It was on the northern edge of Mayonaka Forest, where the trees rose like ancient guardians, their canopies woven so tightly that the cold light of the night barely reached the forest floor. A breeze whispered through the leaves, carrying with it a tension so thick it could be sliced with a blade.
Tadatoshi stood, for the first time that night, in complete seriousness. Every muscle coiled, every sense alert. He could feel it in his bones. Abe Nobuyuki—the Giant Cleaver—was not an ordinary opponent. From the stories he had heard, from the chaos he had witnessed firsthand, Tadatoshi knew he would have to give everything he had from the very first strike.
"What's wrong, young prey?" Abe's deep voice cut through the night, calm yet laced with menace. "Your expression isn't as confident as before."
Tadatoshi's eyes narrowed. "I don't know much about him… but I do know this, he thought. He wields that massive cleaver with exceptional skill. His Shunpū is faster than I expected for someone of his size. He's not just strong… he's dangerous."
He straightened his stance and let a faint grin creep across his face. "I don't think you should underestimate me," he said. "I'll make you regret it."
Abe tilted his head, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Nice try, young prey, but I can see just how much you're swea—"
"Shut up and DIE!!" Tadatoshi roared, gritting his teeth.
With a blur of motion, he activated Shunpū, dashing toward Abe. Every step was precise, every motion calculated. He closed the distance, intent on striking first.
Then, something bizarre happened. There was still a small gap between them, yet Abe moved with terrifying speed. In a single fluid motion, he unsheathed the enormous Cleaver strapped to his back, gripped it tightly with both hands, assumed a deadly stance, and swung horizontally.
The motion was so fast it seemed as if Tadatoshi had slowed while Abe moved at normal speed.
Tadatoshi barely dropped low enough to dodge the attack, the tip of the cleaver grazing past him. The forest seemed to pause for a heartbeat. Then, seizing his moment, he surged forward again. The distance was gone. Now, he could strike.
"Ha! I've got you now," Tadatoshi muttered, setting both swords horizontally in parallel.
"Two Sword Style…"
"Nijū Shizan!!" (Twin Layered Death Slice)
He swung. Twin blades moved in perfect unison, slicing through the air with a sharp hiss. But Abe was faster than he expected. That massive cleaver he had dodged earlier shot forward again, faster than Tadatoshi's twin swords could reach him.
"One Sword Style… Henshi-zan!" (Returning Death Cleave)
The swing collided with Tadatoshi's swords. The impact was immense. The force sent him flying into a jagged rock. A crater formed on the rock's surface, dust exploding into the night.
When the cloud cleared, Tadatoshi lay on his hands and knees, coughing up blood. His head throbbed, his vision blurred. Every wound screamed in protest.
"What… is going on? he thought. He… is… strong…"
Abe stepped forward slowly, cleaver dragging across the forest floor. "What's wrong, young prey? You don't look so good," he said, voice calm yet mocking.
Tadatoshi coughed, choking on blood, trying to push himself upright.
Abe raised the cleaver high above his head, swinging it down with overwhelming force. Tadatoshi barely rolled out of the way, the ground erupting where his body had been.
He steadied himself, gripping his swords with the last of his strength.
"Hahahaha! Weren't you the one calling others weak?" Abe taunted.
Tadatoshi's anger flared—not at Abe, but at himself. He had been careless. His body had hesitated, and Abe's power was overwhelming.
I… I'm not weak!
"SHUT UP!! I'M NOT WEAK!!" Tadatoshi roared, his face contorting with rage. He lunged forward, a storm of fury and determination.
Abe swung horizontally, but Tadatoshi leapt, evading instinctively. Midair, he crossed his swords, preparing for a descending strike.
"TAKE THIS, YOU WEAKLING!!"
The clash of steel kicked up a cloud of dust. When it cleared, Tadatoshi's eyes searched frantically. Only the ground bore the marks of a cross-shaped slash. Abe was gone.
"Huh? Where did he go?" Tadatoshi muttered, voice ragged.
A deep voice came from behind him.
"I think it's obvious who the weakling is now, right?"
Tadatoshi spun—but it was too late. Abe stood there, cleaver raised high, his shadow stretching across the ground like a dark omen.
The strike came down.
CLANG!!
THUD!!
Tadatoshi barely managed to block it. The sheer force of the swing knocked him to the ground, dust and leaves swirling around him. Abe loomed overhead, towering and relentless.
"You're full of surprises, young prey," Abe said. "You actually tried to block my strike."
Tadatoshi coughed up more blood, his body battered and screaming in pain.
"You're… still breathing," Abe continued, mockery in his tone. "That must mean you blocked just enough to survive."
Tadatoshi lay there, beaten and battered. For the first time in years, he truly felt defeated.
"Hahahaha!" Abe's laughter rang through the forest, dark and ominous. "Young prey… you are weak."
The words resonated in Tadatoshi's mind, heavy and relentless. Memories long buried began to rise, memories he had forced deep into the corners of his mind—memories of his older brother.
Eighteen years ago…
Huff… huff…
A young Tadatoshi ran through the village, ragged breaths tearing from his chest. Bushes tore at his skin, the air whistling in his ears. Behind him, a figure chased relentlessly.
"Please… stop… don't kill me!" the child cried, tears streaming down his face.
His foot caught on a rock. He fell headfirst into the dirt.
Thud.
Looking up, he saw it—the tall silhouette of his older brother. Flames consumed the village. The scent of burning wood and blood filled the air.
"Why… why are you doing this, big brother?" the child cried, voice trembling.
The figure raised a sword, calm yet dripping with bloodlust.
"You… are… weak."
The slash came down.
ARGHHHH!!
The night was alive with screams, fire, and the metallic scent of blood.
"Hehehe… alright, young prey… it's time to d—"
"ONE SWORD STYLE!!…"
A sharp, commanding voice cut through the chaos. Sentarō.
"Tenkōzan!!"
Sentarō descended with blinding speed. Abe reacted, swinging his cleaver to intercept. The collision threw up a cloud of dust, sparks and air vibrating from the force. But in that brief moment, Sentarō grabbed Tadatoshi, lifting him clear and dashing deeper into the forest with Shunpū.
"Look at that," Abe said, a small grin tugging at his lips. "The second prey is actually pretty good… but still weak."
Abe took a step forward, intent on pursuing them, when a sudden shift in the bushes behind him caught his attention.
A figure emerged silently from the foliage—a criminal with a neatly tied topknot and a massive circular tattoo inked into the back of his neck. Without hesitation, the man dropped to one knee, head bowed low in reverence.
"Everything is ready, boss," he said, voice steady and obedient.
Abe clicked his tongue, irritation flashing across his face. He glanced once more in the direction Tadatoshi and Sentarō had vanished, his grip tightening briefly around the cleaver's handle.
"Tch… and it was just about to get fun," he muttered.
For a moment, the forest seemed to tense around him, as though disappointed alongside him. Then Abe turned away, the weight of his presence shifting entirely. He strode toward the bushes the criminal had emerged from, each step deliberate, unhurried—like a predator already certain of the outcome.
As he passed, the criminal rose and followed a step behind, careful not to overtake him.
Abe's lips curled upward into a slow, twisted grin, eyes glinting with anticipation.
"Now," he said, voice low and almost reverent, "let's begin."
The forest swallowed them whole, and whatever was set in motion that night had already crossed the point of no return.