"Well then, before we start this right, lets start with a lesson. Little boy, tell me, do you know where we are?"
"A place called the Boundary right?" Bell said, as he suddenly found himself ducking to dodge the sword slash of the swordsman.
"Correct" Maybell said as she blocked several attacks at once with a barrier. That same barrier launched several spheres of light that went and attacked those that had attacked her. "But what is the Boundary?"
At those words, Bell just had a stressed look as he created a barrier to slow down the swordsman. He was able to cut through it, but the extra time let him dodge the slash and back up.
"No clue! No one told me yet!"
"The Boundary is the very edge of the Veil that we can easily reach. Its technically a collection of many different areas. Such areas form often when supernatural forces oppose each other in big ways, openly in a fight, although that may not always occur when the Veil is thin, or if the area is already highly supernatural and magical in nature, among other possibilities. There are other boundaries as well".
She suddenly launched a magical attack over at the swordsman direction, as the others tried to attack her while occupied. She raised her own barrier again and blocked them, delivering a counterattack as well.
"What is the Veil?"
"The Veil is sort of like....the barrier between our world, and the world that all supernatural and magical forces is believed to have been originated from. Supposedly every god came from beyond the veil, as did all the bloodlines".
"How about you focus on the fight!" Jester said, unleashing a powerful magical attack that made Crone work harder then before. Meanwhile Bell dodged another sword strike, drawing the swordsman's gaze.
"I must admit I am curious on how you are doing that. I suppose you must have enough supernatural resiliance to not mind being barefoot outside, but to be able to dodge my sword so easily...are you a ninja perhaps?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
Although there was banter, Bell was seriously feeling pressured. The only reason he had been able to talk at all was because the immense pressure coming off of Maybell was gone, and because of everything he had gone through. Suffering the loss of his mother, all the near death experiences he has had in the past few days, but there was something more. A shadow of a voice in his head, telling him not to be afraid. Reassuring him that he had to survive, and not to give into fear.
Just like the trials he had faced within his own soul, starting with the island and ending with the puzzle. But it had taught him what he needed.
The swordsman however noticed this.
The rumored powers of the Fox. What a little monster he is. For someone who should be a rookie, to think he could fight in the pressence of the Old Crone without hesitation or distraction.
As she exemplified beauty itself, and had her figure, even the swordsman who was not interested normally could not help but look. It kept throwing off his swings and rhythm, and made it harder to hit the brat. Her pressence alone would keep people's eyes on her, making it hard to track anyone else. But that alone wouldn't equate to what was happening right now.
He quickly made another slash, faster then normal. Bell ducked and was just barely able to dodge it, before rolling to the side as he dodged the second slash.
"It's as I thought. You...what did you do?"
He charged forward, slashing right at Bell. Bell was able to jump over the blade, so he tried to get a kick in only for it to just barely miss, having started a moment too late.
"Yeah, no doubt about it. You...you are making my blade feel heavier. And you made my foot trip or pivot for a moment and threw off my kick".
Bell was surprised.
Did he see through it already? I put so much effort into making it subtle, and he saw through it already?
Bell felt a chill down his spine as he understood the skill of the opponent in front of him.
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At the same time, there was another boy of about Bell's age heading up the stairs of a nearby tower. Considering the dimensional shifts, it was clear it was within the current boundary. It was an old bell tower, and he was carrying a case with him as he went up the stairs. He had blue hair and eyes, and was wearing blue somewhat tall boots, blue shorts, a white T shirt and blue short sleeve jacket. Around his neck was a chain that had a pendent on it, and he had a pocketwatch in his pocket.
When he made it to the top, he checked his phone and confirmed it. A picture of Bell, as well as an astronomical amount of money as a bounty.
"I will show you how a real hunter hunts" the boy said, as he took out something from the case. It looked to be a sort of weapon, but it had various symbols engraved into it and gave off a feeling of being mystical, despite looking very sci-fi. He pushed a button, and suddenly it extended and took its true form as a sniper rifle. He got onto one knee and rested the rifle on the short wall of the bell tower, looking through the scope. "The one walking away with a victory will be me".
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Bell dodged again, as the swordsman came in to attack. His swings were fiercer, and his power was easily greater then Bell's by a long shot. It was only thanks to Maybell occasionally sending an attack his way and drawing his attention in general that Bell had any breathing room.
He seems incapable of focusing on me even though he wants to. As I thought, her seduction isn't natural. She uses it to her advantage right now, but...perhaps its something she cant stop.
While having his own theories, he was able to dodge spectacularly, placing his arm on the ground as he rolled to the side and pivoting, planting his bare feet back on the ground as he avoided another strike, now on all fours. That said, he was really pushing himself to the limits.
"Ahk!"
Bell retreated, going back to just standing on his legs as a cut appeared on his arm.
Impossible. The blade never got close. Its shallow, but there is a cut.
Even though he said that, he placed his hand upon the wound, and when he took it off, it disappeared completely.
"Hey hey, I worked hard to put that cut on you, and you just remove it like it was nothing?"
He said it half heartedly, but Bell could tell from his eyes. He was working out the how even now.
Seriously, I weighed down his blade, keep having him trip up, and I am using all fours here and pushing my agility to the limits, but he was still able to land a hit on me? What sort of monster is this.
At those words, he heard his mother's voice whisper into his ear from behind.
"You may be used to your physical body, but its not the only asset you have anymore".
Bell wanted to turn and look at her, see her face again, but leaving aside the fact he knew she would already be gone, he couldn't take his eyes off his opponent.
The swordsman meanwhile was looking at him seriously as well.
Some sort of healing ability? Or perhaps an illusion? The pain didn't seem to affect him at all, so he might be used to injury. Perhaps....ah, now I remember. In that case, its no wonder he is so hard to hit.
"I finally figured it out. You won the gold medal in the Junior Children's Caspian City Olympics in the acrobatics and agility parts. You were the best of your age group, having beaten the obstacle course, having succeeded in getting through every round. For a kid, quite the skilled gymnist. You were as good as walking on your hands as you were on your feet. No wonder its so damn hard to hit you".
It wasn't like Bell had been particularly hiding that fact either. Not just his dodging skills, but his ability to get down the stairs when it was crowded in his building, his ability to climb up that tunnel with such ease and proficiency when he was escaping, or even before that when he was running away from those thugs for the crimeboss.
Bell took a new position, one that made the swordsman smile a bit. Bell had spread out his limbs a bit and taken a three leg position, with one of his hands already on the ground.
"Finally doing something other than reacting to me I see" he said, as he charged in.
But Bell just dodged all the same. That said, as the swordsman followed his gaze, a pillar of ice suddenly shot out of where Bell had used to be, knocking him away as a huge amount of lightning swirled around Bell. It singed his clothes a bit, but he unleashed that lightning right at the swordsman. The swordsman however used his sword to block the attack, even seemingly catching it with his blade as he swung it around, releasing the lightning right back at Bell. Bell was just able to deploy a barrier in time, landing on the ground with little damage done.
The swordsman took a step forward, but then slammed his foot into the ground, shattering the ice beneath his feet a bit. In fact, the entire area was now covered in ice.
When did he plant that spell? Still, I have some read on his abilities now. Ice, lightning, and probably spacial too. The sword being heavier and me tripping up might be that, or...
Either way, he had already made his next move. He stepped forward and did a long, lunging sweep slash. Bell jumped up to avoid, only for a dagger to fall from the sky right at him. It almost pierced him, when his own dagger flew out on its own and deflected it.
And yet, that wasn't his only issue. The swordsman had used the opening when he got distracted by it to get in close and was doing a finishing shot. With no time to make a barrier and while in mid air, the swordsman was sure of this strike.
Swoosh.
That was the sound that was heard as a result, as Bell was no longer there. No, it appeared that he had grabbed something with his tail and then his hand, and swung out of the way, landing on the ground.
The swordsman was quite honestly shocked.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
"...oi oi oi, what the fuck was that?"
He dodged as several lightning bolts came his way, keeping his eyes open.
"What the hell did you do, brat!"
He knew it was no illusion. It appeared he grabbed something in mid air, and used that to redirect him. But from what he could tell, there was nothing there.
The boy just smiled at him, the adrenaline clearly getting to him. Or perhaps, he just had a bit of that mentality all along.
At this point, he decided that he had to go all out. Something was wrong here, and he had to deal with it.
He stepped forward, and swung his blade. Bell dodged it, but the blade seemed to curve and suddenly he got cut again on his leg. He placed his hand on it, and when it was removed he was healed.
"You only got a cut when I tried to take that leg off? What sort of monster are you?"
This power from a rookie. It had to be a Bloodline ability. The Fox Bloodline is alive again.
He let loose several swings, but some of them seemed to be intercepted and the others Bell was able to dodge.
Futuresight? Perhaps. And yet, maybe just maybe...
"Izuno Sword Style: Hundred Cut Flurry!"
He activated his sword's built in magic along with his sword technique, and unleashed what looked like one hundred cuts, both in quick succession and simultaneously. And then, it was clear and audible. Clanking.
"I see now. You set up quite a number of invisible objects. The entire time you were dodging, you were placing these things in secret around our battlefield. Its why my sword felt so heavy, it kept getting restricted by them. Its what I kept tripping on and hitting too. And its what you used as a handhold. But too bad, I cut them all up now, which means you are out of luck".
"Or am I?" Bell returned the question, putting up a brave face. Immediately, chains shot out of the walls, ramming into other walls and floors, and then shot out again. A web of chains, countless of them, appeared all around. Bursting out of a surface, digging into another, then bursting out again, forming a sort of web of chains. The very same chains that had been the boy's seal.
Impossible! A Domain Spell?!
He dodged the chains as they came after him, appearing sentient. It was only now apparent to him, the truth of this Boundary.
"She didn't create this Boundary from her power...she made it from yours! This is a boundary created by your mind!"
Normally boundaries were neutral, but this one wasn't created naturally. She formed this Boundary at the beginning, before one could form naturally, to control the outcome and increase affinity. She had claimed it was for them to avoid messing up her shop, but clearly that had been a deception.
Tsk. I knew that woman was devious, but she really was three steps ahead.
Layers within layers within layers. Even though it was the brat he should have been fighting, it was also her he was fighting as well.
But right now, he didn't have the time or the capacity to deal with it as Bell went on the offensive. He charged forward, lightning right up his fist and arm. The swordsman sidestepped the attack, but he stretched out his leg as he jumped and caught it on the chain, swinging him back around using his tails to help direct himself and deliver a powerful electric burst right into him. He was barely able to take it, but it seriously threw him for a loop.
Meanwhile Bell proceeded to grab hold of a chain and swing himself onto another, standing on it as he held on with his hands, perfectly balanced atop it.
He was defensive before because he was playing it cautious. But now that iv revealed his tricks, he resorted to offense. Interestingly enough, his offense game might be even better. Its almost like he got a boost of confidence from someone.
He couldn't possibly imagine it had been the lingering spirit of his mother who had given Bell such a boost. A fire was in his eyes now.
With my mom wishing me luck, there is no way I can lose!
Magic Circles appeared in the air above him as he jumped up, and beams of light shot out. The swordsman dodged, but instead he found them making sharp turns, even ninety degree turns, to chase after him.
He deflected a few with his sword, and he unleashed another slash. At the same time, a cut appeared on Bell's arm.
If this is his Boundary, then it appears to specialize in bolstering his endurance at least, and durability. No wonder not a single attack of mine has taken off a limb yet. In the first place, even with all these advantages, its still absurd an experienced pro like me cant defeat a little kid.
Kicking it up another level, he decided to get faster, and worked to cut down the chains. Every chain he did turned into an offensive weapon against him, lashing out at him like whips while Bell used them as footholds and handholds to fly around the place like a monkey.
The beams of light then fired out again. At the same time, Bell briefly landed on the ground again, and froze it in its entirety. Still, in that moment he was at his most vulnerable, so he went in for the kill.
And it was right then that lightning shot out from the ice, giving him a massive electric shock. Bell quickly got back up into the air, but then the swordsman already had moved there.
Bell grabbed a chain and pulled himself away, as the swordsman struck. However, when the blow hit, runes appeared on his shirt and underwear and repelled it.
And that let Bell release his counter attack before the swordsman can do anything else, blasting him away.
"Seriously, she even enchanted those clothes?"
The man couldn't help but think of her again, which meant drawing her gaze for a moment and caused him to get hit by Bell's light blast. It caused a bit of burning feeling and singe, as well as the feeling of having been hit by a train.
However, the swordsman couldn't help but chuckle.
"Careful about your magic power there, unless you want to fight naked".
The magic has been too powerful, and the clothes he was wearing had also been affecting, causing them to be torn up and burned a bit, degrading. Bell got quite a bit embarrassed by this, but at least they were still holding together.
But it wasn't just his clothes, his body also appeared to be quite worn out. Unfortunately, even with his command over the Seal and the Chains, he still wasn't used to fighting. He had done a great job dodging, and his offense was fine, but unfortunately he wasn't experienced enough to know about pacing and endurance as well. And his lack of fine mana control meant sometimes spells came out too strong, even for his body to handle.
And yet his actual supply of magical power itself didn't seem to affected, just how much his body could handle at once. Bigger spells were taking their toll, even with the help of Boundary and Domain.
The swordsman however had already moved, right up to him and was bringing down his sword. He was fast, and seemed used to pain. The sword tried to remove his arm, but then the dagger flew in front on its own and blocked it. Bell instinctively grabbed it and used it to stab the man's leg, before retreating as the next slash came within milimeters of reaching him. The force was so great, his feet and hands slid across the ground as he was now on all fours.
"It seems while you might be a notive, you got a good head on you. You are trying to limit my mobility".
He charged up again, not having lost any speed. Bell was surprised, but he jumped up and flew around his web of chains, to keep away from the swordsman. The swordsman unleashed another hundred cuts, cutting through many of the chains and even destroying some of the nearby replications of the buildings, freeing things up.
Bell moved to block, but a cut appeared on his arm and he dropped the dagger, while his handhold also found itself cut through.
Like the wind, the swordsman had moved fast and was right above Bell. His prey finally caught within his sight.
And then a shot rang out, hitting and breaking his sword as a second shot collided into body, sending him flying into a wall with extreme speed and force. A great deal of impact energy was released in that moment, and even as Maybell was finishing up her unlucky opponents, she was the only one who did not appear shocked in the slightest at this development.
Suddenly, a third shot came out and hit the swordsman, causing him to transform. It was as if his body turned into energy and sucked and compressed itself, almost like an intense implosion. Eventually it took the form of a card, and the light faded as it fell to the ground. On the face of the card, was an exact perfect likenss of the assassin.
"I must say, I had heard rumors, but to think the Blue Card Hunter was in fact someone like you" Maybell said, as she directed her gaze to a young figure. A boy around Bell's age with blue hair and blue eyes, he had a backpack with him and what appeared to be some sort of high tech, or perhaps mystical, pistol in his hand. He walked past everyone, and went to the card, picking it up.
"Kiogima Tsushima. Also known as the Dismembering Swordsman. Taker of illegal bounties, caused lots of damage. Price tag, 1.4 million, extra from the brutal way he tended to deal with his victims, a lot of families had a lot of grudges".
The boy said that coldly, before looking at the people Maybell was dealing with. He pulled out some sort of magnifying glass, only it appeared to scan everyone and check it against a database.
"No bounties...yet".
"...are you a bounty hunter too?" Bell asked, wary of the boy.
The boy however just smiled at him, if only briefly, before replying. "Yes, but dont worry. I am not after your bounty. I specialize in other bounty hunters, particularly those who take illegal bounties and especially those who are brutal or slaughter without remorse or attempting an alternative. I wont claim to be a good person, nor do I expect you to believe me if I did. I have a far better way of re-assuring you".
He held up his phone, and showed him a list. On it was Bell's bounty, which looked like more then his parents would have made in both their lifetimes. Additionally there was a bunch of other people, all appeared rough, and had decently high bounties of their own. In fact, just a few of the highest ones easily went over Bell's bounty.
"See, I will acquire far more profits defending you than trying to capture or kill you. See, a logical, practical reason, one you know cant be a lie".
This boy...he knows loss. And betrayal.
Bell was able to realize this instantly. The other boy then gave a friendly smile, that felt unusually warm.
"My name is Maze. Nice to meet you" he said, before realizing what he did. As if it was on reflex. "Anyways, it looks like this fight is basically over anyways".
Big surprise to absolutely no one, Maybell completely dominated her battle from the start. In fact, she had the spare room to keep watch over and occasionally assist in Bell's fight.
"For his second fight, he did quite well. He was able to persist against that hitman despite the difference of their experience. Of course, it didn't hurt he had quite a bit more power as well...and that he couldn't resist my seductive charm".
The entire battle his gaze was constantly being forcibly redirected towards her. She did simply exude beauty and seduction, as well as sexiness. But this was more then that, no seasoned assassin would ever be tricked by appearance alone.
Just as Bell thought, it was a part of her being, a supernatural aspect engraved into her existence. It wasn't just a core part of how people saw her, but it influenced her very being. But perhaps a better word for it...could be a curse.
Bell doubted it was anything so simple though. He just didn't think it would fit her.
She ended the boundary, and they were desposited back inside her shop.
"Where are the people you beat up?"
"Oh I threw them in the underground room and locked it up tight".
"You didn't kill them?" Maze asked, surprised.
"Honestly, killing him is more trouble then keeping him locked up when it comes to Jester. As for the snakes, normally I would stamp them out in a heartbeat, but I want to see how much they know, and depending on a certain hag who always turns her boyfriends to stone whenever they have a minor disagreement, they might be useful bargaining chips for more information and favors. It would be easier for me to simply crush them, but...I am curious about the movements of the criminal and magical worlds by this. So I intend to satiate my curiosity".
"...speaking of curiosity".
"Down the stairs, door on the left, dryer should be done by now".
Bell's current clothes looked about ready to disintegrate. The shirt had fallen down a bit, so as far as one could see, it might be the only thing left even.
"That said, perhaps both you boys would love a bath with yours truly first?".
"No thanks! I will take one at my house!"
"Uh yeah! I will take one at his house too!"
Bell quickly went to get his things and get changed, while Maze prefered to wait outside. Soon after Bell came back up, and said his goodbyes.
"Thanks for the help!"
"Come back any time if you have need of our services, little boy!"
"...you could at least call me by my name after all that" Bell muttered.
"Maybe. You did good work today after all. I didn't expect you to do so well in combat".
"Honestly, I just kind of went with the flow and it came naturally" he replied, as he left out the front door and began walking home. Maze was following him as well. "Wait why are you coming with me?"
"In case there was another backup. Also, I kind of still need a place to stay, and staying close to the target of my targets is a great way to keep an eye on things".
"...well, you did help me out, so I guess it is fine for now" Bell muttered. "My name is Bell, by the way".
That was when it hit Bell, as they were walking home.
Thats right, I never told her my name once...and there was no notifications on my phone that had my name on it. Nor any labels. So then...how did she know my name at that time?
There had been a single time when she muttered his name. She never asked for it, but always just called him little boy or Fox-kin. Except for that one time. Realizing it now, he had never told her about himself at all.
Which begged the question, again, how did she know his name?
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"Honestly, I just kind of went with the flow and it came naturally".
The moment she heard that, Old Crone was surprised. She could not help flashing back to a long time ago, in a rural village, and seeing a five tailed Fox-kin. She looked a lot like Bell did, but was wearing more traditional, shrine maiden like clothes. They stood atop a battlefield filled with the corpses of monsters, a sea of blood stretching everywhere in front of the village.
"You went a bit too far, dont you think?"
"Honestly, I just kind of went with the flow and it came naturally" she said with a smile, looking back at her friend.
To think I would meet your ancestor, or perhaps your reincarnation even. Perhaps now I can finally repay all the favors I owed you, from so long ago Ruona.
She had those thoughts as she looked at the window, feeling melancholy.