Chapter 41: The Fight of the Pack
"Oli—Yellow?!" exclaimed Violet, his voice muffled by his helmet but sharp with surprise. He recognized that shaky footwork instantly, despite the comically patchwork suit. "What are you doing here?"
Yellow wobbled slightly, gripping a makeshift shield with one hand and steadying himself with the other. "Argos told me to come help you," he replied, his voice trembling but loud enough to carry over the clash of steel and the tense night air. "He was babbling something about you having... I don't know, a single-digit percent chance of survival against these dudes."
'Argos? Did it actually gain sentience?!' Violet thought, his mind racing even as Kirigi loomed before them, the katana in his grip gleaming with malice under the moonlight.
Backing off a step, Kirigi tilted his head, his voice calm but sharp as a blade. "I didn't know you had comrades, Violet."
Violet straightened, gripping his steel sword tightly. Despite his exhaustion, he forced himself to sound composed. "Comrade? Nah, he's just a trainee. Not even officially in the pack yet."
Kirigi's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. "Such a shame. Two great talents about to get killed by me."
Without further warning, Kirigi surged forward, his speed blinding. The katana sang through the air as he aimed a precise strike at Yellow, intending to cut him down before he could even react.
"Move!" Violet shouted, grabbing Yellow's collar and hurling him out of the way just in time. The younger boy yelped as he tumbled across the rooftop, landing in a heap.
The sound of steel meeting steel rang out as Violet deflected Kirigi's strike, the impact reverberating up his arms. Kirigi barely slowed, pressing forward with a flurry of slashes that left Violet scrambling to defend himself.
Yellow staggered to his feet, shaking off the dizziness as he took in the scene. Kirigi was a blur of movement, his strikes precise and relentless. Violet was holding his own for now, but it was clear he was on the back foot.
Gritting his teeth, Yellow charged forward, his makeshift shield raised. He slammed into Kirigi with all the force he could muster, the impact knocking the assassin off balance for a moment.
Kirigi slid a few steps back, his expression unreadable as he righted himself. His gaze flicked between Violet and Yellow, his katana lowering slightly as if to assess the situation.
"You have spirit," Kirigi said, addressing Yellow. "But spirit without skill is meaningless."
"Yeah? Well, let me show you what 'meaningless' can do!" Yellow shouted, raising his shield as he prepared to charge again.
Kirigi's response was a blur of motion. In a heartbeat, he was in front of Yellow, his katana slicing downward in an arc too fast to follow.
Violet cursed, throwing himself into the fray once more. His blade intercepted Kirigi's strike with a deafening clang, sparks flying as the two weapons locked.
"Get back!" Violet growled, shoving Yellow aside with his free hand.
Yellow scrambled to his feet, only to find himself surrounded by several of the Hand's assassins. They moved in perfect synchronization, their blades flashing as they closed in.
"Great," Yellow muttered, raising his shield. "Guess I'm on ninja duty."
One assassin lunged at him, their blade aimed for his side. Yellow shifted his weight, absorbing the impact with his shield before retaliating with a clumsy but effective bash. The assassin staggered, but two more replaced them, their strikes coming in quick succession.
Yellow grunted as he deflected one blow after another, his movements desperate and unrefined. "I'm not cut out for this!" he shouted, his voice strained.
"Then cut into them!" Violet barked, his tone sharp despite the fatigue creeping into his own voice.
Meanwhile, Violet's focus was consumed by Kirigi. The assassin's speed and precision were beyond anything he had faced before. Each strike came faster and harder, forcing Violet to rely almost entirely on his Force sense to anticipate the attacks.
Even with the Force guiding him, he could feel himself slipping. Kirigi's blade nicked his armor, drawing shallow cuts along his arms and legs. Blood seeped into the fabric beneath, the pain sharp and unrelenting.
Kirigi was a superhuman. His strength, stamina, and endurance far outclassed Violet's own. Each clash of their blades sent shockwaves through Violet's arms, his grip on the steel sword faltering slightly with every strike.
'Damn it,' Violet thought, gritting his teeth as he deflected another slash. 'I don't have the money or the knowledge to make a proper super-soldier serum, and I'm paying for it now.'
Kirigi's katana came in low, and Violet barely managed to twist out of the way, the blade slicing through the fabric of his suit. He stumbled back, his mind racing for a way to turn the tide.
Yellow, meanwhile, was still locked in combat with the ninjas. His makeshift shield had taken a beating, dents and scratches marring its surface. But he refused to back down.
One assassin's blade struck his shield, and Yellow countered with a wild punch that caught them in the jaw. The force of the blow sent a jolt through his arm, but it bought him a moment of breathing room.
"I could really use some help over here!" Yellow shouted, dodging another strike.
"Handle it!" Violet snapped, his focus never wavering from Kirigi. "I've got my own problems!"
Kirigi's strikes became even faster, each one cutting closer to Violet's vital areas. The assassin moved with an almost supernatural grace, his katana a blur of silver in the moonlight.
Violet's Force sense flared with each attack, giving him just enough warning to parry or dodge. But the effort was taking its toll. His breaths came in ragged gasps, his muscles screaming with exhaustion.
Another strike slipped through his defenses, the katana slicing across his side. Violet bit back a cry of pain, staggering as blood dripped down his armor.
Kirigi paused, his gaze cold and calculating. "You are skilled, Violet Wolf," he said, his voice calm despite the intensity of the fight. "But skill without strength is nothing."
Violet gritted his teeth, tightening his grip on the sword. He couldn't let this end here. He needed a plan—something to turn the tide.
As Kirigi raised his katana for another strike, Violet's mind raced, searching for a way to overthrow the situation.