The young leader's katana sliced through the air with terrifying speed, aimed directly at Kazuya's head. The distance between them was closed in an instant, and it seemed certain that Kazuya's life was about to be snuffed out in a single, brutal strike.
But then, something strange happened.....
Just as the blade was a fraction of an inch from its target, time itself seemed to stutter. For a nanosecond, the young leader's movement faltered as him and Kazuya's eyes met, it was as though the universe had hit pause and then quickly resumed. It was so brief that it could almost go unnoticed to certain people. but in that infinitesimal moment, everything changed.
Toma, who was also affected by this saw how that certain delay of time made the young leader taken aback and his speed became more slower to the point that he could react to it. Toma quickly reacted and rmanipulated the magnetic fields around the young leader. With a powerful force, he pushed the young leader off course, sending the deadly katana swing wide of its mark.
The young leader's eyes widened in disbelief as he stumbled, his strike missing Kazuya by the slimmest of margins. He hadn't missed. It was impossible. His speed, his precision—everything had been perfect. Yet here he was, his blade cutting through empty air.
Before he could recover, Shota and Jun appeared at Kazuya's side, their expressions grim and determined. They had closed the distance in a flash, standing firm beside their comrade, ready to protect him at all costs.
The young leader's shock quickly turned to rage. His mind raced as he tried to make sense of what had happened. 'What was that? What delayed my attack?' His thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and fury. Whatever had interfered had given Toma the chance to push him away, and that realization stoked the flames of his anger even higher.
He clenched his teeth, his entire body trembling with frustration as he realized that his perfect strike had been thwarted by some unknown force. The katana in his hand pulsed with dark energy, as if mirroring the chaos within him. "I was only able to move at that speed because I used all the energy of the katana! Now that I used it, I won't be able to move at that same speed again! It was only a one move attack!!!" The young leader was angry and he threw a fit, slashing the air in a frenzied outburst, unable to contain his rage.
"You!" The young leader said, pointing his finger at Kazuya, "How did you manage to do that?! .... ANSWER ME!?" The young leader roared, his voice filled with disbelief and fury.
The warehouse seemed to tremble in response, the walls vibrating with the intensity of his wrath. But before his rage could spiral further out of control, a calm yet commanding voice cut through the chaos.
"I've underestimated you...."
The young leader whipped around to see Mousa approaching him with a measured, deliberate stride. The older warrior's expression was one of steely resolve, his eyes locked onto the young leader with newfound intensity.
"It seems that was too carefree," Mousa continued, his tone steady, "and I didn't realize just how big a threat you truly are...."
Without breaking eye contact, Mousa reached behind him and grasped the massive axe that had been strapped to his back for the entire fight.
"From now on, I'm not going to take any more chances.... This ends now." Mousa said.
The axe which was rarely seen in action, had always been a part of him, a symbol of his immense power. As he unstrapped it, the axe began to glow with an eerie, radiant light, the energy within it awakening in response to its wielder's resolve.
The young leader's eyes narrowed as he watched Mousa grip the axe with both hands, the weapon humming with such immense power. It was no ordinary tool of war; it was a force unto itself, and the young leader could feel its strength radiating in waves.
Mousa tightened his grip on the axe, the glowing weapon casting an ominous light around him. His previous calm demeanor was gone, replaced by a determination that was almost palpable.
The young leader, still seething with anger, suddenly found himself at a loss for words. The situation had shifted dramatically, and he realized that he was now facing a far more formidable opponent than before. The aura surrounding Mousa was different, more focused, more dangerous. The young leader's confidence wavered for the first time.
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The battle between Mousa and the young leader raged on, but it was clear from the start who had the upper hand. Mousa's overwhelming strength was evident in every move he made, his massive axe a blur as it cut through the air with devastating force. The sheer power of his strikes generated gusts of wind so fierce that they could tear through anything in their path. The young leader, once confident in his abilities, was now reduced to a desperate defense, struggling to keep up with the relentless onslaught.
Mousa wielded his axe with just one hand, a display of his immense strength that only added to the young leader's mounting fear. Each slash of the axe sent powerful wind blasts hurtling toward the young leader, who barely managed to evade them. The speed and precision of Mousa's attacks left the young leader with little time to react, forcing him into a frantic, defensive stance.
With his katana already depleted of energy because of his action earlier, and now the young leader found himself hopelessly outmatched.
Mousa swiped his axe and generated a powerful wind attack towards the young leader who tried to slash at the attack, hoping to dissipate it, but as his katana made contact, the wind overpowered it with ease.
The force of the winds generated by Mousa's axe was too much for the young leader's weakened weapon to handle.
Mousa didn't let up for a second, his attacks growing more ferocious with each passing moment. He seemed almost toying with the young leader, sending wind blasts that forced him to dodge and retreat.
In a display of the axe's power, Mousa unleashed a massive wind attack, the young leader was barely able to evade it just in time, but the powerful stray of gust veered off toward the nearby warehouse. It hit the warehouse with the force of a hurricane, reducing the large building to rubble in just seconds. The young leader's eyes widened in horror as he saw the warehouse crumble to the ground, the full realization of Mousa's power sinking in.
'Damn it! If only my katana had its full energy…' the young leader thought desperately. 'Maybe then I would have a chance… but now…'
In truth, even if his katana still had it's energy, he knew deep down it wouldn't have made a difference. The katana's power to absorb and nullify strong attacks was useless against the sheer force of Mousa's windstorms.
The dark katana usually worked well against physical objects only, putting it against something that's intangible would be bad because it wouldn't be effective. That's why the young leader's confidence was shattered, and he knew he was fighting a losing battle.
Mousa, sensing the young leader's weakness, continued his assault, his every move deliberate and devastating. He was in complete control, wielding his axe with one hand as if it weighed nothing, the winds he generated cutting through the air with deadly precision. The young leader was now barely able to keep up.
Finally, Mousa decided it was time to end the fight. He gripped his axe more firmly, the glow from the weapon intensifying as he prepared to deliver the final blow. But just as he was about to strike, the young leader unleashed a desperate, last-ditch attack. Channeling the last of his strength, he fired a powerful energy blast aimed directly at Mousa.
The attack came out of nowhere, a dark, pulsing energy that shot toward Mousa with incredible speed. Mousa was caught off guard by this, but before it could reach him, Toma intervened.
With a swift motion, Toma used his magnetokinesis to parry the attack, sending it veering off course. The energy blast missed Mousa by mere inches, dissipating harmlessly into the distance.
The young leader cursed, his voice filled with frustration and rage. "You meddling fool!" he shouted at Toma, his eyes burning with anger.
But Mousa wasted no time. With a final, decisive swing of his axe at the young leader killing him instantly....
Mousa stood over the defeated young leader, his chest heaving as he held his bloodied axe in hand. The young leader, layed there motionless, and sprawled on the ground. Mousa's face was stern, almost emotionless, as he gazed down at the fallen adversary.
Kazuya, watching from a few steps away, felt his stomach churn. The scene before him was too familiar. The lifeless body, the blood, the sense of finality—it all brought back memories he wished he could forget. He could almost see his parents lying in that same position, their lives snuffed out in a similar violent manner. His breath began to quicken, and a wave of dizziness washed over him.
Toma noticed Kazuya's pale face and the way his hands trembled. Without hesitation, he moved to his side, speaking in a low, firm voice. "Kazuya, stay strong. This is the world we live in now."
Kazuya clenched his fists, trying to push the memories away. "But... it just doesn't feel right. Seeing someone like that..."
Toma's eyes hardened, but there was an underlying gentleness in his tone. "What are you talking about, not long ago that man tried to kill you, if it wasn't for your ability then you wouldn't be breathing right now.... You have to understand, Kazuya. This world were living in is corrupt. And people need to kill to protect themselves from these monsters...."
Kazuya was silent, as Toma looked at him for a brief moment.
You don't want this don't you? You don't want bloodshed right? Then toughen up!.... If you want to change this world, then you need to make a difference, you'll need to accept that sometimes, this is what it takes." He placed a hand on Kazuya's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You've got potential, Kazuya. You can be strong enough, strong enough to make a change. So be strong."
Kazuya looked up at Toma, seeing the resolve in his eyes. Slowly, he nodded, though the unease still lingered in his heart.
Jun, standing a bit further front, couldn't take her eyes off Mousa and the massive axe he wielded with such power. "Mousa," she called out, breaking the silence. "That was incredible! You were like a force of nature with that axe. I'm seriously jealous. Imagine what I could do with that thing! Think you could let me borrow it sometime?"
Mousa grunted, a small, amused smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You've already got your gloves, Jun. I think that's more than enough for you to handle."
Jun pouted playfully but didn't press further, though her eyes still lingered on the axe with envy.
Mousa then turned to Toma, his expression softening. "Toma, I owe you an apology," he began, his voice sincere. "I was hard on you the other day, too harsh. I just... I needed to make sure everyone stayed safe. But you did good today. Forgive me."
Toma shook his head, a small smile on his lips. "No need to apologize, Mousa. You were just doing what you had to. I get it. We're all in this together."
Mousa gave a nod of appreciation. The tension between them dissolved, replaced with mutual respect. As they gathered together, the weight of the mission's success settled in, but so did the reality of the world they were fighting against.
Kazuya took a deep breath, his mind still reeling but more determined than before. The world might be corrupted, but with these people by his side, he was ready to face whatever came next.
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Somewhere near the battlefield that just took place, stood a man who in a black hoodie, he silently observed everything, since the beginning of the battle and towards it's end, now he was watching the bandits gather together with a sign of relief as they thought the mission was done.
The man smiled wickedly. "Look at them, gathered together like one happy family .... But too bad it's all about to come to an end....."