CRASH!
A young man dressed in a black shirt slammed into the wooden wall of a nearby house.
THUD!
His body fell heavily to the ground, sending splinters flying from the damaged wall.
"Cough!"
Blood spilled from his mouth as he struggled to catch his breath.
His messy black hair clung to his sweaty forehead, while his dark gray eyes, almost indistinguishable from black, remained fixed on the figure standing before him.
"This wasn't what I expected." Ken Takeane slowly pushed himself upright, tightening his grip on the katana in his left hand.
His breathing was ragged, and pain throbbed throughout his body. Nevertheless, he forced himself to stand straight.
He couldn't afford to show weakness in front of this opponent.
After all, the man standing before him was no ordinary enemy.
Ken glanced at his surroundings.
