No Mercy

Feng Ye dodged. He ducked low and could feel the force of the swing above his head. He was inside the man's guard.

His second dagger plunged forward. The man twisted violently attempting to avoid a lethal strike. 

Miss. Feng Ye missed his target. 

He couldn't let up. With his fist, he pounded the bandit's chest with all the force he could muster. A dull thud echoed between them. 

The leader grunted and his body jolted from the impact. His grip on his sword did not loosen. He dug his feet in and prevented himself from getting blown back from the impact. He held onto this weapon with both hands tightly. 

Feng Ye didn't stop. Physically, Feng Ye was confident that his attributes should be able to overcome a close combat fistfight. 

He shifted his stance and drove his knee into the bandit's stomach. The bandit staggered and his grip faltered for the first time. This resulted in the sword dipping downwards momentarily.

Another opportunity. Feng Ye seized the chance and twisted his hops to send a devastating elbow to the leader's jaw. 

The bandit leader was no joke. This didn't completely land as the man loosened the grip on his sword and used his left hand to block. 

Feng Ye's elbow collided with the man's raised forearm. The collision sent a vibration through both of them. It wasn't a clean block but absorbed enough of the impact to allow him to keep standing. 

The bandit's hand which was still grasping the sword made another forward swing. Feng Ye sidestepped this slash. The slash sliced off some of the cloak that Feng Ye was wearing but didn't touch any flesh. Before Feng Ye could recover, the man slammed his knee into his ribs. 

Sharp pain. This hurt. But it couldn't compare to getting hit by a Lambo. Feng Ye clenched his teeth and twisted mid-air as he was forced backward. He must close the gap and not let any more opportunities. 

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he lunged forward and changed again. Closing the gap, Feng Ye rammed his shoulder into the man's ribs. He went for a full tackle. 

The force sent both of them staggering and hitting the ground. Both crashed into the earth. Feng Ye had the initiative. Reaching mid-clash, he gripped the bandit's arm which was holding the blade with an iron grip. 

"You!" The man knew Feng Ye's intention. But knowing wouldn't change the result. The bandit used his free arm to try to grab Feng Ye's dagger. Both were locked in a wrestling position.

Both men struggled in the dirt, locked in a contest of strength. The bandit's free hand clawed for Feng Ye's dagger. 

No way. Not giving the opportunity. 

Feng Ye twisted his wrist and drove his knee again on the bandit's torso. Grunting, the bandit's body jerked from the impact but refused to loosen his hold on the sword.

"Tough !@#!%$" Feng Ye muttered.

The bandit refused to be overpowered and struggled on the ground. He wrenched his arm free and slammed his elbow on Feng Ye's temple. 

Feng Ye's vision blurred for an instant. 

The bandit rolled and used his weight to force Feng Ye to his back. Now he was in the dominant position and on top. His knee drove into Feng Ye's chest and pressed down. 

"#!@#!" 

The bandit's grip on Feng Ye's hand which held the dagger loosened. Immediately Feng Ye used the dagger to quickly stab his opponent's arm. 

The bandit's right hand grabbed for Feng Ye's throat. This was to end it all. He was aiming to crush the windpipe. 

Brutal. Feng Ye reacted with pure instinct. He loosened his grip on the bandit's hand which held the sword and gripped the man's wrist before it fully could close. The bandit's fingers pressed against his throat. 

A competition of strength continued here. At the same time, Feng Ye released his dagger and slapped his fist into the bandit's jaw. 

The bandit's head snapped sideways and he coughed up blood. 

Feng Ye continued and relentlessly pounded his fist into the man's ribs. He used the opportunity to get on top of the bandit and continued to land blows.

Another. Another. Another. Each blow landed. 

He grabbed the bandit leader's collar and slammed him into the dirt. 

BANG.

BANG.

BANG.

Brutal. Primitive. Blood smeared across the ground. The bandit's fingers weakened and his grip on his blade loosened. 

Wasting no time, Feng Ye immediately yanked the sword out of the bandit's fingers. His fingers wrapped around the hilt of the shimmering blade. He could feel the hum of energy surging and pulsing on his arm. 

"Kill" an odd thought whispered to him.

This was the end game. Checkmate. 

The bandit leader gasping, looked up and desperately used both arms to choke him.

Feng Ye rolled off the bandit with the sword and stood up a few feet away.

Feng Ye didn't hesitate and immediately swung the sword in a fluid wide arc. 

Checkmate. The bandit was executed. 

The bandit leader's blood splashed on the blade. The pulse of energy surging through his arm seems to be more active. 

The sword vibrated as though it were hungry and alive. 

"More…" another whisper. 

A stranger's sensation envelops him. The battlefield feels sharper as though he had applied an Instagram filter. He almost steps forward to slash again at the already defeated lifeless corpse. 

Feng Ye forced himself to breathe and stood his ground. He could feel the bloodlust emitted by the blade. A powerful weapon, but it had a price. 

A choice remains. Discard or master it. He rips off a part of his cloak and uses it to wipe the blade clean. The crimson glow lingers.