Chapter 21

"Don't be impatient. Sa 3rd level residential, may abandonadong bodega. Madali mo lang ito matatagpuan dahil nagiisa itong bodega sa 15th street. Magkita tayo don," Akae gave his instruction.

"Sige," Simpleng sagot ni Aikoh bago niya pinutol ang tawag.

"Oh, bat napakaseryuso ng mukha mo?" First thing na nanotice ni Yasumi kay Aikoh is ang kanyang frosty expression pagbalik niya.

"Ah, wala babe, may nagprank call kasi," Aikoh simply said sabay kibit balikat.

"Babe, di muna ako sasabay sa inyo ha, may bibilhin ako. Okay lang ba?" Paalam ni Aikoh habang nagaantay kay Joakim na dumating.

"Ano ba bibilhin mo?" Nagtaka si Yasumi sa sudden change of event.

"Basta, surprise ko nalang sayo mamaya," Nakangiting sagot ni Aikoh. Tiningnang mabuti ni Yasumi si Aikoh. Di niya alam kung bakit pero kinabahan siya nung nagpaalam si Aikoh sa kanya.

"Sige babe, basta magiingat ka huh," Paalala ni Yasumi. Tumango naman si Aikoh bilang sagot.

After a few minutes of waiting, dumating na ang sasakyan ni Aikoh.

"Joakim, bantayan mo silang mabuti. Tawagan mo ko incase of anything." Utos ni Aikoh.

"Masusunod master," Seryusong sabi ni Joakim. Kilala ni Joakim si Aikoh. Alam niya when Aikoh is up to something.

"Sige," Aikoh said before letting them go.

Nang nakaalis na sila, lumakad narin siya papunta sa 3rd level residential.

3RD LEVEL RESIDENTIAL

Nakatayo ngayon si Joakim sa harap ng isang lumang bodega. Walang katao tao sa paligid. A perfect place to hide activities such as drug deals or killing someone.

Huminga nang malalim si Aikoh bago pumasok. Kahit walang tao sa paligid, you will understand na may nagaantay kay Aikoh sa loob dahil hindi nakalock ang pintuan ng bodega.

The sound of the door being ripped open echoed sa buong bodega.

Nakaoff lahat ng ilaw sa loob. Ang pinaghalong liwanag at dilim ng hapon ang tanging nagbibigay liwanag sa loob nang bodega through the glass windows.

Boxes are stacked on top of each other everywhere. Empty barrels placed together with used tires and other stuffs na makikita sa isang lumang bodega.

"Akae, I'm here, show yourself," Aikoh's voice echoed sa buong bodega pero walang sumagot.

"Wag mong sabihin na naduduwag ka Akae," Aikoh sarcasitaclly said using the most desdainful tone he could ever use pero naging seryuso si Aikoh nang may mga taong nagsilabasan mula sa mga madidilim na corners.

This time, may apat na taong pumaligid sa kaniya. Bawat isa sa kanila ay may bitbit na mga sandata. May nagdala ng baseball bat, saber, sword, at meron ring nagdala nang staff. Nagkalat rin sa paligid ang mga sandata na pweding gamitin.

The intention is clear. Paglalaruan nila si Aikoh hanggang mamatay.

"Akala ko ba tayong dalawa lang Akae?" Aikoh asked in a calm manner.

Aikoh is an old General who walked through the trials of blood and fire. Sharpened his broadsword with the bones of his victims and painted the earth red by the blood of the innocents he killed. The more danger there is, the calmer he becomes.

"HAHAHAHA, I didn't know you were this stupid,"

Akae's voice echoed sa buong bodega but his physical appearance is nowhere to be found.

"Aaminin ko, at first I underestimated you, but the second time looks like an overestimation of your ability," Sarcastic na remark mula kay Akae, trying to intimidate Aikoh. Unfortunately for him, even if the sky falls hinding hindi maiintimidate si Aikoh.

"The truth is, isa lamang radio monitor ang kausap mo nagyon,"

"Child's play," Bulong ni Aikoh sa loob ng kanyang isip.

"Anong rules nang laro?" Aikoh calmly said.

"Oh~ tapang," Sabi nang blonde na may dalang baseball bat.

"The rule is simple. Since nasa kamay namin jowa mo at ang pamilya niya with the bonus of her bestfriend, If you die here, we'll get to ravage your girlfriend and her bestfriend and of course slaughter her family but if you survive, bibigyan kita nang pagkakataon na iligtas si jowa mo and the rest. That's if makakasurvive ka pa. HAHAHAHAHAHA,"

Nang marinig ito ni Aikoh, naging seryuso mukha niya.

"You're bluffing," Aikoh tried to scout if totoo ba sinasabi ni Akae. Confident si Aikoh dahil kasama ni Yasumi si Joakim.

"You think so?" Akae questioned back bago umilaw ang isang monitor at ipinakita ang mga nakataling sina Yasumi and the rest. Nagpupumiglas si Yasumi while glaring at Akae na nakatayo sa kanyang harap.

Tumingin naman si Akae sa camera habang hawak hawak ang isang radio.

"Kita mo kami? HAHAHAHA," Sabi ni Akae through the radio sabay kaway sa camera.

Kinuha ni Aikoh phone niya bago tinawagan si Joakim but he was surprised when it was Hiro who answered the phone.

"Aikoh, they took everyone, I arrived too late." Hiro's hoarse voice answered.

"Wag kang magalala, ililigtas natin sila. Where's Joakim?" Aikoh asked.

"He's in the Emerg..." Di na natapus ni Aikoh ang kanilang usapan dahil bigla nalang sumapaw si Akae.

"That's enough conversation for a person who's about to die," Akae said.

Ibinalik ni Aikoh phone niya sa bulsa pagkatapus pinulot niya ang isang broadsword di kalayuan mula sa kanya.

Pinakiramdaman niya muna ito. This is not the same broadsword na ginagamit niya sa mga labanan but sapat na ito para pumatay nang apat na amateur.

"Simulan na natin," Kalmadong sabi ni Aikoh.

Sabay sabay na umatake ang apat na kalaban.

Within seconds, the first wave of attacks arrived.

A staff sweeped towards his nape, while a saber dropped down, aiming to split his head into two.

Aikoh is calmly observing everything.

Nakangiti naman ang dalawang nagaantay ng pagkakataon sa gilid. Para sa kanila, sigurado na ang kamatayan ni Aikoh. Nawala ang mga ngiti sa kanilang mukha nang makita nila ang ginawa ni Aikoh.

Tumagilid si Aikoh and let the saber pass and at the same time, ginamit niya ang kanyang broadsword to block the incoming staff.

Using the broadsword again, gumawa nang isang arc si Aikoh sa ere causing the staff to be pushed away but the broadsword didn't stop. It went straight to the guy wielding the saber, aiming to slice him to two.

The arc was soon followed by a fountain of blood and a dying scream of a person.

Nahati sa dalawa ang katawan nang lalaki. Blood and guts splattered all over the place.

Broadswords emphasize strength and power. It doesn't have any sharp edges like smaller swords but it could rip a person to shreds with it's sheer strength alone.

Parang huminto ang oras sa loob ng bodega. Napalunok ang natitirang tatlong tao nang makita nila ang kinahinatnan ng kanilang kasama.

"Anybody else?" Kalmadong provocation ni Aikoh.