Last Resort

In response to his challenge, I tear my sword from the ground holding it with both hands. Raising my arm tilting it down next to my face, that's when I notice. It's not glowing anymore, a little heat is coming off it. Though I doubt it's enough to do damage. The canister must be empty, I'm out of time.

"Would you look at that, your little toy is out of juice. Looks like D-ranks really can't do anything without their weapons. It's pathetic really." the Manager says, a satisfied grin creeping across his face.

He's goading me, he's trying to get me to charge in without thinking. I can't fall for any of his tricks. There has to be another way, some weakness I can use. For now, I'll just force him to make a move.

"Now this is disappointing, you had me so excited. But now that your weapons useless to you, you won't even make a move. Though you're still cling to it as if it'll save you." he says letting out a loud sigh.

Then without warning, he vanishes. suddenly appearing right in front of me, his arm already swinging forward at me. As fast as I could I turn my sword sideways in front of my body, using my right forearm as support. The clang from his hand slamming into the metal rung in my ears. He'd put far more power behind that swing than the others. The force of the impact had slid me back about a foot, leaving slide marks from my boots in the dirt. He continued to bombard me with strike after strike, his unbelievable speed leaving me no room for error.

"See, I knew it. You were hiding something, at the speed I'm moving, you shouldn't be able to see me. Let alone block my attacks," he says.

He has a point for a moment there I couldn't, but if I was truly able to see him. I would've seen him from the beginning. Not just when he was about to strike. He must be playing some kind of mind game.

"Enough, you're toying with me, and I know it. If I was able to see you it was because you let me," I say, holding my sword at my side.

Stopping his gaze shifts to the sword for a second, at the same time a face I hadn't seen him display started to show. It was like a hope he'd holding onto been shattered.

"Does this mean you've given up? You know I still have your friend right," He said. This time there was no playful tone in his voice, now he's finally gotten serious.

"No, I still have one thing left. But you have to give me everything you've got. no more holding back," I say, popping the spent canister out. letting it fall to the ground.

"Fine, don't complain when you die," he says, as his killing intent barrels into me like a runaway train. Causing me to freeze a little.

The Managers body started to tense, veins bulging around his eyes, and neck. His eyes turning a dark crimson, his pupil fading away slightly. Now it was my turn. Usually, the canisters are prepped when we get blood shipments, so I don't run out of blood filling them. Preventing me from becoming Rank-less. But right now I have no choice, I'll have to take the blood from the source, and since the doc isn't here to unseal the canisters. I'll just have to constant feed it, through blood manipulation.

Holding my right arm out in front of me, I raise my left hand over my head. Bringing it down as hard and fast as I could across my wrist, cutting it open. Blood started to pour out from the open wound. Stopping before hitting the ground, turning into a thin strand, curving upward.

Inside the handle of my sword is a porthole, used for the canisters of my blood. That's my target. Manipulating the blood as a strand is a lot harder than I thought it would be, so it took a while to make it inside. After fitting the size to the port the connection is made.

Through the whole process, the Manager was watching my every move, smiling. Now it's time to test it out. Giving the lever a squeeze the motor once again roars to life, but quickly sputters out. it had sucked up the blood faster than I was feeding it through. Once again I feed the strand through. Firing the motor back up, keeping the blood moving quickly. I can't leave it open all the way this time though, or I'll suck up all my blood. Once it glows blue again I let off, revving it at second intervals keeping the temperature consistent without draining everything I have at once.

"How long do you think you'll keep that up?" the Manager asks.

"As long as I have to," I answer between strained breaths.

"I guess it's all or nothing with you huh?" He responds, disappearing from view once again.

Keeping my senses sharp I wait for his intent to reappear. He wasn't going to play any cheap games this time he came straight for me. resting my blade on my arbiter once again I block his shot. This time he didn't pull away, he keep charging forward. In response I roll my shoulder, using his momentum to take him off balance. Causing him to stumble forward, placing me right behind him. Slashing down, I land a hit right between his shoulder blades cutting deep.

This victory was short lived, as it healed almost instantly. disappearing once more the Manager appears on my right side about to make contact with my ribs. Stepping back to avoid it. He quickly changes his footing vanishing appearing on my left, attempting the same move once again. This time I shoved him away with my blade, by moving with the direction of the attack. Sliding his fist off the flat edge of the blade, slicing open the side of his arm while I pulled back. he repeated this multiple times. eventually he stopped vanishing all together.

"Is he seriously still playing around" I say to myself.

But his killing intent, and the power I felt from him hadn't decreased at all. I must be adapting to the speed of the fight. After one of our clashes, he'd jumped back. This is my chance to make a head on assault. charging forward I stab my blade into the joint in his shoulder, dipping under his arm, slashing the blade upward as I went by. Severing his arm from his body.

Strands of muscles started to reach out to the arm, attaching themselves to it. Lifting it off th ground, pulling it close to the main body reattaching it.

"It's time to finish this Nick, this game has gone on long enough," the Manager says leaping up in the air, Coming down right on top of me.

I manage to get the flat side of the blade onto the shoulder plating of my arbiter, leaning forward slightly. His body coming down with tremendous force, sending sparks flying from the blade, along with another loud clang. The impact forced me to my knees. Ducking my head forward, I swing my sword, making contact at the Managers center mass. Cleaving him in half. His upper half falling to the ground behind me.

Quickly slamming my knee down on his lower abdomen, piercing my blade into his chest. Stopping just before going through his heart.

"It's over," I say, trying to catch my breath.