Match of the Millennium

Description: The first round of the KOF 2019 Prelims send the Ikari Warriors slamming into Team Kora. Going into a full forced fight at the Club Haddaway in Jamica, the hot-blooded self-righteous Kim Kaphwan rolls straight into the Delta Red Lita Luwanda.

[LITA]
There is an unusual amount of activity for Club Haddaway. Normally somewhat quiet due to the nightlife not quite having kicked up, it is filled with activity and sounds of steel drums as it plays host to round 1 of the preliminary rounds. Support for team Korea can be seen throughout the crowd with small pockets of support for the Ikari visible as well.

The first Ikari to be introduced is Lita Luwanda who rises from a chair at a table set aside for the Ikari team. Clad in a olive drab, short sleeved button down shirt worn open over a white tank top under shirt, and olive drab BDU pants. On both her waist and one of her thighs, she wears bandoliers for her kunai.

She takes a moment to kneel down next to her table and pulls out a large polycarbonate replica sword that looks like the love child between Cloud Strife's buster sword and butterfly knife and straps it to her back, checks the quick release latch on it and then enters the area cleared out for fighting as she mentally preps herself for battle.

COMBATSYS: Lita has started a fight here on the right meter side.

                                  >  //////////////////////////////]
                                  |-------\-------\0             Lita

[KIM]
It was good that Team Korea chose May Lee as the standby.

Well, to be fair, Luong wasn't brought along as a standby, but she was brought along. The tall, curvy woman was already at the barside of the daytime club. Gang-Il was... not the lead, so he was not bound to be active immediately in the fighting portion of the King of Fighters prelim match. Instead, it was Kim Kaphwan. The chisel-jawed Korean stands fast in his tae kwon do gi, blue hemmed with a black belt. No frills, no fanciness. Arms crossed, he looks over Lita, a frown on his face. Not out of dismissiveness.

But out of intensity.

"The Ikari Warriors are a terrorist organization, as so I have read." Kim states firmly, looking over Lita carefully. "And that you used to work for Delta Red, before you went rogue! Evil is unforgivable. I have passed my judgement" He uncrosses his arms, easing into the Tae Kwon Do horse stance, fists balled tight as he begins to bounce from heel to heel. He casts his gaze around the crowd, before focusing dead on Lita again. "There is no evil here." He cracks his neck to one side, and the other, popping it.

"Are you ready?"

COMBATSYS: Kim has joined the fight here on the left meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Kim              0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0             Lita

[LITA]
Blonde bangs cover most of one of her eyes leaving her other eye visible for her reaction of a raised eyebrow at the accusation leveled towards her organization and her. Her lips turn into a frown as she cranks her arm for a moment and then stands with hands on her hips, arms akimbo.

"You're awfully certain of the mindsets of me and mine for someone who only has part of the story. It doesn't account for the actions of the Ikari before or after the bounties were put on us. Those among our ranks, have saved a President, stopped Gear incursions into a major city, prevented innocents from being lynch mobbed. Yet, we have this title of terrorist attached to us."

She pauses letting an index finger touch her lips as if in thought, before returning her attention to Kim.

"Don't you think it's interesting that we're not wanted as criminals by any actual country and that it's only the Novus Orbis Librarium that call us terrorists and criminals. Also, if we're terrorists, what was our terrorist act? I'm pretty sure a terrorist act would be pretty news worthy."

She then falls into her fighting stance that looks to be a military combative.

"Let's go, luv."

[KIM]
Kim Kaphwan's glower flashes a smirk.

"Then you only confirm what I knew was right! Tae Kwon Do specially hones it's students in the ability to sense wicked auras! Intuition transcends even the most draconian laws! It's masters capable of deciding between good and evil, white and black! To be a champion of freedom and justice, and help to build a more peaceful world. And as for the Novus Orbis Librarium... I will judge them when I see them! But enough! We must FIGHT to TEST the TRUE STRENGTH of our MARTIAL ARTS!" And Kim unleashes aa stomp.

"KIAI!"

That was the shout as Kim suddenly -surges- with pure power, energy flooding his form in a flash. Body flooding with power, he surges straight for Lita. A dynamic entry, a forceful frighting attack equal to the most diabolical of Tae Kwon Do. He lunges in, dipping low into a sweeping kick. Pivoting to the side, his direct assault peels away, as he suddenly pulls away from Lita on the rise. A testing strike, a taunting strike? Or perhaps a positioning strike of his own, to prefer the true assault soon enough.

COMBATSYS: Lita interrupts Evasive Kick from Kim with Rising Front Kick.

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Kim              1/-======/=======|====---\-------\0             Lita

[LITA]
Testing the true strength of their martial arts? That's an idea that Lita is happy to get behind. The moment Kim lets out that loud kiai, Lita readies herself to respond. As she watches the Tae Kwon Do practitioner surge towards her, she observes for a moment before Kim performs that sweeping kick. Instinct tells her that he's setting up to reposition and she moves in to meet him.

Just as Kim's kick connects she crouches down and launches herself upward, though angled more forward than upward launching herself with one foot extended to the head in a front kick before Lita's opponent can fully complete the sweeping motion let alone the subsequent movement to reposition.

Lita ends up landing slightly off balance and it's a testament to both Kim's skill and strength that even an incomplete kick could do that much to her foundation.

[KIM]
Kim actually seemed a bit shocked.

With his explosive burst of strength, he was expecting his surge to overwhelm his opponent. The fact she did not yield, but in fact kicked right into it was a statement of the skills that came to bear in the King of Fighters. As he is crouching down, the sweeping kick is met with a kick straight to the head. Staggering him out of his repositioning, more off-balanced than even Lita, the Tae Kwon Do fighter rises up steadily, glowering towards Lita with teeth gritted. "Impressive!" Is all he says before he stomps back in.

Little else was there at this point to say, with the fighting beginning so intensely.

The Tae Kwon Do master doesn't attempt another complicated manuever. Body sweating, fatigue somehow already seizing him, he aggressively builds himself up into a frenzy as he swings his heel up high. Hovering his leg high overhead for a split second, he brings down a staggering axe kick aiming for the center of Lita's mass. Two kicks, two tests of Lita's defenses. And the momentum builds and builds, as Kim Kaphwan steadily accelerates the might of Tae Kwon Do. He was wary of those blades that the former Delta Red showed. Wary.

But not afraid.

COMBATSYS: Kim successfully hits Lita with Heel Kick.

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Kim              1/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\-------\1             Lita

[LITA]
Lita may have gotten one kick in but she knew she wasn't going to win against someone who has obtained such a high level of mastery kicks when she, at best, could be considered a dilletante. Where she shined was in her ability to change tactics at a given moment switching from short ranged to long ranged, unarmed to armed, fluidly without allowing her opponent to get comfortable.

She takes a step back, attempting to buy enough time to hit her quick release latch to come in with her large replica sword. The initial kick staggers her and then subsequent axe kick drops her to her knees as a pained expression appears on her face.

"I could say the same about you."

It's at that moment she surges to her feet swinging the blunt sword replica to the stomach twice and then following up with a final slash towards the Tae Kwon Do practitioner's lead leg.

COMBATSYS: Kim interrupts Triple Slash from Lita with Kouou Hiten Kyaku.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Kim              0/-------/-<<<<<<|=======\======-\1             Lita

[KIM]
Here it comes.

Kim Kaphwan's pure Tae Kwon Do power was bone crushing; a terrific blend of power, speed, and finesse. He already earned his bruises in this fight, and he was well prepared to earn a few more, if not worse. Easing his stance, he does not back away, but keeps that oppressive momentum flowing. Lita finally swings that sword around, and Kim Kaphwan stands fast. He doesn't block, he only does the faintest deflection as the first connects with Kim's stomach. As to why he didn't block.

Becomes very, very apparent.

Time nearly slows down. The second blow comes around, and Kim is already in motion. The second connects neatly in tandem as Kim unleashes the full force of a spin kick, launching Lita into the air. Rising up with the impact, Kim leaps up with a second heel high in the air, and promptly spikes the Ikari Warrior down with a diving axe kick.

And then, a groan.

Kim lands, breathing heavily as staggers backwards. The two bodyblows came at a bad time, and he struggles to ease himself into his stance. But every effort, every struggle, even moment seemed to only invigorate him more and more. The thrill of exhaustion, of fatigue, and above all, challenge. It was almost awe worthy. Until, of course, he starts to talk again. "That was a lesson!"

"Maybe you can borrow some tricks from Tae Kwon Do!"

[LITA]
Lita's battle honed instincts scream at her the moment she sees the slight deflection but she presses on knowing that even that first attack landing did its job of making it harder for her opponent to catch his breath. The second one connects but not optimally and even as she's launched in the air and then driven to the ground, she knows that her attacks did their job.

She knows that at this point, falling would be inevitable be it to Kim in this fight or the next fighter. She climbs to her feet with her goal becoming do as much damage on the way out as she can.

"All martial arts have something to teach, one just has to be open to them."

She takes her sword stance however she hops in to perform a quick slash before hopping back with footwork similar to what would be found in point style karate or tae kwon do even if her sword is doing the damage.

COMBATSYS: Kim dodges Lita's Backstep Slash.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Kim              0/-------/-<<<<<<|=======\======-\1             Lita

[KIM]
"But there is no greater teacher than Tae Kwon Do!"

THe response comes with a little too much arrogant air; it seems the pride of the Tae Kwon Do fighter was boiling forth now. Gritting his teeth, he watches as she leaps in, giving the slash out. This time, Kim doesn't stand fast. He weaves, matching her movement with a back roll to let it pass over him. Perking back up into a stand, he doesn't hesitate.

And Kim pursues.

The Tae Kwon Do master lunges after Lita, rolling -forward-. Perking up dangerously close, he breaks his hands out to force a clinch. A risky move, especially with the weapons, but a calculated one. Should he get a grip on Lita's shoulders, he would close in with a rapid chain of kicks; a slam to the back of Lita's shin, a second up to the head, and a finishing kick into the stomach, to break the clinch and toss them away. A brutal grapple, but with no true hostility or bloodlust. Just a vigorous, worn down man.

And the pure power of Tae Kwon Do.

COMBATSYS: Kim successfully hits Lita with Sanren Kyaku EX.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
Kim              1/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Lita

[LITA]
Kim was hitting her too hard and too fast for her to defend against and her body was too battered to defend herself through willing herself through the pain. Kim has outclassed her every step of the way and truly has shown the difference between the master of his trade and a martial dilletante.

Lita gets caught in the clinch and everything happens too quickly for her to intercept him and she proceeds to get pummeled by the chain of kicks, her knees buckled by the strike to the back of her leg. Everything begins to blur together into a barrage of agony by the time she's finally flung away.

Her sword drops from her hands as she bull rushes the TKD practitioner to wrap her arms about her opponent's legs and perform a double leg takedown. Should she be successful, she'll proceed to throw brutal body punches as she tries to work her way into full mount before raining a flurry of hammer fists down upon her opponent's face.

COMBATSYS: Lita can no longer fight.

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

COMBATSYS: Kim blocks Lita's Seeing Red.

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

[KIM]
Kim is taken by surprise.

After he unleashes the final break, he wasn't expected Lita to spring back so violently, so quickly, so... aggressively. As the arms go around his legs, his other hands lash out, fighting to keep balance. He fails, and hits on his back hard, a lethal place to be for the Ikari Warrior to prey on. Breathing hard, he then is forced to struggle with a barrage of punches, deflecting desperately as he fights with his legs to do whatever he can to keep the Delta Red from making the mount. A stalemate ensues, as Kim takes more nasty body blows through his guard, as he focuses on keeping her off. He would struggle, succeeding on just keeping her off, but unable to stop her assault. Sweat builds on his forehead, as his technique becomes more and more desperate, less and less refined. He didn't know how long he could last, as he gives a final, desperate shove with his feet.

He only hoped it was longer than she could last.

[LITA]
And upon getting shoved off by his feet, Lita goes down and stays down.

[KIM]
Kim Kaphwan steadily rises up.

His body burned; the last assault, combined with the previous body blows, were chipping away at his fatigue. In a normal match, Kim Kaphwan would be called the winner. But now? Now he had another opponent. The Tae Kwon Do looks to the sides, and draws in a deep, cleansing breath. He holds up a hand, showing that he was ready, before turning it into a thumbs up. "You fought very well." He states to the downed Ikari Warrior. "And your restraint... there is no evil here. But picking and choosing amongst martial arts cannot dominate the power of TAE KWON DO!" He beckons to the others, inviting the next challenger, as he shows he was ready for the next attacker.

"Who wants to test Tae Kwon Do next?!"

COMBATSYS: Kim awaits the next challenger.

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

[GANG-IL]
Most of the noise from the Team Korea side is coming from one May Lee who is in obvious awe of Kim at this point. Luong herself is being vocal while sitting on the lap of Gang-il with an arm draped over his shoulders. As for Gang-il himself? He has been quiet and observant the whole time. It had been some time since he had seen his top pupil in action and he has spent the fight taking mental notes. Ever the teacher he is finding the flaws to mention to Kim after the fight.

There is a grin that spreads across his face when Kim survives the barrage from Lita and remains standing to face the next opponent. He can't help but feel proud of seeing Tae Kwon Do put on a good showing so far, but the fight is far from over and the elder fighter knows not to underestimate the Ikari Warriors. They are the top mercenary unit in the world and having their back against the wall now is going to just make it even more tougher. For now he is pleased and he is more than interested to see how much Kim has left in the tank.

[LEONA]
Observation, study, consideration and planning. Leona, Codename Leona Heidern, watches as her fellow warrior falls. Her expressions belays little insight to her mind. Her arms crossed at her stomach, elbow couched in hand, thinking on her test and training with Lita. Lita was formidable, and the efforts shown by the Tae Kwon Do practitioner shown him to be considerably capable as well. This would not be simple, this would likely not end up in a glorious victory.

But victory was never really the intent of Ikari participation in the King of Fighters.

Leona had seen first hand how capable many fighters, even those as brash as Johnny Cage, could be. She knew they could be great challenges or allies. And as he defeated Lita, Kim had said 'There is no evil here'. At that moment, Leona's focus was on him.

With Lita down, Leona dashes from the Ikari's table and into the combat zone. There she stops and faces down Kim, tugging on the edge of her glove and giving her opponent a curt nod. No words for her opponent, just a clear and present readiness.

COMBATSYS: Leona has joined the fight here.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Kim              0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0            Leona

[KIM]
The arrogance continues to glow from the Tae Kwon Do master.

"You are Leona." Kim Kaphwan states firmly, looking at her dead on. "I heard you were fighting against the United Nations directly, as well as -other- terrorist organizations. You don't look like much of a talker. " Kim Kaphwan actually starts to move at Leona, ready to attack her as he did with Lita before. Breathing hard, but intensely, he readies to strike- before a judge throws a flag up. Kim Kaphwan ceases his movement, and steps back. The Tae Kwon Do master stares at the judge, confused.

"I- I'm fighting her, yes?"

The judge shakes his head. "Per King of Fighters rules, your opponent makes the first move, and you react to it. " Kim frowns at the judge, a grimace coming over his face. Turning back over to Leona, he glowers at her. "I will follow the rules! That's the honorable way! That is why I am here, to show the world the strength and power of Tae Kwon Do! Every fighter in the King of Fighters must prove their worth!" Kim Kaphwan flinches a bit, overreacting to a perceived move from Ikari Warrior. Kim narrows his eyes a moment, as if a question just popped into his mind.

"Why are the Ikari Warriors here, then?"

[LEONA]
Why are the Ikari Warriors here? A question that has a simple answer, and Leona speaks plainly, "It's our mission."

But there is more. The itching at the back of Leona's neck tells her as much. In many cases she would be silent, she would simply move on with her mission. She would fight and she would lose or win as skill would dictate. But she knows she is fighting something bigger, bigger than herself or the Ikari can fight with combat and a warrior's heart. She may have to go beyond the Heidern Assassination Technique to prove herself here. It is not where she is strongest, but a warrior cannot turn down an opportunity to strike when it is presented. And if she must strike with words, she will.

"We are here to prove ourselves," she finally speaks, low and flat, "And to defend what people need it. That is our mission." Her position isn't dramatic, or even very loud, but it is presented. Though she does adopt somewhat of a stiff stance to speak her mind. It's just a force of habit.

Her piece is said, she was never going to speechify dramatically. But she can open explosively. By way of adjusting one of her earrings and sending it Kim's direction with a light flick. It's still in the air when it explodes with a cacophonic force. The cloud and debris it kicks up in the aftermath of the blast a cover for Leona to take her low to the ground stance and begin her assault.

COMBATSYS: Leona successfully hits Kim with Earring Explosive.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Kim              1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0            Leona

[KIM]
Kim actually snorts at the answer.

As she at least admits some degree of self-worth, the restraint earns a nod from the Tae Kwon Do master. As he waits, he allows Leona to make her first move; after all, it was the rules. As she adjusts her earrings, Kim tilts his head. What was the matter? Kim actually tries to peer at the earrring. Maybe it would be something to get his wife.

IT was not something to get his wife.

As it is tossed at Kim, he connects one and two together. "KIAI! He cries out, trying to dodge into the earring. That proves to be a mistake, as the burst of an explosion catches him. Knocking him hard to the ground, he tumbles on impact, as the cloud spreads over him.

For a moment, silence.

"A noble goal-" Kim Kaphwan states as he emerges from the blast cloud, gi tattered. "But you would be served better using Tae Kwon Do than any explosives or weapons like that!" NOt exactly a wordsmith, Kim is. But as he shoots into a low kick at Leona's shin, he immediately explodes into a staggering overhead kick, dropping his heel down hard. He had already tested Lita, and found her a dangerous fighter.

But Leona has proven herself even more dangerous of an opponent.

COMBATSYS: Kim successfully hits Leona with Ryuusei Raku ES.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Kim              1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0            Leona

[LEONA]
A proud man, a loud man, but he seems ultimately a good one. At least he talks about nobility. She's moving in, prepping for the next motion. Keep one step ahead and strike hard. Move ahead and around the strike and position herself the best place possible.

But the man proves himself stronger than that. Faster than that. A blast of power that catches Leona's instep, she lags, lurching out of position. Exposed and left hanging, the next strike hammers down on top of her. She crashes to the ground and bounces up from the force of the heel.

Head throbbing, drum beats pounding in her ear. The steel drums fading for a deeper pulsing as the blood rushes through her ears and fills her field of vision. She lashes upward, rising from her near flat lay to flip upwards and back, a roll away from Kim's strike, her arm cutting a sharp upward slash. From elbow down, her knife edged strike covered in a raging storm of angry, cutting chi energy that spark and snaps.

COMBATSYS: Kim interrupts Moon Slasher EX from Leona with Hien Zan EX.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Kim              1/----===/=======|=======\===----\1            Leona

[KIM]
The dreadful speed and power.

Slamming hard into Leona, the momentum continues to caring over as Kim Kaphwan prepares the relentless kicking chains that was infamous with Tae Kwon Do. Almost immediately, he begins to pivot back upon landing his drop kick. Moving in harmony, Leona brings her out lash upwards, as Kim moves upwards as well. The upward slash is met with a kick, as he backflips as well.

And Kim breaks through the snap.

Kim completes the backflip kick, his foot slamming up through Leona chin. He lands, barely able to land and keep his footing. Instinctively, he grips his torso; a deep gash of chi burning through his already tattered gi. He even takes a look at it, as if in shock or pain. He managed to complete his attack but...

How could Leona deal so much through his attack?

He was Tae Kwon Do, he was its master. But the relentless aggression showed flares of uncertainty, instability. He was speed and power and all, but even as he fights equals in justice and no evil, it was clear that one thing he was not comfortable with, upon the global stage of the King of Fighters.

Fighting non-Tae Kwon Do opponents.

[HAYLEY]
Tombstone Shooty Stand Hayley says, "Ill Gang"

[LEONA]
Straight through her assault. Blasting through her explosive, pushing through her attack. This man, no soldier or warrior, but a professional fighter, once more shows Leona how outclassed her and the Ikari are on the world stage. Thoughts flow through her mind as she hangs in the air, struck back again with little effort by a man that has already beaten one of her family.

Perhaps there was no reason to fear the pounding in her head, the itch under her skin, the sour rage in her heart, after all.

She remembers Brazil. She smells blood, unsure if it is hers or if it is her family's. She feels the ground as shit hits it, but she is miles away. She staggers through a rainforest, soaked in red, smelling nothing but iron and fire.

Leona Heidern kicks up from the ground. She lurches forward. She presses a palm to the side of her neck and rubs a spot throbbing with pain from her target's kick. Her eyes snap forward, she bends her knees. One hand out, she aligns her focus, she sees the Tae Kwon Do practitioner.

Leona Heidern sees blood.

COMBATSYS: Leona assesses the tactical situation.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Kim              1/----===/=======|=======\===----\1            Leona

[KIM]
Kim Kaphwan suddenly jolts.

He doesn't attack, no, but he shivers. His eyes go wide. Something... he felt something. As he looks at the sharp focus around her, it should be just a flicker of intensity. But there is something else. Kim Kaphwan knew his mentor was watching, but he couldn't stop it. His own eyes go wide, as he shakes his head at Leona. "I can sense it... EVIL!" There, he tenses his whole body, flexing it as he unleashes a fingerpoint of ultimate judgement. his very stance collapsing as he surges with the righteousness. And there, he bellows in the purest Tae Kwon Do might.

"EVIL IS UNFORGIVABLE!"

Kim's body explodes with energy, he riots forward like a rocket. Bounding into the air, he unleashes a long vault. There, the leap becomes a diving kick, slamming his leg down at Leona before he attempts to pivot up. Should he manage to get his pivot going, he would immediately unleashes a roundhouse to send Leona airborne, and promptly follow up with a chain of rising, aerial spin kicks, three of them. IF he could even make it that far, the attack would finish with a dropping axe kick, to send Leona back to earth. A fiercesome, frightening assault. But the raw justice burns within Kim, almost mindlessly, as fatigue almsot immediately seizes his heart. He had to.

He could feel the darkness within.

COMBATSYS: Leona interrupts Houou Tenbu Kyaku from Kim with Gravity Storm EX.
- Power hit! -

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Kim              1/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|====---\-------\0            Leona

[LEONA]
There is something natural about the way Leona Heidern moves. Natural in the same way a tiger stalks prey or a viper readies a strike. Natural in the way that oleander poisons. She leans forward, feral, stepping and focusing on Kim Kaphwan. Her eyes dead and cold, a shark eyed killer that takes measured steps to focus on the man opposite her.

The call out breaks something. The woman laughs. Low and slow at first, but picking up. The predator inside isn't the cold and emotionless girl, it's hungry, and mad and wild. And it's almost here.

The prey leaps, clearing up any clutter but for the sky behind him and the open direction in which he falls. So she rises to meet him. The kick hammers her, but the coughing, madcap laugh that comes from Leona takes the pain with a euphoric joy. Rage burning beyond anger, Leona kicks viciously upward, arresting Kim's momentum with her own.

A second, and a third kick, rolling backward, rising and striking still, sending her opponent upward with all his justice thrust back at him with the laughing rage. But even then, Leona's rushing madness doesn't let Kim up. She grabs onto him, rears back a hand blazing with whipsharp chi, and stabs hard into his belly. The second hand joins the first. And with one final manic laugh, she stomps hard, wrenching her hands free from Kim and sending him down to the ground with an explosive force.

[KIM]
Impossible.

As Kim Kaphwan unleashes his dive, he cannot believe that he created an opening. That dumbfounded shock only manages to carve open the opportunity for Leona wider and wider, with the cruel laughter echoing around him. THe darkness boils out of Leona, and directly into KIm. When he hits the ground, smashing through a table and it's stacked chairs, he scrambles back up. Dazed. And with his surprise, he glances at Gang-Il. This was worse for the master than anything else. Because it wasn't simply that he made a mistake, no.

A Tae Kwon Do Master had a weakness in his technique.

Kim Kaphwan burns with righteous fury. "THis cannot be. How can someone who started so pure... be so wicked? THis is unacceptable! I should have known that it was all a ruse, and the Ikari Warrior are nothing but EVIL! ALL EVIL!" The righteous fury flows back into Kim. He was bloodied, bruised, and nearly broken. He was exhausted beyond words. But the thought, the illusion of evil, the sight of evil, is what gives him that frantic push. He throws himself at Leona.

And begins to kick.

"YA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA" Was the Kiai as he hurls out the furious chain of kicks. Not only kicks, the endless combination shows, but even punches, dreaded Tae Kwon Punches, a rarity even on the world stage. The assault will only break, if Leona does not break him again, when he unleashes a rising spin kick to knock Leona up, and then, promptly spike he down with a heel drop.

All with a finishing "YATTA!"

COMBATSYS: Leona dodges Kim's Houou Kyaku ES.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Kim              0/-------/---<<<<|-------\-------\0            Leona

[LEONA]
The dam is breaking. The rush in her ears is pulsing. The endless void and futility has pushed at Leona and she has cracked. But she is not broken yet. Even now she restrains something, somehow, even more violent than she has displayed so far. Even now she wrestles against the twisting, joint cracking intensity that the rage calls for. She slams to the ground after her strike on Kim, she can feel the shout of her body, and the deeper shout at how much it feels to feel anything. And only part of her strangles that blood mad rage.

But strangle she does. Her breaths slow, she snaps her head up from her kneeling stance. She hears Kim shout. It stings more than the pain cruising through her body. But she knows it's true. And she hopes he, or someone else, can stop her if she cannot.

But survival instinct is still instinct. She rolls, combat style, to avoid the first strike. The second, the third, the continuing combination is met with weaves and sways and slips of position. One step ahead, focusing, swallowing the rage for the cool and collected mind of the assassin. The Heidern Technique put to more than killing, but containing.

Leona seizes her moment to strike. As the heel is up, she flips herself backward, her leg strikes outward and from it a razor sharp sickle of chi scythes over the ground, carving a furrow toward Kim while Leona makes her unbalanced, but needed, escape

COMBATSYS: Leona successfully hits Kim with I-Slasher.

[                         \\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Kim              0/-------/<<<<<<<|==-----\-------\0            Leona

[LITA]
As Lita has her injuries tended to, she watches as Leona struggles against the same opponent to whom she was unable to do anything meaningful. She was quietly rooting for her team mate until that moment Kim shouts those three words of 'Evil is unforgivable.' It was at the moment that tone of the fight changes and the former Delta Red looks on in wide-eyed horror.

For a moment, Lita sees a Leona that she didn't see when both fighting alongside of nor when she fought Leona herself when trying to prove herself to the Ikari. Granted, she wasn't quite at the level of Kim but still this was unfamiliar ground for her and it left her confused.

Kim, on the other hand, put her on familiar but still infuriating ground. To dismiss the Ikari as evil without living among them, and to disregard not only the acts they do but more importantly, the jobs they've refused. That brings a familiar anger to the surface.

She yanks herself free of the medic, relatches her sword to her back and walks out.

Before, she would've been willing shake hands and possibly buy drink for the other team. Now, not so much.

[KIM]
For Kim Kaphwan, the evil was as obvious as he could see it.

The darkness, the vile, beastal darkness pouring out from Leona, it was unforgivable. LIta might not see it. Gang-Il might not see it. Heck, everybody else in the building might not see it. But Kim could. Kim knew he could. He knew it with every kick he unleashed, every punch, every attack he was pouring at Leona that was deftly, carefully evaded, carefully peeled around. It was like he was fighting the wind. An evil wind. He was the only thing between this creature and an innocent victim. He could sense it. He could know it. There was only thing he was not aware of.

His own transformation.

Kim Kaphwan is nearly transcending himself in his focus on Leona. A backflip comes, and another sickle of chi comes out. The Tae Kwon Do master is already moving, trying to escape the arc of chi. And yet, he cannot escape it. Chi techniques were relatively straight forward in terms of Tae Kwon Do. The Assassin ARts of the Ikari Warriors were unknown, and instinct was failing Kim. Glimmers of frustration flood in him, buried only by the self-righteous obsession he had upon Leona. He didn't care what everyone thought of him now. Evil was unforgivable. He had to stop this monster before she could hurt anybody else. Kim takes into the air, eyes transfixed as his chest bears the sharp searing burn of the chi slash. Flying through the air, he unleashes a staggering flying kick, forcing his body to cooperate, forcing his body to keep moving forward. Whether or not it would connect, he would use it to springboard off the impact point, leaping away from Leona on the contact of the kick. No words, no warning.

Just glowering righteousness against perceived evil.

COMBATSYS: Leona blocks Kim's Twio Yop Chagi EX.

[                         \\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Kim              1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0            Leona

[LEONA]
Kim Kaphwan was strong. He was fast. He was capable. But Leona held onto a determination. She would win, and she would do so while keeping the fury at bay. She could fight a war on two fronts, keeping the internal strong while the external had to weather the storm of blows from the Tae Kwon Do master.

A duck, rolling, put into a position to cross her arms, the kick strikes her, she coughs out, feeling the energy leaving her body. She pushes back on the force, springboarding Kim away. He's moving to be at distance, she knows the tactic, so she puts herself into the position of aggressor. As he comes down, she begins her low slung run toward the man.

Mid stride, her arm ignites, flashing into a blade shaped edge of razor sharp chi as blue as her hair. She strikes for Kim, rising and slashing, the force of her own strike carrying her upward into a rolling backflip of a kick. Pressing, moving and striking. She put her everything to win this fight, as well as the one burning in her chest.

COMBATSYS: Kim dodges Leona's Gliding Buster EX.

[                         \\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Kim              1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0            Leona

[KIM]
Don't blink.

Kim's reposition counts towards every moment, every second, every flicker of instinct. Determination against determination. He could not see the inner war that Leona was struggling with. He didn't even see that flash of darkness coming to the surface. But he knew he saw it. And he had to purify it the only way he knew how: By kicking. As her burning arms comes out, he doesn't hesitate. He doesn't stop. He flows with it, moving around it. Not to reposition perfectly, per say, but to cleanly, and precisely, evade it. Every second was like minutes to him, he was reading and stepping in place. He waits until he is sure he is fully clear of the complete attack.

And he attacks once more.

He doesn't let her fully finish. He can't hestiate, even though every action is stressed and strained. He staggers in with a powerful roundhouse kick, once again trying to send Leona up into the air. There, he would explode up in the air with her, to promptly spike her down with an executing axe kick. He was breathing hard, desperately. And yet, on his lips, was a rasping, hoarse voice. "Evil... evil..."

"... Unforgivable..."

COMBATSYS: Kim successfully hits Leona with Kouou Hiten Kyaku.

[                         \\\\\  < >  /                             ]
Kim              0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1            Leona

[LEONA]
Evil.

Leona knows something is in her. Something building, boiling, but she's had it under control. She strangled the fury and it's in her right mind when she gets cleaned. Kicked hard, sent skyward, lingering in the air. That second kick crashes her to the ground. She bounces, the world goes dark, she folds over on the side. She stops.

There she lay. Downed and staring. Evil. It bores in her head. She rolls, onto her hands and knees. Her head at the ground. She holds position, halfway between down and up, before there's one final dash. She snaps forward, hauling toward Kim. Her arm ignites, she strikes for his belly. But as she surges past Kim, she doesn't know if what she's done has even worked. She is out, moving unconsciously and slamming to the ground to slide along, a heap, laying motionless on the floor.

The Evil is Defeated.

COMBATSYS: Leona can no longer fight.

[                         \\\\\  <
Kim              0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Leona successfully hits Kim with Leona Blade.

[                                <
Kim              0/-------/----===|

[KIM]
It is over.

Kim Kaphwan unleashes the final slam, and he lands. He stumbles, barely able to remain standing. Barely able to hold himself together. Barely able to cling to his core. He was well past his limit; he pushed himself way too far. But as he struggles to regain his center, he locks on the burning dream: evil was defeated. Vanquished. And now, it was time to reform Leona, to fix her, to make her good instead of evil. Simplistic thinking, that barely holds together as Leona dashes straight for Kim. The Tae Kwon Do Master swerves, trying to twist out of the way.

But his body no longer obeyed him.

The final blow to his gut catches him hard. Blood comes from his mouth, as his face puffs up. A swollen bruise spreads around his torso, as he hangs there. He doesn't touch Leona, as she drops. He dangles there, eyes wide. And then, he shakes his finger at the Ikari Warrior. "Good... good will..."

Kim Kaphwan collapses, both from his injuries and from the sheer exhaustion.

COMBATSYS: Kim takes no action.


COMBATSYS: Kim can no longer fight.


[GANG-IL]
Kim may be down, but it looks like Luong and May Lee are doing plenty of celebration to make up for it. A team of elite mercenaries and Kim managed to take down two of them. Sure he took finally went down, but it is an impressive feat and when all is said and done Gang-Il is smiling wide.

His more serious demeanor has faded now that the fight is over and he rises from the stool he was perched on. He claps his hands a few times for both Kim and the Ikari that fought him. "Hah, the student has to go and show up the master." he says with a hearty laugh coming from him afterwards. "Guess I am going to have to pull my own weight next fight or I will never hear the end of it."

The short, Tae Kwon Do master steps forward waving off any medics looking to tend to Kim. "Oh he is fine. He will just soak it off in a nice ice bath once he wakes up." More than likely he wakes up due to Gang-Il tossing him in an ice bath, but that is beside the point. With relative ease Kim is hefted up over the shoulder of Gang-Il who turns to carry him off.

He does pause to look back in the direction of where the Ikari team have been position and he gives a respectful nod before turning back to carry off his student. Once he is taken care of it is time to celebrate! Hopefully Luong hasn't gotten too far ahead in the celebration.

Log created on 09:32:23 06/06/2019 by Kim, and last modified on 18:56:00 06/16/2019.