Description: In a stunning cross promotion with the people at G-KING, SNF is pleased to present the crescendo of one of the most unorthodox fighting events to grace contact sports today! Now featuring the two-time winner of G-KING, the multi-styled maven of might CHAO LIU takes to the legendary battlefield Howard Arena in what may be in fact his last public appearance. He's facing off against the power of Mishima Karate prince LEE CHAOLAN for his last public bout, and this is truly the brawl for it all! Competitors found via G-KING are given the chance to have any wish granted to them if they can win three consequtive bouts in the promotion, so all that's standing between Chao Liu and his dream come true is Lee's pretty face! Things look like they might get ugly here tonight--with this kind of action, why would you ever look anywhere else? Saturday Night Fight's bringing it all to you tonight!! <WINNER: Chao Liu>
The Howard Arena; it might not be as lavish as the new G-King ensemble, but it has a much larger seating. This event is doing much to announce for the world the existance of the weekly competition, as well as it's cash prize, one of the largest possible for individuals without any requirement beyond challenging. A year's wage for a single fight is tantalizing to most, and Chao Liu has proven to the world that there's plenty of strong masters who have never been in the public's eye.
The only difference is that once more, the interior of Howard Arena has been modeled after a shrine. As before, it consists of four quarters; one housing a tree, another a bridge over a koi pond, a third a large square sand pit with a few rocks, and the last a small paper-walled buddhist shrine. The large televisions are displaying the G-King's Rotocamera image, only a single one in this instance hovering about.
Chao Liu himself is settled cross-legged atop a rock in the sandy pit, which he has raked into an intricate series of lines. Legs are crossed and back arched, forearms resting atop his thighs as he meditates.
Somewhere within the stands, Hotaru is watching. The unexpected pupil who has grown far. She had a magnificent match, where he saw the beginning polishes of her true strength begin to show, compared to all the recorded fights prior. He would never thank the sponsors for this opportunity, but it certainly goes a long way to making the trip worthwhile.
Chao Liu is announced with all grandeur, stating the two out of three winning streak, the 35,000 pot, and asking whether Lee Chaolin will be the one to finally unseat him. When the other man enters, Chao Liu's eyes finally slit open before he bows his head forward respectfully.
"The Silver Demon. I heard tales of you through the years even within my rural town. It is truly an honor to meet a fighter so distinguished. More than that; I am unworthy. I consider myself a humble teacher, while you are a proven fighter on the world stage. I shall do my best... but you will be the second strongest person I have ever fought, and that was some years back..."
Yes; he can't imagine anyone stronger than the Futaba beast, crushing him with ruthless kenpo. Then again, what standards did he have to compare it to?
Standing up, he then leaps to land upon the wooden edge, slipping across the transplanted grass of a gentle rise. "Chaolin... an interesting last name. Did you inherit it from your true family? I sense little of the vile Mishima taint within you... at least, as much as one should have, growing up with that demon..."
Lee Chaolan was pleased for being the final step. % R
As he saunters into the arena, he is escorted by a strange-looking, blue-haired woman in a cocktail dress... and kitty ears? It must be a fashion thing. As he reaches the edge of the ring, he releases his escort, before entering the ring with grace and elegance. Lee Chaolan was dressed in his favorite fighting outfit; a blue vest with leather pants. Adjusting his gloves, he seems only half-heartingly listening to his opponent, not even looking at him. As he strides just outside the sands, however, he makes it clear just what kind of persona he might be up to. But as he finishes with that accurate statement about his father, he finally looks up at his opponent into the eye. "Please, Chao Liu, the honor should be mine..."
"But remember that you are not a teacher here~"
He does not answer the question about his 'true family.' A sore subject, and a personal matter which took a great deal of introspection. Naturally, he had an answer. But he was not here to be lectured. "You have come a long way to join us, join the ranks of some of the greatest fighters in the world." Lee's expression was a smirk, but he tone was strict. "But you are a student in greatness now, not a teacher just yet. Whether or not you stand at the end of this fight will determine if you have earned that right, or will return back to Old China, to be merely the largest carp in a modest pond."
"And cease your humbleness!"
Lee Chaolan eases himself into his defensive stance, bringing his fists up into a guard, as he begins to loosen his limber legs. "You have mastered two arts. You have no reason to be humble. This is the time for you to sell yourself." He extends a finger, motioning for the older man to approach. "And I am waiting, Chao Liu."
"C'mon~"
Arriving with a strange female escort is par for the course. If there's anything that Lee actually did inherit from Heihachi it's eccentricities; perhaps because he dipped so deeply within the money and power of the great Zaibatsu, he got infected with some of that ruthless ennui.
"No. I am. If I can teach even so practiced a fighter as you a single thing, then win or lose, I will be satisfied." Although when Lee offers an alternative, fingers reach up to stroke at the fu manchu, one hand settled at his middle back. "I see... I see!! You are wise. I had not even considered that I might learn from you... I believe you are stronger, yes. And more experienced. But where we differ..."
Slowly he assumes an aggressive stance, and the light smile fades to hardened eyes. Dead serious, and no longer as genile. Even Hotaru was brutalized in both their fights without any mercy, beyond him knowing it would not kill or break her.
"Is our passion for our arts. If you fight out of mere obligation... taught by a scion, and embrace such a gift half-heartedly..."
Suddenly Chao Liu advances, exploding forward in a strange stepping motion that seems to make him lighter than air. It is not the Mist Step, oh no -- but nor is it some simple technique either. "Then I don't think we'll get along...!"
A brutal strike with the heel of his hand follows, twisting his entire body into an explosive motion, quick as greased lightning -- aiming to slam it directly into the midsection of the fighter half his age. But perhaps twice his talent...!
COMBATSYS: Chao Liu has started a fight here.
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Chao Liu 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Lee Chaolan has joined the fight here.
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Lee Chaolan 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Chao Liu
COMBATSYS: Lee Chaolan dodges Chao Liu's Chen Zhui Dan.
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Lee Chaolan 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Chao Liu
But where was Mr. Tubbles?
Mr. Tubbles was keeping the limo warm out in the front of the arena. It wasn't illegal parking when someone was in the car, you see. Plus, Lee had the feeling that somehow, at some point, Heihachi might see the fight. And if he saw him with a new beautiful escort, and NOT Mr. Tubbles... it might get his ire.
And Lee enjoyed earning Heihachi's ire.
Lee Chaolan does in fact roll his eyes, in subtle disrespect to his senior. "The greatest gifts are those you can just throw away. Or are you one of those Taoist masters I hear about, who are so gravely attached to their talents. " The teasing smirk of Lee Chaolan pulls a bit more at that comment, as Chao Liu rapidly advances. It wasn't a step, but almost flight. He was gliding towards him, a complicated aerial technique. It wasn't a Mist Step. And as it finishes, the explosive strike was in stark contrast. This was a strange assault, to be sure.
But it wasn't unfamiliar to the experience Lee Chaolan.
As Chao Liu hurls out his hand, Lee Chaolan moves his own hands, as his footwork comes. Deftly, he pushes his own palm against the edge of Liu's wrist, as he circles the man from the outside. The form wasn't quite perfect; if Lee had executed it perfectly, "Why, is that the Chuo Jiao?~" He sing songs, as he widens his stance. "Or maybe it is the Bajiquan, I really can't tell the difference between them." He brings up his forearm, hooking his hands into flats. And there, he explodes out with a short, explosive raking motion straight for Chao Liu.
An imitation of Bajiquan.
The fist comes wide, almost toying as it fades away into a feint. In the same smooth gesture, he just rips his foot around... and explodes out into a series of kicks aimed straight for Chao Liu's chest. One, two, three, four kicks come out in a rapid chain, all with the same leg. The assault finishes as he hooks around the final kick, ripping it around into a cute roundhouse... that just spins himself around once. He doesn't give a finishing roundhouse.
Instead, he finishes with a raking overhead punch right the right.
COMBATSYS: Chao Liu parries Lee Chaolan's Acid Storm!
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Lee Chaolan 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Chao Liu
"There is gifts, and there is potential, Mr. Chaolee. To throw one away is humility. To throw the other away is a waste. Where would the world be if the great scientists and philosophers had done what mattered for themselves...? I would have made no impact on this world as a professional fighter. But I have shaped the lives and futures of dozens, and that shall last far beyond. ...I hope you will have a legacy as well when you pass."
And then, Lee plays around a little too much.
"Bajiquan... uses the elbows..." To demonstrate, Chao Liu strikes out, hitting Lee in his leading forearm and driving it aside. Suddenly his own legs erupt into motion, all four of the blows clashing with the elder man. He is not small; six feet and two inches, and still heavily muscled in his age. Much like a certain Mishima, his physical power may be above that of Lee... especially given the last attack is literally thrown aside, making Lee off-balance on a single foot for a moment.
A moment is all the old man needs. He utilizes his greatest technique; the amalgamation of both sides. With the lower body strength of Chuijiao, and the upper body strength of Bajiquan, stance both flexible and unmoving, he unleashes a brutal strike towards Lee's stomach, intent on impacting him dead on and sending him hurtling backwards, towards the flimsy side of the shrine...!!
COMBATSYS: Lee Chaolan blocks Chao Liu's Inner Focus EX.
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Lee Chaolan 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Chao Liu
The man was steady, that much was certain.
Lee's explosive assault had, for some sense, worked. While Chao Liu was massive, and his skill exceptional, Lee was learning what he needed to learn. Not that he would admit it, of course. As the final downward strike knocks Lee aside, he is, for a moment, knocked off balanced. An opening was made, and as Lee shifts his balance back to both feet, Chao Liu comes exploding in. There was no way for Lee to evade.
But one did not depend on evasion at Lee level.
As the impact comes, he brings both his arms down. Where there was no balance, he found a brace: his opponent's own strength. Clutching it into the crook of his right hand, he brings his left hand to grip the man's wrist firmly. The power is blunted, the martial artist is not knocked away. There is a crunching sound, however, as Lee's elbow seems to dislocate from the sheer force. Lee was steadied, smirking at the older man. "Hah hah!" Comes the laugh.
"Excellent~"
Lee doesn't take his time to break away from the close quarters. Four limbs of pure power was what this man had; and Lee knew better than to underestimate a man's power because of his age. No, what Lee wanted to see was how well he handled the dynamic, the unpredictable. Releasing the man's arm with that calm smirk, he slides in to give a quick backhanded punch with his uninjured arm, going wide past the man's head. Opening the fist, he then attempts to slam it down on Chao Liu's shoulder, to get the grips on him. Should he manage to grab him, Lee will dig his foot into the man's heftly knees and surge straight up and over. Lee would try and tackle down the old man, to bring both him and Lee down into the serene sand garden.
A fair test of how he handled close quarter grappling!
COMBATSYS: Lee Chaolan successfully hit Chao Liu with Lee Stunner.
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Lee Chaolan 1/----===/=======|======-\-------\0 Chao Liu
Ah; genius. This is a technique that cannot be taught. Only Lee's raw experience and otherworldly natural ability allows him to capture that fist in such a manner that the explosive energy is dulled rather than channeled into him. Only having something as minute as an elbow being hurt is trivial, when sixty years of experience told him that he should have struck.
Which is precisely why he has little defense against what comes next. It seems that Lee finally found out how to battle the man. He isn't someone you can annoy. He isn't someone you can deceive with makeshift attacks. But erratic behavior that actually works... he has never battled it before, and it is the strongest weapon possible against raw experience.
Ducking low underneath the phantom swing, he is in a poor position to bring his forearm up, the blow striking through and hitting him hard dead center in the shoulder. Grimacing, he is then hurtled overhead to land bodily within the sand, sending plumes of it flying up in all directions.
Immediately, he responds by attempting to wrap both of his arms around Lee's neck, similar to a Muay Thai grapple, and begin driving his knee into his stomach from beneath. Normally, only having a few inches to work with would be extremely inhibiting, but each would feel like a full swing. No; trying to put him into a traditional situation won't stop him from attacking, not in the slightest.
But his rhythm... Chao Liu can feel it being drawn away, into this chesire grin... a flicker of doubt at last. Is it possible he will lose? Will Hotaru see him fall? ...No!!
COMBATSYS: Chao Liu successfully hit Lee Chaolan with Bao Pi.
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Lee Chaolan 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0 Chao Liu
Lee was enjoying this fight.
His experience with some degree of Bajiquan and Chuojiao was part of the expertise that was in play here. While Chao Liu was a master of both arts, he was limited by that mastery, as Lee finds as he brings down his opponent. Taking him down to the ground would bring the Bajiquan into play, or force him to make a hasty repositioning with Choujiao. As the silver-haired man hits the sands, he begins to rise back up, brushing the sand off his fine vest. Or at least, he tries too do both of those, but it seemed that the larger man was content to exploit the clinch, grabbing him by the throat. Lee breaks the grip with the sweep of both arms, ripping the grapple free. But that does nothing to stop the knees to the gut. "Ooo!~" He grunts, as the blows comes.
"Well done- ooagh!"
Complimenting was difficult, as gut blows tended to be distracting. Still in the sand, Lee was cornered, forced to deal with the man in a tight clinch like this. "Very impressive! Very adaptive!" He manages to struggle a compliment, as the momentum begins to dance evenly. In fact, the older man might have even had an edge over Lee so far. The smirk comes as the knee riots in, as Lee finally stops the assault cold by catching the knee, blocking it with a grunt.
But he doesn't try to let go.
Instead, Lee would keep his grips on as he rises, shooting up with a surge of speed. Not to hurt him yet, but to flip him around, to better set up the true assault. Lee would lash out his injured arm for Chao Liu's powerful arm, a risky venture. But should he manage to make the second grab flawlessly...
COMBATSYS: Chao Liu fails to interrupt Lee Harassment from Lee Chaolan with Kua Dan.
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Lee Chaolan 1/-======/=======|=======\-------\1 Chao Liu
Lee Chaolan gets his grip on the old man's arm. Rising up fulling, he wrenches the arm around hard. Twisting. Twisting harder. It wasn't strength that was causing this; Lee Chaolan was weaker than Chao Liu in terms of physical power. This was pure leverage, as he wrenches the massive martial artist to his knees.
And then he forces Chao Liu facedown into the sand.
"Oh, so close~" Lee Chaolan coos, toying with the old man's arm, twisting against the larger man's sheer grit and tenacious strength. He wasn't going to dislocate any limbs here. "But you need to step up the game. You want to know the difference between the world leagues, and your small town?~" Lee doesn't give Chao Liu a chance to answer, as he stomps his foot ruthlessly into the back of Chao's head. Once. Twice. And even a third time, only letting releasing the old man to look up towards the audience, scanning it.
And then he waves.
There is no reason to think he is waving at Hotaru.
Grabbing only one arm is a critical mistake, if this were a normal battle. There is a hundred methods of instantly countering, and in a heartbeat -- too pure and too predictable -- he unleashes one with his full strength. Stamping down, he suddenly strikes out with a brutal elbow. Had he not been immediately flipped by that maneuver, Lee might get the sense he'd have lost his head. The rush of wind going past him is certainly sufficient to rupture mundane eardrums, let alone if it grazed.
Disoriented, the next thing he knows his face has slammed into the sand. He immediately struggles to push up, before stopping at that comment. At last, Lee's mockery has reached it's mark. Rage can be felt simmering in the air, as he looks over to the man waving.
"...So you would go this far... to get beneath my skin? Hah... you really are like that other man I fought. ...But." Slowly he rises to his feet, brushing sand from the front of his suit. "He defeated me... with Chinese martial arts. ...You have confirmed being the second to me... such a shame. But don't make the mistake of thinking I am defeated just yet. Come...! Show me your hyena-style martial arts. You truly are a Mishima. You'd do anything to win...!!"
Lee Chaolan wasn't fazed in the least.
Dropping back into his defensive stance, he ceases his waving to prepare against the older man. As the man shows to Lee, insults his art, and even declares that he is a Mishima, the response is Lee Chaolan running his fingers through his hair, flipping it.
"And if you don't learn how to overcome that, you fail the Global King challenge."
Lee is careful now, acting precise with his technique. The Martial artist dips in, rushing low and fast in the legendary Mist Step. "This is not simply you defeating me. This is proving whether you have what it takes to be amongst the greatest in the world. That includes hyenas just like me.~" With a swift snap, he hurls out a roundhouse kick, attempting to smash it right into Chao Liu's gut. "Will you prove that your clean fighting is enough for the best of the best? Or will you find out that you might be a little bit of a hyena yourself~"
And he pulls the impact on the kick.
Lee will attempt to plant that foot right into the older man's gut, and cut short the raw power of the blow. Instead, he will use it for leverage to pull his other leg up, and to hook it right into Chao Liu's neck. And there, if he could make it that far without any interrupts, he would slam both himself and his opponent back down into the sands.
Lee liked him better down there.
COMBATSYS: Chao Liu dodges Lee Chaolan's Mist Trap.
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Lee Chaolan 1/=======/=======|=======\-------\1 Chao Liu
"Well said...!! My dream is a humble one, but I will not let it fail here...!!" Whatever that dream is; he doesn't seem the sort to go after something for personal gain, after all. "I shall prove this with my martial arts, and nothing else!"
As the other man rushes forward, although a classic Mist Step, imposing and beyond his capabilities though it may be, is nothing he cannot handle. Shifting back to the light and airy style, he twists around, showing his back as the kick swishes just past him, now facing the alternate side. That it did not hit at all is the only reason that Chao Liu escapes what follows next. He suddenly twists, and unleashes a brutal mule kick, striking with just the tip of his toe in an attempt to strike Lee Chaolan within the throat as hard as he can. "You may grow used to me, young man, but I too grow used to your childish games... even drunk fighting is filled with infinite technique, practice, and intuitive flow. You... are simply using what was taught you as you see fit...!" Apparently, this purist is not getting along very well with the younger fighter. The Vegas odds on hat, though, were 100:1 against. No giant upsets in the black market gambling world this day.
COMBATSYS: Lee Chaolan blocks Chao Liu's Zhuan Jiao.
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Lee Chaolan 1/=======/=======|=======\=------\1 Chao Liu
"Excellent~"
That is what Lee Chaolan lets out idly, as the kick swoops just short. Already, he was stepping forward, stepping in towards his larger opponent. "You do not appreciate my technique?~" He sing soothingly, sand being tossed up as Lee Chaolan takes another step. Already, Chao Liu was in position to crush him. As the straight kick thrusts forward, Lee Chaolan does not let himself slip away. There was no space, no room. He was keeping conservative so far with the powerful martial artist. He catches it with both hands meeting together for the heel. He dips to a knee, tensing his arms as the power shifts hard to the ground. His body burns, as his bad elbow from earlier sears with pain. He had to pace himself better. But the smirk wasn't gone as Lee open his mouth.
And then he roars.
A kiai shout, a bellow of power, as Lee Chaolan riots forward in a blaze of silver energy. He was low, he was fast. The silver energy cascades off his body, the chi manifestation only part of the internal strength. The silver-haired demon had awakened, and was unleashing an explosive, single palm strike. It was not a mere strike, though; Lee was aiming right at the pelvis, attempting to severe the chain between the two styles.
All with that smile right on his face.
COMBATSYS: Chao Liu just-defends Lee Chaolan's Death Touch!
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Lee Chaolan 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 Chao Liu
"I have seen no technique. Merely perfection. Yes, you have honed this into an art. But can you really call it any more than adapting yourself to the antithesis of your opponent? I do not respect that... I do not fear a man who can throw a thousand punches. I fear a man who has practiced the same punch one thousand times."
But then, Lee finally slithers forward. He can tell -- he just ate his words. Suddenly Chao Liu roars as well, twisting and assuming his boar stance, presenting his side to Lee Chaolan. An eruption of chi swirls through him internally, the air seeming to grow denser. His fist is gripped tightly, before he strikes with all his might.
The tip of that elbow, an elbow that has struck wood tens of thousands of times, honed itself on stone, hits that encroaching palm. All of the kinetic power upon the very tip. There's a great explosion of force, sending Chao Liu skidding backwards. His arm has been dislocated as well... but grasping it, he twists and snarls, wrenching it back into place with a sick pop.
"I spoke too soon. ...But it is a shame. If you had practiced that twenty... no, maybe ten times more than you did, it would have reached me." He then closes his eyes, raising his just-injured elbow. "Would you like to see... a move that has been honed for sixty years...?" And then he rushes forward, before leaping into the air. It's clear that every single aspect of the motion, from the advance, the angle, the descent, are all made to optimize one thing...
Turning his elbow into a lethal weapon. He drops it down, so hard three bursts of visible wind ripple outwards in concentric rings, trying to slam it right atop Lee's head and spike him down into the ground hard enough to bounce him. A finishing move for a weakened opponent... Lee is nowhere near such a state yet, but he has never yet met an opponent who has managed to defend against it...
Will that day be today? It is truly perfect. There is no flaw to exploit. No mistake to capitalize on. Lee would have to either resolve himself to something else...
Or accept his fate!!
COMBATSYS: Chao Liu successfully hit Lee Chaolan with Chong Zhen Jiao.
- Power hit! -
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Lee Chaolan 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Chao Liu
And in a moment, Lee Chaolan faced perfection.
The martial artist's strongest strike was stopped, hold. And there, Chao Liu touches upon a raw nerve. A hot nerve. It was one thing to correct Lee before he made a mistake. But he had made a mistake now... and the cold execution made Lee look like a fool. Like an amateur. Lee knew what Chao Liu sounded like to him as his palm strike meets that elbow.
He sounded like Heihachi.
Off-balanced by the surge, Lee Chaolan was exposed. Readjusting his feet with that serene smile, he readies himself, adjusting to turn. Already
And Chao Liu hits Lee squarely in the forehead.
The blow was stunning. And being stunned in a fight like this could be nearly fatal. The broken form of the Silver-Haired Demon is smashed to the sands, rolling through the air as he bounces a second time upon the stone floor of the ring, away from the sand garden. The martial artist lays on the ground, the coup de grace landing perfectly. There is silence for a moment, as it seemed that finally, finally, Chao Liu had earned himself his last victory.
"It seems that I've been too kind."
Those were the words that come from Lee Chaolan. He does not make a struggled rise. No, Heihachi had taught him that. Just like how he taught him how to walk away from a death blow to the skull. When you faced an opponent that unleashed a blow that would down a bull elephant, you rise up as if it was your own doing. The Silver-Haired demon turns, a trickle of blood coming from the swollen bruise upon his face. The smug little smirk was gone.
On his face was cold, deliberate focus.
Lee Chaolan was moving fast. Too fast. There was zero hesitation now. "You haven't been properly tested it seems." Those were the cold words as the martial artist dips low to the ground, initating the Mist Step again, before firing into the air into a straight, flying kicked, aimed squarely for Chao Liu's chest. He was going to break that man. Lee was not playing anymore, as he roars out another shout.
"KIAI!"
COMBATSYS: Chao Liu dodges Lee Chaolan's Silver Slash.
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Lee Chaolan 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Chao Liu
"I've said it from the start." Chao Liu states, slipping backwards and resuming his hard stance. Turning his shoulder towards Lee Chaolan, one elbow presented while the other is tucked to his side. The hard stance of Bajiquan. "You are my superior in everything but passion for the martial arts. I have taken this seriously from the start. ...If you did not, you have only yourself to blame."
And then, Lee comes at him with sheer speed. But also, sheer technique. Eyes widen, before suddenly flowing backwards. Leaning away, that toe impacts him hard, raking up and tearing away his gi. It exposes his pectorals and abdomen, hardened by what must be hours of work every day. Living and breathing martial arts for sixty years... this is the penultimate test of his skills. He is not clouded by anger or distraction.
"Hmm... that was a good attack. ...I have nothing negative to say about it." And then in the same motion he dodged, his toe snaps upwards, aiming to kick Lee square in the throat. Sharp, quick, and ruthless, seamlessly integrating both motions into one. "But... is it not a bit late to bare your fangs? Complacency in your martial arts... yes..."
"That is the lesson you will learn today." Of course, the audience has heard every word they've exchanged, including a certain Hotaru. "Even against a superior opponent... in the end, it is dedication...!!"
COMBATSYS: Lee Chaolan blocks Chao Liu's Light Kick.
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Lee Chaolan 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Chao Liu
Lee does not slow down.
Even as the leaping kick misses, even as so much is thrown in, the Silver-Haired Demon does not stop. He knew what he was saying to the man in his head. That passion didn't matter, only raw skill. At yet, he refuses to play into that. He knew what it meant to play into those games of philosophy. No, you just pretended not to hear it, or when you needed to hear it, just cast it off.
Lee had made into an art of casting off such misery.
The exposed gi was not what Lee wanted. And yet, the rage was fading, as some semblance of serenity returned. It was not enough though. Lee was actually tired now, fatigue creeping into him. This was the first time he had been so tired in a fight for a long time, the other fighter managing to elude him. As the larger fighter comes hurling in with a kick to the neck, Lee catches it, knocking it aside with such force that his own limb groans in pain. Lee ignores the bruise now, he ignores the words of a teacher.
He doesn't even let his smirk come back.
"I'll show you dedication!" Was all that he says to Chao Liu. Lee hurls out a swift stomp at Chao's foot, attempting to stun him long enough for the true move: he would slam his leg hard into Chao Liu's other knee, attempting to grind down the legs that were powering him. Lee was falling behind in this fight. He had to break apart this man's martial art piece by piece, instead of facing both together. A wave of disgust overtakes Lee.
Did he really have to take Chao Liu so seriously?
COMBATSYS: Chao Liu just-defends Lee Chaolan's Medium Kick!
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Lee Chaolan 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Chao Liu
Shifting his forearm sidelong, the stomp instead grazes along an incredibly honed shin. The second blow hits the side of his knee, but he had prepared it, tensing so the joint absorbed the strike dead on. Without any hesitation or nonsense, Chao Liu surged forward, bringing his elbow to his side before striking out with all his might, aiming to slam it home into Lee's midsection, dead center in the solar plexus. The exchange happens in a heartbeat. There can be few words to it, until the Silver Demon either defends or not. "Dedication... is not through such cheap tricks. You can chop down a tree, but not a mountain...!!" It seems he's regained his rhythm. The danger here is that although Lee's flow is erratic... it is logical. It is intended to grant him an advantage. And the keen eyes and masterful insight of Chao Liu appears to have scryed through it. If he wishes to gain back any initiative... it will need to involve a much more major mix-up than at the present...!
COMBATSYS: Lee Chaolan dodges Chao Liu's Cun Ti.
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Lee Chaolan 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Chao Liu
It was nearly impossible to mix up on the man, however.
Every feint was seen through, every trick was crushed. Nearly every trick, that is, within the realm of kicks and punches. Lee Chaolan even manages a sneer of frustration as his kicking assault was neatly negated. He was not pleased with the shift of momentum. Even now, he was doing as Chao Liu thought; finding a weakness, and exploiting it. There was one weakness he had not touched upon, the same weakness he failed to use earlier. As the elbow comes exploding in, Lee deftly deflects it, sidestepping it as he lets it shoot past him.
And he attempts to grab the man again.
Lee Chaolan steps in, crooking his knee flat as he ducks down. Should he manage a grip, Lee would jerk hard, attempting to use the leverage to send him reeling over his knee, facedown to the ground. He found such throws to be... distasteful, especially in comparison to his more technical moves. But the fact of the matter was that Lee had let this fight go on for much longer than he had expected.
And now he was forced to use his more irregular moves.
COMBATSYS: Chao Liu dodges Lee Chaolan's Medium Throw.
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Lee Chaolan 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Chao Liu
Grappling...? Of course Chao Liu has spent a lifetime learning how to deal with such things. The grip is reacted by the man swiveling around his foot in a crescent arc, body flowing along the knee and catching himself. To the audience, it looks more like a deep dip now, failing to send him flying. Catching Li by the front of his own shirt, he then suddenly snaps up his foot, aiming to strike with the toe right upon Lee's temple with a savage force and brutal snap to the motion. He still seems spry and fast as always, in contrast... is this the efficiency of someone who spends sixteen hours a day in motion? But there are no more words, no more fancy moves. Just the brutal simplicity of two men trying to destroy the other, with barely a second between exchanges...!
COMBATSYS: Lee Chaolan blocks Chao Liu's Cun Tui.
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Lee Chaolan 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Chao Liu
Both were trying so hard to defeat the other.
But Lee was on the losing end.
The Silver Haired Demon was not finding any opening, his opponent's pure skill overtaking his own experience. Lee was no longer finding openings; his opponent had closed those off by learning from his own moves. Naturally, Lee would probably be applauding this man after the fight. He has had, so far, proven he is more than an acceptable contender for the worldwide circuit.
But Lee would not just let him have it.
The man flows in his hand, landing elegantly over his knee. It was flawless talent, and in turn, forces Lee to adapt hen he slams his foot back over. And once again, Lee is unable to slip away as a result of his offense. The sheer power is blunted as in the constant flurry of motions, Lee deflects with his arms again, this time forced to halt it in order to shift it away from his bleeding head. Words were gone now, as Lee continues his blur of motion. He shoves himself back, before hurling out a rapid roundhouse kick straight for Chao Liu's neck-
But it wasn't a kick.
As it lands, it may become too obvious what is happening, as Lee would attempt to hook the towering fighter with the leg. Should he manage that hook, he would use the impact of the blow to slam Chao Liu straight down. And promptly, stomp him right at the back of the neck. A viscious, powerful assault.
But would it be enough of a mixup to slip through?
COMBATSYS: Lee Chaolan successfully hit Chao Liu with Scatter Kick.
-+- CALCULATED HIT -+-
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Lee Chaolan 1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0 Chao Liu
Ah. Lee manages, like a rock thrown into a lake, to find that ripple. Raising back up after lowering his leg, a shoulder hefts upwards with intent on deflecting that kick. Only it wasn't one at all -- he's hooked brutally, and his defense happens at the worst time possible. He's slammed upon the ground face first, blood spattering up from the stone path before the stomp crushes down. It's obvious that such hurt him badly; people in the crowd gasp and wince, but there's little time wasted. Chao Liu slams his hands down, and then hurls himself into the air -- a motion that takes unbelievable strength and coordination. With a "KIAI!" he unleashes a short, brutal kick, aiming it towards Lee's chest even as blood streams from his nose and split lip. That seems to have only spurred him into a more fierce offensive, as if desperate to end it as well... but the hiccup in his motions remains behind...!
COMBATSYS: Chao Liu successfully hit Lee Chaolan with Chong Dan.
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Lee Chaolan 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Chao Liu
A ripple does not mean a splash.
Lee Chaolan slams his opponent down into the ground, smashing him ruthlessly into the floor. As the stomp comes, he expects that Chao Liu would be, for a moment, stunned. He backs up, keeping his footwork steady... but there is no time. Chao was already rising, already on the move. He was already firing through the air, aiming that all-powerful kick straight at Lee Chaolan's chest. The Silver-Haired Demon brings his arms up, he moves for the deflect, he moves to side step.
But it isn't enough.
Lee takes the blow hard into his chest, knocking the wind clean out of him. Struggling back he falls on his back, the desperate offense paying out in dividends. Lee Chaolan falls on his back into the sands. And just as quickly, he shoots back up into a stand. His guard is up, and for a moment, it looks like the bloody-faced Lee would make for a final assault himself.
But he doesn't.
No, the smirk returns. Lee's body relaxes, his stance easing. Another trick? Another trap? Not in the least. Lee Chaolan bows his head, lowering it to Chao Liu. "Well done. You've done it. You have proven yourself worthy." Lee Chaolan shoots him a thumbs up, as he begins to falls backwards. Unceramoniously, he collapses in the sand again, unable to stand. But the thumbs up remains, as he calls out his last word.
"Excellent~"
COMBATSYS: Lee Chaolan takes no action.
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Chao Liu 0/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Lee Chaolan can no longer fight.
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Chao Liu 0/-------/=======|
Chao Liu whirled around, landing in an acrobatic crouch before going low to the ground once more. He retained the airy stance of Chuojiao, prepared for whatever final assault might come forth from Lee... only to see it was none. Indeed, if he cannot continue, then by the rules of G-KING he has already lost. Striking down the old man might do something for his pride, but it would do nothing about the results. Slowly exhaling, a formal upwards stance follows and then the slightest bob of the head in acknowledgement. Although his community may live in Japan, they are Chinese through and through; one of the reasons they have purposefully remained so isolated. "...You honor me. I learned much of this fight. It is not a win I could repeat. The world stage is indeed beyond me... as I knew in my youth. This makes me feel better about my decision. ...But I felt your limit. Whatever might be holding you back, Mr. Chaolin...?" Turning away, the old man then limps off the set, as the crowd seems more than happy with the results. Somehow turning things around in a single heartbeat, only for Lee to do nearly the same... the first man brought forward from G-King has earned his place, and set a high standard for all to come!!
COMBATSYS: Chao Liu has ended the fight here.
Log created on 21:35:34 01/25/2015 by Lee Chaolan, and last modified on 01:59:20 01/27/2015.