Chapter 10: A Game of Chase II

The city of Kyoto buzzed with life, oblivious to the imminent confrontation simmering in a secluded alleyway. Passersby continued their daily routines, unaware that in the very heart of their city, a deadly game of cat and mouse was unfolding.

In the narrow confines of the alley, Squala advanced, a menacing figure. His grip on his ethereal sword was tight, a grim indication of his intent. Each step he took echoed off the high walls, the sound chillingly rhythmic in the otherwise silent alley.

Behind him, Ruster stood tall, his eyes locked onto the approaching adversary. Despite the threat in front of him, he found the presence of mind to murmur instructions to his young companion, Luke, who was standing back-to-back with him.

"Luke," he whispered, his voice barely audible, "the moment you get a chance, make a run for it. I'll hold them off until you're safe."

Luke was facing the other direction, confronted by the towering figure of Caditz. A mountain of a man, Caditz wore a black tank top that accentuated his impressive muscular build, and his bald head gleamed ominously under the sparse light. Luke swallowed hard, the sight of the menacing figure causing his throat to constrict. Despite his nerves, he managed to respond to Ruster's instructions.

"Sounds like a plan," Luke responded, trying to inject some confidence into his voice, "But you better make sure you don't end up in more trouble than you can handle with these serious-looking guys."

Despite the brave words, the cold wave of fear that washed over him was almost palpable. The odds were stacked against them. Yet, he had faith in Ruster. Luke had gotten himself out of pinch situations before. He could only hope that he'd be as lucky this time.

Squala came to a sudden halt, his steely gaze fixed on Ruster. He studied the figure before him; a fragile-looking teenager, an incongruous image compared to the fierce warrior Squala once knew.

In the cold, desolate silence that stretched between them, Squala finally broke the tension with a question. "What happened to you during the last 100 years?" His voice held an undertone of bitter curiosity, echoing through the narrow alley.

His statement hung in the air, leaving a noticeable pause before he continued, his tone increasingly scornful. "You disappeared after the war ended, you abandoned your comrades when they needed your support the most."

Squala's piercing gaze never wavered from Ruster, the escalating tension between them tangible. His eyes hardened, becoming colder, more hostile, as he unleashed the heaviest of his accusations.

"But all of that is nothing comparted to you... " he clenched his jaw, his fingers tightening around his sword's hilt. His next words were expelled in an outraged roar, reverberating off the surrounding walls. "Betraying your RACE!" His accusation carried an undercurrent of personal betrayal, his voice echoing with raw resentment and anger.

As those words left his lips, Squala lunged at Ruster with breath-taking speed, his sword slicing the air as he brought it down from above. Ruster, reacting with practiced reflexes, materialized a sword out of thin air. He gripped it with both hands, holding it horizontally to parry the incoming attack.

Their swords collided with an ear-splitting clang, the shockwave of the impact sending ripples through the ground beneath them. A dent formed under Ruster's feet, an imprint of the raw power behind Squala's attack.

Squala, however, knew all too well that his adversary would easily defend against the frontal assault. His true aim was not to overpower Ruster with brute force, but to create an opening for his subsequent strike—an unexpected uppercut aimed at Ruster's frail, kid-like torso.

The realization of Squala's intentions dawned on Ruster too late. His eyes widened in a rare moment of surprise and alarm, but it was too late to mount a defense. His only option was to brace for the impending blow.

Squala's fist connected with Ruster's stomach, causing the teen's body to contort in response to the powerful impact. Ruster was sent hurtling backward dropping is sword into the ground, right into the waiting arms of Caditz. The towering figure caught him effortlessly, his muscular arms encasing Ruster in an iron grip.

Luke was staggered by the swift unfolding of events. He quickly dropped to the ground, pressing himself against the wall of the alleyway, his eyes wide with terror as he watched the brutal exchange.

Squala's gaze fell onto his clenched fist, his cold eyes unreadable. He then turned his attention back to Ruster, seemingly acknowledging the display of resilience. "Back in the days, that blow would've been enough...," he stated, his tone carrying an unusual hint of respect. Directing his icy stare at Ruster, he added, "You've gotten stronger, just as they said!"

Ruster's face was obscured by the brim of Luke's hat he was wearing, concealing his expression. But his eyes were alight with a flame of fury. His chest heaved, drawing in ragged breaths as he weathered the pain.

Caditz's grip tightened around Ruster, his bulging muscles threatening to crush him. He looked over at Squala, seeking his approval. "Are we doing this, Squala? Captain Loopy told us not to engage him in combat."

Upon hearing the name, Loopy, Ruster's thoughts stirred into action. "My hunch was right," he thought grimly, "Captain Loopy is here. Damn it, this is serious trouble." He was cornered, with limited options and time running out. "My only chance is to use the stone," he concluded inwardly, "I need to jump back to the Wardoks realm and rally with the others." He needed backup - he needed his friends.

Squala didn't respond to Caditz's question, his gaze had already shifted to Luke, the frightened human boy propped against the wall. A perplexing sight that elicited a curious murmur from Squala. "What is Ruster doing with a mere human kid?" he wondered aloud, observing the immense fear radiating from the boy's aura.

Meanwhile, Ruster was engaged in a desperate struggle against Caditz's vice-like grip. His body strained against the crushing hold, muscles taut and veins bulging. The air around them hummed with tension, punctuated by the creak of stressed bones and the occasional grunt of exertion.

"Woah! Easy there, buddy!" Caditz chuckled, further tightening his hold. It was a punishing grip, so intense that it was painfully digging into Ruster's body, joints popping and creaking under the extreme pressure.

In the midst of his struggle, a realization dawned upon Ruster - there was no hope of escaping this grip with brute force. His face contorted in pain, teeth clenched tight, he abruptly ceased his attempts at escape. There was an exhalation, a resigned sigh, and then words. "I guess you leave me no choice."

In the next instant, Ruster's form began to distort and expand rapidly. He transmuted back into his towering Wardok form, instantly dwarfing his previous human facade. The sudden transformation sent a shockwave of surprise through Caditz, his grip faltering and, just like that, Ruster was free.

In the immediate aftermath of his transformation, Ruster swung a massive fist straight into Caditz's face. The force of the punch sent Caditz's head crashing into the alley wall, leaving an impression that eerily mimicked the shape of his cranium. Seizing the disoriented man by his bald head, Ruster hurled Caditz's hefty frame towards Squala on the other end of the alley.

From his position on the ground, Luke watched in stunned silence, a mixture of relief and awe spreading through him as Ruster began to turn the tide.

Squala, anticipating the human projectile hurtling towards him, gracefully ducked to avoid the collision. Yet, in the same breath, he realized Ruster's true intent. Caditz was not the real threat, but a diversion. Capitalizing on the chaos, Ruster had used the momentum to propel himself at Squala with an incoming punch, a destructive force aimed straight at his face.

With wide, startled eyes, Squala braced himself for the impending impact.

Luke squeezed his eyes shut, unable to bear witness to the brutality he was sure was about to unfold. However, the anticipated sound of crushing bone never came. Curiosity piqued, he slowly allowed his eyelids to part.

What met his gaze was not the gruesome scene he had envisioned. Ruster's punch had been halted mid-air, intercepted by the large, blue-skinned hand of another creature. This one, seemingly materializing out of thin air, had single-handedly defused the situation. The other man who had previously occupied the space was gone.

Shock and awe visibly registered on Luke's face as he took in this newcomer. His posture reflexively changed, dropping to his hands and knees in response to the stunning revelation.

"You transformed!" Ruster accused, frustration seeping into his words. "But there's a human kid here!"

Squala said nothing, assuming a defensive stance while maintaining unbroken eye contact with Ruster. A few moments of tense silence filled the air before Squala finally responded.

"I'll just have to kill him then," he declared with a chilling smirk.

Squala's sudden cry of pain cut through the tense silence. Clutching at his chest, he fell to his knees, his usually stoic face contorted in agony.

"The curse...it's activated," Ruster murmured to himself, his eyes widening in realization. He looked at Luke, dread filling him, "Luke's in danger. What have I done?"

Caditz, who had just regained consciousness, wasted no time. He quickly got to his feet, a scowl aimed at Ruster as he materialized a flare gun out of thin air. He fired it into the sky, the signal flare burning brightly against the dim city skyline.

Ruster watched the flare ascend with a sinking feeling. "No... Captain Loopy will know where we are now," he thought, his mind racing with possible ways to counter this new predicament.

As Squala's condition worsened, blood began to spill from his mouth. The tall creature seemed to be fighting an internal battle, but managed to rasp out a command to Caditz. "Caditz... quickly... kill the kid."

In a heartbeat, Caditz launched himself towards Luke, his kick aimed to shatter the boy into nothing more than a memory. Luke could do nothing but brace for the impact, his eyes squeezed shut in anticipation of the end.

But the end didn't come.

Ruster's arm was in front of him inseatd, deflecting Caditz's lethal kick mere inches from Luke's head. The boy's eyes shot open in disbelief, finding himself still very much alive.

Caditz staggered back, the surprise clearly written on his face. "What are you doing?" he blurted out, unable to comprehend Ruster's actions. "He saw you too! Have you gone mad?"

Meanwhile, Squala, still sprawled on the ground, watched the unfolding scene with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Why is he defending the human?" he wondered, his mind unable to keep up with the rapid turn of events.

Ruster's gaze was icy, his bright yellow eyes glowing ominously in the dark alley. The sword he'd conjured earlier, which lay abandoned on the ground, suddenly vanished, only to reappear in his free hand. With a swift, effortless movement, he swung the sword towards Caditz.

The sound of metal cutting through air echoed in the alley, followed by a soft thump. Caditz's head separated from his body in a seamless motion, rolling onto the ground a few feet away. It was a quick, painless end for the creature, his life snuffed out before he could even register what had happened.

As Caditz's body crumpled to the ground, Ruster swiftly shifted back into his human form, his sword and his monstrous guise disappearing as if they had never existed. "Luke, we gotta run!" he exclaimed, and before Luke could respond, he was hoisted onto Ruster's shoulder. With a powerful leap, Ruster took them to the rooftop, a vantage point from which they could escape.

As they ascended, Ruster sprang into action, his nimble form easily making the transition from one building to another. Luke, perched on Ruster's shoulder, held on tightly, his heart pounding in his chest. The city, with its cars that looked like toy models and the people, mere specks moving in organized chaos, seemed an entirely different world from up here. Luke could hardly believe his eyes; the reality of the situation was overwhelming, and he found himself unable to utter a word.

Beneath them, the city continued its usual bustle, oblivious to the high-stakes events playing out above them.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Squala pushed himself back to his feet, enduring the pain coursing through him. With a deep breath, he shifted back into his human form and summoned a device into his hand. Attaching a pin from the device to his belt, he muttered, "This will let Captain Loopy locate me."

His gaze fell on Caditz's lifeless body, his expression unreadable. "Rest in peace, old friend," he murmured, before bounding off the ground and onto the rooftop, his eyes locked onto the rapidly receding figures of Ruster and Luke.

Ruster, sweat beading his forehead, continued leaping from rooftop to rooftop, carrying Luke on his back. "Ghost," he said, his voice straining with effort, "do you sense Loopy's energy near us?"

"Negative, Master," Ghost responded from within Ruster. "But Squala is on our trail!"

Luke, who was still too overwhelmed to speak, peered over Ruster's shoulder. His eyes narrowed as he spotted a figure in the distance, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. It was Squala, and the look in his eyes was nothing short of predatory.

As Luke watched Squala close in on them, his heart pounded in his chest, each thump echoing the dread that was slowly consuming him. The cityscape became a blur around them as Ruster pushed forward, but Squala was undeterred, relentlessly pursuing them with a chilling determination.

And then, just as Luke thought they might lose him, Squala picked up speed, his image growing larger in the fading daylight. The distance between them was closing, and the reality of their situation came crashing down. The thrill of the chase turned into a desperate fight for survival, as they raced against the ticking clock. Their lives hanging by a thread, they fled into the heart of the city, with Squala hot on their trail.