The Legion: Heartson

???: Gonna keep daydreaming, or ya actually gonna fight me?

Kazuki's vision swam as he forced himself upright, his old bones groaning in protest. Dust and smoke clung to the air, mixing with the acrid stench of scorched metal and crumbled concrete. 

He spat blood onto the cracked pavement, the vivid red staining the gray like a defiant statement. 

Kazuki's gaze sharpened, locking onto the massive figure a few feet away. The armored man stood with his dark katana humming faintly at his side. 

???: If your old age is slowing you down, ya should've just died back then. That's what I think anyway.

The taunt stung, but Kazuki clenched his teeth and ignored it. His body protested as he dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the man's blade as it crashed down with devastating force. The asphalt split beneath the impact, sending shockwaves rippling outward. Cars screeched as they were thrown aside like toys, debris raining down from nearby buildings.

Kazuki rolled to his feet, his shoulder aching from the rough landing. He turned just in time to see the armored man pulling his blade from the wreckage with an almost lazy ease.

???: Still nimble, huh?

His voice was filled with amusement, the tilt of his head almost mocking.

???: But I can feel it. You're softer than before.

Kazuki pressed a hand to his ribs, wincing. 

Kazuki: Soft? Kakaka! Maybe my heart just isn't in this one.

The armored man's laughter roared back.

???: Your heart, huh? Guess you've finally started to feel the weight of it.

The titan swung his blade again, sending a gust of energy slicing through the air. Kazuki dove back, his feet skidding on the broken pavement as he narrowly avoided the blow.

Kazuki: Kuma!

The name escaped his lips like a command, and immediately bounced through the air, using his increased strength to propel himself forward.

The armored man met Kazuki's attack head-on, his katana arcing upward to intercept with unrelenting force. Sparks erupted as their blades collided, the sheer impact sending shockwaves rippling through the air. 

Kazuki's chant infused his strikes with an overwhelming, bear-like strength. For a fleeting moment, it seemed as though Kazuki's raw power might overpower his opponent. But even with the strength coursing through him, it wasn't enough. 

The armored man twisted his katana, deflecting Kazuki's blade and using the momentum to shove him back.

The armored man rested his katana on his shoulder, his grin audible.

???: I'll be disappointed if this is how ya go out.

Before Kazuki could react, the armored man blitzed forward, a dark blur of motion. Instinct took over—Kazuki ducked low, the blade missing him by a hair.

But the follow-up came just as fast.

The armored man swung the katana downward, the sheer force of the strike creating a shockwave that tore through the air like a thunderclap. The energy slammed into Kazuki, sending him stumbling backward as the ground beneath his feet cracked and crumbled. 

The shockwave's impact rippled outward, slamming into a nearby building and reducing its facade to rubble. Dust and debris rained down, filling the air with choking clouds of gray.

Kazuki's eyes darted to the collapsing structure. Through the haze, he spotted two figures—bystanders frozen in fear near the base of the building.

Kazuki: Damn it!

Without a second thought, he moved.

Kazuki: Chīta!

A surge of speed coursed through him, his body blurring as he raced toward the bystanders. The world seemed to slow around him, the collapsing debris appearing almost frozen in mid-air. 

He reached the pair in seconds, grabbing one under each arm and propelling them away from the danger just as a massive chunk of concrete slammed into the ground where they'd stood moments before.

Kazuki skidded to a stop several yards away, gently setting the bystanders down. 

They hesitated for a moment, their eyes flicking between Kazuki and the carnage behind him, but a single glance at the armored man striding toward them was enough to spur them into motion. They bolted down the street, disappearing into the distance.

Kazuki exhaled, relief washing over him—

But it was short-lived.

Kazuki barely had time to turn before an armored boot slammed into his chest. The force of the kick sent him flying backward, his body skidding across the cracked pavement before coming to a stop in a heap. He coughed violently, blood spattering the ground as he struggled to push himself upright. His ribs screamed in protest.

???: You're a fool.

The armored man strode toward him, his katana resting casually on his shoulder. 

???: Why are ya so confident you can save others and protect yourself at the same time? Ya should be worried 'bout yer own life in a situation like this. 

Kazuki forced himself onto one knee, his breath ragged but his gaze unwavering. He wiped the blood from his mouth.

Kazuki: That's the problem with you youth.

He pushed himself to his feet.

Kazuki: You don't care about anyone besides your own damn selves. Always thinking about what you can take, never about what you can give. This old man could still teach you a thing or two ya'know, Orion.

Orion's laughter boomed across the desolate battlefield, his armored shoulders shaking with mirth. He swung his katana lazily, the blade's energy humming through the air as though it shared in his amusement.

Orion: Learn a thing or two? From ya? To me you're practically a damn teenager?

Kazuki straightened, wiping a smear of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. His chest heaved, but his grin was unyielding.

Kazuki: A teenager, huh? Guess that makes me a spry one after all.

He spat blood onto the cracked pavement, the vivid red stark against the gray. Rolling his shoulders, Kazuki's fingers flexed as he readied himself. The lingering pain in his ribs, the burn in his muscles, the taste of iron in his mouth—none of it mattered now. He had one job left to do.

Kazuki narrowed his eyes, focusing on Orion's stance. The armored man had stopped his relentless barrage, his sword held loosely in one hand. 

But Kazuki's instincts screamed at him that something was off.

Before Kazuki could react, Orion stomped down hard with one massive boot. The impact sent tremors rippling through the ground, and in an instant, debris and rubble from the destroyed street shot upward, a chaotic storm of jagged stone and twisted metal hurtling straight at Kazuki.

Kazuki twisted his body, narrowly dodging the first chunk of rubble. He pivoted sharply, avoiding a large shard of steel, then ducked low as a chunk of concrete whizzed past his head.

He managed to clear the immediate onslaught, but as he straightened, his instincts flared too late.

A shadow loomed above him.

Orion descended like a thunderbolt, his katana raised high, the blade cutting through the air with a hum. He had no time to raise his weapon, no time to defend himself.

Damn it. This is it—

But then, it wasn't.

Kazuki's body jerked abruptly, his surroundings shifting in an instant. The cracked pavement that had been beneath his feet a moment ago was gone, replaced by the position he'd occupied just seconds earlier. His boots hit solid ground again, his breathing sharp as he scanned the battlefield, disoriented.

What just—?

Grace: Hey, sir, don't tell me you're getting slow!

Kazuki whipped his head around, his gaze landing on a girl sprinting toward him. She was slight, barely more than a teenager, but her presence was anything but ordinary. Adorned in casual streetwear and dripping with mismatched jewelry, her vibrant green eyes practically glowed with an unrelenting fire.

Kazuki's heart skipped a beat.

Kazuki: Grace?

The girl skidded to a stop, her sneakers kicking up dust. She smirked at him. 

Grace: You look like you're getting the shit knocked out of you, y'know. This sort of thing always seems to happen when I'm left out.

Kazuki's mind reeled. She's here. Of course, she's here. And that means—

Orion: Yo! 

Orion's growl cut through his thoughts, venom dripping from the single word. His gaze shifted to Grace, his expression hardening.

Orion: Why'd ya think bringing the brat in changes anything? What was that about teaching me about being noble and whatnot. Ya just ordered this lovely little lady to die along with ya. That kinda thing's despicable isnit?

Kazuki barked out a laugh, the sound raspy but filled with renewed energy. 

Kazuki: Underestimate the youth, will you? Damn fool. That goes for me and this little miss.

He adjusted his stance, his grip on his weapon tightening as he glanced at Grace. The girl gave him a confident nod. Kazuki felt it—the connection between them reestablishing itself, pulsing with the energy of their shared contract.

Kazuki: Don't you dare look down on the strength of this new generation.

Without waiting for a response, he charged forward. Orion didn't hesitate, swinging his katana with brutal force. The blade sliced through the air, releasing another devastating shockwave that barreled toward Kazuki.

The old man's instincts flared, but just as the shockwave neared him, his body shifted again, reverting back to the position he'd occupied seconds earlier. The shockwave passed harmlessly through empty space.

Orion's eyes narrowed.

Kazuki laughed, circling to Orion's side and closing the distance.

Orion swung his blade again, each arc generating shockwaves that tore through the street and surrounding buildings. But every time the energy neared Kazuki, his position shifted, placing him just out of harm's way.

Grace stood at a distance, her fingers moving deftly as she manipulated her Astral ability. Her reversion glimmered faintly around Kazuki, an invisible shield that kept him one step ahead of Orion's relentless attacks.

Orion's movements became erratic, his frustration mounting. 

Orion: Tch. Annoying little brat.

Kazuki took the opening, darting behind Orion and delivering a strike to his armor. The enhanced strength from his Kuma invocation amplified the blow, causing Orion to stumble forward.

Grace smirked, her green eyes gleaming with determination as she focused on keeping the old man in motion. 

Grace: Keep up, sir. You're making me work harder than I should.

Kazuki's grin widened as he launched another attack.

The contract between Kazuki and Grace was risky of course. Allowing Grace to have complete control of Kazuki's body, to reverse any action that he would make, it was something that required the utmost trust. But still, with this contract the two were—

Together the two were—

Kazuki: Untouchable! That's what we are, kakaka!

Orion's smirk faltered, his narrowed eyes locking onto Kazuki's face. The armored man's frustration, evident in every twitch of his muscles.

Orion: Untouchable, huh? Is that what ya think?

His voice was low, venomous. Orion took a deliberate step back, his katana lowering to his side. For a fleeting moment, it seemed as though he might retreat.

But Kazuki knew better.

Before he could utter a word of warning to Grace, Orion's body surged with energy. His movements blurred, propelling him forward with a speed that defied reason. The sheer force of his acceleration caused the air to crackle and ripple in his wake.

Grace's green eyes widened, her fingers frantically weaving reversion. Her Astral ability flared to life, pulling Kazuki out of Orion's path in the nick of time. But the strain was evident—her breaths came in sharp gasps, her movements slowing as she struggled to keep up.

Kazuki landed safely, his boots scraping against the cracked pavement. Relief flickered across his face, but it was short-lived.

Orion didn't stop.

The armored juggernaut shifted his trajectory seamlessly, barreling toward Grace with unrelenting momentum. The air around him seemed to warp, his katana gleaming withas he closed the distance.

Grace froze, her body trembling. She knew she wouldn't be able to reverse herself in time.

Kazuki's eyes darted to her, and his decision was instantaneous.

Kazuki: Damn it all!

Kazuki: Seiryū!

With a burst of raw desperation, Kazuki launched himself back into Orion's path, his body propelled purely by instinct. He reached Grace just as Orion's katana descended, shoving her out of the way with all his might.

Grace stumbled, falling to the ground with a startled cry. She barely had time to process what had happened before a sickening sound tore through the air—a sharp, wet slash.

She turned, her heart plummeting into her stomach.

Kazuki staggered, dropping to one knee. His left arm was gone, severed cleanly at the shoulder. Blood poured freely from the wound, staining the ground in vivid red. His free hand clamped over the injury, attempting to staunch the flow, but the damage was done.

Grace: Sir!

Her voice cracked, the horror in her tone cutting through the chaos. She scrambled toward him, her trembling hands reaching out.

Kazuki's glare snapped to her, sharp and unwavering.

Kazuki: Focus, damn it! Don't fall apart now little miss.

His words were biting, but the strain in his voice betrayed the pain coursing through him. Grace froze, her outstretched hands hovering in the air.

She shook her head violently, guilt washing over her in waves. Reversion couldn't undo this. Her Astral ability was powerless against wounds inflicted by an external force. She'd failed him.

Kazuki's lips curled as he read the anguish on her face. He opened his mouth to say more, but a slow, deliberate laugh interrupted him.

Orion.

The armored man strode forward, his katana resting on his shoulder as he surveyed the scene. His gaze flickered to Kazuki's severed arm before settling on Grace, his smile widening.

Orion: Untouchable huh.

He paused, his posture relaxed, almost mocking. The glow of his dark katana intensified, shadows twisting around the blade like living entities.

Kazuki's body tensed as an oppressive weight settled over him. His knees buckled slightly under the sudden increase in gravity, the ground beneath him cracking from the pressure.

He glared at Orion, his teeth bared.

Kazuki: How in the world have you gotten this technique Orion? What the hell did you—

Orion's laughter rang out again, cold and unfeeling.

Orion: Relax, relax, jeez. I didn't do anything crazy like ya think. I'm just borrowing Liu's katana for a little while's all. 

Kazuki's jaw tightened, his growl rumbling low in his throat. The name Liu was enough to send a chill down his spine. The effects of the weapon were unmistakable—Orion had managed to weigh down both Kazuki and Grace.

Kazuki: You bastard…

Orion tilted his head, his grin widening as he watched Kazuki struggle to remain upright.

Grace looked up at Kazuki, watching her master tremble slightly, fighting back the pain in his severed arm.

Grace: Sir?

Kazuki: Listen to me. It's not… It's not your fault. Clear your mind. Now! That's an order. Do not think about anything except for victory. That's what I want you to do. Focus only on succeeding, nothing more.

But even as Kazuki spoke these words he knew it was impossible.

The young girl could not absolve her guilt. She knew it was her fault Kazuki had gotten caught in Orion's attack. He was now missing an arm because she had been too slow to move out of his way. No matter what Kazuki could say it was hopeless, and as such, this crushing weight would swallow both of them. 

Kazuki's body trembled, his lone hand clutching the bloodied stump where his arm had once been. His breathing was shallow, his vision blurring. 

Orion took a step forward, his armored boots crunching against the debris-strewn street. He moved with leisure.

Kazuki: Tch...

He had survived worse odds, had fought monsters more fearsome than this arrogant bastard before him.

But no.

His mind raced as his body betrayed him. The strain of Seiryū had drained him dry, and his energy flickered faintly. There was nothing left. No tricks, no reserves, no divine interventions.

It was over.

Kazuki's lips twitched, a bitter smile forming despite himself. There was still something he needed to do but he'd have to let fate handle the rest. He'd reached the end of his path. 

But then.

A faint sound—so subtle it almost went unnoticed amidst the constant destruction.

A sharp whistling.

Orion's body stiffened.

His expression shifted—not to worry, but to confusion—as he felt a strange pressure behind him. Slowly, almost reluctantly, he looked down at his chest.

And there it was.

The tip of a blade protruded cleanly through his armor.

For a moment, everything seemed to stop. The shadows around Orion's katana dissipated, and the crushing weight pressing down on Kazuki and Grace eased.

Orion's brow furrowed, his confusion morphing into disbelief as he took in the sight of the small security guard who had impaled him from behind.

Thomas: Sorry for taking so long. The traffic was terrible as usual. Seriously, talk about an unwalkable city, right?