Double Duel

"Hey, Kuroki, I think she took some damage," Iroko commented over the phone.

"Minako? She'll be fine, don't worry," he replied.

"This is nothing to her," Kasugo added. "I've seen her take down entire gangs on her own."

"Eh? I guess she is quite scary..."

"She never hurt any of us. Consider it an honor," said Kasugo, patting Iroko on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, I will." He returned the smile.

Kuroki got out of his car, looking around to see if there were any players nearby. He felt like he was being watched, so he went into an alley.

"Stop right there!" said a manly voice. Kuroki turned to see his opponent. It was a man, roughly the same age as him, blond with blue eyes. He wore heavy silver armor and wielded a broadsword. He pointed the sword at Kuroki from a distance.

"Stabbing my opponents in the back is not in my nature," said the warrior. "That's why I had to make sure you knew I was behind you."

"You say that after you've been stalking me?" Kuroki replied sarcastically.

"I was about to reveal myself, but you came all the way here, to this alley. I can't let you find your allies."

"Why? Are narrow spaces your weakness?"

"On the contrary. But it has to be a one-on-one fight, otherwise it will be unfair."

Swinging that big sword around in a corridor doesn't seem like a smart idea. He's waiting at a distance, which must mean he doesn't need to be close to use his power.

"I agree, big guy," Kuroki replied with a smirk.

"Now, as a warrior, I must introduce myself. My player name is Dash! What's yours, challenger?"

Dash, seriously? Even if you want recognition points, naming yourself after your power and loudly announcing it to your opponent is stupid. Or maybe I just don't understand what it takes to be a gentleman...

"My player name is Barrage," Kuroki confessed. "You've probably heard of me somewhere."

"Barrage?! You're the high-level green-haired player I've been hearing about..."

"So I'm quite well-known? I thought I was discreet enough."

"There are players who can list the top players with the most experience. You're not too far from the top."

Really? I hadn't thought of a power that exploited the game's own rules... Well, I guess that increases my recognition points even more.

"So you know I'm quite skilled, right? Are you going to back down? That would be a wise decision."

"I would never back down from a duel that I myself announced. Besides, defeating you will give me a lot of experience."

I've heard his power is defensive, not offensive, Dash thought. Even if I can't damage him, he won't be able to kill me.

Kuroki's expression turned serious. He positioned himself to use his power. Dash, as the name indicated, dashed through his opponent, decapitating him. Their hearts, however, were ripped apart by Heart Ripper's ability.

Kuroki had recreated the cord of his heart and connected it to Dash's, which exploded due to the high speed and weight. Kuroki, however, quickly repaired his heart and head. He grabbed his own head from the ground and reconnected it to his neck, so only the cut needed healing. His heart, although, would need quite some time to recover.

He walked towards Dash, who would still be alive for a few minutes.

"I can recreate powers and objects that were once connected to my body."

I don't usually reveal my power like this, but I need to show him some respect. He went against a high-level player with no regrets.

"I should have expected it..." Dash muttered. "You get stronger with every fight..."

"You did well, Dash. You forced me to use my power so I wouldn't die instantly. Rest well."

Kuroki bent down and grabbed the warrior's broadsword. He took his pocketknife and ran it along the surface of the sword hilt, collecting the small fragments that came loose. He then tossed the sword next to Dash's body.

This sword is too big and heavy for me to carry with me all the time. I'll only use it in emergencies.

Kuroki kept his hand closed as a way of holding the fragments. He stepped out of the alley. A large shadow fell over him: it was obviously someone beside him. He jumped away as fast as he could.

He was a very large man. He wore a backwards baseball cap and overalls, looking like a mechanic's suit. In his hands, he carried a sturdy pair of brass knuckles. He grinned, showing his partially broken teeth, and punched the ground.

The asphalt began to tremble, and a wrestling ring emerged from below, trapping Kuroki inside. It was an octagon. The man jumped the fence and stood in the middle.

"You know what the advantage of the octagonal ring is?" the huge man asked. "There are no corners for you to hide in."

Kuroki tried to leave, but there was an invisible barrier where the ring fence was located.

"I always wanted to be a professional boxer, but everyone told me that, given my size, working as a car mechanic would be the easiest option."

Is he alone? If he has allies, I'll be at a disadvantage here.

"But don't you find that strange? People look down on fighting as if it were nonsense. Obviously, some fighters develop health problems from fighting for too long, but there's a way around that: be the strongest! And you don't look strong to me."

"Look, man, we're both at a disadvantage here. What if someone from outside attacks us?"

"Then that would be a problem. But I've never backed down from a fistfight! You need to beat me if you want to get out of this ring."

Shit... why is he standing in the middle? Does his power have any conditions?

"I consider wrestling a sport," the man said. "Not just for the body, but for the soul! Come on, challenger, impress me!"

He's waiting for my first move... I'm better at defense, but I have no choice... If I stay here much longer, people will recognize me and hunt me down. A power can only be strong so far without conditions; I just need to find them!

Kuroki repaired the rest of Dash's sword from the fragments he had on hand. Since he had to craft most of it himself, it was far more arduous than simply repairing a small part. He lunged forward with a sword strike against the man's sturdy legs, in an attempt to restrict his movements.

The man smiled and punched him in the stomach, breaking a few bones, which he quickly repaired, but he still felt immense pain.

That strength is ridiculous! Even with that size, his power must be strengthening him...

"Some people say that attacking weak points is a low move," the man commented. "I disagree.  Finding weaknesses is part of the sport. If you have no chance of beating your opponent using normal methods, you need to resort to effectiveness! It's kill or be killed!"

He's still not moving... does his power require him to stand still? Wait a minute, let me test it.

He called Iroko.

"What are you doing, challenger?!" growled the man, irritated. "Outside interference is not allowed in a duel!"

Yep, he can't get out of the center of the ring. And his power doesn't prevent me from calling for outside help. That's his weakness.

"What?" Kuroki asked with a sarcastic grin. "You said I had to find your weaknesses, right? If I can't win through brute force, I need to exploit the rules of the game."

"That's not fair!" the man shouted, but he couldn't move. "Have a shred of honor!"

"I agree with what you said earlier: it's kill or be killed." Kuroki sent his coordinates to Iroko, who was listening to the conversation. "Iroko, can you give me a little help? Just look here and you'll understand."

Iroko searched for Kuroki. It was surprisingly easy to find him, thanks to the octagon.

"He's in a wrestling ring," he told Kasugo. "Do you think he's stuck?"

"And he's calling you mid-fight? This must mean you're effective against his opponent."

"But if it's a duel, shouldn't it block outside interference?"

"If Kuroki can't win on his own, it must mean that his opponent's power trades privacy for strength or something else that gives him an advantage in a duel."

"I see. And, luckily for me, he's not moving from the center."

The massive man was trying to hit his opponent somehow. He threw his brass knuckles at Kuroki, who quickly repaired the damage he took.

Kuroki connected their hearts and tried to pull the cord. As expected, the man's heart was also durable due to his power.

"Huh? What's this?" he said. He pulled it, seemingly destroying Kuroki's heart. "This is what you get for breaking the rules!" His head was then pierced by a bullet.