For a person to gain an advantage over their enemies, they would have to exert considerable effort. In my case, it is a simple task to simply blow most people away with a single punch. In cases like this, I feel akin to Saitama the One Punch Man. Having overwhelming strength is basically a real-life cheat code. It is an advantage that most people don't actually have to exercise pretty much any effort.
It is simple and to the point. Therefore, you can imagine the surprise on my face when I found that simple reality challenged. No matter how much strength that I could muster there was no budging the woman from her position. Instead, there was a sudden jolt and once again I found myself being pushed back.
'Of course… I knew something was off, but I couldn't quite place my finger on it. I believe that I'm on the right path.'
There was a slight tingling situation originating from my arm. If I were to compare it to something, then it would be that feeling accompanying me whenever I hit my funny bone. A sudden numbing sensation that wrapped the entire limb. After moving it around I found that there was no loss of movement, so I should be grateful that I wouldn't be placed at a definite disadvantage.
"Not bad. I expected a greater challenge and I'm glad that you two finally decided to step up.", I said.
I gripped my left wrist with its opposite hand and began to rotate it, loosening up. I suspected that another endurance skirmish was in order, so it would be best for me to prepare myself.
"I can't see it.", the woman uttered. "I can't imagine Bernard ever losing to a runt like you."
Those were fighting words. After all the shit that I've done, and she doubts my strength. She had this condescending aura surrounding her now. Her eyes hardened and before I could make any movements, the woman grabbed her subordinate by his shoulder. In one motion, she pushed him forward and he stumbled to the ground.
"You can say that, but I've been bustin' ass the moment I entered this town. Just because you got a few licks in doesn't mean that ya'll will win. In the end, you will leave with your asses handed to ya.", I said.
I watched as the woman stepped forward. Her hands reached behind her back and after a moment of hesitation, she sighed. Her eyes widened as she lifted the back of her jacket, and out came to handles. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it, but sure enough, two curved sickles manifested from behind her back.
Its arches of metal gleamed in the light of the sun.
"You won't. For the crime of sticking your fat nose in our business, I will end your life. Slowly and painfully, until you beg for mercy. Then I may finish you."
There was a sharp crash of metal as the two curves interlocked with one another. The woman possessed a distinctive sneer on her face. Her body was tense, but that didn't stop her from launching her first attack. Leaping over her downed teammate, the woman crossed her blades. They hook up with each other and within two steps she approaches. With it brought the dangers of sharp metal. Since I wasn't a huge fan of having my chest sliced into ribbons, I moved out of the way. The air whiffed as strike after strike narrowly missed my body. Whether it was a high attack or a low one, she was ruthless with every twist of her blades.
Persistence normally pays off, but here was one of the few times that there was an exception. Her persistence was only met with the reality that she was never going to tear into my flesh with her blades. However, there was a slight issue on my part as well. Despite being able to avoid her attacks, there was absolutely no opening for me to counterattack. Whenever I reached out for her wrist, she rotated her blades in order to thwart my approach.
'I need to do something about those blades. If I turn my back to her then I risk having those blades piercing through it. She's faster than I anticipated as well. In fact, why the hell is a majority of the bastards I've encountered this fast!'
Once again, there was a distinctive whiff as her blade traced through the air, and what seemed like a normal attack, quickly redirected itself. With smooth movements, the curved blade flipped around and its point caught my shoulder. Pain raced throughout my right side as fresh blood coated her blade.
I leaped back in order to recover, but before I could assess my situation, the woman pressed her advantage. Her sickles raced down in a pair and with them brought destruction. Whether it was the destruction of my stance or the annihilation of my clothing, she achieved her first significant strike in this skirmish.
Despite leaning back as far as I could, her sickles tore into my sleeved arm. Her attack carried through and with immense power, they slammed into the ground. As my blood spilled into the dirt, the ground gave way to the impact of her attack.
Splintering into two fractures, the newly formed crevices raced parallel with one another. They traveled several feet in my direction, creating a slender pathway for her to approach. Her eyes hardened as the woman followed her sickles to the ground before pulling them up.
"God of nature, I beseech thee.."
Without moving a single inch from the ground, she opened her mouth with a strange phrase. Her eyes locked onto me as I attempted to regain control of my defensive stance.
Ba Bump! Ba Bump! Ba Bump! Ba Bump! Ba Bump!
Every fiber of my being screamed that something big was going to happen now. Residing on both sides of me was a ditch several inches wide and deep. On the surface that wouldn't be a threat, but it made sidestepping all, but convenient.
"to imbue my blades with the spirits of flame to incinerate my target!"
With those words uttered, nothing short of a miracle happened for this woman. The wind picked up before flames manifested from thin air, and her blades quickly absorbed them. Her sickles began emitting a faint yellow glow and I could sense an immense power emitting from them.
"Shit! Can't let that happen"
My words came out firm, but worry flooded my mind. Her attacks were quite powerful, and I just couldn't grasp how that was the case. There must be a method to her strength, because if that was not the case, then she would have aided the eye-patched man sooner. Presented with her charge there was little opportunity for me to bolster my defense. Heated metal backed by superhuman strength reached out toward me, begging to slice and seer my flesh.
Her speed increased allowing her to traverse the small distance in between us in seconds, and with it brought a fiery trail. There was no retreat. I could not block that nor would I attempt to parry sun-colored sickles. With realization, things became simple. Any indecision that managed to creep in, made an abrupt exit. If I can not evade or block an attack, then what I need to do is simple.
My fist clenched tightly as I pushed myself forward toward her. Presented with a single path, it would be foolish not to take it. After all, she was kind enough to create it for me. Flaming metal arched out and with it created a trail of slashes towards my body. Within inches of my body were crosses made purely out of fire. My exposed forearm went up and the flames crashed violently into my flesh.
The heat was intense causing my body to scream out of instinct. My body commanded me to evade, but yet I resisted that temptation. One after another the flames greeted my flesh, and even bounced to my precious braids with the ends sizzling like lit cigarettes.
Ba Bump! Ba Bump! Ba Bump! Ba Bump!
The once-reserved face of my attacker soured like all the rest. She smirked with the expectation that she would push me around as she saw fit, but she had a lesson to learn today. It was the same lesson that Bernard and Dante had to learn as well, and it is best taught the hard way.
The sickles sunk into my forearms, and the full might of her attack rained down upon me. Cooked meat filled my nose, and my face contorted from the pain. It was not often that I was stabbed in a fight. Throwing hands was one thing. I am used to that, but there is nothing like having two blades digging deep into your flesh. It was even worse when she skewered my forearm like a steak on a grill.
"Surrender yourself to death. You have no hopes of beating me.", the woman said.
A lesson is best taught the hard way. A fight is simple, and the greatest lessons reflect that.
"Nah- That weak shit ain't taking me down!"
Ba Bump! Ba Bump! Ba Bump!
Despite pelting me with her attacks, and mustering strength in hopes of striking me down, it failed. With my flesh roasting, and my blood spilling into the dirt, I resisted. I didn't budge an inch. I defied her strength and her magic. Her sour stench of superiority warped just like all the others. My forearm rose and pushed back against her. Our eyes locked and I could still sense the ferocity in her motions. She may be taller than I am, but that matters little. It is not the height that dictates every fight, nor will I be intimidated by such a factor.
It isn't height nor magic that settles a fight; not in Infinity Unleashed or in this new world that I find myself in. It isn't wrath or speed either. The main factor that settles a fight is simple… I do.
"I'll keep this simple for ya; You're done now, bitch."
No man or woman overpowers Qayshawn Bedgood. I make sure of it.