Neo League 226 - #247: Shenwoo vs Takuma

Description: Shenwoo and Takuma leaguefight as a rematch from their Second Victory fight! This time, though, things turn out very differently... (Winner: Shenwoo)



Japan is a small country, especially compared to such giants as Russia, or America. Yet it's smallness is jam-packed with amazing locales and beautiful places... and many of those places are chosen for fighting arenas. In this case, for this Neo League bout, a more modern place has been chosen; the Asahi beer garden, a big building in Tokyo that holds a German-style beer garden. It's full of salarimen, as it is most every night, but these salarimen are in for a treat.
The garden's been cleared somewhat; bright lightning shining down on a cleared space of hardwood flooring, velvet ropes marking out a large, rectangular surface... and at one end is Takuma, sitting on the floor... with a large stein of Guinness sitting in front of him. He sits in the traditional Japanese way, looking like he's deep in meditation... if it weren't for the beerfoam mustache on his upper lip and the slightly pink tone to his skin. Clearly, this is one of the best arenas ever chosen.

Now, Shenwoo's first impression? ...This totally doesn't look anything like what the Shanghai-born brawler thinks of when he hears the word 'garden'. Still, it's not like it makes much of a difference to the berserker /where/ he's fighting; what matters to him is /who/. So... He's getting a rematch, after a fashion, here, and that's important. Especially given how terribly he did during Second Victory.

The tall, lean young man steps towards the roped-off area, his shoes thumping against the hardwood floor as Shen tugs his leather gloves tighter; the self-styled 'God of Battle' wears a variation on his usual fight attire, with dark blue jeans instead of his usual leather pants, and though his shirt is still silk, it's black and embroidered with a silver Chinese-style dragon on it. That wolfish grin is in evidence, Shenwoo's broad slash of a mouth not seeming to budge a hair from that expression, before he puts a hand on the turnbuckle and hops /over/ the top rope, landing easily inside the ring.

"So... You ready to lose?" the tall brawler says with a laugh in his voice, looking over towards the older fighter. Yeah, Shenwoo is certainly confident, considering how badly Takuma beat him around last time, huh? But you know, just because something goes bad once, it doesn't mean it's going to go bad a second time.

COMBATSYS: Shenwoo has started a fight here.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-------|


Ah. He's here... the young man whose team did so badly against Takuma during Second Victory. Takuma's eyes open, his head raises; his intense gaze falls on Shenwoo as the young man both enters the ring and asks if Takuma is ready to lose. While Shen's looking flashy, Takuma is dressed, as he always is, in his off-white karate gi, the simple black belt at his waist setting off the ivory color of his clothing.
The question makes Takuma smile as he rises, kick-sliding the mug off to the side; the mug hits an edge on the floor and flips up into the air, sparkling in the light as Takuma stretches, rolling his shoulders.
*clink* That's the mug, landing squarely on the bar, as Takuma raises his eyebrows and utters a hearty laugh.
"Confident! That's good, that's good. Young bucks like you need to be confident. Of course," he pauses, "I'm confident too."
All stretched out and such, Takuma's feet settle into his stance... and when the announcer shouts "FIGHT!"...
Takuma's off and running, closing the distance with Shenwoo, skidding slightly as he halts his forward motion, using the momentum to throw his back foot around in a snap side kick.

COMBATSYS: Takuma has joined the fight here.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Takuma


COMBATSYS: Shenwoo parries Takuma's Medium Kick!

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Takuma


Really, what sort of fighter /isn't/ confident? It's not like it's easy to live this sort of a lifestyle if you don't possess an exceptional amount of self-confidence. Sometimes a seemingly boundless amount of self-confidence. Sometimes, a seemingly /baseless/ self-confidence. But it's not like somebody who calls himself the 'God of Battle' is going to be humble, you know?

Shenwoo has barely raised his fists for his casual boxing stance by the time the fight is declared and Takuma comes racing at him, aiming that side kick at the tall young fighter... And Shenwoo rushes forward /into/ the kick, letting it glance rather harmlessly off of his hip as he thrusts his left hand forward, grasping at Takuma's throat. If he gets ahold of the Kyokugen fighter, then he'll lift the older man /right off the floor/ one-handed, before slamming him back-first into the mat as hard as he can. "HORA!!"

COMBATSYS: Shenwoo successfully hits Takuma with Kyakuten Touchi EX.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0           Takuma


Unexpected! Takuma's still retracting his leg as Shenwoo comes in for his own attack, and thus, Takuma is chokegrabbed, lifted, and slammed. Does it hurt? Well, it kind of hurt, that's for sure. But it wasn't too bad; the floor isn't even damaged, as Takuma kind of bounces up afterwards, with a quick cough to clear his throat.
"Not bad, kiddo!" And really, one good attack deserves another; this one, Shenwoo's seen before, as Takuma suddenly surges forward, lifting off the floor as his right leg scythes out in a roundhouse kick... followed immediately by Takuma sweeping his left leg out in a reverse roundhouse, two kicks, no waiting.

COMBATSYS: Shenwoo blocks Takuma's Hien Shippu Kyaku.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0           Takuma


Despite appearances to the contrary, Shenwoo is not a /total/ meathead. In fact, he can be pretty smart in a fight, and when Takuma suddenly springs forward in that kicking combination, the tall young man shows enough brains to take the kicks on his tattooed, hard-muscled forearms, mitigating the worst of the damage, though the force of the kick does send him back into the ropes. "Heh," Shen laughs to himself, rebounding /off/ the ropes, stomping one foot down and swinging around on his heel, thrusting his opposite leg out at Takuma's midsection in a straight-legged heel kick. "GRAAAH!!"

COMBATSYS: Takuma fails to counter Tenrenshou from Shenwoo with Mouko Burai Gan.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0           Takuma


Takuma thought he might try something a little different--however, that was a mistake, as when he goes to deflect the kick... he misses, and the kick impacts his stomach, forcing him back a step or two.
"Ngh," grimaces the older man, completing the step back, perhaps to help collect himself.

Swinging his foot back down, Shenwoo gets his proper footing beneath him; yeah, this is definitely getting the ol' blood pumping, but the berserker isn't quite getting overconfident yet... He's felt firsthand just how strong Takuma can be. But standing around, or just being reactive, doesn't suit the Shanghai-born fighter, so he's getting right on ol' Takuma's case again, crossing the mat quickly and taking a swing with his beringed left fist at the side of the Kyokugen fighter's face, before - if it hits - following up with a right-hand uppercut. "GRAH! ORA!!"

COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks Shenwoo's Strong Punch.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0           Takuma


That ringed left hand is stopped cold, Takuma literally -catching- the fist with one hand, pushing Shenwoo off balance for the rest of the combination. But it wasn't a counterattack; rather, Takuma was simply saving himself some damage, and thus, has something else in mind. A crouch and a little hop brings him backwards a bit... and then he starts yelling, a long, prolonged kiai as he settles into a deep horse stance, golden energy licking up in a circle around his feet.

COMBATSYS: Takuma gathers his will.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0           Takuma


Well, it's not as though Shenwoo could get his way the whole time, right? If he's disappointed at all, he doesn't show it, instead laughing in what /might/ be delight as his attack is dealt with and the older fighter escapes, taking a few quick steps back himself. In his experience, people doing visible energy tricks like that is a bad thing, so he gives himself a little room, slipping back into his casual boxing stance and watching his opponent, studying how the older man moves, still grinning wildly.

COMBATSYS: Shenwoo focuses on his next action.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0           Takuma


What to do... what to do. Takuma studies his young opponent most curiously. He might've expected Shenwoo to just come at him again; it certainly seems like it's in the young man's nature to do so. But that he's backing off, well, that makes Takuma wary. Perhaps he can provoke a reaction out of the young man... if he merely continues to gather his energy? All this debate takes place internally; Takuma's stance doesn't move in the least, as the energy continues to come up around him.

COMBATSYS: Takuma gathers his will.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1           Takuma


Well, it looks like Takuma's having fun over there, doesn't it? But Shenwoo's not going to stay away forever. He shrugs his shoulders slightly, before giving the slightest bit of a crouch... And then he suddenly springs forward at the Kyokugen master, once again targeting the midsection that he hit earlier. This time, though, the brawler runs almost parallel with the mat, trying to smash his shoulder into Takuma's gut; if there's one thing Shen most certainly is /not/, it's a refined martial artist, you know? "SHYAAAA!!"

COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks Shenwoo's Strong Punch.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-----==|=======\====---\1           Takuma


Shoulder tackle--denied! Takuma crouches as Shenwoo comes sailing in, meeting shoulder with shoulder, using his braced position to absorb nearly all the impact from the attack... and then he comes in with his own strong attack, reaching out to grab Shen's torso--a bearhug, almost, really. And if he gets that hug? Well, Takuma's caught some puroresu on TV recently, so what he'll try is an earth-shattering flying body slam! If he gets his grab.

COMBATSYS: Shenwoo interrupts Strong Throw from Takuma with Tenrenshou.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/---====|=======\======-\1           Takuma


Okay then, uh, so much for that! Shenwoo grunts a bit as most of the impact of his attack is deflected, and then Takuma is grabbing him?! He's not into that sort of thing, y'know! He straightens up some from the tackle position before the grapple comes in, and while the older fighter /does/ get ahold of the berserker... Shen's somehow managed get his leg up, bent at the knee, between the two, using his leg to break the grab aforetime, sending himself crashing back onto the mat a bit painfully, and tossing /Takuma/ towards the turnbuckle.

Takuma goes for his own wild ride, that's for sure; but he's not really looking the worse for wear, not yet. Before he hits the turnbuckle, he's slapping his hands onto the ground, altering his direction of movement; colliding with the floor is painful, and hard on the knees, but better than hitting that metal turnstile... Takuma once again bounces to his feet, all earlier amusement gone, not even a trace, as he once again regards Shenwoo... his gaze sharpening and intensifying.

COMBATSYS: Takuma focuses on his next action.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/---====|=======\======-\1           Takuma


Bouncing a bit painfully on his shoulder, Shenwoo nevertheless rolls over and back up, crouching on one knee and one foot. He settles low in that position, leaning his arm on his raised knee, taking a moment to catch his breath while he watches Takuma watching him. "So... At least we're havin' more fun this time, huh?" the berserker says, exuberantly. There's probably something wrong with this kid, y'know?

COMBATSYS: Shenwoo gains composure.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/----===|=======\======-\1           Takuma


A rest. That looks kind of nice; Takuma might try taking a rest sometime. For now... he just grins and lunges forward, suddenly. No quarter, no respite! At least, not right now.
"Kid, I'm glad to see you understand the joy of battle!" And some of that joy is expressed right here, right now... in Takuma's fists, as he suddenly hammers out at Shenwoo--from a distance? Yes, but not just with a hand. What looks like a straight punch instead unleashes a dense ball of golden chi energy, aimed right for Shenwoo's chest.
"Ko'ou Ken!"

COMBATSYS: Shenwoo Toughs Out Takuma's Ko'ou Ken!

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Shenwoo          0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2           Takuma


So, remember how Shenwoo was crouched there like that, apparently having a nice relaxing moment to himself? Well... Not anymore. Even as Takuma pulls his hand back to launch out that coherent chi attack, the berserker smoothly springs to his feet and rushes forward. Right at that Ko'ou Ken. The chi blast impacts the self-styled 'God of Battle', but it doesn't stop him for even a second; his dark eyes positively gleam with delight, and he barks out a laugh while still grinning wildly, only slightly off-balance from the energy strike. "Hahahaha! DON'T MESS AROUND WITH ME!!" he roars, clearly starting to get more caught up in this than he should, as he lashes out with both fists at once, one aimed at Takuma's sternum, and the other at his gut!

COMBATSYS: Takuma fails to counter Strong Punch from Shenwoo with Mouko Burai Gan.
- Power hit! -

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Shenwoo          0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2           Takuma


Apparently, that's good advice to take! Takuma, thinking he has Shenwoo set up--instead takes a good solid pair of hits to the head and stomach and once again stumbles back. He's very unpleased by this turn of events, his brow tightening, eyes narrowing, and generally his visage growing ever sterner as he rights himself.

Straightening up after the attack, Shenwoo watches Takuma, meeting that stern expression with his wild one. "Heh..." It's kind of a reversal from the last time these two clashed, isn't it? But the berserker isn't about to let up on the older fighter. He does turn away from Takuma, taking a few steps towards the middle of the ring... Before he suddenly whirls around and /streaks/ towards the Kyokugen master, his shirt and hair trailing behind him, his beringed left fist thrown forward in a powerful rushing punch, the Gekiken! "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"

COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks Shenwoo's Gekiken.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2           Takuma


As far as Takuma is concerned... this is very much not a good fight for him. Perhaps he shouldn't've had the Guinness beforehand... but that's only an excuse, not a reason, and Takuma doesn't hold truck with that. Shen's fist bounces off of Takuma's upraised forearm, and then... the older man just stands there, -staring- at Shenwoo...

COMBATSYS: Takuma gains composure.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-======|=======\======-\1           Takuma


Rebounding a little from the block, Shenwoo grins anyway, not seeming particularly discouraged by this turn of events. Getting his footing beneath him, the brawler reaches out to try and grab the staring Takuma by the wrist, with the intent of giving him a simple hip-toss to put him on the mat. It's nothing flashy or particularly impressive, but hopefully it'll help get the job done.

COMBATSYS: Shenwoo successfully hits Takuma with Quick Throw.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/-======|=======\=======\1           Takuma


Indeed it does. Takuma lands on his back, and actually doesn't get up for a moment... but when he does, he's in fast motion, barely rising before he's on his hands and one foot.. the other sweeping out for Shenwoo's legs, hoping to at least dump the berzerker on his feet.

COMBATSYS: Takuma successfully hits Shenwoo with Light Kick.

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Shenwoo          1/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2           Takuma


Tripped! It seems that fair is fair, for depositing people on the ground, huh? Shenwoo hits, and rolls a little to put some more distance between himself and the martial artist, getting into another crouch. "Heh," he chuckles again, wiping his mouth with the back of one leather-gloved hand. So, what's the tall guy gonna do now? He looks pretty relaxed there for a moment, before smoothly rising out of that crouch, angling towards Takuma...

And then he vanishes.

It's not long, just a heartbeat or two that the self-styled 'God of Battle' is invisible, but even when he reappears his tall form is blurry, difficult to focus on as he hauls ass right at Takuma, once again going for one of those rushing punches... But this one is immensely faster, incredibly fast, a shockwave of energy surrounding Shenwoo as he attacks. "SHYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"

COMBATSYS: Takuma counters Zetsu Gekiken from Shenwoo with Mouko Burai Gan.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Shenwoo          0/-------/----===|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2           Takuma


One might think that Takuma were still getting up. That Shenwoo's speed was simply too much for the eye to follow. That this was it for the old man.

One would be wrong as, even as that chi-enhanced fist appears almost right in Takuma's face... he's snapping an arm up to meet it, to deflect it off-course... and to leave Shenwoo's chest open for a thrusting lunge punch from the off-hand.

Rebounding off the fist hitting him in the chest, Shenwoo goes back in the direction he came from, hitting the ropes, which manage to support his weight easily enough. "Hahahahahahaa!" the young man laughs, throwing his head back. Well... Guess he's happy with it not being any sort of one-sided match, huh? "I was worried last time was just a fluke," he jibes, apparently unworried that such a fast technique was countered. Rolling his neck as he straightens up from the ropes, Shen considers his next course of action... And then he quickly advances on Takuma again, clasping his hands into an axehandle position, swinging them /up/ at his jaw. "HORA!!" And if that hits, then he swings them back /down/, right onto Takuma's face! "ORA!!"

COMBATSYS: Shenwoo successfully hits Takuma with Kouryuu-Geki.

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Shenwoo          0/-------/---====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2           Takuma


Two hits! No waiting! Could this be the end for Takuma...? Perhaps not yet... as despite looking rather beaten the old man rises once more, with a little grin for the berzerker... one fight, either way, doesn't mean anything, and even if Takuma should pull this out somehow, he'll not have any compunctions about challenging the boy again. In fact... despite his busted-up condition... he can still fight, as becomes evident when he pulls his hands to his stomach, crouching slightly... energy building up for just a moment, as he then throws his hands wide, his voice echoing in the hall, audible even over the roar of the people.. and of the wall-like chi blast that flies through the air.
"HAOH... SHO... KO KEN!!!"

COMBATSYS: Takuma successfully hits Shenwoo with Haoh Sho Ko Ken.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////                         ]
Shenwoo          1/----===/=======|=======\-------\1           Takuma


Hello, hurting! That's what's in store for our boy Shenwoo, anyway, as he ends up on the receiving end of Takuma's powerful chi attack. He /does not/ like those things. The Haoh Sho Ko Ken blasts the berserker, tossing him backwards again, and this time he bounces off the ropes and slumps towards the ground, shaking his head. Definitely not the most fun thing that's ever happened to him, no. Coughing a little, and looking pretty banged up after that powerful energy attack, Shen shakes his head to try and clear it, before once again rushing at the other fighter - heedless of the risk to himself - and taking a pretty straightforward swing at Takuma, with his right hand aimed at the other man's jaw. "HAAH!"

COMBATSYS: Shenwoo successfully hits Takuma with Quick Punch.

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Shenwoo          1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1           Takuma


Sadly, no miracle dodges for Takuma today! The punch connects cleanly, and Takuma's legs start to buckle... but before he goes down, he'll have one last, nearly point-blank, blast of chi for Shen to deal with, before he goes to his back... and before the master of Kyokugenryuu starts laughing, through his bruised jaw, no matter what happens.

COMBATSYS: Takuma can no longer fight.

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


COMBATSYS: Shenwoo blocks Takuma's Haoh Sho Ko Ken.

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


Battered and tired as he is, Shenwoo's still pleased when his punch connects; he's taken an /awful/ lot of a beating in what very nearly turned into a complete comeback for Takuma, here. However... Shenwoo also has to deal with another big honkin' chi blast! This time, he throws up his arms in time to stop the brunt of the damage, but it still hurts like hell, as such attacks are wont to do. Smoking a little from the energy assault, Shen staggers back a few steps... But he's still on his feet. And laughing right along with Takuma! So at least neither one of them is sane, even if Shenwoo is the one being declared the winner, here.

COMBATSYS: Shenwoo has ended the fight here.

After a moment, Takuma gets up--as if a simple right cross could put HIM down for the count--and walks over to Shenwoo, slapping the berzerker on the shoulder. "Ha ha! That was a pretty good fight, kid. Did better than that team tournament, at least." He seems to be guiding Shenwoo over to the bar.
"If you weren't such a youngun I'd say we should team up! But you gotta be at least fifty to qualify. But hey! Let's have some drinks to celebrate!"

What sort of tough as nails old karate master would Takuma be if something like that knocked him out, anyway? No kind at all. Shenwoo is a bit surprised at the slap on the shoulder, as he was a bit busy playing to the crowd now that his laughter has calmed down, but he barks another short laugh at what the older man says. "Yeah, I guess I just wasn't on my game," he replies, regarding the tournament loss. He seems to have gotten over his disappointment there, though, now that he's had a much better showing against this particular opponent. "As for drinks, sure. You're buying though, since you lost!" he says with another laugh and a grin. Fair's fair, after all.

Log created by Shenwoo, and last modified on 08:46:15 04/22/2006.