Hey guys, here is the next chapter of this fic. Enjoy
Round 37
Exodus
Tokyo District
Kaji was leaning upon a railing, looking out toward the sea in front of him. In the distance, he can see the light of the boats and yachts there, illuminating the dark waters. He put his cigarette into his lips and then takes a drag out of it.
Find the truth about Kyoko, he thought, Easier said than done.
He narrowed his eyes remembering his old friend. Kyoko was a nice gall when they were younger; all of them were once students at NGA. The trio met there, even thought, he sometimes spend time without the girls, he knew them quite well. Yui was the one closer to Kyoko than him.
It's probably why I wouldn't understand how she feels about all of this Kyoko look-a-like business, he thought.
He breathed the smoke out, letting it fly in the small cool wind that flew by. Kaji blinked, glancing behind him toward the empty spaces. The man stared at them for a few moments before turning his attention back toward the sea.
Then he spoke.
"How about you just come out already," he said, taking a drag out of his cigarette, "I hate stalkers."
Low measured footsteps approached and then, the person walked into view. He was dressed in some loose pants with a coat upon his body. The long blond hair was falling down his back as his eyes seemed to shine in the dark almost like flames.
"It's been a while, hasn't it Kaji?" the man said.
Kaji looked at him, frowning.
"Do I know you?" he asked.
The blond man laughed.
"So you don't recognize me," he said, "Well, it had been a long time since we last met. Even so, I'm not here to speak of old times. Old times are, after all, things of the past."
Kaji frowned at him.
He doesn't look like anyone from GEHIRN, he thought, Guess they won't be looking for me anytime soon with all that press hounding their steps.
"Why are you here?" he asked him.
The blond man stepped forward slowly.
"Well, my boss wants me to capture you," he said, "Seems like you a piece of the puzzle that we will need."
What is he talking about? Kaji thought.
"Look, I don't want any trouble," he said, "Whoever your boss is, tell him I'll pay him whenever I got the money."
"I simply said I wanted to capture you," the blond man said, "I didn't say you own my boss anything."
Kaji narrowed his eyes.
"But, you certainly own someone," the man said.
"I don't own anyone any money," Kaji told him.
The man stared at him.
"Who was talking about money?" the blond said, "You own someone the truth. A truth that you have kept hidden within you all this time, something about the redhead back at the Island."
Redhead…is he talking about Asuka, he thought, then…back at the Island….Could he be?
"You…You're part of the terrorist group that attacked the Sakamoto," Kaji said.
"Now you're getting on track," the blond said, "But I can't say I know much…my boss is the one planning everything after all."
His boss…could he be talking about the Kyoko look-a-like?
Then the blond man's hand started to gather Ki, a powerful amount of it also and Kaji was even surprised that he could draw so much in so little time.
"Well, Shiki never said how I have to capture you," the blond said, "Maybe half dead is a good way."
Then Kaji's body started to glow with his own Ki causing the blond to grin.
"The Infamous Body Armor technique," he said, "So I get to see it in action, I'm honored."
"Not only the Body Armor," Kaji said, "But you're also facing one of the Great Fives."
"Let's see if you hold up to your name Kaji, the Man of Steel," the blond said.
Then he launched the blast of Ki that was in his palm toward Kaji who expertly dodged it, the blast blowing away the side of the railing he was leaning into a few minutes before. Kaji then used his speed, aiming straight toward his opponent.
He aimed his punch toward him.
"Fist of Steel," he yelled.
The punch fazed through the blond's man form, forcing Kaji to widen his eyes.
W…What?
Kaji glanced around him, and then heard movement to his right sending out another fist, but it was another after image.
Just how fast is he? He thought.
Then it was on pure instinct that Kaji blocked the next attack that slammed straight against his raised hand, the blond's man fist slamming against his arm.
"You have good reflexes," the blond said, "But even so…"
The blond but his hand on the fisted arm that was touching Kaji's.
"Laser Beam technique," he said.
The blast came from his arm slamming straight against Kaji's pushing the man back until he slammed against a container that was on the docks. Kaji can feel the pain throbbing at his arm, glancing toward where the blond was standing.
A concentrated Ki technique, Kaji thought, His control over his Ki…it's at Evangelion's level.
The blond had drawn more Ki into his palm which was now glowing brightly.
"Take this," he yelled.
Kaji had to move fast to be able to dodge the blast which threw the container he had slammed into backward into the sea…but then to his surprise, he found his opponent standing right in front of him.
This…this speed, he thought.
The blond aimed a kick straight toward who blocked it once more by making an X with his arms, but the force behind the kick threw him backward as he flew toward the sea water…
But he never falls down as he caught hold of himself in midair. Kaji glanced up toward him, and seeing that the man was floating above, the two eyes looking down upon him.
"You are not as strong as you were before Kaji," he said, "It would seem you are a bit out of practice, but then again, become a father out of nowhere thanks to GEHIRN, that might take its toll upon your skills."
Kaji glared at him.
"I'm one of the Great Five," he said, "Don't you dare take me lightly."
"The one of the old generation," the blond said, "and as I said earlier, old times are a thing of the past."
Then he flew down toward Kaji who stayed in position narrowing his eyes.
He is both good at long ranges and close ranges, the man thought, his speed is even greater than mine…which could be a disadvantage, but my Body Armor is taking it's toll upon my energy. I have to end this quickly.
As the blond got closer, Kaji head straight for him and the two clashed with each other in a close combat fight. Kaji was excellent in close combat but his opponent seems to match him in every way which was quite a feat by itself. Few could ever do that, and even trained Evangelion will have trouble matching up to him.
So how could this guy, who seems to know me, match my speed, he thought.
He launched an attack straight toward his blond opponent but he had disappeared from where he was…
That's speed again, he thought.
A fist slammed straight against his back, causing his to grunt in pain but it didn't hurt as much as it could have.
"That armor is really useful eh Kaji," the blond said, "But even so, keeping it up for a long time might not be quite a good idea…since it's already taking it's toll upon you."
He noticed eh, Kaji thought.
"And that's how you will lose," the blond said, appearing right in front of the man, "Take this."
His powered up hand aimed straight toward Kaji's face…
BOOM!
The large explosion took place in the air as the smoke covered them both, and then as it dissipated the blond had a smirk on his face…but which quickly turn to shock.
H…How did he…
Kaji was still there in front of him, but his time he had his hand raised, paring the blonds' hand.
"There is a reason I am called the Man of Steel," he said, holding the blonde's hand within his palm, "It's not only because of my Body Armor…it's because of how powerful my close combat is."
He blocked me, with only one hand? The blond thought.
Kaji threw his other fist forward, slamming it straight into the blonde's stomach. The air trembled around his opponent before he was send flying back toward the dock, with a speed similar to a bullet. Then Kaji charged after him, appearing right above him.
"You're done for," Kaji said.
His hands started to glow a bright color as Ki gathered there.
"Double Steel Palm,"
He slammed both of them into the blonde's stomach, causing the blond to spat out blood at the impact of the attack before sending him flying down toward the concrete floor which he landed in a large crater.
Kaji then landed down beside it, huffing slightly.
That took a little out of me, he thought, managing that speed…maybe I really do need some more training. Lately I haven't been able to practice how I used to.
"That could have been messy," a voice said.
Kaji looked up toward the crater, unable to believe his ears.
This can't be…how can be still stand?
The blond man was still alive as he stood there, his clothes a little ripped.
"That last attack should have turned your bones to dust," he said.
The blond smirked.
"You really believe I will face, the Man of Steel without having a little kryptonite with me?" he asked.
That caused Kaji to frown.
"What?"
"My regeneration," he said, "My boss was good enough to share a piece of her power with me. I never used it in a fight before…"
Then the blond raised both his hands toward Kaji.
"You'll be the first to witness this technique Kaji," he said, "My Touch Explosion Technique."
Kaji frowned.
Touch Explosion? He thought, What is that?
Suddenly the blond man closed one of his fists. Kaji's right hand exploded as blood came out of it in mass. This caused the man to yell out in pain, clutching his hand. It didn't take a genius to know that this hand was unusable.
"H…How?" he started.
The blond let out a devilish smile.
"It's quite simple Kaji," he said, "That's the same hand you used to block my attack earlier. My hand was powered up with concentrated Ki and you used your own to nullified it's attack. In the process, some of my own Ki got mixed in with yours. All of the location I came into contact with…"
He slammed close his other hand.
Kaji's forearms exploded as blood spread around him. The man screamed in pain.
"My own Ki is now being used by you Kaji," the blond said, "It is now spreading all around your body and even got mixed in with your Body Armor which is flowing through your entire form. Meaning, all of your body is now vulnerable to my technique. That is your kryptonite, Man of Steel."
He threw open both of his palms as Kaji's entire form blew blood out, bathing the ground in the red substance. The man fall forward landing on the ground, his body covered with wounds.
I…I lost, Kaji thought, feeling blood falling from his lips.
He heard the footsteps approaching and the blond was now standing in above him.
"I didn't put much enough force within it to kill you," he said, "Which is quite a shame; I have been dying to kill someone with it. My mission was to capture you alive, after all. You're the first person I ever used it on. As one of the Great Five, you should be honored to have seen it. Now, let's get you back to base."
That's the last thing Kaji saw before, he lost consciousness from blood loss and the pain he was feeling.
When he came around, Kaji blinked slowly. He looked around himself and noticed that he was in a room, lying upon a bed. A single light bulb was illuminating the room. The man groaned in pain, looking down upon his body.
It was covered with bandages and it was still painful. He looked at his hand seeing that it was in a bandage also making him wonder who had fixed him. After facing such a barbaric technique, he had thought that he would have died.
Then his room door opened, letting in an elderly man. He was dressed similar to a doctor, his labcoat upon his body as his graying hair fall upon his face. He looked tired, but his eyes seemed surprised to see him awake and also pleased.
"It's great to see you up Mr. Kaji," he said.
Kaji stared at the man. He had the strangest impression having seeing his face somewhere before…
"W…Where am I?"
The man shook his head.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you," he said, "I'm simply here to check upon the healing I have made."
Kaji blinked. This guy was a Healer. He must have been the one to patch him up.
"I never thought Snow would have used that technique," the elderly man said, "When he brought you in, I thought you were dead. This boy needs to learn some restraint."
"You're part of that terrorist group who attacked Sakamoto," he said.
The Healer gives him a glance.
"I never set foot upon Sakamoto," he said, checking the bandages, "Well, I did once but that was many years ago."
"You worked for GEHIRN in the past?" Kaji asked, since only GEHIRN personal ever set foot on the Island, except for the participant of the Second Leg.
"That's right," the Healer, "I'm not proud of it."
It was then Kaji remembered why the man in front of him looked familiar. He had seen him before in a picture, Kyoko's picture of her work in Antarctica.
"You…You're Doctor Takatsuki," he said, "You worked with Kyoko, in Antarctica about twenty years ago, am I right?"
"H…How do you know that?" Takatsuki asked, his surprise evident in his voice.
"I'm trying to find out why happened to one of my friend," Kaji told him, "I just want to know the truth."
"One you will find out soon enough Ryoji Kaji," a new voice said.
Standing in the doorway behind the Healer was…
"Kyoko?" Kaji whispered.
A meeting with the mysterious Kyoko look-a-like. What could be brought forward?
AN: Hope you guys enjoyed that update.
Jacques0 out.
R&R.