Pretty Insane

The silence that followed the battle was brief. Alulu's chest rose and fell steadily as he scanned the ruined street, his grip on the katana firm but not tight. The blue glow around him pulsed faintly, a reminder of the power he could still draw upon if needed. But for now, the attackers were down, their cloaked forms scattered like discarded rags.

And then, breaking the uneasy quiet, came the voice.

"Well, well, well! What a strong maaaann~!"

The voice was amplified, distorted slightly through a megaphone. Alulu's eyes flicked to the source—a man stepping into view from the shadows, dressed in modern clothing that felt completely out of place in the medieval town. His movements were loose, almost lazy, as he twirled the megaphone in one hand before tossing it aside.

Alulu didn't lower his weapon. His mind raced. Modern attire? In a sphere like this? His eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" His voice was calm, measured, but there was a hard edge to it.

The man grinned wide, spreading his arms as if he were welcoming an old friend. "Who am I? Just someone who appreciates strength," he said, his tone playful, almost mocking. "And you, Alulu Bostie, you've got plenty of it."

Alulu didn't respond immediately. His stance didn't waver, his mind running through the implications. This man knew his name. How? "You seem to know a lot about me. Why don't you tell me who you really are?"

The man chuckled, shaking his head. "Names are boring. Let's skip the introductions, shall we?" He gestured behind him, and a shadow moved.

From the darkness, a hulking figure emerged—a giant, towering over even Alulu, who was no small man himself. This new opponent was monstrous, muscles bulging under barely-there clothing, and in his hand, he carried a longsword nearly as large as he was.

"Hereeeee comes the biiiiggg maaann!~" the man sang, clapping his hands together as if he were introducing an act at a carnival.

Alulu's eyes remained fixed on the giant, but he addressed the man. "You brought him here to fight me?" His tone was flat, but there was a flicker of something else—anticipation, perhaps.

The man with the megaphone tilted his head, a mock pout on his lips. "Fight? Oh no, not just fight. I brought him to crush you."

The giant stepped forward, the ground trembling slightly beneath his feet. Alulu's katana glowed brighter, the hum of energy coursing through it steadying his nerves. "You might be disappointed."

"We'll see," the man said, his grin fading for the first time. His expression grew colder, sharper. "Don't show any mercy," he instructed the giant, his voice low and deadly.

The giant nodded once, his gaze locking onto Alulu. Without a word, he dashed forward, moving with surprising speed for his size, his massive sword arcing through the air toward Alulu's head.

Alulu didn't flinch. He sidestepped, the katana whispering to him, showing him the path of the attack before it fully formed. The blade missed by inches, crashing into the ground and sending a shower of debris into the air.

"Fast," Alulu muttered, his eyes narrowing. "But not fast enough."

The giant grunted, pulling his sword free and swinging again, this time a horizontal slash aimed at Alulu's midsection. Alulu ducked low, his katana flashing as he aimed a counterstrike at the giant's exposed side. The blade connected, cutting deep, but the giant barely reacted, his muscles absorbing the impact like stone.

Alulu leapt back, his mind racing. He's tough. Too tough for simple cuts to slow him down. He needed to change tactics.

As the giant charged again, Alulu dismissed the katana, summoning his scythe instead. The long, curved blade materialized in his hands, the white chains at its tip writhing like snakes.

The giant's sword came down again, a brutal, overhead strike that would've split Alulu in two. But Alulu moved, the scythe spinning in his hands as the chains lashed out, wrapping around the giant's arm. The chains tightened, their paralyzing energy sinking into the giant's flesh.

For a moment, the giant staggered, his movements slowing. But then, with a guttural growl, he yanked his arm back, pulling Alulu with it.

Alulu released the chains just in time, landing smoothly a few feet away. His grip on the scythe tightened. That should've paralyzed him. He's resisting. He couldn't rely on the chains alone.

The man with the megaphone clapped slowly from the sidelines. "Oooh, you're clever! But not clever enough. He's stronger than anything you've faced, Alulu. Do you really think you can keep up?"

Alulu ignored him, his focus entirely on the giant. "Stronger, sure," he muttered under his breath. "But everyone has a weakness."

The giant swung again, a wide horizontal slash. Alulu dodged, using the scythe to keep the giant at bay. The chains snapped out again, this time aiming for the giant's legs, trying to trip him up.

But the giant leapt back, his agility once again defying his size. He landed heavily, cracking the ground beneath him. "He's not just strong. He's fast," Alulu thought, his mind racing. "But speed and strength mean nothing if I control the pace."

He dismissed the scythe, summoning the war hammer instead. The massive weapon felt heavy in his hands, reassuring in its power. The giant came at him once more, his sword poised to strike. Alulu waited, biding his time.

When the sword descended, Alulu moved, stepping inside the giant's guard. He swung the hammer upward, catching the giant under the ribs. The force exploded outward, rippling through the giant's entire body.

The giant stumbled, a grunt of pain escaping him. Alulu pressed the advantage, swinging the hammer again, this time at the giant's arm. The impact spread, the shockwaves causing the giant to falter.

But still, he didn't fall.

"Not bad," the man with the megaphone called out, his tone mocking. "But it's not enough, is it?"

Alulu gritted his teeth, sweat dripping down his brow. Not enough yet, he thought. But I'll find a way.

The giant steadied himself, lifting his sword once more, and Alulu prepared for the next round. The fight was far from over, but he wasn't done yet. He just needed to stay a step ahead.