SQUELCH
The sound of pierced flesh was barely audible under the loud noise made from the music. Kairi clenched his left shoulder where a few moments before he had just applied a gauze, but just now a bullet came from his back and pierced him on the other side.
He was taken aback when all of a sudden music started playing out of nowhere, he tried not to mind it but before he could think much of it he was immediately shot from behind and It ripped through the jacket he reinforced after setting up the bounded field easily.
'Fuck! Can this guy see me? I even set up a bounded field to make him miss his shots.' Kairi was alerted by the situation and decided to try to change position quickly.
TING
The next moment a spinning knife passed where his head had been just a second before and hit the metal beam. Seeing this Kairi didn't wait for another goddamn second before running away. He had already roughly memorized the layout of the area when he came inside, his years of experience made it easier for him to remember the location of points of advantage, cover points and such.
Other knives came hurling from the sky, some dangerously close to hitting him but others seemed to be way off in their aim, missing him but still coming close enough for him to see them through the smokescreen.
'So, he can actually see me. But how did he aim for me when I was inside my bounded field? Did he prepare in advance for something like light refraction?' Kairi continued running as he tried avoiding the knives.
But he couldn't evade all of them, especially when a smokescreen was hindering his visibility.
Two knives grazed him and cut him slightly on his left thigh and a third one stabbed itself on his jacket behind his left shoulder where he was shot at twice before.
"Argh!" Kairi grunted in pain as he then took cover behind a tank. "Damn bastard, is he aiming for my shoulder on purpose?"
Kairi quickly removed the knife from his shoulder but then noticed that something was wrong with the flesh on his shoulder. An anomalously large infection was already forming on him and Kairi quickly used his magic circuits to inspect its state. 'A curse!? Was it that knife? No, it's that bullet he shot me with from behind.'
Fortunately enough for him, curses were kind of a part of his specialization and this one was fairly weak as well, so he quickly cast a somewhat mild curse on himself to cancel the weaker one and then dispelled that one as well.
'I need to figure a way out of this situation fast, I have no idea where this guy is but the same is not true for him. The odds are stacked against me at the moment. But how do I resolve this?' While still analyzing a way to break through these troubles Kairi started moving again and ran away from the tank, he couldn't afford to stay still in the same position for long as if he let himself get sniped again it might be the end for him.
'Wait a second, that's right, why didn't this guy just snipe me in the head? I was standing perfectly still so if he could see through the light refraction he could have ended this battle right there and then, so why didn't he do it?' As he ran to another cover he realized something wasn't adding up but he couldn't quite figure out what yet.
He tried considering various possible reasons for this like wanting to take him hostage, maybe he got distracted, maybe his mystic code was a bit faulty or maybe his aim was just bad. But none of them seemed really convincing for now.
He was disoriented by the loud music, and various attacks came for him from points he couldn't see or even hear from due to both the smokescreen and the loud rumble of the stereo implant.
This certainly was one of the worst situations he had ever found himself in. He was even wondering if he should just try to get out of the smokescreen but he feared another ambush as then he would be way out in the open with no object to cover him.
THUMBLE
And to add insult to injury, Kairi tripped over the carcass of one of the henchmen he had killed before. The next thing he knew he saw a right light coming in his direction from the smokescreen…
…it was another bullet.
***
SQUELCH SPUUUUURT
"Kraahh!!" Berserker let out a low scream as Saber's sword cut him from his spleen to his face in an upward slash.
"Tch." Hajime clicked his tongue, not exactly satisfied with the outcome of the attack. 'I wanted to go for the heart but this guy moved just in time, I guess he got pretty good instincts.'
Turning the handle of his sword, Saber unleashed a downward slash to pressure Berserker before he could regain his balance.
CLANK
Berserker brought up his club to parry the attack, but before the weapons made contact Saber reversed his grip and struck with the other side of the katana.
He then used the point of contact between the two weapons as a support to raise himself in the air and then–
KRAK
–dropkicked Berserker straight in the face using both of his feet.
Berserker was thrown backward from the impact and stumbled to regain his bearings but Saito Hajime was not gonna let that happen. He charged for his opponent again as soon as his feet touched the ground, not intending to lose the advantage he gained for even one second, that was the way of fighting of the Shinsengumi.
Berserker twisted in the air and used the strength generated by turning himself in the air to swing his club.
Saber met his blow head on this time.
CLANG
The steel on steel impact echoed through the building, reverberating through the blaring bass of the stereo music.
And Berserker, who lacked a proper foothold, ended up being hurled back from the confrontation with Saber.
Saber gave chase once again.
Berserker stared back at him as he was in the air, blood gushing from his wounds–
'–wait, where's the rest of it?' Servants blood wasn't like a normal human's blood, being made out of a body composed solely of spiritual particles it dissipated in the air after a few seconds or maybe minutes. Hajime could distinctively see that, as he was flying in the air, Berserker spurted blood in the air but it never reached the ground.
Almost like his blood immediately disappeared in the air, he couldn't afford to think of a reason for it now and it shouldn't have mattered, however as he was about to swing his sword at his enemy he felt the instincts he trained over years of combat and experience scream at him.
That was how he suddenly noticed the missing blood, his intuition pointed him to it. But alas maybe it was already too late.
Berserker swung his sword from his extremely precarious position to intercept Saber, but his once black blade now shined red.
Hajime, too close to his enemy right now, decided to deflect the blow using all the strength from his accumulated momentum.
CLANG
However the strength of the blow he received was comparable to when Berserker had a proper foothold to step on. He ended up getting stopped in his tracks as their weapons interlocked before Saber stepped back to assess the situation.
But maybe due Kairi's own bad luck at this moment, Hajime also had an unfortunate episode right now, after all, of all places Berserker could have landed on, he landed on top of the around twenty goons Kairi had dispatched of before.
SQUELCH
Upon landing their dried up bodies got crushed from the impact. Even in their current state blood still came out from their carcasses.
Berserker didn't waste any time and swung both his weapons to the remaining bodies, their blood, now black from the oozing curses, flowed inside the blade.
Saber, having now realized his mistake, charged once again to stop him from collecting more blood.
However by the time he reached him more than ten bodies had already been mangled to dry their blood.
"AHAHAHAHAHA!" A maniacal laughter erupted from Saber's enemy, his face was both joyous and crazed, he looked like he was enjoying every moment in the current situation. "Yes, that's what I'm talking about! Come at me, SABER!!!"
Berserker swung his red sword at him, its momentum stronger than ever before.
Hajime moved to intercept the incoming attack but this time, seeing as his opponent apparently revealed a new move to counter him, he finally brought out his second katana.
A sheathed sword materialized near the empty sheath on his waist. As his left hand swung one sword his right moved to draw the other.
And then in perfectly harmonized movement–
CLANG
–one sword moved to meet the attack head on while the other struck to its side moving it out of the way.
Even if Berserker's sword became stronger than before it didn't matter.
The man called Saito Hajime was someone whose talent was acknowledged to be on par with Okita Souji, his sword was said to be able to be drawn or even swung from any position with whichever or both hands to its maximum power to any point.
But this brought up one point to the discussion, if he could use a sword to be as powerful as when he used both hands then using both hands also translated to being no different than using just one hand.
Then what would happen if a person like that, who reached this somewhat paradoxical mastery of the weapon where there was no difference between one or both hands, used both hands to wield two different swords?
The answer was that, even if his opponent, who was already a bit stronger than him, empowered his sword, as long as his attack power didn't reach nearly double its previous strength then it was useless before Saito Hajime who effectively doubled both his attack power and angles to strike from.
Berserker didn't seem bothered this time, on the contrary his eyes shone in an even more crazed glint, now he seemed to be losing even more of his rationality. He immediately swung his club but as Saber avoided the blow he moved in to tackle him with his shoulder.
He literally jumped with both his legs to throw himself toward Saber, even someone of his caliber couldn't just brush off a man with the same momentum of a train charging right in his face.
Saber still slashed him with both his swords across the shoulder as he was pushed back by the tackle.
'He's getting faster… and more aggressive too.' Hajime thought, narrowing his eyes. 'I guess the sword isn't the only thing that can get stronger or was he suppressing his Madness Enhancement all along until now? Well, finding out doesn't matter now.'
Saber made a few spins in the air before landing horizontally on one of the supporting beams of the building, reforming it with his landing despite killing as much of his momentum as possible and quickly leaped off of it.
Berserker was pursuing like a madman, uncaring of his injuries.
CLANG
The two met in the air, weapons against weapons, brute force against technique. As their arms entangled Berserker swung his leg to kick Saber in mid air, in response Saber tried to parry the attack by raising his knee but he still ended up being pushed away further up in the air.
Then in Saber's mind his danger alarms started ringing inside his head. Turning his head he could see Berserker's red sword in front of his face just a few millimeters away from his forehead coming at him.
Berserker had thrown his sword with all his strength after he kicked him in the air.
Saber hastily swung both his swords to repel the attack but he still ended up with a scar on his forehead.
"I guess hoping for an easy victory was too much." Hajime muttered to himself as he threw Berserker's sword to the other side of the building in front of where their Masters were fighting and flashes of bright light came from that direction.
Meanwhile Berserker, who had already landed, threw himself straight against him once again. He gripped his club with both hands, readying for a heavy strike.
CLANG CLANG CLANG
They clashed in the air, creating sparks that illuminated the interior of the building each time their weapons met.
Wounds accumulated on Berserker's body as Hajime could still display incredible fighting abilities as their bodies were suspended in the air.
CLENCH
But now that he was midair Hajime also couldn't do anything when Berserker grabbed his ankle with his hand to avoid it. Berserker dematerialized his club and brought his other hand to grab the rest of his leg as well.
Saber, understanding the danger of the situation, immediately tried to retaliate to shake him off. But it was too late.
"This time…" Now clenching his leg with both his hands Berserker had no intention to let him go. "...I got you Fucker!!!"
'Shit, this is bad!?' Hajime immediately tried to sever both of the hands holding on him, but it was already too late.
CRUNCH
Berserker twisted and broke Saber's ankle, uncaring for the injuries accumulating on his body.
"AAAGGH!" Hajime screamed while trying to suppress the pain and continued to attack Berserker with both his swords, but his skin was getting harder and harder to cut as it slowly gained a color reminiscent of a tan.
"RAAAAAHHHH!!!" Berserker, still gripping on his broken ankle, started spinning on himself in the air using Saber as a weight.
The momentum of the spin pulled Hajime into a violent arc, his body whipping through the air like a flail.
BAAAAAAM
Hajime was slammed on a metal tank, crushing it completely from the force of the impact. The pain surged through his back and shoulder like wildfire, but he grit his teeth and endured it, continuing to attack Berserker without pause even in his precarious position.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Berserker didn't stop there, even under the continuous assault from Saber he persisted. With his wild laughter and another roar, he hurled Hajime into the ground like a ragdoll.
BOOM CRACK
The concrete cracked, small craters forming under Saber's weight as he hit the floor repeatedly.
SQUELCH SQUELCH SPUUUUURT
Flesh was torn and blood flowed in the air as Berserker's flesh was continuously cut from two blades without stopping for even a second.
The two continued without stopping. Berserker was immersed in the joy of the battle and Saber was frantically trying his best to survive.
Hajime's body slammed through a second steel tank, a few steel pillars and finally against the wall where Berserker started dragging him while crashing him against it. However Saber was persisting in his will to survive, doing his best to cushion every impact and retaliate to escape this situation.
Berserker's body was cut in multiple vital spots, from his carotid to the rest of his arteries, his tendons were also severed all over his body. Unfortunately for Hajime, Berserker always managed to avoid the strikes aiming for his eyes so he just aimed to immobilize him.
Logically speaking by now he shouldn't even be able to move his body even if it's made from spiritual particles as it recreating the human body's function perfectly, but Berserker persisted in throwing his enemy around like he had no injuries at all. 'I guess he wouldn't be a hero if he wasn't an illogical being to begin with… I really don't fit in with monstrous guys like this, I really should have kept my mouth shut instead of taunting him before.'
"RAAAAAAHH!!" Berserker swung him to the floor as in turn his elbows, wrists and shoulders were cut once again.
"Krrgg!" Hajime did his best to suppress the groans coming out of his mouth and decided that he couldn't wait anymore, he wasn't about to die here like this. 'I will wait for the next swing and then summon the Coat of Oaths, with a surprise attack launched with its help I should be able to slice his neck if I also add in Formlessness.'
Coming to a decision over his next course of action, he waited for Berserker's next move, he was ready to utilize his Noble Phantasm the moment he started the next swing.
But fate apparently had other plans in store for the both of them.
"BERSERKER, HELP MEEEEEE!!!!!!!" A scream reminiscent of a teenage gir– grown manly adult male full of testosterone called for aid from his Servant.
***
TUNG CRACK
Seeing the light Kairi didn't waste any time using a chant and just overloaded his magic circuits to activate his mystic code instantly to solidify the air in front of him, of course the density was reduced due to the omission of the correct formulae to activate it.
So the wall ended up just folding on itself before the bullet pierced through its texture, but fortunately for once, Kairi didn't need to try and dodge it. The bullet missed him by a fair margin.
'It missed me?' Kairi's doubts started clearing up a bit as he got a better picture of the current situation. 'This guy, he can't actually see me.'
Getting back on his feet, Kairi had now calmed down a considerable bit. 'This must be some magecraft based on something similar to either only knowing my rough position or something that increases the probability of an event.'
A sly grin tugged at the edge of Kairi's lips. 'So you were just guessing all along.'
"I guess in the end the only real solution to this situation is just getting out of here." He crouched low behind the metal pillar, the music still booming through the building drowning the sound of his words. Kairi reached for inner pockets where he stored four fragmentation grenades. "I can play noisy too, bastard."
He removed the pin from all four grenades and threw them together in the same direction in one of the points he believed the smokescreen should end at.
"I fear your music will not be able to drown the sound of this buddy."
***
BOOOOOOOM
"What the fuck!?" Haldor turned his head in surprise seeing the huge explosion coming from one edge of the area covered in smoke, the power of the blast also shook the railings and scaffolds where he was moving to change his shooting position.
But turning his attention in the direction of the explosion was exactly what Kairi wanted him to do. From the corner of his vision he caught a glimpse of three objects in the air.
BANG BANG BANG
Light momentarily overtook the area illuminating everything with such a brilliance that it blinded and disoriented Haldor; the three objects he caught sight of were three flashbangs.
"Pierre, share your vision with me, quick."
Pierre's sight shimmered in Haldor's mind as he closed his own eyes, it was like looking at himself in a third person point of view but Pierre had only one eye so the sense of depth wasn't perfect but he was used to it well enough for it to not be a problem.
Through his new point of view he could see the enemy master in a leather jacket approaching him running while using Reinforcement to go faster.
The man had used the gap in time he needed to switch his vision to locate and approach him. When he reached close enough to be inside his range he pointed his shotgun at him, but the corners of Haldor's lip curled up slightly seeing it.
BANG
The shotgun fired three fingers that fired at subsonic speed but before hitting Haldor they changed their course of action and instead killed three birds flying in the air.
'Sorry little guys, I will not let your sacrifice go to waste though.' Without delay, Haldor reached to his side and drew a short steel rod, with Pierre's vision guiding him, he sprinted forward, the stick extending into a spike like weapon in his hands.
CLANG
Their weapons met as Kairi parried Haldor spike with his shotgun's barrel, but in the next moment he received a knee sweep and an elbow to his jaw.
Kairi quickly reached for his handgun, which was also loaded in the same projectiles as the shotgun, and aimed it at Haldor in this close range even while faltering. He rapidly shot two times in a row but Haldor still managed to duck just in time to evade them.
The bullets that passed over his head started turning back to aim at his rear but ended up changing at the last moment once again and instead killed another pair of birds.
THWAACKK
"Sorry, bitch, it still doesn't work." Haldor pierced Kairi's shoulder with his spike and used his other hand to shoot with his revolver at his stomach.
TWIICKK
The bullet pierced his shirt but no blood came out.
"If bullets won't work…" Kairi muttered, his voice barely audible under the music and let his shotgun drop to the ground. "…then how about this?"
With that one freed hand, he reached into his coat and drew out a red lump of flesh shaped in the form of a grenade.
TWINK
He yanked the pin with his teeth and held the squirming mass in his hand while grinning.
'Fuck! I'm not built to tank this shit!' Haldor paled at the scene and quickly used a spell to increase the volume of his voice as much as he could and screamed for help even contemplating the use of a command spell.
"BERSERKER, HELP MEEEEEE!!!!!!!" However, maybe there was some mistake in the spell during its casting because the voice came out sounding somewhat similar to a teenage girl screaming.
***
Hello I hope you have enjoyed this chapter.
It was somewhat shorter than its predecessor but the fight will wrap up with the next chapter.
With the next chapter will also come the extra for haldor and beowulf.
If you liked the chapter please leave a powerstone and maybe even a review.