With reflexes quicker than Keitaro's speed, Lamba gave the resident a strong spin before releasing him like a rag doll. Keitaro roughly landed on a set of stones that would have normally broken bones. Luckily for Keitaro's body, he was able to take much more damage than a normal person.
"Lamba, how did you get here so fast", Keitaro asked as he shakily stood up.
"The train you pushed me into, it's destination actually brought me closer to the Hinata apartments", Lamba stated.
Keitaro mentally kicked himself for not reading where the train was headed.
"What is the meaning of this Keitaro? Why are you fighting with Amalla, and Mrs. Tsuruko", The darked version of Keitaro asked.
"It's because...", Amalla whispered the reason in Lamba's ear.
Once he understood the whole situation, Lamba pulled back with a simple, "I see. If those are the terms, then I will be forced into this fight as well.
"But why does Lamba have to fight Keitaro too", Su asked as she pushed past the other girls.
"I will not allow Amalla to fight Keitaro. I was sent here to retrieve both Su and Amalla. Ensuring that they both get home is my duty. However, since she has already agreed to the match, it's impossible for her to default."
"But that's not fair", Motoko objected. "If Lamba can assist Amalla in this battle, then I will aid Keitaro!"
"No you will not", Motoko turned to Tsuruko as she spoke. "You have no sword to fight with, and you have already shamed his name enough."
Motoko hung her head low. Her sister was right about all of this. It was her fault that Keitaro was in this mess. She had asked him to lie about being engaged to her, and it made himself look bad in the process.
"She didn't shame my name", Keitaro spoke up.
Motoko lifted her vision to Keitaro as he said his small speech.
"I knew there were consequences to lying about our engagement, but I still took that chance. I could have said no, but I didn't. I shamed my own name. I know we made a bad choice by lying, but making bad choices are one of the many lessons of life. They won't be able to learn those lessons if they go home now."
"And what gives you the right to dictate what goes on in the Aoyama and Su family", Amalla questioned. "You think protecting them here is your responsibility? You're not some saint, you're just an arrogant little boy who thinks you can make them stay! You ran away from Hinata Sou, and you ran away from your problems just like them! You're just trying to make up for your failures!"
Keitaro had to think about Amalla was saying.
"Maybe I did run away from my problems", Keitaro said, "But I came back when I was ready to deal with them. I don't have a proper say against the Aoyama's or the Su's, but as a friend to them, I can't just let them leave. You gave me your word, that they would only leave if you and Tsuruko won. If Lamba joins in that's fine, but you still have to keep to your end of the deal."
Amalla chuckled to herself before raising her flute once again, "Very well, but remember, only you can battle against us."
"That's totally unfair", Kanako blurted. "I can fight without a weapon, let me..."
"It's okay Kanako", Keitaro told her. "I'll be fine, just make sure everyone is okay."
Kanako was silenced by Keitaro's request. Did he really have a way to defeat all three of them? He was having a hard enough time facing Tsuruko, and Amalla. Now Lamba, another trained soldier, was joining the fray. Still, she did trust her brother, and he was never one to go back on his word. Look how dedicated he was to his promise girl. Kanako took a few steps back to give the little arena a few more inches of space.
"Yes Keitaro, just be careful", Kanako asked him gentle.
"I can't guarantee that", Keitaro quickly admitted, "But I promise, I be back in one piece."
Keitaro faced all his enemies as he calibrated a new strategy.
"Alright, so I know most of Tsuruko's is mainly close, and mid range, while Amalla is more of a long-range, and mid range fighter. Lamba must be a close range fighter. I myself am only a close range."
Keitaor glanced to his window in the second story of the apartments.
"Skinny", you better be ready when I need you", Keitaro thought.
With a bolt his quick speed, Keitaro made the next sights were set on Tsuruko, being that she was alone in her match.
"Hmph, too easy", Tsuruko commented.
It was nearly a death sentence for someone to try a head on attack against a swordsman, which Keitaro was doing. As her weapon was unsheathed and performed a nice sideways slash, Keitaro completely changed his direction. To her surprise, Keitaro leapt in the direction Amalla and Lamba were. The Urashima landed a mere three feet in front of Lamba. Both locked eyes as Keitaro landed. With one great punch, the foreigner attacked Keitaro. However, Keitaro's set plan told him to jump over Lamba in one flip. He was now above Amalla, knife ready for an attack. The strategy was to confuse both Tsuruko, and Lamba. To keep them guessing, and eventually strike Amalla, the one with the strongest long-range attacks.
However, Keitaro's strategy would soon fall apart. From out of nowhere, Lamba's hand seized Keitaro by the leg. Keitaro didn't eve have time to curse to himself before he was tossed to the ground. The impact was enough to dent the cement below him. "What happened", Keitaro said kind of dazed. He was in a much harder situation as Lamba tried to crush him with his foot. Keitaro grabbed Lamba's shoe, and struggled with greater force.
"Oh my god, you are freakishly strong", Keitaro yelled.
"In my homelands, I am called the Lamba Tiger."
Keitaro used a spring kick against Lamba's chest. The impact did little damage to Lamba, but it gave Keitaro the chance to escape. He was quickly out of the line of fire, before he asked, "The Lamba Tiger?"
"Yes", Lamba confirmed. "You said your name was the Demon Cheetah, mine was Lamba Tiger. You have great speed and ferocity, but I have better reflexes, and greater strength."
Keitaro said, "You may have strength, but speed is the enemy of strength."
Keitaro zoomed circles around Lamba. Right at the moment of attack, Lamba seized Keitaro by the throat. The other residents were in shock by how Lamba beat Keitaro with his speed card.
"Speed is your ally, but reflexes are your enemy", Lamba placed a strong palm thrust to Keitaro stomach, causing him to spew out blood from his mouth. "A wounded cheetah will fall prey to powerful tiger."
Landing three more devastating blows to Keitaro abdomen, Lamba tossed him aside. He was now at the feet of Tsuruko. Before he got a chance to look up, the sword came falling down. Even with wounded speed, Keitaro managed to roll himself out of harm's way into the hot spring's water. This however, was another big mistake. Up above, the lightning began to crack thanks to Amalla's doing. Keitaro moved as quickly as his wounded body could carry him. As Keitaro tried to evade the water and energy, the lightning blasted the hot springs.
If he had just a four of a second extra, Keitaro could have been out of harm's way. Only one foot remained in the water below him. However, that one foot was all it took for the electricity to course through Keitaro's body. The Urashima yelled by the pain that violated his nervous system in agony. He fell to his hands and knees from fatigue and pain. This was not the end of it. He noticed two shadows above him. As Keitaro looked up, he could see both Tsuruko and Lamba tag teaming him. Keitaro took to his feet again to fight back against his enemies. On the side lines the others watched Keitaro fighting very well for his life.
"Keitaro get out of there", Kitsune yelled to Keitaro.
He was getting pulverized by his enemies, but there was little he could do. Every kick or punch he threw was nothing to how strong Lamba was hitting him. Tsuruko's sword kept Keitaro at a safe distance for her. Keitaro's knife blocked most of her attacks, but she had sliced him three times across the chest, and the blood was flowing at an alarming rate. It was almost unbearable for the others to watch. Keitaro was losing horribly. He thought he was getting a break when they jumped away from , a great gust of wind tossed Keitaro into the air before sending him back into the water. The wind cut him in various places due to its high intensity. The pain did not compete with the one he felt when another, larger lightning bolt struck Keitaro in the hot springs.
"You fight with will power and speed", Tsuruko commented. "A fine trait, but an arrogant one.
Keitaro struggled to get back on his feet. Closer and closer his enemies drew. All he could do was crawl away.
"Crawling, that's the best you can do", Amalla said sounding outraged.
"Light 'Em Up Skinny", Keitaro shouted.
A loud popping and whizzing noise was heard. Their attention was drawn to a firework above their heads. The only problem was, the small explosive was headed towards them. The device exploded in front of them in a loud, somewhat pretty explosion.
Back in Keitaro's room, Skinny lit the fuse of another firework. He aimed it at the three enemies of his master.
"Yeah, Skinny Uses Fireworks", the pine martin yelled, "It's Super Effective!"
One after another, Skinny unleashed a barrage of explosive missiles.
The sudden explosions gave Keitaro a chance for a temporary retreat. The three challengers did their best to block, dodge, or counter attack the fireworks. All the while, Naru, Mutsumi, Kanako, Su, Sarah, Motoko, Shinobu, and Kitsune took cover behind various things. The fireworks were no problem for Amalla. It felt no different from Su's Mecha Tama Droids. The lightning and gusting wind could make short work of the fireworks. Having complete confidence in her powers, Amalla neglected to keep her eyes out for Keitaro. Despite his wounded state, Keitaro hadn't lost his speed. Lamba noticed just when Keitaro was right behind Amalla.
"Amalla, behind you", Lamba alerted her.
When Amalla tried to turn around, it was already too late. Keitaro's strong leg muscles could compete with Lamba's arms. They sent her flying with a kick he learned from Jean Claude Van Damme. Amalla thumped against the fence to the hot springs before three fireworks hit her.
"Amalla", Lamba cried out before he dashed for her.
Su's sister was a tough person. While a blow like this could knock her unconscious, it could not truly damage her. However, it did not make Lamba feel any better. The dark-skinned soldier boiled with rage. He wanted Keitaro's blood like a beast wanted prey.
"Urashimaaaa", Lamba roared as he dashed for Keitaro.
Lamba's fist raged on and on as he tried to hit Keitaro. One punch locked with Keitaro's jaw. As he was tossed away, another firework raced towards Lamba. Tsuruko turned to offense as she sliced the firework for Lamba.
In the room, Skinny reached for another explosive. However, that previous shot was the last one.
"Uh oh", Skinny said as he leaned out the window. "Boss, I'm outta ammo! Run!"
Keitaro wiped his jaw of the blood. As he looked down at the red ooze on his wrist, he noticed how blurry everything looked. The fuzzy vision was not coming back.
"Lamba must have hit me harder than I thought", Keitaro thought in his hazy mind.
There was a slight ringing noise, that also pointed Keitaro to believing he had a concussion. What was he going to do now. His body was being pushed to some dangerous levels of damage, and now his life was on the line. He suddenly heard voices. They were shouting to him. Even though he had his glasses on, he still couldn't see very well. He strained his vision a little bit more. In the distance, he could barely make out the other girls waving their arms. They were shouting to him to run while pointing to an opening in the fence. Keitaro didn't want to run. It would break the promise he made, and rattle his dignity. With whatever brain power he could muster out, Keitaro drew one last strategy.
"I don't have much of a choice, I'm gonna have to play my last trump card."
Keitaro used his energy that was rapidly depleting. Indeed there was an opening in the fence, due to the fireworks explosions.
"Naru, everyone", Keitaro yelled as he ran for the modified exit, "Watch over Amalla! Be sure that she's okay!"
Keitaro jumped through the hole and ran for the forest.
"Get back here Urashima", Lamba roared as he followed Keitaro.
Tsuruko was next to follow, since she still had unfinished business with Keitaro. The rest of the girls approached Amalla. They carefully moved her unconscious body back inside. When everyone tended to her, Naru looked back outside to the forest.
"Keitaro, you better be alright", Naru mentally spoke to herself, hoping Keitaro would hear her.
In the forest, Keitaro ran for his life. He was out of their sight, but Keitaro knew Lamba and Tsuruko were hot on his trail. Indeed, the two were very close to Keitaro. It was cowardice for someone to run from a battle. They were both angry that they thought so highly of Keitaro, and he now retreats from their agreement. Lamba was the angriest of all. Keitaro hurt Amalla, someone he deeply cared for, and now he ran from him. Tsuruko could see that Keitaro had a darker side to himself. To think she would choose him over her clan, it was sickening. All of a sudden, they found themselves in a clearing. Keitaro stood above them both on the branch of a large tree.
"Coward, why have you brought us here", Lamba demanded.
"A whilde back, my sensei gave me great power", Keitaro stated. "However there were four rules that came with that power. Never use it in hate, never us it in rage, and never use it at the expense of innocent lives."
Keitaro wiped the blood on his chest before smearing it across the tattoo on his shoulder.
"Flow, Demon Blood Marking", Keitaro echoed in the forest.
Tsuruko gasped as if she knew what this was. A small flow of energy surrounded Keitaro's body. The tattoo markings spread across his body in small stripes and spots. The most noticable were two black markings that circled his eyes, ran along side his nose, and met at the corners of his mouth. It looked similar to the design of a cheetah.
"So that is why he is called the Demon Cheetah", Tsuruko said. "Watch yourself Lamba, Keitaro really does have a darker side to himself."
Chapter thirty has been posted! Sorry for the wait, I've been kinda busy, and sick with a head cold. I had this chapter planned out for a while now. I was rather sad that I didn't reach one hundred reviews with the last update. No matter, hopefully this chapter will finally reach triple digits. Hope you all read, review, and comment.