[Round 3] Tenkai vs. Snow

Description: A mountain plateau, one of many that lies in a mountain range north of GTB known as the Tophead Mountains, is the fighting spot for this round. Moving from the standard of being inside a stadium surrounded by people, Midus Sonners has decided to make up for throwing the fighters into a fight full of bad weather and has taken them to a spot that is nice and warm with nice breezy winds of the fresh mountain air, and a good amount of water surrounding each plateau, with various other hills present throughout, including some land and a background view of the higher mountains. Each fighter will be in a location far away from the other matches, so neither will be capable of seeing one another, unless someone launches a pretty large technique, be it visually or by magical sense. Cameramen rest in flying helicopters and on islands out in the water to keep a close watch on the fights taking place for all to see from the safety of their livings and the large screen present back at the GTB stadium.

Grass and rock is the terrain, with a few small ups and downs that keep the plateau from being perfectly flat. The edge drops down in a curve toward the waters, the plateau raised at a height of fifty feet above water. The slope isn't steep, so if one slips down the hill, they can easily catch themselves and start walking back up, though not without some effort.

How The Fighters Arrived: All fighters were transported via helicopters, one helicopter per fight with both fighters being transported in the same vehicle.

Special Conditions: None.

Field Measurements:

Here is a visual of the field measurements, with the assumption that the plateau is circular on its top.

Ten Count Boundary: The moment someone goes goes outside the 30ft diameter, meaning touching the slopes, the ten count starts. To show where the ten count starts, a holographic barrier surrounds the plateau in a half opaque orange color. For reference, the distance of the slope from the edge of the top to the water is 15 ft.

The flying rule remains.

It wasn't the first time the swordsman has fought in a place where it was a hilly and treacherous terrain, filled with eager fire users and elementalists - particularly earth or wind users that would love to use the vast terrain to their advantage. Of course, the swordsman is also part of that eager group, since a supply of fresh water nearby always puts a positive mood on the swordsman's attitude.

But then again, the swordsman never really did find it comforting that he was relying more and more on arcane abilities, rather than honing - or even polishing - his skills on weapon combat. While augmenting his weapons and physical form with his abilities provided a bonus boost to his attacks or defense... He was quiet during the duration of the flight towards the new terrain, oblivious to the thunderous roar of the helicopter engine blasting just a few feet above the two fighters. Irritating, yes, to a certain degree, but with the swordsman brooding over his lack in developing his skills - such noise fell to deaf ears, for the time being.

"...."

With his arms folded across his chest, he had his eyes set on the environment they were about to land in. A bit distant in thinking though, it only took a short moment before he registered the fact that Tenkai mentioned something to him as they were starting to land.

"Hm? Oh...well, yeah." He responded with a slight distracted tone in his voice. "Though it doesn't really matter too much - they're almost all the same to me. Just different things to cope with each time, no?" A small smile, before he got up to get ready for the landing.

Hands grabbing onto the support rails equipped on the ceiling, the swordsman navigated his way towards the main passenger door, where his more bulkier weapon - the Halberd - was placed. Too long to sling behind his back and awkward to maneuver around in such tight corridors, the swordsman grabbed the weapon that was stapped against the wall like a cargo before turning around to face Tenkai - the soon-to-be foe that he'll have to face against once they reach the ground.

He remembered much of Tenkai, partially from their experiences shared in Amatsu, but especially from the past HoH tournament that was, well...not a good memory for the swordsman to recall. Having been nearly mauled by a brute, Strikered twice and given a negative impact on his ranking in the fight, it was an experience that only made him remember much of the sneering and jests by the spectators who were in on some of his... Well. Some things are better left as past lessons to learn from.

The herbs that Tenkai applied on him during the first round of his injuries in HoH did do miracles on his wounds - but then again, it still made him remember some things on why he disliked physical medicine to some degree. And today - the Tenkai he knew as a monk would soon be the fighter that he'll face.

A jolt of the helicopter's landing gear prompted the swordsman to snap back to reality. The doors were quickly opened, and the gesture from the pilot of the fighters gave them the go-ahead to get off. The swordsman gave Tenkai a brief look before turning about to get off -

Finding himself in a field full of rocks, grass, water, and a warm wind blowing from the mountains around them. The ring which would become the battlefield for their fight.

"Say...Tenkai." The swordsman mentioned, eyeing the blue sky with the hood clouding his expression. His cloak ruffled lightly against the lazy breeze from a passing wind, and the dual katanas that were strapped to his sides rang off with a metallic tone as it moved and swayed with the near silence of the terrain. Bracers that were equipped beneath the sleeves of his cloak gave off a light hum as some stray air blew past the gears, and for a moment the swordsman looked as if he was about to say something important.

"...."

But in the end, he shook his head slightly as if shrugging something off. "Nah...nothing important."

Slackening the grip on his Halberd, the swordsman would then suddenly raise the Halberd to have the axe face the ground, before slamming it into the ground beneath and impaling it on the spot. Releasing the hold on it, he would turn to face Tenkai, a more complex look on his face.

"Since the host of this tournament has provided us with a good place to fight...what say you to a fight between blades? Yours, against mine?"

A pause, before he made a gesture at the cameramen flying above them. "Granted, no magic or special tricks. Just pure weapon combat. A clash between blades, and to see who has vastly improved since the last time we've met...?"

((...I think I went a bit too far in intro. >_>; ))

Well, it looked like Tenkai was agreeing to the swordsman's selfish terms. Despite the fact that his own confidence wavered a bit now that the statement was made, the swordsman didn't sulk over the ever increasing limits to this fight. In fact, it caused him to feel ever more aware of what has to be done, and what must be done to improvise in this fight.

And against someone who he knew could provide an answer to his own questions, the swordsman couldn't help but feel a tinge of...excitement. No second chances, no powers to aid his more lacking skills - and in a tournament setting, this would become the decisive point in whether or not the swordsman can meet up to the challenges of his own expectations.

"Good.."

Reaching down with both hands, the swordsman slowly unsheathed both his blades out, pulling it out of the sheathes with a soft and audible "KSSSHHK" - the blades humming softly in unison - as well as contrast to the wind blowing around them. Taking a few side steps away from his own Halberd - as there was no need to use it in a fight like this - the swordsman held the blades loosely on each hand, keeping them held in a normal fashion, instead of having one of them held in a reverse-dagger hold. Raising both weapons at the same time to be at height level to his own chest, the swordsman would then cross the blades in front of him, forming an X-shape, with the right blade on top of the left blade.

"Well then," he mentioned as Tenkai went into his battle stance.

He pushed his arms towards the center, so that his right arm would rest on top of his left arm in front of him, hugging his arms close to his chest - both blades then pointed away to his sides respectively.

His gaze was set. The preparations were ready.

All that is left is...

"Let's GO!"

With a shout from his lungs, and the push off of the ground beneath him, the swordsman dipped his upper body forward, launching himself towards Tenkai in a fast dash. With both blades at the ready, it seemed as if the swordsman has the intention to deliver an X-slash right at Tenkai's stomach once he gets close to weapon range.

The only question then would be, as the swordsman closed the distance quickly - which side would he strike from? An even better question - would he actually strike in the first place, making it a possible feint for something more elaborate?

• 1 -

The swordsman had somewhat expected some strafing maneuver, at least to attack the swordsman from the side or flank due to the positioning of his blades. But not completely expecting that Tenkai would rush in for an interception, of all moves, it was actions like these that made fighting all the more intense.

Perhaps one of the main reasons why the swordsman can't get enough of the fighting - the sheer exhiliration of fighting against someone worthy to cross blades with. The moment, the beating of his heart, the twitch and motion of his muscles in action...

Thisis what a fight is all about!

Unable to immediately change directions on a moment's whim, Tenkai's quick use of the scabbard as a bludgeoning weapon came crashing down towards the swordsman's incoming presence. But the swordsman, using an X-posture initially for some certain reasons, suddenly raised both arms up in a defense posture above head level just as Tenkai delivered his intercepting strike - in which Tenkai was correct in assuming the swordsman's response.

CLANG!

Defensive bracers worn on both of his arms cushioned the blow to some extent, and while the muscles of his limbs absorbed the blunt force of the blow - the impact only told the swordsman of the danger it is in underestimating the monk's skills with a bladed weapon.

"Hnngh!"

With a harsh side-shove with both arms, followed by a simultaneous twist of his torso to the right, the swordsman would use the motion of his entire body to shove the Muramasa away to his own respective right, as both of his arms should have more power than Tenkai's current one hand use of his sheathed weapon. Looping his right hand behind his head in a counter-clockwise fashion, his right katana would be placed behind his back due to the rotation - placing the swordsman in a readied pose for an attack...

And pushing off with his right leg to further close the distance enough to make that attack, the swordsman would bring his right blade down with crashing force at Tenkai's right elbow without a second thought, twisting his torso to his left to amplify the force behind the downward slash towards Tenkai's sword arm. To make sure that there was enough room for the slash to follow through, his left arm would lower somewhat along with the slash in a near simultaneous motion, the left blade held pointed to the swordsman's right side defensively as he went for that attack.

And for them to cross blades... The fight is now officially on.

• 2 -

With his initial counter being interrupted during its process, the swordsman had no time to fix a possible error or a mistake in his attack due to the close proximity between the two fighters. But to improvise somehow now that everything is in motion, there were a few ways that was available to him that he could use to parry, or at least lessen the amount of damage that he would receive to some extent.

Despite the motion and the humming of the blades cutting through the air, the quick unsheathe of Tenkai's Muramasa out of its saya was a more precise, and sharp, tone which the swordsman is familiar to due to the similarity with his own unsheathing, alerting him of a possible method of retaliation during his action. But too late to stop his right blade from looping back behind his head after the parry, and the swordsman placed in a posture that had his entire left side exposed to a possible counter...

*It's not over yet!*

The attack is still unfinished. His own move has yet to be interfered.

Eyeing Tenkai moving towards the swordsman's left to attack, the swordsman lashed out with his left blade, suddenly shifting his action into a diagonally upward slash by swinging his left arm out to his own left side - causing the left blade that was anchored to his right side to careen along with the motion. With Tenkai close enough to initiate a stab towards the swordsman's left abdomen, the swordsman used the force from his left blade to twist his torso accordingly to the shift of momentum, causing him to turn in a counter-clockwise rotation as Tenkai's stab neared its mark.

Shifting the trajectory path of his left slash, the objective was simple; Push the Muramasa away from his respective left from the slash, causing the stab to get diverted through the skidding and scraping sounds of his left blade - or his left bracer - in resistance against the Murasama blade. Some of the cloth on his left abdomen was ripped by the close proximity from Tenkai's blade, but with the swordsman turning to his own left - and the left blade coming to interfere, the stab at best came with a light cut across the swordsman's left side - drawing up a bit of blood, but nothing that would seriously affect his ability to fight.

KSSSHHK!

Knowing full well that Tenkai also had the scabbard held on his left, the swordsman has full intention in attacking with his right blade immediately once Tenkai was close enough, the right blade already cocked back behind the swordsman's right side of his head from the loop before. Somewhat mimicking the style of the use of a Chinese Dao before a strike... Keeping his left blade to his respective left after the arc and acting as a parrying device should the Monk have some tricks up his sleeves, with a short step-in with his right leg and an immediate, heavy downward swing from above, the swordsman would bring his right katana into a near downward slash towards Tenkai's right neck - as if wanting to cleave Tenkai into two halves from the right neck down to the left torso.

Knowing well that there was a good possibility of Tenkai dodging the blow or using the scabbard as defense, even a counter... unless there was the intent to seriously injure the monk, half-assed attacks would only spell trouble for the swordsman himself. And, having intentionally used the back of his blade for the attack instead of the sharp edge - should the attack actually hit... Well, at least it won't cut the monk in half. Probably give a rather nasty bruise and some blunt pain after the fight - optimistically.

But regardless if the blow would strike home or not, the swordsman would halt the force of his right blade if it missed in midswing, not wanting to go with the entire flow and open up his other side for an opening that the monk might exploit. It would also act as a means of deterrence, with his right blade held in front of the swordsman, pointed at Tenkai's general form as if like a Rapier in one possible outcome, covering up just a bit more of his own openings, and the left blade held at bay to thwart a possible use of the Murasama against him.

But only the results would tell - and the swordsman has to be careful in all of his motions against the Monk and his blade.

EDIT:: (Due to some slight misinterpretation of actions, here's an corrected version of the action.)

He stressed his motion back, already hearing some fleeting motion from his left side as he tried to react to the monk's clever counter.

Just as Tenkai went forward for a stabbing motion at the swordsman's abdomen, the swordsman would attempt to move his left arm downwards in a quick, clockwise arc hugging his torso, to protect his more vital spots from being attacked - a hastily erected defense. A bit slow in response though - since there was a slight pause during his recoil, the stab from Tenkai struck just for a split instant into the swordsman's position, puncturing the cloth and into a bit of flesh successfully.

But the draw of first blood ends there. With the swordsman moving his torso to the left along with the stab immediately after contact, and pushing the blade away to his own respective left due to his left arm coming down to push it away, the stab scraped along the left side of his abdomen, causing some blood to spill from the fresh slash wound, and the sudden grimace on the swordsman's face.

"Hrgh...!"

There was no doubt that the swordsman felt the all-too familiar sensation of his body acquiring a fresh wound. And despite knowing the sensation well from previous fights and previous experiences...he was never able to get accustomed to the sensation, each one feeling just as horrible as the last, if not worse.

Yet, despite suffering a successful strike from Tenkai, the positioning that both of them had partook was enough for the swordsman to continue on where he had left off; the Muramasa being pushed away to the best of the swordsman's respective left by the swordsman's left arm and intimacy, and Tenkai's left side pressing against his own, allowing for the swordsman's own countermeasure.

With his right blade held behind his head, the swordsman had his right hand swing upwards with a flick of the wrist, causing his right blade to whip out along the outside of the swordsman's own left shoulder, barely grazing himself.

And in Tenkai's perspective, this could be seen as a sudden flash of light glancing off of his right blade - Which would be heading right towards the Monk's general upper left body and face in such close range.

Not strong enough to slice through anything, since it was a flick - but it would certainly be more than enough to unnerve some people, and cut somewhat into exposed flesh if he was lucky.

Bonus points if the swordsman is able to get a successful strike on a more sensitive part of the body - like the side of the face, the shoulder, or just a slash wound to repel Tenkai from sticking so close to him.

In the meantime though - the swordsman would, if able to, try and create some distance between the two when he spots an opening, while using his left arm as a means to protect his left guard - not really liking the feeling of getting more wounds... But better than a slash wound on the torso, that's for sure.

• 3 -

Recklessness did bring about a painful result. And too bad; the swordsman is also in that category. Reacting more to keeping the foe at bay, the swordsman couldn't see his own plight, his own actions now becoming the undoing of his action.

Another misdoing that the swordsman just doesn't learn from. Feeling a lack of impact from his sneak attack, another burst of pain shot up the swordsman's left side, foretelling him of the inevitable situation.

Agh!

With one immediate push off of his left leg from reacting to the pain, the swordsman took a quick dash away from Tenkai, in an attempt to increase the distance between the two. Not that it would reduce the amount of injury the swordsman has already received due to Tenkai's second counter, but making his move to retreat from Tenkai - the left blade would be held pointing back before he swiveled on his right leg if he could gain some safe distance, shifting into an immediate left side stance, his right blade held in front of him as if in a readied, stabbing posture. His left arm would raise the blade just a tad bit -

Then lowering the left blade to point at the ground, the swordsman sinking down to kneel on his left leg, a notable stain of blood seen on the left part of his cloak.

Pain coursed through Tenkai's successful strike.

"...Looks like... I'm really rusty..." The swordsman breathed, grinning through a pained face despite the injury. There would be difficulties for the swordsman to try and move his left side, the injury making it hard for him to use his left arm appropriately. While the swordsman could use his abilities to quickly freeze over the injuries - at least, to stem the loss of blood or numb the pain - the continuous flow of blood revealed his current stubborness to not use any of his abilities for this fight. Breathing a bit deeper, the swordsman wasn't too sure how much this injury would impede him. And with Tenkai relatively unscathed...

Blood dripped down onto his left hand, trickling down his left katana as he tried to think of something he could do. Something, anything! Something that he can use to change his current situation right now.

• 4 -

Finding himself actually looking at the monk sheathing the sword and not pursuing, the swordsman couldn't help but laugh at his own despise - through a bit of a grim smile and more pain racking up on his left side.

The words that came from Tenkai's mouth was more effective than any types of injury the swordsman have received in all his years of fighting. Second to none from some preaching by an Angel in the first GTB tournament when the swordsman was still naive back then... And what's worse, Tenkai was right about the swordsman.

He didn't want to just know how much further he needed to go. Having suffered few victories and countless losses, all that experience still lead the swordsman nowhere in his travels. Losing more than what he had gained, the swordsman has essentially lost his...motive. Wandering lost without a purpose or a drive in his aimless journey.

Why is he still fighting? Why does he still lose? Despite all the sweat and blood that he had given for fighting, is his own desire to win less than all the foes he had faced? Impossible. The swordsman vehemently refuses to believe that his desire to win is of little value.

Taking the time to soak in Tenkai's words...

"...I can't say it's a pleasant feeling when someone can read what I'm thinking..."

His vision faltered, as if the wound was a bit more serious than he'd expected. Shaking his head briefly to clear up his focus, the swordsman looked back at Tenkai.

"...Then, I ask you, Tenkai."

Gritting his teeth, the swordsman forced his body to stand - the stain on his left side expanding in size and now dripping down onto the ground near his presence. Fighting through the agony of moving his injured side, his left blade would be brought up pointing down at the ground in front of him - the smooth silver gleam coated with the swordsman's own blood as it slowly dripped off of his blade.

"What... am I missing?"

Stabbing his bloody left blade at the ground lightly, the swordsman flipped his grip at the weapon into a reverse grip - placing the blade between him and Tenkai as he brought his right blade to point towards the sitting monk.

"Determination?"

He took a step back, so that his impaled blade would be directly in front of him.

"Skills?"

The swordsman looked at the monk with a long face.

"Shame and despair are things I'm already familiar with. More shame or despair wouldn't make much difference as I am now. While I won't say that they're feelings to love - certainly,"

He took in a deep breath.

"....It's very, very...frustrating. But come -" The swordsman mentioned, breaking the more passive moment in the fight. "The crowds came to see us fight. If they are here in search for passion, then surely we, as fighters, cannot disappoint their expectations."

A pause.

"Perhaps, when this round is over...we can talk more about what you...and what I...am missing, without the need to mutilate each other in the process."