章 107: Sato vs Vincent, Part Three

The tinge of metal was palpable as I stuffed yet another gulp of stale air down my gullet. 

My heart beat against my ribcage with the force of a stampeding herd, and anticipation soaked my body in a sheet of sweat as I awaited Vincent's next move.  The slightest twitch of his finger or step forward would signal the beginning of my plan's phase two.

'C'mon,' I glowered at Vincent. 'Take a step. Make a move.'

Vincent stared at me with an expression of curious intrigue, his eyes alight with an intense fascination. "Your eyes... They're filled with desperation, Sir Sato. The desperation of one who clings to hope as he struggles against the inevitable, all to achieve his goals."

"In a way," he continued, his voice laced with a hint of nostalgia, "your eyes remind me of a hero from centuries past. A man of great infamy in your world. Apparently, he even sought to unify an entire country. Truly an intriguing one."