Chapter 11

With the scream still fresh in his mind, Mitchel rushed inside, only to see a fallen Karen an unscathed Gotz, and a worrying Jeff, and a fearful Ann.

"Karen!"

The usually cheerful excitable High School Reporter trembled.

"Such power… such terrible power… she didn't stand a chance…" Ann quivered while she held her camera with a weak grasp.

The young warrior rushed to his dear friend's aid and held her head softly.

"Karen, what the hell?" Mitchel exclaimed.

The fatigued blonde woman laughed weakly.

"Sorry, Mitch. I just couldn't help myself from getting at him personally…" she groaned.

Mitchel bowed his head and sighed.

"Well, it must've been one nasty beating. I heard you scream like a little girl from far away…" he pointed out.

"In case you haven't noticed… I am female." Karen replied.

"Yeah, but you're not a girl anymore. You shouldn't be screaming like someone half your age…" Mitchel retorted.

Suddenly, the rich martial artist when into a coughing fit.

"Y-you… you're no fun…" she managed to get out.

"Well, neither are you! I still can't believe you tried to take this guy on by yourself! What happened to the plan? We were supposed to kick his ass together, but you had to be all "vengeancey" and get your butt handed to you instead!" Mitchel complained.

Again, Karen laughed.

"Yeah… sorry about that…" Karen trailed off weakly.

"Ah, damn it! Now what am I supposed to do? This guy beat our Master, and made mincemeat out of you alone! This battle's going to be hell!" Mitchel growled.

Karen let out a weary moan as she recalled something.

"That bastard… did this to me, and he wasn't even taking me seriously, Mitch…"

That comment served to send a shiver down her dear friend's neck, and take his confidence down a few notches.

"What?! Then are you saying he's just going to beat the crap outta me while he's only "playing" with me?" Mitchel groaned.

Karen shook his head.

"No… use his big head to his advantage, Mitch. I was just too caught up in my anger to see that before… make him regret treating you like a weakling. I know he will do the same with you, Mitch. He thinks Shishou's teachings were weak… prove him wrong."

"But--"

"Besides… as painful as this is to admit, I'd have to say you're the stronger one, now. None of us could really see that when we both started out, but… I have a feeling there's a power within you that can stand up to that Gotz Bastard… hell, you took on a guy twice your size for that World Warrior Championship without lifting that mighty finger, right?" Karen added.

Mitchel knelt silently for a minute.

"Yeah, Bob was a big monster to fight, but I took him on and defeated him fair and square. Still, he's probably nowhere near the same league as Gotz, and yet… maybe I'll just have to give it my all and keep urging myself forward this time… maybe that is my one chance at this battle." Mitchel thought. "But… this force inside of me… I don't know… if it's something all that worthy of embracing. Would fighting fire with fire be wise in this situation? Master Woody was wary of this, and even that Psychic lady…. I'll just have to be careful."

After a few more moments of solitary thought, Mitchel nodded to his dear friend.

"Fine. I'll tan his hide for both our sakes. If he decides not to take me seriously, it'll all be on his head…" Mitchel proclaimed. "Karen, I'll do this in honor of Master… but also for the sake of a greater path. I cannot allow his violent ways to continue."

At that moment, the barely conscious Karen noticed an unshakable will in her friend, as well as a burning spirit. And she couldn't help but grin.

"Go ahead and do that, Mitch. Just kick his ass twice over in the process… alright?" she asked.

Again, Mitchel nodded.

"Sure thing…"

After that, Karen succumbed to a peaceful sleep. Mitchel then got up and marched right towards Gotz, whose curiosity was somehow aroused by his newest opponent.

"Mitchel! Are you seriously going to do this?! But Gotz just slaughtered your pal! There's no way… no way you could stand up to what I witness! Gotz… he really is a demon in every sense of the word!" Ann cried.

Mitchel shook his head as he continued moving onward.

"No can do, kid. I owe Karen this favor, and I owe too many others to not let this match go on." He replied.

"But--"

"Don't get the wrong idea, I'm doing this for myself, too. I MUST do this." Mitchel proclaimed.

The trembling Ann was still reluctant to let the young warrior go on with the match, but his resolve was just too strong to deter. She simply nodded back and stood by with camera firmly in hand.

Once Mitchel got into position, he eyed Jeff Masters, who had somewhat recovered from his panic.

"Mr. Masters, I suggest you take your daughter to safer ground and help her recover a bit. She isn't going to get much better just laying there." He suggested.

Jeff nodded reluctantly and ran to pick up her daughter. At the same time, Eve walked by calmly to witness the new fight that was about to take place.

"Miss Eve! What are you still doing here? Those guys… the island…. They might--"

"I simply came back to enjoy a good fight, Mr. Masters. Is there something wrong with that?" Eve interrupted.

Jeff stared at her like she was crazy.

"No worries, Mr. Masters. I can take well enough care of myself should things get hectic. You and your fainted daughter on the other hand… well, I'd recommend that you are well on your way out should it reach that point." Eve assured her.

Jeff let out a heavy sigh, but decided he could do nothing to persuade the woman.

"Fine. I'll get Karen and myself to the copter, but I'm not leaving without you or my girl's friend, Mitchel!" he insisted.

Eve grinned.

"Ah, good… at least you hold enough principals to give you some spine." she replied.

He then turned to the nearly inanimate Ann.

"Ann! Get going with Mr. Masters! You already got your shots of Gotz, right? It'll be too dangerous if you stay any longer!" Mitchel ordered.

Despite the fear that overwhelmed her, some feeling returned to the high school girl's body as she was given that warning.

"N-no! I'm staying here! If you're going to go on with this fight, then I'll continue pursuing my scoop! None of us are backing down on this since you insisted, alright?!" Ann cried back defiantly.

"Damn it! This isn't one of your high school scoops you can just take back to your friends and brag about! This is duel between fighters!" Mitchel shouted.

"You're right… this isn't a simple high school scoop! This is world news! Wandering Warrior Mitchel versus Master of the Fist Gotz! This is a battle meant to be known globally and I'm not going to let it slip from my grasp!" Ann declared. As she held out her camera right in front of her.

Mitchel growled.

"Fine! Suit yourself! Just don't get yourself killed, alright? I already warned you!" he shouted once more.

Ann gestured back with a thumbs up.

"Don't you worry. Ace Reporter Ann Hibiki always makes sure to take care of herself on the job!"

"Right, right…" Mitchel groaned.

At once, the two disciples of Ansatsuken stared each other down in a dramatic show. Mitchel's determination vastly outweighed his worry, while Gotz' confidence remained stalwart.

"So… Brother Woody's other student has finally stepped forward." Gotz uttered. "I wonder…might he have chosen two disciples who lack true potential…?"

The fighter in white shook his head.

"Don't even dare try to mock your way through this fight." Mitchel stated.

"…I am merely voicing my thoughts. Is that a problem?" Gotz asked.

Mitchel didn't even bother answering, and shot a fiery glare back to express his clear resentment.

The demonic fighter remained unfazed.

"But perhaps that might be for the best. It would be shameful for him to have spoiled a worthy fighter with his foolish teachings. To honor life in a game of death… to hold back true strength when it was meant to be used at its fullest…Was his ultimate goal to turn the mighty Ansatsuken into a mere Circus Act?" he taunted.

Mitchel let out a low growl before breathing in to recover his cool.

"No… I believe he taught me his ways because he saw a strength in valuing life without seeing the need for "valiant deaths" and "noble sacrifice". But perhaps it is you who is afraid that your brother's teachings have managed to cultivate a fighter that can far surpass your own strength and abilities?" He answered back.

"That is a rather bold statement… but it's just as arrogant. Even if you happen to be the one with power beyond my own, your "watered-down techniques will keep you from truly gaining that power. You have been deprived…" " Gotz scoffed in contempt. He then took an intrigued glanced at his foe.

"Yes… you have been foolishly deprived, and so a part of you will continue to hunger. Tell me, do you intend to remain deprived and unfulfilled because of this meaningless value you hold on to? Because if you can't even entertain me like your friend over there, then perhaps I should just put you out of your misery before you have the chance to disgrace yourself." Gotz scoffed.

"Oh no… I'm giving you a fight, alright! You've done too much already for me not to! Just know that I'll be doing it my own terms, alright?" Mitchel declared.

For a moment, the warrior demon glared back in contempt, but then he slowly formed an amused smile.

"Go ahead, then. If you wish to follow in the footsteps of both your friend and your Master, you have only yourself to blame."

Refusing to accept his own teachings as "weak", Mitchel smiled back as he felt ample anticipation for the fight.

"Heh, right… the only one facing regret here will be you for turning away everything you could've had." Mitchel answered.

Immediately, both challengers went into their fighting stances and eyed each other carefully.

"So then… you really think you've improved so much since embracing the Murderous Intent?" Mitchel asked.

Gotz shrugged.

"How about you tell me?" he answered back amused.

Mitchel sighed.

"Yeesh… why did I even ask that question in the first place? And he even had to answer back with a question of his own! I hate that!" he thought.

In one brief display of power, both men stomped into fearsome, kneeling horse stances while unleashing their loudest battle yells possible. The air around them crackled with their very power as their auras clashed. Soon enough, the fighters got back into their

Neutral battle positions, poised to take each other on.

And so, an epic battle between Light and Darkness was about to begin…