Author's notes: Hello all, I have returned. I put a lot into this chapter and I hope you all will enjoy it.
Jann Lee's match didn't last very long for Lei Fang to watch it. From the moment she turned her back to retreat to the backstage area, the fight was already over with before it even got started. This made Lei Fang a little curious over her spiky haired rival's newly obtained abilities.
As the Tournament continued on, more and more people found themselves either gaining victories or heading back home after suffering a painfully enduring loss. Both Hitomi and Kasumi progressed to the higher rankings in their matches, pitting them against the tougher and more advanced fighters.
The Tournament was scheduled to last over a period of four days, at least that was the estimated time it would last due to the massive number of competitors competing. All fighters would stay at an exceptionally large hotel and be introduced to the comforts of the building's fine hospitality.
During the time when the Tournament wasn't active, most fighters would find themselves venturing outside into the nearby woods to practice their skills. Kasumi happened to be outside alone, doing a series of stretches and warm up routines before doing her usual daily training.
The woods were often quiet and peaceful, enabling her to have full concentration over everything she did. But her concentration was soon broken when she heard a screaming sound coming a few yards away from her current position. The noise sounded like somebody was both straining and struggling at the same time, like that were in need of assistance.
Kasumi rushed ahead with her feet zipping through the moist ground to see what could be done, but once she had reached the believed location where the sound was coming from she found both Jann Lee and his elderly comrade sitting down and meditating.
Remaining behind the bushes to stay quiet and not alert anyone, Kasumi kept hidden by keeping a distant from the silent pair.
"What are they doing?" she wondered in curiosity.
Jann Lee suddenly rose up from the ground, standing in front of an old, large oak tree. He held himself still, not moving any part of his body. Keeping both eyes closed, he raised his head to take a deep breath of fresh air and exhale it out. Kasumi appeared confused as to what was going on.
"Concentrate. Concentrate the energy, focus it from the inside and then focus it out," said the old man.
Kasumi stepped closer to get a better view and was soon horrified by what she was witnessing. A dark aura started to surround Jann's masculine body. Somehow he was generating mystic energy out where it could be made visible. He balled up his right hand into a tight grasp and with an ear-piercing scream he struck his hardened fist into the old, towering oak tree. The tall woody plant collapsed and hit the solid ground, creating a massive earthquake. Kasumi almost screamed from sheer fright, but managed to cover her mouth before it got out.
Jann Lee stared at his right hand, still semi impressed with his abilities.
"I want to acquire more power. This isn't enough, Shen," he said, speaking to the old stranger beside him.
"That's good that you'd want more power. Just continue to focus and build your strength up. It will all come in due time," Shen replied. "Remember, the Kagai powers will only grow as long as you have a pressuring goal in mind to either succeed or conquer."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Jann irritably muttered, after having that saying repeated to him for the twelfth time in a row.
Kasumi backed away fearfully after witnessing Jann's recent actions and ran in the other direction as fast as she could. The noise she made from running caught both Jann Lee and Shen's attention.
"Who was that?" Jann asked.
"That looked to be the girl known as Kasumi," said Shen. "Should we pursue after her?"
"No," Jann said bluntly. "Let her go. All she's going to do is run and tell her friends."
Day 2 of the Tournament
The next 2nd day of the Tournament was now starting and Hitomi was already in the middle of watching another impressive bout being fought. Kasumi crept to her side, appearing slightly pale.
"Boy, look at Ryu go. He's got plenty of fight in him," Hitomi said. "Don't you think so?"
Kasumi didn't utter a word. Her lips were silent and unable to move. During the whole entire match she didn't speak or give a single reply to any of Hitomi's conversating words.
"Kasumi are you ok? Are you feeling under the weather or something? You haven't spoken since you got here."
Kasumi wanted to speak, but what she had seen earlier was beyond belief. She trembled in fear just thinking about it, and normally nothing really scared her. But this was a different matter. Jann Lee didn't seem quite human anymore and this made Kasumi fear for the other competitor's safety, including Lei Fang.
"Hey, Kasumi, guess what, I'm going to be fighting Jann Lee next," Hitomi said, enthusiastically.
Kasumi glared back at Hitomi like she was crazy. Apparently, she didn't know what she was getting into. She tried to stop her friend from going to the ring, but it was too late.
Hitomi stood poised and ready, waiting for Jann to arrive. He soon emerged through the entryway receiving loud boos and hisses from the crowd as he went down the ramp. His attention wasn't focused at the crowd only at his female opponent. The two fighters gave each other a brief stare down before the match began.
Hitomi looked up at Jann, noticing his tall size and muscular framed body. She could feel the intensity pounding within his heart, as she looked deep into his menacing eyes. Jann stared down at her seeing her as only a minor obstacle blocking his way. The match suddenly started with Hitomi holding her guard up.
"Don't go all crazy if I beat you," she teased.
Jann Lee took harsh offense to that insult, but didn't attack. Instead, he gave Hitomi the pleasure of attacking first. Hitomi swung her leg into a twisting kick towards her opponent's face. Seeing the attack come before it nearly hit him, Jann caught her foot by the ankle and held it perfectly still. Hitomi struggled to move her leg, feeling Jann's grip on it beginning to tighten. With that, he knocked her up and flipped her over. Hitomi's back made a thudding impact with the ring floor. She stood up, moving around while thinking up a strategy.
Meanwhile, Kasumi watched from the entrance, still appearing a bit shaken up. Surprisingly, Lei Fang was nowhere to be found. Out of everybody that was watching the fight, most would think she'd be there to see it as well, but she wasn't.
The roaring crowd soon started to get behind Hitomi and cheer her on. Their loud voices motivated the young teenager into a comeback. Now Jann Lee was the one taking the hits. He found himself on the receiving end trying to block Hitomi's kicks and jabs while moving away to recuperate, but the girl stayed on Jann and wouldn't give him any space to take a breather.
More appending strikes were applied to the stomach, chest, and face area of the arrogant fighter as he continued to take a defensive stance rather than attack. Kasumi couldn't watch the fight anymore and wanted it to end as quickly as possible. She dashed to the outside of the ring and immediately begged Hitomi to throw the fight.
"Hitomi, please, listen to me! Give up and admit defeat, its not worth it!"
"Huh? No way, I've come too far to back down now," Hitomi said, whiling still attacking Jann.
Right now, things were going well for Hitomi. The crowd was one hundred percent behind her and she had Jann on the defensive, but Kasumi saw the outcome being different than the way it appeared.
"Hitomi! Quit the match, now!"
"No! I refuse to give in. I have no reason to," Hitomi shouted back.
With a thrusting hard-hitting punch across the face, Hitomi sent Jann skidding across the ring floor. The crowd halted their screaming cheers and went into silence. The referee came in to start the count.
"He wasn't so tough," Hitomi said, eyeing Kasumi.
The crowd then continued their cheers, feeling Jann Lee about to experience yet another grueling defeat at the hands of a female. Hitomi turned to the crowd and waved happily. This was going to be another big upset that nobody was expecting.
"5,6,7,8,9……"
Before the referee could reach the final number that would declare Hitomi the victor, Jann Lee sprung to his feet and stood up. Not so much as a scratch or a speck of blood was seen on his usually cocky face. He quickly dashed up to Hitomi with her back turned and clubbed her over the head with his fist.
Kasumi held her mouth in sheer awe, knowing something like this would soon happen. Jann Lee was now on the offensive. He slapped Hitomi around with the backside of his hand and nailed her once in the stomach with the noises of the hits echoing through the area.
She bent over coughing and sputtering from the harsh blow. This wasn't enough to satisfy Jann. He felt he needed to do more physical damage to his opponent. Standing Hitomi back on her weary feet, he made his infamous battle cry screech throughout the arena before pummeling her with multiple jabs to the stomach and face.
"No! Please, stop! Don't hurt her anymore!" Kasumi shouted, telling Jann to back off.
He ignored her pleading request and continued to punch and kick Hitomi until she was as lifeless as a rag doll. The Chinese fighter held her up by the arm as he took his assault to the next level. He shoved Hitomi out of the ring, but the match couldn't be declared over unless a fighter became knocked down and counted out or pounded into submission.
Hitomi was showing she was a real trooper, that she wasn't willing to give up and lose so easily, but Kasumi saw her stubborn attitude as being foolish and inconsiderate.
Finally, Hitomi was much too battered and bruised to defend herself against Jann's strikes. Her whole entire body was motionless as Jann held her up by the neck like a lifeless dummy.
Kasumi so badly wanted to step into the ring and stop the ensuing madness, but she knew she didn't stand a chance against Jann with the unnatural strength that had been somehow given to him. The crowd became disgusted by what they saw. They were really rooting for Hitomi to win and it certainly didn't look like she was going to now.
To finish her off Jann tossed his nearly lifeless opponent up into the air and waited for her to come back down. When she descended from the sky, he leaped up and kicked her straight in the gut with a soaring kick. Hitomi crashed into the ground like a falling airplane with her body apparently paralyzed.
Jann picked her up again and landed in a few more blows before finally stopping. To conclude the fight, Jann dropped Hitomi and kicked her to the side as if she were a piece of rotting garbage. Kasumi prayed that her friend didn't have any strength left to get up. Letting Jann win and not getting up was the only alternative unless she wanted to endure another beating.
Everyone could tell that the fight was finished, including the referee. After the ten count, Jann Lee was declared the winner of the match. Kasumi then rushed over to Hitomi's side after her loss and examined the beaten female. Her eyes were black and teary, staring straight up towards the sky with her body staying motionless.
The paramedics urgently came out with a stretcher ready to place her on while Jann Lee paced over to admire his handwork and notice the damage he had done. Kasumi left Hitomi's side for a moment and walked over to Jann, pounding his chest angrily with her fists.
"How could you do something like this? Why?" Kasumi said, crying.
Jann Lee smiled with no shame of what did. He then watched as the paramedics wheeled Hitomi away.
"Quite simple, this is a Tournament. People are going to get hurt and your just going to have to accept it," he coldly stated.
"But what is all this about? What was the meaning of that vicious attack?" Kasumi asked.
Jann Lee grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her closer to his sweaty chest.
"That was a message for your friend, Lei Fang. And what I did to Hitomi won't be anywhere near as worse as what I'm going to do to her. You see, your friend just left here on a stretcher. After the fight between me and Lei Fang, she's going to be leaving here in a casket, and I am personally going to bury her myself!"
With a hard shove, he pushed Kasumi to the ground and walked away feeling proud of himself and his accomplishing victory. The crowd booed him on the way up the ramp, but the negative reaction he received was music to his ears. Kasumi sat on the ground, realizing Lei Fang was really dealing with a ruthless monster other than a normal human being.
"I don't know how she can win," Kasumi whispered to herself, referring to Lei Fang's chances of beating Jann.