Match of the Millennium

Description: With this round of matches for the NFG over, Kongou attempts a brief moment of reflection except--surprise! NOL Calling!

[KONGOU]
With the final matches of the final round of this bit of the New Fighting Generation tournament having drawn to its conclusion...the future of Team Blaze is...well...it has no future! The teams will likely be disbanded and the sponsors sent their own way to remain involved or as uninvolved as they see fit. For a particular sponsor, a brute best described as an interdimensional kaiju-man in disguise... It was an interesting distraction.

Indeed, Kongou is not exactly pleased that Team Blaze will likely not pull out of last place but he's not exactly angry either. Winning is always better then not winning...but with so many interesting fighters and matches around it's impossible to not literally drink in the energy that fills Metro City with the advent of these events. In fact...that seems to be literally what he's doing as he stands in the middle of the empty and quiet converted gym of Blazin' HQ, Stark still almost like some sort of monstrous colossus hewn in ancient times...and a soft crackling hue of purple energy around him, crackling with the occasional bits of magick...aether..chi..whatever...as it warbles and warps around him.

"Mm.." he finally rumbles, speaking to nobody in particular. "Hm...not -quite- enough yet but...better!"

There is a warbling of the air as if a great pressure was attempting to exude from his form and then is pushed back upon him...rippling over his massive body. He lifts a hand up and clenches it, producing a sound like leather creaking as his flesh tightens and his sinew groans.

"Mmmph. These shackles...still quite powreful.."

[KATSURO]
"Well, well, well~"

A sing-song voice echoes from somewhere above. Someone has been hiding here. But just like that, they're making themselves known with that melodic announcement.

The tracking of the source of the voice will inevitably bring the sight of the mighty beast within the gym up towards the ceiling... and a figure hanging upside-down from one of the supporting rafters there, leather-clad legs coiled up around an iron beam to leave the man in the three-piece suit swaying lightly there in the air above, his jacket and wild mane of hair both hanging downwards from the force of gravity.

"Look at *you*~."

The voice sounds... well, excited, to put it to a word. And the tone of the amber eyes peeking past the thick mane is one almost of admiration. Longing, even. The man lets his form sway there up above for a moment longer, before the strong legs strained into tight leather pants uncoil from the supporting beam above, and he comes falling down...

==EARLIER==

The swordsman arrived in Metro a day or so ago. An assignment that some in the organization might have raised eyebrows at, but he wasn't about to question things. He usually doesn't question orders anyway, but this one he was actually happy to follow.

It's what a Bloodhound is supposed to do, afterall.

It was then, quite literally, a scent he followed, first. What came after that was a stakeout -- right by the Blaze HQ in Metro. The repurposed gym. A good several hours of watching, waiting, studying. And then, the scent was picked up again.

"It's a strong one," the hound told his handler, all while doing his damnest to keep himself calm and in control. "Real strong. I don't think there's anything else like that in there right now..."

Technically, it's an assignment that the local authorities might consider to be beyond his jurisdiction, what with the high profile presence of the New Fighting Generation as an organization. Big media presence, too. So despite some more animalistic instinct saying otherwise, some care would have to be taken.

"I'll take a look then. Real careful like..."

==NOW==

The man in the suit lands gracefully onto the floor of the gym, legs bent to bring him into a crouch to lessen the shock of the landing. Crouched down like that, the curved sword of japanese make slung in it's crimson-colored scabbard at his hip becomes obvious, too, now that he isn't hanging upside-down at the ceiling.

"Ya look reeeaaal stroooong..." He chimes out as he slowly rises up to standing upright. He speaks english fluently enough, but an accent borne from being used to speaking in a Kansai dialect is clear enough behind his words. And with that straightening -- something else becomes obvious, too.

A badge, with a familiar holographic insignia upon it hung at the opposing hip from his sword. Novus Orbum Librarium's badge.

"I mean, *look at ya*! All that muscle, all that meat... Bet ya could lift this whole buildin' if ya tried, huh?"

The man actually flashes his teeth in an ecstatic smile -- a feral thing, something that would suit more a beast that has spotted a delicious cut of prime meat left ahead of it, instead of a human being.

"Oh, oh, where's my manners, though, huh?" He saunters forward by two steps, before sweeping himself into a flourishing bow. "Private First Class, Kirikawa Katsuro. And ye..." He lifts his head up first, instead of fully straightening out from a bow right away. "...Kongou-san, right? Ye smell... interestin'. Nothin' like what I've smelled before, ya know."

SLowly, he rises up, taking in a deliberately pronounced inhale of air in through his nostrils as he does -- and then letting it out through his mouth after in an overly-satisfied sound.

"Oh, but ya smell *strong* too! Nnh, ya know... I was supposed to just scout ya out first. Be reeeeaal quiet-like, buuut..."

His left hand sidles down to rest at the hilt of his still-sheathed sword, while he gives the Titan an almost... dreamy sort of look. All while his other hand rubs along the side of his face, fingers briefly playing at his own lips.

"Oh, but I couldn't... It's just too overwhelmin'... I had to, ya know?"

His voice starts taking on that sing-song quality again, with an outright creepily ecstatic tone behind it. He even slowly draws his tongue along his upper lip, and his hand shifts along the hilt of his sword in... uh... an obscene manner.

"I'll just have 'ta apologize to the princess later.... Soooo..."

Another step forward, and Katsuro's head cranes back, back, so he can look up, up and up the Titan, and bring that disturbingly excited gaze of his straight towards the massive being's eyes.

"Would ya play with me, big guy~?"

[KONGOU]
"Well, well, well! What is this??"

Kongou's deep voice rumbles with...well..feigned surprise. It's an act, for he had sensed the murderous intent, the boiling pressure of this swordsmans obscene presence for some time now but had chosen to ignore it in favor of waiting to see what interesting event lay in store for him. Feigning surprise seems appropriate though. Appropriately dramatic. Like...a cutscene from those video games and mangas that many have introduced him to.

"...I was wondering when you would finally make your presence known!" He seemed to have forgotten he was supposed to be shocked and surprised rather quickly.

As Katsuro finishes his examination of him, Kongou raises both of his bushy eyebrows a little higher and he grins big, teeth full and capable of grinding bones as he looks upon the swordsman. "Eh heh. Well now, normally I am complimented by such words but you have somehow make me feel uncomfortable as if you were looking for an actual meal and not one in a strangely perverse metaphorical sort of way. How fascinating! I don't think I have ever been referred to in such a way before! It is...hm..not enjoyable."

The behemoths eyes flicker over Katsuro in study and he rumbles curiously, "The Novus Orbus Librarium.."

There is a pause as if some obtuse calculations were going on in his mind and then the giant muses, "Well that explains it. I have heard that the members are....rather crazy. But why then, are you here? Have you come to arrest me? Play with me you say? That seems...bizarre."

Nevertheless he turns to face the intruder. As he does his vast physique seems to swell even larger, sinew creaking and groaning as the slabs of flesh on his ridiculous frame bunch up bigger and bigger, creaking to life as if his body was 'engaging power' so to speak. Veins the size of shipping ropes stand out on his swamp tree dwarfing arms as his flanks widen and his lats expand, pushing his limbs up to rest titanically like some sort of monstrous bodybuilder flaunting his immensity.

"Show me something interesting and perhaps we will play as you insist but you will have to answer my questions first."

COMBATSYS: Kongou has started a fight here.

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Kongou           0/-------/------=|

[KATSURO]
"What's bizarre about a man wantin' to play some?" Asks the possibly-psychotic agent of the Librarium, his hand still brushing along his own cheek like he some lovesick teenaged girl gazing upon a crush.

"...Or about wantin' a feast?"

But with the behemoth of a being ahead of him seeming to grow larger with a gathering of power, the expression on Katsuro's face just grows even more ecstatic. He even lets out a high-pitched breath before whispering out, "Wonderful~."

His stance changes then, after his hand has dropped away from his own face. Once more, he licks at his lips, only to shake his head with a faint hint of disappointment. "Ah, ah, ah, questions are so borin' though..."

But right after that complaint, his sword is suddenly drawn out from it's blood-red sheath and into his hand, an utterly, ferociously *maddened* look flashing in his eyes with the motion. "Right now..."

He's suddenly bursting into a forward momentum, without any real sight of surivval instinct or patience, to dash across the gym floor for the giant, heralded by a howl-like laughter of an absolute madman.

"Let's just have a good time!!!"

The distance between the two is crossed instantly with preternatural speed. A wild sprint that ends with a quick, prodding slash towards the Titan's front -- but without any halting in his momentum. That force is instead directed to a sudden pounce up high into the air.

Katsuro's form flips in a somersault through the air, high enough to reach even the immense height of Kongou. And the spinning motion brings the heel of his foot towards the Titan's massive shoulder, in a wide arc that nearly carries through after a whole 360-degree revolution.

If the Behemoth doesn't stop the Mad Swordsman's kick from going in, though, the impact of foot to slab of muscle is going to be used as an anchor to bring the swordsman flipping forward again and past the giant, so he might fall down behind him instead. And where he might slash his sword across his back during his descent.

COMBATSYS: Katsuro has joined the fight here.

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Kongou           0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0          Katsuro

COMBATSYS: Kongou blocks Katsuro's Leaping Hound.

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Kongou           0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0          Katsuro

[KONGOU]
The behemoths physique continues swelling as blood is continuing to pump into the muscle fibers, thickening the sinew up and then hardening them as the muscle fibers contract and tighten. The sound an audible creaking noise. You can hear the brutes vast strength in action and said strength results in his body becoming akin to some sort of unyielding wall.

It bears the brunt of the kick and then the violent slash itself as the swordsman descends on the opposite side of the giant. The sword banging against his vast back and dragging down but failing to find any sort of true purchase within and among the peaks, valleys and plateaus of back muscles.

He turns slowly, the ground shaking now as his body shifts like a landslide in movement and his shadowed but grinning visage looks down upon the swordsman in the aftermath of the strike. A single arm raises, the flex that was in his torso relaxing, sliding his pectoral muscles down into a shadow casting relaxed state, as the power instead shifts towards his raising arm. His bicep swells , giving the impression of a buick under his ruddy flesh as he grins at the madman.

"Well! You -did- attack me. You -are- crazy!" he declares with strange cheerfulness. "The Libarium truly employs madmen in their quest to maintain 'peace'. What a contradiction! You may be able to actually help me!"

With that, the behemoth brings his arm around and then forward in a sudden swing. His fist hurtling in towards Katsuro like a shell fired from a battleship - only to stop part way! The sudden halt causes the entire area to wildly buckle from the vast strength coming to a sudden halt. A shockwave ripples out from him and blasts forward towards the knight, tearing up the floorboards and counter from the pressure as it blasts out with unstoppable force.

COMBATSYS: Katsuro blocks Kongou's Shockwave Burst.

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Kongou           0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0          Katsuro

[KATSURO]
Well. That's new. People usually at least *try* to avoid Katsuro's sword. So that's the first new thing.

But the second new thing is the fact that his sword does not cut anywhere near as deep as he is used to. When the mad Hound lands down on the floor again on the other side of the giant, he... actually looks confused by all this first. At least for the first few seconds.

After those first few seconds, his excitement just rises up all over again. "Oh, you *are* fun~."

His good cheer isn't even lessened when his craziness is called out upon by the Titan himself. He even spreads his arms out with a laugh. "What can I say, huh?"

Then comes the Titan's punch. He's actually been waiting to see what that's going to be like. It comes real damn fast though, but he's already leaping back. He gauged Kongou's reach correctly in that split second, so he should be out of reach--

Hey, why did Kongou stop the punch like that?

The explosion shocks the whole room. It rattles Katsuro's core, even, and his eyes widne with the realization that impact with the titan's fist was never the intent of the attack. "Oh--"

He hasn't even managed to land from his backwards leap. He does, however, manage to brace his sword in front of him. Which seems like an absurd thing to even attempt to do in the face of such an attack, but... a red energy overtakes the blade itself for a split second, before spreading out in front of him in a faint, crimson haze. It dampens the shockwave itself, enough to stop his insides from getting liquefied.

It does not, however, stop physics from doing their thing.

Still being in the air as he was, Katsuro finds his body sent flying across the air, right towards the other end of the gym while the structural integrity of the building itself seems to suffer around them. Floorboards fly up around him, and the wall he's flying towards seems to shake.

"--Oh SHIIIIIIIIIT!!!"

The swordsman's back crashes right into that wall. It might be because the building itself is pretty old to begin with. It might be because the absurd shockwave brought on by Kongou's punch was so powerful it actually shattered some parts of the supports there before Katsuro's body even made there. But the wall gives away with a mighty crash and an explosion of dust.

What's left is a large hole in the wall that lets daylight in. There's no sign of Katsuro for the first two seconds after the dust settles...

But then a hand slips into view, to grasp onto the interior side of the wall. After that, comes the somewhat rattled vision of Katsuro again, hauling himself up to perch onto the destroyed stretch of wall.

He actually looks kind of nervous for a second. But in the next second?

He laughs. It's an uproarious, sharp thing. A thing of insanity that lights up in his eyes, too.

"Oh, yer just *perfect*."

He licks his lips there on his perch, narrowed eyes staring upon the Titan from his vantage point. Judging the range between the two. He needs to re-evaluate his opponent's range too, and the best way to approach things.

He's definitely completely forgotten about his original directive to be quiet about things, too. That was definitely heard outside, too. Several people must have seen Katsuro hanging off the side of the building, too, after getting blown out through it.

COMBATSYS: Katsuro focuses on his next action.

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Kongou           0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0          Katsuro

[KONGOU]
"Awwww...whoops."

Kongou's vast deep voice ripples through the room, quaking and shaking the very air in the aftermath of his shockwave as he observes the damage done to the headquarters. It -might- be okay. No longer his problem. Training is technically over with the end of this round of matches and Blaze's days may be finished for the time being...

But still. In case he's wrong and they need the place intact...putting a hole in the wall might be an issue. Perhaps he can blame it on Zog.

Katsuro returning does draw a bit of surprise from the goliath. He raises both of his eyebrows and then his expression splits into a slowly growing grin as he looks the NOL agent over more closely. His eyes seem to gleam. Catching light from some internal fire within him as he studies Katsuro in an attempt to better gauge him.

The gym begins shaking as the brute starts a slow forward tread...bearing down on the rattled swordsman without any particular hurry to his steps. "Amazing! I thought, perhaps, that I had misjudged your spiritual pressure but...even so you still wish to fight! And you took that blow quite well! Better, I daresay, then one of the fightes in the tournament would have. You have impressed me! Now then. Perhaps you can tell me something about this thing called Sector Seven. I have heard that they have a human in there who has discovered how to shake the shackles that have been placed on me. Perhaps you can help me..."

There's a pause and then a sudden burst of speed causes the goliath to close the distance with a startling pace. One moment half way across the gym and the next suddenly looming for Katsuro like an incoming semi truck. He raises an arm high, casting the NOL soldier in deep shadow..and then brings the colossal arm down, the palm of his hand splaying open and wide in an attempt to slam into the other man with earth rattling force and then pin him to the ground under the giants tremendous weight and pressure.

COMBATSYS: Kongou successfully hits Katsuro with Seismic Crush.

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Kongou           0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0          Katsuro

[KATSURO]
From up on his perch, Katsuro tilts his head fourty five degrees to the left, the good cheer on his face fading away into a bored look.

"Huuuuuuuuh? That sounds above my clearance, ya know..."

With a sigh, he hops down from that hole made into the wall, stretching his free arm up over his head for a second once he's down again. "'Sides... Didn't I say questions are borin'? Come on, don't ruin the moment for me, I'm gettin' all blueballed here..."

His complaints don't last for very long, though. THe sudden charge from the giant sees Katsuro's expression light again, in spite of the very obvious and VERY SERIOUS danger bearing down upon him. "That's more like--!"

More like it, he was going to say. In the middle of his sweeping sidestep away from the oncoming hammer of a giant arm.

But what comes out instead of 'it' is instead a shocked, pained sound that can be estimated to be something more akin to "HRHRKGHKGDS?!"

For you see, the rapid footwork that usually serves Katsuro so well did not, in fact, bring him away quick enough. Something of that speed is something he considers himself to be able to deal with usually, but... usually something that comes in that fast also has a *much* smaller profile to dodge.

So he unfortunately finds himself pushed down by the enormous weight and force of Kongou's gargantuan hand, and slammed down upon his back against the floor with such force that the floor actually craters underneath him.

"Gack--?!" He's shocked. Truly shocked. Not at the fact that there's blood spurting out from his mouth with that unnatural sound he just made, but more at the fact that he didn't even have the chance to register the hit coming in.

"W-well..." He coughs out then, his bloodied teeth bared in a pained grin. "Thanks... for savin' me the trouble of gettin' close..."

He might not have made it out of the way from underneath the hand. But he did manage to maneuver his sword arm so that it was slipped away from underneath the pressing weight. His free arm, then, latches onto the side of the titan's arm on the opposing side, and with a sharp grunt of exertion, leverages his weight as much as he is humanely able to after spinning the sword in his hand to a reverse grip to stab it straight into the behemoth's arm while it's still pressing down upon him.

COMBATSYS: Kongou blocks Katsuro's Fierce Strike.

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Kongou           0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0          Katsuro

[KONGOU]
"If you can't answer my questions...."

Kongou's deep voice rumbles down from far above...beginning just as Katsuro attempts his counter attack against him.

"Then what use are you to me....."

He grins as he speaks, eyes still gleaming in contrast to the deep shadows of his face. His teeth stark and visible but merriment is not there. A look that Katsuro himself is likely not unfamiliar with but coming from a brute so immense, looming and expressive from body language o the way his muscles grind and shift like tectonic plates...it might be just a touch unsettling.

Even more so perhaps how the stabbing effect goes thunking into the side of the giants arm only for the great physique and the coiling of impossible to fathom muscle strength, again bulks up and seems to prevent the blade from cutting in deep and finding purchase in whatever passes for the goliaths anatomy.

"Answer me this then. What interest does the NOL have with me? Surely you can say that much and provide some context." he continues.

"Talking isn't boring. It provides...uh..drama! Stakes! You know. Entertainment! A little banter goes a long ways towards making these sort of conflicts even more entertaining and marketable!"

He glances down , noting the sword struggling to push further into that gigantic arm and then, grinning once more, he leans forward and then up, standing towards his full height and dragging Katsuro up with him as his arm lifts from the ground and the entire building lurches from his movements.

He turns, slinging his arm up over his head and then opening his hand to release the NOL agent in a toss intent on sending him spiraling through the air and back into the depths of the large gym and towards the opposite wall.

"Surely you can understand my growing frustrations?!" he calls out, smile enlarging further.

COMBATSYS: Kongou successfully hits Katsuro with Dismissive Toss.

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Kongou           0/-------/-======|=======\===----\1          Katsuro

[KATSURO]
"Hey, whoa, whoa whoa whoa!!"

Understandably, Katsuro is a *little* too caught up in getting swung around like a ragdoll to really properly respond to Kongou's prompting for dramatic dialogue in any reasonable manner.

He is, perhaps, just a *little* upset, too, that his sword does not seem to work on this one at all. He did want a challenging enemy, but damnit, he wanted to be able to cut things up too!

That being said, the sheer amount of g-forces the Bloodhound is subjected to leaves him unable to do much more after he has been released but to flail helplessly as he sails through the air and.

*THUNK*

...Crashes into another wall.

This wall seems to be stronger than the last one, at least, for there's just a large indentation left behind Katsuro as his body impacts, upside-down into it. Left comically plastered upon it for a few seconds before he unceremoniously peels off, and falls down onto the floor.

"...bllllg."

It's roughly two seconds that he spends, face-down, on the floor, before he manages to push himself up to one knee. Shoulders heaving and chest rising and falling with his heightened breathing.

"H---hurk."

And after all that abuse, he vomits. It's perhaps subject to the viewer wether the fact that instead of normal stomach contents, what comes out instead is a red deluge of blood that splatters onto the floor in a wide, crimson puddle, makes it any better or not.

"...Bera bera... beraberaberaberabera..."

Katsuro's maddened babble comes with him wiping his hand over his mouth to get the last remnants of blood there swiped away, and his sword stabbing smack in the center of the puddle of blood he just regurgitated out.

"Just gotta enjoy the moment too sometimes, ya know...? Instead of talkin' it all away like yer tryin' to fill up time in a debate club... 'Sides, pretty sure what my lot wants with ya is the same as what they want with all Darkstalkers 'round here..."

Straightening up to standing with the help of his sword used as a leaning post, he... suddenly lets his smile widen out again.

"But what do I care, tho?"

His sword glows a bright red light again, and the blood gathered on the floor below begins to shift. Suddenly surging up in tendrils that form spiraling helixes around the length of the blade.

"I'm told to hunt somethin' down..."

The blood explodes out in a larger number of tendrils then, that spread across Katsuro. Slip underneath his clothes, and coat over his skin. Spreading rapidly to hide away the human flesh in a thick layer of crimson, that ends up even layering over his eyes to hide them away completely -- and leave an illusion of bloodied fangs stretching out from amidst jaws that seem to stretch open unnaturally wide.

"--So I'll just cut 'em up!!"

His voice echoes in an unnatural, ethereal quality with those last words. And so does the feral laugh that comes after. His body coils up during it all like a spring, or a tiger preparing to pounce.

The already-abused floorboards underneath his feet shatter into a hundred fragments when he leaps. Immense force launching him like a supersonic missile across the length of the gym, his unnaturally-loud laugh echoing with the vibrations of the doppler effect in his projectile-like launch.

Aimed straight for the center of the Giant. Aimed for plunging his sword, coated in blood-red energy, as deep into the large man as he can.

And if he does manage, he'll keep holding that weapon in deep tight. So that otherwordly magics might draw blood out of Kongou, and into that mass gathered around the swordsman.

COMBATSYS: Katsuro successfully hits Kongou with Bloodhound's Bite.

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Kongou           1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0          Katsuro

[KONGOU]
"Darkstalker?! I am no -Darkstalker-. Perhaps, though, you humans are so used to calling anything you don't understand a 'Darkstalker' for lack of any other way to describe it... Still....this...being lumped in in some category of 'creature' as an excuse to hunt me down it.."

He pauses, thinking, seemingly searching for a way to describe what he thinks, what he feels, almost not paying attention to the writhing display of blood fury beginning infront of him.

"It offends me."

He decides at long last. His eyes seem to shift slightly at that..searching for a feeling that he does not often have towards others..being that he usually simply sees them as not worth that sort of time or attention. A world to fragile to handle him even in this most restrained and restricted of forms but now...?

He's ..displeased..

This realization occurs the instant before Katsuro is upon him and he turns his attention down towards the charging assault an instant just before the wild man explodes into view just infront of him and drives his sword home. -This- time...it bites. It cuts into the vast masses of flesh that is the giants physical presence and container that mimics this expression of brute strength and physical power. It pierces the defenses of his outer shell and drinks deep into the essence that is the behemoths inner core. What passes for his 'Ego' and 'Physicality'. It's not true 'blood' that comes forth but a semblance of it as the rules that make Kongou 'work' make for the visual spectacle that is the attack landing home. It is this energy, wild, rich and raw, that pours into the blade as if Katsuro had plunged his weapon into the very script that defines the laws of creation.

And Kongou frowns. He's not displeased. Now he is angry. His expression of wrath is comes with no roar or bellow of a beast but rather a cold uncaring fury like that of the natural world enacting judgement. An earthquake paying attention to someone and focusing on that individual.

His fist clenches. The muscles of his arm swell and creak as his limb hauls backwards and he attempts to pull back and away from Katsuro like a trebuchet locking back with a payload of a skyscrapers worth of boulders... The ground cracks and sunders, caving in from the pressure of the behemoth - And then he swings.

His arm drags down and then up again. A thunderous uppercut that, should it land, seeks to send Katsuro hurtling upwards even as the floor itself gives way from the shockwave following behind the giants swing.

COMBATSYS: Kongou knocks away Katsuro with Orbital Launcher EX.
- Power hit! -

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Kongou           1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1          Katsuro

[KATARINA]
"ENOUGH!"

A new voice cuts through the chaos, that single word amplified and reverberating as if shouted through a bullhorn into a canyon. Even the thunderous destruction of the giant's angry counter-strike is drowned out by the sheer magnitude of the command.

The source of the shout proves impossible to pin down on sound alone, the barked order seeming to come from all directions at once as if woven into the very air. But, it doesn't take much more than a quick glance around to spot the owner.

Bedecked in ornate military regalia more fitting for a parade ground than a battlefield, a small silver-haired woman hovers several feet above the ground on the far side of the building. Her body is framed by the ragged hole left in the wall from her unruly subordinate's attempt to withstand Kongou's incredible might, her hair aflutter in the invisible power holding her aloft while her golden epaulets sparkle brightly as sunlight spills in around her dramatically.

Sometimes, you just have to know how to make an entrance to get people's attention.

Though the lower half of her face is obscured by the tall collar of her greatcoat, Katarina's crimson eyes are narrowed in an expression of extreme displeasure. And, for once, that haughty anger of hers is not directed at the inhuman monstrosity in the room. Well... the inhuman monstrosity that isn't on her team, that is.

The officer's brows furrow as she turns her glower towards wherever it is that the blood-soaked Hound ends up crash landing after his most recent encounter with the runaway train that is the giant's fist.

"I don't recall authorizing you to sortie on a combat mission, Private Kirikawa. Much less giving permission to engage a threat of this class entirely on your own."

She sighs, rubbing at her temples with two armor-clad fingers.

"Do you have any idea how much paper work you've just created for me?"

Shifting her attention over to Kongou, the uniformed girl regards him with a sour expression in silence for a few seconds. A small web of intricate neon blue runes flares to life over her right eye, shimmering like a holographic projection. The symbols shift and twist into different configurations as she scans the mother database for any entry regarding this muscle-bound abomination only to come up blank.

That's quite surprising. A being as strong as this one appears to be should have drawn a great deal of attention. Particularly with him openly participating in a public competition. But then, permission to operate in the Western hemisphere is a new development so it's possible there just hasn't been an opportunity to build a file yet. Well, that's something that can be rectified quite easily.

Slowly descending until her armored boots clank softly onto the hardwood floors, Katarina clasps her hands behind her back and stalks over towards the hulking brute. Despite the rather worn condition of her new pet, she shows no immediately hostility. Once she has drawn within conversational range, she speaks again, using her normal voice which is much softer and pleasant, though still laced with authority.

"You there, giant. Identify yourself. Are you human or otherwise?"

[KATSURO]
"What's it matter?"

That's all Katsuro's ethereal voice has time to say before he is put into hurry to deal with Kongou's understandably furious counterattack.

Left hanging upon the giant's form by where his sword has been stabbed in, the swordsman actually has to press his feet in against the behemoth's enormous abs for leverage to yank his sword back out, in a hurried effort to impose it between him and the boulder-sized fist.

Which, really, was probably not a smart thing to attempt anyway, considering the weight of the fist in question coming for him.

The explosive force of the blow shatters the surrounding structuring just from the shockwave alone. And poor Katsuro, who actually took the physical impact straight on, damn near across the whole surface area of his torso thanks to the sheer size difference?

Bones crack, muscles tear. More blood spills from that sharp-fanged mouth. ANd the blood-covered demon is sent flying up into the air, into the ceiling...

...And *through* the ceiling.

The wood gives way first, then stone, shattering into an explosion of dust and smaller pieces of concrete that rain back down onto the gym floor while Katsuro, himself, goes sailing high up into the air. He actually blacks out for a second, all the way up until he reaches the apex of his flight.

And then he falls back down from that immense height, straight through the hole his body had just created in the roof a few seconds earlier. Brought down by the cruel force of gravity with a loud *crunch* of a grown-ass man smashing into the already-abushed floor.

It's the impact of the landing that ultimately jolts him back into consciousness, ironically enough. And in his frenzied, blood magic -fueled state as he is, Katsuro's immediately sprung up to all fours there in the crater even with the sword still tightly grasped in one hand. Back arched and body coiled in that feral posture again -- but this time it comes with an utterly inhuman growl as well, sharpened teeth snapping and gnawing.

But. That's just the initial reaction of his waking. The beast's head turns to look to the source of that phenomenally loud voice, staring with unseen eyes at the woman who has made her appearance there.

Something changes.

The demonic visage of Katsuro's current state does not disappear, no. The breathy, ethereally-echoing growls even continue for a moment while she addresses him. No, chides him.

And then, he calms. He even withdraws in his posture, taking a single step back away from the giant he has been fighting - without permission, as it turns out - and settles himself down to one knee. Sword stabbed down against the floor and head lowering itself down in a clear show of submission.

The beast might not be gone. But the frenzy and the maddened attempts at fulfilling some inhuman hunger are now restrained.

COMBATSYS: Katsuro takes no action.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Kongou           1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1          Katsuro

[KONGOU]
The magically augmented cry for a cessation of violence - doesn't seem to catch the giants attention right away. His expression has twisted into a look of barely restrained cruelty and imperiousness as his footfalls begin to slowly take him in the direction of the beast who has gone to his knees now, not in submission to himself but to the presence that attempts to seize the giants attention before he takes action upon the true offending party before him. His massive shadow falls over Katsuro and he looks, for an instance, as if he is indeed willing to bear down upon the man who has seemingly opted to bring the fight to a close..

But he pauses at the last instance and inclines his head before finally stating.

"That was very loud! I'm impressed! But who are you to demand any such answers from me? What authority the NOL has is of no interest or consequence to me. Wasted, it would seem, on boring people with boring pursuits...."

He considers the matter a little further and then crouches down to peer more closely at Katsuro, "Well....perhaps I speak to harshly. You are not boring. Just....lacking of any redeeming quality it seems but..that could change with the right mentorship! Perhaps you should consider joining the New Fighters Generation. It might do you better then the NOL....!"

His grin returns suddenly, as if a switch were flipped. Suddenly more affable though a wild glint remains in his eyes, "You almost made very, very angry. That counts for -something-. I don't get angry easily..."

He finally stands and looks over the expanse of his shoulder towards Katarina and both eyebrows raise, "That was a very loud cry from a body so tiny. Give me your name." he demands, still grinning broadly.

In truth, Kongou -has- been active all over the world. Even a famed figure on The Midnight Channel, but his sightings were sparse and for a while became infrequent , so perhaps he indeed flew under the NOL radar, so to speak, despite the obvious power at his command.

COMBATSYS: Kongou takes no action.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Kongou           1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1          Katsuro

[KATARINA]
For a moment, it seems as if the officer's demand for a cease-fire is going to be ignored. Katarina's eyes narrow dangerously at the wide back of the hulking giant. She doesn't like to be ignored. And she certainly isn't going to stand by and let this over-stuffed punchmeat monstrosity attack her precious subordinate after he's clearly obeyed her order to stand down.

The air shimmers as Katarina extends her right hand out to her side, her gauntlet-clad fingers curling inwards as if clutching some invisible object. A flash of distorted reality brings forth a long silver saber, the blade as ostentatiously ornate as her uniform. Her grasp closes around the hilt of the weapon and a soft musical hum fills the air as she prepares to unleash her own magic in defense of the kneeling Hound.

Fortunately, her intervention proves unnecessary. Whatever trance had overtaken the giant suddenly breaks and his aggressive approach comes to a grinding halt. Katarina lowers the sword, allowing it to rest at her side, though she does not dispel it completely yet. It's clear that this man or monster or whatever he might be isn't going to be intimidated by the NOL's reputation, so the weapon is more for her own sake than his, ready to lash out at the first signs of provocation.

"I am Captain Katarina Shimotsuki, commanding officer of the 1st Engineering Division of the Novis Orbus Librarium. And while the authority of the NOL may not interest you, it is certainly of consequence."

Despite her distaste for non-humans, Katarina keeps her voice measured and amicable. A subtle lace of enchantment magic filters through her words, gently pushing those that hear them towards a more positive view of the speaker.

There may yet be a need for violence but the NOL's hold on this territory is tenuous and new. Starting open confrontations that are so obviously one-sided can only weaken their position in the public eye. Had her little doggy done what he was -supposed- to do and bring back reports on people like Kongou to the headquarters for analysis, they could have shown up on his door with an entire squad and operated from a much stronger position. Now she has to play damage control.

"The United States has authorized our operations in this country. The authority of the NOL extends to the regulation and sanction of any use of magic as well as all non-human entities residing within our area of control. As you are currently standing on U.S. soil, you fall underneath that umbrella."

Keeping her eyes fixed sideways on the towering brute, Katarina stalks in a slow circle around him as she speaks until she makes her way over to Katsuro's side. A quick glance is given towards her subordinate, taking in his condition with another brief flash of magical runes dancing across her eye. Not in much condition to continue fighting if it comes down to that. Even more reason to keep things civil - for the moment.

"So I ask again - are you human or not? All darkstalkers or otherwise inhuman residents or visitors are required to register with the Librarium. As you are not in our files, that puts you in violation of the law. If you wish to avoid sanction, I suggest you submit yourself to our facility in Metro City for investigation and cataloguing."

[KATSURO]
The Bloodhound does not waver even underneath the closing of the titanic footsteps upon him. He remains there in that kneeling position, head bowed. Truth be told, there is a *little* concern that Kongou might continue the violence still, but the one holding his leash has commanded things to stop -- and so he will accordingly show his own withdrawal of hostilities.

BUt he remains in that posture even after the Titan backs down for the time being. From there, it's less a show of withdrawing hostility, and more a show of submission for the one who came to break the fight up. Loathe as he is to admit it, he did show insubordination in favor of following some much more base desire. That understanding, combined with whatever hold Katarina might have on him, leaves him unwilling to even attempt to argue the fact or complain otherwise.

So he plays the part of the obedient dog now, instead. Moving only enough to peek sidelong to the Captain once she's come to stand beside him.

"Hime-sama--" He does start to say when she makes her demand to the giant.

But then the blood gathered onto him to change his visage shatters into an explosion of red dust.

"Hurk--"

Whatever thought he was going to voice out is lost in that. Whatever spell was used to maintain that demonic form must have taken a lot out of him, for the moment it breaks and returns him to a fully human appearance once more, he immediately collapses onto the shattered floor. Not quite knocked out, but with him slumped down to the point where his cheek is squashed into the ground and his sword has escaped the tenous grasp of his fingers to clatter down by Katarina's feet, it's clear enough he's not going to be any good for anything but set dressing from here on out.

"...damnit..."

COMBATSYS: Katsuro has left the fight here.

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

COMBATSYS: Kongou has ended the fight here.


[KONGOU]
"Fascinating! Well that is news to me! It was explained to me that this was a free country! So much so I found it very interesting and worth my investigation. Butt now you tell me that they permit the 'registration' and 'regulation' of beings simply by merit of birth or chosen skill set? And by a foreign agency, no less? Mmm...that's amazing! How positively corrupt and full of hypocrisy! Ripe for a dramatic fall and disastrous over extension of power and authority."

His assessment is of course not asked for but is at the same time utterly cheerful in stark contrast to the vast damage inflicted by the giant upon The Hound and the entire facility.

"Even more fascinating considering that the most powerful beings about are -not- what you would qualify as a Darkstalker. Indeed grave horrors exist, some barely a half step away from you. Curious indeed... I wonder if that Nightless knows about this..."

His musings and ramblings linger in the air. He seems...disciplined to violence at least but it would be uncertain if the sorcery in her voice has anything to do with it or if it's just...his nature. Any attempt by her to delve into his essence magically would reveal that he is indeed a boiling cauldron of seething power. Barely contained but also restrained by some otherworldy power holding him back. Minor magicks may very well have limited to no effect. A mountain range letting clouds roll beneath or overtop it without much reaction.

"Well, I implied a promised answer so I will say that I am no human. I am from The Backyard...information I have volunteered before so I will tell you that much. I suppose you may be unfamiliar with that term so I will simply describe it as...." he quiets and then grins slowly, knowingly, "Something you may refer to as 'The Boundary'? Another way to look at it perhaps?" His grin grows ever larger, "But I am afraid that I am restrained by certain 'laws' when I am here though I gradually unwind those restrictions. Either way - for now I must decline your invitation to...register. I have no desire to face the scrutiny that likely lies at the heart of your offices... At lesat right at this moment. I must attend to repairing my current home before my..ah..housemates....return.."

As Katsuro drops to the ground finally, Kongou returns his gaze down to him and looks upon him for a few long seconds before turning his attention to Katarina once more. She is within arms reach and within an instant he could reach out for her. The blinding speed that he showed to Katsuro sems to be held back but his massive fingers twitch slightly as if seeing to grasp hold of ..something or someone. The very air pressure shifts slightly, a heavy humidity settling over the area as the behemoth takes a deep breath, swelling his torso even larger.

"Hmm....."

[KATARINA]
Katarina remains silent, allowing the giant to ramble on about his feelings on the local government and their choice to turn to the NOL for aid. His arguments are nothing new. People are always trying to prove how much smarter they are or express their moral superiority compared to the position of the Librarium. She's heard just about every rebuke and debate under the sun when it comes to the treatment of inhumans. Not a single one of them is relevant in the slightest. Even if those who opposed the Librarium had a point, which is rare, it wouldn't matter one single bit for a very simple reason.

The Imperator has decreed that it be so.

No other reasoning is required for Katarina to obey. Unlike the vast majority of those who don the uniform, she has been made privy to the truth behind the NOL's leadership. Hazama had revealed to her his true form and in doing so made her aware of the divine nature of their glorious leader. The Imperator is a goddess, a being of absolute divinity.

And what is logic in the face of true faith?

Unfortunately, she does not have the option to simply reveal that truth to the world. For reasons that her Holiness has not chosen to explain, she chooses to use the Librarium to enact her will in secret. And, as her most devoted servant, Katarina must do everything in her power to see that the NOL's creed is upheld. Besides, it's not like she has any love for monstrosities such as the one before her.

It is Kongou's claim to be an entity of the Boundary that breaks her silence. Katarina scoffs openly, a skeptical expression on her pale face.

"Do you take me for a fool? Nothing survives in the Boundary. It is full of seithr, a substance that is anathema to all life in such quantities."

And yet, she did not hear the chaotic notes of an obvious lie resonate from his song. The Music Box fills her mind with a rising chorus of near overwhelming cacophony when she turns her attention towards trying to decipher the nature of his existence. With a wince, she turns her face away from him, hissing softly in agitation. Whatever he is, it's unnatural and should be caged immediately.

Unfortunately, as much as she would love to follow through on that assessment, her position here is not strong. The giant has already demonstrated his power to her both through him treating Katsuro like a basketball and the intense magical readings of her scan. Alone she stands little chance of forcing the issue. A shame. The capture of such an obviously inhuman entity would make for a fantastic trophy to cement the NOL's transition into the United States.

"The registration of magic users is no different than requiring those who possess guns to register. And magic is a far more dangerous tool than mere bullets. Your refusal to submit to proper documentation puts everyone in danger. You will bring far greater trouble down upon your head in the long run should you be stubborn about this."

Holding up her sword for Kongou to see, the officer releases her grip and the weapon dissolves into twinkling motes of light. Her now empty hand is turned palm out towards him in the universal gesture for 'stop', hoping to cut off any hostility that might be brewing.

"But, while the NOL has received sanction to operate here, the laws regarding registration are not yet in effect. You have time to reconsider your stance. I suggest you think on it."

Turning back to Katsuro, the girl frowns at the disgraceful sight of her subordinate flopped out on the floor. She closes her eyes and inhales slowly with exasperation. Extending a hand towards the bloodied soldier, an almost imperceptible coil of air slowly wraps around him. When she starts to rise off the floor once more, clearly preparing to leave, the Hound levitates alongside her. She also snags his weapon in the magical matrix, should he happen to be unable to hold onto it himself.

[KONGOU]
Oh he knows.

Not about Izanami mind you. He's no reason to know that specifically though there is much about the metaphysical world he knows.

Rather he knows his words are pointless insomuch as dealing with one who has been indoctrinated, sealed and baptized into what they believe regardless of the falseness or futility of said beliefs. It's in his eyes, glowing though they be, that he knows. The crinkle of merriment around their edges. No, his words weren't to change her mind or anyones minds...just to say that he knows enough about what is really going on behind closed doors to call a duck a duck. That a death goddess is involved is...a matter for the other gods that lurk. And those able to challenge the gods.

"Ah yes. See? I speak truth." he rumbles, "You are correct that nothing can 'exist' but what about things that are composed of that information, written to 'be' and able to take certain forms within spaces created therein and withstand the pressure that would obliterate anything else. The ...letters written on the pages that have come to life and taken on their own agency and storytelling. You might call me the word 'Strength' or 'Immensity'. But.."

He waves that off, "I will say no more. You already know -everything- ....so what is the point of giving a new perspective to you?"

By now it should be clear he's no simple gigantic brute concerned with beer and brawling.

But he is, potentially, a creature to strong to exist.

"It was fun!" he says, turning towards Katsuro now, "I have decided that it was fun after all. At first you were interesting, then annoying, but now I feel that you can come test yourself against me any time. Show me that you've become stronger and can break this..leash..on you.."

Kongou gives Katarina a final glance, "I will consider 'visiting' your centers soon. Now leave."

[KATSURO]
As ashamed as Katsuro might be for the showing he has made in front of the Captain, he is not exactly in any place to be complaining about getting magically hoisted up like that, either. Seeing as he's not in any shape to even reach for the sword that fell out of his grasp when the transformative spell gave way.

He's mostly motionless while left to hang in the grasp of magical forces there, too. Perhaps content to just be hauled away like that -- as if he was getting carried off by the scruff of his neck.

But then, something Kongou says makes him twitch, at first. And then, actually titter in a quiet, near-giggle.

"Nah..." He breathes out, and with some measure of effort, succeeds in lifting his head up to cast one final look back at the Titan.

"I like this leash."

There's a smile much too brilliant to be given with a declaration like that. Especially after all the utterly uncontrollable, animal-like frenzy he had just displayed before. But no-- there's no magical enhancement compelling him to say so, either. No geas, no hypnosis, nothing. Just an apparently genuine choice to be the Hound for the one holding the leash now.

"Look forward to playin' with ya again though~"

Jovial as he might make himself out to be even as his broken form is hauled away, there is still something that does weigh on his mind. Soemthing that makes his expression dour once his commanding officer has brought him sufficiently out of sight and out of earshot of the Titan.

He's not one for apologies. But there is some understanding of what has happened, that he must be able to show to this chosen master of his. But for that, he does not offer an apology, but a promise:

"...This will not happen again."

Log created on 17:46:09 10/15/2023 by Kongou, and last modified on 00:53:09 10/16/2023.