Description: Tired of battling inch by inch for territory in Mad Gear occupied Metro, Adelheid strikes a destabilizing blow against the heart of Mad Gear, and the man holding the tenuous alliance together: the indomitable, and probably crazy, Katana.
THE SLUMS. The heart of Metro. FOR CRIME.
This is where Katana makes his home zone. He usually has at least a single Mad Gear Thug with him, mainly to offset just how alone he usually is. There's nothing to stop Haggar from coming in .. EXCEPT MEAT. And now he has meat with him! HURRAH.
But more importantly, this is where Katana's Lair is found. Mad Gear could never be removed from the Slums.. and never will either, Katana making sure of it, as well as the influx of people looking for an easy way out .. or just with no future. Sounds good, doesn't it? Far from it, but Katana is pleased, a giant truck sitting behind him as he chomps down ramen. Through his mask.
"This .. IS SOME DELICIOUS RAMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!" He yells to the world. Thug, rolling a tire infront of him, to change on the Truck, sighs. "Yeah boss, I get it I get it! The ramen is tasty." He's tired of it. Schot is just tired of it.
"Yes. It is. And we shall partake of it .. DAILY!" All is ramen on the Mad Gear front, as he sits near a looted expensive wooden table with an expensive chair. THIS IS THE LIFE.
The slums. The corrupted, diseased heart of Metro. Its beating pumping a festering black oil into the streets, a spreading plague that threatens the populace, that brings terror and destruction to the home front once more. It is a war that exists in all too many of the sprawling metropolises of the world, a war that goes unnoticed by those not on the front lines. A battle that is lost beneath the fame and fortune of the fights which go on under the spotlights. So many of the world's so-called heroes.... but then, their distraction is part of what's pushed him here. Part of what's brought Adelheid Bernstein this deep into metro.
There's a fundamental problem with expanding outwards in a chaotic and parasitic fashion, pillaging and terrorizing. That deficiency only really becomes apparent at moments like these, where your perimeter is breached. The Prince of War has little concern for the Mad Gear thugs on the perimeter. Beating them back is a time-consuming process, and their fires are fueled higher by their victories.
On nearly all fronts, the gang pushes forward. The city's defenders are haggard, lack of reinforcements and respite ruin morale on one side, and inflate it on the other. No... the trenches are a losing war, something has to change. And so, the dark, lithe figure on the rooftops pays them no mind, save a sentry here or there that finds himself abruptly knocked out due to being unlucky enough to be in the prodigal Bernstein's path. Clad in full special forces gear, jet black sneaksuit and ample utility bandoliers, and a full facemask.... the young Bernstein looks more like a modern ninja than unduly handsome boy. His path remains on the rooftops as he heads, conveniently... right to the center of the city. The center of the slums. He's studied Katana's mind, his movements... this is where he expects to find the so-called leader of Mad Gear.
Others cite mysterious forces beyond Katana, and the Bernstein heir doesn't doubt it. But his mission tonight is /singular/ and focused: take the leader of the gang -out- of this fight, and see how the troops fare then. Not so much part of the plan is coming upon Katana at the hour of Ramen. That is certainly convenient, however: one would wager it's one big reason he's remarkably unguarded.
The black-suited boy-who-isn't creeps to the edge of the dilapidated tenement, and peers over, down on the truck, listening to Katana cheer and rave. An inward smile would be unseen even without the mask, and then the Prince of War is in motion. He tumbles forward, drops quickly, gracefully, landing heavily atop the tractor trailer without doing the least bit to dull his THUD! .... it's meant to get attention. He slaps something down, and just as quickly, rolls off the back of the truck, away from Katana and his thug.... catching himself by the edge so that he does not fall to the ground, and quickly give away his location through the unobstructed undercarriage of the truck itself.
Ramen ramen you sooo goood. Ramen Ramen best of foood. Ramen ramen SOMETHING HIT THE TRUCK.
Katana springs to attention once the truck is struck.. "MY BABY!" He cries, before looking around. "Someone ... is HERE." He certainly knows that due to the sound of his baby when he rides on it. But he treats it right. He treats it right.. NOT LIKE THE MONSTER NEARBY. "Thug however stares. Yeah gotta be someone here. Boss, where'd you think they'd be?" He asks, before looking about. "He's not on the top." Schot goes on to say.
Katana meanwhile leaps onto the table, the ramen put onto the chair delicately. "YOU! .. COME OUT! WE KNOW YOU ARE HERE, AND BY JAPAN, I SHALL DEFEAT YOU! You should not have come here!" The Shogun exclaims towards those about, laughing.. but there is no obvious enemy.
He is alone for now.. save for Schot, and now .. THERE IS AN INTRUDER.
Katana begins to look around, wakizashi in his arms. "You .. ARE SOMEWHERE.. AND I WILL FIND YOU! This is not where amateurs.. OR NINJAS... should be! .. Well if you're a JAPANESE ninja we can make a deal.. ELSEWISE, BEGONE!"
Yes, he expects yelling at him will work.
Katana is, predictably, quite irate at this turn of events. His truck has indeed been violated, and now the far side of it is SULLIED by a man hanging by one arm, pressed flat against the trailer. Five... six.... seven.... Katana still shouts, demands, but the fuse has been set. The timer counts down. There's no backing out of this if he could. A twist of a concealed knob, and the respiration filter in his mask activates, a subtle hiss quickly overwhelmed as the little gift left on the truck erupts. Schot might have time to notice the inconspicuous little sphere, before eight... nine.... and FWOOOSH!!! Acrid, dark smoke bursts in every direction, a lingering cloud quickly filling the area above the Mad Gear semi, and enveloping the mighty Katana's personal bodyguard.
A deep, satisfied breath, and the Prince of War's surprisingly powerful arm flexes, flipping the lithe Bernstein upwards, right back to the top of the truck.... and that poor little thug, Mr. Schot. There's no words, no shouts to answer Katana's. Adel answers only through action, a flying, reinforced bootheel leading his assault as he seeks to nearly literally land -on- Schot, slamming his foot down atop the thug's head. The intent is to cleave with that nasty strike, and come down before a staggering Mad Gearer: then whip his opposite foot around, and deliver a gusting, silver-grey blast of potent wind energy. The smoke blasts outwards, both widening and thinning the cloud, and if that poor Thug's not lucky? He'll be flying right off the trailer, and back to Katana's feet, before the table, and its wealth of ramen.
COMBATSYS: Adelheid has started a fight here.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Thug has joined the fight here.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Thug
COMBATSYS: Katana has joined the fight here.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Katana
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Thug 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Katana has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Katana
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Thug 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Thug has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Katana
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Thug
COMBATSYS: Adelheid successfully hits Thug with Grosse Stob.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Katana
> ///////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Thug
And that's when things go bad. And then .. AND THEN.. The Acrid dark smoke bursts everywhere, enveloping the top. "What the hell!?" Is Thug's reply, as Schot is suddenly within the black smoke, causing him to lose vision, lose the world... LOSE HIS MIND. No. But he is, expectedly, unable to see what happens next.
Adelheid happens. Schot watching as he lands, and lands hard, ON, Schot.. and that's when he cleaves alright.. the silver grey blast of wind energy, wind erupting .. and Schot is sent to Katana.. Katana watching as his bodyguard is so far BEATEN THE HELL UP. "WHAT IS THIS?!" Katana demands of Adelheid, bringing his Wakizashi towards Adelheid. "You .. YOU ARE GOING TO PAY!" He exclaims once more, but now, with reason. Thug, Schot, pulls himself up and forwards. "Damn .. what .. the hell?" He can't get a break here.. and he's already BROKEN. It's not a good situation. "I'm .... GOING TO DESTROY YOU!" Katana says once more, running. and then LEAPING onto the truck, leading with both deadly blades towards Adelheid's midsection!
Thug? Thug grabs a tire.. and begins to spin it, launching it in a hammerthrow STRAIGHT towards Adelheid. "Here you damn asshole!"
COMBATSYS: Adelheid dodges Thug's Large Thrown Object.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Katana
> ///////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Thug
COMBATSYS: Adelheid interrupts Deep Strike from Katana with Genocide Cutter.
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Adelheid 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0 Katana
> ///////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Thug
Fwoom! adds to Fwoosh! and Katana's companion goes hurtling away. Adelheid occupies the truck alone for only a few moments, and as Katana's sizeable, forceful girth joins him, more of the smoke still is dispersed. The device was a distraction - little more. Adelheid has little desire to battle two opponents in added darkness, but catching them off guard? Well, that part is going according to plan, so to speak. Adelheid squints through his facemask, the mesh eyesockets barely differing from the placid, unyielding midnight hue of the entire outfit. The bodyguard is dragging himself up, and Katana... Katana's rush holds remarkable power... and rage. In an instant, the Prince of War makes a dangerous decision, and charges full on into Katana. The tire whips through the area where he had stood, and the young Bernstein all but shoulder-tackles into the strike levelled at him by the Mad Gear leader. Blades rip painfully along a deflecting arm, rip the side of his ribcage as he twists, crimson breaking the blackness of his sneaksuit. Then Katana finds his offensive momentum reversed.
Adelheid's right foot reaves about in one singular, rising motion. The reversed axe-kick carries with it a brilliant, shearing column of ragged-edged windshear, this blast burning brighter than the last, ripping a crescent moon along the ascent of his leading foot, both boot and the blonde prodigy's blast ripping /through/ Katana as much as into him. Both are carried up, up, up, and to a less impressive degree: forward. But Adelheid's trip is not only more pleasant, his landing is likely a fair bit more graceful, as he twists a singular rotation at the apex of the legendary Bernstein technique.... and drops lightly to the pavement beside the truck, squaring his attention between both Schot... and wherever Katana happens to fall.
"This.... is the end of your little war." The Prince of War offers, finally, deepening baritone calm, almost melodic. An intense, cool tone that shows little hesitation, despite some decreasing measure of immaturity. An almost inverted image of the other lithe blonde Katana fought for control of this city... "This is where the tide turns, inexorably, against you."
WHAT IS THIS!? This is JUST WRONG.
As the Prince of War charges STRAIGHT ONTO THE BLADES... Katana is caught unaware.. who is he!? What is he doing ... HE RAN INTO THE BLADES?! He's always ready when they don't! And that's about when the blades meet.. and yet Adelheid does reverse everything. Everything.
The reverse axe kick? It's a killer. Katana knows, especially as the shearing column of energy rips through Katana, his armor doing nothing. It's white hot pain, and carried up.. and then Katana slams down... And lands on the chair.
And his ramen. "HOTHOTHOT!!" He yells, both from the Ramen and the chi in the pale moonlight, and he stays still for a short moment.. before he brings himself up. The Shogun throws himself to his feet in rage. "I won't let you end this .. THIS IS MAD GEAR'S GLORIOUS RETURN.. HAVE YOU NOT SEEN HOW GLORIOUS IT IS!?" He exclaims, over and over. "THE GLORIOUS RE-OCCURENCE IS GLORIOUS! AND ANYONE WHO STOPS IT ... shall be DEALT WITH." And for now, that is true, as Adelheid speaks truths.
Why is it always one man who can defeat him, but the kids get the bucket!? "There are no tall buildings here... SO IT SHALL BE YOUR DEFEAT! DAIKYOUUUUUUUU!" He leaps, aiming to stab into Adelheid.. and then run him against the pavement, before leaping and POWERBOMBING HIM. "BURRRNINNNNG!"
Schot stares. "Uh.. YEAH you go boss! Get his head on the ground and .. PERFECT!" Swinging for Adelheid's back.. if he's not watching, Schot tries to KNOCK him one .. and if Adelheid's on the ground? That truck tire goes to press his head flat!
Why couldn't it have been that emo kid again!?
COMBATSYS: Katana successfully hits Adelheid with Daikyou Burning.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Katana
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Thug
COMBATSYS: Adelheid dodges Thug's Tire Swing.
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Adelheid 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Katana
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Thug
Apparently, taunting happy fun Katana is a serious no-no. The reinvigorated would-be shogun rants, shouts his defiance, and Adelheid sets himself for the charge. Wait for it... wait for it... a booted foot shifts wide, the interloper preparing to proceed along the graceful path of destruction thus far wrought through Katana's camp. But the Mad Gear leader is quicker than he looks, and just as strong. The blade catched Adelheid squarely this time, even as he twists to try to avoid it, and he's overwhelmed in the charge, slammed to the ground, and then again. The second impact forces the air from his lungs, and while the stab wound could be deeper... it definitely hurts. His eyes snap open, a blank black gaze taking in the Thug's approach in an instant. Trying to capitalize, indeed. The tire comes down, but hits only pavement.
One swift, tumbling roll carries Adelheid aside, and perhaps surprisingly.... he rolls /towards/ poor Schot. A leg kicks out, seeking to sweep the hopefully overextended thug's feet right out from under him, and drop him face first into the tire. Adelheid? Adelheid is already in motion, his intent to come up in a crouch, grab the toppling Schot by the scruff of his neck, and bean him face-first off his own tire once more... and then slam -him- face down in the street. Tall buildings? What the hell do tall buildings have to do with anything?!?!?! ..... Adel will have to try not to dwell on that one.
COMBATSYS: Thug endures Adelheid's Medium Throw.
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Adelheid 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Katana
> ///////////// ]
|=======\====---\1 Thug
It is indeed a serious no no when dealing with Katana.. and with Adelheid on the floor, it seems like Katana is done here. DONE. But no.. Adelheid slides out of the way after the strike, Katana looking on. "Not possible.. you were defeated.. DEFEATED!" He cries, before Adelheid rolls towards Schot, Katana still ranting. "DEFEATED!" He cries once more, blades raising upwards.. and then Thug is assaulted, poor Schot, grabbed by the scruff of the neck.. beaning him off his tired and going to slam him face down.
But it doesn't work like that. Schot rolls with the tire. Rolling. He rolls fast due to the strong nature, and Schot ends up rolling around, turning halfway.. and launching himself towards Adelheid, bloody, beaten.. but not yet broken. "That's it .. YOU'RE DEAD!" He cries, leaping off the tire, grabbing it, and flipping it forwards, towards Adelheid, to beat against him, over and over, whipping it around like some kind of monster. Katana laughs! And then CHARGES towards Adelheid, blades flashing, wakizashi flashing as he goes, slow, powerful strikes as he throws himself, a large, meaty man, decked out in Japanese wear, towards Adelheid. "And you're going to go down .. there isn't a chance you will defeat me!" He exclaims, the Shogun believing he has this IN THE BAG.
But why!?
COMBATSYS: Adelheid blocks Katana's Fierce Strike.
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Adelheid 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Katana
> ///////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Thug
COMBATSYS: Adelheid just-defends Thug's Beatdown!
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Adelheid 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Katana
> ///////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Thug
Done?!?! Done!!!??? Never! It will be a cold day in hell when the Prince of War is felled by a single blow, much less one from the leader of an inner city gang with delusions of... glory? .... sushi? .... okay sushi is probably within reach. The faux-Japanese warrior is indeed strong, but nearly all of the prodigal Bernstein's rather limited years have been spent training. On his own, and under.... his father. While the would-be Shogun of Metro certainly packs a whallop, well. It's difficult to compare to the elder Bernstein's capacity to singularly whoop on some ass.
That doesn't change the rather dangerous situation which Adel finds himself in now, however. Both his deadly-minded adversaries charge, and behind his ninjalike, placid exterior, Adel's eyes narrow. The black-clad Bernstein focuses, draws a deep breath... and then there is nothing but chaos and danger. Blades flash, the tire swings... and the Prince of War moves with both. A paced retreat is in order, taking his attention off neither attacker... the fierce whipping of wakizashi cleaves into his guard, a twisting rotation of his arm slapping the blades away, even as they cut into resilient flesh. Clench his muscles, flex that arm, push past the pain.... weave -away- from the whipping, vicious repetition of tire swings. Each thrust and slashing whip of that unconventional weapon is met with equal, and opposite reaction. It's shoved forward, and Adelheid's palms push against it, it whips towards his head, and a buoyant charge of energy releases itself in an invisible, windy shockwave as a backhanding fist stops it dead. The thug pushes Adelheid back, time and again.... buying distance for his comrade, if nothing else.
"Is that all?" is the possibly disheartening response as the thug comes up short... and Adelheid launches himself forward, leaping directly at Schot, one extended palm grasping, fingers splayed, for the poor fellow's face. From there it would be one abrupt heave of that surprisingly strong, lithely corded arm, /thrusting/ Katana's bodyguard out in front of him and, ideally, releasing a ravaging column of shredding windshear directly into the Mad Gear member's face, "This city belongs to /NO MAN/!!!!"
COMBATSYS: Adelheid successfully hits Thug with Scorpion Deathlock.
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Adelheid 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Katana
> //// ]
|=======\-------\1 Thug
GOOD SUSHI. THESE GAIJINS CANNOT MAKE GOOD SUSHI IF .. IF.. SOMETHING.
YEAH YOU HEARD HIM.
But as they move, Bernstein has three turns to their two, it seems. He retreats.. the fierce strike slashing into him.. but then, the tire swings are met with opposite reactions, until it's stopped DEAD. Schot stares. "What the .. WHAT THE HELL IS HE!?" "HE IS A GAIJIN! A DEMON!" Katana yells. "BUT WE WILL BEST HIM!" Schot suddenly doesn't think so. "This is crazy.. the hell he learned to fight like this!? THIS ISN'T HAGGAR! OR GUY! OR ONE OF THEM!" Instead, it is .. SCORPION DEATHLOCK, Adelheid extending his palm, grasping for his face before he thrusts Schot out, the windshear ripping around his body. And then ... coughing.. hacking..
Schot does his last action for Katana.. at least until he gains medical attention. That comes later.
Katana watches. "You .. You ... YOU!" He yells, wakizshi rising. "I WILL SMITE YOU DOWN.. For all the trouble you have caused me .. I will tear you apart! ... BUT-SU-MU!" He cries.. leaping at Adelheid. Katana had learned himself, his strength .. but it is far enough from Adelheid's to not matter. Much.
Grabbing for Adelheid.. Thug reacts.. and kicks Adelheid.. SQUARE IN THE NUTS.
Meanwhile, Katana grabs for Adelheid, to invert him and .. SPINNING BUSTER him into the ground, the wind whipping as Katana uses a version of a wrestling throw to make Adelheid eat PAVEMENT.
COMBATSYS: Thug can no longer fight.
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Adelheid 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Katana
COMBATSYS: Adelheid parries Katana's Butsumetsu Buster!
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Adelheid 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\1 Katana
COMBATSYS: Thug successfully hits Adelheid with Cheap Shot.
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Adelheid 1/---====/=======|=======\-------\1 Katana
A gaijin demon. Perfect. This is exactly the sort of response Adelheid was going for. They are angry, they are afraid, they are intimidated... word of this will spread, by way of the battered Schot. Adel is certain of it. Well... the response was according to plan, /except/ for the whole 'being kicked square in the nuts' thing. Thankfully, all Bernsteins have brass bucks. All he can do is shift with the sudden ascent of that foot, the stinging impact not -quite- as square as perhaps it could be, but there's really no denying it: the thug just hammered his family jewels, and it doesn't drop him. .... far.
The Prince of War gasps a breath, drops to one knee, and the irate Katana is on him. It's as much instinct and defiance as skill that comes into play then, the grabbing, armored hands swept aside in an instant, a deflecting palm timed perfectly as the would-be Shogun of Metro's grab is literally smacked away, "You have already FAILED! From the moment you set foot down your present course!!!" The words are slightly garbled, a shout born of lingering pain and rebuttal, anger firing within him even as he launches himself in at Katana.
There's little time to recover his guard, less still as both of Adelheid's hands snap for his face. What would happen then is astounding, by many standards: Should his grip be found, Adelheid's momentum doubles, triples, a sudden, inner charge of chi all but launching him forward, dragging Katana in tow.... with the intent of forcibly /slamming/ him full-on into the side of his own truck, with force that could well crumple the frame of that trailer stunningly, should the would-be Shogun meet it, back first, the warhead of this proverbial missile.
COMBATSYS: Katana fails to counter God Press EX from Adelheid with Shiraha Catch.
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Adelheid 1/--=====/=======|=======\====---\1 Katana
And that's about when ADelheid stops Katana's perfect assault. "What... WHAT IS THIS!?" He demands as his grab is smacked away, Adelheid yelling of failure. "No .. IT IS YOU WHO HAS FAILED!" The Shogun yells out, as he is tossed away.. and that's when Adelheid's hands snap for his face. Wait OH GOD. Katana tries to rip him off, but it fails. He hands cannot wrench Adelheid's grip, and then .. a sudden surge of chi is only slightly prevented due to having believed it would fail.. and even then, he's dragged like a doll against the ground, before the Shogun is forcibly SLAMMED into the side of his own truck, the truck crumpling, the frame collapsing against the armor.. but Katana, stuck in it, coughing and hacking.. staggers from it, pulling himself from the wounds.
Because now he is just plain PISSED. And in horrible pain.
"Yoooou.... YOU DAMAGED... THE .. TRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!" He is not happy. HE IS ANGRY.
And he .. will.. get his... WEEABOO.. REVENEGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! "BY JAPAN'S SPIRITS, I'LL TAKE YOU DOWN!"
The shrieking creak of rending metal announces Katana's arrival into the side of his own Mad Gear rig, but is it the truck... or all that armor? ... or the shrieking cacophany that follows? Angry? Katana is angry? "This is over." Adelheid assures, his rich voice still even, confident... all his anger is channelled. There is no rage, only icy heat. He has spent his entire life working up this little powder, and damn if he's not going to make sure it's one hell of a show. A final shove and Adelheid leaps back, away from Katana as he wrenches himself out of the dented trailer. Giving the would-be Shogun of Metro time to breathe??
... in many battles, that would be the case indeed. A sporting moment for his adversary to bring himself back in the fight. But he is not here to match skills with Katana. He is not here to see what the world's least gaijin gaijin can do. And so, the Prince of War lands with his arms out to his sides, his palms forward, his fingers splayed wide open. His entire /body/ tenses, and then his black-gloved hands erupt. Pulsating spheres of silver-white force blossom into being in an instant, the thrumming power forced higher, and higher, as more and more chi is focused into his flexing hands.
... then, well. Things go from bad to worse. He whips his arms forward, hands coming together, focusing both charges together, and they ripple and explode outwards in exponentially increasing force. The blast is bigger than Adelheid, larger than Katana, wide and tall as even a man such as Haggar himself, the spirit of HUGE bearing down on the one who would taint his city. A maelstrom of silver-blue, wildly luminescent chi blasting forward in a rampant, explosive mass of cruel-edged hurricane-force agony. Adelheid tenses behind the blast, focuses it forward, and as much as Katana's rage-fueled call may have split the night before....
.... now there is only the Prince of War's sustained, ire-filled kiai, and the whooshing rush of displaced air.
COMBATSYS: Katana fails to interrupt Crown Prince from Adelheid with Meido no Miyage.
- Power fail! -
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Adelheid 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Katana
COMBATSYS: Katana has reached second wind!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Adelheid 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Katana
And it all happens too fast. As the Crown Prince slams towards Katana, the entire body tenses as pulsating spheres of silver white force blossom.. Katana charges towards Adelheid, wakizashi flashing through the air. "No .. No.. NO! MEIDO NO MI-" FREAKING EXPLOSIONS.
The chi suddenly floods around Katana, the blast larger than Adelheid, swallowing Katana and tossing him away, and then once more, seeming to vaporize Katana. It is horrible. The Shogun can only cry out in pain, rather than rage.
And in the end, the Shogun does both.
It ends, however. The cry silences. The night is rather quiet now... and the Shogun ...
Still stands. Bloody, the mask falling to pieces, traces off something behind it.. Katana's too pained to have his real face actually be seeable. The darkness his shroud to his identity, as well as his honor .. and dignity, really. There is a bit of ramen on his lower chin.
"You .. WILL NEVER DEFEAT ME, DEMON GAIJIN! The might .. of Japan .. IS NOT ... A FLEETING ONE!"
Yet his words.. how effective are they!?
"The might of Japan?" Adelheid scoffs. Somehow, this bastion of will and stubborn determination still stands... bloody, breaking, in clear pain... yet still determined to fight on. From another man, it would be admirable, "As if such ever came through oppression and preying on the /weak/!!" The retort is coupled with a step towards Katana, and a sweeping, upwards motion of his right arm. Silvery chi still trails from his fingers, at this point he's nearly brimming with it, the charge surging from his entire being. Focusing more? Others would be hard pressed to do anything of the -sort- so soon after such a show. Adelheid can't redouble it, but he sitll presses forth an immense wave, the ground before him surging into a stunning tidal wave of wild, silver edges. It's a technique practiced by some of the world's most potent warriors, with a decided Bernstein flavor.
Once more, Katana faces the tempest, the winds that seek to ravage any hope he has of fighting this war further, of being coherent enough to lead the battles that are sure to happen next. The boiling tide threatens to wash him back once more, seeking to keep him pinned, blasted against his so-loved truck until he no longer raves, and seeks to fight onward, "Tonight is the night you fall, and this city will be reclaimed by its people!!"
To the prodigal Bernstein, there is no other course... no remaining choice. Katana may not be Rugal, he may not be Vega, but the force he wields is the one which Adelheid now weaves his power to oppose.
COMBATSYS: Adelheid successfully hits Katana with Kaiser Wave.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Adelheid 0/-------/----===|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Katana
The tempest comes again, Katana looking upon it. This is .. bad. VERY BAD. But the shogun is never one to! And then the man steps forwards. Another show. A tidal wave of wide silver edges ripping through the sky.. and then the winds ravage forth, the Shogun whipped by them, sending him crashing backwards as he tries to fight it. It does not go so well.. but the Shogun continues forwards, blades being eaten away by the energy. BUT HE FIGHTS ON.
And then he is blasted THROUGH the truck. He's literately blasted through the truck, metal, steal, flesh, all of it under the assault by Bernstein, Adelheid. He has not felt such pain since ever.
He should stay down.. But Katana does not. Instead, he leaps onto the truck after a few moments. There is no more mask, but there is too much blood to see. "I .. SHALL NOT ... GIVE UP! TEN.... CHUUUUU..... SATSUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" He cries, crashing down towards Adelheid, to impale him with his dagger like blades, worn by the chi energy, and then smash him against the ground. Then, he would meet the earth again .. and be raised by strikes, before a face plant.. but his strikes are slow, weathered.. and he might not be able to fight on.
It might be just too much, his body weathered by such force.. he has taken far more than he should have... it is far more than anyone should have. He slumps forwards...
COMBATSYS: Katana can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Adelheid 0/-------/----===|
And then finally collapses.
COMBATSYS: Adelheid interrupts Ten Chuu Satsu from Katana with Reppukyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Adelheid 0/-------/=======|
The mighty Mad Gear truck is torn asunder, and with it the gang's glorious leader. The gaijin shogun somehow manages to extricate himself from the tangled mass of metal and panelling, broken hydraulics and fluid lines spraying hither and yon, and likely adding to the dark, bloody mess that Katana is quickly becoming. Still the fierce gang leader is dragging himself out of the wreckage, still he charges forward, one last, not-so-gallant drive for victory, to stop this demon who threatens 'his' domain. Once more Adelheid drives forward, unflinching, sheathing the sword as the damaged wakazashi drive true, clipping painfully through his flesh, as he turns a half-rotation, steps into Katana, and launches himself suddenly upwards, before the would-be Shogun of Metro can do similarly. In his wake there is one final, parting present. It is not as massively potent as the last two blasts, not as inexorable or mighty.... but the progression is still something to behold, and it leaves Katana barreling full-on into a lancing edge of ragged windshear, even as the Bernstein heir backflips clear, landing somewhat more harshly than before.
He draws a breath, then another, blood still seeping from numerous wounds of varying severity.... but it is Katana who is launched backwards by the edge of chi coalescing below his foot as he took the hit, and offered that in return. Adelheid... still stands. There is the tremor of stirring Mad Gear members all around the camp now, as at least a few come rushing to see what has happened to their mighty leader. But the broken Katana, and poor mixed-up Schot are all they'll find. Adelheid moves quickly, wasting no time in rushing back to the tenement from which he initially leapt, and launching a rapidly-uncoiling grapple from its gas-fed launcher upwards, quickly rappling up the length of cord left behind, the black-clad Bernstein disappearing once more.
.... into the night.
COMBATSYS: Adelheid has ended the fight here.
Log created on 20:44:00 04/15/2008 by Adelheid, and last modified on 00:53:37 04/16/2008.