The sun was dipping behind the mountains of Atheris, painting the training field in a mix of gold and shadow. Supira and Doraibu had been sent away by Sogen on a "secret mission," leaving Kaosu alone with the newest member of their group—Shimo.
She stood across from him in the grassy courtyard, her silver hair catching the light like strands of moonlight. In her hand, petals shimmered, swirling lazily like sparks waiting for a flame.
"Are you ready?" she asked softly, but her eyes burned with focus.
Kaosu sighed, scratching the back of his head. "I mean… it's just training, right? I don't really feel like hitting you."
Shimo's lips curved into a faint smile. "Then you'll lose."
Before Kaosu could respond, the air filled with the sound of a hundred petals slicing together. The blossoms hardened, their delicate edges transforming into gleaming blades. With a swift motion, Shimo gripped them, forming twin short swords of living flowers.
Kaosu's eyes widened. "Wait—your Nexus… you can weaponize it?"
Shimo lunged forward, her flower-blades flashing as they whirled past his guard. Kaosu barely dodged, rolling to the side, his heartbeat thundering.
"You'll find out more," she said sharply, pivoting into another strike, "if you fight me for real!"
Her words hit him harder than her blades. For a moment, Kaosu hesitated. Then, slowly, he nodded. "…Fine. No holding back."
He extended his hand, chaos energy flickering erratically around his arm. The ground trembled as his Nexus stirred—but with it, a shadow loomed inside his mind.
The world around him warped.
Kaosu blinked and found himself standing in a place that wasn't real—a void of shifting fragments, broken mirrors of his own reflection swirling endlessly.
And there he was.
Kudosudo.
The alter ego stepped out from the shadows, a grin stitched across his face, his eyes glowing with madness. "Well, well, Kaosu… finally decided to call on me?"
Kaosu's chest tightened. "I didn't ask for you. I just… I need strength."
Kudosudo chuckled darkly, circling him. "Strength? You've always had it. You've just been afraid to use it. But fine… I'll lend you a gift. Consider it a… pact between us."
He leaned close, whispering into Kaosu's ear. "Speak these words… and your weapon will answer."
The chant burned into Kaosu's memory, sharp and heavy with power. He clenched his fists. "…Thank you."
Kudosudo smirked. "Don't thank me yet. Every gift has a price."
The void shattered.
Kaosu snapped back into reality, Shimo's blade inches from his cheek. His eyes blazed as he thrust out his hand and shouted:
"From the heavens above and the abyss below… through the chaos of all creation, I summon thee—Dimension Blade!"
The air split open with a screech of bending space. A sword emerged, jagged and ethereal, its edge glowing like fractured starlight. Space itself rippled where the blade moved, as though reality feared its touch.
Shimo halted her strike, her eyes widening in awe. "…You… manifested a weapon?"
Kaosu exhaled, gripping the blade tightly. "Guess I did." He lowered into a stance. "Alright, Shimo… let's go for real."
Their clash shook the courtyard. Shimo's flower-blades danced in whirling arcs, scattering petals like storms, while Kaosu's Dimension Blade carved through the air, leaving trails of distorted light. The clash of their Nexus filled the field with explosions of energy, petal storms colliding with spatial rifts.
But despite Kaosu's newfound weapon, Shimo's technique and composure overwhelmed him. With a final sweep, her petals surged into a binding vine, wrapping his arm and locking the Dimension Blade in place. She pressed her remaining blade to his chest.
"Match over," she whispered.
Kaosu, panting, dropped his weapon, which dissolved back into chaos particles. "Tch… you win."
Shimo withdrew her blade and smiled warmly, though sweat dotted her forehead. "You did well, Kaosu. That sword… it's dangerous, but also incredible. I've never seen anything like it."
He sat back, staring at his hand where the Dimension Blade had been. "…Thanks. And… thanks for pushing me."
Shimo's expression softened, her voice almost gentle. "Don't thank me yet. You've only just taken your first step."
The wind carried away the last of the petals, but the echo of the blade still lingered in Kaosu's mind.