The Eminence in Shadow: The Dark Swordsman

Chapter 58: Storm Of The Dark Swordsman

Rem rushed inside the Crystal Chalet, her footsteps echoing through the grand halls. She muttered to herself, "I know Lady Yukime can handle how things are going, but..." Her voice trailed off as she hurried towards a door at the end of the corridor.

Stopping in front of it, Rem paused for a moment before speaking with resolve, "We need his help no matter what." With a determined breath, she pushed open the door and entered the room.

But as she stepped inside, her eyes quickly scanned the space. A cold chill crept over her, and her heart sank. The room was empty. No signs of Kirito anywhere. A sense of unease tightened around her chest. "Where did you go, Kirito-kun?" she whispered, her voice tinged with worry as she looked around, hoping for any sign of him.

Not far away from there...
The clash of steel echoed through the rain-soaked streets as Beatrix and Alpha fought with relentless intensity. Beatrix's breaths came in ragged gasps, her arms trembling from the weight of her sword. Each strike she parried sent shockwaves up her weary limbs, while Alpha's relentless assault showed no sign of faltering.

Alpha's movements were precise, calculated-every strike aimed to dismantle Beatrix's defence. Her glowing eyes pierced through the downpour, unyielding in their focus. Beatrix, drenched and exhausted, tried to match her opponent's pace, but her body was betraying her.

Beatrix's boot slipped slightly on the slick cobblestone as she took another step back, desperate to create distance. Her heart sank as her heel caught on nothing. She glanced over her shoulder in alarm and saw the yawning darkness of an alleyway below. The realization hit her-she was out of room to manoeuvre.

A flash of silver brought her back to the fight. Alpha's blade was already at her neck, its edge gleaming dangerously close to her skin. Beatrix froze, her chest rising and falling as she stared at her opponent, rainwater dripping from her face.

Alpha leaned in slightly, her voice cold and unwavering. "Enough, Beatrix. You fought well, but you can't win."

Beatrix's grip on her sword faltered, the strength in her fingers fading. Despite her defeat, her eyes remained defiant, though the exhaustion weighing her down was impossible to ignore. She struggled to speak, her voice barely audible over the rain. "Do what you must... but this isn't over."

Alpha's gaze softened ever so slightly, though the coldness never left her voice. "I know," she replied, her blade never moving from Beatrix's throat. "But you must know who you're backing up. It isn't just Yukime."

Beatrix's eyes narrowed despite her weakness. She struggled to steady her breath, her thoughts racing. "What do you mean?" she managed to croak out.

Alpha's lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile, as if she were about to reveal a dangerous truth. "Yukime... she's not the only one pulling the strings. You've been led by a false hope if you think this is merely about her. The bigger picture-your role in it-it's far more complicated than you realize."

Beatrix's pulse quickened, a flicker of doubt crossing her mind. She shifted slightly, trying to summon whatever strength she had left. "Then... what is it? What are you really after?"

Alpha's grip on her blade tightened, the gleam of the steel reflecting the rain as her expression turned more serious. "It's not about winning or losing in a battle, Beatrix. It's about the war that's already begun. And you're on the wrong side of it."

Beatrix's sharp eyes caught the faintest flicker of hesitation in Alpha's steely gaze. Despite the blade still at her throat, she seized the moment to press further. "And whose side," she began, her voice gaining strength despite her trembling frame, "do you think I'm truly after?"