(David’s thoughts) W-What…

His vision blurred as his ears started to scream.

The impact and reverberation of the punch soon started to dig into his stomach and lower ribcage, the invisible fist digging deeper into his ribcage.

Opening his mouth wide, the air that was already empty from his lungs coughed out the last bits of air pockets that were held in storage. His eyes widened as his face clenched up, bits of saliva spat out from the innards of his mouth.

(Kenichi’s thoughts) cough cough … God … I hate using it …

Kenichi’s entire face was coated with cold sweat, his right and left temples rolling down along his cheeks and sides of his face. Collapsing onto his knees, the asphalt underneath soon dented from the sudden force of which Kenichi dropped.

Blood spurting from his knees, he tilted his head up slowly as he quickly noticed…

The speed at which David was traveling.

(David’s thoughts) W-What just…

His hair blowing through the early morning cold wind, his eyes soon rolled onto the back of his head followed by his breath being caught in his throat. Unable to even move his legs or arms, David had no choice but to let the air take him whatever it desired.

The pain from the blow swelling up the skin from his stomach and lower chest, managed to burn the area where it landed, causing David to grit his teeth midflight.

(David’s thoughts) I didn’t … cough … see it coming. Or … was it already there…?

And at long last, David’s back was then smashed right through a large window.

With the glass dissolving, the small sharp shards stabbed his back as it lodged through the leather jacket he wore.

Landing on the carpet floor of a nearby mansion, David kept his back and body to the ground beneath him, not bothering to arch his head up. Spreading his arms and legs wide open, his breath continued to hitch inside of his throat, his throat jumping up and down as he couldn’t even breathe.

(David’s thoughts) gasp … gasp.

Putting both of his hands on his throat, he placed each of his thumbs onto either side of his throat, putting pressure on his windpipe. Rubbing it back and forth, the air that was trapped within his throat was then swallowed back in, his chest expanding upward.

His face slightly bluish from the lack of air, it turned back to normal again as he continued to widen his eyes, his pupils staring at the white ceiling in front of him.

(David’s thoughts) Just what the hell did he use? Ain’t no way it was a blessing.

David arched his head up as he noticed the abundance of many large couches and rugs all over the area. With a couple of statues and arches on the other end of the mansion, David put his right hand inside his jacket again, feeling the metal of a familiar object that he used.

He had both of his boots latched onto a brown and luxurious rug, the air around him mixed with chocolate and bleach.

Walking forward, his boots then started to squeak as he left the rug for the clean marble floor that was in front of him.

(David’s thoughts) It wasn’t fast, it was more or less unseen with the naked eye. The best guess to counter it is any hard object to deflect it.

David strolled through the large hallway that was riddled with ancient weapons that were stored inside glass boxes. Taking note of each one of them, David has his left hand in his pants pocket, looking around his surroundings at the same time despite being in the dark.

Noticing a small shield inside of a glass box, David towered over the box that was in front of him, his hand enclosed into a hardened fist.

(David’s thoughts) Is it legal to use a weapon that somebody owns?

He stared into the small metal shield as he tilted his head to the right, his eyes gazing at the outer edges of the slightly spiked thorns. Clicking his tongue once, he then placed his left hand on the glass box, his fingers feeling the cold glass that enclosed the ancient artifact.

Staining the glass with his sweaty fingertips and palms, David pulled his hand back, using his lungs to expand as he sucked in air into his stomach.

(David’s thoughts) Boris could pay for the damages.

Pulling back his left hand, David thrust it right toward the center of the box.

The glass then shattered, spreading its tiny weapons that pricked and cut his knuckles and fingers. Blood dripped onto the white marbled floor, his hand reached the spiked edges of the shield, his palms too being stabbed.

Grabbing the shield with just his left hand, he pulled it toward him as he almost dropped the metal upon holding it, clenching the strap tightly with his fingers.

(David’s thoughts) It’s surprisingly heavy. Just what type of metal is it…

The front door swung wide open.

Turning his head toward the direction of the sound, David remained still as he grabbed his shield and his gun on both of his hands. Not even motioning his fingers for a second, his eyes peered into the man who was standing in front of the door.

While the man was peering at him back.

As both saw each other in the early dark of the morning, the ginger-haired man pointed his chainsaw sword right at the man wearing a cowboy hat.

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(Kenichi) Hope you’re ready for round two.

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(David’s thoughts) He looks like he’s in normal condition compared to a couple of hours ago.

Upon the darkness that shrouded the hallway and front entrance of the mansion, David pointed his handgun straight at Kenichi.

As for Kenichi, he wielded his two chainsaw blades that emitted smoke and sparks from both swords. Despite blood dripping from his chest, along with the bullets still lodged in tight, Kenichi’s breathing was slow and normal compared to what it was before.

Furrowing his brow, David swayed his head repeatedly from side to side.

(David) What did you do to your body? How are you still standing after eight bullets to the chest?

(Kenichi) There are ways…

David caught a glimpse at Kenichi’s right arm, seeing a syringe being stuck upon the leather fabric of his jacket. Sharpening his eyes, David tapped his right foot repeatedly as he tilted his head downward upon the revelation at hand.

(David’s thoughts) What is that syringe?

Gripping the two blades with such animosity and force, Kenichi then spread his feet apart from one another, making a lunging stance as he put his right foot in front of the left.

Narrowing his eyes, he then pushed his heels off the brown rug that rested his boots, his entire body in the air barreling straight at David. Pulling back both of his hands, the blades of the chainsaws cut through the air like paper, the wind howling as it went straight for David’s neck.

The winds shrieked from the way Kenichi sliced through, David took a step back as he placed the shield that he wielded in his left hand in front of him. Even though it was small, it still covered his entire neck.

Barely able to follow his movements, David fired three bullets from the barrel of his gun, the hot lead on a collision course toward the ginger-haired man.

Kenichi lunged his body to the right of David, managing to evade three shots from his handgun. Kenichi thrusted his right blade, ignoring the graze of the hot metal that passed him.

The rotating blade of the chainsaw finally made contact with the heavy shield that David used, making a display of lights that shone in the darkened room.

(David’s thoughts) And now he's going to aim for my liver next huh…

Kenichi thrust his left sword straight toward where David predicted, the spiked edges of the rotating chain nuzzling right at his leather jacket. Still having bullets within his gun, he shot the remaining bullets.

Gritting the enamels of his teeth shut, David glared at Kenichi, who had a similar expression.

(David) You feel that?

All three bullets that shot out from his pistol were lodged straight inside Kenichi’s abdomen.

Pulling his right sword from the shield that was trying to cut through, along with his left sword that was centimeters away from striking David’s liver, Kenichi only bent down as blood trickled from his stomach.

With his mouth opened wide, it only led to him gasping for air, his face turning pale as his eyes began to redden.

(Kenichi’s thoughts) Time to activate it again…

The air in front of him howled a weak cry.

As the strands of his air spiked up, he immediately thrust his left hand up toward his stomach, the shield blocking anything that might strike. His face and body already dripping with cold sweat, the presence of another being or unearthly property was making headway right at him.

And sure enough…

(David’s thoughts) Shit!

The air around him bursted open.

Still clutching the metal shield in his left hand, the blunt of the impact pushed back David several feet from where he stood.

His ears rang followed by tinnitus clouding his eardrums, his body shivered in intervals as the shield radiated a trembling motion. Unable to even keep his hands in control, David huffed his chest up as he held in an abundance of air.

(David’s thoughts) What was that just now? It can’t be a blessing, but … can it …

Kenichi then straightened his whole body up, his feet many inches apart as he continued to stare at David. The rotating chains still in motion, Kenichi made a much cruller frown latched onto his face, his lips making an upside down U.

His legs started to wobble, he sniffled his nose as a reddish liquid streamed out of it.

(Kenichi) There is no escaping this.

Another burst of speeding air traversed the front of David alone, his shield covering him once again. As another brunt of force slammed onto the shield that he was wielding again, David managed to have a stronger grip on the floor, causing him to glide through the clean marble.

Tinnitus and shivering only increased as a result of the shield, his eyes slightly blurring from the high-rising sound of the metal.

(David’s thoughts) I think he has some invisible extra arm or hand with him. Man, I’m losing my edge on this…

Pressing the firing mechanism that was needed for the release of another round of bullets, David used his barely seeing eyes to glance at his gun. He clicked on the mechanism a few times before his eyes widened.

(David) Oh shit!

With no way to shoot bullets with an empty magazine, David quickly holstered his pistol back onto his hip. Noticing that Kenichi was still standing in the front entrance of the living room, David put his hand into his leather jacket, nuzzling his knuckles within a side pocket.

Kenichi, who let beads of sweat roll down from his forehead, started to slowly walk as the air around him thickened. The strands of both sides of his jacket swinging up, led to the air pulling out two other chainsaw swords that were inside his jacket.

(David’s thoughts) Just what is he doing now?

Using the power that was bestowed upon him, Kenichi wielded the typical chainsawed swords on both his right and left hand, but also two swords that were on both sides of him. Hanging in the middle of the air, the two swords that weren’t handled by any body part soon started to rev up.

Widening his eyes, David quickly pulled out what he had from within his jacket, his right hand holding a simple object that he rarely used.

His fingers digging deep into the old wood of the object, David put the small shield onto his chest and stomach, strapping it tightly onto his leather jacket’s collar.

(Kenichi’s thoughts) Is that a slingshot?

The wooden object was on the verge of collapsing or being swayed by the air, as a piece of wood chip fell onto the marbled floor beneath his feet. Along with the old scent of vanilla extract and body odor from the handle of the slingshot, it caused David to flare up his nostrils at the smell of nostalgia.

He also took a small leather pouch out of his jacket filled with bullets that seemed four times smaller than a regular bullet.

(David) I don’t think you remember this, but it’s a weapon that I’m proud of mastering.

Pulling back the leather rope from the wood, the leather rope stretched its old hinges with David’s left fingers.

Noticing that David was aiming right toward his forehead, Kenichi thrust his feet off the marble floor, going along the wind as he instantly came right where David was aiming. Having four chainsaw swords all barreling straight at David, the only thing that David could do was…

(David) You never beat me in a slingshot competition Kenichi, nobody did…

Let go of the bullet that hurled itself straight at Kenichi’s forehead.

In slow motion, he used all four swords to try to block the speeding mini bullet, all the blades aiming dead center. Feeling his muscles tear up each other by the sudden motion of his hands and arms, Kenichi focused his eyes on the black tiny dot, not unwavering his sight on it.

Surprisingly, the blades of the rotating chainsaw managed to scrape away the bullet from entering him.

(David) You focus too much, just like always.

Kenichi’s eyes widened as he looked downward. Blood trickled down from the lower ends of his abdomen, creating a puddle on the marble floor.

Seeing that Kenichi couldn’t move an inch, David lowered down his slingshot to the side, his eyes still glaring at the ginger-haired man.

(Kenichi) Damn it … what the hell were in those bullets…?

(David) Just plain ordinary BB bullets. It can kill a mouse or squirrel.

His chest upheaving frantically, Kenichi clenched his jaw shut as he slowly tried to move his swords toward David.

David took a few steps back as he continued to point his old slingshot right at the ginger-haired man, his fingers loosened as any pressure bestowed upon it would crumble. As he began to pull the leather rope at a perfect distance so that it wouldn’t snap, his fingers started to blister upon the edges of the material.

(David) But these bullets can put a dent in a human with enough force. Don’t you agree?

Kenichi took a step forward as he then summoned the invisible wind toward the back of him, the air bursting at two points at once.

The air that held up both of his chainsaw swords soon fell to the ground, as both blades stopped revving as well followed by the sudden crash onto the marbled floor. With a loud shriek, it caused a bit of sparks to emit from the ground below.

(Kenichi) I agree, but power is better.

As if an invisible hand was grabbing onto something, Kenichi slowly moved the invisible hand that had an iron grip on it, an object that had a beating heart and warm blood.

Bringing something into the dark of the early morning, the invisible air or hand showcased the thing that it caught, causing David to drop his slingshot.

(David’s thoughts) God damn it!