Chapter 16 (Side Story - Xavier)

05 | The Real Battle

It's sunny the next day. There are several groups of people in Linkon Central Park, walking and picnicking. Children around the same age as Frank are running across the field or playing around the playground. Xavier puts his bag on the grass. He sits down and starts taking things out. "Choose one."

Seeing all sorts of "weapons" laid out in front of him, Frank is amazed. Without any hesitation, he grabs a small wooden sword. "I want this one!"

He swings the sword a couple of times,

then notices Xavier picking up a stick.

"We're sparring, right?"

"...Are you looking down on me, Mr. Xavier?"

"If you can knock this stick out of my hand, then I'll swap to a better weapon," Xavier says.

Ten minutes later.

Frank is out of breath. Xavier sits, unmoving, with the stick still in his hand.

"A sword doesn't suit me!" Frank throws it away and picks up a water gun. He rushes to the fountain to load his "ammo" and comes back, chest puffed. Xavier, as calm as ever, swaps his stick with a paper cup.

Another ten minutes pass. Frank accidentally squirts himself with water. Xavier pours out the water in his cup, his body completely dry.

"A gun doesn't suit me either!" Frank tosses the water gun away and gets a pair of maracas.

Xavier picks up the stick again. He breaks it, holding each half in both hands.

Another ten minutes pass.

Frank is drenched in sweat. He's a little dizzy with the sun beating down on him, and his palms are red from "training."

Despite not having touched even a hair on Xavier's head, he's happy.

This is the first time he's seen Xavier act like a Deepspace Hunter!

"Is this how you trained to be a hunter, Mr. Xavier?"

Unexpectedly, Xavier shakes his head.

"No."

"But... aren't you teaching me how to fight Wanderers?"

Xavier looks as if he hasn't heard Frank. He stands up and looks around.

Frank asks again hurriedly, only to hear Xavier say, "You haven't even beaten me once."

Critical hit!

Frank stands there in shock. All the doubts he had earlier return. This so-called hunter doesn't own anything cool. He doesn't have any weapons or fought any Wanderers.

He's always doing strange things. He even lied about training him! Is Xavier a liar?!

"Frankie, wait for me here. I'm going over-" Seeing Frank's expression, Xavier pauses. "What's wrong?"

Upset, Frank is on the verge of tears. Suddenly, there's a loud explosion. In a split second, he feels someone pick him up. Opening his eyes, Frank is stunned. He looks at the source of the sound.

Xavier covers Frank's eyes with his hand.

"Don't look."

The Wanderers are here.

The sky darkens, and the sharp wail of a police siren brings Frank back to reality.

"Wait here and don't run outside the light." Xavier lifts his hand, and a golden shield appears above Frank's head like a round tent. After that, he turns around and runs off.

Frank sees a sword quickly manifest in Xavier's right hand. It's brighter and cooler than any weapon he saw on TV. As people

run away, he sees Xavier go against the flow of the crowd.

Several terrifying Wanderers appear from the trees. With a single swing, Xavier's weapon transforms into countless lightblades. The Wanderers instantly disappear in the light. He turns, leaps, and appears by the side of the inflatable castle, striking down two Wanderers like lightning. With a deafening roar, the Wanderers turn to dust. The adults and children who haven't been able to leave are shocked.

"Leave this place."

In the dust and smoke, Xavier turns around and leaps again. He takes the sword in his hand and lunges toward another Wanderer. Frank's eyes widen. Xavier is like a beam of light, turning everything he attacks into dust. It's as if Frank is watching a meteor shower of light.

After he cuts down the last Wanderer, Xavier lands on the ground. With a flick of his wrist, his sword disappears, leaving only specks of light around him. It's as if he's standing under a starry sky.

Frank... is stunned!

To Be Continued...

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