Starring:
Michiko, Naoya, Rise, Ryouji, Yuriko
Date: May 28, 2015
Summary:
A match of the Steel Soul Tournament begins between the land of Mist and the land of Lightning
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Steel Soul Tourney - Okumo Against Reizei: Naoya vs. Ryouji"
Kirigakure
With the week closing and the deadline of the matches approaching, match after began to fill the arena as the lots were quickly caste and new opponents would shuffle in. There was a slight difference with this match, rather than allowing lots to choose the contenders, one of the younger shinobi that had just been awarded 'Chuunin' made a request to 'face the swift blade from the land of lightning'. It was some what odd, but allowed as the only person within his bracket that fit the description had not only won a round, but also had recovered since then.
"Of Kirigakure.. Okumo Naoya. Step forth!" is called out loudly over the sound of the crowd, though the cheers and the jeers were highly mixed even within the Land of Water's section. Slipping from the far wall of the Arena, the young man would come to a stop on the damp ground to lazily raise his right hand which was curled into a loose fist. From his pace and posture, he wasn't rushing forward eager to begin the match though he was tense to the point his once bright amber eyes appeared a dark gold, almost to the point of being a shade of brown. 'Yes yes.. I know our rules.. Let me do this alone.. No, me' is softly murmured as his hand drops down to his side while looking towards the Dam's entry way from the contender's hall.
There was a pause for a time, waiting for the noise to still, but when it took too long, a iron mallet is struck, it's sound pierces through the air to enforce the silence. "Now.. of Kumogakure! Reizei Ryouji, step forth!" Even before the young man would appear fully into the arena the stadium began to fill once more with sound, though if it was cheers or jeers was yet to be identified.
Ryouji is laying back in the stands, his hood pulled up around his head as he tries to relax for a bit. He's board even after watching a few of these fights. A pencil bounces around the corners of his mouth as he ponders what he should write down for his next lines. No inspiration yet. But then he hears the signal for the next fight to begin. He tips the lip of his hood up and sees the names on the screens. He smiles and sits up, "Oh yeah, this I needed." he says to himself. He comes down the steps and disappears to go into the contender's hall. He appears, hood pulled over his head at the dam's entry way. He steps out into the light and raises his arms to pull back the hood. He calls out in a lyrical beat…
"If you don't mind, let me spit my pose.
Just a sec, I'll MC and try not to impose.
Looking at you in awe as if I'm froze.
Is seeing an Okumo a scary thing I suppose?
But if I must fight, fine. Throw elbows, act so compose.
Here I go, I arose.
This fight will end and I'll smell like a rose. YEEEAH!"
He pumps his fist in the air at the end before taking a few more strides into the arena. "Ah, nothing like a good rap to get the blood pumping. So, you wanted the swift blade from the land of lighting huh? You forgot talented enka rapper. Though, if this is the first time you've heard my lines, I'll cut you a break. But from now on, it's talented enka rap master as well as swift blade from the land of lighting." He takes a sideways stance and holds his hand above the white squarish hilt at his hip.
Michiko had heard about the match. Okumo versus Reizei… The girl frowns a bit, knowing that the spider clan of Kiri was a rather nasty group to deal with. As such, she has made her way to the sidelines and near the entryway as a sort of medic. She can't interfere… so she just has to watch and wait.
'Tsk' A faint snarl appears on his lips, but then a rush of air is forced through his nostrils as he answered with almost a drowned out whisper, 'The second.. or is it the third time I had to suffer through those? No.. don't echo them further.' Closing his eye, the young man would lower his head slightly in a faint bow towards the medical proctor assigned for the match, Michiko and then faintly towards his younger opponent, Ryouji. Lifting his left hand up towards his chest, Naoya would open his eyes again, revealing a different eye color, bright amber.
"Let's begin.. lets see how slow you still are when caged in this arena." With little warning, the young Okumo would kick off with a spring, but not towards his opponent but away from him. As he moves, Naoya slips his right hand behind himself to grasp onto the ivory hilt of a short blade sheathed behind his hips. With a smooth motion, the young man would whip his left arm forward, losing a pair of tapered kunai fling from his sleeve, both aiming at the mark's chest.
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From Dammed Arena - Stands,
Yuriko exhales a small breath as she leans forward against the railing, her bright eyes visible through snowy bangs just above her forearms. The fighters are introduced. Okumo Naoya versus Reizei Ryouji. It was an anticipated match, with more depth to it than just a simple testing of skills. It put the Kaguya kunoichi on edge, if ever so slightly. Promise or not there was no real way to know just what will happen. So she has no choice but to wait and watch.
Rise tapped her foot irritably against the stone floor, and ground her teeth. Three Days! Three days and not one decent clue to begin tracking her father down in earnest. She'd have possibly wrecked a building or two in her pursuit, but the promise of a distraction in the form of seeing one of her own in action proved to attractive to ignore. So, there she sat not too far off from Yuriko, neither cheering him on, or his opponent for that matter. Until the blood began to flow, the Shirokiri had no reason to get excited.
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Ryouji quickly evades the blades as if moving in a single step, stepping to the left and leaning, then spins to the right and ducking just a bit. Both fly harmlessly pass. He comes around to face Naoya and says, "So far, so good. It isn't all about speed, you know. It's about control of yourself, your blade, and the battlefield. Speed comes later." He lets fly with his own bladed weapons, flicking a pair of shruiken at Naoya.
As he continues to move away, a tongue fishes around his mouth, hidden mostly by his lips. Jerking his head to the side, one of the two shuriken sails by without much pause though it does come close to his shoulder. Bringing forward his right hand, Naoya slashes upwards, deflecting the second shuriken with an ivory blade and chooses then to come to a brief stand still.
'Not enough.. need to understand this pup' is mumbled to himself before he was on the move again, this time towards his opponent. While moving closer, another set of kunai were launched though the second one acted oddly. The truth was silk was faintly tethered to the second blade, making evading it growingly difficult.
Ryouji hurms to himself as he dodges another kunai and wonders if this guy is a one trick pony. But the second blade is acting different, he can't dodge it. Ryouji pulls lighting cutter out, slicing the air where the blade should be, but it's not there. It is half an inch higher moving over the blade and cutting him along a shoulder leaving a good cut. He third kunai though, Ryouji ducks and rolls under it to come up to his knee. He is gone in an instant, covering the ground between him and Naoya in a heartbeat. In another instant, he's in front of his opponent, clicking open his sword that somehow got back into its saya. It collects a beam of light and flares the beam at Naoya's eyes for a moment before lighting cutter is pulled free in a wide arc. Then a second flash showing where a blade slice just happened bisecs the first forming a cross.
A faint smirk appears on the young man's lips as one of his tossed blades manage to find their mark, though his eyes rarely leave Ryouji as he begins to weave himself around. The glint of the blade forces the young Okumo's eyes shut though this only causes his hair to ruffle oddly, resulting with slender legs becoming apparent so anyone looking closely. Even with his eyes closed Naoya continues his movement, dancing with the attempted lock, only to bring his own blade across, attacking to slice low along the boy's ribs. In his via to slip a little more blood in the exchange, his own right bicep was shallowly cut.
'Blood for blood..?' is briefly mused a loud. Staying relatively close to his opponent, the young Okumo strokes his left hand along his blade, letting an oil slip from his gloved fingers onto the blade. With the blade lackered, a pair a slashes soon follow, neither seeming to try and cut deep, the first aiming at Ryouji's supportive arm, the other lower, aiming at one of his thighs.
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From Dammed Arena - Stands,
Yuriko exhales a small, sharp breath against the back of her folded arms as the web-slung blade draws first blood. Shoulder sliced, crimson lightly splatters the arena floor, drawing cheers from the majority of Kirigakure citizens in the crowd. First blood. It now hangs in the air, and it won't be the last. The Kaguya girl paces her breathing purposefully as she leans forward again, resting more of her weight into the railing.
First blood went to Naoya. And yet, that is not what truly drew Rise's complete focus on the match at hand. The exchanges were now becoming more intense… lethal. Boiling blood began to settle into something stable enough to keep the woman in place. For now. Still, there were no cheers or jeers from her, though the Kirigakure shinobi next to her does recieve a glare for being so obnoxiously loud. If he kept that up, it wouldn't be long before there might be two less occupants in the arena…
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Ryouji yelps in surprise, this guy is better than he thought. He's been lulled into a false sense of security. He whips out his sword, blocking the surprise clean cut, only to bring his blade around to miss the next one and it cuts him deep drawing a line of blood and splattering a few drops on the ground. His blade blocks the return stroke, but only just. Ryouji flickers his sword and slips it back into his saya. "Well now, that was certainly an interesting first part of this match, yo." he says rubbing at the cut across his chest, then gingerly pokes at the cut in his shoulder. "Hey now, if you don't mind, let's get serious." He slaps his hands together and begins charging his chakra blowing a bit of dirt out in a circle around him. His chakra surges as he causes the two chakras within himself to crash together like a wave breaking on a shore. His body flashes for an instant and the lines around his form blur and take on a fuzzy look. "Common, hope that isn't all you got, spider man." he says, waving his hand on to Naoya.
'First dance..' is said with a hush though the young Okumo doesn't pause to back away similar to what Ryouji did, the onslaught would simply continue. Another slash from the ivory blade would slash downwards, trying to draw a line crossing the boy's chest. Coiling his wrist, Naoya's stance shifts, his knees bend slightly though also his clothes writhe shortly as if something was shifting below them.
In a sudden shift, another two hurried steps carries the young Okumo in a quarter crescent shape, trying to round his target before extending his arm out rapidly, thrusting twice, though each stab was shallow, clearly testing and feeling his opponent out further, or baiting him.
Ryouji feels the swift chakra soak into his system and sighs contentedly. Ryouji tilts his head, seeing Naoya coming in with the three thrusts. He hops back once, then again and ducks down for the next one so he's next to Naoya. He grins and focuses swift release chakra into his arm and launches himself into a high speed lariat. Hit or not, he intercepts Naoya once again, this time with lightning cutter out and flaring to life with lighting chakra. He slashes and says, "If you haven't guessed, I'm done playing around!"
As the third thrust strikes nothing but air, the young Okumo doesn't seems very bothered by it, his expression muted save fore a faint glare in his eyes as he watches Ryouji move around. When the arm is extended and brought forth, he doesn't seem to move at all. The blow connects effortlessly but so sensation of touch would be had and the young man would appear simply in another place. The following charged slash would come close enough to the Okumo to shred some of the lock of hair running along the side of his face, but no wound was made to his cheek.
Bringing his left hand forward, Naoya would thrust suddenly at the boy's chest but before contact was even fully made, much of the Okumo's hand unravels, the silk glove tries to bind him while fresh silk moves in to support his move as his arm moves to the side. With a pushing shove, his arm returns but this time trying to shove Ryouji away and into an off colored patch of damp soil to the side where one of several traps were laid.
Ryouji shouts as he doesn't move fast enough, the webbing holds him fast as even more webbing surrounds him. "The arachnid, oh this is gross man!" he calls out, then gets shoved into the traps. "Oh spid…" yeah, the boom is coming to be sure.
Yuriko pages: Just don't bite him. :P
+pose Moving forward quickly, Naoya follows after Ryouji as he is forces back but as he does a snarl widens across his lips. "Listen.." is said clearly, though soon his voice lowers, making it harder for those around them to hear though it should be clear to the bound boy. "When you hunt.." Pausing, the ivory blade the young man wielded is raise to his own mouth, allowing elongated fangs to lightly scrape across the broadside of the blade, coating it with a murky but colorless fluid. "..finish off the other hunters first. Remember this.." Taking the blade with both hands, Naoya slashes downwards suddenly to bury the blade in Ryouji's side before cutting upwards, shedding the silk that caged him in the process.
Moving forward quickly, Naoya follows after Ryouji as he is forces back but as he does a snarl widens across his lips. "Listen.." is said clearly, though soon his voice lowers, making it harder for those around them to hear though it should be clear to the bound boy. "When you hunt.." Pausing, the ivory blade the young man wielded is raise to his own mouth, allowing elongated fangs to lightly scrape across the broadside of the blade, coating it with a murky but colorless fluid. "..finish off the other hunters first. Remember this.." Taking the blade with both hands, Naoya slashes downwards suddenly to bury the blade in Ryouji's side before cutting upwards, shedding the silk that caged him in the process.
Ryouji can't even scream out, the bindings are too tight when the blade plunges in. He gasps choking out whatever sounds will leave his throat. Then the bindings are cut as he collapses to the ground. He holds his side where he's been wounded severely and slowly stands blood draining out of the new hole. He gathers his chakra and pushes it to the very edge of his abilities. "That's it then. One big hit and I'm down and out? Awww man, blur no! I…won't…give up!" His blur form fades for a moment before his eyes light up like blue greenish fire. Ryouji just disappears for an instant, pushing his body beyond what it should take. He's going all the way in this fight, if only to prove to himself he can win in a serious contest. He'll probably kill himself in this, but at least he'll die knowing how close he got. Ryouji sticks out an arm for a lariat, then changes direction for a second.
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From Dammed Arena - Stands,
A breath hitches in her chest, sharp and held unconsciously as Yuriko watches Ryouji caught in the web. Her weight shifts, hands coming down to grip the railing as she focuses so intently. Naoya draws the ivory blade across his fangs, dripping his poison across his length before it's driven into his prey's side. And just as he does this, her breath is forced from her lungs. Quickly shaking her snowy head to herself, Yuriko tries to once more take in a more controlled breath. Though as the bindings are cut and Ryouji falls to the arena floor, it quickly becomes clear that he has no intention of giving up or giving in. "Tricky prey…" she mumbles softly, a hush beneath the roar of the arena.
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'Huh?' Pausing as Ryouji's form took on a new shape only to charge him again, the boy's arm would find only air.. yet another after image. The second motion through would be met with the Okumo rapidly beginning to spin, filling the arena partially with silk only to choke out a gasp when a close lining arm pounds against his throat forcing him back and coughing at the sudden and unexpected force.
'Starting to.. move faster? ..Still, I could see..' Forced down to a crouch, Naoya would hold an arm up to his throat but then he would begin to clear it with a growl. Weaving his finger together, the area would slowly dim until it becomes rich with mist even though a moment before everything was clear. Even with the mists thickening, the young Okumo wouldn't stay still for long, his figure could be seen flickering around the mists, buying his time.
Ryouji flinches, seeing the chakra mist rise and hides Naoya. He closes his eyes, waiting for the kill to happen again. There's not much he can do about it but expand his chakra senses and hope for the best. When nothing comes Ryouji gets it. Ryouji is quickly losing strength and as long as Naoya keeps up the mist Ryouji can't reach him. He's been poisoned and feels it coursing through his body. He coughs and lifts his hands from his mouth, seeing the blood. Ryouji growls and lifts his hand, "I'm done, he's got me." He still smiles though, "It was a good fight."
Shifting within the mists, a brief image would appear, though it would continue to flicker in and out of focus along with the speed alternating. Letting his chakra begin to faintly begin to swell within himself, Naoya would keep his guard up though every so often his eyes would turn, shifting towards the young girl that was set off to the side even though she was presented and within the mostly Jounin bracket. Not saying a word, he doesn't reveal himself as the match had yet to truly close.
Ryouji sniffs and rubs his nose, smearing more of the blood around. He gives his sword a flick and slides it into his saya, then holds his side, which is still bleeding. But now he's beginning to feel a little light headed from the blood loss. He begins to walk slowly towards where he thinks Michiko is. His footing is unsure as his vision begins to blur. Without the huge rush from his kekkei genkai, Ryouji is feeling the poison and injuries now. He can barely move as his movements slow to a crawl. Then he looks up, closes his eyes, and slams into the ground.
Kaguya Mai has to strain herself to hear what it was that Ryouji said, but she hears the words and shakes her head a bit. This Reizei kid… At least he knew when to fold, but still. The woman leaps from her spot and lands just before Ryouji, intending to stop Naoya should he attempt to attack. "The winner is Okumo Naoya, Chuunin of Kirigakure." She pauses as she waits for roars of either rage or joy to ring out before continuing. "You two, seek out someone to heal you. We'll have our next match out as soon as you clear." Then the woman simply waits for the board to turn to the next round.
Michiko hears the match being called to a close and gives a small sigh and shake of her head. "Ano baka…" she mutters softly, staying by the entrance so that Ryouji has to come to her. If he has the energy. He seemed pretty drained. Noticing him away in place, she suddenly appears near him, catching him when he falls. With her touch, she immediately begins checking to see what's wrong, a pulse of chakra running through Ryouji's body and then working to purge the poison from his system.
Slipping a finger into a hip pouch, Naoya withdraws a smeared fingers, drawing it across his arm lightly, filling in the faint cut. After recoating his finger, he would bring it up to his lips and suck his finger clean, ingesting some of the solution. Around his throat wide selection of silk would form along with the other nicks he carried. With the match officially over, the mists would lower down until it was only ankle high, allowing the young Okumo to lightly dip his head once before making his leave of the arena.
Ryouji is messed up, more so than he has been in a while. His breathing is shallow and rapid. And even with the antidote jutsu used, he's still being affected by the poison. His eyes squint shut as a jolt of pain runs through his body, but the healing jutsu eventually does it's job to stabilized him. Save for the poison that so far is only delayed. Ryouji cracks his eyes open a bit and tries to focus but whispers out, "Oh, hey Michiko-chan. Yeah, I'm a baka. Would you prefered I give up when he first cut me?"
"Mmm… No, but you shouldn't have tried to hold back so much. Okumo are notoriously tricky," Michiko says, supporting the Reizei so that she can get him out of the arena and to the place she was temporarily staying at. "Let's go and get you fixed up," is all she says with a shake of her head, giving the Reizei energy so that he can actually support himself somewhat. She may be stronger than what she was, but carrying someone is exhausting for someone of her size and strength.
Ryouji is now able to get up on his own with the extra energy. He's weak, but not falling on his face. "Now you tell me." he says, but keeps his tongue bit, he still isn't healed up yet. He walks off with Michiko towards the aid station.
