Etsuyo's eyes blazed with bloodlust and hatred as she glared at Zei, his words boiling inside of her. The room erupted in a mixture of cheers and taunts. With the footsteps growing even louder, the anticipation had reached a fever pitch.
Etsuyo steadily bent to pick up the sword, her movements deliberate. The blade glimmered in the torchlight as she raised it, assuming a fighting stance despite her injuries. Yasushi's heart raced, looking between Etsuyo and the entrance. The troll's shadow slowly becoming visible on the stone walls.
Her body trembled, exhausted by the violent ordeals she endured at the hands of Zei and his subordinates. Etsuyo then took a deep breath, calming her mind and hardening her fighting spirit. She attempted to summon her ability, but a heart-wrenching pain tore through her chest forcing her to become unbalanced. The markings craved into her skin pulsated and glowed, cutting deeper into her skin.
Shit! These bastards sealed my ability! I can't use it! Fucking cowards!!
As the thunderous footsteps reached the opening, a vile roar filled the air. Etsuyo opened her eyes to witness a gaunt, mutilated monstrous figure emerge. Its massive form filled the doorway. Chained like a rabid dog, foam and saliva poured from its mouth. Deep scars covered every inch of its body, a testament to the countless battles it endured; eyes, wild with rage, locked onto her.
Etsuyo closed around the sword's hilt, her body rebalanced and positioned back into a defensive stance, awaiting the troll's attack. With another ear-splitting roar, the troll charged. Its left arm swept towards her in a powerful uppercut. She dodged with fluid grace, countering with a swift strike, gashing the troll's hand. Zei and his subordinates cheered in elation at the sight of first blood.
The battle raged on, a deadly dance of evasion and counterattack. Jump after jump, punch after punch, strike after strike, Etsuyo managed to avoid the troll's direct physical attacks, but the strain on her already battered body had become noticeable.
My body can't take much more of this!! I gotta end this now!!
The troll, growing frustrated, slammed its fist into the ground. The floor shattered, caving inward, creating a treacherous crater. Etsuyo leaped to avoid falling in, but her weakened legs betrayed her mid-jump. She managed to clear the hole, yet couldn't gain enough height to circumvent the shockwave from the troll's attack.
Crossing her arms to brace for impact, Etsuyo was thrown back. She stumbled, trying to regain her footing for another strike, but her legs wobbled beneath her. In that moment of vulnerability, the troll seized its chance. Its sturdy right arm swept towards her, connecting with brutal force.
The impact sent Etsuyo tumbling across the floor like a rag doll. She slammed into the wall with a sickening thud, the stone cracking around her from the force of the collision.
"ETSUYO!" Yasushi cried, watching in horror, his heart in his throat with fists clenched, silently willing his strength to her as he watched in horror. The room fell silent for a moment, all eyes on her crumpled form at the base of the shattered wall.
As the dust settled around her, Etsuyo stirred weakly. Blood dripped from a gash on her forehead. Her body screamed in agony as the broken ribs dug into her organs, but her grip on the sword remained firm.
Damn! Damn! Damnit! I thought I could last longer! It took almost everything out of me to defend against that. Another hit like that and I'm dead for sure.
With trembling arms, she began to push herself up, her eyes never leaving the troll that now lumbered towards her for what could be the final blow.
A smirk beamed across Etsuyo's battered face, her eyes showing no surrender. "You're weak for fucking troll." she spat, her voice raspy but obstinate. "Nonetheless, a troll is just a troll. Your master had to weaken me, because if I was even in a tad bit of a better condition… I could've easily slaughtered you!"
Her eyes then found Kaname and Yasushi, managing a confident grin. Using the sword as a crutch, Etsuyo took a deep breath, gathering the last vestiges of her strength.
The troll, sensing its prey's weakness, charged forward with a manic roar, shaking the very foundations of the room. Etsuyo stood firm, her resolve unwavering.
This is it. This is my last stand. Kaname... Young master… Watch me!
As the troll closed in, it raised both muscular arms high, fists clenched tight. Just as the crushing blow was about to fall, Etsuyo moved. With speed that belied her injuries, she dodged to the side, leaping onto the troll's vast right arm.
In a feat of incredible skill and desperation, Etsuyo used the force of the troll's attack to propel herself forward. Both hands gripped the sword tightly as she flew through the air, the blade finding its mark with unerring accuracy. Steel met flesh as the sword plunged deep into the troll's chest, piercing its heart.
A terrible, guttural cry escaped the troll as it stumbled, crashing to the ground with earth-shaking force. Etsuyo, her strength finally spent, collapsed to her knees with her back towards the fallen foe.
The room fell into stunned silence. Everyone, from Zei's subordinates to Yasushi and Kaname, stood speechless, struggling to process what they had just witnessed. For several moments, the only sound was Etsuyo's labored breathing.
Then, as the reality of her impossible victory sank in, Yasushi's voice broke the stillness. His cheer of triumph echoed off the walls as he praised Etsuyo's incredible feat. Turning to Zei with newfound courage, his voice rang out with authority. "A deal is a deal, you Bastard! Let us go!"
Zei sighed, his earlier amusement replaced by a look of irritation. "How naïve... I was expecting a little more fight outta her."
Confused by his unexpected response, Yasushi turned to Kaname, seeking explanation, her expression chilled him to the bone - pure horror was etched across her face.
"Kana, what's wrong? I don't get it..." Yasushi whispered, his voice trembling with growing dread.
Kaname slowly raised her right arm. Her trembling finger pointed behind Yasushi, in Lee's direction. With mounting fear, Yasushi turned back towards where Etsuyo knelt.
His jaw dropped, the world seeming to tilt beneath his feet. Etsuyo, still on her knees, head bowed, her breathing labored. But behind her, stood the troll, looming over her, unaffected by the mortal wound it had received moments ago.
The troll reached towards its chest, grasping the hilt of the sword still embedded in its chest. With a sickening squelch, it pulled the blade free, casually tossing it aside.
"ETSUYO! ETSUYO! GET UP! BEHIND YOU... IT'S BEHIND YOU!" Yasushi franticly screamed tumbling towards her, tears streaming from his eyes.
Hearing Yasushi's distraught voice, Etsuyo lifted her head slightly. A small, sad smile plagued her lips as she accepted her fate.
Ahh… so this is how it ends for me
The room erupted into raucous laughter and cheers, Zei's subordinates reveling in the cruel deception. Zei himself sat back, releasing his hold on Kaname's waist as he sat in his lap, her emotions becoming increasingly blank.
The troll moved closer, preparing to deliver its final blow to the exhausted Etsuyo. Using her final surge of strength, Etsuyo looked at Kaname with pride and determination. "This is my final order to you! Take care of the Young Master." Her gaze then shifted to Yasushi, her expression softening. "It was a pleasure serving you."
Etsuyo's words faded as the troll's hand closed around her arm, lifting her effortlessly into the air. Its mouth watered as she dangled before it. With a casual flick of its wrist, it flung Etsuyo around, her body arcing through the air before slamming into the ground with bone-crushing force, tearing her arm off. Blood spattered across the crowd, eliciting exhilarating bliss from Zei's subordinates. Yasushi felt his stomach lurch, the horrific scene further shattering his innocence.
"Look away, Young Master," Etsuyo managed weakly, blood trickling from the corners of her mouth. "You... shouldn't see...thi"
Before she could finish her word, the troll raised its fists. Time seemed to slow down as hope crumbled around Yasushi in observation of her final moments. Etsuyo's loyalty, her strength, her determination, her fight to save them were just entertainment. This had never been about a fair fight or honoring a wager. It was about breaking their spirits, crushing their will to resist.
The sound of the troll's fists connecting with Etsuyo's body struck the room like thunder, each impact burying her deeper into the ground. Yasushi's vision blurred with tears, his throat raw from screams he didn't realize he made.
Zei placed Kaname off of his lap and stood up, apathetically approaching Yasushi who'd collapsed to his hands and knees, sobering loudly, overwhelmed by the brutality.
Reaching down, Zei grabbed Yasushi by his shirt, lifting him slightly. "Ready for your gift?" he purred, his voice tainted with vitriolic anticipation.
Yasushi's head raised in confusion. Zei's smirk widened at his pitiful state.
"Lee! It's over!" Zei ordered, his command sending a ripple of murmurs spread throughout the crowd.
"Aww... Just a little longer, sir..." Lee replied, still relishing the violence before him. Zei's eyes narrowed as he glared at Lee, displeased by his request. Recognizing the danger in that look, Lee quickly backtracked. "Uh… Of course, sir. Understood."
Lee let out a sharp whistle, bringing the troll's rampage to an abrupt halt. It stood up from its crouching position over what remained of Etsuyo, casting a shadow across the blood-stained floor.
His earlier enthusiasm now replaced by irritation, Lee waved the troll off. "Alright ya stupid shit, go back. Your job here is done." The troll, devoid of any will of its own, obeyed without hesitation. Picking up Etsuyo's torn arm to chew on while lumbering away, it left behind a scene of devastation that Yasushi seared into his memory.
Etsuyo laid on the ground, quivering in the growing pool of her blood. As the troll's heavy footsteps faded, an eerie silence fell over the room. Yasushi, still held in Zei's grip, felt a cold dread settling in the pit of his stomach - Zei pulled out a dragger, handing it to him.
His insouciant words lingered in the air. "Kill her"
- -