(A man in dark, form-fitting clothes, a demon mask and cowl swings a heavy-tipped sword at the camera.)
Mist Ninja: The quiet, lethal slayer whose entire nation was built on bloodshed...
(A Mist Ninja spies a samurai from the surrounding mist before emerging and decapitating the man with a single swing from his sword.)
vs.
(A man in red, demonic looking armor and an expressionless mask swings a curved sword followed by a trail of fire.)
Firebender: The elite warriors of the Fire Nation who can bend the flames to their will.
(A Firebender dodges a boulder launched by an Earth Kingdom soldier and retaliates with a blast of flame that incinerates the man.)
WHO IS DEADLIEST?!
To find out, we've assembled a team of world-class fighters to test history's most lethal weapons. Using 21st-century science, we'll see what happens when two warriors go toe to toe.
No rules. No safety. No mercy. It's a duel to the death to decide who is...THE FICTIONAL DEADLIEST WARRIOR!
Here in our elite fight club, we have gathered doctors, scientists and weapons experts to test out the lethal arsenals wielded by each of our combatants to determine who would win a fight between two warriors who never met in a face to face duel:
Mist Ninja
Appearing from: Naruto
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 145 lbs.
Gear: 8 lbs.
Armor: None
Homeland: Kirigakure
Firebender
Appearing from: Avatar
Height: 5' 6"
Weight: 135 lbs.
Gear: 32 lbs.
Armor: Steel Cuirass w/Spaulders, Leather Tunic, Steel Helmet w/Faceplate
Homeland: Fire Nation
"This is a first on 'Fictional Deadliest Warrior' – a battle between two warriors who can incorporate the elements into their respective fighting styles. On one side, you have the Mist Ninja, the stealthy mercenary assassin of Kirigakure, versus the Firebender, the relentless front line soldier of the Fire Kingdom. They are the best at what they do," biomedical scientist Bradley Foster started out.
"Both of these warriors are expertly trained from early ages and are deadly enough without their respective elemental abilities. They are both expert martial artists with styles emphasizing their combative specialties," trauma doctor Joseph Kaiser continued.
"And they come equipped with unique weapons suited for very different styles of combat. It's going to be interesting to see how this clash plays out in the end," computer expert Eddie Cortez spoke up.
"Either way, it's gonna be brutal when you bring these kinds of factors in. Let's get to it," Bradley concluded.
The camera cuts to a man with dark hair who has the lower half of his face covered in bandages and is wearing a black, loose-fitting outfit. He has a large sword in hand, which he uses to slice two foam targets in half.
Up first to represent the Mist Ninja is Zabuza Momochi.
Considered a legend among the Mist's elite ninjas, Zabuza brings knowledge of the Mist Ninja's training and combat history to the battle.
"The Firebender would never see a Mist Ninja coming. He's walking into a death trap and he doesn't even know it," Zabuza grunted.
Nearby a young silver-haired man in a violet body suit was practicing moves with a razor sharpened chain.
Also representing the Mist Ninja will be Suigetsu Hozuki.
A direct relative to a member of the Seven Mist Swordsmen, he is a full-blooded shinobi who seeks to collect all seven swords of the Mist Swordsmen.
"These Firebenders plowed through a bunch of nobodies to get where they are. They have never encountered anybody like the Mist Ninja before," Suigetsu smirked.
Located on the sea just east of the Land of Fire, the hidden village of Kirigakure was founded following the Warring States Period by the first Mizukage. After an initial period of goodwill amongst other villages, they would become involved in several conflicts over the following decades. Over time, the village would become infamously known as the "Village of the Bloody Mist" thanks to the notorious Kirigakure Academy.
"The Kirigakure Academy was the centerpiece of the village. It was where students would train to become shinobi, but the brutality its students endured was nothing compared to those of the other villages. To become a Genin, one had to duel to the death with one of their own classmates with the victor surviving and moving on. You could have ended up fighting a classmate,a friend, even a member of your own family. This all happened until Zabuza Momochi came along and slaughtered an entire graduating class," Suigetsu explained.
The Mist Ninjas would go on to prove their lethal worth in a series of foreign conflicts and periods of internal unrest, slaying many a number beyond calculation.
"What other clans go through is child's play compared to ours. The brutality has no competition. It turns us into the hardened, cold-blooded killers we need to become. The Firebender is finished," Zabuza concluded.
The Mist Ninja relies upon a murderous arsenal that suits his secretive specialties:
Short Range: Beheading Sword
Mid-Range: Razored Chain
Long Range: Senbon Throwing Spike
Elemental Attack: Water Release
But how will the sneaky assassin fare when he is pitted against a fierce conqueror?
The camera pans to a young man with dark hair and a burn scar over his left eye as he took a curved sword and stood in a martial arts stance with it.
Up first representing the Firebender will be Prince Zuko.
The current leader of the Fire Nation, Zuko has mastered various forms of sword combat and acts as an authority on the weapons of the Firebender.
"Firebenders were brutally trained and disciplined knowing it was either win or die. Failure was not an option. It would either have resulted in banishment or death," Zuko explained.
Nearby a short, older man with gray hair and a matching beard sipped from a cup of hot tea as he inspected a table full of weapons.
Also on hand representing the Firebender will be the former crown prince and Fire Nation general Iroh.
A veteran, Iroh is the brother of the former Fire Lord. He brings first hand knowledge of the mystical abilities utilized by the proud conquerors.
"This Mist Ninja may be a great fighter, but at heart he is just a mere mercenary fighting for his own personal interests. The Firebender is a conqueror at heart. The only thing that could stop them was a living legend," Iroh explained as he paused from sipping his tea.
Long ago, the four great nations of the world: the Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Air Nomads and Fire Nation, all lived together in harmony. Following the death of the Avatar called Roku, the Fire Nation began to militarize under the leadership of the Fire Lord Sozin and embarked upon a mission of world conquest. Aware of the pattern of the Avatars, the militant nation carried out what would become known as the 'Air Nomad Genocide' in an effort to kill off the next Avatar. Leading the way were a specialized band of warriors who could bend the flames to their will, known as the Firebenders.
"Using the power bestowed upon them by Sozin's Comet, the Firebenders burned an entire kingdom to the ground to ensure there wouldn't be another Avatar to rise and oppose them. It led to them solidifying their hold upon the world for an entire century, up until the return of the last airbender," Iroh explained.
After a century of absolute control, the Avatar called Aang emerged from suspended animation and would bring an end to their reign of terror, resulting in the capture of Princess Azula and the crowning of Prince Zuko as the new Fire Lord, bringing an end to the Hundred Years War.
"Up until the return of the Avatar, the Firebenders were the greatest weapon of the Fire Nation's army. Entire nations fell before our flames. One ninja is nothing to us," Prince Zuko concluded.
To carry out his brutal conquests, the Firebender relied upon a fearsome arsenal that complimented his sheer martial skill:
Short Range: Dao
Mid-Range: Guan Dao
Long Range: Composite Bow
Elemental Attack: Firebending
When both warriors needed to get up close and personal, they relied upon their own deadly blades to get the job done. For the Mist Ninja, he relied upon a massive killer useful for both warfare and execution, the Beheading Sword.
(The Mist Ninja is shown emerging from the surrounding mist and decapitating a samurai with one fell swoop of his sword.)
Beheading Sword
Length: 4 ft.
Weight: 5 lbs.
Design: Double-Edged
Material: Steel
Zabuza pulled off the sword strapped to his back and took a few practice swings with it before showing it off to the panelists.
"Damn, that thing is massive!" Eddie commented.
"I can't help but notice there's no point on the tip," Bradley observed, "What's the reason behind that?"
"This sword is not a stabbing weapon. It's main use is chopping," Zabuza explained holding the sword out, "The tip is heavily weighted so that when I bring it down, I bring it down HARD!"
"Well since this is a 'beheading' sword we are talking about, we have three 'undesirables' here for execution, each represented by three ballistic gel torsos. Show us what that blade is capable of," Bradley said motioning to three gel torsos, positioned for a mock execution.
"I was waiting for this moment," Zabuza nodded with amusement in his tone.
He took his position with his blade and positioned it in a horizontal position.
"Alright Zabuza, on 3...2...1, off with their heads!"
Zabuza pulled his sword back and let out a mighty roar as he swung at full force, his blades cleaving through the three necks. There was one large splatter of blood and three consecutive thumps as each head hit the ground, three stumps left behind.
"Holy shit!" Eddie called out in awe, stumbling backwards as he found one of the heads laying near his feet.
"In spite of the mass of this blade, this has got to be one of the cleanest cuts I've ever seen," Dr. Kaiser said picking up one of the severed heads, "Once the head is off, the heart is still beating and pumping blood out of the severed arteries."
"And he did this to not one, but three targets at once!" Bradley added.
Zabuza made his way over to one of the targets and touched its severed neck, causing a small fountain of blood to spurt out. He let it cover his hand and then dragged it across the torso's chest.
"A calling card of the mist," he spoke, "They died quickly and painlessly."
The Firebender representatives meanwhile, were not impressed and stood shaking their heads.
"Are you joking? We would see that blade coming from a mile away! Not only that, it's very one-dimensional and cumbersome. A Firebender would have cut the Mist Ninja down before he could finish his attack. Our blade is lighter, allows more options, and is perfectly suited for the martial arts practiced by the Firebenders," Zuko spoke.
To counter the Mist Ninja's assault, the Firebender strikes back with a traditional Chinese blade, the Dao.
(A Firebender is shown dodging a swing from a waterbender's machete before executing a graceful spin and then cutting him down with the dao.)
Dao
Length: 3 ft.
Weight: 2.5 lbs.
Design: Single-Edged
Material: Steel
Zuko pulls out his dao and demonstrated a few graceful martial techniques involving the usage of the dao.
"This sword is used by most Firebenders. It is designed to combine cutting power with the agility used by our fighters. This blade offers options for hacking or thrusting attacks, more than our friends over there," Zuko smirked to the Mist Ninja experts.
"Well then let's see how this stacks up," Bradley said motioning towards a suspended pig carcass, "We have a 'volunteer' on hand. Pigs have skin, organs, and muscle tissue similar to those of humans, so this will be the next most accurate test we can show. Zuko, when you are ready."
"Some chopped pork, just for you," Zuko said with a slight smirk as he took his position before the target.
"Alright Zuko, on 3...2...1, slice 'em up!"
With a roar, Zuko launched himself at the pig carcass and delivered a nasty slice that nearly cleaved the pig in half before going for a second slash that struck the pig's ribcage and sent its lower half falling to the floor before delivering a final slash to its throat.
"I think I've made my point," the prince said sheathing his sword.
"Damn! That was like lightning!" Eddie exclaimed.
Dr. Kaiser went over to examine the remains, "Your first slash nearly dismembered this guy with just one strike. You cut through his ribcage and right through all the vital organs before you followed up with another strike that severed this guy's spinal cord. You wouldn't have had to do anything after that, but you still added an exclamation point with your strike to this guy's throat, severing both the carotid and the jugular."
"Both of these blades have shown some impressive cutting power, yet I find myself wanting to find out more. For another test of strength, I want to see how both these blades fare against an even thicker opponent," Bradley said looking over to where two sets of cow ribs hung suspended from the ceiling.
"You've already shown what those blades can do against human-like targets, yet how would they stack up when pitted against cow ribs, which are twice as thick as a human's. If you can get through these, you can cut through a human without a problem," Bradley explained before looking over to Zabuza and Zuko, "Are you gentlemen up for a challenge?"
"Bring it on!" Zabuza called out.
"Absolutely," Zuko answered.
"Good. Zuko, you're up first!"
The prince stepped up to the starting line and stood with his hand on his sword's handle.
"On 3...2...1, release the cow!"
Zuko waited patiently as the ribs were sent zipping towards him before he swung his blade out and cut through two sets of ribs before the following swing hacked through another set, left hanging by only one bone. He would then follow up with a final swing that separated the ribs into two hanging pieces of meat, all the while the panelists cheered him on.
"Zabuza, you're up next!"
Zabuza pulled out his sword and gave a practice swing before getting into position.
"On 3...2...1, release the cow!"
Zabuza moved swiftly as the ribs came flying towards him and with a deathly silence, delivered a single swing that left the ribs almost falling in half, suspended by a mere tendon. With an almost casual flick of his blade, the two ribs were separated completely, inviting an even greater roar of approval from the onlookers.
"Very nice work, you two," Bradley congratulated, "Both those swords would hack a human clean in half, yet it took multiple strikes from the dao, whereas the beheading sword only required one."
"A kill is still a kill regardless," Zuko answered.
"But when it only takes one strike, it sends an even deadlier message to your foes," Zabuza followed.
Both blades showed off their deadly cutting power, yet where do our panelists stand?
"The beheading sword has size and raw cutting power, yet the dao offers speed, agility and more options. Still, that beheading sword had me nervous just looking at it alone, imagine the kind of message that sends to an opponent? I'm with the Ninja on this one," Bradley started.
"Normally, I like options, but the cutting power of that beheading sword alone, and the fact it only took one strike to nearly cut a set of cow ribs in half? I'm with the Ninja as well," Dr. Kaiser seconded.
"I'm in agreement with the both of you. Edge Mist Ninja," Eddie concluded.
In short range weapons, the Mist Ninja takes the edge with the Beheading Sword.
Coming up, two very different weapons are pitted to further emphasize the deadly differences between both warriors and then later, the elements are utilized for the first time ever when both warriors show off the skills that give both warriors their very names.
XXXXXX
The Mist Ninja and the Firebender, two very different warriors with two very different approaches to fighting.
"The Firebender was a fierce conqueror who met his opponents head on. He would think nothing of the Mist Ninja's approach to combat. He would think of him as a coward," Zuko explained.
"The Mist Ninja kills an enemy quietly and then leaves just as fast. The Firebender would never know we were there until it was too late," Suigetsu spoke.
Both warriors took a very different approach to combat from all angles. For the Firebender, he relied upon weapons that required the agility and discipline that came with years of training in martial arts and he relied upon a trademark polearm, the Guan Dao.
(A Firebender is shown cutting out an earthbenders' legs out from beneath him before impaling him with the sharpened tip of his guan dao.)
Guan Dao
Length: 6 ft.
Weight: 5.5 lbs.
Material: Steel Head, Wooden Shaft
"Do not be deceived by this weapon's appearance. It looks big and heavy, but it's actually very light and fast. I can use this to keep the Mist Ninja at a distance and still put my weight into a powerful thrust," Zuko explained before he twirled it around and showed off some practice slashes.
"We've seen the guan dao tested on here before, but lets see how the Firebender reacts when he has enemies approaching him from all sides at once," Bradley said motioning to the padded floor in the fight club, "Zuko, you are going to have ten enemies approaching you at different intervals and we want to see how a Firebender would utilize the guan dao to its fullest extent."
"Very well," Zuko said as he made his way over to the large red 'X' at the center of the padding.
"Zuko, are you ready?"
"Yes!" he called back.
"Then on 3...2...1, unleash the ninjas!"
Zuko stood ready as a foam target wearing a face wrap similar to the Mist Ninja's came zooming towards him on a zip line, only for him to gracefully twirl the polearm and slice the corner of its skull off. There was no time to relax as another target came from behind, yet he twirled his body and shot the pointed end of the blade into its gut, using his foot to kick it away. Another target then came at him from his right and he followed up with a horizontal slash to its stomach, just as the fourth target came speeding in from his left, he swung its back end and pierced its chest.
"Damn, he's an animal with that thing!" Eddie commented.
"It's unlike anything I've ever seen," Bradley replied.
"A freaking martial arts movie come to life!" Dr. Kaiser spoke as Iroh let out a hearty laughter.
The fifth target came zooming towards Zuko, who swung the guan dao with lightning speed and sent its head falling to the floor. The sixth target was just behind and the prince responded by whirling around with a downward vertical strike that split the dummy's head down the middle. Two dummies came rushing Zuko at once and he responded with another swing that took both their heads off before the ninth target tried rushing him from behind, only for him to respond with a slash to its chest, followed by another rapid twirl that saw him swiping its stomach. The last target then came zooming towards Zuko, who shot the guan dao out and impaled it through the stomach, punching all the way through the dummy's foam body. He then finished it off by pulling the blade out and delivering another horizontal slash that took off the top half of the dummy's head.
"Anything else?" Zuko asked with an intense look in his eyes.
The panelists looked on in suspense before Bradley dared to speak up, "No! No, that's everything!"
He then looked over to Dr. Kaiser, "Um, Doc? Isn't this your time to speak up?
"Oh, yeah right!" Dr. Kaiser said making his way over to the mutilated targets and observing the aftermath.
"I am seeing quite a few functional decapitations and destruction to the skulls that would result in an end to brain activity," he spoke before making his way over to a target slashed across its stomach, "With this guy here, you have all protective layers cut away. He'd be struggling to keep his guts from spilling out at this point," he noted before looking to the next, "Here we have guys with their hearts and stomachs pierced for instant kill shots. All targets are accounted for. Like I said, it was like watching a martial arts movie come to life!"
"The Firebender is trained to do nothing less," Zuko nodded.
"Indeed that was quite the demonstration," Bradley spoke before looking over to Zabuza and Suigetsu, "Team Ninja, your thoughts?"
"This kind of stuff is nothing new to a Mist Ninja. I'll admit, you might make us laugh before we pull out a weapon you would never expect, one that will snare and gradually weaken you," Suigetsu spoke before drawing his weapon.
To answer the challenge, the Mist Ninja comes swinging back with a seemingly simple weapon that turns out to be much deadlier onces its true nature is shown, the Razored Chain.
(A Mist Ninja is shown swinging his razored chain around before ensnaring a Kaguya Clan member and tearing into the man's flesh in a gory spectacle.)
Razored Chain
Length: 12 ft.
Weight: 4 lbs.
Material: Steel
"At first glance, this might look just like an ordinary chain," Suigetsu said pulling out the chain and showing it off, "But once you take a closer look at the links, you'll see they've been filed into blades. Most chains would only stun an enemy if they were struck, but this would shred their flesh."
"And how do you protect yourself from being cut through all this?" Eddie inquired.
"Protective gloves of course," Suigetsu said showing off his chainmail gloves.
"I'm eager to see how this weapon functions and we have a pig carcass standing in to show what kind of damage would be done to a human target," Bradley said motioning to the suspended carcass.
"Very well. Expect no mercy," Suigetsu replied as he waited for the panelists to reach a safe distance.
"Alright then, Suigetsu. When you are ready!"
Suigetsu spun the razored chain over his head a few times before it shot it out in a horizontal swing, the chain raking across the pig's stomach. The sharpened chain links became ensnared in its flesh and with a flick of Suigetsu's wrist it was jerked free, tearing away large chunks of flesh and leaving deep, horrid wounds behind.
Suigetsu smirked and opted for a different approach as he circled around the pig and lashed the chain out again, this time wrapping it around the pig's midsection. He maneuvered around to the other side to catch the other side of his chain before twisting it and then pulling to constrict the chain. The razored chain dug deep into the pig's skin, piercing all the way to its bones until the only thing keeping the pig in one piece was its spine.
"My goodness, you just sawed right through this guy!" Dr. Kaiser commented, "I never thought I would end up seeing this out of a chain weapon. You would have hurt someone bad enough if this had been a regular chain, but you're taking it a step further and sharpening it. You're tearing into muscle, scraping bone, and if you hit the abdominal area like you did here, you're going to end up sawing through organs and do even more damage."
"And it has a much longer reach than your guan dao, plus we don't have to put it on a singular path. If you spin it around you, you've got your own little buzz saw to slash your enemy to ribbons," Zabuza noted, arms folded across his chest.
"Well how does it stand up against an armored opponent?" Zuko asked as Iroh pushed a dummy into view that was outfitted with a chest plate, shoulder pads, and a crimson helmet with a white, skull-like pattern for a face and crimson horns that stuck outward and up like those of a demon."
"Heh, that's real cute," Suigetsu smirked as he looked over his new armored target.
"This design was used to intimidate our enemies because they would think they were looking directly at a demon," Iroh commented.
"Well, I'm eager to see how your chain works against an armored opponent. Suigetsu, if you will please be so kind?" Bradley asked.
"With pleasure," Suigetsu nodded and took his position at a distance from the target.
Suigetsu swung the razored chain above his head again to build up momentum before shooting it forth, only to be met by a jarring 'clang.' Undeterred, he shot the chain out again and this time managed to wrap it around one of the horn-like appendages and pulled the mask off his target with a mighty heave. He then shot the chain out and it wrapped around the target's neck, digging it in until the head popped off.
"Didn't scare me one bit. A Mist Ninja would find a way around such an obstruction," Suigetsu smirked.
"But you were only able to do damage once you struck an unarmored portion! A Firebender wouldn't just stand there and take it. They would find a way around your little toy and have you tasting the end of their blade," Zuko replied, furrowing his brow.
Both mid-ranged weapons produced very different results, but where do our panelists stand?
"The razored chain is indeed a unique weapon with a greater effective range, but it relies upon cutting to do the majority of its damage, whereas the guan dao offers options for hacking and stabbing. Edge Firebender," Bradley started out.
"And you noticed that the Mist Ninja is going up against an armored foe in this battle and the only time the chain was able to do any damage was when it got around the Firebender's armor. The Firebender does not have that dilemma in this battle and thus gets my edge," Dr. Kaiser seconded.
"To me, the razored chain is a scary looking weapon that could possibly distract, disarm, or even incapacitate the Firebender, but its overall effectiveness depends on whether or not it can strike an unarmored portion of the Firebender's body. The Firebender on the other hand, is more likely to get a kill with a weapon that offers more offensive options. Edge Firebender," Eddie concluded.
In mid-ranged weapons, the Firebender takes the edge with the Guan Dao.
Coming up, the battle goes to long range as the accuracy and killing power of two very different weapons are put to the test.
And then later on, the elements are unleashed as water is pitted against fire!
XXXXXX
The Mist Ninja and the Firebender, two warriors born into strong, fearsome warrior cultures.
"A Mist Ninja grows up in combat. We are raised to eat, breathe, live and die combat. We didn't have toys as children. Are toys are our weapons – real dangerous weapons!" Zabuza proclaimed.
"Boys in the Fire Nation were trained to become warriors before they even reached their teens. They had to take the code of honor and respect to their nation. Going against that very code would mean going against the Fire Lord, meaning you would either be exiled or he will executed you personally," Iroh explained.
Both warriors were deadly hand-to-hand combatants without question, but were also masters of silently killing from afar and they relied upon very different weapons to do so.
For the Mist Ninja, his preference was a six inch throwing spike that was practically invisible to the naked eye, the Senbon Throwing Spike.
(A Mist Ninja is shown perched in a tree, tossing a throwing spike into the neck of a traitorous ninja.)
Senbon Throwing Spike
Length: 6 in.
Weight: Under 1 lb.
Substance: Steel
"This is the Senbon Throwing Spike, also called the 'Bo Shuriken,'" Suigetsu said holding up an array of thin, silver spikes, "These are popular assassination weapons with Mist Ninjas for a few reasons. The first is that it's nearly invisible as it flies through the air. Second is for its penetration: when you get it stuck in any part of your body, it's difficult and painful to pull out."
"It's streamlined and has some weight to it. It's very simple, too," Bradley said as he took one and looked it over, "Always nice."
"Would you like a demonstration?" Suigetsu asked, looking over to a foam torso.
"Please do," Bradley said as he and the other experts stepped away.
Suigetsu got into position and delivered an overhand throw that sent his first spike striking his target in the neck. He then drew a second spike and followed up with a similar throw, lodging it just beneath the target's collarbone. He pulled out a third spike and chucked it into the target's right shoulder, before pulling out the fourth and tossing it deep into the torso's abdominal region with a whistle. He had one throwing spike left and chucked it right into the target's left eye to the cheers of the onlooking panelists.
Suigetsu simply nodded in satisfaction and stepped back to allow the experts to make their assessment.
Dr. Kaiser walked over and attempted to remove one of the spikes by hand, just barely inching it out.
"Now I see your point just as to how hard these things are to get out," the good doctor commented as he was forced to use a pair of medical tweezers to remove the other spikes.
"This spike was lodged a full four inches in," the doctor reported as he carefully mentioned the height of the stage blood, "And as strange as it may sound, if it hit the windpipe it might not outright kill this guy."
"Seriously, Doc?" Eddie asked cocking an eyebrow.
"It's actually very interesting where the first spike hit. It is too thin to cut off your breathing as the wound is too small to stop your air flow. If you did remove it, you could still actually breathe through the hole left behind in your neck. Had your strike been slightly more to the right, it would have hit important blood vessels and muscle. That would have been a death blow," the doctor explained as Eddie looked on in bewilderment.
He moved onto the next hole, "The second shot was also an interesting shot. He has pierced the muscle just above the collarbone, possibly disabling this man's arm. Depending upon how things go, it could be a delayed kill," the doctor explained as he moved on to examine the other points of entry.
"Your third spike struck this guy in the shoulder and in a nerve that would render his arm crippled. Not a kill, but it will leave him more vulnerable," he explained moving over to the target's abdomen, "This is lodged in his gut. Judging by the depth of penetration we've been seeing, his intestines are pierced and so might his stomach. It's a hell of a lot of pain and a delayed kill at most," he said before patting the dummy on the side of its head, "Your last shot is an unquestionable instant kill. Pierced brain, nothing more."
"You dare bring sewing needles to a shoot out? You might just piss off a Firebender and nothing else, that's if he hasn't shot you down yet," Zuko replied.
"You really think you have something better?" Suigetsu asked.
"I don't think. I know," Zuko nodded.
Unimpressed by the Mist Ninja's showing, the Firebender returns fire with a long trusted staple of the Fire Nation battlefields, the Composite Bow.
(A Fire Nation archer fires an arrow that cuts down a waterbender before his waves can hit the man's allies.)
Composite Bow
Length: 3 ft.
Weight: 2 lbs.
Substance: Hardwood, Iron
"This bow has been a long favored of the Fire Nation. When the Firebender doesn't wish to leave behind evidence of our heritage, this is our answer," Iroh explained as Zuko showed off the bow to the panelists.
"Well, we have a Mist Ninja about to attack and you have 3 arrows in your quiver to take him down," Bradley said motioning to a foam target again wearing the common face wrap of the ninjas, "We want to see accuracy, reload time, and killing power."
"You've got it," Zuko nodded and took his position.
"Zuko, are you ready?" called Bradley.
"Ready!"
"Then open fire!"
Zuko shut one eye and took aim, letting his arrow fly into the chest of his target. He swiftly pulled out another and fired into its neck before pulling out his third target and striking the target in the abdomen.
"Nice shooting," Bradley commented as Dr. Kaiser went over to inspect the damage.
"Your first shot got this guy in the dead center of his chest. His aorta is pierced and he is bleeding out within seconds. This is a kill," he said before inspecting the neck wound, "Your second shot is piercing this guy's esophagus and with it, very likely his spine, for another kill. Your last shot struck this guy in his liver for a painful, delayed kill. You are 3 for 3 with this one."
"Heh, when you've seen one bow, you've seen them all. A Mist Ninja would see your arrows coming from a mile away," Suigetsu scoffed before producing one of his spikes, "You never would with one of these."
Both long ranged projectiles showed off their deadly accuracy and killing power, but where do our panelists stand?
"While the throwing spikes are cool looking, you need an extreme amount of precision to be deadly with them, whereas the bow seems easier and more likely to score a lethal kill shot. Edge Firebender," Bradley started.
"Agreed. Not only that, when the spikes do hit, the damage is not as profound as one would expect, whereas the bow's arrows produced a kill shot with every strike. Edge Firebender," Dr. Kaiser seconded.
"Better killing power, not to forget a longer effective range, I'm with the bow all the way," Eddie concluded.
In long range weapons, the Firebender takes the edge with the Composite Bow.
Coming up, our warriors unlock their special powers for a display unlike anything ever seen.
And then later, the Mist Ninja and the Firebender, two deadly elementals fighting to decide who is "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior!"
XXXXXX
The Mist Ninja and the Firebender, two very powerful, yet very different warriors.
Now that their other weapons have been tested, only one final test remains. Each of these warriors holds a special power, yet which one is deadlier?
"This is it. The gloves are off. For the first time we see the elements brought into battle," Bradley said to his fellow panelists.
For the Firebender, he held the ability to manipulate searing flames into any pattern to destroy whatever stood before him: the art of Firebending.
(A Firebender is shown incinerating an Air Nomad with a stream of fire launched from his palms.)
Firebending
Size: Variable
Weight: None
Range: Variable
"This is what we've all been waiting for," Bradley said as he stood before Iroh, "So Iroh, tell us more about your power."
"Contrary to what some outsiders may believe, Firebending is not simply about burning everything in sight, but about controlling fire. It is an art that draws its power from the sun. The first human firebenders derived their bending techniques from the dragons. Unlike the other elementals, we can generate the element," Iroh explained as he generated an arc of fire with the wave of his hand.
"That's incredible," Eddie commented.
"But it is not the easiest element to control. Fire destroys anything it touches and any damage you cause with it can never be undone," Iroh explained looking over to Zuko and the scars surrounding his left eye.
"Well, we would like a demonstration and have set up and entire army of oncoming attackers," Bradley said motioning to the "army," which was actually 5 foam targets, "Show us what this is made of."
"Very well, but you may want to stand back," Iroh nodded as he walked over to the targets.
The elderly master entered a martial arts stance and then sprang into action with a grace that was surprising for a man of his advanced age. He delivered a spinning kick that was followed by an arc of fire which ignited the target closest to him before he followed up with a flurry of punches that produced miniature fireballs on the second target, reducing the foam surface to a burnt husk. He then swept both arms and arcs of flame shot out to take down two of the targets simultaneously before he finished by launching a blazing stream from his palms to set his final target ablaze.
"Holy shit!" Bradley and Eddie called out in unison.
Dr. Kaiser was checking the thermal imaging camera, "The average temperature here is 1200 degrees Celsius. That's far more than enough to burn human flesh."
"That was amazing!" Eddie said to Iroh, who simply chuckled and started sipping from a fresh cup of tea.
"But you do realize that water douses fire, correct?" Zabuza suddenly popped in with his arms crossed, startling the panelists, "Throw all the fire at us you want. Your flames will be extinguished before they can even lick us."
To answer the Firebender's challenge, the Mist Ninja harnesses his chakra to command control over the waters around him to punish his opponents in all sorts of vicious methods: the Water Release jutsu.
(A Mist Ninja is shown releasing a linear wave of water along the ground at a high speed that takes out a group of attacking samurai.)
Water Release
Size: Variable
Weight: None
Range: Variable
"So tell us more about the Water Release techniques utilized by the Mist Ninja," Bradley spoke standing alongside Zabuza.
"The ninja of Kirigakure often utilize Water Release techniques, or 'jutsu,' using existing water sources, such as lakes or rivers. More advanced users can artificially create water within their bodies using their own chakra. When the technique is mastered, a Mist Ninja can perform a number of different tricks for tricking their opponents, or for disposing of them," Zabuza explained before he performed a hand seal.
On cue, two perfect clones of Zabuza both appeared, both formed from the wooden buckets filled with water he stood between.
"Wow..." the experts muttered in unison.
"The Water Clone Technique, a trademark technique of Kirigakure," Zabuza mentioned before he looked over to Eddie and the computer expert found himself entrapped in a sphere of water.
"Hey, lemme outta here!" he cried out while struggling to flail his limbs. Zabuza nodded and the water dissolved, leaving Eddie gasping for air.
"The Water Prison Technique, another commonly used tactic by the Mist Ninja," Zabuza answered.
"Okay, okay, can we please just get to testing on our targets now," Bradley called out before motioning to the 5 foam targets nearby, "Why don't you show us some of the water release techniques on an oncoming horde of enemies?"
"Understood," Zabuza nodded as he looked towards the first target and pointed his finger like a gun, producing a drop of water with his index finger, then firing it with the force and speed of a regular gunshot it pierced the target's chest.
"Damn," Bradley muttered as Eddie looked on nervously.
Zabuza then pulled down his facial wrap and spat out a senbon-shaped droplet of water with a similar high velocity into the face of the second target, only sending it wobbling before pointing both his index fingers and following up with two powerful simultaneous shots of water that tore through the target's chest.
Zabuza then took some time to knead chakra into his stomach before expelling a powerful torrent of water towards the third target that knocked it off its stand and sent it flying across the room. He then stopped and looked at his last two targets, just as the room was suddenly filled with mist much to the confusion of the panelists and the Firebender experts.
There was a loud slashing noise and when the mist dissipated, Zabuza stood tall over his last two decapitated targets with his blade in hand.
"Hiding in Mist, another trademark of the Kirigakure," Zabuza concluded.
"Offensive attacks. Defensive maneuvers. Tricking your enemies. There's just so much you can do with these!" Bradley spoke in excitement, while Zuko shook his head.
"This is nothing to us. We have fought waterbenders with similar powers and have emerged victorious," the prince exclaimed.
"Really? Well then why don't you come and find out?" Zabuza said, ready to stand his ground, only for Dr. Kaiser to get between the two of them.
"Gentlemen, this is only a mere demonstration! Please, control yourselves at once!" the good doctor pleaded.
"Our mastery will let our flames evaporate your water any day of the week," Zuko grumbled.
Both elemental powers wowed the panelists with the unearthly feats they produced, but where do they stand with their final vote?
"Both these styles have their unique abilities. Firebending is more destructive, yet the Water Release techniques can be secretive and allow the Ninjas to slip around one with said abilities. This is just too close to call. I'm calling it even," Bradley started.
"I disagree. The Firebending arts seem to be more about offensive capabilities, whereas the Water Release ones shown are more so defensive. Not only that, Firebenders can actually generate fire of their own, whereas only an expertly trained Mist Ninja can do that with water, or else he is reliant upon a source of water being nearby. Edge Firebender," Dr. Kaiser countered.
The tiebreaker would then fall down to Eddie, who looked on nervously before taking some time to compose himself.
"I think it really falls down to the mastery of the individual warrior involved, meaning this could truly go either way. I'm calling this even," the computer whiz concluded.
In elemental attacks, our warriors are even.
As it is with all warriors, there is a critical X-factor that makes them who they are. For the Mist Ninja, it's the deadliness of its individual warriors.
"In our community, anybody can be a warrior. We have to be that way from the start. The extent of our abilities varies upon the individual warrior, as does the strength of their powers. You always had to be on your toes as anybody could be ready to take you on, Zabuza explained.
For the Firebender, it's his proven success fighting at the forefront of the Fire Nation's conflicts.
"The Firebenders were at the forefront of the Fire Nation's armed forces. They created an empire that reigned as the unquestioned leader of our world for a hundred years. They wiped out a nation; made two others quake in fear, and were only brought down when they faced a legend," Iroh explained.
Coming up, two fierce elementals clash in a head on confrontation to determine who is "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior!"
XXXXXX
With our testing complete and our X-factors evaluated, we are now one step closer to determining who will be "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior."
Our teams tested 4 weapons used by the Mist Ninja of Kirigakure: The Beheading Sword, Razored Chain, Senbon Throwing Spikes, and the Water Release Techniques.
On the opposite side, 4 weapons used by the Firebender of the Fire Nation were tested: the Dao, the Guan Dao, the Composite Bow, and Firebending.
In short range weapons, the Mist Ninja's Beheading Sword sliced the Firebender's Dao in half.
EDGE: Mist Ninja
In mid-ranged weapons, the Firebender's Guan Dao cut through the Ninja's Razored Chain.
EDGE: Firebender
In long range weapons, the Firebender's Composite Bow outperformed the Ninja's Senbon Throwing Spikes.
EDGE: Firebender
And lastly, both elemental attacks matched each other in a close standstill.
EDGE: Even
Our scientists and weapons experts are done testing. The results are in and the time has come to decide who will be the victor. To ensure the battle won't be decided by a single, lucky blow, the battle will be simulated one thousand times in a duel to the death.
Who will prevail in a battle between two mystical warriors?
Water
(A Mist Ninja is shown spewing a high pressure water stream right through an attacking rival ninja.)
vs. Fire
(A Firebender immolates an Earthbender with a stream of flames.)
Direct
(A Firebender takes down surrounding enemies in a flurry of martial arts moves before cutting down the last one with his guan dao.)
vs. Devious
(A Mist Ninja confuses his enemies with his Hiding in Mist technique before cutting them down systematically with his large blade.)
Assassin
(A Mist Ninja sees an oncoming troop of samurai and generates replicas of himself using his Water Clone technique.)
vs. Conqueror
(The smoldering remnants of the Air Temples are shown with the Firebenders marching away following another victory.)
"This is just too close to call. I'm gonna let the computer do the talking here," Eddie said before he typed in the final commands and we were taken to the battle.
XXXXXX
Somewhere in a vast forest, a lone Firebender walks about on a scouting mission as the Fire Nation seeks to expand its borders, discovering an entirely new land in the process. He walks with his guan dao in hand, along with his composite bow slung over his left shoulder and a dao in the scabbard strapped to his belt.
In the foliage of a nearby tree, a Mist Ninja from the nearby village of Kirigakure scans the area for any threats. His large blade is strapped to his back, along with a chain looped on his belt and a pouch filled with throwing spikes. He has been sent out on a patrol for threats from nearby villages and is about to move on, only to halt himself when he spots a man in strange armor. Was it another samurai?
The Mist Ninja stalked after the Firebender from his perch and hearing the trickle of a stream in the distance, went for one of his techniques.
The Firebender moved along the trail until he approached a small clearing, where the air around him suddenly became filled with mist. He comes to a halt and raises his guan dao as he tries to peer through the thick mist, yet can see nothing and must rely upon his hearing, listening to the ruffle of leaves until he hears the sudden snap of a twig followed by a slight whoosh.
The soldier shoots his polearm up on instinct and is met by the clash of steel as his guan dao's blade is met by a massive blade. It is there he is able to see the eyes of a masked man and the massive blade being raised above his head. Creating a flame at the end of his right arm, the Firebender instead shoots it downward and an explosive burst follows. The mist clears following the explosion and the Firebender finds himself standing alone in the woods.
He looks around, yet his mysterious attacker is nowhere to be found, until he spots a figure in the distance in loose-fitting clothes and a demonic mask standing near one of the trees. Strangely, the figure has an almost ethereal glow to it. The Firebender drew his composite bow and readied an arrow, taking aim and firing.
Yet the mysterious figure dissipated into nothing as the arrow struck!
The Firebender had no time to debate what sorcery could be at work as two more figures suddenly appeared from the darkness and he readied another arrow. He fired into the figure at the base of another tree, only for the figure to dissipate and his arrow to become embedded in the tree behind it. The Firebender tries to keep his cool as he takes aim at the next figure not knowing if it is another trick or a real attacker, yet he is halted by a sudden pain in his right arm and is left dropping his bow.
He looks down to find the throwing spike sticking out of his arm before he feels a sharp pain in his left thigh and finds another spike sticking out. He reaches down to pull the spike in his thigh out, only for the tall grass to rustle behind him and he whirled around with his guan dao raised just as the Mist Ninja comes leaping at him with his large beheading blade raised overhead and he raises it to parry the blow, but instead finds his guan dao snapped in half.
The Firebender waved his good arm out of desperation and launched an arc of fire that sent the Ninja leaping backwards, who in turn responded by pointing his index finger at him like a gun and firing a drop of water at him with tremendous force and speed. The Firebender barely dodged the shot and listened as it splintered the wood behind him. The Mist Ninja went to fire another shot, but the Firebender generated a shield of fire to deflect the attack.
Had one of the Waterbenders made it all the way to this strange new land? There was no time to ponder that as the Firebender drew his dao and readied himself for the Ninja's next attack, yet found himself unable to move his legs and arms as a sticky liquid rose up from the ground and ensnared his limbs. He then looked over to see the Ninja prepping his large blade to strike and was again forced to act in a split second, summoning small bursts of flame to propel himself forward in an effort to take his opponent by surprise, the Ninja halting his water release attack to bring his blade up and deflect the Firebender's strike.
There was another clash of steel on steel as both men swung again and were locked in a test of strength until the Ninja broke away and rolled to the side. Pulling down his face wrap, the Ninja spat a water droplet into the Firebender's face with enough force to stun the masked man. When the Firebender regained his composure, the Ninja was nowhere to be found.
Grunting in frustration, the Firebender makes his way into a small clearing filled with tall grass and looks around for signs of his adversary. He is alerted by the sound of a spinning chain and turns around to find the Ninja emerging from the tall grass with his whip chain spinning around above him and he readies himself for the attack, leaping backwards when the Ninja swings at his feet. The Ninja spins the chain around and managed to strike the Firebender in an exposed portion of his side, tearing through the flesh beneath. As the Firebender clutches at his bleeding side, the Ninja swings the chain around again and managed to snare the Firebender's leg and trip him up.
The Firebender gritted his teeth as the razored chain dug into the flesh of his already wounded leg, but he refused to give up and he brought his dao down onto the chain and snapped it in half. With a pained grunt, the Firebender pushed himself back to his feet and stared down the crafty Ninja, who in turn turned and ran farther into the forest.
He was not going to escape and the Firebender pushed his way through the tall grass and down another trail to find himself near a stream and the Mist Ninja standing across from him performing a hand seal. Kneading his chakra into his stomach, the Ninja expelled a powerful torrent of water towards him. However, the Firebender summons a dome of fire around him which evaporates the water and continues expanding it until he is setting fire to the brush around him.
The Mist Ninja finds himself surprised by the power of his foe's pyrokinetic abilities and is unable to react in time as the Firebender performs a spinning kick which sends an arc of fire towards him. The Ninja is knocked to the ground, but rolls around and manages to put out the flames before getting to his feet. It is too late as the Firebender is on top of him with his dao and using his bending abilities to surround both men in a circle of flames.
There was nowhere left to run and the situation was getting more desperate as the fire began spreading through the forest. The Ninja pointed both index fingers and fired two droplets of water in succession, yet the Firebender managed to avoid them and delivered and overhead chop with his dao that the Ninja rolled to the side to avoid, just barely finding himself swallowed up by the flames. The Ninja drew his beheading blade and both men circled each other before the Firebender swung his dao, a blow the Ninja deflected before he again brought his blade down, yet the Firebender dodged in turn. The Firebender attempted to deliver another flaming spin kick at his opponent's face, yet the Ninja brought his massive blade up to block the attack and redirect his opponent away from him and then surprised him by launching a barrage of shurikens made out of water in his direction.
The Firebender either managed to dodge the water shurikens, or deflect a few of them with fluid motions of his dao, yet one of them managed to cut into his arm and his guard was dropped, leaving him open for a hard roundhouse kick that knocked him onto his back. With his opponent grounded, the Mist Ninja raised the beheading blade high above his head and brought it down, only to find it buried in the ground as the Firebender rolled out of the way.
A small jet of fire shot out from the bottom of the Firebender's right fist and he drove the newly formed fire dagger into the Ninja's thigh, causing the man to cry out in pain and stagger backwards on rubbery legs as the searing pain shot through him. With the extra space created between himself and his opponent, the Firebender reclaimed his dao and slashed the Ninja across his midsection, leaving him struggling to hold his intestines inside.
It wasn't enough after all the frustration he had put him through and the Firebender brought his left arm back before shooting it forward with his palm facing his foe.
In less than a split second, a stream of fire shot out and enveloped his adversary, who cried out in agony as the Firebender showed no mercy and continued launching the blazing stream until the only thing he could hear was the roar of the flames. Ceasing his attack, he looked down upon the smoldering corpse of the Mist Ninja before looking to the sky and raising his dao into the air with a mighty cry of victory.
XXXXXX
Winner: Firebender
Firebender:
Dao: 66
Guan Dao: 83
Composite Bow: 90
Firebending: 300
Total: 539
Mist Ninja:
Beheading Sword: 204
Razored Chain: 67
Senbon Throwing Spike: 11
Water Release: 179
Total: 461
"It was a hard battle to call, but ultimately the Firebender won largely thanks in part to him having the more reliable mid and long ranged weapons, his body armor, his elemental abilities offering more deadly offensive options, and his previous experience having fought enemies with similar abilities in the Waterbenders.
The Mist Ninja did not make things as easy with his mixture of offensive and defensive tactics, as well as the sheering power of his beheading sword, but ultimately it wasn't enough and thus the Firebender won the day," Bradley explained.
"This is only the result of a computer program. If this had been an actual battle, we'd be painting the walls with the Firebender's blood!" Zabuza huffed.
"There was never any doubt in my mind. The Fire Nation squashed lesser enemies and a sneaky ninja was no different," Zuko proclaimed.
(The victorious Firebender emerged from the foliage and found himself standing on a cliffside overlooking the modernized Kirigakure in the distance. Soon, they would feel the flames of the Fire Nation.)
XXXXXX
Next time on "Fictional Deadliest Warrior," it's a spec ops showdown:
(A man wearing an olive drab combat uniform along with a matching combat helmet, black gloves and boots points an assault rifle at the screen.)
G.I. JOE: The real American heroes who keep the free world safe from the diabolical forces of Cobra...
vs.
(A man in a black urban combat uniform along with a matching helmet and gasmask is shown in a prone position, pointing a sniper rifle at the screen.)
Rainbow Six: NATO's secret commandos who take on terroristic threats all over the world.
Who will be "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior?!"
XXXXXX
Author's Notes: A special thanks goes out to YoungSamurai18 for helping out with input on the elemental abilities and edges of both warriors.
Once again, this is another case where I grew up not watching either series and so I had to do a lot more research than normal, but I wanted to try something different for once with a more anime-based style of combat being involved and I used characters that weren't over the top superhuman enough to keep them in a regular match rather than a "Death Battle" type episode.
The Mist Ninja and all "Naruto" references are the property of Viz Media. The Firebender and all "Avatar: The Last Airbender" references are the property of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.
With apologies to "Naruto" fans!
As always, read and review! This is Metal Harbinger telling you all to KEEP IT METAL AS FUCK!