Battle Phase 1-26: Surviving the House of Flying Daggers

Day 3 of the nationals. Earlier, it was announced that the next days of competition will be continuous, to benefit the vacation period. Already in the first battle, Yukinari Sasaki had again used Aizen Teppa's air cannon to blast his opponent out of the layer, to the cheers of a delighted Miharu (and the other Akita hopefuls as well). In the waiting room, Kotaro was waiting for his turn, with a worried Misaki beside.

"Don't worry" Kotaro reassured "Wizard can block any attacks with his two shields (ref: Magic Guard and Soul Barrier)."

"It's not that it's just... it's because..."

"Don't worry; I can take any beating the layer can dish out..."

"Like this?" Tamayo suddenly cut in, pulling Kotaro's cheek.

"Aww! That hurts!"

As the two argued on the pinch, Misaki giggled a bit, spirits lightened.

"Come on Tamayo, let go to our seats..." Misaki urged "Good luck!"

"And now, for our fifth match..." Asuka announced "In the east corner, in his return to the layer, introducing the prince of evasion, Kotaro Kobayashi and his angel, Wizard!"

Cheers came from every point, especially from the ladies- who now knew "where Ohjiro's (the "original layer prince") skills came from"- That made Misaki a bit angry.

"Don't worry Misakichi" Tamayo assured "not one of them will take him away from you..."

"What do you mean by that!" Misaki replied, cheeks red "He's not my boyfriend..."

"We'll see about that..." Tamayo thought, then turned to speaking "okay, okay... do it your way... he's just my friend anyway... or should I say... hehehehehhe" then thought as Misaki pouted.

Miharu just giggled as she saw the two argue a bit.

"And from the west corner, his opponent; the self-proclaimed layer dagger master, Jue Rizo and his angel Xiao Fu!"

Cheers also came. Then the two and their seconds settled into their seats as the layer field changed into a forest of bamboo pillars- it was the inside of a bamboo palace. Asuka now called the angels forth.

"Discipline! Strength! Strategy! Go, Xiao Fu!" Jue called.

Fu entered the layer. He was a bit of a speed type- his green cloak and bamboo hat giving him the image of a Chinese assassin. A broadsword hung from his back, along with some daggers in front.

"Wizard... I'm counting on your skills..." Kotaro thought for a while then, "You are the world's best spell caster- go forth, Wizard!"

Wizard entered the layer as usual. Kotaro looked apprehensive as Asuka cleared their seconds as well.

"I know how he fights" Jue thought "as soon as he defends himself; it's all over for him... I show him that no one survives the house of flying daggers"

"He looks dangerous" Kotaro thought as well "but if he attacks from two distances at the same time, I may be done for... got to think"

"Seems strange, but Yayoi is not here..." Icchan thought as he began his duties "what could have happened?" he then turned to his young brother "Ohjiro! Can you call Yayoi and ask what is holding her up?"

Ohjiro began to dial a number on his cell phone when Icchan slapped him with a paper fan.

"Did you read the sign!" Icchan asked as he pointed on the "Cell phone use is PROHIBITED HERE" sign. "Go outside or the call shed over there..."

"Angelic Fight!"

It was on, for Fu began to charge wildly, throwing an assortment of punches at Wizard. Then, after a few moments, Fu began to fight normally- kung fu style, with Wizard blocking appropriately. It was an even match, until Wizard knocked him off-balance.

"Nice move... but let's see if you stand up to cold steel..." Fu called, pulling his large Chinese broadsword up.

He then charged, the blade bearing at Wizard but still being blocked. But even the flat sides of the sword still dished up some damage and he still avoided the sharp edge. But then, there's a first time for everything- Fu had managed to bear the edge at Wizard's face but it was blocked, by his hand- along the thin edge (think matrix). Kotaro felt pain but it was not the force that was supposed to be. The reason, blue energy ribbons surrounded the angel- it was the "Soul Barrier" in action. Quickly, Wizard grabbed the sword with both hands and twisted it away from Fu, driving it into a pillar.

"Nice technique... but I was expecting that..." Jue replied as Fu dashed away- drawing a dagger. "Let's see if you could take another..."

Fu threw his dagger and amazingly it maneuvered thru all those pillars, point bearing again at his foe. But a few centimeters from touching Kotaro's angel, it suddenly ricocheted off the air as if...

"The Magic Guard..." Jue thought "just as I thought"

The light blue shimmer in the air around the angel confirmed his suspicion- the trademark barrier was on, giving excellent defense but disabling his movement for that turn. The soul barrier on the other hand, provided mobility at the expense of a good defense. (Magic Guard Perfect defense w/o movement- suited against long-ranged and single melee attacks: Soul Barrier movement w/ reduced damage- suited against multiple melee attacks.)

"I can block any attack..." Kotaro thought to himself. "But I still have to attack... got to move"

At this point, Wizard made his turn, with fists charged for high impact attacks. And yet again, it was even but this time, the line between imbalances was thin.

"Nice move..." Fu called as he retreated in the forest of bamboo pillars. "But it's the last move you'll ever make!"

At that point, Fu flung his arms to throw lots- and I do mean a lot of daggers, all of them by some technique, moved to avoid the pillars and attack Wizard. He could not move as his guard shielded him. But then, Fu went close.

"Oh no!" Wizard alarmed as the switched off his guard and moved. But the daggers kept on coming, slashing him.

"Kotaro!" Misaki screamed as she saw him reel from the attack.

"I've got you all figured out" Jue called "you cannot move with your magic guard on. And your barrier can only provide you with so much protection... I now welcome you to my house- the house of flying daggers! Now prepare to taste the rain of cold steel!"

"Amazing! This is the first time that I ever saw the 'House of flying daggers'! I heard that it's Xiao Fu's greatest technique!" Asuka commented, amazed.

Then, Fu struck, releasing a multitude of daggers at Kotaro's angel. Wizard could not move as his guard shielded him from all those projectiles. Then at one certain point, Jue had managed to recover his angel's sword, again bearing at Kotaro. As soon as he switched off his guard to evade his foe's strike, that's when those daggers come bearing down on him.

"Hold on Kotaro..." Hatoko prayed as the worried Misaki looked on, ready to faint.

"I know that a couple of daggers will not stop you..." Tamayo thought- her consciousness suddenly changing "you are not that easily defeated... it's time to show your true skills as a Deus, with... your... unique... angel..."

"Got to think..." the Deus in question thought as he tried to evade and block each and every attack. "But what to do? What should I do?"

A few second passed with no letup on Fu's part. Then, a voice...

"Hey! Have you forgotten how a shield- let alone a barrier works?" it called thru Kotaro's mind. "Do you even remember how you have defeated that opponent a few years back? How pathetic, I thought that returning to you would be better but..."

"Who are you?" Kotaro asked, in his thoughts.

"Who do you think am I?" the voice replied "before I faint here, think of what you shall do... take the risk, because I'll be behind you at every step..."

"Wizard?" Kotaro wondered again "And what do you mean by that?"

At that point, as Wizard jumped to evade another set of flying daggers, the same people that felt the "force" and some other people (Tamayo and Hatoko in particular) have again felt it. Kotaro's second- his cousin was taken aback at his partner's mental condition- total synchronicity. Fujimori noted it as well.

"Oh dear, not another event... as if..." she thought as she processed the incoming data- by moving it, literally with her hands. "The angels that Yayoi told about are here in the tournament..."

By this time Wizard landed, with daggers inbound. Then, he raised his right hand- again activating his guard. As the daggers came towards the barrier, Fu also took charge- and time began to slow down. In one fling of the hand, Wizard sent some daggers away, each one striking a pillar. The as Fu came with his sword, his hands began to shine blue and blocked the blade with his left as more daggers came. Then with the same right hand, he "pushed" the air- and blocked the rest of the incoming daggers.

"Like this..." Wizard spoke.

"Amazing! Wizard has managed not only to block Fu, but also his daggers as well!"

Then, Wizard wrenched Fu's sword away from him, sending it flying towards the outside. He then sent his foe with a kick. Then with both hands he managed not only to send the blocked daggers- which were still in mid-air, but also those that were stuck fast at the pillars, towards Fu, with a blue shimmer on their handles. Finally, the ending lock was set- Fu surrounded by his own daggers on all sides- except the bottom, where he stood.

"Oh my... I give up..." the only words Jue can utter as his angel could not do a thing. "I GIVE UP!"

"Angel Surrendered! And the winner: Wizard!"

Cheers called as Kotaro's state- and mental condition returned to normal. In the stands, Misaki could not help but... faint.

"Misaki!" Kotaro called as he raced towards their seats.

"She's okay- your battle stressed her out..." Miharu, who was silently observing spoke as she held Misaki.

"I'm okay..." Misaki weakly spoke as she came to. "That was a great fight..."

"Ah... I'm sorry if I worried you so... I promise that I'll never do it to you again..." the boy spoke- looking at Misaki's eyes.

"Ahem!" Tamayo suddenly butted in, breaking whatever atmosphere the air had. "Time for a well deserved rest- we know anyone who will be competing in Block D so... you get the idea..."

"Of course... I need to rest- it has been a hectic day..." Misaki agreed.

"Okay then... I'll take you home" Kotaro added otherwise.

"Hey! You two are getting quite too close there, am I right, Miharu?" Tamayo asked, with Miharu in a pose that says "leave me out of this".

"I don't know... I don't usually mess with other people's... should I say... love life?"

"Tamayo! Miharu!"

After all the fuss on getting Misaki home, the next day was just right for Tamayo, AKA Lady T- no distractions of any form. As the others rested, she defeated her opponent in record time- taking Suzuka's by 5 seconds. By the same margin Rika Seto had finished hers in the same time.

"Eh... finally, it has begun... my step towards my destined battle- with Misakichi... I can't wait!"