Chapter 34

The day finally came.

The family was sitting in the crowd right near the front to witness the spectacle of it all. Garou was on pins and needles as he wondered if he trained Tempest enough to face Raiden. He just got a brief glimpse of him a few days ago, Raiden appeared to have put on weight as well. He didn't slack in his training to say the least. But now, it was time to see if Tempest can hold his own.

Garou of course wasn't the only one there. The whole family showed up and came prepared in case of a monster attack were to happen. Also there was Saitama and Genos. Street and Knuckle were seated a small distance away. Somehow Knuckle convinced Tatsumaki to go to this thing!

Genus and Misty were on the other side. Amai Mask was sitting next to Melee along with Latina.

"Wow. I have never been to a sumo match before, is it always this crowded?" asked Latina.

"Nope, this is a special occasion." Hunter explained. "Normally their matches are held in a smaller venue. But this one, they had to accommodate everyone! There's at least 100,000 people here…"

"Shit," muttered Garou.

"So, why was I brought here again?" Saitama asked out of the blue. "Granted, I appreciate the snacks, but what's this badge?" he asked as he held up the one around his neck.

"Oh, that's for later," Melee said and smirked.

"Okay," Saitama muttered as he began to suck back on his drink.

The lights dimmed.

The Chairmen of both the traditional and super sumo league came out to welcome the crowd and then called for the sumos! Tempest was the first one to come out. He dressed in his new light blue mawashi belt, but also wore a kesho on the front. It was a yin and yang symbol of a white wolf and a blue dragon. "No doubt Athena's handy work," said Amai.

"Damn right, she worked weeks on that one!" said Melee.

When Tempest got into the ring, he did a ceremonial dance. Garou cringed since this is normally done with all the other sumos in the higher brackets. To do it alone can put a lot of pressure on Tempest. But he did it flawlessly.

Raiden came out next and did the Yokozuna dance, then the stare down began.

Tempest kept his face stoic as he took a fistful of salt and began to spread it around the ring. Raiden did the same as the rules were calls.

They are traditional, if a wrestler falls, hit the ground or is push out of the ring it's over. They have set up a timer for twenty minutes as agreed upon. Then, the two sumos stood across from each other. Tempest staring up at his rival, who was looking down at him as if he were a meal.

Then they took their positions.

"Anyone else nervous… I am so nervous…" whispered Akira.

"Ready?!" the ref shouted. Then came the dramatic pause. Everyone held their breath. "SPIRIT!"

By the time Tempest stood, Raiden was already pulling his arm back.

He landed the first strike and it make the walls shake! Garou swore he heard Raiden say. "Nothing personal kid," before his hit landed. The sand kicked up, blocking the view as the echo of the strike still lingered in the air, and the crowd froze from the shockwave of the assault.

It would be enough to kill a human being!

The dust settled, and yet, Garou was grinning from ear to ear. Tempest didn't fall. His head merely turned to the side, but his glare came upon Raiden. "None taken…" Garou heard Tempest say as suddenly…

KABOOM!

He landed a strike just has hard and powerful against Raiden!

The crowd was rendered silent as the two appeared to have an understanding now. With their strikes delivered, it was time to get this match on!

Tempest was quick to use his smaller size to his advantage. He snuck up under Raiden and was landing firm, open palm blows to his chest, it was enough to get him to step back a few times, but he quickly regained his footing. Garou flinched each time he heard Tempest strike. It sounded like thunder in the arena.

He could feel the strikes too that echoed through Tempest's body. Like sitting next to a drum, he felt the vibration of the blow.

He cringed too when he heard Raiden fight back. Their blows were about even to say the least. It became more like a battle of the strikes, who would dare to teeter first. Who will fall before the other's might?

No one cheered, no one move. You wouldn't be able to scream over their blows. Both were getting battered, bloodied and bruised from it all, but neither were willing to back down!

Then as soon as Tempest gained a little momentum there came a sharp call from the ref.

"TIME!"

No one moved. "Shit, twenty minutes already?!" said Garou.

"I don't understand, who won?" asked Latina.

The ref was about to call it, when Raiden protested. "NO KEEP GOING!" he demanded. "There has to be a victor! We need to keep going!"

The ref turned to Tempest, who was then confronted by the chairmen. There was some whispering until a nod came. Then they informed the announcer.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Despite the time limit passing, both wrestlers have decided to continue!"

They erupted into cheers as they called for a water break. Raiden went to his side of the ring and was given his victory water by the current Yokozuna of the super sumos.

Tempest merely smiled at him as Raiden appeared to be proud as to who gave him his beverage. "Oh, that's what this is for…" Saitama said as Genos whispered in his ear. "Okay…"

He jumped the barricade, security saw his pass and let him by.

Garou was grinning the moment he saw Raiden appear worried. Saitama took a drink first from the water, and then got Tempest his. When finished, he returned to his seat. "Huh, why did I have to give him his drink?"

"Mess with Raiden's mind. Sumo wrestlers traditionally get a drink from a winning sumo. Raiden is superstitious, since he got his drink from a Yokozuna, he assumed victory will be on his side. But… he is aware of Saitama." Garou announced rather proudly. "Can't wait to see how much it effects his mindset!"

With the break over, they stood once more and got ready for the next bout. Amai leaned in, he appeared to be on pins and needles as Tempest took his position. "You can do it, you got this…" he muttered lowly.

Garou was taken aback by his eagerness to cheer on Tempest.

He snapped out of his thought when Raiden took his stance. There was a new fire in his eyes. One Garou has never seen before. However, Tempest showed no fear, nor any sigh of backing down.

"Ready?... SPIRIT!"

Raiden came charging at him, full force! Tempest planted his feet and managed to get under him and hook his hands under Raiden's arms. It stopped him dead in his tracks, which surprised the rather large sumo.

But his shock only grew as Tempest began to push forward! Raiden was forced back an inch or two, but it was enough to startle him. "He ain't use to being pushed around…" Garou muttered.

"What is it?" Melee asked.

"Raiden, the look on his face says a lot right now. He's not sure what to do. Normally he has powered through his opponents, not to mention, I don't think he took Tempest as seriously as he should." He explained.

"Cleaver deduction as always," chimed Amai.

With some distance, the two began to go into a full out slap contest! Each strike one could feel the break in the air and hear it rattle them down to the bone. Neither one were willing to concede, neither one willing to fall!

"COME ON TEMPEST! SHOVE THAT BASTARD!" shouted Yuuma.

"BRING HIM DOWN!" screamed Amai.

Garou was stunned as the family began to get rather vocal to say the least! They were on their feet as Tempest continued to hold his own. Yet the longer the match dragged on, the more it will work against him.

Garou has noticed Tempest was starting to slow down. Despite his training with his brothers, they didn't use traditional sumo moves. Akira and Draven learned for him, but it hasn't been the same. However, Tempest learned to adjust and prepare for anything. He just has to hold out a little longer.

Raiden on the other hand was getting more and more pissed off. He could sense he too was getting to his limit. Despite his hero work, Raiden has to be careful with his power. He isn't out to kill Tempest needless to say. Yet at the same time, Tempest is giving him a run for his money. "Perhaps neither one is holding back, in doing so, it's bringing the other to their limit…"

"Garou?" Melee asked.

"Sorry, thinking out loud,"

Raiden managed to grab on to Tempest's mawashi belt. The crowd Oooed at the move, thinking it will be the end of the blue dragon. Yet despite it, Tempest appeared calm and in control.

"What the hell is he doing? He has to break free from that!" protested Pac.

"Wait for it…" said Garou.

He figured Tempest would go this way. After all, considering everything happening, he wasn't about to make Raiden even angrier to say the least! Raiden was getting full of himself, so much so he didn't even notice where he was in the ring. Tempest at the same time has been trying to hook one leg around Raiden's thigh, just enough to prevent a full dead lift off the ground. It worked for the most part, until he saw the opportunity.

With everything he possessed. Tempest shifted his weight, his leg was just strong enough to trip Raiden from behind, forcing his knee to buckle. In the loss of balance, the two dropped out of the ring!

Everyone was on their feet, murmurs broke out as they began to question. "Who won?"

"Is that it? Did Tempest win?" Amai asked.

"Depends on who hit the ground first…" said Garou. "But I got a feeling…"

The ref was confused, the chairmen were arguing as to who one. "It was Tempest! He didn't hit the ground before Raiden!"

"No, Raiden won! Tempest struck the ground first!"

Back and forth they went until Street stepped in. He must have explained that he saw everything and offered to show what happen. The chairmen went off to the side as Street must have shown them the playback footage.

It was ten minutes, but they came back out as Raiden and Tempest were already at their respective corners. The referee nodded as he was told the results. "After review of footage… We have deemed…. BOTH sumos hit the ground at the same time… this match ends in a draw!"

"NO!" Raiden protested. "There has to be a clear winner!"

"I am perfectly happy with it ending this way," Tempest said gently.

"I'm not!" Raiden snapped back. "I have NEVER had a match end in a draw… NEVER!"

"First time for everything,"

Garou rolled his eyes as Raiden demanded that they start again, yet the crowd was already throwing their pillows in appreciation to the battle they witnessed. The chairmen tried to calm Raiden down, but he refused to let this be the end. He wants another chance.

Tempest merely smiled and said. "Sure, another time… but not now,"

He celebrated as if he had won. Tempest was proud that he held his own against Raiden. The family was cheering aloud as he rushed over to Misty and plucked her out of the stands. They shared a passionate kiss before the crowd of thousands.

The next day in sports, it was the front cover, Tempest and Misty kissing, while Raiden was brooding in the back of the photo. The title.

"The unconquered mountain could not stop the Blue Dragon, but the Dragon could not reach the summit."