WOW! Ok. I wasn't going to do this, but after seeing the Nintendo conference with that ULTIMATE news, I'm in total shock and my body is reggie for December! (Huge Smash Fan if you haven't noticed)
Since I'm still recovering from the hype, I'd like to say that this story is almost done. Well, it's about 70% done at least.
Thank you so much for reading, whether it be just one person, ten people, a hundred people, or even a thousand. Thank you oh so very much for giving me a reason to have ambition in a something that just started out as a fun hobby! Enjoy the chapter, and one last thing...Anyone going to main the Inklings?
"You're a strong one, Saya-san..." Eiichi said out of breath as his entire body drags backwards, his feet leaving a long trail. His pants were slightly ripped, sandals broken, and his socks were also torn. His upper body had lost its armor and instead became covered in scratches; the marks were none other than Saya's blade!
Their match had only gone on for a few minutes and already Saya was in domination of the match. From the opening whistle, Saya didn't hold back as she continuously pursued him and closed off any opening for him to perform his ninja arts. Although she was young, she was just as experienced in combat as him, and adding her youth and ferocity, he had no chance. Saya had inflicted plenty of scratches but not yet killed him for she still had something left to do. She knew Norh was watching…
"Eiichi-san…? As you can tell, this match is over. Please leave, immediately." She said with his sword in hand and gripped, knowing what his response was.
Eiichi shook his head in refusal, "I have my pride, child. I won't give up so easily!" he yelled, disappearing and leaving a smokescreen. Saya's eyes immediately went all over the place as she followed his movements, quickly raising her weapon and with a quick slash...blood splattered across the floor. Saya stood still as a body came crashing from midair and hit the ground with a thud.
"Surrender before I take something away that is precious to you…" she said while pointing her blade at the nearly immobilized ninja; she managed to predict his movement and deliver a deep wound, a cut so deep that any further and she would've punctured his kidney.
"D-damn…" he grimaced as blood leaked out, his efforts to clog it with his hands were futile.
"Then...die."
Her figure disappeared, and before he knew it-a drop shadow was on top of him. As he looked up at the black shadow, her blade was in a stabbing position looking to impale him further. But Eiichi wasn't done yet as he rolled the quickly while still holding his wound, looking at the cloud of dust that resulted from Saya's impact on the ground, he saw her shadow in the screen of dust and quickly she emerged and charged at him with her top speed; he needed to get up to his feet pronto! Saya's movements were swift and polished, that much he knew when he suffered the hits he did as quickly as they occurred. But before he could recover himself, three more figures of Saya appeared out of thin air in addition to the one already charging at him. Whether it was because of the immediate blood loss or something else, he now saw Saya in four separate bodies. With trembling eyes, he knew he couldn't recover in time to get to his feet and instead put his heart one final attack. Grabbing a kunai, he casted a magic that turned it into an explosion. Once it connected with a surface, it'd explode and allow him to conceal his presence enough for him to either recover or apply a temporary magic that'd let him bear through the pain. Unfortunately, he never got the chance to throw the kunai, for of the four attackers that came at him, they were nothing but a mirage, only an illusion that distracted him from the real Saya-who had her boot deep into his gut, and like a professional soccer player-punted him high into the air; Eiichi dropped the kunai, but it didn't explode due to not having the magic casted.
"I warned you…" Saya mutters under her breath before leaping into the air to pile the damage onto Eiichi. Meeting his helpless body in midair, Saya turns her katana to the blunt side and delivers a powerful smack to his face, knocking him unconscious and sending him out of bounds to end the match. She won, and in convincing style. The crowd erupts with cheers after her performance. She came in as one of the crowd favorites but after such a performance, many were deciding her as one of the final four that'd make it to the semifinals. Others questioned why she didn't kill the man, but little did they know it wasn't out of mercy, but out of consideration for her friend Norh in the stands watching the match. Saya knew Norh would be upset if she killed someone without any meaning.
"I told you something would die...your pride." she said with disappointment under her breath as she sheathed her blade, closing her eyes and giving a bow to the cheering audience around her.
Norh wanted to cheer for Saya's victory but felt horrible about how Saya went about that fight. She knew Saya didn't usually fight that way and could've easily ended the fight much sooner without severely injuring him, but instead she along and crushed that poor ninja's pride. As that match met its end, Kagetoki's match was going quite the opposite. Kagetoki was struggling against Risa Shizuku, leader of the Shizuku clan. As he makes another stepback in after dodging a series of explosions, Kagetoki realizes that the luck of his draw was quite the opposite-the lady he matched with was none other than a monster. Risa laughs maniacally as she uses her projectiles to keep the young samurai at a distance. Minutes had passed by since his little sister's victory, and yet here he was struggling to pull his own weight. His match wasn't the only one going on as the battle between Jengai and Anatsuki was still ongoing as well as the battle between Isabella and Arokei. The spotlights in the arena began to shine on the battlefield as evening approached Osuma. Miyamoto and his recon team were still viewing the matches from their vents since it turned out the room they were in was none other than the security room, meaning it was filled with plenty of strong warriors that they'd have to contain it that room alone-if a single soul escaped there, the plan would be ruined! Outside the arena, all teams were gathered and hid around watching the security that manned the outside. The plan was to interrupt the finals, but now that the business end of the selection was finally on, everyone was growing restless as they listened to the commentary from outside the arena. Squidcom sat close together in some shrubbery with their team captain Azule, Tangie, and Simone, a few steps ahead even smaller bushes; the trio were studying the guards' movement patterns, watching how far they'd walk out and around the area before returning to a designated post. They were trying their best to concentrate, but the sounds from inside the arena were proving too much a distraction...
The stadium was erupting in response to how the matches were playing out with each fight looking to be on its way to ending-and quickly! The showdown between Jengai and Anatsuki was anything but a drag as both fighters had something on the line in this competition. Jengai sat as one of the three biggest samurai prodigies in the world and had chosen to represent his household in the hopes of ending the Tokugawa rule and establishing a new sovereignty of the underworld, while on the opposite side was Anatsuki Maekona-leader of the Maekona clan of shinobi. Maekona shared similar views with her peers in the Zukuri alliance and therefore made this tournament a special effort to bring the change that she-along with her fellow clan leaders-could promise to the loyal people of Ikayumu. Maekona sat as the experienced fighter who fought with honor and usually didn't play dirty, however it was that honorable personality that was proving to be her flaw as she found herself in an uphill battle against the young prodigy of the Tsuyano household.
"Tch…" Jengai hissed as his blade missed its mark yet again; Anatsuki's head on battle tactics were backfiring against the young samurai.
Their battle had initially started out being an even one with Anatsuki even gaining the upper hand at numerous occasions. The flashy attacks of Jengai and his seishun powa against the impressive tactics of the skilled kunoichi became a spectacle for the audience as people found themselves struggling to pick a side to root for due to how exciting both sides were to watch. The match stayed even until Jengai had his extrasensory moment. What brought this moment along? It all started when the kunoichi was in a dominant position of the match while Jengai had to play on the defensive in predicting her attacks and calculating the best measure to dodge them-he couldn't block her attacks since they were simply too powerful. However, Jengai kept a keen eye and eventually figured out the reason for her impressively powerful attacks despite the speed necessary to render him unable to counter. It was then that he realized the woman before him did not desire his blood and was simply trying to get him out of bounds as soon as possible; Jengai was enraged by her tactics and dissected how to defuse her attacks. Sacrificing that speed for power meant she ate up about a solid trio of seconds, using that small amount of time to jump from one place to another to stay mobile and avoid the attack. That was all Jengai needed to exploit and turn the match around...and it worked immensely.
Now Anatsuki was on the defensive, unable to hit him with a counter. When they engaged in close combat, Jengai clearly outmatched her with his raw power and seishun powa ability; this led her to have to keep as much distance and use her long-range attacks to her advantage, but even that didn't prove to do as much damaged as she'd like since he was perceptive enough to dodge them and even predict which directions she'd fire her blasts from. Anatsuki was growing restless, her body covered in dust from the marble battleground. Jengai charges at her once again, his arm winding across his body as though to unleash another attack; the direction he was coming from sealed off any escape routes for the Maekona leader. She had to respond somehow. The numbers were stacked in the Zukuri alliance's favor with 9/16 competitors being them, and that advantage needed to be maintained. Anatsuki's mind raced as she got desperate on a counterattack and instead, she met him head-on and threw caution to the wind. Throwing a right hook to his jaw before he could take her head off, she punched him so hard he dropped his weapon!
Time started to slow down for Jengai as his body registered the painful punch, his body glowing a green hue as his eyes located his falling blade. Sticking out his hand, the blade magically returned to him before he could even stagger; Maekona's instincts detected the strange phenomenon and immediately she fell back to try and make sense of what she just saw. But she a moment too late…
"Too slow…!" Jengai said in a deep and angry tone, his eyes shining a light green with a glint of light as he matched the retreating kunoichi's speed, giving a powerful strike to her face with the dull end of his blade and knocking her out of the ring.
This match was over. Jengai of the Tsuyano advanced to the next round. As he stared down his reeling opponent who was just coming to realization that she'd been defeated by way of knockout, he looks over to the next match still going on within his bracket. It was the match between Isabella Oujima and Arokei Chihiro. The battle was still raging on as one of the most powerful kunoichi in all the land was showing up on the young samurai prodigy. The bright lights on the big stage were proving to be too huge of a spectacle for him to handle as the pressure of the selection's history started to weigh down on his shoulders. Cobalt was watching, Jengai just won his match, and all the other competitors were watching him under a microscope. If he was going to pull through and make it to the next round, the road would only get tougher. While his thoughts were all over the place, Oujima's thoughts were as simple as possible: defeat the opponent before her. Isabella Oujima's style of fighting was among the most polished of ninjas with a flexibility and adaptiveness that allowed her to compete in nearly any type of environment, and unlike her opponent, she didn't shrink under the spotlight.
"Face me, young one!" the prideful kunoichi yelled with irritation at the prolonging nature of this match. She had to win under all means after hearing on the sound speaker that Maekona fell to the likes of Jengai, the boy who she'd face in the next round if she could win this one. Twirling a kunai in one hand and a triplet of shuriken in the other, she takes a giant leap in the air and throws them all at the ground surrounding the corners of the ring. Arokei didn't have a clue what she was planning, but he had an uncomfortable feeling that this wasn't going to end well. Isabella then unsheathes her katana blade that rested on her back, and in the blink of an eye, Arokei found himself in a struggling position to defend. Her speed increased tenfold from what he was already fighting…
"C-could it be that what you did just now…?"
Isabella narrowed her eyes at the struggling boy, "This battle was decided from the moment you couldn't land a definitive strike on me. You have nowhere to go…" She said as she began to overpower Arokei and forced him to the ground. Without any strength to fight back against the powerful Isabella, she uttered one final set of words that ended that match once she spoke them: "Eight Oujima Finishing Technique: Fool's Electrocution."
Electricity sparked from the single kunai and spread to the other three shuriken, covering the perimeter of the ring with purple streaks of electricity. Arokei's eyes trembled with fear as Isabella pinned him to the ground with another set of kunai that she drew out, throwing them at his clothes to keep him locked down at point blank range. She was looking to kill him. The audience was shocked by the sudden change in Oujima's demeanor from simply controlling the match to now trying to kill her opponent. Some people disagreed with her decision to kill one of the brightest stars for the future of Ikayumu, but at the same time many others thought that Arokei's position was his own doing for not being strong enough to defeat a worthy opponent like Oujima. As Oujima stared down the boy she had a glimmer of light in her eyes, getting away from him and staring him down.
"If you're able to survive this attack, I applaud you for having the resilience to overcome the watts that'll strike your body to the core…" she said as she backed away, creating a smokescreen afterwards.
In a split second, Arokei felt a powerful surge of electricity through his body like a million volts through the circulation of a wire. His body twitches uncontrollably as his vision becomes a blur, hearing only the zaps that were frying his skin and the gasp of horror from the audience who felt revolted by the sight of his electrocution. Arokei's face was turning charcoal as his veins and arteries began to protrude all over his body, his teeth clenched as well. Clenching his fists, he struggled to keep his eyes open from the unimaginable pain, but his will wouldn't waver. He knew he had to hang on and somehow overcome this obstacle by any means necessary.
"I-I-I-I w-won't f-falter!" he shouted as his body's inside began to rupture; Isabella became impressed by his resiliency.
Usually the receivers of the Isabella Oujima's finishing technique would either die immediately as the shock entered their body or die shortly afterwards with the trauma setting in and being too great to overcome. And yet...this boy was still fighting the pain. It was fascinating to watch a young talent that claimed the name of a prodigy knock on death's door only to stop after the first knock and turn their back to the black wooden door in pursuit of the white light of life. Arokei's body shivered as he rose to his feet, staggering greatly like a towering tree about to fall over. He could barely keep his head on-much less lift his gaze to see the impressed Isabella who now had a reason to bare her fangs. This boy was it. He was the real deal, from his grinding teeth that looked to produce sparks on their own, to the raging fists that were shaking as though holding pack tons of power, to his determined glare filled with plenty of fight. Well, that was-until…
Twomp…
He fell over. His hair charred, and his skin darkened to a greyish hue. He lands face first into the marble. It was clear that he was unconscious, but even so, he earned her respect. He was the first to not die on her, and he even had life left in his eyes. Even though she managed to win, she couldn't help but feel like she lost based on how he reacted. Whether he liked it or not, he captured her attention as a capable fighter and proved to her-along with the rest of the world-that he was worth every bit the name of his title as one of the top prodigies. Meanwhile, another upset occurred with the third seed-Kagetoki getting defeated by Risa of the Shizuka clan. Everyone was shocked by the defeat after having been drawn to Jengai and Isabella's matches that there was still one to be completed. Teitsu didn't react and instead shook his head in disappointment at his second eldest son. Kenji, the oldest, could only focus his attention on the victor and study the method of how she was able to defeat him. For him, he found it strange that so many ninjas were competing in this tournament and they all seemed to know how to combat against the samurai quite well. Could it be that this was deeper than just the surface? Could it be possible that something was up? It seemed rather strange that enemies and rivals of his late uncle were suddenly showing up here and competing.
"Something big is about to happen, isn't it?" he said to himself under his breath as he prepared to enter the stage for his match.
After four matches were completed, Saya, Risa, Jengai, and Isabella had advanced to the quarterfinals in their brackets. The next string of matches was to take place, but none would gather more attention than the highly anticipated battle of Cobalt and Iono. Leading the next list of fights, Cobalt and Iono entered onto the stage with warriors prepared. The audience in the stands couldn't hold back the excitement as the history of the Zukuri and Tokugawa clan went way back. As one commentator on TV described this match, it was going to be a battle of destiny. As they approached each other onto the battlefield, Cobalt kept his awareness up and made mental notes about his opponent. He didn't seem to carry too many weapons, but it was obvious that the ninja wasn't without anything. Cobalt came prepared for battle, bringing in three swords-he had two at his waist: one regular blade and then his signature carbon blade, and one tucked within his yukata in which he kept his hand placed in by his chest; likely this blade was the wooden one. Cobalt was dressed in a hybrid yukata that allowed for more free movement below the waist, wearing some baggy black pants instead and his hair in a topknot bun. Iono was also wearing the same outfit he wore during his conference meeting, but this time his biceps couldn't be contained. The arena was deafening along with the seismic pressure filling the room along with the unnatural calmness of the two opponents. Cobalt had to be careful, for this man was probably the most dangerous opponent he'd face yet.
Meanwhile, word got around to the kotari alliance of Cobalt's match about to begin, and immediately Azule and Tangie's complexion turned pale. The rest of Squidcom also felt anxious since they knew how Cobalt was when it came to combat. If the fight continued for too long, he'd start to lose control and go berserk. A grey cloud of uncertainty hovered over the unit, all it took was a beaming smile from Simone to reassure them that everything would be fine. Trust in their friend's strength.
"It is an honor to meet you, Zukuri-san." Cobalt said solemnly as he gave a bow; though he didn't know the man too well, he was aware that this was an opponent who he needed to treat as a worthy equal.
"Likewise, young Ao." Iono said with a hint of sarcasm. The air between them seemed to be stretching thin as they exchanged looks at one another awaiting the match to begin. "You know, I have been waiting for this day for a long time…" Iono said as he stretched his arms, his massive biceps quaking under his own pressure of flexing.
Cobalt raised his left brow and leaned his head back a bit, "Have you, now?"
"Yes. Tell me, does the Zukuri name not ring a bell to you? Surely you must be educated enough to know of the strongest ninja clan in all of Ikayumu."
Cobalt nodded and crossed his arms with remembrance, "Yes, I was wondering why I sensed some sort of familiarity with you, Zukuri-san. You have the same title as my family, only as the strongest among shinobi."
"Correct. I once was hailed as the most powerful ninja in Ikayumu and led the strongest clan of shinobi that this land has ever seen. I challenged your father to a test of strength between the Zukuri, Citra, and Tokugawa..."-he points his finger to the eyepatch- "As you can tell, your father left me a reminder of why he reigned over everyone as the strongest samurai and warrior. Hehehe." he laughed as he thought about the power Arosuke possessed. To a powerful man like Iono, losing something like an eye was meaningless when the person who took it away was heads and shoulders above the rest. "Your father was something…"
"My father took your eye…?" Cobalt echoed, slightly confused.
"You probably didn't get to see him in his prime since he became mellow when he found a woman to protect and settled down. Your father was an unreal monster who couldn't be defeated. The red eyes he had were those that nobody thought would return...and yet standing before me is his spawn with those same cursed eyes."
Cobalt rubbed his arm. This was beginning to feel awkward. Cobalt loved his father dearly and idolized him, but that didn't mean he liked to hear other people talk about him, especially an opponent he was about to face.
"I respected your father as if he was my own master. He was a man of discipline and honor, yet he showed he was still a man of humility whenever his family was brought into discussion. Your father-Arosuke, was a man I wished I could have been friends with if it weren't for our differences at the time." Cobalt went silent, sensing a different air engulfing the two of them, and quickly he drew his wooden blade from hist chest; it was coming. "However, when I heard of his death, my immediate thoughts went to you, his son who he loved so much; Cobalt's red eyes sharpened-sensing the malicious intent. "I must say, I can't wait to let you see him again..."
The whistle blew, and he vanished…
Cobalt's vision sharpened keenly with an intense red glow and immediately he jumped to the left and rolled, feeling a sharp wind graze his skin. An orange light hovered where the sharp cut came from, and soon appeared Iono with an orange aura. Cobalt's eyes widened. "Seishun powa…" he said under his breath as he rose to his feet, clutching his blade in hand. Cobalt remembered the different hues of the seishun powa, but one color that he wasn't used to seeing was orange, the close cousin of the power he had, which was red. Iono stared at Cobalt and shook his head. Simply dodging wouldn't do. He motioned his hand behind his back as though he were to draw a blade, but there was none. Cobalt wondered what this man was up to when suddenly he saw particles of orange seishun powa stick together to form a katana.
"A-amazing…!" Norh said to herself as she saw the strange phenomenon.
Iono was able to use his seishun powa ability to mold weapons on command, meaning that the reason he didn't have any weapons earlier was because he could create them manually! Bullets of sweat coldly trickles down Cobalt's face as he grips the hilt of his wooden blade, registering the terrifying opponent that awaited him eagerly. Swallowing a lump, Cobalt took a deep breath afterwards. He knew this road wasn't going to be easy, and he knew his chances of death were substantial, but he came here either way. He chose to leave his friends behind, to avoid his mother, to carry a burden. Remembering these things from his smiling friends back in Inkopolis to his peacefully asleep mother, Cobalt's eyes glowed a harsh scarlet with a glint of death. He was ready.
"Come on." He said in a deeper tone, gripping his blade so hard that veins protruded from his hand; Iono liked this side of Cobalt he was seeing, and he wasn't the only one. Everyone watching this match was liking this side of Cobalt with many people saying he looked even cooler than he already did, and many of the older folks including Iono and even Teitsu-though for a brief moment-saw Arosuke in those scarlet eyes.
"Now that's a face…!" Iono said with a pumped expression, rushing at Cobalt with a thunderous force of wind behind him; Cobalt's legs tighten as he holds his ground and with a big swing he aims for Iono's head!
CLANG!
Their blades connect with sparks flying everywhere! Cobalt met him head-on with a ferocious glare, unafraid of the towering opponent that was twice his size. Iono was enjoying this side to Cobalt, seeing that the young samurai had a determination that remind him of the Arosuke he battled those many years ago. As they exchange shots at one another, tearing shreds into the other's clothes, Iono demonstrates his agility as he does a backflip and throws out some shuriken at Cobalt, expecting him to dodge and plan a counterattack. But Cobalt doesn't dodge. Instead, Cobalt slices through the trio of shuriken and heads at Iono, taking a massive downward swing and sending out a crack in the air that released a punching of wind that knocked Iono out the air; the audience was stunned by Cobalt's aggression. Norh clasped her hands together in fear for Cobalt's safety after having never seen him in this state; Everyone else listening to the commentary couldn't help but have a mix of feelings about Simone's son. It was clear he was out matching Iono, but it also seemed like his way of fighting was more than just trying to win the match. Cobalt's intent seemed murderous.
Iono continued to grunt in response as each attack he connected proved worthless against the faster Cobalt, who seemed to read every single one of his moves. Cobalt takes a cut backwards and flicks his sword upward doing a bicycle kick on the hilt of the blade and sends the sword at Iono. Iono barely dodges as the blade scratches his face, summoning another blade with his abilities immediately, he plops out a pair of bombs made from his seishun powa and then some other trapping weapons. He read Cobalt's plan and put an immediate stop to the boy's attempt to swiftly end the match.
That boy is just like his damn father to every detail! Where in the world did he learn that trick of Arosuke's!?
The "trick" that Iono referred was the same attack Arosuke used to claim his eye in their battle. It was common knowledge that the Tokugawa always fought with unique style, some fighting with poise and composure, and others fighting with ruthless aggression and blood lust. Either way, each of the Tokugawa were hailed as battle geniuses with Arosuke sitting at the top. What Arosuke did was keep a close quarters combat against Iono, knowing Iono couldn't match his abilities if he had his blade in hand. Next, he read Iono's eyes and body language and predicted what he had in plan which was to pull off a trap that'd stun Arosuke for just a moment-enough to end the fight. Seeing that possibility, Arosuke took a huge step back and flicked his sword high into the air to catch the attention of Iono, Iono took the bait but wrongly miscalculated. Usually when an opponent did something like that, the goal was to make their victim focus on the weapon and forget about them for that moment, but Arosuke did it in differently in having them focus on the weapon so that he can charge up his attack and unleash it on the blade. Because their focus was too drawn on the danger of the weapon, they wouldn't have enough time to dodge or counterattack because as the blade was kicked, Arosuke would already be at the victim's gut ready to launch an uppercut to end the match. Knowing all of this, Iono still fell for the trick but instead of taking a punch to the gut, he took a stab to the heart.
The arena gasped, Norh gasped with widened eyes of shock, Saya's eyes narrowed, Teitsu clenched his teeth, and Simone-who along with the others had decided to sneak in after seeing security virtually disappear-eyes lowered with disappointment. Cobalt committed the first kill in the tournament, stabbing Iono Zukuri in the heart with his secondary blade. It was the reason why he carried three swords. He was ready to kill. As the blade stuck itself deep in Iono's chest, he was immobilized. Cobalt didn't kill him instantly, but there was no way that the aged shinobi would easily survive such a mortal wound, not to mention he couldn't pull any other moves to escape-Cobalt had him defenseless. The crowd went to somber silence in watching one of the most legendary of figures seem ready to fall as his blood dripped onto the marble floor with the young samurai Cobalt still having his blade in the man's chest.
Iono took a heavy breath as he struggled to hold back the pain-smiling at the boy, "Y-you didn't even hesitate…"
Cobalt's glowing red eyes faded back to his normal calm hue, "I sensed it from the beginning that you had no intentions of sparing my life by any means. Killing you as swiftly as possible was the only logical choice. I have no ill feelings toward you and see no reason to torment you to a painful death." he said in an emotionless, robotic tone; Iono gave a small chuckle.
"Well, you could've at least let us fight a bit longer if you were planning to use that move on me…"-he looks up to the sky covered with spotlights from the lights above, his cheek moistened by bitter tears with regret that fall from his only eye- "I didn't have a goal in life until I met your father. That man changed my entire outlook on life and showed me that the roles we play aren't just a restriction, but an experiment. Being a monster...yet able to love a woman so wholeheartedly and even bring a child into the world. To rule a land from the underground with an iron fist, yet extend a gentle hand filled with warmth to enemies and comrades-alike. Your father was someone special...and even though I unfortunately couldn't have battled with you longer, I can sense you are much the same…"-his trembling hand extends outward to Cobalt, who still hadn't let go of his blade, for he knew the moment he pulled it out it meant the end of his opponent-"I have no clue for what reason you are in this tournament, but whatever it is, I pray that whatever you do from here...make sure it is something your father would be proud of."
I never thought I'd have any regrets in my life, but after getting the chance to fight you with what little source there was, I can say that if I was to have any regrets, it was that we couldn't battle longer. You're everything like your father…" he said with a weakened smile, knowing his time was up.
Cobalt had remorse in his eyes as his brows lowered, his eye shaking a bit as he felt the warmth from this older man. This guy knew his father, was an enemy-even. Yet he had this much respect long after his father's death. This man had a genuine spirit and was shame that it was to be taken away. Cobalt didn't want to kill this man, but he knew he had a message to send to everyone here. As he stares into Iono's eyes one last time, seeing nothing but death awaiting, "Give my father my regards…" he said as he stared into Zukuri's eyes; the man nodded with a pained smile, and Cobalt ended the match. Cobalt won by death.
The arena was silent. The homes of millions of viewers were silent. Even though there was still matches going on, it felt like that was the decisive battle of the tournament even though it was just the first round. Cobalt sent the harsh message to everyone watching that he had no intentions of losing or showing any weakness. His strength of resolve wouldn't be broken by any means. Norh's image of Cobalt changed dramatically from how she imagined. She never thought Cobalt would kill someone and bloody his hands live on television, and yet here he did. Feelings of confusion overcame her as she began to rethink how she view Cobalt, that was until she remembered the words he spoke to her.
"Kill or be killed…"
Though Cobalt's match was over, that didn't mean the other matches were done by any means. The other three matches were going at quite the fast paced that everyone had come to expect but not at the same intensity as imagined. The members of the Zukuri alliance had just been dealt a massive blow with the leader dying at the hands of Cobalt Tokugawa, the new target who now sat with Teitsu as a target. The battles left saw two of the Zukuri alliance members square off against each other: Osako Fujuyomi-7th seed vs Daiga Shintoremni-10th seed; winner of that battle would have the chance to gain revenge against Cobalt and avenge their fallen comrade. Another battle saw Ryuuichi Tokugawa-4th seed go against Shinji Hajime-13th seed. As for the battle between Kenji Tokugawa-2nd seed and Oyobe Yuta-15th seed, it was over the moment the whistle blew;Kenji won.
"We should probably head in…" Miyamoto whispered to his comrades from behind. After watching those matches, it was clear that this selection wouldn't last very long. He predicted that the only match that'd take long among the winners that advance so far would be between Saya and Risa. If they were going to attack, then at the very least they needed to grab control of an important place like this room. Notifying all teams, Miyamoto gave everyone the signal of his attack. "Once we successfully claim this room, make your way indoors and sneak through the rear entrance."
Without a moment's hesitation, Miyamoto and his team disperse from the vent and ambush the guards in the room. It was a swift attack filled with smoke clouding the enemy's vision as bodies fell one by one. The attack was beginning as Miyamoto and his team accomplished their infiltration successfully. Now all that was left was for the main teams to enter the building and scatter to surround the area while still remaining unseen. The full-scale attack would launch during the finals, so all that would be left to do is watch the tournament. Simone's heart beats with a thud as she gets closer to the arena, the memory of his husband's death still haunting her. Although she kept her cool, everyone near her could sense the wrath she was dying to unleash on her brother-in-law. As the Kotari alliance infiltrate Osuma arena, the other two matches were reaching a conclusion. Shinji Hajime had just received a deep wound from Ryuuichi after failing to avoid one of the Tokugawa's attacks. It was a test of speed rather than strength since both men seemed to rely on their quickness, meaning that whomever took the first hit, would probably lose. Leaving a trail of blood behind him, Shinji struggled to keep his pace as Ryuuichi closed in on him like a lion would an antelope, and without even a second thought, Ryuuichi landed the finishing blow by slicing his legs cleanly off, rendering him unable to battle.
"Get this man some treatment!" Ryuuichi yelled to the medics as he left the stage after being awarded the victory. In the next round he'd face his eldest brother, Kenji. The crowd wasn't as stunned as they were previously with Cobalt's match, because by now they had learned that the Tokugawa children were merciless monsters that'd do whatever it takes to win, and although none of them had even been tested yet, they weren't holding back against their opponents.
The last match of the round saw the two alliance members of the Zukuri alliance exchange attacks on one another, playing classic ninjutsu attacks on one another and reading the other's attacks. Osako Fujuyomi was the better shinobi in close quarter combat and with ranged weaponry, but Daiga Shintoremni was the more experienced fighter. They knew each other quite well from the many missions they'd done together in the past as well as the rivalry that many of the clans shared with each other. But this fight was more than just pride, it was the ticket to face the man that killed Iono Zukuri. Both respected Zukuri greatly for being the strongest of all shinobi, and for being the only man to unite most of the ninja world by gathering the most powerful clans into an alliance, and now that he was killed, it was up to them and the other members of the alliance to continue his will. As the sparks clashed between them, the test of resolve would be what decided this match. Even though Osako had Daiga beat, it was Daiga's relentless attitude to keep fighting that kept this match prolonged. Daiga wanted revenge, for his fallen comrades and fallen ally, both who slain at the hands of the same young boy. He wanted Cobalt's head more than anything.
As their daggers collide with sparks flying and their stances held, only their hard stares at one another were all they could use to fight with since they were even in every field. Osako couldn't help but resonate with the rage in Daiga's eyes. The feeling of hearing more than half of your clan being killed, a comrade being killed right before your eyes, and the painful image a child being responsible for all of it. If Daiga could win, he had a shot at retribution. Seeing exactly what was going through Daiga's mind, Osako loosened his grip and conceded defeat. Some surprises filled the arena while many were confused, and those involved in the alliance knew exactly what was up. Osako conceded defeat and placed his hope in Daiga's resolve to see this mission through and obtain revenge.
"Make sure you take that child down in the next round." Osako said as he walked off the strange to the murmurs and whispers in the crowd. He wasn't thrilled about letting a victory get away from him, but he also knew he had a conscious that'd nag him if he denied Daiga the opportunity.
Daiga clenched his fist as he watched his opponent walk off the stage, "I promise I'll get revenge."
