Match of the Millennium

Description: In the mysterious depths of the Lin Kuei forest, Liu Kang summons a titan to test his might in the name of World Warrior...but for whom is this test truly intended?

[LIU KANG]
A thick layer of low hanging fog drifts amidst this maze of tall slender trees in this northern Chinese forest. Piercing bird calls punctuate the drone of insects that permeates this hollow woodland as the moonlight filters through the canopy. There are legends of demons that haunt this forest, and while most of the nearby villages dismiss them as old superstition, not many of them find reason to enter this foreboding land.

The forest of the Lin Kuei lies silent.

A faint mist lies over the forest as the rays of light illuminate the patches of grass where one may tread. This is a forest with scarred trees and dangerous foretellings.

Yet Liu Kang was unafraid.

His feet step silently along hte ground, his stride confident and tall. There was no reason to be stealthy here. His baggy pants, perfect for martial arts, surround him for comfortable movement. His tap is a simple whirt that's a little open on the ront. Nice and loose.

His hands have wrappings on them. He's ready for a fight.

"Come out."

Calls the champion of earthrealm, his eyes nearly alight with fire.

"Test your might."

[KONGOU]
A greater summoning could not have been uttered had it been from the mouths and arcane utterings of the greatest mages of The Sacred Order of Holy Nights of the mightiest users of Ars Magus from the Novus Orbis Librarium. Three words: 'Test Your Might'..and nothing more need be said for an answer is given.

Heavy rumbling *THOOOMS* begin to rumble their way through the forest. Thunderous impacts that resound and vibrate the landscape, swaying trees and blasting apart the fog. THey seem to echo form everwhere and nowhere all at once, that is until the air some distance away from Liu Kang begins to warp and distort as if a great haze of humidity had warped itself into being and risen up like a curtain.

A curtain which begins to part and press apart. A warping of the walls between worlds which then is utterly distended by the shape of something truly huge. Truly monstrous. This distortion continues until, finally, with a final *TWHOOOM* that dislodges earby trees, the gigas arrives. Kongou emerging into view from 'nowhere' with heavy thunderous footfalls that were clearly the source of the seismic disturbance.

He rolls his shoulders and bunches up the muscles of hismonstour chest. The pectoral masses creaking upwards like sliding landmasses under his rugged flesh and with an audible sound of his sinew grinding and straining. "Greetings!" he booms, deep voice a heavy almost modulated bass rumble as he continues to approach Liu Kang, relaxing his massive torso with a final slide of tectonic masses. "Are you liu Kang? Champion of Earth Realm?"

So he knows about that perhaps. "I am called Kongou!"

[LIU KANG]
*THOOOOM.*

"Lord Raiden?"

Liu Kang wonders for only a moment before his eyes narrow. "No...something *bigger*." Though in Kongou's defense, it c ould be said that his steps sounded much like the thunder his mentor had commanded. But instead, the world trembles at what approaches. A gigas in the form of Kongou emerging into view as trees part with his passing. It causes Liu Kang to look up at this massive being.

"I am."

There was an eerie calm about Liu Kang. Perhaps his battles with Shao Kahn and other enemies of similar terror. "Kongou. It is an honor to meet you. If you are Kongou, then it would appear you are my opponent today." He says with a soft look in his eyes.

He brings his fist to his palm, and a bow is given in respect.

"Shall we begin, Kongou, or do you wish to share tea beforehand?"

[KONGOU]
"How fascinating!" The behemoths cheer seems in utter contrast to his physicality. Even relaxed, the heavy fiberous movements of his bulk seem capable of threatening more quakes. More seismic disturbances. Indeed a muscle twitch rolls through his body, quaking ihs physique and shuddering the ground as he stands there.

But Liu Kang exudes the pressure of a titan as well. Kongou may be a creature the embodies such basic concepts as strength and size but he is not ignorant to the spirituality of this place or the capabilities of the champion.

"I have never been offered tea before!" he adds after that pause. "You are very polite Liu Kang, but as I believe this is somehow being recorded for the sake of the tournament perhaps we should save that for after our match. After all, we have audiences to impress even though..we seem to be alone here."

IIndeed just -how- is World Warrior getting footage from matches like this? Oh well. Not his problem.

"I have heard tales of you during my visits to Outworld." he then adds, confirming what Liu Kang was already thinking. He llifts a fist up and clenches it, producing a sound like boulders cracking as his knuckles tense and crack under the pressure. "Make it interesting for me, okay??"

COMBATSYS: Kongou has joined the fight here.

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

COMBATSYS: Liu Kang has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Kongou           0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0            Ragna
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Liu Kang         0/-------/------=|

[LIU KANG]
"Then I am glad to be the first to do so."

Liu Kang's smile was almost...calming. Gentle. Sincere. The shaolin lifestyle suits him well. Though after his bow, Liu seems to take a red headband that was tied around the red sash around his waist and he brings it up to his head, tying it around and snapping it tight as he slowly enters a stance. Kongou's denial of tea was a clear opening to this bout, a smile touching his face. "It would be a kind end to this duel. Very well. Tea later."

Friendly as always.

Yet he is known to this creature. "Do not worry. You will find I am more than a match for your strength."

And just as so, Liu Kang ironically lunges a fist forward at his opponent, the colossus most likely unfazed by much, a fireball coming straight for Kongou!

COMBATSYS: Liu Kang successfully hits Kongou with Snapping Dragon.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Kongou           0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0            Ragna
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Liu Kang         0/-------/----===|

[KONGOU]
It is a successful hit! The ball of fire splashes into the behemoths torso and sends flames licking across his monstrous physique, finding pretty much every peak and valley it can find. There was some attempt at blocking it. The goliath lifting a hand up to try and catch the fireball but missing utterly. However it's difficult to tell if the damage is singifigant as the colossus simply continues grinning and barely moves.

"Excellent!" he booms, grinning widely and with some wildness hinted in his glowing gaze.

Another thunderous *TOOM* resounds as he lunges forward now, letting the fire wisp off of his body as he looms overhead. He draws back a single fist, once again creating that potentially unsettling sound of snew creaing and muscle fiber bulging like the stretching of industrial leather.

Then his fist comes thundering down for Liu Kang. A simple blow attempting to catch the champion and also pin him to the ground with its great weight and crushing grip.

COMBATSYS: Kongou successfully hits Liu Kang with Seismic Crush.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Kongou           0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0            Ragna
[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Liu Kang         0/-------/--=====|

[LIU KANG]
*FWOOOOM!*

THe flames lick over Kongou's person and Liu Kang enters his stance, ready for a counterattack.

Only, he wasn't nearly as ready as he thought he was.

That *massive* hand was coming in faster than he thought! It manages to pin him to the ground before he can move, knocked completely off of his feet and his back hitting the ground *hard*. But he's not out of this fight quite yet. Despite him being pinned, Kongou can feel Liu Kang taking a deep breath inwards, trying to wait for Kongou to lean in just a *little* bit closer...

His hands lifting before attempting to deliver machine-gun like blows to Kongou's arm and chin if he's lucky enough to strike, perhaps it will let him break free?

COMBATSYS: Kongou blocks Liu Kang's Windmill Punch.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Kongou           0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0            Ragna
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Liu Kang         0/-------/--=====|

[KONGOU]
He takes bait it seems, leaning into the strike such that his head comes in just in time for the flurry of strikes to begin raining down upon him.

But despite making it easier for Liu Kang to reach him, his reaction seems to occur just a hairsbreadth faster then the master martial artist may have anticipated His other forearm comes in, acting as a deflecting barrier against the attacks, muscles tightening up once again to defend against the strikes with the tremendous density of his body.

Kongou leans back, hauling Liu Kang up from the ground with broken tree branches and sundered earth following behind the arc of his movements. If he wishes to be free then free he shall be as Kongou releases the champion while still in the arc of his lift, hopefully leaving Liu Kang briefly airborn and vulnerable. His other hand comes forth once more, a massive fist looming in towards the master warrior and just before it reaches him it pauses and his pointer finger flicks out. A wild simple gesture that nevertheless reveals the raw thunderous power of this brutish creature should the attack land.

COMBATSYS: Kongou successfully hits Liu Kang with Ten-Ton Finger.
- Power hit! -

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Kongou           1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0            Ragna
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Liu Kang         1/----===/=======|

[LIU KANG]
*CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK!*

Kongou feels as though he is made of stone! Alas, the other forearm lifts to block those rapid fire blows. Eyes widen in surprise before he's lifted into the air and STRUCK HARD by that other FINGER despite forming an 'x' with his arms to try and protect himself.

Liu Kang goes *flying* backwards as he bounces off of the ground and smashes through the trunk of a tree or two, his shoulder dragging against the earth until he comes to a stop, blood spat out of his lips as he pushes himself to a knee.

Yeah...he needs a second. He's stunned, but tries to take a moment to compose himself.

COMBATSYS: Liu Kang gains composure.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Kongou           1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0            Ragna
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Liu Kang         1/------=/=======|

[KONGOU]
The giant, however, seems unrelenting. The ground shakes, rocking violently as the earth heaves from both weight and the sheer pressure of his steps. The air itself seems to part around him, small shockwaves from his mere passage. There is another sense of warbling and wobbling. It's as if his pressure is too much for the world and it works to restrain him.

But he continues on, limiters applied or no, and that grin remains stuck on his features.

"I see you wish to begin fresh!" he notes, "However I am afraid I cannot give you much repose. You see, though my power is great your legend is great as well. Quickly this tide my turn. Though you are small you bear great strength. One smaller then you reminded me of this in my previous match. Do not fear! Come show me your greatness!"

He beckons for Liu, eyes narrowing just a touch, adding a slight shadow to that grin.

"I have not mentioned that I have passed through Outworld before in my travels from my home, The Backyard. Challenges are plenty there! You are worthy to face them, yes? So show me."

COMBATSYS: Kongou focuses on his next action.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Kongou           1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0            Ragna
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Liu Kang         1/------=/=======|

[LIU KANG]
It was impossible not to feel the shockwaves as Kongou approached. How was it that the land didn't break away into two separate continents with every step? Blood trickles from Liu Kang's face as he manages to get back to his feet, brushing off his shoulders and settles his eyes on Kongou.

A challenge made.

"You honor me with kindness. Though it is clear I will need to be far more careful."

It takes only a moment.

Show him greatness? Here it comes!

A slow breath taken before Liu Kang is sprinting forwards. His fists and feet start to burn got like dragon fire, a blaze roaring to life with the strength of all those who came before him. Yet as he approaches, his speed greatly increases, appearing as though a blur with a flaming trail to mark his path. Soon enough he's right in front of Kongou, arm extended and fingertips touching Kongou's chest, knuckles an exact inch away.

"HYAH!"

Liu Kang shouts with the effort as the inch closes, attempting to drive his knuckles into Kongou's chest with ultimate speed, accuracy, and power!

COMBATSYS: Kongou just-defends Liu Kang's Fist of Flame EX!

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

[KONGOU]
The challenge was answered!

Kongou's grin grows, his eyes lgiht up and widen and the forest is filled with light and a blazing column of flame which explodes into being all about the goliath, blossming outward like an unfurling flower and seemingly blasting both through and around him to scald and scorch Liu Kang's fury into the terrain. Embers whip about like dust caught in the coils of a passing twister and landscape shudders and bouckles under the martial fury of Earth Realm's champion.

Kongou stands there.

The impact is horrendous and the force worthy of the defender of the Earth but the behemoth from somewhere out there..weathers it without blinking or changing his expression. Liu Kang would feel it... A sudden warbling warping rumble of the aether, the chi. As if the behemoth was suddenly 'more' there then he was before. It's fleeting. An instant of durability that would put any fortress wall in Outworld to shame. It's there and then gone again but it was there long enough to blunt the force of that devestating attack and leave kongou looming overhead and then drawing back for a retaliation.

That grinding creaking sound fills the air agai as his arm arcs down and backwards like a trebuchet being primed. His bicep engorges in size, giving the impression of vast boulders enlarging under his skin and his knuckles crack as his fist clenches. A sudden crackle of energy ripples up and down his body before his eyes sudden flare into a crackling steady discharge of energy as his teeth turn from that big grin into a menacing threatening grimace...and then his fist comes hurtling upward at Liu Kang in a thunderous uppercut that rips the earth itself asunder as his fist passes over it.

COMBATSYS: Kongou knocks away Liu Kang with Orbital Launcher.

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

[LIU KANG]
*KRAKOOOOOOM!*

Fist meets the cruel durability of his opponent, but he doesn't even budge! The Titan doesn't even move a single inch from the impact. The behemoth charges his next attack and Liu Kang's eyes widen as that fist comes right for him!

That uppercut connects cleaner than freshly washed laundry, sending Liu Kang flying through the air until Hd hits the ground! He cracks earth underneath him and for a moment he's still.

Not moving.

Then slowly....Liu Kang pushes himself back to his feet with a stumble, hands on his knees. "You are....very strong. So I will answer you with strength."

His hands ignite with flame and with a roar, Liu Kang sends a COLOSSAL blast of fire towards Kongou, enough to burn a crater into the forest, yet as the flame charges for Kongou, it takes the form of a raging dragon!

...A dragon reaching supernova.

Will it have an effect or will it smash against the wall that is Kongou to no avail?!

COMBATSYS: Liu Kang successfully hits Kongou with Immortal Dragon.

[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Liu Kang         0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2           Kongou

[KONGOU]
Well before he reaches the ground, Kongou is already treading his way towards the expected landing zone in a steady inexorable thundering walk that continues to send shockwaves through the forest.

As Liu Kang lands, he continues walking. As Liu recovers and readies his attack..he continues walking. A steady unstoppable pace that is not hurried in any way yet in the lack of hurry a sense of the unstoppable is made all that more palpable. When he impacts against a set of still standing trees and simply walks through them, breaking them apart like matchsticks, that probably adds to it all.

At least until Liu gathers his will and determination and when he readies this ultiamte of attacks.. Kongou at least slows down. Not a complete stop, no, but his eye brows raise and his eyes widen slightly as the world goes red, yellow and white with the rising fury of Liu Kang's attack. "..Amazing!" he declares, deep voice rumbling loudly as the landscape incinerating force boils to life and descends upon him and then explodes into a fireball that rips a shockwave out across the entire forest as Kongou is fully enveloped and a higher pitched, "WORARGGGGH!!" escapes him. It would seem he's not as utterly invulnerable as things were seeming to be.

There is brief silence..before a deep thrumming noise rumbles through the area as if someone had struck a chord on the heaviest and lowest of bass guitars. The rumbles rips through the area, blasting away the flames revealing Kongou's gigantic frame, scalded and scorched but wreathed in a glowing corona of energies shifting from blues to purples to reds.

"Well done! You are the first to allow me to break through the limiters upon me!" He lifts both arms wide and up in an almost sumo like gesture as he thunders, "You have solved the riddle of strength! Allow me to give you the answer!" The energy expands outward, encasing the immediate area as if drawing it into another realm all together. The skies above grow distorted and hazy as if the interior of a mirage. The earth lurches violently and Kongou leaps, thundering upward like a shooting star which then abruptly flares like a super nova. When the energy vanishes it reveals a truly monstrous form. A gigantic monster-titan whose shadow swamps over the entire area like some sort of hovering building. Great horns curcling from the giants back and a great metal mask over his visage, his body adorned some sort of cosmic barbaric titan with a horned helm, wide belt and plates of armor against his upper thighs.

"EXATOOOOOON!!!" he roars, pulling back an impossibly huge fist before the titan begins a descent like a falling meteor.

"IMPULSUM!!!"

His strike comes plummeting down, aiming as much for the entire area around Liu as the man himself as upon impact a thunderous eruption of landscape leveling force would erupt outwards. A devestating roar of mass destruction that ripples in all directions - contained at its far edges by the bubble that serves as the cage for this ultimate display.

COMBATSYS: Liu Kang counters #Exaton Impulsum# from Kongou with Hidden Lotus EX.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Liu Kang         0/-------/-----==|>>>----\-------\0           Kongou

[LIU KANG]
A strike well struck!

Liu Kang found that reserve inside of him. The Dragon that exists inside that has sparks of something so much greater than he currently is. Blood stains his clothes and trickles fromm his forehead and nose. His arms are bruised enough for medical attention to be called, his body barely stays upright. The unstoppable opponent that marches towards him barely fazed by anything Liu Kang had done this far, his breath getting shorter but he UNLEASHES perhaps the most powerful offense in his arsenal and somehow managed to wound the creature, butchering flame into life and making the forest pay for every unknown transgression.

Liu Kang pants, effected deeply by exhaustion, but his intent remains.

The smoke begins to clear and crackling flame begins to die down before it would appear that Kongou is very much alive in this fight! He spits some blood off to the side and slides his arms underneath his shirt to free himself of the restriction, revealing a battered body by a fighter who just won't quit! He is the first to unleash the limiters on Kongou's body? High praise indeed! The riddle of strength has been solved and a prophecy fulfilled. He blocks the shockwave that approaches him as Kongou rises into the heavens and watches in awe as Kongou descends like the finger of god.

"You really are incredible."

Liu Kang enters a stance as energy surrounds the falling form of his energy and he LEAPS up to meet him with all the force he can muster! Two meteors approach each other for an earth shattering event, a crisis of a world who rests unaware of this battle between Titan and Dragon. As Liu Kang draws near, he seems to move past the incoming destruction, grabbing Kongou's head and starting to rapidly spin him until he performs an aggressive throw to the ground, as if fully intending to turn Kongou's attack into a beautiful crash landing!

"Hidden..."

He pushes Kongou off with his feet to force a rapid increase of momentum in a sudden kick!

"LOTUS!!"

[KONGOU]
That...should not have happened.

"....." Kongou doesn't even know what to say. This moment of shattered restraint so neatly, cleanly...perhaps beautifully...overturned. His fist strikes true against the earth but Liu Kang is already airborn and reaching for his neck. He might as well be attempting to wrestle with a semi truck for all the size difference of just trying to grab that portion of the titan but somehow, martial fury, power, desperation and sure grit enables him to grasp hold and twist and Kongou's own momentum and power is turned against him.

The landscape buckles and rips asunder in a contained impact that'd be no less impressive as a re-creation of the Tunguska Event and then some as the driving force of the behemoths strike is doubled up and then some by his own thunderous and uncontrolled crash into the ground. His vastness absorbs the additional shockwave, protecting Liu Kang from it and sending more of the unbridled force roaring out and across the region to crash into the far dome of energy that raised when Kongou's limiters broke. The dome itself shatters, energy raining down and fizziling away like shards of glass and giving way to the rest of the world as this chunk of The Backyard is washed back to where it belongs. With it goes the sheer destruction of the landscape. It was merely a mirror of the rest of the actual world and so the excessive extra damage is taken with it...as is Kongou's enhanced form.

The titan shrinks back down to his still outrageous, but now much diminished, form.. in the center of a massive crater that is the only remnant of his previous attack and fall. He frowns. "...Now that...was unexpected.."

Energy still crackles around him as he rises seeking Liu Kang before he can recover from such a miracle of a move. The earth lurches again as Kongou leaps and thunders forwards and up, leaping for liu Kang in an attempt to slam his body into him and then bear him downward towards the forest floor for yet another crushing pressing attack using the giants tremendous bulk!

COMBATSYS: Liu Kang blocks Kongou's Meteor Splash EX.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Liu Kang         0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0           Kongou

[LIU KANG]
Liu Kang begins to returns to the ground, his feet landing hard against the earth as the landscape buckles and tears asunder. He keeps his hands on his knees for a moment, his eyes staring ahead at Kongou with his fists raised. The limiters were shattered and somehow, SOMEHOW, Liu Kang was able to successfully turn Kongou away. The Titan shrinks back to his original form and Liu Kang looks as if his muscles had torn, his knuckles bloodied and blood still trickling from his forehead and nose.

...only for that monster to get up again.

A small smirk grows on Liu Kang's face. No foe this powerful would go dodwn so easily. Though the energy still crackles around Kongou as he LEAPS towards him, attempting to slam his body into the so-called Champion of Earthrealm manages to lift his hands up and catch Kongou at a bit of an angle, guiding his body to the ground in a strange sort of block! Immediately after, Liu Kang performs a few back handsprings and thrusts his fists out as twin dragon-headed blasts of fire move to surround Kongou and create a pillar of fire around him that reaches the very heavens!

COMBATSYS: Liu Kang successfully hits Kongou with Blazing Dragon.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Liu Kang         0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0           Kongou

[KONGOU]
Another explosion blossoms forth over the giant, lunging upwards towards the heavens and engulfing him just as he's in the process of pushing up from the ground and his last failed attempt at crushing the dragon beneath his great immense frame.

"You are..." begins Kongou before his words are yanked from him by the air igniting and the fire roaring forth into the skies above.

Embers rain back downward, falling like a cascade of stars to add additional visual flare to what would likely imply a sense of finality to most battles. But then the ground begins shaking once more. The earth rumbling to herald his movements...and Kongou emerges from the pillar of fire, seemingly unscathed by it's torrential force.

"You are incredible!" he finishes. "That is twice now you've redirected me! A feat most would consider impossible! I must find some means to buckle my limiters and utilize just a little more strength! I'm ashamed at my weakness and inability to maintain my strength before you!"

He's hardly finished speaking but the ground once more explodes behind his pressure as he launches at Liu Kang with speed in defiance of his great bulk. His great fist drags along behind him, striking the ground as it arcs down into a low arc and then looms in thundreously for Liu Kang in another terrifying shockwave inducing swing!

Should he hit, however, the strike would continue on, not only seeking to lift Liu Kang into the air but then to grasp him before he hurtles away to slam him back downward against the earth like a ragdoll as the giant would twist and bring his arm back down on the other side of him.

COMBATSYS: Liu Kang counters Gargantua Fist EX from Kongou with Burning Parry.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Liu Kang         0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0           Kongou

[LIU KANG]
The pillar reaches the sky and envelopes Kongou completely!

But Liu Kang knows by now: Kongou will not fall like that, he will not suffer so trivial a blow and fall. Though Kongou feels like a wall that Liu Kang is struggling to knock down, each blow he makes against Kongou is like trying to turn a thunderstorm away with your bare hands.

But Liu Kang has turned away the storm again. He has broken down the forces of nature.

Now there is Kongou, praising him for being incredible. "If I am incredible...you are otherworldly." Liu Kang smiles as he enters his stance, a kindness in his eyes and a determination in his body. Even the corners of Liu Kang's lips curl up into a smile as the ground explodes with Kongou approaching him, and that strike coming in towards him with that swing that could cleave a mountainside, Kongou will find that Liu Kang lips into the air to avoid that initial swing, but as Kongou moves to grab him, Liu Kang suddenly disappears in a flash of fire, and he appears back on the ground and when Kongou looks down? He jumps up and tries to uppercut Kongou right in the jaw!

[KONGOU]
"Whoullfffghh!"

Kongou's deep but warbled cry ripples through the air as the uppercut slams into his massive chin and sends a column of blinding fire rippling upwards along his jaw and then across his entire face.

The force of the blow actually seems to do the impossible by lifting the giant up from his feet and forcing him to adjust his body to ride the shockwave of his own movements to fall and then slide backwards.

The initial force of the blow seems to not do immediate damage to him, however, as if his body had once again become invulnerable. Unbreakable. The truth is that such efforts have a cost. A toll on him even if it's not quite obvious visibly.

However, upon landing, he gives no more words, no more encouragement, but instead springs forward once again.

The entire world seems to heave and churn as a shockwave rips into being around the giant and rips the forest apart around him. Like a comet, he soars in towards Liu Kang, lowering his shoulder at the last instant for a devestating shoulder tackle attempt.

COMBATSYS: Liu Kang counters Tectonic Crash from Kongou with Dragon Parry.

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

[LIU KANG]
The impact of Liu Kang's fist sends Kongou into the air with the force of it! He lifts the giant into the air even if his knuckles are now /SEVERELY/ bruised and devastated, but Liu Kang has fought in Mortal Kombat and lived to tell the tale. Surely he can stand his ground against this absolute monster. Yet, even as Kongou lands he's immediately back on the offensive!

That immediate charge creates shockwaves as he moves towards Liu Kang and instead of trying some kind of trick, Liu Kang leaps right back at him! This time, his leg is the attacking limb as instead of meeting that shoulder, his powerful leg suddenly ignites in flame from the high-speed friction and he tries to kick Kongou square in the head! If successful, he'll try and immeidately shift his direction by kicking off of a nearby try and stomping with his foot right on the monster's abdomen!

He can't keep this up forever!

[KONGOU]
Again another resounding shockwave ripples through the area as the force of Liu's kick and raging chi collides with that of the monster titan and Kongou, once more, finds the force of his attack diverted and turned against him. Fore ripples across his body, arcing through his head and down his form as his frame attempts to redirect its own force once again to avoid a complete and disasterous impact against the ground. He ends up digging upa vast canyon as a result of his efforts but otherwise slides to a stop...ultimately using his gigantic hands to arrest his momentum at the end of it all.

"Hmmmm.." he muses, a brief respite in this chaos allowing for a chance for him to speak once again.

"You are a worthy foe and a great power, Liu Kang!" he declares, "I believe..I am at the end now." He stands up full, grinning once more, "Though I am sad that my brief limiter release was as brief as it was and so quickly resealed by your efforts...I am happy that it was able to take place..."

He slowly raises both of his arms up now, his grin becoming less friendly and more maddened by the second, "Now, I give you my farewell. Remember this match!"

Kongou's body, already nigh vast beyond comprehension, begins to enlarge even more. Sinew piling ontop of sinew as his muscles flex and his torso expands. The earth shakes violently from the pressure waves as he pushes his chest out and arcs his back..titanic fists clenched above his head.

"MAAGNIITUUUUUDEEEE!!!"

Kongou lunges forward, bringing his gigantic fists down in a double hammered strike for the eath.

"EEIIIIIGHT!!!"

Upon impact a thunderous area wrenching and landscape sundering explosion happens. THe sheer force of his strength detonating a vast earthquake that roars out in all direction sand rolls violently towards Liu Kang in a tidal wave of pure physical power.

Hit or miss, at the epicenter of this apocalypse, Kongou drops down to his knees adn his huge arms slump backwards as if he was some sort of monstrous machine powering down.

COMBATSYS: Kongou can no longer fight.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  <
Liu Kang         0/-------/------=|

COMBATSYS: Liu Kang blocks Kongou's Magnitude Eight.

[                       \\\\\\\  <
Liu Kang         0/-------/----===|

COMBATSYS: Liu Kang has ended the fight here.


[LIU KANG]
Liu Kang's foot sounds off in epic concert against the overwhelming force of Kongou, the force of the monster's attack diverted expertly and somehow causing the frame of the massive opponent to the ground! Yet, even still, Liu Kang's leg finds itself severely bruised and damaged from the force of the impact and Liu Kang immediately falls to the ground, rolling on the dirt until he rises to his feet, back into a stance, this one deeper, his hands going low to protect his abdomen and prepare himself for what may be the last attack.

"You are twice as worthy, mighty Kongou. Your might is equal to my skill. But we both know....we both have yet to give!"

Liu Kang watches as Kongou begins to enlarge and he charges the White Lotus member, Liu Kang's hands put in front of him, his muscles starting to tighten as he focuses his chi into his physical form, before he's suddenly lunging forward!

The sudden wave of an earthquake coming towards him is a walking apocalypse, and he summons all of his remaining strength into his fist, dragging his feet as he comes to a stop and he strikes the coming wave with all the force he can muster.

He manages to pass through the wave of destruction, though he is even more damaged than before, in fact he's struggling to stay on his feet.

A literal last gasp.

He stays standing there for a moment, only a few feet from Kongou as he drops down to his knees and seems to slump.

He pants then for a long moment, his eyes starting to lid, but he stays standing.

Against all odds....he stands tall against Kongou. He seems to look as though he will strike Kongou down, unti...his hand rests on Kongou's shoulder for a moment. "You fought beyond all expectation...." and he steps back for a moment...and he bows.

Not just at the waist, but he falls to his knees, and he rests his head against the ground.

The highest honor.

Log created on 22:38:52 09/21/2023 by Kongou, and last modified on 13:22:08 09/24/2023.