Previously in NWC-
Reno, inspired by the mayor's speech he had prepared, rejoins the fight. Lyn gaslights the young bandit, giving him the option of dying at the hands of his old boss or fighting for a good cause. Getting her answer, she makes her way towards the city. Multiple battles rage and the sounds of Kent's and Deb's guns ring throughout the night. Reno, under the order of Lyn, sets off to protect her house, only to watch the mayor be injured in battle. The one who the mayor was fighting was none other than the bandit leader himself. In the heat of the moment, the bandit leader states his name, which is none other than George...
Reno's eyes narrow with confusion. "George? Really?" His shoulders slump slightly with disappointment. "Your name is just George? Not like, 'George the Gladiator' or anything? Just George, that's it?"
George grows angrier and angrier by the second. "Shut the hell up, you rat!" he swings his sword in a frenzy, nearly cutting Reno on the bridge of his nose.
"(Luna was right, maybe I am stupid.)" He dodges backwards, slowly managing to recollect himself. "(He's fast, but Medusa is faster!)" Trying to pump himself up, Reno thinks of his training. He steps forward swinging upwards at George. Reno, not used to swinging the full weight of the sword, isn't able to connect. George easily moves out the way and continues his assault. His attacks continue to pick up speed, getting slightly faster with each one. "(Dammit! I won't be able to keep up at this rate!)" Reno continues to barely dodge George's attacks, taking minor cuts here and there without even noticing it. Finally, one of George's thrusts make enough contact to give Reno a deep cut in his arm. Reno quickly jumps back, holding his injured arm and looking to see his own blood running down his arm. His eyes widen slightly, as the reality of the situation sets in. "(I'm losing! I knew it wouldn't be easy, especially with how little training I did, but I haven't even been able to put up a fight!)" Reno manages to snap back to reality just in time to dodge another of George's attacks. "(Shit! I can't focus!)" Reno continuously battles with his inner thoughts as he attempts to maintain focus. He barely manages to avoid life ending attacks, one after the other. The difference between him and his opponent was the sun and the moon. Reno had one thought racing in his head on repeat. "(I've already lost.)" Suddenly, from behind George, a loud crack rings out, followed by a spurt of blood from the right side of his stomach. Reno's eyes are instinctively drawn to the figure on the ground, struggling to hold up the rifle. The mayor, using what strength he could muster, smiles as he shoots a hole through George. Although not enough to put him down, it's enough to give Reno the chance to put some distance between them. He quickly recollects himself and begins his attack. He raises his sword and brings it down with all of his strength. Finally, he makes contact, cutting George's arm and chest. Although not deep, the cut was enough to take George out of commission. George drops his sword, holding his chest with his uncut arm, looking at Reno and the mayor with a crazed and angered glare. He lets out a battle cry, charging at the mayor. Reno manages to dash between them and smack George with the hilt of his sword. George falls over unconscious, leaving the two breathing heavily. Reno, after finally managing to calm down, rushes over to the mayor, inspecting the injury he sustained. "Old man!" Reno begins to apply pressure to his wound, his breathing short and uneven. Reno looks down to see his hands covered in the mayor's blood. The mayor winces as a continuous string of pain erupts from his chest.
"Ahh! Dammit!" The mayor does his best to stay still as Reno does his best not to have a mental breakdown.
"(It's not enough! The cut is too big!)" Reno's eyes remain wide and panicked. The mayor sees Reno's expression and does his best to force a smile.
"Ain't nothing I haven't dealt with before, young Reno! This is… nothing…" The mayor takes over pushing pressure on his wound and nudges Reno with his shoulder. "Go back.. to the town hall, young Reno. There's medical supplies in the closet!"
"Uhh, uhh, uhh!" Reno, panicking, finally stands up and begins sprinting towards the town hall. The mayor props himself up on the side of the building and waits for Reno. Reno quickly rushes past the last couple of battles between villagers and bandits. Finally, Reno gets to the town hall, throwing everything out of the closet in a frenzy until he finally finds what looks like a first aid kit. He rushes back, his vision slightly blurry and his heart pounding with a piercing pain as he fails to get enough oxygen. He runs back to the mayor, falling on his knees next to him and opening the kit. His hands shake violently as he tries to figure out what is what. The mayor places his hand on Reno's and speak slowly.
"Clam down, young Reno. The bleedings down a bit, and I should be okay if we can wrap it up. Grab that roll of gauze, now." The mayor points at the white roll of fabric. Reno shakes violently as he grabs it, barely able to muster the control to grip it. "Now grab the alcohol." Pointing at the bottle of clear liquid, the mayor begins biting his shirt in preparation. "Pour it on my arm, now." Reno grabs and uncaps the alcohol. He nervously begins pouring it on the wound, causing the mayor's body to tense up as he grits his teeth and bites his shirt. Finally, the pain slowly subsides, but not without causing the mayor's breathing to be labored. "Now… wrap it." The mayor speaks as he huffs and puffs, trying not to voice any pain. Reno lifts the mayor's shirt and begins wrapping his wound. It's not the appropriate way, and it definitely could be better, but for the time being the mayor's life has been saved. "Reno!" The mayor's voice is panicked as he screams, trying to push Reno out of the way.
"Wha-?" Reno's eyes go slightly wide as he feels an unusual pressure in his chest. He looks down to see the tip of a sword poking out of his side. "Huh?" The pain hits him all at once, causing him to grip the wound as the sword is pulled out. He turns to see a barely conscious George standing with a now bloodied sword. Reno grips his side and tries to look around for his sword.
"You… Rat!" George raises his sword again, just in time for Reno to grab his and hold it up.
"Look out, old man!" George's sword comes crashing down on Reno's, each and every tiny vibration sending waves of sharp pain through Reno. He's barely able to maintain consciousness as he uses his sword to push himself up. Both men, with a life-threatening wound each, stand before each other. Reno stood between George and the mayor, barely able to hold his sword up. George, however, seemed like a rabid animal, relying purely on adrenaline to continue moving. George's eyes seemed clouded and slightly unfocused as he slowly approached Reno. "(I'm bleeding… I'm actually bleeding! It hurts so much! I've never been in this much pain!)" Reno's ability to think slowly begins to fail him, being replaced by pure animalistic survival instinct. His brain temporarily shuts, his mind cleared of his anxiety and pain for a second. Reno grips his sword with both hands, preparing to make his final attack. George lets out a blood curdling scream as he rushes Reno. Their subconscious knew that this would be both of their final attacks. Reno, with a stab wound on his side, and George with a bullet wound and cut wound across his arm and chest, faced each other in a final face off. George swings his sword from above, bringing it down with 110% of his strength, his brain turning off all pain signals to deliver the strongest attack of his entire life. Reno's brain, however, was not focused on strength. Reno's body instinctively began to redirect George's weapon, their swords colliding midair. Reno's sword began moving down to his left, opening George's body as he's staggered from the redirected power attack. Reno, unable to find the strength to raise his sword again, punches George with the remainder of his power, causing George to slowly drop his weapon and stumble backwards. Finally, for the last time, he falls, landing on his face and not moving an inch, save for the slight movement of his chest as he struggled to breath. Reno falls back, looking down to see his blood rushing out of his body. His senses begin to fail and his vision goes black, the world around him disappearing.
TO BE CONTINUED...