"Art of Summoning: Great Fallen Army of China!" Sun Tzu declares as the summoning circle seemingly explodes as weapons come flying out of the scroll, into the sky, flying all over the arena, Hachiman jerking his head up and expertly stepping around the weapons which were about to hit him. He suddenly sees Sun Tzu run at him, leaping into the air with an empty hand.

"Foolish child! You think this will distract me?!" He says preparing a stab when suddenly a halberd lands perfectly in Sun Tzu's hand, letting the Chinese general swing it over his head, towards Hachiman with impressive strength, forcing the Japanese God of War to swap his stab into a block, deflecting the strike back up with a single swing, instantly being back in his stabbing position. "Utterly USELESS!" He declares stabbing toward Sun Tzu who is in midair with no way of dodging an attack like this. However, Sun Tzu suddenly lands on the handle of a sword that Hachiman dodged mere moments ago, setting off of it backward with a spin, swiping at the ground with the halberd to keep Hachiman at bay, cutting up a large chunk of the flowers. "What a useless distraction, child. Did you think you would get me with such flashy moves?"

Sun Tzu places the halberd over his shoulder. "Not in the slightest, actually. But a man of a single strength is a warrior. A man of many strategies is a general! So I'm going to expand my arsenal! With the greatest weapons of China!" He says spinning the halberd around a little before taking a fighting stance once more.

Hachiman smirks. "Ha! What foolishness you display, child! No god let alone a mere HUMAN can TRULY master more than a single weapon within their lifetime. It seems you have split your skill of learning into more than merely the blade. Therefore your weapons are USELESS to my swordsmanship! That is why war is waged with specialists! Men who have dedicated their very being to war! To battle! Those are the kinds of men I wish to fight!"

Sun Tzu's demeanor suddenly drops a little. "Men who've dedicated themselves to war? You're really stupid if that's what you think makes a great warrior," He says as Hachiman springs forward suddenly, jumping up for a hard overhead slash, Sun Tzu suddenly swinging around his halberd at the midpoint, knocking Hachiman's sword out of position for the slash, grabbing the halberd with his other hand again to swing it once more this time from a downward position, Hachiman, catching the blade with his metal soles, leaping off of it, in an arch over Sun Tzu who quickly spins on his heel for a strong direct thrust at Hachiman, the war god twisting his body just barely avoiding the strike, spinning into a backflip, landing and hopping back, Sun Tzu very angrily approaching, much to Hachiman's surprise. He's been so swift on his feet, so casual in his movements. Yet he's coming towards him with clear unhidden rage! Hachiman switches his stance once more, turning his side to Sun Tzu, holding his blade in one hand behind him, the other in front. Fifth Banner: Tornado. Just as he can tell Sun Tzu is coming closer, he notices the Chinese general begin spinning his halberd around, once above his head, second around his hands third a full-body spin. He's building up momentum! Sun Tzu performs what most in the audience can only describe as a swing with the giant halberd, forcing Hachiman to block, swiftly swapping his grip to a reversed grip, stabbing his blade into the soft earth as Sun Tzu impacts his sword pushing him back.

Icarus looks down at the arena seeing Sun Tzu continue to go on the attack, Hachiman clearly being cautious of this change in attitude. "What's happening? Before he picked up that spear Sun Tzu was the one keeping his distance. Now Hachiman seems to be the one backing away?"

Pandora nods. "Yeah. Something's going on down there…"

"It's 'Combat Space'." A foreign voice says from behind them, making them both jump as they see a man walking towards them. However, neither of them recognizes him. Pandora looks a little scared as Icarus steps in front to defend her, but the man just chuckles. He is quite the tall man with bright orange hair around his entire face, Icarus noting that he has a tail! He's shirtless with a large pauldron attached to his shoulder, and what appear to be metallic springs around his biceps, and shins, with a metal choker around his neck as well. He's carrying a huge staff with shining metal tips over his shoulder rather casually. "That little wing won't do you much good." He says gently lowering Icarus' wing with his finger. "Hey hey," He says with a big toothy grin.

"W-who are you!?" Pandora asks and the man swings his giant staff around a bit.

"Oh, just a thorn in the side of all of godhood. Name's Wukong!" He says striking a powerful pose, as if to show off his flexibility, standing on one leg with the other in front of him letting Pandora and Icarus see his feral-like hands and feet.

"W-Wukong!?" Pandora gasps out as she looks to Icarus for an answer. "Y-you mean… THAT Wukong? I thought the gods sealed you away?!"

Wukong laughs, slamming his staff into the floor. "PAH! They did. But I wanted to check out Ragnarok this time around."

Icarus meanwhile looks contemplative. "How'd you get out?"

Wukong steps forward to look down at the match. "Smashed the door open. It ain't that hard. Now as I was saying. Sun Tzu and Hachiman are both masters of 'Combat Space'," He says, leaning forward against the railing.

Icarus nods. "Combat Space. The range at which you can fight?"

Wukong nods. "Exactly. Each weapon and fighting style has a certain 'range' to it. And that human there seems like he's using it pretty well."

Icarus grits his teeth. "As is Hachiman. His First Banner: Mountain and Second Banner: Ocean had a larger Combat Space than Sun Tzu's sword. That's why Sun Tzu had to resort to his bow and to hide himself in the grass. But now with this new weapon, his Combat Space is larger than Hachiman's. And going into your opponent's combat space is dangerous if you're not prepared."

Pandora throws her fist up. "YEAH! Go, Sun Tzu! He can't touch you now! You've got this!"

Icarus folds his arms rather worried. "I think you misunderstand, Pandora. Hachiman is not backing away without reason. He's waiting…" He starts. As Sun Tzu stabs toward Hachiman once more, the war god suddenly springs into action in response. One swift step to the side, still in his Tornado stance, and in the exact moment he stops he shoots towards Sun Tzu with a swift swing from over his head, spinning all the way around, Sun Tzu's eyes widening as he puts up the spear to block the strike, but as soon as it connects, Hachiman swings around once more to follow-up gripping the blade with both hands as it comes down, slicing the halberd clean in half, Sun Tzu barely avoiding the strike, rolling backward, tossing the two pieces at Hachiman who simply dodges them with ease. Hachiman continues his swing, with another spinning swing, combined with a forward leap, Sun Tzu grabbing a nearby sword to block the strike, the blade being knocked aside, Hachiman keeping up the pressure. Fifth Banner: Tornado: Endless Storm! Sun Tzu picks up a second sword, stepping back, again and again, to block the rapid-fire strikes, before suddenly taking a big leap back, and then once more, the Golden Mind of China does something unprecedented for a man of war. He starts sprinting away!

Hachiman briefly pauses to decipher what just happened. "What are you DOING, child!? Get back here!" He says setting off after the war general. "Were you not a man of war!? HOW DARE YOU! Dedicate yourself to our battle!"

Sun Tzu rushes out of the flower field, past the little dirt path between the different areas, and into the bamboo forest. "Heh. Man of war? Give me a break."

Izanagi puffs his chest out proudly. "That's my boy! Send that useless human running with his tail between his legs!"

Izanami claps her hands with a smile. "Just look at our boy go. He's got blood on his blade finally. He must be so happy."

Izanagi grits his teeth. "But that stupid human. His way of combat baffles me. One moment he is ruthlessly effective, the next he is woefully childish, the next he flees like a scared dog."

Osiris gently steps forward, holding a copy of The Art of War. "If I may? In his book, Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War', he has written as such. 'Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness.' I believe he is taking his own advice and is simply acting the way he must in order to win."

"I did not ask you to explain, Osiris," Ra grunts.

Izanami blows some smoke at Osiris' face again, making him cough a little. "Good explanation darling. So helpful of you."

Sun Tzu enters the bamboo forest at the North of the arena and grabs a small bamboo sticking out of the ground, bending it down to flick at Hachiman, following immediately behind him. However, the war god simply slashes the bamboo with a single strike from his First Banner: Mountain stance sending it tumbling next to him. "You believe a battle in a forest of bamboo will hinder me? You truly are a child. To me, this forest is mere child's play!" He says stomping his foot, remaining in his First Banner stance.

Sun Tzu scratches the back of his neck. "You're tough I'll give you that," he says, clinking his two somewhat mismatched swords together. "Not sure how I'm still alive, to be honest!" He says smirking as he suddenly slashes a bamboo in two making it fall onto the ground and tip towards Hachiman who quickly glances up before side-stepping it into another stance. Fifth Banner: Tornado! However, at that same moment, he sees Sun Tzu coming straight at him, with a stab from one of the two blades he's carrying, forcing Hachiman to swerve his body back to avoid it, Sun Tzu very much weary of Hachiman's blade spins around for a slash with the other sword, around Hachiman's back. Hachiman's response surprises Sun Tzu as the god of war leaps backward into his already leaned body, straight over Sun Tzu's swipe, into a three-quarters backflip, landing on a bamboo shoot, bending it back as he prepares to set off for a stab towards the Chinese general.

"You child! Do you think this area is to my detriment!? I am HACHIMAN! I have fought in every war ever waged! Your tactics are like reading from my own book!"

Sun Tzu seems to be taken completely aback by this sudden switching to offense as he whips his head around, seeing Hachiman land, but Hachiman notes Sun Tzu is in the process of a kick! What can he possibly kick that will matter? But upon scanning his opponent Hachiman realizes, a mere moment too late! HIS SWORD!? Suddenly the sound of bamboo snapping reverberates through the arena as Hachiman's steady footing on the bamboo is suddenly completely removed and Sun Tzu, continues his spinning kick, launching his OTHER blade towards Hachiman as well, the God twisting his body as best he can midair to dodge, before landing back on the ground, preparing his offensive attack now that Sun Tzu is unarmed, before noticing something.'My armor. the securing strap is cut! How annoying!' He glances up to Sun Tzu who's just slowly backing away towards a new weapon, another sword it seems. Hachiman pulls his chest piece over his head and tosses it aside. Underneath he has a simple red and black sleeveless kimono shirt.

Sun Tzu wipes some sweat from his forehead. "Phew. I was a bit worried if my weapons could even affect your armor. What a relief."

Hachiman chuckles along raising his blade. "Amusing, child. You certainly have many strange tactics. Yet you do not seem to be laying a hand on me. How unfortunate for you," he says assuming his mountain stance as always.

Sun Tzu pokes his new sword, checking its weight, before picking up a round metal shield laying next to it. "And what about you? How's YOUR strategy coming along, hmm?"

"Me? PAH! I have no need for strategy. I will simply overwhelm you with pure skill!"

Sun Tzu smirks, striking a battle stance himself. "Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. But tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat. Quote: Myself, in my book, The Art of War."

Hachiman points his blade forward following his line of sight as he rushes forward. "THEN BE DEFEATED, CHILD!" He declares, stabbing at Sun Tzu, who puts up his shield to block, the rounded design making Hachiman's blade slip over Sun Tzu's head, the Chinese general following the blade with his shield, Hachiman sliding right along it and spinning mid-air and landing again, still perfectly in his stance. "Hmpf. You know. For a man of war such as myself, you are not what I expected," Hachiman grunts, before swapping to Third Banner: Ocean! Hachiman runs forward, swinging his blade at Sun Tzu who surprisingly does not attempt to take each strike with his shield, instead expertly moving around the forest, ever so slightly, each swing of Hachiman's ever-lasting flurry of slashes, hitting a bamboo, which is cleanly cut in twain, before colliding with the shield. Third Banner: Ocean: Waves of War!

Izanagi grunts. "Clever little insect, that Sun Tzu. Using the bamboo to lessen the mighty blows of our Hachiman!"

Izanami smiles gently. "Look at him go, dear! He's practically clearing out the whole forest!" She says with clear glee and pride in her voice.

"Indeed. GO HACHIMAN, MY BOY!"

Osiris smirks a little, looking down to The Art of War which he's steadily reading through. 'More than you know, Izanagi sir.' He flips onto a new page and gives a low chuckle. 'All men can see the tactics by which I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved. - Sun Tzu' He looks up at the human who's simply swiftly dodging and weaving around the ever-shrinking forest. "What are you planning, I wonder?" He whispers to himself, making Ra give him a quick glance.

"He has no plan, Osiris. He is a mere human against a god of greater skill. There is nothing he can do. Even taking into account Sun Tzu's variable Combat Space that will not hinder Hachiman whatsoever."

Izanagi huffs with his booming voice "EVEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the human's varying combat space, our Hachiman's Eight Banners can handle anything!"

Osiris gulps. "R-right of course. There is no way he could defeat THE Hachiman," He says to leering eyes from Izanagi and Izanami, giving Izanami a rather sheepish but polite smile. "My apologies for the silly question."

Sun Tzu expertly weaves around the bamboo, ensuring Hachiman's blade needs to go through at least one bamboo-shoot with every swing, to lessen the blow, yet he still feels himself being pushed back with each consecutive slash, colliding with his shield.

Hachiman finishes his assault with a final full spin, kicking Sun Tzu's shield, sending him stumbling back as his shield is knocked out of his hand, Hachiman follows his kick into a sturdy stabbing stance, springing forth, towards the vulnerable general. Sun Tzu suddenly smirks. "Gotcha!" He declares letting himself fall backward completely right as Hachiman's blade is about to impale him, causing the war god to instead stab straight into a bamboo shoot, as Sun Tzu kicks Hachiman's hand off his blade, leaving it stuck in the bamboo, springing to his feet, as he begins his counterattack, Hachiman now forced to dodge and avoid.

Pandora clenches her fist with a bright smile. "ALRIGHT! He's got him now! With this Hachiman's combat space won't change right!? And he can't fight either! He said it himself! He's trained with the sword and ONLY the sword!"

Icarus nods, flexing his wing a bit by swinging it out. "It's true that he's only trained with the sword."

Wukong spins his staff around a little. "But if you're nothing without your weapon, then you're nothing with it," He continues from Icarus' statement.

Icarus glances back and folds his wing back around. "Yeah. Even if his Combat Space is smaller now and he can't attack, I doubt he's even fazed by this."

Pandora gulps looking at the two, flaunting their battle prowess. "You two are so cool…" She whispers.

Sun Tzu swings his blade around, for a series of clearly targeted strikes, Hachiman, expertly dodging each of them, until suddenly he claps his hands around the blade, simply holding onto it as Sun Tzu's eyes widen. "Um… Keep it?" He asks before feeling Hachiman's foot kicking him back, the Chinese general tumbling back as Hachiman tosses the sword aside.

"I refuse to use any blade but my own!" He says as Sun Tzu picks up another weapon lying around, charging at Hachiman as the god rushes to his sword in the bamboo.

Pandora grips the railing. "He's gonna make it!"

Icarus clenches his fists. "Come on…!" He mutters to himself mostly.

Sun Tzu leaps forward aiming for Hachiman's arm, right as Hachiman's hand grabs the blade. "Gotcha!" He calls triumphantly before Hachiman suddenly assumes a new stance, spinning around with his sword at his side. "Hngh!?"

"This bamboo is no sheath. But it will do. You were good Sun Tzu, however, I am by far the better man of war!" SECOND BANNER: VOID: ONE WITH EMPTINESS! Hachiman draws his blade from the bamboo as if from a sheathed position, and in the blink of an eye sends Sun Tzu tumbling past, hitting a bamboo shoot quite hard.

"SUN TZU!" Pandora yells out.