Wind (Buryoku Book 4)

by Aaron Oster

  “He continues to comply, though,” Pearl said, watching the man close his eyes.

  She could feel it, just as all the others here did — the sudden flux as all of the Power Essence was pulled from the arena and funneled into his body, its presence vanishing as soon as it was absorbed. The level of control and mastery was astonishing, and had she not known it impossible, she’d have thought that this man was a Cavern Beast who’d taken on a human form.

  “For now,” Pelata said.

  He felt safe speaking out loud, even with their mystery guest’s presence in the arena below. There should be enough interference between the noise and clamoring Essence and Qi to disrupt their conversation. Of course, he could be mistaken in assuming that an Eternal’s powers could even be compromised.

  “The other fights are beginning to wind down,” he continued. “You’ve seen how strong the man he’ll face next will be. Any other Green-Belt would fall. Let’s see how he manages this one and if he’ll give anything else away in the process.”

  Pelata leaned back in his seat then, fixing his eyes anywhere but on the man who the crowd believed to just be a talented Green-Belt.

  32

  The roar of the crowd announced the end of the last fight and the beginning of the next. Roy pushed himself to his feet, feeling his heart rate increasing as one of the walls slowly fell.

  “What an incredible first round, with some very unexpected winners!” the announcer cried. “The second round will be starting in sixty seconds, so place your bets quickly!”

  One of Roy’s eyes twitched as the crowd laughed. As far as he was concerned, they were every bit as bad as the Inu. After all, they came here to watch people kill one another for sport, and even placed bets on who would win, lose, or die.

  Despite the complete and utter loathing Roy held for them, he couldn’t allow it to distract him. He’d had about ten minutes to himself after the fight, in which time the body of his opponent had been removed. All that remained now was a small patch of rust-colored sand and the memory of who’d been responsible for it.

  “Do you think you can win this whole thing?” Geon asked. “You really surprised me on that last one.”

  “I don’t know,” he replied. “But I’m definitely going to give it my all. I don’t feel like dying, and if I can make it out on my own, I’ll have proved that I’m not a failure as a Martial Artist.”

  “And what about the girl?”

  “I’m sure I can convince Hermit to get her out once he gets here,” he replied. “He owes me for keeping my clan’s existence a secret, and I’m going to use that to my advantage.”

  That being said, he had no idea if Hermit would agree, despite all that. The massive Sovereign of the Inu clan might not take too kindly to Hermit’s arrival, especially after he’d made such a big statement before.

  The wall dropped below eye-level, revealing his next challenge.

  “Well, I guess it’s been good knowing you,” Geon said.

  Roy didn’t even bother responding. That seemed to be the Core’s go-to whenever he was forced to face impossible odds, and seeing as that was an almost daily occurrence by now, he was used to it.

  Standing with his arms crossed and eyes closed was the 5th Dan Green-Belt Rura, the man who was currently favored to win the entire tournament.

  How did I get so lucky? Roy thought to himself.

  He’d been expecting the man to make it to the final five and had, for some reason, been expecting to face him there, with the help of three other fighters. Instead, he was getting to face the man early, which signaled the end of his advancement in the tournament. Now his goals would have to shift from victory to survival. He might lose the fight, but if he managed to stay alive, Hermit could always save him.

  Despite what he knew to be the wiser course of action, Roy could feel himself rebelling at the very notion. It wasn’t just the fact that he could feel the spirit of his Path being angered by this, but he was angry as well. For some reason, the idea of just playing defense, even though it was the smarter plan, made him recoil in disgust.

  “Please don’t tell me you’re going to do what you’re thinking of doing,” Geon said as the walls continued to drop.

  “I’m not going to back down,” he replied, feeling an almost wild rush of recklessness overtake him. “I’m going to beat this guy and win my way free.”

  “I’ve created a monster,” Geon said in a woeful tone. “Maybe I shouldn’t have praised you so much. Now you have an inflated sense of strength. You can’t win this fight.”

  “Says who?” Roy replied, beginning to cycle his Qi in preparation for its start.

  “Common sense,” Geon replied. “He’s on the brink of Blue. What makes you think you can beat him?”

  “Because I’ve been sparring with someone who's always been a stage above me. I know I can win.”

  “Have you forgotten that you’ve never actually won in a fight between you and Aika?”

  Roy hadn’t forgotten, but this wasn’t Aika. This man was stronger than him if judged merely by the color of their Belts. Roy had defeated stronger opponents before, and he was confident he could do it again.

  “I would advise caution…” Geon began, but at that moment, the stone sank completely into the ground, and the announcer called the beginning of the second round.

  Roy shot forward, using the power of his Movement technique to cover the distance in just a few strides, his hand flashing out in the Beakurou – the bear claw, one of the deadliest strikes in the Unaru Kuma. It was a move that targeted the throat, and like its namesake, the intended result would be quite brutal. Roy was looking to end this fight quickly and avoid a drawn-out confrontation.

  Unfortunately, Rura was prepared for just such an attack and mounted a defense of his own. A thin film of water flowed up around him, and when Roy’s attack struck, his fingers, which were formed into claws, slipped off Rura’s neck as though they were made of ice.

  The man struck as Roy staggered, off balance from the unexpected redirection of force. Both his hands pushed forward, slamming into the center of his chest and hurling him back. The air exploded from Roy’s lungs as he felt the injection of Water Qi into his body, trying to force its way into his lungs.

  His back struck the far wall, sending cracks spreading over the surface. Rura came after him, his body seeming to flow over the ground, his Movement technique reflecting his Path perfectly.

  Roy dropped to the ground, using his own Qi to burn the intrusive Qi from his body. His chest was throbbing, his muscles and bones feeling more than a little sore at the force of the impact. Luckily, the man hadn’t used an actual technique, so his body had managed to stop any breaks. But still, it set the tone for the battle to come.

  He growled, the hexagonal lines of his Armorer technique flowing over him. He was sick and tired of Water Artists, and to have to face one now made him angry. Unlike what most people thought, it wasn’t Weakness Artists who posed the greatest challenge to Power Artists, but rather, those who followed the Path of Water.

  Where Power was brute force, looking to overwhelm the enemy, Water was tricky, deceitful, and focused on redirection of force. This made for a bad match with Power, as Roy had personally witnessed on multiple occasions. But that didn’t mean he hadn’t learned anything from those fights, and now, he was going to put that knowledge to use.

  Rura moved in as Roy recovered, water flowing up around his arms and forming into lance-like appendages. One fist flashed out, powered by the Physical technique, but instead of trying to dodge as a Water Artist would, Roy met the attack head-on. He braced himself, flexing his knees and throwing both arms up in a cross block.

  With the wall right behind him, Roy knew the attack wouldn’t knock him down, and with his Armorer technique active, he was confident he could weather the attack.

  The lance-punch struck, slamming into Roy’s defenses and threatening to overwhelm him, despite his confidence to the contrary. Cracks formed along the Qi th
at covered his arms, and Roy felt his back foot brush up against the wall. Rura immediately followed, his second punch flowing neatly after the first. Just as Roy had predicted, it was perfectly timed.

  That was one of the major weaknesses of Water, as far as he was concerned. All of the Water Artists were constantly trying to make themselves flow better, which meant that their timing became predictable. Roy kicked down, using his Shockwave to propel himself into the air and avoid the attack.

  Rura’s fist slammed into the wall, drilling into the stone and sending chips flying. This neatly trapped him for Roy’s counter, the kick that came down squarely on his head.

  Roy struck at an odd angle from midair, which didn’t really give him much leverage. He was too close to the man to use any more Qi to aid himself, but the kick was more than enough to stagger, which was its intended purpose. He felt his foot slide off the Armorer technique, even as he drove Rura into the wall, further reducing the force of his blow.

  He landed then, tucking into a roll and coming up into a fighting stance. Rura spun, pulling his arm from the wall, just in time for Roy’s Projected technique to hit him. The Void Sphere Pulse – his Qi version – tore through the air in an interweaving line and struck the man center-mass.

  The Qi version of his Void Sphere was less spherical than it was linear, but the effects were much the same, only amplified. Instead of a sphere, the Qi traveled in a line from his extended fist, using the force of the displaced air and its own destructive cutting power.

  The blast of air struck first, a fraction of a second before the Qi, and seeing as it wasn’t a tangible attack, it couldn’t be as easily redirected as a punch or technique. This forced Rura to take the full force of the attack, directly opposing the force of his, and when it came to a contest of pure strength, nothing stood the equal of Power.

  Rura was driven back into the wall, his own Armorer technique shattering under the force, and Roy took advantage of the momentary lapse to throw a follow-up. The Void Sphere struck the man in his chest, tearing through his robes and cutting his skin with dozens of tiny blades. Roy struck for a third time, driving him deeper into the wall.

  “It’s working!” he said, throwing another punch.

  It struck as well, causing the man to double over. Assured of his victory, Roy threw the attack again, only to have Rura dodge, spinning neatly out of the way. His hands dropped down, and only once Roy felt the mass of Water Qi behind him did he realize what had happened.

  Rura had been playing him. He’d been pretending to be taking damage from Roy’s attacks while he gathered the necessary power to use a Terrain technique. Roy hadn’t expected it, as he didn’t think there was enough Water in the area to even use one, but judging by the massive pincer of water closing in on both sides, Rura had had plenty.

  They crashed into him, clamping down on his sides and straining his Armorer technique to the brink. Roy couldn’t move, locked in place as he fought to keep the watery jaws from shattering his shield and tearing him in two.

  Rura strode forward calmly, appearing for all the world to have been barely phased by Roy’s onslaught.

  “You charge like an enraged Beast, with no thought to strategy,” he said, speaking for the first time since they’d begun. “Your tactics might have won you other battles, but I can see right through you. This fight is over.”

  Roy felt beads of sweat form on his forehead as cracks spread across his Armorer technique. It took everything he had just to stop the technique from shattering it, and his fingers, which were wedged into the technique as he tried forcing it apart, prevented him from being able to defend himself.

  “What a fight!” the announcer boomed as Rura lifted both hands, lances of twisting water flowing down his fists and over his arms. “Rura has Choi pinned! It looks like his winning streak is about to come to an end!”

  “Do something!” Geon yelled.

  “I am!” Roy replied. “I’m keeping these freaking claws from cutting us in half!”

  He tried to reach for his Core, to enhance his strength to pull himself free, but it was then that Rura struck. Punches began drilling into Roy’s face and stomach, the blows reverberating through his body and breaking his concentration. His Armorer technique held for just a few more blows before shattering into a thousand pieces, motes of golden light spinning away from him.

  His arms now took the full brunt of the Terrain technique, his muscles straining to keep the attack from closing and shearing him in two. It wasn’t exactly easy, seeing as there was now nothing between him and Rura’s attacks.

  The first punch caught him in the chest, the drilling lance of water piercing his skin and driving to the bone. The second cracked a rib, and the third, aimed at his head, threatened to end his life.

  Roy, seeing that he had little choice, threw an arm up, blocking the strike, even as one half of the vice dug into his side, tearing into his skin and sending pain radiating throughout his body.

  “You can’t keep this up,” Rura said, a smug grin coming to his face. “Your brutish fighting style will not save you. Give up now and save me the embarrassment of having to fight a weakling.”

  Roy winced as he felt the technique bite in deeper, his bottom rib beginning to buckle under the force. At the same time, he continued to take punishing blows to his stomach and ribs, even as he defended his face. His other hand, wedged at his side, was the only thing keeping him from being cut in two, and as soon as his rib gave way, he’d be done for, regardless.

  He’d been in some pretty tight spots, but right now, he couldn’t see a way out. No one was coming to help him, and time was running out.

  33

  Think…There has to be some way out of this! Roy thought as he continued blocking punches.

  Terrain techniques, no matter how strong, never lasted this long, especially with the lack of Essence in the area. There was also the fact that Rura’s attacks, while painful, were not overly damaging. At least, not in the way they should be, given that he was all but defenseless — which meant that he had to be continually supplying the technique with Qi to keep it going.

  Roy was seconds away from losing the fight and his life, so it was now up to him to take a risk.

  Bracing himself, Roy dropped his guard, allowing Rura’s next two attacks, both aimed at his head, to land. The blows, as he’d suspected, were not enough to kill, but that wasn’t to say they didn’t hurt either. Stars flashed before his eyes, and it took a lot of energy to stop himself from passing out.

  Concentrating on his Core above all else helped, and when his counter came, it was completely unexpected. As Rura twisted his body to throw a third strike, Roy’s fist slammed into his stomach, unleashing the Physical technique he’d been building. There had been no other way for him to attack without taking those punches, and as the Exploding Fist went off, sending fragmenting bolts of Power Qi through Rura’s body, Roy knew it had been well worth it.

  The man was thrown off his feet, blasted back by the power of the punch, instantly freeing Roy from the crushing grip of the Terrain technique. Roy heaved a sigh of relief as the pressure vanished in an instant, although the pain was still quite present. Blood dripped to the ground as he sagged, only just managing to retain his footing.

  He stared at Rura as the man managed to avoid falling, skidding in the sand and coming to a halt near the wall. While Roy’s attack had managed to dislodge the man, he showed no outward signs of injury. Roy could sense his Core, though, and knew how much he’d needed to funnel into that technique to keep it going.

  Perhaps it was time for him to do what he did best. Instead of trying to close with the more powerful fighter, he should just do what he had last time. However, the area he needed to cover was twice as large and there was no guarantee he could pin him down. Still, it was Roy’s best chance right now. He’d been overthinking every move since the fight started. Maybe it was time to start acting like the brute this man thought he was.

  Rura ran forward, Qi spiraling
around his body and speeding his movements. He looked so confident, so smug. So sure, that no matter what Roy did, he couldn’t avoid or redirect it.

  “Try blocking this,” Roy muttered.

  He then slammed both fists together and unleashed a storm. Golden Power Qi flooded the area, flowing out of him in waves and spinning around him, expanding ever outward. Rura leaped into the air, trying to avoid the wave of power, but found himself snared, dragged back to the ground and pinned there as Roy continued pushing more and more Qi out, filling the entire area with Qi.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it!” the announcer roared as the crowd fell to hushed amazement. “Choi, in an astonishing move, has once again packed the fighting area full of Qi! If this is his full-area technique, then it’s definitely on the stranger side!”

  “Full-area technique?” Roy asked. “Why would they think that?”

  “Probably because it’s covering such a wide area,” Geon replied.

  “But I’m not using any technique,” Roy said. “If anything, they should just think it’s the Qi version of my Containment technique.”

  “Can a containment technique do that?” Geon asked, directing his attention to the walls, which were cracking and buckling under the force of his Qi. “Or that?” he asked, showing Roy that Rura was continuously being blasted, burned, and cut as he tried to regain his feet.

  “It seems like you’ve somehow managed to stumble on yet another technique. Have you been pretending to be stupid for the last year just to mess with me? Because if so, well done!”

  Roy wanted to deny it, deny that he’d somehow found his full-area technique – and the version powered by Qi – already. It took years of diligent work, something not even Aika had managed so far, and yet, he couldn’t deny what was happening right before his eyes. The last time he’d used this, his opponent had been using an Armorer technique to shield himself.