Disclaimer : Street Fighter Belongs To Capcom and Dead or Alive Belongs to Tecmo Koei
Chapter 3 : Determination
"FIGHT !" The announcer yelled.
Joe began his fighting stance. "Just as you know, I fought Ryu before in the world tournament."
"Ryu, the world tournament champion?" Lei Fang asks
"Yeah, and I give him a heck of trouble back then." Joe tries to scare Lei Fang.
Lei Fang smiles. "But you still lose isn't it?"
"This chick really pisses me off." Joe's blood rising. "Don't regret this, little girl!" Joe throwing a single punch to Lei Fang, but she evade it .
"Oof-, almost hit me." Lei Fang said.
"Then try to dodge this!"Joe threws a fast kick to the head. Lei Fang don't have a time to dodge it so she block the kick with her hand.
"Hah! You lose!" Joe said as he kneeing Lei Fang's stomach.
"Ugh-" Lei Fang shouts in pain. As she kneeling try to bear the pain, Joe without warning punch her in the back of her head. "Akh-!" Lei Fang shouts as the punch make her fell down to the ground.
"Joe, that's dirty!" One of the spectator shouts.
"There are no dirty or clean in real fight, loser!" He shouts back. Then he looked at Lei Fang who still lying on the ground. "Looks like I knocked her very hard. This is going to be your lesson little girl. Real fight is not as beautiful or elegant like what you saw on kung fu movies."
"Is that so?" Joe surprised that suddenly Lei Fang tries to kick his face from below. Joe barely missed it as his nose had small bruises from the kick's small impact. Lei Fang firmly tries to stand up, and prepares her fight stance. "Then i'll show you the elegance and beauty of my kung fu!"
Joe can not believe his eyes, she still can standing after receiving a hard punch like that. "You still won't give up, heh? Then try to dodge this!" He shouts as he tried to punch Lei Fang's face, but Lei Fang easily evades the punch. Then she quickly used her palm hand to punch Joe's jaw. "Gakh-!" joe shouts as the punch make him stunned and dizzy. His gum is bleeding.
Joe carefully walk backwards as he try to recover. "Shit!" He cursed as he preparing his stance. "Lucky shot, little girl! But after this you'll gonna end up at hospital!"
Joe trying to kick Lei-Fang's sides but she evades it beautifully, then she punch Joe's stomach and chest. Angry and in pain, Joe try to kick Lei-Fang again but she quicly grab's joe's feet then push it, makes Joe fall to the ground.
Lei Fang tries to stomp him, but Joe desperately evades it with rolling on the ground. Joe tried to jump kick from the ground but once again Lei Fang beautifully evades. Joe didn't realize his fault, as he can't stop in the mid air, Lei Fang saw this as a chance to attacking back. She kicks Joe's back with powerful kick, make him throwed to fences and bounced off to the ground.
"Hggh..., how..." Joe said as he struggle to stand up. But the wound of his body won't let him, makes him fainted.
The spectator and the announcer can't believe what hey just saw. A girl beats the experienced street brawler in his own turf. "T-the girl, Lei-Fang Wins!" The announcer shouts as the spectator cheered at her.
"This wasn't enough as I hoping for..." Lei Fang said. "This is not enought to beat him, I need to fight stronger opponent."
"Girl, you're so badass. Why you not join Dead or Alive tournament?" The announcer said.
"...what tournament?"
Forest near Mugen Tenshin Village, Japan.
Genra and Ayane standing in the centre of forest. In front of them, twenty ninja from Geki-clan block their way.
"Ayane, this for your practice." Genra said. "Try not to kill them."
"Understood, master Genra." Ayane said as she suddenly dissapeared and suddenly appeared behind one of the ninja, knock him out with neck chop. One of the ninja try to attack Ayane with claws but Ayane quickly kicks his face. Ayane jumps and knocked out many ninjas with barraging kicks. Then with her elbow, she knocks ninja who try to attack her from behind. Ayane slams one of the ninja that have more weight than her.
Genra looked very proud at her pupil, as he saw Ayane beat the ninja easily.
"...Is that all?" Ayane taunts as she saw all the fainted ninjas.
"Very good, Ayane. You're ready for the tournament." Genra said as he pat Ayane's shoulder.
"Thank you, master Genra." Ayane said.
"...I see you're not satisfied with this training." Genra said, looking at Ayane's dissapointed.
"Forgive me master, I don't want to act presumptuous but..." Ayane looked at one of the fainted ninja. "They're too weak."
"It's not that they're weak, you are the one who became stronger." Genra said. "You'll meet more stronger fighters in the tournament, Ayane. Now you need rest, go back to the village."
"Yes, master." Ayane bowed, then she left Genra alone.
After Ayane already gone from his sight, Genra cracking his hand. "Good job, ninja from Geki clan. Now I don't need all of you anymore."
Saiko lake bank near Aokigahara Forest, Japan.
Kasumi wash herself while Ryu guarding not far from there, without looking at her. It's been four days since they're met. The last three days they spend it for training and sparring while continuing they journey.
After she's done, she takes new pair of clothes from her furoshiki cloth, a white-and-red tunic kunoichi clothes with cherry blossom petals motif on her skirt.
"I'm finished, Ryu-san." Kasumi said as she tied her hair in ponytail. They continued their journey in silences. They are now almost near at the way out of Aokigahara forest.
"There is a temple around here, I want to meet someone at there." Ryu said to Kasumi. "You're not mind that we stop by for a moment?"
"No, I don't mind at all." Kasumi said.
They arrived at the old buddish temple. When they entered the entrance, Ryu and Kasumi are welcomed by a middle age monk
"Retsu-san." Ryu said while bowed.
"It's been a long time Ryu." The monk, Retsu said. "I'll guess you're getting stronger since our last duel."
"Are you getting stronger too?" Ryu asked, Retsu responds it with small laugh. Each time they fought, Ryu always end up as the victor.
"And this young lady?" Retsu looked at Kasumi. "It's kunoichi from Mugen Tenshin, right?"
"You know Mugen Tenshin?" Kasumi asked.
"I live a long life to know anything in this world, young miss." Retsu said. "So, why are you here?"
"Just want to meet old friend, and there is something I want to ask." Ryu said.
The three of them entered the temple, then they sat near big Buddha's statue. One of Retsu's pupil put three glass of tea for them.
"So, what is it?" Retsu ask.
"You entering the Dead or Alive tournament?" Ryu asked.
"No. I can't leave this temple." Retsu said while drink the tea.
"Do you think is "he" going to come?" Ryu asked again.
"He? Who?" Kasumi thought.
"... I don't know. Maybe he will come if he sense a worthy opponent at the tournament." Retsu said. "But I heard Raidou is come."
"Raidou!? You know him?" Kasumi suddenly asked.
"Not just know, I once fight him and he beat me badly." Retsu said. "It thanks to Gouken, he saves me when Raidou almost kill me."
"Gouken? Who is he?" Kasumi asked.
"My late master." Ryu replied.
"Ah, I'm sorry..." Kasumi looked down.
"No, it's okay." Ryu said.
"Raidou is a dangerous fighter, he never stop for looking a strong fighter, to kill and stole their technique." Retsu said.
Kasumi grits her teeth.
Retsu looked at Kasumi. "From what I saw, you had a resentment at Raidou, young lady?"
"He, he almost killed my dear brother, and stole the sacred ninpo scrolls. Thanks to him I don't know if he can woke up from his coma or not. I can't forgive him, for what he do to my brother!" Kasumi said tries to hold her anger.
"I see..." Retsu said. "But anger and determination is not enough. I fought Raidou before, he is strong back then and he must be stronger now." Then he stand up. "Let me see your skill, young lady. I will judge that are you ready to fight Raidou or not."
"Then..., I will show you the Mugen Tenshin style." Kasumi said.
Now three of them went to the temple's dojo.
All of the monk stop their training and seiza sits on the side of dojo, spectating the fight. Ryu act as the referee and judge.
"Be careful Retsu-san, Kasumi is stronger than you think." Ryu said to Retsu. Kasumi's cheeks blushed hearing Ryu's compliment.
"If you said that, then she must be really strong." Retsu said as he prepares his Shorinji Kempo stance.
Kasumi prepares her stances. "Let's fight."
"Ready? FIGHT!" Ryu shouts as the fight started.
At first, the two fighters not attacking each other. They try to analize the each opponent and slowly moves carefully.
"Then I'll do it first!" Retsu said as he try to punch Kasumi, but she evades it with jumping backward. Kasumi tries to sweep Retsu's feet but he jump to evades the sweep. With just resting on her left hand, Kasumi tries to do jump kick at Retsu who still in the air but Retsu quickly block it with both of his hand. As Retsu and Kasumi already landed their feet on the floor, they dashing at each other, their attack clashing each other.
"Ryu is right, you're strong." Retsu said while holding Kasumi's attack.
"Thank you for the compliment." Kasumi said while trying to destroys Retsu's guard.
Then they release them selves from each other. Retsu tries to punch Kasumi's stomach but she block it with both of her hand, hurting them. Retsu successfully landed kicks Kasumi's face. She falls to the floor but quickly recover as she stand up and prepare her stance again. She can feel blood on her left cheek.
"Oh, you still can standing after those attack." Retsu said.
"You still can fight, Kasumi?" Ryu asked.
"Thank you for worrying me, Ryu-san. But i still can fight." Kasumi said determined to end the battle.
Kasumi tries to attack with double kick but Retsu quickly block it with his hand, looking at Retsu's defenseless feet she quickly sweep Retsu's feet make him fall hard to the floor but he quickly recover and jumps backward to evades Kasumi's punch. Kasumi jumps and tries to whip Retsu from above with her speed. The hand whips almost hit Retsu as he barely evades the attack. But he still got the effect from attack as his forehead got cut. Without giving a chance to breath, Kasumi quickly attack Retsu with powerful elbow strike that hit's his head. The attacks makes Retsu rolling backward almost hitting his pupil.
The pupils tries to help Retsu to stand up. "I-I'm sorry! Are you alright?" Kasumi said.
"That's really the true Mugen Tenshin style." Retsu said whiping the blood from his forehead. "I lost."
"The fight is ended. This fight winner is, Kasumi!" Ryu announces.
"Hold still, Kasumi." Ryu said as he put cotton filled with iodine on Kasumi's left cheek.
"...ouch.." Kasumi tries to hold her pain. Her cheek's becames red when Ryu touch it with his hand.
"Here, put your hands on this cold water." Ryu said as he take both Kasumi's hands and put it on cold water. Kasumi's cheek become more red than before.
"her cheeks are red like tomato. Maybe I put too much iodine." Ryu thought.
"Miss... Kasumi, isn't it?" Retsu who looked at them suddenly star conversation.
"Ah! Ah... yes..." kasumi back to her senses.
"You are strong, I admit it. But to be honest I don't know you can beat Raidou or not." Retsu said.
"...Is Raidou that strong?" Ryu asked.
"Not as strong as your master but his power can't be underestimated." Retsu said. "And remember, he can copy the skills and techniques of every warrior he encountered."
"With many warriors in this world, it's possible that his power will always grow." Retsu continued. "with possibility like that, you still want to kill him?"
"Nothing can change my decision. For the sake of my brother and people he killed, I will kill him." Kasumi said.
"...If you said so then, good luck." Retsu said.
Metro City, United States of America.
A man wears a red sleeveless ninja gi watching a bunch of criminal and scum, doing their smuggling activity from far away.
Then suddenly, a black costumed ninja appeared besides him. "Did you saw what I saw, Guy?"
"Drugs, illegal weapon, and human trafficking. They're bunch of lowest scum." The man called Guy said. "Let's take them out right now, Hayabusa."
"Understood." The ninja called Ryu Hayabusa said as he draw his swords.
End of Chapter 3