It’s the morning of the sixth day since the war has started. The Shizen Tribe drank heavily early on the fifth day. So that they could be at their peak fighting ability. They also learned that the Chief accepted a one-on-one. This excited many people, to them their current Chief is the strongest, wisest Chief they’ve had in generations.
Raja Kint opened his eyes to see the same roof he’s been looking at since helping the tribe. After this battle and the Chief breaks through, I’ll be on my way.
Raja Kint stretched his muscles as he got out of bed. After checking to make sure he was ready for battle, he delved into cultivation.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“The Chieftain is heading over to fight!”
Hearing Bane Shizen’s loud banging on his door coupled with his yelling. Raja Kint opened his eyes and walked outside. He followed everyone else to the edge of the village. From this, one could see a clearing with two men.
The man closest to the Shizen Tribe had white-hair, bright eyes and a sheathed sword on his back. With a temperament that befitted a Chieftain, strong. Was the word that popped into Raja Kint’s mind while looking at the Chieftain. His eyes wandered across the grassy plane.
There was a sharp-eyed, white-haired man with a sword sheathed on his waist. He was slowly walking forward like a stalking lion about to pounce. Soon, his steps stopped and he spoke. “It’s been quite a while, old friend. I hope you’ve been well over these years.”
“Indeed, recently I’ve had new life breathed into me. Now I stick to life like a young man again.”
Ambitio Shinrin’s pupils unnoticeably dilated. What makes him feel like a young man again? War? From what I know that doesn’t fit his personality. It would have to be something with his research. His thoughts paused for a moment before a theory arrived. Could he have found a path to the limbo realm? “The battlefield does bring up old memories indeed.” Ambitio Shinrin takes a step forward, “Let’s see how young you truly are!”
The two rushed toward each other. Once within range they launched tens of punches and kicks. Only for nothing to connect.
Raja Kint squinted his eyes when a familiar voice sounded beside him.
“It seems the Chief has suspicions too.”
Raja Kint looked over to see Lucas Shizen. Despite how bad his injuries looked he was able to heal fast. Mainly thanks to surface wound scars.
“Yeah, that guy must be strong if he’s a Chieftain as well. I wonder how far he’ll push your Chief,” said Raja Kint excitedly.
“It seems you still don’t understand how strong our Chieftain is. There’s a reason he’s considered the greatest genius among generations. And potentially the greatest mind in our tribe’s history.”
As they talked the two Chieftains continued exchanging blows. Finally, space was created between the two.
Ambitio Shinrin said, “You truly are in great form, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between your vigor or a young man's.”
“You’ve also kept up your body quite well. Although, it seems your technique lacks.”
Ambitio Shinrin ran forward and the Chieftain sprinted forth too. Ambition Shinrin threw a right punch quickly followed by a left kick and left punch. The Chieftain smoothly misdirected every punch and blocked the kick.
The Chieftain sent his palm into his enemy’s chest forcing him to stumble backward. The Chieftain swiftly followed with a right leg kick, sending Ambitio Shinrin flying backward.
Ambitio Shinrin’s face at this moment was gloomy. “You’ve truly shown great prowess today.”
“Naturally.”
Ambitio Shinrin nearly yelled in rage at his opponent’s nonchalant response.
The Chieftain watched as Ambitio Shinrin's legs became covered by ki-shaped panther legs. Ambitio Shinrin sprinted forth at speeds that shocked the spectators. Raja Kint's eyes widened in shock as he realized he would have no chance.
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“He’s probably the fastest in all the tribes' thanks to his panther technique,” says Lucas Shizen.
The Chieftain took a relaxed stance as his opponent arrived. Ambitio Shinrin circled him causing the Chieftain to see after images. Ambitio Shinrin began sending punches and kicks forward. The Chieftain, to the shock of everyone else, deftly blocked every single attack.
“Old friend, you might be able to block, but can you keep this up?” Ambitio Shinrin began using a complementary technique to his panther technique. As a flurry of kicks were sent forward.
For the first time in the fight, the Chieftain was forced backward as the kicks landed on his guard. Ambitio Shinrin then turned up another notch as his legs moved even faster.
A calm voice sounded, “You’ve truly worked hard over the years. It’s a pity that you betrayed us all for outsiders.”
The Chieftain’s right hand casually grabbed and caught Ambitio Shinrin’s right leg. Everyone was shocked at how easily the leg was grabbed. To them the kicks were so fast that their eyes couldn’t keep up. Yet the Chieftain’s casual grab caught his leg as easily as grabbing a book off a shelf.
Ambitio Shinrin’s face became ugly as he took a left punch. He stumbled backward, only for a kick to land on his spine. Causing him to cough out blood.
The Chieftain looked down at his opponent and picked him up. Lightly tosses him into the air before sending a spinning kick into Ambitio Shinrin’s chest. A grunt sounded out as blood flew from Ambitio Shinrin’s mouth. He flew back tens of meters before roughly landing.
The Chieftain watched as Ambitio Shinrin got up again. A line of blood on the edges of his lips. Ambitio Shinrin pulled his sword out and moved forward. The Chieftain pulled out his sword as well and moved forward. On their first clash, Ambito Shinrin was forced backward as the Chieftain continued aggressively pushing. Every clash ended up with the Chieftain gaining more momentum.
After the fourth clash the Chieftain sent another strike forward. Ambitio Shinrin was off balance rendering his speed useless and could only lean. Even with leaning, the Chieftain’s sword vertically slashed causing a streak of blood to fly out. He took another step forward sending another slash that Ambitio Shinrin blocked. The Chieftain watched Ambitio Shinrin fly back covered in blood.
Before Ambitio Shinrin landed the Chieftain darted forward. By the time Ambitio Shinrin landed the Chieftain was already a few steps away. The Chieftain slashed down colliding with Ambitio Shinrin’s sword. Ambitio Shinrin coughed out more blood. Quickly reaching into his clothes and pulling out a talisman.
The Chieftain’s eyes narrowed as he quickly backed up. He was too slow as the talisman was activated and a fireball the size of a watermelon surged forth. The Chieftain slammed the ground with his left hand as a pillar of earth rose. The fireball struck the earth pillar causing a fiery explosion. The Chieftain felt the hot air brush by him as he placed his hand on the earth pillar, causing it to crumble. On the other side, he saw Ambitio Shinrin had created distance thanks to his panther technique.
“It seems you’ve truly comprehended laws. Heh, it would seem that I have no chance if that’s the case. But I still have a trump card.” Ambitio Shinrin’s eyes were cold as he reached into his clothes and pulled out a small glass bottle with a blue liquid.
Ambitio Shinrin opened the bottle causing everyone’s eyes to widen.
“You’re using ki from heaven and earth. It seems you don’t care for the after-effects of such a decision. Or you have a method to dodge such an outcome.” The Chieftain from the start till now continued speaking nonchalantly.
This made Ambitio Shinrin angry, no matter what he did, he felt like he was always within the palm of the Chieftain. He looked down at the liquid with a slight waver. He didn’t want to drink all of it. But the battle today showed how far apart the distance was. After seeing law being used he wasn’t even sure that he would win even with this ki. He thought about the people who gave him this ki and his brows furrowed.
The Chieftain watched Ambitio Shinrin’s facial expressions constantly change. And decided not to make a move. Raja Kint was watching and furrowed his brows.
“Why isn’t the Chief finishing him off now? It’s clear he has the upper hand.”
Lucas Shizen responded, “The Chief doesn’t want this war. He was hoping for the tribes to work together but here we are at each other’s necks. And the ones who gain the most are the outsiders. With this vial taken out, it’s clear to everyone that outsiders have meddled with our tribes’ affairs.”
Raja Kint looked back toward the battlefield wondering what Ambitio Shinrin would do.
Beyond the battlefield were a few men using an array to see through the forest to the battlefield.
The man who handed Ambitio Shinrin the vial was angry. “The damn fool wavers at the last moment. And this Chieftain is far stronger than we assumed, everything is going left.”
Another man with green eyes spoke, “I think we should just aim to kill that Chieftain. He may be someone strong in these small forests. But we’ll show him how vicious the outside world is again.”
“Indeed, no matter how strong he is, he won’t be able to stack up against a limbo realm. We’re a different existence altogether.”
The third man operating the array spoke, “We will not interfere, all we want is for the tribes to work toward opening that ancestral inheritance. As long as things are sped up then we’ve done our jobs.”
The other two didn’t respond and continued to watch the battle.
Ambitio Shinrin raised his head, “Old friend, will you open the ancestral inheritance for all the tribes’?”
“How can it be so simple? It's said one of us needs to reach the limbo realm and then discover the inheritance for anyone to have a chance. Although, I’m not entirely without a route.”
Hearing this Ambitio Shinrin sighed, “How could it be so easy indeed? Fine, I’m willing to surrender this war.”
“The three Chiefs will need to take a severe blow from me. And have their tribes unable to venture out for ten years unless the Shizen Tribe Chief declares otherwise.”