Description: The counterattack has failed. The Suiryuu is in the hands of "R". Rugal Bernstein's troops have occupied the deck of the tournament ship. And now...the man himself has come aboard the vessel. Come to claim his prize. But Rugal and his compatriot are met by Hiretsu and the Agents of Jinchuu. As the others battle, Hiretsu faces Rugal - an old man with a cane, against one of the most lethal fighters ever to walk the earth. Yet...Hiretsu has been hiding a secret. He has been hiding a secret all this time. Now, the true face of Hiretsu is revealed. And...all hell breaks loose.
The situation for the Suiryuu is dire. The desperate assaults on the Black Noah would have had a prayer of success were it not for the treachery of many. Those who had seemed Agents of Jinchuu weren't. And their backstabbing cost the counter attack missions dearly. The bomb Riko managed to slip into one of the power plants certainly left its mark, flooding several decks of the massive carrier and cutting off some of its systems due to insufficient power to keep everything running. But the essentials were still active. Weapons.
The betrayal was deeper than anyone realized though, as the deck of the Suiryuu was made ready for the purpose of securing a chopper for a second wave against the carrier, only to end up inviting in an assault force of several of Rugal and Blackjack's elite. With force and trickery, they secured the deck, opening the door to the final push into the people's vessel.
Passangers were being rounded up against, fighters being mobbed and dragged off once beaten into submission by the elite forces now moving throughout the boat. Something went wrong with the group being lead by Adelheid. They had been out of contact for at least thirty minutes now. And Rugal was going to find out why. A lone chopper took off from the deck of the leviathan of the seas moments ago only to hover down near the main deck, allowing Bernstein himself to step foot on the boat he was so confident was about to become his.
That one eyed visage scans conditions of the boat. The damage that had been wrought, the blood that had been spilled, allies betrayed. All of it lead up to this moment. The moment he would claim the Suiryuu for himself and wrest its secrets one by one. His expression is confident, but there is a subtle uneasiness about the man. Why has he not heard from Adelheid? "Birdie," the tyrant of 'R' addresses the largest member of the Blackjack crew that he recently formed ties with. "Take some men and investigate the promenade deck."
The black chopper that brought him here lifts off a little, maintaining a low altitude over the boat. One final detail to iron out, and then he can finish securing the boat for good... From an inside pocket in his red suit coat that has become somewhat disheveled due to Riko deciding to try and SINK HIS BOAT, the man withdraws a pocket watch and checks it. "Heh." Ten hours since the attack began. What started in the darkness of night was now being finished as the noon hour approached. Longer than he had anticipated. But the only fights really worth the trouble tend to have their little set backs.
Birdie, being one of the most valiant thugs as well as a guy whose known to took orders well didn't pass up on the offer to help out Rugal. He's a mountain of meat, and now that the ship is going down, so Birdie's going to do what he does best. He's going to help cross the ship that he had some really bad experiences with. When you're beat down by two girls and a dog you remember it.
And when Rugal asks you do come, even if it may be a suicidal mission, it's more of a suicidal mission if you turn the man down. "Alright," Birdie says, looking down towards the deck, "Don't worry about me. I'll get it done." That's the only thing he says as the chopper continues to hover over the deck. He's going to help Rugal to the very end and take as many down with him with Rugal's men.
Birdie after all is quite the dapper thug. And the Suiryuu? It's never been on his good side. The boat could sink for all he cared, and hopefully everyone on it would drown. Everyone on it. It didn't matter. This was war, and all the upstart brats? Deserving of a good beating.
He keeps his eyes on the ship as the chopper continues its path.
For the Director of Operations, they were actually far, far ahead of schedule.
It wasn't entirely his plan to settle things in this fashion--actually, it was quite far from his main plan, but the essence of tactics is thinking on your feet. After all, the first casuality in any military operation is the plan. Of course.
He had asked--quite humbly, in fact--two to come with him for the event. After all, Rugal is coming prepared. Unfortunately, there aren't as many resources available to him as the "R" leader.
That is, of course, the nature of treachery.
Mn.
They are in a specially prepared lift, hidden largely from the prying eyes of "R", from engineering spaces that only Hiretsu knows about. He leans on his cane. Though Arika and Eva hardly /liked/ him, they would be loyal enough. And at this point, Hiretsu can't quite afford to play with double-edged knives anymore.
"We are here for only one reason," he minds the two as the lift hums. "If you engage Rugal with the mind of killing him, he will kill you. At best. At worst, he'll capture you. And then we'll have to withdraw you as well. Do not forget that fact."
Some minutes after Rugal's arrival, a portion of the deck shifts, and suddenly explodes outward, on detonated charges. Whether that was part of the initial specification is unclear. Thinking on your feet, after all. If there WERE any "R" soldiers on that part of the deck, they won't be happy. The lift will lock into place there.
The Director sniffs mildly. "Bernstein," he acknowledges. "So good of you to join us."
Two girls? Is that all Birdie thinks of them? Maybe that's for the best. See, being thought of as 'just a girl' suits the punk princess fine. But it's been hours since this all began. Hours she's gone without sleep. Beaten, captured and helping out a ship that -- under normal circumstances -- she wouldn't care if it sank or floated.
"Ain't plannin' on bein' captured again," Arika seethes quietly as Hiretsu speaks. Despite the fact that he's the Operations Director, en league with Riko and her insane ninja master, the diva is going to help. "S'long as me'n 'er get outta this in one piece, I'm 'appy, so don't think we'll be tryin' to off papa bear Bernstein..." Or if that -is- the ultimate plan, she's not about to execute it when it's just Eva and herself. She may suffer a little bloodlust and want for revenge from time to time, but she's -not- insane.
As the lift locks into place, she shoots a glance over to her teammate and pops her neck from side to side, glancing around but remaining primarily silent.
"... I'm no longer worried about contests, Mr. Hiretsu. However, I don't want to die or be captured, either." Eva looks up towards the blue sky above as the platform reaches their destination, pursing her lips worriedly. If they're going against Rugal, why did Hiretsu only summon only two fighters? Is he overconfident? She witnessed some of his abilities in their fight with Brian and Vice, but this is something entirely different.
"I'm doing this because I don't want the situation to get any worse. If R gets ahold of this ship, whether this is all for show or something else, a lot of harm will come to a lot of innocent people." She looks over at Arika. "... Let's get through this in one piece, okay?"
*click*
The platform snaps into place, leaving them with two fighters- Birdie, and, of course, Rugal. "..." She's sure she and Arika can take on Birdie, but both Birdie and Rugal? Would Hiretsu be able to handle Rugal by himself? She holds a hand to her heart and mentally says a prayer for all of them, then straightens, keeping quiet.
The first indication that things might be about to shift comes when three black clad 'R' soldiers go flying off the deck as the platform beneath them blasts upward. The trio of surprised shouts earns a glance in that direction from Rugal, turning him away from the sergeant that was briefing him on the present situation.
"Wait," the tall German utters before Birdie can head off. Things look like they are about to get interesting here... "At last the Operator comes out of his hole." The man turns to face the trio that arrives directly.
Arika and Eva are regarded with a frown. Arika being here at all was not supposed to happen. He had thought to have been able to use her for a longer window of time before she ceased to be useful, but her friends proved tenacious, to say the least.
"I thought I would have to flush you out in the end... But now you've delivered yourself. Are they all you could muster? Is that's all that's left of your 'Agents'?" Rugal scoffs, taking slow, decisive steps toward the brave trio. "You two are irrelevant to me... If you simply abandon this old man now, you may yet survive this ordeal. Stand with him and there is no such HOPE!"
And with that he's charging, hands intending to grasp hold of the director around the neck. Subduing this one will be easy, he's quite sure.
COMBATSYS: Rugal has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Hiretsu has joined the fight here.
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hiretsu
COMBATSYS: Hiretsu has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hiretsu
Birdie's obedient. When Rugal says wait. Birdie waits. But that's after they get off. The 'R' soldiers that go flying off gets a little grin from Birdie. He can't help but laugh at the misfortunate of others. So when he comes with, he follows closely and stops on the dime.
Seeing Hiretsu, Birdie's heard a lot about him. Heard. Learned. Was told and educated by Elle. Even though he seems like a thug, Birdie's been thinking a lot about the man and the inner workings of the ship. It's all very interesting.
As Rugal speaks to Hirestu, Birdie doesn't speak. He waits, looking between Eva and Arika. He frowns. The exact same girls as before. He knows what he has to do. And he's doing it.
Looking towards Eva first, Birdie stomps forward, making his way across the deck towards them in gorilla like fashion. "Oh... you have no idea how long I've been waiting to do this!" Birdie cries, "None at all, chick-a-dees!" Birdie cries as he unravels the chains from his hands, letting them fall towards the ground.
Looking between the women, he grins. "So who wants to be first?" A big grin just travels across the mans face. Come on. Get him. You know you want to.
COMBATSYS: Birdie has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Birdie 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hiretsu
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Birdie focuses on his next action.
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Birdie 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hiretsu
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Hiretsu parries Rugal's Medium Throw!
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Birdie 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hiretsu
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|
"Keep the brute on this side of the deck," Hiretsu mutters to the Stars behind him, without breaking gaze with Rugal or ignoring his proclamation. To the tall German, the gaunt Japanese man almost--almost sneers at his distaste. "Do you really think you can stem the tide of history on this deck?" he calls to Rugal, stepping forward.
The brutal dance begins suddenly. Rugal charges into the wily director. The old man, instead of retreating, or trying to cleverly sidestep--both are expected, and would likely only get his body torn in half--he slides directly into the man's movements. Rugal has a terrifying speed and momentum. But he can bleed, Hiretsu is fairly sure. His cane hooks up, twirling with the motion, before it moves around Rugal's grip. Hooking it--and what the director will try to do is simply throw the man's lunge wide with his cane as if he were fencing with him more than fighting. "A child of the past cannot understand!" He'll throw himself over the "R" leader and land on the deck behind him. He might have thrown the leader's balance off enough to do what he needs to do. "But... if I'm not careful, I won't be able to see my goals realized while I'm still amongst the living," Hiretsu reasons.
His face.. loosens. Without the intensity of expression he's been forced to hold for the entirety of Jinchuu, his face smooths faintly, making him seem younger. Younger still he becomes with the removal of a subtle sealed prosthesis at the bridge of his nose, removing a crucial set of wrinkles even a highly traiend facial couldn't emulate.
Finally, the cosmetics are rubbed off on a sleeve. He has always worn them--to conceal the thin scar at his cheek where the British stalker Freeman sliced open his face. Such marks are highly identifying, but now those cosmetics were needed to make his skin appear somewhat aged. It's no longer needed. Even the scar must be revealed.
Visibly, the years fall off. 40 becomes 30. 30 becomes 20.
He takes off his crew cap, discarding it and shaking out his combed back hair, letting raven bangs fall to frame his face.
Though young, he holds a dire, sharp gaze beyond his years, reminescent of the entire Ryouhara clan that's preceded him, and a notable legacy of his grandfather, Hiretsu Ryouhara, who taught at the very academy he studied at over 50 years ago.
Seishirou Ryouhara, both captain and Director of Operations of the arena yacht Suiryuu. He rolls up his sleeves and straightens his gloves.
"I won't be able to hold back, this time," the Ryouhara shinobi decides, unbuttoning his jacket and unzipping an inner pocket.
COMBATSYS: Hiretsu focuses on his next action.
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Birdie 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hiretsu
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|
Ask and ye shall receive.
All the time aboard the Suiryuu has been leading up to this moment. Arika has had her suspicions as to where the powerful and mighty Oz.. er.. Seishirou has been all this time. The punk princess, however, was not expecting things to be revealed in quite... a way. So, when they're asked to keep the brute on this side of the deck, she doesn't hear it right away.
Jaw dropped a bit, she's just gaping at the man. "..." Deep blue eyes shift quickly to her teammate and she shakes the bewilderment from her eyes. "Uhmm..." Ignoring the babble about children of the past and everything else, she realizes she's being spoken to from the 'R' side of things.
"Oh for the love of... not -you- again..." Rolling her shoulders up, she looks at the chains and just smirks. "Chick-a-dees? 'ow appropriate comin' from a bloke called 'Birdie' of all things. Guess wot though... we ain't 'eadin' back to your nest in any way shape or form." And to make it clear to the brute just how much she means that, Arika's fist swings forward as her body springs into action. A quick jab at the man, followed by an energy-laden palmheel strike to his chest. Chi of bright violet enveloping her left hand as it extends fully, becoming more dazzlingly bright as it nears her intended target.
COMBATSYS: Arika has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Birdie 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Arika
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hiretsu
COMBATSYS: Eva has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Birdie 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Arika
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hiretsu
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Eva
What the.... "... Seishirou....?" Eva tilts her head as she looks at the man shift identities before her very eyes. ".... So you were here this entire time."
But she can't pause too long to think of the ramifications. Instead, she does as she is bid (strange to do that, for once), going after the massive Birdie. Breathe in, breathe out. She can deal with what's going on later, after she makes sure she has a chance of surviving this battle in one piece. "Haugh!" Answering Birdie's call to battle after Arika makes her move, Eva slips her jacket off and attempts to throw it around the man's head, hopefully encasing him for her next move...
Moving with speed that seems strangely out of place when being performed by one so /clearly/ up there in years, the Director manages to flip over Rugal, avoiding the lunging grasp for his throat at the last possible moment. "Heh," comes the grunt as Rugal turns around, "And I thought perhaps you were tired of living for so..."
And then the truth is revealed. One of the mysteries shattered. The man from the past... was not. Bernstein's human eye narrows, his mouth scowling as he puts together the pieces. Even before Eva's surprised mention of the young man's name, Bernstein knows. "It's been you," he mutters. "All along."
There is no Hiretsu. There is no fragment from the past. A ruse. No, more than that. A tribute perhaps. But useless to him all the same. "Shedding your disguise now will not abate my inevitable triumph, whelp!"
The roundhouse that comes next is swift, unkind, merciless, taking advantage of his height to strike from range. "Your boat will still be mine!"
COMBATSYS: Arika successfully hits Birdie with Diva Allegro.
- Power hit! -
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Birdie 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Arika
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hiretsu
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Eva
COMBATSYS: Eva successfully hits Birdie with Black Hook.
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Birdie 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Arika
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hiretsu
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
The coat snags around Birdie's head, making him privy to the attack that follows afterward. Eva turns her body to gain the momentum she needs for this, the coat unveiling as her body motion tugs it from Birdie's eyes in time for him to see the roundhouse kick placed against his midsection.
Birdie is beat. He's unable to be get the heck out of the way either both. Nothing works for him. Nothing. But something doesn't seem to satisfy Birdie at all. So he's going to take matters into his own hands.
Thrusting himself at Arika, he tries to raise his hands to block the oncoming assault. But the punch strikes through, putting him off enough for the chi to explode through, ripping into him and thrusting him back distances away. The chi swarms over his body. He's none to happy.
And then looking to Eva, Birdie's unable to get out of the way. Or even throw himself into the way. It's just terrible. The jacket is stuck on his head before Eva pops it up and knocks him into the head. After the first round, already Birdie is looking bad.
Does it matter to him? Hell no. Thrusting himself back up, he look towards the two girls. Pointing to each, he looks towards Arika. "You. You're mouthy."
And then hurling himself into the air, Birdie comes down infront of Arika. Aiming to grab and bash his head into her over and over and over, trying to make her unable to think. Or perhaps even /feel/. Still, Birdie doesn't stop. Slicing down, Birdie tries to gut the woman, and just hurl her over his head. "Eyaaaaaaaaah!" He cries. ALL OR NOTHING.
COMBATSYS: Hiretsu counters Medium Kick from Rugal with Ryuuouin EX.
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Birdie 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Arika
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Rugal 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Hiretsu
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
"It was necessary," Seishirou admits to Eva, his voice losing most of the hard edge he's taken a habit to adopting during the duration of Jinchuu. His logic was simple. If he put himself out of the public eye and only relied on the Hiretsu persona to manage the affair, it enabled him to get much more done. After all, as the captain, many would have gone out of their way to find him. Attack him, perhaps. Assassinate him. As long as his exact location was opaque to most, he was able to control the actions of .. certain of their passenger manifest much more easily.
And he also gathered .. a lot of very interesting information, as a result of his choice.
Seishirou displays little fear in the face of the maruading "R" leader. But that doesn't mean he's going to get careless--one wrong misstep, and he's dead.
The Ryouhara clan will survive the whelp's passing, but his passing won't be now if he can help it.
"Releasing my disguise technique," Seishirou answers, moving /fast,/ "For this much, lets me use jutsu." He can tell Rugal is only using most of his power, this much his eye can read transparently. But that little bit is enough for Seishirou to move and exploit, his body a blur as the shinobi captain ducks underneath the roundhouse. His fingers touch the deck as the ninja skims exceedingly low. And then his opposite hand shoots high, to palm-strike Rugal in the front, rolling past and back around to his other side.
The blow itself is minor--a mosquito bite in annoyance.
The seal that crawls over Rugal's coat, blossoming into a massive Ryouhara clan sigil, on the other hand.. that heats up with chi, drawn directly from the Suiryuu itself in that brief instant. It heats up, and attempts to piece Rugal's aura of chi. It attempts to pierce it, and sink into his flesh.
It will burn that brand into the man, regardless. And when it cannot do any more.. it will simply explode.
COMBATSYS: Arika blocks Birdie's Bull Revenger.
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Birdie 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Arika
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Rugal 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Hiretsu
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
"So I've been told," Arika replies with a smarmy little grin. Knowing that the brute is about to swing her way, she manages a brief glance at Eva. See, the punk princess made a promise to keep a -teammate- safe, but over the course of events aboard the Suiryuu things have changed. She's no longer doing any of this out of promises made to the Stars' leader. She's doing this to keep her -friends- safe from people that are of the mind to just sink the ship and all the innocents aboard.
Jutting her right arm up to stop the head from crashing against her skull, she angles a foot back to keep herself from sliding away across the deck. Her brain is safe for a little while, at least. The left arm moves quickly down to keep the bird-man from eviscerating her. Sharp pain jolts through her body, a nice gash rended in her arm. Hoisted up in a manner she's not expecting the pain worsens, until she curls herself in a ball before crashing to the deck.
Unfurling herself, she gives her arm a shake to ensure it's still going to function and manages to spray droplets of blood everywhere. Drawing her right hand toward the wound, she applies pressure and just -GLARES- at Birdie. Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly in order to get control of her pain, she rushes back toward the brute. A few back and forth motions between her feet and she's spinning herself into a pirouette; at the end of which, her foot snaps out toward his midsection, her hip rotating slightly as she does so.
It was neccessary, he says. In light of all that's transpired, perhaps it was. But why all this? Why such a flashy show of smoke and mirrors? What 'vessel' is this all about, sailing or otherwise?
Eva's recieved no true answers for these questions, and it may be she never will. She hopes that isn't the case; she's shed her blood on this boat and, perhaps, she's been close to dying. At the very least, she needs to get some information if just to ease the pain of having to listen to her father rant and rave about how he was going to rent a helicopter from a friend of a friend of a friend and he was going to go right there, no stopping, crash land into the boat, beat up everybody on that boat, take Eva, and come home with her.
Let's just say Eva's father is insane. Insanely protective and adoring of his little girl. Anyway. Back to mysteries and realities and serious matters.
"Arika!" Eva moves her body in position between her teammate and Birdie while she recovers, vivid blue eyes set on the massive thug. "Are you alright?" she says, her words obviously meant for the Brit girl. "Hang in there; I'll cover you." She then rushes Birdie, leaping up in the air and twisting her body into the air to unleash a flying kick, legs extended with one aimed towards Birdie's face.
COMBATSYS: Arika successfully hits Birdie with Rhythmic Roundhouse.
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Birdie 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Arika
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Rugal 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Hiretsu
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
COMBATSYS: Birdie Toughs Out Eva's Medium Kick!
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Birdie 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Arika
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Rugal 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Hiretsu
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
The young Ryouhara proves his speed a second time as he both eludes the taller German and manages plant his hand against the man's chest long enough to leave behind a lingering present to remember him by. The sigil brightens as it collides against Rugal's own aura, the man reacting to the attack by simply standing still and allowing it to do its worst... A twisted smirk on his face as he tests what Seishirou has to offer in terms of offense. "Drawing from the capacity of this ship... if you can do that, imagine what I will do with it when it is /mine/." the tyrant snaps back.
He's aware of Birdie's situation with the two young women. The mountain of meat will have to contend with them on his own for a little longer. Rugal's focus is on the Captain of this fancy pleasure boat. Once Seishirou is dealt with, handling them will be trivial to say the least.
"Allow me to demonstrate..." the man growls, raising his right fist in front of him, clenching it tightly, the leather fingerless glove creaking from the tension. His arm trembles as a measureable amount of power is drawn from the world around him and lightning like white energy begins to crackle along his tensed limb.
"I know you will never surrender... But every ninja knows when the battle will not be his. Knows that to retreat allows him to get revenge another day... And this..." The man steps forward, pulling his power laced arm in tightly against his chest almost as if some kind of salute, "Is not your battle!"
Flinging his arm out, the crimelord unleashes a brilliant swath of crackling energy in a crescent blade before him, aiming to not simply blast Seishirou but severe him in two with the power he weilds.
Birdie's not having a great day. Somedays, you just don't have it. Today. That's that day. Nothing seems to be working, but Birdie's not going to let that stop him. As Arika comes at him right after he tries to gouge her with his spike, well, Birdie's not going to just let that sit there and do nothing with it. Oh no. As soon as she's in pain, Birdie's like a shark. He goes back for the kill.
But this doesn't stop her from coming at him spinning all weirdly. It nets a "Huh." from Birdie before the pirouette cause the foot to snap at his chest, beating against it. It hurts, just a little.
Birdie however just looks right towards Eva as she runs towards him, jumping into the air and kicking Birdie in the back... which Birdie uses to propel himself forward right towards Arika, once more bringing forward a dangerous horn jab. He's double dipping in these horn attacks, once more trying to gouge at Arika's chest and lift her up and behind him. Because Birdie is a mean one, mister grinch. "Eyaaahhh!"
He enjoys his work.
COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Hiretsu with Barrier Crash.
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Birdie 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Arika
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Rugal 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0 Hiretsu
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
What..
Seishirou frowns as he feels the energy being leeched from the surrounding air. On a ship like the Suiryuu, that means he's drawing power directly from the ship's deckplates itself. As the one who built the ship, he understands exactly what the feeling of movement is beneath his shoes.
Damn. This guy's more observant than he'd hoped.
He really can't do a lot to get out of the way of that, the speed--and more importantly the localized energy distortion Rugal was generating--really interferes with his jutsu. In the end, he's cut /wide/ open with the energy slash, almost /gutting/ the captain in a single move and knocking him to the ground.
"Egh..." Coming to his feet slowly, the ninja tries to gather himself and take a quick stock of the situation. Eva's answer might have to wait a little bit. He clasps his hands together in a delicate handseal.
"Retreat? What makes you think we haven't already retreated..?" Seishirou asks, breath laboring as his blood stains the deck. "It's true. This battle is only a dance--but the Suiryuu is still. mine."
A weapon spills from his coat and onto the ground, a single knife, and--holding that handseal, Seishirou catches the weapon on his foot and--/flips/ backwards. Despite the odd vector, the weapon shoots straight, and unerring.
Seishirou's fingers straighten, "RELEASE!"
An instant later, the knife explodes in the air, a razor-edged firebomb flying towards Rugal's throat.
COMBATSYS: Birdie successfully hits Arika with Bull Spike.
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Birdie 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Arika
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Rugal 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Hiretsu
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
Snippets of the conversation between Hiret--- Seishirou and Rugal are heard. Whether the punk princess is forming these snippets into actual conversation in her mind, or really paying attention is very, very hard to determine at this point.
And there's a VERY good reason that it's hard to determine.
The giant brute launches forward, and Arika attempts to get her arms up to block the beast again. Attempting to lift her left arm though has it freezing up completely with pain and so it's with quick calculation that she twists her body enough so that the crazed bird is not gouging into her heart. Once more, she's lifted up and slammed down to the deck below. This time it hurts.
Coughing a little, she tries to get back to her feet and then slips in a puddle of her own blood. "I'm fine," she preemptively says for Eva's benefit -- though she's anything -but- fine at the moment. Again, she tries getting to her feet and once up on them, she staggers forward. Leaping toward Birdie, she shoots her right arm out to latch around his throat and attempt to choke him a little while she finally coaxes her left arm into moving, so she can reach into her pocket for something.
Birdie seems to be focusing his attacks on Arika, rather than waste time spreading the attacks between them. Either that or he just dislikes Arika a bit more. Or, if he's one of *those* types, he likes Arika more. Whatever his reasoning, it means Eva will just have to hope Arika can keep going despite her fatigue and meanwhile do her best to knock Birdie down.
Or, at least, wear him down to the point that he's too slow to effectively hit her.
The battle between Seishirou and Rugal proves extremely distracting; never in her life would Eva have imagined herself to be in such a situation, and yet, here she is, and she's only able to keep slamming foot and fist into this moving mountain of a thug, as opposed to sitting back and watching in awe. Time to cause some fireworks of her own, if only to keep wearing away at Birdie's stony exterior. While he's 'distracted' by Arika (oh arika please don't die on her), Eva undoes the coat from around her waist once more, attempting to snag it around Birdie's head.
COMBATSYS: Rugal reflects Kunai Critical from Hiretsu with Jab Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Birdie 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Rugal 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Hiretsu
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Eva
The demonstration of power he possesses took almost nothing from the man. Surrounded by the capacity of this boat is there any limit to what he can do? Rugal chuckles darkly, his thoughts wandering over the possabilities. Perhaps his very goals are not far from being met. At last his search completed... the answer to his question found by tearing this boat from the Ryouhara's grasp.
"Yes... Now you see, young Captain. You see the hopelessness of this fight. The outcome was set in stone the moment I laid eyes upon the Suiryuu and decided that I wanted it." He shakes his head as he begins to walk forward. Slow, deliberate steps, his shoes clacking against the deck with each step. "I will confess... I'm disappointed that the presence of that old relic of a ninja turned out to be merely an illusion. A disappointment. But wresting this boat from you in the end will have made it worth it."
As Seishirou questions him regarding retreat, Bernstein's single human eye narrows. "Denial of reality is very unbecoming in a foe, boy. I thought from your reputation that you would have a more pragmatic outlook on the inevitable to come." The kunai sent his way earns Seishirou no reprieve as Rugal swats it right back at him with little effort, his steps not even slowing as he approaches the injured young man.
"Hiretsu I would have had use for... But in you there is no utility. Your prolonged presence will not inconvenience me for much longer!"
COMBATSYS: Eva successfully hits Birdie with Camera Obscura.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Birdie 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Rugal 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Hiretsu
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
COMBATSYS: Birdie endures Arika's Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Birdie 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Rugal 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Hiretsu
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Birdie 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Rugal 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Hiretsu
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
The coat once again secures itself around Birdie's head. This accomplished, Eva proceeds to bend the man over wth a jerk of the coat, smashing it into her rapidly raising knee. This would have been hard, but, thankfully, the girl has some height to her compared to her peers. "Nugh!" This continues for three times, then the grip on Birdie's head becomes loose enough that he is able to fall away or return the attack.
Birdie's getting gang piled, but he wouldn't want it any other way really. As Arika comes right back up to come at him, Birdie just doesn't let her take him without a struggle. Now Eva, Eva surprises him with the coat around his head once more. The coat around his head is a terrible thing indeed! He can't see like that as one might imagine, and it only helps Eva get into a better position to hurt Birdie. His head is smashed into her knee multiple times before he falls, trying to get back up.
But as Eva releases her grip, and Eva picks up Birdie in an endless cycle of throwing, Birdie's none to just let everything survive without having to live the Birdie experience. So Eva gets to live it now too. As Birdie's choked, he's just throwing himself forward like a wild animal, trying to break the choke on his weakening body... which he finally does... as he goes right for Eva.
Headbutts. That's all it could be explained. Birdie's going STRAIGHT for the most insane thing he can do, and that's apply headbutts, proper. And perhaps even do to Arika to Eva that was so previously denied. Stab her in the chest and then hurl her over his head. Birdie's doing something alright.
COMBATSYS: Hiretsu endures Rugal's Reflected Kunai Critical.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Birdie 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\1 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Rugal 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Hiretsu
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
"RELEASE!"
It's still said. The knife still explodes. But now, the circumstances have changed. Now, the blade faces Hiretsu. Now, the explosion goes off right in front of him. "AUGH!" A white flash appears just in front of the motion, and a sudden curling, thick smoke envelops the deck. Was it his plan?
"Get Together," Seishirou snaps through the air. For six sickening seconds, it's the /only/ sound he makes, and it seems to be in the midst of him moving somewhere to the left, and fast.
When he speaks again, it's in a simple acknowledgement. "You're right. From the moment you laid eyes on the Suiryuu, this end was nothing short of inevitable." When the smoke thins, Seishirou's silhouette can be seen in the smoke. He's moved himself just beyond Birdie's back, standing almost DANGEROUSLY close to the mountainous thug. A solid tactical position--Birdie is in much, much more danger than Seishirou is from him there. "You've thrown everything in your arsenal at us. And though we are the people.. even People have their breaking point. You've paid off, threatened, and coerced my crew and my agents to turn on us, and forced this ship into slavery. You've planned for all contingencies within your eye. And as you've no doubt figured out, this ship is wired as a weapons battery. I was intending to kill Tippin with it, for his dishonor. A shame that I've no choice but to abandon that plan. You've even prepared the ship by keeping the hostages aboard, so I can't destroy it to keep you from having it, and wired it with explosives so that you can destroy it instead, if you were to lose...hmph. Well played." He shakes his head.
When the smoke clears, one can see... the... the entire /deck/ is painted over with sealwork--the labor of six seconds from the ninja. Elaborate crawling sealwork, carving out circles around Birdie, Arika and Eva. And barbed ends around Rugal. "In fact.. the only thing you've failed to account for.. is just how good our Ninkoujutsu is."
The reaction is already underway--the /seal/, once a simple explosion assassination technique, failed pitifully against Rugal, is glowing. It's actually a targetting seal, and beyond checking for Tenma and Marisol, is the only reason Seishirou came up on deck at all.
"I had to work hard to change the target configuration of our seals. As you said, this end was inevitable. I'll give Nikolai a gift of my continued tolerance... But you, I think, it's you I'll kill instead."
An instant later, that entire section of the ship, and the top levels, will explode.
COMBATSYS: Hiretsu assists Eva.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Birdie 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\1 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Rugal 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Hiretsu
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
Get together? Arika is near about ready to latch the pretty little collar Rugal gifted her with around the massive brute's neck. For some reason though, she actually listens. Dropping away from Birdie, the punk princess glances over at Eva and winces. Wounded with a similar move just moments ago, she'd not wish that kind of pain on an enemy, let alone a friend.
Falling back through the smokescreen toward Hiret-- er -- Seishirou, the diva quickly slips her little toy back into her pocket. There will come a time when she'll be able to use it against -someone-, and then? Well, then Rugal's going to be sorry!
Okay, so he probably won't care, but that's besides the point. Either way, she's gotten a lot more information now, and it's as she thought - the ship is a giant weapon. Funny how everyone just thought she was being paranoid when she said that!
Once in place, she unbuckles her belt with her right arm and quickly wraps it about her left, attempting to staunch the bleeding a little while she takes the given moment to catch her breath.
COMBATSYS: Arika gains composure.
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Birdie 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Rugal 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Hiretsu
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
COMBATSYS: Eva dodges Birdie's Bull Revenger.
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Birdie 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Rugal 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Hiretsu
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
The muscular train that is called Birdie is moving at Eva at an astounding rate, with only a short distance between them to allow for any decisions. Eva has to make her decision, and she has to make it *now*. So, what does she do?
The girl dodges. It's not as much of a simple step to the side or to the back as it is her throwing her body chaotically to the side, skin brushed by the Birdie locomotive as she falls to the ground and rolls.
The smoke obscures her movements then, and Eva gets up to the vague command of 'get together'. Get together? A signal. Eva lurches to her feet, fumbling through the smoke before she, by chance, finds Arika nearby. "Arika!" Quickly, before the smoke fully clears, she hands out her jacket to the Brit. "Use this! I don't mind stains!"
COMBATSYS: Eva takes no action.
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Birdie 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Rugal 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Hiretsu
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
Birdie, if anything, isn't really happy about the prospect of exploding as you just might imagine. And when Hiretsu disappears and then reappears behind him, even as he charges Eva, the mountainous thug doesn't seem to want to quit. Instead, he's happy just hurling himself against his minions, the people working for him. He's not even listening to him as much. Just faintly. He's barely conscious at this point. Pure instinct.
But when ninja tricks help make Birdie less composed and more destroyed, well, Birdie just to distraught to continue. Instead, Birdie just finds himself dragging himself towards the side of the ship and quite literally hurling himself over the side, plunging into the water with a splash.
Sorry Rugal, but this big lugs gotta get out sometime. He's not immortal like you.
COMBATSYS: Birdie has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Rugal 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Arika
> ////////////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Hiretsu
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
Seishirou's on weapon is turned back upon him with triffling ease. Rugal has yet to even really draw upon the power he can control. The boy hardly merits it. A few crushing blows more and he'll be nothing but another statistic in this war upon the seas. Sure, there will be those few who miss him. A girl who thinks the world of him. A friend or two that's seen beneath the stoic nature of the ninja and saw something there worth befriending. But by and large, he is likely to be an unsung casualty. Few will know who he really was. Perhaps few will care.
To Rugal it matters not. Just another pawn in this dangerous game. Just another bag of bones to be poured out to form another step in the blood drenched stairs Bernstein slowly climbs, day after day, getting slowly closer to his ambition. His ultimate triumph. The Captain of the proud ship recounts the ways in which the crimelord of 'R' has penned them in, splitting alliances, turning friends against friends and causing others to forsake their agreements and shattere the bonds of trust... Rugal smirks, turning to face him. This game of chasing him about the deck is about to come to an end. He has his own son to find and a bridge to take over. It's time for this little game to be done with.
But he's tired of chasing the ninja around. Tired of holding back and not going all out. Locking on to the sounds of Seishirou's movements, the man inhales then exhales slowly, lowering his head as if bowing it in thought. His arms extend out to his sides, palms open, held forward. "Your best isn't good enough, young Ryouhara. Those you fooled into becoming your agents fought hard... drew this out even longer than I had anticipated... Too bad they'll never know what it was you intended to do with all this. Never know the part they were meant to play in your schemes. Would you have had such staunch allies then? Would they have fought so hard if the truth was made manifest?"
Power courses along his arms. White, searing chi, collecting in his open palms as he speaks. His body tenses and his back arches some as he draws even more from the Suiryuu. He doesn't even notice the seal that begins to glow. Doesn't even realize the true purpose of the attack that seemed so useless before. "But it doesn't matter now. It was all for nought. People will think me the menace but they will never know that the one I am about to erase was... well... heh."
The smoke clears and the large seal on the deck becomes visible. It's too late to stem the tide of chi that Rugal has collected. Too late to stop what will be his final move in this war coming to an explosive finish. If he could move in time, he would. If he wasn't rooted in place to finish drawing out the power in the ship beneath his feet, he might have been able to in time. But in an instant he knows what's coming next. And for once, he's utterly helpless to do prevent it.
"RAAAAAGH!" comes the roar - the whisper before the storm, the herald of the blast sent Seishirou's way... a small thing compared to the force about to come to bear on the tyrant of 'R' but... deadly all the same.
COMBATSYS: Hiretsu slows Kaiser Wave from Rugal with Level 5.
Glancing Hit
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Rugal 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
> /// ]
|=======\======-\1 Hiretsu
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Eva
Seishirou.. blanches, considerably.
No, Rugal was right. There were many who simply didn't understand why he was doing what he was doing. And there are many who never will. There are relatively few who care fo him in life, and if he is erased now... well. He will hardly be remembered. But that.. really didn't bother him. His reputation, or the stakes therein, didn't bother him. Obscurity was something he preferred--his motives for Jinchuu were entirely different. In recognition of that.. there are some things in life that one must take.. certain risks for.
For his own clan, he'd risk himself. In his eyes, his life means nothing in comparison.
And what he realizes, as Rugal essentially sentences them to death... he'd risk himself for his agents today.
He can't move out of the way of the massive death knell. He can't. That would leave Arika and Eva, whom stand behind him, in harm's way. And for some reason, sentencing people to death so that he could live on... it doesn't suit his style. It's a small chance, but he has to take it. He can't summon Ashura here, not without first summoning the scroll needed to summon that--and he simply doesn't have time for the ritual. There is only /one/ item he can summon that will stop the massive channeled imperial destruction that now barrels down on them. A defensive jutsu he'd taken from the time he used it to save Andou from .. "R" in fact, he now realizes.
A narrow chance. The ninja's hands fly through seals in that instant. Forming a defense in front of Arika and Eva, he slams his slams his hands down into the deck with force. The Krauser statue, stolen from Strolheim during that tournament, and now reinforced with thick clockwork armor plating. It's literally one of the only things he can summon that even stands a chance of blocking the massive wave. And block it it does--the statue holds against the Kaiser Wave as the weapon spends itself against the statue. It lasts only a precious few seconds, but that much is enough to perhaps save who he needs to save. THe statue shatters into dust and mortar--another ninkou casualty of this tournament--and then to fvapor as the wave continues on. On into Seishirou himself, whom can only cross his arms and pray.
The boy absorbs what's left of the Wave. He is almost annihilated in an instant, were it not for the defense--he is literally picked up and thrown bodily off of his feet with the force of it. His body is ravaged, his jacket blown almost to cinders, his arms ruined, and sending the young captain slamming into the deck past Arika and Eva. And.. far and away from Rugal. He is barely alive, defeated in all meanings save one.
... But the reaction... has already started.
When the explosion occurs, it lances through the ship, tearing through deck after deck, annihilating each in turn and just about tearing the ship in half. For this much, Seishirou was right, the ship bucks underneath the massive shockwave, but most of the people on the Suiryuu, holed up safely in the shelters and deep belowdecks, will be.. relatively uninjured. Oh, don't be fooled. When the explosion occurs, it can be seen as far as the coasts of Japan itself, a sky high thing that reaches the heavens, and very few, no matter how well engineered, will be free of its touch, and the ship dissintegrating beneath their feet. But to be maimed is much better than to be vaporized, and that was half of the purpose behind the channeling and shaping jutsu aboard the ship, a tenet Riko explained to the Security Chief some time ago.
No, part of that energy--the parts that would kill their friends, allies and comrades, is set aside, as if shaped by the hands of God. The rest of it is channeled up. Only seeming undeterred by the draws of the energy of the boat, it is a massive fiery spear that breaks the clouds. A spear aimed squarely at the damning mark on Rugal's chest.
A normal man--even a normal fighter--would be destroyed in an instant.
Catching the jacket, Arika swiftly wraps the sleeves about her chest to stop the gaping wound from bleeding out there as well. No way in Hell is she going to expire via exsanguination on the deck of the Suiryuu. Every fighter comes with an expiration date, but the diva wants hers to be a long time from now... like a Cheeto! There is a time and place for everything, and it would seem that today is -not- her time to die.
This is reinforced by the fact that Hiret-- SEISHIROU (DAMNIT!), stands in front of them and absorbs the massive storm of energy that is blasted his way. For whatever reason, the ninja is... protecting them? While she attempts to come to grips with this, the Suiryuu itself is exploding beneath their feet. As the ship bucks, she's tossed backward landing not far from the Operations Director (and apparently CAPTAIN) of the ship.
At that point, three things cross her mind. One; people in Southtown can likely see this explosion and that means the Stars leader might just be a little worried at this point. Two; ohgodshipisgoingtosink in that kind of epic Titanic way. Three; it would be very amusing to watch Rugal just blasted off the Suiryuu like one of those ridiculously comedic cartoon villains.
Okay, so Arika's mind is really all over the place during this, but the fact of the matter is, she's pretty much had a lot of blood loss and is in a bit of shock.
Is, is he-? Seishirou is hit. Hit, perhaps, even fatally. And it'll all be for nothing, nothing at all! She and Arika can't possibly defeat Rugal on their own. Not...
A curious sort of glowing calligraphy marks the surface of the vessel, and Eva barely has time to look at them before-
The world explodes. "Grk!" Eva slams against a wall, near the general vincity of Arika and Seishirou, groaning as the pain rockets through her head like a million bee stings directly set into her brain at once. "...!!" The next vision is of the explosion, of fire, of a lance set towards Rugal's body like a thunderbolt sent by Zeus. ".... What.... what is that..." What.... are they going to die? Or will Rugal be killed? What...?
Seishirou's component atoms would have quite possibly been scattered by the power of the wave sent his way. Krauser's proud technique as mimicked, albeit not perfectly, by Bernstein was made even more destructive by the concentration of chi Rugal stole from to create it. He risked exhausting even his own power to create it... and even though it doesn't kill the Ryouhara heir, seeing it dust Krauser's ugly mug is just about as satisfying. He might even have to let the boy live for that rare treat.
But even as he staggers forward, catching himself after such an expenditure of destructive power, Rugal knows the gambit is up. Anything the boy could dish out, he could take. Anything any of the miserable unfortunate few still fighting for the Ryouhara could accomplish, he could take.
What he can't take is the collective breath of life that the Suiryuu has been storing up throughout the length of the tournament. A small piece of every fighter that did battle for and within Jinchuu. A contribution from each 'Agent' brought to bear against him now. Every one of them, willingly or not, provided the power for this ultimate retaliation from the Ryouhara. The deck erupts and Rugal raises his hands. It's all he can do now to defend himself from the outcome. It was written in stone from the moment he set eyes upon the Suiryuu and decided he wanted it. This eventuality that existed one step beyond that which he forsaw.
The explosives his own men had planted throughout the boat detonate as part of the incredible chain reaction that launches into the sky. His cybernetic eye tracks the course of the lance of power bearing in on his chest. Teeth gritted with the determination to survive, the tyrant of 'R' tests his strength against the conglomeration of chi and psycho power that the Suiryuu has breathed forth. His own mastery of chi is put to use creating a shield. A discus of sickly green miasmic energy. A reed before the storm.
And then it is upon him. The shield holds for a moment. Long enough to perhaps sink the hearts of all who hoped to see the miserable man's downfall. Maybe not even all that power is enough... Even he begins to believe such, his mouth curling, his teeth gritted as he battles against fate. "HAH!! NOT ENOUGH!" the monster exclaims, pouring even more force into the barrier that seems to hold true.
And then it shatters.
All sight of the leader of 'R' is lost in the blindingly bright power that washes over him. Most of the men Rugal had brought aboard the Suiryuu are either killed by the destruction or sent flying off into the ocean. His own elite units have precious little time to jump for the water to avoid sharing his fate. Only the few that had been captured and taken below are mostly spared having to deal with the cataclysmic detonation. The war is over. The Black Noah will float listlessly, lacking the direction of the mastermind who created it. The 'R' soldiers who remain will fall back, lacking the leadership needed to keep them dedicated to fighting for a prize that seems to have pretty much blown itself up. What's left of the Suiryuu will be able to live on... for however much longer the floating wreckage can possibly last.
Jinchuu must be served at all costs.
Log created on 22:35:55 10/22/2007 by Hiretsu, and last modified on 15:42:45 10/23/2007.