Tiger and Crane
Waking up from his straw bed, Peter couldn't help but let his mind drift to the birthday. After the peanut galery had left after the incident, courtesy of Lucifina's demands, he had trained Luka a bit more and drilled the basics of the three stages thrust while the kid mumbled something about finally beating Sonya.
Haaa, youth.
Returning from his faux middle age daydream, he returned to his previous daydream. Lucifina's food was excellent, as expected. Sauerkraut, salad, potatoes and dry sausages, all home-made and fresh, this confirmed the German-like culture of this place. Moreover, Peter was happy to simply see the kids having fun, a little bit of innocent playfulness was desirable amidst all this craziness. He had spent a portion of the time with the kids and another part with the adults. With the adults he drank beer and exchanged jokes and friendly banter, though he had to stay mostly at the sidelines after Lucifina started to poke holes into Lazarus.
"My, it seems you still insist on acting like a drunkard even on special occasions like this. Really, I shouldn't expect any less of a scruffy and suspicious man like yourself", stuff like this.
To which he would respond: "Bah, you fucking think I'm not holding back? Just you see when Sonya becomes an adult, then you'll see scruffy!", while laughing heartedly.
Although Peter was sometimes a little out of the loop, he insisted on not being too pushy, but also not too distant, he had things he'd rather not talk about and so did the other two, so each respected the other's boundaries. As the conversation progressed, things got a little bit livelier and jugs were emptied, though it was mostly Lazarus who got drunk, both Peter and Lucifina held their on much better than the old man did. Also, Lazarus was the angry and sad type of drunkard, shifting between cursing at things and almost crying over others. The angry comments fewer than the sad ones though.
The angry comments were mostly directed at Marcelus, and every time Lazarus let out one of those he'd realize what he said, look to his drinking partners and notice things did not sit well with them, and then shut up. The sad comments were much more heart-warming though, and quite funny. Nothing like consoling a grown ass man in your arms while he complains about his daughter not being feminines, probably never marrying and being too obsessed with clubs.
Yeah, Peter didn't really get that one either.
After night arrived, he went back to the temple, promising Luka to come visit him again tomorrow to give further instruction, to which the kid smiled and jumped with excitement.
Surprisingly, Klaus did not appear to give him an ear lashing or eviction papers. That's probably what was most surprising with all of this.
Second most surprising however, the thing he did in the backyard. That had certainly attracted the attention of the whole village and temple. Moreover, it was not regular magic, not from the quick research he made as soon as he returned to the temple.
The books, answers and gossip he heard around led him to one cause: it was Qi.
This world had not one, but two magical systems. And a sub type that was a mix of the two, practised somewhere called Yamatai.
Letting the obviously Japanese name slide for now, Peter returned to the matter of Qi.
While Mana was more difficult and requires precise visualization and manipulation to be used correctly, Qi could be manipulated though sheer willpower alone, even if not efficiently.
In it's essence the process of forming a spell (Mana based), or seal (Qi based), was roughly similar, though, like said before, Qi was much less demanding.
It went something like this:
- You have and intention, an objective that you want fulfilled.
- You intensify said intention with emotional charge, like rage to fire magic or something more abstract, like freshness to wind magic.
- You formulate the exact way to which said objective will be fulfilled, the more detailed the better. And the more you can visualize it happening the better. If you want something to burn, you can visualize a fireball being thrown at it.
- The previous steps should form a solid imago, or image, that can then be filled with the energy you desire. Different energies have different capabilities and limitations. For example, Qi has difficulty maintaining cohesion outside of non organic matter or manifesting elemental properties, so doing something like a fireball is right out. However, it is very good at manipulating said organic matter in precise ways, something Mana has relative difficulty doing, at least directly. Mana, on the other hand, is very versatile, but also very temperamental, precise imagos are a must if you want any sort of effectiveness in using it, unless you're a type of monster girl that has a natural affinity to it and can just compensate a shitty imago with sheer Mana density.
Something he apparently had, in fact. The rumours made him very aware of that fact, if the half-youma comments are in any way reliable. Still though, he had yet to experience Mana, and since, as a general principle, one has to be able to feel the energy in order to use it, he should also find some mage in the adventurer's training grounds willing to show him the ropes.
Oh yeah, he also had that duel with the kung fu girl.
Sigh
He just hoped the stares would stop soon, these things get annoying real fast.
…
Heading towards the adventurer's training ground, Peter saw Klaus standing at the entrance.
Aw shit, here we go again.
"I suppose you're here to give a tongue lashing of some sort", not giving the slightest expression of surprise, he commented.
Klaus snorted, and with a neutral and tired expression he uncrossed his arms and leaned on the wall.
"No, I expected that bit of your heritage to come out sooner rather than later, seeing how your bloodlines started maturing. It was a matter of time before you let something slip."
Another interesting information, it seems Klaus had thought that I was half-youma even before the rumours started. But how? Let's find out.
Shifting his eyes to the side with a forlorn look, Peter asked the million dollar question.
"And how did you know about it? Figured I was doing pretty okay before now…"
"Sorry, I did some check ups once you arrived"
Ah, of course. So he could assume that whatever this check up had picked up, it seemed to tell the story that he was a half-youma.
Of course, Peter knew he wasn't one. The world he was born in didn't have ridiculous things like monster girls. But still, this was good information to have.
"If that's the case, then why are you here?", asked our protagonist.
"It came to my information that you seem to be the capable sort, martially speaking. Some trusted confidants also put you in good word, so I'd like to extend to you an offer in case you win this match."
"Oh?"
"The one you're going to face is one of the most skilled students here, not as good as some instructors, but still very good. Depending on your performance, I just might find a job for you inside the temple."
"Training the guards, or something of that nature?"
"Right."
"Then have them get ready for the training regimen of their lives.", a feral smile extended in Peter's lips. He's been raring to go for some time. Both correcting the guards and fighting someone skilled.
Extending a hearty laugh towards Peter's competitive side, Klaus was finally happy seeing him acting like a young man his age.
"Also, I'll be the judge of this match. The rules are what is said to be common sense, hard contact to any place that is not lethal. No eye gouging also, but you can poke them if you want to. Qi is allowed, but not Mana."
"Any safety equipment?"
"None except the clothes on your back"
So exactly what he liked.
"Anything else?"
"Good luck."
"Thanks."
And Peter forcefully opened the gates to the training area.
…
The area was wide and straight, round and surrounded by Doric white columns. The ground was plain packed soil from the constant training of the warriors here.
Normally it would have dolls and all sorts of training equipment scattered around, but today was a special day.
A circle had formed in the middle, in it stood adventures, villagers and guards, all excited to see the event.
Getting close to the circle, Peter could see Lucifina, Luka, Erika, Lazarus and Sonya standing together. He smiled and nodded to them, this made Luka and Sonya jump in place and cheer him on, the others also cheered him on in their own way. Some more calm, like Lucifina and Erika, and others more lazily, like Lazarus.
"Right, don't want to look like an idiot in front of them", igniting his drive even more, Qi started to flow more strongly by the second. By the time Peter reached inside the circle, the whispers of "shorty" and "is he even that strong" had completely ceased. They took a step back, some simply to open space, others because they were intimidated by the fiery atmosphere.
And at the other end of the circle stood the girl, who had by now ignited her own Qi to protect herself against Peter's own, crashing down on her. If she felt bothered by it, she didn't show it. She met Peter eye for eye, with the same competitive grin.
"So Mr. Dragon-Harpy has arrived…"
"I told you I would."
By this point stood in the middle of the circle stood Klaus.
"As everyone present already knows what this event entails, I shall skip the formal introduction.", said Klaus in the loudest voice he managed.
"Left side, state your name and style."
"Young Chun, Northern Gold Boxing"
"Right side, state your name and style."
"Peter, family style"
"Very well… on your guards."
Both adopted similar guards, one hand out front and another close to the face. However, Peter's stance was more forward leaning compared to Young Chun's.
The distance was three feet between the front hands.
"We shall begin in 3… 2… 1… START!"
Both immediately charged, Young Chun straight down the line and Peter diagonally.
Seeing that he wanted to find a weak spot, Young Chun quickly executed a side kick towards his solar plexus.
To the surprise of all present, instead of getting his wind knocked out of him, Peter vigorously struck her leg downwards with a palm strike/block, sending her leg to the ground. It was only thanks to her training that she didn't lose balance from that.
"Dragon indeed!", though Young Chun.
Adding to his momentum, Peter punched straight into her ribs, only to be foiled by a downward circular block with the front hand. No matter, He'll just go to her back!
Sensing his intentions, Young Chun spun her body and attempted a spinning elbow with the back hand. Peter quickly ducked and send an elbow of his own, a front elbow into her back.
"KAH!" a small amount of Qi exploded into her back, not only dealing physical damage but interrupting her own Qi circulation as well. What would normally be a final blow was mostly negated by her own forceful circulation, quickly expelling the foreign energy from her system and healing part of her wounds.
She retreated back to her starting position.
Had this been real combat, this could have ended right there, both of them realized.
But Peter was not the only one good with hand techniques!
As soon as the front hands touched, they entered an exchange that would make any martial arts film-maker jealous. Without returning to a standard guard, they blocked and struck from whatever position they found themselves in, never actually managing to hit each other. Carefully measuring distance and angles, they entered a chess match of death.
Each trying to react to each others techniques before they came, their sensitivity looked almost supernatural. And in a certain sense it was, Young Chun could use her Qi to predict her opponent's next move to a certain extent.
Still, she was the one losing that match. Even though mostly used mundane methods, he still outstripped her in this aspect.
She tried to disengage by jumping backwards.
Peter followed her with a chop to the neck.
Young Chun covered her face with her hands.
Gotcha!
Peter quickly grabbed both her wrists and put pressure on them. And as soon as he felt them move, he was already moving to her back.
She tried to accompany his movement, but a swift right hook prevented her.
Once he had reached her back, Peter tried a rear naked choke right away. Young Chun managed to grab his arms on the nick of time. Peter tried to strangulate her with just his hands, but she managed to hand him back.
Peter set her up for a throw.
She solidified her stance.
Peter put more strength into his throw, but still he could not lift her off the ground.
Young Chun tried to counter with a throw of her own, however in that split second of softness Peter rooted himself in a wide stance and used this stability to swing her into the air.
She landed quite a couple of feet away. Peter tried not to use too much strength, but it seemed his Qi made even a light throw quite powerful.
As soon as he let her go, Peter dashed to the impact zone.
To her credit, she did her best to make a stable landing, but it was not enough.
Peter landed a clean reverse punch to her cheek, both the force and Qi went straight into her brain, knocking her out instantly.
CRACK
Damn it, it seems he broke her jaw.
"…", everyone present was silent.
"…", a few moments passed.
Klaus went to analyse Young Chun for a few seconds before declaring loudly.
"Winner: Peter, family style!"
"WOOOHOOOO!", all jumped in excitement at the show they had just witnessed.
"Peter!", Luka quickly ran to hug and congratulate him. But after a few moments, he went towards asking questions.
"How did you do all that with the cool blocks? And the way you stopped her kick looked so strong! How did you do all that? Tell me, please!", said Luka as he pulled the teenager towards their small group.
Peter's mind calmed as he escaped the curious spectators and went to talk to the people he actually cared about.
…
…
…
Hello, John here!
Well, that was out earlier than expected! I suddenly had this inspiration from nothing and had to write this fight scene.
I originally had planned for this chapter and the last one be a unit, but it simply felt more natural to me to write these things separately.
Hope you guys liked it!
As always, your opinions are precious!