A Wandering Ronin

Strongest Human

Ran drew his katana. Then he turned it around and held it with both hands. The werewolf growled then howled and ran as fast as lightning. So fast, Ran did not realize that less than a second, the werewolf was already in front of him while attacking with his right paw. Ran quickly restrained with his katana. But because the werewolf's attack was too strong, Ran was bounced so hard that it hit a big tree. Even the tree was hollow and Ran rolled on the ground.

"RAN!" shouted Sehar as he ran to Ran who was lying on the ground.

"Sehar, you hide," said Ran as he stood up.

“B…but.”

“If I give you the signal, you should be ready to attack, won't you?” Ran looked at Sehar.

Sehar then nodded and ran to hide in a safe place. Then Ran walked slowly while taking off his brown robe. He stuffed his katana into the scabbard then closed his eyes as he continued walking. Meanwhile the werewolf smirked.

"This is the first time I've fought a strong human," said the werewolf.

Ran was not surprised that the werewolf could talk. He remained calm and tried to pay attention to the situation.

"And I also recently met a werewolf like you," Ran replied with a faint smile.

The werewolf laughed.

"You look like you're possessed by a demon."

"Not. I am the strongest being on earth. Thanks to my intelligence, I managed to turn myself into a werewolf.”

“Why not choose another animal? Why the wolf?”

“I like the howl of wolves. Much scarier than ghosts."

Ran just chuckled then he ran while drawing his katana and jumped and then slashed vertically. The werewolf held Ran's katana with both claws. When Ran's feet landed on the ground, he spun around and sent a kick with his right foot that hit the werewolf's right waist. But the werewolf was able to withstand and launch his left claw attack. Ran dodged by jumping backwards then attacked again by slashing his katana. The werewolf held back and gripped Ran's katana with his right claw.

"The strongest human I've ever fought," said the werewolf as he held and gripped Ran's katana with his right claw.

"I'm curious what kind of human you were before turning yourself into a wolf," Ran said as he pulled his katana from the werewolf's grip.

"Your sword has a metallic composition I've never seen."

“The best swords made by the best masters as well as blacksmiths with the best metal alloys too.”

“But my claws are also as hard as steel.”

They then engaged in a fierce battle. Attack and hold each other. Sehar who saw from a distance was amazed. It was like watching two superhumans fight. He had never seen two people fight like this before. Before long, Ran and the werewolf jumped back to get away from each other. Neither of them looked tired. Ran only sweated a little. Meanwhile the werewolf just shook his head while growling.

Ran prepared with the right foot in front, left foot behind. He is half crouched, body leaning forward, his left hand holding a katana, while his right hand in front of ready to draw. The werewolf smiled looking at the serious Ran. He then ran as fast as lightning while striking horizontally with his right claw. But Ran quickly drew his katana. So the claws and katana clashed. Ran's slashing force was so much stronger that the werewolf was blown away and rolled around.

The werewolf then resisted the blow with both feet so that it formed two lines on the ground. After that he saw his two broken claws.

"Damn it," he said, spitting.

Sehar who saw Ran's strength, was amazed.

"That's great," he muttered under his breath.

The werewolf walked over to Ran who was standing quietly.

“I have to show all my strength,” said the werewolf as he screamed and howled.

The werewolf's entire body emitted a reddish glow. His eyes were getting redder, his fangs were getting sharper, and his fur was getting more and more pointed. Ran who saw the werewolf immediately drew his katana. He held his katana vertically and aligned with his face. Then he slashed to the right and suddenly the blade of his katana seemed to be enveloped in something pitch black.

"This is a move to change the energy in my funds to channel it into objects," said Ran.

"With my intelligence, I can create artificial powers," replied the werewolf.

Shortly after, the werewolf sped up and attacked. Ran held back with his katana. He then jumped and slashed vertically. The werewolf dodged to the right. Ran then spun around and slashed but the werewolf held back with his right paw and slammed Ran backwards. As Ran fell to the ground, the werewolf launched an attack with his right claw. Ran held back with his katana which made the ground around his collapse.

Then Ran disappeared and was right above. The werewolf turned around and resisted Ran's slash. Now it was his turn to fall to the ground. When Ran landed, he threw a vertical slash. The werewolf dodged by rolling and then he spun around and launched a right-footed attack that hit Ran's leg. Immediately Ran fell then the werewolf grabbed Ran's neck and slammed him to the ground.

“Now, who is the strongest here, hem?” asked the werewolf.

Ran smiled a little. He then kicked the werewolf while his position was gripped on the ground. The werewolf was thrown straight up. Ran spun and jumped. When their positions were parallel in the air, Ran cast a move. He put his katana into its sheath, then drew it again and attacked the werewolf like a fly flying left, right, front, back, up, and down. Very fast. Even Sehar couldn't see Ran's attack on the werewolf.

After that, Ran appeared above the werewolf. Then cast the final attack. He slashed the werewolf so that it crashed vertically to the ground. Ran then landed and put his katana into the sheath.

"H...how come?" asked the werewolf who was dying and full of cuts.

"Your body is strong and can withstand the sharpness of my katana," said Ran as he took his cloak and hat and put them on.

"Ran, you did it!" Sehar shouted as he ran and hugged Ran.

"Now it's your turn."

"You mean?"

"You want to avenge your mother, right?"

A day ago, he saw the werewolf with anger. He walked closer while drawing his knife. When he came closer and pointed the knife with both hands.

“This is for my mother that you killed,” Sehar said to the werewolf.

"Basically we will never understand each other."

"Any last words?"

“I, Berna, are just children and grew up in the Robutani village orphanage fifty kilometers from here. I just want to be recognized as by everyone…”

Berna suddenly remembered his past that was very sad. Sadness, loneliness, loneliness and all the suffering he has always felt since growing up in an orphanage and he does not know who his parents are.

***

About thirty-two years ago when Berna was eight years old, he was playing in a river with the other village children. Because he is weak, sometimes he is bullied by his friends. That's why he often left the orphanage because he wanted to see the outside world further. Berna is a small child with glasses that are always attached to his eyes. His hair was slightly white and his chin was slightly pointed.

It was a foggy afternoon in the village of Robutani. Berna was being beaten by three of his friends at the river bank.

"You don't have parents," said a fat child.

"Zaru, don't say that," said a thin boy.

"Nandi, you don't fight our boss, okay?" said a burly boy while hitting Nandi's head.

"Aw, it hurts, Weda," Nandi rubbed his head.

"You two shut up. Look at this Berna, he's smiling even though we beat his," Zaru pointed at Berna who was lying on the ground with a wound but instead smiled.

"No problem. As long as you are my friends," said Berna, smiling.

"I'm disgusted to hear that," the Veda spit out.

"We don't want to be friends with a weakling like you!" Zaru snapped.

"You should give him a chance," Nandi suggested.

"We already left him here." Zaru then turned and left.

"Wait, Zaru," Weda followed Zaru from behind.

"You two, wait," Nandi also followed. But when he had walked a few steps, he stopped and looked at Berna who had now risen to his feet.

"Sorry," Nandi said then he turned around and chased after Zaru and Veda.

Berna then cleaned the lenses of his glasses with a tattered brown shirt. He walked along the path along the river bank. When he arrived at a playground, he saw a girl playing with his parents. No matter how Berna endured it, he still felt jealous of the girl. He wanted to feel parental love.

The longer he watched the girl play with his parents, the deeper the sadness he felt. He didn't feel like he was in tears. But soon he removed it and ran towards the orphanage. Arriving there, a female nanny with a slightly chubby posture, immediately grumbled.

“Berna, where have you been? Quickly clean the bathroom,” said the nanny in an angry tone.

“Aye!” Berna nodded.

Berna then took the equipment and started cleaning the bathroom. He had been accustomed to yells and orders by his arrogant nanny since he was three years old. But as time went on, he became more and more fed up.

"I want to be the strongest human being," said Berna in his heart.

Since then, Berna was determined to be strong. He realized that he was a genius child. So he secretly reads books to broaden his horizons so that he can be considered by those around him.

To be continued...