Axel had steeled his resolve, ready to face whatever monstrosity emerged.
He stared blankly as the stickmen reached out—clawing their way out of the water.
But this—this was totally unexpected.
Just what is this?
Axel shook his head. It didn't matter.
He dashed forward, taking the initiative.
Whatever they were, giving them time was a mistake.
He slashed.
The stickman threw a punch in response.
Axel leaned back, fist sailing past his face.
A gust of wind rustling his hair.
The blade tore through its torso, coming out the other end.
Axel stood still, katana at his side.
The stickman's upper body slid down the blade.
In a heartbeat, he pushed forward, towards the next figure.
He looped its head off before it completely emerged—moving on to the next one.
Getting closer to the man, building tempo, a wild grin on his face.
This is too easy.
He spun around, avoiding a fist.
The blade cutting an arc, two heads flew off.
He wasn't complaining.
He even had time to glance at the man—still sitting casually, looking up, as if nothing was going on.
Annoying.
Get to him, and it'll be over.
Axel dropped low, sliding between a stickman's leg. The blade swung.
Its legs came off.
Axel grinned and leapt forward.
Katana slicing through the air, aiming for the man's neck.
But the blade stopped, mere inches from the man's neck.
He couldn't do it. Eyes flickered to his trembling hands.
I can't guarantee killing him will get me out of here.
The man looked at the katana, then back at Axel, "Why'd you stop?"
"If I kill you, I'm trapped here—then what?"
He took a deep breath. "And I'm curious."
"You'll tell me what I want to know, else…" Axel moved the blade closer to his neck.
"You're still on about that huh." The man leaned back.
"Well since you insist the sword is an anima. Explaining further would be a hassle…It doesn't matter anyway," the man finished with a casual tone.
"Oh and by the way killing me would allow you escape," he added, smiling.
Axel's brow scrunched.
Anima, and why the hell is this bastard behaving so casually?
He pushed the katana closer, blade digging into skin, blood trickled down the katana.
"What is an anima?"
The man yawned and rubbed his eyes, as if a blade wasn't digging into his skin.
He smirked and whispered: "watch out."
Axel's eyes widened.
The wind moved behind him, rustling his hair—something was approaching.
Before he could react, a fist slammed into his side, digging deep into his left ribs.
Air got knocked out of his lungs.
The world tilted.
Axel flew forward like a ragdoll, slamming into the ground, bouncing off the water surface. Rolling to a stop.
Axel lay still—broken.
Pain bloomed from his ribs which felt snapped into multiple pieces.
He took a deep breath—trying to replace the air knocked out of him, wincing as air gushed in.
The floral scent filled his lungs, the pain dulled, pupils dilated.
Everything else vanished—just the fight remained.
Axel stood up, panting, yet still grinning.
Let's go.
He took a step, but paused, cheeks puffed.
Something surged up his throat, blood spurting out.
The red liquid poured into the black water below, disappearing as it touched its surface, as if the water was swallowing it.
But Axel didn't notice this.
He wiped the blood off, looked up, bloodied teeth bared, lips pulled tight.
The man's back was now visible to him, still casually sitting, undefended—if you rule out the multiple stickmen around him.
I can do it.
The thought kept repeating in his head like a mantra.
His feet pushed off the water, breaking into a sprint.
The stickmen mirrored him, dashing forward as well.
Axel tilted to the side.
A fist snapping where he was.
He spun around a stickman's body. Slamming his elbow into its head.
He dashed towards the wave of stickmen.
Weaving through attacks as he parried and dodged.
Black limbs, heads, flying off with each step he took.
His kenjutsu skills shining.
But even that wasn't enough, he was getting grazed with each passing moment.
fists landing, but he ignored it all.
Pushing forward, drawing closer to the man.
Unbeknownst to him a red glow crept up behind his pupils.
Axel finally broke through, he leapt up. Sword overhead, about to cleave the man in half.
Before the blade dropped.
To his left a fist materialized out of thin air, cutting through the air.
The skin on his cheek rippled as it made contact.
Head jerked to the right, lower jaw pushed too far to the right.
But before he could fly off, a hand gripped his leg.
Jerking him to a stop.
The air whipped around him, arms flailing as he was dragged through the air.
Then crunch, a sickening crack resounding as his body slammed into the water.
As his body bounced off, a leg dug into his stomach.
His body folded, eyes rolled back.
Axel flew back, stopping half a mile away from the man.
His body lay still, looking up with blurry vision.
Ears ringing.
Stomach turned.
Oddly at that moment, his mind became clearer, and he questioned, what am I doing?
He had been approaching the man, fighting recklessly, that was nothing like him.
Normally after the first attempt, he'd have stopped, or at least strategized better.
Not rush in like an idiot
Yet at that time, it felt like something was compelling him, clouding his judgement.
The extra effect, he recalled what the man had said.
But now, perhaps due to that hit rattling his head. It was clearing now, like a fog lifting off.
But along with clear headedness came pain, eyes rolled back.
Fire blooming from his abdomen—his ribs.
Axel screamed out as everything came crashing onto him, all at once.
After a minute or two of continuous screaming, he slowly sat up.
Wincing with each movement. Something had definitely broken, his left hand hung limply at the side.
His jaw was crooked, pushed too far to the wrong side. A metallic taste heavy on his tongue.
Blergh!
Blood and something else rushed out of his mouth.
After a few seconds, the puking finally stopped.
Axel screamed out as he pushed his jaw back into place.
He stared with heavy lidded eyes at the man. To his left, still seated with his back to him, stickmen around him, looking with blank faces, unmoving.
He took a deep breath inhaling the floral scent.
The fog returned.
The thought of rushing towards the man bubbling up. Unexplainable hate, he had to kill him, no matter what—everything else didn't matter.
His muscles got taut, pupils dilated, nostrils flaring.
Sh*t, Axel cursed and bit his tongue.
He quickly covered his nose, shaking his head.
That's it, the scent.
It amplified hostile feelings, like adding fuel to fire.
Suppressing whatever intervened…even pain.
Axel hurriedly took off his backpack.
Took out a handkerchief and quickly wrapped it around his nose, numbing the floral scent.
His gaze moved towards the katana, a few meters away from him.
Enough of this.
"Hey," Axel called, "you can have the katana, I surrender."
Slowly and with much cursing, he stood up, knees trembling beneath him.
Gaze locked on the man, who didn't turn back. The stickmen still unmoving.
"Did you hear me," Axel shouted again.
Silence, for a second nothing happened… Then the stickmen started moving.
Running towards him, all of them.
Definitely not for the katana.
Axel gritted his teeth, "Hey, I said you can have it," he screamed.
But the man was unresponsive and the stickmen were not stopping either.
Shit, he's really going to kill me.
Axel's eyes widened with horror, lips quivering, as the stickmen got closer.
His jaw tightened, the stickman in front now close to him.
Its hand cocked back—ready to punch.
He dove forward, passing below the fist.
Rolled towards the katana and picked it up.
He quickly put it in front of him in a defensive position.
A foot slammed into it.
Axel was pushed back, blood spraying out, he bared his teeth and stabbed the sword in the pool.
Skidding back for a few meters.
Damn it.
I stand no chance. I need to get to him.
His eyes narrowed as he looked at the man, his only chance of survival, the only hope he had.
They're slow.
I'm hurt.
He looked around, the stickmen were everywhere between him and the man, their numbers had refilled.
No pulling off that stunt again.
Axel looked down at the katana, his hand hanging limply.
His entire body ached. Yet he wasn't giving up.
His gaze moved to the katana again.
Now would be a good time to help me out buddy.
Axel tried to turn the wheel.
Turn the sword to the side.
Trying various movements.
"Come on" he shouted, voice laced with desperation, but nothing happened.
And the stickmen were almost upon him.
Abandoning the idea.
He turned around and started running, no he was limping. Katana dragging behind him.
Fortunately even with the pain, he was faster.
That won't last.
Axel went low.
He spun back.
The blade cutting an arc, slicing through legs.
A stickman toppled over.
Without wasting a beat, Axel resumed limping away. He'd repeat the movement again anytime one got close enough. Severing legs.
Doing anything to slow them down.
Axel wheezed, air running out.
Jaw aching, fire within his ribs.
They were getting closer, no he was getting slower. And they weren't getting fewer.
The only way to stop all this was to get to the man.
And ironically, Axel looked to his right.
The man was sitting still, a few meters away.
No stickmen between them. All of them were behind Axel.
Afterall they had all been mindlessly following him.
He jerked to a stop and pushed off the water surface.
A sudden burst of strength filled his muscles.
He covered the distance in seconds—katana overhead.
As he was close to the man about to end him, he felt that wind again at his flank.
A small smirk tugged on his lips.
Not this time.
Axel dropped low.
Switched his grip on the katana, and spun around.
The blade tore through a half materialized stickman, splitting it into two.
Axel frowned, the halves of its body were flying forward.
But it was too slow.
His eyes flickered to the hilt, finally, his face lit up as he saw the green glow.
The next second another stickman blasted through the previous one's incomplete body—fast but still slow.
Gripping the katana tightly, he leaned back, avoiding the attack.
The stickman passing in front of him.
Axel stepped on the water, using his left foot as pivot.
He spun around, blade driving towards the man's neck.
Faster, he roared.
Boom!
His teeth clashed against each other as something slammed into his chin.
Sending him flying upward.
The world spun as Axel flew in the air, tracing an arc over the man.
With a splash
he slammed into the water, in front of the man.
He coughed hard, rough.
A splitting pain in his head, vision getting more blurry, a ringing sound in his head.
This is it.
He laid there, unmoving, only his head turned to the side.
Getting rid of the blood to prevent him from choking.
But then he noticed it, the man's face.