by Aaron Oster
“Still feeling fine?” Geon asked, sounding sleepy.
“Nothing’s changed,” he replied.
Ever since his incident the other day, Geon had been asking him if he was okay a lot more than usual – and not in the sarcastic ‘are you brain damaged’ kind of way. There was genuine concern from the Core, and although Roy was touched, he didn’t dare say so. Geon was temperamental, and the last thing Roy wanted was to let the Core think he’d been found out.
“So, what’s this about a tournament?”
Geon had been asleep through the entire announcement, so Roy was forced to repeat everything he’d heard. Starting at noon today, the tournament would begin. It would go until a Green-Belt champion was chosen, only to resume the next day with the Blue-Belts. The starting match of the day would be the Green-Belt champion, against whichever Blue-Belt was chosen by the Inu.
In other words, the chances of winning freedom were slim to none, but giving them a chance would make them fight all the harder to gain the opportunity.
“Do you think you can win?” Geon asked.
“I’m sure as hell going to try,” he replied. “Hermit might be on his way, but I’m sick and tired of constantly needing to be rescued. If I can make my way free on my own, perhaps I can finally prove myself as a true Martial Artist.”
“Yeah, that’ll be the day,” Geon said with a snort. “What about the others, though? Aren’t you going to try and free them?”
Roy felt a sharp tugging in his chest – a reminder of his Ideal. His was to free all those from oppression. These people were little more than slaves, being forced to fight and die for the amusement and profit of the Inu clan.
“I’m not nearly strong enough,” he replied. “I’m not even at 1st Dan yet.”
“By choice,” Geon replied. “You can advance, you know.”
“It’s too risky,” he replied almost immediately. “Who knows what can happen?”
“I’ve already expanded to hold more power. You should have the Belt to match.”
“And what if I revert instead of advance?” he asked, feeling the fears that he’d been trying to lay to rest rear once more.
“It’s impossible,” Geon said. “No one goes backward.”
“It’s also impossible to advance without a test or without moving through the correct Dans first. Yet my Belt turned Blue.”
Geon had no response to that statement, and Roy knew it was because he was just as clueless. Roy thought that if anyone were to know what was happening, it would be Hermit. Perhaps this was a result of his uncommon pairing with Geon, or maybe there was something else at play here. Regardless, Roy refused to push for advancement until he’d had a chance to talk with his teacher. All of his heightened abilities, such as his ability to pull in and convert Essence at an astonishing rate, as well as the ease in the activation and use of his others, needed a rational explanation, and right now, Roy had none.
“Maybe this tournament will be good for you,” Geon said. “Who knows? You might find the answers you’re looking for once you’re forced to not hold back.”
“Yeah. And maybe I’ll sprout wings and ascend to the heavens while I’m at it,” Roy said sarcastically.
“You think? That would be so cool!”
Roy just shook his head with a sigh, wishing he could ignore the Core and cycle instead. But his Core was already full to bursting, meaning he had no way to pass the time other than talking to Geon or meditating.
Meditation it is, he thought.
It wasn’t the most exciting of pastimes, but it was far better than trying to get Geon to shut up, fending off Marrie’s glares, or spending his time glaring at Xu. That snake had tried to kill him, and although the man had claimed it wasn’t personal, Roy had most definitely taken it as such. If the two of them faced off against one another in the tournament, he would show no mercy.
***
“Welcome, one and all, to the Tournament of Champions!”
The roar of the crowd was nearly deafening, and Roy did his best not to wince, keeping his back straight and eyes forward as he faced the crowd along with the other nineteen Green-Belts. They’d all been paraded out and introduced one by one, with the announcer offering his own take on each of them. Currently, it seemed that Marrie was not the favorite to win as he’d first thought. Instead, the honor went to a dark-skinned man named Rura.
He was a 5th Dan Green on the verge of advancing, and the closest to him was Marrie. If they were to fight, the odds were three to one in Rura’s favor, which weren’t very high. Despite Roy’s impressive showings, they’d given him odds of over a hundred to one against Rura and eighty-eight against Marrie. In fact, the only fight favoring him would be if he and Xu were to face off again.
One thing that Roy was still unsure of was how the brackets would work once they got past the second round of rights. There’d be an odd number, which meant that one would either automatically advance or someone would have to fight twice.
“I hope you’re all ready to see fighting unlike ever before!” the announcer said, once again stoking the excitement of the crowd.”
Roy’s eyes flicked up toward the main box. From here, he could see that Granite had been joined by some more people, and one person was looking right at him, strangely enough. Roy couldn’t be certain, but he felt as though he’d seen the man somewhere before. As the announcer continued, he turned his attention back to the man as he recited the rules.
It was as he’d thought. It wasn’t to the death, but killing would be permitted, and taking someone out would be considered a win.
In other words, every fighter would be aiming for a kill, as it was the fastest way to assure a victory. Holding back for the sake of sparing an opponent’s life was the last thing on any of their minds.
“So, with all of that out of the way, let the first match get underway!”
Roy jumped as the ground around him rose suddenly, a wall hemming him in with another man he didn’t know. There was a moment of confusion as the walls began moving toward him, forcing both him and the other man to backpedal to avoid being swept along. They continued to be forced to move until the walls stopped about fifteen yards from the arena walls, leaving an area of about seventeen square yards.
“Oh, did I forget to mention?” continued the announcer, feigning ignorance, much to the enjoyment of the crowd. “All of the fights will be happening at the same time! When all the fights are concluded, the losers will be dragged out of the arena, while the walls between the winners will vanish! And do you all know what the best part is?”
Roy could feel his worry mounting as the announcer threw this unexpected twist in. It didn’t bother him that they’d all be fighting at once. It would assure the day’s fighting was over with quickly and that none of the others would get to see him fight. Of course, they’d already seen most of what he could do, but having a few surprises left was better than having none. What did bother him, though, was the fact that they’d been told one thing, only for the format to change right as the tournament began.
“Once the twenty fighters are down to five, it’ll be down to a battle royale!”
“Oh, that’s not good,” Geon said, very much stating the obvious.
“You think?” Roy exclaimed, not even caring what the Core’s answer would be.
Luckily, Geon didn’t get the opportunity to reply as the announcer continued.
“Now, we have a very important and honored man blessing the arena with his presence today. So, to start off this tournament, allow me to introduce the Sovereign of our great clan, Inu Pelata!”
Roy whirled, looking back up to the main box as the man who’d been staring at him rose to his full height. Compared to the rest of the people in the box, he was massive, which made Roy wonder if he was a Beast.
Unlike the announcer’s usual announcements, this one was not greeted with raucous cheering, but with silent respect. No one would dare get on the bad side of a Sovereign, and he might view cheering in a
bad light. His presence demanded silence, and as he spread his arms wide, he received just that.
“I hope to see fights worthy of our clan. Pray you do not disappoint me. Otherwise, the punishment will be severe.”
His gravelly voice boomed throughout the arena, though his words were directed at the fighters. Instead of feeling fear, Roy felt nothing but anger and disgust toward the man.
Make sure to be worthy of his clan?
These bastards had locked him and everyone here up against their will and were now making them fight to the death for entertainment! And now, he had the absolute nerve to threaten them.
Roy’s eyes narrowed unintentionally, and when the Sovereign’s eyes met his, Roy saw something very unexpected.
“Was that fear?” Roy asked Geon as the Sovereign’s eyes continued moving, presumably taking in the other fighters.
“Why would a Sovereign be afraid of you?” Geon asked with a snort.
Roy had regretted asking the question almost as soon as it had slipped from his mind. When bonded with another being who could see into your thoughts, keeping them to yourself was much harder.
“Now, begin,” said the Sovereign.
Then he sat down and folded his arms.
31
A low murmuring sounded through the crowd at the abrupt and unexpected start to the fighting, leading to some confusion amongst the fighters as well. Roy and his opponent shared a look before the man shrugged and launched an attack.
“Duck, you moron!” Geon yelled as Roy stumbled back, not having expected the attack.
Both of his arms came up, Power Qi flowing up and reinforcing them, just before the burning fist slammed into them. The crowd roared as Roy was driven back, his forearms trailing smoke and a burning sensation telling him that he’d just barely managed to avoid losing his life.
The man followed, his body cloaked in burning Fire Qi, throwing another punch as Roy’s back collided with the wall. He rolled to one side, avoiding the attack as the man’s fist drove into the stone, leaving a glowing, half-melted imprint of his fist.
“Regain your balance!” Geon said as Roy stumbled toward the center of the walled-off fighting area.
The Core was right. He’d started off on the back foot. If he kept going this way, the fight would end before he even had a chance to really defend himself. The other Martial Artist, a 3rd Dan Green, wasn’t about to give him the chance.
He followed, his hand extending, and a ball of roaring fire slammed into his chest, driving Roy back into the opposite wall. The hexagonal Armorer technique flared across his body midway through, stopping the burning sensation, but as the flames faded, Roy found himself facing the man’s fists once more.
Cursing, he rolled again, feeling the heat surrounding the man’s body flare as his fist impacted. The man spun, throwing a kick in anticipation, and Roy’s counter was soundly blocked.
Roy growled as he was thrown back yet again, his Armorer technique flickering under the force of the attack. He was completely on the back leg now and was having a hard time simply reacting in time. But he felt off somehow, as though this fight weren’t really happening, but the burning in his arms and chest told him otherwise.
The man struck out with both hands, twin pillars of fire spinning up from the ground, seeking to ensnare him.
“Do something!” Geon roared, and Roy did the only thing he could.
Power Qi roared from his body in a massive wave, washing the attempted Containment technique away and driving the other man back against the wall. Roy breathed out, pulling his Qi tighter around him and reinforcing his Armorer technique, shoring up the cracks. His hands tightened into fists, his entire body vibrating with power.
The man struggled against his grip, attempting to wash Roy’s Qi away with his own by drowning his Power in Fire, just as Roy had done to him. But when it came to a contest like this, Roy had the clear advantage, both in his Path and the amount of power he had at his disposal.
Roy grinned, slamming both fists together in the way he had when he’d been gathering Essence. He wasn’t sure how he knew what to do, but just as when it came to gathering Essence, releasing it in greater waves came just as easily. Golden Power Qi filled the entire area, washing away all else in its path.
He felt alive, more so than he had in quite some time. Fear, uncertainty, and doubt all fled as he basked in the power of his Path, and he could feel the approval, the sheer visceral glee that he felt coming from the Spirit of his Path.
“She’s quite bloodthirsty for such a little girl,” Geon thought as Roy cut off the flow of Qi to reveal the walls, which were cracked, glowing, and filled with golden light.
The other Martial Artist dropped to the ground from where he’d been pinned, the walls behind him half-melted and glowing red. Although Roy’s attack hadn’t managed to get through his Armorer technique, the man looked a lot worse for wear. He was breathing hard, and Essence was leaking from his skin – a sign that he’d lost control of his cycling rhythm.
Roy didn’t give him a moment to breathe. His Shockwave Airstep – which was what he’d decided to call his Qi version of the technique – blazed around him, carrying him to the man in an instant. Roy’s fist flashed forward, connecting squarely with the man’s jaw.
The man tried to turn with the blow, but having expected that, Roy unleashed his Physical technique, the Exploding Fist-Strike. The blast of Qi that exited his fist struck out like lightning, the individual tendrils ripping pieces from his Armorer technique while simultaneously coursing through his body and running rampant. The man tried to resist and fight back but was driven to his knees after having been caught off guard.
Roy followed, driving his knee into the man’s nose. The man’s head whipped back, slamming into the wall and shattering what remained of his technique. Roy tried following the attack once more, but the man spun in place, attempting to scythe his legs out from under him. Roy fell back, only to punch in retaliation, expelling a blast of Qi and throwing himself into the air, avoiding the man’s attempt at locking him down again.
From his vantage in the air, Roy reached for the massive amount of excess Qi. He could feel it bending to his will as easily as the Essence before, but the Terrain technique was far more deadly in its purer form. The traced path of his Constellation glowed a bright gold, holding its shape in the air before six beams of Power shot from each of the points, all impacting the center of the man’s chest.
Roy had already felt his opponent’s Core sputtering before he’d unleashed his powerful attack, and with the last of his reserves extinguished, the man was torn apart. Roy landed just as his attack finished, and the man fell to the ground with a very distinct smoking hole in his chest.
Roy watched the smoldering corpse for several moments, hardly believing that he’d managed to take a man who was 3 Dans higher than him down, but the crowd’s cheering told him that it had, in fact, happened. And, while his enemy had used up everything he had while attempting to hold him back, Roy, even with his blatant misuse of his own Qi, had barely used a tenth of his total capacity.
His fists smacked together, and in an instant, all of the ambient Power Essence and Qi he’d expelled flowed back into him, leaving the cracks in the walls free of the glowing light.
“Holy crap!” Geon exclaimed. “Where did that come from? I’ve never seen you own someone like that before!”
Roy glanced down and saw his Belt flicker Blue for a moment, before returning to its solid Green state, as it should have been. His eyes moved up to the crowds, but they seemed to be preoccupied to have noticed the oddity, something for which he was extremely grateful. The last thing he needed was to be thrown into the Blue-Belt tournament.
“And the first match is taken by Choi!” the announcer boomed. “What an incredible showing from our newest shining star!”
Roy breathed out, leaning back against the wall and allowing his racing heart to begin to slow. The fight had been short but brutal. It was still hard to believe
it had even happened, but the smoking corpse lying by his feet was evidence enough of its reality.
“I think I got lucky with that one,” he said, turning his thoughts inward. “I can’t be that caught off guard again.”
“Then make sure to fill me up while everyone else is still fighting,” Geon replied. “If you did that because of luck, I’m genuinely excited to see what happens next!”
The Core was as bloodthirsty as ever, but Roy had other things to think about right now. Like how he was going to manage another match with his current injuries. The fight had taken its toll on him, and both forearms and his chest were blistered and raw. Even now, he could feel the Fire Qi trying to work itself into his system.
It was a good thing there was so much Power in the air. He might need to continue suffering the pain, but at least the enemy’s Qi could be cleansed from his system. And the plus side of being the first to finish meant that he’d have a few minutes of rest before the next battle started.
***
“Did you see that?” Inu Granite said, half rising from his chair.
“Calm yourself,” Pelata said. “Everyone saw it.”
How could they not?
It was hard not to notice someone who possessed such control of their Path that they could literally fill an arena with it and use it to smother an opponent so badly that they had to exhaust all of their power just to keep it at bay. And that was not to mention the way he moved.
There was also that last part, when he’d used what looked like a constellation to rip the man apart from the inside. Even so, it wasn’t the technique that caught their eyes, but the way the man’s Belt had shifted hue. In that one moment, the Belt had turned first blue, then purple, before shifting back to its original Green.
“His control slips when he uses more power,” Granite said.
“No Eternal’s control would slip,” Pelata said. “It’s intentional. A message to those who can truly see through all the smoke and dust. Why else do you think I had the rules changed at the last minute?”
