Clang*
'Oh shit...' I turned around and saw the woman, being held back by Ethan. He yelled at us, "Just shut the hell up and finish will you! I can't hold her off forever!" "Oh, You think you can hold me, Elsa Granhiert, off? This will be lovely indeed~" "Kenneth, let's settle some unfinished business." I nodded and looked around for some sort of gauntlet, whether it be metal or even leather. I found nothing. I turned to look at her and frowned. ...Dammit. I finally just lowered into a boxing stance and charged. I won't go through this loop again.
(INSERT OPENING HERE)
(I've decided to forgo the whole copying subaru's way of cheering up Rem as well)
"I wonder what happened with that wan boi and what he's doing right now." I was currently on my way home from school after having trained my sword fighting skills for a couple hours. I then tripped on my shoe laces, which, of course, had been untied at that moment and had been untied the entire time I had been walking home because tripping was a rather rare occurrence and I didn't want to waste valuable energy needed to play games, and started falling to the sidewalk. I braced myself for the painful impact that I knew was to come. But, much to my surprise, I didn't hit concrete like I was expecting, but fell into a pile of soft stuff instead. When I lifted my head to look around I noticed I was laying in a pile of trash in the middle of an alley. What was even weirder was that it was all of a sudden day when it had been night but only a second ago. What in God's name is going on? I got up, brushed off what little trash may have clinged on to me, and made my way out of the ally. Once I made my way out what lay before me was a medieval type town. It was sprawling with many people moving about. But what was very surprising was that there wasn't just normal human persons occupying the area. There were also some furries and dragonborn running amok. There were also what appeared to be dragons but were much smaller and had no wings and were pulling carriages. With all of this evidence laid out before me only one question entered my mind. 'Am I in a fantasy world.?' It seemed so unbelievable but the scene playing out before my very eyes seemed to point heavily towards that possibility. Plus this couldn't be a dream, it's just too real for this all to be in my head. So that has to be what's going on. "I've been teleported to another world. That's a neat." Now that I know what's happened I need to figure out what I should do next. I have absolutely no idea where I am or what this world or it's people are like. I have no friends or acquaintances whatsoever. I don't even know if these people speak the same language. "-So don't waste my time freeloader! Get out of here!" Ok they speak English, that's a relief. There are a bunch of armored people with swords at their waists which I can safely assume are knights or the equivalent of what people here call them. I could try my hand at becoming a knight since I am rather skilled at swordplay. Though I have no idea how well my sword skills would fare compared to everyone else. I might not be near skilled enough to be a knight. After some thinking which led to no clear answer as to what I should do I decided to do what any sane individual would do in my position. I chose a direction and just started walking to see what would happen.
Ethan and I were busy dealing with Elsa as Emilia prepared to fight. I ducked under a slash before being kicked back. We were so far, getting our collective asses handed to us on a gold lined, silver platter. I dodged back and landed a front kick to her gut and then quickly dodged back, 'alright now's a good a time as any.' I stood straight up and smiled, "Heya. You've been busy, huh?" Everyone started staring at me, Ethan smiled knowing the quote. "So, I've got a question for ya. Do you think even the worst person can change...? That everyone can be a good person, if they just try? heh heh heh heh... All right. Well, here's a better question. Do you wanna have a bad time? Cause if you take another step forward... You are REALLY not going to like what happens next." She took a step forward. "Welp. Sorry, about this." I stood there with my hands in my jacket pockets. "It's a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming... On days like these, people like you..." My smile faded and I growled in frustration, my past deaths leaking into my quote delivery a bit. It did make it a little bit better I guess, "...Should be burning in hell." I made my right eye reflect what little bit of light was in the loot house, making it seem to glow. I smiled again, "What do ya say, Puck, is that an adequate distraction?" Ice shot by me and immediately froze Elsa over. I sighed in relief, before going on guard. I raised my fists again and got ready to fight incase she survived. "I know how this goes, you have at least two more phases in you, don't you?" I dodged a sudden dagger being thrown however it did slice my cheek a bit. '...I wasn't as ready as I thought.' I shot backward, "Puck keep those icicles coming." "On it!" Puck started to fire off some ice shots as I slumped against the wall, a bit tired from fighting. 'Puck, all you need to do is buy me enough time to gain my stamina back.' I panted, 'I should REALLY work on that.' Ethan stood back with Rom and Felt after Puck joined in. Puck started to fade. Why didn't I remember that VERY important fact. "Dammit!" Rom rushed forward as Ethan grabbed another sword due to the other one breaking. I gave him a sidelong glance, "I know you know how to use broom handles and metal rods, but... do you know how to use that thing?" He looked at me with a deadpan expression on his face. "My sword? Fuck yeah, I know how to use it! What's there to understand about swish swish stab? It's a fucking sword dude, it's not a fighter jet." I nodded, Internally smiling at the reference, before I heard Rom yell out in pain. Elsa started to advance on Felt. We charged. I launched into grabbing Felt as Ethan stood in front of Elsa blocking her attack. I looked at Felt, "You're in the way. Leave." "I'm not going to-" "I SAID LEAVE!" she visibly recoiled, "Go get help. Anyone will do." I turned towards Ethan and ran to help.
Me and Emilia were holding off Elsa while Kenneth was off behind me doing stuff with felt. After he did his thing Felt started running for the exit. "You think I'll let her go?" She grabbed another one of her daggers and threw it at her. It did not meet its mark though, for I was able to intercept it. She made it to the exit and fled the scene. "Well then, looks like you couldn't stop one from escaping." 'This is great. She can potentially get us some help, hopefully from someone incredibly powerful. We have a chance.' "For once I'm feeling a tad bit annoyed." "Don't forget about me!" Emilia rushed her from behind and shot an ice crystal which was casually blocked. Me and Kenneth slowly approached opposite ends of her to attack on both sides. She smiled as she once again pulled a second dagger. We ran at her and started attacking her with barrages of sword swipes or punches and blocking or dodging the occasional dagger swipe or two. I went for a right slash which was swiped away enough for her to move in with the other dagger and almost hit but Emilia deflected it just before it hit. I wasted no time going in for a left slash which she blocked. She the launched a torrent of slashes, most of which I was just barely able to block though some made past giving me a couple small cuts on my lower torso region and my face. She blocked yet another sword slash, this time disarming me, and knocked me back, quickly turning her full attention to Kenneth. I quickly got up and saw the sword was knocked a little farther away on the other side of the fight. 'Darn, I'm just gonna have to go in.' Despite my very limited experience in hand to hand combat I rushed back into the fight. Just as she knocked Kenneth back and got ready to deal the finishing blow I yelled to get her attention and slightly propelled myself upwards, fists raised above, to try and make it look like I was going to attack from above. As I came down I switched and tried kicking in the chest though this turned out to be a terrible decision as she just moved and grabbed my leg, rendering me stuck and defenseless. "I got you now." She slowly raised her dagger to strike me down and I tightly closed my eyes in anticipation of the great pain I was about to feel. But before the finale strike could be dealt someone's voice could be heard. "That's enough!" All occupants of the room immediately stopped. We all stood frozen for moments until all of a sudden the part of the ceiling resting over me and Elsa blasted in as dust and debris fell upon us. While Elsa was still standing frozen I took the opportunity to wriggle myself free from her grasp and ran into the cloud of dust behind the new arrival, who I now knew to be Rienhard Van Astrea who I had met earlier before coming here, as he walked forward towards our assailant. "Looks like I cut it pretty close, but I'm glad I made it in time." As the dust settled enough for everyone to see him it was all suddenly blown away from him. "What do you say, shall we put an end to this?" We all looked on in awe at the stupidly overpowered looking knight. "Hey, Reinhard!" "Hello, Ethan. We meet again. Sorry I'm late." Reinhard carefully observed the woman in front of us. "Black hair, black clothes, and a blade unique to the northern provinces. There is no mistaking those characteristics. You are the bowel hunter." Kenneth raised an eyebrow, "That's a dumb name, I guess that some people just aren't very creative." He shook his head, "I'm Kenneth by the way." Reinhard nodded, "It was derived from her unique killing style. Her name is known, even in the capital, as that of a dangerous individual." "Yes, a knight among knights, born to a line of master swordsmen, correct? How remarkable, having all my opponents be so much fun." "There are many things I'd like to ask you. I insist you surrender." "You expect such a starving predator to resist such a prime, juicy cut of meat?" Reinhard just chuckled at this response like the absolute mad lad he is. "Ethan, Kenneth, stand back a bit. If you would stand next to her, that would be much appreciated." He pointed towards Emilia who was healing Rom's wounds. I smirked and nodded. "That woman is like a monster so watch your guts." "As luck would have it, hunting monsters happens to be a specialty of mine." Man, he's such a badass. Me and Kenneth made our way towards Emilia as reinhard had requested. We knelt down beside her. "Old man Rom's still a living?" "He isn't out of the woods yet, I have to heal him now." I nodded as I looked back at the confrontation between the gull blader- a much more badass sounding name than the bowel hunter- and the sword saint. She charged at him at lightning speeds. "I would rather not use violence on a woman." Reinhard stomped on the ground creating a shockwave which destroyed the ground he struck and stopped else dead in her tracks from which he then kicked her to the side making her roll a few feet away. "Just as the rumors entail… no, your even better." "I'm not sure I'll meet your expectations." "Aren't you going to use that sword on your hip. I would love to experience it's legendary sharpness firsthand." "This sword can only be drawn when needed. The fact it hasn't left it's sheath yet means this isn't one of those times." "I do believe I have been underestimated." "It's an upsetting judgment for me as well. Therefore I shall take you on with this instead." Reinhard picked up the sword I had previously battled with and lost during the fight with Elsa. "Do you object?" "No, it is wonderful. Wonderful! Do entertain me please!" Reinhard's power flared to life and his sword glowed. Elsa swooped in to strike but Reinhard simply blocked and disarmed her, catching the tip of the blade with his fingors. "If you lost your weapon, I strongly suggest you surrender." He threw the dagger and it stuck into a pillar beside her. Elsa threw the broken handle of her weapon and charged, hands empty. "Watch out, she has a second one!" I yelled out to Reinhard as Elsa charged him seemingly with no weapon. She suddenly pulled a second blade from her back and tried taking a swipe at Reinhard's guts. He stepped back and avoided having his innards exposed to the outside world. Elsa kept her eyes on Reinhard but spoke towards me."I'm impressed you knew." "I've experienced it first hand." "But I don't have a mere two fangs, would you mind if we start again." "If I divest you of all your weapons will you be satisfied." "If I lose my fangs I'll use my claws, if I lose my claws I'll use my bones, if I lose my bones I'll use my life. That is how a bowel hunter fights." "If you lose your bones you'll be crippled!" I yelled out to her. Does she not know anything about basic human anatomy? I guess she was simply to obsessed with tem bowel movements to learn. She began jumping around the loot house and striking Reinhard from different sides, all attacks being blocked with ease. "Surely Reinhard won't fail to land the finishing blow, will he?" I questioned slightly worried. "Because I'm using my spirit arts he cannot battle at his full strength." Kenneth sighed, "Then stop using them. Old Man Rom isn't that important. He's lived life long enough right? Isn't it better to end his suffering?" Emilia glared at Kenney slightly. "Well, I need him to recover so he'll repay the favor by giving me information." Kenneth smirked, "You're adorable while glaring ya know. Like a regular anime girl." "Beyond reasoning, what do those two things even have to do with each other?" I brushed past Kenneth's jab at her attempt at looking mad and got to the question. "If he was truly intent on fighting then all the mana in the atmosphere would turn away from me. I'm almost done healing him. When I give the signal, let him know." We looked down upon Rom as the wound fully closed. "He's alright now. Go ahead." I turned towards the sword saint. "Ey Reinhard, I don't really understand, but do your thing!" Reinhard nodded and his power flared to life, soaking up all the mana around him like a spong. "Oh, what will you show me?" Elsa asked as she looked upon Reinhard who was inhaling all them manas like a kirby. "The swordplay of the Astrea family." Reinhard readied his sword for what appeared to be his final smash. Elsa smiled and readied her two blades. "The bowel hunter, Elsa Granhiert." "It's gull blader and you know it!" I yelled out correcting her. "Reinhard Van Astrea, of the line of master swordsmen." The two faced each other as Reinhard's sword began to shine bright enough to blind everyone. He raised his sword as whales could be heard moaning in the background, oddly enough. Kenneth flinched, "What the fu-" Alas, in classic movie fashion, he was cut off before he could finish as Reinhard brought his sword down. The resulting explosion was so strong it blew the loot house apart and rendered it almost completely destroyed. The three of us shielded our face from the wind and debris of the blast, nearly being blown away with the loot. Me and Kenneth looked at Reinhard in shock as we surveyed the extent of the damage. "You said you were a monster hunter, not a suicide bomber!" I yelled out to Reinhard as he stood in the middle of the destruction he caused. "You sure you're not an anime protagonist?" Kenneth questioned. "I'm not sure what an anime is but I am probably not that." He looked at the sword In his hand as it crumbled to dust due to the overwhelming power that had coursed through its veins. "I'm sorry I asked too much of you, rest well now." "There isn't even a single mark left, let alone a body. All this from a single swing of the sword?" I commented as I looked in amazement at what was left of the building which was standing just seconds ago. "It's over now?" Emilia rose up and tried to walk but stumbled and nearly fell down to the hard ground below. Kenneth caught her, "Clumsy too. Definitely an anime girl." "In any case it looks like it's finally over. Man does it feel good not having a gaping hole in my belleh." I stated, relieved. "You speak as if you've experienced that before." "There was such a time where I faced such an unpleasant experience." I smiled, knowing that our pain had finally ended. "Well then, what no-" I was interrupted as a crash could be heard.
I shot towards Elsa, knowing that I was right about the amount of phases in this boss battle. I readied my fist. She swiped at my gut which I sacrificed my left arm to defend. I delivered an uppercut to her jaw. I then punched HER gut. Following up with a haymaker to the temple and then reverse kicking the side of her face. "This, my friend, is TRUE gender equality." Knocking her down against the remaining wall, I then drop kicked her in the face before rolling away as Reinhard stood in front of me. "That's enough, Elsa!" Elsa threw her blade at him, which suddenly flew around him. "Soon enough, I'll disembowel everyone here." She jumped onto a very unstable looking pillar. "Take care of yourself until then." I sighed, before sarcastically saying, "Fine, MOM." She smiled, "Never been called mom before." Then she disappeared into the night. 'She'll be back won't she?' Emilia ran up to me, "Are you alright? That was far too reckless!" She lightly scolded. "I'm fine. Don't worry. I'm Kenneth if I haven't told you already." I smiled. She was looking at my left arm. I followed her gaze. ….shit. she saw me bleeding.