"Da, da, da, DA!" Takashi shouted while marching through the vast and lush jungle. With every step he took, a low yet still audible thumping sound was left behind. The dead, crisp leaves beneath him crumbled, producing an oddly sensational sound to his ears.
Deers, crows, board and other potential prey immediately evacuated their turf, for the bold move from Takashi caused them to instinctively imagine a predator making its way to hunt them down, arrogantly showing of its strength by making noises rather than hide and lurk in the shadows, as if to express itself as the king of the jungle.
A few moments later, Takashi stopped momentarily as he pulled out Mr. Ringo from his shorts. His fingers trailed at the carvings he had made on it, gradually rotting and showing signs of molding. Takashi stared at it intently for a minute before speaking out at last.
"How much farther until we reach our destination, Mr. Ringo?" He inquired.
{I don't know, but stay positive, Takashi! We are bound to find something eventually, and when we do, it will be the best thing we'll ever find!}
"Yeah…maybe you're right, Mr. Ringo. I shouldn't lose any hope yet. No, I should strive and be optimistic instead! That's right, I'm Takashi, the man with luck by his side!" Takashi roared, increasing his pace with a renewed enthusiasm. A jubilant smile spread across his face as he hopped through the dense forest while proudly declaring himself as the Lucky Man.
…
"Urgh…ah… final…ly…" An enormous person donning worn-out clothes, bleeding from injuries scattered across their entire body, and panting in exhaustion—emerging from a cave which entrance had been blocked by piles of rubbles for quite the extended period of time.
The person emerging from such a place was none other than Kafil, the sole survivor of the tragedies that had transpired nearly three days ago. His hands were bruised and his body was battered and scathed. It was a miracle he could still breathe to see the light of day. Kafil stared at the sky, wincing slightly in pain from the bright sunlight that came from above. Yet he did not complain, rather he smiled warmly at the sight before him.
"I'm finally…out…" He sighed, stepping out amidst the pile of rocks that diminished his energy severely for cutting off the supply of oxygen for himself. If Kafil had not encountered such a situation back on Earth, it would be no doubt he too would have been a victim and succumbed to death alongside his opponents.
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A soft thud was produced as Kafil's feet made contact with the soft, yet sturdy dirt. His smile was further exaggerated, crouching down and touching the dirt with his own two hands.
"Yes…It's finally over…" Having spoken those words, Kafil closed his eyes—his body instantly descending onto the ground. Blood trickled down his back, the injuries he had received from them reopening—allowing harmful organisms to pierce through and enter his bloodstream.
"I…shouldn't fall yet…but…it's so…tiring…" Kafil mumbled beneath his breath, his eyelids becoming heavier. The final bit of energy he possessed granted him the opportunity to gaze at the forest before him just for a bit more, chuckling at its beauty before fainting at last.
A few minutes passed by, his body still laid on the ground, harmless and unprotected—yet no signs of creatures were near to feast upon his mighty physique. His breathing stabilised, no longer erratic or inconsistent like earlier—snoring peacefully as if the world had frozen in time.
Eventually, a mysterious figure leaped out from the thick bushes—performing multiple flips as if to announce their grand entrance. The moment their feet touched the ground, they promptly strike an incredibly, albeit slightly embarrassing pose only those born with unbelievable flexibility could accomplish.
"Hiyah!" The being shouted, revealing themselves to be none other than Takashi. One of his hands was stretched outwards while the other held a firm grip on his hips.
"Hehe…seems that no one can withstand the grandeur entrance of Takashi." He proclaimed in a narcissistic manner, stomping his feet triumphantly as though he was a king.
His eyes surveyed the surroundings, a satisfied smile crept up onto his face by the absence of animals within the area. However, his smile was soon replaced by a look of confusion and cautiousness by the presence of Kafil's unconscious body. Discreetly, Takashi approached the body of the muscular man who was lying down on his front.
His steps were low and soft as he tiptoed towards Kafil. Upon reaching a certain distance, he picked up a small pebble and tossed it at the body in case it was a trap. Nevertheless, Kafil's body remained motionless despite the small rocks hitting it.
Takashi let out a quick sigh of relief as he hurried towards the body, before flipping it over to see the face of the man who had fallen in such an injured condition. His face soon contorted into a mixture of anger, concerned and worried—seething with a tumultuous of emotions as he gently held the head of his dear friend.
'Who…just who dares…!' He thought furiously, veins beginning to pop out from his skin as if to express the undeniable rage coursing through them.
'No…I shouldn't let my anger overtake me yet. Not now at least.' Takashi convinced himself, taking a few deep breaths to ease his fury. He stared at Kafil's battered and injured body once more as a groan escaped from his throat.
'Ah…damnit. I'm already forgetting those 'how to stop bleeding' lessons…Let's just use common sense and see where that gets me. It's better to do something than doing nothing in the first place.'
Having made up his mind, Takashi tore a few parts of his own shirt and the few bits of intact clothes Kafil still had—using them to bandage his wounds, especially areas that seemed to appear in a much more critical shape than others.
"Okay…that should do for now." Takashi exhaled, wiping off the beads of sweat off of his forehead. "Fucking hell…ugh, never thought I would have to do this…"
A loud screech was emitted from his vocal chords, his body trembling greatly as though it would falter just from a simple gust—attempting to carry Kafil on his back, withstanding his immense weight through sheer willpower, grit and determination.
"Argh! Fuuuu-!" Takashi shrieked, biting down on his lips in an attempt to redirect his pain to another place. Taking even a simple step was seemingly impossible, yet he persisted—forcing his body beyond their utter limits to carry a man nearly twice his size and weight. His lifelong friend, the man he considered to be his blood brother despite being unrelated—Takashi's bond with Kafil was far too strong for them to abandon one another. They would do anything to save each other, even if their actions ended up hurting themselves.
"Ah…ha…you…better treat me to beer after we return…you massive, muscular bastard."
…