I wish I owned DBZ, but I don't. I own DVD's and tapes, but it just isn't the same. I also don't own the rights to any of the music pieces you see selected, just copies of merchandise, such a shame. The artists that created them are geniuses and we all must bow to them.
Chapter 89: Dark Tourney 12: Grudge Match
Verto looked on as an intense standoff between Bui and Hiei thickened the air around the arena. In terms of raw size and physical strength, there was no doubt about the advantage that Bui likely had. Verto couldn't sense much energy coming from the armored giant, but that didn't mean much at the moment. Hiei was also emitting a very low amount of energy despite the moment, though Verto expected that would be changing shortly. They both stood by as Juri formally introduced them in her own way.
"Measuring four foot ten without his hair, Hiei. At nine feet, Bui," Juri said as she gestured to both fighters.
"Wow, nine feet? That's tall, and certainly more than enough man to go around ladies! Then again, Hiei has proven that kick ass things come in short packages too! I have no earthly idea who is going to win this one, but I can say for sure that it's going to be exciting!" Koto declared as she tried to amp up the crowd again. Bui then held out his hand and gathered a ball of red energy into it. Verto sensed something strange about it initially until Bui held it up as it stretched outwards. It widened and lengthened at the same time until it became a brown handle. At the end of that handle was a large axe-like blade that materialized from thin air. The axe itself was nearly as big as Bui was himself, and it had the weight to back it up as the ring tiles beneath his feet cracked.
Verto grimaced at the ease that Bui has conjured this blade, Material conversion technique, I really need to figure that one out other than clothes.
"Serves Hiei right, cocky punk doesn't have his sword after that Kuro guy broke it in the last round," Kuwabara grumbled.
Verto snorted, "Hmph, it's not like he has to have a metallic weapon to win you dolt." Kuwabara was about to answer when Hiei suddenly tore off his black cloak, revealing his right arm which was heavily wrapped in bandages and chains.
"No, he can't," Kuwabara claimed, "Look how tight he's got those bandages! His injuries must not be even close to healed."
Kurama cleared his throat, "No, you've misunderstood Hiei's true motives. This particular binding is not to repair."
"What the hell, is it just there to look pretty?" Yusuke asked.
"Not exactly," Kurama said vaguely.
"Why use a bandage if it doesn't make your hurting spots better?" Kuwabara asked.
Verto shook his head slightly, "Use your brain. He clearly stated last night that he was training what I assume is his pet dragon and he had torn up his arm because it wouldn't listen to his commands. He's obviously using that wrapping as a way to conceal it."
"Huh, how did you figure that out? And I have been using my brain, I just get confused sometimes!" Kuwabara retorted weakly.
"Yes I'm sure all of the facts get distorted on a minute by minute basis," Verto replied as Kuwabara shook his fist slightly.
Juri interrupted their short conversation, "And now, the second match of the final round. Ready, set, go!" Bui leaned forward before pulling his huge axe back and taking off into a dead sprint towards Hiei, his heavy armor clanging against the ground with every step. Just before he got there, Bui launched into the air with a big leap as he brought his axe upwards before swinging down. He timed it almost perfectly to crash into Hiei with all of his momentum behind it, almost. Hiei phased out just as the blade came down, and Bui's blade was stuck into one of the ring tiles instead.
Hiei was standing at fairly far distance from Bui, "Your aim is as broad as your axe! Could you at least try to hit me next time?" Bui answered by dragging the ring tile up with his axe and flinging it off the blade in Hiei's general direction. Hiei jumped up to avoid the large chunk of stone, which crashed and broke apart on the ring surface. Bui used his axe to drag up another heavy tile and threw it towards Hiei again. Hiei dodged easily and Bui continued the assault. Multiple ring tiles were dislodged and thrown by Bui, all of which were dodged by Hiei with ease. Several of the boulder-size tiles were flung into the audience, crushing several demons at once and causing others to scatter.
"No one can explain to me why the combatants keep attacking the audience. But it does make the pain more wide spread and I do love that!" Koto declared. Bui eventually narrowed his wide aim to a small section of the ring where Hiei was standing, looking bored.
"I may be a small target, but this is sad," Hiei said as his body began to glow. The wrapping he had around his head burned off, revealing his third eye while his hair stood up in a different manner.
"Prepare yourself for the Fist of the Mortal Flame!" Hiei shouted. Verto glanced at Kurama in question, but didn't bother asking as Hiei charged straight at the ring tiles. His fist became wrapped in flame-like orange energy and he smashed right through the first tile. Several more followed and Hiei destroyed each one with his continuous punch. Debris flew everywhere, blinding Hiei to Bui's next attack. Once again he leapt into the air as Hiei was dealing with the last tile, and came in just as it was shattered.
"Look out!" Kuwabara called out. Hiei saw the attack and didn't waver a bit, continuing his counter attack straight into Bui's blade. Fist met blade in a brief clash before the handle broke off completely, sending the axe portion flying past Juri's ears and into the stands. Bui grumbled before forming another huge blade with his single hand.
"At least you are consistent. Consistently foolish if you think this axe will have anymore impact than the last," Hiei pointed out as he stood his ground. Bui answered the challenge by chucking the entire axe at him with deadly accuracy. Hiei's whole body glowed orange just before he lifted his hand and caught the blade. A quick burst of energy followed before the axe evaporated in an instant, which hushed the crowd.
"That's amazing! Hiei not only caught the massive blade but he incinerated it to boot!" Koto cried out.
Kuwabara cringed slightly, "Uh, remind me never to let Hiei touch me again anytime soon, or like ever!"
"Impressive technique, but it doesn't seem like it hurts him as much as that dragon does. So why didn't he use it sooner?" Verto asked.
Kurama nodded knowingly, "His abilities have risen exponentially in this tournament out of need. In the previous round he made use of this technique before he was forced to use a variation the dragon. Up until now, he did not channel the flames of the living world with nearly this much ease. It's possible that he's attained a new mastery in a very short time."
Verto's eyebrow went up, So he can channel energy of this world to his needs, in the form of flames. Must be similar to the Spirit Bomb in the way he gathers it. Although, the way that dragon comes around is something else altogether. Hiei continued to look disappointed as he and Bui continued their standoff.
"I warned you that was a foolish maneuver. But you refuse to listen, much to your disadvantage and to my boredom. And that, is not forgivable!" Hiei declared.
A brief spark of energy came from Bui as his eyes glowed red beneath his helmet, "Sorry to bore you! I'll remove my armor!" His voice was so dark and intimidating that even Verto felt chills from it.
Bui first removed one of his wrist guards, "You should know two things, Hiei the swordsman. I was saving this for someone else, and this is the highest compliment I give."
Hiei grinned, "I'm honored, really I am. But are you sure you're strong enough to take a direct hit from me without any armor?"
"I'll handle it," Bui grumbled as he tossed the wrist guard aside. It sailed briefly through the air before it came down hard, landing neatly between Kuwabara and Verto. Neatly, aside from half of it being embedded by the sheer amount of weight.
"Whoa that's heavy, and that's just one of his arm things? How'd he manage to fight in all that, never mind stand up straight in it?" Kuwabara asked in shock. Verto bent down and attempted to lift the arm guard, though even he managed to struggle momentarily. He did pull it out of the ground, amazing Kuwabara in the process as he examined it briefly.
Verto whistled under his breath a bit, Wow, that's got to be heavier than any wristband I've ever trained with, minus any gravity of course.
"Oh, I guess it isn't that heavy," Kuwabara claimed.
Verto eyed him before dropping the armor piece, "Take it from someone who trains with heavy weights and with enhanced gravity, it's not light. Easily five hundred pounds."
"No way!" Kuwabara argued. Back in the ring, Bui had shed his shin guards, chest plate, and was in the process of removing his helmet.
"Most fighters wear armor to protect themselves from their opponent. But I'm the opposite," Bui said as he dropped his helmet and removed his mask, "I actually wear this armor to protect my opponent from myself." Bui revealed light green hair and a deep scar that ran from his forehead, between his eyes and back through both sides of his face under his eyes.
He raised his fist and gripped it tightly as a light green energy surrounded it, "You see, my powers are so great that I can't control them on my own!" His eyes flashed briefly before his power erupted from the depths, surrounding his body and much of the air around it in a bright green flame. It spread erratically around him at variable rates, becoming a powerful aura as he floated off the ground.
"Whoa, how did I not pick up on this guy's energy?" Kuwabara asked.
"Because of his armor, it contains his power," Kurama replied.
"If it contains it, then why the hell would he take it off then?" Yusuke asked.
"It keeps it under wraps like Hiei's bandage," Verto answered before Kurama could.
Bui hovered before Hiei with a confident smirk, "I call this my Battle Aura. I'd like to see you try and top it."
Hiei looked smug, "So would I, but I doubt I'll have to try." A smaller, red aura surrounded Hiei just before he jumped up towards Bui. He aimed a kick that was easily deflected by Bui's thick green aura. Hiei landed and fired a swirl of orange energy that enveloped Bui, shutting down his green aura for a moment. Bui crossed both arms and concentrated for a few seconds, bursting out of the apparent hold with another energy surge. Bui then fired a spiraling blast at Hiei, who answered with his own orange burst. The two blasts collided and cancelled each other out.
Bui channeled another one twice as big and fired, "Look out below!" Hiei dodged the blast, but it hooked away from the ring and into the air towards its target. Hiei phased out twice as soon as he discerned its path, and lured it back towards Bui. He briefly reappeared behind Bui, long enough to attract the homing attack into its owner. Bui was struck and forced back into the ring surface before his blast exploded, showering the arena with intense light.
"Not bad," Yusuke said.
"Getting beat by your own attack? Man, that's gotta be pretty gosh darn humiliating!" Kuwabara added. Smoke covered the ring for a moment before Verto sensed Hiei land not far from where Bui was. This match isn't even close to over yet. That attack didn't do much.
"No…" Hiei whispered just before another bright green burst began to clear the air. Bui floated out of the crater that had formed, looking rather unscathed.
"I told you that you'd have to try and top me Hiei. Maybe now you'll take me more seriously and show me the respect I deserve!" Bui stated as he landed across from Hiei, "My attacks are designed to be only as strong as necessary to take out my opponent. As you can see, that's not even enough to put a dent in me. Take that any way you like!"
Hiei was not rattled in the least, "So it takes a lot more than that to bang you up. Here comes a lot more!" Hiei then began to unravel the wrappings around his arm with extreme eagerness.
"Hey, he's starting to take off that bandage thing you were talking about. The one that doesn't do what it's supposed to," Kuwabara pointed out.
Kurama sighed, "It seems you misunderstood. On the contrary Kuwabara, that binding has accomplished precisely what it was intended to do, which for Hiei is similar to Bui's armor. Though in Hiei's case, it's not just his own energy that's trapped in that arm." Blackened energy began to come out of Hiei's aura, and Verto eyed what looked to be a dragon-shaped tattoo that wrapped all the way around Hiei's upper arm down to his hand. Random flashes of feint light echoed the sounds of lightning crashes from around Hiei's black aura as his energy quickly started to build up.
"Time is wasting, let's hurry up and finish," Bui bellowed with impatience.
"Quiet fool, I don't need to be reminded to hurry, it's in my nature. Besides, it's been pulling at the bandages for sometime, I couldn't hold it for long," Hiei declared as the black flames around his arm crackled. The fiery creature seemed to leap off Hiei's arm and encircle him while it was drawing up its power, dancing around the arena randomly in the process.
"It's even more than before. Without control he could kill us all," Kurama warned.
"Well that's cool," Yusuke grumbled.
"Please no eat me, please no eat me!" Kuwabara prayed.
Verto grimaced, Without control both fighters will destroy this place. I guess poor Ranot will have to do without a crowd while I try to leave him face down in the dirt. Blackened streams of energy gathered above and poured more energy down into the ring, focusing in Hiei's right arm as he continued gathering the dragon's power. The ring debris began lifting into the air shortly before crackling apart in the wake of the black dragon's energy.
"Um, shouldn't we be hiding under a rock or something?" Kuwabara asked.
"Wait, give him his due time, it could be advantageous after all. It seems in his short training he may have learned to master it better," Kurama said.
"Oh better, that's reassuring," Yusuke mumbled. The arena began to pulse with eerie red waves of light, giving the crowd a bigger reason for concern.
"Take it from someone who was in the ring the first time. This is not the same attack, it's like a super, hyper, mega dragon!" Koto claimed. Lightning struck down into Hiei's arm from the skies, and his energy skyrocketed even more as he approached the end of his preparation.
"You ready?" Hiei asked. Bui looked content to take on the attack at its new, fuller form, and his own aura brightened.
Hiei stepped forward and wasted little more time, "Dragon of the Darkness Flame!" The creature roared out of Hiei's arm, enshrouded in black and red energy as it bore down on its target. Bui cried out as he reached to stop it, and was forced backwards by its power initially. Bui's power output increased and the dragon slowed to a halt.
"Damn, who is this Bui bastard?" Yusuke asked.
Kurama was equally amazed, "I didn't think it was possible, but he's actually stopped it!"
"I'm not scared, but we should at least find a rock to hide under!" Kuwabara shouted. Hiei was not impressed though, and his power surged even more.
"I hope you don't think that dragon is completed!" Hiei declared as he unleashed another wave of brighter blue. The energy infused into the dragon, and Bui was shoved backwards with ease. He attempted to fly backwards and change directions in order to avoid it, but the dragon stayed on Bui like he was its last dinner. They both flew around the arena, though Bui was obviously struggling. They sailed upwards at a wide arc almost in unison, and the stadium gave once they struck the previously blown up section. Demons evaporated from the close proximity to the dragon, as did a fair portion of the stadium as it crumbled apart.
Koto felt brave enough to speak despite how close the dragon was to her, "The stadium gave! Alright people, this is the mayhem you can only expect from the finals! The weaker ones in the crowd are being instantly incinerated! It's hell in a basket and I love it all!"
Verto scowled, I wonder if anyone would notice if I just happened to send a small blast in her direction. Bui and the dragon soared into the skies once freed from the confines of the domed arena, and Bui continued his struggle to hold off the beast. Hiei jumped out of the cracked ring and moved up towards the shattered rafters in order to watch more closely. The dragon was in the process of forcing Bui into one of the taller mountains when it stalled out again. Bui's green energy erupted at its peak as he threw the beast's head aside, sending it back down to earth at an awkward angle. The dragon bent slightly as it fell right towards a new target, Hiei. Everyone gasped as Hiei had almost no time to react to this, and he was literally swallowed into the dragon's huge form.
Verto stood wide-eyed as he hadn't expected that particular outcome, Holy crap, talk about backfiring. The black and blue energy began to fade as the dragon slowly fell apart in the skies, and Bui laughed as he landed in the ring.
"What a maneuver! Bui managed to deflect the Dragon of Darkness Flame away from himself and directly towards Hiei! The three-eyed warrior has been gobbled up by his own beast of destruction!" Koto announced. Demons cheered loudly as Bui stood tall in the ring, who was glancing strangely at Toguro instead of anyone else. Juri was slow to react before she finally got up and observed the crackling mass that used to be the dragon, hovering over the arena like a remnant cloud of a vanishing storm.
Juri blinked sharply before turning around, "Um, Hiei can't compete without a body…so the official winner, can only be…" Bui gasped as the mass of energy started shifting above, and Verto clearly sensed a renewed presence inside of it. The flames contracted and expanded randomly before condensing down into the very humanoid form of Hiei, who crashed into the ground with even more intensity than before.
Bui turned around in utter shock as Hiei stood up without so much as a scratch, "This brings up my next attack, it's a little different."
Yusuke relaxed a bit upon seeing his teammate unharmed, "Now that's cool!"
Bui was shaking in his boots just slightly, "Explain this!" Hiei didn't answer as he stepped forward, causing Bui to backpedal in fear.
"Hiei has consumed the darkness technique," Kurama pointed out.
"What? You mean he ate the dragon?" Kuwabara asked.
"Yes, it seems that he has learned what no one else could do. The only way to master such a creature is to trap it within. Now the dragon is inside him, and at his full disposal. Even Bui must accept what that means," Kurama explained.
"So, uh, that means Hiei's gonna win, right?" Kuwabara asked meekly.
Verto stared at him, "Use that awareness of yours and you'll realize that he isn't just about to win. He's about to steamroll Bui." Bui seemed to shake off his fear and concentrate all of his energy at once as he charged in and landed a harsh punch. Hiei was barely even affected, and Bui went into a frenzy. He landed multiple kicks and punches all over Hiei, who barely even flinched at each one of them. Bui backed off, gasping in terror as he looked into Hiei's dark eyes. His desperation grew apparent when he rushed in again, flipping over Hiei, only to grab him by the head and fling him into the air. Bui shoved him into the stadium's ceiling and then threw him back to the ring, adding in a fierce kick for good measure. Hiei smashed into the collapsing ring, only to get up like nothing happened. Bui's Battle Aura filled the ring as he attacked again, and Hiei caught his fist as his own energy surged. Bui's aura vanished as his energy faded, and the victory was quickly sealed.
"Come now, can't you even test me?" Hiei asked in disappointment. Bui ran at him again, and Hiei fired a quick burst of energy into Bui, sending him crashing through the top of the stadium. Hiei launched into the air, soaring past Bui before landing a powerful blow that sent Bui into the stands. He landed over the taller fighter, who was barely moving.
"Both are outside the ring, I'll start the count!" Juri declared just before she tripped in the battered ring. Bui whispered something to Hiei that was too quiet for Verto to hear at that range, but whatever it was, Hiei didn't seem interested. He jumped backwards at the count of eight, landing neatly in the ring.
"Nine…Ten! The second fight is over, Hiei takes the point!" Juri called out.
"You hear that Toguro, we're looking at a tie ball game!" Yusuke shouted.
Hiei walked back to his team, causing Kuwabara to panic, "Hey, this is a no dragon area!"
"Really awesome Hiei," Yusuke said.
"Y-Yeah awesome, now why don't you go about twenty yards that way and fight the rest of t-them?" Kuwabara stuttered.
Hiei shook slightly in place, "That's against the rules now you cretin. Besides, my attack expired."
"Expired?" Kuwabara and Yusuke said in unison. Verto's eyes narrowed as he felt Hiei's energy fading fast.
"I don't know if your brains can imagine it but this attack drained a good deal of my energy," Hiei said just before he yawned, "I'll require some hibernation to get it back. Think you can manage to find a safe place for my body where it won't get stepped on?"
"Did you say hibernate?" Yusuke asked.
"Fancy word for being lazy," Kuwabara claimed.
Hiei pointed at Yusuke, Kuwabara and to a degree, Verto, "Listen as closely as you can. I'm trusting you against my instincts only because I have no other choice. You, take care of that abomination we called a substitute. And you two take care of the Toguro Brothers. If I wake up and find out we lost, I swear I'll kill all three of you…" Hiei trailed off just before he collapsed into sleep.
Kurama chuckled lightly along with Yusuke, "Ha, that's Hiei for you, he faints but still finds time for threats!" Verto snorted lightly as he cast his gaze in a different direction.
Ranot met it with eagerness, "Are you ready to begin boy?" Verto answered by stepping forward towards the ring.
"Well people, it seems we'll have to take a short break to get the ring replaced after that crazy fight…" Koto said before she paused upon seeing the two fighters coming towards what used to be the ring.
Ranot approached Juri, "If you don't mind, we would like to get the third match over with." Juri glanced over at Verto, who nodded with intense determination.
"It seems that contestants Ranot and D wish to fight despite the condition of the ring, the tournament committee…" Juri rattled off before Verto cleared his throat.
"Stop calling me D, my name is Verto," he snapped at her.
Juri blinked, "Excuse me, contestants Ranot and Verto. Anyway, the committee must approve this decision!"
Verto scowled, "Hey ref, I'll save you a lot of trouble without asking for permission from the rich snobs. Whatever is left of the ring will probably get blown up long before we're done, so we don't need a new one. You can also drop the ring-out rule like you did last round." Juri looked towards Ranot, who nodded eagerly.
"Both fighters agree on the terms, there will be no ring outs for the duration of this match. You may begin!" Juri declared as she scampered out of the way. Verto and Ranot stepped closer until there were within a dozen feet of each other, locked in a stare down. The cracked ring tiles began to dislodge as their power levels rose, scaring Juri away from the ring.
"So, are you going to give me any sort of challenge this time boy? Or was your failure before just a precursor to your death?" Ranot asked. Verto's answer was a deep blue Kaio-ken aura coming to life and enshrouding him as he sent the ring tiles flying upwards. Alright, let's see how strong he really is before I try anything risky.
Ranot was unaffected, "Not bad, certainly more energy than you should be able to put out. But how well can you use it?"
Verto snorted lightly, "Guess you'll have to find out. Kaio-ken times two!" His aura intensified just before he rushed in and kicked towards Ranot's head. The blow was blocked, though Ranot clearly didn't expect the amount of force as he nearly gave into it. Verto phased out, catching Ranot off-guard with a quick punch to his other side. Ranot swung back wildly, and Verto ducked under the attempt and buried his glowing fist into Ranot's abdomen.
Ranot stumbled backwards, and Verto didn't hesitate to release the stored energy, "Final Shine!" A bright blue wave of light shot out at an expanding angle, shredding all in front of it in a wide swath. The roar of the blast drowned out all sounds, though Verto could tell that Ranot had not dodged the attack. It cleared quickly, revealing Ranot with his arms crossed defensively. Most of his brown Saiyan armor was still intact, aside from a few holes in the sides and the shoulder pads missing.
Verto lowered his palm, Just as I thought, I'm going to have to go all out on him with the triple Kaio-ken. He was unprepared for that, but only because he wasn't powered up all the way. He was testing me first.
Ranot frowned as he lowered his arms, "Was that all?"
"That was all that I can safely put out in a battle at one time right now," Verto replied.
Ranot stood up straight and brushed off some of the dirt that had found its way onto his armor, "Then I suggest you prepare, for pain!" An eerie purple aura shot up around him as Verto sensed a big increase in his power level. The high amount of wind force blew everyone else down, and the already ruined ring crumbled. The ground trembled in tune with the tiles shaking apart, and Verto got a feel for what he was really dealing with.
Ah hell, he's certainly strong enough to take on Frost. Maybe even beat him without his final form in play. But…he still feels like he's holding back. Frost himself admitted that his reverting technique was used against this guy, so he's got to be stronger. Verto felt Ranot's power plateau a moment later just before he released a violent burst of energy that blinded all to its light. Verto blocked against its force, but was still flung backwards and into the stadium wall. Verto winced painfully as he stared back at Ranot, standing where the ring used to be.
"You okay?" Yusuke shouted from afar. Verto's response was his own rough burst of power that blew a hole in the wall as he floated out of it. Ranot stood still with his arms crossed as his tiny but solid gold and white barrier covered his body.
Verto grimaced, Yeah, going Berserker will only burn up my energy faster. The Soul Blazer wave didn't work last time and definitely won't this time. I'll have to try the triple Kaio-ken now and hope to hell that it works like Leira said. I can't let him do any damage beforehand. Verto cautiously walked towards Ranot, if only to put as much distance as he could between him and anyone else.
"I applaud you boy, not many would get a feel for my power and still be standing, or be brave enough to face it," Ranot claimed. Verto's eyes darted around the stadium as most of the demons were struggling to even breathe under the weight of Ranot's energy. Verto then glanced over to see that Yusuke and his friends had been joined by the present day Koenma, who appeared to have raised an energy barrier for protection.
Ranot chuckled as Verto turned back towards him, "So, how shall we play this? You can use that power amplifying technique again, but surely you know that it will be fruitless if all you can do is double your current strength. You might get in another lucky hit or two, but it will lack the power you need to defeat me and you know it!"
Verto brought his arms up and sighed heavily as he prepared himself, "When I said that was all the power I could safely put out, I meant it. But pay attention to the words, because it's about to get very unsafe." Verto's deep blue aura shot up around him, bringing back the wind and blown around dust. He grunted slightly as his body filled with energy, causing his muscles to swell.
Verto gritted his teeth, C'mon, I can do this. I can bear it! Focus! Bright bursts of energy shot out of Verto in random directions, taking out seats and pillars alike.
Ranot laughed, "Are you trying so hard that you can't control yourself? Ha, you'll only end up like Selffur!" Verto's determination didn't waver as his wide, erratic aura suddenly slimed down into a more controlled flow.
"Kaio-ken, times three!" Verto's blue aura condensed further and began to kick up silvery-white clumps of energy throughout. Ranot's grin faded and shifted to slight concern and confusion. Verto's hair stood up sharply and shifted to silver-white as his energy filled with the same color. Green lightning sparked and flowed with the intense aura. He finished with a far less dramatic deep breath while most of the stadium did a double-take at the transformation.
It worked, but I lost some of the energy I had from changing. I have what I need to beat him, but it won't last long. I better get to work.
Ranot chuckled, "So this is what you've been hiding. Very amusing, but not completely surprising. I can understand why Leira would want to recruit you so badly. After all, you're so much like the one she lost."
Verto's blue eyes narrowed, "The one she lost?"
"Oh, she didn't tell you that yet did she? I killed the only person that could ever crack her cold heart, so she's spun all of her actions off of revenge. She may work for some sort of superior beings in the great beyond, but she certainly doesn't follow their orders with any sort of consistency. I'm guessing she hasn't told you that either, has she?" Ranot asked.
Verto closed his eyes, "She has kept me in the dark about a lot of things, and I wish she wouldn't. It's difficult to put up with, but it also doesn't matter at the moment."
"It doesn't matter? And why do you think that?"
Verto's eyes opened back up, "Because I don't care about that right now, nor will I until it actually does concern me. So get ready, because I'm gonna kick your ass!"
Ranot lowered into a stance that nearly mirrored Verto's, "Then let's do it boy!" Both Saiyans charged each other and their initial clash made the stadium tremble. A great ball of white formed around them as they engaged in lightning-fast combat while nearly everyone watching gasped in awe.
"I can't follow their moves!" Yusuke declared.
"I haven't been able to for most of Verto's matches, but this is more intense than anything I've ever seen!" Kurama said.
"I'm not scared, I'm not scared!" Kuwabara repeated over and over.
"His transformation brought out so much spirit energy that I can't even measure it. I can't even be sure that it's spirit energy at all!" Kurama pointed out.
"It's not demon energy either," Yusuke added.
Kuwabara was confused, "Huh? If it's not spirit or demon, then what the heck kind of energy is it?"
Koenma answered for them from behind, "Sacred."
All three fighters turned around in surprise while Yusuke was the first to speak, "Nice to see you, pacifier breath. So what does this Sacred energy crap do, other than turn his hair colors?"
"I've been here for several moments, you're just too caught up in this mess to notice. Anyways, sacred energy is a power that very few can achieve easily. Normally it should take at least forty years of hard training alone to even know if one is capable of it. But that applies to those born of our world. He comes from another place and while it may seem difficult for us to fathom, it may not be so for him," Koenma explained.
Laysh suddenly dropped in next to them, startling all four, "No it isn't. He's the first of our kind that I've ever seen that's been able to wield it like this."
"It's that hot girlfriend of his!" Kuwabara pointed out. Laysh glared at him, but was drawn back to the fierce melee going on in front of here.
Chal was right all along. I didn't want to believe it, but he can win. He is the savior we've been waiting for! Now I can safely put all my faith in him. Destroy him Verto, so that some day, you can eventually guide us into the light! The high powered scuffle continued between Verto and Ranot while everyone looked on in awe. Both fighters held their own against the other while keeping up their incredibly paced flurry. A break in the action occurred when they matched blows and glided backwards, landing long enough to stare each other down. Ranot still had a confident smile at this point, but it had waned quite a bit.
"Very good kid, you've done well to surprise me. This is the kind of challenge I wanted, and you've delivered quite nicely," Ranot claimed.
"Is that why you're holding back?" Verto asked spitefully. Ranot shut his eyes smugly,
"You could tell eh? Not bad for a tiny runt."
"You may have very good ki control, but I can always tell when someone has more to give that doesn't require any transformations, like Frost for example. If you hold back now, I'm going to make you pay," Verto retorted.
Ranot chuckled, "How amusing, the little savior gets a feel for real power and suddenly thinks he can play in the big leagues. I assure you that once I've had my fill, I will end this match so quickly that you won't know what happened. Until then, let's enjoy ourselves."
Verto shifted his stance as his hands filled with green energy, "I'm not in the mood for games." Verto rushed forward at blinding speed, and Ranot froze in surprise just before the glowing green fist arrived.
"Super Galic Fist!" Bright green light swallowed the stadium just before a loud crash followed. Ranot had smashed into a section full of demons, and was lying in a crater of crushed seats. His armor had barely provided any protection and was falling apart with every breath. Underneath, his muscular body had suffered the brunt of Verto's attack, and it now resembled a vat of mashed, uncooked beef.
"What an attack. That punch party makes me want to dance!" Koto declared. Most of the stadium then glanced at her awkwardly just before she ducked down in embarrassment. Verto kept his eyes locked on Ranot, who slowly recovered and hovered into the air as he examined the damage done. He remained surprisingly calm about it before aiming his hand towards the right. Verto followed his aim, seeing that he was actually aiming for Yusuke and the others. Verto phased out, reappearing in the supposed blast's path.
Ranot grinned, "That's fine, but I doubt you'll save everyone with this next attack. Bane Blaster!" A bright purple bolt of ki came out of his hand slowly, and Verto lifted his own in order to deflect it. Verto's hand struck the blast, and then it changed forms. The slow bolt suddenly exploded into a fast moving beam that skewered its way through a wide stadium section. Demons were vanquished by the hundreds through the precise attack, missing others by hair lengths on the edge of the torched and melted metal.
Verto stared at the result in utter disbelief, What the hell was that? Ranot cast out both hands as they began to shimmer with light purple energy.
"So, how about we make this more interesting? How many of them will be left after this one? It's up to you, Bane Blaster!" Ranot roared. Multiple bolts launched down towards Verto at the same angle, but at a slow rate of fire. Verto bent his knees a bit and deflected the first few upwards. Two more beams erupted from the impact, shooting through the roof. Several more followed, which rapidly turned the arena top into Swiss cheese. Debris started crashing down as the dome began to cave in, drawing Verto's focus in-between blasts. He quickly held out his right hand, sparking his intense green Chi sword in the process. He swung down into the next blast on a gamble, and it merely cut straight through it, nullifying any lasting effects. Verto sighed in relief and turned upwards at the ready. Ranot fired several more shots, only to see Verto slice through each one easily, stopping them completely.
Verto allowed himself a breather once Ranot's assault ended, That is one crazy technique, but at least it looks like I found an effective counter for it. It may only deter him for a moment, but it's better than letting everyone die through the random luck of a deflected blast. The question is, can I cut into him now? Doubtful unless I catch him off guard enough that he doesn't put up that barrier. Ranot lowered to the ground, no longer showing much in the way of confidence.
"You're the first to ever counter my technique, enjoy that hollow victory while you can," he said. Verto's sword brightened as he suddenly heaved it like a javelin. Ranot held up a glowing forearm and swung with the back of his left hand, knocking the blade aside. Verto phased in, bringing another green blade to bear into Ranot's chest. It stopped an inch short when Ranot caught it, stopping the momentum.
"Ha, nice try kid," Ranot said. He kicked forward just as Verto moved out of range, clipping his jaw. Verto glided backwards for barely a split second before Ranot was already in his face. He grabbed Verto by the head and pulled him down into the dirt. Verto cringed at the pain until he put his hands down and fired a blast. Verto sailed backwards on the explosive wave and caught Ranot in the face with a fierce elbow. Verto quickly spun around clockwise, kicking Ranot's large arm with his opposite foot. Ranot winced noticeably, and Verto jumped at his chance, dropping down long enough to come up with a strong uppercut. Ranot shot through the roof from the impact, and Verto blasted off to give chase. Ranot glided backwards and fired several quick blasts at Verto, who turned and twisted his flight path to avoid them. Ranot glanced up just as Verto arrived, green sword in hand. Ranot's energy barrier came up around his blocking forearms, seemingly nullifying Verto's attack attempt. Verto swung with his right hand as he dropped down, and the sword stopped cold. Ranot grinned until he saw Verto dropping into melee range while his sword was still clashing with the barrier. Verto flew in with both feet, kicking Ranot in the chest with all his momentum. Ranot fell backwards a few feet as his barrier faded, and Verto reformed the sword into a bright green blast.
"Final Shine!" Ranot saw the attack at the very last second and attempted to block against it. Both Ranot and the Final Shine blast slowed, and he showed signs of being able to repel it. That was until Verto phased in below him and led with his shoulder as he rammed into Ranot's back. The blast detonated as Verto backed off for the moment. Ranot fell out of the blast cloud, his body smoking all over. Verto darted above him and came down with a hard double-arm smash to his torso, sending him back towards the ground. Verto's aura shined brightly as he flew after Ranot, catching up before he hit the arena. Verto sped up as he wrapped his arm around Ranot's thick neck, pulling him down harder. The demon crowd gasped as all they could see was two figures wrapped in bright white, coming towards the ground at an alarming speed. Verto saw the ground coming fast, but didn't let go until the last possible second. Ranot plunged into the dirt head first just as the impact sent it all flying in every direction. Verto circled around and landed on the outskirts of the new, large crater, panting slightly as he waited for his opponent to recover. He felt that one, but I still can't be screwing around on this. I don't have much longer before my energy gives out.
A fair amount of time passed before Koto felt brave enough to speak, "That was breathtaking, what a fight! Hey Juri, tell us who won!"
Juri scampered over and looked down, seeing Ranot's prone form in a crater that was nearly twenty feet deep, "Well he's definitely down, I'll start the count! One…Two…"
Verto put his arm up, "Don't bother, he isn't done yet. No way I beat him that easily."
"He still has to answer the count, five…six…" Verto slipped into his ready stance at the count of eight, and he sensed Ranot's energy bubble up ever so slightly.
"Nine…" Ranot looked up at Verto briefly with a smug expression, but did not move.
"Ten! The winner of the match is Verto!"
Verto's eyes widened as he realized what had just occurred, You've got to be kidding me, he threw the match? But why?
Power levels
Verto: 312,000; Kaiokenx2: 624,000; Super Mystic (from Kaiokenx3): 825,000
Ranot: 750,000
A/N: Dun dun dun…
WDG: One mindfuck, coming right up!
VB: Oh I imagine there will be more than one coming soon…