be a small sheet of white vinyl. Semi transparent apart from the black crest that appeared tribal.

"-This crest. Do you know how to use it?"

Both sisters opened their eyes in shock. "T-this, where did you get it? This item is rare. So rare, it mostly only appears within folktales..."

"Would you believe me if I told you a red dragon gifted it to me?" Whilst Mizumi looked at him like he was talking out of his ass. Kozumi stared absent mindedly. 

"The only living person I know to have one of these is the Patriarch. I know how to use this, he told everyone about it. He figured no one else would ever obtain one, so there'd be no harm done-" Kozumi was happy to inform.

"-Yeah, I know it too. Information is shared openly within our clan. All for the greater good you know?" Mizumi added.

"Yoish! Lets do it straight away. Strip naked and lay down." Kozumi excitedly started to stip Asai whilst Mizumi urged him down to the ground. "I have to strip for this???"

Asai did as he was instructed. The two sisters sat on their heels at each side. Placing the crest above his heart. They both slit their fingers, allowing a few drops of blood to drip, once enough blood covered the pattern.

"It's going to hurt real bad by the way-" Mizumi grinned.

"-Whatever you do, don't faint." Kozumi added.

The two now began to forcefully inject their mana. Using their blood as the bridge, they forced a connection through the crest and into Asai's heart.

His mana heart immediately began to enter cardiac arrest. Pounding wildly, pumping the blood, restricting and contracting. His lungs started to struggle as the heart no longer functioned properly.

Blood spurted out of Asai's mouth, further adding into the mixture on his chest. Assaulted by dizziness, weakness and lack of oxygen. Rather than pain, Asai actually thought he was about to die.

That was, until his heart stopped beating.

kophzi

When I was 17. Back when I was a young teenager who was full of energy and believed ourselves to be special and invincible. Crossing roads without a care, climbing buildings trying to parkour etc.

One of my friends, a girl. We never dated or anything, but we still had spent a lot of time together. All of a sudden, she passed away and there I was at her funeral. The sudden loss of life, her absence in my life and the reality that I'd never get to see her again ruined me.

For weeks, I cried and cried. It took a while before I could move on and continue living my life. To meet and experience new people and life. However, clearly even now I still remember her.

It is with this experience, that I wrote the fate of Mel.