Itachi's kick swept straight towards the opponent's legs. Then, suddenly, the legs were no longer there. Itachi did not adjust to the enemy's position in time, just barely catching his balance as he landed a few feet in front of the creature.
He did not adjust to the enemy's position in time? Itachi tried to understand what just happened. Why? He had read the enemy's movement, but not fast enough; he had commanded his body to respond, but not fast enough. That must have been what had happened, as strange as it was.
Then, just as suddenly as the monster had dodged, it screamed and rushed at Itachi, the blades swiping out in a complex attack. The pattern of movement was unusual, but Itachi would be able to read it and dodge -- he could not read it. Only survival instinct prevented him from freezing in shock.
He knew intellectually that he could not access the Sharingan, but that was different from actual empirical knowledge of what it felt like to fight without it. The blades were moving, and he could not tell where. Furthermore, he could barely even see the movement with his ordinary eyes, damaged as they were. This physical awareness of the constraints on his potential was inconceivable. Itachi had had the Sharingan since he was eight years old, and he suddenly felt like he did not know who he was, whose body he was fighting with.
Instinct pressed him on again, body forced to move by the whispering sound of blades and the immediate knowledge of battle ingrained into his subconcious. He dodged a number of strikes without even thinking, but he felt the blade slice into his shoulder, his arms, his thigh, his sides, again and again.
Blood. Pain. As the opponent stepped back and resumed his original position, Itachi mechanically registered his wounds (shallow, won't suffer much blood loss if they're bound soon). The realisation of what they meant was almost too much. This was inconceivable. Itachi stood, rooted in shock, staring at the enemy.
Rooted in shock? Inconceivable as well. Why was he not handling the situation? Itachi blinked a little, clearing his head. The enemy was faster than Itachi. Whatever that meant could be dealt with later. As for now, winning was probably unlikely. Only someone like Naruto-kun would continue trying at this point. Which left the option of retreat. Because the enemy did not attack unless Itachi did, it was not on the offensive, but because it did not retreat when Itachi was wounded, it was not on the defensive either. It was probably just trying to impede his progress. Which was infuriating, because Itachi had to leave this place tonight. There had to be some other way.
"Takaya-san." He said, neither taking his eyes from the enemy nor caring what Takaya was busy with at the moment. "Is there another way into the courtyard? Or perhaps one of the other outside areas on the map?"
no subject
He did not adjust to the enemy's position in time? Itachi tried to understand what just happened. Why? He had read the enemy's movement, but not fast enough; he had commanded his body to respond, but not fast enough. That must have been what had happened, as strange as it was.
Then, just as suddenly as the monster had dodged, it screamed and rushed at Itachi, the blades swiping out in a complex attack. The pattern of movement was unusual, but Itachi would be able to read it and dodge -- he could not read it. Only survival instinct prevented him from freezing in shock.
He knew intellectually that he could not access the Sharingan, but that was different from actual empirical knowledge of what it felt like to fight without it. The blades were moving, and he could not tell where. Furthermore, he could barely even see the movement with his ordinary eyes, damaged as they were. This physical awareness of the constraints on his potential was inconceivable. Itachi had had the Sharingan since he was eight years old, and he suddenly felt like he did not know who he was, whose body he was fighting with.
Instinct pressed him on again, body forced to move by the whispering sound of blades and the immediate knowledge of battle ingrained into his subconcious. He dodged a number of strikes without even thinking, but he felt the blade slice into his shoulder, his arms, his thigh, his sides, again and again.
Blood. Pain. As the opponent stepped back and resumed his original position, Itachi mechanically registered his wounds (shallow, won't suffer much blood loss if they're bound soon). The realisation of what they meant was almost too much. This was inconceivable. Itachi stood, rooted in shock, staring at the enemy.
Rooted in shock? Inconceivable as well. Why was he not handling the situation? Itachi blinked a little, clearing his head. The enemy was faster than Itachi. Whatever that meant could be dealt with later. As for now, winning was probably unlikely. Only someone like Naruto-kun would continue trying at this point. Which left the option of retreat. Because the enemy did not attack unless Itachi did, it was not on the offensive, but because it did not retreat when Itachi was wounded, it was not on the defensive either. It was probably just trying to impede his progress. Which was infuriating, because Itachi had to leave this place tonight. There had to be some other way.
"Takaya-san." He said, neither taking his eyes from the enemy nor caring what Takaya was busy with at the moment. "Is there another way into the courtyard? Or perhaps one of the other outside areas on the map?"