Our Eternity

Chapter 18 - Offer

 3rd person POV

 "You want a duel?"

 "Yes."

 "Are you crazy?"

 "No."

 "Do you want to die then?"

 "Preferably not. That's why I didn't request a fight to the death, only a duel."

 Faced with the young samurai's insistence, Makoto could only sigh.

 She was the one who offered in the first place, who is she to decline.

 "Fine. Let us go then."

 Saying that, she snapped her fingers and the surroundings changed. The two of them soon appeared in a seemingly endless world.

 "This..."

 "It will be a lot more comfortable to fight here."

 As she said that, a sword appeared in her hand.

 The instant it appeared, Kazuha's gaze fixated on it.

 "That sword..."

 "It was originally mine. Ei inherited it after I died, but I suspect she wouldn't really use it if a fight got serious, her main weapon is a spear after all."

 Hearing this, Kazuha finally withdrew his gaze and drew his own sword.

 "Wouldn't it be more beneficial to use the other one?" 

 Makoto saw the young samurai flinch, but she didn't say anything further, only waited. 

 After a few more seconds he sheathed his sword and put it aside reaching to his belt. The next moment he drew out a blade that had been hidden by his belt till now.

 The blade was flexible, enough so that it could go around his waist along with his waistband, but by no means frail. The moment it was drawn the flexibleness seemed to disappear and the blade hardened completely.

 "A katana. Yet you wield it in one hand?"

 The sword that Kazuha held was a katana. Both blade and handle pitch black, not a single ornament in sight.

 Just as Makoto had said he held it in one hand, seemingly having no intention of using the other.

 "Is this arrogance, or do you have something planned?"

 "I have my pride as a swordsman, but I wouldn't be arrogant in front of a god."

 To this, Makoto just chuckled and took her stance.

 "The Raiden Shogun, Raiden Makoto."

 "Descendant of the Kaedehara clan, Kaedehara Kazuha."

 "It's an honor to duel with you."

 "The honor is mine."

 And so they began.

 Contrary to Makoto's expectations, Kazuha wielded his sword very effortlessly. The speed and power that should have been lost by wielding it with merely one hand were compensated by his skillful use of elemental energy.

 "You are exceptionally skilled for your age."

 "Thank you." No matter how hard Kazuha tried to stop it, the corner of his mouth twitched at the compliment.

 "Sadly for you, I'm quite a bit older."

 She didn't give Kazhua enough time to process her words. The next second he was knocked down, Makoto's sword at his neck.

 "You fought well."

 "Only because you held back."

 "If I hadn't it wouldn't have been this enjoyable, now would it?" She smiled and Kazuha was smiling as well.

 "That's true."

 Makoto looked down at the exhausted yet pleased samurai. Things like surprise, wonder, and interest passed her eyes as they began to glow a little.

 "I changed my mind."

 "Huh?"

 "Istaroth told me to keep you alive for as long as I can. Telling you to go to a safe place is one way, but..."

 The small glow turned into a part, lighting up her eye completely.

 "Training you till you're able to defeat your enemies yourself would be another such way, no?"

 Kazuha's POV

 What?!

 "Train me?"

 "Yes."

 "YOU want to train ME?"

 "That's what I said, yes."

 I looked up at her in shock.

 She can't be serious, right? No matter what happened in the past, she was still a god. There was also...

 "You know that I don't get along with the Shogun, right?"

 "I know."

 "I can't guarantee that I won't end up fighting her again, one way or another."

 She couldn't possibly train me just so I can beat up her sister later.

 To my surprise, however...

 "That's even better. Feel free to beat some sense into her if she sets her mind on something stupid again. If she complains, just tell her that I told you to do it."

 What am I supposed to say to that one?

 "I'm not as much of a fighter as Ei, but I've wielded a sword for centuries. You can hardly find a swordsman with this much experience anywhere."

 "That's not it..."

 "If you're worried about time, you shouldn't be. Even if you spend hundreds of years in here, it would only count as a few minutes outside."

 Honestly, it was a tempting offer. I have fought my fair share of battles, but I never received any official training or instructions aside from my family's technique. 

 It couldn't hurt to try.

 "Just tell me one thing."

 "What is it?"

 "Why the offer?"

 It came out of nowhere.

 "Is that what you were worried about? It's nothing special really. I made my offer because I thought you were talented and had potential."

 "That's it?"

 "Should I have some dark ulterior motive otherwise? If I think hard enough I can probably make up one-"

 "No, no, no, no, no."

 Was I thinking she had some ulterior motive? Why would I have asked that question otherwise?

 I just... I don't know.

 It just feels like a trap for some reason.

 "Ah, damn it. Fine, I'll do it."

 "Great! Let's get started right away then."

 That smile... I have seen a smile like that somewhere.

 Why does it feel so ominous?