Outmatched

Flicking the blood from the swords, the shrouded figure disappeared from Reiji's vision. 

Relying solely on his instincts, Reiji swayed to the side, as the figure appeared before him. The blades striking at his throat. 

With the first attack missing, they immediately launched a flurry of stabs pushing Reiji further back. 

"I'm not-" Reiji tried to explain himself, but it was impossible. If he tried while dodging, he was more likely to bite of his own tongue.

"Tch. What a pain." Reiji couldn’t help but click his tongue in annoyance. 

With the bandit leader, even with a sword, his proficiency was much lower than this cloaked figure. 

In martial arts it’s said that for an unarmed person to fight against an opponent holding a weapon, they need to be three times as skilled. This person was clearly an expert. 

Seizing the chance, Reiji unleaches a high kick at the cloaked figure, forcing them to retreat.

This person clearly has the upper hand in the exchange Reiji thought to himself. Licking his lips in anticipation, he couldn't help but enjoy the thrill of battle. 

Parrying, dodging, and counterattacking. The two combatants continuously switch between attacker and defender. Each vying to take control of the flow of battle.

"Reiji, why don't you try to talk your way out of this?" Elnyra communicated telepathically, during a pause in the exchange.

'Does it look like I can? This person isn't giving me any chance to explain myself.'

"Well..."

'I'll explain myself after he's incapacitated.'

"Fine..."

Skill wasn’t always the deciding factor, Reiji thought to himself. 

After observing the figure during their exchange so far, he was certain that the cloaked figure was currently stronger than him. 

Yet, when facing a stronger opponent, the only thing he felt was the blaze that was coming from his heart.

'I’ll just have to make up for the difference in skill using guts!' 

Jumping to the side, Reiji activated his new skill for the first time. 

Blitz. A surge of ki gathered in his feet before exploding into the ground. The distance between the two vanished. Appearing at their side. Reiji punched out with Stunning Blow. 

Bang! 

The cloaked figure used the momentum from the strike to slide backwards. Rushing in Reiji planned to follow up on the assault with a flying knee. 

However, the figure threw out multiple daggers, halting Reiji's advance.

"Slippery bastard." Reiji cursed as he stopped short of the daggers. "Two can play at that game!"

Kicking the daggers protruding from the floor, Reiji returned fire at the cloaked figure with his own daggers. Rushing in after the flying daggers. Reiji decided to aim for the opening after the figure would swat away the daggers. 

Unable to knock away the daggers, the figure decided to dodge to the side. Catching the edge of the figure's cloak, Reiji pulled at it with all his might. The moment the figure was caught by his cloak, Reiji unleash his other skill Rending Strike.  

A large tearing sound echoed throughout the camp as the cloack was shredded from Reiji's skill. The figure underneath, shot out like a cannonball, collapsing into one of the tattered tent's nearby.

"I bet that hurts." Reiji smiled cockily. 

"..."

"Come on. That can't be all it takes." Reiji swaggers over to the crushed tent, stopping short by a few meters. Hoping to draw out the enemy.

Splitting the dust cloud, a large beastlike shadow lunged for Reiji's throat, unable to dodge in time, he countered with a headbutt. Bouncing of the ground, the shadow jumped backwards creating distance.

The shadow was a large grey wolf, the size of a bear. It's yellow eyes glared at Reiji as it growled menacingly. "Grrrrr..."

"A giant wolf?"

"Gahh." Reiji grimaced, falling to his knee, as pain coursed through his body. 

From his shadow, another figure had risen, jumping out and slashing at his back, drawing a line of wet crimson into the air, before reappearing from the giant wolf's shadow.

"That's for hurting Kiba." The figure said coldly.

The figure was a male human, with a pale complexion, their long black hair tied up in a ponytail, matching the long black scarf they wore around their face. His verdant green eyes radiated a calm coldness. On his forhead protruded two thin blue horns, one of them broken. The figure was one of the most handsome men Reiji has ever seen.

"Wow. He's handsome." The veins on Reiji's temple throbbed at Elnyra's comment.

'Good looks don't mean anything.'

"Aww, you're jealous."

'Shaddup you irresponsible goddess.'

Charging forward to ignore the stupid discussion. Reiji once again activated Blitz. Appearing in the air above the horned man and the wolf. 

"Eat this!" 

Using his most powerful skill Stunning Blow, Reiji slams into the ground between the two creatures, creating a man size crater. Escaping from the dust cloud two human shadows dashed out, exchanging blows in a frenzy.

The large wolf lunged at Reiji from behind, aiming to create an opening for it's master. Glancing backwards, Reiji lashes out with a round house kick, sending it flying backwards. "Sorry, but I'm not interested in fighting beasts!"

"Kiba! Return!"

The wolf obeyed it's master's command, sinking into it's own shadow as it landed from the kick.

"That's more like it."

"Arrogant swine. I'll make you pay for hurting Kiba." The figure said as he leapt backwards.

"Heh. It's your dog's fault for butting in." Reiji smirked, taunting his opponent.

"Hmph." 

The horned man, stood motionless as he locked eyes with Reiji. Breathing in and out, a fog of pale blue energy began circling around him. His once pale skin turned the same shade of blue as his horns. 

A strange pressure began emanating from the horned man, pressing down on Reiji. His body felt like it was now moving through liquid instead of air.

"... What's your name human?" His cold eyes glared at Reiji, finally looking at him directly. 

"Shouldn't you tell your name first before asking for other peoples name?"

"... Souma, Souma the Oni."

"He's the one the children mentioned!" 

'I thought as much.'

"You knew? Then why didn't you stop fighting?"

'Because that doesn't matter right now.'

"Heh, I'm Reiji, Reiji Hattori." 

"Reiji... this will be my final move. I hope you can survive this."

Raising his shortswords, lightning began crackling along his body into his blades. Dashing forward, at three times his previous speed, he had already moved past Reiji, before Reiji registered the slashes on his body. 

Blood splurted out from the multiple cuts on Reiji.

"Purposely letting me know what you can do? You're underestimating me!" Roaring with blood lust, Reiji Blitz into Souma. 

However, Souma was already on the move. In a blur, he had reappeared at Reiji's side striking with his charged blades. Unable to dodge it, Reiji could only try to parry the blades, punching them away.

Each hit however, shaved away at Reiji's HP, the lightning sapping away at his vitality, through his iron fist. Yet Reiji could do nothing else as he continuously parried them.

In a last ditch effort, Reiji chooses to take a dangerous gamble. Stepping into the storm of blades, Reiji delivers a flurry of blows at Souma, each person rushing to take out their opponent before their HP runs out.

It was now a contest of will- 

-Whose HP will give out first. 

A deadly game of chicken. 

For every hit Reiji delivers, Souma would cut him three times.

Gritting their teeths the two continued chipping away at each other's HP waiting for an opening to deliver the finishing blow.

Finally, the moment arrived!

Seizing the opportunity, Reiji steps in, unleashing Rending Strike into Souma's sternum. 

Spurts of crimson flowers bloomed from his mouth. Falling, Reiji could only turn around to see Souma standing over him. 

Souma had feinted, tricking Reiji to attack him, before countering from behind Reiji with own skill, Shadow Strike.

“Reiji, Reiji!”  Elnyra’s translucent form once again shimmered into existance. 

Worriedly, she began inspecting the wounds all over Reiji's body. Flying all over the place. Her voice began trailing off, as his vision began turning black. 

Oh. I lost. Those were the last thought Reiji had before passing out completely. Collapsing through Elnyra’s arm as she tried to catch him. 

Luckily Souma approached to catch him. His verdant green eyes were the last thing Reiji saw before his consciousness disappeared.