Cursed Guardian

Chapter 4: Rage

My sweat drips as I stand on the floor holding my katana. It's just the beginning of my practice with Zero, but I'm already running out of strength as I struggle to catch my breath. This is how I became when I summoned Feros, who is now in front of me. While Zero couldn't believe his eyes upon seeing Feros. I don't know what he was expecting, maybe because Feros is just as big as an ordinary fox.

"I thought Serval was your guardian, why Fox?" he asks in confusion, but I can't focus on that as I bite my lower lip, feeling like I'm about to collapse at any moment.

"W-what are you w-waiting for?" I struggled to breathe. I need more stamina to keep my strength.

"I don't understand why you're so weak now. I used to see you training hard, but now? How come you can't regain your former strength?"

"S-stop this b-bullsh*t!" I shouted, even though I was getting weaker. I feel the tears welling up. I'm frustrated with myself, why am I so weak, and even more frustrated with him, with all the things he's saying that I can't understand.

I look at Feros, who is now ready to clash with Zero, who wields a sword made of his lightning power.

"It looks like you need to draw strength first--" I cut him off.

"T-try to c-come closer and I'll c-cut you!" I threatened him as he stepped towards me. But in this state, can I still take him down? I see him furrowing his brow, clearly getting irritated.

"You're quite stubborn too m---"

He doesn't finish his sentence as I stand up on trembling knees and glare at him. I pointed my katana at him.

"K-keep q-quiet if you d-don't want me to c-cut your t-tongue!" I said firmly with my struggling breath, but I suddenly collapsed on the floor. He was about to run to help me, but Feros blocked him, so he stopped. I just kneel and bow my head, my tears still flowing. Tears of frustration, frustration with myself. I bit my lower lip again. I need to draw strength, but how? I don't want to look pitiful in front of him.

Right now, I am defenseless. Suddenly, a voice spoke in my mind. "Even if you're weak, you can still fight."

"How?" I asked with my mind.

"Close your eyes and feel your surroundings, find the connection of your senses with your guardian, clear your mind of all thoughts," the woman with a cold voice continues.

I immediately followed the instructions of the woman who gave me it. As I close my eyes, I clear my mind of all thoughts.

Minutes pass, and nothing happens, but I don't give up. In an instant, I see Zero in my mind in front of me, but what's surprising is that there are yellow hues surrounding my vision. If I'm not mistaken, this is Feros's vision. I also feel my sense of smell, hearing, and all my senses sharpen, as well as my memory. I notice Zero's surprise, as he seems not to expect what's happening to me.

Suddenly, I wonder where Feros came from. I face a woman holding a baby, but I can't see the woman's face as my focus is on the baby.

"Feros, protect her from any risk to her life," this is Feros's memory if I'm not mistaken, but it was interrupted when Zero called me.

"Kim, are you okay?" I glared at him. Even though I'm weak, I can still fight him.

I stand up, my knees still trembling, and grip my katana tighter.

"Don't push yourself, you'll only make it harder for yourself!" Zero reminds me, but I don't listen. I'm going to punch your face, I swear it to myself! Your face is annoying!

I also see in my mind Feros's gaze at Zero, as if he can't wait to pounce on Zero. I look at Feros, who is gradually getting bigger, almost reaching half the size of Rico's Raccoon that chased me in the Lurca Division. I was about to step forward but almost stumbled, but I quickly steadied my katana. Zero was about to run to assist me, but Feros leaped in his direction.

"Sh*t!" I hear him curse, and suddenly a lightning strikes in front of him as he calls his guardian.

"Sobo auravoir!" the Saber-toothed Tiger appeared where the lightning struck, which he called Sobo and immediately countered Feros's attack, which I believe is as big as Rico's Raccoon. They clash, and while Zero is distracted, I charge at him despite my weakened body.

I stabbed his shoulder, but I didn't expect him to dodge it. Even though I have no knowledge of using a katana, I just swing it in his direction, while he effortlessly blocks all my attacks. I keep attacking him, but all in vain. I get frustrated with myself because I can't hit him. Because of frustration, I silently cry while still attacking him. My vision also blurs due to my tears.

"Stop it! You're out of control, Kim!" he shouts at me, but I don't listen. I keep attacking without control, unintentionally leading to what happens next. When I stab his shoulder, he quickly parries it, and the tip of his sword accidentally grazes the pulse on my right hand. When I feel it buried in my flesh, I gasp. It cuts through my skin, and he notices the blood splattering on his cheek. I stop attacking him, bite my lip to suppress the pain, and wipe away my tears.

He quickly touches the cheek splattered with blood. When he looks at it, his eyes widen, then he looks at my wrist where blood is gushing out. I saw the panic in his eyes.

"I'm very sorry I didn't mean---" he doesn't finish his sentence as I point my katana at him. I glared at him and slowly stepped back, almost stumbling.

Feeling a sudden sharp pain in my wound, I screamed loudly. The sensation of a strong voltage wanting to escape from my hand. I don't know how I did what happened next, but I saw my katana glowing and I threw it at him. I see that he doesn't know what to do. But thunder and lightning resonate in the training room, and the lightning on his sword merges, then he blocks my flying sword. I also see the afterimage of my thrown katana with snowflakes following it.

The last thing I saw before I collapsed and lost consciousness was when the edge of my glowing katana clashed with the surface of his sword, and an incredibly strong force occurred. His sword sparked intensely as my katana shone brighter. The power each of them carried was overwhelming. As they clashed, I saw my glowing katana slowly cracking while Zero gritted his teeth and his fangs ignited due to the immense power of my katana.

When my katana finally shattered, a powerful explosion occurred along with the engulfing of light in the entire training room. I was thrown back, and before I fell, I managed to say something.

"Feros auravoir!" Feros vanished from my sight completely, just like Sobo. Perhaps Zero also uttered the incantation before he was thrown back. I felt an immense force as I fell because I completely lost consciousness.