18 - The Magician

Gunshots thundered through the locker room door.

'They're firing?!' Yuuto realized, gripping his metal baseball bat, surprised that none of the shots seemed directed at the door itself.

Pained screams pierced the air from outside. Cautiously, Yuuto pressed his ear against the door, careful not to expose himself.

'It's dark outside. I might need to go out there soon... I'll do this for now,' he thought, closing one eye as he stood in the bright light of the locker room.

[This tactic was similar to one used by some pirates, who are rumored to have worn eyepatches not due to missing eyes but for strategic reasons. The purpose was to prepare one eye to see in darkness, facilitating a quick transition from the bright sunlight on deck to the dimly lit conditions below decks. By wearing an eyepatch, a pirate could swiftly switch it from one eye to the other when moving into the dark, enabling immediate adjustment to low light conditions and thus gaining an advantage in combat.]

"AAARRRH!!!" A scream cut through the chaos.

"HE'S OVER THERE!!!" someone else yelled.

[BANG] [BANG] [BANG]

More gunshots rattled the stadium.

'Is there someone else here besides me and those cops?' Yuuto pondered, a mix of curiosity and alarm stirring within him.

"OH...!!! AAAHH!!! DON'T!!!" The sounds of thuds and agonized screams continued, resonating through the walls.

The brutal symphony lasted about a minute, then sudden silence descended.

'Someone took out the cops... with a gun? Is that what happened?' Yuuto pondered, his muscles tensing in anticipation of the next move.

'Or did some poor bastard just get himself killed by them...?' he wondered, just before a sharp shout cut through the stillness.

???: "HIROKI MORII!! I KNOW YOU'RE HERE!! COME OUT!!! THERE'S NO WAY OUT BESIDES GETTING OUT OF THAT LOCKER ROOM!!" A voice echoed through the space.

'From the sound of it, he's standing pretty far from the door...'

'Damn it. I don't have time for this asshole now. I need to staunch the bleeding...!' Yuuto thought, glancing briefly at the door lock.

'Nope, that won't work. If this guy has a gun, he could shoot through the door lock... I'll be trapped soon enough. And if more show up... Tsk.' Yuuto sighed, slowly unlocking the door and opening it while staying concealed behind it, his baseball bat ready.

'I have to take this guy down and focus on this damn wound later.'

???: "Are you going to show yourself at some point? Or keep wussing out behind that door?" The voice taunted, sounding relaxed.

"Depends. Are you going to be a little bitch and shoot me if I step out?" Yuuto replied, gripping the door handle tightly.

'It's too dark... I need just a bit more time to let my eyes adjust to the darkness before I can take this guy on.' Yuuto calculated.

???: "Huh? Even if I do, just dodge the bullets like you did earlier outside." The man retorted, arms crossed.

'Just dodge the bullets... Who the hell does this guy think he is?' Yuuto scoffed internally.

"This ain't the Matrix, asshole. As much as I'd love to be able to just dodge bullets, I just got lucky out there." Yuuto shouted back.

???: "Sigh So you didn't notice it..." He exhaled in resignation.

'Huh...? Noticed what?' Yuuto's eyes narrowed in curiosity.

Suddenly, three pistols clattered to the ground in front of him.

Yuuto's gaze snapped to the guns, his one eye still shut, sizing up the three firearms laid before him.

???: "There. Three police officers, three guns. No officer carries more than one. Now, come out... Or I'm coming in," he declared confidently.

'...' Yuuto cracked his neck.

'...Just another asshole to baseball, Yuuto. Just another asshole to baseball...'

Yuuto thought as he emerged from the locker room, walking confidently despite his bleeding shoulder, wearing only a bloodstained tank top. He held his baseball bat steady as he faced the figure in the darkness.

Yuuto opened his other eye.

'I can make out the stadium now... I see someone standing there. Big build. Maybe smaller than Veiny Turd by a little...' he thought, eyeing the shadowy figure.

"Hmph. In the end, you came out with a weapon while I'm unarmed," the figure murmured with a soft chuckle.

"Oh, don't you start, you prick. You just took down three police officers with loaded guns. No way you did that unarmed," Yuuto hissed.

"I could say the same to you, Hiroki Morii. No way you dodged those bullets without some trick, so that makes us even," the figure confidently countered.

"Again, I've no clue what you're shitting about. You high on mushrooms or something?" Yuuto replied sharply, his chin lowered as he gripped his baseball bat tightly.

Yuuto then noticed the bodies of the three policemen.

"These guys dead?" Yuuto asked.

"What's it to you? You care about them?" the figure replied, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Well, I admit I'm not the most morally upright person in the world, but I'd rather not associate myself with another potential psychopath, you know, considering."

Just then, loud knocks echoed from the stadium door.

"HEY, IS EVERYTHING FINE WITH YOU...!!?" Someone's voice boomed through the door.

Yuuto and the mysterious figure both glanced at the stadium door.

"I'd love to chat more, but it looks like we're out of time. Let's go, Hiroki Morii." He said as he started walking towards the stairs leading to the roof access.

"As you've probably noticed, everyone's acting like zombies... I'm not sure what's going on but—"

"No. I'm not coming with you," Yuuto interjected flatly.

"...What...?" The figure stopped abruptly, turning to face Yuuto.

"How do I know you're not hypnotized too, ready to spout their catchphrase when I let my guard down?"

'Happened too many times. I can't relax just yet.'

Yuuto asked, tightening his grip on his baseball bat.

The figure then broke into a wide grin.

"Hypnotized...? Ah, so that's what it is... they are under hypnosis," He acknowledged.

'...Something's not right,' Yuuto thought warily.

"Well, then..." The figure paused, then suddenly disappeared from Yuuto's view,

Only to reappear behind him.

"I'm also hypnotized, Hiroki Morii. So, if you want to survive, you'll have to fight me!!!" He yelled as he swung a lightning-fast elbow.

'Crazy bastard...!' Yuuto thought, narrowly arching his back to deflect the incoming elbow with his baseball bat. His right hand strained under the pressure, blood spurting anew from his wound as the force sent him skidding backwards.

'This damn body...!!' Yuuto cursed internally as he hit the ground, the distant pounding on the stadium door echoing louder.

"There it is again... How did you manage that? How didn't my elbow connect? I had all the advantage in the world just now..." The man called out, both frustrated and curious as he advanced towards the prone Yuuto.

'I have no idea what he's on about... but now's not the time to figure it out,' Yuuto thought, forcing a chuckle.

"Maybe you just suck, shithead. Ever thought about getting good?" Yuuto taunted, propping himself up on his elbows.

"Haha, fair point...!" The mysterious figure laughed, not visibly ruffled by the jab.

'Damn, he's not taking the bait,' Yuuto noted, maintaining his grin as the figure vanished, reappearing suddenly above him aiming a stomp.

'How does he keep vanishing like that...!?' Yuuto wondered, narrowly dodging a foot aimed directly at his head. Rolling to the side, he quickly regained his footing. The two faced each other squarely, each harboring the same thought:

'I need to figure out that trick of his if I want to beat him,'

With a grunt, Yuuto charged forward, swinging his baseball bat with all his might towards the guy's head.

"You're fast... but predictable!" the figure taunted, disappearing just as the bat sliced through the air where his head had been moments before.

'Again... He just vanished?!' Yuuto's mind raced as the figure reappeared in a blur, his fist poised to strike Yuuto's temple. Yuuto tensed his entire body, desperately trying to raise his hands to defend, but he was a second too late. The punch landed brutally on his temple with a crushing force.

The blow sent Yuuto's head snapping to the side, spit flying from his mouth. Despite the pain that rocked his skull, Yuuto managed to force his gaze back towards his opponent.

'He's still standing after that...?' the figure wondered, slightly taken aback as Yuuto swung his bat in a desperate, swift arc towards his abdomen.

The figure stopped the bat with his palm, stepping back to assess the situation.

Yuuto's head throbbed, his vision blurring slightly from the impact, yet he stood defiantly as the figure loomed out of the shadows.

"Interesting... VERY INTERESTING, HIROKI MORII!!" the figure shouted, his voice a mixture of excitement and challenge. He vanished again as Yuuto struggled to stabilize his vision and balance.

Yuuto narrowed his eyes, scanning the surroundings.

'Where will he appear next..!?' Yuuto thought, bracing himself for the next blow. Suddenly, the figure materialized just below his line of sight, ducked low with a fist rocketing towards Yuuto's abdomen.

'Damn it...!! I can't defend against this..!!' Yuuto thought, desperately trying to lower his guard to protect his kidneys, but he wasn't quick enough. The punch connected sharply, sending a searing pain through his kidneys.

Gritting his teeth, Yuuto spat blood and swung his baseball bat toward the figure who had briefly materialized before slipping back into the shadows after narrowly avoiding the baseball bat.

Moments later, the assailant reappeared, delivering a swift kick to Yuuto's head. Yuuto once more tried to defend with his baseball bat, yet he wasn't quick enough.

'SHIT... I'M GETTING TIRED...!! I CAN'T MOVE MY BODY AS FAST AS BEFORE..!!' Yuuto thought as the kick connected with his temple.

The impact caused Yuuto's own teeth to graze his cheek, drawing more blood. Despite the haze clouding his vision, Yuuto retaliated with another full-force swing of his bat, but once again, his attack was diverted, and the figure faded into the darkness.

'This bastard hits like a truck... I can't keep taking hits like this...!' Yuuto thought, steeling himself as he faced the direction he last saw the figure.

'But... Something's weird about his movements...' Yuuto noted.

"Well, well... Most people go down after the first hit. Some might last till the second, and a select few make it past the third... But you? You're something else," the figure said, clapping as the sound of the stadium door being battered by police officers filled the air.

"Man... Is this a common trope in this world? Do people really love blowing their own horns this much?" Yuuto sneered, spitting blood to the side.

"Hahaha, still so confident after taking such a beating... Your resilience isn't unwarranted, though. Thanks to that little trick of yours, you're actually managing to hit back even after I pull my moves. That never happens," the figure acknowledged, a note of respect threading through his taunts.

"Well, you might be the only person in this world who goes out of their way to suck my dick as well," Yuuto mocked, his voice edged with scorn.

Yuuto's mind raced. 'What trick is he talking about? What have I done that he's noticed?' he pondered.

The figure clicked his tongue in visible frustration.

"You've got a sharp mouth on you, huh, bastard? Don't you understand your situation? You're losing... One or two more hits should finish you off, given how you're barely standing now," he stated confidently.

[Background Music: MGR OST - RED SUN]

'Got 'em..'

'...In every sense of the word... He hits me, but whenever I counterattack right away, he doesn't vanish. He either blocks or dodges the baseball bat... Which means there's a delay between each time he disappears!'

"I don't think so, assface. Now that you've given me some time to think, I've figured out what your trick is. You've already lost, you arrogant prick," Yuuto hissed back, blood dripping from his mouth and his shoulder, showing his resilience.

"Hmph. In the end, it's all bravado with you... I overestimated you, Hiroki Morii. Time to put you to sleep!" he declared, vanishing into the shadows once more.

Just then, Yuuto closed his eyes, gripping his baseball bat tightly. He focused inward, tuning into the rhythm of his heartbeat and the sound of each breath, amplifying the internal noises and shutting out the chaos outside.

'This bastard closed his eyes... What's he trying to pull? Probably just showing off again... I'll end this now!' the figure thought arrogantly.

Suddenly, Yuuto felt a sharp pain shoot through his upper abdomen.

'Here,' Yuuto thought, grimacing as blood spurted from his mouth, yet he managed to swing his baseball bat directly into the figure's diaphragm.

'WHAT!?' the figure gasped, his breath knocked out of him.

'Was he waiting for me to strike!?' the figure pondered in panic.

'Dazed. Stop his movement. Strike again,' Yuuto plotted quickly. He stamped on the figure's foot to halt any movement and swung the bat upward, slamming it against the figure's chin.

'CRAP... I CAN'T AVOID IT IN TI—' the figure's thought was cut off as his head jerked back from the impact.

"CRHSS!!" the figure grunted, still standing but visibly shaken, as he vanished again.

Yuuto closed his eyes once more.

'SHOULDER,' he thought, sensing the air shift near his shoulder. A fist connected with his head. Reacting instantly, Yuuto swung his bat sideways, colliding with the figure's head with tremendous force.

'THIS CRAZY BASTARD...!! HE ACTUALLY WAITS FOR MY HITS...!!! DAMN... HE'S CAUGHT ON TO MY DELAY!!' the figure realized, panic setting in...

... As he smiled wildly.

"THAT'S HOW THINGS SHOULD BE, HIROKI MORII!!!!!!!!!!!" he bellowed, his voice reverberating off the stadium walls.

In a relentless dance of combat, the figure vanished and reappeared with terrifying speed, landing blows and receiving counterstrikes from Yuuto's bat. The clash of metal against flesh, the creak of strained bones, and the whoosh of displaced air filled the stadium each time the figure disappeared, the sounds intensifying, shrieking into Yuuto's ears.

'This bastard's picking up the pace...!!' Yuuto noted, feeling the strain...

... But matching the figure's grin with his own determined smile as adrenaline coursed through his aching body.

"I'MMA BASEBALL YOUR ASS!!!"

Both combatants were battered and bruised, engaging in a brutal battle of endurance. Whose will would falter first? Yuuto's relentless swings of his baseball bat, or the figure's mysterious teleporting strikes?

Minutes of fierce exchange dragged on. Both fighters were gasping for air, their bodies screaming in pain. The door to the room shook violently, its hinges threatening to snap at any moment.

Bruised and bloodied, the two warriors paused, glancing toward the trembling door, then back at each other.

"Looks like you're running out of time, Hiroki Morii. Those other hypnotized bastards are about to barge in, and you'll be overwhelmed by us... But..." the figure panted, pausing to catch his breath after each phrase.

"...No respectable fight ends like this... This next move, I'm going all out. Everything on this one hit."

Yuuto's eyes narrowed, his resolve hardening. 'Fine... If it's come to this, I'm ending it—this guy's going down now.' He mentally prepared himself for the decisive blow.

"My name... Is Akito Kamiyama. Remember it well," he declared, squaring his stance.

"And my name..." Yuuto retorted, steel in his voice.

"...Is Yuuto Sakurai, you fucking bastard...!!" Yuuto growled, his voice raspy, his gaze piercing as he locked eyes with his opponent.

Akito chuckled lightly, acknowledging the challenge.

"I see... Here I come, Yuuto!!!!!!!!!" he screamed, vanishing once again as Yuuto braced himself.

'I'll also... Bet everything... On this one strike...' Yuuto resolved, feeling time slow down around him.

'...Back.' Yuuto thought, instinctively spinning and swinging his baseball bat backwards...

...But Akito wasn't there... Until that very moment.

'What...? But... I didn't even hit him...' Akito realized in shock as Yuuto's bat arced toward his temple.

'Ahh... Right... I never did figure out his trick...' Akito mused, catching a glimpse of Yuuto's eyes, which seemed to glow momentarily.

'...But looking at his eyes now, it's all clear... There was no trick... This is just a man who's been through countless fights...'

'You won this round, Yuuto Sakurai...' was Akito's last coherent thought before the baseball bat made crushing contact with his head, sending him sprawling to the ground.