With the completion of the first round, it was time for the quarterfinals with the opening matches being Saya Tokugawa versus Risa Shizuku, and Jengai Tsuyano versus Isabella Oujima. The second set of matches would be Cobalt Tokugawa and Daiga Shintoremni, along with the match between the Tokugawa brothers: Kenji and Ryuuichi. It was nightfall and heading into the prime of the night with a star-studded card of capable fighters. Televised throughout the entire region, surely the end of the night would reach the news all across the land, but the question was, what would happen? Would Teitsu Tokugawa still reign as the Tokugawa head? Could there be a fresh face that'll end the Tokugawa tradition? Would the death toll rise any higher than it already has? The answers would start with the match taking place between Saya and Risa.
"Good grief, why couldn't I have gotten matched up with Ao? Girls aren't my kind of excitement…" Risa said with boredom, uninterested in fighting another Tokugawa who wasn't Cobalt.
"Why are you bringing up my cousin all of a sudden…?" Saya said with a straight face, but her tone showing some disturbance.
Risa smiled, "He's my kind of type. He might be young and wet behind the ears still, but he's got room for plenty of improvement."
"Ehhhh? So, you're one of those types of old hag? Disgusting." Saya said with disgust while taking out her blade, ready for battle.
Risa frowned-her face bright and fuming like a tomato, "Who're you calling old!? I'm not even in my 30s yet!"
"Just shut up so I can beat you already."
"Tch...why you little!"
The whistle blew for their match to begin, and immediately neither held back their attacks. Risa drops a smokescreen and clouds Saya and the entire ring, but Saya was prepared and immediately she closes her eyes to allow her other senses to kick in. Saya was always weary of her opponents and trained her body past the logical understanding, and if it wasn't for her young age, she'd be on par with the strongest of warriors who preceded her by far. Saya senses a shadow coming at 9 o'clock, and immediately she opens her eyes and does a powerful outward horizontal slash and slices the smoke and something solid-in half. But what she cut wasn't Risa at all, just a block of wooden. Saya realized at that moment that she'd already put herself in dangerous spot, allowing her opponent to catch a crucial jump so early in the match. Risa Appeared from the shadow in the opposite direction of where the wood block was and unsheathing her katana, a streak of light came rushing at Saya in a downward vertical slash, but Saya is able to recover. Barely.
"Hmpf. You had so much talk a few moments ago, but now that I'm seeing you close up, you're kinda cute for a girl…"
Saya glared, "Don't think those mind games will work on me."
Saya fought back and was able to force some distance between her and Risa. The battle hadn't even been a minute, and already it seemed like these two had been fighting for an hour. The first seed and the fourteenth seed, though the numbers contrasted, the caliber of these two were even. Saya calmly inhaled the fumes of the battlefield and focused on her target, likewise, Risa smirked at the young samurai who had the same potential as the boy she sought. Licking her lips, she couldn't resist getting serious against her. Both their blades shined under the spotlights and clashed a dozen times, letting sparks fly around them as they dance around the other to avoid a critical hit. Saya had to be cautious since she knew Risa could throw out any other weapons in the blink of an eye to change the battle. Saya side steps Risa's downward slash and summons her seishun powa, but that was a big mistake…
"You're like a book!" Risa laughed as she followed tail of the fleeting Saya activating her ability.
"Wha-!?"
Before Saya knew it, Risa had already caught up and immediately interrupted her activation. One of her flaws as seishun powa user was that she had troubles activating her power most of the time, and she never bothered to hone her abilities since her natural strengths outweighed her flaws. But in a battle against a seasoned veteran like Risa, her flaws would do more harm than usual. Saya's reliance on her swordsmanship and lack on long range attacks highlighted that in close combat, she'd be a ferocious opponent, but at a distance she was more vulnerable. This much she knew based on how Risa seemed to be toying with her closely before retracting and using her tactics and ranged weaponry to her advantage.
"Take this!" Risa yelled excitedly as a cloud of smoke appeared from the retreating Saya-who was having trouble keeping focus now that she'd identified her disadvantage. A shadow appears behind Saya, but this time she doesn't attack and instead has her defenses ready to block the attack. Unfortunately, it was ill-advised move, for Risa wasn't the shadow yet again. Nothing was spoken, but instead felt. A fiery ball of light that struck her midsection and possibly left a hard bruise, Risa landed a critical hit as she appeared from thin air with a jubilant look of satisfaction. The crowd rose to their feet in disbelief. This was the first time someone had managed to down Saya Tokugawa. This was an unprecedented occurrence.
Teitsu narrowed his eyes at his struggling daughter before talking under his breath with a calculating thought, "This is the first time you've gone against an opponent of her nature. The shinobi and kunoichi of this land are on par with us in every way possible, not to mention they use cheap and dirty tricks to win. Whatever you do, don't be fazed. Get up and fight with intelligence, not brute force…"
Saya was kneeling on the floor holding her side that'd been struck brutally, knowing that the match was still going on. The longer she left herself exposed, the worse it'd get. But at the same time, she noticed that this lady didn't fight like any of the other people who would give their opponent a chance to breath, instead she diminished those odds and disallowed her opponent any opportunity to even recover or think. Could it be that the kunoichi had that much confidence in her ability that she wasn't worried about losing this match? As she struggled to find an answer, time was running out for the only daughter of the Tokugawa head. All eyes were on her, from her elder brothers, to cousin Cobalt, to her father, to her best friend.
"Saya-chan! Get out of there!" Norh screamed in a panicked tone, the most chilling sound Saya heard out of her best friend's mouth before. Norh wasn't the type of person to ever get so worked up, especially unless something threatening was happening, which usually wouldn't occur since Saya always kept close protection of her best friend. But that voice of terror and concern. It woke Saya up.
SCHRING!
Saya's reflexes kicked in at just the right time, and without even needing to see her opponent, she was able to knock Risa's weapon out of her hand and force her to keep far. Risa was unfazed however, knowing she still had the advantage on Saya. At this point, Saya would've tried to activate her seishun powa again, but instead she chose another route, one that caught Risa off guard. With a streak of light in her eyes, she charged at Risa head on. Norh's fear for Saya's safety was exactly what Saya needed to wake up. Saya remembered that Norh was in the stands rooting for her, and by no means could she allow herself to be defeated by anyone, adding in that scarring tone she let out only pointed out how urgently Saya needed to turn the tide. She was practically caught in a spider's web the entire match.
"Your thread isn't strong enough…" Saya said in an angered tone as she locked down on Risa, everything from her presence and demeanor shifted to a more vicious one that resembled Cobalt's when he lost control.
"Thread…? You're sorely mistaken if you thi-HUH!?"
Saya was gone. But how? She was there a moment ago, and now she vanished into thin air. As if in a vacuum, sound disappeared for Risa as she struggled in that semi second to figure out how Saya just did that. She wasn't trained in ninjutsu, so how? It wasn't anything like a false image or illusion of bloodlust since she was quite cautious for all those types of tropes that'd usually end an opponent unfairly.
Ker tap…
She hears a trio of steps from behind her and saw a shine in the light that reflected her fear in the blade as it sheathed and suddenly she felt a gush of blood escape her body as dozens of strikes landed on her and forced her to move wherever the attacks took her. Collapsing to the ground, she was unconscious. Saya sheathes her blade, opening her eyes and raising her head-looking directly at her father. As one might expect, nobody had a clue what had happened. Everyone but her family, who're well versed in what technique she just used.
"So, she got serious, finally…" Teitsu exhaled while shaking his head, troubled by why she didn't do this earlier in the match. Cobalt crossed his arms with unease, knowing that this side of Saya was the one he saw back when he fought against the Black Urchins. Now that she was stepping up her game, he couldn't to fall too far behind.
Cobalt cracked his neck and felt the sheathes of his two blades at his waist, knowing the wooden one was stored close to his left breast. His next opponent was going to be Daiga Shintoremni, the leader of the clan that ambushed him in the bamboo forest-obliterating their numbers easily. Their match would take place after the ending to the second battle that was still ongoing, which was the showdown between the Jengai and Isabella. Jengai and Isabella was yet another clash between a samurai and a ninja, but there was something else on the line that both were fighting for. In addition to his personal goals, Jengai had to avenge his fallen friend who took a beating from Isabella Oujima in the previous round; his pride as a samurai and a friend were on the line. For Isabella, this match was just another match on her way to accomplishing the goal established by the alliance. She knew she had the strength to match Teitsu, but the question was whether she could hold her own until then?
Jengai sends a flurry of air breaking slashes at Isabella, but she matches them with her own energy. Jengai darts forward and winds his sword back, ready to do another powerful attack; already he damaged part of the ring by creating a huge crack in the marble from a previous attack earlier in the match. Isabella moves out the way but sends he own counterattack of shuriken, only for them to get deflected be the reflexive samurai who predicted her move. Isabella leaps into the air and unsheathes her blade while holding three small orbs between her fingers, throwing the orbs and creating a smokescreen, she makes her attack. Jengai does a step back and watches the corners of his vision, expecting her to attack from the corners. He had himself close to the rim of the ring, careful that she couldn't attack from behind, but instead-
"Foolish to think I'd be that predictable!" her voice yelled as a shadow fell from above.
"Gotcha!" Jengai yelled doing an upward slash and slicing roughly through the log, sending splinters flying around that blurred his sight for a quick millisecond. In that split second, he saw Isabella appear before him. "N-no way!" he yelled as Isabella jammed her foot into his gut and sent him out of the ring. Already, their match was over as well. Jengai was still conscious as he sat on the grass, pissed off that he let such a simple trick get the better of him. Punching the ground next to him, he clutched the ground and looked down at his legs. Isabella Oujima was announced the winner to an applause from the crowd, who began to recognize her as a potential finalist as she booked her ticket to the semifinals where she'd await one of the Tokugawa brothers.
"You...you still had more left, didn't you?" she spoke in the fiery Jengai's direction.
"Of course, I do! How the hell am I gonna accept this!" he yelled with anger as he punched the ground again. "I watched you pummel my buddy and electrocute him, then I fight you and you swiftly eliminate me!? The hell!"
Isabella closed her eyes and put her hands at her hips, understanding the young samurai's frustration-she smiled. "You certainly have the same fighting spirit as the boy I face previously. I can tell you two must be good friends, but a shame you didn't have enough time to react, no?"
"Don't give me that." He said shakenly as he clenched his fists. "I had just finished my match and had no chance to catch myself. But when I came to catch my breath, i see my friend is fried nearly to death! Why the hell did you do that!?"
Isabella shook her head, "The entire legacy of the Tokugawa selection is that these battles can go to the death. Mercy rests in the hands of the combatant. I had enough to allow him to live instead of aimlessly killing him." she said as she glared over to Cobalt, who was preparing to enter the other ring for his match with Daiga. "But worry not…"-returning her attention to her defeated opponent- "This era will end tonight." referencing the Zukuri alliance's plans to win the selection and gang up on Teitsu Tokugawa.
"What...?"
"Hmph. You'll see soon enough, child."
Isabella brushes past the boy who rose to his feet with genuine curiosity about what she had in mind. Her message was cryptic with a foreshadowing that something huge was about to occur that he had no clue of. While their match hit its conclusion, the next match on the card was between Cobalt and Daiga. The battle stage was already tattered with damages from the previous matches with an unstable footing from some of the potholes formed and the chipped ground. Nonetheless, it was still able to be used for combat, but some people were skeptical about its condition after this match. Cobalt and Daiga meet on the stage, arriving at the far parts. Cobalt's focused and composed, but his opponent was boiling like a hot pot. With all eyes on them from the people in the arena to the viewers at home, their match was about to begin.
"Ao Tokugawa. You're the one who murdered my men!" Daiga shouted with fury and scorn as he peered at Azule, analyzing the boy's appearance.
"You're the leader of the Shintoremni…"
"When I heard of your return, I thought it was be quick and simple to kill you off before you got here, but instead, here you are in the quarterfinals of this match-murderer of nearly a hundred men and the leader of Zukuri clan. You've commit a grave sin!"
Cobalt's eyebrows wrinkled with confusion, "What does my match with the Zukuri leader have to do with you?"
Daiga frowned, "Y-you bastard!" he yelled with grinding teeth, his gears turning with a screech an anger; the whistle blows to start the match, but neither make the first move.
Cobalt raised his chin with the same confused look, "I will not apologize for slaughtering people who had intent on killing me. It was their fault for simply being weak and uncoordinated in their attacks that led to their pitiful deaths. As for Zukuri Iono, he was a class act. If he was your comrade by any chance…"-Cobalt pulls out his wooden sword- "Then show me how strong your bond was." he said as he aims the sword at Daiga; Daiga felt a nerve struck. Did this boy just that!? Exhaling with his tone agitated, he draws his katana from his back and leers at Cobalt. The match would start shortly, but he wanted to torture Cobalt as much as possible. This match was personal. Whispers fill the crowd as people try to make sense of the conversation between the two combatants who seemed to have more history than what was hinted. Plenty of spectators had their attention devoted for this match since many picked Cobalt to win it easily, but the question was how fast? It was clear his opponent had no intention of losing and would throw everything he had at Cobalt; how would he respond Daiga's feelings?
Cobalt's arms move swiftly with blade in hand as he matches the speed of the furious Daiga who threw out flurries of attacks in hopes to land a random attack on Cobalt, ending the multitude of ongoing attacks by quickly using his katana blade to take the boy's head off with a extended reach, but Cobalt's flexibility proves supreme as he's able to bend himself backwards enough to avoid the fatal strike. Daiga isn't done though, and where it seems like Cobalt easily escaped his initial attacks were just a disguise-the real attack had Daiga's blade jammed straight into Cobalt's sternum. A critical hit.
"...Gah!" Cobalt yelped in shock as he falls to the floor with the blade sticking out, wedged tightly in.
"I'm going to make you suffer. The comrades you killed...their blood won't be spilled for naught. I refuse!" He yelled as he pulled out more weapons, loaded with everything he'd need for this match; Cobalt was reeling as he struggled to pull the bloody sword from his body. The audience was caught off guard by the tempo of the match. Already a critical hit had been landed, and to add to the shock, it wasn't even Cobalt! "Get up and fight, you spoiled bastard!"
"O-oh no…" Norh said as she covered her mouth in shock, seeing Cobalt's wound as he dropped the sword to the ground.
Cobalt ascended to his feet with a darkened aura emerging from him, mixed with red and black, it turned maroon as a glint showed in his eyes; he underestimated Daiga, something he refused to do again. Taking a critical wound like this was something that Cobalt never ever allowed with any of his opponents, especially so early in a battle. Allowing Daiga to land a hit like that left a dent in Cobalt's pride, and in doing so, sealed Daiga's fate. Cobalt puts the wooden blade away and reaches for the sword at the waist: one regular blade, and the carbon blade that never got unsheathed unless the moment called for it. Daiga watches Cobalt's hand as it touches the sheath, and like light itself, he was gone in a flash as Cobalt unsheathed his regular sword. The bloody sword next to his flied into the air and left dust on the floor, immediately Cobalt shifts his body to a different position and blocks an attack-kicking and sending Daiga back and away; Daiga recovers instantly. Like an enraged bull, Cobalt charged at Daiga with his sword ready for blood-eyes bullish like warhead ready to explode as he darts at Daiga. Daiga wasn't fazed by the intimidating sight, for his rage and drive for vengeance was enough to quell his instincts of fear. Planting his feet, he releases his projectiles to slow down Cobalt before meeting Cobalt head-on for a fight. A burst of air releases between them as the marble below them takes damage and dents. Cobalt does an upward slash to the left before bringing the blade down to the right and then across, creating a red triangle that solidified into a projectile that blocked Daiga at point blank. Daiga steps back and slices through the glowing triangle before reaching into his pouch and grabbing some liquid.
"Let's have an inferno match, shall we!?" Daiga yelled as he slammed the bottle on the floor, smashing the bottle and sending the liquid all around the ring while the motion of his bloody blade, taking out a match, he sets the perimeter on fire. The audience is captivated by the sudden flames that engulf the surroundings of the ring.
Cobalt lowered his head, thinking quickly of Daiga's intentions. The fact that he moved this to an inferno battle meant he had no intention of winning by out of bounds, he was serious about what he said earlier, and yet he couldn't help but feel confused by the extreme measure taken. This was no time to think however as Daiga moved at Cobalt, swishing the flames behind him. He races to the side of the ring and doused his blade in the flame, moving to Cobalt next. Cobalt meets him and the two engage in close counter combat with their blades, their swords clashing like a battle of fierce animals looking to rip the other's ears off. Cobalt ducks his head to avoid the horizontal strike, attempting to counterattack with a jab to Daiga's heart, but Daiga read Cobalt's eyes redirected the blade elsewhere and withdrew; Cobalt doesn't let him escape though. Cobalt goes on the offensive and overwhelms each of Daiga's blocks with his profound power, stunning Daiga with a powerful thrust of the blade that forced Daiga to hold still for a moment before attempting to take a powerful swing to take his head off cleanly. Daiga dropped to the floor and rolled back, doing a kip up and throwing a pair of daggers at Cobalt followed by a kick of some kunai. Cobalt dodges the large pair of daggers that get lost in the flames behind him and slices cleanly through the kunai, glaring as Daiga appears behind the last kunai thrown.
"Show me your blood!" he screamed, making a fatal mistake.
Cobalt's blade made two quick strikes, leaving a pair of arms flipping in the air leaving a ring of blood in the air as they went behind Daiga, bouncing on the floor. Daiga froze, mouth dropping with pure shock as he watched the blue haired samurai before him glare with murder. Cobalt managed to return the favor and land an even bigger and crucial hit to Daiga, taking away his arms. Cobalt tightens the grip on his blade as he watched his stunned opponent looked crestfallen by the sudden change in the mood of the match. Yet again, Cobalt ended any hope for his opponent and their chances to make the comeback. Like a ruler with an iron fist, he slammed his fist on the table and squashed any opportunities.
"...Is this your answer?" Cobalt asked as he raised his blade once more, ready to send Daiga to meet his maker. Daiga was so shocked by how quickly the match got to this point that he couldn't make a response. In the blink of an eye, he lost his arms…
In the minds of everyone watching the match, it was as good as done. There wasn't any chance for Daiga to retaliate with this type of advantage, and against someone like Cobalt? Please. Just as quickly as it took for the leader of the clan to build his rage to a boiling point it was as quick for him to lose all hope. Losing his arms were critical, and although he could muster up enough strength to fight with his legs, Cobalt would probably just as merciless in eliminating those limbs as well and leaving him immobile like a vegetable. Lowering his head with a bow, the leader of the Shintoremni had just one final set of words.
"Go to hell, you bastard…"
Cobalt narrowed his eyes and painted himself in Daiga's blood, beheading his opponent and watching his head roll into the flames, "That wasn't the right answer." he said as he flicked the blood off of his shining silver katana. With yet another victory by death, Cobalt's next opponent would Saya Tokugawa, his younger cousin who was slated to replace him as the crown jewel youth of the family. It would be the most anticipated match in the entire tournament given their history. Indeed, a match made by fate itself. As Cobalt walked down the steps exiting the fiery ring, he could already feel Saya's murderous aura, catching a glimpse of her glare from a distance. As if seeing nothing but darkness between the two as a spotlight shined on the cousins, Norh felt anxiety taking over as the last thing she'd ever want to see was about to come true in the semifinals. Her best friend and her childhood crush were about to duel to what could be the death. As her palms sweat in fear, she could hear the excited chants in the crowd from the people who were looking forward to seeing the best fight of the tournament thus far.
With the third winner confirmed moving onto the semifinals, the last match left was between the Tokugawa brothers with the winner deciding who would face Isabella in the semifinal round. Despite being a short battle already, Kenji and Ryuuichi were already perspiring profusely with the foreheads soaked. As the brothers look at one another in their readied pose, their sword clenched tightly, the feet shift positions. Kenji goes left, and Ryuuichi goes right. The oldest and third oldest, were showing their full strength in what was for them a long time coming. Kenji was always seen as the superior of the trio of brothers, being the most knowledgeable and well versed in fundamental techniques, and on the other hand, Ryuuichi was known as being the flashy type of fighter with plenty of energy and determination to keep pushing forward. This was a battle of composure and will with the winner needing to demonstrate proficiency over the other.
"Hyaah!" Ryuuichi yelled as he tries to land an acrobatic stab on his brother, but Kenji's experience proved too much as he simply dodges out the way. For the most part of this match, Kenji was on the defensive while Ryuuichi stayed on the offensive with persistent attacks, but from time to time, Kenji caught Ryuuichi slipping up and landed a scratch. At this rate, the match could go on longer since neither had any signs of fatigue or damage. Ryuuichi does another yell as he comes at Kenji with everything, slashing in every possible direction with intent to catch Kenji just once, but Kenji knew better than to fall into his younger brother's trap. Kenji keeps a mindful distance between each of the close hits, feeling the powerful wind that blew from the forceful attempts, knowing that a single hit could be costly.
Ryuuichi does a side step, Kenji meets him yet again and blocks the jab. "I see you have more tenacity than I expected…" Kenji said as he locks a gaze with his brother, Ryuuichi glaring at him as their swords reach a standstill in a locked position.
Their swords scream in agony as they trade sparks, "I won't lose...not without showing you just how good I am!" Ryuuichi yelled, trying to outpower his brother in brute strength, but it was futile. Of the four siblings, Kenji was the most complete swordsman.
"You're being reckless, Ryu." Kenji put it plainly without flinching under Ryuuichi's pressure; the younger brother was struggling to force anything on the eldest, seeing firsthand that in serious combat, Kenji stood in a different class from him.
"How…"
"How?"
"How the hell can you be so strong, and yet Saya is father's pride!?"
Kenji's face hardened as he tightened his grip and fortified his stance, performing a counterattack on Ryuuichi. Ryuuichi goes off balance as Kenji shifted his weight and threw him off with his sword; Kenji use that split second to grad a crucial hit on Ryuuichi's ribs, slashing all along the side of his body and ending the counter with a furious punch to the face that left Ryuuichi reeling. Ryuuichi drops to one knee, using his sword to keep himself up, and feeling the instant pain from Kenji's attack. It was quick but effective. Ryuuichi had to choose his words carefully…
"Your question was foolish to ask, Ryu." Kenji said in an irritated tone; Ryuuichi knew that of all them, it was Kenji who desperately tried his best to live up to his father's expectations by training his body and mind in the harshest of conditions, disciplining himself unlike any other Tokugawa has in recorded history, and yet he was looked at as second-in-command behind Saya, the future of the family. Kenji didn't hate Saya, but he resented the idea of her and showed no love and support for her, instead seeing her as a target that needed to be eradicated by his success; another reason why Saya strongly idolized Cobalt.
"But you know, you aren't the only one with something to prove…"-Ryuuichi rose to his feet, staring down his brother angrily as he clenched his free hand into a fist- "I need to show father that the way he's been treating Saya will be his downfall. I plan to win this tournament and disobey his orders. I'm beating him."
Kenji smirked as a light shined in his beaming eyes, "You?"
"Even if I may not possess the complete package like you, Saya's unreal potential, or even Ao's sick battle style, I am still a Tokugawa. I have my damn reasons!" he shouted. As a samurai, he had his pride, after all.
Kenji shook his head, "Is that your bushido? Your selfishness? Are you raising your sword at your eldest sibling for the sake of causing turmoil?"
"I rather be selfish and do what I think is right rather than just be that man's puppet. I had hoped you would see the error of our father's ways, but fighting you in this match, it is clear you're still the same blind older brother who only fixates on being noticed by father. You, and your daddy issues!"
Ryuuichi charges his blade, releasing a blue light from his blade that extends to surround his entire body as he gives a powerful yell. The marble stage began rumble and crumble as veins protrude from Ryuuichi's body; he was using his max power, and from the looks of it, it was going to be one final attack. Kenji didn't move, instead releasing his seishun powa-a yellow and orange hue that swirled around him; this was it. As both brothers powered up for one final shot, the arena erupted with plenty of cheers and chants, with many people standing up knowing this was the moment of truth. Teitsu watched silently as he read his son's lips, knowing what they were discussing on the battlefield. In his mind, he wondered who had the sharper blade? Kenji or Ryuuichi? As an aura of orange and yellow stands on one far side of the ring with a blue aura far across from it, the final look is given by the brothers.
"...!"
Kenji and Ryuuichi charge at each other like two freight trains on a collision course, and finally, they brush past the other-both their swords landed hits on the other based on the blood that drips from on both. Neither decide to turn around, for they knew how the victory was to be decided. Kenji begins to grimace and stumbles as the pain hits him sharply, but he wasn't the only one who felt the pain.
"...Nnngh!"
Ryuuichi drops to the floor, his insides leaking red as he spilled his blood and dropped his sword and was now unconscious. Kenji managed to end the match with that final draw, but he was in trouble for the next round. He took severe damage from Ryuuichi's attack, and although he won, this victory felt sour. He knew that his younger brother should've won that battle based on the power he expended in that final attack. Kenji knew the only reason he got by was because of his stamina. As the last one standing, Kenji receives the praise from everyone who witnessed the battle. Looking over at his unconscious brother, Kenji walks over to him and carries him in arms, the least he could do as his brother. As the two leave the ring together, the medics come to treat Ryuuichi. In the meantime, the finalists were given a brief period to rest before readying for the semifinals. At the same time, Miyamoto gives the signal, and the Kotari alliance makes their moves. It started with a shriek from the crowd off in the distance as one of the Tokugawa guards from the household is brutally killed before some witnesses, and from there begins the interference as dozens of ninja and samurai from the Kotari alliance flee from their hiding spots and make their move. Teitsu commands his guards to leave him and assist those that might be injured while also help in containing the attacks, noticing the substantial number of enemies participating in the ambush. The four semifinalists were surprised by this sudden ambush, but for two of them, they sensed familiarity among the numbers.
Kotari leads the huge into the main part of the arena out by the track as a swarm of guards rush at them, "I'll open a path for you guys to get to the stage over there, so grab Ao and we'll-"
Simone spots Teitsu and where he's sitting, noticing that he was alone. The image of him being within her reach sends her eyes bloodshot red as she recalls that day where he assassinated her husband. Leaving the main unit behind, she leaps into the stands and hops through the rows of seats where people were still evacuating-the painful memory of her wail to the heavens begging for her husband to come back, the drumbeat in her heart beating louder as she approached closer. Her eyes have a sharp and vicious glint as she raises her weapon and takes a thunderous strike at Teitsu Tokugawa. However, Teitsu's instincts kicked in at the most opportune of moments, unsheathing his blade-he blocks the murderous strike of Simone Tokugawa, a gust of wind released between them furiously like a storm as Teitsu's hair flutters behind him thanks to the gust produced from the clash of the two blades.
"I was wondering why the hairs on the back of my neck stood up so suddenly. To think there was a ghost in my presence after all." he laughed brazenly with a cheeky grin at Simone.
Simone's white eyebrows tremble with fury as her hair begins to glow, "You ruined my family!" she screamed, continuing her strikes on the betrayer. "Your blood!"
"SHOW ME IT!" He shouted, booting her in the gut and sending her a fair distance back-still grinning as he watched the widow crashing a row of chairs with an impact so hard that it knocked away some of the seats. "I already silenced one lamb and sent him to the afterlife, will I clip his angel's wings and have her succumb to ruin?"
As Simone started her battle with Teitsu, it was up to Squidcom to handle the capture of Cobalt. As the leaders of the group fight their way through with Squidcom huddling together to avoid combat, Azule and Tangie spot a clueless Cobalt far in the distance, stunned by the strange occurrence. They rush to him. But not so fast! Saya intercepts them. Azule froze for a moment as Saya's glare holds him in place, but then he's joined by Tangie and Squidcom who look to bolster the numbers. Tangie holds her hand out in front of Azule and waves for them to move forward, her eyes filled with a different light as she glares at Saya.
"This one is my fight. Get Cobalt back by any means, Azule."-she turns to cobalt, her orange eyes as sharp as Azule's ever seen- " .Means. Got it?"
Azule gulped and nodded, she smiles and holds out her fist for a fist bump. For the first time it felt like an old bond finally reached its peak strength. Tangie, the girl who'd once lost her way in martial arts before seeing her revival thanks to Azule, now stood on her own two feet with resolve that rivaled the competitors that stepped foot into this selection. Saya could feel the radiance from Tanige's aura, knowing words weren't needed. This was a fight whether she had expected it or not. Tangie does one final stretch, Saya unsheathes her blade.
"So, you've come."
"I'm taking him back." Tangie said full of demand in her tone as she straightened her shoulders and raised her chin.
Saya shook her head, "I won't allow that to happen!" she yelled as she raced toward Squidcom and Azule-who were closing in on Cobalt.
"No!" Tangie yelled as she chased her down.
They race rush towards the running group and Tangie reaches Saya, punching her square in the back and sending her flying into the high wall that separated the stands from the track, zipping past Cobalt with a fire in her eyes as she closes in on Saya; Cobalt only saw an orange blur run past him following a blue blur that crashed into the wall, turning around and seeing a crater in the wall. No doubt, that orange blur was Tangie, he could see her determined face as time slowed down in that very instant for him. Some cold sweat runs down his face as his fears start to become a reality. Hearing groups of footsteps move behind him, he turns around reluctantly…
"Azule…?" he said under his breath with fear, turning around to see his captain standing before him, wearing that same cap he always wore. Behind Azule stood the entire team he thought he left behind. Reice, Sally, Violet, Fuchsia, Kosami, and an octoling boy who he never saw before. Squidcom were here. Azule was here. Against his wishes, Azule and his team showed up.
"Cobalt…" Azule spoke ruefully as he struggled to look him in the eye.
