Happy 70th chapter! We're almost there, folks. I got a burst of confidence to bang this one out in a week, and I have your overwhelming reception to thank for that. I did not expect the Goenitz return to be so big, but you all seemed to like it. Thank you all, so much, for giving me the drive to keep this thing chugging away.
This is a hell of a chapter. Strap yourselves in.
The first minute of Goenitz's arrival on the field was... a silent one. Nobody quite knew how to express what they were feeling, though the emotions among them were shared: pure dread, not to mention a drastic lack of zeal, having been put through the wringer just moments before by Magaki, and witnessing their forces be whittled to the bare bones. There were but a small, pitiful handful of people left to stand against him, and even for them, their chances were questionable.
All eyes looked to the two standing most prominently at the forefront: The Sacred Treasures, tasked with the duty of vanquishing this evil as it reared its head.
Iori and Chizuru too remained silent, attempting to read the phantom that had appeared before them again... he simply stood there, eerily, his eyes closed, head drawn back, as if breathing in the newfound air of the planet his soul had returned to.
After yet another minute of silence passed... his eyes at last opened, and he smiled wide. He spoke:
"Blessed is He, who restoreth my lungs to breathe. Who maketh my eyes to see, who maketh my tongue to speak. I prepare a feast for Him now... the bread, the bones of the apostate. The wine, the blood of the recreant."
His voluble, King James-ian speech belied the threat in his words... but its meaning was not lost on the fighters themselves, whose skin went cold upon hearing his intentions. He was here to complete the final step: to carve the final offering of blood and death, to gather the necessary dark energy needed to break the Orochi Seal. The God of Destruction was nearing... and his most fanatic, powerful disciple was here to pave the road.
"This... this can't be real." Chizuru's words were but a whisper of disbelief. "This... can't be. This can't... this... can't..."
For Iori, just standing there was a struggle. Goenitz's presence, the very air surrounding him, sent his blood into an acidic boil; his heart pounded three times faster than a healthy pace. His eyeballs felt like they were pushing against his eyelids, they quivered so violently. Goenitz influenced the demon inside him... whetted its appetite, attempted to coax it out. There was one other, probably feeling that same awful feeling. He prayed she was still unconscious.
Goenitz's gaze had curiously fell upon Chizuru, which enraged and frightened her to no end... but a momentary distraction caught his attention, in the form of his two lesser "subordinates", the ones he had once tasked with keeping watch on Rugal before they turned rogue. They had returned to their feet, groaning, coughing, and their eyes fell on him with a disdain equally powerful as the others.
"Hm hm hm hm hmmmmmm..." he chuckled deeply. "Traitorous wenches. Your presence here on Earth is unwanted. Unwelcome. You're a pox, a stain in the eyes of our Lord and Savior. You renounced our fellowship, turned your back on us. The punishment for infidelity is severe."
"Screw you, Goenitz!" Mature spat his name with the fiercest of hatred.
"You never believed in us!" Vice cursed him equally. "Never! You homophobic piece of shit!"
Goenitz only smiled wider at their lashing. "Hah. Presumptuous. Your perversion of nature is less than irrelevant... the simple fact is, you two petulant whores are unworthy of our cause. Your only fate is to return to the nothing whence you came. Now... die."
His hand went up in a flash, and a power shot from his palm so fast, only a slight distortion in the air was visible to the naked eye. The quivering air manifested into a solid, taking shape in crescent, slicing sickles...
...And by the time Vice's eyes popped, she felt herself run through. Multiple times.
Mature watched with horrified eyes as her redheaded counterpart was frozen, suspended in shock... her mouth agape, eyes still wide. She couldn't speak. Her arms moved slightly, only enough to twitch.
"V...Vuhh...?!"
She was gone. Her astral being, erased. As if she was never there to begin with.
"VICE! VICEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
For the rare moment, Mature looked truly lost. A shell of her once-confident, ever-sadistic commanding presence. She too was now paralyzed, standing there with speechless, parted lips, and eyes that looked detached from the reality around her. It was as if losing Vice was losing a vital, functional part of her, and she now had no knowledge of mechanical functions.
...Until her arm finally did start to move. Her gaze remained forward, static, frozen, eyes open, but not seeing. That arm lifted higher... the hand opening, the fingers outstretching, into a horizontal straight line.
...And she thrust that hand into her own heart, her eyes rolling back upon entry. Her body vanished before she even hit the ground.
"Jeez, that was kinda harsh."
Goenitz had little time to revel in his handiwork, before a third, more disrespectful figure stuck his face in, and made his unwanted voice heard. Goenitz wore the displeasure on his face much clearer, as he turned his annoyed eyes to the black-clad thug, who was, even now, wearing a stupid grin.
"I mean, all they wanted was their own little personal Eden where they could slam clams for all eternity. Was that really worth wastin' em over?" Yamazaki sarcastically questioned.
Goenitz's eyebrows lowered. "Ryuji Yamazaki... you've always been a fool of a fool, but to stand against the Heavenly Kings as egregiously as you have... you give even the insane a bad name. Of all the infidels who are unworthy of the salvation of the coming Rapture, your name stands at the highest dominion."
Yamazaki's grin widened. "Oooooh, what are you sayin' GoeNUTZ? That I don't belong here? That I'm insane? Heh... take a good look pal."
Yamazaki's hand emerged from his pocket, the blade springing from his knife... and his lips never lost their smile as he presented the tip against his cheek, and dragged downard... carving a ribbon of red, from his cheekbone, down to his jawline. He took nothing but joy out of the sight of his own blood, staining the blade, now drizzling down his cheek.
"You see that? I'M the only one still alive, Ghost Boy. I'm the one who made it. That means my sanity was the winner in the end, not yours! Hahahahahaha!"
Goenitz merely smirked. "Hah. Pointless semantics. My Lord is coming, and He shall bestow upon me the flesh, and the flesh of His true disciples. You don't fit in that category, and you're not welcome when the time of glorious celebration is upon us. Now... any last words?"
Goenitz raised his hand, extending it, aimed directly at the thug, as he readied his destructive powers once again...
Yamazaki chuckled. "I think you got bigger things on your plate right now than me, chiefy."
A warning? Goenitz's head swung around; for the first time, surprise shone, as five fastened fingers carried a green aura, inches from his face.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Leona's piercing, torturous wail was an all-too telling testament to the emotions she carried towards him, as her hand swung with the full intentions of beheading him where he stood... but a gust of air, and Goenitz's body jettisoned well out of reach of the attack, and Leona's subsequent slashes rushing forward, each one carrying that same agonized scream, were effectively dodged by his floating movements.
"The girl...!" Goenitz expressed a curious surprise. "You're Gaidel's-"
"DON'T! SAY! THAT! FUCKING! NAME!" Each word she screamed carried a slash with it, as she put zero reservation, zero self-preservation, into her attacks. She recklessly threw her entire body forward, swinging without the discipline she had trained a lifetime with, to remove this man who plagued her nightmares from her sight again.
She overextended one last time, lunging far too wide, and Goenitz sidestepped; with a wave of his hand, a fierce gust blew her sideways, several yards out of his path.
"How fortuitous." his composed words barely hid his glee. "Both of you are here. You can complete your duty and welcome our Lord back with the final offering of blood."
"NOT GONNA HAPPEN!" Terry Bogard was the first of the still-standing to step up, straightening his hat. "Don't forget we're here too! And we're not gonna let you get away with this!"
His courage inspired others to step forth, and Andy was the second. "We stopped you back then, and we'll stop you now!"
Mai was the third. "Yeah! I want a world where I can bring up Andy's babies! You're not gonna get your way!"
"I like the world just the way it is!" Joe chimed in. "We don't need you or Orochi here!"
"There's been enough blood spilled!" Mary declared. "I'm sick of the sight of it!"
"We've fought too hard, and suffered too many casualties to surrender now!" Heidern resolved. "You're just one more threat to neutralize... and I'll take a personal enjoyment in this one, as much as you've hurt my daughter."
"As will I!" barked Saisyu. "On behalf of my son, the Kusanagi clan, the Yagamis, the Kaguras... you'll burn on Earth before you burn in Hell!"
"I don't know you personally, but you're a religious douchebag, so that's a good enough reason to thrash you." Angel was more casual in her threat.
Goenitz suddenly found himself quite outnumbered... by a motley, whittled down, but brave crew: the exhausted remnants of the KOF heroes, bound and determined to trudge their weary bodies forward, and make a final stand for humankind.
...Goenitz smiled, and flicked his hand forward. "Pitiful flies."
WHHOOOOOOOOOOSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
The wind blast wasn't sharp, or fatal... more like a powerful, deterring burst, that pulsed outwards with an invisible wave, and was more than enough to knock the fatigued masses off their feet, and backwards into the wall of the Stadium. Most of them that impacted fell to the ground, either unconscious, or too tired and aching to stand back up. With but a wave of his hand, Goenitz had shut down the rally before it ever began.
The end result was the only combat-viable figures able to pose a threat to Goenitz numbering two: Iori and Chizuru.
At last, the Yata Maiden was shocked into action, no longer afforded the luxury to stand there and doubt herself before the man who murdered her sister. She was reminded of what she was... and what this meant to her. For her duty, and for her sister... Goenitz would die here.
"Stay back, Iori... I'll take him myself."
"Bullshit!" Iori intervened. "We don't have Kyo here, and old man Saisyu is too banged up. There's no way you're gonna take Goenitz on your own! Have you forgotten about 96?!"
"He was still mortal back then!" Chizuru argued. "He had his full power, and it took all of us to bring him down! But not now... he's only a spirit, a hollow husk of what he used to be. I can take him... I KNOW I can."
"But you don't HAVE to." Iori shut down. "I have no intentions of sitting here and watching. So quit being selfish and let's take this asshole down!"
"But..." Chizuru's voice grew weaker.
"We'll avenge your sister. TOGETHER." Iori extended hand, awaiting her to return the gesture and solidify this agreement.
She was at first reluctant; a selfish part of her indeed present, wishing that she and she alone could do this. But she thought of her higher duty; in the end, the destruction of evil was the highest priority, outweighing her personal gains. Between her and Iori, there was a fighting chance.
With a smile, she extended her hand, to meet the gesture...
"Look out!" But Iori fiercely snatched her hand in response, jerking her body forward, just out of reach of a wind blast from Goenitz, which would have nailed her. Iori furiously pitched a purple fireball in response, the projectile soaring through the air, towards him... Goenitz merely smiled, extending a hand, activating a powerful turbine within his palm that sucked the flame in, swirling it within a circle of air at his mercy. He held it there for a few seconds, perhaps a mocking demonstration of his abilities... before the wind subsided, snuffing the flame along with it.
Goenitz used that same hand to retaliate, casually lifting it upwards... Iori and Chizuru recognized that signature pose, and they knew to break FAST, as a compact tornado, narrowed for more skewering effect, ripped the ground at their feet just as they were able to dive out of the way.
"So the battle that has spanned generations begins once again..." Goenitz declared. He extended his hands openly, INVITING the struggle. "Very well then. You think me a heretic? You oppose my beliefs? Then FIGHT for your conviction!"
Iori and Chizuru shot each other a look, before turning their determined eyes back to their sworn enemy. Iori scoffed. "It's been years, and I've already had enough of this windbag. We gonna finish this thing?"
Chizuru extended a confident smile... but her eyes caught something in the corner, and it faded quickly. She shouted, pointing. "IORI!"
Iori followed her finger, swinging around: just in time to catch an angry, red-eyed, skin-darkened Yashiro Nanasake come crashing in.
"HHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" his scream carried his strength as a mortar of a fist came raining down; Iori just barely sidestepped it, but the shockwave still caught him, a burst of golden energy, fueled by the burning Gaia power in Orochi Yashiro's veins. He pressed the attack, swinging wild haymakers; Iori weaved a left, a right, but Yashiro mixed it to the body and Iori had to block what felt like a shotgun blast to his midsection, backing him up significantly. Yashiro, at the peak of leg range, crashed a roundhouse into his bicep, and Iori grunted with discomfort, dropping to a knee.
"Argh!" Iori recovered quickly, and threw himself against the surging Yashiro, clinching and firing a desperate knee to the body to stifle his offense. He stunned him just long enough to capture Yashiro in a single-collar tie, and rain some punishing fists to his midsection in return, before shoving him backwards to regain some space.
"Dammit, Yashiro!" Iori cursed. "You're still here? What are you fighting for at this point? I don't see anybody else here but you! You're gonna throw everything away-"
"I'VE LOST EVERYTHING!" Yashiro's eyes glowed golden as he spoke. "WHAT MORE CAN POSSIBLY BE TAKEN FROM ME?!"
Iori growled angrily, his fingers spawning flames. "You still have something to lose."
"...No. No I don't." Yashiro's voice eerily changed on a dime, from irrational anger, to the tone of a weathered, broken man. "This world has taken everything..."
...and once again, on a dime, what was a despondent, withered voice, became booming, PULSING anger. "AND I'M GONNA RETURN THE FAVOR! FIGHT ME, YAGAMI! ONE LAST TIME! IT'S YOU OR ME!"
Iori normally would have lashed out with an equal rage, equal killing intent... but he truthfully saw more pity for his rival than anything else. An annoyed hiss passed his lips, as he regained his fighting stance and cursed his misfortune. "Stubborn son of a bitch... at this point, killing you is mercy."
Back on Chizuru's end, she now found herself alone, being sized up by Goenitz... not what she had intended, but admittedly, that selfish spark inside her relished this opportunity. She was in fighting stance, as was Goenitz, the two circling each other, eyes locked in a psychological battle before the physical one to come. She took the chance to make her feelings excruciatingly clear:
"This works out just fine for me. That just means I get to be the one who takes you down."
Goenitz, despite the threat... responded with an uncharacteristic eyes-closed, mouth-wide smile. But the next words that came from his lips were a cruel, despicable contrast:
"Hm... your sister... she didn't die well."
Chizuru's eyes widened, as she felt the equivalent of a molotov cocktail explode in her veins.
Goenitz's eyes re-opened, back to a more appropriate, sadistic face. "In her final moment, she looked to the skies and cried to a false god, begging to see you one last time. I cut her heathen life short right then and there."
Chizuru tried to be strong. She always prided herself a strong presentation in public, never one to show great emotion. But the words wounded too deep... she failed to contain the tears as they broke free of the dam and drizzled down her cheeks. This didn't stop the ferocity from breaking through either, however, and she responded by activating the power of the Yata Mirror, spawning clones that spread out in a wide line, five total. Each one carried the same expression, a reflection of Chizuru's rage, and innate desire to make him disappear... for good.
They rushed all at once, and the battle had officially begun. Goenitz extended his hand in turn, sending out a wave of wind sickles, spreading a wide berth. Most of the mirror clones dodged them, but two were stuck, crying out in pain as they vanished. The other three closed in on Goenitz, and the unholy priest readied another attack, but by the time he aimed his palm, Chizuru #1 knocked his hand off-track and tried to counter with a palm. Goenitz caught her wrist with his other hand, but he was wise to Chizuru #2 coming at him from the left, and he was successful the second time with a wind blast that ruptured her midsection and vaporized her. The Chizuru in his grasp still had a free hand, and she drilled it into his stomach, before bringing it upwards to backhand him across the jaw. Goenitz grunted, and finally ended her as well.
Chizuru #3 - the real one - was neglected, and Goenitz paid the price, as he didn't have time to bring his hand forward before she seized the arm and wrenched it backwards... and she screamed as her palms started raining into his face, backing him up step by step by step... it wasn't until she swung for a forth time, that Goenitz's body vanished with a gust, and he appeared several yards away. With a growl, he raised his hand and called down his rending whirlwind, zeroing on Chizuru, who had only a split second to leap away... but his Yonokaze was too fast, and the Yata Maiden yelped in pain as she felt herself partially caught by the effects.
"Ha ha ha ha..." Goenitz taunted. "Your sister was no match for me in single combat. What makes you think you fare any better?"
Chizuru looked down at herself; she was already wearing the effects of Goenitz's wind power. Her top had been shredded from the collar to left shoulder, the sleeve in tatters, and fine red cuts trickling down her arm. Her left pant leg was partially torn as well, and she could feel a laceration gnawing there too... she knew she couldn't afford to get zoned out; she'd have to be more elusive, use more and more doubles to get close.
She tensed up; his hand was raising again! Knowing an inevitable Yonokaze was coming down, she switched bodies with a clone and darted forward as fast as her legs could take her, hearing the Fake Chizuru die behind her.
Goenitz laughed as he flicked his wrist, sending out wind sickles, one, by one, by one... Chizuru was able to dodge the first two, but the trajectory of the third one would have sliced her leg, so she switched bodies once again and vaulted off the shoulders of the Fake Chizuru, FLYING at Goenitz with an aerial assault. The evil priest looked up with a grimace and snapped his fingers, attempting a swarm of wind sickles, but it was too late, and Chizuru nailed him to the face with a flying kick, sending his wind sickles into the clouds above.
Goenitz took the hit and rolled with the momentum, springing back to his feet. He tried to meet Chizuru coming in with a swipe of his deadly talons, but Chizuru caught his wrist and twisted the arm, holding it in place. Goenitz used his free hand to swipe at her, going towards her head, then her body... she dodged the high and sucked in to avoid the low, but his persistent fingers went back upstairs a third time... she ducked this one and switched places with a clone, leaving her with the freedom to slam a palm into his jaw. This set up the mirror clone, who was still holding his wrist, to sling the arm and distribute his weight against him, flipping him onto his back.
The Fake Chizuru tried to ground n' pound him, but Goenitz ever-casually flicked his wrist, sending a wind sickle through her chest that ended her life right then. He tried to aim low at the real Chizuru and clip her ankles with a wind sickle, but she leaped back to dodge it, unfortunately granting him the space to levitate back to his feet. He met her with a fierce comeback, sending concentrated air blasts in her direction, like a cannon. She switched bodies, clone after clone dying behind her... but she was failing to get closer.
Finally desperate, she stood perfectly still, and allowed the next air blast to nail her in the face... at the PRECISE moment of impact, Chizuru switched bodies again, barrel-rolling forward, and she launched a Yata clone forward to dive at Goenitz's ankles.
"Hng?!" Goenitz's found his feet bound, unable to move with the same freedom as a second ago. He looked up and saw three Chizuru's coming at him!
"Insolent wench!" he unleashed another Yonokaze, ripping through one of the Chizurus and stumbling a second one... the third one came flying into his face with a palm, but he caught her by the neck.
"Ghhkg?!"
With sadistic glee, he raised her up, and summoned a tornado at her feet, that shot upwards and ripped through her... leaving nothing left. He still had enough time, even after that, to send a wind sickle flying towards the real Chizuru, who had to hurdle and flop to the ground just to dodge it. This gave Goenitz enough time to snatch the Chizuru holding his ankles up by her hair... and he rammed his fingers through her chest, ending her.
He mismanaged him time, however; by the time he turned his attention back to the real Chizuru, he failed to swing his hand in time, and she caught his arm and drilled him to the ribs with a sharp palm. To avoid even having to delay another attack, she switched bodies right then, and caught him with a solid hook to the jaw; the fake Chizuru was then afforded a follow up hit, blasting him in the nose.
Goenitz growled with annoyance as he swung his hand, slicing through the left Chizuru with his fingers; she cried out and disappeared. The real Chizuru tried to swing on him, but he again vanished in a puff of air and teleported behind her, kicking her in the back... and he sent a wind sickle flying at her, attempting to end her.
"AAAAhhhhh!" Chizuru yelped in pain as she attempted to sidestep the attack... but she wasn't fast enough, and she felt it cut through her side. She felt blood quickly pool to the surface and flow over; she didn't dare look down to check it. Nor did she have time... she spun around, and saw Goenitz grin evilly, raising his hand upwards again...
She dived with all her might, but the Yokozona nearly caught her fully, enough to rattle her and send her into a painful tumble through the dirt. Pain was wracking her, head to toe at this point... she had to wonder if she was even having an effect on Goenitz with her hits, as he was incapable of bleeding or showing marks, while she was bleeding all over, dirty, hair messed up, clothes torn. She looked a mess. Keeping up appearances had always been a symbol of strength and confidence for her... right now, she couldn't have looked or felt more down.
Yashiro's every blow reflected the unquenchable rage inside him: a misguided, directionless hatred. He swung wild, looping hooks, each one backing Iori up, despite the redhead effectively bouncing them off his arms. He kept them tucked tight to his body, absorbing the brunt of the power... but he was taking a pounding. He had to regain some respect.
Yashiro finally ripped to the body with a hook and tried to come up high with a roundhouse: this major exertion caused him to stumble off balance when Iori blocked it, and the redhead responded with a spinning backfist that nailed him sharp to the nose. He followed up with a fierce kick to the midsection, leading with the tip of his shoe, and Yashiro hunched over, feeling the effects.
Iori cocked back and tried to nail him with a hook... Yashiro caught the wrist, and golden streams glistened through his body, his strength fueled by the Earth beneath his feet, allowing him to lift Iori with one-handed ease, and slam him.
"Unff! Damn...!"
Yashiro lifted him again; one more, he slammed Iori like a salmon on a dock. He tried to lift Iori a THIRD time... desperate strength kicked in for Iori, who grabbed the back of his head and jerked him downwards, breaking his base, and bringing them both to the ground. Iori was able to completely roll with the momentum, achieving a mounted position that was only able to enjoy for a second, before Yashiro powered him off and the two scrambled in the dirt, engaging in a war of position.
Once grounded, Iori gained a bit more of an advantage, backfisting him in the nose, and, in the ensuing struggle, pivoting his leg outward and taking out Yashiro's ankle. The two ultimately returned to their feet, and Yashiro met him first, with an uppercut that Iori only partially blocked.
Iori was seeing a few stars, but he was coherent enough to see Yashiro cock his right hand back and prepare to swing...
...But the attack never came. Yashiro suddenly cried out in pain and broke the attack, clutching the arm he had just intended to swing. Iori looked closer, and saw the culprit: a thrown knife, lodged into Yashiro's arm the moment he'd intended to punch.
Iori didn't waste time to question it. He gathered flames into his fist and lunged with a pump kick, burying into Yashiro's gut, and setting him up for a flame-fueled punch to the face that exploded like a firecracker, sending Yashiro flying backwards several yards into the dirt.
Iori started forward to try and press the advantage... when a mysterious hand came out of nowhere, slapping him on the shoulder.
"Attaboy Yagami!" he grinned. "Jab with the left, stick with the right!"
Recognizing the unpleasant company, Iori quickly shoved him away in repulsion. "Get AWAY from me! Get lost, before I kill you too!"
Yamazaki recoiled back with a sheepish grin. "H-hey, I'm fightin' for my life here too, sport! God forbid you and Kagura end up losing and leave me hanging out to dry- oh ballsacks."
WHOOOSH!
Yamazaki's monologuing didn't often cost him, but this time it did... right where he was standing ended up being the path of a stray wind blast, and the yapping thug only had time to utter a crude curse word before it hit him in the chest and sent him ROCKETING off into the distance, well within the confines of the crumbling Stadium. Needless to say, not a tear was shed.
Chizuru was struggling to gain ground against Goenitz, who easily commanded the range with a steady stream of wind blasts. The Yata Maiden was almost completely on the defensive, forced to switch bodies constantly in order to take the hits, reduced to near-nil forward progress.
Knowing there had to be a change, she charged forward with all her might; Goenitz snapped his fingers and and sent three wind sickles soaring towards her. She again switched bodies, leaping forward as the mirror image behind was skewered to death.
She repeated the strategy: going airborne, leaping at Goenitz until she finally was back in his face. The wind-conjurer actually lunged out to meet her, taking a deep swipe with slashing talons. Chizuru ducked the first one, and Goenitz came back the other way with a follow-up. She had no way to dodge this one, thus was forced to let a clone take the hit, but this freed up the real Chizuru to swing her arms like graceful wings, catching Goenitz twice in the face, before spinning around to complete the combo with a straight palm. Goenitz recoiled... but a nasty grin on his face implied the hits didn't faze him.
Chizuru rushed in again; Goenitz flicked his wrist and a point-blank wind sickle sliced through her, Chizuru just barely switching in time. She tried to swing her arm forward, but he caught her wrist. Thinking he was going to punish, Chizuru switched bodies... but he surprised her by jerking the arm of the now-fake in his grasp, stumbling her behind him.
Chizuru didn't know what to think; fooled into believing Goenitz was wide open, she rushed forward... right into his waiting hand, grasping her neck.
"Ghhhkgg?!"
Goenitz was deadly with both hands at the same time; one snapping fingers to send a flurry of wind sickles through the body of the Right Chizuru. The Left, neck in his grasp, met a worse fate...
"Ghh... gghk..." It was hard to concentrate, being choked... but she knew she was dead if she didn't switch. She focused her mind... just before Goenitz got that evil glint in his eye, she was able to switch out, tumbling to the ground, a fake Chizuru in place to suffer the fate.
Goenitz cackled as he squeezed her neck with sadistic glee; enjoying her strained gasps, before activating a tornado, whipping from the ground up and rending the life from her. Chizuru could only wince at the pained squeal from the astral projection, before she ceased to be.
The fatigue was nearly dragging her down. The constant movement, the mental strain of working the Yata Mirror overtime... and there HE he stood, that same cocky, self-righteous, holier-than-thou grin on his face. He looked completely fresh, compared to her heavy breathing, messed up hair, tattered clothes, blood drizzling from lacerations. It was a struggle, both physically and confidence-wise, to even rise back from the dirt she lay...
"Futile efforts." Goenitz taunted his downed nemesis, looking down on her. "A heathen witch like you is no match for my power.. for He is my shield and sword, to defend against the corrupt, and smite the wicked. You stand no chance, because your false beliefs bring you phony strength."
Chizuru groaned, still struggling back to her feet. Goenitz smiled wider at the sight of her plight, and pushed even further in his taunts; bringing his hands to his sides, spreading them out, like a holy statue... and his eyes glowed blue.
"This... THIS IS REAL POWER!"
WHOOOOOOOOOOSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
A trio of tornadoes spawned all around him, orbiting his being, for no other reason than a flaunting of strength, a demonstration of the unholy wind power at his command. They ripped up the ground around him, grass and dirt and solid chunks of debris, both natural and artificial, floating around in a disatrous amalgamation.
"Y...y... you..."
Goenitz's smugness turned to puzzlement, as the woman whose spirit seemed all but broken started to work her way back up: fists clenching, hoisting her up for support, to allow one knee... then two...
He ceased his display, the enjoyment sinking from his face gradually, the more she struggled back to her feet...
...Until he was full-on frowning, as the Yata Maiden had returned, standing tall, despite her shakiness.
"You're the fake." Chizuru spat. "You're a false prophet to an abomination of nature and humanity. You think you're holy... but you're just a heretic and a FREAK."
Goenitz's face, for perhaps the first time... TWISTED with anger, as if her words had stabbed him directly. "You... blasphemous... WHORE! Damned are the ones who defile His name... you will know He is the One True God, as I strike down you and the rest of your pathetic human race! You will soon learn... His Will is POWER! UNSTOPPABLE POWER! AND I AM THE ONE WHO CARRIES HIS WILL! I CARRY THAT POWER! I AM BESEECHED TO CARRY OUT THE WILL OF GOD! NOW... die."
Chizuru glowed with a bright light, her body awash in a sacred shine, more pure and holy than that which Goenitz claimed was the truth... she closed her eyes, and whispered these words:
"Maki... grant me your strength."
Goenitz's eyes widened as Chizuru's body became awash in white, becoming just an outline...
...and suddenly became TWO outlines.
The white light faded... and there stood before Goenitz two identical-looking Yata Maidens, one in white, and one in blue.
"Ready, sister?" Chizuru smiled to the figure beside her.
The figure smiled back. "Let's get him, sister."
Goenitz's eye twitched with fury, his lips curling with an ugly snarl... before eerily returning to the same cocky, deceivingly docile grin.
NEXT CHAPTER: The Wind Priest might have bitten off more than he can chew, as a pissed off Chizuru has now called on the help of a certain someone... will she prove that two heads are better than one? FIND OUT NEXT TIME!
But before you go anywhere, it's time to check in on a certain bald kingpin... keep scrolling down for a BONUS SCENE you don't want to miss! Seriously, it's pretty important.
BONUS SCENE
BACK INSIDE THE STADIUM INTERIOR...
Mr. Big held his own in the grudge match of the ages: a handicap match, at that. He could handle the likes of Yuri, but when it came to Ryo, he was generally unable to best him 1-on-1. The only thing keeping him in this fight was a drive: a roaring fire in the criminal lord's blood, very seldom felt, often lost in the spectacle of fancy cigars, expensive clothes, and easy women. He felt his blood pump in a way that brought him back to a purer time: back in the underground stick-fighting circles. He still had those days in him... he could still do this.
He crossed both sticks to absorb the massive force of Ryo's thunderous roundhouse, then had to quickly break one off to block a kick from the sister. Foot met wood, and he sharply redirected downwards, toppling Yuri to the ground and prompting her into a recovery roll, giving him enough time to prepare for a Ryo combination that came barreling forward. His hand speed let him block the 1-2 that went high, but Ryo stayed aggressive with a front kick that Big managed to barely slap away, and Ryo persistently dug lower with a leg kick. Big was forced to drastically dip low to block it, and it threw him off balance, forcing him into a roll to regain balance... but Yuri came in from the other side, launching a "RAIOKEN!"
Big continued his roll-heavy evasion. Ryo tried to catch him coming in with a spinning hook kick, and Big rolled again under the grandiose attack, swinging his stick and taking out the back knee of Ryo's stationary leg.
He cackled as he combined his sticks into one, and raised it up... like a fishing spear, he brought it slamming down on Ryo's stomach, sapping the proud Sakazaki's wind and leaving him writing. He couldn't help but afford himself a moment to relish in Ryo's suffering.
"Haaaaaah!" Yuri came forward with angry volume, throwing a Kouken to set up her close range attack. Big snuffed the pink fireball out, but the distraction allowed Yuri to come flying in with her patented Butt Bash; the kingpin cursed as the PAWG nearly knocked him off his feet, despite blocking it.
Yuri pressed on, firing a straight to the body and curving high with a knifehand. Big continued to just barely block them, but her onslaught carried her momentum forward and she backed him up again with a spinning back kick. Big's defense remained perfect, but they were wearing him down with pressure...
...He cursed. Ryo was back up, and closing fast.
"BLASTER!" he shot a projectile at Ryo's feet, but this cost him a hit, as Yuri cracked his jaw with a straight left. He rolled backwards, just to get her guessing, and she tried to nail him with a round kick; he blocked high with one stick, catching her ankle, and spun around low, clipping her stationary foot out with the other stick and sending her into a hard crash.
"HIEN SHIPPU KYAKU!" He had no way of defending himself in time, and Ryo's flying special knocked him on his ass. Big's butt skidded backwards, and rather than pursue, Ryo took the time to help Yuri up to her feet: a smart move, that made it a proper 2-on-1 again.
Big grit his teeth, sticks crossed and high, watching the two slowly stalk forward... they were splitting, spreading wide, trying to subtly surround him.
Big had no choice but to go hard. He calculated which was the easiest to hit first, and launched forward; Yuri was the recipient of his Cross Dive, unable to stop his full weight crashing into her like a human torpedo. He rolled through, and by the time he looked up, Ryo's axe kick was coming down on his his head. He crossed his sticks overhead to block it, stopping the foot just centimeters from his dome, and shoved upwards with all his might to try and trip Ryo up. The Karateka didn't lose his balance, able to return his foot to the ground and shuffle backwards on the balls of his feet, resetting. He fired his own Kouken, again just a setup to get closer; by the time Big blocked the blue fireball, Ryo came flying at him with a massive kick that blasted through his guard and sent him again into a backwards roll to recover.
As he sprang to his feet, the disadvantage was quickly catching up; Yuri drilled his stomach with a body kick, and Big felt that one harder than the rest. He parried a straight right and spun around with a strike to her temple, not dropping her but stumbling her backwards. Ryo came in with a huge body punch, sinking into his midsection... and Big was officially hurting big time, and on the retreat. Ryo aimed his foot to the ribs, and caught him on the very tail end of his backwards shuffle. After three massive body shots, Big was approaching puke territory.
Their attacks kept coming, his defense more and more weathered. Ryo's fist came soaring straight; Big brought his stick in with perfect timing and sent Ryo's wrist off-track, and punished him with a swift body blow to head strike. Ryo took the stick between his eyes, and he stumbled back, blinking uncomfortably, giving Big enough time to deal with Yuri. He tried to take her head off with a wide swipe, but the short girl easily ducked it, forcing him to mix it up with a vertical strike...to his surprise, she caught his wrist, and more surprisingly, she flopped to the ground, taking his arm with her. Yuri's feet locked around the appendage, and she completed a throw of the much larger man, over her head and into a harsh tumble that cost him his sticks.
"Shit...!" he tried to scramble for his weapons... but they were in his eyesight for only a split second, before darkness took him, and his sense of feel took over. He felt a warm, soft, big, but traumatic blunt force slam into his face, and he could only surmise Yuri had nailed him clean with her ridiculous ass.
To add insult to the move, Yuri followed through with the motion, allowing herself to collapse on top of Big's face, now smothering him with her rear. She called out to her brother.
"HIT HIM, RYO!"
No sense of etiquette, Big grabbed two handfuls and forcefully pried Yuri off... but by the time he threw her aside, Ryo had already came down on him with a downwards fist, continuing the nasty work they had done to his body by sapping his wind, and forcing the contents of his stomach into his throat.
"GUUURgghlll...!"
Big only had time to roll over and expel his stomach acid, before Ryo snatched him up by his pimp coat, spun him around... and showed no mercy. A punishing left to the ribs sent Big scampering backwards vainly. He dug his leg hard into the calf, buckling the bald kingpin... but he didn't allow him the luxury of going down, as a huge uppercut knocked Big's chin upwards and sent his feet into a wild dance that spun him around...
...Right into the waiting hands of Yuri, who cocked back and slapped him so hard, his lip split and instantly began drizzling red. Her hand went back the other way... his head spun, and a stream of spit and blood flew through the air with impressive distance. To complete the torment, she fired a knee into his groin, and the kingpin, who was already hurting badly to the stomach... now felt like curling into a fetal position and crying.
...He didn't CRY, but he did indeed fall into said position, completely defeated.
Yuri went for the sticks, picking them up, and tossing them down the hallway. Big officially had no tools, no means of possibly fighting back, or getting out of this situation. His only fate was to lay there, curled up in a defenseless ball, as the family who had plagued him for so long... once again achieved victory against him.
"If you think you're getting off that easy, Big..." Ryo started.
"You've got another thing coming!" Yuri finished.
"You're gonna pay for everything! All your sins! All the times you hurt our family!"
"Right here and now!"
Ryo glowed blue; Yuri pink. They both performed the motions in perfect sync, drawing their hands back, allowing their chi to gather into a mighty force.
"HAOOOHHHHH..."
"HAOOOHHHHH...!"
Big closed his eyes, preparing himself to be blasted to oblivion. Did he have regrets? Nah. He had a good run, all things considered. Nobody could say he didn't take it all the way, and then some. Lesser men would have quit after the first defeat; ESPECIALLY after the second defeat. The third defeat? Pure lunacy. But he was still here... he still tried to see it through.
A content smile washed over Big, as he prepared to meet his mak-
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
A humongous crash popped Big's eyes back open. He shot upwards, rubbing his eyes, scanning the environment for signs of the culprit.
"Huh? What the...?!"
...What was once a ceiling above their heads, had apparently given out from some unseen circumstances. Maybe the loud noises happening outside? Regardless, that wasn't even the most interesting part...
...What REALLY caught Big's eye was what resided underneath the wreckage of the roof collapsing: two groaning bodies. One big, one small. His Kyokugen nemeses.
"I... I...?!"
It was a struggle to even get the words out, they were so unbelievable on his lips. What was, seconds before, a beaten-down, defeated man, on the brink, accepting his fate... was now a man revitalized, his vigor coursing through him, giving him a zeal that made him want to do somersaults where he stood, even with an aching body.
He couldn't contain himself anymore. The words burst from his smiling lips, with triumphant laughter.
"OH MY GOD! HAHAHAHA! I WON! I WON! OH FUCK YEAH! MR. BIG BY KNOCKOUT, BITCHES! SUCK MY BIG, LONG, COMBINED STICK! HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Grasping the key in his hand, he planted a kiss on it, and merrily strolled to the door, which behind it, contained a padlocked security box which held the contents of the King of Fighters Twilight Tournament prize: probably a gold trophy, and, more importantly to his interests, 2.5 million dollars.
His hand quivered with excitement as it approached the door... touching down and turning the knob.
"Now to collect my fee and get the hell out of... oh. Shit."
Big's "glorious" victory was pathetically short-lived.
The last thing he saw as a conscious man was Silber's fist soaring into him.
