Match of the Millennium

Description: Castle Strolheim plays host to the first round of World Warrior, as two leaders of dark organizations meet in a battle of endurance and will.

[RUGAL]
An hour ago, rain fell over Castle Strolheim. Even now, the stonework, the Exhibition Yard dirt, and the plantlife around the castle grounds are still damp, the air humid, and the lake surrounding the landmark a calm gray mirror of the hazy layer in the sky above. The air is still now, as if the storm spent its fury earlier and had nothing left to give but to linger lazily in the European region, casting a shadowless gloom over the environs.

But none of that matters to the man crouched in the in the Exhibition yard now, his right palm planted against the wet sandy soil. The knee of his dark red pant leg is not making contact with the dirt itself as Rugal supports himself on his bent toes and planted palm. There is a rumble throughout the walled enclosure, a deep resonating thrum within the ground itself, with Rugal Bernstein at the center of it.

There is no visible manifestation of the power he is building, but there can be no doubt as to the magnitude of it simply by being in the vicinity. Gradually, it subsides, the man pushing off with his foot to rise to his imposing height of six and a half feet, his body clothed in an expensive suit of bold red. The muscles bulging beneath the suit are the byproduct of his own efforts, his natural height a gift of his German lineage, and the power flowing around him in unseen currents the corrupt touch of a sealed god coupled with the aura of a man who has devoted so much of his life to perfecting every element of combat.

Yet even with his height, he must crane his neck slightly to meet the eyes of his opponent, and for as broad his own shoulders and muscular his form, there is no denying the sheer mass of the man he will face today. Even without having said a word yet, there is an aura of hostility about the crimelord and just being in his vicinity is invitation to brave the waves of burning rage pouring off of the enraged madman.

"You have my attention."

His voice a calm rumble that only hints at the temper burning in his blood just beneath the surface, his crimson glowing, cybernetic eye scrutinizing all there is to know about his opponent.

"Come." he beckons, his right hand extending, palm raised, fingers curling, "Break against me and know the true despair of the weak."

He might be taking the Adelheid incident personally.

"You will surrender before this is over. Or you will be shattered. It matters not to me."

COMBATSYS: Rugal has started a fight here.

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Rugal            0/-------/-------|

[URIEN]
The entrance of Urien is somewhat less extravagent. A well-suited man, one that might be even superior to what Rugal wears, strides through the dampened sand with hands settled deep into his pockets. Taller than the R' head, with a stronger physique, and perfectly handsome in a way blessed with every genetic that Greek masculinity has to offer. Mirrored shades reflect a rainbow in the muted light, countless cameras mounted to record the confrontation. None dare to stand around the likes of Rugal Bernstein this day.

"About time. Did your useless son learn to fly...? Wasn't worth my time to check if he survived or not." Arrogance. Ego. Pride. All of this seethes from the man; and by most any meaningful account, he is not wrong in such. Urien has crushed many beneath his fists, and Rugal can acutely sense that this is a shark in a pool of fish. But one who has simply been poorly acquainted with those that might stand above; rare, perhaps, but assuredly in existence.

"But if the weak despair... then that kid of yours surely must have a doctorate in it!! HAHAHA!!" Arms open, before the gem on Urien's head flares. To Rugal's gaze, Urien was clearly below Adelheid until this moment. It's unique to observe, in a way. Unnatural, powerful generations of both earth and wind well within his soul. The conflict overcharges his entire body; a vessel that is certainly not meager. A normal person, likely Adelheid himself, would explode and die instantly trying to contain it. Great purple plasma and lightning roars into the sky as the ground quakes, skin visibly shifting to dense, unnatural bronze as even his hair turns shock white, reinforced clothing billowly wildly as he loosens his tie.

Ah. So this is the source of his confidence. In terms of raw energy, physical durability, strength... indeed, if one was to compare Rugal to Urien merely on those basic merits, there is little if any gulf. Thus is the Treacherous Disciple's naiveness; technique and mastery, using such to it's utmost. That is the gulf between him and the other man...

Who, much like himself, can also hold a great container of wicked power, that Orochi blood likely not fully bared like a viper's fangs yet...

"C'mon, c'mon...! We do good business, Mr. 'R'!! Without my assets, your ability to operate globally would be adversely affected!! But... that doesn't mean I don't want to prove my strength, once in AWHILE!!"

With that, Urien dashes forward. Feet stamping into the sand, suddenly roaring forward. It's truly an incredible amount of interia; the bronze warrior weighs multiple tons now, and has the power to move such with surprising speed, like a freight train picking up speed. Kicking forward at the last moment, he barrels his shoulder towards Rugal's chest, before roaring to swing his forearm in a standing clothesline.

He's not /bad./ Trained from birth and naturally talented... to Rugal's eye, it's an utter waste. It's been years since he tried to better himself, the manic desire to surpass Gill long quenched, and the fine edge has grown dull, fueled instead by naked aggression...

COMBATSYS: Urien has joined the fight here.

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Urien            0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0            Rugal

COMBATSYS: Rugal dodges Urien's Chariot Tackle.

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Urien            0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0            Rugal

[RUGAL]
Rugal has been in the presence of phenomenal power as of late. Even if his decades of experience, training, and vast array of battles fought in every environment against many who would consider themselves god among men was not enough to discern the power coursing through the younger man's body, the data his cybernetic eye feeds his mind in a steady stream would certainly give him an astute analysis of what it was he was facing.

Power, not just in the physical sense visible in the muscular, sculpted body that would be the envy of any who pursued building muscle mass, but also in the unseen but felt power within. Urien was no accident, no byproduct of happenstance and fortuitous genes... He is what he was made to be, and the results are nothing less than impressive. The scientists behind this modern Adonis should be proud of their creation and Urien's track record in battle certainly reinforces that.

And if his opponent was in a calmer state of mind, perhaps he would spend time contemplating the implications further. If the rumors concerning Gill's own pursuit of human perfection are to be believed, then based on the bronze skinned Spartan that stands before him now, the Illuminati Emperor must be an amazing combatant... Where is he, in all this? Is it true that for all his power, he refuses to flaunt it? Tch!

"Do not concern yourself with Adelheid," Rugal advises, lifting his hands, left closing over his fight as knuckles crack audibly. "Your priority should be surviving this day." Would he really battle the man to the death even with his connections, the secret arrangements, and the need for avenues of trade into some regions that even 'R' is unable to encroach on its own? Then again, what exactly is Rugal's interest in 'R' anymore? He burst past the point where money could possibly be any concern of his decades ago, yet still he operates the Cartel with all the ruthless attention of a man determined to not let anything go amiss. Perhaps it's simply one of those career paths one can't ever really retire from?

"Oh?" Rugal answers back, pulling his hands apart, his arms moving out to his sides as he awaits the approach. "Then consider this your opportunity to prove yourself. It will be your last in Wolfgang's spectacle." Beneath his mustache, his mouth enjoys the slightest of smirks. "Who knows, I'm sure you will have better success in the third World Warrior, assuming you've recovered by then!"

Though he takes no step to close in on Urien, he is also far from an immobile punching back either. His left leg slides forward slightly, his right leg bending at the knee, supporting his center of gravity, his arms raised as he assumes a stance common to practitioners of Jeet Kune Do. The posture gives the man all the maneuverability he needs to launch into a flanking step around Urien, his right leg snapping up to snap up into a swift roundhouse toward the side of Urien's head, before hooking right back along its path as Rugal tries to scythe his long limb around Urien's neck, twisting and wrenching the larger man to the ground without laying a hand on him if successful.

He would rise out of the take down in an instant, already back on his feet, with no signs of slowing down should he not be prevented from continuing into another aggressive option!

COMBATSYS: Urien fails to interrupt Medium Kick from Rugal with Aegis Reflector+.

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Urien            0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0            Rugal

[URIEN]
"I could care less about Adelheid." Urien readily agrees. He's perfected his invincible body, his iron skin, and this shall be a grand test of it now. He's not delusional; more than most, the merits and achievements of Rugal are well-known to the Emperor. Many make the fatal mistake he is dense and stupid, as opposed to the head of research and development. Rather than improve his techniques, he continues to hone and master his body, achieving with careful genetics and modifications what another might with hundreds of hours of training.

"Heh...! Nobody's ever hurt me badly." Not even Gill, in the one spar they had. The one his brother threw "Consider it a victory if I'm writhing on the ground in pain!!" Here, there might be a moment of shock. For Urien flows with perfect technique, whirling his body in something that Rugal would know well. One of the secret Illuminati arts; that even he cannot copy merely witnessing it first-hand. It requires energy he does not possess and cannot imitate, fierce wind and powerful magnetism interlocked into a single gestalt. And this was not a desperation move... the motion faster than might be predicted. The shield begins to shimmer before Rugal...

Before shattering into quickly dispersing particals. "AEGIS--" Not fast enough. A normal opponent would have been stopped dead by even the ghost of this defensive move, but instead Rugal's heel breaks past and slams into that neck. It's indeed like kicking a great mountain; an artistian of inflicting injury, the effort in flipping Urien to slam upon his back is immense. And he looks as much disoriented as pained. "...Tch. That all you have?!" A solid blow, aching and thrumming, but... well. It might take five more of those to truly put him down. It would be an easy manner to carve Urien down with raw speed, but...

Would that teach the desired lesson...?

[RUGAL]
The transition from defense to offense happened in an instant. Urien's timing would have been more than sufficient to shut down such a direct assault were he facing almost anyone else in the world. But Rugal lands the takedown, making the effort look almost easy as he capitalizes on expertly applied leverage combine with incredible brute force to wrest the steel boned body of Urien to the ground.

He rises in an equally fluid motion back to his feet, his hands lifting for a moment to grip the front lapels of his coat and adjust the heft of it on his shoulders, an idle idiosyncrasy he may not even be entirely conscious of doing as he looks back at the chiseled form of the Greek genius.

Urien declares no one has hurt him seriously and his fighting career track record also backs that up, all part of the data stream Rugal is privy to without even having to research ahead of time.

"Hah!" The grunted reply is almost bordering on amused. Of late, the tyrant of 'R' has born witness to the most indestructible being he has ever encountered. Yet studying Urien before him, it would be difficult to deny that this man is not almost equally difficult to shatter. Contrary to his reputation, Bernstein's own danger in combat is less his ability to strike in a singular blow, but more the flawlessness of his technique and the sheer impossibility of surprising him with anything... yet more than once this event, he has been surprised. The Mad Dog was as far from human as anything he has ever fought, and here and now, he has had the opportunity to get a glimpse of one of the guarded secret Illuminati arts... on some level he would never give voice to, perhaps he is disappointed he did not get to see it in its fullest!

"Is that all you can handle?!" Rugal roars back. He might sound furious just by the volume of his echoing shout, but as more and more of the thrill of battle takes hold in his mind, the less he finds himself able to care about perceived slights concerning his son. This man brings battle to him, and his blood demands he answer

When Bernstein moves again, is with a surge of forward momentum, body driven by legs built for power and speed as he closes in on Urien directly, his right arm aiming to hook out for the man and catch him in a charging lariat not unlike the one he had thrown his way at the first. Lighting crackles along his arms, brilliant, white energy, stark against the gray gloom of the post-storm afternoon, as he attempts to smash into the near immovable object that is Urien. How many people could even hope to budge the Spartan of iron and gravity?

Perhaps this hubris is even too far for Rugal Bernstein, but damn if he won't try, attempting to haul the man across the yard with all the forward crushing power of a runaway locomotive, targeting the thick stonework across the way.

Should he succeed, there would be a pivot toward the end as he aims to twist his body, slamming his right arm out, muscles bulging beneath his coat and shirt sleeve as he aims to slam Urien into the wall, unleashing a discharge of that crackling lightning into Urien's chest in the process!

COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Urien with God Press.

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Urien            0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0            Rugal

[URIEN]
Too close. Urien's still smug; the fact that in his mind he barely failed, and the brutal kick from Rugal hardly broke him, both do much to embolden him. A slow roll of the neck follows, audibly cracking, as the monolithic Greek rises up to his impressive height. There's more satisfaction than anything -- not the wide-eyed fear that had been intended, for sure. But in the brief foray, Rugal stands completely unscarred, while the Illuminati monster has been already struck once. "Technique, huh...? Heh...! Those hits don't tickle, though!! Looks like you won't just break your fists on me like most!!"

Forearms shoot up, and he's grasped bodily regardless. Heels drag deep furrows through the sand, and this might be the most resistance Rugal has had in this signature maneuver of his. It certainly does dull the damage somewhat, and his response is dutiful. Weight increases as he draws in his earthen energy, teeth gritting before the slam impacts the wall with a great shatter. Splinters fly up along the bricks, large chunks falling down to bounce off Urien as he crashes down to one knee. His uniform has been burnt away to expose bronze skin, but...

"H-haha...! That's it...?!" A respectable hit once more, one hand grasping his sternum, but it seems his warped mind is shifting to the defensive. "Two hits... from the mighty Rugal Bernstein... and it's only warming me UP!!" Rising upwards, shrugging off the debris, Urien's body then begins to ripple and crackle, before a great eruption of energy blows out in all directions. That wild power that was roaring around him sucks inwards, compressing in his core and causing his skin to harden even more. Teeth gritting as he clenches his fists, expression becoming inhuman as craggy metallic copper plates grow upon his contoured features.

"You claimed I'd not recover... by the next World Warrior...?! At this rate... I'll be back in fighting form by the end of the EVENING!!" Lightning ripples and coarses through him, as it becomes apparent his already tenaciously tough form might be even harder to crack...!

COMBATSYS: Rugal blocks Urien's Metallic Aura.

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Urien            0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0            Rugal

[RUGAL]
Rugal springs back after slamming the statuesque man against the wall, his right hand lowering from where it had been extended, the last vestiges of lighting chi bleeding away from his fingertips as he evaluates the condition of his opponent on a level far deeper than simply what the naked human eye can observe.

The Mad Dog had also possessed an incredible degree of durability, but with that monster, it had been different. He had not been impervious to the damage slammed against him, but rather it was if all that destruction driven into him was being shunted off elsewhere all together. He didn't regenerate like the monsters blessed with such a gift, he simply became... undamaged almost as fast as Bernstein could dish it out!

This specimen before him now was something else entirely. He possessed an uncanny durability the likes of which Rugal had almost never encountered. The Lord of War was not attacking with light strikes, and many fighters had been undone by lighter hits than those, yet... his own assessment of the man was that he was not simply bluffing. He was faring far better than he had any right to be after being hurtled into solid stone that has stood the test of centuries of storms and battle!

But it isn't the durability of Urien's body that draws the snarl from Rugal Bernstein's lips, but his hubris. Just warming up? The man takes a step forward, hellbent on resuming his assault, only to be forced to pause briefly by a surge of energy exploding out in all directions around the man.

The hesitation is only a moment, his right hand slamming out with piston-like force, palm forward, bringing with it a discharge of such raw, projected aura that most of the swath of energy headed his way is scattered as if stricken by gale-force wind. In the end, it manages to tear away some of the crimson cloth of his suit coat and dress shirt, slightly exposing his forearm, but beyond that, the master martial artist seems barely phased.

The gulf between them is clearly demonstrated to not be durability. If anything, the iron colossus is capable of withstanding far more force than the legendary tyrant of battle he faces, but Rugal's control is almost perfect. Lazy, reckless attacks will not get to him, and anything he can see coming he can prepare to withstand.

Metal answers Urien's call, making him even more impervious to force than he had been. But even the mountains will be chiseled away with time. "Punching bags can withstand a beating, but no one would confuse that with power!"

Rugal draws his right arm back, fist bent tightly, as vibrant, light blue wind chi surges along the limb, blowing at the man's hair and causing his suit coat to flap from the strong currents forced into existence by his own chi control.

"You think yourself the only one warming up?"

It is a storm he carries in his fist as he strides forward, attacking Urien now with less in the way of speed and more in the way of pure force, both kinetic and elemental, discharging the whole magnitude of power twisting around his arm into a singular, one armed haymaker blow for his proud foe's head, copper plating and all!

COMBATSYS: Urien just-defends Rugal's Gravity Smash!!

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Urien            0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0            Rugal

[URIEN]
"Hssst..." Urien exhales. He's even heavier, now -- something already quite impressive. "Oh...? But what about your pride, Bernstein...? Is the message you're sending me... how weak you are?!" It's become clear, now. This is not a conflict of 'who will win'. Urien is overwhelmed by every meaningful definition of the word but one... he is not breaking. He is not shattering. That introductory claim is being proven quite the opposite thus far, despite Rugal applying nearly the same effort that overwhelmed even the Mad Dog and sent him hurtling into the depths of the ocean.

Eyes widen, and Rugal makes a mild mistake. Urien knows the attack is coming. Fingers splay out, defensive power surging forward, thickening his forearms and twisting fingers into metallic claws. The heavily armored clothing splits and bursts to his elbows, as... he becomes a sponge.

Urien is a being fueled by air and lightning. Rugal's incredible blow slams into both palms, and he would instantly feel it all being stolen away. Surging into the great figure's frame, his spent stamina invigorated in a heartbeat. It sounds as if a bomb went off, as the kinetic force is left behind; Urien's back is driven into the wall, splintering it further, shockwave of force blowing in all directions. Metallic shrapnel flies in all directions, tearing into stone and ground. It can be seen splintering up a good foot from his hands, lightning spraying and shocking between...

But Urien grins savagely, eyes wild. It didn't get through. He's now one of the few alive who's nullified an assault entirely from Rugal Bernstein, even if the comparative effort is leagues apart. "THAT ALL YOU GOT?!" Fingers splay before he strikes out, attempting to catch Rugal by the throat with both hands and haul him upwards, laughing further as he aims an intense squeeze. His armor is regenerating very slowly, but the damage never quite got through to the flesh and bones within. "I don't care about winning... I just wanted to prove even the strongest people in the world can't bring me to my KNEES!!"

COMBATSYS: Urien successfully hits Rugal with Destroy Claw.

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Urien            0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0            Rugal

[RUGAL]
He tried for a direct, brute force collision of energy rather than exercising his technique, and the opportunity afforded Urien just the chance he needed to demonstrate his own mastery of both the elements that make up his arsenal and the ability to disperse incoming kinetic power through a body capable of withstanding an almost incomprehensible amount of pressure.

And in that moment, he manages to do something so very few have ever accomplished - he stops Rugal Bernstein's strike cold. The ramifications were there, metal sheering, breaking into shrapnel, and cracking, but the maelstrom of wind chi is absorbed, drawn into himself, and the damage that could have been wrought by the blow entirely nullified. Such an unexpected moment creates the window necessary to reach in and seize Rugal back, hefting the man up by the neck, applying what force he can with his own powerful vise-like grip.

But he's holding onto one who will not tolerate such an affront for even an instant. The moment his fingers begin to tighten, Rugal is already responding, not making any violent attempt to wrest Urien's arms free, but rather gripping onto them tightly, pulling himself toward the other man even as his right leg sweeps in with a horizontal front cross kick, the air surrounding his leg rent by a rust red edge of blade-like chi, sharper than any sword.

He would twist his body into a second strike, from his other leg, using his hold on Urien's arms to provide the fulcrum necessary to drive the second pass in even deeper. Only then would he use his upper body strength to its fullest, attempting to wrest Urien to the side and kick him off with a crushing heel to his sternum!

COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Urien with B's Destruction.

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Urien            0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1            Rugal

[URIEN]
The squeezing is certainly not weak. When it comes to grip strength, there's a chance that Urien in his current state, muscles overloaded with additional mass, might manage such at least on par with Rugal himself. For a few moments lifting Rugal literally off his feet, and those eyes... The spark of someone who might be thinking they can win.

Not a spark that should be allowed to survive in any creature of this world.

That leaves him open to those fatal gams, however. The first slash cuts in deep, ripping through his suit as if it was nothing to leave a crimson line within that heavy armor. An expression of pain, but he once more reflexively hardens, the second blow significantly dampened. Twisting him about, the blow to his sternum... it's merely not enough. It's clear that the damage here was mostly aesthetics to his suit. Attacking him head on, he has time to prepare, and needs little defense beyond the concentration required to magnify himself at the point of contact...

"WEAK!!" is roared, spatters of blood flying into the air. He twists to launch out his own foot, twisting and flowing to drive the heel of it into Rugal's chest, trying to slam into him with monstrous force and send him skidding backwards to open up some breathing room.

COMBATSYS: Urien successfully hits Rugal with Stab Kick.

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Urien            0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1            Rugal

[RUGAL]
The fierce battle between the two men now engaged in a violent close quarters confrontation finally comes to an end as Rugal is released and sent sliding back away from Urien with a crushingly strong blow to the chest, a dirty mark in the shape of a foot print left on his once clean white shirt.

Skidding to a stop, Rugal exhales, lips drawn back enough to reveal his teeth, face locked into snarl, a growl rumbling deep in his throat. There is no denying that he is pounding his fists and feet into a nearly indestructible target unlike anything he had ever gone up against before. This is what World Warrior promised him, after all, a chance to face some of the new incredible fighters lurking around the globe, many of which were as of yet not truly proven in their worth.

It was difficult to argue with Urien's right to be here, however. Perhaps Adelheid's struggles against this master of wind and metal can be further understood now. After all, if Rugal Bernstein can't break him easily in half, then what hope was there for the platinum blond youth?

"Enough!" Rugal roars, standing up straight, a broiling aura of black rippling out over the Exhibition Yard, his arms at his sides, bent at the elbows, fists clenched. In contrast to the ebony power radiating over the ground, crimson essence explodes around his clenched fists, spilling through his closed fingers as if he was crushing blood from a beating heart.

Where it drops the ground, it burns with a caustic smell, soil burnt and melted as the unnatural power, viscous and dark, continues to build. He leans into a step - then is there, before Urien, reaching out to grab him with his left arm, the hand smelling of burnt flesh even as it seeks to take hold of the Illuminati tyrant's arm, tearing it aside with enough force to rip open is guard if he gets all the way past his defenses...

And then the man would explode into a frenzy of attacks. Punches with that acidic chi, elbow strikes, twisting into kicks, each one featuring the bladed chi demonstrated just moments prior. As he attacks, the sleeves of his coat would burn away, the legs of his suit pants rent in places where the edged energy went a little too far in the man's all out clearly reckless assault.

By the time he is forced to stop, reaching even his own limits for unrelenting destruction, his suit coat is a matter of history, his short scorched and torn, exposing the form fitting muscle shirt worn beneath.

COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Urien with Omega Destruction EX.

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Urien            0/-------/---====|>>>>---\-------\0            Rugal

[URIEN]
"...?"

For the first time, Urien's eyes widen and the smile leaves his face. Like a wild dog barking from the comfort of a fenced-in lawn, the situation entirely changes. He's never felt such energy before; it's like death, malice, and vengeance made manifest. His advance stops immediately, beginning a step backwards with a hint of fear. Fear...?! He's caught in the arm, wrenched aside despite his attempt to resist, all that weight and strength reduced to nothing in an instant.

Desperation. Every last ounce of Urien's power roars inwards. His clothing explodes off into tatters, as he churns the torrentous storm within his body to the maximum.

That onslaught drives Urien backwards further and further, the armor regenerating almost as fast as it is struck through, speckles of blood spewing through the air. When it ends, countless burning crimson points are etched on his form, sizzling like acid and sending curls of smoke upwards.

For a few moment he grins, and Rugal might have a split second of thinking that even that couldn't get through. But then blood spurts from his mouth and he staggers, his bronze body beginning to crack. Veins blacken from the corrupting energy, and it's clear that it is going to break him away from the inside out in short order. "You... really tried to kill me..." he states, through blood-stained teeth. The wildness of fear, the sudden face of his inferiority, causes him to tremble as he grips one of the myriad wounds.

"YOU THINK YOU... CAN KILL ME?!" Urien suddenly launches himself into the air, whirling upwards as he trails falling chunks of bloodied metal. Before descending like a meteor, both disturbingly pointy knees aiming to strike into Rugal and slam him into the ground. He's gone. Mentally, he's shattered. More a beast than a man now, a violent and likely fairly pointless resistance as the dog is driven mad...!!

COMBATSYS: Rugal blocks Urien's Violence Knee Drop.

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Urien            0/-------/--=====|>>>>>--\-------\0            Rugal

[RUGAL]
By the time he finishes, Rugal is leaning forward, panting for breath, his left arm hanging loose while his right arm lifts to wipe across his mouth. While he is not quite frothing mad himself, there is no question that the assault he charged into Urien with is unlike anything he has demonstrated throughout the tournament. Even in the aftermath, as the sanguine energy fades from his hands, the last few viscous drops falling to the ground with a harsh sizzle, the black aura that had coursed out from him lingers, hanging over the ground, a malevolent haze.

And all the while, Rugal stares back at Urien with that one human eye of his, clearly wishing the metel bending Illuminati triumph death and destruction. Yet for all the enmity coursing in the man, and for all the explosive violence just executed, it's clear that Urien still lives and breathes, and even has the audacity to continue to fight him!?

The practiced techniques Rugal had demonstrated at the start of the match have melted away now, the man growling as he steps into Urien's descending attack and pushes up hard, his own left forearm slamming into the metal armored knees, a grunt forced for his lips as he literally contest Urien's dead weight with his own arm, torso, and leg strength, forcing distance between them.

Staggering back a few steps, Rugal shakes his head. His suit in taters, he hardly looks the dignified wealthy magnate he had been when he first entered the exhibition yard. He was no longer interested in demonstrating finesse, or precision skill. He wanted to crush this proud man with pure, unrefined violence... exactly the kind of frenzy he had cautioned Adelheid against in his last test of the youth's progress!

Bernstein takes to the air, spinning into a one legged drop kick for Urien's chest, his own foot exploding into a sheath of vibrant fire as he attempts to crash into the armored body of the engineered titan. He WILL see him fall!!

COMBATSYS: Urien fails to interrupt Diving Kick from Rugal with Anger Snap Fist.

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Urien            0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0            Rugal

[URIEN]
A simple slugmatch, at this point. Anyone watching on the cameras already knows who will win. But that doesn't make this any less the ideal of World Warrior; two savage fighters who desire dominance over the others. If Urien has a strength, it's in his refusal and defiance in backing down. Loss is alien to him, anethema to his purpose in life, grown and raised, abandoned and secluded, all for the power he has now. Were it not sufficient... it is far worse than a prodigy who failed to live up to expectations. For the only excuses possible when the body is perfected is...

Sliding forward, Urien roars and twists his fist in a backhand, whirling upwards. The blow hits him dead in the chest, for a moment holding steady before being launched backwards to hit the ground with such weight it dents heavily and shakes the distant cameras. That black, deadly essence continues to spread, his armor heard cracking, seen sloughing off, as he twists and scrabbles... still moving to get back upright even now. "HRRRRRRAUGH!!"

[RUGAL]
Landing with a crunch against the ground, his left foot slamming hard enough into the damp soil to crater it slightly, Rugal stands up straight, his eyes still on Urien. The call of battle is all consuming now, his head pounding with the need to inflict violence. Normally, the thrill in his blood, in his mind is left unsatisfied. Most opponents cannot withstand him long enough to give the dark passenger what it truly desires.

But here is one who is not yet broken, who continues to resist, to fight back, to stand before the man who extended his hand to touch the sealed god and came away scarred but empowered. He had no idea the Illuminati's efforts had succeeded to /this/ degree. Were he of clearer mind, perhaps he would be silently thanking them for producing a specimen like this for him to smash his fists into. But at the moment, the call continues to roar in his ears, for more blood, more violence, more destruction.

Rugal runs his right hand through his hair, drops of sweat scattered with the gesture as his body continues to cope with the demands being placed on it. It's clearer now, the damage he did to himself in going all out on Urien, the burnt flesh on his wrists and forearms, the cracks in his skin on the backs of his hands, his palms bleeding real blood now rather than whatever that acerbic power was moments ago. That power he unleashed is not without its costs, and yet the target of his destruction continues to battle him.

Again, Rugal surges forward, aiming to collect Urien as he tries to get to his feet, his left hand slamming out for the other man's neck, aiming to lift him to standing. Given his foe has height on him, and the sheer magnitude of his inhuman density, even Bernstein doesn't aim to lift him clean off the ground, only to hold him im place, as his entire right arm bursts into flames.

If he has the Greek Titan in his grip, his right hand will begin slamming forward into Urien's body, each impact accompanied by explosive fire. Like before, the piston-like blows are unrelenting, Rugal's own hand bleeding as he damages it further, only to have the blood seeping lacerations cauterized by the very fire he conjures. The courtyard is aglow with flashes of hot orange with each impact, sparks flying, creating a cloud of cinders around the two brutal men as Rugal roars, lost to the frenzy of the attack!

COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Urien with Scorpion Blow.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Urien            0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0            Rugal

[URIEN]
Ah, if anything, this highlights the true threat of Gill. Rugal would know, based on the most secret of whispers, that physically they are very close. Energy and power. What sort of threat might a man be, if he was also a mental prodigy, a truly talented martial arts master who did not so clearly slack in his training? It might be an intriguing thought, to say the least.

Grasped by the face while still disoriented from the failed attack prior, Urien reaches up to grasp that wrist, leaving him open to the repeated strikes into the chest that follow. His armor is in tatters now, all of that bulwarked addition broken away. His copper flesh is corroded, black veins rushing out from the points where that terrible Orochi-infused strikes were let loose, but with another defiant roar he shoves Rugal's arm away...!

Twisting backwards, lightning and magnetism curl up on his forehead, and a somewhat wild slam forward takes place; trying to merely impact Rugal anywhere that might be handy, with a great crack of lightning and multiplied inertia thrown behind it. He's already down; Bernstein could step back and watch him succumb, if he had a mind. Winning is merely semantics...

COMBATSYS: Rugal fails to interrupt Metallic Headbutt from Urien with Genocide Cutter EX+.

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Urien            1/-------/=======|=======\===----\1            Rugal

[RUGAL]
The brutal assault shows no signs of letting up. For as long as Rugal has a hold on him, he appears intent on slamming his fist into Uriens' body. Unlike normal sanctioned combat, there is no referee to call the match, no officials to try and call an end to the violence, no judges to start waving their hands that enough is enough, the match can be decided now. Who knows where Rugal would stop if Urien didn't fight back, finally wrenching the man's arm away from him.

Even as he forces Rugal toward the left with that grip on his arm, the man is clearly hellbent on attacking him more anyway, twisting into a counter attack, his right leg swinging up without the blood crazed tyrant even taking care to plant his left foot properly. The end result is something of a disaster, as rather than delivering on one of the most fearsome techniques in his arsenal, the attack with which he has torn asunder many a powerful fighter, his leg swings entirely off target, a scything blade of chi trailing behind it through empty air.

At the same time, Urien combines his own elemental mastery with a crushingly strong attack right out of any thug's repertoire, smashing it clean into Rugal's face. Of course, when Urien performs the move, it is an apocalyptic event compared to what a street tough could ever hope to accomplish, slamming Rugal's head back and driving the Lord of War himself into a staggered recovery.

The sheer stunning impact seems to shake something loose in Rugal's demeanor, however, his human eye blinking, his right arm moving over his nose as he searches out to find Urien. There is a focus to his gaze now, different than the maniacal look he had only moments before. Nothing like a nearly skull crushing headbutt to drive home a moment of clarity!

[URIEN]
This is it for Urien. He staggers forward, uncaring that it was mere luck and Rugal's mindset that saved him from what might have been a lethal genocide cutter in this state. A heel digging into the ground, entire body seeming to corrupt from the point of those multiple blows, blood coming out black rather than crimson as it should. Lightning begins to surge towards him now, before Rugal's good eye would find him roaring forward. His final remaining assault; aiming to drive his shoulder with his body reinforced heavily with tandem chi, all of it leveraged towards force. Trying to crush into Rugal with all the simplicity of a freight train, only his prodigal strength and the immense weight tools that remain to him as he crumbles, blackness creeping at the edge of his vision but not yet taking him...!!

COMBATSYS: Urien can no longer fight.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Rugal            1/----===/=======|

COMBATSYS: Rugal counters Tyrant's Blaze from Urien with Rugal Execution.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Rugal            0/-------/-------|

[RUGAL]
Once again, Rugal is presented with an interesting enigma. Just like with the Mad Dog, he faces someone with incredible innate potential, a body rippling with power the likes of which only perhaps two or three people in the world can possibly compare to... yet for all that potential, they clearly are not being driven to operate at their maximum capacity. They haven't walked the Warrior's Road, the endless pursuit of discovering limits then, through sheer tenacity and unrelenting discipline, broken through those limits.

Their path to being world contenders is entirely unlike the Bernstein's own course through the decades. He has demonstrated, time and time again, mastery over martial arts, in some cases capable of executing techniques with far more power and precision than even the individuals who invented them. He has never let himself rest, never satisfied that he has perfected every element of his ability enough... just the fact that this man withstood so much from him - and not only that, but managed to strike back to the degree he did, is proof enough there is still more perfection to be attained, no matter the cost!

Following the blow to his face, the man is lucid once more, fighting back the thrill that was pounding in his head, roaring for him to continue, eschewing skill and technique for raw, uncontrolled brutality. It takes a moment to even remember where he is, what he was doing, why his body is covered in scorch marks, the blood of two men, and thrums of pain coursing through his bones and flesh.

It comes back to him as Urien charges and perhaps it is good for him that he was of clearer mind in the face of an oncoming engine of destruction right back at him. Rather than rushing to meet Urien head on, to smash himself into the momentum of the powerfully built modern Adonis, Rugal sweeps his arms up from his sides, miasmic green energy trailing from his fingers, moving with a sudden speed beyond that which he had displayed throughout most of the fight.

Rather than stop Urien short, he moves to the side, his energy covered arms folding around Urien's neck as he passes, Rugal latching on from behind in a rear naked choke augmented by a corrupted energy that leeches hungrily from from his opponent's vigor, steeling life and power back into his own body with each passing second.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha!" Rugal laughs, demonstrating none of the rage he had exhibited at the start of the fight, none of the crazed, manic violence he had descended into toward the end of it. Rather than having to be fought off, he releases the hold after several seconds, stepping back, his arms out at his sides, the green energy slipping from his hands, vanishing into mist before ever quite reaches the ground.

"You have proved yourself... If we were aboard the Black Noah, you would have earned your place alongside legends. You should be honored."

The man exhales then, turning as he brushes the last remnants of his destroyed shirt from his shoulders and strides from the exhibition yard. Once more, World Warrior has delivered... how long before the man behind this gathering finally shows his face?

COMBATSYS: Rugal has ended the fight here.


[URIEN]
It doesn't seem that Rugal needed to worry about his earlier assault murdering Urien. Drawing from him is a delicious experience, like a bottomless source of primal power laced with Orochi's taint. In the midst, however, he explodes into a great pillar of purple-black flame and lightning. It roars into the sky, and the sense of his aura being completely emptied follows. When it whisks off, Urien stands as he did at the onset, those wounds that tore through his incredibly armored form bleeding normal crimson. It seems that the Treacherous Disciple had not been lying; he's not eliminated from the tournament from this battle, despite Rugal enjoying the pleasure of going all out for an incredible length of time. He thumps to his hands and knees in the smoldering sand, panting heavily, mortal once more. Without the great powers of the Illuminati's gifts, he is nothing now. An average fighter, if genetically honed, nothing special in this world. "...I'm not done..." he wheezes out, managing to wobble up to his feet as he openly bleeds. His eyes are wild, as he stumbles towards Rugal's back, rearing his right arm backwards with the look of a nearly shattered mind, fully intent on taking a swing. There's no real threat to it; if Bernstein's pace continues as it is, Urien will collapse to the ground before ever reaching him, coughing up no small amount of blood. Now, it would be trivial to break him... but to a refined sadist who understands the greatest way to wound someone, no longer even acknowledging him as a fighter is a fate far worse than mere hospitalization...

[RUGAL]
"Oh?" Rugal pauses as Urien proves that in spite withstanding the relentless assault of the 'R' Cartel leader, he still had not just the power to speak, but the power to even claw his way to his feet. Whether driven by primal ferocity, resolve that would rival the staunchest hero, or sheer unabashed, unbreakable pride is no concern of Bernstein's.

He partially glances over his shoulder as the gifted product of the Illuminati's collective research and development staggers after him. A prolonged grunt rumbles in the throat of the veteran of thousands of fights. He, among all fighters in the world, knows when an opponent is beaten, yet even he underestimated the durability of this man. He could turn to tear into him, to smash against his now armorless body with more of the intensity he had demonstrated earlier, and if Urien's fist had reached him, perhaps he would have.

"Know your place," Rugal replies, looking away to resume his walk from the yard. If physique and energy alone were enough to defeat him, he would have fallen years ago. In Urien, he had found a fascinating foe to beat upon, yet for all the man's strength and durability, he didn't have the zeal of one who had truly pushed himself against the world's best time and time again. Like with the Mad Dog, he saw only wasted potential.

Log created on 20:12:54 03/04/2018 by Rugal, and last modified on 22:41:11 03/09/2018.