章 9: Void

"What the hell is that?!" I exclaim, on guard as I narrowly dodge a hurtling tree branch, watching as it lodges itself into another tree.

The force behind its trajectory is staggering. If I hadn't dodged it, I would have suffered serious injury or worse.

My eyes dart around, trying to ascertain the source of the powerful throw. The only person around is Gideon. Could it be him?

I turn to confirm, but something is off. Gideon stands behind me, his demeanor strange.

He is the sole person in the vicinity, yet it doesn't necessarily confirm he's the one who threw it. Conceivably, someone could be lurking behind a tree or in the shadows.

But getting past security here is virtually impossible.

That's not my primary concern; I'm confident in my ability to handle any intruders.

The real worry is Gideon.

He's approaching me, each step of his slow and unsteady. His gaze is fixed on the ground as he moves in my direction.

*I'm sure he had short hair. So why is it now long enough to reach his waist?*

He looks as if someone or something has taken control of him.

He lifts his head, and I can see his eyes, or what used to be his eyes.

*They were blue before, weren't they? Now they're an empty void of pitch black.*

Everything about him feels out of place and wrong.

*Why? Why is he changing so suddenly? The aura he emits is unsettling, sparking a sense of fear.*

*Who is this person, Gideon?*

†*****Gideon's POV******†

As I pluck various fruits, some unfamiliar to me, I overhear the old man muttering to himself.

"What's wrong with him now? A nerd who talks to himself?Pfft, what a cliché character."

With a dismissive thought, I choose to ignore him and carry on. I snap a tree branch to extend my reach for a particularly elusive fruit.

Stretching my arm to pluck the fruit, a sudden, intense pain shoots through my head.

I black out, and that is the last thing I last thing I remember is finding myself in this bizarre place.

Where am I now?

Everywhere is pitch black; I can't see a thing. I don't even feel the air around me. It's like... a void.

As I struggle to piece together what happened, nothing seems to make sense. Only one conclusion seems plausible in this situation.

Could it be that I'm dead?

But what caused my death? Did I fall from the tree?

†*******OMNISCIENT POV********†

Gideon moves with a purpose, steadily advancing towards Darwin.

~Tap~

Darwin watches him intently, his calm demeanor contrasting with the unusual situation.

Gideon's eyes are vacant, devoid of emotions, mirroring his expression.

Maintaining a distance of at least ten meters between them, Gideon takes a few more steps, and then his pace quickens.

Still devoid of emotion, Gideon begins to dash towards Darwin.

In what appears to be a take-off run, his speed increases dramatically, closing the gap within seconds.

Upon reaching striking range, Gideon unleashes a kick, targeting Darwin's cheek.

"?!"

Alert and quick to grasp the situation, Darwin reacts swiftly.

~Bang~

~shwooo~

He blocks the kick aimed at his head with his right hand, feeling the surprising force behind it as it pushes him several meters to the side.

*His physique is unexpectedly formidable for someone seemingly uninterested in martial arts. He's surprisingly strong.*

Regaining his balance, Darwin braces himself as Gideon charges, throwing an uppercut in his direction.

*****************************

Author's Note: Sorry for the interference, but from now on I'll refer to Darwin as "old man" It just doesn't feel right calling him Darwin

Enjoy

*****************************

~swish~

Instinctively, the old man dodges Gideon's uppercut with a swift backflip, showcasing surprising flexibility for his age.

Executing two more backflips in quick succession, he seizes the opportunity to create distance from Gideon.

But before he can land, Gideon is already upon him, thrusting his knee forward, aiming for the old man's midsection.

The old man's battle instincts kick in as he's airborne, allowing him to foresee the attack and defend with both hands, blocking the impact from reaching his gut.

~Taaan~

Despite his block, the force of the attack sends him flying through the air. Mid-flip, he regains footing but struggles to maintain balance before Gideon, with astonishing speed, reaches him again.

Gideon's eyes remain vacant, yet his battle sense is sharp, if not sharper than the old man's. The one advantage the old man holds is battle experience.

Bending and spinning his leg skillfully, Gideon executes a successful foot sweep, throwing the old man off balance, causing him to land flat on his back.

~thud!~

Raising his other leg, Gideon aims to crush the old man beneath his foot.

~swish~

The force of the incoming leg is as great as the whistling air around it.

~Thump~

Gideon misses, and the old man rolls sideways, narrowly dodging what could have been a fatal attack.

~Taan~

Blocking an incoming kick from Gideon's relentless assault with crossed arms, the old man's body skids across the grass field.

Regaining his balance swiftly, the old man takes a fighting stance. Gideon has ceased his attack and is slowly approaching again, just like before.

*If I want to survive, I'll have to fight back. I can't just defend. I need to weaken him. Holding back could be dangerous at this point. This should be fun. Thanks, kid, for reigniting the spark of prime battles. I'll focus on defeating you before contemplating what's happening to you.*

As these thoughts race through the old man's mind, he readies himself for an offensive move, maintaining vigilance. However, what he witnesses confounds him, prompting a cautious yet puzzled expression.

"Aaaarhhgg!!!"

Gideon starts screaming, clutching his head and falling to his knees.

Perceiving this as an opportunity and choosing not to dwell on it until the battle's end, the old man decides to seize the moment. Gideon is vulnerable and off guard, appearing to be in pain.

~Fwoosh~

The air rushes past his ear as he charges towards Gideon at breakneck speed.