Match of the Millennium

Description: The Neo League Season 6 Quarterfinals continue in the famous Sydney Opera Hall, where a Legitimate Businessman is brought to face off against the Titan crashing his way into the top 8! (Winner: Tairyu)

[KONGOU]
How does a gigantic, monstrously strong, blue-skinned, fighter arrive to a fighting venue? Apparently anyway he wants to and in this case it involves a rather dramatic crash through the ceiling of the opera house by way of dropping a little -to- soon from the helicopter harness that was being used to fly him in. Thus the arrival is much to the dismay of the Neo League organizers but at the same time to be expected as where Kongou goes..a fair bit of damage tends to come hand in hand or follow not long behind him.

Thus it's with an earth shaking and a massive plume of dust and debris that he lands just outside of the set aside combat zone..though it's anyones guess if the fight will actually stay 'in' there. No such thing as ring outs after all.

"Kongou has arrived!" he declares, lifting impossibly muscled arms up and bringing them down into a hulkish double bicep pose before lifting arms up again and swiveling his his torso from side to side as he steps forward. He's not without his fans..but also not without his detractors. There's that whole, 'is he or isn't he' Darkstalker issue. He claims to be a 'Youkai' but really is there any difference in the public eye? Supernatural is as supernatural does.

[TAIRYU]
In hindsight, the Neo League organizers really should have expected this much. Surely someone in the camera crew even ends up telling the production director as much.

That person immediately gets canned for their troubles.

At least the displayed method of dynamic entry does draw plenty cheers from the people who have gathered on the stands lining the opera hall itself. Well, cheers from the people who don't have issues with the 'possibly a Darkstalker' thing.

"So you have."

The voice rumbles from somewhere within the stage. The stage that had, just seconds earlier, surely had been empty -- but as the cloud of dust sent out by the crash through the ceiling dissipates, a figure becomes clear, standing there much too casually for the circumstances. A man in a dark suit of an outdated cut over a dark-red dress shirt with an upturned collar, one hand held lazily within his pocket.

"Yo," Tairyu deadpans out, thus, to the giant, while his sharp gaze draws over him. "Made a bit of a mess already, haven't you?"

[KONGOU]
"Oh..whoops!"

Kongou seems ..surprised at first, "I suppose I was to excited to get here on time! It looks like I mis timed my jump just a teeny tiny bit."

He rubs his jaw as he draws nearer and then leans forward abit to peer at Tairyu, "YOu are dressed for an outing, at least so far as I've observed such customs around here. Very unusual! I hope you will entertain me before you have your evening out?"

He slips into a more readied combat stance..which is really just him bracing his legs slightly and lifting his hands up. They slowly ball up into boulder like fists as he grins at Tairyu, "Make it interesting, okay??"

COMBATSYS: Kongou has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Kongou           0/-------/-------|

[TAIRYU]
One dark brow arches upwards, slowly, along the japanese man's forehead. "Hoo. You seem like you have more manners than a lot of people I end up running into. Decent change of pace."

To Tairyu's credit, he doesn't seem to be fazed much by the size difference-- even while the titan edges closer to tower over him, and he has to crane his head back and up to maintain eye contact.

"Interesting, huh... Well." Slowly, the hand in his pocket slides itself out -- and once it has been brought into visibility, his feet scuff slightly along the pristine wooden boards of the stage to adjust his own stance. The hand pulled out from the pocket curling into a fist and staying low, knuckles pointed towards his opposing foot, while the other fist draws itself up to level with his chin. "I suppose I owe that much to everyone here since I made it this far."

The upraised fist opens itself up to stretch out the fingers -- before clamping up shut again with much more forceful intent than such a simple motion should have, and his brows knit together and eyes narrow in focus. "I expect you to act in kind, Kongou-san."

COMBATSYS: Tairyu has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Kongou           0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0           Tairyu

[KONGOU]
"Very good! I will do so!"

With that, the giant suddenly lunges forward!

However, his opening move is..perhaps a touch bizarre as such things go as he ends up leaning forward and then bringing his massive arms around in a wide arc to clap his hands together. The impact is..resounding to say the least. So powerful that a shockwave of pure raw force blasts out from him and rolls across the distance between himself and Tairyu with the sound of a moving earthquake behind it.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu blocks Kongou's Thunderous Applause.

[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Kongou           0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
"Hrmh?"

Judging just from the slight bending of Tairyu's legs alone, he was ready to make a leap out of the way of Kongou's dreadfully-enormous hands. But it's only at the last second that he realizes that the titan is not going for a direct hit. Then what in the nine hells is he--?

"Hrgh--!" The pure kinetic energy rippling through the air damn near knocks him back while his arms come up to instinctively shield himself, mostly just ending up preventing most of the air pressure from spiking into his face while his feet brace into the floor to keep him from skidding back too much.

"--Very well then," Tairyu rumbles, just barely audible over the thunderous sound, while he draws his left arm to curl in towards his right side -- with bright-blue, blazing chi channels itself in a spiral around the limb. The arc almost looks as though it has scales, and a dragonic head that aligns with his palm when he snaps the arm out forward, palm pointed for Kongou as a gout of flames fills the air and arcs through.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu successfully hits Kongou with Dragon's Breath.
- Power hit! -

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Kongou           0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0           Tairyu

[KONGOU]
Well one thing is for sure.. The spectators are in for a special effects bonanza!

The flames rush forward and envelop the giant fighter and the area around him in a dramatic flourish. "Whoullff!" rumbles Kongou, surprised by their intensity and momentarily disorientated.

And then he bursts through them. His monstrous body emerges with his massive arms swinging through the chi generated fire, seeming to literally part them around his immense frame while his visage grins broadly, teeth full and bright as he lunges forward "Very good! That was a surprise!"

His massive legs pump, pressing a crater into the ground from the sheer pressure and then hes suddenly slamming forward towards Tairyu, turning his shoulders towards him as he attempts to slam right into him with a tremendous body check.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu counters Muscle Collidor from Kongou with Dragon's Tail.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Kongou           0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
Tairyu actually gives a quick wave to his hand when he straightens out, as if such a thing was required to put out the flame.

And though his brows remain furrowed into an idle frown, the corners of his lips do subtly twitch upwards upon seeing the Youkai burst through the flames left behind. "Mmm. Figures little embers like that wouldn't be enough to stop something of that size," he rumbles even while the giant charges for him.

But he doesn't leap out of the way, no. He takes a steadying breath in, and just as the overwhelmingly large figure is about to collide with him--

"Haah-!"

A subtle motion to the left that brings Tairyu himself turning around to guide his left hand into the advancing titan's side, and his foot into the much meatier one. Just enough to toss Kongou off-balance and circle himself around him.

The spinning turn continues further-- and before the titan can stumble too far, it guides Tairyu's right fist sweeping in, in a viciously sharp backhanded strike aimed straight for the center of his spine.

--But.

"Hrrgh?!"

The instant his knuckles impact into the giant, a red flash of energy overtakes his fist and forearm, an ethereal burst of flames not only singes into Kongou but burns off half of the sleeve from Tairyu's jacket.

"Gah--!" A stumble from him now, just to hurriedly get some distance away from the Youkai, and he finds himself clutching his burnt right arm with his left hand and growling, "Not now--!"

[KONGOU]
Normally that would call for a "Well done!" from Kongou but...well..that might be a bit to on the nose for even him at the moment, considering the nature of the attacks and the damage being hurtled his way.

Also it's entirely possible that Tairyu is doing just a little too well for his tastes. Not this early on. Things must be more dramatic!

"Hmm..it would seem that I am possibly not as well attuned as I should be for this fight. I must apologize for my weakness!"

Kongou emerges once again from the ethereal bonfire to come lunging in with a massive upper cut, practically leaning his whole body into it in order to drag his fist down and then swing his whole arm up at Taiyru like some castle sieging trebuchet that has just unleashed its momentum.

His glowering eyes squint a little mid swing. Did he notice Tairyu recoiling in pain from the previous attack? Hard to say! EIther way his fist lunges in like a boulder and should it impact, enough force to send Tairyu hurtling skyward and then back down again will be unleashed.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu blocks Kongou's Orbital Launcher.

[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Kongou           0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
Tairyu doesn't seem to have much time to worry about the burn on his arm. Not when the giant is coming for him again.

With the fist brought low before him, Tairyu's quick to bring his own arms crossed up together in front of him. He can outright *feel* the power behind that blow while it's still coming for him. Just bracing against it won't be enough. It'll shatter the bones in his arms otherwise.

In the very last fraction of a second before impact, his foot kicks down at the ground to launch his own body up into the air, effectively sending himself into motion along with Kongou's own arm, dampening the weight of the hit by leaning himself into the momentum itself.

But that does leave the issue of him getting launched into the air regardless.

The japanese man's body arcs up high into the air and across the stage -- crashing right through the curtains and a wall beyond it into the backstage with an echoing sound of wooden structuring getting brought apart.

For the first few seconds, there's nothing.

And then, from that very same point Tairyu had been smashed through, he comes flying out again, leaping through the air to dive towards Kongou...

With a large tuba held in his arms overhead.

COMBATSYS: Kongou blocks Tairyu's Random Weapon.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Kongou           0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1           Tairyu

[KONGOU]
The tuba impacts and folds up against the body of Kongou like some sort of accordion being pressed together. Somehow it emits a low droning note of dismay but Kongou pays it little mind as he lunges forward and leaps towards the incoming Tairyu with all the elegance of a freight train deciding to hop its track.

Reach becomes his weapon now as he brings both of his arms forward to try and grasp for the other fighter and if successful, he continues his forward momentum but also spins in an attempt to bring Tairyu down with him in a crushing and thunderous body splash!

COMBATSYS: Tairyu counters World Crusher Slam from Kongou with Dragon's Clutch.

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Kongou           0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
He probably should have seen that coming. And yet, Tairyu's teeth grit together with the impending sense of urgency upon witnessing the tuba effectively folding up on itself instead of getting turned into an effective cudgel against the Titan. With his weight leaned in mid-air to guide the weapon in, he's effectively left suspended in the air for a fraction of a second or so-- long enough for Kongou to make a potentially-devastating grab for him.

His continued grip on the bent-up tuba ends up working in his favor, however. The subtlest turn of his wrist brings the long piece of brass hooking a bit further around the giant's shoulder, into an anchor point he can use to pull himself along by. It's not effective enough to provide an anchoring for more than a split second, but it's enough to carry him to the side just enough that, upon letting go of the instrument, he can slap his hand onto the outer side of Kongou's right forearm, and effectively yank himself along further by it.

"I really can't--!" Tairyu's other hand reaches further out then, to grab at Kongou's side while the hand already on his arm slides further towards the bicep and shoulder, pulling himself in further in the most bizarre aerial maneuver. "--take a breather with you!" And the swing guides his leg further in along his side and spike his knee into the monstrous Yokai's midsection. Granted, Kongou is *much* more meaty than his usual opponents, but his muscle memory demands trying to go for the weak point of the solar plexus regardless.

[KONGOU]
"Hooo!" roars Kongou in true shock and surprise at these events. "Very good!" he hoots. His deep voice booming thunderously and quite pleased even if it seems as if he's on the losing end of this duel.

The blow slams home against him, rippling its force throughout his body and causing him to recoil slightly but he continues pressing in on the offense and his arm swings around, massive limb arcing in like a tumbling tree and his massive hand reaching out to grab for Tairyu's leg.

"But allow me to attempt to not let this appear to be quite so one sided!"

Success will see Tairyu's body being flung around violently as the giant attempts to repeatedly slam him and gain some bit of positive momentum in this contest.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu dodges Kongou's Repeated Slams.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Kongou           0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
The problem with putting yourself into the aerial maneuvers required to reach the usual weak points on someone this... well, *huge*, is that it does take away the supporting point of the floor beneath for one's feet.

This is evidenced in that even after guiding the knee strike in, Tairyu is still left to an upraised position where he still needs to let gravity bring himself down to the floor again, leaving amble time for Kongou to reach for his vulnerable leg. He sees it coming, too -- sees the death, the *pain* that awaits behind that grasp if it takes hold.

"D'rya!" His voice roars out in focus as his other leg snaps up, suddenly, to press his foot into the underside of the outreached arm. Not so much to damage or even knock away, but to push *himself* down in the instant those thick fingers are but millimiters away from catching him by the other leg. The unorthodox shove forcefully sends him down onto the floor, and into a roll along it, around the Titan's own legs, ending with his hands stamping down onto the wooden boards to brace himself while he takes the opportunity to sweep his leg along the floor before he fully gets up, aiming the swiping kick at Kongou's achilles tendon!

COMBATSYS: Kongou blocks Tairyu's Sweeping Strike.

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Kongou           0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1           Tairyu

[KONGOU]
It is not enough. On the juggernaut comes.

"Such tenacity!" he rumbles whiel looming overhead. "You inspire me to take more risks!"

This is, possibly not a good thing as a massive fist clenches, the sound of knuckles tensing and cracking an audible thing, like boulders being splintered.

Again he swings, coming in for a wild swing that causes his body to begin a full rotation. His fist arcs down towards Tairyu and then should it hit, brings his body up again. However, instead of hurtling him up and away he attempts to continue the rotation and then bring fist and body back down on the other side and then into the floor thunderously with the full weight of his strength behind it. A double whammy should Tairyu fail to move out of the way or otherwise avoid the assault.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu counters Gargantua Fist from Kongou with Tiger Drop ES.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-

[                                < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Kongou           1/---====/=======|-------\-------\0           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
"Ghh-!" It's like trying to kick a steel beam, Tairyu finds. No matter his technique, no matter how furious the force behind his attacks, the titan is just... for lack of a more eloquent term, too *chunky*.

At least Kongou has kind words to offer for his opponent. And even with the obvious threat of overwhelming force looming above him, Tairyu manages a faint smile.

"...Yeah. Such is the way of the warrior, isn't it?" He pushes himself up the rest of the way, facing the Titan head on while he winds up for his swing. "Take the risks you find, push against the boundary... to overcome, to grow. You're just as relentless, in that."

The swing comes, but Tairyu doesn't even seem to have time to put up a defensive stance. Though to the view one camera filming this live for the League, there's a brief sight of the faintest hint of blue light glowing through from underneath the back of the black jacket.

"I receive you."

It happens, in the instant Kongou's fist comes hammering down. A blur of motion, a blue trail of an afterimage from the chi coating Tairyu's arm. An barely perceptible to the naked eye, where Tairyu's seemingly-defenseless stance has changed to his knee dropped down onto the ground, right in the Titan's personal space.

Time seems to stand still, with Kongou's fist just inches above Tairyu -- and Tairyu's own burning fist collided into him.

And with the resuming of time's forward momentum, the opera hall is overtaken by an explosive sound, the sound barrier breaking and a shockwave akin to the Youkai's opening move from the powerful counter-move that may well have been noted by the League commentators already after the many matches that brought the japanese man here. Such impossible force that it's enough to blow even Kongou back and send his swinging fist flying wide away from it's target.

Even if it does leave Tairyu buckling over slightly after, and needing to brace one hand against the floor for a moment while he takes several panting breaths, sweat dripping copiously over his brow.

[KONGOU]
Now that..was something.

It takes a lot to move Kongou against his well. Some have managed it. The list is short..but Tairyu has managed to put himself onto it.

The giant slides backwards as the ring of chi rolls through him and the shockwave of its passing blows the ground up around him in a gout of flame and a rain of debris. Somehow, he manages to stay upright and doesn't just go tumbling back out of control, but the wide eyed look on his face shows he's clearly surprised and caught by the immense force that was just applied against him.

There is a space of seconds after all of that as he arrests his backwards slide and for a moment he looks ready to charge forward again. A look of true displeasure passing over his features and both fists clenching as his battered body looms there.

But then he seems to suddenly change his mind and he abruptly falls backwards into at thunderous seated position, even going as far as lifting a arm up to pop onto a slightly bent knee in a sort of thinkers position.

"Well done!" he rumbles, that big grin back once again. "It would seem that I have lost!"

A strange way, perhaps, for an opponent to be defeated..but..he is a Youkai and they are indeed strange.

COMBATSYS: Kongou takes no action.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Tairyu           0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Kongou can no longer fight.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Tairyu           0/-------/-------|

[TAIRYU]
Oh god, he's still up. It was to be expected that someone of that size and bulk would not be sent flying the same way many others had who have been subjected to the technique passed onto him by his father figure, but Tairyu's eyes still widen at the sight of Kongou left there, standing strong and ready to charge back in.

With a visible grit of teeth, he's hurrying to push himself up to standing-- but then.

Then Kongou merely sits down. Now this is enough to surprise Tairyu. For every honorable opponent, there's been roughly five sore losers on the streets. But never has he seen someone just... sit down.

"Haah... hah... Nnh... You're really... something else, Kongou-san," he murmurs between panting breaths while he works himself to stnading upright. "You got awful close to breaking my arms there. That was... exciting, indeed."

A few steps carry him closer to where Kongou has seated himself. Very few sane person would approach a giant beast just because it has taken a resting position, but here's Tairyu, doing not only that--

But dipping himself into a deep bow of japanese tradition.

"My thanks to you for this battle, Kongou-san. May both of us grow from it."

COMBATSYS: Tairyu has ended the fight here.

Log created on 20:17:23 03/12/2021 by Tairyu, and last modified on 19:42:53 03/14/2021.