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---
"A trap, huh? Predictable."
The floor beneath him gave way, and Alaric dropped into darkness.
But he didn't panic.
He flipped mid-air, landing on his feet in a crouch. His Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan activated, its crimson glow illuminating the vast underground cavern.
In the center of the cavern stood a massive stone golem, its form towering over him. The golem's eyes glowed with an eerie light, and its stone fists clenched as it roared, the sound echoing through the cavern.
"You've got to be kidding ," Alaric muttered, his smirk never faltering. "A golem? Really?"
The golem charged, its massive fists slamming into the ground where Alaric had been standing monts before.
Alaric leaped back, his Kusanagi flashing as he darted around the golem, looking for an opening.
The golem swung its arm, aiming to crush him.
Alaric moved with lightning speed, ducking under the attack and slicing through the golem's wrist with his Kusanagi.
The stone hand fell to the ground with a loud thud, but the golem didn't stop.
It roared again, swinging its other fist at Alaric.
Alaric leaped into the air, using the golem's arm as a springboard to propel himself higher.
He landed on the golem's shoulder, his Kusanagi flashing as he drove the blade into the golem's head.
The golem stumbled, its movents slowing as cracks began to spread across its body.
Alaric leaped off just as the golem collapsed, its form shattering into pieces.
He landed gracefully, his Kusanagi still in hand.
"Not bad," he said, glancing at the shattered remains. "But you'll have to do better than that."
As if in response, the ground beneath him began to shake again.
Alaric sighed, rolling his eyes.
"Seriously? Another one?"
The ground split open, and a second golem erged, this one even larger than the first. Its eyes glowed with the sa eerie light, and it roared, the sound shaking the cavern.
Alaric twirled his Kusanagi in his hand, his smirk never faltering.
"Alright," he said, his tone calm but carrying a hint of amusent. "Let's make this quick."
The golem charged, its massive fists slamming into the ground.
Alaric moved with lightning speed, dodging the attacks with ease.
But this ti, he didn't bother with his sword.
His Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan glowed brighter, and he activated Vulcan.
The air around him shimred as countless shards of tal materialized out of thin air.
Alaric raised a hand, and the shards shot forward like a storm of blades, embedding themselves into the golem's stone body.
The golem roared, its movents slowing as the tal shards tore through its form.
But Alaric wasn't done.
With a flick of his wrist, the shards began to move, slicing through the golem's arms and legs.
The massive stone limbs crumbled to the ground, leaving the golem helpless.
"Finished..." Alaric smirked.
He snapped his fingers, and the shards converged, forming a massive spear of tal that hovered in the air.
With a casual gesture, he sent the spear hurtling toward the golem's head.
The spear pierced through the golem's skull, shattering it into pieces.
The golem's body collapsed, its form crumbling into rubble.
Alaric landed gracefully, his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan fading as the tal shards dissolved into the air.
He glanced at the shattered remains of the golem, his smirk widening.
"Next ti, send sothing faster," he said, his tone light but carrying an edge of challenge.
As the golems' remnants faded away, Alaric unsheathed the Kusanagi, the environnt finally shifting around him.
---
The cavern dissolved into a serene, ethereal landscape.
"Oh... I guess I finished the trial?" Alaric murmured. "I was hoping for more..."
A soft, golden light bathed the area, and Excalibur floated in mid-air, its blade gleaming with an otherworldly radiance. Beside it stood the woman Alaric had encountered earlier... the Lady of the Lake, Niamh of Argyll.
She smiled warmly, her form shimring like mist under the moonlight.
"Congratulations," she said, her voice gentle but carrying a tone of reverence. "You've achieved what many considered impossible. The trials were designed to test not just your strength, but your resolve, your will, and your heart. You've proven yourself worthy."
Alaric tilted his head, his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan spinning lazily as he studied her. His smirk returned, relaxed and confident.
"Worthy?" he said, his tone casual but laced with amusent. "I didn't do it to prove anything. I ca here to take what I needed. That's it."
Niamh's smile didn't falter. She nodded slowly, her gaze thoughtful.
"Perhaps," she said. "But there's more to you than you let on, Alaric. I can sense it. You're not rely a man seeking power. There's a purpose behind your actions, a depth to your character."
Alaric crossed his arms, his smirk widening. "You're reading too much into it."
Niamh chuckled softly, the sound like distant chis. "Perhaps. But I've seen enough to know that you're different from the others. You remind of soone I once knew... Eivor of the Raven Clan."
Alaric's smirk didn't waver, but his crimson eyes glead with interest. "Eivor, huh? I know of her. She's... interesting, I'll give her that."
Niamh's gaze grew distant, as if recalling a mory. "She was a warrior, like you... strong, determined, and driven by a sense of purpose. But where she was a storm, you are... sothing else. Calr, more calculated... more destructive. In a fight between the two of you, I'd wager you'd co out on top."
Alaric chuckled, his tone dripping with nonchalance. "A hundred Eivors, all wielding an Excalibur in each hand, wouldn't stand a chance against ."
Niamh's eyes sparkled with amusent. "Confident, aren't you?"
"I'm just stating facts," Alaric replied, shrugging. "But let's not get ahead of ourselves. You're here for a reason, aren't you? What's the catch?"
Niamh's expression softened. She stepped closer, her form shimring as she approached Alaric. "You've done what no one else could. The Excalibur is yours to wield. But before you take it, I must ask... what is your intention?"
Alaric's smirk faded slightly, his crimson eyes locking onto hers. "I've already told you. I'm not here to prove myself. I'm here for the sword. What I do with it is my business."
Niamh studied him for a mont, her gaze piercing but not unkind. "The Excalibur is a weapon of imnse power. It cannot and should not be wielded lightly. I won't ask you to reveal your plans, but I hope you'll use it with the wisdom it deserves. Whether you align with the Hidden Ones, the Order of the Ancients, or neither, I trust you'll use it for the good of the world."
Alaric's expression remained neutral, but a flicker of sothing... perhaps respect... crossed his features. He nodded once. "I'm not part of their war. I've got my own path. But if it makes you feel better... I'll make sure it ends up in the right hands."
Niamh's smile returned, softer this ti. "I believe you. You're not the kind of man to fall into the petty squabbles of others. You're... different."
Alaric raised an eyebrow. "Different, huh? You keep saying that."
"Because it's true," Niamh said, her voice steady. "You're not just strong. You're... extraordinary."
Alaric smirked, his crimson eyes glinting with amusent. "Flattery will get you nowhere. But thanks, I guess."
Niamh chuckled softly, her form beginning to fade. "Take care, Alaric. The world may need soone like you more than you realize."
As her form dissipated, Excalibur floated toward Alaric, its golden light intensifying. He reached out, his fingers wrapping around the hilt. The mont he touched it, the blade shone with a blinding brilliance, but Alaric remained unaffected. His Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan spun lazily, unfazed by the light.
He swung the sword a couple of tis, testing its weight and balance. The blade cut through the air with precision, its edge gleaming with a sharpness that spoke of its legendary status.
"Not bad," he muttered and nodded approvingly. "But I don't need it. Thulani, on the other hand... this would suit him perfectly."
With a final glance at the now-empty space where Niamh had stood, Alaric turned and walked away, Excalibur in hand. The ethereal landscape dissolved, and he found himself standing atop Glastonbury Tor, the wind whipping through his hair.
He looked out at the horizon, his crimson eyes gleaming with determination. "Ti to wrap this up."
Looking at Excalibur on his hand, Alaric wondered what to do with it as it was so big.
'Maybe sealing it would work?'
Channeling a tiny amount of chakra, a cloud of smoke puffed into existence as the sword vanished from thin air.
'Well... it worked.'
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