"Is this my way out?" Takeshi wondered as he heard the chaos raging outside.
Mei had quickly left the room, heading toward the source of the commotion. With her current strength, the number of people who could threaten her life was extremely small. Not only did she possess a kekkei genkai, but she was also at Kage level.
That was precisely the reason why Takeshi had been discouraged from fighting her.
"Kid, we're going back to your cell…" the bald guard growled, trying to grab Takeshi.
"Man, are you serious?" Takeshi said, looking at him with irritation. "There's a war breaking out, and you want to throw me back into a cell and expect me to go quietly?"
Just as Takeshi had thought, the guard knew that if there was ever a good moment to escape, it was now, in the middle of all this chaos. He had seen how much Mei seemed to like the guy in front of him. If Takeshi escaped now while he was in his custody, what the hell was he supposed to say to the Mizukage?
In any case, all he had to do was lock him up until things calmed down, and he was determined to do his job.
"Kid, don't piss me off. I've got better things to do than indulge your whims…" the bald man snapped, two veins pulsing on his forehead. "You're going to shut up and do what you're told!"
"…Hey, you know what? Go fuck yourself," Takeshi shot back, flipping him off.
He had trained during his time in the cell. This was the moment to see the results and put this bastard back in his place.
"As you wish," the guard growled, stepping forward.
I should take this as a warm-up… Takeshi thought, watching his opponent.
The bald man stepped forward heavily and threw a straight punch without hesitation. It was a powerful blow, meant to end the fight quickly. He was clearly underestimating his opponent.
Takeshi stepped back half a pace and deflected the punch with a short movement. He didn't try to block it head-on. He guided the strike past him, let it go by, then countered. A sharp blow to the flank, precise, with no wasted force.
Not bad. Guess I haven't gotten rusty after all…
The bald man grunted but didn't retreat. He pivoted and tried a wide hook. Takeshi ducked, slipped under the arm, and ended up at his side. He struck again, this time at the thigh. A quick hit, aimed at a precise point.
"Stop moving like that," the man growled.
He tried to grab Takeshi by the shoulder. His hand was large and heavy. Takeshi let himself be caught for a split second just long enough to place his foot behind the man's. He pushed with his weight, pulled slightly on the arm, and threw his opponent off balance. The bald man staggered back a step to avoid falling.
The man's breathing grew louder. He frowned, irritated. He didn't want to use ninjutsu, avoiding damaging his mistress's toy, but the situation was becoming far more complicated than he had expected.
The truth was, the guy was handling himself pretty well. Despite his advantage in raw physical strength, Takeshi had found an effective way to counter him. Rather than a real fight, it felt more like a game proof that Takeshi didn't feel threatened in the slightest.
"So this is the pathetic level you're trying to capture me with?" Takeshi sneered as he looked at him. "Now I get it. No wonder you're stuck here as a guard in some shitty prison. Your level is so trash it'd be an embarrassment to consider you part of Kiri's forces…"
Takeshi's laughter grew sharper and sharper, making the bald man boil with rage, looking ready to explode.
"How dare you… you little bastard!" he shouted, gradually losing control. "If you die, you'll have no one to blame but your big mouth!"
He charged forward, head down, like a bull. Takeshi didn't try to stop him. He stepped to the side, placed a hand on the man's shoulder, and used his momentum against him. The bald man slammed into the door with force. The sound echoed through the corridor.
Before he could turn around, Takeshi struck his knee. Not a powerful blow, but a precise one. The man dropped to one knee, cursing through clenched teeth.
"Son of a "
He sprang back up and launched a flurry of punches. Heavy, poorly controlled strikes. Takeshi backed away, parried one blow, dodged the next. He felt the pressure. One mistake could be enough. One well-placed hit from this man could deal serious damage but in his current state, that seemed unlikely.
"Pfff… Is that really how you plan to put me in my place?" Takeshi sneered.
Suddenly, a massive explosion much closer this time shook the building. Takeshi instinctively turned his head toward the noise.
That one was really close… should I finish this?
Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, the bald man attempted a surprise attack. His fist grazed Takeshi's face. Takeshi felt the rush of air pass by his cheek. He answered with a blow to the solar plexus, then another to the face. The man took it, clenched his teeth, and stepped back.
"You talk a lot, but you hit like a bitch," the bald man taunted, trying to pump himself up.
Takeshi didn't rise to the provocation. He adjusted his stance, slightly changing the angle of his shoulders. He waited. He let the man wear himself out.
The bald man advanced again, more cautious this time. He attempted a knee strike. Takeshi blocked it with his forearm, feeling the impact all the way to the bone. He grimaced but held firm. He grabbed the leg, pulled it toward him, and struck the man's face with his elbow.
The blow sent the bald man reeling backward. He ran a hand over his nose, where blood was starting to flow.
"And if we ended this now?"
Takeshi's voice suddenly turned cold. The air around him seemed to change and his opponent noticed it too.