Chapter 34: The Red Katana
Further into town, a small platoon of military tanks rolled heavily down the main street.
Inside the lead tank, a female soldier with blonde and white hair looked at the console, feeling uneasy. "Are you certain we need this kind of firepower?!! It seems completely excessive."
Beside her, an officer peering through a pair of binoculars replied, "They didn't give me much to go on. The reports just said the target is humanoid, but somehow capable of literally slicing buildings in half with a sword."
"Target spotted! A few hundred feet ahead!" the gunner yelled, squinting through the targeting reticle.
The man with the binoculars adjusted his focus. "Perfect, I see him too... He actually has a katana... I was sure the reports were a bit exaggerated."
The figure advanced on them, walking at a slow, deliberate pace. He hoisted a massive, blood-red katana onto his shoulder,
The hair on the back of the female soldier's neck stood straight up. A deep sense of dread hit her. "We should either shoot that thing immediately or retreat... something is not right here."
Without waiting, one of the other tanks in the line fired a high-velocity shell straight at the figure.
Moving with impossible speed, the man executed a fluid upward kick, perfectly intercepting the super-fast projectile. The impact sent the shell flying straight up into the air like a deflected soccer ball.
a cruel grin spreading across his face.
"Ah... finally, something that can actually fight back?"
Before the smoke could even clear, he bolted forward. Within seconds, he closed the distance to the lead tank, reached out, and grabbed the heavy metal cannon barrel. With a sickening crunch, he crushed the thick steel with his bare hand. Then, hoisting his arms, he lifted the entire multi-ton tank into the air, flipped it upside down, and slammed it violently into the pavement.
The tank instantly erupted into a fiery explosion.
The man leaped backward out of the billowing black smoke, a dark smirk stretching across his face. His teeth were jagged and sharp, like those of a twisted predator. With a fluid motion, he swung his red katana through the air, sending out a wave of magical energy that sliced clean through the remaining tanks, cutting them to pieces.
Inside their ruined vehicle, the three surviving soldiers were completely speechless. The officer with the binoculars quickly grabbed a flashbang from his tactical belt. He pulled the pin, cooked it for a split second, and threw it out the hatch with all his might.
"Don't look!!" he screamed, covering his eyes.
A blinding white flash illuminated the entire street. The monstrous swordsman shrieked in sudden pain and fury, covering his face.
"Your little tricks will only get you so far!!" he roared into the light.