As the wall crumbles around me I instantly put my mask on, now on high alert. I guiltily touch my chest where the map was stored as the world around me goes dark.
Damn it. I knew it was likely but didn't think it would actually happen while I was still here. I curse under my breath and peak through a tiny gap in the debris.
God... Damn it Shaz! I curse again. Someone as smart as you should easily be able to tell that that girl simply isn't reliable, what are you doing?!
No wait, stop it. There's no reason to be getting so worked up. This is simply the natural order of events, if I was never here this would have happened regardless.
I close my eyes and back away from the peep hole.
That's right. I am simply a traveler. All actions I take are for finding Dundee and nothing more. I am selfish. I am selfish. I need to be selfish or I will never accomplish my goals. I've held to this my entire life, and it's never been more important to hold to it right now. I think this, feeling like I've been having to repeat this to myself hundreds of times.
.
..
... Alright, I feel calm again.
I look back through the peephole, the confrontation was beginning to heat up. Avery surrounding herself in a cloud of mist, Shaz holding something that looked like a gun.
I tense up and grab the entrance of the cage, vigilant for the chaos that was almost certain to ensue. There would be no better chance for me to make my escape.
I focus all my Anku directly into my eyes, scanning every human, every limb, every muscle, for the slightest twinge, for the slightest opportunity.
Avery opens her palms and brings her arms forward. I rear my arms backward to slam them into the door, ready to explode out of the cage.
After this, I run away into the city.
I let out a single long breath.
As Shaz slams the butt of his gun, I slam forward an Anku powered push with both of my arms. The crack of gunpowder, the icy mist all but drowned out the sound of my cage opening.
The henchmen, too distracted by the smoke and lights show, were oblivious to my presence behind them, as I quickly scurried behind a broken crate.
There would be no better opportunity to help them out.
I clench my fist, rivers of veins sprouting out all over my arm.
You have to get away now or it'll be too late.
I watch as Shaz is grabbed by his feet, thrown into the cloud of ice and debris.
Help them... Help them! It's the right thing to do.
Avery glances back as Shaz is thrown off her back, only to be immediately tackled by one of the attackers during that lapse in concentration.
Leave or they will discover you too. You will be dragged into all their troubles.
"Now I'm not supposed to hurt ya. But unlucky for you that was just a suggestion." The woman kicks Shaz's stomach.
Are you just going to watch? With all your skill and training back in The Eye? All that going to waste?
Shaz screams out in pain while saying something to Avery.
You have to be selfish. Or you will never accomplish any of your goals.
Being selfish huh? That means doing whatever you want right? Are you truly being selfish right now? Or are you just being scared.
"HEY THE SHITHEAD IN THAT CAGE OVER THERE! I'LL PAY FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT IF YOU HELP US!" Shaz screams at me directly.
I nod my head and smile. That's right, I've already forgotten. I've decided to do whatever the fuck I wanted to didn't I? And there is not a single person that's going to stop me.
"Awfully generous of you." I stand up and jump forward, my single footstep, leaving a harsh imprint in the ground.. "Gonna make me blush."
"Who the hell—" As one of the henchmen raises his sword at me, I lift my heel up and instantly snap a kick, making contact with the flat of the blade and knocking his arm to the side. As I do this I spring up into the air, sending my body into a spin.
The man tries to step away, bringing his sword back in front of his body. However, I quickly zone in on his right arm and smack his sword away once more, in the same fluid motion as the first kick.
Then in a bout of extreme athleticism, I land on my toes and throw a kick at his chin, only to feint it and drive my heel straight into his fingers gripping the blade, which he was trying to bring up for the third time. I feel the tiny bones in his finger crack as he lets go of the blade, I swoop in and grab the hilt of the blade whirling it around my body like a tornado, intimidating all the other two henchmen who were trying to pincer me from the sides.
Four kicks in almost half a second. I'm beginning to get used to fighting without my eyes and ears. As they were draining immense amounts of Anku, if I simply allowed myself to be impaired, I could regain my former speed and strength momentarily.
"Who the hell are you?! And you'd better stop sticking your nose in our business if you know what's good for you." The woman who was smacking Shaz says menacingly.
I sigh. "Believe me, I'm probably wondering the same thing as you. But well, I guess... Life would be boring if I didn't surprise myself from time to time."
"That's a wonderful mindset. It's a shame that we just happened to be the ones you found, I don't like killing kids."
I then clench my teeth down hard and force a smile, turning all my stress and anxiety into pure excitement. After all, judging from their movements and how they balanced on their feet, my win here wasn't a 100% certain.
"Who are you talking to?" I say with a cocky grin.
The air behind me shutters, I turn around and swing my sword behind my back and with a delayed timing I swing out my leg into my blind side, predicting all of them to come at me at once.
I manage to parry a sword stroke with my own; however, my leg swings and misses, as they most likely predicted my kick as well. In a flash, I direct all my Anku into my leg and reverse the momentum of my kick. The next instant I redirect it back into my eyes and arms, bringing my sword up defensively once again.
Both my arms and legs make contact at once. Judging from the feel of the impact on my feet... I think I just hit someone's ribs. I bring my sword away and lunge backwards in an attempt to take advantage of the tiny opening I just made, with risk of being impaled straight through my back and out my stomach if I judged wrong on where my foot hit.
Then on pure instinct, I lean backwards as a sword whirrs right through where my neck was a couple milliseconds ago, looking behind my back to see one of the men swinging her sword straight up-down into my face.
Too many things going on at once. I let her slam her sword straight into my mask, bouncing harmlessly off my mask before I charge straight for her hips, a tackle an act of desperation, trying to get myself out of the three way pincer I found myself in.
Individually, these three people were nothing special but... With three times the attacks coming at once, from all angles and directions, I felt like I was trying to dodge Celestia's blows again. Although... That also means they'll make three times the mistakes.
The man barely dodges my charge and I'm able to run right out of there. However, in a contradictory act, I don't keep running; instead, I stay in the his range and ready my sword, bringing it to my waist as if I was wearing a sheath, a move that was in imitation of Rudeus' fighting style.
"Wait! Don't attack him alone!" The woman shouts as the man panics and tries to strike first with a clumsy swing.
I hone in on his descending arm, gripping my hilt tightly with my left hand. I then bite my lip and switch my focus to his blade. I then open my palm, letting all my limbs relax, letting the sword fall down towards the ground.
I didn't teach myself how to fight with a sword for three days for no reason. My visions drains from its eyes, my hearing leaves my ears, all collapsing into my wrist.
I grab the sword's hilt with my right hand as it falls, staying relaxed all throughout the process to achieve as much speed as possible. Then... At the very last possible moment...
I tense up my hand, flicking my wrist up.
A loud snap could be heard across the street as I briefly cross the sound barrier.
I could have chose to aim at his head, I could have chose to aim at his arm, I could have easily killed him right here. Instead...
I watch grimly as both of our blades snap in half from the sheer force of my swing. However, I don't stop moving, I take advantage of his shock and smash my hilt into his nose, making sure to not outright break his skull and kill him.
I take a deep sigh and twirl my broken hilt around my hand. "One down." I reach behind my back and gingerly brush against my skin, looking at the blood stained against my finger, never even noticing that I got injured until now. I then wipe my face as a stream of blood flows down into my eyes as well.
"Knock those two out, all four of us are going to fight. We cannot underestimate this kid." The woman says while never taking her eyes off me. I watch as Avery and Shaz are struck in the neck, both collapsing as all four fighters surround me.
"You never swing your sword offensively. Why? You only parry or block." The woman asks.
I look down at the hilt. "I forget to." I say in response. She was right however. I saw many opportunities to swing back; however, I never took them. It was that annoying voice in the back of my head telling me not to kill.
In fact, right now I'd probably be more effective with my fists or a long hard stick since I wouldn't feel that strange inability to swing back at them.
"What's your name?" The woman then asks.
"I'd prefer if your organization doesn't know who I am." I then respond.
"You say that after going this far already?"
"I know, it's stupid isn't it." I chuckle at myself. "Can you guys... Pay me? I don't particularly care for a cause right now. I'm just looking for money. I'll go away right now if you'd like." I half-heartedly say to the woman.
"Sorry kid, but we've got a reputation to uphold." She brandishes her sword.
"I figured."
...
"Do you four know anything about a man named Dundee?" I then try asking.
"No? Who's that?"
I sigh. "Well, I tried." I bring my broken blade up to my wrist and dig in, creating a fountain of blood. I then whip my hand and sword around, splattering blood all over the area, small bricks, planks, pieces of metal, all coated with my blood. I then close my eyes and breath out deeply in focus.
"You guys better give me a good time." I ready myself and throw the hilt into the ground, readying my fists, opening one palm and closing my other in a form that focuses on both striking and grappling.
Huh, as I thought, I feel a lot more comfortable using these things.
"I do what I want. Nobody can stop me. I am... The strongest." I whisper to myself as all four of them launch at me at once. Instantly three blades come flying at me once, the fourth person trying to tackle me down to the ground.
One— Two! I dodge the first two swords rhythmically. Then! I throw up my knee and catch the fourth person right in the chin, at the same time I let the third sword slide extremely close, right across my neck.
Dodge it just barely... I step in grab the third man's hand and watch as our momentum carries us face to face. I then tuck in my head and head-butt him straight in the nose. Without wasting a beat, I bring my other leg up and kick off his chest. Launching him forward and me backwards.
I quickly glance side to side to instantly realize that I had made a grave mistake as both of the woman had repositioned right behind me. Launching me midair, with no vision behind me, into two waiting and ready swords.
In an act of desperation, I contort my body wildly and activate all the debris on the ground. With no time to aim it, I bring both of my arms up to shield my eyes and neck as I barrage all three of us with flying streaks of bricks, shards of glass, metal, and splinters of wood.
"RAHH!" I let out a shout of pure adrenaline as pain erupts from everywhere at once. I could feel distinctly one of their swords make contact with my skin but I had no idea where.
All five of us fall down one by one as the dust settles.
Bleeding, bruises, cuts, everywhere, I groan as I try to find where I got slashed, finally settling down on my left shoulder. I swing my arm up and down, wondering if I could still move it, wincing as a cascade of pain poured through my arm.
Alright, as long as it's not brain damage; it's nothing that a little Sananku can't fix. I slowly get off the ground, trying my best to block out the pain from my mind. One mistake, I got two more left before I probably die.
I watch as blood drips down from my fingers, soaking into my clothes. Three of the four attackers get up off the ground, readying their weapons at me once again. However, the fourth one lying on the ground, still twitching, but unmoving otherwise.
"Already injured were you?" I say to the leader woman lying on the ground, she already had an unusual amount of wounds scattered all over her suit.
"Take my sword." The woman tosses her blade off the ground to the weaponless man who's fingers I broke previously. I stare at him straight in the eye. He is currently their weakest link, I need to take him down next.
"You better finish the job you bastards." She growls before collapsing on the floor.
I open up both my palms, full grapple. I then take a stance and motion them to come with my fingers.
This time, instead of running forward, the three of them approach slowly, trying to surround me before attacking. I look down at Shaz and Avery still knocked out cold on the ground.
"I'm going to kill you two when you guys wake up." I whisper to myself.
I reactivate all the debris and pop it up in the air. On reaction, all three of them immediately back away, having witnessed the power before.
I immediately whirl around and zip towards the man with the broken fingers. He was holding his sword with his unbroken hand, which I assumed wasn't his dominant hand.
And I was right, he clumsily stabs forward, allowing me to slip right past and get my hands on his wrist. However, in an surprising twist, he drops his sword and immediately reverses my grab on him, holding me in a disadvantageous position instead. I wince in pain as he wrenches my shoulder, too unexpected for me to react and reinforce it with Anku.
"GO, KILL HIM NO-" The man yells trying to keep me down, but I quickly drive my elbow into his stomach and reverse the grab once more. I position my foot right in between his legs, grab his shoulder and hand, force him to lean over the ground. Then, with one final motion I drive all my Anku into my hand which I had set on his elbow.
"You like to grapple huh?" I say before thrusting down hard, immediately shattering the bones in his arm. He screams out in pain before falling down to the ground.
Two mistakes. Next one is fatal.
I close both my hands into fists.
Strike.
"Are you two having fun?" I say with feigned confidence. However, I could feel it. My body was beginning to fail me, there's only so much pain one can push past.
The three of us stand our ground, none of us willing to make the first move. I take the first step, second, third, fourth, until we were just barely out of range of one another.
I then take the step into their circle, tensing up, readying myself for the incoming blows. However, just as quickly the pair steps away, despite having the range advantage with their swords.
These two are scared of me! I thought to myself incredulously. However, that has never done anything but work in my favor before.
"Right now, I don't want to die, and you two might kill me." I lower my fists, bend down, and grab a sword from off the ground.
I close my eyes and imagine myself slashing forward with the sword, tearing right through their bodies, and killing them.
"So I'm going to stop holding back, next time you come at me I will kill you. Think about if you're willing to take that risk or not."
Can I do it now? I continue visualizing my first kill, over and over again, trying to break through that mental barrier...
...
I close off my mind, having made a breakthrough, and I look back up.
I sigh. "Ah... Never-mind, I can't do it." I lower the sword back down on the ground, to their confused looks.
To kill.
It is the end a story. Another human, who may hold the same desires and motivations as mine, to stop their journey short, before they ever find their personal fulfillment, ultimately, it's an act of pure selfishness. That's why I need the selfishness, this is why I need the greed. The world is cruel, and it wasn't going to bend down for me this time. I need to adapt, or I will be consumed.
I grip the sword tightly, taking a monstrous step forward, thrusting straight for the woman's head. She moves to try to block it, but it was too late too slow.
I clench my teeth.
Then let go of the sword, driving my fist straight into the area where her liver should poke out from underneath her ribs, putting in enough force to lift her off her feet. She gasps in shock, her eyes rolling up her head from the damage to her internal organ. She immediately collapses and curls up in a fetal position from the pain.
I whip around to the side, ready for the final man to swoop in for the brief opening I gave him, and I was right. In fact, he was much closer than I expected, moving much much faster than he did previously.
I stare at him dead in the eyes as he drives his sword into my heart. On my survival instinct alone, I snatch it right out of midair with my bare hands, cutting deeply into my palm, piercing just a bit of the skin into my chest, enough to leave a trail of blood down my stomach.
He then yanks the sword out of my grip, making sure to cut even deeper into my hand, to the point where I could see the bones underneath.
I stare at my palm, I was losing blood everywhere at an alarming rate, and I could feel its effects quickly beginning to take punishment on my physical health.
"Taiga Akudani." I say to nobody in particular.
"What?"
"If I die here, I want every god damn person on this planet to know my name! My name is Taiga Akudani!" I roar and then charge forward like a wild animal.
The man readies his sword, calm and collected, for he knew that if he were to panic. The boy would take advantage of him right then and there and end the fight.
He calms his breath, his muscles relaxed, fully focused on the figure charging towards him. If he could take that boy down, they would capture both the Tetsudo and the Inventor, landing him one of the biggest payouts he'll ever see for the rest of the life. He just needed to—
The last thing I saw before I blacked out was a roaring cannon of water, coming in from the side. It was quite comedic, the way the man's feet lifted off the ground, his wide eyes and the look of surprise on his face, and then how he landed into the river nearby face-first. Then the tiny rainbow that came afterwards.
I chuckle at the sight, stumble, and then fall to the floor.