“WILL, YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS I AIN’T GOT SHIT!” I yell, picking him up by the shoulders and shaking him violently which you probably shouldn’t do to a guy with broken arms.

“It’s ok, Quincy. He’s mostly injured and you’re relatively ok. Let me know how it went once I regain consciousness” Will replies, closing his eyes.

“Will you better not be out cold I swear to God!” I exclaim, shaking him even more.

No matter how much I shake, he doesn’t respond. Oh god he really is out. I drop Will and focus on the man approaching me. Archer or I guess Amon (the fact this guy has the same name as a Nazi war criminal doesn’t surprise me) looks beat up with a bunch of bruises and blood spurting out from multiple wounds but his face is as confident as ever.

“So it’s just you left. Such a shame, you all tried your hardest but it was all for naught. I’ll admit you all were more annoying than I expected but I think we both know that you never stood a chance. Now One of Blackness, accept your fate.” He says as the ominous purple aura starts to emit from his body.

“Oh hell no. Nope. Nope. I’m done. I ain’t doing this. I ain’t doing this no more. I’m tired of this isekai shit. I’m out” I say as I walk away from the battlefield.

I know I said I wanted to die with dignity but that was before Amon did a bunch of bullshit and knocked everybody out. I don’t stand a chance against this guy on my own so I’m done, f*ck this. I got a broken hand, ruined clothes, and I’m tired so I’m done. Actually wait, hold on, maybe someone will come save me right now. Maybe the knights will come back. I stop in my tracks and just stare at the surrounding area hoping Luther will pop out of the ground or Warren will come to the rescue.

“Are you seriously trying to walk away?” Archer calls out sounding more confused than anything.

“Shhhh!” I respond waiting for somebody, anybody.

Hell I’d take Adam at this point.

“Ah I see what you’re doing. Hoping for someone to come save the day? I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it’s just you, no one is coming.” Amon states.

I don’t say anything. I keep waiting. After about a minute I realize that he’s right. No one’s coming, everyone is either knocked out or dead. Shit.

“Whelp looks like you’re right. I’ll be on my way. Have a good day, God bless.” I announce as I continue my walk.

“You know I’m not letting you get away right? Are you that naive, you monkey?” he insults.

I stop dead in my tracks. What’d he just say? He better not have said what I think he said. I slowly turn around with my eyes wide open.

“Come again?” I angrily ask as I start to head back.

“Heh, did I strike a nerve? All I did was make the connection that your brown skin is reminiscent of a disgusting brown monkey.”

“Oh ok so you did say what I thought you said. I just had to verify because right now you just fucked up. If you want any chance of living you better take that back I’m warning you.”

“Aw, is someone sensitive about their skin color? Your skin color is a deformity isn’t it? No wonder you’re called the One of Blackness. I would be ashamed too if I looked like you, it’s unnatural. Maybe when I kill you I’ll be doing the world a favor. Oh I just thought of an applicable term for you. I don’t know if you are familiar with the old Westphalian term for black, it’s neegar. It was used to describe workers who work in a factory so long that their bodies were covered in soot so people just started calling them neegars, which you remind me of. But that’s bothersome to pronounce so I thought of an easier term to say, come to me and let me put you out of your misery...you n*gger.”

Did this asshole just create the n-word right in front of me? Oh it’s on. He’s dead. I was about to head out but this changed things. I say nothing as I walk my way back until I’m about 6 feet in front of Amon. Even though he’s all torn up, he has this smug look on his face like he has the upper hand (which he does but I’m trying to stay positive right now so I can beat his ass).

“Looks like you don’t like my new term.” he jokes.

“You know you fucked up right? Out of all the things you could have said, you said all the wrong ones so I’m gonna tell you what’s about to happen next. I’m about to fight you and you’re gonna get your ass beat so hard you’re gonna shit yourself and cry. You’re gonna beg for me to stop but I won’t. I’m gonna keep hitting your head so much till there is nothing but mush more reminiscent of a crushed watermelon than a human head. You could have just let me go and you would’ve won. Too bad you fucked up.” I lay out.

Quincy v. Archer Music

“Are you sure about that?” I hear his voice say behind me.

Next thing I know I feel his hand grab the back of my head lifting me off the ground. Before I could react he dashes so that we’re in front of a tree slamming my head into it. I quickly pull my head out of the hole when I hear his revolver cock back. I duck down hearing the gun go off overhead. Because he shot it so close to me the bullet wasn’t able to track me instead going straight into the tree. Using my crouched position I pivot around and spring up, uppercutting his right hand which held the pistol. His right arm goes in the air exposing the right side of his body. With my left hand I give him a hook to the stomach. The blow appears to have caused damage as he bends forward quite a bit making him eye level with me. I follow up with a right hook making his head jolt to his right, causing him to stagger. I attempt to unleash more blows but he puts his arms up to block them. As I continually punch his blocks become less and less effective. His arms are starting to bend more and more due to each blow. Eventually I punch so hard that I hear a bone in his left forearm crack. I’m doing it, I’m dishing out damage. As I attack I can see his face between his arms and he looks pissed. He must not like that his aura has been lessening over the course of this fight. We’re on an equal playing field now and that bone crack proves it.

I throw a straight but suddenly electricity burts from his body and he disappears from my view. Oh god damn it I forgot he can do that. First it was Juvenile, now it’s this asshole, what’s worse is that there’s no water I can use to counter his electricity. I look around trying to find him when I feel a kick hit my left rib cage sending me flying into a tree, then another, then another one after that. I must have flown through like 5 trees by the end and each one hurt like a mother. Before I could get up Amon was standing over me with his shotgun aimed right at my head.

“End of the line.” he says, his finger slowly pulling the trigger.

As he does so I notice a small rock to my right and grab it. Right as he pulls the trigger I plunge the rock into the barrel. Instead of my head being filled with shotgun shells there is instead an explosion. A bunch of smoke envelopes us which gives me time to escape. I spring to my feet and not knowing where Archer is in the smoke I run back to the open area to recoup. I put my hands on my knees to try to breathe but it’s hard because that kick gave me a few broken ribs. I turn around back towards the forest to see Amon emerge from the foliage. He’s holding his shotgun but the barrel is half the size it used to be. The explosion must have blown the thing in half.

“You insects are something else. First you ruin my rifle, now my shotgun. I’m starting to think today hasn’t been a good day after all. ” he comments, dropping the broken shotgun and taking out his revolver.

Not letting me get a word in he starts to fire his revolver at me. I start to sprint to the right but the bullets start to track me. God damn it, freaking aimbot. I dash left and right, changing direction as soon as a bullet was about to hit me in order to make the bullet hit the ground instead. I have to use the sound of the bullets whizzing in order to know when to change directions because my vision is blurry due to moving so quickly. I attempt to move again when I feel a blow hit me in the gut courtesy of a fist.

“Ack!” I wail as I fall to the ground.

“So predictable” Amon laments as he looks down at me as I cough up blood.

“Whatever happened to making me cry and shit myself? Right now it looks like if anyone is gonna do that, it’s you.” he taunts as his revolver is pressed against my head.

I can't get out of this. That blow on top of my broken ribs makes moving next to impossible. There’s no way I can stop him now. I was stupid thinking I could handle this guy on my own. I’m not upset, I got a few good blows in so I ain’t dying like a coward. I really am done and that’s ok. Sorry Will, looks like the plan Quincy saves the day isn’t going to work.

“Man fuck you. Just pull the trigger and get this over with” I retort.

“Well when you put it like that how can I refuse? ” he says.

I hear the revolver go off and everything goes to black. The next thing I should see are the gates of heaven. Going to heaven doesn’t sound too bad. I bet they have a huge library. They better have a huge library, if not, I’m out. I don’t know where I would go but I know for sure I can’t stay in a place for eternity without books to read. I should see the pearly white gates anytime now…..ok now. It’s not happening. All I continue to see is blackness. Oh come on I swear this better not be the afterlife. If this is the afterlife then I’m gonna be really pissed. I don’t even feel like I have a body, it’s hard to describe but it feels like I’m just a consciousness. I guess this is my existence now, just waiting in blackness unable to see anything or go anywhere. Hmm maybe I went to hell, this is probably my eternal punishment. I continue to bask in nothingness when I start to hear a voice.

“Bully! You sure are in quite the predicament” the voice bellows.

A bright white light appears in front of me and a figure starts to walk out. As it comes closer I start to see more details and I see that it’s a man in his early forties with a brown bushy moustache, brown hair, wearing a black overcoat and slacks, and most notably, wearing pince-nez eyeglasses.

“THEODORE ROOSEVELT!” I scream in utter excitement.

I’m so happy right now, Theodore Roosevelt is my idol. This must mean I really am in heaven.

“Yes my dear boy it is I! Yet it is not I!” he states.

“Huh?”

“Let me explain it to you, young man. You are not dead, the bullet you took like a champ has knocked you out. You are currently in your subconscious. I am what your mind thinks is Theodore Roosevelt. At least I’m the best manifestation your mind could come up with given what you know about me” my idol explains.

“Oh ok” I reply not really understanding what’s happening.

“I see you’re still confused. Let’s just say that you’re in a dream-like state. I am here to wake you up!”

“I dunno Mr. Roosevelt. I'd rather just stay here with you and read books. My subconscious can do that right? Given that it’s my mind I can create books and just read until I die for real right?”

“Perhaps young man but that is not a way to live the rest of one’s life. If you do that you are avoiding the strenuous life, you are avoiding the arena. Remember what I said. ‘It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.’”

“AHHHHHHHHHH!” I squee out of excitement due to hearing Theodore Roosevelt say one of his famous quotes.

“Do you understand my point now young man? You must wake up, face the danger! Save everyone!”

“You make it sound so easy. I’m not strong enough to beat him. Especially if I have a bullet in my head. Seriously, how am I not dead yet?”

“Oh the bullet went straight through your head my boy But I see you need further encouragement. I shall bring in some friends. Oh fellas!” he calls out.

More lights appear as more figures reveal themselves.

“Quinphee, this battle will unlock your specializaphin, don’t give upth. one of the figures says with a heavy lisp.

“Mike Tyson?” I ask as his face becomes clear.

“Yeth. It is me, one of your heroes. You gotta beat his ath, beat it hard, you can do it.”

“Mike Tyson I don’t really think you’re one of my heroes” I declare.

“Nonphense. You always pick me when you play them video gamesths.”

“I mean yeah but that’s because I like the way you fight, the way you fight in close quarters and hit hard and…...oooohhhhh” I say as it starts to dawn on me why Mike Tyson is here

“Ok this is good, looks like he’s understanding what needs to be done.” a new voice adds to the conversation.

“Malcolm X?” I ask incredulously.

“I prefer being called el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz brother.” he says as he pushes his glasses up.

I’m totally having a fever dream right now and it’s amazing. I’m enjoying this insanity way too much. I guess this is what happens when you get shot in the head.

“Now listen here brother. You really content being killed by a piece of white trash who called you n*gger? You want to just stay in your mind knowing that whitey out there got the last laugh? Killed you the same way that the white man killed so many of our beautiful brown brothers and sisters?” He lectures while looking at Theodore Roosevelt.

“I’ll have you know that I was the first president to to dine with a negro at the white house. Booker T Washington was his name and he was a great man. Don't lump me in with those ruffians you speak of.” Roosevelt states defending himself.

“Uh huh. You also said that the black man is 1000 years behind the white. Anyway listen brother, you understand what I’m saying? You didn’t fall, you stumbled. That’s all that happened.”

Feeling riled up and angry I shout “Yeah! Let’s do this! I’m gonna go kick some racist ass!”

“Good job Quinphee. I believe in you. After you defeat Amon, you should get a pigeon.” Mike Tyson proposes.

“Don’t listen to him. Don’t get a pigeon. Just go make the black man proud.” Malcolm interjects.

“Young man wake up and show him….” Theodore Roosevelt starts to say but I couldn’t hear the rest as I suddenly wake up.

My eyes are open and I realize that my face is in the dirt. I attempt to get up but it’s extremely difficult. My head feels lightheaded and my stomach hurts. I failed my first attempt to stand falling back to the ground. I try again and succeed getting to my feet but wobble ever so slightly. I feel blood pouring down my neck and forehead. I put my hand on my forehead and felt blood gushing out of a hole. Jesus Christ this must have been where I got shot. I pulled my hand away and saw that it was completely red. My eyes widen upon realizing that I might bleed out soon. To stop this I summon forth my aura and luckily I’m able to concentrate it on the wound so the blood stays in, using my aura as a force field to make up for the lack of skin. After making sure that blood also isn’t coming out of the back of my head I look around and spot Amon walking towards Akane who’s still out cold. I start to make my way towards him, stumbling a bit as I do so. Amon stops as he hears my footsteps and turns around.

“Isn’t this a surprise?”

“Bet you thought you were done with me huh asshole? Don’t you know..” I say, completing what Theodore Roosevelt tried to tell me. “It takes more than a bullet to kill a bull moose!”