CH 41: Only one.

Hiro held the fate of the entire building in the vest strapped to his chest. Years of planning had led to this very day. He’d envisioned it in his head, over and over, night after night, and now, it was playing out before his eyes.

The spell-cast barrier enclosed the two men, separating the corridor into two worlds. Peering in from outside, Ace and Mira held their breaths, unable to exhale, as they watched the shedding of blood, sweat, and tears, and the cold, ruthless slicing of blades through the air.

“You’d take the life of an old man like me?” It was a bluff. You could see it in Oden’s eyes. He knew he wasn’t losing. He could see it as clear as the glass that lined the windows of the Backwater Palace—the cleaving of his axe through Hiro’s flesh and bone.

“I’ve waited my whole life for this day.” Hiro dashed forward, his black dagger aiming right for the throat. Oden was a giant the size of three men, but somehow Hiro’s gaze was condescending, like he was smirking at a street rat. “Taking your life means nothing to me.”

CLANG!

Oden’s great axe collided with the black dagger, overpowering the strike entirely.

“You don’t have to do this.” Oden’s eyes were empty, his face devoid of emotion, while Hiro was smiling manically.

“And you don’t need to stop me.”

Hiro rolled with the momentum. He couldn’t take the full force of the axe with only his daggers. Initially, Hiro thought he could use the strength disparity to his advantage, countering with quick attacks. The armoured giant was huge and strong. He couldn’t also be fast. Wrong. Oden leaped forward, swinging his colossal axe like it was lighter than a feather.

How? With his metal armour and giant weapon?

It’s not fair, just like everything the cruel world had taken from him, all those years ago.

Hiro retreated, his back against the edge of the barrier.

“AAARRGHHH!” Oden cleaved his great-axe downwards, tearing through the floor.

Back against the wall, Hiro had no other choice but to roll forward to evade.

Each strike Oden threw with the will to face the shadow of salvation. To contain Hiro’s wrath within the barrier and save the lives of Ace and Mira.

A chance to counter?

Hiro took one step forward, but Oden had already unrooted his axe from the ground.

His attacks have so much weight. How is he able to recover so quickly? I can’t find an opening.

Hiro’s heart sank in his chest. Everything from his toes to the tips of his fingers were tingling with an electric buzz— the adrenaline sweating out of his skin.

This guy’s a monster. No wonder he’s survived every war he’s entered. To strike with such force but also be so nimble. How is that possible?

SHWING! SHWING!

The black daggers were hurled through the air, right past Oden’s head.

“You missed.”

“Did I?”

Clicking the button on his gloves, like a boomerang, the daggers were flying right back.

I’ve got him. There is no way he can react in time. Even with his speed, turning that fast is impossible.

Then, the runes along Oden’s armour and axe lit up, his silhouette illuminating with white light. Pivoting his entire body on one foot, he turned in an instant, deflecting the daggers from slicing right through his neck.

He had made the impossible possible. Pivoting his body at an incredible speed despite his heavy armour and axe. You’d think that Hiro would be scared, seeing his opponent do the impossible. But no one was above the laws of physics.

That was the one thing Hiro was sure of.

No one could defy the unwritten rules of this world.

And so, Hiro had a devious smile on his face. He’d figured it out.

Oden lunged forward, the axe arcing downward. But this time, when Hiro evaded, his counter wasn’t aiming for the neck. He was aiming for the weapon. Throwing his dagger to free his hand, he reached for the handle of the axe, touching it for just a moment.

And as he expected, the runes lit up once more, their white light fading and flickering upon Hiro’s touch.

“ARRRGGHH”

BAM!

Hiro’s body rag-dolled across the floor. Oden’s brawny fist connected straight with his temple, sending him crashing into the barrier.

Hiro stumbled back to his feet. Concussed, the liminal corridor blurred into an infinite stretch of white walls with the armoured giant chasing him.

Spitting the blood from his mouth, he looked up at Oden with a smile.

“What’s the matter? Tired already?”

The scraping of metal scratched his ears as Oden dragged his axe along the floor.

“I didn’t know there was someone who could hack runes. I guess you learn something new every day.” With a grunt, Oden heaved the axe onto his shoulder.

Hiro, still dazed, stumbled forward with daggers in hand.

Ah, that’s right. This fight. I’ve already won.

Both warriors launched forward with the resolve to look death in the eye, unleashing screams of fury.

But only one remained standing.