Chapter 7: This is War (30 Seconds to Mars)

He seemed amused by the fact that I didn't run away like the beasts around me. I was amused as well and was in the mood to fight anyway. Since he looked pretty strong, I pulled out my favorite weapon: a three-piece diamond bamboo staff. I quickly fastened the pieces together and bolted towards the giant. He grinned evilly and sent a series of voice bullets at me, which I dodged flawlessly. I leaped over him and before he could register that I was behind him, I swung the staff into his side with so much force that he was sent at least 1,000 feet away. This pissed him off. How can I be getting my ass kicked by a shrimpy little bastard?! he thought.

"Don't be getting' cocky, asshole!" he yelled in a rage. I smirked. Good. Now he's motivated. I'm not going to get into a lot of detail on our little spar, but it did end in a draw. We were so beat up and gasping for breath as we lay on the ground, unable to move. I started to laugh.

"The hell's wrong with you?" Zebra asked.

"This is probably the first time I've ever had so much fun in a fight. All the others until now have been pretty boring. Thanks for givin' me a challenge for once," I said.

"Same to you. But this ain't over. I will kick your ass next time," he declared.

"Well, then I believe it is only right that you should know my name so you can find me. I am known as Kagetora. It's a pleasure to meet you …" I trailed off after I realized I didn't know his name either.

"Zebra," he said, "And I will hunt you down, you got that?"

"We'll see, Zebra-san," I said with a smirk.

"Cocky bastard," he muttered under his breath.

"Well, guess I should get going now," I said, getting up like I was completely uninjured. Zebra was shocked by this and was about to ask how I was already able to get up so easily, but I was already gone. He turned his head in the direction I had gone and found some medicine for his wounds, a bottle of water, and some onigiri. He felt somewhat insulted by this act of kindness but took it anyway. He picked up an onigiri and took a bite. His eyes widened in surprise by the burst of flavor that entered his mouth and he scarfed down the delicious food. A cook, huh? He thought. After a while, he got up and left to hunt down another ingredient.

I went back to the main building and was greeted by a pissed off Takeshi.

"Where the hell have you been?!" she screeched.

"On a stroll," I said as I tried to slip past her.

"Well then what's with all the cuts and bruises?" she asked.

"I fell out of a tree," I lied. She looked at me with a no-fucks-given face.

"Wow. I didn't think you were that clumsy," she said. I sighed. It's not worth the fight, I thought. I ignored her griping and continued on to talk to Mansam. I knocked on the door and entered the room to find that he's drunk again. What the hell's wrong with this guy?

"Pardon the intrusion, sir, but I'd like to request an audience with the president as soon as possible. Could you possibly arrange that for me?" I asked politely.

"I'll try but don't expect anything. He's a busy man, you know," he said.

"Understood," I replied. I left the room and went down to what was known as the Gourmet Coliseum. It angered me that people were making a spectacle of watching animals fight, but I didn't do anything. If I had, at least 1 person would be dead. I walked out like I hadn't seen anything and never went in there again. Humans are despicable, I thought.

A couple days later, I finally met with President Ichiryuu.

"You must be Kurotsuki's messenger. Nice to meet ya," he said, shaking my hand.

"Might I ask why you are getting us involved in your exploits?" I asked with a slight glare.

"Going straight to the point, I see," he muttered to himself before looking back at me, "I plan to go to the Gourmet World I wanted Kurotsuki to join me. However, I don't really trust that my boys are ready to take over when I'm gone. I was wondering if you in particular, Kagetora, could guide them and help them train to go to the Gourmet World for me."

I thought for a minute. How bad could it be?

"I will consider it," I said before I turned around to leave, "but don't take that as a guaranteed yes."

"He's a strange one," he said to himself. I returned to Biotope 1 and sat on the balcony, looking out into the distance. What am I getting myself into?