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James stood there for what seemed like centuries wondering what had happened...how had he guessed it wrong. What did his opponent do that made him miscalculate! It wasn't like him to simply miscalculate...no, this wasn't even a miscalculation! This was something that couldn't happen! He was in midair! Trapped, his feet were off of the ground! It wasn't something as simple as James' mistake! It was impossible!

People didn't just run pure air! Nevertheless it seemed like Coureal had some method for dodging his attacks in midair. Come to think of it there was one other thing Coureal had done that James had found fishy. When they were falling how did Coureal survive that? The more James thought about it the more sense it made if Coureal did in fact have a way to slow his fall somehow...even if that made no sense.

"Its called Geppou," explained Coureal, "a quick kick in midair almost similar to a jump that can propel you through the air. Its one of those neat little Rokushiki moves I've told you about. It was originally for the World Government spies and elites only, however, over the years it has been slowly integrating itself into the Marines as well. Nowadays it is becoming commonplace for Marines to have these techniques up their sleeves."

"But you only have three."

"Its a bonus, but not a necessity for joining the Marines," growled Coureal causing James to chuckle quietly as he noticed Coureal was obviously unhappy with his inabilities becoming evident.

"Come to think of it you mentioned you were born with Soru, so really you only trained hard enough to gain two of them. That's not very hard."

"It takes years to master even one!" shouted Coureal, "I'm actually vastly ahead of the curve. Moreso than most people as a matter of fact. Not only that, but I also put an incredible amount of training into furthering Soru. Despite my semi-young age I am one of the best Soru users in the Marines. I can even give the Admirals a run for their money."

"So if I beat you I'll be able to give the Admirals a run for their money?"

"You misheard me," Coureal stated, "when I said that I meant in the Soru technique and only in the Soru Technique."

"So, the Rokushiki is only six skills I beat you that means that the Soru skill means nothing, right?" James shouted causing Coureal to take a step back slightly at his insanity before immediately stepping forward again and grinning broadly.

"This is going to be interesting," James stated with a broad smile and Coureal had to agree. However, the matter would be if James could stop Coureal's legs. A second, maybe two would be all he needed to hammer home with the Impact Dial or a combination.

"Let's go," Coureal growled as he immediately kicked things off again with a literal ick against the ground to start off his Soru technique. With that Coureal began running circles around James. His movements were small, concise and quick. His feet would only touch down for a second before kicking off and moving on. Speed was his whole gimmick, he wouldn't allot James to just take it away from him. James would soon be finding out how hard it was to even keep up with him.

Coureal's feet were already nothing but a blur, eventually his body began to blur as well. Soon he would disappear completely from sight he just needed to get a little momentum. James was trying to keep up with him, but it really was difficult and James had no real way to break up his rhythm.

Once a fighter gained his rhythm it meant the fight was going to take a sudden turn in their favor. Coureal wasn't going to attack until he got that rhythm going, so James had a second or two to think it through. And that's all he could do. Take everything in and work your way to a solution. Step number one: Stopping those feet!

Until he came up with a brilliant plan though there was only one thing for James to do! He booked it out of there as fast as he could. He didn't know if he should be thankful that they were it was night out or not. As it stood there were fewer people on the streets so James had less dodging to do, but the dark night sky greatly impeded his vision while he was certain Coureal didn't mind the darkness. His Nioi-Nioi no mi powers granting him that boon.

Coureal was soon upon him. His speed was definitely his forte. He closed the gap separating them quickly. Quicker than James could ever hope to generate it. Coureal was already readying his next attack. His hand curved back, readying to shoot forward. Another Shigan. James twisted around, using his Jet Dials to apply another burst of speed to his spin.

It wasn't easy on his body adjusting to the quick twist, but it was better than biting a bullet. Coureal's attack drew close on James, but James managed to barely dodged the attack. He spun onto his back and whipped his leg around managing to quickly draw a bead on Coureal's neck. Coureal's head was snapped to the side, but very little of it was actual damage. He gritted his teeth and kept his feet on the ground. However, there were a few more seconds for James to escape with.

James bolted like a bullet with these few extra seconds. He wasn't about to waste them standing around and he really shouldn't. Coureal was already resuming the chase. His foot struck out against the hard ground. Calling it fast would be an insult to Coureal's skill. He was like a lightning bolt, putting James' speed to shame.

Coureal had closed in on James. Coureal was within striking range. His finger flickered out and jabbed forward. James twisted around, throwing a spray of water at his opponent. Coureal growled as he wheeled back, nearly hissing at James.

Cheap tricks! That's all James had! Just cheap tricks! And they were actually managing to push him back! He'd rip James apart as soon as he had his fingers around his neck! Coureal shouted a bestial howl as he narrowed in on James again.

However, the time for James' so-called 'cheap' tricks were over. He shuffled through his Dials he had two opportunities here for a sure-fired powerful attack. His last attack had made a small opening in his opponent's guard. His cheap trick was about to become a game-changer. His Shock Dial had his opponent perfectly in its sight. The lightning jumped free from his Dial slicking across the air and at Coureal.

Whether it was because of Coureal's animal-like instincts or maybe he was just faster than electricity itself, but Coureal escaped to the side taking a bare licking from James' explosive combination. The spark drove itself down Coureal's arms and made him grit his teeth and try to hide his pain, but he still managed to stay standing throughout it all. It was just a weak attack, nothing more to him. He'd stay standing throughout it all cause he was a Marine! Falling to a pirate would be insult to him and the Marines who raised him.

He was just that kind of a man.

Coureal leapt again once more carrying his weight behind his thrust as he closed in on James. It was close cut to James' cheek, but it was still fine enough. James flipped himself into the air, above Coureal and whipped around and dodged Coureal's next thrust. James was already beginning to piece everything together. A quick escape? Simple enough in his book. He was also beginning to notice a fatal flaw in Soru's execution.

James flipped into the air. Dodging above his opponent's next strike as he moved through the air. Coureal slammed on his brakes and turned around. James paused, piecing everything together. He needed to just find a place to put his plan into action.

He knew just how to do it. James looked up one of the walls and charged forward it. Coureal raced forward, following his path quickly. Coureal quickly closed in on him. James chuckled to himself quietly. James flipped forward, turning on his Jet Dial. He hit the window first and then quickly took it up going onto the next one. He would put it altogether with this.

James hit the window and kept climbing up. He'd hit every window as he kicked off of them all as he continued all the way up. Coureal was soon hot on his heels, however, rather than using the Geppou step to keep climbing, instead he went up the same way as James. He struck out with his foot, catching it on the wall and kicked off of it going upwards. He was using friction and his powerful legs to scale the building.

James was soon on the very top of the building with Coureal still being a few windows down. However, now James had a few seconds to look around and see everything out around him. James saw it. The docks once her got there he could act. James shot off of the ground and rocketed across the air with Coureal fast on his trail.

Coureal rocketed after his target bouncing off of the walls like a madman as he narrowed in on his opponent. James whipped around, locking his leg onto Coureal's head for a brief and very light shot. Coureal quickly righted himself with his Geppou technique, twisting around and hunting back on him. He narrowed in quickly, striking out with his powerful Shigan, jabbing his finger directly at his opponent as if hunting for blood.

James couldn't avoid the next attack. There was a sharp shooting pain in his side as Coureal dragged his hand through his body, drawing a gusher of blood forth. James bit his lip, trying to stay steady, but he could already feel the world turning away from him. He was quickly sent back down to the ground like a fallen star and Coureal was hot on his trail. James had to admit, he was a fantastic predator.

However, James was just a bad prey. He wasn't going down without a fight. Knocking one of his Dials loose James threw it upwards. Coureal was taken by surprise, unable to stop he ran into it. If it had been James' Impact Dial he would've only blown Coureal away and lost his best weapon. No, James went with a weapon with a little more impact.

A sharp pain went shooting up Coureal's arm. He let out a growl as he grabbed the Dial and gripped it tightly. While Coureal had very little knowledge of Skypiean warfare he knew this one was an Axe Dial. James probably had one more Axe Dial on him so Coureal couldn't discount him using this same tactic again. James was definitely someone Coureal couldn't count out just yet.

James righted himself moments before the impact. While he would've preferred to continue the rest of the way to his destination via rooftops and air he would just have to do with the pavement. Of course, once Coureal hit the ground he was back off after him.

A quick recall of all the damage James had done to Coureal was quick. The initial fall, which despite Geppou should've left Coureal with some lasting damage, the axe dial he had just used, a couple of kicks, and managing to fry his arm with his Shock Dial. They all seemed like chip damage now that James got another glance at Coureal. The guy's adrenaline was pumping and he seemed invincible having taken those blows and was still chasing after him. He would just need to remind him of his pain with one big shot.

James bolted out of there with Coureal fast on his heels. James couldn't hold out just yet. He twisted around and pivoted. Turning to face Coureal once more as he few backwards. He readied his first tool. James let loose a powerful blast of water, which cut through the air and blew at Coureal.

Of course, having seen first hand what James could do with a blast of water and his Shock Dial Coureal dodged it. He rolled to the side and slid onto the smooth pavement. At least for a second. His smooth and hard cement ground vanished, turning into a field of fine, coarse sand. Coureal gritted his teeth as he felt the sand dig into his skin, but he just shrugged it off, moving onto his own two feet.

Coureal hesitated for a second. He knew something was wrong. James had stopped running away. He had apparently decided this would be where they would fight it out. Had Coureal's adrenaline not been rushing from the run and from the few hits James got in, he may have been able to piece more of James' plan together. Oh, well. He would soon wished he had paid attention.

James stepped back. He could feel his feet sink into the sand and the mud his Water Dial had just created, of course, the same was true for Coureal. And that was the fatal flaw of Soru's execution.

James charged forward, gunning for Coureal. Coureal welcomed the change of pace, grateful his prey was coming to him for once. However, it would all be for naught. Coureal moved about to run away and attack from a different angle, but something went horribly wrong with his Soru. His foot sank.

Soru was a technique the involved kicking off of the ground in order to go fast. Usually lashing out multiple times against the ground to propel yourself even more. Coureal could normally get 30 or so kicks out against the ground in rapid-fire succession, but...he couldn't.

His foot sunk fast. His leg getting a muddy vice-like grip all over it. He couldn't shake himself free, he was stuck and his opponent was closing in on him. He had already focused on speed, so now that he had that stolen he had no ability. A real Rokushiki master would be able to use Tekkai, harden their body to a steel-like state, but Coureal was always so focused on speed he never took up that technique, he never had to nobody could ever stop his legs before!

However, that all changed here. "IMPACT!"

The power of a cannon was definitely something to keep in mind and you definitely wouldn't forget the pain. The force booming through your bones, tearing at your muscles, and trying to rip your flesh right free from your muscles. The one good thing is its quicker than you think. The damage was over quickly.

Coureal bit his lip as he was forced back through the air. Coureal hit the ground harshly and he tried to stay conscious, but the pain would soon be too much for him. James smiled as he turned around. He was lucky the fight would end here.

Or maybe he wasn't. Coureal stood back up. His chest barely rising and falling, but it was and so was he. He was back on his feet, although he was unsteady, but that barely seemed like a sort of thing to be happy about considering the fact that James had just shot him with the equivalent of a cannon. What kind of guy was he to take a blow like that and keep on kicking?

Coureal stumbled forward as once more his feet got sucked into the mud. He slipped and sunk about half a foot in deeper. Coureal struggled and tried to break free, but once more he seemed to be stuck. James took a step back, his opponent was a monster. James felt his heart skip a beat, but luckily for him it seemed like Coureal wasn't thinking straight. He struggled and floundered about in the messy mud.

Coureal's Ambition

Here I was worried I'd have to update like twice a week again, maybe even more. Looks like that's not going to be the case. Anyways this arc is winding down so let's all sit back carelessly.