And here is chapter 2. I don't feel really satisfied with this chapter. The hardest part in making this is to see what stuff in the original content you should write. I can jump through the action part but it doesn't feel right if I leave out the important details from the original story. I also find it hard to write the effect of what if scenario to the world. There should be some kind of butterfly effect that can completely change the stories from the original but I just don't know what to write.

I think this just showed my inexperienced as a writer. Wrong grammar, a lot of misspelling, lack of vocabulary, rereading this makes me want to scrap it and start over but I decided just to continue with it. At first I planned to write the story until the northern campaign but I think I'll just write it until they met Riful. Anyway, I think this is the best I can do for the moment. I'm sorry if this doesn't live up to your expectations. Feedback and opinions are really appreciated.

A Man with Swords: The Second Sword

Chapter 2

I can sense another Yoma hiding. Judging by the speed I think this one is hiding within some kind of carriage. "This is the second time we have met a claymore right Raki?" I can hear a man voice from the carriage. "Yes uncle", I recognize that voice. It's that boy from Doga. He left quite an impressions for me since he seems to have taken a liking to me. I rarely mention my name but he insist to know it. "Well, there's been a rumor that a Yoma has reside in this passage. With this many people and a claymore I can do another trip to Egon" I see, this is a merchant wagon. The yoma seems prefer to attack people here by masquerading as a guy that needs a trip to the next town. And when they are alone, it can start to attack them.

"Don't mention it, we claymores are kind at heart. It is our duty to protect you". It's the yoma. It's masquerading as a claymore. "I'm glad to hear that. I thought you claymores are cold and heartless but when we are speaking like this you guys are actually nice" There's a sudden confusion in his voice, "Raki, are you okay? What's the matter?"

"Who are you?" The boy suddenly shouted "Claymore never call themselves by that names". The yoma whisper silently, "Is that so? I have to remember that." I can feel a sudden spike from it's scent. It's abandoning it's disguise. I can hear a loud scream. This is not the time for hesitating. I raise my speed to the wagon, it's far but I can reach it within 6 seconds. When I was there the man and the merchant are already dead. It's chasing the boy now. The boy stumbles and I can see the monster try to slash him. With inhumane speed I jump between them and quickly draw my sword to cut it's right arm. The monster scream but it start to retaliate with the left arm. With it's sharp claw it try to impale me. The boy are behind me if I dodge he's going to die. I can feel the monster hand connected with me but a simple slash and it's head are already being separated from the body.

*scene break*

*sob *sob* I can hear the boy cry. This is the third time his family member being killed in front of him. I don't know him well but I can at least help him bury his uncle body, Egon is still far from here and I cant just leave him alone here in a middle of the night. "I'm sorry" He suddenly speak "I'm sorry. You got wounded because you protect me right?". I look at my stomach, the monster attack did not really punch through it. When my swords cut his head it lost it's momentum and the attack did not connect really well. "It is a mere scratch," I simply reply. "What are you doing here anyway?". He looks down and answer "My uncle said it might be a good idea to have a new start, when a merchant come into our village we decided to go along with them". I see, it's not uncommon for the yoma victims survivor to be fear upon. "What are you going to do now?", he did not reply. Of course, he is just a child. It is very questionable how a mere boy survive from a yoma attack. If he insist on going to a new town alone people will start to question it and things can happen.

"Can you cook?" After a moment I decide to ask him. This is not the best idea but it's better than nothing, "How about coming with me for a while" I continue to ask him, "Until we reach a town where you want to live". He looks at me for a while and then smile, "Okay".

*scene break*

"The holy city, Rabona"

"That's right" Rubel simply reply "They want you to hunt down a yoma that's appeared in the town". But Rabona is the holy city that despise everything that is not human. As if he can read my mind Rubel nod at me "Yes, anything unnatural… Objects, tools, people…. us".

"But then, we can't…" he immediately interrupt me "Not necessarily, we've been specifically asked to dispatch the monster quickly and quietly without revealing ourselves." I nod knowing what my next mission will be "So, this will be a covert mission".

"Precisely" he answered while throwing me a bag "Never seen one of those right". I open the bag and found some kind of a container with pills inside. "These pills will suppress your power. It will revert your eyes color back to a normal one" He explained while I see the pills "This way you can sneak into the city without notice but you'll lose the ability to sense yoma". I see, this might be troublesome "You have to find it the old fashioned way".

Rubel suddenly grin at me, "If we pretend that boy is your brother you can sneak into the town easily". I stared at him. That boy, Raki has been following me ever since. It's only been less than a month but he has seen me done some missions. "Is that why I was assigned at this job?". He looked back and smile "Well, they picked the best person for the job" Rubel suddenly raises from his seat and start to walk away "You've been trained for situations like this. Don't be a gruff and try to look like a modest lady, Clare"

"Clare"

"CLARE"

Raki yells make me awake from my daydreaming "Are you alright?" He really looks worried. "I'm fine" I'm not really fine, the pill has been very effective. The clothes feel heavier and my body feels a bit sluggish. I continue my steps to central of Rabona, the Rabona Cathedral. It was big and tall. Inside I can see a lot of people praying. I'm not here for the yoma though, with my ability suppressed I can't even sense my own demonic power that seeps out from my body. As we walk to the baptismal hall I can see a lot of sarcophagus in the side of the pathways. "Wow, there's a mummy inside it" Raki looks surprised when he see inside it. I don't know the religion of Rabona really well but the way they respect the dead by laying them open in the halls are beyond me.

We finally reach at the baptism altar. There's an old man there smiling. "Are you father Vincent?" I ask while lowering my head. "Yes, if you're here to be baptized please come this way." He answer calmly. "Yes, it's an honor to meet you" I said as I start kneeling in front of him. "I baptist you in the name of our lord. What is the name of yours?". "It is Rimuto" I replied "I came from the land of Sutafu". His composed face disappeared. "Then... You are..." I can hear his voice trembling in shock. "Please lower your voice and continue father" I tried to calm him, it will do no good if he start to panic "I understand, please meet in my room at my night. There's a curfew at night, please be careful". I reply with my eyes closed "Understood. Please leave it to me father"

*scene break*

The sky is clear tonight. I can see the full moon reflected in the windows. Hanging in the roof of the cathedral I open the patterned window with a small kick. "I received orders from chief Rimuto" I simply said that as I enter the room "The original request was sent from here in Rabona, is that correct?". He seems at a loss for words, I guess he didn't expect me to come into his room from the window. His room was located in the tallest floor after all. "Uh... Yes, that is correct" He manage to regain his composure. "Tell me more" I need to know everything that has happened in this town so I can find this Yoma without relying on my senses.

After hearing his story I can concluded two things. The first is this Yoma appears to be inside or at least around the cathedral. All the victims, twelve known so far, are killed inside the cathedral. The next thing I notice is that this Yoma might be a voracious eater, Yoma usually eat a human guts once every several weeks, this one however has devour four human within a week. Based on that information I'm heading to the cathedral again to make a quick check. As I jump from roof to roof I can hear a sound of steel whirling in the air. Two, no, three knives are being thrown at me. I quickly let the knives to go through the cloak to slow their momentum as I catch them all with my bare hands. "I got her", I can hear a man voice yelling yelling behind me. As I land in the next house's roof another man are already waiting at me holding a broadsword. I dodge to the side as he swing the sword at me. The sound of roof cracking telling me that another man rushing straight to me. As I jump backward a spear has waiting for me. Surrounded by four man I can't help but getting injured. The spear scratch my right arm and I can feel blood dripping in my hands.

This won't do, I don't have time for this. As I dodged another attack from the sides I raise my Yoma power. There's still some side effect from the pill but this power is enough to lose their chase. With a surge of strength in my leg I make a leap forward so fast passing the soldier in front of me. My sudden display of power make is enough to stop them. As I jump toward the cathedral gate I can see far behind me that their expressions are filled with shocked. I see, it seems when I jump they have a glimpse of my eyes. It's been more than half a day, my eyes color must been silver again.

Before I step into the cathedral there's a man scream. It comes from the lower cathedral halls. I immediately run into it passing some doors and stairs. There I see a dead soldier laying on the cold cathedral floor stone. His stomach is open and his insides are already eaten. From the look of it he is a night patrol guard. But where is the Yoma? The attack must be recent enough to... An attack ! I quickly roll forward to avoid an attack from behind. I can see a tall big silhouette in the dark. It's the Yoma. It stands tall about 3 feet, taller than normal Yoma I've ever encountered. I didn't bring my claymore so I prepared two knives. As it move forward to attack me three knives has been thrown to the Yoma. "Do you got her?" It was the night curfew patrol I met earlier. They actually manage to chase me. "What's wrong what did you..." When another man finally arrived they freeze in front of the Yoma. "Is that a...?" One of them finally manage to say something. "Get out of here" I yelled to them "You are no matched for this" Their attack only agitated the yoma.

The Yoma hands suddenly stretched out. I can see those sharp claw aiming for him. I jump in front of it and try slice it with one knife. This knife are too short to cut it's hand. As if it was nothing his left hand retaliate. I dodge it's claw and the force of the attack is enough to make me being thrown into the wall. My head hits the wall and I can feel blood dripping from it. The yoma make another attempt to attack the man. I throw my knife to it's left eye. "What are you standing there for! Get out of here" I yell at the man again.

This inhumane battle seems to nail their feet to the floor. The yoma didn't stop for long and continue it's attack. It stretched the hand again to the man. I jump in front of it again but this time I stab it's right hand to pin it down. It stumble forward and my knife find a resistance in the stone floor ensuring the right hand is down. Suddenly a loud noise of door being forcefully open. A group of soldiers have come to the site. It surprises the Yoma but not for long. I notice it too late. The left hands are already moving to me. I jump back to avoid the attack but my delayed reactions only ensuring those claws to connect with my body. I can feel two claws impale me, one in my chest and one in my stomach. It's then raise it's arm and slam me down to the floor before finally retracting the claw. As I started losing consciousness I can see it running away to the deeper cathedral halls.

*scene break*

I can feel pain in my whole body. When I opened my eyes I can see Raki besides me crying "Clare, you are finally awake. Thank goodness". I see, when I lose my consciousness in the battle but someone brings me here and try to save me. I recognize this place. This is father Vincent's room. "Ah, you're finally awake" father Vincent slowly walking toward me "I'm sorry to trouble you father" I look at him "What happened? How long I've been here?". "You've been here for a day" I glance at the windows and see the sky are dark. "Gak and Sid carry you out when they bump to me". I raise my body and see it being bandaged all over. With the pill effects mostly gone I can feel it start to recover at faster rate but my ability to sense Yoma is still hindered. "The night curfew" I started my question to him "Is it normal to have a group of four people in a patrol?" The appears to be tighten within only a day. When I first visit the cathedral I can see a patrol group of only two people. Not to mention the speed they manage to find me battling the Yoma.

"Well, the truth is there's been a little ruckus in the cathedral after you left in yesterday noon" he reply slowly. "A ruckus?" I reply confusedly "Yes, you see some time after you leave there's a man that want to enter the baptismal hall without a Pilgrims Journey" A man, wait, it can't be. "This man", he continues "insist to enter but when he realize didn't allowed to enter he told the guard to focusing the patrol near the baptismal hall" "He also told them to increase the number of people in a patrol and to be more careful inside the baptismal hall" There's no more doubt about it. Father Vincent looks down again "Of course we ignore it. Although some guard did follow his advice and increase the patrol member and stay on guard near the baptismal hall"

I quickly interrupt him, "How did he look like?". Father Vincent seems surprised at my sudden interest "Well, he is rather tall about 6 feet. He has red hair and he has quite a distinguishable face so I think he's not from around the central."

It is him. The man with red hair is here. He probably here to slay the Yoma. But how did he sense a Yoma. "What is his eye color?" I ask father Vincent. "Ah, I don't really remember, I think it's brown or something. No. not really brown but..." he's pondering for a while "I'm sorry I don't remember. I didn't really look at him closely.". "That's okay" I reply. So he is human or assuming he's another warrior he must been taken the pill too. But how did he detect the Yoma.

Wait, he says to be more cautious around the baptismal hall. If the rumors are true then the yoma must be there when he said that and there's a good chance that it will still be there today. But I heard after sunset no one is allowed to the lower cathedral halls due to the recent attack. There's nothing in the baptismal hall but sarcophagus. Wait, sarcophagus. yoma can disguise as any human being. Man or woman, adult or child, living, or dead. It must have taken a disguise as a mummy in the sarcophagus. I immediately stand up and wear my cloak again.

"Clare, where are you going? You are still injured" Raki seems really concerned at me. Wait, "Why is Raki here?" He's supposed at the inn with the luggage. "Ah, you mentioned that if something happen with you I should take care of the boy right? I contact him straight away when you brought here". "Yeah" Raki added "There's two soldier come to our room last night. We left our luggage there but the inn keeper promises to keep them safe for us".

Well, my wounds are closing and with the pills effect are almost diminished I can start my hunt. I still can't sense yoma from far but I can do a close inspection in the halls. "Please don't let anyone come into the Baptismal Halls" I said it to Father vincent without glancing. "But Clare.." Raki protested "I'll be fine Raki" I closed the door holding two knifes in my hands.

*scene break*

The baptismal halls are big. A dim moonlight from the windows showering the sarcophagus make the athmosphere heavier. As I walk through the halls I can feel a faint familiar sense. The dead body near the altar suddenly raised. It appears to realize that it being noticed. We stare at each other without moving. A second passed and I'm the one that makes the first moves. I rush through it try to slash it arms to reduce it offensive potential. I immediately being countered with five sharp claw trying to slice me. I duck and continue my attack with a little success. The knife is too small to do any real damage. It immediately sway it arms to me throwing me to the pillars. Ugh, I can feel some of my wounds being opened again. "Is this all you can do half-lings?" It tries to taunt me. I raised my weapons again. I'm clearly at a disadvantages here. It's hard to defeat a voracious eater by having some wounds and using an ineffective weapons.

"Clare" I can hear Raki voices. What is he doing here? I can see him carrying a statue with two soldiers. So he rushes to the inn to get that. "We come to help too" They both offering me an assistance. "I don't need help" I yelled at them. "I don't need help. Get out from here." Raki seems to tell something to one of the soldiers. The monster didn't wait for them to finish. It start to charges toward them. I immediately chased it down and stab it backs with my knife. The monster roar and immediately attack me again. As I dodge another sword try to slash it. "Die monster" the soldier slash his sword to it's chest. The monster punch him and he flew back to the wall. As it try to end him with it's claw I immediately jump and grab him.

"Aghh" he's saved but I get another injury in my leg. "Hahaha" the monster laugh echoes in the hall "a weaklings try to hunt me down?". The monster grab the man's sword from the floor. It's then flailing it wildly in front of me. I defend my self with a knife and there's another clash of metals in the room. Just as my knife broke down I can hear Raki voices again "Clare, get this". The soldier beside Raki are throwing the statue at me. As the monster try to cut my head I grab the statue and block it. With the impact of the attack, the statue starts to crack revealing what's actually inside it.

"A claymore?" The monster looks confused. "This time" I said in a low voice. "The monster hunt begins for real". Wielding a claymore is different from wielding a knife. Unlike small knife or sword, claymore size, weight, and sharpness make it able to cut through flesh and bones with ease. Compound it with our demonic power, we can move it as if it is our own hands. With a claymore in my right hand I charge forward. "Don't think a mere claymore can defeat me" The monster try to attack me again but I parry the sword and cut it's right arm. The arm fly to the wall before it fallen down. I can hear it scream in agony.

I step back trying to get some space first. "Hahaha" the monster laughed "I wondered why you are in a hurry.". It notices me straining. My wounds are open and I lost a lot of blood in this battle. "You didn't mean to cut my arm, you are aiming at my head" It's right I miss because the wounds in my leg make me lose balance. And if I don't hurry I might not win this battle. The moment the monster see the other soldier trying to wake up it tries to grab him. I'm not fast enough to prevent it grabs him but instead of killing him outright the monster throw the man at me. As I grab him another set of claw has already aiming at both of us I throw the man to side and try to dodge. But to no it slice my left arms pretty bad.

This won't do, I need more power. I need more strength to defeat it. I let my demonic power to flow inside of me. I can feel my entire body being flooded with pure power. My wounds are start to closing and my sense become more sensitive. Without a moment to wait I jump at it with aiming it's head. I swing my swords to the neck and I can see blood flowing out of it. The monster fell down to the floor motionless. "You did it" I can hear them cry in joy. But this is not over. In the last moment, I accidentally let my monster side become to powerful. And when that's happen we start to lose our human side. We start to become monster ourselves. I can feel my entire body shivering with this surge of power. "Clare, what happens?" Raki looks at me worryingly. Before I can say a word the monster stood again. It's still alive, it appears it's head still attached to the body so it didn't really dead. Such a trivial mistake. This is really bad, another display of my power and I'm really going to turned into a monster but if I lay still it's going to kill everyone. With no other choice I start to grip my sword again.

"That's okay, I'll take care of it", suddenly an unfamiliar voice start to talk. Who is that? I can hear him approaching from behind and a quick glance I know who he was. That man stood besides me. He is the rumored man. Tall with a red-hair, his face looks very... different and his eyes. He has brown eyes with a faint golden tint in it. He wears a black clothing presumably to infiltrate the cathedral. "Are you okay? You should tend your wounds soon", he ask me with a calming voice. "I'm going to help you after I kill him". He started to walk to the monster. "A mere human tries to kill me" the monster attack him with his left arm, the only arm it has. The man simply shift aside and with only one swift the monster head has flew separated from the body. No jumping, no rushing, just a simple slash with his right hand and it has ended.

Everyone seems stunned with his sudden appearance. A man that simply walk towards a yoma, a voracious eater that one, and simply slay it without any efforts. And his swords, I never seen a swords like that. Those are not an ordinary black and white swords. Those swords have an odd shapes and when I see it glimmering under the moonlight. I can't help to think that this swords possess an incredible power within it.

Guh, I can fell another surge of energy in me. I'm really turning into a monster now. "What happens Clare?" Raki is the first to notice me. "Hey are you okay?" The man also com to me with a worried face. "When we use too much power" I start to explain with a weak voice "we're going to turn into a yoma ourselves". I look at the mysterious man again because I think he's the one that capable to end me. His face looks concerned but I continue "So, please kill me while I still has a human Consciousness ". "No", Raki suddenly shout. "I don't want you to die" He starts to hug me closely. I look at that man face again. He stares at me closely and say it with a stern voice, "No, I'm going to save you. If I have more time I can analyze you more but for now..." The man put out something out of his pocket and started to write some kind of runic symbol around me. "What are you doing" I scold him "I'm beyond help, I'm turning into a monster". "Clare" Raki starts to talk again "When my family was killed you was there to save me. When everyone was abandoning me you let me be with you. I lost everything but you were there for me. When we travel together I feel very happy." Raki starts to cry "You always say you are not kind but you are kinder than anyone I've ever met. I don't want anybody else I just want to be with you Clare." Raki voices somehow sooth something inside me. There's another surge of power but suddenly it just stopped.

"What happens did you save her?" Everyone looks confused. I look at the man "Uh actually no, I haven't finished it yet." He stopped his drawing and looks at me again. "I don't feel any disturbances in your body but..." He mumbling something but I can't hear it because everyone seems to cheer for my recovery. "Clare, you're saved" Raki smile with joy "Clare. Clare"

*scene break*

I'm really grateful for everything you've done for us" Father Vincent smile to us. "I don't do it for praise, It was my job" I reply to him. "Besides the one who actually kill the yoma is..." The man suddenly interrupt "I didn't do much. The monster are already weaken" He smiles to them "I also have to say thank you about the information you give to me". We wave good bye to father Vincent and some soldiers. With the incident closed nicely without raising some unwanted attention I can leave the town peacefully. I already offer Raki the opportunity to stay in this town but he insist to follow me. As for the mysterious man he just smiles and follows me. Wearing a white clothes with long sleeves he simply walk behind me. I have a lot of question for him and I'm sure he also has some for me.

*scene break*

As we walk in the passage to the next town I finally stop and looks at him. "Do you have some question for me?" I looks at him in the eye and stop waiting for his reply. He smiles at me "Well, I just want to make sure you are okay. Although you do say you have faster regeneration than normal human.". "You follow me just to make sure I'm okay?" I didn't believe what I hear. "Yeah, I didn't mean any trouble" he suddenly adds "If I'm bothering you please say so."

I didn't know what to say. I just look at him for a while. "Oh sir" Raki suddenly talk to him "I'm sorry to accuse you as a yoma. I thought you killed my brother in the village but Clare has explained to me what happened". "It's okay" the man waves his hand. He studied the boy for a bit "I didn't mean to intrude your privacy but why did you choose to follow her instead of staying in Rabona". Raki answer immediately "Because she save me from yoma and she accepts me when everyone try to abandon me". The man face looks serious "She save you...". "Yes, she also always kind to me." Raki continues talking about me but that man keeps mumbling about something "Being saved...". He looks up again and glance at me again "Are you sure you are really okay now?"

"Yes" I reply. I have lot of questions but I think I start with this one "Why are you hunting yoma?". "I didn't particularly start hunting them." He started to explain "The first time I came here someone is being attacked by a yoma. I simply help him".

"As I continue my travel I've met more people that needs my help. And based on their story and my experience every yoma exist just to feed on humans. Since then every time I encounter one or sense it I decided to slay it". Wait a second, is this means "You can sense a yoma?"

"I'm quite sensitive with supernatural things. And when I come near them I can sense them. Yoma appears to be something supernatural"

"You say that you are traveling. Where do you want to go?" Raki suddenly ask him.

"I'm looking for my friend" he reply "We got separated when we come to this land"

"A friend?" I watched at him closely "Is that why you are going to Rabona? Did you meet your friends there?"

He cross his arm and start to frown his eye brows "Not exactly, because of what me and my friends do means we rely on books a lot I believe she'll come to this place. Rabona has the largest library in this land."

"So is the information about your friends?"

"Yeah, I just found out that she did come to Rabona. I think people notice her because she has a long black hair. Most people in Rabona don't have a black hair. They have dark brown hair but not black. But she already left Rabona to travel to the east last week."

"Is she your lover? Why did you leave her" Raki ask him again confusedly

"I didn't leave her. Like I said we got separated due to some circumstances" he quickly denied that and looks at Raki "As for our relationship, well, we do have a romantic feelings but for most of the time you can say I'm her apprentice"

"Apprentice?" More questions pop up in my minds "What are you studying? Martial arts? Combat?"

He chuckled at my questions "No, for most of the time we do some experiments. One of the experiments is the main reason why we ended up here. But sometimes I get called for monster exterminations."

"Experiment? Monster exterminations?" Is he another warrior from the organizations? But he clearly stated that he's not from this land. The more I think about it the more I don't understand. I finally look at him again and ask "Who are you?"

At the same time I can hear some noise from Raki. "I didn't mean to interrupt"

The man chuckled again and look at Raki "Well, we haven't eaten anything for hours. Why don't I cook you some food?" He smiles at me again

We do not need much foods to keep up going. One small chunk is enough for me for days and Raki always eats his food fast.

"And while we're having dinner" He open his bag and start making a fire. "This time we can properly introduces ourselves"

I still have a lot of questions for him but he seems to be really fixated in making dinner. This is going to be the longest dinner I've ever had.

*end of chapter 2*

And that was it. The main changes in here is how Raki meet Clare and the way Clare start to seek for the Yoma. When I reread claymore manga I realized the uncle in Raki's house is not really his uncle. It's a calling to someone in his 40 or something but oh well. I decided just to put it. There's a lot of stuff that I want to write but I can't express my ideas in words. Also, someone say I need to have a beta-reader. So, do I have to post a beta version first and edit them or something? I can't find a beta posting in the publish story menu. Anyway, thank you for reading this far. Have a nice day.