Chapter 5: The Young Champion's Light
Gouki could only crouch on the spot, his body bleeding from Kenshiro's attack. Kenshiro stood a few feet from him, waiting for Gouki's move.
" Musou Tensei?" asked Gouki, as he stood up.
" It may look similar to your Shun Goku Satsu." explained Kenshiro, " But unlike Shun Goku Satsu which uses dark ki, Musou Tensei uses the sadness I've experienced in my journeys."
" Then, you must be a really sad man, Kenshiro." Gouki replied, " Do not worry though. I will end that sadness!"
Gouki took his stance, blood gushing out from every part of his body.
" And I'll use my Shun Goku Satsu to achieve it!" Gouki exclaimed as dark ki exploded from his body.
Kenshiro took his stance.
" Come on!" exclaimed Kenshiro.
Gouki launched into his Shun Goku Satsu and charged towards Kenshiro. Kenshiro responded by entering Musou Tensei and charging towards Gouki. It was a magnificient sight. Though both fighters were intangible to each other, every clash left a mark on their body. The air around them was distorted by the interference of their battle ki and their techniques. The ground began to crack due to the strength of both fighter's assault.
Meanwhile, Ryu who was searching for Kenshiro felt a dark presence in his body. It was as if his Satsui no Hadou was being pulled by something. Ryu knew this feeling well and followed it. As he neared his destination, the pull on the Satsui no Hadou within him became stronger and stronger. Finally reaching the source of the attraction, Ryu was amazed by what he saw. Both Kenshiro and Gouki had stopped attacking each other, though their assault on each other was obvious as new wounds were on their body. Both seemed exchausted, but were keeping their guard up. Blood was dripping on the desert floor, turning the white sands blood red. Suddenly, Gouki stood up straight and began to laugh.
Kenshiro was clearly perplexed but refused to lower his guard.
" Finally!" cried Gouki, his fist shaking with joy, " I have found a worthy opponent to fight my true self!"
Ryu's eyes flashed and he quickly ran towards both fighters, somehow knowing Gouki's intention. Meanwhile, Gouki lifted his blood soaked hand and grabbed onto his prayer beads. He pulled on to it, intending to remove it when...
" HADOUKEN!" cried Ryu as he launched a blue fireball towards Gouki. Gouki was caught by surprise but was quick enough to jump away from Ryu's fireball. Kenshiro turned towards Ryu as Ryu leapt in front of him.
" Kenshiro!" warned Ryu, " You mustn't allow Gouki to remove his beads!"
Kenshiro was confused but seeing Gouki's face twist into an expression of being caught out was enough for Kenshiro.
" Boy!" yelled Gouki, " You dare interfere in a duel between masters?!"
" If it keeps you from killing him!" Ryu yelled as he launched into a hurricane kick.
" TATSUMAKI SEPPUNYAKU!" Ryu yelled, heading towards Gouki.
" PATHETIC! GOU HADOUKEN!" yelled Gouki, as he launched a purple fireball towards Ryu.
However, Ryu had timed his hurricane kick to stop just as he was right in front of Gouki, allowing him to crouch and evade Gouki's fireball, and immediately launched into a double uppercut attack.
" SHINKU SHORYUKEN!" yelled Ryu, hitting Gouki in the chest twice.
Gouki grunted in pain as the force of Ryu's double uppercut attack sent him into the air, blood gushing out his mouth. He landed a few feet away from both Ryu and Kenshiro. Clearly fazed by the attack, Gouki struggled to get up.
" Bastard!" said Gouki, as blood gushed out from every wound, " Boy! If you interfere once more, I will KILL you!"
Gouki then pointed towards Kenshiro.
" Kenshiro." Gouki exclaimed, " You are lucky that I do not approve of a two against one fight but mark my words! I will DESTROY you!"
Gouki turned his back towards Ryu and Kenshiro and ,with immense power, leaped into the air until his body disappeared from the horizon. Ryu sighed a sigh of relief.
" Thank god I was able to stop him before he removed the beads." Ryu exclaimed, a small smile on his face, " Kenshiro..."
Ryu turned to face Kenshiro but was shocked to see Kenshiro collapsed on the ground.
" KENSHIRO!" cried Ryu, rushing to Kenshiro's side.
Kenshiro could barely move, his injuries finally getting to him.
" Don't worry, Kenshiro!" Ryu exclaimed as he placed Kenshiro on his back, " I'll take you back to the Yellow Village."
With Kenshiro on his back, Ryu trudged towards the Yellow Village.
Meanwhile, after the immense leap, Gouki had crashed a great distance away from Ryu and Kenshiro's position. He too had succumbed to his injuries and was having a very hard time moving.
" Curse that boy!" Gouki yelled, slowly trudging. " He has once again interfered with my battles."
Gouki was so pre-occupied by his thoughts he failed to notice four nameless Shuras had surrounded him.
" My, my!" exclaimed the leader, " You look to be in a bad shape, old man!"
" GET AWAY FROM ME, INSECTS!" Gouki angrily yelled.
" Hey!," exclaimed the second Shura, " That's not how you treat our leader!"
" Yeah!" replied the third Shura, " Let's kill him!"
All four Shuras leapt into the air, spears in the hands, ready to beat Gouki to death.
Gouki, already in pain from his injuries, had had enough.
" TO HELL WITH YOU INSIGNIFICANT INSECTS!" Gouki yelled, " SHUN GOKU SATSU!"
In an instance , all four Shuras were dead. More blood gushed out from Gouki's body after his attack, resulting in him collapsing to the ground.
" I must find shelter!" Gouki cried, as he crawled towards an unknown direction. " I will nurse my pain and humiliation and repay that boy and Kenshiro back twofolds!"
Back at the Yellow Village, Kenshiro's eyes flashed open. He found himself in the same healer hut that both Ryu and Ougi were admitted. Kenshiro sat up on his bed not before discovering the bandages around his body. He got up and walked slowly to the entrance of the hut .Pushing away the curtains that were covering the entrance, the bright sunlight temporarily blinded Kenshiro. As his vision cleared, he saw the villagers still in the process of rebuilding the village. Most of the huts were already back to their livable condition and some of the villagers were now digging a new well. Aiding them was Ryu, who was digging away together with the villagers. Kenshiro walked up to him and quietly observed Ryu. It did not take long for Ryu to realize someone was watching him. He turned around and was surprised by Kenshiro's appearance.
" Kenshiro!" Ryu cried, as he climbed out from the hole which was to be the new well, " What are you doing up?! You should rest."
" I am fine." replied Kenshiro, " Thanks for your concern."
Both Kenshiro and Ryu then turned to look at the villagers who were digging away. Their face was no longer that of sadness but of joy and happiness. Smiles were now on their once sorrowful faces.
" They are back to normal." exclaimed Ryu with a smile, " They're smiling again."
" Indeed they are." Kenshiro replied, " It was you that brought the light back onto their hearts."
" It was also your involvement that helped." said Ryu.
Both fighters stood motionless as they took in the atmosphere.
" Ryu?" asked Kenshiro.
" Yes?" answered a smiling Ryu.
" Tell me." requested Kenshiro, " Who is this Gouki?"
Ryu face suddenly turned pale. The smile that was on his face dissappeared completely.
" Do you really want to know?" sighed Ryu.
" I do." replied Kenshiro.
Ryu sighed a heavy sigh.
" Follow me." said Ryu, gesturing towards the healer's hut.
Kenshiro and Ryu headed towards the healer's hut. Inside the hut, Ryu proceeded to take a chair and promptly sat down.
" Take a seat." said Ryu, gesturing to the empty chair next to him.
Kenshiro took his seat, his heart determined to find out more about this new enemy.
" In order to truly know who Gouki is," Ryu began, " You must first listen to the Tale of Two Brothers. It all began when..."