Deep in the Forest...
The air was tense, heavy with the smell of bark, blood, and adrenaline.
Bandit Four roared as he swung his chain axe with all his might.
But Mr. Taka didn't even dodge.
With his body slightly hunched in a casual, forward-leaning posture, the enemy's blade sailed harmlessly past—missing by mere inches.
"Huh—?!" Bandit Four's eyes widened.
Before he could recover, Bandit Two darted through the trees, launching herself toward Mr. Taka with a wild grin, machete raised.
"Die, you old corpse!"
But Mr. Taka didn't flinch.
Instead, he raised two fingers.
And just as she entered striking range—
Shff!
His fingers pierced straight through her torso like a bullet.
"Guh—!!" she gasped, eyes wide, blood bubbling from her lips as she collapsed to the forest floor.
That felt like a gunshot…! He moved so fast, his finger hit like a bullet… Just who the hell is this grandpa?!
Her final thought was swallowed by darkness as she hit the ground, face-first.
"YOU STUPID GRAMPS!!" Bandit Three shouted, pulling the trigger of his pistol.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
But Mr. Taka simply shifted side to side, each bullet missing him by a hair.
Bandit Five, eyes blazing, yelled, "I'm jumping in!"
He grabbed the fallen girl's machete, dual-wielding now, and charged at Mr. Taka, slashing wildly.
But every strike was met with the dull clang of Mr. Taka's sheathed katana.
"Hurry up and die already!!" Bandit Five screamed.
Bandit Three repositioned behind them and fired three more shots.
Mr. Taka parried each bullet with his sheathed blade while dodging Bandit Five's reckless barrage.
Then—
"RAAHH!!" came a shout from above.
Bandit Six, high in the trees, hurled his spinning chain-machete toward Mr. Taka.
But the old man turned.
Shhhk!
The blade missed him—and instead sliced Bandit Five's arm clean off.
"AAAAAGHHH! MY ARM!! MY ARM!!" Bandit Five collapsed, writhing in the dirt.
Bandit Six cursed. "Damn it!"
But Bandit Four saw an opening.
With Mr. Taka's back turned, he launched forward, chain axe aimed to cleave him in two—
Gone.
"Huh!?" Bandit Four blinked.
In the next instant, Mr. Taka was behind Bandit Six—still airborne.
"No—!" Bandit Six gasped.
CRACK!
A single blow from Mr. Taka's sword smashed Bandit Six into the earth, sending up a storm of dust and debris.
And then, Mr. Taka landed silently. Gracefully.
But behind him...
Bandit Three crept close, gun trembling, barrel only inches from the old man's head.
I promised… I'll get revenge for her… he told himself, eyes locked on his target.
He pulled the trigger—
But Mr. Taka vanished.
A heartbeat later, he was behind Bandit Three.
Two fingers—pierced straight through the gut.
"Gah—!"
Bandit Three collapsed, eyes wide.
That... felt just like a bullet…
Mr. Taka looked down at the fallen man.
That's when Bandit One struck, throwing a chain around Mr. Taka's arm.
"Got you now, you old sucker!" Bandit One shouted.
But Mr. Taka didn't resist.
Instead, he pulled the chain inward, dragging Bandit One forward—
Slam!
He crashed to the ground, groaning in pain.
"Damn this old geezer…" Bandit One hissed.
Before he could recover, Mr. Taka kicked him, launching him into a tree. The trunk cracked and collapsed from the force.
Smoke and leaves swirled around Mr. Taka, his silhouette still and unreadable.
There's twenty-one more…
I can feel their spiritual force. One mile northeast, he thought silently.
The smoke hadn't cleared before Bandit Four and Six leapt into the clearing, attacking in tandem.
Their weapons clashed right where Mr. Taka stood.
CLANG!!
Mr. Taka bent his knees just in time, and their blades clashed against each other instead.
We're the two strongest of the Savage Bandits…
We need to bring this old man down, Bandit Six thought, gritting his teeth.
Bandit Four threw a roundhouse kick.
Mr. Taka blocked it with the handle of his sheathed katana.
Bandit Six slashed from the right with full force.
"Hmph," Mr. Taka exhaled.
He blocked it—but the raw power sent him flying backward.
He flipped midair and landed lightly on the branch of a tree.
"AHHHH!" Bandit Four screamed from above, chain axe swinging down.
Shrrakkk!
The tree split in two, but Mr. Taka had already leapt off.
Bandit Six rushed midair from the side—but Mr. Taka deflected his attack with the sheath again.
Sparks flew.
His sheath was now scratched.
Bandit Four came in for a rear strike—but Mr. Taka backflipped over the swing.
Before he landed, Bandit Six kicked him in the ribs—BOOM!
Mr. Taka flew again but landed on his feet.
Wind blew.
His black jacket fluttered like a flag of war.
Far off, Bandit One slowly stood from the broken tree.
Damn… this old man's too strong…
Like, who IS he…?
Then, something clicked.
Bandit One's eyes widened.
Oh no.
He brought his fingers to his mouth and whistled sharply.
Bandit Four and Six paused mid-battle.
"Huh?" Bandit Six turned.
"What was that?"
And then—
Figures began leaping from the trees.
Dozens of them.
Bandit Seventeen landed with a thud.
"We heard the whistle!"
Bandit Six looked confused. "Who called them!?"
Bandit One stepped forward, panting. "I did."
Bandit Six's eyes narrowed. "This early?!"
Bandit One nodded. "Yeah. Because I just figured out—"
His eyes turned to Mr. Taka, still calm, barely scratched.
"—who this old man really is."
To Be Continued...