Match of the Millennium

Description: Zach Glenn kicks off the new season of the Neo League against a bio-mechanical oddity!

[YOSHIMITSU]
The Nantahala River.

Fast and treacherous for the uninitiated, the Nantahala River rushes downstream from the Nantahala Dam, through the Nantahala Powerhouse, all the way down to the town of Wesser. The Upper Run is the most challenging, providing Class III-IV challenges to experienced rafters. The Lower Run is slightly more leisurely, but it has its fair share of rapids, with such life-affirming names as the "Quarry," the "Whirlpool," "Bulls Run," and "Upper Nantahala Falls." Rocks of all kinds -- smooth, flat, sharp, and jagged -- line all sides of the river, and the number of places to get off to shore are few and far between. The town of Wesser acts as the informal end of the rapids, but just beyond it the river drops at a 45 degree angle into Fontana Lake -- a termination marked with lots of sharp, pointy rock.

The battle was taking place outside the Whirlpool, the swirling water coming at the center of the river. Overlooking the rapids was a high cliff face, where the site of a League match would take place. Standing there is what seems to be a samurai... if a samurai had writhing octopus tentacles around his eyeless face. The samurai seemed to be clad in metal, even his limbs seemed metallic. Mask locked into a grinlock, the figure was sitting on his knees, head lowered in meditation, as his katana, gripped in his right hand, rests before him. And here, Yoshimitsu speaks his prayer as he waits for his opponent.

"Namu... Namu... Namu...."

[ZACH GLENN]
When you sign up for Neo League or Saturday Night Fights, you're placing your bets and taking your chances on where you end up and what conditions you'll be fighting under. Zach takes in the surroundings; the river, the rapids, the swirling whirlpool of certainly certain doom, and the waterfall. It's nice scenery, certainly good for a few photos in National Geographic. But they were not why Zach was here.

The man sitting atop the cliff, though? Even if this was not some kind of public fight, Zach would most certainly find the metal-clad samurai interesting. The psion had brought a wooden blade of his own, a replica claymore carved with celtic knotwork along its length. He stares at the man, interest clear in his expression as he lets out a low whistle.

The referee lets out a quick whistle, and signals the start of the match. Zach responds by stoking the fires of his own soul, hoping to draw a response out of the swordsman he faces. Golden not-fire sweeps down the blade, causing the carvings to glow with a similar golden light as licks of psychic energy sweep and spin around Zach's frame.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Zach Glenn       0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn gathers his will.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Zach Glenn       0/-------/---====|

COMBATSYS: Yoshimitsu has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0       Zach Glenn

[YOSHIMITSU]
The person sits patiently, as Zach approaches.
%When the psychic warrior empowers with the soul energy, there is a flicker of life from the armored samurai. "You bear the spirit energy, young fighter." The man speaks with a mechanized tone, harsh and filtered. And yet, within the mechanical exterior, a burst of soul energy floods out. Lifting the blade high, so Zach can see it. "I am Yoshimitsu! Leader of the Manji Clan of Ninjas! I have come to seek challengers, in these troubled times. Let us begin our combat!" The call of the whistle comes, as he draws the soul energy from his blade.

And he spins once, before leaping into the air.

Sword arm spinning like a propeller overhead, the swordsman descends aggressively, hovering as he glides down at Zach. Rising up a moment, he flips through the air, finally coming down with a startling -stomp- right where Zach is at. A shockwave of soul energy surges through him on impact, before lifting up into a flip away from where he lands.

"NAMU!"

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn blocks Yoshimitsu's Acrobatic Bliss ES.

[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0       Zach Glenn

[ZACH GLENN]
"Ninjas," Zach mutters to himself. Then he watches Yoshimitsu inexplicably take flight. His eyes widen at that, especially given the rapid and full rotation at the man's wrist. His opponent is definitely *not* a stock-standard human fighter. Going to have to treat this more like the fight at the end of a hunt, then. No assumptions on physical capabilities, and yet, there is definitely a /person/ in all that metal. Zach knows what psychic energy feels like.

Zach throws up a quick barrier of energy even as he back-pedals to avoid the stomp. Some of Yoshimitsu's strength splashes through, sending a stinging sensation through his body. Yup. Definitely someone in there. A suit? Maybe mechanical parts like Mint? Hard to say right now.

"Plenty of those to be had," Zach says to Yoshimitsu, even as the ninja flips away. Zach decides to not allow him anything like space at the moment, dashing towards the mechanical man. Psychic energy flares around his own weapon as he takes a wide swing at Yoshimitsu!

COMBATSYS: Yoshimitsu dodges Zach Glenn's Sweeping Strike.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1       Zach Glenn

[YOSHIMITSU]
Frankly, Yoshimitsu covers many categories.

As he makes his splash, the ninja was already leaping away. Already moving, already being... unpredictable. And thus, as Zach makes his dash, the swinging weapon is nimbly ducked under, the wide swing deftly cutting over him as he leans back into a crouch. The strength and flexibility of the ninja is incredible, and yes, inhuman. What was this creature? This machine? This thing?

As he said, he was Yoshimitsu.

Rising back up into the crouch, he faces at Zach, his faceless mask... having no eyes. And yet, how does he see? The writhing tentacles almost seem to beckon at Zach, as the armored ninja lowers his blade. "Who are you, Zach Glenn? Why have you come to this Neo League battle?" He asks briskly, as he begins to rise into a stand.

And sweep his blade up and around in a cutting motion, attempting to slice back at Zach with his soul-empowered Katana.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn interrupts Quick Strike from Yoshimitsu with Soaring Dragon EX.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/---====|=======\====---\1       Zach Glenn

[ZACH GLENN]
"Nah," Zach says with a certain bluff cheer as the blade starts to fall. Zach's own weapon takes a low to high motion, with enough force and speed to lift Zach up into Yoshimitsu's own strike even as Zach's weapon strikes cleanly at the chest. The psion lands lightly on his feet, swinging his sword to rest the blade on his shoulder.

"I'm not playing the whole," Zach's voice takes on a gravelly burr as if to imitate Yoshimitsu's voice, "'why are you here'" Zach's voice switches back to normal "game with you." He bounces lightly on the balls of his feet.

"I've got some energy to burn," he says simply. "That's all you're going to get."

[YOSHIMITSU]
"Well Done!"

Yoshimitsu's tone barely holds the sarcastic edge, as his rising slice is deftly driven into Yoshimitsu's own chest. Making a choking sound, he staggers backwards, landing on his bottom. The soul energy burns on his chest, as mechanical sparks begin to burst out from the exposed mechanical chest. Sitting upright again, he raises his sword straight up. "But certainly there can be joy in facing a foe, away from true mortal battle, and in the safe confines of a tournament? Do not be so grim!"

And he begins to spin.

Reaching his fist out, Yoshimitsu begins to rise, spinning like a top. Twirling, whirling, he spins, and spins, and spins, and spins, his fist out for the battering barrage of punches. Every blow channels the full force of spiritual energy, perhaps even too much psionic energy. He hurls himself at Zach, attempting to overwhelm him with the punches. Perhaps TOO much overwhelming, as he pushes himself for more and more spinning, until finally, at the end of the whirling punch frenzy... Yoshimitsu collapses on his back, exhausted at his own overbearing effort.

"Oooooh...." He sighs.

COMBATSYS: Yoshimitsu successfully hits Zach Glenn with Manji Stone Fists.
? Strange Hit! ?

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2       Zach Glenn

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach starts to move to block, but he doesn't get his defenses in place in time. Yoshimitsu's strike slam into the psion, pummeling Zach about the head, chest, and shoulders. For all of that, though, the former Marine endures it and keeps his footing. He wobbles slightly; the repeated blows hit fairly hard, but Zach stays upright.

Zach steps back in, dropping a bit as he drives a shoulder at Yoshimitsu's chest, before bringing the wooden blade in a crushing overhead arc. If the sword strike connects, Zach uses the momentum of the movement to drive a soul infused with his own soul power right at Yoshimitsu's midsection!

COMBATSYS: Yoshimitsu blocks Zach Glenn's Detonation Combo ES.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2       Zach Glenn

[YOSHIMITSU]
Yoshimitsu is already on the ground, when Zach comes to counter-strike.

The ninja, dazed, eases back up into a sitting position as Zach comes in with his shoulder. Bowling into the ninja, Yoshimitsu tumbles with the impact. When Zach brings his blade down, however, Yoshi's own katana catches it, soul energy surging around it. By the time the third attack comes, he catches Zach's wrist, his metal gauntlet seizing tight as their soul energy mingles, smashes into each other. Yoshimitsu releases, rolling backwards once more on the ground.

And falling into a resting lotus position.

"... Namu..." He chants, as he holds his blade at his side. "Namu.... Namu... Namu..." The prayer continues, as he meditates, as green soul energy boils around him, flowing in and out of him. The ninja becomes a font of power, as he channels his energy. All as the words repeat.

"Namu..."

"Namu..."

"... Namu..."

COMBATSYS: Yoshimitsu gathers his will.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Yoshimitsu       1/----===/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2       Zach Glenn

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach watches as Yoshimitsu backs off, and marshals his own power. That's probably a bad idea, Zach thinks. So he opts to keep the cyborg off balance. He steps in quickly, driving for a spear tackle, followed up by some good old-fashioned soul-powered ground and pound if he can get the mount.

There's no malice or anger in the move, just a decision made and executed. Zach's not throwing himself into the fight, but he's not having a bad time either.

COMBATSYS: Yoshimitsu blocks Zach Glenn's Rough and Tumble EX.

[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Yoshimitsu       1/--=====/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2       Zach Glenn

[YOSHIMITSU]
A withering offense.

Yoshimitsu struggles at the second assault, Bringing his non-sword arm up in to a block. As Zach interrupts his prayer, Yoshi is forced on his back, his arm only barely keeping him off, as the boxer tears into his chest. Pinned down, the ninja grunts in pain. He struggles to bring his legs into the fighters belly, and then, launch him up in the air. Should he manage that? He would rise on his sword, mounting on it, before leaping high in the air above Zach. There, he would -punch- Zach straight down into the ground with a psi-infused shockwave, running within himself. And if he made it that far? He would deftly flip away back into a standing position. A deft combination.

But it only depending on the kick.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn just-defends Yoshimitsu's Sakanobori!

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2       Zach Glenn

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach rolls with the kick, rising to his feet with no effort thanks to Yoshimitsu's assistance. The ninja goes airborne, drawing another low whistle from Zach with the launch method. That hammer strike of a punch, though?

That misses completely, as Zach slide-steps to the aside, throwing up a barrier to allow the extra energies rampant in Yoshimitsu's strike to splash around him to no effect. However, before Yoshimitsu can leap away, Zach tries to dash in to throw a three-quarters uppercut at the cyborg. The flare of psychic energy in the fist is fierce, tightly contained, but that will not stop it from erupting with explosive force at the end of the punching motion!

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn successfully hits Yoshimitsu with Explosive Strike.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Yoshimitsu       1/------=/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2       Zach Glenn

[YOSHIMITSU]
"Damn you!"

Yoshimitsu's cry of frustration erupts as the final strike is evaded; his opponent's flawless defensive execution. What's worse, is as Yoshimitsu flips away, once again Zach Glenn was pursuing him, chasing him. Standing fast, he is already turning, spinning away as the explosive uppercut comes. Alas, he cannot escape, as he is -blasted- backwards, sent airborne. Tumbling wildly, he collapses into a heap. "I am... weakening?!" He sputters, as he sparks.

"I must have... your soul!"

Rolling forward, he bounds upright, extending his arm at Zach in a flash of speed. Blazing quickly at Zach, he reaches him, extending a hand for his forehead. And there, he if manages a grip? He would promptly begin to draw out his very soul energy, drawing it within his own body... before tossing him aside!

COMBATSYS: Yoshimitsu successfully hits Zach Glenn with Soul Siphon.

[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2       Zach Glenn

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach lets out an almost feral yell as he feels his energies start to ebb away from him even as he tumbles across the rocks after the throw. The wooden claymore clatters to a stop next to his body. His rise to his feet is a slow, painful thing as he carefully grips the weapon. But one thing is certain:

Zach Glenn's soul still burns.

"You want it?" he asks rhetorically, "You got it." Zach takes a defiant stance, letting out a sharp kiai that sends a ripple of force through the air around him, ruffling his hair as a lightning glimmer of gold sweeps through it before washing into the ether. The sword sweeps up, into a ready position in front of him as he charges.

Zach brings the sword up, then down, on a collision course for that spot just between Yoshimitsu's shoulder and neck, where the trapezius would be. Energy pours of the blade as it slams towards the cyborg!

COMBATSYS: Yoshimitsu dodges Zach Glenn's Dyrnwyn.

[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/-------|>>>>---\-------\0       Zach Glenn

[YOSHIMITSU]
"Namu Namu Namu..."

Yoshimitsu draws out of the energy, letting it flow through him. Already, he was empowered, in spite of the burn. But still, he lets it flow into his blade, which absorbs the energy, condensing it, controlling it. Sealing it. Recovering, he turns to face Zach... who was already at his throat. Bringing his sword to his chest, he waits until the last minute. The golden energy floods out...

And Yoshimitsu is... gone.

Whirling in a wild cyclonic dodge, he twirls around the full blast of the energy. "Do not worry! I am only borrowing it." Yoshimitsu has his back at Zach, when he finally brings his sword around. Not at Zach. No, he was leveling the blade at his -own- stomach. Driving it in deep, he penetrates through, as he -surges- Zach's stolen energy through the blade... and hopefully, into Zach himself, as the blade empowers through.

"SEPPUKU!!!

COMBATSYS: Yoshimitsu successfully hits Zach Glenn with Suicide.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\-------\1       Zach Glenn

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach looks at Yoshimitsu oddly for a moment, and then the surge of power hits him like a freight train. Zach coughs, blood spraying from his mouth. This... reminds him of a fight. A life or death battle against Daniel Little on Shang Tsung's island. Panic, and a bit of terror surge forward in Zach's mind, compelling the psion to violent action.

But only for a moment.

Zach closes his eyes to take a moment to clear his mind a bit, to push back against the emotion and the adrenaline screaming through his system. After Zach lets the held breath out, he opens his eyes and tracks Yoshimitsu. The ninja might feel like he is being hunted. It's not bloodlust, per se, but there is a desire to close to grips with a foe and bring this fight to a conclusion

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn enters a meditative state.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1       Zach Glenn

[YOSHIMITSU]
"Of undeniable talent!"

Yoshimitsu's dramatic expression comes as the full weight of suicide comes roaring in. Terror, fear, and confusion. And yet, as Yoshimitsu draws the blade back out, he seems to be choking on the injury. Doubled over, he rubs the wound, as he continues his compliment. "The storm within your mind is attuned to my own, the control you bear is admirable. Do not fear me, warrior! Your courage will sustain your strength, and will be... urp... I will be... UUUURP." Covering his... mouth...(?), he turns around at Zach, lurching forward. Despite the fact the mask covering it, despite the tentacles, despite the mechanical presence...
%He exhales a bout of psionic mist, straight towards Zach's face with disruptive force.

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn overcomes Poison Breath ES from Yoshimitsu with Storm of Blades EX.
Glancing Hit

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0       Zach Glenn

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach's eyes narrow at this.

He should have expected the seppuku manuever to be, well, not as effective as it apparently was. Then again, the psion was starting to suspect that the cyborg was... well... running a bit hot all fight so it might be a moot point.

The mists come in, and Zach has a flash of inspiration. Maybe the technique that had gotten him into the mess that was the aftermath of that battle with Daniel would be the thing that got him out of this mess.

Zach gestures with an almost beckoning motion behind him, reaching for all of the loose energy that tends to surround public fights. All of the people and the attendant emotions that follow a fight, it is a thing that can be felt even by those who aren't talented enough to wield the power contained in that like these two fighters do. Zach takes that energy, that spirit...

...and forges it into hundreds of blades, knives and swords and even more than a few arrows, that hang in the air for a moment behind the hunter until he gestures towards Yoshimitsu. The soul-forged weapons launch at the cyborg with such force that the mist conjured by Yoshimitsu scatters like leaves in the wind, even as Zach drops to one knee to gasp for air as the adrenaline surge clears his body.

COMBATSYS: Yoshimitsu parries Zach Glenn's Storm of Blades EX!

[                         \\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0       Zach Glenn

[YOSHIMITSU]
"... Oh no!"

Yoshimitsu's cry comes as he barely has time to recover from the spit. As the blast of energy swords floods back, he suddenly blazes with green soul energy, as he meditates at his sword, upright before him. He begins to spin rapidly in place, just as the swords come to reach him. The spread around him, and...

And the ninja disappears.

Flat out disappears; Zach Glenn could feel the energy flow, however. He might have seen it with Athena, or even Honoka: a teleport. A psionic teleport. Reappears behind Zach, the ninja would catch him by the shoulder and hook an arm between their legs. If he manages it? Then he would leap up and over into an aerial body slam, landing with a small explosion of psi at the landing.

"HOOOAH!"

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn endures Yoshimitsu's Rainbow Drop EX!

[                         \\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0       Zach Glenn

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach has not just seen it. Zach's pulled that stunt before. He turns just in time, which allows Zach to absorb the impact with his back and a firm slam on the grouns with open palms as opposed to getting his face driven into the rocks. Nothing really to help the blast of psychic energy, however.

Another bloody cough, and Zach gasps for air even as he pulls another soul-forged weapon out of the ether. Glenn drives the long knife, just shy of being a short sword, right into Yoshimitsu's ribcage!

COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn can no longer fight.

[                         \\\\\  <
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/---====|

COMBATSYS: Yoshimitsu dodges Zach Glenn's Flashing Blade.

[                         \\\\\  <
Yoshimitsu       0/-------/---====|

[YOSHIMITSU]
At the cusp of his defeat, Yoshimitsu manages to snatch victory away.

As the drop comes, smashing the swordsman down into the ground, the samurai ninja robot thing turns around. Unfortunately for him, Zach was already surging at him, driving hard at him with that soul energy. "Gah!" He blurts out, as he swings his own blade around. No time for a stance, no time to escape. And there, cornered, he makes his desperate attempt to parry. The soul infused blade fails to truly turn Zach's infused sword away. But it did not need to, as at the last second, Yoshimitsu pulls away, allowing Zach to rush past him.

And that was it.

Yoshimitsu allows Zach to fall, allow him to fade away. But he gives a salute, raising his blade. "The life... leaves you! You have fought well today. And yet, a raging fire becomes dying embers!" He states, giving one last surge of energy into the blade. And lifting it up high, it spins around, as he flies up into the sky. Up. And away.

Namu.

COMBATSYS: Yoshimitsu has ended the fight here.

Log created on 13:29:46 05/24/2018 by Zach Glenn, and last modified on 20:52:46 05/25/2018.