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I know that there's no schedule release for new chapters today, but as I said, I write and release chapters on the spot. And as I was sitting on the white porcelain throne, imagination struck me so I had to write it before I forget about it.
Anyway, let's get on with the chapter.
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Deafening sounds echoed repeatedly all throughout the amphitheater as August chased down Toga.
August unleashed a barrage of spear strikes not giving the old samurai a chance to retaliate. His attack hit everything inside the stage but Toga, who was dodging the blows with a smooth and practice movement.
The stage was a mess because of August, rubbles are littering everywhere, craters forming with every swing, yet no attack came even close to touching the old man.
This would have made any fighter frustrated, but August kept his calm. He was analyzing the fight as it goes. 'It's like what Denki said... This old man is slippery as hell.' He thought as he stabbed his spear forward only for Toga to side step out of harm's way. 'I could have used the sparrow there, make the spear curve to follow him. But if I miss it, I'll lose the elements of surprise.' August kept on attacking, waiting for the opportunity to make that decisive move.
'It's like he knows what I'll be doing and moves with that knowledge in mind. Precognition perhaps? No... I don't think it is. It's experience.' August delivered a strike from below, climbing up horizontally towards Toga's head.
The old samurai leaned to the right and moved his katana to intercept the strike, tilting the blade ever so slightly in his direction. The spear slides on the katana, missing Toga by a small margin.
Toga saw an opening, his sword glowed momentarily but he decided to jump back to gain more distance away from August.
'Sneaky brat.' Toga couldn't help but applaud the skill of August. He was almost lured into a trap, thankfully his instinct warned him just in time.
"Tsk." August clicked his tongue, his mind was processing everything, he was calculating how the old man moved in every situation he threw at him.
From the outside, it looked like August was pressuring Toga into a retreat, but the old samurai was actually the one controlling the pace of the fight, leading August by the nose, making him move the way he wants him to move, he's dodge looked effortless and smooth. But every strike he dodged, a shiver crept up his body. 'This kid is adapting well... It's frightening how level headed he is. He feels like a beast observing his prey.'
Toga couldn't do anything but dodge, his instincts are telling him so. Even with all the openings he can spot in August's attack. 'He's baiting me. The opening is something only a skilled fighter could see. Even with my mana dome up, it's well hidden enough that it only opens up for a fraction of a second.' He smiled nervously. 'A fraction of a second that he knows only I could spot... Youngsters these days are quite terrifying.'
August gave chase, he was still on the attack as Toga continued to dodge everything the young adventurer threw at him. Their intricate game of cat and mouse continued as their mind moved at extreme speed, processing everything inside the stage.
Most people couldn't see it, but the two are having a fight within the fight, the two of them are playing a deadly game of chess, trying to out maneuver one another, searching for that one strike to tilt the game to their advantage.
August with his talent and Toga with his experience. Their dance continues, mesmerizing the crowd deeper into their deadly game.
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Athena who was watching the match couldn't help but applaud the two mortals, she can understand the process the two are taking. She knows that the two of them only needed one strike to determine the winner.
She was watching the match along with Heracles and Hestia. The only person missing from their table from yesterday is Thor. It was understandable given his history with the god killing weapons. They made an agreement not to talk about it.
The goddess of war was someone who appreciates these types of fighters, those who hone their skill to the extreme and don't rely on pure violence.
"Your child is impressive." She muttered to the god next to her. "You've trained him well."
"He's ok." Heracles answered with a shrug. "He still has a lot of work to do. He could have finished the fight 5 times by now."
"Not everyone is like you Heracles." Athena sighed. "Stop comparing the boy to yourself... Still, for someone his age, I got to say, he's polished, cunning, and calm. He's leaving openings here and there to bait Suzume into a trap." Athena put a finger on her chin as her eyes followed the two on stage. "But... Suzume is still the better fighter of the two."
"Hmmm..." Heracles begrudgingly nodded. As much as he hates to admit it, Athena is right. The Suzume, Mashima Toga, is much more skilled than his child. He was controlling the pace of the fight and keeping August in arms length, even though August holds the reach advantage, the old samurai was controlling the distance as well. All of that without even retaliating with an attack of his own.
Heracles watched, his eyes glued on August, he then smirked. "Bishamon's child may be the better fighter... But my child is quite stubborn." he let a soft chuckle escape his lips and continued. "And an extremely sour loser."
"How does that change anything?" Athena furrowed her brows as she asked confused.
"..." Heracles didn't answer, he just smiled viciously. And Athena could see that Heracles and August's image merged inside her mind.
'It's their smile. It's the same.' she thought. Then the sudden realization hit her. 'N-no way.'
Heracles returned his attention back into the fight, the same vicious smile plastered on his face. 'That idiot! I know he's stubborn, but this is just obsession at this point.' Heracles knows that while Toga may be the more skilled fighter because of his skill and technical prowess, August could still beat him due to his overwhelming advantage in strength and overall power.
'It looks like he was really affected by the fact that Toga was able to one-up him. Now that idiot wants to beat the old samurai in skill as well. He's taking everything and learning as the fight goes on... Damn prodigy!' The smile on his face grows larger and larger.
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'Damn prodigy!' Toga was thinking along the same line as Heracles. The more the fight goes on, the better August is becoming. 'the brat is starting to out pace me.'
A spear slashed appeared on the old samurai's vision, seemingly coming out of nowhere. He hurriedly raised his katana to block.
The spear curved, dodging his katana and heading straight to his chest. "DAMN BRAT!!!" Toga wailed as he curved his own blade as well. A battle of the sparrow.
But something happened that shocked everyone in the arena.
August spear curved and bent for a second time.
The eyes of Toga had never been wider, the boy in front of him performed his technique flawlessly. Gone was the sloppiness it had when he first used it. It was now as polished and sharp as his own.
And August was able to do it twice in a row. The first one was a faint, and Toga had fallen for it due to how perfect August had performed it.
Toga felt a prick on his neck, August had stopped his spear while touching the old man' right at the same spot where he touched August with his sword.
The old samurai was frozen solid, the sensation of cold metal touching his skin and hot liquid dripping on his neck made him unable to move.
His eyes looked down, he followed the spear and at the end of it, stood August, a serene smile on his face.
"Looks like we're even now old man." August spoke, he pulled the spear back, placing it on his shoulder as he walked away from Toga, putting some distance between the two of them.
Toga touched his neck, feeling the hot liquid on his finger. A chuckle escaping his lips. "Have someone ever told you that you have a shitty personality?"
"Once or twice." August answered while shrugging. "Though if you ask me, I'll say I'm a pretty lovable guy." He then twirls his spear and takes his stance. "Well enough about that... Let's continue."
"Ahh... Youth, always in a hurry. You know that was the only chance you would get right." Toga also got on his stance. This time it was an offensive stance with his sword placed right above his shoulder on the right, pointing at August. His stance was low to the ground, and his lead leg bent slightly upward. "You should have ended the fight right then and there." he let his mana go as a tranquil emerald green light with a wisp of orange rose from his body.
"I don't know about that old man... The thing about me is that, once I've already done it." August suddenly vanished from where he stood.
Toga eyes widened at that, he then felt the tip of August's spear pressing lightly into his neck, his voice right behind him. "Things becomes much easier for me."
Toga unleashed an extremely fast slash towards August who was behind him, only to hit nothing but air.
Then again, he felt the sharp point of the spear pressing ever so slightly on the skin of his neck. And August's voice sounded right behind him. "Case in point."
Toga was shaken up, August was able to bypass his mana dome not once, but twice, all in quick succession. Never in his life had he ever received such a shock. There was an old saying on which Toga had taken by heart. "There's always a bigger fish."
It was a proverb in his home town, simply put, there will always be someone better, if not now, then in the future. For the majority of his life, he was always the bigger fish. No one even came close to his talent in the sword.
Leveling up faster than anyone in his village, he quickly rose to the ranks of his familia. By 32 he was level 4 and was made captain by Bishamon, and by the age of 46, he reached level 5 without the aid of the dungeon.
He had long surpassed his master, and the master of his master. And with his talent he further improved the art of the blade, creating new techniques and innovating the philosophy and art of the far eastern martial arts. He became the master and had gained students all over the far east.
Then he met Denki, a young boy from a small village in a poor province. He saw talent in the kid and decided to train him in the way of the sword. That was the first instance where he felt that the old proverb may hold truth in its words.
Denki was even more talented than him, he had grown stagnant, stuck, and he felt that the boy was clawing up into his domain. Diving deeper into his ocean... A bigger fish.
Denki was absorbing his teaching like a sponge, and he knew that soon he would surpass him as he did his master before him.
Toga couldn't take it. And when Denki reached level 2 way faster than anyone, even himself... He left, he urged his god to travel to Orario, to take a new journey.
And in Orario he discovered that he was not the biggest fish there is. The likes of Ottar, Mia, Finn, Gareth, Riveria, Bete, and many more, outclassed him in every way, dwarfing the talent that he thought he once had. He was ordinary.
Still he never stopped training, he never stopped honing his craft to perfection, but still, after all those years, he was still stuck. Stagnant and out of his prime.
He was even more devastated when he saw Ais... A person blessed by the blade. Envy started to fill his heart, he hated it, he hated the word prodigy... All because he longed to be one of them.
He longed to have the talent of Denki, Ais, Ottar, Mia, Bete... And now, the person right behind him, the person who is pointing a spear right on his neck. He longed for August's talent. He longed for it, but he knows that the world is unfair.
Mashima Toga is, and forever will be... Ordinary.
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But Mashima Toga refused to be beaten by a brat who still has milk on his lips. Especially under these circumstances. His pride wouldn't allow it.
"I must admit young August... You really are something special." Toga spoke with a surprisingly calm voice. "There is no doubt in my mind that you could have beaten me any time you wanted. Especially since I know that you are still holding back."
August pulled his spear back and smiled awkwardly. "I'm not the only one who was holding back, old man."
"That may be true. But even if I did go all out, you would have still come up on top." Toga faced him, a sad smile on his face. "So if you will, would you humor this old man a favor?"
"..." August didn't answer, he likes the old samurai and all, but his god had taught him that a favor is something no one should take lightly.
"Oh don't be like that... My favor is something that would benefit you as well." Toga smiled playfully at August. "You might just learn something from this."
August pondered for a moment. "I'll hear it, but I won't be answering just yet."
"Very well... It's quite simple really. You're familiar with our customs yes?"
August nods, confused on the old man's line of questioning.
"Good, so that means you're also familiar with our martial arts philosophy."
"I don't like where this is going old man." August answered, his face turning serious.
Toga ignored August and continued. "One strike, one kill..." a sharp glint shines in his old eyes. "I want you to go all out, in turn I'll show you everything that my old bones could muster." a smile raised up on his face. "One final strike to determine the winner... One strike, one kill."
August didn't answer, his eyes met that of the old samurai, and in it, he saw pride, pride in his strength, skill, and prowess. Right there and then he knew... The old samurai wasn't done.
"So what do you say young August?" August woke up from his stupor as the voice of Masima Toga entered his ears. "Would you humor a favor from little old me?" The old man smiled, his eyes challenging August to accept.
August's heart beats fast, he knows that this could backfire and blow up on his face, but at the same time, excitement filled his whole body. He wanted to see the final hurrah of Mashima Toga, he wanted to see if he could beat it. His battle maniac tendency takes hold over his more logical self.
The spear on his hand vibrated, even Beowulf wanted it. A predatory grin slowly rose on August's face, and with it his answer left his lips. "Sure old man."
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Chapter 67 is done now, how do you guys like the story so far?
Please leave a comment, a review and feedback so I can improve on writing this fanfic. every little thing helps as it allows me to see your preference on things and would help me write a better fanfic for you all to enjoy.
thanks for picking up this fanfic. hope you guys like it.
good day, love y'all.
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(extra)
Toga touched his neck, feeling the hot liquid on his finger. A chuckle escaping his lips. "Have someone ever told you that you have a shitty personality?"
"Once or twice." August answered while shrugging. "Though if you ask me, I'll say I'm a pretty lovable guy." He then twirls his spear and takes his stance.
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"Bullshit." Heracles muttered with a blank face catching Athena and Hestia by surprise. 'Lovable guy my ass.' he thought to himself, remembering all the disrespect August showed him for all the years that they've been together.
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"BULLSHIT!!!" Denki practically wailed as he cursed at August, remembering how his captain made him fight multiple monsters as he watched and eat snacks on the sideline. His sudden scream made Froke jump in shock.
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"What a fucking bullshit." Bete cursed as he heard August. In his eyes, August is everything but a "lovable guy." The other members of Loki familia who were sitting beside him -Finn, Gareth, Riveria- could only laugh and scratch their heads awkwardly.