Match of the Millennium

Description: The Second King of Illyria makes an unofficial visit to Japan to extradite an informant... who also happens to have a warrant set on him by NOL. Surely there is no way in which this could have negative consequences.

[LEO WHITEFANG]
This is not a common occurance. Usually, Illyria makes it a deliberate choice to stay the hell away from Southtown. The reasons are rather obvious. As long as The NOL is headquartered here..when it comes to their presence and matters of magic and the supernatural...they aren't wanted. At least as far as the NOL is concerned. The regular populace may have different opinons all together but it's not the regular populace that wields the power the NOL wields.

So being prudent and wise would suggest that they keep their distance. Except those with heroism in their blood are often known for making unwise decisions and thumbing their nose at authority. Especially if they consider themselves -the- authority. Leo Whitefang certainly does.

An Illyria airship is hidden in a field nearby, hopefully unnoticed, as The Second King makes his way through the forest along with a small group of Sacred Order escorts. His visit here is wholly unofficial but not without merit and as his broad frame stalks forward his sharp eyes flit from side to side to take in the area, missing nothing as they scour the forest for every bit of detail it can offer. Eventually he raises a hand up and the knights come to a stop.

"You can come out now. Your abilities are noteworthy but I'm afraid my senses are a touch to honed."

There is a pause..and then rugged looking beastial man drops from a tree to land roughly. His features bearing cat like qualities to them but also small horns upon his head. His appearence vagabond like. Hardly something you would assume would associate with a man like Leo.

"About time...I was afraid you weren't coming."

"Your fears were unfounded." answers Leo. "But let's go. Now. We can talk on the way.."

[KATSURO]
While NOL has a very global presence, Southtown is certainly one of htose places where their activity can be felt deeply. Especially after the devastating events the city went through in recent memory with Darkstalkers. A memory that certainly helps in keeping relations between the local government and the Librarium itself in smooth order -- and help maintain the authority given to them here.

That is why the arrival of the Second King of Illyria here is quite the brave effort indeed. And why it probably doesn't come as any kind of surprise--

"Yo-hoooooo:"

--that someone would already come out of the woodworks to say hi.

The source of the call isn't exactly hard to track down. This person isn't making themselves hidden anymore, no. Not between the ruffling in the trees around the Illyrians and the-- presence that exudes through. It is the sense of a predator stalking through the shadows, circling it's prey. A killing intent.

It all guides up to a long branch two trees over from where the feline fellow dropped down. An a crouched perch upon that narrow platform, the colors of white and blue become apparent first. Many of the soldiers and officers of NOL might play fast and loose with their dress code, but that always seems to be the constant. And that particular coloring and patterning of the loose, open overcoat of the man up above paints him immediately as one of the Librarium's lot... even if the black dress vest and way-too-tight leather pants under the coat certainly aren't *standard*.

"I was *wondering* what all those other smells were," the man above calls out in a sing-song tone that just emphasizes his Kansai accent even further, while amber eyes sweep sharply past the drapes of his wild mane of messy hair over the knights and their King, one hand idly tapping it's fingers agains the crimson hilt of a japanese sword poised from his hip by a red shash slung diagonally along his waist.

"And here I thought I was just trackin' someone *boring*, huh? You been talkin' to someone way more important than you, haven't ya, kitten?"

[LEO WHITEFANG]
Immediate fear and panic spreads across the face of the darkstalker. "N..no, no!" He backs up in a hurry to end up tripping over branch an rock, lose his balance, and goes tumbling back very un cat-guy like to slam forcibly into Leo's unyielding frame. The Second King steadies the Darkstalker pushes him to the side as the Sacred Order Knights line up, flanking the Illyrian visitor.

"You must be with the NOL.." speaks Leo, stating the obvious and managing, despite his instincts and the aura that lies over the area, to be calm and diplomatic sounding.

"This one here is under my care and requested asylum with Illyria and it's been granted. We can work out the particular details later if we have to under more official channels but for now, what do you say we just turn the other cheek, so to speak, and let us be on our way."

Leo's eyes drift down to the sword at Katsuro's side and then back up towards the mans face again to study him intently. "There's no reason to make this matter more complicated."

[KATSURO]
"We have a correct answer from contestant number one!" The wild-haired man up in the tree proudly proclaims, even bringing his hands up to clap together in a brief but excited applause. "Ten points!"

The instant that little display ends, Katsuro's weight tips over forward enough to send him falling head-first down from the tree branch -- but continuing into a smooth flip that sees him landing gracefully on his feet down on the ground instead.

"Ain't nuttin' complicated 'bout it, blondie," he claims, his tone *much* more carefree than should be allowed for such a situation. He even perfectly casually starts padding closer to Leo and his refugee, hand finding it's place to resting lazily atop the sword once more. "The little kitty you're tryin' to adopt has a warrant on 'im, don'tcha know? And since you're here to try and snatch up one of our marks without even saying *hi* to my bosses, ya only really have two options here, hoss."

The prowl of the NOL's tracker comes to a halt just two meters or so away from the King, and he smirks at the other man without any hesitation whatsoever, even in spite of the fact that he is most obviously *horribly* outnumbered.

"WHat's it gonna be, hoss? I'm game for either." And judging from how his thumb is fiddling at the handguard of the sheathed sword now, he might be a little *too* eager for the non-peaceful option, too, even by the standards of a lot of NOL's people Leo has seen.

[LEO WHITEFANG]
"A warrant?"

Leo frowns. Some elements of this is news to him and he casts a glower at the Darkstalker who cringes, "It's not legit!" he exclaims. "It's a set up! I can explain!"

"Hrn..later.." grunts Leo who snaps his attention back to Katsuro, "I'm afraid your bosses and I aren't on good speaking terms. And I've seen what happens to Darkstalkers who are remanded to your care. I've no intention of allowing that to happen to him until this is properly settled. Your version of justice would see this man dead before he has a chance to defend his innocence and I won't allow that while I'm present."

He makes several hand gestures to his knights who begin slowly backing away while Leo holds his ground, glowering at the NOL officer now, "You don't have any idea who you're speaking with, do you? I'll give you one more chance. Stand down and look the other way I promise yo that if you control your killing instinct this one time we'll all be better for it and you'll lose nothing in the process.."

He's already figured that this is a lost cause but it can't be said he didn't make the officer. His stance subtly shifts as he speaks, hands dropping to his sides now and long coat being pulled back slightly away from his waist. "Well? What do you say?"

[KATSURO]
All the talk about measures of justice and such... actually makes the NOL soldier groan, right before making an exaggerated show of a yawn, of all things. The sheer *disrespect*.

"Ugh, don't give me any of that," he mutters, drawing his left hand up to scratch at the side of his nose with a thumb. "I don't care 'bout any of that. I just follow orders, ya know? Happens to be sometimes I *like* those orders."

And that question? THat makes the Bloodhound grin again, wide and toothy and way too *eager*.

"I know enough, blondie~," he sing-songs out. "No one boring would dress like that. No one boring would make the fuckin' goon squad they brought along back up while he still stood there in place. No one boring would *feel* like you do. And that's enough for me, yeah?"

An utterly wicked glint flickers in the eye left exposed by the mess of hair.

"You already knew what the answer was, hoss. I can't back away from my orders either, so--"

The idle thumbing of his sword's hilt suddenly transforms into a flick of a wrist and a snapping grasp on the weapon.

"--Let's make it FUN!!"

He draws--!

COMBATSYS: Katsuro has started a fight here.

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Katsuro          0/-------/-------|

[LEO WHITEFANG]
Those gestures were not simply for nothing. Sure it was a warning to back up but it was also orders that the knights immediately begin to carry out once the blade transforms and the intent of Katsuro is made clear.

A larger knight grabs hold of the Darkstalker and scoops him up under arm. Big and burly enough to do so as other guards move to cover him and the small group begins to make a haste driven retreat as Leo steps forward to make an attempt to block any pursuit efforts on the part of the NOL Officer.

His chi and magic blaze into being, sending gold and silver arcs of energy about his wrists that reveal two massive iron-cross swords that expand into full size on his large arms as he drops into a readied battle stance.

"I know all about following orders..but my list of sins is growing long so adding preventing you from following through on said orders to it and a little bit of action on my part being added to the list isn't going to make me lose any sleep. I felt your killing intent well before you revealed yourself. So if you want to prove yourself to me at least try and make interesting!"

COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang has joined the fight here.

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Leo Whitefang    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0          Katsuro

[KATSURO]
The blade that leaves the scabbard Katsuro brought along looks perfectly unremarkable at first glance-- even if the speed at which it is drawn barely gives enough time to really study the weapon much at all.

"Hahahaha! That's the spirit!!" The NOL officer practically roars out with laughter painting his words, echoed further in the manic glint in his amber eyes just from the sight of the massive swords coming into being-- and the sensation of Whitefang's resolve.

It is all, apparently, very titillating for Katsuro.

He doesn't stop to appreciate it much at all himself. THe instant his sword has been fully drawn out, he's already quickly ducking down and leaping through-- sword still held in a one-handed grip as he sweeps in, the slightly curved blade brought to bear in more of a prodding slash than anything else, seeing as the man's quick, dance-like steps quickly work to carry him around and awya from the King of Illyria in quick fashion again in the same chain of motions.

COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang blocks Katsuro's Evasive Strike.

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Leo Whitefang    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0          Katsuro

[LEO WHITEFANG]
The sword clashes against Leo's ready iron-cross blade, sliding along it with a shower of sparks and a ringing of combative sorcery as the larger man grimaces and frowns, pushing back against Katsuro only to find him darting away, gaining distance and possibly looking to pursue the soldiers. Or draw Leo in an away from them where he himself cannot be helped. Either or is unacceptable though Leo taking the fall for the sake fo his subordinates is certainly not something he's unfamiliar with.

"Tth. This is what you -really- wanted, isn't it?" he grunts, "What is it with the NOL and putting pyschopaths on the payroll? Relius Clover, that insane Shimotsuki, and now you!"

Leo dashes, blurring into movement like a lunging lion as his blades come hurtling around in wide arcing slashes. His speed in full defiance of his considerable build as he tries to not only keep pace with Katsuro but cross him up.

COMBATSYS: Katsuro dodges Leo Whitefang's Kaltes Gestober Erst.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Leo Whitefang    0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0          Katsuro

[KATSURO]
"Wouldn't know anythin' about that, blondie!" Katsuro calls back all too joyfully for the situation, already making a quick sweep to peer after the knights dragging the Darkstalker away. Even exposing his back to Leo momentarily?!

It's probably in that same moment Leo makes the lunge for the Hound, too, which seems... entirely inadvisable, even if he is rapidly pouncing from side to side in his seeming chase. But in the instant Leo's cross swords come in--

"Don't worry!"

--He's suddenly leaning his body back and to the side in a wide, languid stretch that sees his body sweeping just past the massive swords, the lean pulling him into a further cartwheeling flip to the side with his free hand as an anchor point.

"I'm not gonna leave ya yet!"

And before the bizarre evasive motion is fully done with, his sword is flipped around in his hand into a reverse grip, using the momentum of the cartwheel itself to make another quick swipe for the larger man!

COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang blocks Katsuro's Quick Strike.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Leo Whitefang    0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0          Katsuro

[LEO WHITEFANG]
The blades clash again, ringing their conflict out into the forest, "You wouldn't know anything about that, eh? Not surprising. But you're boring me. Boy."

The two remain locked for a moment until Leo suddenly moves, adjusting his stance and shifting his weight around to try and manuever his large body around to the side of the NOL Hound to flank him and then reach for him. A leg kicks out as well, in an attempt to trip him up while his arms push forward in a sort of makeshift judo-style throw, intending to send him tumbling to the ground with not a little force behind the throw.

"If -this- is what was projecting that killing intent then you are less a hunting hound and more a yapping rich-girls pup to be carted around and entertain them."

COMBATSYS: Katsuro endures Leo Whitefang's Quick Throw.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Leo Whitefang    0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0          Katsuro

[KATSURO]
It is an unfortunate fact of life that such acrobatic movements leave one's balance horribly subjectible to being disrupted. Katsuro's cruelly reminded of such when he finds his supporting limb suddenly swept away from underneath him, and his body shoved away immediately after.

And yet, Katsuro seems to maintain control of his body even in mid-air through that shove.

Not quick enough control to soak up the violent force behind the flight he was forced into, no-- but enough to set him into a rolling motion right after his shoulders have to bear the brunt of the impact with the ground, to spring himself up again in a flip, and--

Another one right after?

"I wouldn't necessarily mind that either!" The NOL swordsman declares in the midst of that sudden flip, with his left palm pressed to the ground to guide his leg sweeping up into the air in a sudden, fierce kick meant to send the King of Illyria up into the air?!

"If it weren't boring!!"

His backward flip would see it's end regardless of wether the kick finds purchase, knees bending to turn his legs into a springboard that launches him in again, in a wild, leaping cut through the air - and hopefully Leo - only to land down onto the groudn behind him in a wide roll. A roll that carries him around the larger swordsman's perimeter before a stamp of his foot to the ground halts him, marking the same instant his blade goes cutting for his ankle before finally springing back again in a follow-up roll.

COMBATSYS: Katsuro blitzes into action and acts again!

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Leo Whitefang    0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0          Katsuro

COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang blocks Katsuro's Laughing Hound.

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Leo Whitefang    0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0          Katsuro

COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang interrupts Rolling Hound from Katsuro with Kahn Schild.
- Power hit! -

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Leo Whitefang    0/-------/----===|=======\==-----\1          Katsuro

[LEO WHITEFANG]
THe wild flurry of movement causes Leo's expression to twist into a look of annoyed consternation. His large body crouches and he makes ready to lunge into a predatory dash after the agile officer bt then Katsuro is right on him in the space of less then a blink and Leo's swords and arms come around in an instinctual block that, nevertheless, presses him backwards and upwards fro the force of the blow. The end result is a flip fo his own as he asserts control with a loud roaring grunt and gains sudden momentum that turns his body about and makes ready to meet the rising slash coming his way where had things gone differently he'd have been quite vulnerable.

Instead his weapons come hurtling around in a sweeping wild backslash that turns aside the blade and continues onward to assault body of the NOL officer with an arcing jagged trail of chi shaped like a massive lion's claw trailing behind the arc of the attack.

It's no killing stroke and no doubt defensive magicks and durability will protect Katsuro from the worst where anyone else would be laid low by the strike.

But it will hurt.

[KATSURO]
"--Ara?"

As eager for this particular brand of violence as Katsuro clearly was, the lion's claw takes him by surprise. Even more so when he realizes his blade has been redirected and--

"Oh crap."

Steel and chi both strike into Katsuro's center. Even with a smaller sword (and Leo's is huge!) such a force would threaten to cut a man in twain vertically!

"BUGYAAAH?!"

So the fact that Katsuro is 'merely' sent flying back with a red mist left behind to trail his path is something the man should probably be extremely thankful for.

There's no control in the Hound's flight this time around. It ends in a very much ungraceful (and pained) slam back-first onto the cruel hard ground with a bounce that he only manages to really recover from half a second after the fact. And even then, when he shows off the result of his own defensive magics and own persistence by rolling to a crouched posture on his feet, it's wobbly at best -- and the large, gaping wound seeping red into his clothes along his torso becomes clear.

"Haahhh.... ggaaahhh... I guess I was right... about you bein' fun, blondie..." Katsuro mutters past the blood building up in his mouth.

"But..."

A blood-stained toothy grin is flashed out.

"Fun ain't over yet!!"

He lunges in. Dashing across the space created by that vicious strike, sword swung in wildly--

But in a sudden instant, the blade is redirected deliberately into Leo's own blades. Does he mean to try to knock them away? To break his guard? No. He's... using them as a pivot point.

With his sword pressing down into them, Katsuro suddenly leaps himself up into front-facing somersault now-- guiding his foot down from above to be aimed down onto the large man's shoulder. But even that is not the end goal, no. If his foot does find place, Leo's *shoulder* is used as a pivot point next to send him into a follow-up flip past and behind him, where he might, while still upside-down in the air, slash his sword vertically across his back!

COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang endures Katsuro's Vaulting Hound.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Leo Whitefang    0/-------/--=====|=======\====---\1          Katsuro

[LEO WHITEFANG]
"Getting faster.." muses..no..,mutters Leo. Grunting. It's a begrudging acknowledgement and that plus the fact that Katsuro isn't backing down does give the Second King reason to reconsider the hunters measure.

A parry is less then viable and so the Second King is left in the unenviable position of bracing his figure against the assault. He attempts to turn but it's to slow and the blade finds purchase against his flesh, slashing into and through his garments and down his muscled back to draw forth a spray of blood and to visibly wound the lion.

Leo grimaces, teeth bared and a flash of chi implying a hint of great cat like fangs though it's merely an illusory effect reflecting his rising anger and mood as he's no beastman.

At least visually. He certainly can act like one and despite the wound he whirls around and lunges forward at Katsuro. "Enough! You'll find that I'm not only strong...I'm VERY STRONG!"

He goes into a deep crouch, arcing his movements up and bringing his blades behind him to follow through, dragging chi and a flurry of movement as he leaps upwards into a spinning spiral like assault with such power it might very well lift Katsuro into the air from its force.

"Eisen Sturm!!!"

COMBATSYS: Katsuro blocks Leo Whitefang's Eisen Sturm.

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Leo Whitefang    0/-------/--=====|=======\=======\1          Katsuro

[KATSURO]
The unusual attack pattern sees the flip ending in Katsuro smoothly landing on the ground again. Thankfully for him!

Less thankfully for him, Leo is quick on his heels still.

"And yet you feel the need--"

Katsuro's quickly spinning around to face him all over again, however. Their speeds are comparable, even if he is a bit behind the larger man, in spite of what their outward appearances might suggest. In the same spin, however-- something else happens. The blood staining his front shifts. It takes on a bright, crimson glow, and bursts outward in tendrils that spread across the man.

"--To declare it!"

Katsuro's voice has suddenly taken on an ethereal, faintly echoing quality.

Blades clash together in an array of sparks. But indeed, Leo's strike is powerful enough, in spite of the parry, that the NOL soldier is, indeed sent flying up from the impact.

And in that moment it becomes clear. Wherever Katsuro's skin is exposed - his forearms, his neck, his face even - are covered now in a sheen of faintly glowing red. Was that the blood that just spread out? It even completely envelopes his face to the point that his eyes are completely hidden, with only his mouth showing an exposed point where that beastial grin is shown.

"Ya tryin' to convince me or yourself, blondie?! Kyahahahaha!!"

THe flight is, once again, unintended-- but this time he has control again. Enough to turn his sweep into a backward flip that guides him landing on his feet.

"Here I cooooome--!!"

Now he takes hold of his sword with both hands, while more glowing tendrils of red gather along the blade. Lunging in, he charges fast at Leo, aiming to drive the blade right through him--

...While the blade suddenly takes on a more of a brown glow underneath those tendrils of blood? Katsuro himself might not notice, but little rocks float about it, surging forward in the instant the blade is about to make contact.

But either way, if his strike finds home in indeed impaling through the larger man -- and his own blood would surge out from the created wound to flow towards the NOL officer now bearing the visage of a demon.

COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang blocks Katsuro's Bloodhound's Bite.

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Leo Whitefang    0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0          Katsuro

[LEO WHITEFANG]
The Second King has seen much horror. Even before the Gear Wars the purpose of the Sacred Order was to attend to the supernatural and magical powers and forces that haunted the world and though the NOL has supplanted them in that regard they still function in that regard when asked to and when they feel the need for their intervention is necessary. Then there is the Gear War and that which remained after that.

That doesn't make sights like this any less disturbing or problematic. But Leo is hardly one whom is unsettled by such sights to the point of it unnerving him. On the contrary, he steels himself even more so and as he recovers from his previous assault and takes Katsuro in visually once again, his features become more stern. More set in stone.

The attack comes in fast. To fast. Leo takes a chance and brings his swords up once more. The margin of error is far to slim here but a touch of daring is necessary from time to time..and it pays off. THe blades clash and though Leo is forced backwards he manages to hold Katsuro in place long enough to glare and thunder out:

"I need not convince anyone of anything! When the lion roars, all creation takes note and it is right and lawful for the lion to ROAR!"

He suddenly pushes back and then dashes forward in a blazing burst of speed that trails chi and blood behind him. He surges past, dragging his blades behind him and then swinging in an attempt to cross Katsuro up with the assault..


COMBATSYS: Leo Whitefang knocks away Katsuro with Kaltes Gestober Dritt.

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Leo Whitefang    1/-------/=======|=======\====---\1          Katsuro

[KATSURO]
Even while Katsuro strains and struggles to push against Leo's blades with his own, he... frankly, seems to be having the time of his life. It's exciting for him, apparently?!

He doesn't even seem terribly disappointed when his sword is, finally, knocked away from that attempted assault. He even laughs!

"Kyahahaha, yo-"

The words are never finished.

In the time it takes for Katsuro to recover from the deflection of his attack, Leo has already surged in. A massive cross sword slams right into him with the explosive burst of chi, and--

"Ghaaaagh?!"

Katsuro is sent flying again.

It's even worse than before. He flies directly backwards for several meters worth... and when he does land, it's with such force that he rebounds off it immediately only to continue further along the clearing in the forest. Bouncing several times over before his motion is finally halted by a tree in his path, slamming into it back-first with enough force that pieces of the trunk splinter off into every imaginable direction, and a distinct Katsuro-shaped impression is left upon the wood.

"Bguuuh--"

The Hound struggles there. His feet hit the ground a few seconds after the impact, but he never quite manages to push forward.

"T-t-that... that's..."

An explosion of blood. The scarlet coating that seemed to empower the man gives away in the wake of his loss of focus, turning back into droplets of crimson that stain the ground below. And Katsuro's eyes, now revealed again...

They quickly roll up towards the back of his skull, and the man merely falls over, face-first. Still defiantly clutching onto his sword even amidst unconsciousness, but...

It won't be swung against the Second King again today.

COMBATSYS: Katsuro can no longer fight.

[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Leo Whitefang    1/-------/=======|

[LEO WHITEFANG]
"Huff.."

Leo stands, triumphant...but not exactly euphoric.

"We're going to have to pay for this one somehow.." he grumbles, knowing full well he just threw a firecracker into a Bears den.

"I need the healers." he says, suddenly flaring to life the magic sigil that enables communication with the Sacred Order escort that accompanied him.

"We'll see to it he's alright but keep him unconscious."

His Iron Cross blades return to their sheathed state with a crackle of magic and chi and Leo grumbles and waits for his soldiers to eventually return and attend to Katsuro's wounds in as discreet a manner as possible.

As to the rest.. a victory of sorts. For now.

Log created on 21:40:38 08/15/2021 by Katsuro, and last modified on 22:50:23 08/16/2021.