A Shadow Descends ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ It was fast approaching deep night at the Rindoukan Dojo. Even though the rain had settled for Ibuki; it was rather late for her to leave. Thus she was staying until morning. The ninja in training didn't have much in the way of sleeping bags, since she had not expected this much time in coming here, only a fight. So she was forced to sleep on one of those thin mattresses in one of the four bedrooms of the Rindoukan Dojo. It was thin, uncomfortable-looking and cheap, but something that Ibuki couldn't avoid sleeping on. It was better than crashing on the floor. As soon as she put her head down; Ibuki was out like a light. Prompting Makoto to catch up on some sleep as well. If anything she wanted to be ready for the continuation of their battle tomorrow. She wasn't really prepared this morning. Tomorrow would be much different. For both of them. The tomboyish young woman left the room in which Ibuki was sleeping, sliding the wooden door closed. Then walked down the corridor to her own room. She strode in and undressed, thinking back to her fight in the morning. It was sort of exciting in its way. She hadn't had a good fight like that in ages. And that was the thing she was seeking most of all. A good fight. Not just to restore the reputation of the Rindoukan Dojo... but to fuel her own waning battle spirit. But who could give her that kind of challenge around here? Most people were ignorant of the Dojo right now. And Ibuki had travelled from Kyoto to fight with her. Obviously that wasn't going to happen everyday. Makoto peeled off the last of her Gi until she remained only in her night wear. Then she climbed under the thin cover of her sole mattress of a bed. Then she began thinking to herself about it. About the prospect of new challenges. How else would they be able to find her? "...Maybe..." Makoto mused, "....I have to be the one to find them..." There was no real way around it. That seemed like the only way to repair the reputation of the Rindoukan Dojo. And Makoto couldn't help but smile at the idea. If she made a journey to find new challenges and make more people aware of the true power of the Rindoukan Dojo... it would solve both of her problems. But the more she thought about it, the more it excited her. And this excitement was preventing her from getting any sleep. Though she tried to get her head down, Makoto was too driven by her new ideas to snooze. And when she couldn't sleep, she did the other thing that made her time worthwhile. Train. The short-haired teen rose from the covers of her bed and began putting her Gi back on. Once she re-dressed herself, she then slid open the door to her room. She gaited down the corridor and slid open the door to the indoor training hall. Which was basically just a large empty room next to the garden. Though there was a confident smile upon the girl's lips, it vanished when she realized that she was not alone. There was someone else in that room. ..But it wasn't Ibuki. Makoto looked across the room to see that there was a shadowy figure standing around thirty metres from her. Though the rain had died down; the thunder and lightning had not. When the lightning broke out and illuminated the sky, young Makoto was given a clear view of the outlines of this mystery man. He was dressed in a formal business suit, with his hands tucked into his pockets. And Makoto could also see that cocky smile over his face. But more than that... she could feel the strength that was oozing from this man's every action. She had never felt ANYTHING like it before. Whoever he was; he was no pencil-necked pen-pusher, that was for certain. "Who... are you?" Makoto questioned suspiciously. "...Excuse me..." The shadow figure spoke coolly, "You wouldn't happen to be the head of this... fighting establishment, would you...?" Makoto's eyes narrowed. "...I am the true successor of the Rindoukan Dojo and its fighting art. Once my grandfather passes away I will be the head of this Dojo. But just who are you? And why would you need that information?" The shadow placed a hand to his chin. "Hmm... it seems I've come to the wrong place. My sources were incorrect on location. But that matters not. I shall not have come all this way for nothing. Time to see if the weaker brood stand up to the powers of a god..." Then Makoto grew even more suspicious when she felt this man's fighting aura peak. She instantly assumed a fighting stance and grit her teeth. "...What are you talking about!?" "...Get ready to die..." The shadowed man in the business suit spread open his arms and his clothes were suddenly ripped away from his body into tiny shreds. His hair colour suddenly switched from a bright golden-yellow to a grim silver. And his muscular yet lithe body was revealed; boasting all of its powers to Makoto. Though she would have had no way of knowing it, this man was FAR more powerful than she could ever understand. For he was a member of a pseudo-religious society that was making waves in the world. Filling the shoes of the late criminal organization; Shadowloo. This man was known as Urien. And his powers were not to be underestimated. Makoto scowled. Whoever this guy was, he was trespassing. And threatening to kill her. She had to take him down before he got ahead of himself. The large feet of the karateka began charging her towards the coffee-skinned powerhouse that was ahead of her. But he showed no fear or intimidation whatsoever. Once they were in striking range of each other, Makoto leapt off the floor on one foot and swung her other around via the hips. Urien smirked at this kick and brought up his right hand. His wrist slapped violently into the path of Makoto's kick and batted her leg away. Leaving her open for a brief four seconds. But that was more than enough time for Urien to capitalize. He thrust his other hand straight into the tomboy's gut. With more strength than Makoto had ever felt before. She cried out and was thrown back into the polished pine floorboards of the training room, startled and shocked. Now there was a dull ache at her stomach. The girl rolled onto her back and blinked at this man, holding her abdomen. She knew that this guy was good from his aura but she would have never thought that he was THIS good. But Urien wasn't quite finished yet. The fighter looked upwards and jumped straight into the air with all the force of a jet-fighter. Makoto's head cranked backwards to follow his line of ascent. And once his jump had reached its peak, Urien flipped around swiftly and began descending at bullet-fast speed. With his knees pointing downwards. Right at Makoto. "Destroy!" He yelled, diving towards the girl with terrible haste. The young woman's eyes widened urgently as she rolled to one side of the incoming attack. Seconds later he crashed directly into the floorboards of the training room. They were pummelled and shattered beneath both weight and velocity like nothing Makoto had ever seen before. Urien stood up from the small fissure that his Violence Knee Drop attack had created. Makoto stood back up as well and resumed her fighting stance; knowing that she could no longer take this man lightly. It was time for her A-game. The future successor of the Rindoukan Dojo slipped her eyes shut for a brief few seconds and breathed outwards. Cleansing her body of all her doubts and worries. Making ready what she needed for the attack. Urien smirked at this, saying, "...Mortal! Do you really presume to launch an assault upon your future God?!" And Makoto didn't know what the hell Urien meant by that statement; but it didn't matter. She had to force him out of the Dojo now. She spread apart her feet and pulled back one of her mighty hands. Then rushed forwards with so much speed that even Urien was a little curious. But in the split second between launching the Hayate attack and landing it; Urien's trained eyes saw through the bullet-fast speed and accounted for it. He charged forwards himself. But he led in with his shoulder and right arm, dashing forwards with as much power as Makoto had speed, screaming, "Crush!" There was a violent clash of momentum between the two forces of the Hayate and the Chariot Tackle. But one did come out as the victor. Makoto released a blood-curdling scream when she was batted backwards from the collision. He whole body was thrown back so relentlessly that she was smashed through the wooden-paper walls of the training room. Her trained body glided through the rubble and skidded into the stone of the outside gardens. Urien stepped out of the training hall to the outside, through the hole that Makoto's body had made. He laughed at the young woman. "Heh, heh, heh... you're even weaker than I thought you would be, peasant. Embrace the earth and bow before your new God!" Makoto groaned heavily, watch her sweat drip to the stone. "Ugh... stroke your ego much?" Not that Urien could really be offended by that. To him, Makoto was nothing more than a frightened dog, yapping and barking behind a steel fence. She was nothing to him. Not even worth destroying. Not even worthy enough to be touched by his sacred fists. And she was only the beginning. This was simply a taste of the thunder and nightmare that Urien would bring unto the world and its pathetic populous. But Makoto wasn't quite down for the count yet. She pressed her hands into her courtyard and pushed herself upwards. Soon she was up on those large feet of hers, ready to resume the fight. Urien figured that this was probably the time to put her down for good. He crouched down slightly and pointed his fist right at the girl. He gripped his poised arm with his free hand and gathered lightning energy into it. A process that was manifest with results when streaks of electricity began coursing up and down his arm. Urien's arm then jerked backwards with the shooting force of a new attack. "Kill!" A large cluster of electrical energy, beaming colours of red and grey soon zoomed towards Makoto from the fist of Urien's arm. It shot at her swiftly. By the time she mounted a defence against it, it was already hitting her. She screamed out as her body was bombarded with lightning energy, which faded a few seconds later. But not without leaving its mark. Makoto breathed out faintly and then collapsed to her knees; her eyes slipping shut. Urien took this as his sign of victory. The brutal demi-god punched the ground violently, making it tremble. Up from the ground surged the relentless force of his aura, unleashed as a towering pillar of flame and energy. It surrounded him and his body became a haunting silhouette inside the rising stream of power. And from that stream came his earth-shattering laugh; "Aha, ha, ha, ha!" But while Urien celebrated his victory, there was a person nearby who wasn't so sure of it. A speedy kunai was thrown at Urien's pillar of energy. The thin knife was bounced off the column of power effortlessly. But it was successful in catching Urien's attention. The rising wall of spirit fire soon ended. And Urien turned around to see who had thrown that weapon. It was Ibuki; perched up on the rooftop of the Rindoukan Dojo. Just as she had been this morning. Now that she was fully dressed in her shinobi clothing; she flipped forwards, across the courtyard, landing next to Makoto. "Hey, Makoto!" She said, pulling her unlikely friend up from the ground, "Are you okay?!" She was dazed, but not out. The woman of the Rindoukan Dojo groaned again, shaking her head to nullify the electrifying effects of the Metallic Sphere attack. "...Ibuki... you... should go... this man... isn't... normal..." Ibuki winked at her, playfully. "Hey, neither am I." The ninja-in-training then stood right up and faced off with the towering Urien. She knew his face. He was a member of the secretive organization that her Clan was so set against. Though she had no idea of what his strength was... she knew that it paled in comparison to the leader of their flock. The master of a growing cult but known only to the common few as Gill. If not for the data file that she was forced to steal from them; Ibuki would have never known who either of them were. But that didn't matter now. She had to help out Makoto and get this guy out of the Rindoukan Dojo. Ibuki then rushed forwards to attack. Makoto had more than a few misgivings about that strategy. But Ibuki was in the dark about them. Once she came close enough, she kicked straight at Urien's head. The taller man darted his head to one side of the blow and turned to face her. "So!" He commented, "An additional one, eh?!" Ibuki stopped herself and swerved around to face Urien. "...I'm not one to fight people for no need, but you are REALLY asking for this!" The kunoichi came at Urien again. She forced her elbow out at him with the stride. Urien soon blocked the blow. Ibuki withdrew her elbow and kicked back at him. The demi-god then veered to one side of that kick to avoid it. And just as Ibuki was about to make a third attempt at a hit, Urien gave his immediate reprisal. There was no flash or flair. His titanic hand simply lunged forwards and grabbed Ibuki by her neck. Ibuki struggled violently to get free but it was no use. And her dark eyes widened urgently when she felt herself being hoisted from the ground. Ibuki's feet kicked and dangled in the air. Urien held her up there with only one of his hands. And the grip he had around her neck grew tighter and tighter. Urien sneered at her, just as he did Makoto. "Insect! What hope could you actually have against a higher being of divinity like myself? Insolent pestilence like yourself shall be the first to be swept away once my new order comes. So consider yourself lucky to be devastated by my hallowed fists!" Ibuki soon began choking once the grip's tightness increased even further. But Urien's attention on choking Ibuki made him unaware of the activities of Makoto. A powerful war cry proceeded to rend the air. And Urien looked up with actual surprise as Makoto, with all her might, kicked him right across the face from above. The brother of Gill stepped back and his hold on Ibuki lessened. The ninja woman saw this has her chance to get free and delivered a kick of her own to the stunned Urien. It was enough to break her free. His hand released her out of reflex and Ibuki dropped to the ground, coughing. But it had made one thing known. Urien was more than powerful enough to take out either of them individually. But together, he wouldn't find it so easy. Ibuki and Makoto nodded to each other to confirm it. And in that knowledge, they charged at Urien. The titan of terror scowled at the two of them. Makoto came at him from the right with a punch. He blocked it. But the second he did, Ibuki kicked at him in the stomach. And this tag-team action would be repeated again and again. Before they had the satisfaction of that, he jumped backwards to put some space between himself and the two girls. Once he landed at the back of the courtyard, he stood up. He was going to finish them off here and now. Power began running through his veins with intense new speed. All of his strength flooding to the surface for his new attack. He performed an ancient gesture with both of his arms and pressed both hands outward as he completed it, yelling magnificently; "Aegis Reflector!" A thin but awesomely powerful pane of pink-lavender energy was cast out from Urien. One that moved slowly but with a certain path. Ibuki and Makoto didn't know what he intended to do with it. But the twin glint in their eyes showed that they had a plan of their own. Ibuki nodded her head over to Makoto. She took that as a sign of movement and did so. Makoto dashed at Urien to attack him. Meanwhile; Ibuki jumped to the outer wall of the Rindoukan Dojo and began running across it, defying both gravity and normal human ability. This was a path that sent her towards Urien. The demi-god himself saw Makoto's attack first. She attempted to shoot a punch into his stomach. Urien flicked her fist out of the way and pelted her across the face. Knocking her closer to the encroaching Aegis Reflector. Just like Urien had planned. But in that instant of mental occupation, Urien did not see little Ibuki, jumping from the wall towards him. His perception of her came just a bit too late. And Ibuki had a skill of her own that she was going to try out. One of her fists grabbed him by the shoulder. The other one was glowing brightly with sky blue energies. In that close range, Ibuki released all of the power her body could muster, causing a compact explosion of force around the two of them. Even mighty Urien was caught off guard by the strength of a close range Yoroi Doushi. His towering torso was thrown backwards. Leaving him open for one last blow from Makoto. The tomboy teen pulled back her fist and harvested all her strength for it. Once her momentum reached a peak, Makoto rushed forwards with her outstretched fist so swiftly that Urien was unable to defend against it. The older fighter was nailed in the stomach and blown back even further. Which, unfortunately for Urien, knocked him deftly into the crystalline lilac form of his own attack, the Aegis Reflector. Makoto and Ibuki covered their faces from the brilliant light that was discharged when Urien's form smashed through the moving wall of spirit power. Enough to do some real damage to him. Urien toppled over and fell to the ground, the shards of his attack falling softly upon his muscles. Makoto and Ibuki took deep breaths, waiting for Urien's reprisal. But the demonic/seraphic man looked over at them with a terrifying grimace. One that clearly showed his enormous levels of rage. But also showing the realization of being outnumbered. He could defeat them easily on their own. But when they worked together, there was too much to account for at any one given time. Urien stood up, weakened but still strong, and stepped backwards. "This isn't over!" He roared, "Those who defy my will are those who dig their own graves! This isn't over!" The mighty higher being then leapt away and jumped straight over the right wall that was surrounding the Dojo to make his escape. Urien was gone. Makoto and Ibuki both collapsed to the ground to regain their strength. Ibuki wiped the sweat from her face and breathed out. "...Whoo! Not the most pleasant way to spend the evening...!"
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