FAMILY GROUNDS
COLOSSEUM
The first round was now halfway concluded. After a slightly longer 10-minute break, the second leg of the round would start off strong with what ended up proving to be probably the best match of the entire tournament:
“Competitors Akiro Sanjuro, Satoru Yamaguchi, make your way to the stage!” Katashi instructed.
Among the trainees in the East Waiting Area, all eyes were focused on the two fighters. The room was deathly silent. Without uttering a single sound, the two stood up; Akiro wielding a Hanbō staff across his back, while Satoru was empty-handed. Two small Kunai knives in the shape of a Yari spear hung by Akiro’s sides, but based on the rules, he didn’t plan on unsheathing them, even though they were his preferred weapons. Tarik in particular looked steadfastly at them both:
“A fight between the very best of us...I don’t expect this to end quickly at all.”
The fellow trainees were focused on them as well, whispering:
“Two monsters are on the move...” Tarik heard Haruo comment.
“Do you think they’ll care about the connectors?” Genki asked Galib.
He responded, “Normally, no. But they’re gonna have to save energy to fight Ilmar in the end.” Galib was certain that nobody would possibly beat either Satoru, Akiro, or Ilmar before the Finals.
As they walked through the entrance gate, without making eye contact, Akiro talked to Satoru:
“I don’t expect you to let me win...but, I’m glad to fight you, Satoru.”
Looking straight ahead at the ring, he simply responded:
“Don’t let your knowledge about me bother you. Fight your hardest.”
“...ah. Sure thing.”
Entering the arena, all eyes were fixed on them. Compared to the others, excluding Ilmar, they looked like they belonged to a completely different class of fighters. The very presence they carried was incomparable to that of a mere Trainee.
“Those two...”
“I’m getting chills from looking at them.”
“Ilmar felt slightly similar...but these kids are much different!”
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Afar off, even Gyuwhan himself was fully invested in the match that was to take place. Daisuke was almost shocked to see him like that.
“...Gyuwhan-sama?” he called to him.
“Hm?”
“You seem...quite intrigued.”
Without even glancing in any other direction, focused on what Mujin was showing them, he responded:
“Of course, I am...they’re not the ones I want to kill, but I can’t miss this.”
“Ilmar Sanjuro is definitely stronger than that other one, but something about these two...” Gyuwhan thought out loud.
“Perhaps a rivalry,” Daisuke added.
“Seems so.”
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“Now, allow me to introduce our 5th Match’s competitors:”
“To the right, with dark blue dyed hair and a staff across his back, Akiro Sanjuro, the son of a distant relative of Gadō-sama, and one of the Top Trainees this year! To the left, with white hair, welcome the best among the batch: Tenchi-sama’s eldest son, Satoru Yamaguchi!”
Screams of excitement echoed throughout the Colosseum:
“Ohhh! That kid’s Tenchi-sama’s son?!”
“He’s the best among them too?!”
“This is gonna be intense!”
“Also, I’d forgotten to mention,” Katashi added, “As for the Top 3 Trainees of this current batch: Akiro Sanjuro is placed #3, while Ilmar is second place!”
“Huhh?? Ilmar’s above him?!”
“Then...why does his presence feel so...different??” the audience asked one another.
Inside the opposite Waiting Area, the Trainees sat and watched the proceedings from the monitor in the room. It was only natural to think Satoru would win, but Akiro’s skills weren’t anything to be taken lightly.
“Well...do you guys think it’s too much to ask Akiro to win for me?” Zeke asked.
“You’re still going on, loser?” Kinshi laughed at him.
“Akiro might be the best at using weapons, but I wonder how much that would help against Satoru,” Gina pointed out. Amira sat nearby her, trying to take it easy after their match.
Namiyo and Ilmar were still resting in the medical chambers. As for Kento and Jamal, they simply watched in silence.
Over by the Heads’ area, Steffan had entered in among them:
“Can I come in? No? Too late.”
“Steffan-san?” Lady Yura was delighted to see him.
“I’m allowed here, being a High-Ranker, right?” he asked.
“Well, not exactly, but knock yourself out,” Gado responded.
“I was out keeping myself busy. So, how is it going here?” he queried.
“Akiro-kun and Satoru are about to fight,” Emir informed him.
“Those two, huh? This match won’t be ending soon,” he remarked with a chuckle.
“You two must be excited then, Tenchi-sama? Yura-sama?” he asked the Yamaguchi Heads.
“Well, I’m more interested to see what Akiro can do. I know all about my son,” Tenchi responded.
“I just hope that boy doesn’t act recklessly...he gets like that when someone’s strong as he is,” Yura pointed out.
“I see...how about you, Captain?” Steffan asked Emir.
Slightly lowering his dark glasses, Emir responded with a smirk:
“My little nephew will probably win.”
Back to the fighting ring, the two boys stood opposite each other as Katashi reinforced the rules:
“Once again...the match will conclude when either competitor can no longer continue, or upon insertion of a connector. Usage of deadly force will result in immediate disqualification of the offender.”
“Ready?”
Assuming a battle stance, Akiro thought to himself:
“Fighting Satoru under a handicap...an idea like this is so stupid that it’s funny.”
“Weapons are my strong suit, but it’s these Kunai that I really love using...there’s that special thing about them. I guess Katashi-san expects me to use them, since he hasn’t confiscated them, but what if I actually stab Satoru? No way.”
“GO!!”
“I’ll just have to make-do!”
Completely ignoring the connector, Akiro then began running toward Satoru, gripping his staff and hauling it from off his back. As he ran, Satoru stood still and performed a hand sign; thumb, index, and middle fingers of both hands extended, and placed against each other. Satoru didn’t announce the technique, neither did it seem as if anything had actually happened.
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“What’s he...”
!!
Without wasting another thought, Akiro twirled the staff in his right hand, and gripping it from the middle, he lunged the staff in the empty space toward his right side. About a second later, the space distorted, and a human figure came into view: it was another Satoru!
“Clone Technique...he can make them invisible too! Luckily, my spiritual awareness is sufficient enough to pick up on them.”
By the time the clone fell to the ground, disappearing, Akiro was already twirling the staff around him, and attacking the air from all directions; 5 more clones of Satoru had crept up on him. Ultimately, he was able to dispatch them all, displaying skillful usage of the staff he wielded.
As the audience and trainees looked on, they all admired his abilities:
“He’s really good.”
“He uses that staff just as well as a Master would.”
“Do you think he’ll use those weapons at his sides?”
“I guess so, since he carried them. Unless they’re for show, haha!”
After defeating the clones, Akiro gazed at Satoru, who was now performing a new technique; with his left hand he extended his index and pinky fingers, with the middle fingers resting on his thumb, forming a small circle which he placed over his mouth.
Focusing his energy into his mouth, and looking straight at Akiro, he uttered just loud enough for his opponent to hear:
Endless Void · 黒い空虚 (Ku-roi Kuu-kyo)
Suddenly, Akiro was ensnared into an immeasurable, empty, dark void. It was an Illusionary Technique, quite an advanced one that was actually taught to Satoru by his uncle, Emir. It is casted by utilizing sound to manipulate an opponent’s energy flow. This illusion in particular ensued completely in the target’s mind, cutting them off from the happenings of the real world, while keeping them trapped inside a dark abyss.
Seeing this, Gado marveled at the boy’s expertise,
“The Endless Void technique? How was he able to master that?” he asked in astonishment.
“Don’t take a Clan Head’s son lightly,” Tenchi confidently responded.
“Well, I wouldn’t say he’s quite mastered it yet. Endless Void facilitates mental torture by entering the enemy’s mind. Satoru hasn’t reached that far; currently, he can only create the illusion itself,” Emir elaborated.
“Well, is it possible for Akiro to break out of this?” Fudo asked.
“…that depends on Akiro himself,” Emir responded as they gazed on Akiro, standing motionless and unconscious.
“He isn’t moving?” some of the audience confusedly asked.
“Satoru must have used a spell on him!”
“Is…he done for?”
Among the trainees as well, many of them had thought Akiro had now been stopped in his tracks. Nobody excepting Ilmar was expected to stand any chance against Satoru.
“No way…he lost already?” Zeke asked in shock.
“That’s Satoru-kun for you,” Kinshi remarked.
“Akiro-kun…” Gina sighed.
Tarik was having mixed feelings at the moment; it was only right for him to be rooting for his brother, but he really wished to see Satoru lose for once. Even if he himself couldn’t beat his brother, he wouldn’t mind the sight of another person defeating him.
As he sat down taking in the match, he thought to himself:
“Akiro...show him what you’re really made of!”
After a few seconds had passed, Akiro still being unconscious, Satoru had let out a sigh, and picked up his connector.
Walking to the center of the ring, as he walked past the paralyzed Akiro, he remarked:
“Another disappointment…”
Meanwhile inside the Illusionary World, Akiro gazed all around, trying to gather himself.
“Where am I…?”
“All I see is, nothing…”
“…did I lose?”
As he collected his thoughts inside the Void, he vividly recalled a conversation he had once with his relative, Ilmar…
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TRAINING DORMS, 1 YEAR AGO
“Huh? What’s that all about?”
Inside the dormitory, Akiro laid on a top bunk while Ilmar stood up inside one of the rooms. They were the only persons present there at the time.
“I mean…don’t you ever just wonder why we do the things we do?” Akiro asked him.
“…”
“We try so hard to be great, trying to become the best Hunters ever. In the end, we just die, whether we just get old or unfortunately killed.”
“…even civilians live the exact same way. Whatever we do, we’ll die…what’s even the point?”
Ilmar was unresponsive for a moment, until he broke the silence:
“You’re a special stupid, you know that?” he asked him, laughing.
“I’m not joking, Ilma-”
“Why just be alive when you can live, Akiro?”
Akiro kept silence.
“From what you’re saying, you think it’s the same end-result no matter what life you live. Technically, you’re right.”
“But the life you live is what really matters, Akiro...the things that you’re able to do while blood is running inside you, that’s the top priority.”
Delivering a light punch to his shoulder, Ilmar’s final words to Akiro were,
“So remember this, you goof: don’t just be alive. Live!”
----------------------------------------
Back to the present, still inside the Illusion, Akiro grinned as he recalled that conversation, and his answer:
“Yeah...”
“I’ll live, Ilmar.”
Extending his index and middle fingers from a fist, Akiro focused his Spirit Energy, and uttered:
Illusion Release! · 幻術解 (Gen-jutsu Kai)
At this time, Satoru was approaching the insertion point, when suddenly, he could only react by swinging the connector behind him, to intercept Akiro’s sneak attack from behind: he was freed from Endless Void!
“He’s back!!” members of the audience cried.
“Alright! Get him, Akiro!”
“He actually-!” Fudo exclaimed.
“Heh, seems it’s time for the match to be settled,” Emir chuckled.
Back on the ring, Satoru was slightly surprised, but overall thrilled that Akiro freed himself from the illusion; he grinned as he asked him:
“So, you’ve decided not to disappoint me?”
“You have your rival to thank for this, Satoru!”
Disarming Satoru of his connector, they engaged in a scuffle; Akiro threw many attacks at Satoru with the staff, but all were swiftly evaded or parried. Akiro had the physical advantage between them, but Satoru was much faster and precise in all his moves and actions. After about a minute of battling, they backed away from each other, and Satoru asked Akiro:
“You’re on a handicap, aren’t you?”
?!
“I know that staffs aren’t your favorite weapons. Those Kunai on your sides are what you’d really prefer using, aren’t they?” he queried.
“…you’re right. But I don’t intend on swinging blades at you, Satoru,” Akiro responded.
“So, you’re trying to lose then,” the boy ridiculed him.
“Eh?”
Looking over to Katashi, Satoru asked him:
“Katashi-san, he’s allowed to use those knives, correct?”
“Yes, that’s fine. His only restriction is anything that’ll kill you,” Katashi responded.
Looking back at Akiro, he said to him:
“Go on.”
Reluctantly, Akiro decided to drop the staff he held, and slowly took his kunai from their sheathes. Gripping onto them, he took a new battle stance, and thought to himself:
“Now, let’s kick things up a notch.”
Akiro chucked both knives in the air, headed straight toward the boy at top speed. Accurately reading their trajectories, Satoru skillfully evaded them both, but suddenly…Akiro had once again thrown two knives at him.
“What the-?” Satoru let out in confusion. He was able to evade one but had to knock the other out of the air, unable to have dodged it in that position.
As he held the kunai, he looked at Akiro who was once again holding another kunai, grinning at him. Looking back for a split second, Satoru was able to gather that there was no kunai anywhere behind him.
“...he doesn’t have any more kunai on him...it’s just these two,” he analyzed. On the palms of Akiro’s hands, there were markings...and those same markings were present on the handles of the kunai.
Akiro was teleporting the knives.
“What a thoroughly annoying technique,” Satoru thought to himself. “But, if that’s all there is to it, then it shouldn’t be much of a problem...”
Not long after that thought, the kunai in his hand had returned to Akiro, who was now dashing toward Satoru. As they clashed once more, Akiro had left a kunai spinning in the air behind him. After a quick clash, Akiro then threw his second kunai to the one that was now about to descend. This had Satoru confused, until…Satoru himself had been teleported, right in the trajectory of the second knife!
“Huh?!”
He dodged at a very close call but was immediately on his toes once more to knock away another one being thrown towards him.
“Did he just teleport...me? How is that-”
!!
As he was in the middle of thought, Satoru looked on his palm…and the same markings from Akiro’s hands and the kunai, were on him!
“This guy...so, I gave him another teleportation tool?”
“...not bad,” Satoru thought to himself as he began to show his teeth, absolutely thrilled.
“Let’s see who’s faster then, your teleportation or me!”
They clashed once more. An intense and skillful display of speed and agility was put on; Akiro executing clever teleportation between his kunai and Satoru, and the latter reacting to every single attempt that Akiro made, many being very narrow escapes. All onlookers were at the edge of their seats during this portion of the match; this was near the best fight they’ve ever seen in the Hunter Tournaments!
But as the fight went on, Akiro was facing a disadvantage: extended usage of this technique consumed a large amount of Physical Energy, and with having to fight in addition, Akiro was approaching his limit. Satoru however, due to his skill at Mana Manipulation, mastered the ability to limit the amount of energy he consumes in all actions he performs - a special skill taught to him by his father.
Satoru started to notice his opponent's explosiveness slowly dying down.
“Slowing down already, huh?” he asked.
“Haha…sorry about that,” Akiro responded, gasping for air.
“…you’re really amazing, Satoru. I never expected to win, but man…”
“…I’m glad I got...to fight you…”
As he took gasps of air between his words, Akiro dropped to his knees, and was about to fall on his face when Satoru caught him. Looking down at him, he thought to himself:
“Hmph...I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest.”
“Winner: Satoru Yamaguchi!!”