'How many are there!?' Tobey thought with despair, panting hard. After running across a good part of the city, he didn't have much stamina anymore. Running and fighting at the same time sure was tiring, much more when he needed to fight against several enemies at the same time.
Tobey turned around looking to all sides. Wherever he looked, people dressed in white clothes or white armor were looking at him. Shiny golden auras emphasized their silhouettes and eyes. Their eyes had the same golden color, and Tobey could feel the power emanating from inside them. It seemed like an invisible force that was pressuring his shoulders and knees, making him feel the urge to kneel or lay to the ground.
'Warriors, shooters, archers... I am surrounded. There is nowhere to run. I am counting about two warriors coming from the east, three others from the north, two more from the west, and three from the south. There are shooters and archers on top of the buildings around, numbering five in total. Fifteen people are sieging me.'
He never needed to fight against so many people at the same time before. He didn't know the limits of his body at that point since he was still getting used to it. Battling against everyone was very dangerous due to that reason. He didn't know whether those guys were teaming up against him because he was too strong or potentially dangerous. If it was the latter, then he would surely die while trying to fight back.
His line of thought got interrupted once his phone began to ring.
'Who is it? Who would call me at this moment? If it's Beca, she can do something to help me. Maybe send reinforcements or... Well, there is my appearance right now... Once they saw me, they would surely consider me a monster. However, my voice is still the same. While my face is still occult to them, I can count on their help. It can be the Marshal or someone else from the department as well. However, if my parents are calling again... Damn, I won't know until I answer this call!'
His eyes darted around as those guys approached him carefully. Since he was still in a fighting position and looking to all sides, they were expecting him to unleash a savage barrier of attacks again as he did a couple of seconds ago while running. The archers and shooters were preparing their weapons, aiming at him; they wouldn't need to worry about Tobey's approach at all and soon would mercilessly shoot against him.
'Think, Tobey! Think like you always did! Think quickly! How can you get out of this situation? You won't do it unharmed, probably. Not like when running across the city. However, leaving this place alive is something already!'
Tobey felt like a timer began to run, and he was too late to get to a conclusion. That kind of anxiety was normal when thinking under pressure and with a deadline. The detective needed to go through it a lot of times but he never got used to it.
'The north, south, and west have a good composition in their team. The warriors are well-balanced, some with heavy swords and armors, others with lighter ones. Agility combined with brute strength, a mortal synergy. Archers and shooters are backing them up as well. However, in the east, there are only two warriors, both with heavy armors and double-edged axes. The number of archers there is slightly higher than in the other directions, but that's the best gamble I have by now!'
Tobey kicked the ground and ran towards the east. His pursuers realized what he intended to do and gave chase on him. The rangers on top of the buildings fired on him as well.
Nonetheless, none of them was able to catch up with Tobey's speed. He skillfully dodged the arrows, shoots, and light orbs coming his way, zigzagging on the battlefield. He tried hard not to lose speed while dodging so he would create distance between him and the others, giving him time to fight against the two armored enemies in front of him.
When he got into range for them to attack, the armored men didn't hesitate in lifting their axes above their heads and unleashing their attacks towards him alternately. One of them swung his arm vertically, and the other drew an arc in the air horizontally.
Tobey carefully calculated their speed, noticing that the one coming horizontally was faster. He bent his body forward, dodging the attack. When the vertical one came, he leaped to the side making him miss the blow.
The detective jumped on top of the axe's handle while the armored warrior was still pulling it from the ground after his vertical swing. He used it as a stepping stone to leap forward and hit that man with all his strength using his knee. His opponent's helmet got warped in a very unnatural way. The power of that hit was such that blood spat out from the openings of the helmet.
'Good! It caused great damage! Now, the other!'
Tobey prayed to turn just in time to avoid the upcoming blow but he wasn't fast enough to do it. The axe was already drawing another arc to the opposite side it went before, aiming to split him in two from the waist.
'I will need to trust them once again... My claws!'
Tobey opened his hands like a tiger, preparing his 6 cm long black claws, and hit the axe's blade. Their attacks locked for a moment, a strong shockwave blowing to all sides. His body nearly got launched to the side, but he stood firm on his feet and kept locking blades with him.
The detective roared with anger and parried his axe to the side, using his opponent's strength against him. However, the next attack didn't last to come.
'My nails cracked with that attack... I feel so much pain in my fingers that I could die. The impact reverberated through my entire arm! Even so... until I find an opening, I can't stop!'
Tobey swung his other arm to the side, his claws collided against axe's flat side once again and he blew it upwards. Once again, he felt his claws cracking as if they could shatter at any time. He needed to clench his teeth in order to not scream in pain. If he did so, he would lose breath. In that kind of exchange, stamina, resistance, and breathing were everything!
Another round of attacks echoed through the streets of that city, disturbing the silence of the night. The impact of those blows seemed able to make the ground shake.
Tobey and his opponent relentlessly exchanged blows at an absurd speed, unleashing their full power.
Tobey's right hand's claws got thoroughly broken, finally. He saw them shatter at once after another collision.
'I need more power... I need more resistance... I need something two... no, three times as sturdy as steel! Something that will allow me to use all my strength without breaking!'
Another swing with the axe, then the sound of something shattering. He lost the claws of his left hand as well!
'If this demon thing is equivalent, though opposite, to their powers, then I shall be able to unleash something like their light orbs or enhanced weapons as well! If they are wielding light... then I shall focus on shadows, on darkness! This searing pain in my heart, that keeps burning nonstop, must be something more than just a detail!'
Tobey concentrated as he ran forward without hesitation. The man wielding the axe got surprised by his approach. He didn't think that the demon would still have the will to fight after having his claws broken like that.
'That's a stubborn one, I see... I will end with him quickly, then!'
The other warriors were slowing down their pace, stopping their pursuit. Since the demon would get slayed already, they didn't need to rush. If they did so, they would only get in the way of their comrade. It was just one enemy, after all.
'Goodbye!' the man tightened the grip on the axe's handle, swinging it downwards, aiming the demon's head.
At that moment, a flash of red light blinded those warriors for a second, then came the sound of metal hitting metal.
Clang!!
That sound was so sharp and loud that their ears hurt upon hearing it.
Everyone opened their eyes, just to see a curved dagger materialized in the demon's hand. It had a black handle with strange runes scribbled on it. The same pattern of runes was carved into the blade, which had a light red color and was slightly curved. He was holding it in a reverse grip, locking blades with that warrior.
Nonetheless, the objective wasn't to lock blades with him. It was nearly impossible to do so with a dagger. Instead, he used it to redirect that attack to the side, fiercely parrying it as he rotated his hips with all his strength. The result, though, was way bigger than he thought, not only did his dagger parried it, but it also shattered the blade of that man's axe.
Tobey was finally able to enter into the warrior's guard, having his front completely opened to any attacks. For a moment, his eyes met his opponent's. The latter didn't see cruelty, wrath, or craziness inside Tobey's eyes, but a glacial glare that sent chills running down his spine.
"Die!!" Tobey shouted, thrusting his dagger forward and piercing the opening between the helmet and the upper body armor of his enemy.