The people of the crowd left the arena and headed to their hotel rooms to enjoy their time before the next match. Kenta stood by the tunnel, waiting for Miyuki. He smiled when he finally saw her walking out of the ring area.
"Hey, you did great tonight." Kenta said smiling, she returned the smile as she turned to look at him, seeing he was waiting for her. Kenta continued, "Would you like to have a drink?" Her smile vanished and she looked down for a few moments, gazing at the floor.
"Sorry Kenta, but I have something to do tonight." she said, walking past him and heading off to her changing room, leaving a shocked Kenta standing there. His heart started to sink with the thought of possibly having just ruined his chance with her. Miyuki walked on and turned the corner, tears rolling down her face just as her phone rang.
"Hello?" she called out to them, answering her phone. She listened to the person on the other line for a few moments, "But I did what you asked, i can't do this any more." She said before falling silent as the person in the phone told her something and she let out a sigh, "S-sorry I raised by voice. Yeah, I'll be there very soon." She threw her head back against the wall and let out a long sigh before walking off down the hall, failing to notice Seth watching her leave with a concerned look on his face.
"Something's amiss and I know it won't end well." Seth said to himself, walking away from where he saw Miyuki and his eyes fell on Kenta, who had his head down, "Don't worry about it." Seth told him, patting Kenta on the back and walking on, confusing Kenta.
At the fighter's hotel, many were relaxing and recovering from their fights, others were scouting out their opponets for the next round.
"So, what is alright to eat master?" Tyson asked while he looked at the large buffet offered to them all, Osu stood next to him, smiling.
"Food is need in all living things, so you should eat only pure food." he answered calmly and showing his plate of food, showing Tyson what he should eat. Tyson smiled, going for what his master had chosen.
"So, you found a new student?" a voice rang out, making them turn to see a smiling Raj. Osu frowned for a moment, turning to look at him.
"Yes, and I know you're fighting your own demons and you're close to becoming lost in them." Osu said, turning to look at Jose standing there with a beer in his hand and Raj followed his gaze, "He sees it too and he wants to fight that side of you, you know what happened with Vlad."
"Y-yeah, I lost it." Raj said, hanging his head low and letting his mind tell him he was wrong when a hand was placed on his shoulder, gaining his attention and looking up to see Osu, with a smile on his face.
"I'll help you and you won't lose it against him." Osu's words were that of a kind, caring master and raised Raj's hopes before bowing to him. Tyson joined suit and he showed his master the respect he deserved.
Miyuki walked along the corridor with a sigh and her head hanging down, her footsteps on the hall echoed through it and she soon found herself in front of a door with a VIP logo on it. Letting another long sigh escape her lips, she knocked on the door and it was opened by Seto.
"You finally came." he said, stepping aside and she walked into the room, seeing a nice set of funiture and liquor.
"It's not like I had a choice." she said while rubbing her arm and sitting on the couch with Seto sitting next to her, offering her a glass of whiskey.
"Hey, you know what our deal is." Seto said smugly and Miyuki let out a long sigh, sitting there with him, his arm wrapped around her shoulder and they began to relax as he sipped from his drink, enjoying himself more than her.
"So, Kenji." Asuka called out to him, watching him walking towards the elevator and making him turn toward her. A blush formed on her face when she saw him looking directly at her, "W-want to go and watch some of your opponent's footage?"
"Oh, sure. But I need to do something first." He answered, flashing her a kind smile and she blushed redder. Accepting his condition, she watched him head up the elevator, but interrupted him halfway "Hey, umm, thank you again for that time in the alley, you really are a lifesaver all the possible meanings." Kenji(?) turned once again to look at her, he smiled and said jokingly "Hey, it's nothing. I mean, if the mastermind behind my favorite videogame franchise dies, how am i supposed to play more entries?" Both chuckled and this time, the young man entered the elevator. Whoever he was meeting with, was unknown to Asuka. Kenji stood in the elevator, taking in a deep breath while he watched the numbers go up, remembering the day they were talking about.
(Days before the start of the tournament)
After hearing about the Annihilation Tournament and the rumors about it's fighters Kenji(?) took a flight to Japan. Walking by the streets he suddenly heard an argument by an alley. There he found Asuka surrounded by 3 individuals.
After hearing for a bit, he discovered the 3 people were hired assassins by a rival company after hearing rumors about a 'Super Game' being developed by Asuka's company.
The young man came out of hiding and faced the assassins "Leave her alone and unharmed, now!" One of them told him with a smug tone "Scram brat, we won't harm you if you keep quiet" The next thing Asuka knew, was that her 3 assailants were dead.
One had a knife stabbed through his skull, the other and the last had a bullet hole in their heads, but the last still held a gun in his hand, a hand that was still held by the young man.
"What, what happened? It even looks like an infight and a suicide" Kenji(?) released the hand and started to walkaway after telling her she shouldn't go out alone, but She stopped him "w-what's your name?" The young man stopped and turned to her, answering "Kenji, Kenji Glassman"
Asuka thanked him and asked him for a favor, taking him to the company's building and presenting him to her team. That day, Asuka Kasamoto found not only an affiliated fighter to represent the company, but also her inspiration for the game that would save their future.
(Back to the present)
The young man left the elevator and he went through another door and a few flight of stairs until he was on the roof. There he could see who he was meeting, Nathan stood there, looking down at the people at ground level.
"You are a little late." Nathan turned to look at the young man and the two stared each other down, Kenji(?) glared intensely at him. Nathan felt his anger and a smirk appeared on his face, "So, have you come to tell me you refuse the wedding?"
"Damn right i am, gramps." Kenji(?) said clenching his fists. Nathan cracked his neck and the young man could fell the oldman's cofidence. "But I have an offer for you."
"An offer?" Nathan was taken aback and Kenji(?) stood there, staring at him, "And what kind of offer would that be?"
"A bet, that I'll win this tournament." Kenji(?) said pointing to himself and his eyes locked with Nathan, "And I mean to get to the finals." Nathan remained silent for a few seconds before laughing out loud. Kenji(?) was thrown off by this, "W-w-what's so funny?!"
"You are strong, yes, but there are a lot of fighters you might not stand a chance against." Nathan explained and the young man glared at him, "I will accept the bet, but I want to add something."
"What?" Kenji(?) asked, the oldman stood silent for a moment. Nathan narrowed his eyes with visible anger, Kenji(?) could feel the bloodlust from where he stood.
"You said you found a master to teach you a new fighting style." Nathan said. Kenji(?) struggled to keep his footing before nodding as an answer, "Then here it is, if he can beat me and get to the finals, then you will be free from the wedding, but if he loses you will have to fulfill your end of the deal without another word about it." The young man thought for a moment and shook his head to clear it, glaring back at him.
"Deal then." Kenji(?) said and Nathan just smiled, stopping his bloodlust and walked up to him to offer his hand. Kenji(?) looked at it for a few moments and then took it, shaking it as they stared at each other.
"Then, the bet is made and is final." Nathan said, letting him go and Kenji(?) nodded, walking off heading on his way with a worried look, and taking a glance at the calm Nathan as he entered the building.
Taaru let out a roar of rage and punched a large rock, cracking it with the force of the blow and his teeth clenched while he glared at the object. But his rage erupted after realizing it was barely cracked.
"Why can't I break it like you?!" Taaru asked out loud, his mind filled with images of Shibo, fueling his rage even more and he pulled his arm back for strinking the rock once again.
"Because my Ursa Style isn't meant to be used like that." a voice called out and Taaru turned to see a figure standing there smiling. It was a man with long black hair and thick beard, he had a muscular body dressed in a t-shirt and cargo pants looking at him. "Using the Ursa style wrongly will kill you and you know that."
"But how can I use it if you only showed me my five stupid moves?!" Taaru yelled back at the figure filled with rage, "Five moves!, that's all I have and some are useless in the fights I am in!"
"Claws, Five Claws of the Ursa style." the figure corrected, looking at Taaru with arms still crossed, "And using the Hibernation secret technique constantly will make it hard for you to recover. Abusing it could cost you in the long run."
"I don't care!" Taaru yelled, looking back at the rock, "As long as I can take Shibo to hell with me, then my life is worth it." Taaru said, the figure shook his head and vanished from sight, leaving Taaru alone with his training.
TBC