The dim light in the narrow hall flickered as Toma stepped forward, his eyes locked onto the young leader standing at the opposite end. The walls, lined with aged wood and adorned with faded decorations, seemed to close in on them, trapping them in this inevitable confrontation. The faint scent of old spices and the echo of distant voices filtered in from the restaurant beyond.
The leader's black katana gleamed ominously, the dark blade absorbing the light around it, as if it were a void that could consume anything in its path. He held it with a casual ease that belied the lethal precision behind every swing. His eyes, sharp and unreadable, bore into Toma, assessing him, waiting for the right moment to strike.
At that moment, Toma knew he was fighting a strong opponent, sparks of electricity could be seen from Toma as he activated his ability to the to it's full power.
He could feel the magnetic fields in the hall responding to his presence. The metal pipes running along the walls, the iron framework hidden beneath the wooden panels, even the loose nails in the floorboards—they all hummed with potential energy, waiting for him to command them. He raised his hand slightly, and the air crackled as the magnetic force built around him.
"You've got guts kid....," the leader said, his voice calm. "But too bad you're up against me"
Toma didn't reply. Instead, he focused on the metal in the hall, subtly pulling it towards him, readying himself for the leader's attack. He knew that the black katana was more than just a weapon; it was something unnatural, something that could nullify his powers if he wasn't careful. But he wasn't about to back down.
The leader moved first, his katana slicing through the air with frightening . Toma barely had time to react as the blade was heading towards him.
He instinctively pulled on the metal in the walls, creating a barrier of twisted pipes and nails that blocked the attack just in time. The katana struck the barrier with a loud clang, sending a shockwave through the hall.
But the leader did not pause. He twisted his wrist and the katana cut through the barrier with ease. Toma jumped back, he started flinging the metal shards at the leader in a wave of sharp, spinning projectiles.
But the katana moved like a blur, each swing deflecting the shards with effortless precision. The dark energy surrounding the blade seemed to absorb the force behind Toma's attack, leaving the leader unharmed.
Toma gritted his teeth. He needed to think of something fast. The narrow hall left little room for maneuvering, but it also amplified his control over the metal. He reached out with his magnetokinesis, this time focusing on the metal beams running above them. With a sharp pull, he ripped the beams from the ceiling, sending them crashing down towards the leader.
The leader looked up, his eyes narrowing as the beams hurtled towards him. With a swift motion, he brought the katana down, slicing through the air. The blade seemed to extend, dark energy trailing from its edge as it cut through the falling beams with ease. Splinters and metal shards rained down, but the leader remained unharmed, his katana glowing with a menacing light.
"Is this how you intend to fight me you brat!? Pathetic! This isn't going to work" the leader taunted, his voice echoing off the walls.
Toma didn't respond. He knew that brute force alone wouldn't be enough to break through the katana's defenses. He needed to be smarter, more precise. He glanced around the hall, taking in every detail.
Toma started thinking 'What kind of katana is that!?!? It's slashing through everything!!! If i don't find a way to attack him it'll be the end for me....'
'I need to use my ability to the fullest, I have many options in this battleground. Metal pipes, the exposed wiring, the metal door at the far end. Everything in this space is a potential weapon! I just need to use it in the right way.'
The leader charged again, his katana cutting through the air with deadly intent. Toma focused on the metal door behind him, pulling it off its hinges with a powerful tug. The door shot forward, slamming into the leader just as he reached Toma. The impact sent the leader crashing into the wall, but he quickly regained his footing, his katana still firmly in hand.
Toma didn't waste any time. He sent another wave of metal shards towards the leader, aiming for his legs, trying to slow him down. The leader swung his katana in a wide arc, the dark blade deflecting the shards once more. But Toma had anticipated this. He sent a surge of magnetism through the floor, pulling up the nails and screws embedded in the wooden boards. The tiny metal pieces shot upwards like bullets, forcing the leader to leap back.
The leader's eyes flashed with anger as he landed, his katana humming with dark energy. "You're more persistent than I thought," he muttered.
Toma ignored the remark, instead focusing on the metal pipes running along the walls. With a sharp motion, he ripped the pipes free, twisting them into long, snake-like tendrils. The metal coils slithered through the air, closing in on the leader from all sides. The leader reacted quickly, his katana cutting through the coils with precision, but Toma kept pushing, sending more and more coils towards him.
The hall was now filled with the sound of clashing metal and the crackling of magnetic energy. Toma could feel the strain on his body, the effort of controlling so much metal at once taking its toll. But he couldn't let up. He had to keep the pressure on, had to find a way to break through the katana's defenses.
The leader, however, was relentless. His katana moved with a speed and precision that was almost inhuman, cutting through the metal coils with ease. Every time Toma thought he had the upper hand, the leader would counter with a swift, powerful strike, forcing Toma to retreat.
But Toma didn't use all of his cards left. With a hand motion, he focused on the wiring in the walls. With a sharp pull, he ripped the wires free, sending them flying through the air with hypersonic speed. The wires wrapped around the katana, sparking with electrical energy as they tried to pull the blade from the leader's grasp.
For a moment, it seemed like Toma had gained the upper hand. The katana's dark energy flickered as the wires tightened around it, and the leader's expression twisted into a snarl. But with a roar, the leader swung the katana with all his strength, the dark energy surging through the blade. The wires snapped and sparked, falling uselessly to the ground.
The force of the swing sent a shockwave through the hall, and Toma was thrown back, slamming into the wall behind him. He gasped for breath, feeling the pain in his chest where he'd hit the wall. The leader advanced, his katana glowing with dark energy, his eyes burning with determination.
"You've fought well," the leader said, his voice low and dangerous. "But this ends now."