Chapter 41

Coliseum

Ruby wore a determined look as her name was called. This was it, the first fight and she was the first to be picked.

"Good luck, Ruby." Weiss said.

"Kick this guy's ass!" Yang proclaimed.

Ruby gave them a grin before she walked over to the middle of the arena where her opponent was waiting

"Don't you dare die." Qrow whispered to himself

The two kombatants then took their battle stances, with Baraka taking his Tarkatan blades out of his arms, causing Ruby to switch into fangirl mode.

"How did you do that? What type of blades are those? Are those your bones?" Ruby rapped, causing the Tarkatn to raise a brow

"Ruby focus!" Yang yelled from the sideline

"Oh right, sorry." Ruby apologized, before drawing Crescent Rose

With Ruby finally ready, Shang Tsung then gave the sign. "Now… FIGHT!"

Baraka then charged at Ruby, quickly closing the distance between them and swinging his arm blades, making Ruby dodge his attacks.

Putting some distance between them, Ruby braced herself as Baraka charged again, unleashing a flurry of blade strikes, but Ruby used Crescent Rose to deflect them along with avoiding the attacks.

Baraka made a wide horizontal slash, which Ruby intercepted with her Scythe, but let Baraka's blade slide across while moving to his side. Seeing an opening, Ruby used her weapon to slash at Baraka, with the Tarkatan barely having enough time to react before he was slashed on the side.

Baraka grunted loudly as he moved backward, and saw blood staining his vest.

"Hm, not bad." Baraka said. "But one lucky shot doesn't mean anything."

"Oh, really?" Ruby said, before twirling her Scythe. "Then come and get me."

"With pleasure," Baraka said before charging again. This time the assault wasn't all head-on, leaving Baraka with some room to counterattack. Ruby was still able to block them and even deliver some counters of her own

Baraka then brought both blades to the sides of Ruby's head, forcing her to block. The two were then engaged in a blade lock, struggling against each other. Baraka then suddenly retracted his blades back into his arms, making Ruby slightly stumble from the sudden loss of the struggle. Baraka then delivered a swift jab to Ruby's face before uppercutting her in the chin. Baraka then delivered a kick to Ruby's chest which was followed by a spinning kick to her head, knocking her down.

Baraka grinned, as much as he could with how his mouth was shaped. "Now you die!" He said before pulling out his blades again and attacking.

"Not happening!" Ruby then turned her weapon into it's gun form, before firing several rounds at Baraka, who ended stopping for a moment to block them, exactly what Ruby hoped would happen.

Baraka's eyes widened to suddenly see his opponent turn into Rose Patels, before flying at him. Faster than he could react, Baraka was hit square in the chest and sent hurtling backward.

Ending the use of her semblance, Ruby stood with her weapon raised as she saw Baraka get up, the only damage done being a spot on his chest that bled.

Baraka snarled in anger before tearing off the remains of his ruined vest. "An interesting ability," he commented. "But not enough."

"Oh, I have plenty of fight left in me," Ruby said before returning her weapon to it's Scythe form.

Baraka then jumped high into the air, with Ruby following suit. The two then began their aerial exchange with several slashes and stabs before Ruby was able to deliver a kick that sent Baraka backward, but the Tarkatan then quickly turned around pointed one of his blades at Ruby, and using the other to slash across it, making a blue spark fly at the huntress who was caught off guard by the unexpected move that hit her in the shoulder.

Baraka landed on his feet while Ruby was forced on a knee, holding her shoulder which was bleeding and also felt dislocated.

" This is not good" Qrow thought . "If this goes on she'll end up losing."

The rest of Team RWBY were worried as well, seeing that the odds were not in her favor anymore.

"You've fought well, girl," Baraka commented. "But unless you surrender, your life ends here."

Ruby got up with a determined look on her face. "My life isn't what's on the line. Besides… I'll never give up."

"Your choice," Baraka said before charging.

Seeing this, Ruby uses Crescent Rose to shoot at Baraka, who jumps over Ruby as he blocks the potshots with his blades. As Baraka flies over Ruby, he shoots more projectiles at Ruby, but she uses her Semblance to dodge the attacks

Despite evading most of Baraka's attacks, Ruby was unable to escape one that caught her chest, the impact breaking her Aura.

Baraka then walked over Ruby, seeing the young girl struggle before bringing his blades up. "Die."

Then Ruby turned around quickly, throwing a fire dust capsule that exploded in Baraka's face. The Tarkatan leader was caught completely off guard as he slowly moved away letting out large coughs, his eyes stinging from the smoke.

With Baraka distracted, Ruby equipped Crescent Rose with a lightning dust, before firing it into Baraka's mouth, making him yell in pain as he was being electrocuted.

Ruby saw her chance and charged at Baraka, hitting him with a flurry of powerful punches and kicks, even using Crescent Rose.

After landing several more hits, she then placed one last uppercut that sent Baraka flying backward quite a distance before landing on the floor. The arena was quiet, with many people on the edge as they looked at the kombatants.

Almost a minute had passed with Baraka still laying there, unmoving.

Shao Kahn gave a barely audible groan. "Ruby Rose wins!" he proclaimed which got cheers from the crowd, and especially from her friends, making Ruby grin.

Then she almost collapsed but Raiden teleported next to her and held her by the shoulders.

"You did well," Raiden said.

"Thanks."

Raiden then brought his hand over Ruby, with some electricity coming off it. Ruby wondered what the thunder god was doing before her wounds were encased in the electricity and began healing until they were gone.

Raiden then teleported them back to the stands, where Ruby was congratulated by her friends.

"You really scared me back there." Qrow said, before he heard Shang Tsung speak

The next match is about to begin!" Shang Tsung said. "Yang Xiao long!"

"Seriously, are all my family members going to fight today." Qrow groaned

The said huntress got a serious look on her face as she walked towards the center of the arena.

"Good luck, Yang!" Johnny exclaimed.

"Don't die," Smoke said, inwardly really worried about her.

"Come on, Yang, you can do this!" Ruby yelled as she cheered her sister.

"And her opponent… Sheeva!"

The female Shokan smirked as she approached the arena and standing across her blonde-haired opponent.

Yang clenched her fists before getting into a battle stance, with Sheeva doing a similar pose.

"Be ready, girl," Sheeva said. "To see the might of a Shokan warrior."

Yang only gave her a glare. "Bring it."

"FIGHT!"

Sheeva gave a battle cry before running at Yang, throwing several mighty punches in her direction. Yang began blocking the punches but found herself almost overwhelmed, being attack with four arms at the same time.

Deciding to change her approach, Yang began avoiding the punches, sidestepping them as they came before giving her own counters but those ended up blocked by Sheeva.

After a bit of back and forth with no clear edge, Yang then leaped over the double punch made by Sheeva. Flying over her, Yang prepared a kick to Sheeva's head but her foot was then caught by one of the Shokan's arms.

Using the opportunity, Sheeva slammed Yang on the ground leaving a huge crack with huntress grunting in pain. Smirking, Sheeva repeated the process several times more before Yang had enough. In mid-swing, Yang twisted around, her foot out of Sheeva's grasp before she was able to deliver a mighty kick to the female Shokan's head.

When she landed, Yang began attacking the dazed Sheeva, landing several quick punches right into her stomach, pushing her back, and ending her assault with an uppercut to Sheeva's chin, sending her flying.

"Way to go Yang!" Johnny cheered while Smoke smiled, others joining in cheering, even the crowd being pleased by the entertaining display.

Sheeva quickly got up before spitting some blood. "Not bad, I have to admit," she complimented. "Now the kid gloves are off." Sheeva's hands then began emitting fire before she shot one fireball at Yang.

Yang quickly avoided the fireball, but another one quickly followed making her dodge again, the process repeated two more times before Sheeva herself was upon Yang, once again beginning her assault.

Being caught off guard, Yang tried her best to block the punches but was quickly hit in the face, then the stomach, in the cheek, the stomach again. The punches came faster than she could keep up.

Sheeva then double-punched Yang right into the ground below, making the young girl spit blood.

"Come on Yang, make a come back." Qrow whispered

Her friends felt the same way as well, with Smoke's fists loudly clenching in worry of her

Seeing the downed girl, Sheeva decided to finish this battle. She crouched down before making a jump high into the air, ready to deliver a mighty stomp right on top of Yang.

Yang's eyes opened as she looked at the descending Sheeva. Activating her semblance, she rolled backward in a half-kneeling position before punching the ground, causing a large rock to rise up. With Sheeva close to the ground, the rock hit in the back, stopping her momentum and sending her forward. Yang then prepared a mighty punch, rearing her fist back before giving a mighty scream and hitting Sheeva straight into the stomach.

The female Shokan spat a huge amount of blood from her mouth as her eyes became as wide as they could be, first time ever feeling such a huge amount of pain. With grit teeth, Yang then delivered another strong uppercut to Sheeva's head, sending her flying before she landed on her back, hard.

Sheeva lay unmoving. Her eyes were shut and some blood spilling from her mouth. Yang could tell from the distance that Sheeva wasn't dead, but she was definitely knocked out.

Grumbling under his breath, Shao Kahn then proclaimed. "Yang Xiao Long wins!"

Yang smiled at her victory and quickly returned to her friends while Sheeva's unconscious form was being taken away from the arena, the cheers of the crowd overpowering any other sound in the entire area.

Smoke let out a sigh of relief at Yang's victory and gave a proud smile at her victory.

"Looks like the Emperor isn't happy." Johnny whispered to Liu Kang. "Must be from losing."

"Looks like this one goes to us." Sub Zero said

"Come on man, don't be such a kill joy." Sun said

"Now, for the next fight!" Shang Tsung said, getting the attention of everyone. "The next kombatants will be…Neptune."

"Well, wish me luck." Neptune said while walking into the arena

"And his opponent… Reiko!"

Before going to the arena, Reiko turned to Shao Kahn and gave a bow. "I promise, I will not fail, Emperor." he said before walking to meet his opponent

The two got into their battle stances.

"Kombatants… FIGHT!"

Reiko immediately acted by throwing a shuriken at Neptune who quickly took out his weapons to shoot them down. However, he was surprised to see that Reiko was already upon him, delivering a chop to his hand, making Neptune drop his weapon before delivering a mighty punch to the gut, making Neptune spit out blood. Reiko then gave an uppercut that sent Neptune flying.

Getting his bearings in midair, Neptune landed on his feet before rushing towards Reiko. Upon reaching his opponent, Neptune started throwing various punch and kicks but Reiko just stood there, blocking all Neptune's attack while smirking.

Reiko once again went on the offensive, with his spear in hand smacking Neptune towards his falling weapon. Seeing this, Neptune grabbed his Trident before sending a bolt of lightning at Reiko

Reiko looked slightly surprised before dodging the attack. Seeing this, Neptune then used the opportunity and ran towards Reiko with his Trident, using Reiko's temporary distraction to his advantage. He went for a stab right at Reiko's heart, but then Reiko quickly grabbed him by the wrist. Neptune was surprised as he saw the Outworlder grinning at him before bringing down his spear with the intention of piercing his heart.

Neptune moved but the spear pierced his thigh, making him grunt in pain. Reiko then gave Neptune a nasty head-butt, stunning him before sending him flying with a kick to the midsection.

Neptune quickly got up but began coughing blood, but Reiko was again upon him, and Neptune was barely able to block his attacks.

His allies in the stand were now worried, seeing Neptune being dominated by his opponent.

"Come on, Neptune," Ruby muttered. "You can beat him."

Her teammates hoped so as well.

Neptune tried to counter-attack but Reiko's attacks were relentless, barely giving him enough time to respond. Any moment he tried to put some distance between them, Reiko quickly closed that distance very quickly.

After seeing what was a possible opening, Neptune went for a Trident thrust, but Reiko grabbed his arm before bringing his knee up, loudly bending Neptune's elbow the wrong way. Neptune screamed in pain but a punch to the face quickly followed.

And Reiko didn't stop, continuously punching Neptune, and spilling some blood on the sandy ground of the arena. Neptune's allies watched in horror, as they saw him get pummeled with seemingly no way to defend himself.

After a backhand, Neptune went to strike with his good hand, but Reiko grabbed it and snapped his wrist, rendering yet another hand useless.

Reiko then picked Neptune's trident before using it to slice off his opponent's arms and legs and then stabbing it deep into their chest. With the base of the trident pressed firmly into the ground, he then pulls Neptune's lower body down, causing the tip of the trident to come out of his mouth, with his body now separated

Shao Kahn grinned and put his fist up. "Reiko wins! Fatality!"

The coliseum erupted into cheers from the crowd as they witnessed the first death in the tournament, while the rest of Remnant weren't in the celebratory mood at seeing their ally killed in such a way.

"He… could have ended it quickly," Blake said referring to Reiko, who once again went to bow before Shao Kahn while the servants took Neptune's body. "But he extended Neptune's suffering, to feel as much pain as he could before killing him."

Ruby felt anger the moment she heard that, her fist tightened, as tears dripped down her eyes. "How could he be so cruel?!"

Raiden could only look at the young girl in pity, knowing that while the actions were barbaric, Reiko has done nothing to break the rules.