The Eminence in Shadow: The Dark Swordsman

Chapter 38: Kurumi Versus Kirito

Confused, Kirito furrowed his brows. "Eradication? What do you mean by that?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

Before Kirito could ask more, Kurumi interrupted him with a cryptic statement while her pistol appeared again in her hand.
"Tick tock, my Knight," she said, her tone ominous yet playful.

Kirito looked at her, perplexed by her words.

Kurumi's smirk returned as she continued, "You should know by now that I treasure every yoctosecond, being the greedy person I am."

Feeling a sense of unease, Kirito watched as Kurumi pointed her pistol at him. His heart raced with a mixture of fear and anticipation as he braced himself for what would come next.

"Let's focus on the matter at hand first," Kurumi declared, her voice commanding. "We can chit-chat later."

Kirito's hand instinctively reached for his sword, his fingers curling around the hilt as he thought to himself, (Everything's a mess right now.)

With a determined exhale, he shifted into a stance, his grip tightening on the sword's handle. "If Kurumi truly foresaw the future," he whispered to himself, his voice edged with frustration, "this battle is already lost."

His eyes scanned the crowd, their gazes fixed on him and Kurumi, though they couldn't hear their conversation. "What should I do?" he murmured, a sense of desperation creeping into his voice. "Even though they can't hear us, everyone here is witnessing everything."

In the crowd...
Alexia watched from the crowd, her brows furrowed in concern as she observed Kirito's tense exchange with Kurumi. The woman exuded an aura of power and manipulation that sent shivers down Alexia's spine. It was clear that Kirito was having a difficult time dealing with her, struggling to maintain his composure

As she watched Kirito's struggle, her gaze drifted to the ring The Dark Swordsman(Kirito) had given her. Frowning slightly, she wondered why Kirito wasn't utilizing his full power if he felt cornered. "Why should he make things hard for himself?" she pondered, her mind racing with questions and concern for her friend.

Alexia reached out and lightly touched the ring, expecting nothing more than the usual smooth metal beneath her fingertips. But as her touch grazed the ring's surface, she felt a faint tingling sensation, a subtle release of magic that seemed to pulse through her veins.

In that moment, next to Alexia, Beta was filled with dread as she froze in place, her eyes widening in realization. She struggled to form the words, her mind racing with fear and uncertainty. "Is this the Dark..." she began, her voice barely above a whisper, unable to finish her sentence.

As Beta hesitated, her gaze flickered to Alexia, who seemed lost in thought. Panic gripped Beta as she realized the source of the magic could be from Alexia, her heart pounding with dread.

Turning to Alexia, Beta's expression turned grave, her eyes wide with fear. "Did you... did you do something?" she asked, her voice trembling with apprehension.

Alexia looked at Beta, confusion evident in her expression as she furrowed her brows. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. But before Beta could respond, a deafening explosion echoed from the large area where Kirito and Kurumi stood, cutting through the air with a forceful blast.

In the area...
Kurumi smirked devilishly as she aimed her pistol at Kirito, her finger lightly caressing the trigger. With a swift motion, she pulled it, sending a barrage of bullets hurtling towards him. As the echoes of gunfire filled the air, she seamlessly transitioned, wielding her musket with practised precision, sending another volley of bullets towards him.