Clashing

Yamato ignored the man that was looking at him with surprise and shouted towards the kitchen, "Tila run!"

The next moment he heard the sound of the back door opening and was relieved that that troublesome 'little miss' had listened to him. However he had to quickly take his attention back in front of him as the man fighting him attacked.

This time the man was even more ferocious. Yamato had to give it his all to block that blade strike, yet he was still pushed three steps backwards which greatly surprised him. What's this strength?! He had used two of his gloved hands to block yet he was still pushed back!

"Just go, I'll deal with this kid," Saldo said then swung his sword down at Yamato, again Yamato blocked with difficultly.

Following that, by the side of his eyes Yamato suddenly noticed the guy he hit with the table had quietly got back on his feet and was desperately limping towards the kitchen to chase after Tila. But Yamato couldn't do anything about it this time as his opponent was pinning him in one place, so he could only watch him slip past.

xxx

Luka gritted his teeth as he followed after the alien girl. Even though he was injured and was still hit by the heavy table, he's still a mercenary that has gone through a lot of battlefields. Thinking of that he was even more angry. 'Kid I'll settle this score with you later!' He glared at Yamato's back as he thought that, praying that Saldo doesn't kill the kid quickly, at least until he returns, then rushed into the kitchen.

xxx

Yamato didn't know he has gained the hatred of a troublesome person as his whole attention was focused on his opponent.

Yamato has been in many fights all his life, it could be said that he's experienced in fighting. However he has never fought anyone like Saldo before. This man is a professional mercenary, that means he's a real expert in killing unlike the kids that Yamato has fought until now. No if not for sparring with Katrina often he'd be dead meat by now.

Saldo's attacks came from weird angles and all targeted his vital spots, the man would kill him if he makes even one mistake. If not because of the breathing technique and the mind flame that is supporting him, Yamato would have died hundred times over already. Even now he's barely clinging on to his life by moving last ditch blocks.

Saldo was just too powerful to make a renowned genius of the strongest fighter city in the realm to have no choice but to desperately defend.

More importantly the man is very patient. At first he attacked with the intention of ending everything quickly, but when he realized Yamato was competent enough, he instead turned it into a battle of attrition. Being a mercenary he's quite confident he'll outlast the kid.

'After all fighting for a long time, if the body does not tire the mind will tire, the boy will definitely make a mistake,' Saldo thought, 'Then I'll kill him!'

At this moment the sitting room was in shambles as the fighters moved around causing destruction everywhere. The tables and chairs were broken, the bookshelf by the side was also hacked to pieces when Yamato dodged Saldo's sword while standing behind it.

As time went on Yamato started feeling a little sluggish in his body and realize he could not defeat this guy so he decided to withdraw. Besides he'd already bought enough time for Tila to escape so he could peacefully retreat now. After all compared to the limping guy this guy would have been harder for her to outrun.

In truth Saldo himself was surprised that the kid had lasted this long in battle with him. He realized that he'd really meet a prodigy of prodigies today. However he didn't know that after undergoing Katrina's hellish training daily, Yamato has a hours of battle in him before he gets tired.

Saldo suddenly notice Yamato glance at the kitchen entrance and understood. "Think you can run from me?" He sneered.

"Try to stop me!" Yamato said and made a run towards the kitchen door.

"Hmph, courting death!" Saldo snorted then kicked off the ground and shot past the kid, to the front of the door, cutting off the kid's escape path. Who knew that the next moment the kid will swiftly change direction and run towards the front door Saldo has just left instead.

Saldo's footing was unsteady on the smooth wooden floor because he just landed, and couldn't react in time till the Yamato ran out of the house. He paused for a moment processing what just happened then he roared out in anger.

"Don't let me catch you kid!!"

He could not believe that an expert like him got tricked by a kid still wet behind his ears. His eyes turned red in anger and shame. 'If I don't kill this kid today I'll not feel well!'

At that moment Yamato had already ran out into the woods. Immediately he entered, he revolved the concealment technique Katrina taught before she left. 'Master you just thought me this, who knew that it'll be useful?' Thinking of that and praising his master's thoughtfulness, he quickly disappeared into the woods, making sure he used all the secret techniques his Master taught him to hide his tracks.

xxx

Tila felt her heart pumping fiercely in her chest, her throat dry and painful, and her body shaking in fear as she ran through the woods. All her focus was taking as much distance from the house as possible. It's not that she didn't wish to help Yamato, after all even if she detested him for stealing her mother from her it's not to the point she wants him dead. It's just that she really couldn't do anything to help.

She hadn't manifested an Astral weapon yet and she has only cultivated a little chi so she's not that strong. At least not strong enough to contend with any of those men. So her only option is to flee this way she might relieve Yamato's burden.

Besides from what that limping guy said, it's her they want so they might let off Yamato and chase after her once she escapes. 'Yes this could also be considered as beneficial to that guy!'

Tila was fleeing as fast as possible but it didn't mean she was running heedlessly without any plans. It might not look like it but she has gone through a lot of things in this ten years of her life, naturally this is not the first time she's chased by people that want to kill her.

This is the second time. The first time she was chased by that evil uncle of hers but still managed to slip out of his hands, not to talk of unremarkable people like this. They could never catch her!

As she ran she naturally used a technique her mother taught her to hide her tracks. Knowing the forest like the back of her hand she avoided passing through places that could leave footprints and also made sure not to break the branches of the bushes.

Because she was busy hiding her tracks it took her longer than usual to reach her destination, but she was barely out of breath. After running around for two hours Tila came to a stop before a wooden hut concealed in the middle of the forest. This place is deep in the Sirat forest that many will not dare trend and the hut is covered with leaves so if one didn't know the precise location it'll be hard to find it.

This is the safe house mother insisted father make. In the possibility anything happened and they split up, they are to meet here. Katrina's foresight had saved another person tonight.

'Father is a very simple minded person, if not for mother advising him he'll never think of building this hut!' Tila praised her mother feeling quite proud.

However remembering her father she felt a sharp pain in her heart. But the pain was fainter than before. She was healing, her mother had said... But the fact that her father's death hurt lesser and lesser each passing day scared Tila. She was afraid that she'll forget him one day.

'Father is not a wound, she didn't want to heal!'

In a gloomy mood Tila pushed open the shabby door and walked into the hut. Inside was two mats rolled at the side - a bag containing provisions like meat jerky, bread and dry rations - and two heavy blankets.

Yamato also know about this place too. For some reason her mother trusts this hateful human a lot. So she just have to wait for him here before making a decision.

She didn't know that at this time Yamato has run into trouble and was fighting desperately for his life.

xxx

After Yamato concealed his presence and hid inside the woods, he thought that he had shaken away his pursuit. And perhaps he did, because he ran for an hour, in a zigzag to confuse the mercenaries, and didn't notice anyone following.

At last he sighed in relief and started heading to the safe place that Katrina had showed him. Who knew that just as he came into a clearing in the forest he'll meet face to face with Luka. The man had his gun pointed at him.

"Hehe hehe, checkmate," Luka laughed proudly. "I thought I heard someone coming,"

Yamato came to a stop immediately. The gun was already pointing at him and there's no way he can resist. He might be a fighter but a bullet is beyond him. In the past they was a famous fighter that was said to be able to dodge bullet but now no fighter can go that fast, maybe a cultivator can but Yamato is not a cultivator.

So as it stands, Luka could take Yamato's life with a squeeze of the trigger. Checkmate indeed.

"Here we are, any last words?" Luka asked.

Yamato was more afraid than ever in his life but he tried to stay calm as he could. He sneered. "You are gonna kill me with a bullet? Too much a coward for a fight?"

Luka lifted his eyebrow. "Look at this brat, you think you can beat me in fight?"

"I am confident,"

Luka shook his head and withdrew his gun. "It seems I'm being looked down on,"

The man put his gun back in his spatial ring then spread his hands to his side. A golden glow shinned in the night as a golden armor appear on his body. When his Astral weapon finished forming he was left standing in a golden cuirass.

Next he held his hand up and a long black spear appeared in his grip. However the weapon did not condense from mist like the way Astral weapons do, but appeared instantly like how objects came out of spatial rings.

Immediately after summoning his Astral weapon and the black spear, the shabby Luka was gone and he suddenly looked impressive. Furthermore his injured foot seem to stop bothering him as he stood straight and stopped leaning on one foot.

When Yamato sensed the aura coming out from man he was greatly surprised. This is the aura of an expert! The realization broke his heart.

This guy is not weaker than Saldo that he fought earlier. Perhaps this man might even be stronger! As for escape, how could Yamato turn his back on a person with a gun? This realization greatly shook Yamato and his face turned ugly, his confidence leaving him quickly.

Perhaps today I'll really be done for.