A Humble Man

In the midst of a isolated area surrounded by the expansive and desolate ocean. The serene waves drifted peacefully as the sun slowly ascended and the moon disappeared into the depths of the sky. However, there was something unusual about this sight. Instead of one sun, there were two. The reflection of the second sun shimmered on the tranquil blue waters, creating a picturesque scene reminiscent of a movie. It was a breathtaking sunrise, a truly captivating spectacle for anyone fortunate enough to witness it.

The oceans seemed unusually calm, to the point where there was a noticeable absence of life in the water. There were no fish or other sea creatures visible on the surface.

In the middle of the expansive and unending ocean, there floated a lone wooden boat that appeared to be centuries old yet still possessed a remarkable shine on its worn surface. Seated on this boat was a traveler with a sheathed katana resting beside him, its colors a mix of black and brown. He wore a faded, deeply tinted red kimono, its black garment visible underneath his loosely tied and flowing kimono, along with wide-legged hakama trousers that matched his kimono. The traveler's face remained concealed beneath the shadow cast by the cone-shaped straw hat adorning his head.

Could he have been a samurai, perhaps? Besides that, one thing is certain. As the breeze rushed past him like a whip he melodiously hummed a captivating melody that harmonized with the wind's gentle caress, almost as if he was seamlessly connected to it. His steps lightly tapped the ground creating a soft patting sound due to the presence of wooden sandals on his feet.

Just like an unexpected alarm that rudely interrupted his melodic humming, a man dressed luxuriously suddenly woke up from a deep sleep on his boat. Startled and out of breath, he exclaimed, "Bael?!" A voice that we've grown accustomed to.

It was infact, L who had awakened after being teleported by Bael.

The wind ceased its harmonizing and as a result the traveler, who had been disturbed by the commotion spoke for the first time, saying, "Oh... Did you finally get up?" Although he had a deep voice it was strangely soothing. As if he were a carefree man. The man who had abruptly awoken on the unfamiliar boat gazed at the samurai-like fellow with curious eyes, as he composed his breathing and questioned the traveler, "Who are you?"

He gently raised his straw hat that was shielding his face from the bright sunlight. "I'm Hiroshi.... Hiroshi Kabunai," he introduced himself, wearing a subtle and pleasant smile. His face was illuminated as the light shone upon it revealing a curved scar that extended from his nose to under his mouth. His appearance suggested that he was middle aged. With a neatly trimmed beard and deep black eyes that blended with his long dark hair, which was tied back with two strands that fell onto his face.

L felt an unfamiliar calmness as he observed Hiroshi with a serious expression. He couldn't comprehend the situation as he had just been engaged in a fierce battle moments ago. In his perception he was on the verge of concluding the battle, but now he found himself mysteriously transported here. Then he remembered that Bael had attached some sort of device to him, which must have caused the unexpected relocation.

However the question remained: where exactly was he? Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts Hiroshi interrupted him, prompting him to respond. Startled, L snapped back to reality. Confused he asked, "What?" Hiroshi repeated his question, "I asked for your name."

L was experiencing confusion regarding the situation, concealed his perplexity, suspecting that this middle aged man might be involved in some sort of plot with Bael although seemed improbable. "My name is Luci-" L stuttered, almost revealing something he shouldn't have. ".... I go by the name L."

Hiroshi stared at L with unwavering eyes, never once blinking. It appeared as if he paid no attention to L's peculiar name and quickly brushed it off. "Well... L, I discovered your body floating in the middle of the ocean. You should consider yourself fortunate that I picked you up, even though it may not look like it. There is a dangerous sea creature lurking in these waters." Hirioshi explained.

While gazing at the expansive ocean L noticed its apparent lack of life and asked Hiroshi about it. It seemed as though L had momentarily forgotten about his main dilemma. Curiously, L inquired, "What do you mean by dangerous?" Hirisoshi diverted his gaze to the ground and closed his eyes, appearing relaxed. He responded, "You might find it hard to believe due to its emptiness, but I am currently on a mission to eliminate a powerful kraken that resides in this very ocean."

"A kraken?"

L had been informed about tales of the kraken in the past. It is rumored to have been a powerful sea creature that instilled fear in others on a planet called 'earth' millions of years ago. With its eight long tentacles, it had the ability to sink large islands into the depths of the ocean. Its immense size and strength were comparable to that of a legendary being. Additionally, it possessed the ability to expel a deadly ink that could poison anything it came into contact with, truly earning its reputation as a monstrous beast. The population of krakens has significantly decreased over time making it surprising to think that one may still exist.

Hiroshi commented, "You seem familiar... but regardless, that creature is to blame for the significant decrease in the primary food source in my town, seafood. Although I may not be fond of it, I am left with no option but to eliminate the monster." He spoke while lightly holding his sheathed blade, seemingly resentful of the fact that he had to try to kill the kraken.

He exuded a callous and intimidating presence with the demeanor of someone hardened by experience. His face resembled that of a seasoned warrior, and his sheathed katana appeared to have seen its fair share of bloodshed. But beneath that exterior, there may be a kind-hearted man. That was L's initial impression after exchanging just a few words with the traveler.

Based on the fact that the kraken is a monster from Earth and Hiroshi's appearance, it is possible that he could be a human. Out of all the planets Bael teleported me to the God's forsaken planet Earth?! L thought to himself. Then he asked the question to confirm his theory, "Hiroshi, is this planet called Earth?" Hiroshi stared at L in shock upon hearing the word 'Earth', as his eyes widened.

Just as Hiroshi was about to speak, he was interrupted by a sudden thud that jolted the boat. It appeared that his day was filled with unexpected disruptions. He grasped onto the boat for stability, while L remained calm without any signs of concern. As they gazed into the water they could not only see but also feel the ocean vibrating. A series of large waves surged beneath them causing the small wooden boat to wobble.

All of a sudden, the vibrations abruptly ceased as if they never occurred in the first place. However there was a strange and unsettling atmosphere surrounding L, which piqued his curiosity. He attempted to stand up but immediately stumbled back down as if his own body had betrayed him.

Feeling astonished he gazed at his own body. "Is it possible that I have exhausted too much energy with Bael and now I am experiencing fatigue? No, it's not just fatigue," he pondered. Hiroshi quickly reacted to the situation, becoming alert and positioning himself on the boat. He swiftly drew his katana from its sheath revealing a vibrant green blade with a black handle. "You should remain down and rest, I'll take care of that thing," he ordered. Then, his eyes narrowed out to the water and he forcefully planted one leg on the edge of the boat. "It's here.."

As a massive calamity loomed below the surface of the sea, in the form of a small island with red eyes, it cast a shadow over them. Hiroshi noted, "It is the kraken." Mirroring his words a gigantic dark pink tentacle emerged swiftly from the depths, targeting the boat and causing powerful waves to ripple around it. But Hiroshi with one hand gripping his katana bravely leaped from the boat towards the imminent threat.

He made a tremendous jump surpassing the swift tentacle before it could reach his boat. With a single, precise swing of his blade, he effortlessly sliced the tentacle in two as if it were a soft piece of cheese. Hot blood sprayed out like a downpour, soaking his clothes and face, but it didn't deter him. In an instant,another tentacle emerged from below him yet with the grace and expertise of an experienced samurai, he clenched his teeth and effortlessly maneuvered his body mid-air to shield himself from the attack.

Despite the fact that the tentacle made contact with Hiroshi's katana, he was able to successfully block the attack. The clash of his blade created sparks and caused the tentacle to scrape against Hiroshi's blade. However the force of the tentacle still managed to propel him into the air. He quickly retaliated with a counterattack and continued to jump on it's surface, sprinting on the tentacle while effectively evading all of the attempted strikes until he reached it's center. His movements were nimble and cat-like while his attacks were powerful and relentless like that of a lion. With a swift slice, Hiroshi managed to sever a piece of the kraken's tentacle. The severed piece landed in the water while floating due to its weight. He skillfully landed on the tentacle, keeping a tight grip on his blade and remaining alert.

At that instant L came to the realization that the middle-aged man not only appeared impressive, but actually had exceptional capabilities. His graceful movements and skillfulness indicated that he had devoted his entire life to perfecting his abilities. Observing closely, L remarked, "He possesses strength, but the creature he is facing is quite strange." Just as L expressed these words, the kraken finally emerged, emerging from the depts of the sea where it had been concealed.

With its large bloodshot eyes and a mouth resembling teeth filled with sharp spikes, the creature towered over Hiroshi making him appear insignificant like a mere fly. It seemed to gaze down at him with governing eyes as its massive, menacing structure ascended into the sky. How could a monster of this magnitude be defeated by a samurai of any kind?

The creature gazed at Hiroshi focusing primarily on him. "I understand that I am in your territory, but it was you who relocated here, and your presence poses a threat to the survival of my town. So in order to prevent further escalation, I request that you find another place to go." Hiroshi's words were delivered with a cold yet compassionate tone, as if he was providing the towering and intimidating creature with an opportunity to flee. Is this man mentally stable?

The kraken appeared to respond with a menacing growl that would even frighten the bravest of men. As it growled it released destructive winds towards Hiroshi. Despite the circumstances Hiroshi fearlessly stared directly into the monster's eyes, refusing to back down. As the wind swirled around him he treated it as if it were a gentle breeze and calmly remarked, "I suppose that means you're not going to leave, huh?" He let out a disappointed sigh, showing reluctance to kill the creature. "Well, I guess I don't really have a choice then." He raised his katana, which reflected the Kraken.

The real battle began as the kraken unleashed 8 out of its 16 tentacles, which soared through the air like massive overgrown snakes towards Hiroshi. With determination Hiroshi positioned himself, gripping his blade tightly and taking a deep breath. The air surrounding him seemed to embrace him like a deity. Without hesitation he launched himself towards the approaching danger, using one of the tentacles as a foothold for stability and skillfully severing the remaining tentacles of the kraken. With a single swift stroke of his blade, it became evident that the kraken stood no chance against the samurai.

Jumping from one tentacle to another, skillfully cutting and slicing while evading and dodging the relentless attacks, the kraken was eventually forced to send its other half of it's tentacles towards the samurai. Hiroshi, seemingly unfazed, responded with a relentless barrage of slashes towards the remaining tentacles, reducing it to mere remnants. Using the chopped pieces as leverage he continued to overpower the kraken. The kraken groaned in pain, its cries echoing through the sky as it looked down at the human who was both overpowering, and cuttng through its tough tantium like skin as if it were butter.

Preparing for its final assault the kraken began to inhale vast amounts of air into its mouth. Hiroshi, sensing the impending attack, composed himself and entered a state of calm. He too started to breathe in air, but there was something different. "So this is your ultimate move? I won't let it be in vain," he muttered. The wind began encircling him and his blade, air rushed into him like a vacuum. Leaning his back foward while gripping his katana with both hands and positioning his feet opposite each other, Hiroshi closed his eyes. The kraken ceased its inhalation readying itself to unleash it's final attack but Hiroshi remained steadfast in his tranquil posture.

Attempting to exploit the situation, the monstrous sea creature known as the kraken spewed an indiscernible quantity of lethal ink towards Hiroshi. Just when everything appeared to be reaching its climax and Hiroshi seemed to be taking his final breath, he raised his katana high into the air. Drawing in a deep breath he forcefully swung his blade downwards unleashing a strike infused with an otherworldly power. This strike was so potent that it dispersed the oncoming ink, completely eliminating it while the wind itself lashed out towards the kraken like powerful destructive whips.

It seemed as though Hiroshi possessed complete control over the element, and when his strike hit the kraken its entire body convulsed and disintegrated into small pieces of flesh that scattered like an erupting volcano into the ocean. However the wind strike continued, tearing apart the clouds and making it appear as if they had vanished for miles and miles. It was as if someone had sliced the sky in half with scissors, erasing all traces of white and leaving only a vast expanse of blue visible. In fact, if someone were in space they would be able to see this phenomenon on a large scale, covering a portion of the planet.

Hiroshi possessed not only strength but a godly level of strength. It seemed that the impact of the strike caused a small droplet of rain to fall on his straw hat which surprisingly did not dislodge during the battle. Observing this, Hiroshi calmly remarked, "Is it going to rain?" as he casually rested his blade on his back. He made his actions appear effortless and ordinary, as if they were routine for him. From the tentacle he was standing on he effortlessly leaped back onto the boat.

He glanced at L, then at the indifferent expression on his face, as if he hadn't just slain a legendary creature. "You didn't get hit by my attack, did you?" he inquired. "No.. no I didn't," L replied. He wore a confused yet intrigued expression as Hiroshi sheathed his katana.

In L's mind, Hiroshi's attack was so powerful that it seemed everything around him would be affected by it. But somehow L remained unharmed and unaffected. This indicated to him that Hiroshi skillfully controlled his attack to ensure L was not affected by it, not that he needed it. Never before or after his teacher did anyone show such concern for him, and it is surprising that a stranger he had just met would go to such lengths.

After sitting back down on the boat Hiroshi joined his hands together and silently prayed for the kraken he had just slain. This act of humility was completely new to L, who had never witnessed such behavior before, even in the depths of hell. Despite the fact that the creature had posed a threat to his town, potentially causing starvation or even death to those who passed through these waters, Hiroshi still expressed gratitude and humility in taking its life. L stared at the man, growing increasingly perplexed and much more intrigued. Hhe struggled to comprehend the motives behind this action.