Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

That's not how Yato thought him to fight. He had taught him the importance of control and precision rather than using all his strength in a single attack like a barbarian.

With a disappointed sigh, Yato dodged one of Lucas' horizontal slashes by crouching under it.

From that low position, Yato stepped in and delivered a forceful punch to Lucas' sternum.

"Argh!" the Golden-haired boy gritted his teeth and staggered back in pain.

But before Lucas could recover, Yato capitalized on the opening.

Using the blunt edge of his katana, Yato struck Lucas in the abdomen with precision and strength.

"Khuuak!" Lucas violently coughed up blood, unable to withstand the impact. He buckled under the force, collapsing onto his knees.

"Your technique has become more refined," Yato acknowledged. "But you're still relying too much on blunt force. It's fine, we still have two more days. I will beat this habit out of you.

"...Of course, I planned this from the start! This is my clear path to defeating you!" Lucas roared.

"....?" A confused frown appeared on Yato's face as he heard his disciple talk. Did he break him? Has he gone insane?

However, then Yato noticed something, it was his surroundings that he noticed.

Whipping his neck side to side, he noticed that both of them were dangerously close to the edge of the mountain cliff too.

"....Wait!" Yato's eyes widened as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, his gaze returning to Lucas.

However, it was too late for him to do anything at that moment. Lucas infused all of his mana into his sword, by this time Lucas had bearly any mana at all.

His sword started to glow in azure- colour as Lucas slashed the sword at his foot.

The ground beneath them trembled violently, as if unable to withstand the impact.

The once-stable terrain cracked and fissures formed, before long the ground itself shattered and Yato and Lucas found themselves free-falling.

The rubble and debris of the shattered terrain cascaded around them, falling with them.

Trapped in an unstoppable descent, Yato's eyes met Lucas's as they both plummeted down dangerously.

"Did you plan this all from the start?!" Yato inquired about his plans, tattered from the previous explosion, fluttering in the air.

"...Of course, I planned this from the start! This is my clear path to defeating you!" Lucas roared.

"Heh!" A grin spread across Yato's face, a mixture of surprise and amusement.

This was the moment he realized that his disciple was insane! Downright insane!

As they plummeted through the air, Yato couldn't help but admire the audacity and unpredictability of Lucas's tactics. The cascade of debris and shattered terrain surrounded them, creating a chaotic descent towards the unknown depths below.

Amidst the chaos, Yato managed to gather his composure. With a swift motion, he retrieved a small, enchanted feather from his pocket, activating a levitation charm that slowed his fall.

Lucas, however, continued his free-fall without any apparent means of slowing down. The golden-haired warrior's eyes burned with determination as he embraced the uncertainty of the plummet.

Yato watched Lucas with a mix of concern and intrigue. "You never cease to surprise me, Lucas," he muttered to himself, adjusting his levitation charm to maintain a steady descent.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The air around them howled as the mountain winds rushed past. The fractured terrain grew distant, and the world below expanded into a vast, shadowed expanse.

As they descended further into the unknown, Yato couldn't shake the feeling that this unexpected free fall might be another part of Lucas's intricate plan.

At that moment the necklace around Lucas started to glow, it was the necklace that Lucas received from Dereck Evergreen, Isabella's father after he curred his older daughter Alice.

Dereck had said that this Necklace would save Lucas three times from his death and it looks like this is one of those moments.

That's the reason why Lucas boldly destroyed the cliff where he and Yato were standing knowing that this necklace would save him.

As the necklace emitted a radiant glow, a mysterious energy enveloped Lucas, slowing his descent. Yato, still levitating observed the unfolding scene with a mix of surprise and curiosity.

The once-uncontrollable fall transformed into a controlled descent, and Lucas's trajectory shifted towards a previously concealed entrance in the cavern wall. The golden-haired warrior's body gently touched down on a ledge, and Yato landed beside him.

The cavern revealed itself to be a vast, underground realm, filled with an otherworldly luminescence. Stalactites and stalagmites adorned the cavern, casting ethereal shadows on the walls.

Lucas, still catching his breath, glanced at the glowing necklace. The realization of its protective power dawned upon him, and a determined smile crossed his face.

Yato raised an eyebrow, breaking the moment of silent acknowledgement. "A necklace with a life-saving enchantment? Interesting choice, Lucas."

Lucas nodded. "Dereck Evergreen gave it to me. Said it would save me three times from certain death."

Yato's eyes gleamed with understanding. "So, this was one of those times. Clever thinking, my unpredictable disciple."

Yato then looked at Lucas with a wide grin on his face. After all this time, he was finally experiencing a thrill in combat.

Of course, he was holding back almost all of his strength, but this was fun! This was so much fun!

Looking at the ground of the snowy field Lucas couldn't help but mutter, "So I lose again?"

Disappointed was evident in his voice.

Yato just chuckled at that, of course, no way in hell Lucas would defeat Yato.

Nonetheless, it was a good plan. Even Yato acknowledged that much.

Crouching down towards Lucas, Yato said "Of course not. You could not defeat me but it was a good plane." Saying that Yato hit the back of Lucas' neck with a chop, striking him unconscious as the latter could only gasp.

Quickly, Yato then grabbed Lucas by the waist with one hand and kicked his legs again and again as if walking on air before landing on the ground beneath them.